Never Stop Running 1/? - Runaways/Avengers Academy - PG-13
Title: Never stop running 1/?
Author: candyflosskillr
Fandom: Runaways/Avengers Academy
Characters/Pairing: See fandom
Rating/Warning: PG-13, none
Wordcount: 1290ish
Summary: Chase is still missing, it's not something they can runaway from
Author's note: Unbeta-ed, I apologise for any spelling mistakes. Part one of a birthday fic for fullmetal_cute
Disclaimer: I neither own nor profit from the use of these characters.
**~**
The kitchen was quiet, he liked it that way. The coffee maker was still hot and didn't look too over-brewed, a promising start. At least the students were on a field trip with Tigra and Quicksilver, so he could recover in peace and quiet. Coffee, food then bed, he decided. Vance pulled the huge refrigerator door open and checked the shelves for potential snacks.
A box dominated the entire space. Donuts. And a note with Pietro's scrawling script offering a fast and painful death to any donut thieves. He contemplated death for a moment, it seemed almost worth it the way he was feeling. His hand hovered over a cruller.
"Meh," he muttered. He wasn't in the mood for them anyway. A small hand reached past him and snagged one with chocolate frosting and sprinkles.
"Oooo, donuts!"
Looking sideways and down, the girl standing next to him looked back up with a large chocolate rimmed smile. He blinked, she was wearing a fox hat on her head with long trailing ties, covering un-brushed hair. He blinked again, one eyebrow rising in query. She pointed behind him.
A Goth girl stood, arms crossed, waiting. "I'm Sister Grimm. We're here to parley." She wasn't alone, three others stood beside her. "That's Lucy in the Sky." She pointed at a slender blonde girl. "And... what do you want to be called today?" she asked the only boy in the small group.
"I told you already, Sister Grimm."
She sighed, the recognisable sigh that only leaders of teams could produce with such weary authenticity. "Fine. Kid Ultron."
The boy looked thoughtful. "Actually sounded better in my head."
The donut muncher said, with her mouth full, pointing at the youngest girl, "She hasn't picked her codename yet. I'm Princess Powerful."
"Bruiser," added the boy, avoiding the punch aimed at him but her knuckles glanced off his arm and he made a pained noise, clutching at the wounded flesh.
"Am not!" she replied loudly. “You okay, you look kinda green. Are you the Hulk?”
“He’s not the Hulk,” said Sister Grimm. “Right?”
The all night drinking session with Nova and Speedball the night before was taking it's toll on Vance's head, beating a monotonous count on his skull, his brain pulsating in a sickening counterbeat. "Coffee first," he croaked, coughing. "Talking second. Quiet now."
"Rose Red," whispered the girl.
"Since when?" asked Bruiser, looking at her.
It was far too early for this shit he decided, pouring three cups of coffee in quick succession and drinking them all down. "Not enough coffee in the world," he said blearily. "Okay. Who are you? How did you get in here? What do you mean parley?"
Robbie walked through the door carrying his cat, looking like death warmed up, which was moderately better than Vance was feeling. He looked at the scene in the kitchen and turned around, walking straight back out before the door had even swung shut.
"I'll remember that!" said Vance after him.
"Rude," whispered Rose Red, edging closer to the box of donuts.
"Hungover," said the boy, grinning.
"Not the only one," murmured Vance, sighing. He dialled up the intercom, linking to Giant Man's lab. "Hank?" The sound of soft snoring came back. "HANK!"
A snort and then, "Vance, why are you shouting and what the hell time is it?"
"It's too fu-" He looked at the younger girls. "Too damn early o'clock and we have visitors. In the kitchen. They got past your impregnable security." Vance yawned, the three cups of coffee were working hard to keep his eyes open and that was all they were doing.
"Coffee first," said Hank, walking past, finger raised as Sister Grimm opened her mouth to speak. When he‘d poured himself a cup, he turned back to her. "Alright. Now, how did you get in here?"
Bruiser raised her hand enthusiastically, jumping up and down, "Ooo, pick me, I know!"
"Magic," replied Sister Grimm, weathering the glare from Bruiser.
Hank looked like he'd swallowed a bug. "Magic? I didn't plan for magic in the specs?"
"Should've," said Bruiser, inhaling another donut. Rose Red was still nibbling at hers.
"Parley," reminded Vance, his eyes half closed as he snoozed on his feet. On any other day, this would've been interesting.
Sister Grimm glanced at him. "Right. Parley."
"Parley..." said Hank thoughtfully. "I have to ask, who the hell are you?"
The girl tutted. "We're the Pride's kids."
"They were bad guys, we're not though. He's Ultron's kid. She's... complicated, it‘s a timey wimey thing," added Bruiser, pointing at her companions again in turn. "I'm hungry. Is donuts all you have? I need some cereal or something." She began opening the cupboards she could reach.
Vance looked at Hank. "Ultron has more offspring?" His mouth was twisting into a smile. "Grandpa?"
"Not that I'm aware of..." He looked at the boy closer. "Which...?"
