I was beginning to drown in my depression when a soft knock brought me to reality. I looked over to see a tall man with broad shoulders. Shoulder length black hair and blue eyes staring at me. He looked strange in a leather jacket and leather gloves indoors. Then again how much stranger can you get than a man who flies in a metal suit, one that turns green and a girl that burns shit in her sleep?
"Hi" He sounded a bit frustrated. Like he had better plans than to be here. I could hear it all in that one word.
"Hi, so ...you are one of the grandpas who are showing me around?" I raised an eyebrow. He wasn't old. In fact he looked close to my age, maybe in his early thirties the oldest. He was actually pretty hot. Bad type that always caught my attention.
"Fucking Stark" He sighed. "I'm not old, Stark is just an ass. You ready?" I chuckled a bit at his reaction. I nodded slowly, getting up realizing my legs were still a bit numb from whatever crap they gave me last night. I almost fell when I felt his gloved hands grab my waist and steady me.
He looked at me up and down for a second, a blush coming up his face before he stepped back clearing his throat. That's when I noticed I was still in that damn sequin dress and it had road up my thigh exposing my underwear. I quickly shimmy'ed the dress down turning red. Fucking hell Maria couldn't you have gotten me something while I was knocked out?
He was at least being a gentleman and not staring. He walked to the door waiting for me to get my own balance in check. Once I made it to his side he opened the door waving me to walk out first. He didn't point out any rooms we past. In fact he didn't even speak. He took me to the elevator and pressed a button. When the doors opened again we walked down a hall. He stopped in front of a door. "Wait here" He went in closing the door behind him a little roughly. When he came back out he had a shirt and a pair of sweats in his hands.
"Your room is the third one down the hall on the right. Here, a uh..a woman should be more decent." He tried hard not to look at me. I slowly grabbed the clothes feeling highly uncomfortable. He definitely sounds like a freaking grandpa...
I head to my assigned room. I walk in barely taking in the room itself, just happy to wear something other than a tight ass dress. The clothes were big on me, but I expected that since it was men's clothes. I had to tie the string on the sweatpants really tight for it to fit in any way. I rolled up the hem of the pants a bit so I wouldn't trip when I walked and headed out. Yea I was taking the tour barefoot so what?
The guy looked at me taking in a deep breath then looking away licking his lips. This dude was fucking weird, cute...but weird.
"This ...floor you have some of the living quarters, you, me, Steve, and Sam stay here. One floor up you have Natasha, Wanda, Bruce, and Pietro. The floor above them you have Clint, Vision, and rooms for Thor and Peter when they show up, hopefully, Peter will never show up. Tony has his own floor above the rest of us." He rushed to the elevator. He pressed a button too fast for me to see what floor.
I was quiet. He still hadn't told me his name or asked for mine. It was obvious he didn't want to do this tour. When the elevators opened I could hear laughter and arguments. He quickly groaned and rolled his eyes before walking out.
"This is the living room, open bar over there, stay away from the schnapps, Clint will kill you. Helipad outside for emergencies, be careful the winds can drag you to the ledge. And these idiots on the couch are some of the Avengers" He pointed at four people that looked like they were having fun.
"We are not idiots Barnes" A dark skinned man stood up pointing at him with frustration. So his name is Barnes? good to know.
"Well you sound like kids" He stated. I think he was just trying to get on their nerves on purpose.
"Hey Barnes, you know I can kill you, so cool it." A red head woman in all black stood up walking to me with a slight side smile. "So, you're the fire starter. I'm sorry to hear about your mom." she put her hand out for me to shake. She was the first person to say sorry for my loss. Unlike the sexy brute next to me.
I shook her hand with a slight smile. "Thanks"
"That's Natasha. The asshole looking at you like candy is Sam, the old guy playing with a drumstick is Clint and the quiet punk reading a newspaper is Steve." I softly waved at all of them. Steve looked up from his newspaper and quickly stood up placing his hands behind his back and smiling at me. It all felt awkward.
"Ma'am" Steve nodded trying to hide his smile. I nodded back at him trying not to furrow my brows wondering why he was acting weird. From my moms stories of the Avengers (She followed everything that had to do with them), he was the leader, the most calm. He really wasn't at this moment.
