Chapter 10

Yelenas pov:
An hour later, the films finally finished and yn is asleep, cuddled up to me. Nat is the first to notice because she cant go 10 minutes without bugging someone. “Wow she fell asleep fast.” Peter immediately comes to her defence. “Yeah well you would too if you were kept awake all night with shouting.” Silence falls for a hot minute and then tony (who probably has raging adhd of some sort) speaks. “Whats with the bruise around her neck.” Pete offers an answer to that. “My dad lost his shit because he ran out of alcohol. Oh and i walked in a couple days ago to her being strangled by him.” I scoff, “Yeah and not to mention the bruises on her-” i stop myself. Idiot. I said i wouldnt tell anyone. Speak. Say something to fix it. “Arms. Her arms, she had a t-shirt on when we watched percy jackson.” Peters jaw unhinges. “She told you about her percy jackson collection?” “Im her friend?” “She had that collection 4 years before she told me about it!” “What can i say i get to know people well.” Nat shakes her heas in that judgey way she does. “You went through her drawers, didnt you?” I smile proudly, “Yep, but it was infront of her at least.” They all chuckle and tony grabs his coffee. “Right im off to bed.” I give him a confused look “with coffee? Isnt that gonna keep you awake?” “It helps me focus and sleep. Its weird.” “You know thats a sign of adhd right?” He rolls his eyes and one by one, they all leave, except for me, nat and yn.

“Whats up tasha?” “You didnt tell me about the bruises on her arm.” Shit. I caught myself out. For some reason my brain doesnt function when it comes to her. “I didnt want to betray her trust. It may be a mission for you, but she is my friend.” She raises her eyebrow in a knowing way. Its annoying how she just knows everything. “And i wouldnt have seen the bruises if we werent kissing.” “What do you mean?” I shut my eyes to avoid feeling the embarassment when i say this to an actual person – nevermind my sister. “The bruises were on her stomach and back, not her arms.” “Wait but how would you have seen- oh, you took her top off. Wait you guys had-” “No! We nearly did but please say it any louder. She took my top off and when i went to take hers off, she stopped and showed me the bruises.” “Huh. Im going to ignore that you told me that and go to bed. Ill keep it secret. Im sure theres plenty of normal instances where we can document her injuries, theres no need to ruin what you guys have.”  She gives me a small smile before turning and leaving and my heart skips a beat at the thought of me and yn having somehing special. And i think thats because its true. I have never met someone like yn and i doubt i ever will again.

I watch her peacefully sleep for just a few seconds, which turned into a few minutes which turned into creepily long. I cant help it, its like a war has ended and im at the heart of the peace. It pains me to have to move her, i slowly scoop her in my arms and carry her quietly to my bed. I slump next to her, making myself comfortable before i feel the warmth of her body grow closer and her hands gently clasp around me. Ive never been so still in my life, even when handling bombs i have never been this careful. Its stressing me out a little. Her warm touch is making me sleepy despite my racing thoughts and i slowly drift to sleep, feeling safe and almost at home in her arms.

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Yns pov:
The next morning, my eyes gently flutter open when i realise that this isnt the place i fell asleep. I slowly look around when i see who im cuddled up to. Yelena. How does this keep happening? No matter how much space i try to put between us, i keep being drawn towards her. I have never met someone with a soul so annoying and beautiful. I debate moving away, but i feel so comfortable and she looks so…perfect. Instead i melt into her touch, allowing my guard to dissolve completely. This is a moment where i can close my eyes and return to in order to escape the horrors of the day for just a minute, and i wish it would never end.

We lay there for 30 minutes when i hear a loud bang and shoot up, startled. Yelena touches my back, making me flinch. “What was that?” “I dont know, lets go check it out, im sure its nothing.” Yelena takes my hand and grabs a gun out of her bedside table. “Are you serious? You have weapons in your bedroom?” “We’re avengers, we could be attacked anywhere at any time.” “Thats reassuring.”  She leads me down the corridor, keeping me behind her. We turn the corner and she nearly shoots some guy, i think his names sam. “Hey woah, friendly, uh heal?” Idiot. She hits him square in the face and i actually start belly laughing. “Im not a dog!” He dramatically holds his nose “OW! Can you get a concussion from a punch?” “I thought the avengers were meant to be smart?” Yelena smirks then looks at me “They are, but hes had one too many concussions.” He feigns offence and starts to sulk. “Yeah well…well…i dont like you.” “Thats all you could come up with?” “Wow you two are a MEAN duo.” He goes to walk off but yelena grabs his arm, “Wait what was that loud bang?” His face turns annoyed and his bites out “Tony and his stupid experiments. He added more rockets to his suit but doesnt know how to aim.” My eyebrows knit together in confusion. “Why doesnt he just create an aiming system? It would stop him from misfiring, you know like how in films rockets go to a specific target without aim, it would be sort of like that. Its simple enough to make.” They both just stare at me, mouths open. “What?” “How do you know that stuff?” “I was accepted into MIT. For science.” “Then why do you work as a bartender?” I roll my eyes and carry on walking. “Ill tell you later.” “Where are you going?” “To tonys lab.” Yelena helps me find the way, flashing me a confused look every now and then.

