Intertwine

57 - When Is Happy's Birthday

ALINA

The shouting was horrendous. It had started really sweet and wholesome. 

Aditi had run up to her parents shouting, "MAMA! PAPA!" 

It was the loudest I'd ever heard her say anything. Everyone looked stunned to hear her talking about 20 decibels. She ran into her father's arms, and he swept her up and spun her around. 

I think I even heard Nat and Wanda say "Awh." 

We'd sat down to have lunch together. 

"This is my sister, Sophia, and her husband, Kanan Savant." Clint said, more formal than I'd ever seen him. It was like we were all meeting our boyfriends' parents for the first time. Sophia was like her daughter, lean and slim, with brown hair like her brother's. Kanan was shorter than his wife, and built more stockily, but I was sure that was pure muscle and not a beer belly under his shirt. 

"It's a pleasure to finally meet all of you." Sophia had said, beaming at us all. "Nat." She grinned. "How are you?"

"I'm good, thank you Sophia." Natasha had flashed a grin back at her and the two women had walked off, probably to gossip about Clint. 

I heard a murmured, "Wouldn't it be great to have Laura here," from Sophia.

"Papa, this is Peter." Aditi said, taking his hand pulling him towards the boy who looked as though he was about to shit bricks. "He saved my life yesterday."

"It's good to meet you sir." Peter stuck his hand out awkwardly.

"You saved my child's life?" Kanan looked Peter up and down slowly, as though sizing him up. 

"Yes sir." Peter coughed and rubbed his hand on his t-shirt. He looked like a rabbit caught in headlights.

"I think that deserves more than a handshake." He pulled the boy into a hug. Peter looked like he was going to pass out. 

"Papa, don't scare him." Aditi said in that hushed tone of hers.

"I'm not scaring him." The man smiled broadly.

"Aditi told me you were born in Delhi," Peter said, shoving his hands in his pockets to keep them from fidgeting. He was desperately trying to make conversation.

"Are you wondering about my accent?" Kanan asked. I saw Clint hold back a smirk. 

I'd been wondering about the accent. The man had a perfect American accent, but I wasn't exactly able to place it. Somewhere North America definitely, but indistinct, changing slightly every sentence. 

Steve came to stand beside me. 

"Here to see the show?" I asked him.

"Why, did you bring snacks?" He chuckled.

I snorted. "Excuse me Rogers, I am the snack here."

"I'm not arguing with that logic." 

We watched as Kanan tried to explain to Peter how he'd learnt different accents for his job as a journalist before Aditi corrected him and told him she knew he had worked as an undercover operative. Clint had walked promptly in the other direction before Kanan had time to talk to him about that.

Lunch had gone smoothly. That was until Aditi had passed out into her salad and woken up with glassy eyes. The table was silent. Sophia, Kanan, Clint and Natasha were the only ones who  seemed unbothered, and just carried on eating.

"What's happening?" Peter whispered from beside her.

"She's gone into third perspective." Sophia explained. "She'll come back to us soon."