I bet that I’m the last person she wants here now.

As time passed Craft became more and more anxious. She started walking and as a cover she went from the couch to the tables with food, and back. From time to time she patted the cat, who always returned to Clint, and he couldn’t do anything about it, but trying to stay as far from his lap as he could. The others were talking and weren’t worried at all; Craft understood, why would they be?

She had enough and went out to the corridor. And it was dark, and nobody was there. She went for the bathroom, but when she wanted to open the door, someone yelled at her.

- No!

She turned around immediately to see Tony and Ban, wrapped in a blanket coming out of the opposite room. Ban was all tears and melt down makeup, and Tony wasn’t a vampire.

- I set up a little surprise in the bathroom – Tony explained. – But after your reaction to the film, I thought it’d be best if you didn’t see it.

He went in the bathroom and started to take down the hidden projectors.

- It’s a bloody Mary thing – Ban added, but Craft didn’t pay attention to her words.

- What happened to you?! – her conscience was burning her. She should’ve insisted going after Ban, and not letting Tony do it, she should’ve known that something was wrong.

Ban blushed with embarassement, but thought that if Stark knew, then letting Craft know wouldn’t hurt. If nothing else, she’d have a good laugh.

- Apparently... I’m afraid of storms.

Craft didn’t laugh, just looked at her as if she was a kind of idiot. And then her expression changed to hurt and annoyed. Then angry.

- Why didn’t you tell me? I mean – her face showed that she was thinking back, - all those times... You stayed awake alone, and didn’t tell me a thing about being afraid, I could’ve sat up with you...

And Ban really did feel like a kind of idiot. Seemed stupid, looking back, why did she keep it a secret. Like Craft wouldn’t take her seriously with all her fears. She offered an apologetic smile to her.

- Sorry...?

- Shove your sorry up into your ass – Craft growled, but she seemed more worried than upset. – You okay now?

- Uhum. There’s no thunder, just rain now. Rain’s fine.

- Craft? – Steve looked out of the room. – Need assistance?

- I’m fine – she smiled, but Steve walked up to them, and Ban switched places with Tony to wash her face, without creepy girl-reflection this time.

- It’s almost midnight – he said. – We thought about playing hyakumonogatari.

- A what? – Ban returned without her makeup. – Sounds like Asian porn.

Tony shook his head.

- Certainly not, I’ve never heared about that.

- I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that – Ban teased, and turned back to Steve curiously, but Craft answered.

- It is Japanese alright, but has nothing to do with porn. It’s a kind of ghost-summoning.

- Let’s do it! – Ban was definetely over her storm-fears. – Sounds fun.

- We gather people in a room, lit one hundred andons... it’s a japanese lamp. I think candles ar just fine, and we have to tell a hundred tales... horror tales. And after each tale, the speaker extinguish one candle. They say that the tales build up a barrier, and that after the last story and the last candle something will appear...

- We have to do it – Ban was overexcited.  – But I’m not sure if we can gather a hundred stories.

- We can do it with less candles – Craft shrugged her shoulder. – If nothing else, at least I’ll be less worried about what will appear in th end.

- Okay, I’ll get the candles – Tony beamed, and poked Steve’s arm. – Help me out?

- Sure.

They returned with big, wrist-wide white candles and  one and a half meter-tall iron candlesticks. They sat down in a circle behind the couches, putting pillows on the floor.

- I can’t believe we’re doing this – Natasha said, but she was grinning excitedly. – It’s like we’re kindergarteners.

- I fixed the fuse, by the way – Tony said while placing the sticks and candles behind each one of them. – But I thought it’s better if we don’t turn the lights on.

So they settled down finally, Sir Furrance Pawndora in Craft’s arms, because she needed something to hug. Pepper brought all the sweets into the circle, cause she said they’ll need chocolate. Tony lit their nine candles, blew off the others then sat down between Ban and Pepper.

- Who will start? – asked Craft in a voice that made sure she won’t, but Ban exclaimed with waving hands.

-  I will! Does it put me in a special place?

- The ghost will eat you first – said Clint, and the others chuckled.

- Shut up. You’ll pee your pretty green pants.

They quieted down, and soon, when Ban started talking, the only noise they heared was the sound of the rain.

- The story takes place in a small town, not far from here; there lived a family of five, the parents and three children. Felicity, the eldest, and her two brothers, Rory and Raymon.
Occasionally, they parents liked to go out for the night, and they usually had Felicity to look after her brothers. She enjoyed it, and her brothers did as well, as they usually played hide and seek. Felicity would chant:

“Children, Children, All around, run before you can be found. For I am on the loose today, hide before I can say….” Then she’d wait, listening to their rustling feet as they would hide. She’d search the house looking for them, and when she got close, she’d wait right outside the place she knew they were hiding and she’d say: “Boo!”

