Chapter Text
Yelena drifted in and out as Bucky drove, her head leaning against the cool glass of the window.
Distantly, she could hear Alexei shouting about the glory of becoming a hero team and finally being recognized, while Walker grumbled interjections here and there. Bob spoke more softly as he asked Ava questions about what had happened, and, surprisingly, she answered despite the woman generally preferring to sit in silence.
Bucky didn’t speak, his eyes locked ahead and focused, but as Yelena’s eyes fluttered open for a brief moment, she thought his usual frown seemed relaxed and his eyebrows were unfurrowed. Strangely, he seemed at peace in all the chaos.
But Yelena was too tired to think much about it. After the press conference and the nearly endless questions by countless reporters, she was exhausted and in more pain than she would ever admit. A migraine was already forming behind her eyes, likely from a concussion, and her ribs were either bruised or cracked, judging from the sharp spike of pain that stabbed her chest every time she breathed. Though she wasn’t really surprised, as she had been thrown into concrete or metal at least six times in the past few days, and she didn’t have the luxury of a superserum to heal her quickly.
Bucky, on his part, had been considerate enough to drive them all and let them crash at his house while The Watchtower finished getting renovated. He claimed he was just being efficient and it would let him keep an eye on them, but she knew he was probably just looking out for them in his own way.
After all, most of them either didn’t live nearby or didn’t have a home, while Walker had made the excuse that he was going to stick around a few days until things got settled. Also, no one seemed comfortable leaving Bob alone, given his amnesia, and he also didn’t know Bucky that well, so it had been decided that they would stick together.
However, the more prominent reason, even if no one would admit it out loud, was that going back to empty apartments with nothing but their own minds to keep them company was akin to hell. That, paired with terrible coping skills and the fact that they all had now experienced life without loneliness, made going back to their previous isolation seem more like a death sentence.
“Alright, everyone out.” Bucky’s voice startled her out of her thoughts, her body unintentionally jolting, and she realized she had allowed herself to relax enough that she wasn’t aware of her surroundings.
She opened her eyes, looking around through a half-lidded gaze, only to find Bucky staring at her, his eyes flickering down as he took in her form. She scowled out of habit, already moving to unbuckle her seatbelt, and didn’t allow herself to flinch beyond a slight pause as she twisted and her ribs flared with a fresh wave of pain.
However, she must have not managed to fool him as he spoke a moment later. “Everything okay?”
It was clear he was trying to sound casual, but she couldn’t stop the jolt of anxiety that shot through her.
Show no weakness.
“I’m fine,” she replied shortly, keeping her voice even, and didn’t say another word as she climbed out of the passenger seat and shut the door behind her.
She heard him climb out soon after as the driver’s door slammed shut, but she was already preoccupied on remaining straight and steady as the others swarmed to the front door.
“This is a nice house! Very big, very American,” Alexei exclaimed with a grin, his arms stretched out wide for emphasis.
“Why do you need a house this size anyway? Aren’t you just one person?” Walker asked in his usual dry tone, turning to look at Bucky as the man walked through the group and unlocked the door.
“It’s for appearances or something,” he replied with a tired sigh, seemingly having already anticipated the question. “American politics and all that.”
“As long as you have a shower, I don’t care about anything else,” Ava said, walking right in after Bucky, and the others followed suit.
Yelena came in last, just behind Bob, as the man looked around, curious in a way that reminded her of a child. He glanced behind at her, and she forced a friendly smile even as her head pounded harder with each step she took. A shower did sound really good right now.
“Okay, the girls can have the bedroom and bathroom here downstairs, and my room is upstairs. Otherwise, there’s one other room upstairs with a bathroom that can probably fit two, or there are couches in the living room. Your choice.”
“I volunteer for the couch,” Alexei said, raising his hand stiffly like a soldier pledging an oath. “American beds are too soft.”
Walker seemed to sigh in relief as Alexei alone would take up most of the bed, and then shrugged once he noticed Bob glancing over at him with nervous eyes. “Guess we’re sharing, Bob. Good thing you're small.”
“Yeah, and I don’t move much,” Bob replied with a small smile, his shoulders relaxing, and Yelena was glad the two seemed to be getting along now. A vast improvement from the beginning.
As for herself, she didn’t mind sharing a bed, and besides, she’d slept in much worse conditions before. And, thinking on it further, there was nothing she wanted to do more right now than lie down, and even the ground looked inviting. A soft bed and fluffy pillow would just be a bonus.
“I call dibs on the shower first,” Ava said, clearly on a one-track mind. However, she still spared a glance toward Yelena as if asking for the go-ahead, and Yelena nodded.
