Avengers x Reader // Just Different

Chapter 49

You had on a simple (Y/F/C) knee-length dress and a pair of black high heels. Your hair was done in a nice way instead of the usual messily done hair. Pepper told you that the simpler and more modest the dress, the more the attention would be on what you were saying, rather than what you were wearing. She always looked great, so you followed her advice.

You put in some pearl earrings and joined the line of Avengers. Pepper was giving everyone the lookover to make sure everyone looked okay.

"I told you to not wear that tie," Pepper scolded Tony.

"C'mon. It has the team on it. I mean, look at Rogers," he said, pointing to a Captain America on his tie.

Pepper rolled her eyes and moved down the line, knowing that convincing Tony was no use when it was almost time to go on.

"Hey," she said, smoothing some of the wrinkles on your dress. "You ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," you admitted, wringing your fingers together.

"Now, we have the Avengers arriving to debrief the New York incident with HYDRA," a voice from the main room announced.

You gave Pepper a nervous look.

"Ok. Just answer every question as best as you can," she told you.

The clapping noise boomed when Tony opened the door, greeting everyone with a piece sign.

You were even more surprised when the clapping erupted even louder for you and Peter. That's when you remembered that this was the first time you were going 'public' with your real identities.

With all the whistling and cheering you gave a couple waves here and there. 

You sat down in the seat designated for you, glad that you were sitting between Rogers and Romanoff. They had done this numerous times and had always had your back.

For a while, you just sat there. It was either Tony or Steve or T'challa or Natasha answering a question. Once in a while, Tony would crack a joke that the audience thought was genius and out of this world.

"So, (Y/N)," the interviewer said. You immediately perked up, hoping you could answer the question he asked you. "How long have you been with the Avengers for?"

"Since New Years."

"Oh?" he pressed, wanting more details.

"I was accidentally invited to Stark's New Years' party. I had been watching myself for quite some time, and after I got shot, they kind of took me under my wing."

"Avengers, why did you take (Y/N) under your wing?"

"She was hurt and lonely. It wasn't the first time the Avengers or SHIELD has done that. Clint and Fury took me in, we've taken in Peter and Wanda. She's a friend," Natasha answered

"I actually despised her at first," Tony said, speaking up. "She has almost as big as a brain as I do, not to mention she kicked my butt when sparring. But after HYDRA took control of her mind, I never realized how much I missed her sarcasm and spunk. She was the person who kept us sane and together."

You smiled, their comments making you warm on the inside.

"Ah, yes. What was HYDRA like, (Y/N)?"

You gulped. You didn't want to recall any of the details. Bucky, Natasha, and Wanda gave you encouraging looks.

"HYDRA and the Red Room are a terrorist group. They took advantage of my skills and made me do things that I wish I could wipe from my mind. I'm scarred from it."

"Do you think you can make up all of the things you did?" 

You looked down, biting your lip.

"I think," Peter interrupted. "That she already has. I mean, she pretty much took down the serum and Madame B and Fedor Bram by herself."

"Care to explain, (Y/N)?" he asked.

You sent Peter a glance in thanks, glad you didn't have to crawl out of that one yourself.

"Because of my past experience with HYDRA, I knew how they did things. I helped come up with a plan and I used some of the abilities HYDRA gave me to take down the serum. Even though I'm making it sound like I did it mostly by myself, it was a team effort. I couldn't have done it without any of them."

"(Y/N), you are now one of the world's most famous superheroes. A lot of people look up to you for your willingness to sacrifice yourself for the greater good of the world..."

"Any of us would have done what I did," you interrupted.

"... but all heroes have a name. What's yours?"

For the first time that night, your mind went blank. You never thought of yourself as a hero. You saw yourself as a sidekick. You were temporary. You hadn't done anything nearly as great as the people you were sitting next to.

You wanted to say that you were just (Y/N). You weren't as incredible as these guys. You were just different, and you used that difference within you to make the difference in the world you never thought you could make.

All the Avengers stared at you, waiting for your answer. You didn't want to say anything cheesy. You didn't have any fancy powers and you weren't given name at HYDRA, they just called you soldier.

"I'm ---" you stuttered.

"Oh! How about Spitfire!?" Clint suggested.

"Why?" you laughed.

"Think about it: when you met us, you kind of had a fiery attitude -- you still do. If you're ever afraid to do something, you do it anyway. Like fire; fire is hard to take down. HYDRA took you, scarred you, yet you came back and took them down. Heck, you blew up their base. You warm up the people you care about and burn down the people who threaten the ones you care about."

"Wow, did Clint really come up with that?" Tony remarked.

"I think it's good," you admitted.

"Well, world, meet your newest superhero, Miss Spitfire!" Shuri announced. 

The audience erupted into cheers, and you joined the rest of the Avengers into standing up as they applauded for you, too.

"Thank you for joining us, tonight!" The interviewer thanked.

"Man, am I exhausted," you remarked to Steve, who nodded in agreement.

"Movie night?" he asked.

"Star Wars?" Peter added.

One chapter left!!!!!!