If you take requests could I request a yelena fic where reader is seriously injured in a mission but yelena didnât get the time to confess her feelings and thinks this is the end of whatever they had
Too late?
word count: 1k
warnings: injury, blood loss, near-death experience, medical trauma, panic
an: to the lovely person who sent this request, thank you so much and sorry for the wait!!!
The comms go silent before she hears your scream.
Just the burst of gunfire, the static crackle and then nothing. Not your voice. Not your breath. Not even the sound of you hitting the ground, though she swears she can still feel it.
Yelena runs faster than she ever has. Blood roaring in her ears, fists clenched tight at her sides. Her body moves on instinct, sharp and efficient, but her mind... her mind is chaos.
It canât end like this. Not before she says it.
By the time she gets to you, the dust hasnât even settled. Youâre on your back, breaths shallow and quick, one hand pressed weakly against your ribs where the dark red spreads fast beneath your suit.
"No, no, no," she mutters, dropping to her knees. "Hey- hey, look at me."
Your eyes flutter open, unfocused, "Yelena?"
"Iâm here. Iâve got you," her hands hover, not sure where to touch, where it hurts more or less. Youâre pale. Too pale. Her voice cracks. "Youâre gonna be okay, alright?"
You try to smile, "you always say that."
She laughs, but itâs short, broken, "because Iâm right. Usually."
You blink slowly. She can feel you slipping.
"Donât," she says firmly. "Donât do that. Donât close your eyes. Weâre not done." But your eyelids are heavy. The kind of heavy that scares her.
"Shit!" Yelena snaps, one hand flying to her earpiece. "I need someone now! It´s critical, do you hear me? I need a med team here now!"
Static.
Then a voice, "ETA two minutes."
"Too long!" she yells, not caring who hears her panic anymore, "-hurry the fuck up!"
You go still in her arms. And it breaks something.
"NO. No, no, no- hey! Stay with me! Do you hear me?" Sheâs shaking you now, not violently, just enough to make you stay. "Donât you dare pull that dramatic shit and leave me. Weâre not done." The wind howls around her. "Come on," she begs, voice cracking. "You didnât even let me say it. You donât get to leave before I say it."
The world moves forward, but Yelena doesnât. Sheâs all sharp edges in the sterile white of the hospital waiting room, pacing, growling at nurses, snapping at everyone who try to ask her about the mission. She doesn't sit. She doesn't breathe properly. When someone tries to offer her coffee, she shoves it away.
"No. I donât want anything until (Y/N)´s awake. Not a damn thing."
Sheâd held your hand until they took you from her and even then sheâd fought the medics for seconds she didnât have.
Because the last thing she said to you wasnât 'I love you.' It wasnât even close. It was 'donât you dare leave me.'
When the doctor finally appears in the hallway, she stiffens like a soldier, "theyâre stable. But-"
She doesnât wait for the ´but.´ Sheâs moving before sheâs given permission, storming past nurses and down the hall until she finds the room with your name taped to the door like it doesnât mean everything.
And when she sees you, eyes open. Breathing. Awake.
It all crashes at once.
She bursts in like a force of nature. "You-" her voice fails. Her chest heaves. "You idiot. You scared the shit out of me."
You blink at her, groggy, "... Lena?"
Sheâs at your side in two strides, grabbing your hand like sheâs afraid youâll fade again.
"You werenât supposed to do that," she mutters. "You were supposed to stay awake. You were supposed to let me-" she cuts herself off, jaw clenching.
You squeeze her fingers, weak but steady, "I heard you⌠before. Sort of."
Yelena blinks, then swallows hard, "what did I say?"
You tilt your head, "you didnât say it."
She stares at you. And then sighs, "no. I didnât." She leans in, pressing your hand to her cheek, "so let me fix it."
She looks you straight in the eye this time, "I love you. I shouldâve said it before. I was stupid, and scared and slow. But Iâm here now. And youâre awake. So Iâm saying it."
You give her the softest smile sheâs ever seen, "finally," you whisper.
Yelena blinks, "finally? What do you mean finally?"
You blink back at her. Very slowly, "you always looked at me like you wanted to say it," you mumble, words slurring just slightly. "Youâd do the stare thing. The intense Russian gaze. And then say nothing. Every time."
She narrows her eyes, "you are so high right now."
You grin, "super high. Like... floaty cloud level."
Yelena exhales through her nose, but her lips twitch at the corners, "they gave you the good drugs."
You nod solemnly, "probably because I died a little bit. That gets you a free upgrade, I think."
She gives your hand a small squeeze, "don´t joke about that."
You squeeze back, "´m sorry. Just trying to lighten the mood."
"You already did," she murmurs, "you woke up."
Your eyes flutter closed for a second, then open again, hazy but full of something warm.
âI love you too," you say, soft and certain. "Even if I´m like 80% drugs right now."
Yelena bites back a laugh, then leans down and presses her forehead gently to yours, "jesus." She stays there, forehead to forehead, hand wrapped around yours.
You blink at her again a little unsure, "you love me, right? You said it. You know you can´t take it back now."
"I did," she whispers. "I do."
"Cool, just checking," you murmur. "We should kiss when Iâm less dying."
Yelena lets out a small, shaky laugh and brushes her thumb over your cheek, "I´m in."
How the thunderbolts react to finding you in their bed âĄ
Pairings: Thunderbolts x Fem!reader (romantic)
Warnings: being injured after missions, hurt/comfort, softish!thunderbolts, fluffy
Request: OPEN!
A/N: hey guys sorry I didn't post like I usually do I was busy today going to the doctors but I'ma make it up by ruining my sleep schedule to post more romantic headcanons for the Thunderbolts!
John slams his door shut harder than he means to, the stress of the mission boiling over. He rips off his gloves, muttering curses under his breath, jaw tense with leftover adrenaline. All he wants is his bedâuntil he notices you already in it.
At first, his chest tightens with confusion. Then the sight registers: your small form curled under his blanket, your face softened in sleep, trusting enough to rest in his space. Something inside him cracks. The hardness in his expression melts into something vulnerable, something almost painful.
John moves quietly for once, stripping down and sitting on the edge of the bed. His calloused hand hovers above your hair before he pulls it back, not wanting to wake you. Instead, he sighs, muttering quietly: âChrist, you donât even know what youâre doing to meâŚâ After a long pause, he lies down beside you, careful, deliberate. When your body instinctively shifts closer, pressing into his chest, Johnâs arms immediately curl around you, protective and firm. He buries his face in your hair and exhales a shaky breath. For the first time in days, he feels like he doesnât have to hold the weight of the world alone.
AVA STARR â°
For Ava, exhaustion is a constant state of being. The mission only worsened itâher body aches, the instability in her cells leaving her trembling as she phases through her door. She expects nothing, maybe a cold shower before collapsing. But then she sees you.
Youâre curled up in her bed, breathing evenly, looking so still it makes her chest tighten. For a moment, she just⌠stares. Sheâs not used to people trusting her like this. Sheâs spent years being a weapon, a project, an outcast. The idea that someone would feel safe enough to fall asleep in her spaceâit feels almost unreal.
Ava steps quietly closer, her eyes softening. She brushes a loose strand of hair from your face with a touch so feather-light it almost doesnât happen. For a moment, she considers leaving, giving you the bed. But when she sees your hand twitch as if reaching, she exhales a shaky breath and carefully climbs in. She keeps her body stiff at first, afraid she might hurt you. But when you shift in your sleep, pressing your forehead to her shoulder, she closes her eyes and lets herself sink into the comfort. For the first time in years, Ava Starr feels anchored to something, and someone that makes her want to stay.
YELENA ALEXEYEVNA BELOVA đĄ
Yelena slams her door shut behind her, muttering under her breath about incompetent teammates and bruises that wonât heal. Sheâs preparing to kick off her boots and collapse face-first onto her mattress when she freezes mid-step. Youâre thereâsleeping in her bed, wrapped up in her blanket like you own it. For a moment, Yelena just stands, eyebrows furrowed, mouth slightly open. Then a soft laugh slips past her lips.
She leans against the doorframe, crossing her arms, whispering sarcastically: âOf course. You steal my weapons, my food, and now my bed.â But her teasing quickly fades as she notices how peaceful you look. Your face, usually animated and full of expression, is slack with exhaustion. It makes her chest ache.
Yelena strips off her tactical gear, moving unusually quiet for someone so brash. She slips under the covers and rolls onto her side, facing you. At first, she hovers, unsure if she should touch you, but when your hand shifts toward her in your sleep, she lets out a sigh and threads her fingers through yours. Her smirk softens into something rawer. âYouâre lucky youâre cuteâŚâ she whispers, finally letting herself rest, her body curling instinctively around yours.
JAMES 'BUCKY' BUCHANAN BARNES âŞ
Buckyâs body aches in ways only someone carrying decades of scars could understand. His hands are still trembling faintly from the adrenaline crash, and he expects nothing but silence and emptiness in his room. But when he steps in and sees you curled up in his bed, small and peaceful in a way he doesnât feel he deserves, itâs like someone punches the air out of his chest. For a long moment, he just stands in the doorway, staring, the shadows under his eyes deepening with the war he wages inside.
Part of him wants to back out, not disturb you. Another part, the part thatâs always lonely, edges forward. He sets his gear down with care, as if the sound might shatter this fragile peace. Sitting on the edge of the mattress, he runs his flesh hand through his hair, sighing quietly. âWhat are you doing to me, dollâŚâ he mutters under his breath, almost annoyed at how soft he feels. Finally, he lies down beside you, rigid at first, until your body instinctively shifts closer. The moment your head brushes his shoulder, his entire frame relaxes. For the first time in what feels like forever, Bucky lets himself drift into sleep with the ghost of a smile.
ROBERT 'BOB' REYNOLDS ęŠ
Bob drags himself into the room, shoulders sagging with exhaustion deeper than just physical. The mission was brutal, and worse, the endless war inside his head is still raging. He feels heavy, broken, like thereâs no peace left in himâuntil his eyes fall on you.
Youâre asleep in his bed, your face relaxed, chest rising and falling in a rhythm that instantly quiets the storm inside him. He grips the door frame for support, his throat tightening. He doesnât deserve this peace, this trust, this softness. And yet, he canât look away.
Slowly, as if approaching something fragile, he sets down his things and sits on the edge of the mattress. His hand trembles as he reaches out to brush his thumb lightly over the back of your hand. You donât stir, but your body shifts closer as if drawn to him. Thatâs all it takes for Bob to crawl into bed beside you, moving cautiously, like he might break the moment. When your head falls against his chest, he lets out a long, uneven sigh, pressing a gentle kiss into your hair. For the first time in so long, Bob Reynolds feels like maybe, just maybe heâs not entirely lost.
ââââŕ¨ŕ§ââââ
don't forget to comment, like, and reblog ËĘâĄÉË
pairings. bob reynolds x fem!reader; bucky barnes x fem!reader; john walker x fem!reader; yelena belova x fem!reader; ava starr x fem!reader
summary. the thunderbolts when they realize theyâre in love with you
a/n. do you guys like posts like this yes or no⌠also first time writing for yelena and ava
âââ
bob reynolds
cw. fluff, established relationships, r knows how to sew. | wc. 632
the pout on bobs face was unmistakable. in his hands was his favorite flannel, something he was excited to tug on today. it was finally cool enough for him to begin sporting his warmer clothes, and the one thing he wanted to wear had a large hole in the shoulder. he reckoned he could patch it up himself, that it couldnât be too much different than giving stitches. though, even if he wanted to, he couldnât. he didnât have any supplies.
so, instead, bob stood in front of his closet pitifully, fingers poking through the hole and inspecting the loose threads. he had another three flannels hung right there, ones that were fully intact and ready to wear. still, he stood mourning the slight loss of this particular flannel. he was forced to tear his eyes away when a knock at his bedroom door startled him, despite knuckles hitting against it gently.
you were stood outside of it, waiting patiently when bob answered. upon laying eyes on you, he realized you had a similar idea. you had a warm, dark brown sweater on to shield you from the cool air outside. his pout was replaced with a small smile at the sight of you. with the flannel twisted in his hands, he lets you in, listening intently to your words.
âeverything okay?â you question, eyes carefully trailing his face in attempts to read him properly.
âyeah, yeah, iâm okay,â bob brushes your concern off quickly, eyes narrowing down to the fabric in his hands. âthe flannel i was gonna wear had a hole in it, thatâs all.â
âthats your favorite one,â you comment quietly.
your bottom lip juts out in a pout much like bobs when you notice, gently grabbing the flannel out of his grasp. you hold it up until you locate the hole, inspecting it for a few moments as you think. your eyes flicker back up to him once youâve made up your mind.
âi can fix it if you want, it should only take me like 15 minutes.â
âi didnât know you knew how to sew,â bob whispers. not accusingly, just curiously.
âmy grandma taught me years ago,â you say. âiâve got more than just my beauty, ya know.â
you grasp bobs hand gently, tugging him towards your room after you tease him. he almost mindlessly follows behind you, his fingers linking with yours out of habit.
âof course,â he agrees.
bob sits down on your bed when you find your way inside. he simply watches you as you find your supplies, sitting down next to him on your bed when youâve got everything. he watches over your shoulder as you slowly walk him through it. even if he doesnât remember everything you show him, something is better than nothing. besides, heâd watch paint dry if it meant being next to you.
once you were finished, you handed it to bob excitedly for him to try it on. and, while the extra threads you added may not be an exact color match, youâd closed it up perfectly. he hummed appreciatively as he eyed it up in the mirror, another small smile creeping up on his lips. you come up behind him with a smile to match his, looking right into the mirror. instead of staring at the now closed hole, your eyes found him. his shaggy hair, his pretty blue eyes, his charming smile.
when your arms wrapped around his waist, bobâs heart thrummed with something unexpected. this was new. an intense feeling of admiration filled his body, something stronger than just a liking. it was then that he realized heâd fallen in love with you. how could he not? you just fixed his flannel without a second thought, all because he looked a little upset over it.
âââ
bucky barnes
cw. fluff, established relationships, r being called beautiful | wc. 460
on a normal day, youâd be complaining up a storm over how the tower needs better furniture. the cushions donât have much give to them, and no matter how you turn, it never quite feels right on your back. this morning, however, you couldnât care less about how comfortable you are. you were knee deep into the hobbit. there wasnât much that could stop your flow or interrupt your focus.
a few nights ago, bucky told you in a whisper about all of his favorite books from when he was younger back in the 40âs. he had a whole list he was excited to list off. one that you recognized was the hobbit. youâd never gotten around to reading it before, though you admit you always wanted to give it a go. this seemed like the best time to start it now that you knew he loved it.
thatâs how bucky found you that morning, curled up in an awkward position on the couch with the book in hand. he crept up on you at first, silently walking towards you as he eyes you up. the moment he recognizes the title, his face lights up, a content hum releasing from his chest. your eyes snapped up to look at your boyfriend, heartbeat speeding up for only a moment while your brain catches up with your eyes.
âhi beautiful,â bucky greets.
with a careful grasp, he lifts up your feet to sit right where they were just resting, settling them back down after he relaxes against the couch. it wasnât all that comfortable to him, either, though he wouldnât dare complain.
âhey buck,â you smile, your focus now entirely on him. you can see his eyes flickering down to your book, and before he could inquire about it, you speak some more.
âoh, yeah, the hobbit. you said it was one of your favorites, so i figured iâd give it a read,â you shrug.
you said it so casually that it nearly startled bucky. heâs so used to others giving him recommendations for modern literature that it didnât even cross his mind that it could go the other way. not until now, at least. he wasnât even asking you to read it, he simply just mentioned it. you always found a way to make him feel heard and seen, even if it wasnât intentional. a lot of the time, you were just being you.
the next thing that startled bucky was the realization he was, in fact, head of heels in love with you. he grasped at your calf in attempts to ground himself in the moment, eyes taking in the perfect sight in front of him. this was real. you were real. the love he had for you was real.
âââ
john walker
cw. fluff, established relationships, working out/training, r being referred to as pretty | wc. 465
there are many words to describe walker. stubborn, hotheaded, prideful, obnoxious. what shined through that all, at least to you, was his determination and his discipline. he took his training and his responsibilities seriously. he takes orders and executes them well, even if he gets into an argument halfway through it. you admire how hardworking he is. you also strived to be good, to do better. itâs what connected you two the most.
thatâs why it wasnât a surprise to catch walker during a workout early this morning. he was shirtless with his back turned towards you, hair stuck to his neck, sweat clinging to every inch of him. with one last right hook to the punching bag, he turned his head to assess who had joined him so early.
âfancy seeing you here,â you say, dropping your gym bag next to his.
âi could tell you the same thing,â walker quipped. âyouâre never up this early.â
âthereâs a first time for everything,â you tell him with a shrug.
after slipping on your old beaten up gym shoes, you prance over to walker, eager to join in on his workout. it wasnât often you got to be down here with him, especially alone like today. you were hoping to get some help and practice on your offense, and he was glad to be of service. he spent nearly 40 minutes going through different tactics and letting you try them out. youâre a quick learner, so it didnât take long for you to pick up on things and add to it.
and, as trained as walker is, you found yourself a step or two ahead of him occasionally. one of the perks of being with him is knowing his tells. the moment you realized they translated to fighting was the moment you knew you could get the upper hand. thatâs how he ended up with a punch to the chest, firm and controlled. he let out a huff of air as your fist lands, jaw clenching slightly.
âi could totally kick your ass if i wanted to,â you chuckle. your hand opened up flat to pat his chest gently, before taking a few steps back.
âiâm going easy on you,â walker defends. âiâm 10x stronger than you.â
âwrong answer,â you shake your head, eyes narrowing at him. âyouâre supposed to tell me itâs because iâm too pretty.â
âtwo things can be true at the same time,â he smirks.
something about the banter you two had going on knocked something loose in his chest. something strong that he hadnât felt since olivia. even then, this was different. this flirty back and forth was fueling a fire in his body that could only be described as love. walker just wasnât expecting it to hit him like this.
âââ
yelena belova
cw. fluff, established relationships, r being referred to as a girlfriend | wc. 569
yelenaâs hair was growing out a little awkward. itâd been a long while since sheâd cut it properly, and it was beginning to show. her cowlick was more pronounced than before, and strands were constantly in her face. she can only blow out out of her eyes so much before it gets frustrating. she stood in front of her bathroom mirror one morning simply staring at her mess of a hair as she thought.
gel was one of yelenaâs options. itâs what sheâd been doing for a while now, slicking it back out of her face. after a while, though, it started to become a hassle to deal with. cutting it was another one of her options. she could get it back to where itâs not so much in her face, where itâs easier to manage.
while pushing her hair back out of her eyes, yelenaâs bathroom door creaked open further, startling her for just a moment. you peaked in soon afterwards. her features softened at the sight of you, sleep evident in your drooping eyes, your body sluggish. you shuffled behind her, arms wrapping around her waist as you hug her. smiles appeared on your lips in unison. after resting your chin on her shoulder, your eyes gaze into the mirror, taking in the sight of her.
