Animo - Avengers {Completed}

Chapter Eight: Reconciliation

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          That’s a cute shirt, I thought as I stared into a shop window. If I’d had any money, I probably would have bought it. But, oh well. I didn’t even have money for food with me, and my stomach was gearing up to engorge itself. How clever of you, Mo, not bringing any cash. Really smart.

          I’d been out here for around an hour. There was no way in hell I was going back while Stark was still drunk, even though I was starving, and the air outside was getting colder. It was December, so that was a perfectly plausible explanation for the change. The sky was covered in pale clouds. And you know what that means?

          Snow.

          And, right on cue, tiny white flakes began to fall.

          Oh, perfect. I buried my hands in my pockets and walked against the wind, blinded by the laidback flurry. I had no idea where I was heading, or even what direction I was walking in, but it didn’t really matter; someone grabbed my arm and pulled me inside a shop.

          “Cold enough for you?” Barton laughed.

          I blinked snowflakes out of my eyelashes and grinned at him. “Nah, it’s actually pretty warm outside!”

          He poked the tip of my nose, or at least I assumed he did. It was numb, so I couldn’t feel it. “Then why is your nose all red? Hm?” He didn’t wait for an answer. “Are you hungry at all? I just woke up about an hour or two ago. I haven’t eaten yet.”

          “Starving,” I replied.

          “Excellent.”

          With his hand on the small of my back, he guided me to an empty table. The shop smelled wonderful, and I discovered that it was a coffee shop. Not Starbucks, exactly, but it was still pretty awesome. We both ordered muffins and hot chocolate, and as we waited, we talked about anything and everything, except for the things that pertained to S.H.I.E.L.D.

          For instance, I discovered that he was from Iowa like me, and the town he’d lived in wasn’t that far away from mine. Small world. I also learned that he was orphaned, except for his brother, whom he hadn’t seen in several years. “But that’s okay,” he said. “I’ve found friends and a job to keep me occupied.” He winked.

          In return, I told him about school, and my friends Jenna and Grace, and my brother, Adam. I left out the part about Jenna’s cousins, and how I was madly in love with Brendon. Some people don’t need to know everything…

          “So you were really one of four freshmen to get cast into the play?” he asked, raising his eyebrows.

          I gave him a look of fake irritation. “Don’t sound so surprised.” Then I laughed, because I couldn’t be mad at him after he’d rescued me from the cold. I tilted my head and grinned. “But, yeah, I was. Impressed?” I winked, trying to imitate him.

          “Oh, definitely.” His laughter rang in the half full café.

          When our breakfast (or I guess it was lunch by then) arrived, we dug in. I’d ordered a double chocolate muffin; Barton had gotten a chocolate chip one. I picked at it with my fingers, smearing chocolate all over my fingertips. It was absolute heaven.

          The hot chocolate was even better. The steam was working wonders on my frozen nose. I held the mug up to my face, breathing in the sweet scent of paradise in a beverage. It tasted even better.