“Sure, I don’t mind,” she replied, and Ava was gone without another word, disappearing from the physical plane in an instant. Yelena stared at the spot where the woman had just been, her body feeling slightly numb and heavy. It was quiet, the sounds around her all muffled, and she blinked slowly once…twice…
A hand suddenly touched her shoulder gently, almost hesitantly, but even the lightest touch sent her body into overdrive, and muscle memory took over an instant later. One hand to the wrist and the other to the upper arm, and she’d hardly even taken a breath before she heard a loud slam accompanied by a low groan and opened her eyes to find Bob splayed out on the hardwood floor.
“Oh, fuck, Bob,” she cursed, taking a stumbling step back as her ribs protested the sudden movement and her vision swam.
The edges blurred, darkening, and she blinked again rapidly as she tried to stay conscious. Her ears were ringing now, her head feeling too full.
“Lena?” She could hear Alexie’s voice now and could feel him taking a step closer. His voice was softened with concern, and it reminded her of back when she had been a child, still living their family lie.
“I’m fine, Dad,” she repeated the same she had earlier, the dizziness finally fading as she took deep breaths. “Just…tired.”
“You sure about that?” Walker asked, and she mustered enough energy to stand up straight and shoot him a glare. He raised his hands in mock surrender before glancing down at Bob, who was just now sitting up, and Yelena felt a pang of guilt settle in her stomach.
“Are you okay, Bob? I didn’t mean to-” She started to say, but he waved her off.
“I’m good, and it’s my fault, really. Shouldn’t have touched you,” he said with a small laugh, and Yelena swallowed hard as she nodded.
He pulled himself up off the ground, smiling over at her for good measure, before he pointed toward the stairs. “Anyway, before you went all highly-trained-assassin on me, we were trying to tell you that you could shower first. You know, if you want.”
“Oh,” she said, uncomfortably aware that they were all staring at her with varying degrees of worry in their eyes. “Thanks. Guess I spaced out.”
Everyone just nodded, although no one really looked convinced. But, maybe for her own sake, they didn’t mention it, and Walker only spared her a brief look before he threw down his shield as he headed toward the couch, and Bob followed after him a moment later. Alexei, given how long he’d known her, stared at her with a knowing gaze before he walked past her, but not without placing a firm hand on her shoulder before joining the others in the living room.
Bucky, on the other hand, was already making his way toward the stairs and waved for her to follow. “I’ll show you where the bathroom is and give you a towel and some clothes.”
She just nodded, fully focused on walking steadily up the stairs after him and pushing down the wave of nausea that assaulted her once they reached the top. Thankfully, though, Bucky wasn’t looking, and Yelena waited just outside the door to the bathroom as he went to grab her a clean towel and some clothes from his room. Once he returned, he handed them over but didn’t quite let go even once she’d grabbed them.
“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to, but we all know that was one hell of a fight, and if you need anything, just let me know,” he said quietly before letting go of the items, and Yelena nodded stiffly.
“Yeah, sure,” she murmured before retreating into the bathroom and locking the door behind her.
She heard Bucky’s footsteps retreating a moment later and let out a breath as she sat down on the toilet lid, running a hand through her tangled hair. Everything hurt. Nothing broken, though it was hard to tell considering the level of pain, but, at the very least, nearly everything felt bruised, and as she carefully peeled off the layers of her armor and suit, her body was a mosaic of blue and black with the occasional smearing of darkened blood.
She grimaced slightly as she inspected herself, trying to ignore old scars with shaky breaths and trembling hands before she finally gave up and stepped into the shower. Turning on the water as hot as it would go, she just let herself stand under the spray and allowed the warmth to melt off the grim and distract herself from the lingering memories.
***
Most of the group was still lounging in the living room by the time Ava got out of the shower, dressed in the clothes she wore under her combat suit. Walker was splayed out on one end of the sofa with his arms behind his head while Bob was sitting on the ground cross-legged with his back leaning against the couch. Alexei was on some phone call in the kitchen, judging by the expletives in Russian, and Bucky was likely off showering in his own room.
“Where’s Yelena?” Ava asked as she plopped down onto the couch next to Walker, tapping her thigh absentmindedly.
“She’s showering,” Walker replied lazily, stretching his arms above his head before he sat up. “And, on that note, I call dibs on your shower.”
However, as he got up off the couch, he paused midstep and glanced down at Bob sitting quietly on the carpet. “That good with you?”
Bob just looked up, somewhat startled that Walker had even considered him, before nodding. “Uh, yeah, all good. You guys did all the fighting, anyway.”
Walker’s expression didn’t change, but he stared at Bob a moment longer before heading toward the hallway with a casual wave over his shoulder. “I won’t take long, unlike someone here.”
“Oh, god forbid I take my time after the hell we just went through,” Ava called after him as he disappeared from sight. However, he didn’t reply, and after glaring in his general direction for a moment, she sighed and spread herself out on the couch.
