Love at First Sight
Sam comes for a visit and brings along the new Falcon. You're instantly smitten, though you do your best to deny any and all feelings until you can't anymore.
Words: 12K
Author's Note: I've had writer's blocks for months now. This has been sitting in my drafts for over a year, so here. Merry Christmas. Have a cute, smitten boy to feast on. Also, Tony lives! And so does Stark Industries inside the tower. Also, spoilers for Brave New World, but if you haven't seen that movie by now it's not my fault.
After defeating Thanos and a near death experience, Tony called it quits on being an Avenger.
But, being the good man that he is, he kept an open door policy for his friends should they need information or a place to crash. And as an Inhuman who hated being on the government's radar.. you took him up on that offer. Not only did Tony change your name, picture, and abilities in the government's databases, but he made sure that any traces of you led to an average looking life before he oh-so-kindly took you under his wing.
Inside the reinstated Stark Industries tower, you shadowed Pepper to learn the ins-and-outs of SI while also training with Tony away from prying eyes. And in between all that, you and Morgan were as thick as thieves.
Basically, you were another Stark child, but a "child" that's been legal to drink for a few years now.
Right now, however, it's Pepper and Tony who are enjoying a much-needed night off with some drinks in their penthouse. They're two glasses deep when FRIDAY alerts them to two visitors downstairs, Sam Wilson and one Joaquín Torres, who are needing a place to stay for the duration of a week. Tony has FRIDAY send them on up, and he and Pepper get up to go greet their guests.
When the elevators open, Sam steps out while his friend walks at a slower pace as if unsure about his presence. Tony and Pepper are there to meet them halfway.
"Hey, man," Sam says as he approaches Tony. "I'm really sorry about asking at the last minute for a place to stay."
"Don't even worry about it." Sam, knowing Tony isn't one for touch, stops before he can hug him.
Instead, Pepper steps into Sam's space and he kisses her cheek in greeting. "Hi, Sam. It's so good to see you."
"You too, Pepper." As Sam steps back, he gestures to his friend. "This is Joaquín. My right hand on the ground and in the sky."
"Hey! It's Falcon 2.0." Joaquín huffs a laugh, nodding at Tony and shaking Pepper's hand when she offers it. "You know, Torres, you're supposed to get under the missile and lead it elsewhere; not fly directly into it."
"Yeah, yeah." Despite having the traumatizing event brought up in a joking manner, Joaquín smiles. "Not all of us are cool enough to have the lifesaving Stark or Wakandan tech."
"Just say the word, baby bird, and I'll get to work on a better suit."
Joaquín chuckles, but when he sees Tony's expression, his smile falters. "A-Are you serious?"
"Yeah. I might not be an Avenger anymore, but I'll always be here to help the heroes when needed."
"Y-Yeah, man. That'll be really awesome."
Sam chuckles at his friend's surprise, nudging him. Then glancing around, his brow furrows. "Am I blind or are you two missing mini Stark?"
Pepper smiles, sipping her wine.
Raising his voice a little, Tony says, "Hey FRIDAY, can you have Y/N and Morgan come up?"
"Sir, I'd like to remind you that tonight is Girl's Night. If you interrupt it, then Girl's Night will be brought to you."
Tony groans and Pepper laughs. "FRIDAY, please have the girls come up to greet some guests of ours."
"Right away, Mrs. Stark."
Joaquín is all smiles as Sam's head tilts in confusion. "Who is Y/N?"
Tony waves him off, gesturing for everyone to follow him to the sunken pit to get comfortable. "Pepper's protégé and Morgan's sister from another mister. Just take a seat. If I know Y/N, which I do, then they're gonna walk in here acting like fools."
Sure enough, the lights suddenly turn dim. Joaquín and Sam tense as Pepper snorts, but then Feel So Close by Calvin Harris starts to play. Now, Joaquín and Sam are just plain confused.
I feel so close to you right now, it's a force field. I wear my heart upon my sleeve, like a big deal.
The lights flash in tune with the music. Tony's eyes roll and Pepper starts to laugh.
Your love pours down on me, surrounds me like a waterfall. And there's no stopping us right now. I feel so close to you right now.
The elevator door dings open and out steps two individuals; one that stands at about 5'3 and the younger one barely reaching the other's chest in height. Both are wearing numerous glow stick bracelets, glow stick glasses, and light up multi-colored leis.
They dance towards the sunken pit, sliding down over the cushions until they're standing in front of Pepper. They pull her up, shimmying shoulders and giggling.
Sam looks at Tony, expression wondrous, and Tony shakes his head. "Give it a minute. Y/N can't party like she used to. She'll tire out."
Sam then turns towards Joaquín, snorting as he finds his friend staring directly at this so-called Y/N individual, expression slack. The man is definitely intrigued.
Pepper sits down right before the beat then drops, lights flashing fast, and Y/N and Morgan start jumping around in a dance.
A minute later, Y/N makes a gesture towards the ceiling and the music cuts out. The lights return to normal.
"Oh, hell. I am not as young as I once was," she pants.
Tony glances at Sam, stifling laughter. "Told you."
. .
Pulling the glasses off your face, you blink a little rapidly as you try to focus your vision. You grin at Tony, and then that same grin falters when you spot the guests.
"Dammit, Tony! Why didn't you warn me Captain America and the Falcon were here?!" Pasting on a smile, you step up to both individuals who immediately stand to shake your hand. "Hi! I'm so sorry about.. this. If I would have known we had guests, I'd have dressed more appropriately."
"Oh, come on," Tony muses. "I thought you loved your booty shorts."
Pepper slaps the back of her hand on Tony's chest, biting back a smile. You turn to glare at Tony. "I. Do. But when wearing them in front of new people, you gotta work up to the booty shorts. You can't just put the booty on display for the first meeting."
"..I kinda like the shorts."
You whip back around, eyes wide at the Falcon's remark. Sam barks out a laugh, clapping his friend on the shoulder. Joaquín, realizing he voiced his thoughts aloud, opens his mouth to apologize.
But before he can, Tony bursts into laughter. Pepper splutters on her wine and you groan quietly at the situation you've found yourself in.
"Dad," Morgan suddenly wonders, "when can I get booty shorts?"
"Never!" Morgan's question had been so innocent and Tony's immediate refusal makes you burst into laughter. "Y/N, sit down before you give my daughter any more ideas."
Giggling, you plop down next to Pepper while Tony drags Morgan onto his lap, hugging her protectively. Pepper then offers you her wine, and you quickly down it. Sighing softly, you realize Joaquín keeps glancing at you. And when he realizes you've caught him staring, he offers you a sheepish smile that makes you blush and pull a couch pillow onto your lap.
Clearing your throat and praying the blush goes down asap, you ask, "So what brings you gentlemen by our neck of the woods?"
Sam's smile is easy going when he says, "Just doing some traveling. Rubbing elbows with some senators to smooth over any doubts after everything with Ross went down."
Your lips twitch. "M'not trying' to be an asshole-"
Morgan gasps. "Swear jar!"
"Shit."
"Extra in the swear jar!"
"Mother-"
"Stop. Just stop," Sam laughs.
Mock scowling at a gleeful Morgan, you say, "I'll cashapp the swear jar later when I have my phone." Satisfied, she slumps back into Tony, and you address Sam once more. "So back to Ross. Not to be.. mean, but you gotta admit that what happened to him is kind of poetic karma."
