Can't Handle This
Chapter 28
Clint sighed and sat down on one of the benches. "Why not ask Tony for the money? I'm sure he'd be more than willing to give you a solid million and a plane ticket. Heck, he'd even fly you in one of his private jets if he had to."
"I can't do that, Clint. I shouldn't even be asking you for help. I'm taking a big enough risk by telling you this much."
Clint through his hands up in exasperation and frustration. "Then why the hell are you asking me for help? If its such a great risk, then why can't you just do it on your own?"
"Because I can't do it on my own!" Cj shouted, near tears. "That's the point. I have to leave the country or die, but it's too big a job to do on my own. I'd end up running in circles until he finally put me out of my misery."
"Well, we should tell someone. Anyone."
"I can't, Clint. I...I don't want to die yet."
****
"Dinner? At The Chef's Table in Brooklyn Fare?"
Tony nodded, smiling brightly. "And Wicked! I know you've been dying to see it."
"But those tickets are nearly $80 a piece! And dinner at the Chef's Table? That's expensive!"
Tony rolled his eyes. "Not when you're a billionaire taking your boyfriend out on a date."
Steve blushed and tried not to smile. "Billionaire or not, Tony, that's an expensive date. I'd never be able to return the favor."
"You act like I care," he said with a dramatic eye roll. "I'd much rather stay in and watch a movie with popcorn and a couch to cuddle on when you quote, unquote 'take me out.' I know this is what you like, so I'm doing it for you."
Steve tried to think of a winning argument, but he was drawing a blank. "Fine," he mumbled, trying to keep his smile at bay. "You win."
****
"Doesn't it bother you that your father is dating a national icon?" Hetalia asked as she sucked on a red lollipop and watched Toni work on the Iron Man suit.
"They're both national icons. They need each other," Toni replied without looking up at the spy. "I think it's perfectly fine."
"And what about you?" she asked, gesturing to the teen with her candy. "Is there anyone you'd like to get close with?"
Toni scoffed, shaking her head slightly as she tightened a few bolts. "I don't think I have that luxury anymore, Hetalia. In case you haven't heard, Clint and I tried, but failed at a relationship."
Hetalia nodded and hopped off the metal table. "I did hear about that. But I thought maybe you'd try with someone else."
Toni almost laughed out loud in sheer, utter disbelief. "Like who? There's nobody here for me."
"Loki," she said simply as she slowly walked to her new found friend.
"Loki?" she asked, almost wanting to believe it. She shook her head and continued to work. "No, it's not possible."
"Why not?"
Toni shrugged, trying to find an excuse. "I mean, he's a god, for goodness sake. A god wouldn't go anywhere near anyone like me. Besides, I'm pretty sure he still hates everyone associated with the Avengers."
"I disagree," the Russian said simply. "He seems fairly taken by you."
Toni finally looked over at Hetalia, unable to hide her shock. "Loki," she said, sounding unsure. "I don't think so. I mean, he's great and all, but I can't believe that he would even notice me at all."
"I read people, Antoinette. You should trust me when I say he's going to court you at one point or another."
****
Brooke walked out of her bedroom, feeling groggy as usual. She longed for her coffee like someone stranded in the desert longed for water.
As she stepped over the threshold, she nearly tripped on a plastic-wrapped package.
"Holy fuck!" she shouted as she jumped around the object, trying not to crush it. Once she was calm, she stooped down and picked it up. Upon further examination, she realized that someone had left her a bouquet of roses.
She looked them over, searching for a card, but what she found instead disappointed her.
To the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. Thank you for brightening my day, Brooke.
There was, of course, no name. Brooke swore under her breath and brought the roses to the kitchen to put them in a vase or in the garbage.
Brooke bumped into the German SHIELD agent on her way, who merely mumbled a quiet hello.
****
Bruce walked into the kitchen to see Brooke staring at some roses as if they were some kind of alien technology.
“Whose flowers are those?” he asked as he walked to one of the cabinets.
