The Seventh Avenger - (Marvel x OC)

CH 1.2 The Expo

The trio crossed the threshold of the expo gates and their eyes widened. The bright lights bounced off their eyes and the sheer amount of people with joyful expressions pushing passed them excited two and frightened one.

Andrew slowly spun around, trying to take in all the overwhelming display. He watched faces run by and children tugging on their parents' hands. This is what he was going to risk his life for. Right here. Not the discrimination. Not the hate. The joy. The love. He was fighting for the people. The children that deserved to grow up in a world that loved them.

Steve sulked behind his lifelong buddies. This shouldn't be their last night together for who knows how long. They should be going together. He should be there. With them. He owed them that much, after everything.

Bucky, ever himself, grinned and waved over at something over Andrew's shoulder.

"Cheer up, Stevie. There are worse things than being the most available man in the tri-state area" Andrew slung an arm around Steve's shoulders.

Steve sighed and opened his mouth to speak before being interrupted by Bucky and a group of girls that hurried over and greeted the three.

"Hey, Bucky!" One smiled softly.

"You remember Lisa" Bucky glanced to Andrew and hugged the woman.

"Of course" Andrew snuck a wink at the girl embracing Bucky. A soft blush overtook her cheeks.

"What'd you tell her about me?" Steve whispered to Andrew, eying the more shy appearing girl at the back of the group.

"Only the good stuff" Andrew smirked. "And how you saved my life from that shark last week."

"What?!"

Andrew pushed Steve over toward the girl.

"Mary, this is Nervous Nelly. Nelly, Mary."

The woman smiled at Andrew's jest and held a hand out to Steve. "Shall we?"

"Gosh, they grow up so fast" Andrew sarcastically sighed as he watched the girl lead Steve away. He hoped this would cheer Steve up.

A soft clearing of the throat off to Andrew's left broke his focus. He turned to see an extremely pretty, pale, and blonde haired woman standing with her arms crossed and one eyebrow raised.

"You must be here for me."

"I was" the girl huffed, a slight upturn to her lips.

"Betty, was it?"

"It is."

"How many do you kill with that look?"

A smile poked at the woman's expression.

"Don't drop the stiff upper lip now" Andrew smiled and held out an arm for her to take. She grabbed his arm and the four set out after Steve.

"Welcome to the 'Modern Marvels Pavilion' and the 'World of Tomorrow!'" A proud voice boomed over speakers.

"It's starting!" The girls collectively gasped and took off with boys in hand toward the large main stage.

"I hope you enjoyed the 'Tales of Suspense' show, but you and I both know you did." A charismatic man with slicked up hair and a black mustache smiled.

"Ugh, this guy" Andrew grumbled.

"Isn't he gorgeous?" One of the girls murmured to the other, who nodded.

"You don't like him because he's just as cocky as you, pal" Bucky jabbed Andrew in the ribs.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, my name is Howard W. Stark and this..." He flared his hand and a car with strange devices where the wheels should be flared up and began to float, powered by the burst of energy coming from the bottom of the devices. "Is the car you'll be driving in just a few short years! With new Stark Gravitic Reversion Technology, you'll--"

Abruptly, the devices sputtered and the car slammed to the ground.

"Well, I did say a few years, didn't I?"

The large crowd clapped and cheered.

Andrew, suddenly feeling a second set of hands wrap around his other arm, looked around to see the girl that was supposed to be with Steve next to him. Steve, however, was no where to be seen.

"Excuse me, ladies." Andrew smiled and pushed his way out of the crowd.

He called out to Steve as he made his way back through the expo.

Andrew stopped in the middle of the walkway when he spotted the army recruitment pop-up building that had been placed there for the expo.

Steve stepped onto a display that featured a mirror on a soldier's face standing among other soldiers. The bottom text read 'Enlist now!' A bright light lit Steve's face as he stepped up to the mirror. His face barely covering half of the mirror thanks to his diminutive stature.

"Come on. The girls miss you, big guy."

"Go ahead. I'll catch up" Steve answered, not looking at his friend.

"Steve...not again."

"Why not try my luck?"

"As who? Steve from Cleveland?" Andrew threw his hands out to his sides. "What if they catch you this time? Or worse they take you?"

"I know you don't think I can do this" Steve faced Andrew.

Andrew sighed. "I know you can do it, Steve. But this isn't a back alley bully. It's war. There are lots of important jobs back here."

"You want me to collect scrap metal in my little red wagon?" Steve scoffed.

"Yes! Why not?"

"I can't sit around in a factory. I won't. C'mon, Andrew, there are men laying down their lives. I got no right to do any less than them."

"Is this about Buck and I? You don't have anything to prove, Steve. Least of all to us!"

"You can't understand."

"Sarge! Are you going to take us dancing or what?" The girls shouted from the entrance with Bucky standing, outnumbered, behind them.

"I'm coming!" Andrew yelled back before turning back to his friend. "Come on, Steve."

"I have to try" Steve responded unwaiveringly.

"Y'know, I'm actually glad you're staying here. If...it goes wrong, at least I'll know you're okay" Andrew took a deep breath and turned around.

"Don't do anything stupid until I get back!" Bucky hollered up at Steve.

"How could I?" Steve answered with a soft smile. "You're taking all the stupid with you."

"You're a punk!" Andrew spoke as he left.

"Jerk" Steve muttered as he watched them leave. He loved them. More than anything. He needed to to this for them.

Rogers steadied his breathing and walked further into the building...

An hour later, Andrew sat alone on a park bench on the outskirts of the expo, a few hundred feet from the dance floor he didn't feel like being near. He silently watched the distant fireworks, deep in thought.

He thought of what tomorrow meant. Leaving home, everyone he knew, everything he knew, and starting a new chapter. As a soldier. He thought about his mother. Would she be okay all alone? It had just been the two of them for all these years. He loved her more than anything. His heart began to brake before begin pulled out of his mind by someone sitting next to him.

"So, this is it, huh?"

"Seems that way."

"Thinking about her?"

Andrew nodded.

"My folks promised to take care of her. Just like back in school."

"Thanks, Buck."

The two sat in quiet for a number of minutes.

"Together?" Andrew turned to Bucky, breaking the solace.

"I'm with you till the end of the line..."