Once Upon an Avenger

Chapter 13: Welcome to the trio

An hour later, Sam knocked on Hope's bedroom door. "Can I come in, Swan?"

"Yep!" She shouted, putting on her slippers. "Aren't you a bit overdressed?" She questioned, gesturing to his attire. He was wearing a button up shirt and some neat, dark blue jeans.

"Aren't you a bit underdressed?" He quipped, tugging on the sleeve of her pyjama top. "You know Tony said 'last-minute party' right? Not teenage girls' sleepover."

Hope smiled. "I'm sure the others are in their comfies too."

Sam made his way over to her cupboard and opened it. "I've just seen the girls go downstairs; they definitely aren't." She huffed in frustration. "Just put this on!" He told her, throwing a purple jumpsuit at her.

"I think not," she said, launching it back at him. "If it's party clothes that you want, then party clothes you shall have!" Hope curtsied and flicked her wrist, causing a cloud of white mist that sparkled with specs of gold to form around her. When it disappeared, her outfit had changed; she was now wearing a skin-tight red dress. It stopped mid-thigh and had a low V-neck. She'd styled it with some fishnet tights, her trusty black leather jacket and some Doc Martins. "I love magic!" She said, readjusting her outfit as she stood up from her curtsy.

"That was--"

"Awesome," Hope finished.

"That's one way of describing it." He smiled brightly at her. "You look amazing, Swan."

"You don't look too shabby yourself, Wilson." She put her arm out for him to take. "Shall we?"

"We shall, your Majesty." Sam hooked his arm into hers. "I should probably stop calling you that..."

"Probably..."

The two of them headed into the lounge where the others were already waiting. As they reached the top of the stairs, everyone stopped and stared at them. "It's a shame your relationship is merely platonic," Wanda called out. "You'd make a great power couple!"

"Oh no," Hope laughed, walking over to her, "this fine specimen here is way out of my league." She patted Sam on the chest.

"Believe me, princess," Loki passed her a large glass of Rum, "you're the one out of his league."

"That means I'm way out of yours too, Mischief." She smirked at him before shooting her drink. "God or no God..." Hope walked away, feeling happy with herself.

She joined Tony and Pepper; they were talking with a woman that Hope hadn't met until earlier that evening at dinner; it was Peter's Aunt May. She was incredibly beautiful; tall, with long chestnut hair and round glasses. "Need a refill, kiddo?" Tony asked, gesturing to her empty glass.

Hope passed it to him. "Hit me, mate." He promptly returned the now full glass back to her. "Thanks!" She smiled at him before turning to May. "Do you know where Peter is? He hasn't said a word to me since I woke up. Neither has Steve for that matter, but right now I don't have the energy to deal with him, nor do I want to..." May looked at her, evidently confused. "It's a long story."

"They don't exactly get on," Tony explained.

"I see," she answered, taking a sip of her champagne. "He's probably with your horse, Galaxy. Don't hold it against him for avoiding you, he's just in shock. He convinced himself that you weren't ever going to wake up."

"Well, I'm awake now, and I'm not planning on leaving again any time soon."

May was right, Peter was sat on the fence behind the garage, watching as Galaxy ran around the field. She learnt up against the gate next to him. "Are you avoiding me, spider baby?"