Tony snorts. "The man hounded Banner for years because of the Hulk, and now Ross is in the same boat. Only difference is that Banner is in control whereas Ross is not."
Sam nods. "To be fair, I think he actually did have a change of heart about super powered individuals. He just- he made a promise to Sterns before he became President and found himself backed into a corner."
You lightly shake your head. "He's just a bad person. Just because his health is frail does not give him a free pass. He can rot in the Raft for all I care."
"Harsh," Sam utters, but he doesn't seem to mind your opinion.
Then clearing your throat, you say, "So you guys just needed a little break from all that elbow rubbing, huh?"
"Yeah, and Joaquín needs some rest as well." Sam glances at his friend, nudging him. "I told him it was too soon to be out and about, but do you think he listened?"
"Hey, man, you try being laid up for days at a time."
"I have been laid up for days at a time!"
"Well, then you know it's not fun."
You're grinning as the two go back and forth, and Pepper says, "Well, we have more than enough room for you guys. In fact, Y/N can show you where you'll be staying. She's the only one with a permanent residence on the floor below us, so it'll just be the three of you."
"If you guys want to go grab your bags, FRIDAY will bring you to the floor where I'll show you around. Fair warning though, I am not cutting Girl's Night short so the communal living room is a bit of a mess right now. Fortunately, we're ending the night with a movie so we won't be too loud."
Joaquín perks up. "Movie night? Alright! What are we watching?"
"Girl's Night, Torres," Sam muses. "Emphasis on girl. I don't think you qualify."
"It's alright," you tell him. "Right, Morgan? Anyone can join in on the movie?"
"Yeah! We're watching Ice Age!"
"Ice Age?!" Joaquín gets excited, making Morgan giggle. "I love Sid the Sloth!"
"Well, why don't you four go on and enjoy the movie so me and Pepper can get back to date night?"
You and Morgan jump up, but Sam and Joaquín stand a little slower. They, once again, thank Pepper and Tony for letting them stay, and then all four of you are loading up in the elevator.
The ride to your floor is quick, so you and Morgan step out just seconds later. Before the doors can close, however, you instruct FRIDAY to bring the guys back once they have their belongings with them. Then when they're whisked off, you and Morgan start preparing snacks, drinks, and sacrificing two blankets for Sam and Joaquín.
By the time the two guys return, you and Morgan have set out little personal containers of popcorn, m&m's , nerd clusters, and small bottles of orange/pineapple juice. Morgan snuggles down on the mattress, which she has dubbed the Nest, and you show Sam and Joaquín to their respective rooms. Joaquín asks if there's any food in the communal kitchen, and you inform him that there's leftover chinese on the kitchen island that you'd been waiting for it to cool before putting it in the refrigerator. But if he and Sam want it, they're more than welcome to it.
Grateful for the food, Sam mentions that they should shower before heading out to eat and relax. Joaquín thinks that's a great idea, and you leave them to it.
The guys apparently take very quick showers, because not even ten minutes into Ice Age and they're both entering the communal space. Sam is Sam. You knew him from before, even if he didn't know you because you were not a great socializer. But Joaquín- Joaquín is pretty. He has a killer smile, that you experienced earlier when meeting him, but it's his head of damp curls that makes you quietly sigh in appreciation. He's wearing a cutoff University of Miami Hurricanes tank top (hello, biceps) with black basketball shorts and ankle socks.
With Morgan occupied with the movie, you get up and follow them into the kitchen. You tell them what everything is and point out the microwave, but Sam assures you that Chinese food tastes better cold. You also point out that there's beer in the fridge, as well as water, but that Morgan had set out orange/pineapple juice bottles for them by the Nest. Joaquín wants the juice since he has some meds he needs to take, but Sam opts for beer.
Then in the living room, you crawl back into the Nest with Morgan while Sam takes a recliner and Joaquín takes the couch for himself.
You watch the movie, snacking throughout it, and chuckling at the funny parts of the movie.
By the time Ice Age is over, Morgan is knocked out. And so is Joaquín.
"Aww. He's adorable," Sam muses.
You snort and Captain America helps you pick up the trash around the living room.
As you're tidying up, you glance at Sam.
"How are you doing, Cap?" He startles at the question and your lips twitch. "Tony, Pep, and I saw everything with Japan play out on TV," you say. "I imagine watching Torres go down brought back some unpleasant memories."
He frowns. "How do you-"
"Know about Riley?" You ask. He hesitantly nods. "Believe it or not, I was a frequent guest at the Avenger compound before Thanos blew it up. I knew a lot about everyone, but I preferred to stay in the background."
"Really?"
Smiling sadly, you nod. "Before the Sokovia Accords came to light, I was basically homeless and trying to survive from shelter to shelter. Wanda sat down next to me one day out in the park and my stomach grumbled when she pulled out her lunch. I had never been so embarrassed in my life," you muse, recalling that day. "Her and Clint helped me get back on my feet, and I had officially been adopted by those two. She.. she was my platonic soulmate. We did everything together when she wasn't training to be a badass."
Sam offers you a kind smile. "I'm sorry for your loss."
You thank him, sniffling softly. "I.. I kind of lost my way when you all got locked up on the Raft and then she had to go on the run. Vision, of course, sent me encrypted messages to let me know she was fine every other day. And then the Blip happened.. and Natasha picked me up to take back to the Compound. She had me move in, taught me some self defense, and showed me how to hack. Steve, that goober, kept trying to set me up on dates with people he knew."
"He didn't!" Sam laughs, surprised.
"He did. But I told him I'd only go out on a date of his choosing if he went out on a date of my choosing."
"And let me guess, he did?"
"No." You huff. "I picked someone I knew would intimidate him and he backed off."
"Wow. So triple the loss, huh? I feel like I should be asking you how you're holding up."
"How who is holding up?" Joaquín stumbles sleepily into the kitchen, plopping down on a stool.
You grin at him, your gaze darting to Sam. "You're right. He is adorable." Joaquín's answering smile makes you and Sam both chuckle. "And I'm- I'm fine. Or at least getting there," you say. "Losing Natasha and Steve back to back hurt, but Wanda.." You trail off, exhaling roughly. "I know everyone says she's dead, but- but I feel her sometimes," you say quietly. "I don't- I don't know how to explain it. Some days I feel like she's gone and other days I just get this feeling that she's out there somewhere."
Sam nods. "People deal with grief in many different ways." He goes on to give you a brief speech about grief and how time varies for moving on.
"Wow. You must have been very popular at the VA. Did Steve give you tips on how to give a speech like that?"
Sam barks out a surprised laugh. "Yeah, well.. believe it or not, I sometimes need to hear speeches like that every now and then too. It took a heart to heart with Joaquín to make me stop feeling so guilty over his accident."
"We cried. It was beautiful," Joaquín agrees.
Laughing softly, you shake your head at him. You watch as he discreetly stretches, wincing when you assume his scars pull. "Still sensitive?" You ask.
It takes a moment for Joaquín to realize you're talking to him. "Uh, yeah. A little."
"I have some gel, specifically made for burns, if you want to try it out. Dr. Cho made it for me after an incident where both my arms were on the verge of needing skin grafts." Both Joaquín and Sam look at your arms, and you lean against the island to lay your arms flat so they can get a better look. "I don't know if it'll take away your scarring like it did for me since it was applied just a couple days after the incident, but it should lessen the burning sensation and make the scarring not feel so tight."