âwhatâre doinâ up so early?â you mumble, trying not to let your eyes drift shut.
âi promised iâd help bob train this morning,â yelena informs.
you hum out in acknowledgment, nodding slightly against her shoulder. yelena pulls away from your body moments after. before you could protest, sheâs wiggling her way around in your grasp, turning to face you properly now. in the process, hair shifts down her forehead and into her eyes. you give her a sleepy smile as you tuck her hair behind her ear.
âiâm thinking about cutting it,â she informs.
âoh yeah?â
âyeah,â yelena hums. âi donât like it being in my eyes so much, but itâs too short to pull up.â
your fingers start to fiddle with her hair, carding your fingers through the soft strands as you think. you take the chunk that fell into her eyes and pin it back momentarily. biting your lower lip, you take that chunk again and begin to gently braid it, before pinning it once more. you let yelena turn to the mirror, holding it place as she takes a look at your work.
âdo it on both sides and pin it back, maybe,â you murmur, eyes scanning her features rather than her hair.
yelena shuffles through one of her drawers until she finds a bobby pin, taking the braid from your grasp and pinning it back on her own. by the looks of it, she seems quite fond of the new look. you move to carefully braid the other side, too, getting all of the loose strands out of her eyes properly. her face lights up at the finished product, smiling at you through the mirror as she admires your work.
âiâve got a genius for a girlfriend,â yelena confirms.
as much as that was true, itâs not exactly what was going through her mind. it struck her then that sheâd undeniably fallen in love with you. something as simple as you helping her with her hair had her heart running amuck. this was new for her, though she didnât shy away from it. not for a second.
âââ
ava starr
cw. fluff, established relationships, fake jealousy, r being referred to as âmy girlâ | wc. 490
you loved spending sundays resting. laying in bed on a day off like this was irresistible. there wasnât much that could draw you away from the comfort of your bed, and there was a lot less that could drag you away from avaâs. thatâs where you were this sunday, tucked under her blankets that smelled just like her.
ava was up showering, despite your many attempts to keep her next to you. she left you with a kiss and a promise to come back to you soon, and you trusted her with that. even if she takes a little while. she was gone long enough for alpine to find her way to her door, pawing at it in a weak attempts to get in. other than ava, alpine was one of the only things that could get you up right now.
she joined you in bed without any hesitation. you tucked yourself back into bed, drawing a hand up to pet her gently. she leaned into your touch happily, purring at the feeling of your nails raking through her fur. there wasnât a better place for her to be right now, and you were more than glad to give her this attention.
you heard the bathroom door creak open a few minutes after alpine had joined you. you didnât look up, though, not until you heard ava let out a dramatic gasp at the sight in front of her. you lift your head up hurriedly, eyes scanning over your girlfriends body to try and assess what was going on.
âi was gone for 20 minutes and youâve already replaced me?â ava questions, shoulders slumping to add to her dramatics.
âcan you blame me? look at her!â you exclaim, letting alpine lick at your knuckles.
even through her award-winning pout, you knew she wasnât truly upset with you. still, you decided to play into it, letting her have her moment. she sulked over to the bed, hair still damp from her shower. you moved alpine enough to give her space to lay down next to you, and she did rather quickly. you brought the hand that wasnât petting the cat to avaâs face, cupping her cheek gently.
âyou know youâre my favorite,â you reassure, running your thumb against her smooth skin.
ava bit back a smile at your words, head moving slightly to kiss your palm. she settled down into bed next to you, letting her blankets engulf her in the warmth you were already basking in.
âyouâre my favorite, too,â ava whispers back. âalways my girl.â
something new blossomed inside of her then. she wasnât quite sure what it was at first, it wasnât like anything sheâs experienced before. she realized after a few minutes of laying with you that it was love she was feeling. she was never close enough with anyone to feel this way towards them. this was different, scary. sheâs glad itâs you sheâs scared with.
đđđđđđđ: Yelena Belova x Fem!Reader
đđđđđđđ: Youâre a writer living in a small cottage in a coastal town. Yelena stumbles across one of your readings on a local radio station, falling for you in a matter of second despite how far out of reach you seem.
đđđđđđđđ: Canon-typical violence referenced, fear of betrayal and loneliness, reader is a childrenâs book writer + lives in a coastal town.
đđđđđđ: Fearless Prompts: Superstar âThey were never supposed to fall for someone so far out of reach, but they did.
Yelena Belova didnât believe in adoration, not anymore. Love was a liability. And yet, against all of her beliefs, your name echoed in her heart like a siren call halfway across a battlefield. You were meant to be unreachable. A civilian with a quiet life, a life contrasting sharply with Yelenaâs constant war, dripping with secrets and halfâtruths.
But somehow, some way unknown even to her, you had wormed through her ironâclad heart. You turned doubts into hope, grievances into smiles, missions into something forgivable and soft. She was a Sovietâtrained assassin, and you wrote childrenâs books, of all things, living in a cottage by the sea, lightâyears from Yelenaâs world. Yet, she kept trying.
The first time Yelena heard your voice, it was on a lateânight audio recording intercepted from a tiny local station. You were reading aloud to an invisible audience of children, full of whimsical pacing and an expert way of making impossible things sound inevitable, like flying foxes visiting polar bears on sunny Arctic beaches. Yelena thought it was insane at first. But, there was a sincerity in your voice that made her pause, midâmurderârun.
She trawled the archives. There it was again, your name, a beloved children's author with modest fame. Youâd read live on radio during local festivals, children sat wideâeyed in chairs too big for them. You must live in a coastal town, the gentle crash of waves sometimes echoing in the background of your storytellings. Yelena couldnât stop listening.
Soon she knew your voice better than her own. The places you described, the small details â a favorite plum pie flavor, a secret reading nook in your attic, a stray cat that followed you home. They felt like vulnerabilities. You were soft. Your softness pierced her.
Late at night, sprawled in a warehouse loft in Prague, she laid back, eyes closed, your voice whispering through cheap headphones. She couldnât imagine you noticing. But she noticed you.
She traveled for work, always just passing through the corners of your world. Missions across Europe gave her proximity, a hotel within your town, the faint glow of a streetlamp-lit cottage. Sheâd walk past from a distance. Catch glimpses of a laundry line in your yard and that cat, sun-drenched and dozing. She never drew too close.
Part of her wanted to knock on your door. Introduce herself. Thatâd break the rules of her world, and perhaps yours. But sometimes in the darkness, she'd imagine stepping closer, clearing her throat awkwardly, âHi. I heard you reading on the radio. I loved it.â
She imagined you blinking at her, maybe smiling. Warm eyes, hair tied back, your house smelling of baked bread or ink. The domestic normalcy was dizzying.
To Yelena, you were pure, real, and undeserved. You were a world away.
One evening, they called her for extraction. She backed off, silent moonlit exit, exile from you once more.
That night changed everything. Her mission took her to your coastal town again. She was briefed on a violent arms drop. She slipped into town under cover of darkness, saw your cottage windows illuminated with a friendly glow. In a moment she tore at her insides, her façade unravelled.
She watched from across the lane, just watched, as if safe in the still of the night. You were inside, reading something beneath the lamplight. For a heartbeat, your gaze flicked to the windowâs edge, as if sensing something. But you returned to your book, a gentle glow illuminating aging pages.
It was enough. Yelena slipped closer, as if gravity had finally crumbled. Rain started, light at first, then sprinkles on cold asphalt. She crouched behind a bush, drenched, heart hammering. You turned off the lamp. The cottage fell dark. She considered knocking, but the thought blossomed and died before her.
Instead, she stood, disappearing back into shadows.
Three nights later, she found the courage, impossible and preposterous, but she was tired of waiting, tired of solitude. She stood on your porch. Raincoat drenched, heart in her throat. She raised the hand and knocked.
You opened the door a moment later, barefeet, hair messy, eyes red-rimmed from sleep. But you didnât look alarmed, there was no panic. Just gentle surprise.
âHi,â she breathed.
You nodded. âCan I help you?â
âIâm sorry. I know this is bizarre.â Yelenaâs voice cracked in a way that spat shame and need at once. She cringed. âIâve heard you reading. On the radio. Itâs strange, I know. Iâmââ she stopped, slightly mortified at how utterly pathetic she sounded.
You cocked your head. âYouâreâŚ?â
âYelena.â
You frowned, curiosity brightening. âYelena. Okay. Um, do you have kids, orâŚâ
âGod! No. No, no kids,â she chuckled. She swallowed. âIâm sorry. I donât know why I knocked.â Rain dripped from her coat. The dim porch light glowed over your cocooned hearth silhouette.
You looked her up and down, dangerous and fragile, all at once. You said nothing.
Inside, the house smelled like chamomile tea and something warm. You invited her in without words, just a tilt of your head and a little step back. Yelena exhaled, crossing the threshold into safety.
In your living room, you offered her a towel and tea. She wrapped the towel around her shoulders, sipped the tea as it warmed her hands. You sat opposite, curiosity softening. She ended up telling you, her voice low, trembling, why she came. She explained how your voice kept her going. Like a whisper in a warzone. She didnât expect to make sense.
With every sip, the space between you shrank, her ice-shield melting in your gentle glow.
Over the next days, she stayed. Off the grid. No mission, no contact. Just you and Yelena, with tea and laughter, with your stray cat curled on her lap, the rain pattering against windows. She asked about your books, you asked about her world. She told you about early training sessions, about how silence becomes an ally, how walls are a reflex. You told her about writing picture books, about how children understand loss before they understand logic, how hope can fit between illustrated pages.
You were light and she was darkness, and somehow the two fit. Storms raged in the outside world, but in your home, there was tenderness. You pressed your hand to hers across the coffee table once. She jumped. You squeezed. Yelena was reluctant to let herself fall, because being safe felt more dangerous than the missions she'd survived.
One night, she woke tangled in your sheets, sunâlight drifting through curtains. She watched your chest rise and fall in sleep, soft and real.
Of course, the world came calling. Yelena knew one day the boundaries would tighten again. Sheâd have to leave. And maybe youâd hate her for it. Maybe youâd curse yourself for letting your heart open. But you didnât.
When the time came, she packed, silent, heavy. You stood at the door. Rain outside mimicked the night she knocked. She fumbled for words.
âThank you. For everything,â Yelena said, voice thick with tears she refused to shed.
You stepped forward. Hand on her arm. You pressed a book into her hand, a new manuscript. âFor when you're back. I'll read it to you.â
She looked down at the book. It was your latest story, unprinted. She felt tears brim. âYou should keep it.â
You shook your head. âI want you to read it.â
She looked into your eyes. âI donât know when Iâll be back.â
You pressed your palm to hers. âIâll wait.â
So she left, back into her world of secrets.
Yelena didnât feel quite so alone. Not as much as she did before. Part of her was tethered to that cottage by the sea, by your warmth, by hope. She would come back.
Years later, Yelena isnât an assassin anymore, but these things are never so neat. She trained new agents, helped dismantle weapon networks. But most nights, sheâs on a bench overlooking the sea near your house. The wind tangles her hair, there's a book in her lap.
You appear, barefoot, holding two mugs of tea, and that same cat winds around her legs. You brush rain from her face. She takes one mug.
You hand her another book, finished at last, bound and published. Itâs something wild with talking mushrooms and sparkling fairies and sarcastic gnomes. With dedication, âTo Yelena, who found me in the shadows, and chose me anywayâ.
Would love a Yelena X shy fem!reader if possible đ§
Trinkets
Warning: fluff, no angst, anxious and shy reader, Yelena is down bad for the reader, self-conscious, Reader does not like her family, no usage of y/n, a lot of pet names from Yelena
Word Count: 3.9K
It started with small things. A flower picked from the nearby park. A folded piece of paper into a heart, and notes written on scrap paper. Then it was a necklace for your birthday, a ring on a random Wednesday, and every morning there was a coffee and breakfast on your desk. Before, there was no name to claim responsibility, but now Yelena wrote her name on every gift. For months, she left you little trinkets that made your face bright red and your heart flutter. It made you feel special, nervous, and butterflies in your stomach.
You sat at your desk and smiled at the coffee and pastry. On the napkin, you saw Yelenaâs handwriting wishing you a great day. Carefully, you put the napkin in your bag and sipped on your coffee. Perfect. Like always, she got your order correct. Not by asking, but by reading your reaction to past orders. She liked to give you new drinks and through a lot of trial and error, she helped you find your new favorite. âHow is the drink?â You looked at the blonde, who was standing at the threshold of the office. She looked good, freshly showered, and in a tracksuit. You had no idea how she had time to get you coffee, deliver it, and make it in time for training. Your brain caught up with you, and you noticed you were staring at her.
âUh, yes,â you looked away from her. âThank you. You didnât have to.â
âOf course,â you heard her footsteps walk the short distance to your desk. It seemed impossible, but you kept your eyes trained on your computer. âDo you know why I bring you coffee?â You shook your head. âSo I can see your beautiful smile.â An embarrassing squeak left the back of your throat before you could top it.
âBelova,â thankfully, Pepper appeared out of her office. âAre you distracting my employee?â The blonde looked at the CEO with a smile.
âMy presence is never a distraction,â she sent you a wink. âBut I will take my leave. I will see you later, beautiful,â she waved at you as she walked away. You were stunned into silence, feeling your body heat up from the compliment.
âUnbelievable,â Pepper chuckled. She walked over to your desk. âI can ban her from coming over here.â You shook your head.
âNo, no, itâs fine,â you said. âSheâs not that bad.â Pepper looked you over, scanning you for any lies, and nodded.
âIf that changes, let me know. I sent you some data that needs to be analyzed before my meeting.â
âOf course! Right on it.â This was what you were good at - organizing and analyzing data, taking notes for Pepper in meetings, and prioritizing her attention. You had been working with the CEO as her assistant for two years. With all the time spent together, you forged a relationship with her more than a boss and an employer. She looked out for you, especially when it came to you being so shy and soft spoken. You mostly faded to the background. In a room full of superheroes, you were obsolete. Yet somehow you captured the attention of a Black Widow.
You, a plain girl from the Midwest, applied to this position to escape her small town. You barely had said two words to the other members of the team. Somehow, Yelena saw you, and that scared you. She made your heart flutter, stomach twist into knots, and smile so big. But why you?
At the end of the workday, Yelena was waiting for you. It wasnât uncommon for her to be here after your shift, but it was rare. Her hands were behind her back, and you eyed her suspiciously. âWhat?â
âAre you free tonight?â Hours spent talking to her in the morning, you began to pick up on her mannerisms. The always confident Black Widow was now nervous. There was a slight difference in her voice, a hitch that wasnât usually there.
âDepends,â you answered slowly. âWhat do you want?â She took a few steps to close the distance and pulled her hand from behind her back. A single red tulip was behind her fingers.
âLet me take you out to dinner,â she said. âTonight.â
âOh,â you squeaked. You took the flower from her and looked in her eyes. Her green eyes were like leaves with golden sunlight shining through them. Some days, you found it impossible to hear what she was saying because you were distracted by the colors. âWhy?â Her smile faltered, and she narrowed her eyes at you.
âI am sorry,â she said. âI do not understand what you asked.â You huffed and looked at your office window.
âWhy me?â You asked again. âI am a nobody, just a random assistant.â For the first time, you saw a dark shadow cross her face, and it startled you. As quickly as it came, it disappeared.
âYou are someone,â she whispered. âTo me, at least, and I wish I could hurt whoever made you believe that.â You chuckled softly and bit your lip. You believed her. She was asking you out because she wanted to, not out of pity or a joke.
âOkay,â you sighed. âIâll go to dinner with you.â Her face lit up like a Christmas tree, and you hated how cute it was.
âPerfect. I will pick you up at 6:30, okay?â You nodded. âSee you tonight, beautiful.â Finally, you were left alone. What a whirlwind. Now you had to get ready for a date.
Your doorbell rang at 6:25. Leave it to Yelena to arrive early. You pressed your hands down your dress to smooth out the wrinkles and opened the door. There stood the blonde in a dark green two-piece pant suit. The top had a V-neck with her arms bare. It was truly unfair how good-looking she was in anything she wore. âYou are staring, sweetheart.â You felt your body heat up.
âSorry,â you mumbled. Behind her back, she brought out a bouquet.
âFor you,â she smiled. âBeautiful flowers for a beautiful girl.â You were never going to get used to the compliments that flowed so easily off her tongue.
âThank you,â you said as you took the flowers from her. âPlease come in. Iâll quickly put these in water.â You stepped out of the way for Yelena to enter. Quickly, you made a beeline for the kitchen. You tried to keep your hands busy while Yelena looked around your space. As soon as you got home, you cleaned just in case she would come inside.
âYour home,â you looked at her as you placed the flowers in the center of the island. âIt is warm.â
âOh.â You werenât expecting that word to describe the place you lived in. When you first moved to the city, you wanted your home to feel safe and lived in. Unlike your old house, where it felt cold. âThank you.â You hated how your voice shook at the end. But Yelena only smiled at you. âIâm uh ready,â you grabbed your purse from the hook. You triple-checked that it had everything you needed - a cheap stick, wallet, keys, and phone.
âLetâs go.â When your door locked behind you, Yelena grabbed your hand. The feeling was different but not unwelcome. âIs this okay?â She questioned.
âYeah,â you smiled. It was okay. Butterflies circled in your stomach, and your heart fluttered, but you liked the feeling of her hand in yours.
Yelena walked back to your door. âI had a really good time.â You said once your door was unlocked. Yelena booked a reservation at a small Italian restaurant. It was quiet, warm, and filled your belly with good food. Time was spent listening to Yelena talk about her time as an Avenger. She caught on early that you werenât one to talk about your family, but you were happy to listen to her.
Her voice had a way of soothing your anxiety, which was rare. Usually, being the center of attention made your skin crawl. With Yelena, you graved it - wanted it more and more. âSo did I. Thank you for saying yes.â
âThank you for asking.â Now you werenât sure what to do next. Should you invite her inside? When do you say goodbye? Was she expecting more from you? This was why you never went on dates.
âWell, I will see you tomorrow. Same time as always.â She winked before turning to leave down the stairs.
The only person you told that you were moving to New York right after school was your younger sister. She was the closest thing you had to a best friend. Her only advice was to âbe brave.â âYelena,â she stopped and looked over her shoulder. She waited - patience as ever - for you to gather your bearings. Without thinking, you walked over to her. Her green eyes tracked you the entire time. Standing before her, your sisterâs words danced in your head.
Be brave. Be brave. Be brave. Smiling, you kissed her cheek softly. âSee you tomorrow.â Her eyes went wide as a blush covered her cheeks. The color looked good on her. Her fingers touched the spot that your lips touched.
âYeah,â she cleared her throat. âSee you tomorrow.â You smiled as she descended the stairs.
