Happy Family

The Weekend was slowly coming into an end, with your never ending hangover or the fact that you were practically forced by a five year old to attend family lunch. It was one thing to have to deal with your ever asshole of a brother that you still haven’t forgiven for the years of disrespect and greed and the more pressing issue was how he had practically embarrassed you in front of all of his employees just because of your association with one Frank Castle.

Slipping your shades and leather jacket on, your drive to Tony’s mansion was a nightmare to say the least. Not only was it in the much lavish side of the New York, you know practically half of his neighbors for one reason or another and having to meet any of them was the last thing you would want to endure in your still half-drunken state.

The sight of one Happy Hogan waiting by the door wasn’t a good sign. You loved Hogan, practically grew up with the Security personnel but you never fault him for being loyal to just Tony, he needed more protection than you ever did growing up.

“Long time no see, Y/N.” Happy greeted opening the door to your car for you.

“I still can’t convince you to work for me, Happy?” You teased, a constant offer you would make the man but knew perfectly well that the man would never take—not for all the money in the world.

“Not anytime soon, Y/N.” He smirked. “But if Tony continues to get on my nerve, I might just take it.” He teased making you giggled wrapping your arms around the burly man. “God, you’ve been drinking?”

“Only way I could fully function being in the presence of my fucking brother this time.” You muttered pulling away from the man seeing him still wincing at the evident alcohol still reeking out of your system. But it was this or having to deal with your family all over again—or what was left of it.

Making your way inside, the commotion of numerous voices made your temples ache, and the sight of not only your family but two of the last people you would ever want to deal with away from the company was also in attendance. Of all the people in the world, it just had to be Barnes and Rogers.

“The hell are those two doing here?” You questioned turning everyone’s heads, relief flooded you when you realize that Morgan was still nowhere in sight right now.

“Relax, Y/N. They’re always invited to lunch if they have the time.” It was now your brother, Tony, interrupting you. “And you’re a mess, just got out of Castle’s bed before he threw you out again?”

You didn’t allow his words to affect you, even for just a moment you tried your best to ignore them. You smirked turning your gaze towards the two, both had been witness to what you and Frank had been doing at the party away from everyone’s eyes.

“I don’t know. Frank’s a good lay so you can’t really blame me, you can ask dumb and dumber, never thought they got off on watching other people fucking in the bathroom.” You smirked making the pair more uncomfortable than they already were. “Or is that a weird kink aside from fucking in the office after shift?”

“I think it’s best if you keep your mouth shut.” It was Steve that spoke.

You smirked watching the sound of a pair of feet making their way towards where you were. Turning, the smile on your face grew at the sight of Morgan and her mother, Pepper.

“Aunt Y/N!” Morgan made a beeline towards you, quick to hug your legs. “You’re here!”

“I made a promise, didn’t I?” You pointed out with a wink before turning your gaze back to Pepper, that looked far too shy to be anywhere near you. “I may or may not be a little too drunk, but I don’t bite, Pep.” You assured your supposed sister-in-law.

You accepted the older woman’s hug that spoke nothing about your evident drunken state still. The smile was on her way to be even be here, after such a long time of being away from the family—away from anything that has to do with your brother and your father’s company.

“Lunch is ready, so we better head to the table.” Pepper smiled pulling away from you, looking down at you with a smile still on her face. To this day, why would someone as good as this woman ever get involved with your brother.

Following Pepper and Morgan, whose hand had held onto your own tightly, the lavish table spread was something you had only remember in your time with both of your parents still alive. You never usually got along with your mother, but when lunch and dinner came along, you’d always find yourself helping her with preparing with setting up the table and in the rare times that she would be in a good mood, help in the kitchen—learning a few recipes you have no use of now that you realize the kind of life you live. No time to cook—nor did you have anyone to cook for.

“How was your weekend, Y/N?” It was Pepper that tried to make a conversation with you as you slipped onto your chair, on the far end of the table besides her and right in front of where the two men had sat.

“Pretty good, if I’m being honest.” You spoke, not wanting to give too much detail about your binge drinking nor your time spent watching several series you had neglected since getting involved with your father’s company. “I’m being hounded by Sam and the rest of my team to plan a getaway for all of us after things with Dad’s company settle down.”

