“Alexis, please, you need to relax. You’re making me dizzy,” Lila complained. Alexis made a face, embarrassed that she was upsetting her friend but having absolutely no idea how to relax.
After Sam Wilson visited Hope and Scott, the three of them faced time a lot to find people who could join the new Avengers and, almost more importantly, who could fund them. Hope would put some of her own money, sure, and apparently Pepper Potts would do so as well, but an initiative like this one was really expensive, and all parties involved agreed about how the government should stay as far away from it as possible. So, no federal or state money.
Somehow, this search for rich people became a gala to lurk them in and convince them with pricey appetizers.
And because she was an amazing assistant, Alexis became the head organizer of the entire thing, on top of her usual tasks of course. But, yeah, she managed, even if it was her first time organizing a gala in New York and she didn’t know any of the service providers.
Everything was set and now all she could do was worry about everything that could go wrong. Starting by Joaquin not being happy to see her despite the text he sent her to say just that.
They missed the only chance they got to see each other after he came to San Francisco 3 months earlier, when Alexis had to go to Washington and he was sent away on a last minute mission. Which was fine, she hadn’t dreamt of kissing him again after that night at the bar. Only every hour of every day.
Alexis held the door so Joaquin could get out of the bar with his crutches. Her friends were already getting in Ubers or walking away, waving and shouting slurred goodbyes. Joaquin couldn’t drink because of his meds, and Alexis had one drink, not wanting to embarrass herself in front of the cutest guy she had ever met.
Also, somehow, he made her feel giddier than any alcohol ever. She didn’t know if it was the gigawatt smile, the deep and soft eyes that seemed to bore into her soul every time she shared something about herself. Or the careful attention he had when he listened to her friends like he really cared about what they had to say and the humble way he had to tell some of the things he did like anyone could do it and not someone incredibly selfless and heroic.
Alexis couldn’t remember being this smitten over a guy she had just met, so when he suggested they shared an Uber just to discover they were going in totally opposite ways, there was no hiding how disappointed she was. She tried to find something smart to say, or better, the courage to tell him she liked him and maybe they could find a way to see each other again, but she could only stare at him and hoped he felt the same.
“Alexis ?” a voice asked behind her, making her jump and break their eye contact. It was her Uber driver, putting an official end to a great night. “Well, I guess I should go,” she announced, not moving an inch. A car parked just behind hers and called Joaquin, making them both sigh with disappointment.
“Can I get your number ?” Joaquin blurted suddenly. Alexis’ eyes grew wide, wondering how she could have forgotten to ask that herself. “Yes ! Of course, I… Wait,” she blurted back. They exchanged their phones so they could each enter their number and when they gave them back their fingers lingered intentionally on the others’.
“Alexis !” the driver shouted, honking at the same time, making them both jump again. “Ugh, I’m coming !” Alexis grunted, regretting it immediately because, sexy much ? But when she looked back at Joaquin he was smiling, clearly amused.
She blushed and searched for something smart to say to compensate but her brain shut down when Joaquin took support on his crutches to get even closer to her, making her look up to keep staring into his eyes. He didn’t look so amused anymore. He looked extremely focused, and it was pretty amazing to be the recipient of such intense attention.
He raised his hand, balancing his weight on one crutch, to run the tip on his fingers from her temple to her jaw, her eyes blinking rapidly before shutting completely at the sensation. Joaquin's hand went to her neck, resting there, his thumb still brushing against her jaw.
When his lips finally touched hers, she expected it and yet she was still surprised. Joaquin kissed just like he behaved. With care, attention, enthusiasm and focus. It was freaking amazing.
When they parted, they were both blinking and panting softly. Alexis realized her hand was clutching his shirt and instead of feeling embarrassed for it she used it to pull him in another kiss. She felt his smile against her mouth and she smiled back, making it harder to keep kissing but she felt too happy to care.
The Uber driver honked again and they parted with a sigh. “I should really go,” she whispered against his mouth. “Yeah, me too,” he answered. They didn’t try to hide how disappointed they were but they did let go of each other and Joaquin followed Alexis to help her get inside the car. Which wasn’t easy since he was back holding both crutches and couldn’t really close her door without risking dropping one or both of them.
He still tried, making Alexis laugh and the driver grunt. Once the door was finally closed, Alexis opened her window just as the driver, who had clearly lost all of his patience, was starting the car. “I’ll call you !” Joaquin shouted.
