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marysuevirusTitle: The Mary Sue Virus: Lights, Camera, Avengers!
Chapter One: Busy Hands
Fandom: something like the Marvel Universe, leaning mostly toward the Movie!Avengers branch
Rating: 18 and up
Warnings: lots of sex and violence, language, anything else i can toss in. probably some drinking.
Disclaimer: the recognizable characters and places contained herein are the property of Marvel and whoever the hell else owns them.. i'm merely borrowing for the sake of entertainment. no money is being made from this venture. the Sues are the sole property of their originators,![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
dazzledfirestar, mistress_o_muse, ginevrasm, rylan_m, and ladydeathfaerie. the concept and title of The Mary Sue Virus are used with permission from Dazzledfirestar.
The Mary Sue Virus: Lights, Camera, Avengers! - The Index
She let the sounds of light conversation, the clinking of silverware and crystal, the softly playing strains of stringed chamber music, and the hushed murmur of expensive shoes on plush carpeting wash over her as she stared at the small regulator in her hands. Small because it was about the only piece of equipment she could fit into the tiny handbag that matched the outrageously expensive gown she was wearing. She still didn't understand why she was at this thing. She'd never been invited to one of these functions before.
Stark had surprised her with the invitation only days ago, a heavy vellum card tucked into a heavy vellum envelope. Both had been embossed with golden lettering proclaiming the name of the function, the date and time, where it was being held and the manner of dress. The card had also said 'Plus one' on it, but she didn't have a plus one, so she was flying solo. The regulator and a few basic tools had been all she'd been able to squeeze into the purse, something with which to occupy her mind and hands during the dullness of the event.
She'd worked for Stark for several years now and she'd never before been invited to one of these things. She didn't think that peons like herself, stuck, as it were, in the bowels of the company, got invited to Stark Foundation fund raisers. Even if the man himself had seemingly taken a personal interest in her in recent days. That was a touch odd, too. After the ups and downs of Stark Industries, when Tony had declared they would no longer manufacture weapons, she'd been expecting that her position would be terminated. So far, it hadn't, but part of her kept thinking that it might.
"Can't you ever leave work at work, Astrid?" The question belonged to Pepper Potts and it arrived at the table a moment or two before the woman herself. Tony's right hand woman looked resplendent in a black sheath dress with tiny cap sleeves and a scooped neck. She laid her small black clutch on the table and took a seat beside the other woman. Astrid looked up from the regulator and shrugged.
"My hands are always busy, Miss Potts," she replied, then gave her attention back to the equipment in her grasp.
One of Pepper's pale hands settled over hers, prompting Astrid to look up at her and blink in surprise. "There's a world outside of the lab, Astrid. You should join in once in a while. This is a perfect opportunity to do just that. You shouldn't waste it."
Astrid shrugged her shoulders and carefully laid the regulator down. She turned a wide eyed stare on Pepper and tried to find the right way to phrase what was on her mind. "This," she gestured toward the small bit of electronics on the table in front of her. "This is what I've done almost all my life. I've been building things for as long as I can remember. It is who I've always been. When other girls were playing with dolls, I was putting together models and things like that. This," she paused and motioned around the room. "This is something I've never been comfortable being a part of. I've never even been to one of these things before so I... I feel vastly out of place."
Even as she reached for her regulator, Pepper's hand was there to cover it and the look she gave Astrid was one filled with an odd mix of emotions. "Perhaps if you mingle," she suggested with lightness in her tone. "You might find that you aren't so out of place, after all."
Pepper was gone before Astrid could say anything else. She watched the redhead slip away and head for the bar to fetch herself a drink. Astrid watched the other woman wend her way through the crowd with an ease that she didn't think she'd ever have, her head high and her shoulders straight with a confidence that Pepper Potts had clearly made her own.
Sighing, Astrid slowly let her gaze slide around the room. There were a few hundred people in the elegant ball room, all of them dressed impeccably for the evening's festivities. Gems glittered and flashed as the light caught them. The women were wrapped in varying shades and hues while the men wore black and white tuxedos. It was a world filled with elegance, a world that Astrid had never been part of. Not even in her newly bought evening dress,
She'd clothed herself in a black gown with elbow length sleeves and a skirt that reached to the floor even in her heeled sandals. There was a slight opening in the front, showing just a hint of leg up to the mid-calf area where the skirt crossed over itself. There was a bejeweled adornment at the waist on the right side that held what looked to be the end of the skirt. The material was gathered across the waist and caught under the bit of decoration. The neckline plunged in a V that hinted at some cleavage, but otherwise covered everything. She'd thought it very elegant when she'd purchased it. Now, seeing some of the gowns the other women had picked, she had to wonder at that assessment.
As her eyes roved, she spied her employer. Tony Stark was clad in what she expected was an outrageously priced tux with a crisp white shirt underneath and a stiff bow tie at the throat. His hair was combed back neatly and still somehow unkempt. The flash of an expensive watch at his wrist and a single ring on one hand was the only adornment he'd chosen to were. A tumbler of something amber colored was clutched in his grasp.
He was engaged in a conversation with a stunning woman with deep red hair wearing a terribly slinky black dress. She seemed unmoved by the smile he was trying to charm her with. In fact, if the way her eyes were constantly shifting around the room was any indication, Astrid would hazard a guess and say she was bored. But she stayed at his side and answered when he spoke to her. Curious.
Her gaze drifted again, touched upon a few other faces that stood out in the crowd. A bulky blonde who looked as uncomfortable in his tux as he did in his surroundings. Another blonde, tall and well built, who gave the impression of being quite boisterous and of really enjoying the party.
There were others, other faces that stood out. Handsome men who looked like they should have an equally beautiful woman hanging off their arm. Men who were dashing and debonair in their tuxedos. If she was the kind of woman who let a gorgeous man turn her head, there were a few there who fit the bill. And she could even admit to feeling a small, tingling thrill of pleasure and excitement when one set of blue eyes turned her way and gave her an appraising glance before turning a smile of extreme wattage on her.
But she'd learned a long time ago that such men didn't really see a woman like her. It was a sad fact of life. She found herself returning the man's smile before ducking her head once more and turning her attention back to the regulator she'd brought with her. Her fingers had just curled around the piece when an odd sensation floated down her spine, like the touch of a feather stroking against her bare skin. It was a familiar sensation, one that sent a shiver of awareness through her.
For just a moment, she saw the whole scene through a second set of eyes. Reassessed everything and everyone. Felt a rush of questions tumble into her head with all the speed of rapid flood waters coursing along a riverbed, seeking release at the river's delta where it opened up and spilled itself into a larger body of water. Questions that saw her gaze seeking out anyone else who might...
Her thoughts were shattered and spun away into nothing when a large hand settled a drink before her and the chair that had so recently been used by Pepper Potts was now occupied by the man who had smiled at her. His hair hung long around his face and he had the bluest eyes she thought she'd ever seen. "Your pardon, fair lady. You look in need of company. Allow me to pass the time with you."
Astrid blinked at him in surprise. Other than Pepper, he was the only one who had approached her tonight. He reached for the regulator and made a show of studying it before returning it to the table before her. Then he centered his attention on her and caught her with that same bright smile from earlier. She felt the world tilt off its axis because of that smile. "Tell me your name, fair lady, so that we may converse on many topics."
Oh, wow. That was certainly unexpected.
~*~*~*~*~
"You should go ask him to dance," Alexis persisted, smiling at Elsa over the rim of her tumbler. The other woman had to have had too much to drink. That was all there was to it. She wouldn't be making such outrageous suggestions otherwise. Alexis smiled, her emerald eyes twinkling with merriment. The woman took perverse pleasure in seeing Elsa uncomfortable.
"That would be far too forward, Alexis," she replied in a low voice, fingers clasped loosely around the delicate stem of the champagne flute.
