The Seventh Avenger - (Marvel x OC)

CH 2.21 The Baby Steps

Andrew groaned as he sat down in a wooden chair in the Pym's backyard. Maria was to Andrew's right and Carol had been on his left but she got up and sat in his lap. Carol curled her arm around his neck and snuggled her head into his chest. Hank and Janet sat opposite Andrew and held hands. Maria smiled at Carol's cuddling position and Peggy walked out.

"Holy cow, she owns pants?!" Hank gasped sarcastically.

"Believe it or not" Andrew joked and waved at Peggy over his shoulder. Peggy squeezed Andrew's hand as she walked by. Peggy chose Carol's old chair, sat down, and sipped a beer she'd brought with her.

"Well, what shall we talk about?" Peggy grinned.

"There's too many of us in relationships to play fun games" Janet smirked.

"Jan!" Andrew exclaimed. "So naughty."

"It's true" Janet shrugged and took a swig of her beer.

"We could always get to know Carol and Maria?" Andrew suggested innocently.

"Boo!" Everyone, including Maria and Carol, collectively groaned.

"Does anyone have a better idea?!" Andrew asked jokingly upset.

Silence.

"Uh huh, that's what I thought" Andrew smiled.

"Fine" Hank huffed. "Carol, you said you were military...why?"

Carol sighed.

"I had a lot of people tell me I'd never amount to anything of importance or use...I enjoy proving idiots wrong" Carol grinned and Andrew kissed her head.

"I'm proud of you, baby" he whispered so only she could hear.

"Damn good answer" Janet smiled.

"My turn?" Carol questioned excitedly.

"I suppose" Andrew chuckled. He loved when Carol showed so much excitement over the simplest things.

"Peggy?" Carol asked, looking over at Peggy on her left.

"Yes, darling?"

"Oh...my" Carol muttered. "Um, what do you do?" Carol asked, her brain a little jumbled.

"I was in the military for quite some time."

"You were not!" Maria exclaimed.

"I was" Peggy giggled.

"No way!" Carol shot up from her comfy spot on Andrew's chest. Andrew frowned, upset he'd lost his cuddle partner.

"When?!" Carol questioned.

"During World War Two and for a bit after" Peggy explained.

"Holy crap!" Carol replied with wide eyes. Maria's mouth hung open in shock.

Carol and Maria hardly ever found a fellow woman that was in the military or had military experience. Now the two women looked at Peggy just as Sharon had looked at them earlier that day. Andrew just sat back and smiled.

"What was it like?" Maria asked happily.

"To sum it up in one word? Difficult. No one wanted to see a woman succeed in anything back then...but a woman in the military? Heaven forbid!" Peggy smiled, happy to tell the girls about her experience. "Perseverance is the key."

"Wow" Carol sighed.

"That's...amazing" Maria added.

"Well, I don't know" Peggy shrugged.