The following morning, there was a coffee and a muffin at your desk.
Date nights became more common. It was becoming more common to spend nights by yourself than with the blonde. Movie nights, walks in the park, dinners at small family restaurants, and every morning there was a coffee and breakfast on your desk. She treated you like a princess, and it was the happiest youâve been.
Because of this thing with Yelena, you found yourself around the Avengers more. They were loud, energetic, but welcoming. They respected the fact that you were quiet and liked to stand on the outside of the party. It was why you became close with Bucky. Both you and the super soldier could exist in silence. Still, there were moments you wondered why she picked you. You continued to compare yourself to the heroes around you. But she saw you. No matter who else was in the room, her eyes were on you.
At this point, the voice on the phone was going on and on. It was an important meeting with potential partners, but the man was more interested in hearing himself speak than Pepper. You were there to take notes and send documents to Pepper to support her claims because these men never believed her. You had to give it to her. Pepper was holding her own and not getting frustrated.
You looked up at the sound of footsteps. Even seeing the blonde made you smile, but you held up your finger and pointed to the phone. Yelena understood and sat in the empty chair next to you. Her head rested on your fingers, and you ran your fingers through the loose strands of hair. Yelena smiled and wiggled happily in her chair. The action made you smile, and you focused back on the call.
Finally, it was done. You said your farewells and hung up. âGods,â you mumbled and rubbed your temples. âI hate white men.â Yelena chuckled. Her breath on your skin tickled. But she moved her head and used her hands to dig into the knots on your shoulders. You melted. The tension left your body. âYou have magically hands.â
âThey can be magically elsewhere,â you heard the smirk in her voice. âBut we have to keep it PG or Pepper will have my head.â Her suggestion was not lost on you. You pushed her away as embarrassment crept up your neck.
âI donât like you,â you mumbled and rolled further away from her.
âBaby.â You kept your eyes on your screen. âBeautiful.â Yelenaâs hands were on your sides. âSweetheart.â You huffed and looked at her. âHi.â She smiled. Rolling your eyes, you couldnât help but smile.
âWhat do you want, Lena?â You asked. âShouldnât you be at training?â
âI finished early, so I can come see you,â you raised an eyebrow at her. âAnd to ask you something.â There it was. âKate is planning a night out with some of the younger members. They want you to come.â Oh. You werenât expecting that, especially since clubs and bars werenât really your scene.
âDo you want me to come?â You questioned.
âI always want you.â You huffed and rolled your eyes. Sometimes you felt small underneath her gaze. âBut I understand if you do not want to. I could go for one drink and come see you after.â You frowned. As much as going out filled you with anxiety, it was something the team did regularly. Youâve listened to many stories from Pepper about how she had to save them from their drunken shenanigans. Now that you were dating Yelena, you were part of the traditions. Sighing, you bite your lip.
âIâll go.â
âOh. OH!â It was funny to watch Yelena try to school her features, but her excitement was pulsing off of her. âAmazing. We can ride to the bar together,â she stood up and kissed your cheek. âI will go tell Kate. See you later?â She questioned. You nodded.
âBye, Lena.â The blonde waved goodbye, and she took off. You chuckled and focused back on your work. That Black Widow. She was going to be the death of you.
âJust stay the night,â you told her behind your shoulder as you stepped into your apartment. âItâs late,â you heard the door close as you filled a glass of water. Your throat was dry from the few drinks you had and talking over the music. The night was fun. You spent a large portion of the night sitting at the table with Yelenaâs arm wrapped around your waist. You sipped on the drinks that the blonde got for you and watched the members of the team dissolve into chaos. Kate even managed to pull you onto the dance floor. Lucky, Yelena came to save you.
âAre you sure?â Yelena asked. âI do not mind going back.â You smiled.
âI insist,â you said. âI have some clothes that you can wear and an extra toothbrush.â Yelena huffed, and the sound had you rolling your eyes. You placed the glass in the sink to be dealt with in the morning and walked over to her. Maybe you could blame it on the alcohol. But you felt bolder. You placed your hand over her heart. âDonât overthink it. Just come to bed with me.â Yelena groaned and threw her head back.
âYou can not say stuff like that, detka (babe),â you huffed. Before she could make another snarky comment, you grabbed her hand and led her to your bedroom. Your night routine was simple. Change out of the clothes. Wash your face, then brush your teeth. Finally, you lay under the covers as you waited for Yelena.
The mindless scrolling on your phone helped take your mind off the fact that Yelena was a room away and going to sleep next to you. The butterflies swirled in your stomach, but it was curved with excitement.
The bathroom door opened, and you looked at Yelena as you placed your phone on the side table. Her hair was in a loose braid, and she looked softer in the clothes you gave her. With a smile, you pulled the covers back to make space for the Black Widow. Her movement was slow, calculated, like she was giving you every opportunity to change your mind. Finally, she lay down and pulled the blanket over her. She moved to her side and faced you, arm bent at the elbow with her head in her hand. âHave I ever told you?â Yelena whispered. You were resting on your back so you turned your head to look at her. âYou are the most beautiful girl in the entire world.â
âShut up,â you mumbled and rolled your eyes. âYou are just saying that because you are in my bed.â Yelena shook her head.
âI am saying it because it is the truth.â With her free hand, she took yours. Her lips gently pressed to the back of your hand. You gave her a shy smile.
âYou are very special, Yelena,â you whispered. âCan you maybe hold me?â Her face softened.
âYeah, of course, baby,â you turned over until your back was to her. Her arm went around your waist and pulled you flush to her. You felt her breath against your neck as goosebumps formed on your skin.
âGood night, Yelena.â Her lips grazed a spot on your shoulder not covered by your shirt.
âGoodnight.â It was the fastest youâve fallen asleep.
Yelena woke up to a weight on her chest. As her eyes fluttered open to take in her surroundings, she realized she was not in her room at the tower. Before panic could settle in her stomach, the smell of floral body wash invaded her senses. Fast asleep on her chest was you. There was definitely dried drool on your cheek, and soft snores that escaped past your mouth made Yelena smile. This was the most at peace sheâs seen you, and that made you ever more gorgeous. While you slept, it appeared you were finally able to let your guard down.
The few months of this âthingâ, you were slowly becoming more open around her. You were shy; no one would argue against that. But the more time you spent around her, Yelena truly believed you made yourself smaller on purpose. Like you were afraid of the attention. But Yelena saw you when you thought no one was looking.
The smile you wore when you were engrossed in a good book. The way your eyebrows scrunched together while you concentrated on a task that Pepper gave you. On rare occasions, she would catch you laughing, and that sound would replay in her head. So, she began to leave you notes, then breakfast at your desk, and little gifts to see you smile. Finally, she got the courage to ask you out, and you said yes. Even though she was free from the Red Room, she finally felt like she was living when she was with you.
Sighing, she kissed the top of your head. You sighed happily in your sleep and nuzzled closer to her. The action made Yelenaâs heart leap. For the longest time, she saw herself as a monster. So much blood soaked her hands that she hated the color red. When she was with you, she felt she was capable of being loved.
The clock on your nightstand read 8:15. It was Saturday morning, and neither of you had any plans. Still, Yelena wanted to surprise you with breakfast and coffee, which meant she had to leave the comfort and warmth of your bed.
With expert precision, she was able to untangle herself from you and slip out of the bedroom. Cooking wasnât in her wheelhouse of skills, so she ordered food, but she could make coffee. While she waited, she walked around your apartment. Your space was welcoming. The walls were covered by local artwork. Pillows covered your couch, and there were half-used candles around. It was lived in, loved, and Yelena found herself feeling more at home here than she did in her own room.
As she was looking for a lighter to light some of your candles, she found a notebook with the Black Widow logo on it. More specifically, it was colored white against the dark green cover. It felt wrong, but Yelena picked it up and flipped it to the first page. Her stomach flipped. Glued carefully to the center of the page was a note, in her handwriting, that wished for you to have a great day. It was the first note she gave you. Now she was drawn to the contents of what else was hidden in the pages of the journal. Some pages just had a note or a flower she gave you that you pressed and saved. Other pages had little doodles or notes you wrote about your day. Every little thing you kept - down to the sticker of your coffee orders or the wrapping paper your gift was packaged in.
Truthfully, Yelena thought you threw the notes away, but you kept them and took the time and care to create this journal. A knock at your door caused her to jump. Quickly, she put the notebook back and rushed to the door. She thanked the deliveryman with a smile and closed the door with her hip.
There was a pep in her step as she grabbed some plates and poured coffee into mugs. âDid you cook?â Yelena glanced at you from where your voice was heard. You were leaning against the wall, your shirt a little lopsided, and you rubbed the sleep out of your eyes.
âNo,â Yelena chuckled. âI ordered, but you were supposed to be in bed when I was done here.â You gave her a soft smile and walked the few steps towards her. âGood morning, beautiful.â Yelena would never get tired of complimenting you. You werenât used to it. Your nose would crinkle up, and Yelena could see the heat rise to your cheeks. It seemed natural for Yelena to lean forward and capture your lips.
You were addicting. Every time you kissed her, her brain would turn to mush. It wasnât her intention for the kiss to deepen, but your back was pressed against the counter. You ended it. Cheeks flushed and chest rising up and down as you stared at her. âWhat was that for?â
âJust wanted to,â Yelena smiled and handed you your coffee. âBetter eat it while itâs warm.â Breakfast was eaten at the small table you had that faced the window. While you talked about the plans for the day, Yelena kept her hand on your thigh. She listened intently because she saw you just as you saw her.
So, I know you asked for solo yelena requests, how about headcanons on how yelena would handle having a crush on reader with reader being a member of the thunderbolts
This was so fun to write thank you anon! :)
Warnings: None.
So Yelena isn't great with feelings or being vulnerable.
Poor girl has BIG emotions but struggles to express them properly.
For the first few months you thought she hated you because she would hardly talk to you unless it pertained to a mission but it's not because she disliked you, she just didn't trust you yet.
But with time and patience she slowly warmed up to you and started to really enjoy your company and the occasional flirty banter you shared.
She goes out of her way to memorize how you like your coffee or surprise you with random little gifts that made her think of you.
She isn't sure at first why she does it, or why she finds herself spending all her free time with you, or why her heart races when you smile at her but she wants to understand.
Which would often lead to her scowling at you unintentionally anytime the two of you hang out because she's trying to figure it out.
What finally makes her put two and two together is when she realizes that the churning nausea she feels in the pit of her stomach when someone flirts with you is in fact jealousy.
She spends weeks thinking about whether or not she should tell you and every time she tries she chickens out, what if you don't feel the same? What if she makes you uncomfortable? What if this ruins your friendship?
You know her all too well though and have known for months how she feels and that she'll never actually tell you so it's up to you to make the first move and ask her out on a proper date.
Heyy i was wondering if you could do how or when the thunderbolts would realise theyâve got a crush on reader
You absolutely can, thank you so much for the request hun! :)
Warnings: Mention of chronic pain for Ava's part. All fluff.
Yelena
Weekly movie nights had quickly become a thing between the two of you when you found out she hasn't seen any of the classics. Currently you're on "Lord of the Rings" which she swore was "going to bore her to death" but now that you're sat down watching it she's laser focused and shushing you anytime you say something, saying she can't hear the dialogue over you. You have to stifle a chuckle when she realizes she's literally on the edge of her seat and readjusts, leaning back and slinging her arm across the back of the couch.
You're halfway through the third movie when your eyes start to feel heavy. You try to stay awake you really do but you're so tired and so comfy curled up under the blankets that within a few minutes your body slumps and you're out. She tenses at first when she feels your body lean right up against hers listlessly but quickly relaxes. Anyone else she'd shove off but being close to you is different, she likes being close to you. When she looks down and sees your relaxed expression and hears your slow breathing she can't help but smile. You just look so cute and peaceful. And that's when she realizes all those feelings she feels towards you are more than just wanting to be your friend.
"Oh damn..."
Bob
You're getting ready for some promotional gala thing Valentina wanted you to go to in order to promote the team and Bob tried not to think anything of it earlier when you asked him to go with you but now as the time draws near he can't help but feel nervous. The two of you hang out all the time, so why does this feel different? When he gets to your door and knocks, flowers in hand, he almost panics and tosses them. Is this too much? It's not like it's a real date right? But before he can dispose of them your door swings open. Your lips immediately quirk into a smile, eyeing him up and down in his little suit and bow-tie.
"Don't you look handsome."
His face flushes and his head dips down as he extends the flowers in your direction, mumbling a quiet "thank you" and "these are for you." Why do you make him so flustered? Why can't he form proper words anytime he's near you? His thoughts are interrupted when you reach for his hand with your free one and interlock your fingers. Nothing has ever felt so right, if he could he'd never let go and that's when he knows he wants to be more than just your friend.
Ava
Ava is the type of person that likes to flirt with her friends for fun so when you joined the team and she found out you were the same way she was ecstatic to find a kindred spirit so to speak. When she tells you how good you look or sneaks in some cheesy pick up line you always have something ready to fire back which is one of the things she likes so much about you. She likes how witty you are, she likes when you tell her she's funny, she likes the way you smile at her and the way your eyes light up when she speaks, but most of all she likes how you're always there for her when she needs you.
Ava was having a rather rough day with her chronic pain which is why she asked for your help with getting ready in the first place. She knew she could trust you, could always rely on you when she needed to. Which is how you ended up the way you are, hand holding her face gently while your other hand carefully fixes her make up. You're so close she can feel your breath fanning her face and the way you're looking at her gives her butterflies. You always look at her like this, like she's the most beautiful girl you've ever seen. Her heart feels like it's going to beat out of her chest when you smile down at her, your finger barely brushing her bottom lip to fix the bit of smeared gloss.
"All done, pretty girl."
Bucky
Honestly he knew the moment he met you that he was going to fall head over heels for you so it really didn't take long before he developed feelings. He did try to brush it off initially because he didn't want to complicate things for the two of you or for the rest of the team, he was hoping that they would go away or at the very least lessen over time but they didn't. The more time that passes, the more time you spend together, the harder he falls for you each and every day. It's the little things you do that leave his heart fluttering, like the way you always look to him when someone says something funny just to see his smile.
He knew he had to tell you eventually, for better or worse you had the right to know and decide what you wanted to do with that information. If you didn't like him back and just wanted to be friends he would be okay with that, what he wouldn't be okay with is not taking that chance. Which is why when you wake up for breakfast and find that it's only him in the kitchen today, he looks more nervous than usual. He pulls a chair out for you before sitting in his own, each with your own plate piled high. You chuckle and ask him what's the occasion when you see he's made your favorite, or at least tried to. You've never seen the man so nervous.
"I'd like to take you on a date, if you'd let me"
John
It's early in the morning when you make your way towards the gym to meet him, same time as always. And like always he's already there warming up, shirt discarded as he hits the punching bag in front of him. The muscles in his back ripple and flex with every twist of his hips, throwing his weight into the blow. What you'd give to admire him longer but soon enough he notices you and turns, nodding his head in your direction to motion you over to start your session.
The two of you have been at it for almost an hour now and you notice the way his lip is curled into that familiar snarl he gets when he's annoyed or frustrated. Despite weeks of training together he still has yet to beat you. Or maybe it's the way you're looking at him that is so frustrating, not because he doesn't like it but because he can't do anything about it. You can't help yourself, he's just so fun to mess with that you give him a sly smile. Despite his frustration he does enjoy your training sessions though, looks forward to them even. He likes that you challenge him. He likes that just when he thinks he's got you, you counter perfectly. He likes the shit eating grin you get that he'd give anything just to kiss off your dumb face. He likes you.
summary: you enjoy the famous avengers party, but mostly you enjoy a certain blond one, who likes you a lot
word count: 4.6k
warnings: drinking, swearing, yelena being a cute loser, bad flirting and pick-up lines
an: this is the end of this little series, yelena is such a cutie hehehe
part one I part two I part three
âď¸ Summer with A masterlist âď¸
The evening is pretty calm in the compound, Kate is lounging upside down on the couch, her legs over the backrest, scrolling through her phone. Wanda sits cross-legged on the rug with a mug of tea, occasionally flicking her fingers to stir it lazily. Pietro paces near the snack bar, throwing popcorn into the air and catching it or trying to.
Yelena is sunk into a chair, arms crossed, watching them with mild amusement.
"What time is that thing again?" Kate asks, not looking up.
"Seven," Yelena says. "Give or take. You know how Steve gets about punctuality."
Wanda hums, "is (Y/N) coming?"
Yelena casually shrugs, picking at a string on her sleeve, "yeah, I asked her to come."
All three heads whip toward her like synchronized missiles.
Yelena blinks, "what?"
Kate lets out an exaggerated gasp, "wait! you asked her?"
Wanda grins, setting her mug down, "you invited her?"
Pietro smirks, crossing his arms, "finally."
Yelena sits up straighter, eyes darting between them, "what finally?"
"Finally you made a move," Kate says, flopping back dramatically. "Weâve only been watching you two flirt in the medbay like itâs a Netflix slow burn for weeks."
Yelena scowls, "no. I just⌠I invited her because of Kate. She stitched you up few times, I thought it would be nice for you two to talk."
Pietro lets out a barking laugh. "You invited (Y/N) for Kate as an excuse to bring her with you?"
Yelena glares, "itâs not an excuse."
"Thatâs the saddest move Iâve ever heard," Pietro says, still laughing. "Gosh, youâre such a loser, Belova."
"I am not a loser!"
Wanda raises a brow, amused, "you are kind of a disaster."
Kate smirks, "we say it with love."
Yelena narrows her eyes at her, "youâre not helping."
But Kate is already gearing up for more. She leans forward dramatically, grinning, "so let me get this straight... you asked (Y/N) to come with you to this Avengers-only event⌠for me? Thatâs the most painfully transparent excuse Iâve heard in my life. Thatâs like-" she gestures wildly, "-saying I brought you this coffee because I thought my roommate might want to smell it.´"
Yelena groans, "I hate you," Pietro nearly chokes laughing, "shut up!" Yelena throws a cushion at him, which he dodges easily, still grinning.
"Top move," Kate adds, leaning back smugly.
Right then. Natasha walks in with Maria Hill at her side, both dressed in casual black and looking mildly suspicious at the volume of laughter.
"What did we walk into?" Natasha asks, eyeing her sisterâs expression with a smirk already forming.
Pietro points at Yelena immediately, "your sister is a disaster."
"Can you stop saying that?!" Yelena says and shoots him a death glare.
"She is," Kate confirms, clearly enjoying herself far too much.
Natasha raises an eyebrow, then looks at Yelena, "what did you do now?"
Kate answers before Yelena can even open her mouth. "She invited (Y/N) to the event. But not like invited invited. Oh no. She said it was for me."
Maria raises an amused brow at Natasha, "thatâs adorable."
Natasha grins like a cat who just caught a mouse. "Yelena. My sweet little sister."
