Chapter 4
Harley shut the door behind her slowly, entering her bedroom. Her eyes went directly to her destroyed bookshelf, books and herbs still littered the floor. Then her eyes went to the blonde. Yelena was laying on her unmade bed staring up at the ceiling. Pillows and Blankets seemed to engulf her. Harley watched the blonde sit up and turn to her.
“You lovebirds are so cute”, Yelena said with a big grin.
Harley wanted to ask her friend to leave. She loved Yelena, but she did not want Yelena teasing her at the moment. Harley frowned. She knew that Yelena meant well, but Harley just wanted to figure things out for herself. She didn’t know what to call their situation. Bob and Harley were still trying to figure things out. Yelena could see the frustration on Harley’s face and decided to knock it off.
“Look, I’m sorry. I just want you to be happy. I’ll stop with the teasing”, Yelena said walking towards Harley.
“Thanks”, she said sadly.
Harley thought about her and Bob. She really did like him. If Bob and Harley became a couple, they would have to tell everyone. They would have to get over John annoying them and Valentina would call it unprofessional, but she would get over it. Harley and Bob would have to be honest, but first, they first have to be honest with themselves.
“I like him, Yelena. I really like him”, Harley added. Harley put her face in her hands. She hid her emotions from Yelena. Harley could feel her face getting red.
“I know”, Yelena said, putting her hand on her shoulder. Harley seemed to fold into herself like a crumpled piece of paper. Yelena looked at her and wondered how someone so powerful looked so small. She felt bad for Harley.
“Come here”, she added. Yelena pulled her into a hug, but Harley kept her face in her hands. Yelena’s cheek rested on Harley’s head. She gently stroked Harley's hair as she spoke something in Russian. Yelena wanted Harley to know that everything was going to be okay. It wasn’t the end of the world.
“I have a date with him tonight at 6”, she said, peeking through her hands. Slightly breaking away from Yelena’s hug to speak.
Yelena’s eyes widened from shock. Harley dropped this bombshell on her. Yelena’s shock turned to excitement. She smiled.
“Why didn’t you start off with that? Let's pick something out for you. Where are you going? Something cute, but also sexy”, Yelena said, talking a mile a minute.
“Dinner and movie”, Harley said, removing her hands to face. She straightened up. Yelena let go of her.
“Oh, you're not going to see that movie. Not when I’m done dressing you. You’ll go straight to dessert”, Yelena said, trying to lighten the mood.
“Yelena”, Harley said. It was all she could say as she tried not to show embarrassment. Harley was never shy when it came to sex, but this was different. Bob was different. This wasn’t just a one night stand. He wasn’t a random stranger that Harley met at a bar who takes her home to fuck then leave before sunrise. He wasn’t a piece of warm flesh to use and discard later. Bob was not a meaningless orgasm… Harley was usually confident and cool, but when it came to Bob, all of that went away. She felt vulnerable. She felt like she didn’t have to keep her guard up. The walls she built to protect herself came crashing down. Despite Bob’s condition, she felt safe with him. Harley knew that Bob would never hurt her. Harley just wanted to get this right, she didn’t want to lose him.
“It’s been awhile, huh? There is no shame in it”, Yelena continued.
Harley laughed at that question. Yelena looked at her with curiosity. “I didn't expect you to say that”, Harley said. She just shook her head, still laughing. Harley walked to her broken bookshelf, assessing the damage. It was split into big pieces. Books and herbs littered the floor. Harley didn’t realize how hard she threw at Yelena. She felt bad. She began picking up her books.
“I made you laugh, though. I would rather see you be happy than sad. So, this is a win”, Yelena said walking towards Harley. She helped her with the clean up.