"Please."
"Yeah. I'll be right back."
"Hey, you want help getting the Pipsqueak to your room?" Sam asks.
"Nah. We sleep in the Nest on our nights together. She's fine where she is."
You head to your room, and then into your bathroom where you pick up the 35oz jar of gel that you had only used twice. You take it with you back out to where the guys are still waiting and hand it over to Joaquín.
"So you're gonna wanna apply this twice daily," you tell him. "Once in the morning as you're getting ready for your day and then once again in the evening, after you shower. It dries in under three minutes, so you don't have to worry about stickiness throughout the day."
"Thank you."
"Don't mention it."
With the kitchen all tidy, Sam and Joaquín bid you goodnight before disappearing to their respective rooms. You pad over to the Nest, smiling down at a sleeping Morgan before crawling in next to her and going to sleep yourself.
The next evening, you're gathering the supplies for cheeseburgers and fries when Joaquín makes an appearance.
"If you're not a hugger, tell me now or else I'm gonna get all up in your personal space."
Laughing, you angle your body towards him. "I actually really love hugs. Just too shy to initiate them."
"Perfect."
Joaquín hugs you.. and it's nice. It's more than nice, actually. Wrapping your arms around Joaquín's waist, you can't help but melt into him. "Oh. This is nice."
"I do give good hugs."
Chuckling, you let Joaquín hug you a little longer before stepping back. "So, not that I didn't enjoy that, but why? And are you going to want a hamburger?"
"Yes. Do you need any help?"
Glancing around the kitchen island, you point at the unpeeled potatoes. "Peel those and shove them through the fry cutter."
"Yes, ma'am."
As you season the ground meat, Joaquín gets to work.
"So, I hugged you because that gel you gave me is incredible." You huff a laugh at him. "I'm not gonna lie, I doubted it. I thought it was just going to numb me a little, but-"
"But everything feels less tight and movement is much easier?"
"Yes! How many tubs did you have to go through before you could stop?"
"The bottle you now have was my third." He frowns. "But I can text Cho later and see if she'll send some over for you. It'll probably get here after you and Sam have left, but I can ship it to wherever you are."
"Could you? That'd be awesome."
"Of course."
You and Joaquín smile at one another, and then finish whipping up dinner. He drops the fries into the oil you had started heating up, and you told him where the seasoning for the fries was. You fix up the burgers, asking Joaquín how he wants his put together, and getting it done for him.
When you hand Joaquín his plate with his burger, he places fries on his plate, along with a mound of ketchup. You copy him, and then grab a couple of sodas from the fridge, but instead of going to the table.. you head for the elevator.
"Uhh, where are you going?" He asks.
"A thunderstorm is rolling in, Torres," you say while gesturing to the floor to ceiling window that gives off a view of the city. "We're eating in my rooftop nest."
"How many nests do you have?" He laughs as he follows you into the elevator with his own plate of food.
You reply to him with a laugh and a shrug and let the elevator take you to the rooftop. What was once a greenhouse for your brief gardening obsession is now your favorite hangout spot during a storm. While there are a few plants that you tend to in the nest bubble, there's also a couch, numerous pillows, a coffee table, and a round mattress that's piled with more pillows and a couple of blankets.
"Uhh, is it safe here?" Joaquín asks when he notices lightning in the distance.
"Yep. Stark's got a security protocol in place. Lightning won't hit us up here."
"Cool."
The sky quickly darkens, but it's not ominous. The rain starts almost as soon as you get comfortable on the couch with Joaquín at your side, and the distant rumbling thunder makes you wanna snuggle down on the mattress. But first, food.
"So," you muse, taking a bite of your burger. "Who is Joaquín Torres?"
He chuckles around his first bite. After washing it down with some soda, he says, "I was born and raised in Miami, Florida. It was just me, my ma, and my abuela."
You hum. "Figures."
"What?"
"You have that whole aura of being raised by women. You're just.. instantly likable."
"That is the best compliment I've ever got," he says.
You shake your head in amusement, and he goes on to tell you a bit more about himself as the two of you eat. He mentions that he's ride or die for the University of Miami, and that he took an interest in watching various superheroes as he grew up- aspiring to be just like them one day. You smile fondly at the thought that his childhood dream became a reality for him.
He then tells you he'd become an intelligence officer for the Air Force, which is how he met Sam. They became friends after going on a few missions together, and then the whole ordeal with the Flagsmashers is what really cemented his bond with Sam and him being handed the Falcon mantle.
"What about you?" He then asks. "I heard you talking to Sam last night about how it was Wanda and Clint you were close with, so how did you end up with Stark?"
"Natasha had originally taken me in when Wanda disappeared in the Blip and Clint became a mercenary. Pepper was at the Compound a lot, waiting for any information on Tony, so I got close with her as well before Tony was brought home. Then Pepper became pregnant and I spent a lot of time at the Stark cabin, and I just- I became very protective of Morgan when she was born. And then Tony nearly died, and I basically took over Morgan's care while Pepper tended to Tony and his healing journey. After that, Tony hung up the Iron Man suits and threw himself back into SI, and brought me along for the ride."
"That's so cool. You live with Iron Man."
"And you're best friends with Captain America," you muse. "Aren't we just a couple of cool kids?"
Joaquín laughs and the two of you finish dinner, stacking your plates and setting them aside. Joaquín then makes a beeline for the mattress, snuggling down. You smile at him, content to let him have the mattress while you take the couch, but he suggests you join him.
Normally, you'd be nervous at laying next to such a handsome person, but there's just something about Joaquín that puts you at ease. So, you get up and join him on the mattress, laying side by side and doing your best not to fall asleep.
For several long minutes, the two of you lay there as the rain hammers your protective dome. The booming thunder calms you even further and you find your eyelids are taking longer and longer to open back up every time you blink.
"That was badass," Joaquín says when lightning forks across the sky. He then angles his head towards you. "So, you like to do this all the time?"
"When I have the time, yeah," you tell him. "Lately, it feels like I haven't had the time to come up here. Shadowing Pepper is very intimidating, especially when those in the boardroom look down their noses at you because you're not as smart as they are."
"Nothing but a bunch of pricks in suits, huh?"
You snort a laugh. "Yep. But it's alright. As long as Pepper and Tony are happy with my work, I don't care what the others think."
"Good for you."
The two of you lay there for the duration of the thunderstorm, watching the stars twinkling after the sky has cleared. And then when you've yawned one too many times, Joaquín calls it a night. He takes the trash and plates, and you rearrange the blankets and pillows so it doesn't look messy.
Inside, in the communal living space, you and Joaquín bid each other goodnight and go your separate ways.
Sam has returned to the tower after having a couple of beers down the street at a bar, typing on his phone and sighing when his text goes unanswered yet again. He gets to the elevator at the same time as Tony, and Tony smirks at him.
"Why so glum, Cap?"
"Joaquín was supposed to meet me at the bar, but he's not answering."
"Huh. Pepper too. Well, she wasn't supposed to meet me anywhere, but she's not answering her texts."
Tony and Sam stare at one another, and Tony gets a knowing glint in his eye. Talking directly to FRIDAY who has access to anything and everything Tony owns, he asks FRIDAY to bring up camera feeds of Pepper and Joaquín . Sure enough, his gut instinct was correct.