She took a few slow breaths with her eyes closed before she heard Bob shift from next to her, and his quiet voice a second later. “Um, so, how are you after everything?”
She cracked open one eye to see him turned toward her now with the uncanny resemblance of a guilty puppy. Taking a deep breath, she pushed herself more upright so she could face him better.
“Tired. Sore. You know, as much as could be expected.”
Bob gave a small nod, looking more and more pitiful with every passing moment until Ava just couldn’t take the silence. “And what about you?”
The man just shrugged, a lopsided smile appearing on his face as if he didn’t know what else to do. “Fine. Or, better than before, at least in my head. Except…I just can’t stop thinking about what you all say I did, and how I can’t even remember anything. I feel bad about hurting you guys, and so many other people.”
He glanced down at his hands as he finished, his fingers picking at a loose string on his sleeve before he felt a hand tap his shoulder just once, and he looked back up.
“That wasn’t you, Bob. Don’t blame yourself,” Ava said, her voice firm and honest in a way that made him want to believe her, so he nodded. Despite her guarded personality, she had answered all of his questions on the car ride here, and now she was making the effort to comfort him. It wasn’t something he was used to, but it felt nice.
However, he still felt slightly on edge and couldn’t help but glance back over toward the stairs. Ava seemed to track his gaze as she raised an eyebrow.
“What is it?” She asked, and he tore his eyes away from the stairs to face her again.
“Um, well, while you were in the shower, Yelena kind of spaced out, and it was like she couldn’t hear us, so I tried to touch her, and then she threw me, which, of course, was totally my fault. But then she looked really pale, and even Walker and Bucky looked worried, and you know they both have really good poker faces.”
“She didn’t hear you come close?” Ava asked, her eyebrows furrowing. For such a highly trained assassin like Yelena, one from the Red Room no less, she should have noticed someone like Bob coming the moment he was within two meters of her at the least.
“No, it was really weird,” he replied, gesturing with his hands as he spoke. “Her eyes were all dull, and after throwing me, she looked like she was going to pass out. And, I’m no doctor, but I really don’t think she’s okay. But I know you guys like to keep your secrets, so I don’t know whether to push or not, or if I’m just overthinking things.”
Ava nodded slowly, taking in the information before she glanced toward the kitchen. “Well, Alexei is her dad, so he could probably ask her about it, and I bet he will once she gets out of the bathroom.”
Bob chuckled despite his nerves, leaning back a little more comfortably against the couch. “Yeah, he doesn’t really seem like the person who lets things go.”
“No,” Ava replied bluntly, moving to lace her hands together across her stomach as she stared up at the ceiling. “You should’ve heard him on the way back from the Vault. Glory to Russia this, Red Guardian that, and don’t even get me started on how much he talked about Captain America.”
“Oh wow, that does seem like a lot,” Bob said, and he realized he was genuinely smiling. The tight knot in his stomach felt looser, and he took a deep breath. Yeah, it really did feel nice to be able to talk to someone.
“Did I hear someone say Captain America!” A booming voice came from the kitchen, and Ava threw her head back with a groan as they heard heavy footsteps approach.
Alexei walked in a moment later, still clad in his bright red suit. “Ah, Ava, I see you’ve returned. You look different without dirt on your face. Better, but different.”
“Thanks, I guess,” she replied with a raised eyebrow, watching as he flopped down onto the big armchair across from them.
Alexei laughed before he looked down at Bob. “And I don’t believe we got the chance to talk yet. The other you preferred fists.”
He held up his own clenched hands in emphasis, and Bob nodded awkwardly. He wasn’t quite sure what to say, so he just said the first topic that came to mind. “So, you’re basically the Captain America of Russia, then?”
“Oh no, don’t get him started,” Ava grumbled under her breath, but Alexei was already sitting straight up and grinning from ear to ear.
“Yes! Those were the glory days when I-” He stopped short of his rant by the sound of a door closing from upstairs, and everyone turned to see Yelena as she came down the stairs.
She was dressed in an oversized shirt and sweatpants courtesy of Bucky, which seemed out of place after seeing her in a combat suit, but it wasn’t the clothes that caught their attention. She seemed paler than before, and despite her efforts to hide it, she was slightly hunched over and her jaw was clenched tightly by the time she reached the bottom of the stairs.
Alexei was already up and out of his chair by the time she’d been halfway down, so he met her by the time she’d turned toward the hallway. Ava and Bob stayed put, but they watched and listened as the two went back and forth in a mixture of Russian and English.
“I’m just tired…no, I’m not hungry…I’ll sleep it off…” The English was interspersed with words neither of them could understand, but the conversation ended with the last phrase before Yelena turned and walked back toward the guest room. They heard the door shut a moment later before Alexei let out a long sigh as he walked back over and plopped down into the armchair again.