Yelena gestures wildly, "okay, but how long did it take you to ask Hill on a date?"
Natasha blinks, then smiles tightly, "thatâs different."
"Is it?" Wanda muses with a sip of her tea. "I donât know⌠I guess you have it in you. Must be a Romanoff/Belova thing. Equal parts terrifying and emotionally constipated."
Maria chuckles, sliding an arm casually around Natashaâs waist. "She did ask me out⌠eventually."
Kate chuckles, "eventually? that´s like what few years?"
Maria smirks. "She walked into my office two years ago, dropped a classified mission file on my desk, and said, ´If you go to dinner with me, Iâll consider letting you see page four.´"
Everyone bursts out laughing, except Natasha, who shrugs. "It worked."
Yelena buries her face in her hands, "this is the worst day of my life."
Natasha pats her shoulder with mock sympathy, "youâll survive."
Pietro is still laughing, "you invited (Y/N) for Kate. God, thatâs gonna live with me forever."
"Okay enough!" Yelena barks, cheeks burning.
Wanda floats her tea with a little flick of her fingers. "Youâll love us again when she shows up and looks at you like you hung the moon."
Kate leans over with a nudge, "just wear the jacket. You know, that one.â She winks at her.
Yelena groans, fully flopping back into the armchair. "I repeat... worst day of my life."
...
You smooth down your shirt for what feels like the tenth time, standing in front of the mirror in the med bay locker room, when a familiar voice rings out behind you.
"Okay," Dr. Cho says, breezing in with a soft smile and a twinkle in her eye, "can we put the work aside?"
You glance at her with a raised brow, "thatâs not what we were doing before?"
She shrugs, grinning, "we were pretending."
You laugh as she swapped her lab coat for a cute casual blazer, and you notice, for once, thereâs no clipboard in sight. Itâs a miracle.
"So," she says, eyes sparkling, "who are you most excited to see tonight? And be honest. This is a safe zone."
You smirk, "you first."
Without missing a beat, "Thor."
You burst out laughing, "wow. That was quick."
"Heâs literally a god," she says with mock seriousness. "Of thunder. With arms like sculpted marble and a smile that could short-circuit your nervous system."
You tease, "so itâs not about his brain?"
She waves it off, "Iâm a scientist. I need balance in my life."
You giggle, "I see it. God of thunder and killer cheekbones."
"Exactly," she grins. "So, your turn. Donât think I havenât noticed a certain blonde assassin making very regular appearances on your schedule lately."
You feel your face heat up, "Yelena... sheâs just been dropping by."
Dr. Choâs smile widens. "Mm-hmm. And bringing you snacks? Sitting around during your paperwork hours? Definitely sounds like casual assassin behavior."
You shake your head, laughing softly, but then she delivers the kicker.
"Guess weâre both into blondes, huh?"
You snort, covering your mouth as you laugh, "oh my god."
"Iâm just saying." She hops down from the counter, smoothing her top. "Mineâs a space viking, yours is a knife-wielding chaos ninja. To each their own."
"Sheâs not a ninja," you mutter, but the smile playing on your lips gives you away.
"She is, and you like it."
You both dissolve into giggles as the elevator chimes down the hall. You grab your card just in case, and walk side by side toward the Avengers-level access.
"I still canât believe weâre going to a party with them," you say, glancing at her.
"I know," Dr. Cho says, eyes alight with mischief and nerves. "Now come on... letâs go awkwardly hover near our crushes and pretend itâs casual."
You grin, stepping into the elevator together, "game plan?"
"Act natural," she whispers dramatically.
You both burst into laughter as the elevator doors close, headed straight toward an evening. The elevator doors slide open with a soft ding, revealing the Avengers lounge, now softly lit and buzzing with quiet music, chatter, and the clinking of glasses. Laughter already echoing from the back where someone (probably Sam) is hyping up a game of pool.
Dr. Cho exhales beside you, eyes locking immediately across the room. "Target acquired," she mutters like sheâs on a mission, eyes wide with awe.
You follow her gaze... yep. There he is. Thor, in all his golden-haired, thunderous glory, laughing loudly at something Steve said, a drink in hand and charm radiating off him in waves.
You bump her with your elbow and wink, "go get him."
She blushes but grins, "good luck to you." And with that, she disappears into the crowd, cheeks still flushed, fixing her hair on the way. You smooth your palms down your thighs and look around. And thatâs when you spot them.
Across the room, Kate Bishop, Wanda Maximoff, and, of course, Yelena, stand gathered near a table of snacks and drinks, mid-conversation. Kateâs sipping something fizzy and sparkling, Wanda is holding a glass of wine like the sophisticated witch she is, and YelenaâŚ
Yelenaâs dressed in black jeans, boots, and a green jacket youâve seen her wear a few times. It suits her, something effortlessly cool and quietly intimidating. But her face? Her face softens the moment she spots you.
Her lips twitch into the beginnings of a smile, but before she can even say anything-
"Oh, thanks to you, my date is here," Kate announces with a wicked smirk, loud enough for Yelena to groan instantly and bury her face in her hands.
"Kathrine," Yelena mutters.
Wanda chuckles beside her, completely unfazed, "you put it on yourself".
Suddenly, a gust of wind rushes by, and before you can blink, Pietro appears beside them, grinning like a devil.
"Good luck, Belova," he says, patting Yelenaâs shoulder like sheâs about to enter battle. "Youâll need it."
"Pietro!" Wanda scolds, swatting him lightly.
"What? Iâm being supportive!" he protests, then zips off again toward the bar, where Clint seems to be pretending he can make a fancy drinks.
You laugh under your breath as you start walking over.
Yelena watches you approach like sheâs bracing herself but canât stop smiling, "you made it."
You nod, "with minimal injuries on the way. Dr. Cho saw Thor and nearly fainted."
That earns a few chuckles from the group.
"Hi, everyone," you add with a warm smile, glancing at Kate, Wanda, and Yelena, who suddenly seems to forget how to use her limbs.
Kate, naturally, jumps in to save the moment, with a grin that promises absolutely zero mercy.
"Weâre so glad youâre here," she says brightly, then throws Yelena a sharp look. "Especially after Yelena asked you to come. I mean, for me, obviously. Not because she wanted to spend time with you or anything." Her voice drips with playful sarcasm.
Yelena groans under her breath, muttering something in russian once again.
You laugh, "oh yeah, the ´come see Kate´ invitation."
Kate winks at you, "would you like a drink?"
You glance between them, amused, "uh⌠sure, yeah."
Before Kate can move, a gust of air whooshes past you and Pietro appears at your side like a mischief tornado. "Allow me! Iâm excellent at beverages."
Kate blinks. "No- wait-" but heâs already whisking you off toward the bar.
The second youâre out of earshot, Kate turns and slaps Yelenaâs arm, hard. "Ow- what was that for?!" Yelena glares at her.
"Talk to her like a normal person!" Kate hisses. "You look like a terrified puppy who accidentally peed on the rug. She does not like that energy."
"She makes me... ugh- I donât know, weird!" Yelena huffs.
"Youâre already weird," Kate snaps. "But youâre also cool. You throw knives and ride motorcycles and punch people in the face with eyeliner on. Be that person."
Wanda, sipping her tea calmly beside them, adds, "You could also, I donât know, tell her you like her."
Yelena looks like someone just suggested she propose marriage. "Are you insane?!"
"Youâre the one asking her to parties with a Kate-shaped excuse," Wanda mutters, but smiles.
Just then, you return, laughing as Pietro hands you a cup.
Kate raises an eyebrow, "whatâd you get?"
You glance down at the cup, "well⌠Pietro made it, so itâs like⌠vodka with a little bit of juice? Maybe?"
Kate nods solemnly, "amazing."
Then, with a sudden sparkle in her eye, she gasps and turns to Yelena dramatically. "You know who loves vodka?"
Yelena narrows her eyes, "donât."
Kate grins wider, "Yelena does! What a coincidence!"
You blink, "oh really?"
Kate doesnât even wait for an naswer, sheâs already grabbing Wanda and Pietro by the arms. "Okay we have to go discuss... uh- super secret archer-witch-speedster things. Like⌠top secret. Classified. Sorry!"
"Bye!" Pietro chimes, speeding off before Yelena can throw something at him.
Youâre left standing beside Yelena, who looks like sheâs cycling through five emotions per second: embarrassed, amused, confused, terrified, and a little hopeful.
You sip your drink, then tilt your head toward where the others disappeared, "one would say theyâre making worse excuses than you do."
Yelenaâs head snaps toward you, eyes widening, "what?"
You grin, sipping again. "You know... the ´I invited you for Kate´ line. Very creative."
Yelena blinks, "you knew?"
"Iâm not that oblivious." You pause, looking up at her. "Besides⌠I was hoping it wasnât about Kate."
Yelena stares at you for a second too long, lips parting in surprise, before a slow smirk pulls at the corners of her mouth. "Youâre bolder outside of the medbay."
You take another casual sip, "itâs still me. Just not in a medic outfit."
Yelena exhales a small laugh, her body relaxing with the ease of someone whoâs just had their favorite song come on in the background. "Noted. I like this version too."
Your shoulder brushes hers, just enough to feel the warmth between you. "Careful, Belova. You keep saying things like that, I might start showing up in my usual leather jackets and combat boots."
She looks you over for a beat, then raises her glass. "Now that I would pay to see."
You both laugh, the air between you finally free of awkwardness. Around you, the party buzzes, music humming, chatter rising.
Eventually, Yelena nods toward a couch tucked near the edge of the room, "wanna sit? I promise to not let you get pulled into a sparring match. Or a drinking contest. Unless you want to win."
"Only if youâre on my team."
She chuckles, and the two of you make your way over to the couch. The lights are warm, not too bright, and thereâs a hum of life around you that makes the space feel alive but not overwhelming.
As you settle in beside her, you notice Dr. Cho is by the bar, gleefully chatting with Thor, her voice high with delight as she nudges Sam Wilson. "He sparkles, Sam. Look at him. Literal lightning."
Sam is shaking his head, placing a bet on whether sheâll ask for a selfie before or after her second drink.
Clint is trying to shoot a stacked cups on Buckyâs head while he pretends not to care. Wanda and Kate have found karaoke and are warming up with intense, off-key harmonies.
You glance at Yelena beside you. Sheâs watching it all with a small smile and then turns to look at you.
"So," she says, nudging your leg with hers, "youâre enjoying this?"
You nod, leaning back a little, "I am now."
The warmth of the room sinks in deeper with every minute and maybe also the drink Pietro made, which youâre beginning to realize is deceptively lethal. You swirl whatâs left in your cup, frowning slightly.
"Okay, what was in this?" you ask, inspecting it like it might confess under pressure.
Yelena smirks, "He measures vodka by vibes, not science."
"Yeah, I noticed," you mutter, then blink slowly. "I feel fine, though. I mean, relatively. I might be... talking more than usual?"
Yelena rests her elbow on the back of the couch, head tilted toward you, clearly amused. "Youâre fine. Slightly chaotic. But fine."
You grin, and then go right into it without missing a beat. "Did you know dehydration is one of the main causes of hangovers? But also, itâs not just that. Itâs this whole chain of metabolic disruptions, like how alcohol affects vasopressin secretion and glycogen storage-anyway, my point is, I always pre-load electrolytes and eat right before drinking, so I almost never get hungover."
Yelena raises a brow, laughing softly, "youâre adorable."
You pretend not to hear her and keep going, a little too animated now. "Also, fun fact... people think greasy food helps before drinking, but itâs actually slow-digesting carbs and protein that are better. Plus, I take a B-complex vitamin and drink water with- wait, am I still talking?"
Yelenaâs grin widens, "very much."
You wave a hand, flushed now from both the drink and the attention. "Sorry, youâre just⌠easy to talk to. I never really talk about this stuff unless Iâm in the medbay. And Iâm always the serious one there. Which is fine. But, like⌠itâs nice."
Yelena hums, "so the vodka breaks the professional shell. Interesting."
You narrow your eyes playfully, "donât psychoanalyze me."
"No promises, "she reaches out, fingers brushing your cup as if to check how much youâve got left. "Donât you have a shift tomorrow?"
You shake your head. "The benefit of being a medic is knowing exactly what your body needs. I rarely get hangovers. Iâll be fine."
Yelena leans closer, clearly enjoying this version of you, looser, louder, a little nerdy, all heart. "Youâre cute when you ramble."
You blink, "thatâs the vodka talking."
"No," she says with a crooked smile, "the vodka made you ramble. Iâm just telling the truth."
You look at her for a long moment, heart thudding for a completely different reason now. You try to play it cool and sip the rest of your drink, but your lips curl into a quiet, tipsy smile. "Okay... that was smooth."
"I have my moments." She watches you for a beat longer, and then her grin grows slightly. "Go on," she says, voice light but eyes fixed on you. "Keep talking."
Your brain stutters, "what?"
"Keep talking, doc."
Your face heats up faster than any vodka could manage. "Y-Yeah- okay, um⌠about what?"
Yelena shrugs, leaning forward just a little, "anything."
You blink once. Then twice. And the first thing that bursts out of your mouth is... "well, uh, the heart-"
Yelenaâs brows quirk, amused, and youâre already too deep in to stop.
"-the heart rate increases under alcohol, thatâs totally normal. Itâs a vasodilator, so blood vessels relax, which can lower blood pressure, so your heart compensates by pumping faster to maintain circulation. So technically⌠elevated pulse under alcohol consumption is-" You pause, blinking hard, "-not something to be worried about unless itâs, like, really high or irregular." You have zero idea why are you talking about this, but it´s like you can´t stop it.
Yelenaâs watching you with an expression that should be illegal. Her chinâs propped on her hand, smile utterly smitten, head tilted like sheâs watching her favorite movie unfold. It´s total switch from the nervouss girl she was few hours ago and that´s only because of you.
You clear your throat, trying to ignore the heat crawling up your neck. "Of course, there could be other reasons for an elevated heart rate."
She hums, "like?"
Your eyes flick to hers, green, intent, glinting with something captivating. You feel it again, that thrum in your chest, but now itâs not just the vodka or the science.
You offer a small smile, "I donât know. Maybe someone sitting too close, making direct eye contact and smiling at you like they want to keep you talking forever."
Yelena goes still for a heartbeat. And then, slowly, her lips pull into a grin, sharp and amused but undeniably fond. "Oh?" she murmurs, voice low and teasing. "Is that what it looks like Iâm doing?"
You glance at her sidelong, half-lidded from the drink, a little emboldened from the attention, "kind of hard to miss, Belova."
Yelena laughs, the sound is warm and surprised, like she wasnât expecting you to flirt back this hard but now that you are, sheâs absolutely thriving on it. "Well," she says, turning slightly on the couch to face you more, one leg tucked beneath her, elbow resting on the back of the couch behind your shoulder, "youâre not exactly making it easy to look away either."
You raise an eyebrow, pleased and kind of dizzy... maybe from the vodka, maybe from her gaze. "Careful. If you keep saying things like that I might get ideas."
Yelena grins wider, tilting her head, "and what kind of ideas would those be, doctor?"
You blink at her, faux-innocent. "Oh, I donât know. Maybe that you invited me to this party only for yourself, to have ab it more of me."
She lets out a small, exaggerated gasp, "thatâs slander."
You giggle, shoulders brushing, "youâre a terrible liar."
"And youâre a very distracting," she shoots back, eyeing you openly now, gaze lingering a little longer on your smile, the flush on your cheeks. "This isnât fair, you know. Iâm just sitting here trying not to combust."
You smirk, "you seem to be doing fine."
"Oh, Iâm dying inside," she says easily, still smiling. "But thank you for noticing."
You smirk, watching the way Yelena shifts closer without really thinking about it. Her knee presses against yours again, this time more intentionally, and you donât move away. Her fingers brush your arm as she adjusts her position, barely a touch, but enough to make your skin tingle.
"I think," you murmur, your voice quieter now, "youâre doing a lot better than you think."
Her eyes flick to your mouth before meeting your gaze again, "you think?"
"People tend to underestimate themselves..." you state.
"Hm..." she leans closer.
You swallow, the air suddenly feeling warmer.
She just holds your gaze, and her fingers drift down, brushing lightly against yours on the couch cushion between you. Your pinkies touch. Stay there. Across the room, Kate rounds the corner with a drink in hand and stops dead when she sees you both. Her eyes narrow with delight.
"Oh my god," she whispers, immediately spinning around on her heel and practically sprinting down the hallway.
She finds Wanda and Pietro standing near the snack table, casually chatting.
"Hey!" Kate hisses, slapping her hand on the table between them, "whereâs my twenty dollars?"
Pietro blinks, "excuse me?"
"I believe we had a wager. You said Yelena would never make a real move."
"She hasnât!" Pietro scoffs, "theyâre just talking!"
"Pinky touching counts!" Kate insists, pointing back toward the living room. "Come see for yourself!"
Wanda raises a brow, amused, "this is ridiculous."
But they follow her anyway, peeking around the corner to where you and Yelena are still on the couch. Youâre both leaned in very close now, smiling like the rest of the party has completely faded out. You laugh at something Yelena says, and her hand is now resting over yours.
Pietro stares for a beat.
"Oh." He reaches into his pocket, pulling out a crumpled twenty and handing it over with a scowl. "But itâs not a date."
Kate snatches the bill, triumphant, "yet."
Wanda smirks, shaking her head as she sips her drink, "theyâre cute."
"Gross," Pietro mutters, "love is gross."
"You´re only saying that because you lost twenty dollars." Wanda says, still looking at you and Yelena, which makes Pietro hums and wave his hand.
The party slowly quiets down, laughter and music fading into softer conversations and clinking glasses. Somewhere along the way, jackets were grabbed, hugs exchanged, and promises made to âdo this again soon.â
Now, itâs just the two of you walking side by side under a navy sky scattered with stars, the night air crisp and calm. The compound glows faintly behind you, but ahead, itâs just the way to your apartment.
Yelena has her hands stuffed in her pockets, shoulders just brushing yours every few steps. Youâre walking slowly, both like you're in no hurry to let the night end.
She glances at you, voice low, "you sure you donât want someone to drive you? I could threaten someone into it."
You laugh, bumping her lightly with your shoulder, "itâs twenty minutes. And besides⌠I like this."
"Walking?"
You nod, "with you."
That earns you a crooked smile, "I like this too... even though next time I would prefer less alcohol" She looks at you, "mostly for you."
You grin up at her, teasing, "well... i learnt my leasson, never take drinks from a guy with fast metabolism."
"Never take a drink from any guy." She corrects you, which makes you giggle. True. Yelena chuckles as well, looking away for a moment like she needs to collect herself. "I was a mess earlier."
You glance sideways, "you? Nah. Just a little terrified and adorable."
She gives you a offended look, "can´t blame me."
The path narrows and she gently reaches for your hand, fingers curling around yours without really asking. Itâs warm and steady, and it makes your heart beat in that funny, floaty way again.
