Of Bikes and Fights-Sharonmaria
Sharon Carter was sixteen, in high school, and cared about no one but her Aunt Peggy, Aunt Angie, and Tony Stark, her cousin. Everyone else, especially at her high school, sucked.
“Come on, Share-bear!” Tony shouted from downstairs, ready to go to school. He was ready for the day, and the concert they were going to after school. He had smudged eyeliner, giving off an edgy rocker vibe, a black shirt from the band they were going to under a black leather jacket, blue jeans, torn at the knees, black boots with mud and dirt on them, and a grey scarf wrapped around his neck.
“Hold on! If I didn’t help you with your outfit, I’d be done by now!” Sharon shouted back, putting the finishing touches on her eyeliner. It took quite a bit of work to do the black eyeliner with white on top, but it worked with her new lipstick, so all was well.
Sharon came down the stairs two at a time, heeled combat boots clicking all the way. She had her hair in a messy bun, grabbing the Pop-Tart package out of Tony’s outstretched hand as she slung her backpack on her shoulder.
“Wow, Sharon, you look great,” Tony gaped, still a baby when it came to Sharon’s style. The combat boots were paired with black skinny jeans, slit at the knee, a thin grey button up tied around her waist, shirt matching Tony’s, and a well fitting leather jacket on top.
“So do you, Tones. Wait,” Sharon paused, placing Tony’s glasses on his face. “There. Now you’re perfect.”
“Are we taking the bus again?” Tony asked, locking the door. Sharon shook her head, her own set of keys jingling as she threw them in the air.
“We’re riding in style today,” Sharon practically sang. Tony followed her gaze to the sleek black motorcycle Sharon got as a birthday present.
“Oh, I don’t think that’s the best idea, Sharon. I’ve never ridden a motorcycle before.”
“Tony, relax. You just hold on tight and let me handle it.” Sharon hopped on the bike, Tony reluctantly following.
The ride to school was short, so Sharon parked and walked across the street, ordering iced coffees for her and Tony.
Tony was waiting by the bike, looking at the school. Sharon jogged over, handing him his coffee.
“We are the only two people who drink iced coffee in fall, I think,” Tony declared. “Definitely the only two at this school.”
Sharon was about to agree when someone spoke. “Damn, that is one sweet ride. When’d you get it?” Sharon’s and Tony turned to see Brock Rumlow and his friends. Sharon could tell that Rumlow hadn’t directed the question to her, but to Tony.
“Oh, um, on Sharon’s birthday,” Tony answered. Rumlow nodded, then smiled in a way that made Sharon’s skin crawl.
“Cool. Nice ride you got there, Stark.” Before Sharon could say or do anything, Rumlow and his friends were gone.
“Oh, I’m gonna kill him,” Sharon muttered, fists clenched. “I’m gonna tear him limb from limb.”
“Can you kill him after the concert, though?” Tony asked. “We’ve been wanting to see the Howling Commandos for months, and it’d be a shame if you couldn’t see them because you killed Rumlow.”
“You’re right,” Sharon relaxed her hands. “He’s not worth it. Let’s just go to class.”
Class was terrible. The teacher had obviously never read the book they had been assigned, Rumlow and his buddies were creepy jocks, and Maria Hill was being her obnoxious self.
After the fifth attempt, Sharon had to interrupt Maria’s mission to get the class in order. “The more you keep waving that Student Body President card around, the less they’ll listen to you.”
“Oh, really? And what do you know about getting people to listen? All you ever do is make more chaos.” Sharon raised an eyebrow, clearly uninterested in Maria’s insults.
The teacher conveniently stepped out of the classroom for a moment, giving Sharon her opportunity. She stood on her chair, giving her more height.  “All right, you illiterate morons! When the teacher comes back in, I don’t wanna hear anything not related to the subject matter! If I do, there will be hell to pay.” Sharon stepped down, sitting in her chair and giving the dumbfounded Maria a smug look as everyone quieted.
“What was that about chaos?” She asked, making Maria huff. Sharon: 1. Maria: 0.
Unfortunately, that would not be the last laugh for Sharon. Maria had all the same classes as her, so there were plenty of moments left in the day for Maria to win this imaginary competition.
“Okay class, there is an announcement from the Student Council. Would the council members care to come to the front of the class?”
Good God, Sharon was so glad she didn’t have to stand up there and give announcements. She’d rather eat a steak knife than give announcements no one really cared about.
Maria stood at the front of the class, with flash cards. Oh God, flash cards. “As you know, Halloween is coming up soon, and since it’s on a Friday, the student body is hosting a school wide Halloween party. There will be games and prizes, candy and food, and you can wear whatever costume you’d like as long as we can still tell it’s you. Pass it along to your friends, please.”
Ooh, now this was interesting. Whatever costume Sharon wanted? Oh, the possibilities. Huh, maybe Maria would actually have fun at a party, for once.