They organized the books, then began stacking them on the floor next to Harley's closet door. Harley had no more room on her desk because she already had books and documents laying there. She was working on healing salves. She had a couple made, but she needed more. She had run out of it when John was thrown out a window trying to punch Bob in his void state. Not the brightest move. He wore his civilian clothes, no suit or shield to break his fall. John came back to the team all cut up and bloody. Bob apologized to him, but John nodded silently. The look on Bob’s face was full of remorse. John basically had to bathe in the salve. Harley thought that he kind of deserved it. John was kind of a prick sometimes. She did not understand John at all. John had his moments where he was nice, but sometimes, most of the time, he was annoying. He was like the annoying little brother who would tease you or put gum in your hair. Harley hated him sometimes, but sometimes he could be good. Harley and Bucky sometimes poke fun at him for being Cap for a day. Harley could see that it still hurts John. She could see it in his eyes. John was never suited to be Captain America. It always belonged to Sam Wilson. John could live thousands lifetimes and still not deserve the shield. They always defended Sam. Harley could feel Bucky’s spite when they made fun of John. She doesn't blame Bucky. Making John Captain America was an insult to Steve’s legacy. John killed a man in cold blood with the shield for crying out loud. It hurt Bucky. He misses his friend, Steve Rogers, really badly. Bucky sometimes clings on to his memories. With fondness and yearning, Bucky tells his stories about the old days. And we let him, because it's the only thing he can do.
“What about this? She's broken”, Yelena said interrupting Harley's thoughts. Yelena was holding a small statue of a deity broken in two. Harley would fix it later with superglue. She takes the broken pieces and puts them in her desk drawer.
“Thanks”
Once the books were stacked and organized, Harley and Yelena began to sweep and vacuum the wood chips and herbs. They left big pieces of wood that could not be sweeped or vacuumed. Harley would have to call someone to haul the rest of the bookshelf. It was all they could do now until tomorrow. Yelena looked at the time. It read 10:00 am.
“It’s early, but let’s go pick out your clothes for tonight, yeah.”
They went to Harley’s closet. Yelena inspecting her clothes, shoes, and jewelry. Ever since Harley met Yelena, Yelena had a wicked sense of style. Harley believes that clothes are very important to Yelena because it was her. It was her regaining control from the Red Room. It was her regaining her own person. Her own agency. Yelena picks out a couple of outfits. Harley began trying out the clothes.
“What about this?”
Harley wore a long navy blue dress with matching heels and gold jewelry. Yelena studied her for a bit.
“Cute but no. Too formal. Too Long. What about this? And keep the gold jewelry ”, she said, holding up the next set of clothes.
Harley goes back into the closet to change. She wore a simple black satin dress, black pantyhose and kitten heels. All this, paired with the gold jewelry. Yelena’s eyes sparkled.
“Hold on. I'll be right back”, Yelena said, leaving the room. Harley didn't have to wait that long. She came back with a long red leather trench coat. She hands Harley the coat.
“You can borrow it. You're always cold.”
“Thanks”, Harley said. Harley looked down at the coat. It reminds her of Natasha. Harley knew Nat for a little while before she died. They met when she was recruited during the blip. Harley thought she was in way over her head. She was the baby of the group. She stayed with the Avengers for those five years. Tried to navigate the chaos. Fought in the battle with Thanos. Watched Nat and Tony sacrifice themselves. Watched Steve leave, leaving both Bucky and Sam alone. Watched Steve give Sam the shield… Eventually, their paths would cross. She would later meet Yelena, Bucky and Sam. Harley only heard little snippets about them in those 5 years from Nat and Steve. She misses them. They became family to her. Tony was never really there after he had his child, so she never really got to know him. She wished she did though. Despite all of this, she's grateful. Yelena, Bucky, and Sam would become like family to her. Harley even considered the rest of the Thunderbolts like family, a dysfunctional family. But still family.
“You okay?”, Yelena said with a worried expression.
“Yeah, I'm fine.”
“Okay, take off the clothes. Let's kill some time.”
“Thank you, Yelena. For everything”, Harley said genuinely.
“You're like my sister, Harley. Anything for you”, she said grinning.
Harley leaves the closet to change her clothes. Putting on a regular shirt, jeans and shoes. Yelena grabs Harley, linking arms together. They leave Harley's room to go to the lounge room to pass the time.