High school sucks. That's a given. Every teenager feels that way. You spend hours a day surrounded by people who will likely mean nothing to you in a few years but imagine high school while being surrounded by the children of the greats. I'm not talking celebrities or politicians. Not even saints or philanthropists. Dealing with their kids would be so much easier.
I am growing up amongst the Avenger's Offspring. Thor's daughter, Torunn, literally has the blood of Gods running through her body. Morgan Stark inherited her father's brilliant mind as well as her mom's ability to shut down any stupid ideas any one might have, Henry and Cassie Lang both have access to the Pym Particle, but Cassie is off doing her own thing with a few of the older kids like Kamala Kahn and Kate Bishop. James Rogers has Super Soldier serum in his blood. Azar is in line to take on not only the throne of Wakanda, but the mantle of Black Panther as well. Sofia Strange is training to be just like her parents. The Barton's are the only ones with out some sort of power, powered tech or genius but they are much older than the rest of us. Lila has taken over her mom's roll as Agent 13, Cooper is high in the S.H.I.E.L.D. ranks as well, Nathanial took over the family farm. Francis goes back and forth on his decision weekly. He trains with us but has never taken it seriously. But serious or not, he has always been a good friend. We have different priorities in life but still seem to get along well. The list goes on and on, name an Avenger I know their kid, their powers, strengths, and weaknesses. They are my friends, and I love and respect them but it doesn't make growing beside them any easier.
Which leads to me. Unlike the others I don't have a super power, or some special ability, I'm as close to normal as one could get living full time around the Avengers and their kids. Unless you count not being able to feel. You've heard of congenital insensitivity to pain I assume? Take it a step further and you've got me. Not only can I not feel pain, I can't feel the sun warming my skin or the cool breeze nipping at my nose. I can't even feel the touch of someone I care about. Makes for interesting training sessions when I can't tell if one of my peers has done damage. S.H.I.E.L.D. calls it impressive and useful. My parents call it concerning. I call it isolating. For as long I can remember I have been unable to feel, Stark helped create things to notify me if I get badly injured. And it's nice but it doesn't stop me from wondering what it is like.
And there is the parentage. Most of the kids have one parent in the Avengers or S.H.I.E.L.D. I've got both. Don't get me wrong, since the day they brought me home they have been incredible parents. They have given me everything I could ever want or need, and shown me more love than I probably deserve. And I love them just as much, I'm proud of them. They were handed rotten lots in life and changed them. But they were gone a lot, and it was hard as a kid to be worried about both. That each mission could be the last time I saw both parents. To be alone during those stressful moments wasn't easy, it's not something I'd want any one to be forced to go through.
Dad was Captain America's best friend in the war and before it. Until he fell off the train while trying to capture Doctor Zola. He was found by Hyrda, they turned him into the Winter Soldier. He was used by Hydra and the KGB to change the way the world was going. Taking out targets and never getting caught. And then training the Black Widows. That's where he and mom met the first time. Sometime in the 60's he was on lone to the Black Widow program to help further train their best students. From what I hear mom stood apart from even the best. She caught on quickly and didn't argue. When they first started training together things happened fast. They spent their nights sneaking into each others rooms but once they were caught the Winter Soldier was removed from the Black Widow Program and he was wiped and prepared to move to a new mission. But mom never forgot. She graduated the program shortly after and her prize for doing so? A serum to reduce her aging and a hysterectomy to prevent the chance of a 'mistake.'
Years later she left the Widow program and joined S.H.I.E.L.D.. While at S.H.I.E.L.D. she looked for Dad but they kept him well hidden. Until they made the mistake to put him up against Captain America. After that he ran and tried to figure things out for himself while Uncle Steve and Mom tracked him down. Not an easy task but they did it, and it wasn't an easy transition for anyone but they helped dad bring back his memories and take back his life. Change who the Winter Soldier was. He and Mom found their way back together and have been together since.
I know, you're sitting here thinking, but wait didn't they give the Black Widow a hysterectomy? How did she have a kid? The simple answer? She didn't, they just found me. The complicated one? My birth mother was trading me to the Red Room for money. I don't know her reasons, I don't know if she thought they would take care of me or if she even knew what they did. I don't blame her. Mom's mother did the same thing. But she wasn't as lucky as I was. Mom and Dad happened to be the agents sent to sabotage the exchange. My birth mother was killed in the middle of it, the bullet came from a Widow. S.H.I.E.L.D. looked for other family members who may have wanted me but they were unable to find any one and by that point we had kind of made our own family. I was only 4 or 5 months old at the time and have no memories of the day. But I am grateful for it. Had they not been there I would have gone through what my Mom had, experienced the same life. And while I may have similar training now,I was able to do it with loving parents and it was my choice. A choice that I know I can leave if I want. She didn't have that.
For the first six years of my life we lived in Brooklyn. My parents wanted me to have a normal life, or as much of one as I could. But when Leo Novokov escape solitary confinement and came looking for Dad and planted an explosive in my room they changed their minds and moved into Avengers tower. I was lucky that day, that's really the story of my life - a whole lot of luck. I opened the door to my room but Mom called me and I ran off to go find her as it swung open, triggering the explosion. I spent a week in the hospital getting treated for burns and a broken wrist. We didn't know it then but that was the start of it.
Just little things at first. I wouldn't respond when the doctors pricked me, or notice when my parents touched me. At first they thought it would go away with time, but as the months went on it didn't. In fact it got worse. Imagine explaining to a four year why she has to be careful around things that can hurt her because in her mind it doesn't hurt. It doesn't do anything. Or try comforting her when she can't feel you anymore.
