Chapter 9
"The fury before Christmas"
(Silly Love Songs – Paul McCartney)
Day 5: Tuesday, December 15.
FURY
When the elevator doors opened he saw one of the Maximoff twins leaving to his room. He waved at him and the silver haired boy waved back. Every since he first met him, Fury had noticed he and Barton had a close relationship. He hadn’t seen Clint gotten so close with someone since Phil Coulson.
The rest of the team was in the kitchen, eating breakfast.
“Avengers” he greeted.
“Fury!” Natasha exclaimed standing up, walking towards the man, “We weren’t expecting you” she said, giving him a hug.
“I was suppose to arrive tomorrow but I figured I could drop by earlier” he grinned, “You know, make sure everything’s in order” He walked around of the table shaking the men and Wanda’s hands.
He sat next to Steve who then stood up and put his hand on Fury’s shoulder.
“Let me get you some breakfast” he said.
“Sure, Cap” Fury grinned.
While Fury finished his breakfast he noticed Natasha was distracted, it wasn’t until Tony called her name that she reacted, Steve seemed a little bit tense while Tony talked to him and Wanda was bothered about something, she kept throwing the Vision glances.
The warm familiar christmas-y feeling he wanted to get was being smothered by the growing tension between the avengers, he wanted everyone to have a good time at the dinner. He was going to ask Tony to let Steve have fun, instead of teasing him.
He would tell Bruce to stop pressing Natasha in their newfound relationship, and would ask Vision to back off of Wanda. He would make things right.
Fury was use to people looking at him on the streets. A 6’ 2’’ man with an eye patch. He was glad to realize people weren’t paying attention to him this time, even with the city full of people they all seemed to be caught in their own business. He truly disliked the way Christmas was more a commercial thing now.
“Okay people” Tony said looking at his phone, who had been ringing for about ten minutes, “I have to meet Pepper at a store a few blocks from here”
“We can go do our own shopping and then meet somewhere afterwards” Steve suggested.
“Good idea” Natasha nodded.
“Plus, if we go together we will see our presents” Thor grinned, he pulled out a list of things, he had been talking non-stop about the things he was going to get Jane, Fury chuckled at the God.
“Perfect” Clint nodded, “We meet for lunch, yeah?”
“Yeah, good” Steve nodded, “Everyone at the park at… two?”
After Tony gave them StarkPads (complete with the best GPS in town, like he said) everyone went their own ways, Natasha left with Clint, Bruce wanted to do his shopping alone, saying he wanted to buy her a surprise. The twins left on their own and Steve left with Thor.
Fury walked around town for a few minutes, he bought a cup of coffee at a coffee shop, not Starbucks, he hated that overprice crap, and sat on a park bench, he was soon joined by the Vision.
“Mr. Fury” the man… droid… whatever he was, greeted.
“Look at that” Fury pointed at a young couple throwing each other snowballs, “Young, dumb and stupidly in love” Vision observed the couple, “Lucky for you, you don’t have to worry about it, right?”
“What do you mean?” Vision frowned.
“You know, the whole super alien robot thing” Fury shrugged taking a sip from his hot coffee, “This is some good shit” he said taking another sip, “Did I say something bad?”
“Not at all” Vision said, “In fact, I think you are right”
“Always” Fury smiled.
He considered telling him about the Wanda thing but the android seemed bothered by something. He would tell him later.
“I must leave” Vision stood up, “I have somewhere to be”
“Yeah, me too” Fury stood up and then patted Vision’s shoulder, they both left their own ways. “What a weid man” Fury murmured.
He bought a newspaper and kept walking through some stores when he saw Bruce in a jewellery store. He was just walking inside, looking at everything carefully. His hands on his pockets. Fury entered the store.
“Dr. Banner” he said, the man jumped, “Don’t go all green in here, it’s very delicate stuff”
Bruce chuckled nervously and shook his head, “I won’t”
“Looking for something special?” He asked, “A ring maybe?”
“Oh” Bruce chuckled nervously, “Not really”
“Because, you know” Fury looked around, “Natasha is not that kind of girl” Bruce frowned, “She might say she loves you but marriage is an entirely different thing”
“Love me?” Bruce smiled softly, “She said she loved me?”
“Did she?” Fury frowned, “Cause I didn’t”
“Oh” Bruce kept looking around, “I’ll just get her a sweater” he said, “I’ll see you later”
“Sure thing” Fury smiled.