The other woman sighed and casually tossed back the remaining liquid in her glass. Elsa didn't know what she was drinking, but the burn of alcohol didn't seem to phase her at all. In contrast, Elsa always sipped at her champagne. There was no reason to overindulge and end up feeling sick in the morning. She had work to do and she couldn't afford to let herself get too caught up in the festivities. "This is the twenty first century, Elsa," Alexis replied with a snort. "Women even have the right to vote now. There's nothing wrong with a woman going up to a man and asking him for a dance."
"If there's nothing wrong with it, then perhaps you should go ask him to dance," she retorted lightly.
"He's not my type, woman," Alexis shook her head. "Or, rather, I'm the wrong type of woman for him. Trust me, you're right up his alley. Go on. Stop being a scientist and a prude. Go ask him for a dance."
Elsa leveled a look on the other woman. "I am not a prude!" she retorted.
"Then prove it. Go ask him to dance." Alexis gave her a knowing smile and set her glass on the empty tray of a passing waiter. She crossed her arms over her chest and gave Elsa a look that dared her.
The him in question was one Steven Rogers. Elsa knew almost everything there was to know about him. In a purely scientific capacity, of course. That was her job, wasn't it? That was why S.H.I.E.L.D. had hired her. To unlock the secrets that Steven Rogers carried within his body. That was what she and her family had been trying to do for years. Ever since the very experiment that had made him the man he was today. Her grandfather had worked on that experiment with Dr. Erskine, had seen the triumph and tragedy of that day. Since then, the members of her family had been dedicated to discovering Erskine's secrets and unlocking the mysteries of the Super Soldier serum.
She studied the man from afar, noting how handsome he looked in his tux, how the suit coat clung to shoulders that were broad and strong. No doubt the tuxedo had been tailored especially for him. And he looked terribly uncomfortable in it. At present, he was engaged in conversation with another of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s agents. She didn't know who he was, but she knew he was an agent because she'd seen him around headquarters more than once.
"Your eyes are glazing over. Go talk to him. Ask him to dance. Make him put his hand on your ass. Or hell. Put your hand on his ass. Just make a move. Quit mooning over him."
"Should you be talking like that? I thought you were brought up Catholic. Strict parents and all," Elsa commented. Alexis rolled her eyes at the woman.
"Yes, I was brought up Catholic. Good Irish family and all that. I was also brought up with four older brothers and all of their friends. Trust me. This is mild. Now quit changing the subject and go talk to him." Alexis shook her head and watched as a waiter circled close by. His tray held nothing but champagne, so she let him go without fetching herself a fresh drink. "Christ, woman. Do something. Your ovaries are about to burst with need of him. Just make a move."
Elsa blinked at Alexis. "A woman's ovaries do not work that way, Alexis. They simply produce and release eggs during her cycle. You know that's what menstruation is, don't you? The female body preparing itself for a possible pregnancy. And if the ovum isn't fertilized, then the woman--" she trailed off at the look Alexis shot at her. Almost as if the other woman wanted to strangle her. "What? That's the purpose of the ovaries. They don't burst with need or--"
Alexis spoke to her, voice low and tinged with deadly intent. "Elsa. Be very quiet and forego any further explanation of how my ovaries work. One more mention of their function and I will choke you to death with your own. Do you understand me?"
Elsa blinked again. "Of course I understand, Alexis. Really, there's no need to threaten me."
"Christ, I need a drink," Alexis muttered, then sighed and shook her head. "Never mind. Time to change the subject."
Ooops. She'd done it again, hadn't she? No wonder Alexis was cross with her. Elsa knew she had the annoying tendency to slip off on a tangent that wasn't really important and it usually made whomever she was speaking to lose their temper with her. It wasn't as if she could help it and she never really did it on purpose. She was just... well, forgetful.
Hmmm. New topic. Surely Elsa could manage a topic change without trouble. She wasn't entirely hopeless. Just... single minded. Glancing at Alexis, she offered a tentative smile. "So what have you been doing lately? Its been quite some time since I last saw you. My work usually keeps me hidden away from the world."
"I know. You're like a lab rat," Alexis told her, then offered her an unsettling grin. "You know, I could tell you what I've been doing lately. But then I'd have to kill you. Top secret, you know. And you don't have that kind of clearance."
Elsa rolled her eyes and snorted. Just a little. "Honestly, Alexis. Do you take great joy in threatening me like that? That's such an over used statement as it is. It isn't like you have to remind me that you're good with your hands. I have seen your files. I know what you're capable of doing."
"You know, I bet he's good with his hands, too. You should go ask him to demonstrate. Scientific research." Alexis suggested, one hand gesturing toward Steve Rogers again. There was such an earnest look on her face and a serious tone to her voice that Elsa found herself turning toward the man before she realized that Alexis was teasing her. She turned back to the other woman with a glare.
"That is just plain mean, Alexis." Elsa glowered at her.
Alexis smiled and shook her head. "Honey, you have it so bad, there are bets going around the motor pool wondering just how long its going to take for you to work up the nerve to ask him out. I bet he won't bite if you do. And I bet he'd really like it. I've seen the way he looks at you."
Elsa frowned at that. "He doesn't look at me, Alexis. We have a professional relationship. That's all."
"Good God. How can you be so brilliant and be so oblivious?" the woman asked, shaking her head. "I don't understand you, Elsa. He's there. He's available. Just go dance with the man. Stop thinking and just do."
"Like you did with that MI6 agent from Britain?" Elsa asked her. It was interesting to see Alexis' cheeks turn pink under their soft coat of make up. But the woman didn't let any kind of embarrassment hold her back.
"At least I did," she said softly. "You've been mooning over him from afar, Elsa. It wouldn't hurt you to ask him out. Women do it all the time now."
"I have no interest in him other than from a professional point of view," Elsa replied smartly. Alexis sighed and shook her head, sending the soft curls she'd worked into her hair dancing around her face.
"Uh huh. This is why you're wearing a dress that practically screams for him to stand up and take notice?" One hand motioned to the pale brown dress Elsa had picked for this party. The bodice was strapless with a straight across bust that was ruched and pleated, the folds sliding to the right until the waist. Then the pleats wove into one another to create a kind of criss cross pattern down to her upper thighs. From there, the skirt fell straight to the floor. The jacket was topped off by a very short bolero styled jacket with little cap sleeves. It was both classic and elegant, yet it didn't make her look like she was trying to expose herself to the crowds.
"This is a black tie function. One must dress appropriately for such occasions," Elsa replied without anything in her voice.
"Your nipples are standing at attention. They obviously know what they want," Alexis told her, prompting Elsa to glance down. Well, wasn't that curious?
"And you're looking at my nipples why?" she asked amiably.
"Because they're begging for attention. Someone should look at them. And if you aren't going to let Rogers look at them, I guess I'll have to do it for him." Alexis went on, her voice droning about the man and Elsa's obvious attraction to him. She let it slide off her back, her mind sliding away as a finger of something odd and yet familiar touched her spine. It was almost as if something moved into her, as if a ghost had passed into her skin and remained. That was an odd sensation.
She found herself glancing around the crowded hall, taking note of familiar faces. There was Steve, still looking very uncomfortable with his clothes and surroundings. Tony at the end of the bar with a drink in his hand, talking to Natasha. Thor at a table with another woman that she'd never seen before. The red head of Pepper Potts was weaving in and out of the crowd, the woman circulating and conversing with people at random. And, in the far corner, almost hidden in the shadows, was a black face that she knew belonged to Nick Fury.
Odd. It was almost as if she was...
"Damn it, Elsa. Are you listening to me? Pay attention. I'm trying to get you laid." Alexis' voice cut in across her thoughts and drew her away from the important bit of information that had just been on the tip of her tongue. It slid away, hiding in the shadows of her brain, as what Alexis had said to her registered.
She shot a look at Alexis and diverted her attention with one single question. "Where is your partner?"
Alexis sighed long and loud. "How the hell should I know? I can't keep track of her anymore. Though I'd bet money that she's getting her ass reamed by Coulson again. Christ, that guy is worse than my dad. Its like he's got a hard on for her or something. Fuck this shit. I need a drink."
Alexis stalked off, leaving Elsa to wonder about that odd feeling.