"Right, so... The kitchen is this way." We walk past the living room area, noticing Sam and Steve staring at me as I pass. We walk into some double doors to a huge kitchen with two islands and what looked like a twenty seat dinner table. "Kitchen, you can eat whatever you want, just don't touch the pop-tarts, Thor will get pissed." A blue blur passes us by, I hear the fridge open then close quickly. My hair flew to my face making me tuck it behind my ear. I look around confused. "That was Pietro, he's fast."
"Can I grab some water before we go?" I know he said I could grab whatever I wanted but this was not my home it was theirs. He nodded going to the fridge getting me a water bottle and tossing it at me. I caught it with my right hand, he stared at my wrist for a second. I wondered what he was looking at until the faint blue light caught my eye. "Oh..yea..Stark wanted to make sure I didn't kill anyone with my fire thingy" I said unsure of what to call it. I drank some water looking at the stove clock. My mother would be going into her job right now if she was alive. I sighed and looked down.
He leaned back against the fridge and stared at me like he was analyzing me. "Was that the end of the tour?" To be honest I just wanted to end this and go to bed to cry. I haven't gotten the chance to cry for my mother since last night.
He squared up and walked out the kitchen. We walked past everyone again and to the elevators. I sneak a peak back to see Sam and Steve still looking at me. Those two are creepy.
We walk in and I notice the button he presses this time. It was the 47th floor. The elevator went down. So, mental note, the food is below the rooms but above the 47th floor. Food is important, if there is anything I take note of, it'll be the food.
He leads me out into a pair of doors straight ahead. "This, is the training room" He opened the door and my eyes widen. Holy fucking shit. The room was several floors high and took the entire floor. There was every workout equipment you could ever need plus a bunch of high tech shit that I bet only they had. "We are in here most of the time, so if you need anyone you would most likely find us here." I nod a bit too excitedly. My mom would lose her shit if she saw this, the training room the Avengers work out at. She would freaking run around asking who uses what.
"That's it, the floor you woke up in has the science crap Bruce and Stark use. I'm sure they'll want you there for a few days, they sounded excited when they heard girl that shoots fire." I nod
"Um...what floors are the rooms again?" I didn't want to sound stupid but I didn't want to get lost either. He sighs looking away
"Ours is the 54th floor, if you need...anything for woman...um...Natasha or Wanda would help" Was he trying to tell me if I needed tampons or something? Like I can't go to the store and get it?
"Um...thanks?" I was nervous and confused. "okay so...i'm gonna go to my room now. Thanks for the tour Barnes." I turned on my heels and walked to the exit.
"What's your name?" He finally asks. I turned around surprised he even cared.
"Anastasia, friends call me Ana" He looked at me now and softly nodded. He gave me a sly side smirk
"Ana..I like that" I slightly blushed noticing him liking his bottom lip. That was the first nice thing he said to me this whole time, and he looked so hot doing it. I turned back around and headed to the elevator to go to my room. Concentrate on mom dumbass. Even though she would be all over this and making you flirt to no end, she isn't here. So breath. Actually she would want me to flirt with Steve or Thor...ugh
I finally reach my floor and count the doors to make sure I head to the right room. When I walk in I take note of it. It was a decent sized room, bigger than my old one. It had large floor length windows with floor length curtains. There were two doors to the left. One that was the bathroom and another that was a small walk in closet. An empty closet but still a walk in. Shit in Manhattan that was considered a second bedroom. I go to the bed and laid down.
After some time I start thinking of my mom. Did she know what I was capable of? If she did why didn't she take more care around me. I doubt she did. I remembered the day when I was little, I burnt my finger making her coffee.
She had just woken up from doing three shifts in a row, and I wanted to help her out. She grabbed my finger in her tired hands and kissed it. She cut a piece of our aloe plant and ground some witch hazel in with the aloe before putting it on my burn.
"If you are ever stuck somewhere without medical help, this mix is perfect for burns." She smiled at me softly blowing on my finger covered in aloe making it cool. The pain almost instantly disappeared and my mom looked like a superhero to me at that moment.
I began to cry. I tried to hide my sobs on the pillows to not scare anyone if they came up here. I cried for hours, until I fell asleep.
***
It wasn't morning when I woke up. The sky outside was pitch black if you ignore the city lights. The room was quiet, the only sound was my breathing. I got up and went to the bathroom to rinse my face. I noticed there was mouthwash and any basics I needed so I mouth washed. I started feeling hungry so I went downstairs trying to remember the floor the food was at. Above the 47th but below the 54th. It had to be closer to the 54th since the training room had several floors in it, so I started with the 53rd floor.