“So stubborn, that girl,” he grumbled, his lips set into a frown. “Won’t even tell her father what’s going on.”
“She didn’t say anything then?” Bob asked, and even Ava was paying attention as the man shrugged.
“Insisted she is just tired and to not wake her for dinner,” he replied, dragging a hand down his face. “I don’t believe her, but Yelena is not one to show weakness easily, and it would be foolish to try.”
“Oh,” Bob murmured, slightly disappointed that Yelena would hide her pain from them, but, then again, it wasn’t like they’d known each other long. But, still, they were a team now, and it probably would be in everyone’s best interest if they could start trusting each other, even just a little.
“Try not to worry too much,” Ava said, catching his attention. “People like us, Yelena especially, know how to take care of themselves.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” he replied before another set of footsteps descended down the stairs, and Bucky walked into the room, his phone in hand.
“What does everyone want for dinner? I’m ordering delivery,” he said, glancing around at everyone.
And, right as he asked, Walker walked down the hallway, wrapped in a towel around his waist. “Did someone mention food?”
“Where are your clothes?” Ava asked immediately, her nose scrunched up as she looked him up and down.
Walker just rolled his eyes. “If you hadn’t noticed, my suit is disgusting, and I didn’t have any other options.”
Bucky sighed before he tossed his phone to Ava and turned back toward the stairs. “I’ll grab you something. Start looking for what you want to eat.”
Ava nodded, already scrolling through the options, and Bob moved closer to see while Walker and Alexei looked over her shoulder. After a few moments, they came across a good-looking Thai food place, and Ava clicked on it before glancing up at the others.
“How’s Thai food?”
“Fine as long as we get some Pad Thai,” Walker replied, and Ava let out a short laugh.
“You’re so basic,” she said, smirking, and Walker glared at her before Bob piped up.
“I’m good with anything, but I’ve always liked rice and curry.”
“Yes! The pumpkin kind is the best,” Alexei agreed with his usual enthusiasm before Bucky walked in and took the phone back from Ava, and handed Walker a clean set of clothes. Walker took them and left back toward the bathroom to change, while Bucky spoke.
“Thai works for me, and I’ll order a few options,” he said, already placing the order before he paused, glancing up. “Yelena’s not still in the bathroom, right?”
“No, she’s sleeping,” Bob replied, nodding his head in the direction of the bedroom. “Said she didn’t want to be woken for dinner either.”
Bucky looked toward the bedroom for a brief moment before he let out a short sigh. “Well, if that’s what she wants,” he said, turning his attention back to his phone. “Anyway, food will be here in about 30 minutes, and…”
His voice trailed off, and a ding filled the silence as a message came through, and Bucky’s face tightened with what everyone could only imagine was annoyance before he looked up.
“I have to go take care of something,” he explained, already walking to the door to grab his keys. “I’ll be back by tomorrow, probably. Don’t destroy my house.”
“We won’t,” Bob promised, and Ava offered a shrug while Alexei just grinned. Bucky looked at the three of them with slight hesitation before he shook his head and left out the front door without another word.
They heard the car’s engine briefly before the sound faded, and it wasn’t long after when Walker came back out, now dressed in more than a towel. However, as he entered the living room, he turned and shot Ava a look. “You stole my spot. Move.”
“It’s my spot now,” she replied, making no indication of leaving, and Walker clenched his jaw tightly before Bob scooted in between them.
“Hey, now, let’s just chill out and not let the hangriness get the best of us, okay? Bucky only just left, and I said we wouldn’t break anything,” he reasoned, his palms stretched out, and Alexie let out a loud laugh.
“Ha, we are a team already, just look at us. Only true teams fight.”
Bob glanced up at the man with an apprehensive look, not convinced. “Um, I don’t really think teams are supposed to fight…”
Walker cut him off, stepping past him before motioning for Ava to scoot over. “You can’t take up the whole couch, and I’m not sitting on the floor.”
Ava just stared at him for a moment before she rolled her eyes and sat up, moving her legs so he could have half the couch. Bob let out a relieved breath as he watched them, and silence, a rare thing with them, lapsed for a few seconds until Alexie’s phone rang. He glared at the number on the screen before answering and storming into the kitchen, the same as he had earlier.
“What do you want now?” His voice was clear even through the wall, and the others listened idly, the phone call interesting enough to their tired minds.
Cursing followed, some in English and others in Russian, before they heard thundering footsteps again, and Alexei walked back in, a frown on his face.
“What was that all about?” Walker asked, lifting his head from where he had been leaning against his hand, and Alexei threw his arms into the air, clearly pissed.
