Echo [11] (ON HIATUS)

Chapter 30

"I expect you to be on your best behavior, Teresa. Any slip-ups, and I'll know," my mother warned, a harsh look on her face.

"Uh-huh. Yeah. Sure," I responded, annoyed. We stepped into the living room, which had been transformed into a ballroom of sorts, with a large Christmas tree in the corner. The instant I stepped in, someone grabbed my hand and spun me into the dancers already taking up the middle of the room.

"Having fun?" Thomas Murphy asked, smiling good-naturedly. 

"What do you think, Tom?" I questioned.

"A pleasure to see you, too," he responded.

"How's work?"

"Business is booming. My parents are as well--booming with the urge to turn me into CEO."

"Good luck with that."

"You're despicable."

"It's a God-given trait."

"Where have you been all year? I haven't seen you since summer ended?"

"Boarding school in America. I've got some friends scattered in the crowd. I probably should find them soon, save them from the wrath of stuffy businessmen."

"I take it they're just like you?"

"Oh, you don't know the half of it," he gave me a final twirl, and I led him over to the corner where Tanya was watching everything that moved with a scrutinizing eye.

"Get me out of here," she said as soon as we were in earshot.

"Sorry, can't do that," I said, clicking my tongue.

"You're awful."

"And you're the second person that's said that to me tonight," I motioned to Thomas, who waved with a smile. "This is Thomas Murphy, one of the only decent people in this place."

"Now, now, Panzer, I thought I was held in a high opinion," I sighed, turning to Tony and giving him a flat look.

"As I said, one of the only decent people in this place."

"You wound me."

"Good. Your ego could do with some deflating," that snide comment came from the shadow in the corner.

"Ouch, Boston. Now, remind me, who was it that helped you with your physics test?"

"Peter."

"Funny, I remember it being someone different."

"Then I suppose you need to get your memory checked out. Besides, Peter was just the one to go over my work, he didn't help me with any of it. Contrary to your belief, Stark, I'm not a dumbass."

"Please tell me you're having a civil conversation instead of ripping your metaphorical throats out," Steve's voice cut through the air as he headed toward us, trailed by a very disgruntled Loki.

"Yep, just talking about physics!" thank god for my non-obvious tell.

"Get me out of here," Loki said, sounding on the edge of ripping someone's head off.

"No can do. If my mutter sees me sneaking out, I would be stuck here for the rest of eternity--no matter how many agents Fury sends." He sighed, giving me a look.

"Why am I even here in the first place?"

"Because I cannot trust your brother to keep his trap shut, I needed to bring four people, and I couldn't ask any of the others because my parents would make them feel like a piece of shit."

"You couldn't have asked Strange?" Loki asked. "One of the Barnes? The Scotch girl? Wilson, Rue, Wanda, even Aya?" 

"Strange would piss off my parents, Bucky, Becca, Rue, and Ellie woulda been turned into charity cases, Wanda and Ellie would have been shunned and scorned over their powers, and my parents probably  would've disowned me if I brought Aya or Wilson." I listed off each of the reasons on my fingers, before giving a pointed look to the annoyed Asgardian. "Steve and Carol are quite literally the perfect children in the eyes of my parents--I'm not."

"But shouldn't your parents love you regardless?" Steve asked, concerned.

"Not unless I am quiet, only speak when spoken to, act with perfect manners, follow even the smallest rules, and exude perfection. However, I'm loud, brash, hate being polite to assholes, and am very willing to break the rules. So no, they don't love me regardless."

"But you're their daughter."

"I'm not their daughter, I'm their heir. There's a difference. I wasn't born because they wanted kids, I was born because they needed someone to continue the business after they were gone."