~*~*~*~*~
The door was hard against her back, but it was a minor inconvenience compared to the pleasure that rolled through every single nerve ending in her body. A soft, moaning sigh slipped from her lips as his fingers teased deeper. She was still slightly surprised by the fact that he'd wanted to tempt fate like this and slip away into the first available closet for a bit of hanky panky. Maybe he'd been turned on by the thrill of possibly being caught. Or maybe it had been the notion that they could get away with this under the noses of just about everyone. Whatever the case, his note had suggested she meet him here at ten. That had been nearly ten minutes ago.
"How long do we dare stay away?" she asked, voice breathy and quiet in the small area.
He said nothing, merely shot her a look before silencing her by taking her mouth with his own and kissing her hard. She slid her arms around his shoulders and tugged him as close as he could get with one hand caught between them. His mouth trailed away from her lips to leave a line of light kisses across her cheek, over the vein throbbing in her throat, behind her ear. She gasped a touch too loudly when his teeth grazed her flesh, prompting his hand to halt its motions.
She groaned and hoped like hell that he'd pick back up. His fingers never even twitched. "What have I told you about making too much noise, Miriam?" he asked, his breath hot against her ear.
"I'm sorry," she apologized. "I couldn't help it. It felt good and the gasp just slipped out. It was an accident. I swear it. I'm sorry."
He didn't move, remaining almost as still as a statue against her. The silence ticked by in slow increments, her body screaming loudly for more of what he'd been doing to it. She tried shifting against him, but such an action only earned her a stern look. She had no choice but to subside against the door and hope that he'd take pity on her. After a time, his breath plumed across her ear again. "I'm sorry, what?" It was a prompt.
"I'm sorry, sir."
"Much better," he breathed softly, then his fingers resumed their quest. She closed her eyes, head falling back with no noise against the door while he pressed three digits deeper and deeper into her body.
It didn't take long for his actions to see her nerves strung tight all through her body. Her hips rocked shamelessly against his hand, seeking the release each stroke of his fingers promised her. Tension stretched and pulled through her, saw her breaths coming into her lungs in short, sharp gasps. Saw her hands gripping at the smooth material of his coat.
There was something wicked and decadent about being hidden in a closet when there were a few hundred people just a short distance up the hall who might discover them. She never got tired of playing this game, though it was usually in an area where less people were likely to discover them. Sometimes she wondered what would happen if someone actually did catch them. Most of the time, though, she basked in the wantonness of their behavior.
Pleasure blossomed under his touch, crept along her nerves to twine with the tension and ratchet everything inside of her up higher. Her need and desire grew. The pleasure and the tension slid through her to consume her and she felt the sharp edge of fulfillment inching closer. "Oh, God. Yes. Just like that. Please," she whimpered, hips thrusting into his hands so that his fingers stroked as deep as they could go.
"Please, what?" His voice was in her ear, reminding her when the reckless sensations coursing through her had seen her forgetting again. He took pleasure in this aspect of their relationship. She knew that. She could sense that it hovering around him as he waited for her to respond. As with the last time, his hand had stilled and she was left feeling bereft once again.
"Please, sir," she begged in a harsh whisper. His chuckle was a soft sound that stirred the air beside her ear. Then his fingers pressed deeper and his thumb found her clit. A few expert strokes saw her body shattering into shards of prismatic rainbows. Those few muscles that had been enticed and aroused by his hand clutched at his fingers while the rest of her shuddered and shook against him. Her fingers clutched at his coat harder than before while she dragged air into her lungs. She rested hr head on his shoulder. "God... That... Wow."
"I see I've left you speechless once again, Miriam." His lips quirked up in a smile. He stepped back before she was ready to let him go, the hand that had been planted against the door carefully drawing the length of her skirt to the floor once again. Miri shook her head at him before glancing down to ensure that her dress had come through the encounter unscathed.
The white silk, patterned with large black flowers and leaves, hung without a single wrinkle or crease except for those few between her breasts where the material had been gathered by the designer. When they'd first stepped into the room, they'd debated whether or not she should take the gown off, but finally decided against it. His hands had made a few forays under the sweetheart bust line to pay attention to her breasts, but that was it. She hadn't gotten undressed at all. Neither had he.
She almost wished for a mirror to ensure that everything looked okay, but there wasn't one in the room and she didn't want to risk heading to the bathroom and getting caught by anyone. No one knew of their relationship and she preferred to keep it that way. Things could get sticky for them both if news of their physical encounters got out. She had to rely on his judgement so she turned a three sixty before him. His eyes sparked with something, perhaps a mischievous comment, but he only smiled and nodded his head. "You look as lovely as you did when you first stepped in here."
Miri let her gaze rake his frame, stopping at his crotch. Any tell tale sign of his needs were hidden behind the full cut of his trousers and coat. She offered him a pout. "Damn it, Phil. I don't like leaving you in the lurch," she told him.
"We can pick this up again later, Miriam. Once the party is over. We can go back to your apartment. Or we can go back to my apartment. Or we can rent a hotel room and use room service all night. The choice is yours." He smiled at her, a soft look that he saved only for her.
She sighed. "Later is far too long."
"People will miss us if we leave now. I personally don't want your partner to discover our private pleasure just yet. The teasing would be merciless and never ending. I don't think the weight room or any of the other agents will survive another fit of her temper."
Miri smiled at him. "If you'd kept her away from the garage and her tools, Pierson wouldn't have gotten clocked upside the head for making an ill timed comment about her ass."
"That's my point. His jaw is still wired shut. The paper work on that incident kept me busy for a week." There was humor in his tone, despite the fact that he wasn't joking. Pierson had deserved it. If he hadn't made such a sexist comment...
"Alex apologized." Sort of. She'd said she was sorry that Pierson was an egotistical prick who hadn't had his balls removed at birth. But she'd still apologized. She'd claimed the month long suspension had been worth it.
Phil rolled his eyes but said no more. Instead, he made sure to straighten his clothes and his hair, then he leaned in and pressed another demanding kiss to Miri's lips. She smiled at him when he pulled back. "I think its time we rejoined the party," he told her, then motioned for the door. "Shall we?"
There was no one in the hall when they stepped out of the tiny utility closet. Miri put distance between Phil and herself. If anyone happened upon them, they'd look like they were simply walking up the hall at the same time. She was still awash in the afterglow of her orgasm, her limbs pleasantly light and loose. Completely at ease.
And totally not expecting the shift that rocked through her.
One moment, she was pleased and almost floating. The next second, it felt as if something indistinct poured into her. She blinked, stumbling on her feet, and felt Phil's hand on her arm, steadying her. "Agent Grant? Are you alright?" he asked in his soft voice.
She stared at him a second as realization washed through her. Then she gave a nod and righted herself on her heels. "Of course, Agent Coulson. I'm just fine. Thank you for your concern."
The look on his face suggested he didn't believe her, and he might have asked her more. But they stepped into the main room then and she found that she was surrounded by women in every color under the sun and men who wore fine tuxedos in simple black and white. She let her gaze slide around the room, picking out the familiar faces.
Tony. Steve. Thor. Clint. Natasha. Nick Fury. She was sure that a few other familiar faces were in the crowd, too. But she couldn't find them. Not just yet. Not that she didn't think she would. They'd come to her or she'd go to them. It was always the same. For now... "Excuse me, Agent Coulson. I feel in need of a drink."
He nodded and headed toward where Fury stood in a darkened corner. Plastering a fake smile on her face, she turned and made her way to the bar. She needed a drink? Well, wasn't that the fucking understatement of the year?
~*~*~*~*~
Alex sighed and signaled the bartender for another rum and Coke. She hated functions like this. Hated them with a passion. They were almost always painfully boring and she was expected to behave herself. She'd rather be in the garage, covered in the oil out of a fifty three Chevy, than stand around at one of these things. But she and her partner had been invited and she'd been told that she was expected to attend. She'd been told point blank that she wouldn't be excused unless she was dead and buried.