“My landlord apparently came in for an inspection today, and he is not pleased with the state I left my apartment in, and he has called me again now. He demands I come back to clean it and sort out my expenses, or else he will call the police. He does not even care that I am not in the capital.”
“So, are you going to go? Isn’t it like 4 hours away?” Bob asked, cocking his head just slightly, and Alexei huffed, but nodded.
“Yes, I must go, but the train will only take 3 hours. Who knows how long everything will take to sort out, though,” he grumbled, his face souring. “Stupid American landlords. Is there no privacy in this country?”
He paused his rant suddenly, his eyes glancing in the direction of the bedroom before they settled back on the group. “I must ask that you watch over Yelena in my stead. You will, yes?”
Everyone nodded without hesitation before they all seemed to pause, as if surprising themselves by their automatic reaction. However, Alexei looked pleased and clasped his hands together in thanks. “Good, good, now I will be on my way as the station is close by. Shame to be missing curry, but nothing I can do.”
Still clad in his costume, unshowered and covered in a layer of dirt, Alexei walked toward the door, but turned before heading out. “Do tell Yelena that I will return as soon as I can in a few days, and that she can call me. I have not left her this time.”
“We’ll tell her,” Bob replied, speaking for all of them. “And I hope everything goes well with your landlord.”
“Yes, and goodbye for now,” he said with a salute-sort of wave, and then he was gone, same as Bucky.
This left just the three of them sitting in the living room, and they would be a complete group had Yelena been there as well. After all, this team had begun with the four of them, despite how chaotic their first meeting had been. Admittingly, after everything they’d been through, it felt strange to be without the blonde who had rallied them all together, and they all couldn’t help but wonder if leaving her alone was really the right decision.
Walker was the first to break the silence, shifting to lean against his hand again. “I’m starving. Dunno how Yelena wanted to skip eating.”
Ava hummed in reply, her eyes slipping closed as she tilted her head back against the plump cushions. “Well, if I weren’t hungry, I would be asleep right now, too.”
Walker nodded before he glanced over at Bob. “You going to crash after dinner, too?”
“Yeah, today was…disorienting, I guess,” he replied, moving to bring his knees up to his chest as he scooted over to lean against the couch like he had been earlier.
“I bet,” Walker scoffed. “Memory loss is the real cherry on the cake in your case.”
“Haha, yeah,” Bob murmured quietly, looking down before Ava shoved Walker with her foot.
“Ow, what was that for?” He snapped, glaring at the woman, but Ava just nodded her head toward Bob.
“You’re such an idiot, I don’t even think you realize when you’re being insensitive,” she said, and Walker blinked a few times in silence before he recovered.
“Hey, I didn’t mean it like that,” he said, turning toward Bob. “Okay?”
“Your apologies need work, too,” Bob replied, emboldened enough to tease him, and Walker opened his mouth to retort before the doorbell rang and his head snapped toward the sound.
“Finally,” he said, his attention now wholly diverted to the promise of food as he got up off the couch.
Ava and Bob stayed in the living room while Walker went and grabbed the delivery, and watched as the man walked back in with several bags of food that he set onto the short coffee table in front of the couch.
“Here,” he said, tossing each of them a packet of plastic utensils before he grabbed a carton of Pad Thai and plopped down onto the couch.
The others grabbed what food they wanted and began digging in, none of them talking for a solid minute while they ate like starved animals. Eventually, though, they slowed down and the silence became uncomfortable as the feeling that someone was missing dug at them once again.
“Do you think we should at least ask if she wants dinner?” Bob asked, looking up at the others for input.
Walker shrugged, and glanced over at Ava. “Well, I’m not going in there since I’m pretty sure she’d kill me. At least you can phase through any attacks.”
Ava rolled her eyes. “I’d rather not use my powers unless I’m in my suit, but, fine, I’ll go. I doubt she wants men walking into her room while she’s sleeping.”
“Good point,” Bob agreed with a nod, and Walker turned back to his food, although Ava caught him following her with his eyes as she got up.
Walking down the hallway, she took a slow breath as she reached the door before cautiously opening it. The room was dark, and it took a second for her eyes to adjust, but once they did, she saw a Yelena lying under the blankets facing away from her.
“Yelena?” Ava called softly, but the blonde didn’t stir, which just made Ava all the more wary.
Stepping inside the room, she took a few steps closer to the bed. “Yelena? Can you hear me?”
Still nothing. Just the rise and fall of Yelena’s chest, which, upon closer inspection, seemed shallow, as if taking larger breaths were painful. Ava stood up straighter, peering around the room, and her suspicions were proved right once she noticed a roll of KT tape left discarded on the dresser. She tsked her tongue involuntarily, her mind playing back Alexei’s words from earlier.
Stubborn was right.