“Their…um…mine,” she muttered, sounding unsure.
“Who sent them?”
Brooke shrugged. “I don’t fucking know,” she said lightly, still staring at the flowers in her hand. “There wasn’t a name on the card.”
Bruce looked closer and saw the card. The message was cute and gushy, but, like Brooke had mentioned, there was no name. “That’s odd. Who knows you’re here?”
She shrugged again. “Just the people in the Tower,” she looked at the flowers again and sighed. “They’re probably just a joke from CJ or something.” Brooke moved to throw the roses in the trash when a strangled gasp caught her attention.
“Don’t throw them away!” Pamplemousse shouted. “They’re too pretty to die!”
Brooke looked from the young girl, to the flowers, and then back to her. “Do you want them?”
“Whose are they?” she asked cautiously.
“Mine,” she replied simply. “I think they were just a joke, so I’m giving them to you.”
****
Loki and Thor were sitting together, talking of the old days.
“Brother,” Thor began. “Do you believe yourself to be a part of our team?”
Loki shrugged, unsure how to answer his question. “I’m not so sure. I feel a connection here, but I feel as though some of your teammates wish me ill fortune.”
“Nonsense! The only one who had a qualm with you was Hawkeye, and he no longer wishes you ill fortune. He is simply still mourning his friend.”
“But your Man of Iron-”
“-Is simply brash, brother,” Thor finished for him. “He treats you as he treats me and the rest of the Avengers.”
“Do not be so sure,” Loki said as he conjured a small ball of magic lights. “He treats the Captain with more respect, more reverence, and more…” Loki paused, feeling a huge weight in his chest. “…love.”
“Do you know of love, brother?” Thor asked suddenly.
Loki shook his head. “I have no time for love, nor would anyone have a capacity to return the favor.”
Thor put a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “Do not wish away such good feelings so easily. You will find love, as I have.”
“Ah, yes. You and your Jane.”
Thor smiled and nodded. “Yes, and you will find someone to your liking as well. Simply keep your mind open.”
"I can't do that, Clint. I shouldn't even be asking you for help. I'm taking a big enough risk by telling you this much."
Clint through his hands up in exasperation and frustration. "Then why the hell are you asking me for help? If its such a great risk, then why can't you just do it on your own?"
"Because I can't do it on my own!" Cj shouted, near tears. "That's the point. I have to leave the country or die, but it's too big a job to do on my own. I'd end up running in circles until he finally put me out of my misery."
"Well, we should tell someone. Anyone."
"I can't, Clint. I...I don't want to die yet."
****
"Dinner? At The Chef's Table in Brooklyn Fare?"
Tony nodded, smiling brightly. "And Wicked! I know you've been dying to see it."
"But those tickets are nearly $80 a piece! And dinner at the Chef's Table? That's expensive!"
Tony rolled his eyes. "Not when you're a billionaire taking your boyfriend out on a date."
Steve blushed and tried not to smile. "Billionaire or not, Tony, that's an expensive date. I'd never be able to return the favor."
"You act like I care," he said with a dramatic eye roll. "I'd much rather stay in and watch a movie with popcorn and a couch to cuddle on when you quote, unquote 'take me out.' I know this is what you like, so I'm doing it for you."
Steve tried to think of a winning argument, but he was drawing a blank. "Fine," he mumbled, trying to keep his smile at bay. "You win."
****
"Doesn't it bother you that your father is dating a national icon?" Hetalia asked as she sucked on a red lollipop and watched Toni work on the Iron Man suit.
"They're both national icons. They need each other," Toni replied without looking up at the spy. "I think it's perfectly fine."
"And what about you?" she asked, gesturing to the teen with her candy. "Is there anyone you'd like to get close with?"
Toni scoffed, shaking her head slightly as she tightened a few bolts. "I don't think I have that luxury anymore, Hetalia. In case you haven't heard, Clint and I tried, but failed at a relationship."