It wouldn't have been so bad except that her partner was missing in action. Alex shook her head and wondered where in the hell Miri had gotten to. It had been no fun trying to get Elsa to go ask Steve out onto the floor for a dance. Though it had been fun to see the woman's face grow hot with a flush when she'd been studying him so intently. Elsa was naive if she thought that her attraction to Rogers wasn't noticeable. But the scientist didn't take to teasing the way most people did, so it had become boring and monotonous. Just like this damned party.
"There you are," Miri's voice cut across Alex's thoughts, pulling her from her own head. The woman had sidled up beside her and was presently sipping at a glass of whisky.
"Yes. Here I am. Where have you been?" she asked, keeping her voice bland and mild.
"Coulson had something he had to talk to me about," she commented absently, eyes skimming the room slowly. Alex watched her for a while before she leaned in and spoke, her voice low and hard to hear over all the other noise around them.
"Looking for the others?" she asked.
Miri turned and blinked at her. Alex just nodded her head and took a drink from her glass. "Happened while I was teasing Elsa about Rogers. I suspect that I was teasing someone we know. I think I saw it the second it happened to her."
"You said others. You think there's more?" Miri questioned. Her gaze had turned to where Elsa stood. Alex nodded again.
"One more. Table. With Thor. She does not fit in with this lot at all." One hand lifted to flick toward the table she'd mentioned. Miri's gaze slid that way and took in the woman there.
"I think you're right." Sighing, she shook her head. "We're getting to be old hands at this, aren't we?"
"Frighteningly old," Alex commented. Miri nodded in agreement. "We're going to have to round those two up and debrief them, aren't we?"
"Yeah. I think so. We'll go to a diner or something. What do you think?"
"Sounds like as good a place as any." Alex shrugged carelessly, then sipped at her drink some more. She let her gaze skim the room, taking note of all the most important people. Thor was still at the table, speaking with some woman she'd never seen before. Tony was in the corner, deep in conversation with Fury and Coulson. Rogers stood with them, seemingly listening to what they were saying.
Natasha was in a corner with Pepper, the two of them talking in what appeared to be a candid manner. There were a few others that she recognized, but she didn't have time to put names to faces. Because a moment later, another familiar face approached them and it took everything she had not to roll her eyes. "Ladies," Clint Barton said as he stopped before them. "Don't you both look gorgeous this evening?"
Miri had helped Alex pick out the gown she'd worn and she'd said the same thing. It was a strapless number in a deep wine color that really set off the green of her eyes and the darkness of her hair. The bust was done in a faint sweetheart neckline and the material was ruched. Scrolling vine work of filigreed applique wrapped around her waist, starting under the bust on the left side to slowly work its way up under the arm on the right. It sat high on the waist on the left, then dipped down over her hip on the right to give it an asymmetrical line on both the bust and the skirt. Said skirt flowed in soft waves to her feet, making her legs look long behind their sheath of flowing material.
"Flattery will get you no where, Mr. Barton. Thank you for stopping by. Go ahead. You can leave now. Go on." Alex made a shooing motion with her hand. He gave her a look, then shook his head and turned to wander away. But he didn't go far. A few feet from them, he stopped and turned to offer them both a smile. One hand lifted his glass in salute. Alex made a disgusted noise in the back of her throat.
"I think he likes you," Miri told her, a grin in her voice as well as on her lips.
"I could kill him with an olive and I'd be happy," Alex replied and tossed back the rest of her drink. Miri choked on that, then turned wide eyes Alex's way.
"The olive? Really? Not the toothpick because that would be too easy?"
Alex shook her head and turned to motion to the bartender for another. He hurried to fill her order while she answered her partner. "No. The olive. Because I hate those fucking things. I'll shove the toothpick into his testicle before letting him have the olive, though. Will that make you happy?"
Miri gave her a rueful look, then laughed. "You are a national treasure. You know that, right?"
"And I love you, too, Miri. Can I leave now?"
"You are free to go. And you can explain it to both Director Fury and Agent Coulson in the morning. Because you know they'll want to know why you left the fundraiser so early."
"Crap on toast," Alex muttered. She noticed Barton still looking at them and managed something that she thought came out as a sneer. "I think he likes you, actually."
"He's not really my type, Alex. You know that."
"Right. Not your type. That's a good one." Sighing, Alex retrieved her fresh drink from the bar and offered the bartender a smile of thanks. Then she sipped at it and pondered over what she knew. They were going to have to talk and they were going to have to do it soon. No doubt they'd all figured out that something had happened to them. And they all probably had a good idea of just where they were. But there were things to work out, as there always were. They'd need to do it some place private, though. The party was a bad idea. And any of their apartments were likely a bad idea. She and Miri spent plenty of time together, but they didn't associate with Elsa outside of her lab that much and she didn't even know the name of the other woman.
"We need to spend a fair amount of time here, Alex. If we leave early, it might raise suspicions. You know how that will look."
"Why are we even at this fundraiser? Its boring as all fuck."
"Your mother would wash your mouth out with soap if she knew you were using such language," Miri teased.
"Its a damned good thing you aren't going to tell her, are you? Because you know if you show up at her door, she's going to make you go to church with her and Dad. I can still remember what happened the last time you went with them."
"Is it my fault that the blood of Christ was some cheap, two dollar a bottle wine that tasted like someone pissed in it?"
"No. But did you have to say it in front of Mom and Dad?" Alex rolled her eyes.
"Well, it was kind of funny to see your parents try not to have fits," Miri teased.
"You're hopeless. I can't take you anywhere."
"Ditto. Or need I remind you of Rob Farley's retirement party?" Miri said in return.
"Rob Farley was a dick and he deserved what he got," Alex snorted.
"You gave him a cobra. The snake struck at the glass and he nearly had a coronary."
Alex shot her a grin. "He shit his pants, too. That was classic." Miri snorted and shook her head. But she was laughing. It had been classic.
Her gaze slid back across the room to find that Stark was no longer talking to Coulson and Fury. In fact, Fury was heading for the door while Coulson was going in the opposite direction. Alex nudged Miri and pointed toward the Director as he slipped out the door. "The big man is gone. What say we round up the kiddies and get this show on the road?"
"It would probably be for the best," Miri said, glancing around the room. "The sooner we can get this started, the sooner we can get this done."
"Right. How about I grab smarty britches and you can go get Thor's newest playmate. We'll meet outside at the car. There should be room for all of us." Alex motioned to the table where the Norse god and his partner sat, still speaking to one another. Miri nodded and started across the floor. Alex headed toward Elsa. Tonight was going to be long and boring. Just the way to cap off a long and boring party.
Barton was still standing there, staring at her. She brushed past him, intentionally knocking his arm with her own. "What are you looking at?" she asked him and went on without waiting for an answer. Fucking weird as shit.
"Have a great night," he called when she was a few feet away. Alex stopped and swung around to stare at him. He lifted his glass in a salute, then took a drink and wandered off into the crowd. Muttering to herself, she returned to collecting Elsa.
Fucking S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. They were all as fucking loony as could be. She should know. She slipped up between Elsa and the man she was speaking to, one hand catching the woman's arm. "Elsa. Come on. We have to go. Before his eyes glaze over."
"But I was telling him about the human genome and how it pertained to--" Alex faked a yawn.
"That's boring shit. We have more important things to talk about. Like catching a virus." Before Elsa could argue further, Alex tugged the woman into motion and caught sight of Miri doing the same with Thor's companion.
Yippee fucking skippy. She got to do this shit again.
Chapter One: Busy Hands
Fandom: something like the Marvel Universe, leaning mostly toward the Movie!Avengers branch
Rating: 18 and up
Warnings: lots of sex and violence, language, anything else i can toss in. probably some drinking.
Disclaimer: the recognizable characters and places contained herein are the property of Marvel and whoever the hell else owns them.. i'm merely borrowing for the sake of entertainment. no money is being made from this venture. the Sues are the sole property of their originators,
dazzledfirestar, mistress_o_muse, ginevrasm, rylan_m, and ladydeathfaerie. the concept and title of The Mary Sue Virus are used with permission from Dazzledfirestar.The Mary Sue Virus: Lights, Camera, Avengers! - The Index
She let the sounds of light conversation, the clinking of silverware and crystal, the softly playing strains of stringed chamber music, and the hushed murmur of expensive shoes on plush carpeting wash over her as she stared at the small regulator in her hands. Small because it was about the only piece of equipment she could fit into the tiny handbag that matched the outrageously expensive gown she was wearing. She still didn't understand why she was at this thing. She'd never been invited to one of these functions before.
