I walked in, instantly melting from the warmth of the indoors.

The place looked grand as always, and even though it was seven in the morning, there were people bustling about. I walked by the desk, shooting the bleary-eyed secretary, Lisa, a sympathetic smile. When Lisa's look screamed, 'Help me! I've been here for fifteen minutes and am already in need of a third cup of coffee.' I decided the residential floors could wait a few more minutes before being cleaned.

"Good morning, sir, your suit jacket looks freshly pressed." I said to the currently red-faced man who had been yelling at Lisa for her 'incompetence'. (Whether I was mocking this guy, I didn't know, but I had his attention.)

He scanned my casual outfit with distaste. "Do you work here?" His tone was irritating, border line hostile. I clenched my fists and simply nodded. "Then perhaps you nincompoops can finally get the job done when you put your miniscule amount of braincells together."

My eye twitched. Don't insult him. Don't curse his whole family line. Stay polite, you can do this. I took a shaky breath. "Well, why don't you tell me what the problem is."

"I need to meet with your boss." His scowl became all too apparent as he spat the last two words out.

"As I've said, sir, you do not have an appointment." Lisa explained for most likely the hundredth time.

I smiled politely. Don't let your anger out on an innocent civilian—no matter how arrogant, selfish, and incompetent he is. "Look, you don't have an appointment scheduled, you cannot see Mr. Stark."

I leveled the man with my 'street' glare. "Now, here's what's going to happen; you're going to schedule an appointment and come back another time, but before you do that, I'm going to make something very clear to you. If you do not apologize right now to Ms. Lisa—which you have no idea how hard it is to be a secretary, because it's one of the hardest jobs—you will be missing either one or both of your balls. M'kay?"

I raised my brows, waiting for his compliance, and although he didn't look so happy about it, he complied. Satisfied, I turned to head up to the elevator but turned around after only taking a few steps.

"Oh, and before I go, just know that before you go shaming on the secretary and the housemaid of Stark industries, just know that we get paid higher than your—what was it—vacuum manufacturing company does. I hear it's already on its way to bankruptcy. It'd be a shame if all of a sudden, the factory just exploded." And without another word, I continued on my way to the elevator.

_

None of the Avengers were here, as far as I could tell. This may have been a residential floor, but I had yet to run into anyone. Maybe I was avoiding them, maybe not.

I quickly got to work. The dirty dishes in the sink clearly indicated that A. my chicken parmesan was a hit and B. there were indeed people staying here.

I cleaned the kitchen, mopped the floors, and picked up any weapons lying about—which was (at this point) unsurprisingly a shit ton of weapons. If anyone asks, I just took them to the gym, I did not play around with any of them. That vase by the elevator? Nope, never seen one.

Yes, I was immature sometimes, but I was coddled as a young kid. (My mother once let me have a scoop of ice cream after I completed my first mission at the age of nine.)

I pushed the button for the elevator and as soon as the doors opened, I nearly ran straight into someone.

"My apologies, Happy, I should've been paying better attention to whether or not anyone was in the elevator." I said sheepishly, glancing around the weapons meticulously piled in my arms. "I would hate for Tony's personal chauffeur to get stabbed, although it would be a wonderful excuse not to come into work." I laughed.

Happy let out a small laugh. "I'll keep that in mind the next time Tony annoys me so much I want to shove a stick up where the light doesn't shine."

"Well, your personal stabbing assistant reporting for duty!" I said enthusiastically as I stepped inside the elevator, careful not to impale Happy. He was a decent human being; I wasn't going to hurt him. I'm not heartless.

"Can you push the button for the gym?" I asked Happy. "Thanks."

We rode down in silence, but it wasn't awkward. Not like the time in France when I got into that crowded elevator with a severed head. Now, that was interesting.

"Good luck dealing with Tony today." Happy called as I exited the elevator.

"Why?" I turned around in confusion.

Happy rubbed the back of his neck. "He's in a bad mood today. I don't know why, just watch that serpentine tongue of yours when you're around him today."

I gasped dramatically. "'Serpentine tongue' I have absolutely no clue what you're talking about." I feigned innocence.

He waved me off. "It's no big deal but maybe don't humiliate and insult someone at the same time. We don't want the company to get a bad reputation."

"Reputation, smeputation—I don't really care as long as I get paid." I shrugged my shoulders.

Happy rolled his eyes as the elevator doors closed, blocking him from view as he descended all the way down to the lobby. (When I was thirteen, my mother took me to some country that I do not remember the name of, but the elevators there didn't have any doors. Don't ask.)

_

After dutifully cleaning and putting away all the weapons, I picked up whatever stray things lay about. Once that was done, I didn't really have anything to do until I needed to make dinner.

So, upon realizing that the timer for my ED had been going off for about two minutes, I decided heading upstairs for a snack before doing a bit of training was a good idea. (I have a serious eating disorder that my father thinks primarily rooted from training with my mother. Father insisted I keep a very precise meal plan so that I can continue on staying healthy.)

In the kitchen, I found an apple and decided it was good enough. I drank a full glass of water as well. Staying hydrated is more important than eating. After all, I always have more energy after I drink water; it's like a more concentrated flame. It douses me in calmness, taking away the blazing fire constantly trying to break free from my soul.

(I'm just going to break the fourth wall really quick and say that this is zero percent foreshadowing, definitely.)

Heading back into the gym, I went over to the mats for hand-to-hand.

"Hey, Friday, play the playlist made by yours truly and summon some of those AI bot things you did for me last time." I say to the air as I walk out of the elevator. I then pause, and add as an afterthought, "Please and thank you!"