“Don’t you think it’s too early to celebrate?” It was Bucky who interrupts your conversation with Pepper.

You turned to the man, challenging him with your look to say anything more. But he kept quiet and continued on with the food on his plate.

“My life and career doesn’t revolve around my father’s company.” You spoke as calmly as you could, hoping Morgan doesn’t pick up on your evident discomfort of being in the present of the three assholes in front of you. “Me and my team had been payed handsomely after the good quarter A.I.M has made after the campaign we’ve made for them. Killian had even paid me enough to encourage me to move the team exclusively with the company once I’m done with Stark Industries.” You pointed out, heavy with the threat of what you could choose should any of them continue to test your patience.

“First Castle, now Killian? Whose next, Carter?” Tony snorts.

Bile rose from your throat at the mention of the woman. It’s been a while since you’ve last spoken with her and the offer was still open for you to take if you choose to do so. You love your father and all of his hardwork was the only thing keeping you here.

“I think I’d go for Fury, Zemo, and Pierce first.” You spoke without missing a beat. The double meaning of your brother’s words was not unnoticed at all.

“You can’t keep tossing your talent for every man that offers you money.”

“Tony.” Pepper interrupts knowing that this would only end with you and your sibling arguing like you usually do now.

“At least other people know what I’m capable of. Unlike Dad.” You spoke knowing a fight would really come to light with the mention of your deceased father.

“You can’t keep blaming Dad for his choice!”

“Then who will I blame?” You spat. “Should I blame you, for ruining Dad’s trust, for ruining the company he had built from the ground up!”

“I didn’t ruin anything!”

“You wouldn’t be offering me that much money if the company wasn’t about to run into bankruptcy!” You spoke and the shock in the three men’s faces were evident.

“Bankruptcy?” Steve spoke, attention focused more on Tony that tried his best to ignore you and the truth of your words. “The hell is she talking about, Stark?”

“And you’re gonna listen to her lies?” Tony retorts.

“Y/N.” Steve called you making you turn your head towards the man. “Who told you this?”

“Rhodey did, a few days before the party.” You answered.

“What the hell, Tony?” Steve slammed his hands on the table to which was the sign enough for Pepper to drag Morgan out, much to the confusion of your niece about what was lunch turning into. But, if you were being honest, it was refreshing to see that the man’s venom wasn’t directed at you but at the man.

A screaming match had now ruined lunch, with you and Bucky watching Steve and Tony throw jabs at one another and you were witness to something you would have never thought was going on between the pair. There was animosity in a place you knew far too well. The same venom you had spoke about the man were the very same thing that Tony constantly spoke about Rogers and things were different now, a different perspective that you never realize was in the picture in the chaos you father was responsible for.

“You are still Carter’s little bitch and no matter what happens you still have the curse you’ve left in SHIELD.”

“Keep Peggy’s name out of your fucking mouth!” It was now you that spoke, breaking them from their own tirade against each other. But you could sit by and allow your brother to make a mockery out of the woman with all that is going on with her and her wellbeing. You know Steve could take it, but not Peggy, not a defenseless woman that shouldn’t be involved with what was going on in the company as it is. “Rogers and Barnes aren’t the curse. It’s you. It’s your inability to actually run a fucking company that’s ruining everything my father has built. You know close to dogshit about how the company was built, how everything works., how every blood, sweat, tears was what made the company.”

“What the fuck do you know about running a company? All you’ve ever been was Dad’s mutt constantly following him around wherever he goes.”

“I was working as a secretary and a fucking intern for the company while you were partying God-knows-where, sleeping with God-knows-who. I learned from the ground up because Dad can never trust you with shit that has anything to do with the company.”

“If he doesn’t trust me then why am I here? Why am I in the very position you constantly bemoaned he groomed you for? Why is it me and not you?”

“Because you can continue his fucking legacy! You carry the Stark name and I never could.” You spat. “It’s Dad’s bullshit, because he is still a bigot and a fucking sexist until the end of his life.” You continued. “But you know I can do better than you ever could, it’s that fucking pride and your own sexist belief that stops you from admitting you can’t do jackshit, it’s the fact alone that you would rather have Rogers and Barnes at your disposal instead of your own capable sister that makes it so obvious.”

“Is that what you believe?”

“It’s fact and you know it.”

