It had taken a lot of convincing for Andy to be persuaded to go to the party. Heâd argued for so long that his mother had all but thrown him out of his own apartment so she could babysit Emily while he went off and enjoyed himself. Andy had thought his mom would be proud that he was choosing his kid over parties, but sheâd pointed out that that was all heâd been doing lately. He was so focused on being a good dad and not letting Emily out of his sight that he was sacrificing his social life in the process. He barely even saw Ben nowadays and when he did, Emily and the Potter-Banks kids were always present while their puzzled fathers swapped parenting tips.
Having realised that he needed to balance being a father and also a functioning human being, Andy put product in is hair for what felt like the first time in forever and followed Ben to the city party that apparently everyone and their grandmother was going to. He was surprised if there was anyone under the age of 60 even left in Cherry Grove, and was later forced to reassess the limits of his theory when he found himself sharing a subway car with Old Mrs Merkle from down the road who seemed overjoyed upon finding out that the two of them were stopping in at Kingsley Enterprises to bring in the new year.
It was true that there were people of every shape and size at Kit Kingsleyâs party, from the old to the young. He dubiously eyed a gaggle of teenagers knocking back shots and worriedly peered around, hoping he wouldnât catch Jessie and Bonnie doing anything similar. He was glad that Ben managed to find him and pass over a bottle of beer, because he was sure as hell going to need some liquidated assistance in relaxing tonight, all the while wondering whether or not he should just head home and see his daughter.
It surprised him how much he was sad to be away from her. When sheâd first been left on his doorstep, all heâd wanted was for someone a lot more competent than him to come along and whisk her away to a better life. But now, he couldnât imagine his life without her, even when she was throwing up on his Deadpool shirts or tearing up drafts of his comic books that had accidentally drifted away from depicting superheroes with crazy cool powers and had instead transformed into doodles of stressed single dads whose greatest power was changing a diaper in record time. His party talk had even transitioned from Team Cap vs Team Iron Man debates to him showing pictures of Emily to whoever was around. He was smiling intently at his phone background at that exact moment, starting at a downright adorable picture of Emily giving him a gummy smile while she tried to fit her whole foot in her mouth, when someone crashed into him and bumped their head painfully off his.
âOuch,â he muttered involuntarily. Rubbing sorely at his head, he turned to utter a universal âitâs alrightâ to whoever was apologising so the night wouldnât escalate into an argument for him, but the words died in his throat when he saw who had walked right into him.
Penny recovered first and jumped on him and he reacted as quickly as he could. Arms encircled the brunetteâs waist and. with a delighted laugh, he picked her right up off the crowd.
âShut up, no way!â he cried, squeezing his friend around the middle and setting her back down on the ground so he could quickly step back and place his hands on her shoulders to get a better look at her. Yep, it was Penny alright, brown eyed and grinning and, predictably, challenged as ever when it came to simple tasks like walking without bumping into something. Andy didnât think heâd ever seen a better sight and drew her back in for a bear hug.
âI didnât know youâd be here! Are you kidding me?â he laughed. âWe have got a lot of catching up to do, Agent Carter.â
The second she felt Andy's arms circled around her waist, Penny squealed with delight as she engulfed her best friend in a hug. It had been so long since the two of them had been able to properly see one another, and she'd been building up their reunion so much in her head, planning on surprising him any day now, that she'd never even thought that she might see him here tonight. Burying her face in his neck momentarily, she gave him one last squeeze before he set her down, and beamed across at the man as they finally separated.
âYes way!â she confirmed, jutting her chin out proudly and propping a hand beneath it as she gave her best friend the chance to take her in. Fluttering her eyelashes playfully, she scrunched up her nose as she released a pretty unflattering snort, followed by an array of giggles as she twirled on the spot for him. âI know, I know. Drink it all in, Andykins, it sure as hell doesn't get better than this.â
The second the words spilled from her lips, he was pulling her back in for another hug, and she delightedly returned it. She'd been a little uncertain about the night ahead, knowing that the few people in attendance that she did know would probably be too busy socialising â Kit seemed to know just about everyone and anyone in this town, and she was sure he'd have his hands full trying to act as host as well as entertaining the masses. She didn't blame him one bit, though she made a mental note to track him down later if she got the chance, even if only to give him a quick hug and wish him well. The night was certainly looking up, though, and she found herself realising that she had no reservations about the rest of the evening now, knowing she'd get to spend it in the company of her favourite person in the world.
Well, unless Andy tried to make an escape and suddenly decided that she wasn't suitable entertainment for the night, but there was no way she'd let him get away with that.
âI didn't know you'd be here, what the crap!â she cried out, separating herself from the man for the second time that night, and giving him a playful punch on the shoulder. âYou're damn right we do, Cap! What's the deal? You're kicking it with the top dogs these days, huh?â
Her comment was one of jest, of course, given that she knew Kit didn't quite hold himself to the same standards of some of the other socialites she knew of. People like the Smith's so regularly thought themselves superior to others, and if you didn't have money, or didn't have access to mommy and daddy's money, then you weren't fit to be seen in their company. Both Kit and his father were the kind of people that would stick their neck out for absolutely anybody that they thought worthy, regardless of their social or financial status. Even Penny, who certainly wasn't struggling on the money front these days, hadn't ever been born into wealth, yet the two had welcomed her with open arms the second she'd stumbled her way into their lives. They were just like that, and she knew Kit wouldn't have any kind of problem with someone like Andy.
Cocking her head to the side, she reached out and took his chin into her hands, tilting his face this way and that as she eyed him curiously. Furrowing her brow and adopting a very serious look, her lips taking on a downward turn as she frowned at him, while letting out the occasional hmm and huh noise â if only for dramatic effect â she eventually retreated, tapping her friend playfully no the nose before letting her lips split into the same wide, cheery grin that she usually wore.
âY'know, I figured maybe parenthood might make you cuter, at least,â she noted. âThought I'd see at least the vague signs of stubble, but I guess you're still, what, twelve? Pushing on thirteen? Nothing changes, hm?âÂ
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