"That's why they're not answering," Tony muses, staring at his phone screen. "They're pampering themselves."
"What?" Sam leans over to watch the phone screen, and he can't help the snort he releases. There on the screen, Pepper is reclined in a recliner with a some sort of mask on and a champagne flute in hand. On the floor sits Joaquín , in front of Y/N on the couch. His head is tilted back into her lap as she smears some sort of goopy mask onto his face, and Morgan happily paints his nails. "You know what, I can't even be mad."
"I think your little protégé and Pepper's little protégé might have a crush," Tony says.
"I don't think, I know." Sam shakes his head, grinning. "Torres is gonna drag his feet when it's time to leave."
"Well, let's just let them have this time. I got some good whiskey and the new specs for baby Falcon's suit if you wanna check those out."
"Sure, man, let's go."
. .
Over the next few days, Tony, Pepper, and Sam take joy in watching Y/N and Joaquín. It's very obvious the two are smitten with each other, but nothing goes past flirting, and they always take a step back once the other gets too flustered.
Joaquín is well enough to get back on the road, so Pepper plans a farewell dinner.
The four of them, plus Morgan, are hanging around while waiting for dinner to be delivered when Tony decides to add upgrades to FRIDAY. There haven't been any threats or any inkling of someone being unhappy with Stark, so he doesn't double guess FRIDAY going dark for a few minutes.
Big mistake.
Almost as soon as FRIDAY is offline, the building shakes. Everyone freezes, Pepper rushes to Morgan, and Tony starts shouting for everyone to get to the panic room. Joaquín is quick to grab onto your hand, but before anyone can get to the stairs, the floor to ceiling window that should be shatter proof is blown to pieces.
Gunshots ring out, bullets hitting the wall above your heads, causing everyone to duck. Morgan starts to cry, and you and Pepper do your best to shield her. And even though the men do their best to fight back, they're easily subdued with a few well aimed punches and hits with the butt of a rifle. They're angry, but rifles being aimed at you, Pepper, and Morgan make them drop to their knees a few feet apart.
When you're approached and grabbed by the back of your neck, your training kicks in. You reach back and grab him by the wrist, breaking it and twisting your body beneath his arm. When you kick in the back of his knee, forcing him to drop, you elbow the back of his head and send him sprawling. Two other men converge on you, and you're not prepared for the force of their attack.
The pain of a dagger embedding into your shoulder makes you shout in surprise and pain, and the punch to your jaw dazes you. You're forced to your knees, panting, and are forced to watch as Joaquín tries to reach you. He takes another hit to the face, his lip bursting open.
As your hair is forcibly grabbed and head tugged back, your heart lurches as Pepper and Morgan start screaming. They're separated and Pepper is silenced with a gun pointed at her head. Morgan, however, can't stop crying and screaming. The man holding Morgan grasps her mouth, squeezing to the point her cheeks are pressed in harshly.
You immediately see red.. and the lights flicker.
Tony's panicked gaze swings to you.
"Get. Your. Hands. Off. My. Sister."
The four masked intruders start to laugh.
Lightbulbs explode.
"Shit." Tony immediately starts scrambling back, urging Sam and Joaquín to do the same.
"What?" Joaquín glances at him in a panic. "But Y/N-"
"Don't worry about Y/N," Tony says. "Sparky is about to come out and play."
Sam frowns. "Sparky..?"
You slowly climb to your feet, palms heating and ears popping. The intruders are no longer laughing and they're also no longer paying attention to everyone else in the room. Morgan runs to Pepper, Tony crawls over to them, and Sam and Joaquín sit back in wide-eyed wonder as little lightning bolts spring outward from all over your body.
"You should have never touched the kid."
One guy scoffs. "Fuckin' freak." He takes aim with his rifle, but the moment you raise your palm in his direction, a large bolt of lightning meets the muzzle of his weapon and electrocutes him.
As he falls, his comrades open fire. You fall to one knee, spinning out of their aim as electrical whips form in your hand. As you dodge, you whip out the electricity and strike two others. The last man standing fires and there's no dodging the aim. You grunt through the pain, the whips disappearing from your hand as they glow brighter and brighter. Even your eyes start to glow a blinding white, and when you scream and direct your power towards the last man standing, he goes flying backwards out the window that had exploded.
Panic seizes you and you rush forward, ignoring the calls behind you. Diving out the window, you tap the metal cuff bracelet that Tony had gifted you. As you free fall, your own Iron Man suit unfolds around your body.
Wrapping your hand around the intruder's ankle, you pull up right before he can hit the pavement ground. You then fly him back into the tower, dropping the groaning man at Sam's feet.
Sam gapes at the feminized black Iron Man suit, golden lightning bolts painted along the legs and arms. As the helmet melts away, Y/N pants. "I might be an Inhuman, Captain, but I am not a murderer."
Stumbling backwards, Joaquín catches you and you let him hold your full weight as everything in you just gives out. Sam hurries to bind all the intruders.
"So stupid," Tony grumbles. He hurries forward, stopping just shy of touching you. "Retract the suit. Now. I need to see the damage."
Smiling weakly at Tony, you gulp. "It's bad, Tones. I can't-" Your voice cracks, eyes filling with tears. Glancing at Pepper, you tell her, "Don't let Morgan see."
Immediately, Pepper hides Morgan's face against her abdomen.
"You shouldn't have used too much," Tony says, eyes suspiciously glassy as your entire body starts to tremble. "You weren't wearing your gauntlets!"
"Morgan's safety comes above mine," you remind him. "Always."
Tony slaps a hand against your chest, the suit retracting. Immediately, Joaquín whines when he sees the state of your arms, completely burned and charred as if you were electrocuting yourself the entire time your powers were active. But it's the blood soaking your shirt that catches everyone's attention.
More specifically, the gunshot wound that the blood won't stop oozing from.
"Well, fuck," you utter.
Joaquín lays you flat on the floor and immediately rips open your shirt just enough to see the extent of the damage. Sam falls to his knees next to him, helping him turn you to see if the bullet is a through and through. It's not.
You start trembling harder with the pain. "You better.." You pause to gulp. "You better not put Sparky on my headstone," you try to joke.
"You're not dying," Tony says. "Not like this." A hand towel that he's produced from somewhere gets pressed to your abdomen and you cry out in pain.
As you settle back down, you end up staring up at Joaquín's face that's hovering above yours. You smile softly and reach up to wipe away a tear that had been trailing down his face. "I'm so glad I got to meet you. You're-"
Time freezes.
"Y/N?" Joaquín gently shakes you, but it appears you're frozen in time. Your eyes are open, hand frozen near his face. "What's going on?!"
Pepper suddenly sobs, holding onto Morgan tighter. Tony and Sam look at each other, unsure of what the hell is going on. They're all at a loss for words.
And then the crackling starts. Not crackles of electricity, but crackles of glass breaking. There's nothing that should be causing the sound and it's Sam who points out a mirror that's faintly glowing red. Tony gets up to inspect it from a distance and he startles when he sees a hand protrude from the mirror.
The hand is followed by an arm, then a body in a familiar dark red and blackened suit, and the face of a woman everyone thought to be dead.
Wanda steps through, her crown nestled at the top of her forehead. She looks tired, but strong. Tony gapes at her.
