Hypothetically Speaking
"Then take her with you. People talk about running away all the time, but you have every reason to do it. It's okay to ask for help."
“Everything okay?” Eva turned around to find Steve standing by the kitchen entrance, worry plastered all over his face.
“Yeah. We’re just talking.” Clint answered for them and walked out of the room to give them some space.
“How much did they hear?” She asked him. He stopped drying a bowl and blushed. “It’s okay. I’m not mad, Steve.” She smiled.
“The part about your sister.” Steve answered. “They understand, you know.”
“That doesn’t mean I should unload everything to you and your friends.” She frowned. “I just met them, Steve. That’s no way to make friends.”
“I care about you, Eva.” He mumbled. She turned off the sink and turned her whole body to face him. Her eyes shone bright and she had a lovely smile on her face. Steve felt his chest constricted. God, I really like her.
“Thank you.” She wrapped her arms round his neck and pulled him into a hug. “Let go back to the living room.” She added.
“I should go back.” Eva’s voice made everyone looked up from the TV. Natasha grimly nodded and quickly pulled the woman into a tight hug.
“I know a good lawyer if you need one. Or a hitman. Whatever you need.” She told Eva.
“Stop scaring her out, Nat.” Bucky chuckled. “But seriously, though. She knows them.”
“Thank you.” Eva felt herself grinning, her anxiety pushed back for a moment. They all take turn hugging her, letting her know that she’s not alone. The thought alone made her want to laugh and cry at the same time. Here they are, a group of strangers she just met, who are better at loving her than her own mother.
“I’ll take you home.” Steve led her to the door.
* * *
“Nat gave me the number of her lawyer friend. Matt Murdock? She said he’ll be able to help me with this legal guardianship thing.” She said, her eyes occasionally darted to their intertwined hands.
“That’s good. Are you going to call him? Matt’s a nice guy and a great lawyer.”
“I think I will. I’m going to talk to my sister. Let her know what’s going to happen. I need to sort out some other things as well.” She replied with an easy smile. “That’s my house.” She added, her finger pointing the house few feet away from them.
The first that came into Steve’s mind was how nice her house was. It looked like it came out of a housing catalogue. Then Eva came back into his mind and he was filled with a sense of dread as they walked towards the front of her house. He held her hand a little tighter, wishing they could just turn around and leave this place. OH. An idea popped into his head.
“Well, I better go now. Thank you, Steve.” She tiptoed to kiss his cheek.
“Eva?” He called her before she got inside. She turned back with a confused expression.
“Hypothetically speaking.” Steve started. He swallowed thickly before he continued, “If there was a place for you in the residence and there are ways to get you and your sister to leave this place, would you do it?”
Her lips curled into another smile and Steve forgot to breathe for a moment.
“Hypothetically speaking.” She replied, “I will be happy to accept the offer.” She finished.
“Good.” He choked back a relieved laughter. He ran his hand through his hair and gave her a small wave. “Good night, Eva.”
“Good night, Steve.” She whispered.
* * *
Wanda stayed back when everyone else went back to their respective rooms. She leaned back onto the soft leather couch, her body relaxing as she took in the silence. She loved her new friends. She does. But she was the textbook definition of an introvert and she needed times to be alone after a long day with her friends. She stared at the TV with a somber smile. She never thought she would be able to go this far. Her past was not something she likes to talk about with her friends but she knew they know about what happened back in Sokovia. She couldn’t be more grateful to have friends that understand her.
A scene in the movie brought her a certain memory and she took a sharp intake of breath as she relived her worst nightmare. There was a lot of blood. She held the knife with her shaky hands. Pietro was unconscious next to her. She didn’t mean to do it. She swore. The police will be here any minute. They’re going to take her, aren’t the— “Wanda?” Bucky’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts. She looked down on her tightly clenched fists before she looked at him. His eyes laced with worry as he stood near the coffee table.
“Are you okay?” He asked.
“Yeah—Just had a little flashback.” She forced a smile. He saw right through it and sat next to her. His hands gently took hers and he slowly rubbed tiny circles on her wrist to help her relax.
“It has been an intense day, huh?” He smiled.
“Yes.” She grimly nodded, remembering her new friend, Eva, and the scars on her arms that reminded her of Sokovia. “I thought you were asleep.” She turned to him.
“I heard the TV and saw you.” He shrugged.
She smiled back before leaning closer into him. He automatically released her hands so he could wrap his arm around her. She snuggled closer, pressing her ear near his chest to listen to his steady heartbeat. It didn’t take long for her to fell asleep after that.
* * *
“Natasha, you need to relax.” Clint told her. He was sprawled on her fluffy carpet while watching Natasha paced around the room.
“I cannot relax. I don’t like what happened to Eva. We need to do something, Barton.” She said.
“I don’t like it either. There’s nothing we can do.” He murmured.
“We could hire a hitman.”
“NO.”
“Matt. I should call Matt and ask him about this.” She paused and quickly walked back to her bed to get her phone.
“It’s almost 2 A.M, Nat. I’m pretty sure the guy’s asleep. You’ve been pacing around for hours. You need sleep.” Clint gently chided.
“I’m worried about her.” She spoke out after a moment of silence.
“I know. She really grows on you, huh?” he chuckled.
“She made Steve happy. That’s enough reason for me to like her.” Natasha shrugged. “Besides, she gave me a lovely drawing of a ballerina.” She added with a small smile.