And if she was right, they would say: Hello Felicity!

One night like this, she was downstairs, waiting up for their parents, and her brothers in their room playing, so if their parents arrived they could go to bed immediately, like they were already sleeping.

- I am already sleeping – Clint yawned. – Can we get to the point?

- Shut up Clint – Ban growled.

- I find this tale delightful  - commented Thor with appeasing intentions, but apparently, delightful wasn’t the word Ban was waiting for. She just sighed and continued.

- There was a knock on the door, and Felicity went to open it. Her brothers upstairs heared the knock, so they jumped into their bed, waiting for their parents to look at them, but they heared nothing else. They thought of going down to see if Felicity was alright, but then they heared her speaking.

“Children, Children, All around, run before you can be found. For I am on the loose today, hide before I can say…”

They looked at each other, a bit scared; it wasn’t like her to play the game that late, and she sounded scared too. They didn’t move, but then they heared again, from closer: “Children, Children, All around, run before you can be found. For I am on the loose today, hide before I can say…”

And a strange noise too, like, THUD. Shuffle shuffle shuffle, THUD. Shuffle shuffle shuffle, THUD. THUD THUD.

Craft squealed and hugged the cat closer to herself. She didn’t mind, just started purring harder. Ban continued before Clint could say anything about the ’growling carnivore’.

- The boys got out of their beds fast and hide into a closet in their room, which Felicity thought was too small to fit in, but the boys knew otherwise. They quieted down, and tried not to breathe too loud.
For a few minutes that seemed hours, they heared nothing, but suddenly the strange noises approached again, the shuffles and thuds. She stopped in their room somewhere, and started chanting again, like she was close to crying. “Children, Children, All around, run before you can be found. For I am on the loose today, hide before I can say…”

Rory moaned in fear, and though Ray shut his mouth with his hand, they heared Felicity coming closer, shuffle shuffle, THUD. Her hand landed on the door of the closet.

- Oh my god, she’s not gonna kill them, is she? – Craft cried out, and Ban thought about stopping, but then Steve slided closer to Craft and hugged her with one hand, whispering into her ear. Ban picked up where she left off.

- They heared her whisper in the quietest voice they have ever heared. “Boo...?”

Ray wanted to answer, but Rory didn’t let him. It was silent for a long time. Then, from Raymon and Rory’s right, inside the closet, a voice was heard.

“Hello Felicity.”

They jumped and knocked the door open, and found Felicity lying on the floor with her eyes sewn shut. And from behind them, from the closet a voice creeped out:

“Children, Children, All around, run before you can be found. For I am on the loose today, hide before I can say…”

When Ban said the loud „Boo!” Craft and Pepper screamed, and Craft almost threw the cat away. She decided to climb to Steve’s lap, as it seemed less dangerous and continued purring.

- Okay, this was actually scary – Bruce said grinning, and took a chocolate chip. – Who’s next?

- Wait! – Tony interrupted in Craft’s place, who was still recovering. – Scarlett, you have to blow out your candle.

Ban looked at him, and found him calling her Scarlett strange, but she couldn’t find out why, so she just let it be. She stood up, and blew out the candle.

- Funny, how much darker it’s became with just minus one candle – Natasha said. She didn’t seem scared at all.

- These candles are providing our company a great light, even though their numbers are low. They are like warriors against the dark, every each of them is strong by itself too.

- Thank you, Thor.

- You are welcome, my archer friend in green pants.

- Can everyone just fuck off of my outfit?!

- I meant no disrespect.

- I’ll tell the next one – Pepper volunteered. – Though I’m not sure it’s scary enough.

- Maybe it’s for the best – Tony chuckled. – Craft could use a story about bunnies and rainbows.

- Hey! – Craft yelled indignant from under Steve’s arm. – Why is it always me?!

- Cause you’re fun to tease – laughed Ban and when Pepper finally started her story, they were in very enlightened mood.

It was after one o’clock when they told the last story; it was Thor, and he really could tell tales. He told them as if it has happened to him and his friends, and it was the first time that everyone listened with breath held back. Craft even asked:

„Oh my god, you won’t die, will you?!” but that was the only time anyone interrupted. And when he finished, and everyone sat in silence, staring in front of themselves, Thor stood up and blew off his candle, and they were sitting in complete darkness. I took a few minutes to even move for them; but the first words were only spoken ten minutes after.

- Someone touched my ass – Clint said, and they chuckled, then there was a slap and then an ’Ouch!’ from Tony.

