the strongest avenger (2)

thirty six

I jerk awake, a scream lodged in my throat as I frantically scan the room. My eyes settle on my TV, playing reruns of Spongebob and my windows that open out to the world.

I'm here, not in space. Not on Maw's ship.

I'm in New York, in the tower, living with my friends.

I try to catch my breath and calm my pounding heart. I tie up my hair in a bun as my skin is sticky with sweat.

I slide my feet over the edge of my bed and I stand, walking over to the small desk in the corner of my room. Coloring supplies in hand, I head out to the kitchen and start brewing a coffee.

I open up my newest Avengers coloring book to a page of Vision, and I start to color him in. My mind falls blank as I sip my coffee and lose myself in coloring, choosing not to focus on my most previous nightmare.

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"What are you doing?"

I look up from my coloring of Falcon, and roll my eyes as I see James.

"Hello?"

"Im coloring." I say while looking down at the picture.

"Why?"

"It clears my mind." He comes over and sits down across from me, ignoring the glares I send him. "Why are you up?"

"Bad dream. You?" He looks up at me and I meet his steel gaze.

"Same." I turn the page and rip it out, smirking as it's one of me, and I hand it to him.

I turn the pencil case so it faces the middle, in between us.

"Why are you giving me this?"

"Color it. It clears my thoughts. And from what I can sense, you could use a blank mind right about now."

He huffs but takes a pencil, starting to color the sheet. I'm not sure how long passes, but I have two more coffees as the sun slowly starts to rise.

Bucky's only on his second sheet, as he meticulously colors them in, making sure all his lines match and go in the same direction.

We don't talk, and I'm glad. I'd rather never talk to him ever again.

As the clock reaches seven in the morning, I sigh and close my coloring book, sliding the pencils to Bucky as I get up.

"What are you doing?"

"Making breakfast for the team."

"This early?"

"They're on a wake up at ungodly hours schedule, James. Plus it's Sunday."

"So?"

"Sunday training day. Literally all we do is train, for no good reason whatsoever."

I head to the fridge and take out two cartons of eggs, knowing that I'm going to have to make all of that. I grab a pack of bacon and some of the sausage patties that we have inside.

"Friday, play 'Tal's Sucky Music Playlist'."

"Right away Miss James."

I smile as AC/DC starts to softly flow from the speakers—well as softly as you can expect from them.

I take out the largest pan we have, and a large baking bowl, then I start cracking the eggs. I set the oven to 350, after half the eggs are cracked and quickly prepare a baking sheet for the bacon.

My toes tap along with the beat of the music, while I finish cracking the eggs. I turn and spy Steve walking into the kitchen as I throw out the cartons and egg shells.

"You're cooking? Who did you curse out?"

"No one. I'm just in the mood to cook." I shake my head as I turn back to the baking bowl and start to whisk.

"Can't you do that shit with magic?" James ask.

I look over my shoulder. "Just because I can do magic, doesn't mean I always have to, James."

I go back to whisking as an Usher song starts to play.

"Tal you're lucky."

"Oh yeah, so lucky." I mumble under my breath. "Why?" I ask louder so he can hear.

"Bucky never lets anyone call him James."

"Oh he doesn't want me to. I just don't give a shit." I send the two super soldiers a cheeky smile.

"Be back in a minute." I hear Bucky say from behind me.

When I finish whisking, I pour half of the eggs into the pan, heating it up to medium. I turn and pause as I see Wanda sitting where Bucky was.

"Didn't hear you." I mutter.

She just smiles. "Did you sleep well?"

I scoff and give her a smile, it not really reaching my eyes. "Nope."

I quickly go to the fridge and pull out the cheese, heading back over to the eggs.

"Oh my god! She's cooking! I didn't know she could do this!"

I turn to see Tony walking over, Peter behind him. I turn back to the pan and sprinkle the cheese while the eggs cook.

While the eggs cook, I start putting strips of bacon on the sheet pans and pop them in the oven as it reaches 350 degrees.

As the eggs finish, I use a spatula to cut them and mix them, making them scrambled. I reach in an overhead cabinet and pull out an oval shaped bowl dish thing with its lid. I put the eggs in there and place the lid on top so they stay warm, then I put the second half of the eggs in the pan and start to repeat the process.

While the second set of eggs cook, I get a smaller pan and start cooking the sausage.

Nat comes over to my side and starts to make herself a coffee. She smiles at me and leans closer. "You okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, first off, you're cooking. And then you beat a mad titan, got your best friend back only to lose him somewhat all over again, fought with an assassin, caused a super hurricane storm, and started therapy in one week."

"Yeah but you all did that too." I flip the sausage patties and then mix the eggs together. "I'm fine, Nat."

She frowns at me, but I ignore it and go back to cooking. I fill the dish with the rest of the eggs, and then slide all the sausage on a plate.

I take out the bacon and put it on another plate. Then I send the food out into the dining room and on the table with the flick of my fingers.

"Enjoy." I give Steve a half smile as I turn back and start to clean up.

"You're not gonna eat?" I turn to Tony as he asks me, Peter somewhat hides behind him and I'm tempted to throw an egg at him.

"Not hungry."

"You need to eat."

I watch as Peter walks into the dining room, leaving Tony and I alone in the kitchen. I turn back and continue to clean, wiping down the counter tops and sending the dishes into the dish washer using my telekinesis.

"Tal..."

I turn to look at Tony, annoyed at him already. "It's not even 9 am, and you're pissing me off Tony. So, leave me alone. I'll eat when I get hungry."

He purses his lips, as if to say something else, but then nods and heads into the dining room with the rest of the team.