You walk in silence for a little while, letting the night wrap around you like a secret.
Eventually, Yelena speaks again, quieter now. "I was scared youâd say no. That youâd come and realize you didnât actually want to spend time with me."
You squeeze her hand, "I wouldâve said yes even if it was just the two of us in the med bay with that awful coffee machine."
She laughs through her nose, "that machineâs a war crime." She meets your eyes again, "what´s up with that face?"
You smile innocently, then tilt your head toward her. "You walked me all this way. We´re alone... soo maybe my whole plan was lurk you here and steal your jacket?â
Yelena stops walking, turns to face you, still holding your hand. "You can´t just say 'I´m cold.'?"
"Well... I wanted to be a little themed."
"Themed?" She tilts her head.
"You´re a spy... you know lurking- oh god forget it." You cringe at yourself, is it the alcohol or just you being a mess?
She laugs, then reaches back and tugs her jacket off, placing it over your shoulders in one smooth motion, like itâs the most natural thing in the world. "Now you have to text me, that´s the rule."
You slip your arms into the sleeves, grinning like an idiot. "Okay, but you have to come with me on more walks like this. That also a rule."
Yelena looks at you for a long moment, her eyes soft and content. "Deal."
As you stop in front of your building, Yelena doesn't let go of your hand right away, and neither do you. Itâs not awkward just⌠quiet. Sweet.
You pull your phone from your pocket and glance at her. "So, Iâm assuming this is the part where we pretend weâre not going to text immediately after I close the door?"
Yelena smirks, "I donât pretend. I fully intend to text you in five minutes."
"Bold."
"Iâm learning," she says with a teasing edge, but her eyes stay gentle.
You unlock your phone and hand it to her, and she does the same, fingers brushing as you swap devices to type in your numbers. Once your phones are back in your hands, you linger.
"Youâre really gonna wait out here until I go in, arenât you?" you ask, almost shyly.
Yelena nods without hesitation, "of course. What if a an racoon shows up?â
You squint, "I feel like I could take a raccoon."
"I wouldnât risk it if I was you, those animals are... tactical."
Your heart does that fluttery thing again, and you swallow a laugh as you step back toward the door. "Okay, well⌠Iâll let you know if I survive the harrowing journey to my apartment."
She nods solemnly, "Iâll be waiting."
You take one more look at her, smiling. "Goodnight, Yelena."
"Goodnight, (Y/N)"
You donât even realize youâre smiling until the door clicks shut behind you. Outside, Yelena stares at the door for a few seconds longer than necessary, then exhales through her nose, quiet and happy and turns to head back toward the compound, hands in her pockets, heart full.
Her phone buzzes in her pocket.
[New Message: (Y/N):
I made it. No raccoons. 10/10 walk. Would recommend.
She smiles to herself, already typing back as she walks into the night.
Summary: After her visit to Ohio, reader and Yelena ended up dating. She decides to give Yelena flowers this time after coming back from a week long mission with Sam and Bucky. Ironically enough she bought tulips, this time they were red.
Words: 2.3k
Warnings: Part 2 of Tulips? !! Minor mention of violence, injuries and non-sexual display of nudity. NO BLACK WIDOW SPOILERS.
A/N: to the person who reblogged and said that they wanted to give Yelena tulips, thank you for inspiring me to write this one!! i even brainstormed this part during my sleep sklajdhdklf đ
It has been months since the visit to Ohio. Y/N was back in New York and she had finally decided to get back on saving lives again. Sam visited her a few weeks after her visit to Natashaâs grave and had offered her a spot. She was still uncertain of what she wanted to do and there Sam offered her some time to think about the job and also words of wisdom before he left. Y/N appreciated the manâs thoughtfulness because she was certain of herself that she would have not known what she was going to say on the spot. So she did ponder about it, so much that she had slept uneasily and would be lost in thought. But after a week she finally gave him a call and let him know that she made up her mind and agreed on taking the opportunity. Sam was more than happy to lend a helping hand on showing her around the place the next day.
Yet for those months she and a certain blonde had kept in touch after their first encounter. Y/N wouldâve not expected their relationship to blossom since Yelena was almost anywhere, but she would avidly try to stop by her place as much as she could after a mission and in those cases, she would end up cleaning and bandaging scars that the Russian ignored to tend. Y/N would mostly end up scolding her for not focusing on getting herself checked first before coming to see her, yet she would just throw a snarky reply at her and tell her how much she missed her⌠and that she was in dire need of alcohol. Although even if those early weeks were overwhelming because of Samâs offer lingering in her mind as well, she did appreciate Yelenaâs effort of coming all that way just to see her.
The cool wind blew around her fairly and autumn was right around the edge. Y/N didnât mind the cold since it wasnât too extreme for her to handle but she still wore a coat to keep herself warm. Ohio offered its fair share of beauty and one of them being the nature around the area she was in. So as she parked her motorcycle near the pathway she neatly removed her helmet and fixed her hair a bit. She was grateful that the bouquet that she brought wasnât harmed on the way since it sat on the back seat. The last thing she wanted was to have most of them fly away during the ride. Y/N smiled at how beautiful the tulips were while she walked her way to the spot. Natasha wasnât the only one who was settled here. There were others, but most of them were nameless or graves are just carved with quotes. It didnât bother her. She only came for her friend after all. There was a tree in the middle and there she immediately spotted it and she came to a halt, sighing at the sight of the stone.
Note: This is my entry for @startrekkingaroundasgardâs 6k follower writing challenge :) Congrats again, Nikki, here is to many more followers and writing challenges to come! I hope you enjoy! <3
Summary: You meet Yelena on a fortunate morning while stopping by to visit Natashaâs grave.
Warnings: mild Black Widow spoilers, mentions of character death (you know, Endgame canon)
Pairing: Yelena Belova x GN!Reader; mentions of platonic! Natasha Romanoff x GN!Reader
Words: 2.018
Masterlist
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It wasnât a rare occurrence for you to find someone standing at her grave when you visited it. A fan or two, leaving a candle, a flower or a picture, paying their respects to her for her sacrifice, for the things sheâd done, some of them owed her their lives. You were happy that people still came by, that Natasha wasnât forgotten, but youâd still always wait at a nearby tree until theyâd be gone. Luckily, they never stayed long; you preferred to be alone with her and you hadnât even done well sharing your grief with your closest friends.
The woman you found by her grave that day, however, wasnât like the others. You could tell right away. She bothered to clean it up a bit, throwing out a couple of dead leaves, making sure everything was tidy. The pain that radiated off her was quite different too. You noticed the way her shoulders were hunched, how it seemed difficult for her to move around the grave, the grief deep in her bones.
You watched as she knelt down beside the gravestone and rested her forehead against it. The wind carried her sniffle across the distance between you and you contemplated to leave and come back in a few minutes, not wanting to intrude on her moment. You had already turned around when you heard her whistle a long note. It made you freeze in place; you only had heard it once before and that had been by the woman who you were meaning to visit.
Summary: You were hit by your ex boyfriend during a messy breakup. You find yourself driving to Yelenaâs home in search of comfort. You are welcomed inside by a protective Yelena.
At 3 a.m., Peopleâs hectic days are eased by the lingering silence of the night when the world is finally asleep. Everyone else has had a chance to relax now, but you havenât. Your night took a turn for the worse. It wouldnât have been the first time it had happened to you and most certainly not the last.
You couldnât go home; you would create a ruckus trying to get in. Youâd raise too many questions for your parents about the new bruises on your face. As a result, you felt ashamed and defeated about the entire incident and could not confide in them.
Despite the late hour, you couldnât resist driving to Yelena, who felt like the one person who made you feel safe. While you sat in the front seat of your car, which was running in Yelenaâs driveway, you couldnât get out of it. You were unable to leave the vehicle due to a mental barrier. With a blank expression, you didnât look around. It would help if you hadnât made yourself a burden; she was probably sleeping like everyone else.Â
Ultimately, you didnât want to go in; you couldnât face talking about it. Now was too late to leave; there was no choice. As the front door opened, the hallway light illuminated through the darkness and revealed a sleepy Yelena peeking out. When she saw your car, she walked across the grass in bare feet with her arms wrapped around her. The only thing she wore was a thin satin lace nightdress. She opened the driverâs door without a second thought.
âHey, Hey. Whatâs happened?â It was evident from her voice that she had just woken up. Under the dome light, Yelena was able to see your face. The moment she caught a glimpse of you, she was awakened. She usually hid her feelings from you, but this time wasnât the case.
âYour nose.. youâre bleedingâ Her whole expression was tense as her eyes widened, but not just her face, but her whole body followed suit.Â
âHe put his hands on you again.â As Yelena finally managed to get words out past her worried look, her voice was almost like a squeak. You shifted uneasily in your seat as you panicked at her words. Her words made it a reality.
âI shouldnât have come.â In your response, Yelena quickly leaned in twisting your keys to turn off the engine of your car. Her holding your keys impeded your exit.
âOf course, you should have⌠Come on inside, itâs freezing.â
Although she offered you a smile, it seemed clear that she was in deep thought. Your keys would be impossible for you to leave without, and you had no chance of getting them back from her. As you unbuckled your seatbelt, you sighed. When you got out, she stood still with her warm breath hitting the cold air; she didnât leave your side. You were led to her house; she secured your car with your keys, and then she held onto them tightly.
âYouâre staying here tonight.â
âEl, I canât.â
âYes you can.â She instructed you to enter the house ahead of her. You were unable to leave after she shut the door behind you. She led you over towards the sitting room, sitting down on the couch as she patted beside her. After making your way over, you rubbed your arms nervously before you sat beside her. As she continued to look at you with caution.
âWhat happened this time?â As she questioned, she reached over and grabbed a box of opened tissues from the coffee table.
âWhy are the tissues out?â To avoid talking about it, you tried changing the topic. While you didnât want to crumble in front of Yelena, it was beginning to look like there was no way out.
âIf I was a man then you couldnât be asking that question.â As expected, her voice carried a bubbly tone. Although the situation was dire, she still attempted to make you laugh. Her heart ached for your laughter, and she desperately wanted to hear it.
âBut I was watching The Notebookâ A sudden movement of her hand caused you to shudder away from her.
âHey.. Iâm not going to hurt you.â
âI know.. I just.. Iâm sorryâ Although you tried to explain, you broke down in front of her. She gently pressed the white tissue against your nose, allowing it to absorb the blood that was still flowing. She was so close to you that you could see her beautiful green eyes. Yelenaâs eyes were your favorite feature. They always made you feel at home.
âYou donât have to be sorry for anything, prekrasnyy. Never with me.â
âI do.. Iâve put this all on you..â
âI wouldnât want it any other way.â She spoke softly with a toothy smile, her green eyes reflecting off the light in the sitting room. The moment she noticed you were staring at her, her eyes slowly flickered over yours. As she waited for you to speak, she pouted her lips.
âYouâre too good to me, El.â
âDonât do that.â
âDo what?â
âThank me for treating you how you should be treated.â She explained dropping the tissue once it had stopped collecting blood. Your chin was tilted upward as she checked your nose. As she began to bite her cheek, you could see she was trying not to say what she was thinking. Her anger was directed at him, not at you. She slowly began to skim her fingertips over the black and blue discoloration under your eyes.
âHe got you good.â
âYeah.. He did.â
âHeâs not going to do it again. Did you hear me? Heâs not going to ever touch you again. Iâll make sure of itâ Yelenaâs voice took on a serious tone, and you believed every word she said. She had never let you down before, and she wouldnât let you down now.
âC..can I sleep with you? I donât want to be..- I..â Trying to explain, you realized that you were afraid to be alone. You always felt safest with Yelena by your side, and the thought of sleeping in the guest room turned your stomach.
âOf course you can.â There was no hesitation from Yelena. As she felt comforted by knowing you found safety in her, her lips began to curl up in a soft smile. Bright lights shone through the living room, illuminating the darkness. In a single movement, Yelena dropped her hand into yours, pulling you upward.
âSeems we have a guest,â With her eyes peering through the glass, she whispered to you as you shuffled against her for protection.
âLets get you to bed, hm?â As she pulled you down the hallway to her bedroom, she murmured. The only source of light in her room was a plastic dinosaur nightlight sitting on her desk. Although she didnât like to admit it, she was afraid of the dark.
âEl, heâs here isnât he?â
âThatâs for me to worry about.â
âEl.. you donât-â
âI told you he wouldnât ever put a hand on you again. Iâll handle it.â
As you walked over to her side of the bed, the bedsheets were already ruffled from her sleeping before you arrived. You both turned to look at the front door as you heard the pounding on the glass. Her eyes filled with fiery anger as she offered you a reassuring smile. As she dropped to her knees, you got frightened. In one swift motion she dropped to her knees, she began to untie your laces. As she was careful not to push you down on her bed, she put her hands on your shoulders to lower you to the bed. She pulled the covers over you before she made her way over to her wardrobe. She pulled out her nightgown, pulling it on as she tied it around her waist. She quickly slipped something under her nightgown before she made her way over to the door.
âIâll be back now, stay hereâ She smiled over her shoulder as she walked through the door, tugging the door slightly to a close as she approached the front door. You felt the same way earlier when you couldnât move. Once again, your flight or fight response was triggered. Even with the door closed, you could hear everything because the walls were paper thin. A loud opening creak revealed who was knocking at the front door as the door opened.
âOf course, sheâd be here.â You sank into the bed, your shoulders dropping as you tried to catch your breath at the sound of the masculine voice. The world around you was spinning, but you couldnât bear the thought of Yelena facing him.
âHello to you too.â Yelena chimed after him, but there was no emotion in her voice.
âDonât play games with me, Belova.â
âWho said I was playing games?â
âHer cars not invisible in the driveaway.â
âOh? Is it not?â
âDonât treat me like an idiot.â
âI donât have to treat you for something that you already areâ
âWhat did you say?â
âYou heard me. You lost her. That makes you the biggest idiot I sadly know. Donât try to intimidate me, itâs not going to work with me.â
âIâm not here to fight with you, Belova. Just let me see her. It was just a misunderstanding, things got out of hand.â
âThings got out of hand? Did you see what you did to her?â
âThatâs none of your business.â
âSHEâS my businessâ Even he was silenced by her voice that snapped out at him. You felt anxious as a lingering silence began to engulf the home. You arose from the bed and walked to the door. You need to make sure she is okay.
âAll this for a little crush?â When you heard the conversation continue, your hand hesitated on the doorknob.
âItâs not just a little crush. Just⌠Go home, youâre wasting your time by standing hereâ As Yelenaâs voice rang out, you felt yourself relax behind the door, knowing that she was safe.
âIâm not going until I see her.â
âListen to me because Iâm not going to repeat myself. Iâm not going to stand back and watch you hurt the girl I love. I can see right through you; you know that? I see you for what you are.â
The words she spoke were laced with anger. As you blinked rapidly, you were taken aback by her words. She probably didnât mean it the way you had hoped. The adrenaline was pumping through your veins as you opened the door. Your eyes focused on Yelena, who stood at the front door, her hand pushing against the frame to prevent him from entering.
âThere she is. Grab your things. Youâre coming home with me one way or anotherâ As he glared around at the blonde, you felt your stomach drop. You felt sick when he smiled at you.
While you suddenly watched Yelena taking a step backward, he grumbled and made a challenge towards her. As he stepped over the threshold, Yelena swiftly pulled a handgun from her dressing gown and pointed it at him. He had never been afraid of anything except the petite Blonde standing in front of him.
âYou can go now. Youâve seen her. Iâm not going to ask you again to leave.â
âWoah! Woah! Enough of that, Belova!â The panic in his voice became apparent.
âIf you ever put your hands on her again. If you ever even look in her general direction again, Iâll fucking kill you. You hear me?â
Her gun was aimed towards his head. She couldnât take her eyes off him while she held it with little to no ease. As she cocked the gun to speed him up, he hesitantly moved back from her. He became a terrified little boy because of her. Did you look this scared when he hit you?
He closed the door behind him without saying a word. Yelena stood in the hallway with her eyes on the door, slowly lowering the gun before she exhaled a sigh of relief. As soon as she saw you, her eyes filled with comfort. The gun was carefully placed on the table as she watched you charge up the hallway at her. As you ran straight into her arms, you wrapped your arms around her neck and shoved your face into her chest. Protectively, she wrapped her arms around you.
âIâve got you, Dorogoy. Youâre safe with me, youâre always safe with meâ When she carefully lifted you in her arms, your face fitted into the croak of her neck.
âDidnât I tell you to stay in the bedroom?â
âHmâ
âAnd you didnât listen because?â
âBecause I couldnât bare the thought of you getting hurtâ While whispering into her neck, you felt her chest heave in as she broke out into a chuckle.
âMe? Get hurt? Please.â
âYou didnât have to do that, El.â As she carried you into her bedroom, you argued. You were placed on her bed. She pulled out one of her band t-shirts from her dresser. Despite the bruises on your face and the dried blood under your nose, she still looked at you with tenderness.
âHe might fight with you but Iâm going to fight for you, you hear me? Always.â She spoke softly to you as she pulled your t-shirt over your head, revealing only your bra and bare skin. She adjusted her t-shirt over your frame as she smiled lovingly at you, pulling her t-shirt over your head. As she unbuttoned your jeans, she allowed you to wiggle out of them.Â
The t-shirt covered your upper thigh as you squirmed under her bedsheets. Only her bed gave you a sense of security. She disappeared from the bedroom back into the hallway to get her gun, and you could hear her fiddling with the lock on the front door. After returning to the bedroom, she placed her gun back in the wardrobe where she had once got her robe and the gun.
âWere you afraid of him?â You watched as her face began to change as you questioned. As she walked around the bed, her face became tense. Laying down beside you with her eyes on you, she climbed into the space beside you. She opened her arms again as you shifted into her. She holds you tightly in her arms. As she searched for the words to reassure you, her lips parted.
âFear changes everything. I wasnât afraid of him, I was afraid for you. Afraid that you were on your own when it happened. Afraid that thereâs a chance if you didnât get out when you did then I wouldnât have you here in my arms.â The warmth of her arms made you feel confident that everything would be okay.
âShhhh, Iâve got you.â
âDid you mean what you said earlier
âHow much of it did you hear?â
âAll of it.. the part where you said you lov-â
âEvery word of it. Every single word of it.â She leaned in to press her lips firmly against your forehead as you wept. She would stay up all night until she knew you were asleep. She needed to be sure that you got some sleep, especially after today. The loud rhythm of her heart echoed in your ears as you rested your head on her chest. Safe. You were safe.
Summary:Â Yelena Belova, your best friend, and you sleep together. Communication is crucial to a successful relationship, but without it, uncertainty reigns. The state of your relationship remains in limbo. After missing each other for a long time, you are reunited at a party.