Hetalia nodded and hopped off the metal table. "I did hear about that. But I thought maybe you'd try with someone else."
Toni almost laughed out loud in sheer, utter disbelief. "Like who? There's nobody here for me."
"Loki," she said simply as she slowly walked to her new found friend.
"Loki?" she asked, almost wanting to believe it. She shook her head and continued to work. "No, it's not possible."
"Why not?"
Toni shrugged, trying to find an excuse. "I mean, he's a god, for goodness sake. A god wouldn't go anywhere near anyone like me. Besides, I'm pretty sure he still hates everyone associated with the Avengers."
"I disagree," the Russian said simply. "He seems fairly taken by you."
Toni finally looked over at Hetalia, unable to hide her shock. "Loki," she said, sounding unsure. "I don't think so. I mean, he's great and all, but I can't believe that he would even notice me at all."
"I read people, Antoinette. You should trust me when I say he's going to court you at one point or another."
****
Brooke walked out of her bedroom, feeling groggy as usual. She longed for her coffee like someone stranded in the desert longed for water.
As she stepped over the threshold, she nearly tripped on a plastic-wrapped package.
"Holy fuck!" she shouted as she jumped around the object, trying not to crush it. Once she was calm, she stooped down and picked it up. Upon further examination, she realized that someone had left her a bouquet of roses.
She looked them over, searching for a card, but what she found instead disappointed her.
To the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. Thank you for brightening my day, Brooke.
There was, of course, no name. Brooke swore under her breath and brought the roses to the kitchen to put them in a vase or in the garbage.
Brooke bumped into the German SHIELD agent on her way, who merely mumbled a quiet hello.
****
Bruce walked into the kitchen to see Brooke staring at some roses as if they were some kind of alien technology.
“Whose flowers are those?” he asked as he walked to one of the cabinets.
“Their…um…mine,” she muttered, sounding unsure.
“Who sent them?”
Brooke shrugged. “I don’t fucking know,” she said lightly, still staring at the flowers in her hand. “There wasn’t a name on the card.”
Bruce looked closer and saw the card. The message was cute and gushy, but, like Brooke had mentioned, there was no name. “That’s odd. Who knows you’re here?”
She shrugged again. “Just the people in the Tower,” she looked at the flowers again and sighed. “They’re probably just a joke from CJ or something.” Brooke moved to throw the roses in the trash when a strangled gasp caught her attention.
“Don’t throw them away!” Pamplemousse shouted. “They’re too pretty to die!”
Brooke looked from the young girl, to the flowers, and then back to her. “Do you want them?”
“Whose are they?” she asked cautiously.
“Mine,” she replied simply. “I think they were just a joke, so I’m giving them to you.”
****
Loki and Thor were sitting together, talking of the old days.
“Brother,” Thor began. “Do you believe yourself to be a part of our team?”
Loki shrugged, unsure how to answer his question. “I’m not so sure. I feel a connection here, but I feel as though some of your teammates wish me ill fortune.”
“Nonsense! The only one who had a qualm with you was Hawkeye, and he no longer wishes you ill fortune. He is simply still mourning his friend.”
“But your Man of Iron-”
“-Is simply brash, brother,” Thor finished for him. “He treats you as he treats me and the rest of the Avengers.”
“Do not be so sure,” Loki said as he conjured a small ball of magic lights. “He treats the Captain with more respect, more reverence, and more…” Loki paused, feeling a huge weight in his chest. “…love.”
“Do you know of love, brother?” Thor asked suddenly.
Loki shook his head. “I have no time for love, nor would anyone have a capacity to return the favor.”
Thor put a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “Do not wish away such good feelings so easily. You will find love, as I have.”
“Ah, yes. You and your Jane.”
Thor smiled and nodded. “Yes, and you will find someone to your liking as well. Simply keep your mind open.”
Chapter 28 is sad because Cj says "Let's just say I've got red in my ledger and I physically cannot wipe it out.". That's sad because Natasha says that in Avengers.
10/17/16