Nope, looks empty. 52nd floor. Nope..looks like janitors closet..51st. The doors open and I could hear a loud "COME ON" ...yup this is the floor.
I walk out to the living room to see almost everyone there eating pizza.
"Anastasia, want some pizza?" Natasha yelled out across the room. She seemed nice. I gravitated to her because she made me feel comfortable. Something about her reminded me of Maria.
"Yea, actually" I nodded going over to her. Before I could grab a plate and food, a blue streak zoomed past me and stopped in front of me.
"Anastasia, yes?" Pietro was tall lean but muscular. Had white tipped hair and a scruff on his face. He also had a mischievous smile.
"yes?..." I said giving him a worried look.
"Do you think a pizza should have pineapples?" He had a strange accent, it was kind of cute.
A bunch of groans were let out. "No fair she's new"
"Leave her alone Piet" a woman with a similar accent stated with authority.
"I gotta see where this goes"
"ALRIGHT ENOUGH" Natasha yelled out. "Let her eat dammit" She grabbed my arm and led me to the pizza giving me a plate. Most of the regular pizza was gone leaving only one slice of pepperoni and an entire pizza of pineapple and ham. So this was the argument. I grabbed a slice of each and smirked at Pietro.
"I go either way" I take a big bite turning to find a seat. The room was silent for a second.
"She doesn't count, she obviously has no taste buds" Sam says restarting the arguments they were having. I couldn't help but laugh. It felt strange to laugh after I had just fallen asleep crying.
"Hey, I thought you might be thirsty" Steve stood in front of me while my mouth was full of pizza handing me a can of soda. I nod and take it to avoid talking with my mouth full.
He sits down on the edge of the couch near me. "I'm Steve Rogers by the way, I uh...I'm sorry for your lose ma'am" he looked like a jock. His blond hair perfectly combed back, his blue eyes looking at me with sorrow and his large shoulders and chest screamed quarterback.
I chew and swallow my food. "Thanks" I say softly. So far Steve and Natasha are the only ones to acknowledge my mothers death. That was nice of them.
"I don't know if Bucky told you but, my room is a couple doors down from you, so if you ever need anything feel free to knock" Whose Bucky?
"Bucky?..." I asked looking at him and Natasha confused
"Barnes, James Buchanan Barnes, the broody one in leather." Natasha says clearing it out. James sounds like a nice name for him, fitting actually. His entire face just screamed James.
"Okay kids...Ana you're socializing, kind of proud of you" Stark walked in noticing me in the room. "I'm so glad you are talking to Capsicle, over the delinquents" He points at Steve then at Sam, Pietro, and Bucky.
"We are not delinquents, I do no such crimes" Pietro stopped racing the room to argue with Stark.
"It's a joke speedy Gonzales" Stark pats Pietro on the shoulder walking over to me. "What are you wearing?" He points down at my clothes with a confused look. I glance over at James who looks down after staring at me for a minute. I could almost see a blush creeping up his face.
"Clothes, what are you wearing?" I return his snarky comment. I hear Steve snicker under his breath and see Natasha smile.
"Expensive clothes" He fixes his button down collar proud of his clothing. I eye roll and chuckle a bit. "Natasha, do you mind helping her get new clothes since..all her clothes are..well..ash" Natasha gave him a death stare that made him look away for a second. "I'll give you my black card" He offers her, she looked at me for a second standing up and snatching the black card from Stark as he took it out of his pocket.
"Of course, I was going to anyway." She smiles walking out the room. I smile at her admiring how quickly she got him to hand her that card over. She didn't even have to speak. Jeez my mother would love her.
"Alright kid, go to bed soon. We will be seeing you at 8am sharp for some tests" He starts walking away.
"Aren't you going to eat pizza?" I call out to him from my seat.
He turns around for a second "Pizza with pineapple isn't pizza" Then he turns again and leaves.
"YES, I TOLD YOU" Sam yells out
"Pay up Pietro" Clint calls out with his hands out waiting for cash. I laugh a bit watching them, James was right, they are children. Pietro began speeding off to avoid paying them, Clint and Sam trying to run after him. Wanda was just laughing so hard she could fall over.
God mom would have loved this. My smile goes away for a split second before I start eating again. I miss her so much.