Word Count: 1,651
Paring: Yelena Belova x Reader
Translations:  Moya Lyubov (My Love)
Masterlist
This evening, you spent a lot of time thinking about what outfit you should wear to a party you didnât particularly want to attend. You never really had trouble picking an outfit; it was just the fact that Yelena Belova was going to be there that made you uneasy.
You and Yelena were childhood friends, but one night things changed significantly. When you and Yelena were messing around in your bedroom, she kissed you. It was something you wanted secretly, but you tried not to sabotage your friendship since you loved her so much. You were in love with her. It was just that you didnât want to admit it. Yelena knew what she wanted; she wasnât hesitant. The taste in your mouth was still imprinted on your mind. The weight of her hips against yours could still be felt. Your sleep was disrupted by it. Itâs been a week since you last texted or called her. You ignored her. You didnât know what to say, and you were terrified that she might tell you to forget about everything. How could you forget about her? Would Yelena tell everyone about what you shared? You werenât sure what her intentions were.
Your courage finally prevailed, and you left the house to attend the party. Outside the house, you searched for Yelenaâs yellow Ford Mustang. Where was it? It made you feel sick to your stomach. Did she not come? As the door opened, you were welcomed into the party even though you wanted to leave. Maybe she was avoiding you as much as you avoided her. The music increased as you walked down the endless corridor, ignoring your friendâs moaning about your tardiness. Upon entering the vast living room of the family home, you were surrounded by familiar faces but not the one you were looking for. You were feeling fine until fiery eyes suddenly found you. You searched the room, hoping to find her.Â
Your eyes locked onto the green-eyed girl, Yelena. She had been looking at the ground, and once you entered, her eyes slowly flickered up to meet yours. If anyone looks, could kill, she was here, after all, but not alone. A brunette was sitting uncomfortably close for your liking, great. It took you too long to break eye contact with her. It was as if Yelena looked away; youâd vanish. An ivory leather dress with matching straps and white heels framed her skin-tight figure. Her arms were crisscrossed across her legs, one hand firmly holding a bottle of opened Captain Morgan. Her rings on each finger being exposed. Her wavy hair flowed down her shoulders; she was utterly gorgeous. Everybody in the room was looking at her, but only you had her attention. She was relieved the moment she saw you, her face was no longer as hard as it was before. She slowly lowered her eyes from you, you thought you had seen her half-smile, but you couldnât be sure.
You turned your back on her and entered the kitchen, rubbing your forehead furiously as you needed a drink to distract yourself from her. Swaying slightly as you helped yourself to a black cherry Whiteclaw beer, you listened to the soft music. As you carefully opened the can over the sink to avoid spillage, you nearly dropped it as your heart pounded when you saw a figure behind you in the reflection of the window.
âYou shouldnât be drinking you know, youâre a lightweight.â The smooth voice of Yelena interrupted your delayed reaction.
âJesus Yelena!â You yelled; you didnât even hear her come in. Maybe it was the music, but you were sure you would have heard her. Close behind you, she was holding her bottle to her delicate lips as she slowly sipped from it. She had always promised you heaven, but this was hell. It was easy to remember the taste of her lips the night she stole Natashaâs perfume.
âWhen are you going to stop avoiding me, huh?â Yelena pronounced as she slowly put her Captain Morgan down, leaning her back against the counter with her hands protectively resting across her chest. She wanted an answer. It felt like you couldnât breathe when you looked at her.
âIâm not avoiding you!â
âYou are avoiding me. Youâre practically running away from. Do I have to remind you that Iâll easily catch you, huh?â
âI just um- I donât why I came, this is just stupid.â As you sipped your drink, you grew flustered, attempting to move past her as she grabbed you by the wrist, pulling you back to her.
âI just want to talk, thatâs all. Please just give me that.â
âDid you come with her?â
âWhat?â
âThe brunette girl that was practically looking at you like a lost puppy.â
âMaya? Yeah. I came with her. Oh..OhâŚOh! Is that what this attitude is about?â
âWhat attitude?â
âYouâre jealous.â
âIâm not jealous, Yelena.â
âYouâre so jealous, thatâs cute.â
âYou can do whatever you want, I donât care.â
âYou wonât mind if I go kiss her then?â
âShut up!â
âMake me. Youâre being all big now, why donât you make me shut up?â Yelena snapped at you as she stepped close to your figure. You shoved your back up against the sink, keeping distance between you both. She furrowed her eyebrows at you as she rested her hands on either side of you. She was trapping you. You leaned in, getting hit with the distinctive smell of amber floral accord, Natashaâs perfume that Yelena wore the night in your room.
âYelena, we canât.â
âWhat are you so afraid of?â With curious eyes, Yelena whispered as she slowly raised her hand. She stroked the bottom of your lip with her fingertips.
âIâm afraid that Iâve ruined this, Iâve ruined everything.â You didnât know why you said it, maybe because you panicked. She looked disappointed as her face dropped and her lips parted.
âIs this the end?â Yelenaâs voice was laced with uncertainty.
âItâs not ending, it never started.â
âDonât say that.â
âWhat do you want me to say, Yelena? Iâm lost for words with you. What will everyone say if they find out about us?â
âWho cares what anyone thinks.â
âWhat about Maya?â
As soon as a voice interrupted her, Yelena was unable to answer your question.
âYelena?â Maya called out as she entered the kitchen, causing the brunette girl to freeze on the spot when you both came into view. Your panic caused you to push Yelena away from you.
"Sorry, sorry. Iâm so sorry. I - um. I better leave now.â Suddenly, a wave of guilt overcame you; you quickly passed Yelena, where you sipped your last can before throwing it away. You glanced at Maya and were astonished by her beauty. She looked like the gods themselves had sculpted her. There was no way to tell what Maya was to Yelena. You didnât even want to think of that. You threw your can into the bin as you passed by, darting down the hallway and out of the house as you didnât dare turn around. You were exiting the house in a rush as you tried to make your way home as quickly as possible. You didnât get far until the house door opened and slammed in the distance. You heard the pitter-patter of feet again the concrete.
âHey! Hey wait!â When Yelena called after you as you stopped, you were startled because you were not expecting her to do so. Turning around, you noticed that she held her heels in her hand as if she had taken them off to run faster after you.
âYou donât get to tell me to wait. You donât get to tell me anything.â
âDonât be like that-â
âI have⌠Iâve spent too many years on you, Yelena. Too many years wishing on you, wishing for us! Wishing for something!  I loved you, god I loved you more than anything. Tonight said it all when you brought Ma-â
âI love you.â
âAnd then you brought Maya-â
âI love you.â
âDoes she know that we slept together? Did you even bother to tell her?â
âI love you.â
âSheâs gorgeous! Have you seen her! God. I canât get over how beautiful she is. Wait⌠you-â You had been rambling out of anger and mostly sadness, your hands waving above your head as you spoke. Yelena put her hand over your lips, stopping you from speaking, and dropped her heels as she said to you. As she began to speak to you, she leaned in close and placed her nose against yours.
âI love you. Do you hear me? I love you. Iâve loved you since I was fifteen. Maya was my ride tonight, thatâs all. I knew if you seen my car there was a chance you wouldnât of came in. She gave me a ride over and she was only asking if we needed a ride home. Who cares what anyone thinks about us? Natasha might give you a teasing but we can handle her.â Yelena spoke softly with her green eyes studying yours; it was as if she was trying to read your mind on how youâd react to what she had just told you.
âThis week without you has been hell. didnât think I could ever miss someone as much as Iâve missed you. Nothing hurts more than being without your other half.â Yelena grumbled as she lowered her hand, allowing you to speak finally but instead, you held your breath. The girl you had loved for years for admitting that she loved you. There is nothing worse than not being loved by the person you loved, but when they love you back, itâs euphoric. She did not even have to ask you to be her girlfriend; she marked her territory with her firm words.Â
âWhat does this make us, Yelena?â
âYouâre my girl. You are and always will be my girl. Moya Lyubov. Mine. Now lets go back to mine, Iâm cold. I only dressed up for youâ
summary: Who wouldâve known that Natasha helped from beyond the grave?
wc: 2,950
a/n: hereâs another one!! if anyone wants to request youâre welcome to do so đ happy reading đŚ
Natasha always prepared for everything. She always thought ahead and got ready for any possible reality. She even thought ahead with Yelena. Nat knew her sister and she knew what she did and what she was possibly going to continue doing. Which meant that she needed to give Yelena all of her contacts in case she really needed them. Thatâs why when Yelena felt a piece of paper inside her coat, she felt paranoid.
â synopsis: youâve had a crush on natasha since the start of the year, now you both have to work together for a project.
â warnings: fluff, angst, college au
âOh no. Thatâs not happening. Anyone but her.â You overhear your sister say as you focus on your camera, the photo you had just taken flashing on the screen.
âHuh? What?â You claim to be oblivious.
The truth is, it's probably the hundredth photo of her youâve taken from a distance.
How could you not? Your muse is just too stunning to overlook; it requires not just hundreds of photographs, but possibly a million.
And many, many more.
"It's just a photo." You lie swiftly, with a sigh, and an eye roll.
But it really wasnât just a photo. You had long developed a small crush on her. Actually since the school term started, you were immediately fascinated with the tall redhead.
"Uh huh, if you say so. I'm just giving you a heads-up." With that, you nod, eager to put a stop to your sister's pestering.
You were so confused. How could she possibly be trouble when sheâs literally the most joyous person alive? So vibrant and full of life.
She easily reminds you of the sun.
Her smiles are spellbinding, her laugh is a melody, and her voice is a swarm of butterflies at a Sunday picnic. You were also well aware that she was a good student. Top of the class and a member of the dance team. Everyone wants to be her friend, and sometimes even more than that.
You couldn't help but wonder what is it with her.
What is it with Natasha Romanoff that had her branded as a troublemaker?
It wasn't long after your sister's vexing warning that you realised why she was dubbed "trouble." And it all started when she was assigned to work with you on a year-long project.
"Hi, you're my partner for this year, right?" You froze, with your back to the woman speaking, but you knew it was her instantly.
"Uh, yeah? That's me?" You stutter as you spin gradually towards the redhead.
Natasha couldn't help but laugh at your uncertainty. "You're not sure?"
You puff out your cheek and lightly blow. Is she making fun of me?
"I mean, yes I am. I'm your partner."
âNatasha Romanoff.â She extends her arm towards you and you quickly glance at her perfectly manicured hand.
âI know.â You reply before taking her hand in yours and shaking it lightly.
âOh?â She replies, shifting her weight from one foot to the other, feeling small despite being taller than you.
âYep. You're pretty and well known." The compliment slips off your tongue as you fire out the first thing you think of.
âIâm pretty?â Natasha repeats, one brow raised and an amused tone in her voice.
Your cheeks turn a deep red, gaze now fixed on the tile floor. "I mean, you're pretty well-known." You correct yourself, feeling all your shyness seep back in.
"Am I now?" The redhead inquires, as she peers down at your retreating figure. The red on your cheeks is still visible.
"I'm just teasing you," she laughs softly. "Iâm sorry."
"It's all right." You mumble. Your eye sight still set on the ground beneath you. If you don't look at her, it's easier to concentrate on your words.
Natasha, on the other hand, steps closer to you moves and lightly jumps to catch your gaze. You take the bait and make the mistake of looking at her.
"There you are." She grins with one of her dazzling smiles. Youâre pretty sure your heart has stopped at the sight of her.
"Again, I'm Natasha. I look forward to working with you." She states, warm, light, and welcoming.
You now understand why she's such trouble. She's too good to be true, too dreamlike to be real, and because no one has ever come close to the sun without being burned.
You knew you were scorched from your heart to your fingertips the moment you saw her smiling brightly, hand outstretched, waiting for yours.
You clear your throat once more, and make the first of many mistakes.
âI look forward to it too.â
If star catchers are those who catch stars, then astrophiles are those who love the stars.
You're not sure what your title is.
A sun catcher? A heliophile? You could be either, but you're pretty sure you're the latter.
A sun lover.
And, yes, you've fallen in love with her, unavoidably. To a sun. What a dramatic turn of events. This is precisely why you preferred to remain at a comfortable distance. You knew this would happen.
Two months since you were paired, and you're here sitting on the floor of an empty auditorium, laptop and stacks of book scattered beside you, and, most importantly, a sleeping Natasha leaning on your shoulder. Her soft snores and stable breathing fill your ears, and you notice how her bangs cover her face.
Such a minor detail and yet you couldnât help the gasp caught in your throat.
So pretty. You ponder to yourself.
She's so close. You knew you'd burn with just one touch, as you always do.
Still, your hand reached to tuck the stray hairs behind her ear, and she flinches away at the small touch, before snuggling closer to your hand.
Perhaps it was due to the inevitability of spending time together for the project, but you both became close. Dangerously close. You had learned something from her that you had not expected to learn, and it had come to light right here in this auditorium.
âNat-âyou stop and rush to her side upon spotting her on the floor, her head down, and hearing her soft whimpers. âHey, whatâs wrong?â
Natasha chortles and shakes her head, âitâs nothing.â
âRight, but this clearly isnât nothing.â
"Knowing what's going on isn't going to make things better," Natasha snaps, adding under her breath, "trust me, I know."
You cocked your brow at her, wanting to push her further but not believing you were in a position to do so. You're friends, but not particularly close.
However, it turns out that you didn't have to.
Handing her tissue from your bag, and helping her up, you watch Natasha stumble on her step, before you catch her. âAre you-â
You didn't get a chance to finish your sentence because the redhead collapses in your arms, unconscious, with what appears to be a high fever.
She was burning up.
You lug the tall woman onto your back and make a dash for the nurse's office, trying not to panic and crumble under her dead weight.
That's when you realised. Your heart pounded in your ears, and your mind raced with possible explanations for Natasha's collapse.
She is trouble, but not in the way your sister depicts her, nor in the way others try to paint her. She is trouble, trouble for your heart.
Since then, the closer you two got, the more you fell. Every photo of her makes you fall a little more than the previous one, and you were already in deep.
You sigh and turn to face her. Once again, she was sleeping on your shoulder. For the time, you're just glad she's within your grasp, and being able to be this close to her is enough.
Confessions can wait. Your emotions can wait.
"Someone's in love." Your sister sang annoyingly after barging into your dorm, completely catching you off guard.
"Seriously!" You scoff, "have you ever learned how to knock?"
"As if you do?"
Well, you didnât have a comeback for that seeing as you always barge into your sister's room, without knocking, back at home.
"What exactly are you doing here?" You ask, sighing as you spin around in your chair to look at your annoying sibling, who is sitting on the edge of your bed.
âI warned you, didnât I?â You roll your eyes. Here we go again.
âYou did. And?â
âIâm just making sure you remember.â
âSheâs not what you make out to be, alright? Sheâs not trouble.â
âI know I know. Iâm sorry about that. You know, it's just what the crowd says. But I'm not here to remind you that. Iâm reminding you because I donât want you getting hurt.â She explains, her eyes softly falling on you.
âYou love her. Itâs so obvious, little sis.â
But you already know that, so you just give her a tight smile. âI do, big sis. I love her.
"Come on, let's go. Let's get this over with already.â Natasha whines with a pout as you snap a picture of her. One more month until the end of the final semester, and the end of the school year. Your project is also nearing completion; just a few more steps and you'll be finished.
"Stop taking photos of me."
"You've never been one to complain."
"Because we had a lot of time on our hands."
âAnd we still do have a lot right now.â You reason as you take another photo of her pouting face. "Are you really that desperate to get rid of me?"
âWhat? No!â
âThen what?â You joke, putting the camera down and looking at her intently. You couldn't make out Nat's expression, and you had no idea how you'd managed to keep eye contact with her for so long.
There is a brief moment of silence. She bites her lower lip, thinking hard, but eventually just shakes her head and sighs. âNothing. Could we please just get this over with?"
âAlright. Alright.â You take a seat beside her and open your laptop.
But as soon as you start typing, Natasha rests her head on your shoulder and heaves a heavy sigh.
She sighs a lot.
Is she tired already?
âYou okay?â To which she hums lowly.
âYouâre not feeling any symptoms, are you?â You evoke a genuine chuckle from the exhausted woman.
It sounded like music to your ears. You enjoy making her laugh; it's probably your second favourite thing in the world, after photographing her.
âNo, Iâm fine.â She answers as her laughter dies down.
âYou know, youâre the only one who knows.â She suddenly mutters.
You keep silent and rest your head on top of hers. âIs that such a bad thing? That I know?â
Nat exhales softly, âHm. Yes, and no.â
âYes, and no? Whyâs that?â
âNo, because with you knowing, it makes me feel safe and at ease, that I could at least lower my guard, even if itâs just with you. I like being with you the most.â She answers, quietly, a faint smile on her lips.
Your heart felt like exploding, no. You felt like exploding at her words. Nat nuzzles into your shoulder more comfortably, her breath tickling your neck.
âBut a part of me isnât glad,â She pauses, and breathes out before adding, âI donât think you knowing is a good idea at all.â
You look down at her, neck straining at the uncomfortable angle, but you was desperate to ask why. You tried to move in order to get a better look at her, but Nat stopped you.
âStay still. Please.â And you instantly did so.
Nat adjusts her head on your shoulder once more, all of your wriggling must have messed up her positioning, before clasping your hands together.
"It's hard for me to stop liking you. To let you go.â She whispers.
Your world comes to a halt. You felt like you needed confirmation of what you've just heard. And confirmation comes in the form of the leaving her place on your shoulder to kiss your cheek.
Of course, your mind went blank. You couldn't make out a single word, not when everything you wanted to say washed away before it could even leave your mouth.
You close your eyes, and let out a quiet laugh, before settling with a grin. Your heart starts beating normally again and you grasp her hand.
You hold it because it was the only thing you could do right.
And that was enough for the two of you. No more words were needed to be said. Because at that moment, actions became much louder than words. Even the ones unspoken.
What you didnât realise after the confession was what Nat meant with her words, letting go of you. Until one week before the end of semester.
Despite not seeing each other very often due to the time demands of schoolwork and other activities, you both agreed to submit the project together this coming week.
Weekends were ordinary, but you didn't get to see her because she was on a family trip. But when Monday rolled around, Nat was nowhere to be found.
There were also no texts. And you were taken aback to learn that she hadn't been to school since last Friday.
"Stop moping around." Your sister blurts out, after jumping down on your bed.
âIâm not moping around. Iâm just tired.â
âLies. Youâre moping around because youâre worried.â
âSo what?â You throw your arms over your face, shielding yourself from the incessant woman.
âThen good. Get up. Go see her.â
You groan, âAs if I even know where she is.â
âI do.â She states, and you perk up at this, head whipping in your sisterâs direction in an instant.
You couldnât read her expression. She looked sad, almost sorry.
âWhat? Where is she?â You search her eyes. She could never lie to you. You knew her too well.
You begin to feel frantic, and anxious. Your chest tightly constricts and you lose control of your steady breathing the longer the silence lives.
âAnswer me!â You snap, and she breaks eye contact with you, the apologetic look still plastered on her features.
