Chapter Text
As Ed Sheeran played through the speakers, Emma Evans danced around her brother’s kitchen as she gathered what she’d need for tonight’s family cookout. It was weird how normal it was for her to be preparing dinner for people like Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Hemsworth and Jeremy Renner. But this was her life now. And as weird as it was, these guys were her family now. As she moved around the room, Emma thought of how much her life had changed in the past year - how much happiness and control she felt.
This time two years ago, she’d been working a dead end job in San Diego, estranged from most of her family and trapped in a loveless marriage. And sure, now she was living in her brother’s house, didn’t technically have a real job (working as your twin brother’s personal assistant did not count!), was still mostly estranged from her family, and as for men… Well, she was better off avoiding romantic relationships for the next… always. Still, she was now surrounded by people that loved her, was enjoying life and, most importantly, felt safe.
“Um… Excuse me…”
Startled by the unexpected voice, Emma whirled around with the knife held defensively in front of her. Standing in the doorway between the kitchen and the living room was a man with dark hair tucked behind his ears and grocery bags in each hand. “Who the fuck are you?!” she demanded.
Wide eyed and holding his hands up in front of him as best he could to show he meant no harm the man answered, “I’m Sebastian. I’m so sorry I scared you. I’m a friend of Chris’s. He’s in the driveway unloading groceries and he told me to just come in. I wasn’t trying to sneak up, I guess you didn’t hear me over the music.” He smirked slightly at the last bit.
Still wary, Emma called out, “Christopher Robert, you’d better be within screaming distance or I’m skewering your friend!”
Walking up behind Sebastian was her brother, similarly laden with grocery bags. Taking in the scene in front of him he saw his friend looking warily at his twin, who was still holding a knife defensively in front of her. “Hey, Em. I’m sorry. I thought you’d hear him come in. This is Sebastian. Sebastian, this is my sister, Emma.” He smiled and moved past Sebastian to dump his share of the groceries on the kitchen island.
Emma’s eyes moved between the two men and the groceries before smiling and suddenly turning her attention (and her knife) on her brother. “Are there Oreos in one of these bags?”
Chris laughed and replied with a hint of exasperation in his voice, “Yes, Emma, I wouldn’t dare forget your Oreos” He rolled his eyes in Sebastian’s direction, indicating that this was a very old argument between the twins.
Emma set the knife down and put her hands on her hips, “Double or single stuffed? Keep in mind that the fate of your Starburst Jellybeans hang in the balance.”
Chris’s eyes widened almost comically and he quickly replied “Single stuffed, you heathen.” Emma’s only reply was to stick her tongue out at him.
“It’s nice to finally meet you, Sebastian. I’m sorry I didn’t recognize you earlier. I don’t react very well to being surprised.” Emma held out her hand to Sebastian as he too set his bags on the table. He took her hand in his and smiled at her. “No problem at all. It was my fault for startling you. It’s great to finally meet you. Chris has talked about you a lot.”
“Probably all mean big brother lies”
“Hey! I say only nice things about you, little sis!” Chris replied as he began putting groceries away in the refrigerator.
Sebastian started handing Chris stuff in need of refrigeration and looked to Emma “I’m sorry I’m so early but I was in the area for another appointment and didn’t feel like loitering around the Hollywood Hills for hours.” He smiled at her a bit sheepishly, as if he really did feel bad for intruding.
Emma smiled broadly at him “Oh, hey, no problem at all! I just hope you weren’t expecting me to be one of those hosts who won’t make her guests do any work cause I totally will.”
“Emma…” Chris said in a warning tone.
“Shut up, Christopher” She said lovingly, “If he’s invited to this cookout, then you consider him a part of The Family and, therefore, he’s fair game in terms of chore duty”
“The Family?” Sebastian asked smiling. “I can literally hear the capital letters in that”
“It’s you guys. You, Chris, Downey, Hemsworth and the rest of your Marvel crew.”
“Oh. I didn’t realize our gang had a title, that’s all.” He grinned mockingly over at Chris, surmising that the nickname either came from or was approved by Chris.
“Shut up and get to work, Seb” Chris replied shoving a bag of vegetables at him. Laughing, Emma handed Sebastian the knife she’d been about to kill him with and told him to chop the vegetables for kabobs.