A/N So, this has nothing to do with any of my other series. It's just a stand alone one shot I wrote on my Kindle because I don't have a computer right now. Something to help me clear my mind. Hope you enjoy. I love these two! R&R
Oh yeah, Danny and Ava are both around 20 or 21 in this.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of this. Just the concept.
"Danny, I'm really not too sure about this. I mean, this more your thing and I really have no clue what to do," Ava said uncertainly to her boyfriend as he layed out two mats on the floor and began to light candles and incense around the room.
Danny turned his head and smiled at the girl standing in the doorway of his room on the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier. "What is up with you today, Ava?" He asked with a laugh in his voice. "You are never this nervous about anything." Danny crossed the room in two long strides.
He wrapped his arms around her waist. Ava kept her gaze glued to the floor. Danny gently grabbed her chin and turned her head so gold met green as they stared into each other's eyes. "Come sit with me please. I'll show you everything you need to know." Danny leaned down to place a sweet kiss on her lips. "We both know you are perfectly capable of meditating."
Danny gave her one last kiss before leading Ava over to the mats.
"Alright, now cross your legs and rest your hands on your knees. Copy me."
Ava looked over at Danny and mimicked his position on the mat.
"Now, close your eyes," Danny whispered. "Take a deep breath in... And let it out."
Ava followed his directions, taking in a shaky breath and letting it out again. Her anxiousness didn't go unnoticed by Danny, who opened one eye to look at his girlfriend. He decided to let it go.
"Just keep breathing. Take deep, thoughtful breaths and clear your mind."
Soon Danny was in a peaceful state, focusing his energy to heal both his body and mind. Ava, on the other hand, was unsuccessfully trying to do the same.
She continued to shift in her seat and wiggle around. A sigh here, an itch there.
Danny pretended not to notice the trouble the girl was having. Finally, he opened his eyes to figure out what troubled the dark haired beauty.
"Ava?" He questioned. "Ava. Look at me."
Reluctantly, Ava opened her eyes to face the boy next to her.
"Yes?" She answered innocently.
Danny gave her his best 'are you kidding me' face when she finally decided to answer.
"I'm fine. I just have a lot on my mind right now, okay?"
Danny, not normally the pushy type, dug a little further. 'Fine' just wasn't good enough for him.
"Ava, I know you a lot better than that. I know for a fact that you are not 'Fine' so tell me what's really bothering you."
Ava sighed and opened her mouth to explain. That's when the first tear fell to the floor. Before she knew what hit her, Ava had tears streaming down her face. Danny quickly scooted off his mat and onto Ava's, pulling her into his lap at the same time.
"Shh, it's okay," he soothed. Ava buried her face in his green shirt and let all the pain and stress flow out of her.
When she had finally called down enough to speak, Danny spoke again. "Do you want to tell me what's wrong?" He asked.
"I'm so tried of all the stress. I'm so tried of everything. I don't want to be Ms. Perfect Ava Ayala anymore. I want to breathe. I don't know why I feel like I have to be perfect anyway! Who am I out to impress? My sister? Yeah sure! Like she actually gives a damn! I haven't heard from her in months! And today of all days! Not even a phone call!" Ava finished her thought and dropped her head onto Danny's chest.
Danny rubbed his hands up and down her back until she calmed down again.
"What's today?" He asked gently.
"The anniversary of our brother's death." Ava's voice broke on the last word and her tears began to fall again. "After my parents died he was the one thing that got me through the stares and taunting at school. After that, my niece, Angela, died. She was the White Tiger before me and the last one in my family who truly understood me. Now, I have no one left in my family to impress. No one else has to care anymore."
Danny sat with Ava in his lap thinking about the best way to comfort her. Eventually, he took a shot in the dark. "Your sister cares more than you think," he said.
"How do you know," she asked with slight venom behind her words.
"I spoke to her a few days ago."
"Why we're you talking to my sister?"
"It's complicated. But that's not important right now. What's important is that she loves you."
"Then why hasn't she called?"
"Because I'm already here," said a voice coming from the doorway.
Ava's head shot up in recognition. "Anita"
"Ava."
Ava jumped up from her spot in Danny's lap and ran into her sisters's open arms. Danny stared at the two sisters before Anita gave him a slight wink.
It was later that night when Ava and Danny were sitting on the floor of the team's lounging room. Ava had a bright smile on her face, much happier with her life at the moment.
"What did you two talk about?" Danny asked, breaking their comfortable silence.
"Everything," Ava answered. "There were lots of tears and apologies. I guess you were right."
"I normally am," Danny answered with a goofy smile and a stretch. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled Ava down so they were laying flat on their backs, starting at the ceiling.
"Did you know she was coming?" Ava asked after another minute of silence.
"I paid for the plane ticket."
"Then why did you act like you didn't know about Hector?"
"I didn't," he answered cryptically.
"Then why did you talk to her a few days ago?" Ava asked, slightly exasperated.
Danny sighed with an uncomfortable laugh. "You're not gonna let that go are you?" He asked.
"Nope."
"Figured you wouldn't. We were having a conversation and she mentioned she might fly out to see you. I told her I would pay. After a very one sided argument, she agreed. "
"What was the actual conversation about?"
The silence came again, a bit strained this time.
Danny was contemplating his next move. Finally he spoke again. "Do you love me, Ava?"
"You know I do. You mean the world to me. But, what does this have to do with you talking to Anita?"
"I believe in doing everything right. That includes getting permission to do this."
Danny grabbed Ava's hands and sat the two up so they were facing each other. Then, he raised as bit more to place his knee under himself so he was kneeling.
"Since the day we met four years ago, I have loved and admired you. We have gone through everything together, but now, I want to go one step father. I don't need perfect, but in my eyes you are. Your smile brightens my day. There is no one is rather be with. So, Ava, will you marry me?"
There wasn't any time for silence to come before Ava answered.
"Was there ever really a question?"
Danny broke out in a huge smile and Ava tackled him and they both fell back down to the floor.
Ava sat up so she was sitting on Danny and looked down at him with our love and joy in her eyes. "I love you," she whispered.
Danny placed both his hands on the small of her back and gently pushed her down so he could whisper in her ear. "You may never know how much I love you."
Their lips silently connected in passionate kiss, one that meant forever. One that was perfect.