"Where is she?" Wanda asks. Tony doesn't need to ask who she's asking for and points. Wanda looks at her, expression lax. "You need to get Cho here as soon as possible. She's the only one who can reverse the damage that's been caused."
Tony immediately gets on the phone and Wanda walks towards Y/N. On the way, she smiles fondly at Pepper and nods. She meets Sam, smiling and accepting his hug when he steps into her space. She doesn't know Joaquín , so she says nothing to him as she kneels next to Y/N.
"It is not your time yet, Y/N. Sleep." She presses two fingers to Y/N's head, and everyone watches as Y/N's arm lowers back to her side and her eyes slip closed.
"What did- what did you do?" Joaquín asks.
"I've frozen her in time," Wanda says. "She's dying. She needs Cho."
Joaquín looks at Tony in a panic. "She's on the way," Tony assures him. "But we need to get her to the infirmary."
"I've got her." With a wave of her hand, Y/N's body is enveloped in a red mist. Her body lifts from the floor and Wanda starts to head for the elevator.
As everyone follows Wanda to the elevator, Tony instructs Pepper to take Morgan to Y/N's place since there's always several changes of Morgan's clothes there, and she can start calming their daughter down.
After Pepper and Morgan are dropped off, they continue on down to the infirmary. The whole floor is abuzz, a doctor and several nurses waiting with a gurney. Wanda ignores everyone and sets Y/N's body down on it, but she doesn't remove the stasis she put her under.
When they start trying to take Y/N's vitals and they find no heartbeat or a blood pressure, Wanda has to calm everyone down by assuring them you're very much alive. But if she were to remove the stasis, your vitals would immediately plummet which is why she's waiting for Cho.
Relieved, the doctor guides the gurney and Wanda into the operating room to wait. The nurses scurry about, checking on Joaquín since he's the only one bleeding out of the men. He tries to wave them off, but Sam urges him to at least get cleaned up. Reluctantly, Joaquín lets a nurse clean up his face and make sure the split in his lip has a liquid bandage on it.
Once he's done, the infirmary is very quiet. He walks to the room he last saw Y/N disappear into, only to find Wanda standing near Y/N's head as her hands glow at either side of her temples. Sam and Tony are sitting against the wall, watching quietly.
"What's going on?" He asks.
Wanda glances at him, smiling softly. "I am just keeping her comfortable. I was about to go in and let her know that we're all here for her, waiting."
Joaquín gulps. "Y-You can do that?"
"I can do a lot of things."
"And it won't hurt?"
"No. She will be perfectly fine."
"Okay." Joaquín stands at the foot of the gurney, hands gripping the footboard. "Let her- can you let her know that she has to wake up? I am so mad she didn't tell me she had such a cool Iron Man suit."
Wanda chuckles. "I will."
"A-And that I can't believe the audacity she had to call me baby Falcon when she's been baby Iron Man this entire time!"
"Is that all?" Wanda muses.
"Yeah. Thanks."
Wanda nods and then stares down at Y/N, eyes glowing red before she deep dives into her mind.
"Kid, sit down," Sam says. "She's in good hands with Wanda."
"Y-Yeah. Of course."
Joaquín takes a seat next to Sam and then Sam turns towards Tony. "So, Sparky? Were you going to tell us Y/N had powers?"
Tony sighs. "It wasn't my story to tell."
"Was any of what she told us true? About Wanda finding her in the park, practically homeless?"
"Yes. Y/N is an Inhuman. But had she never eaten some contaminated fish, her powers would have never developed."
"Contaminated fish?"
"Yeah. Something about some alien crystals getting released into the ocean and infecting the ocean life. Loads of people who didn't even know they had alien DNA accidentally ingested contaminated fish or took fish oil pills, and the government jumped all over these new super powered individuals."
"Why isn't Y/N in the system then?" Sam wonders. "Though the Sokovia Accords have been severely amended, we still have a list of powered individuals and I didn't recognize Y/N's name."
"Because I erased her from the government's files," Tony admits. "When Wanda found her, Y/N was in the park, scared. She didn't understand her powers, she didn't want to hurt anyone, and anytime she used her powers the electricity flowing through her would burn her out."
"Her arms," Joaquín realizes.
"Yep. She ended up worming her way into Wanda, Clint, Natasha, Thor, and Pepper's good graces. And then I met her.. and she was just the sweetest kid who didn't want these powers bestowed upon her. She is the definition of a Hufflepuff," Tony muses. "But you mess with what is hers and all bets are off."
"Like Morgan being manhandled earlier," Sam utters.
Tony nods. "Like Morgan being manhandled and scared out of her mind. I had made some special gauntlets for her to prevent the electricity from burning her out, but she wasn't wearing them and she was more focused on getting Morgan safe."
Sam goes quiet, watching Wanda do her mind melding trick with Y/N.
"She was like a Black Widow and Iron Man rolled into one."
Tony snorts. "I've heard rumors you're recruiting for a new Avenger team. Y/N won't go for it."
"No?"
"Nah." He pauses and then leans forward to glance at Joaquín . "Well, who knows now. Pretty Boy down there might make her get out every now and then to help save the day."
Sam snorts, but Joaquín pays them no mind. His gaze is set on the woman in bed, knee bouncing nervously as he waits.
. .
Glancing around an empty park, you try to recall how you ended up here. The last thing you remember was sitting next to Joaquín, laughing and joking as you waited for dinner.
When you shift on the bench to get into a more comfortable position, you just so happen to glance down and spot your blood-soaked shirt. And just like that, you remember what happened.
Your breath hitches, and..
"You're going to be okay. Don't panic."
Your head whips to the side, tears immediately filling your eyes. "Wanda?"
She smiles. "Hello, little love. It's been a while."
You get up, rushing your friend and hugging her as if your life depends on it. "I knew it. I knew you weren't gone." Wanda shushes you, rocking you back and forth. "What are you- how are you here?"
For a moment, Wanda says nothing. And then she pulls back, urging you to sit down. "I felt it- when you got shot," she admits. "And then I could feel you slipping away. It was like Pietro all over again." Your bottom lip wobbles and she reaches over, taking your hand within her own. "I couldn't live with myself if I didn't do something, so I came out of hiding. You're in a frozen stasis until Doctor Cho can get here."
You frown. "Why are you hiding?"
"Because I've done a lot of terrible things and I don't know where to start making up for them." She smiles sadly. "And I have so much to tell you before Cho gets here, but first.."
"First..?"
"Who is Joaquín and why is he so adorably worried about you?"
You start to blush and Wanda laughs.
It's been two days since Doctor Cho worked on Y/N; two days since Wanda had to restart Y/N's heart twice on the table, and two days since she slipped into a coma. Joaquín had been beside himself, but Sam was not worried whatsoever with the Scarlet Witch keeping watch. In fact, he even joked with Joaquín that now he understood what it was like to watch someone he cared for be on the table. Joaquín, however, did not find that funny.
"I got us another four days before we have to get back on the road," Sam says when Joaquín returns from his shower.
Joaquín sighs as he reclaims his chair closest to the bed. "You think she'll wake up before then?"
"I.. honestly do not know, man. I hope she does."
"Yeah. Me too."
Sam opts to go get lunch, returning half an hour later to find that Joaquín hasn't moved. At first, he thought this was all amusing, but now he's worried for his friend. If Y/N doesn't wake up, he's not sure how quickly Joaquín will bounce back from this. He's been joking with Joaquín about girls for years now, but not once has he fallen so hard for someone. And now, he's fallen for one girl who he barely had any time with.