She took another step forward, almost absentmididly, and in the next second, she felt a sharp kick to her thigh followed by a hand on her throat as she was slammed into the wall. A sharp sting against the underside of her chin by cold metal made her all too aware of a blade being held to her throat along with the hand gripping her.
However, the grip was shaky, loose, and Ava couldn’t stop her body from reacting as she threw a brutal punch into Yelena’s side, and the blonde let out a sharp gasp of pain before folding immediately, the knife in her hand clattering to the floor. Ava kicked it away and was already kneeling next to Yelena in the same second.
“Yelena, shit,” she murmered, alarmed at the sound of the other woman’s choked gasps as Yelena curled in on herself, her arms wrapped around her ribs.
The sound of hurried footsteps clamored down the hallway before Walker and Bob burst through the door, taking in the scene. Walker threw on the lights, but that seemed to be the wrong choice as Yelena squeezed her eyes shut, her face contorted with pain. Bob lunged and flicked the lights off as quickly as he could, his eyes wide with worry and confusion.
“What the fuck happened?” Walker demanded, and Ava just motioned to the knife now by their feet.
“What does it look like happened? It was a stupid idea to walk in on an assassin in the first place, and she’s hurt,” Ava snapped, but stopped yelling as Yelena cracked open her eyes,
“What…are you all doing…in here?” Yelena rasped, clenching her jaw as she forced herself to sit more upright. Her breathing was ragged. “Where did…there was someone here…”
Her eyes drifted over to Ava, unfocused at first before they narrowed in on the shallow cut just under the woman’s chin, dripping fresh blood down her neck. Yelena’s eyes widened, and her initial confusion quickly morphed into realization that there hadn’t been a stranger attacking her at all.
“Ava, I didn’t know…it was you,” she slurred, bringing a hand up to her forehead as she tried to gather her bearings, her face pinched. The pain in her head and ribs was making it hard to think, her brain fogged as she struggled to find the right words.
“It’s fine, it’s my fault,” Ava said, her hands hovering near Yelena, but not daring to touch her. “Are you okay?”
“I’m…fine…I just…” Yelena murmured, looking around the room, seemingly dazed as she blinked slowly. Bob looked terrified, and even Walker looked on edge, his jaw set tight.
“She’s definitely concussed, maybe even a TBI,” Walker said, his eyes narrowing before he also noticed the tape. “Shit, are her ribs broken too?”
“Is there something we can do? What do we do?” Bob asked, shifting anxiously from one foot to the other, before Yelena suddenly gagged and Ava shot up.
“Trashcan now!” She ordered, and Walker threw it to her just in time for Ava to shove it under Yelena’s chin before the blonde vomited the meager contents of her stomach into it.
Bob grimaced at the smell while Walker frowned, his eyes locked onto Yelena’s form as Ava held the trash can. Eventually, Yelena stopped long enough to catch her breath, swallowing several times to force back any lingering nausea.
“Fuck,” she cursed under her breath, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. Her skin was a sickly shade of white and slick with sweat, and the others stood still for a moment before Ava spoke up.
“Do you….want help standing?” She asked slowly, unsure of how exactly to navigate this unfamiliar situation. None of them were comfortable showing weakness, much less doing the whole hero thing. Most of their lives had been spent alone, patching up their own wounds and hiding in quiet places to heal. Hell, they could hardly help themselves most of the time, much less anyone else.
But…they were a team now, and they weren’t alone. And, even though Walker wouldn’t show it, Bob was a nervous wreck, and Ava didn’t know what to do; they cared. And they weren’t leaving.
Yelena just nodded, her lips set in a tight line as she took Ava’s hand and stood up shakily. It was strange accepting help, much less being openly vulnerable, and a part of her whispered that such things would get her killed, but right now, she was too tired to care.
She just wanted to sleep for a week straight, and maybe chew some gum to get rid of the acrid taste in her mouth, but that could be dealt with later. For now, Yelena just focused on the warmth of Ava’s hand as she shuffled back over to the bed, putting one heavy foot in front of the other. She winced as she lay back down, not even trying to hide it anymore. Ava’s punch had done a number on her already ruined chest, and her head felt like someone had jammed an ice pick between her eyes.
She swallowed hard again, taking deep breaths in through her nose and out her mouth as the nausea reared its ugly head again, but, thankfully, nothing came of it. Leaning back against the pillow, she felt Ava let go of her hand, and she opened her eyes, her mind finally catching up with her.
“Why did you come in here? And where are Bucky and my dad?” She asked, and Bob looked immediately guilty, but Walker seemed to notice and nudged him before he could spiral any further.
“Alexei had landlord problems or something like that and had to go back to D.C, but he said to call him if you needed anything, and Bucky left without saying why. As for why we came in here, we ordered Thai food and wanted to know if you were hungry,” Walker explained, his sharp eyes roaming her form. “But we didn’t think you were this beat up.”