Stark had surprised her with the invitation only days ago, a heavy vellum card tucked into a heavy vellum envelope. Both had been embossed with golden lettering proclaiming the name of the function, the date and time, where it was being held and the manner of dress. The card had also said 'Plus one' on it, but she didn't have a plus one, so she was flying solo. The regulator and a few basic tools had been all she'd been able to squeeze into the purse, something with which to occupy her mind and hands during the dullness of the event.
She'd worked for Stark for several years now and she'd never before been invited to one of these things. She didn't think that peons like herself, stuck, as it were, in the bowels of the company, got invited to Stark Foundation fund raisers. Even if the man himself had seemingly taken a personal interest in her in recent days. That was a touch odd, too. After the ups and downs of Stark Industries, when Tony had declared they would no longer manufacture weapons, she'd been expecting that her position would be terminated. So far, it hadn't, but part of her kept thinking that it might.
"Can't you ever leave work at work, Astrid?" The question belonged to Pepper Potts and it arrived at the table a moment or two before the woman herself. Tony's right hand woman looked resplendent in a black sheath dress with tiny cap sleeves and a scooped neck. She laid her small black clutch on the table and took a seat beside the other woman. Astrid looked up from the regulator and shrugged.
"My hands are always busy, Miss Potts," she replied, then gave her attention back to the equipment in her grasp.
One of Pepper's pale hands settled over hers, prompting Astrid to look up at her and blink in surprise. "There's a world outside of the lab, Astrid. You should join in once in a while. This is a perfect opportunity to do just that. You shouldn't waste it."
Astrid shrugged her shoulders and carefully laid the regulator down. She turned a wide eyed stare on Pepper and tried to find the right way to phrase what was on her mind. "This," she gestured toward the small bit of electronics on the table in front of her. "This is what I've done almost all my life. I've been building things for as long as I can remember. It is who I've always been. When other girls were playing with dolls, I was putting together models and things like that. This," she paused and motioned around the room. "This is something I've never been comfortable being a part of. I've never even been to one of these things before so I... I feel vastly out of place."
Even as she reached for her regulator, Pepper's hand was there to cover it and the look she gave Astrid was one filled with an odd mix of emotions. "Perhaps if you mingle," she suggested with lightness in her tone. "You might find that you aren't so out of place, after all."
Pepper was gone before Astrid could say anything else. She watched the redhead slip away and head for the bar to fetch herself a drink. Astrid watched the other woman wend her way through the crowd with an ease that she didn't think she'd ever have, her head high and her shoulders straight with a confidence that Pepper Potts had clearly made her own.
Sighing, Astrid slowly let her gaze slide around the room. There were a few hundred people in the elegant ball room, all of them dressed impeccably for the evening's festivities. Gems glittered and flashed as the light caught them. The women were wrapped in varying shades and hues while the men wore black and white tuxedos. It was a world filled with elegance, a world that Astrid had never been part of. Not even in her newly bought evening dress,
She'd clothed herself in a black gown with elbow length sleeves and a skirt that reached to the floor even in her heeled sandals. There was a slight opening in the front, showing just a hint of leg up to the mid-calf area where the skirt crossed over itself. There was a bejeweled adornment at the waist on the right side that held what looked to be the end of the skirt. The material was gathered across the waist and caught under the bit of decoration. The neckline plunged in a V that hinted at some cleavage, but otherwise covered everything. She'd thought it very elegant when she'd purchased it. Now, seeing some of the gowns the other women had picked, she had to wonder at that assessment.
As her eyes roved, she spied her employer. Tony Stark was clad in what she expected was an outrageously priced tux with a crisp white shirt underneath and a stiff bow tie at the throat. His hair was combed back neatly and still somehow unkempt. The flash of an expensive watch at his wrist and a single ring on one hand was the only adornment he'd chosen to were. A tumbler of something amber colored was clutched in his grasp.
He was engaged in a conversation with a stunning woman with deep red hair wearing a terribly slinky black dress. She seemed unmoved by the smile he was trying to charm her with. In fact, if the way her eyes were constantly shifting around the room was any indication, Astrid would hazard a guess and say she was bored. But she stayed at his side and answered when he spoke to her. Curious.
Her gaze drifted again, touched upon a few other faces that stood out in the crowd. A bulky blonde who looked as uncomfortable in his tux as he did in his surroundings. Another blonde, tall and well built, who gave the impression of being quite boisterous and of really enjoying the party.
There were others, other faces that stood out. Handsome men who looked like they should have an equally beautiful woman hanging off their arm. Men who were dashing and debonair in their tuxedos. If she was the kind of woman who let a gorgeous man turn her head, there were a few there who fit the bill. And she could even admit to feeling a small, tingling thrill of pleasure and excitement when one set of blue eyes turned her way and gave her an appraising glance before turning a smile of extreme wattage on her.
But she'd learned a long time ago that such men didn't really see a woman like her. It was a sad fact of life. She found herself returning the man's smile before ducking her head once more and turning her attention back to the regulator she'd brought with her. Her fingers had just curled around the piece when an odd sensation floated down her spine, like the touch of a feather stroking against her bare skin. It was a familiar sensation, one that sent a shiver of awareness through her.
For just a moment, she saw the whole scene through a second set of eyes. Reassessed everything and everyone. Felt a rush of questions tumble into her head with all the speed of rapid flood waters coursing along a riverbed, seeking release at the river's delta where it opened up and spilled itself into a larger body of water. Questions that saw her gaze seeking out anyone else who might...
Her thoughts were shattered and spun away into nothing when a large hand settled a drink before her and the chair that had so recently been used by Pepper Potts was now occupied by the man who had smiled at her. His hair hung long around his face and he had the bluest eyes she thought she'd ever seen. "Your pardon, fair lady. You look in need of company. Allow me to pass the time with you."
Astrid blinked at him in surprise. Other than Pepper, he was the only one who had approached her tonight. He reached for the regulator and made a show of studying it before returning it to the table before her. Then he centered his attention on her and caught her with that same bright smile from earlier. She felt the world tilt off its axis because of that smile. "Tell me your name, fair lady, so that we may converse on many topics."
Oh, wow. That was certainly unexpected.
~*~*~*~*~
"You should go ask him to dance," Alexis persisted, smiling at Elsa over the rim of her tumbler. The other woman had to have had too much to drink. That was all there was to it. She wouldn't be making such outrageous suggestions otherwise. Alexis smiled, her emerald eyes twinkling with merriment. The woman took perverse pleasure in seeing Elsa uncomfortable.
"That would be far too forward, Alexis," she replied in a low voice, fingers clasped loosely around the delicate stem of the champagne flute.
The other woman sighed and casually tossed back the remaining liquid in her glass. Elsa didn't know what she was drinking, but the burn of alcohol didn't seem to phase her at all. In contrast, Elsa always sipped at her champagne. There was no reason to overindulge and end up feeling sick in the morning. She had work to do and she couldn't afford to let herself get too caught up in the festivities. "This is the twenty first century, Elsa," Alexis replied with a snort. "Women even have the right to vote now. There's nothing wrong with a woman going up to a man and asking him for a dance."
"If there's nothing wrong with it, then perhaps you should go ask him to dance," she retorted lightly.
"He's not my type, woman," Alexis shook her head. "Or, rather, I'm the wrong type of woman for him. Trust me, you're right up his alley. Go on. Stop being a scientist and a prude. Go ask him for a dance."
Elsa leveled a look on the other woman. "I am not a prude!" she retorted.
"Then prove it. Go ask him to dance." Alexis gave her a knowing smile and set her glass on the empty tray of a passing waiter. She crossed her arms over her chest and gave Elsa a look that dared her.