- Why did you think I wouldn’t know it was you? – asked Natasha. Pepper caught for breath.

- Tony, why did you touch Robin Hood’s ass?

- Stop commenting on my costume!

- I didn’t! It was Natasha’s ass – a slap again. – Butt. Can you stop slapping me?!

- No one cares about your costume, Clint.

- It was Rachael.

- No, I wasn’t, but that’s a good idea, actually.

- I can’t find Sir Furra...

- I bet he’s coming to me, don’t let him...!

- Like I told you, it’s a her.

- I shall protect you from the furred warrior, my friend, if you find her honoured visitations disturbing.

- I need no protection, I just want... It’s here again, get him off me!

- Okay Clint, coming...

- No, Steve, you stay here, there’s chocolate all over in the circle...

- That’s not the cat, that’s my...

- Sorry...

- Oh, it was you, Bruce?

- Does it really matter?

- I’ll kill the cat!

- Don’t do it, respect her fearless soul!

- Don’t hurt Sir Furranc...!

- Com’ere Fluff! – Pepper yelled and the same time Natasha lit up the lights. The cat was already on Pepper’s lap, and Bruce and Thor were kinda laying on Clint.

- I’d rather have the cat. He’s not this heavy, at least.

It was Bruce, who yawned first, but it spread like a disease; so Tony offered to show them their rooms. Seperate, but Ban and Craft shared one, in case the thunders were coming back. Ban said she was fine, but Craft wouldn’t let it go, so she just agreed. The little girl’s conscience was a strange, fragile thing.

There were more bathrooms, two on the corridor, and each room had a seperate one too, so they could shower at the same time.

- I could easily get used to it – Craft said to Tony while walking on the corridor after showering. He laughed.

- You’re free to move in, cause I sure won’t – he opened the door to his room. – Good night!

- Yeah, to you too – she waved, then continued her walk to their bedroom. Steve stepped out of the other bathroom, in only a towel around his hips. He was steamy and wet from the shower. Craft blushed and Steve returned it, but it didn’t obstruct them, as before.

- Good night – Craft smiled, and approached the door.

- Craft!

She turned, surprised, and stepped back closer to Steve. She could feel the heat coming from his skin.

- I... it was a good night.

- Yes – she agreed. – It was. Greatest Halloween I’ve ever had.

- You’re not afraid now?

- No. Just fine – she began wondering how could anyone be afraid if she had a one-ninety rugby player by her side, but didn’t tell Steve. – Are you?

- I don’t scare easily – he laughed, not teasingly, not bragging, just honesty, like he always was.

- Stupid question – Caft chuckled too. She casted down her eyes, embarassed. It was hard not to stare at Steve’s body constantly, and looking up into his eyes was tiring.

- I... – he started again after a few second silence – I was wondering... if...

Craft looked up again.

- Like... I mean, I’ve been thinking a lot. Not even thinking... maybe thinking, Things are just happening.

He looked her in the eye, if he could read her face, so maybe, just maybe she knew what he wanted to say, and maybe she’d help him... but Craft was staring back with big eyes, attentive, but it didn’t seem like she had any clue.

- I just wanted...

Please don’t, please don’t, please don’t... Craft thought but she had her poker face on. If he’s gonna ask her... Please don’t, just don’t, please don’t ask me out, because I’ll have to say...

- I just wanted to ask you, if you – like, I don’t know, maybe – would date... me.

... No. She’ll say it gently, and kind, and with all the possible feelings, but she just can’t go out with him, her grandmother would kill her, she knew it, she was prepared to turn down everybody when she came to the States, and she will explain it to Steve too, and he will understand.

He will.

- Yes – she said, put her hands on Steve’s chest and tiptoed for a kiss. Steve leaned in, then took her by the waist and lifted her up to kiss her again.

- You’re red like a lobster – Ban commented on her face from the bed. It was big enough for the two of them, and it’s not like it even mattered, they could share almost everything.

- Water here warms faster than in the dorm – Craft said while climbing under her cover. – It got me pretty bad.

- Are you hurt?

- Nah. I think that’s just what I needed.

When she woke up, she considered the possibility, that she just dreamt last night. She tried to prepare herself for a great big letdown, but a smile at breakfast from Steve was enough for her.

They didn’t do anything different that before they were dating; like a silent agreement. The first few days were theirs, and just theirs. Only accidental streaking, smiles and staring at the other one, at each other. It was enough for them to know they belong together. Enough for now.

Not like anyone would notice anything; they were like zombies, tired and sleepy. And hungry. Very hungry. Thor gave up his sleepyness, but he ate instead of zombing.

- I love gyros – Ban said as she looked at the bacon and eggs on her plate. No one corrected her.