The words came as a surprise once they made their way past her foggy mind, and Yelena didn’t know what to say. The fact that they’d thought of her, and even seemed concerned, was a feeling so foreign that she had no idea how to take it.
She cleared her throat, her eyes moving to look at each of them before they fell to stare at her lap. “Thanks.”
Bob smiled kindly. “Hey, that’s what a team does, right? Or…that’s what I think we’re supposed to do, anyway.”
“Yeah, and on that note, we should get you some pain meds,” Ava said, moving toward her discarded suit, thrown haphazardly on the ground. “Do you think you can eat anything?”
Yelena hesitated a moment before shrugging. “I guess I could try some bread if we have that.”
“I’ll raid the fridge. Bucky’s bound to have something,” Walker said, seemingly more relaxed now that he had something to do, and he motioned for Bob to follow. “Come on, let’s go.”
“Okay,” Bob replied eagerly, before he seemed to remember something and grabbed the soiled bin with a smile. “I’ll get rid of this.”
Yelena just hummed in reply, watching as they both walked out, before her eyes drifted back to Ava as the woman sifted through the pockets of her suit. After a short while, she seemed to find what she had been looking for as she pulled out a small packet of white pills. Smiling faintly to herself, she tossed it over to Yelena, who caught it with fumbling fingers.
“I was pretty much in constant pain up until about a year ago, so I learned which ones work the best,” she said, her voice casual, but Yelena noticed a slight edge to it. “Take two with water, and it should help with everything.”
“Thanks,” Yelena said again, grateful for the second time in one night as she crinkled the aluminum wrapping. After a moment, though, she stopped fiddling and took a slow breath as she continued. “You know, I’m not used to this. Accepting help.”
Ava huffed a laugh, a small smile appearing on her face. “Yeah, well, I don’t think any of us are used to giving it. But…it’s not so bad.”
“Yeah,” Yelena agreed quietly. “It’s not so bad.”
Ava hummed softly in reply before she gestured toward the pills. “Oh, and you probably shouldn’t take those on an empty stomach, so just wait until the boys come back.”
Yelena chuckled despite the pain. “You really think they’ll find something edible?”
Ava smirked with a shrug, amused at the thought of those two rummaging through the kitchen. “They’re idiots, but I don’t think they’re totally incompetent. Probably.”
“We’ll see,” Yelena said, her words coming out in an exhale as she leaned back more heavily against the pillows, and the action didn’t go unnoticed by Ava.
“Do you…I mean, did you already apply the tape? If not, I could, if you want,” She offered, rounding the bed so that she was just a few paces away from Yelena.
Yelena’s eyes flickered to meet Ava’s gaze before she looked over at the KT tape, considering the offer. She’d done a pretty shitty job earlier patching herself up given the fact that she’d barely been standing, and she was almost certain now that at least two of her ribs were cracked.
However, exposing her chest to someone she wasn’t close to felt dangerous, even though she knew Ava wouldn’t hurt her. And, maybe it wasn’t so much fear or caution, but shame. Her body was a tapestry of scars, most attached to memories she never wanted to think about, and it was also a physical image of her weakness. Despite all her training, she was just human, and it showed.
If Ava saw all the bruises and wounds on her from a fight that seemed to have left no one else as battered, what would she think? Would she reject her? Would she think of her as someone less, as someone weaker?
It was dangerous to be isolated, but it was even more dangerous to be surrounded by people who knew they were stronger than you. Like wolves against a lame dog, only slaughter would come.
Yelena knew that well.
“Yelena?” Ava’s quiet voice cut through her thoughts, and she looked up, her heart hammering in her chest as memories of blank eyes, sick grins, and bloodied weapons filled her mind.
But…Ava’s eyes held no threat of violence. Her hands were resting loosely at her side, her posture relaxed—unthreatening.
Yelena spoke before her mind had even caught up. “I did, but I didn’t do a good enough job…if you could just place the strips, that would be enough,” she replied, her mind still screaming at her to back away, to build her walls higher, but she ignored them for once.
They were a team. Maybe it was time to have a little trust.
“I can do that,” Ava replied calmly, all too aware of the apprehension in Yelena’s eyes and the way her posture was rigid, her hands crossed around her stomach defensively.
She moved slowly as she grabbed the KT tape. and was just about to tear off the first piece before she froze, her eyes zeroing in on Yelena’s skin as the blonde lifted up her shirt.
“Jesus, Yelena,” she whispered, alarmed at the extent of the damage. Her skin was just a splattering of black and purple, and Ava couldn’t believe Yelena was even speaking. Her pain tolerance alone would rival someone with a superserum, and Ava’s stomach twisted at the thought of what that meant—of what Yelena must have endured to reach such a level.
