A/N: The epilogue! I won't bore you with my ramblings, thank you for reading and have a wonderful day/night! Love, abbiemca x
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-12 MONTHS LATER-
Ava's View
I walked down the streets of New York, holding up an umbrella to shield myself from the pouring rain threatening to drench me and my clothes.
Alright so, what's changed within twelve months? Absolutely nothing, I'm still me, with my silly glow up hands and annoying friends. Well, alright, I suppose there has been a few changes.
The first being that Anthony Stark is now engaged. Seriously. I didn't believe Pepper when she called me to tell me. It was a bit of a shock, I mean, nobody even saw it coming, not even Bruce.
The second being that Steve now knows how to use a mobile phone.
The third one being that all seven of us are now public superheroes. I'd be lying if I said I didn't like the attention. Alright, I don't like the press conferences or interviews, or adults or paparazzi. I like the kids though. (Not in a creepy way, dear God, no.) The kids look up to us all, imitating us, with Cap's shield and Thor's hammer. Little boys with Iron Man masks on, and little girls with purple replicas of my cape. I found it all very cute, and I never ever turn down a chance to talk to the kids that look up to us.
I got a new apartment too, it's bigger than my last and it's a lot more modern. The landlady is nice enough, but she doesn't really appreciate it when I bring a gang of superheroes around for pizza, especially when most of them have a tendency to get far too drunk.
Bruce decided to stay with us in New York too, he lives pretty much next door to Stark Tower, in a lovely house, which is now basically one huge science lab with a bedroom.
Steve struggles a little, so I go around to his small apartment quite often, just to make sure he isn't electrocuting himself on a regular basis.
Nat and Clint still haven't gotten together, which is becoming really, really annoying now.
None of us heard from Thor or Loki since the battle. I try not to ponder about Loki, because I only end up upsetting myself. I'd also be lying if I said I was over him; I definitely was not. I still loved him, and I probably always will.
My umbrella flipped itself inside out in a sudden gust of wind, and two of the spokes snapped in half. My hair was now suddenly soaking. I wouldn't even care if it wasn't the day when I'd promised to keep myself looking at least respectable. Pepper was taking Nat and I dress shopping for the wedding. I despised dresses and both of them knew that, however, I was determined to be supportive of Pepper and reluctantly go along with whatever she wanted; after all, it was her wedding, not mine.
Suddenly, my phone vibarted and bleeped in my pocket. I gave up with wrestling with my umbrella and shoved it, spokes and all, into a nearby bin. I pulled out my phone, trying to shield it form the downpour of rain, which was the most pointless thing I think I'd ever done. I sighed and allowed my phone to collect raindrops as I opened the text message; it was from Pepper.
Ava, where are you? Nat is already here and the shop assistant is getting impatient!
I growled at the text and sent back a reply.
Oh, I'm awfully sorry Pepper, I'm just having a wrestling match with an umbrella. I shouldn't be a mo.
The reply I received was best left unsaid.
I grumbled as my purple Converse now began to let water in which was gradually chilling my feet to the bone.
I soon rounded the corner and the wedding boutique was now in sight. I could see Nat's flaming red hair through the shop window. I could also see a tall, slim woman with strawberry blonde hair pacing up and down inside. I bit my lip and neared the shop with some caution; preparing myself from the verbal onslaught that awaited me.
My hair which I had sworn I'd keep tidy, now hung in soaking, frizzy clumps around my face. My mascara had smudged and all of my clothes were sticking to me. I pushed the door of the wedding boutique open and managed to trip over a box as soon as I entered. I tried to save myself but I wasn't quick enough and I was soon lying sprawled out across the smooth tiles of the boutique.
"Ava, what the hell have you done?!" Pepper screeched. Natasha just sighed and I groaned as I tried to pull myself up, but my jacket got caught on a nearby clothes hanger. I ended up snapping the hanger in half before regaining even footing.
"Sorry, Pep. I ruined my hair, well, the rain ruined my hair. It also ruined my clothes, my makeup and shoes. You don't mind do you?" I asked, pushing my luck. Pepper glared at me.
"Ava...I asked you to keep yourself presentable. I didn't say dressed up or over-done. I said presentable and you couldn't even manage that," She said, kneading her forehead with her fingers. I bit my lip, Natasha just gave me a 'Don't push it,' look.
"Sorry," I said quietly. Pepper just waved me off and bustled over to some dress racks, a shop assistant following her. Nat and I followed suit. "I don't like dresses, Natasha."
"I know you don't Ava. But you're doing this for Pep, remember?" She said back to me, giving me a reassuring look. I nodded. Pepper, with the help of the shop lady, picked out two deep red, slim fitting dresses for Nat and I. She held them out for us.
"Could you try these on please? I like the colour," She said, Nat took hers immediately and fled to a changing room. It took me a while longer to come to terms that I was going to have to wear a dress sooner or later. We were her bridesmaids, after all. I reluctantly took the dress form her hands and stepped over some more boxes of tiaras and shoes to get to my changing room. I pulled the flimsy white curtain over and began to change into the blood red dress.
The dress was floor-length and tight fitting around the torso and waist. However after that it flowed out elegantly. There was a jeweled applique rose sewn on at the top of the hip. It was a one shoulder dress and I had to admit...I did look quite good. However, it didn't stop me hating it. I could hardly move, or breathe for that matter. I pulled my ebony hair to the front of me so that it framed my face...and didn't soak the back fo the dress. I then left the changing room, tripping over the hem of the dress as I walked out. Pepper squealed at me in excitement when she saw me. She wasn't quite so enthusiastic over Nat though.
