This Is Stella's Reality

May 24, 2015

My feet stumbled through the brush of the forest that lined the North side of the compound. The potions and herbs book Loki had given me was nestled nicely under my arm and a small basket on the other.

"Where are we going?" Bucky asked a few paces behind me.

I hummed, "Not sure, darling. Looking for something." Small red berries on a spiny shrub. I clicked my tongue, looking around some more.

"Oh," I cried, spotting a barberry bush. Carefully, I stepped over fallen branches and large roots to kneel beside the rosette leaves.

Bucky and Steve stood behind me quietly as I reread the same passage I had practically memorized already. Berries for stomach pains, roots for antiseptics, and leaves for coughs.

I spoke the soft spell as I trimmed each ingredient from the bush, carefully placing them in separate bags in my basket.

The boys watched as I worked, thanking the bush for its service to me and standing with a proud smile on my face. They grinned back at me.

"All set, sweets?" Steve asked.

I nodded and clutched my things to my chest, excited to get back to the compound and make my first draught.

My feet skipped happily along the forest floor with my boys trailing not too far behind. I heard their thoughts, watching my form bounce down the small sloping hills.

Cute, sweet girl, my love, angel.

I smiled to myself. This is what I wished every day could be. One day.

The boys followed me inside as I got to work on the simple potions. They sat at the bar. Bucky cleaning a knife, and Steve drawing in his notebook.

My lips pulled into a smile every time I turned to catch them staring at me. I felt happy, and even happier when my draught for stomachaches seemed to work.

I'll have to show Loki later.

I turned to the boys, motioning to come see my boiling pot of pink liquid. They stood over it, hesitant to smell or taste it. I laughed at them, "It's medicine, idiots. It won't kill you." Gently, I ladled it into jars that Loki had given me from his library.

In the afternoon sun, it was brightly pink like strawberry lemonade. Triumph spread through me. My first success.

Steve and Bucky were smiling at me. "Good girl," they mumbled against my forehead as they pressed kisses to my skin.

I set the jars to cool, and we turned as Bruce skipped down the steps. He smiled at us, "Hello, you three. How are Stella and the boyfriends?" His voice was teasing as he echoed Loki's greeting to Steve and Bucky.

"Just fine," Bucky sighed. "How's Thor?"

Bruce narrowed his eyes at him, "Touche." He walked around the kitchen island and came to stand next to us. He inspected my cooling pink jars with an approving nod. "They look good, Stel. Nice work."

I smiled at his compliment. My heart swelled any time someone recognized my efforts. I knew they didn't know anything about magic, but it still meant a lot that they tried to be supportive and pay attention to my work.

"What are you guys doing tonight?" Bruce asked.

Steve hummed, "Stel wants to bake cookies and watch a movie, so," he laughed. "What she says goes."

Damn right.

Bruce grinned at my boys, "Good men." He grabbed a drink from the fridge and left to go back upstairs.