The him in question was one Steven Rogers. Elsa knew almost everything there was to know about him. In a purely scientific capacity, of course. That was her job, wasn't it? That was why S.H.I.E.L.D. had hired her. To unlock the secrets that Steven Rogers carried within his body. That was what she and her family had been trying to do for years. Ever since the very experiment that had made him the man he was today. Her grandfather had worked on that experiment with Dr. Erskine, had seen the triumph and tragedy of that day. Since then, the members of her family had been dedicated to discovering Erskine's secrets and unlocking the mysteries of the Super Soldier serum.
She studied the man from afar, noting how handsome he looked in his tux, how the suit coat clung to shoulders that were broad and strong. No doubt the tuxedo had been tailored especially for him. And he looked terribly uncomfortable in it. At present, he was engaged in conversation with another of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s agents. She didn't know who he was, but she knew he was an agent because she'd seen him around headquarters more than once.
"Your eyes are glazing over. Go talk to him. Ask him to dance. Make him put his hand on your ass. Or hell. Put your hand on his ass. Just make a move. Quit mooning over him."
"Should you be talking like that? I thought you were brought up Catholic. Strict parents and all," Elsa commented. Alexis rolled her eyes at the woman.
"Yes, I was brought up Catholic. Good Irish family and all that. I was also brought up with four older brothers and all of their friends. Trust me. This is mild. Now quit changing the subject and go talk to him." Alexis shook her head and watched as a waiter circled close by. His tray held nothing but champagne, so she let him go without fetching herself a fresh drink. "Christ, woman. Do something. Your ovaries are about to burst with need of him. Just make a move."
Elsa blinked at Alexis. "A woman's ovaries do not work that way, Alexis. They simply produce and release eggs during her cycle. You know that's what menstruation is, don't you? The female body preparing itself for a possible pregnancy. And if the ovum isn't fertilized, then the woman--" she trailed off at the look Alexis shot at her. Almost as if the other woman wanted to strangle her. "What? That's the purpose of the ovaries. They don't burst with need or--"
Alexis spoke to her, voice low and tinged with deadly intent. "Elsa. Be very quiet and forego any further explanation of how my ovaries work. One more mention of their function and I will choke you to death with your own. Do you understand me?"
Elsa blinked again. "Of course I understand, Alexis. Really, there's no need to threaten me."
"Christ, I need a drink," Alexis muttered, then sighed and shook her head. "Never mind. Time to change the subject."
Ooops. She'd done it again, hadn't she? No wonder Alexis was cross with her. Elsa knew she had the annoying tendency to slip off on a tangent that wasn't really important and it usually made whomever she was speaking to lose their temper with her. It wasn't as if she could help it and she never really did it on purpose. She was just... well, forgetful.
Hmmm. New topic. Surely Elsa could manage a topic change without trouble. She wasn't entirely hopeless. Just... single minded. Glancing at Alexis, she offered a tentative smile. "So what have you been doing lately? Its been quite some time since I last saw you. My work usually keeps me hidden away from the world."
"I know. You're like a lab rat," Alexis told her, then offered her an unsettling grin. "You know, I could tell you what I've been doing lately. But then I'd have to kill you. Top secret, you know. And you don't have that kind of clearance."
Elsa rolled her eyes and snorted. Just a little. "Honestly, Alexis. Do you take great joy in threatening me like that? That's such an over used statement as it is. It isn't like you have to remind me that you're good with your hands. I have seen your files. I know what you're capable of doing."
"You know, I bet he's good with his hands, too. You should go ask him to demonstrate. Scientific research." Alexis suggested, one hand gesturing toward Steve Rogers again. There was such an earnest look on her face and a serious tone to her voice that Elsa found herself turning toward the man before she realized that Alexis was teasing her. She turned back to the other woman with a glare.
"That is just plain mean, Alexis." Elsa glowered at her.
Alexis smiled and shook her head. "Honey, you have it so bad, there are bets going around the motor pool wondering just how long its going to take for you to work up the nerve to ask him out. I bet he won't bite if you do. And I bet he'd really like it. I've seen the way he looks at you."
Elsa frowned at that. "He doesn't look at me, Alexis. We have a professional relationship. That's all."
"Good God. How can you be so brilliant and be so oblivious?" the woman asked, shaking her head. "I don't understand you, Elsa. He's there. He's available. Just go dance with the man. Stop thinking and just do."
"Like you did with that MI6 agent from Britain?" Elsa asked her. It was interesting to see Alexis' cheeks turn pink under their soft coat of make up. But the woman didn't let any kind of embarrassment hold her back.
"At least I did," she said softly. "You've been mooning over him from afar, Elsa. It wouldn't hurt you to ask him out. Women do it all the time now."
"I have no interest in him other than from a professional point of view," Elsa replied smartly. Alexis sighed and shook her head, sending the soft curls she'd worked into her hair dancing around her face.
"Uh huh. This is why you're wearing a dress that practically screams for him to stand up and take notice?" One hand motioned to the pale brown dress Elsa had picked for this party. The bodice was strapless with a straight across bust that was ruched and pleated, the folds sliding to the right until the waist. Then the pleats wove into one another to create a kind of criss cross pattern down to her upper thighs. From there, the skirt fell straight to the floor. The jacket was topped off by a very short bolero styled jacket with little cap sleeves. It was both classic and elegant, yet it didn't make her look like she was trying to expose herself to the crowds.
"This is a black tie function. One must dress appropriately for such occasions," Elsa replied without anything in her voice.
"Your nipples are standing at attention. They obviously know what they want," Alexis told her, prompting Elsa to glance down. Well, wasn't that curious?
"And you're looking at my nipples why?" she asked amiably.
"Because they're begging for attention. Someone should look at them. And if you aren't going to let Rogers look at them, I guess I'll have to do it for him." Alexis went on, her voice droning about the man and Elsa's obvious attraction to him. She let it slide off her back, her mind sliding away as a finger of something odd and yet familiar touched her spine. It was almost as if something moved into her, as if a ghost had passed into her skin and remained. That was an odd sensation.
She found herself glancing around the crowded hall, taking note of familiar faces. There was Steve, still looking very uncomfortable with his clothes and surroundings. Tony at the end of the bar with a drink in his hand, talking to Natasha. Thor at a table with another woman that she'd never seen before. The red head of Pepper Potts was weaving in and out of the crowd, the woman circulating and conversing with people at random. And, in the far corner, almost hidden in the shadows, was a black face that she knew belonged to Nick Fury.
Odd. It was almost as if she was...
"Damn it, Elsa. Are you listening to me? Pay attention. I'm trying to get you laid." Alexis' voice cut in across her thoughts and drew her away from the important bit of information that had just been on the tip of her tongue. It slid away, hiding in the shadows of her brain, as what Alexis had said to her registered.
She shot a look at Alexis and diverted her attention with one single question. "Where is your partner?"
Alexis sighed long and loud. "How the hell should I know? I can't keep track of her anymore. Though I'd bet money that she's getting her ass reamed by Coulson again. Christ, that guy is worse than my dad. Its like he's got a hard on for her or something. Fuck this shit. I need a drink."
Alexis stalked off, leaving Elsa to wonder about that odd feeling.
~*~*~*~*~
The door was hard against her back, but it was a minor inconvenience compared to the pleasure that rolled through every single nerve ending in her body. A soft, moaning sigh slipped from her lips as his fingers teased deeper. She was still slightly surprised by the fact that he'd wanted to tempt fate like this and slip away into the first available closet for a bit of hanky panky. Maybe he'd been turned on by the thrill of possibly being caught. Or maybe it had been the notion that they could get away with this under the noses of just about everyone. Whatever the case, his note had suggested she meet him here at ten. That had been nearly ten minutes ago.
"How long do we dare stay away?" she asked, voice breathy and quiet in the small area.
He said nothing, merely shot her a look before silencing her by taking her mouth with his own and kissing her hard. She slid her arms around his shoulders and tugged him as close as he could get with one hand caught between them. His mouth trailed away from her lips to leave a line of light kisses across her cheek, over the vein throbbing in her throat, behind her ear. She gasped a touch too loudly when his teeth grazed her flesh, prompting his hand to halt its motions.
