Chapter Text
Okay, so maybe crashing into my dad's meeting wasn't the best idea. Why? Oh, I don't know, maybe the fact I'm stuck in a conference room? Not for long, though, he just abandoned the boring meeting I crashed to add flavor to. And he's heading my way with a frown… dear lord, I have to buckle up for this one.
"Sofia, what did I tell you about crashing avengers' meetings?"
"Not to?"
"And you did what exactly?"
"Add flavor to your boring meeting?"
He stared at me for a minute, a thinking pout on his lips as he looked my outfit up and down. I chose a fit that screamed "The daughter of Tony Stark" loud and clear.
"Are those my glasses?" He tilted his head to the side, and I can tell he's battling a proud smirk.
"Uhh, yea. Last time I checked, only Tony Stark owns weird, shaded sunglasses." He looked at me skeptically, so I added, "at least in our house."
"Okay fine, your jarvis permissions won't be revoked this time," he said, I smiled cheekily, and he added, "only because you're setting a great example of what it means to be a Stark," with his pointer finger pointed at the outfit and his head tilted down in the slightest.
"Vic-to-ry. Now what did you guys talk about in the meeting?" I had to ask. The room's tension was so thick I'd need a chainsaw to cut through it. "Is it between you and avenger's 4th of July again?"
That little dab at Steve Rogers is the only thing that eased his shoulders and let him sigh and take a seat beside me.
"Menace, you know I love you, and you know I love having you by my side on the field, but Rogers likes to have his bud on the field with him too."
I rolled my eyes and slumped in my chair. I cannot believe TONY STARK is talking to me about BUCKY BARNES. Bucky. The guy who killed my grandparents and my dad hates with his guts.
"Look, I hate him more than you do, but in the leastest of forms, I accept working with him on the field to protect the country I live in. You don't. That's making everyone stress about separations."
"Separations?"
"Next mission is gonna be two by two. One technical and one fighter. Example, me and Rogers. Another one? Nat and Clint. And see, you and Barnes are…" he paused trying to either find a suitable word to describe Barnes without insulting me or to describe me without giving Barnes too much credit.
"Barnes and I aren't suitable, and that's everything there is." I cut him off for the sake of time. I know my father's schedule. He has a meeting with Parker, and I have a meeting with the doctors in my hospital.
"No, Sofia, you're the strongest two we have." He admitted, and this time there was no joke in his tone. No menace, no comebacks, no snickers.
I looked my dad in the eye. There was no way he was having me team up with James Buchanan Barnes. This isn't my father, this is an alien and I refuse to think otherwise.
After a long beat of silence, I chose to speak. "Are you saying we're also compatible?" I assumed he was having a hard time collecting his words, but no. He was a having a hard time having me accept them.
"Sweetheart, I would never want you to be with the guy that killed my parents, but at the same time Sofia, you didn't even know them. I know the feelings you're feeling are because of me, because you want to respect the fact someone in my team killed my parents, but you know what? I'll tell you what, I'm not asking you to befriend him, I'm asking you to make a truce between each other. Glare at each other in the compound but be at each other's backs on the field."
He turned in his chair and turned my chair to hold my hands, "I don’t want this, and I already told you, being part of this family means you're gonna have to sacrifice your peace."
"Are you trying to make me regret being part of the avengers?" I tilted my head, not exactly looking him in the eyes.
"Sofia." I knew what he wanted from me, but it felt wrong.
"Look me in the eyes, there's nothing to be ashamed of." He reached his hand up and took off my — his glasses and put them on the table, then reached for my chin and made me look at him.
"Are you seriously gonna pout on me wearing my glasses and looking like me?" He was picking his playful tone back up.
"Look, it isn't what you wanted, or what I wanted, but the avengers have been sabotaged because of the lack in harmony, or whatever my little pony teaches about friendships, okay? We're tryna prevent that, and we're gonna need a little, teeny, tiny bit of participation from you, okay menace?"
I sighed and nodded. "So how is it gonna work?"
He paused, turned his head to the side and tilted it, as if he was preparing mentally for a blow. "Okay… I'll hold your hands really tight for this."
"Why?"
"My safety."
"Why would you have to protect yourself from me?"
"You and Barnes are gonna live together for two mont-"
"WHAT?! DAD! TWO MONTHS??" I think that was the worst part of it all. Dealing with bucky in the field was no issue, BUT LIVING WITH HIM FOR TWO MONTHS?
"Okay, see? If I wasn't holding your hands, I would be in a chokehold right now." And when I didn't crack up he let go of my hands and stood up. "Look, the harmony needs to be restored in this dysfunctional function of freaks, okay?"
I shook my head. "Being nicer to Barnes on the field is one thing, living with him is another." I stood up and took my glasses off the table. "I'm not doing this. As much as I'd like to play Pinkie Pie and hip-hop into the idea of harmonical family dynamics in this compound, I think I'm happy with Rainbow dash, and with that being said, I need to dash."
"Woah woah woah, dash where?"
"Responsibilities." I said over my shoulder as a pass him, but he holds my wrist and pulls me back in front of him.
"First, you do not walk out on me, I am your father. Two, this is part of your responsibilities, Ms. Dash."
"Well, Ms. Dash says to leave a message after the beep. I'm not doing it dad." I walked passed him and out the conference room. He wasn't gonna follow me. I knew him well enough to know he'd twist my arm into this if he can't convince me.
I ignore Nat and basically everyone as I go down to the lobby. They all agreed to this hell, and I'm not happy with a single one of them. Not a single soul is getting my mercy. Today they'll attempt in convincing me and if they don't, they'll twist my hand into doing this. Whether it is guilt-tripping me or just moving my stuff there regardless of what I say.
I sigh and lean on the handrails behind me. Can I really do this? From what I know, bucky is silent and in his own world. He doesn't do anything crazy or disturb anyone unless he's asked to call them to a meeting or so. It's either he hates people or he hate socializing. I think it might be both.