He was once again left alone. What a weird fellow Dr. Banner was, overall, he was a good man. Whatever had happen with Natasha, he will make things right.
he went shopping for something for Maria this time, perhaps a nice sweater or some socks. He was in a women’s department from a store when he saw Tony and a Pepper talking.
“Stark” Fury greeted.
“Nick” the man said.
“Getting something for the ladies” Tony laughed, “Not really” he said, “Pepper is getting Wanda and Natasha a present” Tony rolled his eyes.
Fury caught Pepper with the corner of his eye. The woman, who looked about to pop, was sitting on a chair in the shoe department, surrounded by a couple of employees while she ordered several pair of shoes in different colors and sizes. Tony looked at her and groaned.
“One pair, Pepper, one pair!” He said.
“You were getting them socks, Tony” Pepper yelled, “That’s just tacky” She made a face.
“Mm” Fury then noticed Pepper was also buying something in the perfume department, “Your special friends will be disappointed”
“What do you mean?” Tony frowned. “You know, the many women you have to send gifts?” Fury nudged Tony’s shoulder playfully, “Potts dodge that bullet, huh?”
“Right” Tony chuckled.
“You have always being popular” Fury said, “Even before Ironman”
Tony nodded, “Yeah, I know” he smiled softly, and for the first time Fury sensed he felt a bit awkward talking about the subject.
“Luckily for you serious relationships are not a thing” Fury said.
“Yeah, they-“
“I have to go do my own shopping” Fury pointed at the socks in his hands, “Apparently these are not a good present for a lady”
“Yeah, sure, see you later man” Tony nodded.
Fury nodded and then left, he bought another cup of coffee, he needed it, it was almost two and he already felt sleepy, he stopped by a coffee truck in the park and bought himself a cup.
“It’s the best coffee around” the old man serving the coffee said, “two dollars”
“Still overpriced” Fury said giving the man a five dollar bill.
“But worth it” the man smiled.
Fury then heard a loud laugh, behind him, there was the young couple from early. They were kissing and hugging. He made a face.
“Ah, young love” the old man said giving him his change, “Makes you wish you were younger, huh”
“Not really” Fury took the money. He sat on the nearest bench to drink his coffee, he had to wait for the rest of the team to appear.
Luckily for him it wasn’t cold, the sun shinning above him, plus the warm cup of coffee in his hands, kept him warm. He grabbed a newspaper and started reading it.
“Fury!” Tony was approaching him, with Pepper by his side, Happy was behind them with a couple of bags. He was surprise Pepper walked faster than them in heels and with pregnancy belly.
“Tony, Pepper” he said, “Happy”
“Hey” the man said. Pepper kissed his cheek.
“You look great” Fury mentioned, pointing at her belly. She grinned.
“Where’s the rest of the people?” Pepper asked.
“We’ll meet for lunch” Tony said.
“Oh” Pepper said looking at her watch, She turned to Happy, “Honey, give Tony his bags, we have to go” Happy gave Tony most of the bags, “Please, Tony, remember the party tomorrow” she said.
Pepper kissed both men’s cheeks and then left. Tony sat next to Fury,
“Party?” the man asked.
“Yeah” Tony nodded, “Business mostly, I didn’t want to go, but Pepper insisted”
“Sounds fun”
“It’s a party and I’m invited” Tony grinned, “Of course it’ll be fun” Fury Laughed.
“Fury, Tony!” Thor yelled from afar, Steve was behind him, carrying a couple of bags.
“Thor” Tony waved.
The man sat next to Tony, “I am exhausted, my friends” he said.
Tony chuckled, “What about you Steve?”
“Not really” Steve said, looking at the bags next to Tony, “That’s a lot of presents”
“Pepper went shopping with me” he explained.
Steve nodded. Natasha then appeared behind them, with a couple of bags in one hand, behind her Clint was carrying his own shopping.
“Where’s Bruce?” Steve asked.
“He says he’s at this Chinese restaurant near here” Natasha said.
"Yes! Chinese!" Thor exclaimed.
“Let’s go then” Fury said standing up.
“The twins?” Steve asked.
“There they are” Clint waved at Pietro and Wanda.
After they met, they walked towards the restaurant. Bruce met them at the entrance, he had already asked for a table. They were seated a few minutes later and ordered food for all, and some sake.
“This is horrible” Steve said making a face.
“This is great” Natasha said, nudging his shoulder.
They all kept eating while talking. Fury thought that if this lunch was going that great the Christmas dinner would be even better and there as nothing that could ruin it.
“You'd think that people would've had enough of silly love songs, but I look around me and i see it isn't so”