"So, what? It was too dangerous
for me to fight against Iron Man
and Black Widow last year because
I was too young and it was too
dangerous, but now some alien dude
wants to destroy the planet and I'm
suddenly totally cool to fight?"
Sequel to...
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CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN | TEST RUN
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yes, i suppose i grabbed / at spring. and you set your hopes much too high.
-appointment // marina tsvetaeva
__________
"Happy birthday."
Bella looked up from the essay she was reading and stared up at Steve with wide eyes. In all the hullabaloo about the quantum realm and time travel, she'd completely forgotten about her birthday. Twenty-two years old. She gulped down a quiet sob and stared down at the present, wrapped in blue wrapping paper with little yellow stars, Steve slid across the table to her.
Bella blinked and slowly took the gift in her hands. "Thanks."
Steve nodded and sat down across from her, taking the assortment of papers away. "Not to be on your case on your birthday, but when was the last time you slept for more than an hour?"
Bella faltered. It had been a while, since before Scott came back that was for sure. So, a week. When she told him that, he made a face.
"Bella, you know you need to be rested for what we're planning, right?"
"I know." And she did know, but she still couldn't sleep. "I'll try tonight. I promise."
She hoped she could keep it.
Not wanting to continue the conversation about her unhealthy sleeping schedule, she slipped her fingers under the wrapping paper and ripped it away. The torn-away paper revealed an old-fashioned looking leather-bound journal with something stuck between the pages. Silently, Bella flipped through the pages and found the something. It was a golden locket with a picture of Alex on one side and Peter on the other. She blinked back tears at the sight of their smiling faces and glanced up at Steve.
"Thank you."
He nodded with a small smile. "I figured the journal would be good for you; to write down your thoughts and feelings, and whatnot. As for the necklace, well— I know how useful it can be to keep the people you love close."
Bella knew he was talking about the old compass he had with a photo of Ashara in it. She exhaled slowly and clasped the necklace around her neck. The locket fell next to the one Shuri had gifted her just over five years ago. It had been so long since she'd used the necklace, but it never felt right to take it off.
"I've got something else for you," Steve said. Before Bella could protest, he stood and went to the fridge. He pulled out a six-inch cake and grabbed two forks from the nearby drawer. "Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. Your favorite."
A wry smile made its way onto Bella's face as she accepted the fork from Steve. As she dug her fork into the cake and took a bite, she tried to keep her mind from wandering to her friends and family. Don't think about how they should be here with you, and how you should be in the apartment you have with Peter instead of the empty kitchen of the Compound. Don't think about it. Don't.