âI saw her sister, Yelena.â She mutters, voice barely louder than a whisper. âSheâs at the hospital.â
Grasping Natâs hand was the first thing you did when you saw her, on the tiny bed, sleeping. You held it, cradled it in both of yours, and tucked her loose bangs softly behind her ears. All the while fighting the urge to tear up.
Yelena entered the room, not expecting her sister to have a visitor. âOh. Hello.â
You immediately jump off the bed and turn to the blonde. She looks like she hasnât slept in a while.
âHi, Iâm a friend of Natashaâs.â You look back over to the sleeping woman. She looks helpless, yet somewhat at peace.
âUh, how is she doing?
No moment could be more awkward than the current one you were in. Natasha had only spoken about her little sister a few times but not enough for you to know anything about her really.
âSheâs okay. For now.â
âFor now? What does that mean?â
Yelena shoots you a weak, half smile, âI think itâs better that she tells you when she wakes up.â
Your heart sinks. You have a feeling you know what this is about, but you just nod, not wanting to stress the woman out.
It was after almost two hours when Natasha began to stir. She scans her surroundings, her eyes finally landing on you, as you smile waiting for her.
âYouâre here.â She breathes out. Confusion etched on her pale face. She didnât expect you to be here.
âOf course.â You answer warmly.
Silence fills the sterilised room. Everything was white. Nothing felt homely. Or safe like the auditorium.
âWhy didnât you tell me, Natty?â You ask, and Natasha lids flutter shut . âIs this what you meant by letting me go?â
âYes.â
You let out a breath you hadn't realised you'd been holding. Your body was shutting down on you. What should have been easy required assistance. You had to keep telling yourself to breathe.
âIâm not getting better, love.â She says softly, a sad smile on her lips. âIâm getting worse.â
Even more silence filled the conversation. Your ears rang and your eyes grew dry. You werenât blinking. You can blink now.
Natasha chuckles dejectedly, eyes falling down to her frail hands. âIâm not gonna live past my twenty first, baby. Iâm not graduating. Iâm not going to be able to do any of those things we talked about doing together. Conquering our fear of heights? Going to see the Northern Lights? Joining a cooking class? Iâm not gonna be able to do any of thatâŚâ
âAnd Iâm not going to be selfish by keeping you just because I like you, just because Iâm sick. You could do better than me. You deserve better than this.â Natasha illustrates her point by running her hand down her tiny body.
You shake your head furiously. You ears ring deafly.
âI-âYou pause. Waiting for the ringing to fade away. Grabbing her hand, you pull it up towards your cheek. âYouâre not getting rid of me easily, if thatâs what you think.â
âI donât care if youâre sick, or not.â You state. You really couldn't give a shit. Because to you, sheâs still the same girl youâve been crushing on since the start of school. The girl you've grown to love.
Sheâs still your sun.
âFuck those things we talked about. Iâm staying with you. Iâd rather stay here with you than go do all those things without you.â You announce, shifting to place a light kiss to her palm.
âThey mean nothing without you. You understand that, right?â You ask, and she bobs her head. Tears threaten to fall from her eyes, but she wipes them away, and pulls you forward into her arms. âOkay.â She mutters.
You donât care. You donât care about how little time you have with her. You donât care that youâre going to crash and burn with this impending heart ache. Your suffering was inevitable. But you donât care in the least.
She's all you need. Natashaâs the trouble that is worth everything.
âNow, letâs see here.â You shoot her a smile after pulling out of her grasp.
âI havenât been able to take a photo of you in a while. You donât mind, do you?â You tease, and when she only laughed at your question, you took her answer as a yes.
One photo.
Another.
Then another.
And another.
You took as many as you could.
You took photos when she was smiling, laughing, watching the birds perched up at the hospital window, or when she was pouting at you for being annoying.
You took photos when she wasnât looking, when she was taking a nap, when she was spacing out, even when she was wincing as the nurses took yet another blood sample, before injecting another dose of her medicine.
You took a lot of photos of her, even when she started getting weaker, coughing that was almost heaving, looking more pale than usual, and until her smiles looked more like a pained effort to do so.
You still took photos though because she was still as beautiful as the first time you saw her. You took a lot, and saved them for keeps, to be treasured forever. They were just as precious as the memories you shared with her.
And itâs been three years. Youâre still wondering if you shouldâve heeded your sisterâs warning, because you remember it all like it was yesterday.
Even in death, Natasha was still as bright as the sun, just as you remembered her to be. With every touch of her burns on your skin, heart, and mind, she set you ablaze.
You realise, after going through the photos you took, that you wouldnât have listened to your sister. You wouldâve made the same choice again and again. To fall in love all over again with Natasha, hold onto her hand tighter, but maybe perhaps youâd tell her the things you couldnât say before. All the words left unspoken.
If you had the chance, you would have told her you loved her.
I love you, Natasha.
Four words. Your biggest regret.
You loved her and yet you never told her.
You pick up your favourite photo. Itâs of her, on a bench outside the hospital, with the most beautiful smile on her face as she squints at the camera. You remember her nose scrunching after you reminded her how beautiful she looked.
It was the last time she smiled.
You pull it close to your chest, tears trailing down your face and onto the photos on your lap.
You bring the image to your tear stained lips and gently kiss the woman, before spilling everything you've ever wanted to say.
You speak about life after college. You speak about the future you can only ever have in your dreams. You speak about how loving her was both beautiful and painful, as she was your sun in the midnight sky - rare and fleeting, and yet, she was all the love you ever needed.
She remains there forever in the midnight, the sun that lights up the night skies.
And you wished nothing but for the sun to rise again, even for a brief moment.
you wanna be mad ⧠yelena x new avenger f!reader
⥠prev part âââ â⥠part four â⥠next part
⥠minors and men dni â no use of y/n â wlw â enemies to lovers â injury â amnesia trope â yelena doesnât understand her feelings â r is rightfully confused â ignore any spelling or grammar mistakes i will probably find them later â divider â
⥠masterlist ⥠word count: 2k
bonesâ now playing âśď¸ mad - reneĂŠ rapp
stop thinking about it. famous last words.
all you were doing was thinking about it. all you could do was sit and think about it.
itâs not like you could even really ask her yourself. even if you managed to corner her, you doubt it would take much for her to get out of the situation, not matter how many different scenarios you played out in your head. in your current condition you didnât stand a chance physically. even though you were missing most of you memories, you were almost positive you wouldnât stand a chance to begin with.
the team was out, the initial excitement of your condition had worn down and everyone seemed to be falling back into a somewhat normal rhythm.
they were still working on the tracking the bio weapon. bucky was keeping you in the dark about almost everything. doctors advised you off all work until they cleared you. your memory was foggy, almost like everything was there you just couldnât really see it.
when you tried to think about the night that ceiling collapsed it was completely blank.
you had been dealing with bouts of vertigo all morning, so you hadnât done much other than think and nap. after a few hours the couch began to agitate the constant ache in your back, so you slid off and onto the floor. the stretch the tile floor provided your spine felt far too good for you to be bothered to move back.
after twenty minutes of floor time you could hear light, relatively quick, footsteps approaching the room. they halted before they could take a second step further into the room.
yelena had paused at the doorway. her eyes immediately drawn to a half empty cup of water on the countertop, your crutches leaning against the edge of the black granite, and your notebook on the backside of the couch. but no you. not sitting or standing anywhere in sight.
her heart rate jumped up as her eyes began to scan the floor for your possible unconscious body and when yelena saw nothing she called out your name. she inwardly cursed as her voice shook.
âhey,â you called back. her head snapped towards the couch and she was standing over you in four very fast strides. when her head appeared above you she looked worried but relieved.
âwhat the hell are you doing?â she breathed out sharply. you blinked.
âdizzy,â you said with an awkward shrug from the floor. âand my back hurt. so... floor time.â
âyou should have said something.â she snipped walking into the kitchen. yelena was clearly irritated. you had figured she and the rest of the team would be annoyed with you for alerting about just feeling dizzy.
âiâm fine, yelena.â you pushed yourself up with your good side.
âdonât get up.â yelena called as she looked at the basket by the light switches. the spot where bob designated for your medication organizer. also where she was currently looking at the pills bob put out this morning still sitting in front of the case.
she was back over with your cup, now refilled, and your medications cupped in her palm. you looked over at the numbers of the clock. had she come down here to make sure you took them? embarrassed you forgot to take them this morning, you thanked her before plucking them from her hands.
âwe set all of these stupid alarms,â yelena walked back out of your view behind the couch. âwhy havenât you taken your medication yet?â you blinked.
when you opened your eyes, the room wasnât the same room anymore. you where suddenly sat on the bed of your dorm room at the avengers compound. there was clambering in the bathroom to the other side of the room.
âand why havenât you been taking your medication?â natasha exited, she had a scrape on the side of her chin, a small single stitch above her brow. you blinked again. ânothing to say for yourself?â she questioned shaking the almost full bottle. you sheepishly grinned.
âi keep forgetting.â
this was after a mission in berlin, you had been burned on the backside of your leg while scaling through large machinery. not your proudest moment. it only got worse when you had to evac yourself and was on the run for two days. this was your second round of antibiotics and you had honestly gotten bored of the routine and kept forgetting.
âit looks fine.â you assured her.
âyouâre still limping.â she chucked the pill bottle at you. ânow get up, wound care needs to look at that.â opening the cap you swallowed two pills dry. she gave you a disapproving look.
ânat, i said i think itâs fine.â you urged.
âsay that now, but when you get gangrene...â you gasped face contorting into horror.
âno iâm not!â
âhey f.r.i.d.a.y.?â she called out. âshe can get gangrene right?â
âyes, agent romanoff, untreated infections can lead to gangrene.â the ai answered.
your newfound panic delighted natasha as you willingly let her drag you out of your room and to the elevator so medical could look at your leg. hopefully the nurses could scare you into taking better care of it.
natasha pressed one of the elevator floor buttons, but when you looked at them they all read the number 8. to fill the silence, she had been whistling some random song you recognized from something steve had played before. suddenly she snapped in your ear, you turned to look at her puzzled. she wore worried expression.
the elevator dinged and the doors opened. when natasha opened her mouth to speak, the voice that spoke wasn't hers.
"are you with me?" you blinked.
two snaps accompanied by a short whistle. yelena was on her knee beside you, her face very close to yours. âare you with me?â her expression was hard to read but she did look uncomfortable. this was the second time sheâd seen you space out like that.
âi donât like the new one.â you blurted. she stared at you, lips parting slightly.
âthe new what?â you didnât want to answer her. your emotional attachment to tonyâs ai assistant would only make her seem less enthralled to be in the same room as you. âdo you mean the computer?â yelena concluded. your lack of response was enough for her.
âi know that must sound kinda weird but,â she cut you off before you could ramble.
âi get it.â she shrugged. âthe first one became the vision right? so f.r.i.d.a.y. was kind of sorta like an almost person.â
âyeah.â you agreed quietly. her eyes moved to the stitches in your hairline. the swollen skin had begun to turn green as the bruise began to bloom through your skin.
âi donât like the way that looks.â she said, her hand gripped your chin, tilting your face down. âit should not be so dry. you use the bacitracin right?â you nodded dumbly too caught up in the moment of dĂŠjĂ vu. âyou are a liar.â she laughed. releasing your face. âdry as a bone, does this not hurt?â
âeverything kinda hurts.â you shrugged. âalso it makes my hair feel kinda gross.â she didnât like your answer, but moved her hand carefully to touch the skin two inches away from the stitches. the skin was warm to the touch.
âstay put.â she returned less than ten minutes later with the tube of antibiotic. the one from your bathroom counter. she washed her hands before kneeling back down in front of you and layering a healthy amount on the stitches.
âyouâre face will fall off if you are not careful,â she joked in an attempt to scare you into better self care. you laughed softly as she twisted the cap back on. âand then there would be nobody to scowl at me.â
you nodded, âright, grim reaper.â
âyou are not the grim reaper.â yelena said, standing up and walking back out of your view. âthe grim reaper probably doesnât sleep with their childhood blankie.â you scoffed at her, embarrassed she knew that fact about you. the weird feeling of seeing your beloved childhood friend aged ten years was hard to grasp. but you were happy it was at least still around.
âoh, so you are mean to me.â you jokingly fired back. yelena snorted, still out of view.
âmaybe a little bit.â the both of you joined into a soft laughter.
ava phased through a wall and paused. her eyes comically compounding between the two of you. âam i interrupting?â she asked halting her steps.
yelena coughed, âno.â
you shrugged.
ŕ˝ŕ˝˛ââ°ď¸âŕ˝ŕž
âdr. raynor asked how you were doing.â bucky said. you sat at the counter peeling vegetables for bob as he busied himself cooking dinner.
âoh.â
âat least your enthusiasm for therapy hasnât changed at all.â he joked. you sighed.
âbucky, my brain is like,â you paused trying to find an analogy graphic enough, âraw sewage, and the last thing i want to do is try to talk about it.â
âand thatâs exactly why you talk about it.â he said as hr stole a diced carrot piece off your cutting board.
âheâs right,â bob butted in. âlike someone else is there to try and make it make sense.â
you chewed on your inner cheek. âi just donât want to!â you blurted. you didnât want to talk to her. you didnât want to talk to another person who knew more about yourself than you did. you were tired. tired of being injured, tired of what your life was. just tired.
bucky set his jaw, ignoring your outburst. âsheâll be here tomorrow at 10.â showing no signs of anger or malice, he left the room. he understood your anger. but he also understood that you needed to be back in therapy right now.
finding his way to yelenaâs door. he knocked with his vibrinium hand to show who it was. as soon as the door opened, he stepped right into the room.
âoh-kay,â yelena gaped at his boldness moving out of his way. âcome in? i guess?â yelenaâs room was simple, but obviously lived in by a girl. nothing compared to the sad look of buckyâs own very baron quarters.
âi need a favor.â he crossed his arms while she eyed him nervously.
âdr. raynor is coming to the watchtower tomorrow.â yelena breathed out an oh, briefly fearing if she was coming for another impromptu assessment on the entire time.
âand i need the grim reaper to not skip her appointment.â
yelena let out a silent sigh of relief and dared to ask, âand this has something to do with me?â
âyeah it does. i need you to make sure she doesnât skip her appointment.â bucky clarified, âiâm leaving tonight to meet a ci in philly.â
âhow convenient.â
âconvenient i have to go see him to get intel on a lead you hung up on?â yelena closed her mouth.
âdo you expect me to tie her up?â yelena joked.
âsheâs on crutches, and is very eager to be around you. i donât think youâll have a problem.â bucky turned to walk out of the room.
âah-ah- she what?â he didnât stop walking away.
âthank you, yelena.â
HI ⥠thank u for +200 followers on here ! here are some current wips that have sort of made it out of the trenches of my notes
It wasnât your first acting job, but from the nerves youâd felt since the first day of filming, it might as well've been.
.
You were playing the second lead role. It was a huge opportunity and one that you were terrified to mess up. The fear hung over you sometimes during your scenes. Luckily, your scene partner couldnât have been kinder. The movie was primarily a two-hander, with you acting opposite Scarlett Johansson.
When shooting started, the anticipation of acting alongside Scarlett did nothing to help your nerves.Â
But Scarlett hadnât been anything like youâd expected.Â
Though she was always in a rush, she made time for you. Murmuring small talk as you watched playbacks on the monitor together.Â
The director was an emotional type, often cutting scenes early to shout about what he didnât like. You found yourself dreading his input so much that every new scene made you nervous.Â
Scarlett didnât take his outbursts lying down.
She began carefully, only cutting him off when his rants got too loud. Soon, she became more direct. She never raised her voice, but after one particularly harsh comment was aimed at you, she took your hand in hers and led you immediately off set.Â
At first youâd been so grateful for kindness. But then you felt mortified sitting in her trailer, the directorâs pointed criticism burned into your skull.Â
Scarlett had touched your arm softly, commanding your attention easily.
âDonât let that asshole bring you down.â She told you seriously, her eyes searching yours to make sure you really heard her.
You swallowed the lump in your throat and nodded. When you walked back to set, Scarlettâs hand rested reassuringly around your waist.
After that, the two of you became increasingly like friends.Â
Scarlett stopped answering any phone calls during your time together in hair and makeup each morning. Sheâd sit down and turn her phone over purposefully on the counter in front of her. You would talk together as you eased into the morning, including the makeup artists in silly wandering conversations. You couldnât believe how smart and funny Scarlett was, how friendly and kind she was with you.
Other days, when the morning felt painfully early and Scarlett brought with her a feeling of quiet exhaustion, youâd keep purposefully silent, letting her close her eyes when she could. Soon, you learned to fill the time by playing music unobtrusively from your phone, waiting until there was a song that she liked enough to laugh and make a comment about.
Before long, you were curating playlists just for those mornings.
You ate lunch every day together too. There was a standing invitation for you to come and eat with Scarlett in her trailer. She was rarely there for long. Sometimes she flitted in and out, phone always glued to her ear. The snippets of conversation always sounded painfully dull. You had a feeling it was legal jargon for a contract negotiation.
Her hand would brush your shoulder sometimes in passing, shooting you an apologetic smile as if being stuck on the phone wasnât her typical lunchtime experience
You didnât mind really, you appreciated the kindness of her invitation. Youâd felt so isolated at the start of this shoot and even if she was too busy to talk, it was nice to have Scarlettâs company around.Â
You did wonder when she found time to eat.
.
You never had much to do on Sundays. It was the one day that you could be sure you didnât have to film on. You were filming close to a small town and you didnât know anyone who lived near the set. It felt strange to sit in your rental house with nothing to do after the manic energy of the rest of the week.
Sometimes, you considered calling or texting Scarlett, but you always hesitated. You knew there was a line between her kindness to a new co-star and actual friendship. You werenât sure where you stood.Â
She also seemed busy enough without you bothering her. You thought about the long legal sounding calls, probably for a new movie. You wished a little morosely that you were also having serious contract negotiations for a new starring role.
No matter how dull your Sunday had been going, you still didnât appreciate the knock at the door just after lunchtime. The scene you were meant to be performing the next day had been completely rewritten. Though the majority of the rewrites were for Scarlettâs character, the tone of the scene had completely changed.
You spent most of the evening, and a good part of the night, trying to get to grips with the unexpected changes.
You could barely stifle your yawns in the hair and makeup trailer the next morning. The stylist caught your eye sympathetically in the mirror as you checked over your sides again. You knew you had it, but you still felt a shyness about acting with Scarlett that could throw you off.
Scarlett only arrived in the hair and makeup trailer an hour after you. She rushed an apology to the stylist, whose lips were pressed in obvious annoyance. She didnât even glance at you, her head immediately buried in the new script.
You felt a pang of sympathy, Scarlett seemed busy enough without her only day off being interrupted with script changes. The stylist tutted loudly and Scarlett startled in her chair.
