Loving America

6-2

"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." 

- Albert Einstein

The shower I took was quick, and the hot water did help to soothe me and calm me down a bit. It didn't take long to change into gray sweatpants and a white University of Pennsylvania sweatshirt.

Downstairs, several boxes of pizza and a bunch of Chinese food was spread across the kitchen island, followed by a bunch of soda. I smiled weakly, trying my best to be lighthearted. "Jesus, how much do you guys eat?"

"Enough to empty my bank account, not including Thor's beer." Tony answered sarcastically, motioning to Thor on the couch.

"Unfortunately nothing compares to Asgardian ale." Thor lifted his beer. "But your puny human brew will have to do." He finished the glass in about a gulp after that, making me shake my head.

"Maybe you should try it sometime, Liz!" Thor grinned as if he'd just had the best idea. "Asgard, yes? I'm told you guys celebrate such a thing as 'spring break' on this Earth. Maybe you should visit!" He called enthusiastically.

"She is not going to Asgard for spring break!" Tony spluttered, grabbing a piece of pizza.

I filled my own plate, sticking a breadstick in my mouth. "That actually sounds pretty cool." I shrugged, admitting with the breadstick in my mouth.

"Ha!" Thor pointed at Tony, grinning victoriously. I toned out the ensuing bickering as I made my way over, noticing the last spot was between Steve and Thor. I pulled the breadstick out of my mouth, narrowing my eyes at Steve when he raised his eyebrows at me standing there.

"You know, y'all's 'fangirls'" I used finger quotes, "would kill to sit here." I pointed out, sitting down and setting the plate on the coffee table.

"Are you one of those?" Thor asked with a suggestive smirk. "Okay, lay it off Thor-" Steve cut in just as I was about to answer with a firm 'no.' I thought for a minute, recognizing the slightly irritated tone in Steve's voice.

Okay, fine. We'll play this game.

"Actually, maybe." I looked at Thor with a calculated smirk and he let out a deep chuckle. "Oh ho ho, you minx." I felt Steve tense beside me, first at my words then even more at Thor's response.

On the other couch I saw Tony give Natasha a look. "I blame you for this. You're rubbing off on her." He grumbled, grabbing the remote. Wanda giggled quietly, shoving some teriyaki chicken in her mouth to hide her smile when Tony looked to her.

Pepper, curled up at Tony's side, her heels kicked off onto the floor, gave me an exasperated look. "One of these days you'll give him a heart attack." She told me, smiling a little.

"If I inadvertently kill you with a heart attack Tony, does that make me an enemy of the state?" I let out a quiet laugh, earlier's worries forgotten.

"Only if you get caught." Sam cut in, looking between me and Tony. "Noted. I'll remember that." I smirked,

"I know what's going to kill me, and it'll be you or the kid eventually." Tony motioned to Peter, rubbing his eyes. "Mmm-" I finished my bite of pizza I had just taken, "joint operation?" I proposed to Peter, leaning back against the couch.

"He's too much of a goody two shoes." Tony cut in, speaking over Peter. "Mr. Stark!" Peter looked mildly offended at that and Tony gave me an 'I told you so' look, "see? Kid still calls me 'Mr.'"

I huffed, rolling my eyes playfully as Tony started the movie.

/\/\/\

Tony was planning to watch both movies in the Jumanji series in one night, it seemed. So after the first one was finished, we took a snack break while he got the second one pulled up.

Apparently the ones eating the most were the super soldiers and the god. Fuck high metabolism. I could never.

"I'm gonna make popcorn." I climbed up from the couch with the help of Thor's hand, heading for the kitchen.

Tony's snacks cabinet wasn't too hard to find, and I immediately pulled out several bags of popcorn, sticking them in the microwave two at a time. I pulled out the large bowls he had in the pantry, frowning.

"Tony, why do you have dollar store, plastic, halloween bowls?" I held them up from where I was by the microwave, calling to him. The look of horror on his face was enough to make me grin, pulling them apart to count how many he had.

"Oh yeah!" Peter yelled from the couch, turning around where he was sitting to face me. "I got him to hand out halloween candy this year in New York. In the suit." He looked so proud of himself I laughed.

It wasn't that Tony didn't like kids, he just didn't know how to talk to them so he usually just left out a bowl. I walked over and gave Peter a fist-bump. "That's awesome."

I returned to the kitchen, only half listening to the words being exchanged by the couches as I swapped out the popcorn bags in the microwave. The ones that had popped, I emptied into halloweens bowls and topped with butter and salt.

By the time I'd finished all the popcorn, a strange debate had formed between the group. Something about running across rooftops. I was trying to juggle several bowls, but Sam got up, taking a couple from me.

"I got it." He laughed, helping me carry them over with fresh soda. "Thanks" I set everything down on the coffee table, resuming my place on the couch. I propped my leg up in front of me, setting my arms on my knee.

"Elizabeth, settle a debate." Bucky pointed at me and my eyes widened as everyone looked to me. "Okay?"

"Jumping onto rooftops is a completely normal thing, yes?" He asked, raising his eyebrows. "Like you've done it, everyone here has." Sam gave me a look at Bucky's words, almost like 'You see what I deal with?'

"Um no... that's not a normal person thing." I laughed, shaking my head. His face morphed into one of confusion as he looked to Steve. Steve grinned at him, shaking his head.

"Okay, anyway.... now that that's settled." Tony pressed play and the conversation settled down, quieting a bit.

/\/\/\

I must've fallen asleep sometime through the movie because the next thing I remember was being not even halfway awake, only barely conscious in someone's arms.

Whoever it was set me down on my bed, setting the blankets over me and I felt the bed dip as they sat. Fingers brushed over my head, over the cut, then my hair. 

The click of the lamp beside my bed turning out was a distant noise as sleep pulled me deeper and deeper. I wanted to open my eyes, but I couldn't.

The last thing I heard was the door shutting softly before I passed out. I almost thought I heard voices, but I couldn't make them out.