- everyone you meet is fighting a battle you don't know about. be kind, always.
"Ah, I knew I'd see you again." Emma flashed her usual flirtatious smile towards me and stretched her hand out to Natasha. "I'm Emma Frost, it is very nice to finally meet you, Black Widow."
Natasha introduced herself, although it seems like she didn't really need to. Emma seemed to know who she was already.
I had not wanted to talk to Emma, but Natasha found her and asked me who she was. After recognizing the name I had said earlier, she wanted to meet her.
"You are quite the sight, Natasha. I now know exactly why Katya didn't fall for my charm when we first met." I felt my eyebrows twitch when she said this. Emma had used a charm on me, and it didn't work? "Not many humans can resist, very impressive that you did."
"I'm not like most humans." I tried my best to be polite.
"How very true." She studied me, and I didn't want to tell her that I was not even a human after all, but instead a fallen angel.
I spotted a very interesting person, one that I was intrigued by for a while now, and felt the urge to speak with them. "Will you ladies excuse me?"
"Of course." Natasha smiled at me, and I hurried towards the figure I was watching.
He pushed his dark disheveled hair out of his eyes to look at me. This was probably the only suit he owned, and it was a size too long for him. He seemed uncomfortable here as if he was out of place.
"Sam Alexander, right?" I asked, sticking my hand out. "I'm Katya."
"I'm Sam, yeah." He nodded, shaking my hand with a firm grip. He was probably around Peter's age, maybe a year or two older.
"This is some party. Lots of important people." I mused, looking around for a moment, then looking for his reaction.
"Yeah," He sighed. "I was surprised when Mr. Stark invited me to his daughter's baby shower."
"I'm not." I watched him carefully. "You're Nova. You belong here with the rest of the supers." His eyes darted quickly around my face, trying to figure out who I was. I smiled and reintroduced myself as Black Mamba. "I am a fallen angel, so I don't like to make myself known." I was telling this boy exactly who I was, to hopefully gain his trust.
"A fallen angel." He repeated, and I nodded. "Cool."
"Are you familiar with Spider-Man?" I asked.
"Oh yeah, I know him. He and I are buddies, we go to the same school." He admitted, then paled, looking to see if I was going to start pressing him for Peter's name.
"Peter is here, did you see him yet?" I relaxed him with these words.
"Not yet." He shook his head no and began searching for Peter Parker. "Do you know where I can find him?"
"I'd say to look for Mr. Stark. Peter is always hanging around somewhere near him." I informed Sam, and he began looking in the direction of Tony, obviously wanting to find Peter. "I'm going to let you go to Peter, but before you do, let me ask you something."
"Shoot." Sam was tall for his age and stood a few inches taller than I was.
"Do you have a phone?"
"What kid doesn't?" He smiled, pulling out a phone with a cracked screen.
"Let us keep in touch, Sam Alexander." I entered my number in his phone. "I'm sure we can find ways to help each other out." I watched him put his phone in his pocket.
"It was nice meeting you, Katya." He said politely before moving to look for Peter.
Natasha was at my side in the next minute, resting her hand on my forearm. "Who's that?" She asked, watching the figure of the retreating boy.
"Sam Alexander, otherwise known as Nova. He's around Peter's age, I forgot how old." I informed my girlfriend. "He's looking for his father and trying to figure out how to become a hero and fill his father's shoes. Sam Alexander is going to be very strong when he is older."
Natasha nodded thoughtfully. "And he knows Peter?" I nodded. "I have a crazy idea."
I met her eyes. "What is it?"
"What if we created almost like a youth Avenger group?" She asked. "Just a bunch of kids around Peter's age and we can help them become the heroes we know they can be. They'll take care of the smaller threats, and keep the city safe and all that. Then they can be our backup on the really big tasks."
I thought about this. Natasha's idea was a good one, and I liked it. "I love how you think." I smiled at my redhead. "We can place Peter on it, and Sam Alexander."
"Spider-Man and Nova." Natasha nodded, looking around the room. She pointed out another teenager. "Who is she?"
"Doreen Green. She's a college student. Made her first impression trying to impress Tony. I guess it worked enough to land her an invite."
"Her hero name?" Natasha asked.
"Squirrel Girl."
Natasha cracked a smile. "Where did she come up with that one?"
"She can talk to squirrels. She's got reflexes, speed, and strength. Doreen even has retractable claws."
Natasha hummed, watching Doreen interact with a dark boy I remember knowing as Cloak. I wasn't sure of his real name, but I knew in the hero world he went by Cloak.
"I'll go talk to those two. They seem young enough." She glanced around the room. "You spread out, talk to whatever young person you see."
"Try not to mention your little idea until we have the team's permission." I stopped her walk, and she gave me a wink in response, pulling herself free to talk to Cloak and Doreen.
I shrugged, finishing my glass of champagne and setting it down on a table. I adjusted my blazer once more and looked around the room. Natasha will be disappointed in me if I don't come up with at least a few names and numbers, so I decided to just look for someone. I was pleased to see Sam Alexander speaking with Peter, and the boy I recognized as Iron Fist.
I made my way over, and smiled at the three boys, stopping my eyes to linger on Iron Fist. "I've heard a lot about you, Iron Fist. You're pretty powerful." I began by introducing myself. I talked with the three boys and walked off with Danny Rand's name and number.
After speaking with young aspiring heroes like Spider-Woman, Power Man, a very young Amadeus Cho, and the Scarlet Spider Ben Reilly. They all were a very intriguing bunch, and I had high hopes for them, as long as the team passes the idea of a youth Avenger group.
I sat on a couch and watched people pass by. I sipped my second glass of champagne thoughtfully, wondering how the team would take the idea. I'm sure they wouldn't be opposed to it. Besides, it's safer to have these younger heroes where we can keep an eye on them. It's better they be an ally rather than an enemy.
"Miss me?" A sweet voice purred in my ear. I turned and grinned at my girlfriend. She sat next to me on the couch, pressed close to me because there was hardly any room here.
"Very much." I simpered.
She leaned forward and put her lips near my ear. "I wish I could kiss you right now, but there are so many people around."
"Who cares?" I responded. "Let them see us."
"Not yet." She pushed her face away from mine. "Today is a day for Andrea, let's not turn it into a gossip about us." I pouted, and she laughed a melodic sound. "Don't worry, I'll give you plenty of kisses later." She whispered.
"I'm excited now." I grinned.
Before more could be said, Tony stood on a chair and got everyone's attention. He started to speak, using humor to get everyone warmed up, and then started to talk about Andrea. "My daughter, Andrea Raven Stark, is probably the most beautiful child in the world. I'm the luckiest father ever. So, a toast to my daughter. Let's welcome her to our large, diverse family." He raised his glass to the crowd, and we all raised ours in response, sipping whatever was in our glasses.
This definitely was a very large, and very diverse family. Andrea Raven Stark was lucky to have us around, and hopefully, she will grow to have our mindset of good.