"Ultron," said the boy helpfully.
Hank blinked. "Yes, but which Ultron?"
"Ultron."
"Yes, but which version?" Hank looked like a headache had sprung up behind his eye, the lid twitching, and he was furiously rubbing his temple.
"There's more than one?"
A delicate cough interrupted them. "Can you talk about that after you've helped us find our friend," said Lucy in the Sky. The blonde girl had been quiet the entire time. "He's missing and we can't find his Uncle, he's fallen off the grid too. So typical of adults not to be there when you actually need them. The last place Talkback was seen was County General, no one there will talk to us because we're not family." Her expression was one of genuine concern. "We only came here because Vision said Mr Pym was here."
"Doctor," said Hank. "You talked to Vision?"
"He's kinda like an older brother... uncle," said the boy, confused. "He told us you'd help."
"Talkback," repeated Vance, dragging himself back into the conversation, pouring what was left in the coffee pot into his mug and nursing it. "He was a patient?"
Lucy nodded, her eyes rimmed in red. Actually, he noticed all of them looked... emotionally fragile, if he had to put a label to it.
"Well..." Hank looked at them. "I need time to think about all of this..."
"I need time to sleep," muttered Vance to himself. "But I'll make some calls, see if The Order can break through the bureaucratic bull..." He eyed Bruiser and Red again. "Pucky. I'll need his name. His real name."
The older teenagers looked at each other uncomfortably then Sister Grimm said, "Chase Stein."
"I still need food," said Bruiser, she licked the last of the frosting off her lips. The box was empty. "More food."
"I'll have Jocasta arrange rooms for you," Hank continued on as if no one had interrupted. "And something to eat."
"Jocasta? She's like my Aunt right?"
"I'm not..." said Hank. "More like a half-sister." His face took on a weary expression. "Do you have a name, new grandson?"
"Victor."
"You weren't supposed to tell them your name!" said Sister Grimm, she seemed angry and on the verge of saying more.
"He's my grandfather!" said Victor.
"No. He's not!"
"Ooookay, everyone is getting a little loud," said Vance, holding his head. "Let's use our inside voices please."
The door opened and the robot woman, Jocasta, appeared. "It appears we have unexpected guests, Henry."
"Yes. They'll be staying. Please, can you arrange quarters and some food, whatever they require," he replied. "Schedule an all staff meeting when everyone is back and block some time later today to work on repelling magical incursions into the mansion. See if Stephen Strange is available." He was back to looking like he'd swallowed a bug. "I think I hate magic."
End of part one.
**~**
♥
Author: candyflosskillr
Fandom: Runaways/Avengers Academy
Characters/Pairing: See fandom
Rating/Warning: PG-13, none
Wordcount: 1290ish
Summary: Chase is still missing, it's not something they can runaway from
Author's note: Unbeta-ed, I apologise for any spelling mistakes. Part one of a birthday fic for fullmetal_cute
Disclaimer: I neither own nor profit from the use of these characters.
**~**
The kitchen was quiet, he liked it that way. The coffee maker was still hot and didn't look too over-brewed, a promising start. At least the students were on a field trip with Tigra and Quicksilver, so he could recover in peace and quiet. Coffee, food then bed, he decided. Vance pulled the huge refrigerator door open and checked the shelves for potential snacks.
A box dominated the entire space. Donuts. And a note with Pietro's scrawling script offering a fast and painful death to any donut thieves. He contemplated death for a moment, it seemed almost worth it the way he was feeling. His hand hovered over a cruller.
"Meh," he muttered. He wasn't in the mood for them anyway. A small hand reached past him and snagged one with chocolate frosting and sprinkles.
"Oooo, donuts!"
Looking sideways and down, the girl standing next to him looked back up with a large chocolate rimmed smile. He blinked, she was wearing a fox hat on her head with long trailing ties, covering un-brushed hair. He blinked again, one eyebrow rising in query. She pointed behind him.
A Goth girl stood, arms crossed, waiting. "I'm Sister Grimm. We're here to parley." She wasn't alone, three others stood beside her. "That's Lucy in the Sky." She pointed at a slender blonde girl. "And... what do you want to be called today?" she asked the only boy in the small group.
"I told you already, Sister Grimm."
She sighed, the recognisable sigh that only leaders of teams could produce with such weary authenticity. "Fine. Kid Ultron."
The boy looked thoughtful. "Actually sounded better in my head."
The donut muncher said, with her mouth full, pointing at the youngest girl, "She hasn't picked her codename yet. I'm Princess Powerful."
"Bruiser," added the boy, avoiding the punch aimed at him but her knuckles glanced off his arm and he made a pained noise, clutching at the wounded flesh.
"Am not!" she replied loudly. “You okay, you look kinda green. Are you the Hulk?”
“He’s not the Hulk,” said Sister Grimm. “Right?”
The all night drinking session with Nova and Speedball the night before was taking it's toll on Vance's head, beating a monotonous count on his skull, his brain pulsating in a sickening counterbeat. "Coffee first," he croaked, coughing. "Talking second. Quiet now."