After lunch, Sam and Joaquín are slowly pacing the room to stretch their legs. And just when Sam is about to leave the room entirely, a surprise visitor knocks on the opened doorway.
Sam takes in the tall, blonde Asgardian, and smiles. "Thor? What are you doing here?"
Smiling kindly, Thor approaches Sam for a brief hug. "Samuel Wilson, the bird in the sky. How are you, old friend?"
He chuckles. "It's Captain America now. I've actually passed on the mantle of the Falcon to my friend Joaquín here."
Sam quickly introduces an awestruck Joaquín to Thor, the two of them sharing a handshake before Thor's gaze falls on Y/N.
"How is she?"
Joaquín steps up beside Thor, staring down at her. "Her heart stopped. Twice. If it weren't for Wanda, I don't think Doctor Cho would have been able to save her."
"Ahh, so the Scarlet Witch lives," Thor says.
"She does. She did all she could for Y/N, but she still slipped into a coma. Cho says that's good; that it'll let her body properly heal," Sam says. Then, he asks, "You knew Y/N?"
"Of course." Thor steps even closer, gently grasping Y/N's hand in his own. "My little lightning sister." He leans down, pressing a kiss to the back of her hand, murmuring against her skin. An Asgardian prayer. As Thor straightens back up, he pulls up a chair to the side of the bed and takes a seat. "When I first met Y/N, she tried to hide what she was capable of. But I knew."
"Did she hit 'ya with a little lightning of her own?" Sam muses.
"No, but she did knock Steven on his ass when he pushed Wanda a little too hard in training."
Sam and Joaquín both chuckle before all three of them take up a silent watch.
Thor stays long enough to greet Tony, Pepper, and Morgan, but then must take his leave because apparently he's got his own adopted kid to look after- a daughter he calls Love. So after another quick Asgardian prayer, Thor leaves, but not before making Tony promise to keep him updated.
Tony then has a cot brought in for Joaquín when he realizes the kid won't be moving anytime soon. Sam doesn't bother urging him to go back to their floor, and instead just tells Joaquín to keep him updated if there are any changes since he'll be busy with some video calls for the duration of their stay.
Joaquín stays around for the third day, only leaving to shower, eat, or use the bathroom. He watches the nurses come and go, checking Y/N's vitals and spreading the healing gel Doctor Cho had left behind.
Then early morning on the fourth day, Joaquín wakes early. The sun hasn't even come up, and he just has too much anxiety in him to sit still. So after quietly telling Y/N that he'll be back soon, he leaves to get washed and dressed for the gym. He works out until he's bone tired, letting out all his frustration about not being able to do anything when Y/N had taken on the intruders herself.
Afterwards, he grabs another shower and orders in the greasiest burger and curly fries he can find.
Taking his food and drink to Y/N's room, Joaquín gets comfortable and starts to eat.
The heart monitor beeping is the only sound besides the burger wrapper crinkling every time Joaquín picks his burger up. "You know, Y/N, this is going on too long now." He takes a sip of his soda, popping a curly fry into his mouth after. "Besides the fact that you have cool as hell powers, we need to discuss that you knew some of the coolest OG Avengers and didn't even tell me."
The heart monitor continues to beep. He sighs.
"But most of all, you need to wake up so we can discuss whatever this is between us. I am not leaving the tower until I get your phone number."
Joaquín holds his breath, but there's no change. Shoulders slumping, he goes back to eating. But just as he starts to collect his trash...
"How dare you bring that hamburger into my room knowing I can't have any."
Joaquín whirls around in surprise, and you wince as you attempt to move. "Don't! Don't move. I'll go get a doctor."
You frown as Joaquín rushes out of your room and then pat your hand around your sides for the bed remote to sit yourself up. But before you can find it, a doctor and Joaquín are returning. He stays by the door as the doctor checks your vitals and asks you questions, and then gives you the rundown of your injuries.
Your arms were severely burned, but Cho's special gel has been healing them nice and slow.
The bullet has been removed from your abdomen, insides stitched up and the entry wound closed thanks to Cho's special plastic graft.
Your heart stopped twice but was restarted and you'd been given two blood transfusions.
You quietly groan and ask for some water. When the doctor turns to find the pitcher of water, Joaquín rushes in and gets the cup for you. And then before the doctor can leave, he tells you that they want to keep you at least one more night for observation now that you're awake and you easily agree.
Left alone with Joaquín, you ask him to help you sit up. Once the top half of your bed is angled up just enough, he helps you sip some water through a straw and then takes a seat next to your bed.
"So, what have I missed?" You ask.
"Seriously? That's what you lead with? Not with the fact that you're a superhero?!"
You wrinkle your nose at him. "I'm hardly a superhero," you tell him.
"Uh, you control lightning or electricity or whatever and you have your own Iron Man suit."
You can't help the faint twitch of your lips. "Well now that the cat is out of the bag, we gotta go flying one of these days."
"Yeah, we do." Reaching forward, he grabs your hand and holds it between both of his own, and his expression goes lax. "We were really worried about you, you know?"
"I'm sorry. I just- I saw that man gripping Morgan's face and I saw red. Is she- is she okay?"
"She's fine. A little sad you were hurt, but she understands that you saved everyone's life."
You gulp, nodding. "What did those guys want anyway?"
"Money." Joaquín scoffs. "According to Tony, that group of four blackmailed some SI underlings into finding out when Tony's security on the building would be down. They couldn't get a definite answer, so they've just been sitting and waiting."
"Dicks."
Joaquín smiles, but before he can say anything, the others are walking in.
"Sparky, you're awake!" Tony walks in first, grinning. "Thanks for letting us know, Falcon Jr."
"I- she just woke up!"
"Mhm. I see you, kid. Tryin' to hog all our girl's time, but not today."
Joaquín gapes and you chuckle at him. You shift to get comfortable again, turning your attention to Tony, Sam, and Pepper. "Hi, guys."
"I am so glad you're awake." Pepper steps forward, leaning over the side of your bed and cautiously hugging you. "Thank you. I know you don't like using your powers, so thank you for doing so to save Morgan."
"Always." You close your eyes, relishing Pepper's hug before she lets you go.
Tony and Sam fist bump you, and you tiredly smile at them.
"So what all do you remember?" Tony asks.
"Everything." You sigh. "Even Wanda's visit."
"Well, you did say you felt like she was still alive out there somewhere," Sam says.
"Told you."
"Any idea why she left so abruptly?" Tony then asks.
"Oh, uh, yeah." You pause to ask for some water- water that Joaquín quickly grabs for you. Thanking him, you then address Tony once more. "She had to get back to her kid."
"Kid?!" Sam asks incredulously.
"Maximoff got knocked up?!"
You roll your eyes at Tony. "When Wanda created the Hex over Westview, she not only recreated Vision, but she created twin boys. She made souls."
"How is that even possible?" Pepper asks.
You shrug. "That's the power of an Infinity Stone. But when Wanda deconstructed the Hex to release the residents of Westview, everything she created had to go too. So, she lost her sons." Pepper gasps. "Or so she thought."
"What do you mean?" Tony asks.
