Movie Night
It was a rare day that everyone, including Thor, was at the tower without an emergency to bring them all together. Absently, Steve thought about having a celebratory dinner to mark the occasion. Maybe they could order Chinese and then the others could pick out a movie for Steve and Thor’s continuing pop culture education. Or maybe he could pick out the movie, he still had his list of recommendations he was trying to get through and Star Trek sounded interesting.
“Hey Cap, you’re looking particularly thoughtful today, what’s on your mind?” Clint asks joining him in the kitchen.
“I think tonight we should watch Star Trek.” Steve says.
“Really? Wouldn’t you rather read through old mission files and develop new tactics?” Clint asks, a slight smirk ruining his otherwise innocent expression. He grabs some leftover pizza out of the fridge and pops it into the microwave.
“Funny, I’m proposing a night off, since we’re all together anyway,” Steve says. He steals a slice as Clint takes the pizza out. Clint bats at his hand, which Steve ignores. He still wasn’t fully used to all the new technology, but the microwave was quickly becoming his favorite. Something which was highly disappointing to Natasha, who refused to eat anything that came out of a microwave unless absolutely necessary, and Tony, who was just disappointed that Steve liked the microwave more than any of his inventions.
Natasha comes in. She ignores the reheated pizza that Clint holds out to her and makes her way to the fridge.
“Got plans for the night?” Clint asks as she takes out the carton of eggs.
“Maybe, who’s asking?”
“Cap, he wants to have a movie night,” Clint asks.
Natasha puts down the eggs and puts a hand to Steve’s forehead, her lips pursed in concern.
“He doesn’t feel feverish. You’re not coming down with anything are you?” She asks, the picture of genuine concern.
“You’re almost as hilarious as Clint. If it helps I can phrase it as a team bonding session,” Steve says shaking off her hand. She smiles.
“I’ll be free tonight,” she promises.
With two teammates accounted for, Steve leaves to find the rest of his wayward brood.
He finds Tony first, which is unsurprising, if Tony isn’t in the kitchen there’s an 84% chance, according to Jarvis, that he’s in his lab. The doors to the lab slide open automatically at his approach. Secretly the doors were another thing about the future that he liked. They just seemed like something out of one a science fiction story, but he’s pretty sure the others would laugh at him if he mentioned being impressed by doors so he keeps that thought to himself.
“Hey Cap,” Tony says without looking up. He’s working on…well Steve isn’t sure what it is, but Tony’s working very intensely on it. Steve figures it’s probably safe to assume it’s something for the suit.
“Movie night tonight at 8,” Steve says.
“What are we watching?”
“Star Trek,” Steve says.
“You do know that’s a multi-season television show not a movie right?” Tony asks as the thing he’s working on starts sparking. Tony smothers the sparks with a rag.
“Close enough, still starts at eight,” Steve says.
“Whose idea is that?” Tony asks, trying to salvage what he can from the roasted wires.
“Mine.”
Tony looks up at him, “Yours, since when do you institute movie nights or take nights off?”
“There’s a first time for everything,” Steve shrugs.
“We’ll I’ll be there. Bruce is meditating right now. Apparently my explosions were ‘distracting’ and my music was ‘too loud’ and ‘annoying.’ When he gets back I’ll let him know.” Tony says.
Steve nods his thanks and begins looking for Thor. The reactions to his movie night idea had not been unexpected. It was impossible for anyone to suggest anything without a little ribbing from the rest, but was he really that bad about making plans with the others?
He supposes he is. Out of the ice for almost two years now, it took a while for him to feel comfortable enough in the world. For the first few months after the Chituri battle of New York he had retreated. Determined to catch up on the world he locked himself in his shield issued apartment with a stack of history books and a laptop set up by a sympathetic shield agent. It took Natasha breaking into his apartment to confiscate both to get him back outside. He had resisted at first. There was still too much he didn’t know; jokes that didn’t make sense, references that went over his head, new social norms that he was still trying to understand.
Natasha had proved herself almost as stubborn as him however, and even more patient as she dropped off movies and books for him almost every few weeks. Clint had been helpful too. For a while Clint had been assigned as his partner. Officially the reason was so Steve could have someone explain how things had changed to him on missions. But Steve was just out of date, not an idiot. He saw the way people looked at Clint. They didn’t trust him after Loki, and they wanted Captain America to be there to put him down if he went rogue again.
Steve trusted Clint though. He wouldn’t go rogue, and if he did Steve had no plans on putting him down, not when there was a chance he could be saved. Clint had a teasing way about him, that put Steve at ease. It reminded him of Bucky in a way that for once didn’t make his chest ache. He was also good at explaining the parameters of the missions in ways Steve understood, focusing on objectives and strategies and less on tech related details that would have gone right over his head anyway.
Between the two of then Steve considered himself successfully dragged into the twenty first century. It was a thought that was surprisingly not as painful as he imagined it to be. Although some part of him would always mourn the life he had loss, and according to his extensive google searches on the subject of grief, that was perfectly normal, he genuinely liked living in the future. The food was better, the medical advancements were impressive, and society was slowly but steadily improving. He just wished Peggy, Bucky, and the others had gotten to see it too.
He finds Thor on the roof.
“I hope you aren’t leaving. I’ve got a movie night planned,” Steve says. Thor turns at his approach and gives him a toothy grin. Of all his teammates Steve felt a special bond with Thor, who was often as confused and out of sorts about the modern age as himself.
“Nay Captain, just enjoying the view.”
“Have you seen Star Trek?” Steve asks.
“I have not, but I believe it is one that Jane finds most delightful. She is also fond of Star Wars and Battlestar Galactica. She has such an appreciation for stars,” Thor says enthusiastically. Steve mentally adds Battlestar Galactica to his list.
Everything was set up. The food was ordered and sitting on the table. Netflix was cued up for the first episode of the Original Series. Steve had been shocked by the number of spinoffs that existed, and everyone seemed to have a different opinion about which one was the best. After a half hour of bickering it was decided that they should start out with The Original Series, as it was the one that started it all.
“Director Fury is on line one sir.” Jarvis interrupts.
“Ignore him,” Tony says, “We’re just about to start.”
“He says it is of extreme importance,” Jarvis says.
“Put him through,” Steve says before Tony can argue more.
“Evening Captain,” Fury says as he appears on the screen.
“Fury. What seems to be the problem?” Steve asks.
“Power surge, first recorded a half hour ago in the Adirondacks. At first we thought it was Thor, that’s how high the energy levels spiked. Since then the energy output has remained six times higher than average. I need you guys to check it out.” Fury says.
“We’re on it,” Steve says. The screen goes black.
“So no movie night?” Clint asks.
“Not tonight,” Steve sighs. He casts a longing glance at the food, still steaming hot and untouched, “let’s suit up.”