Chapter 2
The battle didn’t last long. The kids that caused all this had gotten hold of an old magical book and thought it was a good idea to try some of the spells out. Rogers was punishing them with his ‘Captain-America-is-disappointed-in-you’ face and a nice speech while the others helped the locals cleaning up.
“Why bunnies? I mean, seriously, how about fire-breathing dragons or giant spiders? How can someone think bunnies would be threatening? Next time, they should give them laser beams or stuff like that.” Barton was sulking because the call came in the middle of one of his computer games and he didn’t even have the time to save the game.
“Stop sulking, idiot, and do something useful. We do not need another bored child running around.”
“Hey!’’
“Suck it up, bird-brain. I won’t survive another one of Spangles speeches about ‘unprofessional behaviour’. “Toni was so done with the day.
The battle started like any other. The team arrives, Cap gives orders, Toni ignores them and so on.
While Rogers ranted about following the plan, he missed one of the bunnies – and Toni will never let him live that down- when it suddenly started to explode.
Yes, you heard right. Exploding bunnies.
Luckily, it didn’t do much damage with Rogers being a super-soldier and all.
But guess who he blamed for it? Apparently, it was Toni’s job to watch his back. It didn’t matter that she was saving civilians out of an apartment building. No, again, it was her fault.
She started to get sick of always being the scapegoat. She already blamed herself for the weapons and all the innocent lives they took.
The only good thing was that these little rats saved her from a tedious meeting.
“Madame, you have a message from Miss Potts.”
Oh god.
“Stark! Stark!”
“What do you think I did this time, Brucie-bear?”
Bruce chuckled. He and Toni were at the lab working on some Hulk-proof trousers. They didn’t need another newspaper headline with a photo of a nude Bruce Banner in the middle of debris. They actually made some progress before Steve came bursting into the lab demanding to talk to Toni.
“Do you want an honest answer or a nice one?’’ Bruce chuckled.
“Yeah, yeah. I get it.’’ There was no need to point out all the stuff she does wrong. Steve does that often enough. “Sooo, what can I do for you today, Spangles?”
“We need to talk.’’
“Uhhh, you’re already breaking up with me? I’m heart-broken.”
“Quit it, Stark. You weren’t at the post-battle debriefing.”
“And? Brucie wasn’t there either.”
“Because he didn’t fight in the battle. You were. And not only were you fighting, you didn’t follow my orders again. If it would have been Natasha or Clint, they’d be dead by now.”
“Are you talking about the bunny you missed? I was saving other people’s lifes!”
“I only missed it because I thought you had my back!”
Bruce sighed. This looked like it would be ending in a big fight. All he wanted was to work in silence.
“Steve, I agree that Toni should have gone to the debrief, but she never does. So, it’s not surprising especially since you two fought over this like a million times. We already talked about this in the kitchen this morning. If you would take a second and think back, you should know that Toni had an important meeting. Miss Potts must have delayed it after the Avengers alarm had gone off. Could you just please let it go? And in Toni’s defence, if it was any one’s fault it was yours because you missed the robot. “
Toni looked at Bruce like he had grown a second head. ‘Normally no one defends me in front of Cap. Brucie-bear is the best!’.
“He’s right Stevie-boy. Pepper did delay the meeting. When I finally got home again Brucie asked me if I could help him with his pants. In the non-sexual, scientific way of course.”
Steve looked at Toni, then at Bruce and saw that he had no chance of winning against these geniuses.
“Fine, I let it go. But only this time. As a member of this team it’s your duty to come to meetings.”
“Thanks Spangles.”
“Don’t call me that.”
“What? You don’t like it? How about Boy Scout? No? Wonder Boy? Captain Righteousness? Mr Apple Pie?”
While Steve wondered how this woman could be so aggravating, Toni tried to think of something that makes more fun than riling the Captain up. None came up, well, none that involves clothes. “None of those. No nicknames. Just call me Rogers. Or Captain.”
Okay, that hurt. She knew Rogers wasn’t her biggest fan but last-name-basis, really?
“Well, Captain Rogers, I have a lot to do. So, if you both would excuse me.’’ Toni looked at Bruce, then at Steve before she walked out of the lab. She made a beeline to the elevator that would bring her to her workshop. And hopefully a bottle of scotch.
Steve watched Toni leave and tried to figure out what he did this time. He looked at Bruce with the hope of an explanation. Said man could only sigh. The rumours that Steve couldn’t talk to women were apparently well founded.
“You should have told her to call you Steve.”