Fates destined to collide, two girls from completely different worlds come together with Earth's mightiest heroes to protect the planet they love. But when a demigod and the daughter of a billionaire come together, what will happen to them?
Find out...
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When I was young, it was more important Pain more painful Laughter much louder Yeah, when I was young When I was young -When I Was Young, Eric Burdon & The Animals
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December 8th, 2002 Stark Mansion, Malibu
A twelve-year-old girl climbs out of a sleek black Rolls Royce, her patent leather shoes crunching against the gravel driveway. In shades of purple and blue, her left eye is bruised, and dried up blood is smeared beneath her plump scarlet lips. Her normally glossy hair stretches down to her waist, tangled and messy. She anxiously smooths down her skirt and gulps down a nervous breath.
"Thanks, Hap.", she smiles weakly at the driver, who opened the door for her.
He nods with a smile, "Don't get yourself into any more trouble like that again, okay? You almost gave me a heart attack."
"That makes one person.", she mutters.
Happy, the driver, looks at the house before her, "He does care, Aria, you know that. This time of the year's just difficult for him."
"Yeah, it is for both of us.", she says, "I don't think he understands that though."
"Look, kid, I can stick around if you want.", he offers.
"No, I don't need to drag you into this. Thanks though.", she gulps and turns to face the house, "I'll be fine."
He nods understandingly, before turning and getting back in the car. She closes her eyes for a moment, taking in the tranquillity, before heading into the house. The door opens silently and she prays to sneak in without being noticed by anybody. Unfortunately, her prayer is ignored, as a figure sits on the couch.
His arms are sprawled out across the headrest behind him, and he's the image of ease. Though she knows him too well to fall for it.
Still, she decides to embrace the situation and walks over to him, taking a perch on the armchair opposite him. His eyes drill into her, as she places her bag on the floor and unlaces her shoes. She slips them off her feet and places them next to her before calmly meeting his icy gaze.
"Hi.", she says, with a forced smile.
"Explain.", is all he says.
"Um... I got in a fight.", she shrugs as if it doesn't matter in the slightest to her. He keeps glaring daggers at her, "What?"
"What? That's it?"
"Were you expecting an in-depth analysis of how I beat her up?", she scoffs.
"Drop the attitude, Aurelia!", he snaps, standing up and staggering over to the bar behind the sofa, "You're such an entitled brat!". He opens a bottle of scotch and swigs it, clutching the neck.
"Wait, what?", she raises her eyebrows, "I didn't even do anything! Where's this coming from?"
He takes another large swig, "Jesus, now I know why my dad was such a dick to me.", he turns to look out the window before snapping back around to look at her, "You think you deserve so much just because you were born with everything.", he stumbles over to her, still clinging onto the bottle of intoxicating liquid, "You'd be nothing without me. When they sprung the news on me that I had a little human in this world, I should have just hung up and left you to whatever that hospital was going to do with you."
"Wh- what?", she stammers, voice weak, as she takes a few steps back from the man who raised her.
She'd planned out her response to almost every way this conversation could go, but this... This she wasn't expecting or prepared for.
"God, since March eighteenth nineteen ninety, my life has just gone downhill.", he almost laughs, downing the last of the bottle and tossing it on the ground, shattering it, "You know what, Aurelia? You're a spoiled brat.", he jabs a finger into her chest, "You ever had to work for a thing in your life? No! Everything's just handed to you on a silver platter!"
She finally snaps, "Oh yeah, because you've worked so hard to get to where you are! All you do is drink yourself to death and sleep your way around all the whores you can find!"
"You take that back you little-", he stops himself, taking a step toward her, placing a hand on her chin and tilting her head upwards so he can inspect her face. He examines the bruise on her eye and starts laughing, "Look at that. Couldn't even handle yourself against a twelve-year-old girl. You wouldn't last two minutes in the real world."
She looks at him with such distaste that it should send a shiver down his spine, "Oh please. You just hire people to take care of every minor inconvenience in your life. You wouldn't last two minutes without Pepper trailing behind you, cleaning up your every mess."
"Get out.", he says blankly.
"Huh?"
"No, if you think you're so high and mighty, get out.", he demands.
"Dad-"
"This is my house, you're not welcome. Leave."
So, a night later, she's still sat in Pepper's guest bedroom, not having heard from her dad since their argument. Knees held to her chest, she lies on her side on top of the white sheets. Pepper has tried talking to her about it, but after prying for a while, decided it was best to leave her be. So, when quiet footsteps come padding in, she just assumes it's Pepper bringing her something to eat.
The mattress shifts, as someone sits down on it; her eyes dart down to see her father sat on the edge of her bed. His eyes are red and bloodshot, either from tears or alcohol- maybe both. His hair's a mess and huge grey bags have taken a place beneath his eyes.
When he looks at her, she fixes her eyes back on the plain wall before her. He shuffles along the bed closer to her and wipes a stray tear from her cheek, "I'm sorry, sweetheart.", he whispers. She doesn't reply. "You know I didn't mean it. Any of it. You're the best thing to ever happen to me.".
There's silence for a few moments before she curls up on his lap; he runs his hand through her matted hair and smiles down at her.
"Obviously I am.", she whispers, a slight mischievous grin playing on her lips.
He smirks, "And the last twelve years have been the best of my life because I had you.", he looks down at her bruised eye, "God, your eye looks bad. Are you okay, munchkin?"
"Yeah, I won. It's fine.", she shrugs it off.
He rolls her eyes, "Alright then, but don't get into any more fights, okay? You scared me.", she nods in response, "'Kay, should we go home now?"