âIf youâre not going to sleep enough, then you shouldnât come in late.â The stylist chided her. âThis is going to take an extra hour easily.âÂ
Scarlettâs eyes closed at her words and you saw a flash of annoyance and then a wave of exhaustion. The awkward tension in the room only increased when she didnât reply. You tried to jump in and help.
âIâm done already.â You pointed out, omitting the fact that it had been much faster because youâd been the only actor for the stylists to focus on.
âMaybe we can shoot my solo part first.â You suggested, rising out of your seat as you spoke. Scarlett let out a quiet sigh of relief and met your eyes. You gave her a small smile, unable to miss the dark circles underneath hers. A secret piece of worry caught in your chest.
âIâll see what I can do.â You promised her as you moved to the exit. Your hand touched her shoulder familiarly as you brushed past her chair. Scarlett nodded quietly. You heard the small âThank youâ from behind you just as you left the trailer.
The director wasnât pleased by the change of plan. You werenât pleased to be working with him either, especially without Scarlett as a buffer. You held it together. The work was intense and you couldnât afford to lose your focus. The director barely spoke as you filmed take after take. You felt a sense of grim satisfaction, knowing that meant you were doing a good job.
When Scarlett finally arrived on set, you were flooded with relief. You gave her an eager smile that she didnât return. You noticed immediately that, despite the stylistâs best efforts, Scarlett still looked exhausted.
She coughed hoarsely as she walked across the set. The sound echoed loudly enough that the heads of the crew, preparing for the next take, turned around. Scarlett looked embarrassed. The director clapped his hands in sarcastic celebration.
âFinally.â He announced pointedly. Scarlett looked flushed but she didnât react otherwise to his comment. Her eyes flickered down to the script still gripped in her hands.
.
You waited beside Scarlett as the crew prepared for the shooting of the dialogue scenes. You stayed quiet, it was obvious Scarlett didnât want to talk. Her eyes pored over the script with careful scrutiny. She coughed once or twice, trying to mute the sound and failing miserably. You noticed the way that her eyes would close for long moments as her mouth still mumbled the words. You felt awful for her. Her phone vibrated several times, she declined the call each time.
When they were ready for you on set, you walked over together. You squeezed Scarlettâs shoulder again before you moved to your spot. An assistant ran over quickly to take the script still clutched in Scarlettâs hand. Scarlett coughed awkwardly into her elbow and you wondered how her voice was going to sound if the hoarseness of her cough was anything to go by.
.
The scene could not have gone worse. Scarlettâs opening speech faltered almost instantly. After barely a line of dialogue, she hesitated in a way that was clearly not in character.Â
The directorâs barking call of âCutâ was immediate. Scarlettâs eyes closed again at the sound. Youâd been right about her voice, there was a scratchiness to it that you were sure would stand out sorely in the final cut of the movie. You shuffled nervously on your mark.
The second take was better, but only barely. Scarlett nearly made it to the end of her opening monologue. Your heart leapt as she got closer to the last words, marvelling at the way she had pulled it together. Sheâd elevated her volume slightly, almost obscuring the hoarse voice.
She confused the last two lines. The atmosphere in the room plummeted, and you saw the embarrassment flood Scarlettâs face too.Â
Before the director could even call âCutâ again, Scarlett caught the assistantâs eye and beckoned them over. They moved obediently and handed her back the copy of the script. Scarlettâs eyes wandered the page hurriedly and you wondered if she was really taking it in.
You could feel the directorâs foul mood from behind the monitor. Scarlettâs facade of calm was admirable.Â
âLetâs try again.â She called with a confidence that sounded genuine.Â
This time Scarlett only made it past the first line before an awful round of coughing interrupted her. Concern for her really fluttered through you now. You stepped off your mark instinctively, reaching to touch her elbow comfortingly. Scarlett straightened automatically at your touch.
âHey.â You murmured, feeling a bit out of place trying to reassure Scarlett Johansson. âYou okay?â
âYeah.â She muttered, wiping the tears from her eyes that the coughing fit had elicited.Â
âFuck, Iâm sorry.â She said more loudly, addressing the crew at large. âItâs just one of those days.âÂ
Your eyes scanned the room too, stopping when you spotted a mini fridge filled with bottled water. You headed over immediately, hoping some water might help. You bent down to open the mini fridge door at exactly the wrong time. You turned around to the sound of raised voices and saw the director now standing next to Scarlett, arms thrown wide as he yelled.Â
It wasnât surprising to watch Scarlett walk off set in response. It was awful to see her obvious tears rolling down her cheeks. You moved to follow her, feeling immediate solidarity with your co-star.
You only hesitated when you heard the Director address the set.
âWhen her temper tantrum is over, weâll start up again.â He announced loudly. You could hear the crewâs immediate grumblings but you didnât bother to stop and find out if it was for the injustice of his comments or the inconvenience of the delay.
You knocked on Scarlettâs trailer first. There was no answer. You called her name carefully, sure that she could hear you. Her continued silence made you nervous. You didnât know what else to do. You asked her to give you a call or text and retreated back to your own trailer.
Scarlett did neither.
It was two full hours before anyone knocked on your trailer. The message they delivered was brief. Scarlett was refusing to work until tomorrow.Â
You tilted your head in disbelief at the phrasing, knowing her decision was more justified than the blunt sentence indicated.
The outcome was the same either way. The crew were already heading home. In fact, by the time you left your trailer, it was apparent that you were one of the last to leave. You hesitated when you recognised one of the few other cars still in the lot.
Scarlett hadnât left yet. You acted on instinct, hurrying back to her trailer. You knocked on the door and turned the handle without waiting for a response.
It swung open surprisingly. The first thing you noticed was Scarlettâs handbag and car keys sitting on top of the table, looking like she was just about to leave for home.Â
Then, you saw Scarlett curled up on a small couch over to the side. Her head was elevated on the armrest. Her eyes met yours immediately.Â
Worry rushed over you.Â
âYou okay?â You asked, feeling shy at seeing someone that you admired looking so unexpectedly small. You hated the obvious self consciousness with which Scarlett answered.
âYeah.â She muttered with barely any voice left at all. âJust needed a minute before driving.â
You nodded in understanding, feeling another wave of sympathy for her.Â
âIâll drive you.â You determined confidently.
Scarlett assessed your expression.
âYou donât have to.â She pressed carefully.Â
âI know.â You assured her, reaching out your hand for her to take. Scarlett took it with the briefest hesitations, before letting you help her to her feet. You didnât comment on her slight unsteadiness. You didnât let go of her hand as you walked together back to the car lot.
Scarlettâs hand felt warm in yours. You were surprised by the tightness of her grip. You led her gently over to the car, sensing that she was somewhat disorientated. You wondered how little sleep sheâd had.
You inputted her address into your GPS and started moving. Scarlettâs eyes shut at the motion of the car. You did your best to drive extremely smoothly, casting worried glances over at her.Â
Ten minutes into the journey, Scarlettâs phone rang again. You blinked in surprise when she actually answered, even though she could barely keep her eyes open.
Her side of the conversation was tense and stilted. The phone call was obviously a continuation of an ongoing argument. She didnât say goodbye at the end. Instead, she sighed quietly and hung up the phone. You didnât speak, knowing you shouldnât have overheard the little that you did.Â
âIâm sorry you had to do this.â Scarlett said at last when you pulled into her driveway. You shook your head softly.Â
âI donât mind.â You assured her. Scarlett nodded tiredly and you could tell sheâd barely heard your response. She opened the car door and unbuckled her seatbelt. The urge to get out with her was overwhelming.
âAre you going to be okay tonight?â You called out suddenly, surprising even yourself with the obvious worry cracking your voice.
Scarlett paused and turned to give you a weak smile.Â
âIâm always okay.â She said quietly.
You felt yourself frowning with concern.Â
âIâll come by to pick you up in the morning.â You told her.
âYou donât have to.â She responded, as she stood up slowly. âI can get a taxi.â
âI insist.â You murmured, knowing that youâd be worrying about her until then anyway. Scarlett just nodded, looking too tired to continue speaking.Â
You drove back to your rental, thinking the whole time that you were leaving the place where you should have stayed.
.
The next morning was not pleasant. Youâd barely slept, feeling uneasy about the way youâd left Scarlett. You were due on set by 5am, and you ended up leaving for Scarlettâs even earlier than you needed to. You convinced yourself that youâd wait in the car until it was closer to the right time.Â
You changed your mind when you saw her house.Â
The ceiling lights in the front rooms shone brightly through the bare windows. The blinds had not been shut. You couldnât see any sign of Scarlett inside. It looked eerie, lit up like a carved pumpkin on Halloween.Â
You left your car and hurried up to the house feeling really worried. Youâd rung the doorbell for the third time when the door finally opened.
To say Scarlett looked run down would have been to put it kindly.
She looked worryingly pale and her dry, chapped lips stood out uncomfortably. You blinked in confusion at the stark difference in her appearance from just last night.
Scarlett barely had a chance to look at you, before she was doubled over with a coughing fit that shook her whole body. You reached out and rubbed her back instinctively as each cough wracked through her.
âJesus Christ.â You murmured quietly as Scarlett finally straightened up. You could see that even this motion was somewhat painful for her as she winced. Your hand stayed resting on her back, still rubbing comforting circles without thinking.
âAm I late?â Scarlett asked you in a rough voice. Her eyes glanced down at her watch worriedly.Â
âYes.â You replied immediately. âLate for bed. You need to rest.â
Scarlett gave you a withering look that was undermined by the somehow even dark circles under her eyes.Â
âI have to go to work.â She rasped out again, and you could hear her fighting another cough.Â
âFuck that.â You told her seriously, arm moving around her shoulders as you led her back into her own house.Â
Scarlett pressed against you automatically and you werenât sure if it was for your warmth or your comfort. She started to resist when you aimed for the back of the house where you assumed the bedroom would be.
âNo.â She insisted as she forced you both to stop. âI just need some breakfast and Iâll be fine.â
You hesitated and she seized the opportunity, turning to head back to the main front room. You acquiesced in part, insisting she sit on the sofa.
You noted the empty coffee mugs littering the various tables in the room. The smell of stale coffee was obvious in the air, as was the fact Scarlett had resisted getting any sleep last night.Â
âWhy did you stay up?â You asked, half in chastisement. Scarlett sighed and leaned back against the sofa. Her eyes shut with obvious relief at the moment of stillness.Â
âHad to make a call.â She muttered as you headed through to the kitchen, ready to find something she might be able to eat.Â
âIn the middle of the night?â You asked curiously as you filled up a glass of water first. With the cough and all the coffee, you had no doubt that she was dehydrated. Her chapped lips scared you.
âHad to call Europe.â Scarlett answered with a sigh, eyes still closed. You hesitated in the privacy of the kitchen. You knew her husband was in France, sheâd mentioned it during your first day on set.Â
âHow was the call?â You asked tentatively, aware it wasnât your business. You opened her fridge as you waited for her answer. There was nothing inside except a single box of takeout leftovers. You bit your lip in concern.
âNot good.â Scarlett replied very, very quietly. This time you could tell the lack of volume had nothing to do with her sore throat. You carried the water back through to her. You were in time to see her wiping her cheeks subtly. You sat down next to her, placing the glass of water into her hand.
You didnât acknowledge it, but you were sure that even leaning over to pick it up from the coffee table would have taken a lot of effort from her right now.
âThereâs nothing in your fridge.â You commented to Scarlett quietly, bumping her knee lightly with your own.
Scarlett watched your movement and then took a short drink of the water. Her eyes stayed trained down at your touching knees.
âI havenât had time.â She told you and her voice cracked. You moved your arm around her shoulders and gave her a side hug.Â
âWhy didnât you tell someone?â You asked her quietly.
You felt Scarlett shrug.Â
âWho was I meant to tell that to?â She answered a little harshly.Â
You bit your tongue on your first suggestion of her husband.
âYou could have told me.â You said instead, trying to sound lighter than you felt.
 âIâll get you some supplies later.â You promised. Scarlett didnât say anything, but she shifted slightly and her head rested on your shoulder. When she leaned against you, you felt her exhaustion as if it was your own. Your arm tightened around her.
âI donât know how Iâm going to get through today.â Scarlett admitted after a moment.
âYouâre not.â You told her, with a certainty that you were only brave enough to pretend to have. âThereâs no way youâre going to set.â
Scarlett huffed pointedly next to you, but the sound was lost as she choked on an unexpected cough. You rubbed her back soothingly again as she suffered through another round of coughing. You only continued speaking when sheâd had another sip of water.
âIf you insist on going to work today. Then Iâm going to call in sick.â You informed her determinedly. âTheyâll just send you back home again.â
Scarlett faltered obviously at your threat.Â
âThatâs ridiculous.â She muttered harshly, leaning forward and pressing the heels of her hands against her tired eyes.Â
âWhatâs ridiculous.â You responded, feeling more confident with every decisive choice you made. âIs that youâre not currently lying in bed.â
You stood up then and took hold of her hand like youâd done the evening before.
âUp.â You commanded simply. Scarlett tried to pull herself up with your help. Her grasp was weaker than you expected and she fell back against the sofa.Â
You didnât pause to let the moment turn embarrassing.Â
Instead, you sat down next to her again, placing her arm over your shoulders before standing up together. You had a feeling that you were supporting more of her body weight than she was. Scarlett moved slowly with you as you finally led her to her bedroom.Â
She sat on the side of the bed and you both worked efficiently. You to remove her shoes, and Scarlett to remove her bra.Â
She was already in a loose t-shirt and leggings and so, as soon as you took off the second shoe, Scarlett shifted over to lie down in the bed. She lay on her side and faced you. You moved to bring the covers over her, brushing a piece of her hair away from her face.
âYouâve been trying so hard.â You told her sincerely. âYouâre allowed to sleep for a bit.â
The heaviness of Scarlettâs blinks told you that she barely needed your words to convince her. You left the room quietly, returning a moment later with a fresh glass of water. Scarlettâs deep breaths told you that she was already asleep.Â
You made the call just outside the front door, when you informed the set that you wouldnât be coming in. The last thing you wanted was Scarlett to overhear. You barely felt the nerves that would normally have swamped you for causing such an inconvenience.
Your answers were short and to the point. You exaggerated, telling the crew member that youâd caught whatever Scarlett was ill with. They told you the director would likely call you both later. You already knew that you wouldnât pick up that call.
After that, you checked back in on Scarlett. The sun had finally risen and so you moved to shut the blinds properly in the room, making sure that it stayed cool and dark.
Scarlett didnât stir at your movements, her face pressed peacefully against the pillow.Â
.
You drove to the supermarket after that. You hurried around quickly, slightly nervous at being spotted by someone from the crew. You grabbed generic items, feeling that an assortment was your best chance of buying enough things that Scarlett liked.Â
You reentered the house silently, expecting Scarlett to still be asleep. You nearly jumped out your skin when you found her pacing back and forth in the living room.Â
Her phone was in her hand and she was talking harshly into it, her other hand pressed in frustration against her forehead. Scarlett glanced over at you and you saw the turbulent emotions playing out on her face. Unlike earlier, she looked wide awake.Â
You hurried through to the kitchen, trying to be unobtrusive. You felt sure that she was on the phone to her husband and you felt guilty for being as involved in her private life as you already accidentally were.
You didnât hear Scarlett enter the kitchen at first. You only startled from organising the fridge when you heard her take a ragged breath. You spun around on the tiled floor and met her gaze.Â
Scarlettâs arms were wrapped around herself and she was obviously trying not to cry. Like the day before, you were struck by how small she looked.
âWell, thatâs my marriage over.â Scarlett whispered hoarsely. You felt yourself moving automatically across the kitchen and pulling her into a hug. Scarlett started crying hard as soon as your arms were around her. You stood together quietly. You didnât know what to say.
It was a few minutes until Scarlett took a step back. She blinked back more tears and you caught the way her bottom lip trembled slightly.
You didnât expect her next words, and you didnât think Scarlett expected to say them either.
âNow, I donât have anyone.â She mumbled, eyes darting down to the floor. Your hands moved to brush her bare arms soothingly.
âThatâs not true.â You tried to assure her. âWhat about your daughter?â
Scarlett looked back at you for a long moment, but she didnât speak. Suddenly, the realisation settled in you. You hadnât described her support system, instead youâd described her main worry.Â
You saw the anxiety roll across her face at the mention of her daughter and felt awful for saying the wrong thing.
âAnd youâve got me.â You told her hurriedly. Scarlettâs expression flickered with polite scepticism at your words.Â
âReally.â You insisted, knowing with certainty that you meant your promise. Youâd had a crush on Scarlett since the first day on set, but now that you knew her, you liked her so much more than you could articulate.Â
Scarlett regarded you carefully for a moment and you stared patiently back into her eyes. You observed the exact moment that she chose to believe you, and watched as a hidden tension bled away from her shoulders.Â
You moved forward to hug her again quickly and then you took her hand.Â
âCome on.â You insisted quietly. âYouâve got to get some more sleep.â
This time, when Scarlett lay down in bed, you saw the repressed anxiety in her expression as you moved to leave the room. You paused in the doorway.
âYou want some company?â You asked quietly. âI can stay in here for a bit.â
It was the hesitation before Scarlettâs polite refusal that made you try again.
âI can play a game on my phone.â You suggested carefully. âI could use a bit of time to relax too.â
This time all Scarlett did was nod in agreement. You kicked off your shoes and sat up in the bed next to her. You tried to keep your eyes on the phone screen that you mindlessly scrolled on.Â
You focused on keeping your breathing relatively normal, aware of how close you were to hyperventilating at the intimacy of the scene.
Scarlettâs body curled in on itself suddenly as more hoarse coughs wracked through her. You rubbed her back worriedly.
âIâll be back in a second.â You promised when they finally died down.
You returned with the cough syrup that youâd purchased earlier. Scarlett took the medicine gratefully.
âIâll pay you.â She mumbled as her head found the pillow one more time. You ignored her comment, knowing for sure that youâd be dodging any and all attempts she might make to do that. You sat in the bed next to her again.Â
This time, you heard her breathing even out almost immediately. You smiled to yourself when you heard her snore quietly beside you. You tried halfheartedly to pay attention to a silly game on your phone. You werenât tired at all yourself, even though this had easily been one of the strangest days of your life.
.
It was an hour later when you heard Scarlett wake up next to you. She spluttered slightly and you realised that sheâd woken up with another coughing fit. She forced herself to a sitting position as she tried to catch her breath. She turned to you and you caught the panic and disorientation in her eyes.Â
âYouâre okay.â You told her immediately and your hands touched her shoulders. Scarlett nodded and took in another long shaky breath.
âSorry.â She muttered embarrassedly, looking purposefully away from you. âThis is so unfair for you-â
âYouâre not on your own.â You interrupted her suddenly. Your eyes searched hers as you made sure sheâd really heard you.
âI promise.â You added a little shyly.Â
For the first time in several days, Scarlett smiled.
