Christmas

[lt_legacy]

The Bradley household is actually somewhat quiet this year. Darius and his partner are here. Joshia called earlier from his work in Africa and Eli's mother called from Scottsdale. Most of the cousins and grandbabies are elsewhere. Faith is still cooking for the small army she's used to feeding though. Leftovers will go to the Church supper in

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[truths_justice]

He rarely ever visits.

He almost never visits on holidays.

He never stays long when he does stop by.

He can't. If they realize that he's part of the family and not just a friend of it, he is in danger, as are they.

But tonight, the muslim can spare ten minutes to watch a christmas special along side his father.

[lt_legacy]

"I'll get it!"

His face falls just a little.

"Eid Saeed," he tries not to deadpan to his uncle. He knows it's not exactly the right holiday, he's not sure he's mispronouncing it right, and frankly he does not care. He steps aside to let him in. "Thought you were in Africa this year."

[truths_justice]

There are no warm hugs between them. "Happy Halloween," is the deadpanned retort. He stepped inside with minimal acknowledgment towards Eli.

"You wasted a thought." He doubts that's the first time that happened.

[lt_legacy]

Would you know what one looked like? He bite down on that one hard. Grandma and Kate are in hearing range...but, oh, Josiah is going to just love the whole "uptown white girl being a guest," thing.

"Would you prefer, 'Happy Kwanzaa?'" He follows him to the kitchen.

[marvel_yafamily]

He came in, and when she saw him, the very first thing she did was set the egg-timer.

She had to. Otherwise they got carried away with visiting, and it wasn't safe. Safer now, perhaps, with Eli under the Avengers' protection, but they'd clamped down on any reports going out. Isiah'd donated blood, Eli had healed quickly. It was a miracle. That was that.

After setting the time, she went over to him, making a low "Oooooh" noise, and pulling him into an embrace. It was a quiet, contained sort of joy. Quiet, but her eyes were a little watery. It was so rare that they saw him and it was never long enough, but it had to be that way.

"It's been far too long."

[truths_justice]

A bittersweet greeting from his mother, as he would like to be around more often. But seeing her still brings a smile to his face.

He placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

"Its good to see you, mother."

[lt_legacy]

Eli is not thrilled with the egg timer. It needed to go. So did this "Josiah X," crap. The name was "Bradley." It was handed down through generations of this family and this guy acted like he was too good for it. Secrecy was a weapon of those who wanted this family in the shadows and to be marginalized.

He crosses the kitchen to make himself useful, with a warning glance to Kate as he walked by.

[no_not_hawkeye]

"What's going on?" Kate asked softly, staying in the kitchen. The smell of food here was starting to be overwhelming. It would be good when they started eating.

It was hard not to see some of the tension here. "That's your uncle, right?"

[truths_justice]

He was a minister in a masque in "Little Mogadishu", one of the most crime ridden sectors in all of Brooklyn. He was used to being around hardheaded, attitudinal young black men.

Conversely, he lived in Princeton Walk, one of the most affluent neighborhoods in the city. He was used to being around spoiled little white girls.

He was not used to those being in the same place like this. His initial reaction is a subdued, yet potent look towards Eli.

A white girl?

"I see you have company," he remarked to Faith. Part of him wondered if that meant the timer was set to five minutes instead of ten.

[lt_legacy]

The look back is of the Oh, go on and try it in front of me and Grandma, Spike Lee variety.

"Kate, this is Joshia X..."

[marvel_yafamily]

There was That Look. You know the one. The quiet, warning 'We are going to have a nice meal and be polite to our guests, as glad as I am to see you' look.

"This lovely young lady is a team-mate of Eli's."

[truths_justice]

That also got a look. "Team-mate...," he quietly repeated. He had hoped that this 'Patriot' he read about in the papers was some other foolish child. No such luck, it appeared. Only a Bradley would be so hardheaded.

That was a matter for another place and time entirely, though. His trips were too short to bother with such foolishness.

But there was still no need to be rude to invited guests.

"Minister Josiah al-hajj Saddiq," he properly introduced himself, even offering to shake her hand.

[no_not_hawkeye]

"Katherine Isabelle Bishop," Kate said, another formal introduction, didn't help that the name was rather well known in New York, "Call me Kate, please," she said with a smile. Her handshake was firm and sure of itself.

She didn't say a word about how his last name was really Bradley. He could call himself what he wanted.

[lt_legacy]

"Yes, teammate," he tries to say this casually while taking his sweet time fishing a couple of serving spoons from the drawer. It's not like they agree on much fundamentally anyway. He could look down on him all he damn wanted, but Kate? Nuh, uh. "And one of the strongest, most competent, dedicated people out there that I know anywhere." His eyes remain on the spread on the table. "Green beans have ham hock added if you're staying."

[truths_justice]

"Mmmhmm," was all he said to Eli's defense of Kate.

"I won't be staying long, I'm afraid." He could hear the timer ticking away in the kitchen.

He nodded towards Kate. "A pleasure. Now, if you'll excuse me...", there was someone else he'd like to spend a few moments with

[marvel_yafamily]

"There's some roast lamb there, that should be fine if you want to grab a bite to eat, and while you're at it, get Isaiah ready for dinner, will you? It'll be ready in just a few minutes."