"Rose Red," whispered the girl.
"Since when?" asked Bruiser, looking at her.
It was far too early for this shit he decided, pouring three cups of coffee in quick succession and drinking them all down. "Not enough coffee in the world," he said blearily. "Okay. Who are you? How did you get in here? What do you mean parley?"
Robbie walked through the door carrying his cat, looking like death warmed up, which was moderately better than Vance was feeling. He looked at the scene in the kitchen and turned around, walking straight back out before the door had even swung shut.
"I'll remember that!" said Vance after him.
"Rude," whispered Rose Red, edging closer to the box of donuts.
"Hungover," said the boy, grinning.
"Not the only one," murmured Vance, sighing. He dialled up the intercom, linking to Giant Man's lab. "Hank?" The sound of soft snoring came back. "HANK!"
A snort and then, "Vance, why are you shouting and what the hell time is it?"
"It's too fu-" He looked at the younger girls. "Too damn early o'clock and we have visitors. In the kitchen. They got past your impregnable security." Vance yawned, the three cups of coffee were working hard to keep his eyes open and that was all they were doing.
"Coffee first," said Hank, walking past, finger raised as Sister Grimm opened her mouth to speak. When he‘d poured himself a cup, he turned back to her. "Alright. Now, how did you get in here?"
Bruiser raised her hand enthusiastically, jumping up and down, "Ooo, pick me, I know!"
"Magic," replied Sister Grimm, weathering the glare from Bruiser.
Hank looked like he'd swallowed a bug. "Magic? I didn't plan for magic in the specs?"
"Should've," said Bruiser, inhaling another donut. Rose Red was still nibbling at hers.
"Parley," reminded Vance, his eyes half closed as he snoozed on his feet. On any other day, this would've been interesting.
Sister Grimm glanced at him. "Right. Parley."
"Parley..." said Hank thoughtfully. "I have to ask, who the hell are you?"
The girl tutted. "We're the Pride's kids."
"They were bad guys, we're not though. He's Ultron's kid. She's... complicated, it‘s a timey wimey thing," added Bruiser, pointing at her companions again in turn. "I'm hungry. Is donuts all you have? I need some cereal or something." She began opening the cupboards she could reach.
Vance looked at Hank. "Ultron has more offspring?" His mouth was twisting into a smile. "Grandpa?"
"Not that I'm aware of..." He looked at the boy closer. "Which...?"
"Ultron," said the boy helpfully.
Hank blinked. "Yes, but which Ultron?"
"Ultron."
"Yes, but which version?" Hank looked like a headache had sprung up behind his eye, the lid twitching, and he was furiously rubbing his temple.
"There's more than one?"
A delicate cough interrupted them. "Can you talk about that after you've helped us find our friend," said Lucy in the Sky. The blonde girl had been quiet the entire time. "He's missing and we can't find his Uncle, he's fallen off the grid too. So typical of adults not to be there when you actually need them. The last place Talkback was seen was County General, no one there will talk to us because we're not family." Her expression was one of genuine concern. "We only came here because Vision said Mr Pym was here."
"Doctor," said Hank. "You talked to Vision?"
"He's kinda like an older brother... uncle," said the boy, confused. "He told us you'd help."
"Talkback," repeated Vance, dragging himself back into the conversation, pouring what was left in the coffee pot into his mug and nursing it. "He was a patient?"
Lucy nodded, her eyes rimmed in red. Actually, he noticed all of them looked... emotionally fragile, if he had to put a label to it.
"Well..." Hank looked at them. "I need time to think about all of this..."
"I need time to sleep," muttered Vance to himself. "But I'll make some calls, see if The Order can break through the bureaucratic bull..." He eyed Bruiser and Red again. "Pucky. I'll need his name. His real name."
The older teenagers looked at each other uncomfortably then Sister Grimm said, "Chase Stein."
"I still need food," said Bruiser, she licked the last of the frosting off her lips. The box was empty. "More food."
"I'll have Jocasta arrange rooms for you," Hank continued on as if no one had interrupted. "And something to eat."
"Jocasta? She's like my Aunt right?"
"I'm not..." said Hank. "More like a half-sister." His face took on a weary expression. "Do you have a name, new grandson?"
"Victor."
"You weren't supposed to tell them your name!" said Sister Grimm, she seemed angry and on the verge of saying more.
"He's my grandfather!" said Victor.
"No. He's not!"
"Ooookay, everyone is getting a little loud," said Vance, holding his head. "Let's use our inside voices please."
The door opened and the robot woman, Jocasta, appeared. "It appears we have unexpected guests, Henry."
"Yes. They'll be staying. Please, can you arrange quarters and some food, whatever they require," he replied. "Schedule an all staff meeting when everyone is back and block some time later today to work on repelling magical incursions into the mansion. See if Stephen Strange is available." He was back to looking like he'd swallowed a bug. "I think I hate magic."
End of part one.
**~**
♥