She groaned and hoped like hell that he'd pick back up. His fingers never even twitched. "What have I told you about making too much noise, Miriam?" he asked, his breath hot against her ear.
"I'm sorry," she apologized. "I couldn't help it. It felt good and the gasp just slipped out. It was an accident. I swear it. I'm sorry."
He didn't move, remaining almost as still as a statue against her. The silence ticked by in slow increments, her body screaming loudly for more of what he'd been doing to it. She tried shifting against him, but such an action only earned her a stern look. She had no choice but to subside against the door and hope that he'd take pity on her. After a time, his breath plumed across her ear again. "I'm sorry, what?" It was a prompt.
"I'm sorry, sir."
"Much better," he breathed softly, then his fingers resumed their quest. She closed her eyes, head falling back with no noise against the door while he pressed three digits deeper and deeper into her body.
It didn't take long for his actions to see her nerves strung tight all through her body. Her hips rocked shamelessly against his hand, seeking the release each stroke of his fingers promised her. Tension stretched and pulled through her, saw her breaths coming into her lungs in short, sharp gasps. Saw her hands gripping at the smooth material of his coat.
There was something wicked and decadent about being hidden in a closet when there were a few hundred people just a short distance up the hall who might discover them. She never got tired of playing this game, though it was usually in an area where less people were likely to discover them. Sometimes she wondered what would happen if someone actually did catch them. Most of the time, though, she basked in the wantonness of their behavior.
Pleasure blossomed under his touch, crept along her nerves to twine with the tension and ratchet everything inside of her up higher. Her need and desire grew. The pleasure and the tension slid through her to consume her and she felt the sharp edge of fulfillment inching closer. "Oh, God. Yes. Just like that. Please," she whimpered, hips thrusting into his hands so that his fingers stroked as deep as they could go.
"Please, what?" His voice was in her ear, reminding her when the reckless sensations coursing through her had seen her forgetting again. He took pleasure in this aspect of their relationship. She knew that. She could sense that it hovering around him as he waited for her to respond. As with the last time, his hand had stilled and she was left feeling bereft once again.
"Please, sir," she begged in a harsh whisper. His chuckle was a soft sound that stirred the air beside her ear. Then his fingers pressed deeper and his thumb found her clit. A few expert strokes saw her body shattering into shards of prismatic rainbows. Those few muscles that had been enticed and aroused by his hand clutched at his fingers while the rest of her shuddered and shook against him. Her fingers clutched at his coat harder than before while she dragged air into her lungs. She rested hr head on his shoulder. "God... That... Wow."
"I see I've left you speechless once again, Miriam." His lips quirked up in a smile. He stepped back before she was ready to let him go, the hand that had been planted against the door carefully drawing the length of her skirt to the floor once again. Miri shook her head at him before glancing down to ensure that her dress had come through the encounter unscathed.
The white silk, patterned with large black flowers and leaves, hung without a single wrinkle or crease except for those few between her breasts where the material had been gathered by the designer. When they'd first stepped into the room, they'd debated whether or not she should take the gown off, but finally decided against it. His hands had made a few forays under the sweetheart bust line to pay attention to her breasts, but that was it. She hadn't gotten undressed at all. Neither had he.
She almost wished for a mirror to ensure that everything looked okay, but there wasn't one in the room and she didn't want to risk heading to the bathroom and getting caught by anyone. No one knew of their relationship and she preferred to keep it that way. Things could get sticky for them both if news of their physical encounters got out. She had to rely on his judgement so she turned a three sixty before him. His eyes sparked with something, perhaps a mischievous comment, but he only smiled and nodded his head. "You look as lovely as you did when you first stepped in here."
Miri let her gaze rake his frame, stopping at his crotch. Any tell tale sign of his needs were hidden behind the full cut of his trousers and coat. She offered him a pout. "Damn it, Phil. I don't like leaving you in the lurch," she told him.
"We can pick this up again later, Miriam. Once the party is over. We can go back to your apartment. Or we can go back to my apartment. Or we can rent a hotel room and use room service all night. The choice is yours." He smiled at her, a soft look that he saved only for her.
She sighed. "Later is far too long."
"People will miss us if we leave now. I personally don't want your partner to discover our private pleasure just yet. The teasing would be merciless and never ending. I don't think the weight room or any of the other agents will survive another fit of her temper."
Miri smiled at him. "If you'd kept her away from the garage and her tools, Pierson wouldn't have gotten clocked upside the head for making an ill timed comment about her ass."
"That's my point. His jaw is still wired shut. The paper work on that incident kept me busy for a week." There was humor in his tone, despite the fact that he wasn't joking. Pierson had deserved it. If he hadn't made such a sexist comment...
"Alex apologized." Sort of. She'd said she was sorry that Pierson was an egotistical prick who hadn't had his balls removed at birth. But she'd still apologized. She'd claimed the month long suspension had been worth it.
Phil rolled his eyes but said no more. Instead, he made sure to straighten his clothes and his hair, then he leaned in and pressed another demanding kiss to Miri's lips. She smiled at him when he pulled back. "I think its time we rejoined the party," he told her, then motioned for the door. "Shall we?"
There was no one in the hall when they stepped out of the tiny utility closet. Miri put distance between Phil and herself. If anyone happened upon them, they'd look like they were simply walking up the hall at the same time. She was still awash in the afterglow of her orgasm, her limbs pleasantly light and loose. Completely at ease.
And totally not expecting the shift that rocked through her.
One moment, she was pleased and almost floating. The next second, it felt as if something indistinct poured into her. She blinked, stumbling on her feet, and felt Phil's hand on her arm, steadying her. "Agent Grant? Are you alright?" he asked in his soft voice.
She stared at him a second as realization washed through her. Then she gave a nod and righted herself on her heels. "Of course, Agent Coulson. I'm just fine. Thank you for your concern."
The look on his face suggested he didn't believe her, and he might have asked her more. But they stepped into the main room then and she found that she was surrounded by women in every color under the sun and men who wore fine tuxedos in simple black and white. She let her gaze slide around the room, picking out the familiar faces.
Tony. Steve. Thor. Clint. Natasha. Nick Fury. She was sure that a few other familiar faces were in the crowd, too. But she couldn't find them. Not just yet. Not that she didn't think she would. They'd come to her or she'd go to them. It was always the same. For now... "Excuse me, Agent Coulson. I feel in need of a drink."
He nodded and headed toward where Fury stood in a darkened corner. Plastering a fake smile on her face, she turned and made her way to the bar. She needed a drink? Well, wasn't that the fucking understatement of the year?
~*~*~*~*~
Alex sighed and signaled the bartender for another rum and Coke. She hated functions like this. Hated them with a passion. They were almost always painfully boring and she was expected to behave herself. She'd rather be in the garage, covered in the oil out of a fifty three Chevy, than stand around at one of these things. But she and her partner had been invited and she'd been told that she was expected to attend. She'd been told point blank that she wouldn't be excused unless she was dead and buried.
It wouldn't have been so bad except that her partner was missing in action. Alex shook her head and wondered where in the hell Miri had gotten to. It had been no fun trying to get Elsa to go ask Steve out onto the floor for a dance. Though it had been fun to see the woman's face grow hot with a flush when she'd been studying him so intently. Elsa was naive if she thought that her attraction to Rogers wasn't noticeable. But the scientist didn't take to teasing the way most people did, so it had become boring and monotonous. Just like this damned party.
"There you are," Miri's voice cut across Alex's thoughts, pulling her from her own head. The woman had sidled up beside her and was presently sipping at a glass of whisky.
"Yes. Here I am. Where have you been?" she asked, keeping her voice bland and mild.
"Coulson had something he had to talk to me about," she commented absently, eyes skimming the room slowly. Alex watched her for a while before she leaned in and spoke, her voice low and hard to hear over all the other noise around them.
"Looking for the others?" she asked.