Nat looked a hell of a lot nicer than I did, the dress fitted her perfectly and she knew just how to stand in long, tight dresses. I didn't. I looked and felt like a schoolgirl who had been forced into the most embarrassing leotard for gym class or something.
"Ava, you look stunning! But Nat, I don't think the red suits you. I think it's just too similar to your hair colour."
"I was thinking the same thing, Pep," Natasha said, flicking her red hair. I gawped at both of them. W-what? How can they think Natasha doesn't look good? What? Is it just me or does this logic not make any sense to anybody else?
"Nat looks fine-" I started, but Pepper cut me off by pushing me back into the changing room with a deep blue dress this time. I sighed and managed to peel off the red one. I climbed into the blue material, I much preferred this one. It wasn't as long, it had two straps and it had little sapphire embellishments around the waist, where the dress was gathered. It definitely wasn't as tight either. The bottom half of the dress was free, and flowed out like a very expensive skirt. I clambered out of the changing room once again and Pepper made me twirl around. She wasn't as enthusiastic this time.
"No, this one isn't right, you both look like little girls," She said, bustling me back into the changing room, this time with a lemon dress. I held it up in front of me. If she dares pick this dress, I am not attending her wedding, bridesmaid or not.
I forced myself into the vile canary dress, scowling at my reflection in the mirror. It was horrendous.
Nat and I left our changing rooms, both of us scowling at the yellow dresses that were clinging to our bodies. Pepper laughed at our expressions.
"I think we'll take this one," She muttered and Nat and I almost pounced on her.
"NO!" We both yelled at the same time. Pepper laughed at us both.
"I'm joking! Here, Ava, you'll like this one," She said, handing me a deep purple dress. I grinned at her and for once I actually wanted to get into the changing room. I pulled the dress on and twirled to myself in the mirror. It was just past my knees, it was strapless and it shone like stars in the sky. It was tight-ish around the top, with a purple sash around the waist, with had a thick bow on the side, just above the hip. I actually, for once, wanted to wear a dress.
I practically ran out of the changing room and jumped in front of Pepper, spinning around numerous times. She laughed at my antics and Nat came to join us. She looked just as good as I did in the purple dress. Pepper grinned.
"I think we have the one. C'mon, shoes next," She said, taking Nat's and my hand in hers and pulling us towards racks of shoes.
"What, no, I'm not wearing heels!" I shouted, receiving glares from other customers and assistants in the shop. Pepper glared at me. "Sorry. Alright...but I still think that my Converse would do the job..."
"Ava Richards you are not wearing trainers to my wedding!" Pepper hissed, before shoving purple heels into my hands. Nat got the same and slipped them onto her feet and began to walk around elegantly. I frowned at her and then managed to squeeze my feet into mine. I stood up, and then as soon as I took one foot off the tiled floor, I was sent tumbling to the ground. Pepper frowned at me, as I groaned and pushed myself up off the floor.
"Looks like you're gonna need some practice," Natasha said, laughing. I growled at her, before falling on my backside once more.
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Pepper had settled on the purple dress and shoes, much to my delight. Nat had offered me a lift home, but I'd decided I'd rather walk, after all, it had stopped raining and I knew everybody would now know about my battle with the heels.
The streets were wet form the earlier downpour and my Converse were squelching against the pavement. I think what I needed now was a hot bath and a lot of sleep. And I never wanted to see a dress until Tony and Pepper's wedding, trust me.
I was nearing my new apartment now, when I could have sworn I heard somebody whispering behind me, I spun around, but there was nobody there. I shrugged it off until I was outside my home when I actually heard somebody say my name. I spun around once more, my hands unconsciously glowing pink. My heart rate was slowly increasing.
I began to root through my jacket pockets looking for my keys, but I couldn't find them. I cursed under my breath when I realised I must have left them in the wedding boutique. I sighed and grumbled as I began to retrace my steps all the way back to that horrid dress shop that I never wanted to step foot inside again.
And of course, because I'm the luckiest person alive, the heavens opened and once again, I was drenched. I sighed, and let the rain ruin my hair and makeup and clothes once more.
As I was nearing the boutique somebody stopped me in the street. I was slightly startled to begin with.
"Excuse me, would you like to take my umbrella? I think you might benefit from it a little more than I would." The person said. It was a British man, a lot taller than me, wearing a black suit, with a white shirt, green tie and a patterned scarf. He looked very respectable. From what I could see through the rain, his face was pale and his hair was dark.
"Um...thank you," I said, as he held out his umbrella to me.
"You're very welcome, Lady Richards," The man said. I stopped dead when he uttered those last two words. Only two people had ever called me that, and one of the I could rule out completely, this man looked nothing like Thor. So that must mean...
"No...L..Loki?" I whispered. A grin spread across his face. He stepped closer to me, his hair now just as wet as mine. And of course, it was him. How I'd missed him. We were both now standing under the umbrella he had offered me, and when he leaned in over me, I couldn't help but kiss him. He kissed me back of course and once we broke away, neither of us knew what to say to each other.
"Y...you came back?" I said, my voice still trembling from the shock and the cold.
"Of course. I couldn't just leave you, Ava. I love you," He said, cupping my face in his gloved hands. I smiled up at him.
"I love you too."
"I know - I heard you on that last day, you know. I just was not allowed to show you that I had heard. I have come to ask you something, Ava, will you listen?"
"Of course I will."
"You do not have to do it if you do not want to-"
"Loki."
"I would like you to come with me."
"Excuse me?"
"I want you to come with me. To Asgard."
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A/N: The sequel, if anybody's interested, is called Mischeif's Princess, and it can be found on my profile :)
I've already written a lot of it, and it will be nearing an end soon. (It's considerably longer than this story). So thank you all for reading and sticking with me!
Love, abbiemca x