I went through a lot of therapy to understand why and what was happening to me. But it's hard to heal when your therapist has no experience dealing with your issues, and has no where to turn for answer because as far as anyone knows your the first to ever go through it. When I was older it was easier to understand. To come to terms with it. Especially as the memories of being able to feel faded. At this point I remember very little about the sensation. It's a hard thing to explain to people though. Easier to stay alert and fake it, especially around new people. I definitely worried a couple agents when careless Francis shot an arrow into my thigh a couple weeks ago and I made no cry of pain.
Stark's working theory on my condition is that the explosion's force caused me to hit my head, severing the nerves that render feeling to the brain. I'll be honest it doesn't make sense to me and I think he's just trying to give me something to blame. I don't need anything to blame though, I may hate it but it's a part of me. Something I have to deal with, no one is at fault. It's just the lot life handed me. So I ignore it. As much as I can.
My parents have trained me well, powers or not I have my ways of keeping up with the others. I know each of their weaknesses. I know exactly how they move, Morgan trusts her technology too much. Take it away from her and she is brilliant but has little worth in the battlefield. She also holds a grudge against me. My dad killed her Grandparents. Not by choice but that doesn't matter to her. He's the reason she never met them.
Henry is similar. He can shrink and grow at will, but take away the Pym particle and he doesn't have much training. He knows how to fight when he's small, or big. But at a regular size he's clumsy and unsure of himself. He doesn't hold a grudge but he doesn't trust me much either. He's a nervous kid who doesn't trust much.
Because Francis can't decide if this is what he wants he doesn't take training seriously. He's an excellent shot when he tries. He can fight to, pretty well. But he rarely tries. He does the bare minimum unless it's one of the rare times he actually thinks he's going to do it for real. All we can do is hope if he's ever on a mission he decides to take it seriously so we don't all die.
Then there's James. He's been my best friend since we were young. Maybe it's because our Dads are best friends? Or maybe because he's the only one I can relax around. He trusts me completely and I him. I know if it comes to it I can put my life in his hands and be safe. Which is a good thing to know as he is set to be the leader of the Next Avengers.
Our Dad's used to joke about the two of us growing up and falling in love. Mom always laughed about it and would roll her eyes. The crazy thing? I did. Not that I would ever tell him or any one. What a joke really. He is America's golden boy. I am far from it. And I wouldn't want to ruin his image.
No one knows who his Mom is, but I have my suspicions, suspicions I'm sure most people have. James came back with Steve after he returned the infinity stones. Peggy Carter died in 1948 due to medical complications. She was married to an unnamed soldier who disappeared shortly after. I think Steve had intended on staying with her, living a life with her. But childbirth took her away. I don't know why he didn't stay but I assume it was because at that point he had lost the most important thing, the only reason he stayed. So he came back, but not alone. He never gave an explanation, but what I can find aligns with my theory. And I'm happy for him. He deserved that happiness. I'm sad that it was cut so short, but I won't complain about it bringing me my best friend.
I have always been able to talk to James about almost anything. Except the obvious. We've understood each other, he's good at challenging me with out frustrating me. He was by my bed most of the time I was in the hospital. Vague memories of long uno games or I spy come to mind when I think of those days. I owe him for keeping me sane.
But he cares too much about his loved ones, he will put them above everything. And he takes after his Dad. A strict rule follower. I've never really been that way. If I find a way that gets me the same result I'll do it. Math or missions, as long as I achieve the end result it doesn't matter. Unless you're James.
Being a stickler for the rules makes it easier to one up him sometimes. Not always, but enough that I'm on his level and can pin him. He hates it. But until he lets go of the 'rules' nothing will change for him.
We've each been training to take our spot. There's only so long the current Avengers can keep going. Thor could probably go forever but Asgard will need him back one day. Other than him they will all hit a point where they can't keep going. Who better to replace them than their children?
Our first real mission is right around the corner. Supposed to be a quick in and out. A meet between Hydra and A.I.M. for an exchange. Our goal is take in to custody whatever it is they are exchanging. If we can take in some of the high ups of the operation even better. Fast simple. No brainer. I just wish they would simplify the team. There's too many going in. We could do it with two. But instead there are five of us. It makes it far more complicated.
"Dasha?"
"Hey Dad." I muttered while studying the file in front of me. There was something missing. Something wrong about it but I couldn't put my finger on it.
"You feeling ready for this?"
He sat down in the seat next to me, tossing a bright pink stress ball between his hands. He glanced at the file and I shuffled the papers trying to move it from his eye sight.
"You know my clearance level is plenty high enough to read that. High enough that I already have."
He laughed and tossed the ball at me. I caught it and placed it on the table. "I'm aware. But doesn't mean I need you reading my notes on it."
"I see."
He gave me his classic smirk and waited for me to return the ball to him. I tossed it back and his metal fingers wrapped around the neon plastic.
"How are you feeling? Ready for it?"
"It would be better if Morgan wasn't going, or Francis."
Dad's eyebrow shot up and he placed the ball on the table.
"You still don't trust her? What's wrong with Francis?"
I shook my head and sighed. "I want to. I do. But I know she doesn't trust me and I don't know how to convince her she can. But until she will I don't know how I can trust her. Does that make sense? In the end I think if choices had to be made then I would be the one she would sacrifice even if it wasn't the right call. And Francis is fine when he cares. Which is never."
Dad nodded and sighed. "Howard was a great man destined for so much more. If I could go back I would. I swear."
"Dad, I get it. It's not your fault. I don't blame you and I wish she wouldn't. But I cant help that."
He stood and came up behind me. He leaned down and I assumed kissed my the top of my head. He always did. He refused to treat me differently just because I couldn't feel it and I grateful for it. He and mom were the only two who treated me like all was normal.
"You'll figure this out, you always do. You'll be surprised how dynamics can change once you start getting into the field. It's different than when you're in a controlled training room. You've got this Dash."
"Thanks Dad. I appreciate it."