Yelena met her gaze evenly, her face impassive, but Ava could tell from the way her fingers twitched that she was just one moment away from either rejecting help or running altogether.
So, Ava knelt down and ripped off a strip and placed it along the ribs, more evenly than the two pieces Yelena had managed to put on earlier. She tried to be as gentle as she could, but even if Yelena could hide her gasp, she couldn’t stop her body from flinching, her muscles trembling just slightly under Ava’s touch.
But, Ava didn’t stop and placed four more strips, enough to offer some support until the ribs could heal, before she stood and took a step back. Yelena exhaled slowly, somewhat shakily, as she lowered her shirt and covered her chest with the blanket again as if it could offer some additional protection.
“Done,” Ava said, her voice filling the silence as Yelena evened out her breathing. “How’s that feel?”
Yelena shifted slightly, flinching just barely, before nodding satisfactorily. “You’re not bad at that.”
“Well, I’ve had some practice myself,” Ava replied, just before a knock sounded at the door.
“We found bread and ice packs,” Bob said, his voice slightly muffled by the door. “Can we come in?”
“Yeah,” Yelena replied, and the door opened slowly as Bob came in first, followed by Walker.
“So, we made toast, and didn’t really know what you liked, so we made one with peanut butter and one with regular butter,” Bob said, handing over the plate with the two slices of toast.
Yelena accepted the plate and set it down on her lap before Walker came over and handed her an icepack wrapped in a towel. “Here, for your ribs.”
“I was wondering what was taking you both so long,” Yelena said, a slight smile on her face, and Walker rolled his eyes before jutting his thumb in Bob’s direction.
“Turns out Bobby here doesn’t know how to use a toaster,” he said bluntly, although a part of him seemed amused. “Almost set the thing on fire and burned two slices in the process before I noticed what he was doing.”
“In my defense, why would they have such a high setting that allows the bread to burn in the first place,” Bob said, holding his hands up in front of him before he pointed toward the toast. “And it turned out fine the second time.”
“Wow, and to believe I trusted you both,” Ava drawled, staring at them with an unimpressed expression before they all heard Yelena take a bite out of the toast.
She chewed a few times and swallowed, turning to Bob once she’d finished. “This is good, Bob, thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” he beamed, smiling happily, and Walker just sighed before turning toward the door.
“Well, if you’re all good, I’m going to finish eating and go to bed,” he said as he walked out of the room, grumbling something about today being worse than bootcamp as he left.
Yelena just took another bite of her foot as her eyes shifted over to Bob, who was standing at the foot of the bed, staring at her. After a moment of just staring at one another, he blinked and shuffled a bit toward the door.
“I really hope you feel better, Yelena, and…I’m sorry about everything,” he said, his voice cracking after he paused, and Yelena softened.
“No, Bob, none of this was your fault. I knew what I was getting myself into. We all did,” she replied, and Bob hummed quietly before he yawned and rubbed at his eye with the back of his hand.
“I know, but I still wanted to say it,” he said, offering her a small smile. “Anyway, I’m also going to go finish eating and then sleep. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight,” Yelena echoed, and Bob left with a friendly wave, closing the door behind him as he went.
That just left Ava, and Yelena expected her to leave as well, but the assassin just walked over to the other side of the bed and lay down against the soft pillows. However, as she did, the fabric of her turtleneck pulled down, and Yelena saw dark bruising on her neck in the shape of a hand.
“Ava, you…” Yelena started, but her voice trailed off as Ava glanced over at her through her peripheral, the ghost of a smile appearing on the brunette’s face.
“What? You didn’t honestly think the rest of us came out of that unscathed?” She said, and when Yelena remained silent, Ava pulled herself into a sitting position, looking at the blonde seriously.
“Yelena, we all got beat up by someone with the strength of 1000 exploding suns, not to mention all the shit that went down in the Vault. None of us is okay in one way or another. You aren’t the only one.”
Yelena swallowed thickly, the words meaning more to her than she thought they would. All along, she’d thought she’d been the weakest, some burden, or worse, someone expendable. Someone undeserving of such a second chance. But to hear that she wasn’t the only one with wounds, and not the only one hurting, was comforting in some odd way.
She wasn’t alone in her pain.
Yelena turned and took another bite of her toast, choosing not to reply, but her shoulders felt lighter. Ava just reclined back again and closed her eyes, her fingers interlinked across her stomach.
They didn’t speak much after that, and once Yelena finished eating and took the meds, the two settled down underneath the covers and flicked off the lights with a well-aimed knife throw. Distantly, they could hear the boys walking around and, at one point, the sounds of Walker cursing as he stubbed his toe on the stairs, but, after a while, the house went silent.
And, for the first time in a long time, no one fell asleep alone.