When i get there nat and tony are talking. Well nats shouting and tony looks ashamed. “YOU IDIOT! WHY WOULD YOU TRY TO BLOW UP THE LAB?!” “I dont know where i went wrong.” “I have an idea.” They both turn to me, finally realising our presence. “Why didnt you create an aiming system to prevent misfiring?” He considers it for a moment before shakinng his head. “No it would never work in a suit, how would i decide a target?” “Uh maybe stop being lazy and tell it? Use the ai in your suit to help set targets.” “Fine whatever, but i dont really have time to sort out the minor details.” I smile at him, feeling slightly cocky. “I can do it in about 40 minutes. It was my project to get into MIT i could probably find my outline for it.” He gives me a disbelieving look. “You created a weapons firing system for college? Yeah right.” I tilt my head and fold my arms when i bitterly speak, “Do you want my help or not?” “Im sorry i dont believe that you got accepted into MIT.” “Because im a woman?” He quickly goes red and flustered when nat and yelena look at him, fuming. “What- no thats not- i mean- i” “Tony im winding you up. Petes not the only genius in my family. I got kicked out of MIT in my first term.” They both eye me suspiciously whilst lena beams with pride. If only she knew the truth.

I plug in my flash drive that i carry on a keychain on my keys and plug it into tonys computer, showing him the schematics. His eyes flicker over it and he sighs. “Fine build your stupid aiming system.” I smirk, “If it was stupid, you wouldnt let me build it.” He cuts his eyes before speaking. “Okay, you can build this system if you tell us why you were kicked out. Its a safety issue.” “You need my schematic, you cant blackmail me if it only benefits you.” “Ive seen the schematic, i could easily build my own.” I roll my eyes and sigh. “You roll your eyes a lot.” “Only when im around avengers.” I turn on my chair to face him. “I got arrested for beating my dad. As revenge he called MIT and helpfully let them know. Even though i wasnt charged, they wouldnt allow me to continue my studies. Its a shame because i had a full scholarship as long as i built stuff for the government.” He looks at me, concern enshroudig his face. “Wait you were part of the elute science programme?” “Yeah, how do you know about that?” “The students who were part of it have to be employed by the government, because they are too dangerous not to be.” “Oh, cool i guess.” He shakes his head and walks away, finally leaving me in peace to build his sytem. A few hours later, the system is built but i fell asleep whilst the final part was being uploaded to the AI.

I see her stood there with this horrible disappointed look on her face as she manages to choke out, “Im dead because of you!” She moves closer to me and starts to strangle me. “Do you feel that? That is how it felt when i died.” She bitterly spits the words and i gasp for air. I sputter, trying desperately to plead with her but mangled jargon is all i can manage. She leans closer with a smile on her face. “What was that?” I feel my heart sink with guilt as i remember his words to her. I fight against her grip, but that just makes her tighten it more. Right as im about to pass out, she lets go, leaving my lungs burning for air that cant enter fast enough. Instead she reaches down for a knife, just as he did and she stabs me right in the heart. Thats when i startle awake, breathing heavy and frantically grabbing my chest.

Tony comes over, keeping his space, “yn? What was that?” I take a few deep breaths, calming myself. “Its fine, it was nothing.” He gives me a look ive never seen from a billionaire, sympathy. “Clearly its something.” “I cant tell you. You know why.” “Would it be so bad if you did tell us?” I ignore him and point to the screen that has a loading bar that says complete. “Your system was finished a while ago, im sorry, i didnt mean to fall asleep.” “If you ever need to rest, youre always welcome here.”  “I have a bed at home. But thank you.” “I know you do, but sleep doesnt always mean you can rest.” I smile gratefully and then leave, bumping into lena. “Hey i was just coming to see how things were going” “Great i just finished, i need to head home and get ready for work.” “Again? Wow these job things are really annoying.” “Yeah makes me miss MIT.” I move past her and leave, before i can grieve the life i lost.