"The whole reason why Wanda turned against Strange was because she needed to get to an alternate timeline. She kept hearing her sons calling out for her, but she couldn't find them. And then when she did find another version of her twins, they belonged to another Wanda. She hated herself for traumatizing her kids and another one that Strange had been protecting, so she went into hiding."
"I'm confused. How are her kids calling out if they vanished alongside the Hex?"
"They're bodies vanished, but their souls live on," you tell them. "Billy and Tommy, their souls went into limbo when the Hex vanished. And then there was a terrible car accident just outside of Westview, and without knowing what was happening, Billy's soul went into the teenager that had passed away."
"Oh no. That's terrible. I think."
You smile faintly at her. "On one hand, it is terrible for that teenager and his family. But on the other hand, Wanda got one of her sons back."
"What about the other one?" Joaquín asks. "Tommy? Is he-"
"He's still out. Still calling out," you tell them. "That's why Wanda left. She and Billy are looking for him."
"That is crazy."
"Yeah." You snuggle back against your pillows, yawning.
"Alright, alright. I think this is enough excitement for the day," Sam says. "You, young lady, need to get some real rest."
"Yeah, I think I will."
Tony, Pepper, and Sam all take their leave with Sam lingering back to wait for Joaquín. He tries to wave Sam off, but you urge him to go too- to sleep in a real bed and that he can show up the next morning. Very reluctantly Joaquín agrees.
The nurses get you some broth and ginger ale, and then afterwards you go back to sleep.
The next day, you're up early. You do a few stretches and a nurse remains in the bathroom while you shower in case you need help, but you feel somewhat steady. In fact, you feel really good after your shower.
You dress in a loose black shirt with cutoff sleeves and a pair of biker shorts. Doctor Cho had left behind numerous tubs of healing gel for both you and Joaquín, so one of the nurses slathers it on your arms for you. Then after your arms have dried, you're brought solid foods and more ginger ale.
You're in the physical therapy room, laying flat on your back and staring up at the ceiling. You hear the whoosh of the door opening, but don't bother to see who it is. It isn't until Joaquín steps into your view, face upside down, do you smile.
"Whatcha doing down there?" He muses.
"Well, I was doing some stretches. But then I just got the urge to lay down, so I did."
"Shouldn't you be in bed?" You shake your head. "Any lingering pain?"
"No. Doctor Cho works wonders." From your position, you reach for the hem of your shirt and shove it up to beneath your bust. "Can you tell where I was hit?" Joaquín stares at your bared stomach as you touch the spot where you were shot. "I can't, but I sure can feel it. The graft feels weird."
"Isn't it supposed to feel like real flesh though?" Lowering himself to the floor, Joaquín takes a seat beside you.
You gesture to your stomach. "Feel for yourself. It feels.. almost like plastic, but not fully. It's very flesh-like, but I don't know. Maybe I'm just thinking too much about it."
Joaquín is hesitant, but your reassuring smile urges him to continue. He touches your stomach, fingers skimming up and down, side to side. He hums. "I think you're just thinking too much about it," he says. "I don't feel a difference."
When he pulls his hand back, you pull your shirt back down and quietly sigh. "So, when do you leave?"
"Tomorrow afternoon. I tried to push for a couple more days, but they're really breathing down Sam's neck."
"I'm fine, Joaquín. There's no need for you to hover."
He frowns. "But we didn't get to fly."
Chuckling, you roll onto your side and shove at his knee. "The both of us are not in any condition to fly in our suits. But I promise the day we're both cleared, I'll fly out to you if you're not busy."
"Pinky promise?"
"Sure." Grinning, you lock pinkies with Joaquín. "Now, help me up. I need to walk around so the doctor can see that I'm fine. I miss my bed and want to go already."
. .
The day Joaquín and Sam were set to leave; you found yourself in the underground garage with them. You were sad to see them go, but you knew it was inevitable.
So as Joaquín loaded up his belongings, you pulled Sam aside for a brief conversation. You had pulled out one of your SI business cards and handed it over to him, telling him to contact you should he ever feel that a mission needs more than Captain America and the Falcon. He seemed surprised, but you shrugged and told him it was time to stop being selfish. You had the powers, so you needed to do some good with them. Plus, you'd show up in a photostatic veil so no one could link Sparky back to you. He'd laughed, hugged you, and then told you to give Joaquín a proper goodbye.
Eyes narrowed and chancing a little jolt of electricity without your protective gauntlets, you'd zapped Sam on his side before walking over to Joaquín.
Joaquín hugged you for what felt like forever, but you squeezed him back just as long. He wasn't his usual smiling self, but neither were you.
"You have my number, Torres. You better use it," you'd told him.
"Oh, I will."
There'd been a moment when he had pulled away- a moment in which his gaze darted to your lips and your gaze to his lips, but the moment of will he or won't he had passed just as quickly as it had come on. Sheepishly laughing, you stepped away from Joaquín and told him to text you when he got to their next location.
He did exactly as you asked of him, and then you focused on getting better so you could go back to work.
For days after Joaquín's departure, you focus on getting better so you can get back to work. And when you do, you have to keep reassuring Pepper and Tony that you're fine. They encourage you to go on the road and meet up with Sam and Joaquín, but you have a job and don't want to just up and leave because you're a little sad about your crush being far away.
You and Joaquín text for months after his leave, and your crush has unfortunately only grown. Even Pepper and Tony pick up on it after they'd caught you smiling at a selfie Joaquín had sent you, and then laughing at a video Sam had sent you of taking 'behind the scene' pics of Joaquín trying to find the perfect angle for said selfies.
After returning Morgan to her parents from a day out at the Central Park Zoo, Pepper and Tony ask to speak with you.
"How are you doing, Y/N?" Pepper asks when Tony leaves to get Morgan changed into her pajamas.
"I'm-"
"And don't say you're fine."
Closing your mouth, you smile smally at Pepper. "I'm.. good. Just living day by day."
She smiles back, gently. "Are you happy?"
"Yeah. Of course! Do I.. do I not seem happy?" You frown.
"You seem.. content, but I feel like you can be more. Like how you were when Joaquín was here," she says cautiously as if bringing up Joaquín will make you clam up.
"Joaquín is a crush. Do I miss hanging out with him? Yes. But I'm sure the shininess of Joaquín's friendship will fade with time."
"Or will it grow until you finally crack and go visit him," Tony says as he reappears. You open your mouth to retort, but he stalls you with a hand held up. "Pep, Morgan, and I are going to California for a month to oversee SI over there and you.. you are going to take a month off to go see Joaquín or just pamper yourself or whatever."
"What? But- are you sure? I don't- I don't want to take too much time off. I love my job and my place here, and-"
"Your job is safe," Pepper assures you. "Your home with us is safe. We just- we realized you need to have more time for yourself."
"Yeah. We love how fast you've caught on to understanding SI under Pepper and how you treat Morgan like your little sister, but you need some personal time too, Y/N."
"So, take the month. You'll still be getting paid, because let's be honest, you're basically a Stark anyway. But go. Have fun. And send me updates," Pepper says with a smirk.
Huffing a laugh of disbelief, you slowly nod. "Okay. Um, when do you three leave for California?"
"Next week," Tony tells you. "I might have been in contact with Cap and learned they have a lull of activity right now," he muses. "And found out that the compound they're stationed at has some spare rooms for guests."
You try not to smile, but you can't help it. "Fine. I'll make some calls or something."
"Atta girl. Also, don't put out on the first date."