He did call her. They called, they texted, they even video chatted. Not as much as they wanted since they were both very busy but still, it gave them the opportunity to get to know each other a lot. And make Alexis extremely horny for the handsome man who could kiss like a god and was the nicest guy she had ever met.
After 3 months they were finally about to see each other in person again, and Alexis couldn’t wait. He had actually asked her to be his date for the gala, because he was adorable.
So, yeah, there was a lot in the balance for her that day. “Everything is as ready as possible here, why don’t you go for a walk or something ? Before we got here you kept saying you wanted to experience New York, well, now is the time,” Lila said again.
Alexis sighed, checking her watch. She did have a couple of hours before she even needed to get ready, and she was feeling herself becoming crazy so a walk was actually the most sensible idea.
“Yeah, you’re right. I’ll go. Don’t you want to come with ?” she offered. “So I can watch you wander like a lost soul and talk about how amazing Joaquin is ? No thank you,” Lila joked. Alexis made a face at her and left without looking back.
New York was nice that time of year. It was warm enough that Alexis didn’t need a jacket and people looked happy to finally put winter behind them. She was trying on her 8th hat when people started shouting at the end of the street.
Alexis put the hat back on its track and, for some reason she’ll have trouble explaining later, she started running toward the commotion while smarter people ran the other way.
After being elbowed a few times she came to a stop in front of a man with a flamethrower and an evil laugh. “Who’s gonna help you now New- York ?” he shouted hysterically. A few stores were already burning and Alexis realized this guy wasn’t alone, they were a few of them. They were shouting nonsense about superheroes never being there when people needed them and as the police sirens got closer and Alexis tried her best to shepherd very confused and scared people away from the danger, she wondered how the police could stop them. Besides the flamethrowers the men were heavily protected by armors. What in the hell ?
Eventually all the people she could reach were on their way away from the danger and Alexis figured it was time for her to do the same. She turned on her heels and froze, facing one of the assailants who managed to get around her without her noticing. He was staring at her with a dark look and a creepy smile, and when she looked behind her she saw another coming at her, flamethrower on and more menacing than ever.
She wanted to run, to at least try to get away, but she was paralyzed by fear. She needed a miracle, and she needed it fast. “Ok, so, I don’t know what you want, but I’m sure we can talk about it,” she stammered. “We could, but we’re not too big on talking,” the man in front of her said. “No kidding,” she whispered in a short breath.
That was it, she was gonna die there, or worse. The gala she so carefully planned for weeks would become a memorial in her honor. Fuck.
She opened her mouth to try to find anything to say that could save her but right when she was about to shout ‘Don’t kill me or Ant-Man will crawl up your ass,’ someone literally fall from the sky and high kicked bad guy number one in the chest, before turning on themselves, wings spinning, bending low and sweeping bad guy number two with one smooth move.
Alexis gaped and her eyes grew wide when she finally recognized Joaquin. Her heart started beating even stronger in her chest and when he turned toward her she heard herself say “That was so>/i> hot.”
Joaquin laughed heartily under his helmet before he took it off as he walked toward her. “Are you okay ?” he asked more seriously once he reached her. “I think, yeah”, she answered, blinking a few times. “A little bit shaken I guess. I knew I would be happy to see you but seriously, I am very happy to see you,” she said with a smile.
Joaquin smiled his gigawatt smile and Alexis felt her fear melt away a little more. “I’m happy to see you too,” he answered, getting closer. “Are you sure you’re okay ?” he asked softly, pushing away the stray of her hair that was in front of her eye. “Getting better and better,” she answered playfully, catching his hand and squeezing it, and making another step toward him until their bodies touch.
“I missed you,” she let out before really thinking about it. Was it weird to say that to a guy you only saw once ? “I missed you too,” he confessed the same way before leaning down to kiss her.
Maybe it was weird, but how could she care when Joaquin’s lips were tasting hers ?
“Torres, get your ass back here !” a voice shouted from Joquin’s ear, making them both jump and take a step away from each other. “Sorry Sam !” Joaquin exclaimed, raising his hands and making a face. “Yeah, yeah, come on, 2 are running away in opposite directions,” Sam said. “Oh my way,” Joaquin announced.
“Gotta get back,” he told Alexis. She expected to see him fly away immediately but instead he walked back in her space and kissed her again. A lot quicker than before but not at all less soft. “I’m not sorry at all,” he whispered before walking away backward.
When he finally flew off, his smile matched Alexis’ who definitely couldn’t wait to meet him at the gala.