“Dad is scared of you. Dad is scared of what you would do to the company if you found out about the truth.”

Your brows furrowed, what did he mean?

Before you could question your brother further, your phone began to ring and Peggy’s name appearing on the screen eased away all the anger you had pent up for your brother, replaced with worry instead.

“I’m leaving. Fuck you and fuck the company. As soon as the campaign is over, you will never see me again and I will never come back even if you beg.” You spat turning away from everyone and making your haste exit out of the dinner table, focus was now into sobering yourself enough before meeting Peggy once again.

~

“I hope I didn’t interrupt your weekend.”

Freshly showered and three cups of coffee into your system post-screaming match with your brother, you sobered up pretty well to meet Peggy in SHIELD’s HQ. Welcomed with a few greetings from the staff that you had known in your time with the company, it was more welcoming than what had been your first day back in your father’s company.

“Just finished lunch with my brother—and Rogers and Barnes.” You winced realizing you shouldn’t have mention her ex-husband and his lover in the conversation.

“Good to know Steven is eating, he always has a tendency to skip his meals.” She spoke which surprised you. You would have expected her to be bitter when it comes to her ex, but it was far from the looks of it. There was awkwardness the last time they had been in the same space together when you’ve come to realize it, but never animosity like you’ve come to believe.

“I’m sure Barnes is keeping him on his toes enough.” You muttered finally sitting on the coach in front of the one she was occupying. A freshly brew tea in front in-between the two of you, left untouched when you arrived.

“I’m glad.” She smiled, almost wistfully.

You took a moment to take her features in, only now, with the information that you had—you saw how thin she was. How her once full cheeks now more hollow, and skin almost clinging onto her cheek bones. Your constantly red-painted lips were chapped and pale. But the most striking feature were her doe eyes that were constantly sharp and unforgiving, was almost empty and the bags under made you wonder if she got enough sleep as it was dealing with her illness and running a company still.

“I hope Steven and James isn’t causing you too much trouble as it is.” She continued finally coming to take her own tea cup and the sight of her boney fingers made you hold in your gasp.

“Nothing I can’t handle.” You lied through your teeth. You did not want her to know the hell the both of them had made in your arrival back. You did not need to worry her more with everything on her plate.

“I was thinking about redecorating my office.” She gestured towards her office in SHIELD. “And I want it to have a touch of your style, like your design for the Marketing team when you worked her.”

You smiled, it was a weird request for her to make in the middle of the day, but it was something she wanted to do for herself before the dreastic turn in her life—if that was what would make her happy, then you could give her the time of day.

“Can we start with those ugly plants in your table top?” You inquired with a playful smile on your face. Pointing at the weird succulent that was close to life and death at this point since you weren’t even sure if it was sprouting another or just in the brink of death.

“I take offense to that, and I’m sure, Fury would share the same sentiment as he was the one that picked it.” She scoffed playfully making you giggle.

“I think I can handle Fury’s fury. Pun not intended.” You winked conversation now stirred towards what she would like to change in the office.

Time wasn’t much of an issue, all throughout you honestly enjoyed her company, not out of pity, but this friendly relationship the both of you now had post-working for her. Your admiration for her never wavered even in her state, it grew tenfold as she continued on with her stride nonetheless.

“It’s getting late.”

Turning your attention to your phone, it was close to midnight. Time past faster than either of you had realized.

“Please, let me take you out for dinner before I have Coulson drive you home.” She spoke standing up with you quick to stand back up in any chance that she might falter in her own step.

“I need to get back home—I still got work to do in tomorrow. We’re finalizing everything in the campaign.” You explained. “But we can talk during the weekend instead, if you’re free?” You compromised instead.

The smile on her face grew bigger and made you happy—compared to your previous interaction with your brother at lunch. A change of pace you were more than happy to turn to if the time were to come.

“I’d love that, thank you, Y/N.”

“It’s no big deal Ms. Carter.” You reassured her.

“Call me Peggy, Y/N.” She requested.

You nodded. “It’s no big deal, Peggy.” You repeated weirded out being on a first name basis with your former boss, but it was a good feeling to have. “I’d love to spend more time with you next week, same time and same place?”

“Just like what your father always says.” She chuckled hidden meaning in her own words you chose not to linger in for now.