"Tony!" Both you and Pepper scold as he barks out a laugh.
. .
You kept up with texting Joaquín, wanting to surprise him rather than have him anticipate your visit. Sam gave you dates in which they'd be free, so you booked your trip around that.
Only on your way to their compound, Sam sends you a quick message that he and Joaquín got called out to disassemble a cult that was showing signs of mass terrorism. You ask if he wants some help and he replies that he won't say no to an extra hand.
You finish your drive to their special compound that they work out of and live at, parking your vehicle and stashing your luggage in the room Sam told you that you could occupy. Afterwards, you apply a photostatic veil and suit up, and have FRIDAY bring up the map for the coordinates that Sam had sent you.
The flight there isn't far, especially when you use the thrusters to get there faster.
From the distance, you can see the standoff between a line of cult members, and Sam, Joaquín and members of the army that worked with Sam. You're almost there when tempers suddenly flare, and the cult members attack. Only, they're fighting without any weapons so the army is hesitant to use theirs.
Sam, Joaquín, and the army obviously have hand-to-hand combat training, but you still don't like seeing them take the odd punch that gets past their blocking. And then when you see a small group converge on Joaquín, and he hesitates to use the repulsors Tony added to his suit, you change your direction.
You land in front of Joaquín, squaring off against his would-be attackers and wagging a finger at them while tutting in disapproval. "Didn't your master teach you to not touch what isn't yours?" The men sneer at you, and you back up to Joaquín's side, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Mine," you tell them. "And you've pissed me off for daring to touch."
The men shout before lunging and you have no qualms about using your repulsors, the electricity electrocuting them and knocking them out. Joaquín whoops in cheer and you turn as your mask dissolves to show your face.
His smile falters and you laugh. "Photostatic veil, Torres."
"Oh. Right. Is this face someone you know or stolen from the internet?"
"Nah. Totally AI made. I would feel weird using a real person's face."
"Good."
And with the fight going on around you, Joaquín grasps your face and kisses you. It's really just him pressing his lips to yours, well his lips to your teeth really as you end up smiling like a dumbass.
"Falcon, Sparky! Is now really the time for that?!" You hear Sam shout.
You pull apart, turning towards Sam. "Sorry, Cap!"
Laughing, you then reach forward with one hand to grasp Joaquín by the neck and pull him in for a brief peck on the lips. "We're definitely finishing this later."
"Yes, ma'am."
And with that, your mask recovers your face and you take to the sky before flying low and electrocuting everyone you can.
. .
After the cult members have been dealt with, zip tied and then transported to holding, Sam introduces you as Sparky to the rest of his team. You speak with them, answering a couple of questions here and there. And when they ask just who you are and how you have an Iron Man suit, you jokingly tell them that Stark is the Daddy Warbucks to your orphan Annie.
Sam dismisses everyone at that, and you wait with him until it's time for Sam and Joaquín to fly back to the compound.
And once you're back at the compound, you let your suit dissolve back into your bracelet. Joaquín is eager to approach you, and he reaches behind your ear to deactivate the photostatic veil. "There's my girl."
You wrinkle your nose as you laugh, accepting Joaquín's kiss and hug.
"Aw, you guys are cute."
You and Joaquín separate, but his arm remains around our shoulders. It's like now that you've crossed the line into romantic territory, all bets were off about how much he could touch you.
"Hi, Sam," you muse.
"Sparky." His lips twitch in amusement. "How was the drive over?"
"It was good."
"Wait, you knew she was coming?" Joaquín asks and then glances at you. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"We wanted it to be a surprise. Tony and Pepper went to California, and they gave me a month of paid time off to just have fun."
"You're gonna be here for a month?" He seems to perk back up.
"Yep. Unless you and Sam need to go on some confidential mission that I can't be privy to, I'll be here."
He glances at Sam and Sam raises his hands in mock surrender, chuckling. "The best I can give you is a week, but if anything pops up that I need you for-"
"I'm there. No doubt. But my week starts tomorrow because I'm beat and all I want is a shower, some food, and some cuddles."
"You're so lucky you met a girl whose love language is cozy night-ins," Sam says.
"Right?" You grin. "So are we cooking or do you guys get take-out here?"
"Normally, we'd cook, but I'm craving one of those big ass burritos from Chipotle."
"Oh god, yes," you groan.
"Let's order now since it'll take them over an hour to get here," Joaquín says.
The three of you huddle together, letting Joaquín take the reins by ordering whatever you and Sam say to order. All three of you get burritos, plus cups of queso and vinaigrette, as well as two bowls and two bags of chips to use for dipping in the bowls. Then afterwards, each of you go and take showers, dressing in comfortable clothing to laze around in.
When you get out, Joaquín is waiting outside your room. He smiles and crowds you against the wall, taking the time to properly kiss you. Your smile instantly vanishes as you melt into him, teeth nipping and tongues sliding against one another as one of his hands slides down to grip your thigh and lift your left to hitch on his hip. And then when he's seemingly had his fill of you, he quietly groans as he pulls back but leaves his forehead resting against yours.
"I've wanted to do that since I met you."
"Same." Looking down at your hips pressed tightly together, you grin. "Although, I don't think the hallway is the time or place. Sam's nosy. He'll come around the corner soon and never let us live this down."
"You're right." Joaquín presses one more kiss to your lips. "Now let's go get those cuddles in before the food gets here."
. .
When Sam finds Joaquín and Y/N, he can't help but smile. Both are lightly dozing, Joaquín wrapped around Y/N as she's pressed between him and the back of the sofa. He sets the food on the coffee table and Joaquín wakes, staring at his friend.
"Food's here," Sam says. Joaquín sleepily smiles and starts to stretch. "Look at you cheesin' like a fool in love."
"Hey, man, when you know you know."
"Yeah? This thing between you two gonna be serious?"
"For sure. But I guess I'll just have to wait and see how she feels about this."
"She," you tiredly speak up, "feels really good about this. But we will have to have a conversation about how we're going to make this work."
"Yeah?" You don't have to look at Joaquín to know he's smiling. "Well, I guess it's a good thing I have my Falcon suit and you have your Sparky suit. Long distance won't be an issue for us."
Huffing a laugh, you start to push up off Joaquín so you can get to your food. "Or we can just drive back and forth, and not abuse our suits."
"Yeah, or-"
"Oh my god, no." You laugh and finally get up. "Now, let's eat and go cuddle in one of our beds."
Sam scoffs. "Be real. You are not going to be using the room I had made up for you."
"Sorry, Sam. If I had known Joaquín would jump me as soon as I got here, I wouldn't have had you go through the trouble."
He barks out a laugh. "S'all good, Y/N. I'm just glad he grew a pair and I don't have to witness all the sexual tension."
"What kind of girl do you think I am, Cap?" You muse. "You really think I'm gonna put out before the first date?"
"Are you really trying to tell me all those hangouts at the tower don't count as dates?"
You smirk at him. "I guess the judgement on those hangouts falls to Joaquín, huh?"
You and Sam both glance at the man in question to find his mouth slightly agape. "Yep. Dates. Those counted."
Sam barks out a laugh, shaking his head. "Get your butt up and eat your food, man. And no funny business until I get some noise cancelling headphones! We're not at Stark Tower right now, so the walls here aren't that soundproof."
You snort. "Aye, aye, Cap."