“You interested in the party?” Maria asked, done with her class work. Sharon had also finished, pretending like it wasn’t done just to piss off the teacher.
“Yeah, duh. I could go as a witch, zombie, or a vampire with as much makeup as I want, and you can’t say anything about it.”
“Whatever happens after school is none of my business, Carter.”
“It probably should, Hill. Most fights happen after school.” Maria fumed as Sharon doodled in her notebook margins. Sharon: 2. Maria: 0.
The school day continued like that, until the score was tied. Sharon shrugged it off, more excited for the concert than anything else.
“How was school today, champ?” Sharon asked in a comically low voice, pulling Tony in. He giggled and shook his head.
“Don’t ever speak like that again, you sound like Darth Vader.”
“Tony, I am your father. Join me, and we can rule the galaxy!” Sharon let go of Tony so he could get to the motorcycle.
“Damn, Stark, you snagged a sweet ride and a hot chick?” Rumlow asked, causing both Tony and Sharon to freeze, but for different reasons. Tony stepped in front of Sharon, not to protect Sharon, but to protect Rumlow.
“What makes you think the bike’s not mine?” Sharon asked, snarling at Rumlow.
“Simple; girls can’t drive, especially not motorcycles.” Rumlow explained. Tony turned his head, glancing at Sharon.
“Have at him,” He said, moving aside. Sharon tackled Rumlow, causing the two of them to roll on the ground. Sharon stopped the twirl, punching Rumlow’s face. He pushed her off him, then tried a right hook that Sharon saw coming for miles. She ducked and got a punch in before dodging. Rumlow tried another hit, but Sharon grabbed his arm, used it to flip herself, then grabbed his neck with her legs and brought him to the ground, all in the matter of seconds. She had him pinned with her entire body, looking bored.
“What is going on here?” Principal Fury shouted, heading towards the fight. Sharon let go of Rumlow and stood up, giving Tony a worried glance.
“Sharon was showing Rumlow a martial arts move she learned!” Sharon turned to the last person she’d ever expect to support her; Maria Hill. “That’s all, sir!”
“Is that so?” Fury asked, staring at Hill. “Anyone else say that’s what happened?”
Natasha Romanoff and her friend Clint Barton raised their hands, and so did Steve Rogers, Bruce Banner, and Thor. Some others joined in, all ready to lie for Sharon.
“Alright. Don’t let it happen again, Ms. Carter.” Sharon nodded, holding her breath until Fury was back in the school.
“Holy shit, Sharon, are you okay?” Tony asked, worry etched into his face. Sharon waved him off, heading towards Maria.
“Why’d you do that? I thought you’d never lie to Fury like that.”
Maria shrugged, doing her best to be casual and failing miserably. “Rumlow’s a sexist jerk who had it coming. And if you got suspended, who would I have to sit next to and be frustrated/amazed by?”
Sharon smiled. “Thanks, Hill.” Sharon turned to see Tony giving her a thumbs up. “Let me make it up to you. I know a place that makes coffee any way you like it, and it’s like walking into heaven. Can I take you there, next Friday?”
“Sure,” Maria smiled, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “After school, Friday. Don’t be late.”
“To my own appointment? I’m disappointed in you, Hill. You think that low of me?” Sharon asked, fake hurt.
“You’re late to things a lot, Carter.” Maria snarked back. “Including your concert if you don’t get a move on.”
“Thanks,” Sharon paused for a moment, then gave Maria a quick hug. “For everything.” And she ran to Tony, hopped on the motorcycle, and sped away.
“And who are you supposed to be?” Natasha asked over the music.
“I’m Sherlock,” Tony explained, pointing to Sharon. “And she’s Watson!” Natasha nodded, smiling widely.
“So who’s Mary?” She asked, knowing full well what the answer was going to be.
“It’s not Mary, it’s Maria,” Sharon answered, dragging her new girlfriend over to their friends. “Come on, Maria, be nice.”
“I hate this dress,” Maria pouted, hitting the dress. “It’s itchy.”
“I know, and I’m sorry about that, but it’s all they had in your size,” Sharon apologized. “You’re so tall, things are too short for you!”
“She has you there,” Tony commented. Maria shook her head and let Sharon lead her to the dance floor.
“Do you like the band?” Maria asked, dancing with Sharon.
“How’s you get the Howling Commandos to play at our Halloween party?”
“Steve’s friends with the lead singer, so it was pretty easy. But even if it wasn’t, I’d have found a way to get them to play at our first official dance together.”
“You are a sap,” Sharon decreed, kissing Maria’s nose. “You’re lucky I like that about you.”
“Yes I am. Come on, I wanna see Clint demolish Rumlow in the dunk tank!” Maria took Sharon’s hand and they ran, laughing all the way.
Sharon Carter was sixteen, in high school, and cared about her Aunt Peggy, Aunt Angie, Tony Stark, her cousin, and Maria Hill, her girlfriend. Everyone else, excluding some people at her high school, sucked.