"I got you, RJ." I hear Friday respond assuredly, as I head to a locker room to change into a pair shorts and a sports bra.

I smirk to myself. I wonder if Tony ever found that untraceable hacker that gave Friday an attitude. Hm, not my problem, but I would prefer he didn't.

I bobbed my head to the music as 'Can't Hold Us' by Macklemore came on and rolled my shoulders as the AI bots appeared.

Finally, something more entertaining than the perverted Jase.

I fought the bots on the level seven setting. I was good, but I needed to get better if I was going to permanently take my mother's position and keep it.

Soon, I was fighting bots on the level nine setting. I was dripping sweat and panting hard, but I did not slow. I kept fighting with everything I had, because out on the streets, if I tire and lower my guard for even a second, that could be a killing blow. I needed to train. I needed to get stronger. I needed to prove that I was worthy of taking up my mother's mantle.

I needed to prove that I am worthy of being the Raven Queen.

With a final blow, I kicked the bot across its right temple, and it dissipated as it collapsed. I pumped my fist up in victory. I finally defeated the bots on the level 10 setting.

"Hey, Fri, what time is it?" I asked, still panting and dripping sweat.

"It is currently 4:47—I suggest you change and get dinner started." I nodded, and before I could even utter a word, Friday added, "Don't worry, I'm permanently erasing the footage as we speak."

I smiled wide. "Thanks, Fri, you're the best!" I complimented her and headed back to the locker room to quickly shower and change.

(So, what if Friday was my only friend, you going to do anything about it, reader? Ha, I don't think you can do anything to me through a screen 😊)

(Don't you dare take the previous sentence out of context!)

_

I was sitting on a countertop, scrolling through the dark web, waiting for the meatloaf to finish cooking, when Tony came into the kitchen.

"Whatever you're making, it smells good." Tony said, aggressively sniffing. (If you're also imagining an anime character *cough Tanaka *cough aggressively sniffing and laughing uncontrollably, I'm right here with you. I know this is weird, but it just made me too *dam happy to say it.)

I chuckled lightly and closed out of the app that I was currently in into another app (most likely Instagram). "Well, Sir kabob, I am making meatloaf that you and the Avengers will be sure to enjoy."

"You know, you could—" Tony started, but the oven let out a beep, hinting that the meatloaf was done.

"Sorry," I said, not sorry at all, "Just give me a second to finish up with the food. I just have to take the vegetables out of the steamer." I turned away from him, glad that he didn't finish that sentence; glad I didn't have to answer him.

It's not that I don't like Tony. Because I do, really, and although he's an obnoxious jackass most of the time, that's not the reason I refuse to stay for dinner.

I wasn't ready to meet the Avengers, not yet. Besides, I needed to get home and make sure father has food for tomorrow, and he'd probably need some more beer. I think I left my fake ID at home—whatever, I have other means.

"So, RJ, have you been down to the gym today?" Tony asks me casually.

I tensed ever so slightly, but not enough for an amateur like Tony to notice. "Uh, yeah, I had to run a few weapons down and pick up whatever stray shit lay around, why?"

"Oh, no reason." He replied, waving his fork around absentmindedly. "It's just, well, the cameras have been completely wiped for certain increments of time."

I looked up from cutting the meatloaf when he paused. He had turned completely to me. We made tense eye contact for a few minutes, neither of us breaking. I'd seen puppies scarier than him, there was no way in hell I was going to lose to his pathetic ass.

Finally, he looked away. He feigned casualness, but I smirked, knowing full well that I had won.

"Have you seen anything suspicious lately?" He raises his brow. It seems as though he's challenging me to see what I would say.

Internally, I was panicking. Had he really figured it out so quickly?

Externally though, I had that calm mask on my face. "No, I haven't seen anything out of the ordinary—for the Avengers." I let a playful smile tug at my lips, trying to relieve some of the tension.

I could feel his observing gaze as I turned my attention back to cutting the meatloaf.

I almost jumped at the loud exhale he suddenly released. "Alright, I believe you."

I got out a stack of plates and cups. "Good, because I'm telling the truth." I lied with ease.

Tony only nodded as he preceded to have Friday call for the Avengers.

I quickly finished setting the table. I made a quick scan of everything to be sure all was well before quietly slipping out of the kitchen.

As I rushed out, I heard a flustered Tony wondering "Where the hell has she teleported off to now?!"

I chuckled lightly to myself. I always loved to leave a confused Tony for the other Avengers to find. I wonder how much he's told them about me. Probably not too much, I'm not a stick-out.

_ _

The moon shone bright tonight—I hated it. The darker the night, the easier it is to hide in the shadows; the easier it is for me to sneak into my apartment unnoticed.

I sighed as I turned the corner to my complex only to see the gang doing some new "initiation" tradition on Jase aka, humiliating the newbie for going into the Ravens territory.

Not my problem, that pervert deserved whatever humiliation got thrown at him.

I quietly snuck past them and up to my apartment. I reached for the handle while simultaneously keeping an eye on the men below.

However, I didn't find the handle, and when I looked down, I realized the door was ajar. I tilted my head, that was odd.

I quickly went into the apartment and shut the door behind me, locking it.

Slowly, I took in the state of the apartment, and I didn't know what to think.

Sure, father was messy, but the apartment was never this trashed.

(Something I painted at the top)

Hopefully this isn't the cringiest/dumbest story ever. Whatever, I love it!

Drink plenty of food and eat mounds of water!

-UDC