Finally, the day I was working myself overtime for had arrived. The dresses were stitched, the tuxes pressed, the accessories detailed to perfection. And now, I was the one stepping out as the final product. Wearing a sleek, black gown with just the right amount of drama. Confidence radiated from my posture, though I knew otherwise.
CJ drove us toward Avengers Tower, tapping his fingers on the wheel to the beat of some upbeat funk-pop hybrid on the radio. He was humming, completely unbothered, while I sat in the passenger seat, chewing my bottom lip into oblivion.
"I'm really nervous," I blurted, fingers tightening around my clutch like it owed me money.
CJ glanced at me, one eyebrow raised. "What for? You look like a million bucks."
I slumped back against the seat, exhaling dramatically. "It's not about the dress. It's the whole... 'meeting-a-bunch-of-superheroes' thing. The Avengers, CJ. They save the world for breakfast."
CJ smirked. "And you make the world better dressed for dinner. You're the Y/N. You don't get nervous over things like this."
I managed a small smile. "Yeah... I don't, do I?"
He finally looked at me and winked. "Never in a million years."
When we reached Avengers Tower, there were already a few high-profile guests and familiar faces from the press hovering near the entrance. I leaned over, kissed CJ on the cheek, and gave him a small, grateful smile.
"Thanks. Seriously."
He smirked. "Go knock 'em dead, superstar."
I stepped into the gleaming lobby and made my way to the private elevator, heart racing. The reflective metal doors closed behind me, and I took one last look at my reflection. Strong, composed, and slightly terrified.
The elevator dinged open, and there she was.
Red hair, sharp eyes, deadly grace wrapped in satin: Natasha Romanoff, wearing the custom dress I had made for her. Seeing my design move with her so effortlessly made me smile.
"You're Natasha, I presume?" I said as I stepped out, offering my hand.
She smiled warmly, shaking it. "Yes, and you're the artist behind this little masterpiece, I'm guessing."
"Bingo. And might I say, you look absolutely incredible in it. Better than I imagined."
Natasha raised an eyebrow. "You're good at this whole charm thing."
I shrugged. "It comes with the job."
"Well, you've got a gift. You made this feel like a second skin."
"That's the dream," I grinned. "Wanna grab a drink?"
"I thought you'd never ask."
We made our way toward the bar, already falling into an easy rhythm. There was something oddly comforting about Natasha. Maybe it was her calm, maybe it was the fact that she could kill me with a spoon and still look polite doing it.
"I'll have two whiskey shots," Nat told the bartender.
I raised an impressed brow. "You just made my heart grow three sizes."
"You saying we're best friends now?"
"I'm saying I already have matching bracelets picked out."
She chuckled. "So, what's going on with you and Tony?" she asked, a mischievous glint in her eye.
I nearly choked on my drink. "Oh lord. What have you heard?"
"Enough," she replied with a smirk.
I rolled my eyes. "It's nothing, honestly."
"Mhm. He's been staring at you since you got here. Not subtly, by the way."
I froze. "He's what? Where?" I tried looking without looking, which of course meant I looked like a confused tourist.
Natasha tilted her glass toward the far side of the room. My heart sank to the bottom of my stomach when I saw Tony casually leaning against the wall, drink in hand, eyes locked on me.
Before I could say anything, Natasha gave me a knowing look. "I'll leave you two lovebirds alone," Natasha whispered, giving me a wink as she walked away.
"Hey," he said, almost too soft for the occasion.
"Hey," I replied, smiling in spite of myself.
"You look... Incredible."
"So do you." I meant it. He wore my suit like it had been born on him, tailored perfection with just the right edge.
"Come on. The team's in the other room. You should meet the ones you haven't already. They're waiting for you."
He offered his hand. I took it, heart thudding. His other hand rested lightly at my waist as we walked, and I had to fight the grin threatening to stretch across my face like an idiot.
The next room was filled with laughter and half-eaten appetizers. Steve, Bruce, Pepper, Rhodey, and Clint were mid-conversation when Tony cleared his throat and clinked his glass.
"Alright everyone, shut up and look pretty. This is Y/N, the brilliant designer who made you all slightly more tolerable to look at tonight. Applause is expected."
Laughter broke out. I mock-bowed. "Thank you, thank you. I accept compliments and expensive chocolates."
One of the guys came up to me "I'm not a fashion guy, but even I know this looks good. You did magic."
"You're Clint, right?"
"That's me. The charming one."
"I'll pretend I didn't hear Tony call dibs on that title." I winked.
Suddenly, two large hands grabbed my shoulders and spun me into a bear hug. "You've outdone yourself! I look magnificent!"
Thor grinned like we were long-lost besties.
"Thank you! You're pulling it off gloriously."
Rhodey gave me a warm nod. "I've worked with a lot of stylists, but none of them ever made me feel this cool."
"Well, I'll add 'fashion therapist' to my resume."
Bruce smiled shyly. "Mine has stretch panels. You even thought of that."
I gave him a knowing wink. "You're not the only genius in the room, Doctor."
By now, I was practically floating. Every person at that table was a titan in their own field, yet here they were, welcoming, funny, and so so kind.
The night rolled on with drinks, laughter, and shared stories. At one point, we all ganged up on Steve and Clint for being the "least chaotic" members of the group like it was a cardinal sin.
Tony kept stealing glances my way, and I embarrassingly kept catching myself smiling like a teenager at prom.
But what caught me most by surprise wasn't the fame or the praise. It was the warmth. These people had battled gods and monsters, yet somehow still managed to feel like old friends at a dinner party.
I felt... included.
For the first time in a long time, I wasn't just the designer behind the curtain.
I was part of something bigger.