Miri turned and blinked at her. Alex just nodded her head and took a drink from her glass. "Happened while I was teasing Elsa about Rogers. I suspect that I was teasing someone we know. I think I saw it the second it happened to her."
"You said others. You think there's more?" Miri questioned. Her gaze had turned to where Elsa stood. Alex nodded again.
"One more. Table. With Thor. She does not fit in with this lot at all." One hand lifted to flick toward the table she'd mentioned. Miri's gaze slid that way and took in the woman there.
"I think you're right." Sighing, she shook her head. "We're getting to be old hands at this, aren't we?"
"Frighteningly old," Alex commented. Miri nodded in agreement. "We're going to have to round those two up and debrief them, aren't we?"
"Yeah. I think so. We'll go to a diner or something. What do you think?"
"Sounds like as good a place as any." Alex shrugged carelessly, then sipped at her drink some more. She let her gaze skim the room, taking note of all the most important people. Thor was still at the table, speaking with some woman she'd never seen before. Tony was in the corner, deep in conversation with Fury and Coulson. Rogers stood with them, seemingly listening to what they were saying.
Natasha was in a corner with Pepper, the two of them talking in what appeared to be a candid manner. There were a few others that she recognized, but she didn't have time to put names to faces. Because a moment later, another familiar face approached them and it took everything she had not to roll her eyes. "Ladies," Clint Barton said as he stopped before them. "Don't you both look gorgeous this evening?"
Miri had helped Alex pick out the gown she'd worn and she'd said the same thing. It was a strapless number in a deep wine color that really set off the green of her eyes and the darkness of her hair. The bust was done in a faint sweetheart neckline and the material was ruched. Scrolling vine work of filigreed applique wrapped around her waist, starting under the bust on the left side to slowly work its way up under the arm on the right. It sat high on the waist on the left, then dipped down over her hip on the right to give it an asymmetrical line on both the bust and the skirt. Said skirt flowed in soft waves to her feet, making her legs look long behind their sheath of flowing material.
"Flattery will get you no where, Mr. Barton. Thank you for stopping by. Go ahead. You can leave now. Go on." Alex made a shooing motion with her hand. He gave her a look, then shook his head and turned to wander away. But he didn't go far. A few feet from them, he stopped and turned to offer them both a smile. One hand lifted his glass in salute. Alex made a disgusted noise in the back of her throat.
"I think he likes you," Miri told her, a grin in her voice as well as on her lips.
"I could kill him with an olive and I'd be happy," Alex replied and tossed back the rest of her drink. Miri choked on that, then turned wide eyes Alex's way.
"The olive? Really? Not the toothpick because that would be too easy?"
Alex shook her head and turned to motion to the bartender for another. He hurried to fill her order while she answered her partner. "No. The olive. Because I hate those fucking things. I'll shove the toothpick into his testicle before letting him have the olive, though. Will that make you happy?"
Miri gave her a rueful look, then laughed. "You are a national treasure. You know that, right?"
"And I love you, too, Miri. Can I leave now?"
"You are free to go. And you can explain it to both Director Fury and Agent Coulson in the morning. Because you know they'll want to know why you left the fundraiser so early."
"Crap on toast," Alex muttered. She noticed Barton still looking at them and managed something that she thought came out as a sneer. "I think he likes you, actually."
"He's not really my type, Alex. You know that."
"Right. Not your type. That's a good one." Sighing, Alex retrieved her fresh drink from the bar and offered the bartender a smile of thanks. Then she sipped at it and pondered over what she knew. They were going to have to talk and they were going to have to do it soon. No doubt they'd all figured out that something had happened to them. And they all probably had a good idea of just where they were. But there were things to work out, as there always were. They'd need to do it some place private, though. The party was a bad idea. And any of their apartments were likely a bad idea. She and Miri spent plenty of time together, but they didn't associate with Elsa outside of her lab that much and she didn't even know the name of the other woman.
"We need to spend a fair amount of time here, Alex. If we leave early, it might raise suspicions. You know how that will look."
"Why are we even at this fundraiser? Its boring as all fuck."
"Your mother would wash your mouth out with soap if she knew you were using such language," Miri teased.
"Its a damned good thing you aren't going to tell her, are you? Because you know if you show up at her door, she's going to make you go to church with her and Dad. I can still remember what happened the last time you went with them."
"Is it my fault that the blood of Christ was some cheap, two dollar a bottle wine that tasted like someone pissed in it?"
"No. But did you have to say it in front of Mom and Dad?" Alex rolled her eyes.
"Well, it was kind of funny to see your parents try not to have fits," Miri teased.
"You're hopeless. I can't take you anywhere."
"Ditto. Or need I remind you of Rob Farley's retirement party?" Miri said in return.
"Rob Farley was a dick and he deserved what he got," Alex snorted.
"You gave him a cobra. The snake struck at the glass and he nearly had a coronary."
Alex shot her a grin. "He shit his pants, too. That was classic." Miri snorted and shook her head. But she was laughing. It had been classic.
Her gaze slid back across the room to find that Stark was no longer talking to Coulson and Fury. In fact, Fury was heading for the door while Coulson was going in the opposite direction. Alex nudged Miri and pointed toward the Director as he slipped out the door. "The big man is gone. What say we round up the kiddies and get this show on the road?"
"It would probably be for the best," Miri said, glancing around the room. "The sooner we can get this started, the sooner we can get this done."
"Right. How about I grab smarty britches and you can go get Thor's newest playmate. We'll meet outside at the car. There should be room for all of us." Alex motioned to the table where the Norse god and his partner sat, still speaking to one another. Miri nodded and started across the floor. Alex headed toward Elsa. Tonight was going to be long and boring. Just the way to cap off a long and boring party.
Barton was still standing there, staring at her. She brushed past him, intentionally knocking his arm with her own. "What are you looking at?" she asked him and went on without waiting for an answer. Fucking weird as shit.
"Have a great night," he called when she was a few feet away. Alex stopped and swung around to stare at him. He lifted his glass in a salute, then took a drink and wandered off into the crowd. Muttering to herself, she returned to collecting Elsa.
Fucking S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. They were all as fucking loony as could be. She should know. She slipped up between Elsa and the man she was speaking to, one hand catching the woman's arm. "Elsa. Come on. We have to go. Before his eyes glaze over."
"But I was telling him about the human genome and how it pertained to--" Alex faked a yawn.
"That's boring shit. We have more important things to talk about. Like catching a virus." Before Elsa could argue further, Alex tugged the woman into motion and caught sight of Miri doing the same with Thor's companion.
Yippee fucking skippy. She got to do this shit again.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2011-10-05 03:57 am (UTC)Poor dude with the cobra...LOL
LOVE it hon, love it!!! Kudos!!
*giggles wildly*
(no subject)
Date: 2011-10-05 04:12 am (UTC)seriously. i'm glad you enjoyed.
(no subject)
Date: 2011-10-05 04:08 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-10-05 04:16 am (UTC)i've got a feeling that the girls will be fun as we get further into the story. you should see the ideas in my head for Alex and her family.
we'll see what happens and when it happens. again. glad you enjoyed.
(no subject)
Date: 2011-10-05 04:08 am (UTC)Also... all I'm going to say is... nice reveal. ;)
Can't wait for this conversation to start. Girl, I am SO EXCITED! :D :D :D Great work!
(no subject)
Date: 2011-10-05 04:19 am (UTC)i hope i did okay with the reveal. honestly. i was kind of worried.
we'll see what happens with that conversation. but that can wait for another day.
glad you enjoyed
oh boy...
Date: 2011-10-07 05:52 am (UTC)it's a great beginning for this idea, and i'm looking forward to finding out what happens next . . . especially about this 'feeling' that connects these four women.
i salaam at the feet of the mistress
Re: oh boy...
Date: 2011-10-07 06:09 am (UTC)the ladies are always interesting. always. cos that's the way we Sues roll, baby.
no need to salaam. i just write to get the bunnies out of my head. cos they're evil and all. and because when an idea like this comes up, a few of us get all silly and goofy about it. Daz is as much responsible for this as i am, so... yeah. but i'm pleased you enjoyed it