Chapter 1
(Flashback)
She was used to going on missions, was used to fighting her way through waves of enemies and trying to find something they had on the planet that they shouldn’t have but this was something different entirely.
Halfway through the mission, she found the documentation she was supposed to find, Finch not far behind as he began downloading everything he could and sending it back to SHIELD, she was thankful he knew what he was doing.
Finch standing behind her aiming both guns at the enemies and shooting in order to give the blonde a little protection and cover.
Upon collecting all the information the two of them attempted to find their way out, both of the, fighting enemies on the way back, waves and waves being knocked down by the two of them working together.
Carol had to admit to herself that it was nice to work with someone else who actually knew what they were doing and Fury vouched for him which made her at least somewhat trust him, when they eventually got out unscathed, Blue helped her to her ship.
The two of them still in one piece, Finch sensing that someone was about to fire and his first thought was to protect Carol, the bullet aimed in her direction, Finch jumping in front of the bullet, using his bulletproof abilities to send the bullet flying back.
Carol having watched him do so, Blue turning around and saluting. “Captain.” He winked before pushing her into the ship and the two of them flew back to SHIELD.
(End of flashback)
Pulling her hair into a messy bun, she headed to the small training room on the ship, grabbing a punching bag and beginning to hit the bag with a practiced ease and technique. Everything she'd ever fought for or against coming to the surface with every punch and successful hit.
Her fists and hands seemingly never getting tired even when she'd nearly knocked the bag off its hook on the ceiling. It had always been a great way of relieving anger or pent up energy. Which given her powers, she had exceeding amounts of.
She thought about her time as Kree. Of everything Yon-Rogg and the Supreme Intelligence had made her believe. Of everything she'd been forced to believe. All the memories she'd lost and everything she'd done because she'd originally believed it was for the good.
Talos' voice flooding in her head, telling her that it wasn't her fault and that it was war, everyone's hands were filthy from it. That's why Finch had done what he'd done for her. She had never believed that she was worth it and yet Blue had jumped in front of has to take a bullet multiple times, had killed multiple times for her because ‘he had already let that darkness in’ and didn't want the blonde to know that pain.
Every single time a man had told her that she wasn't good enough or shouldn't fly or that the cockpit was no place for a woman or to smile more, be a nice girl, that she was just another pretty face with blonde hair and brown eyes who shouldn't be doing these types of things, all of them landing her a hit on the bag.
~Mini flashback~
Yon-Rogg and Carol fighting when she couldn't sleep. Hands meeting hands. Fists meeting various body parts. Carol blocking most of the hits that came her way. Her mentor giving her feedback that wasn't at all helpful.
She'd fought with barely any grace. Why would she need to? She was Kree, they didn't fight with grace, they fought with passion and purpose. Yon-Rogg catching the next punch she threw and wrapping his hands around her arm and wrist pulled her into a locked position.
"There's nothing more dangerous to a warrior than emotion." Yon-Rogg bellowed out.
~End of mini flashback~
Carol threw a fast paced, solid punch, Finch catching her fish with a gentle hand, wrapping his hand around hers. Looking at her as sweat poured from every visible pore. Her breathing almost labored as she looked at him and heaved in oxygen.
"I'm not him, Carol." Finch whispered gently, Carol nodding. “It’s just me, Captain, I’m not gonna hurt you.”
Carol nodded before bringing Finch in for a tight hug, needing to feel him against her for more support. Needed to feel his heartbeat against her. Needed to feel his alien Mal-Torian skin against her human skin.
“I know, Finch…..” Carol tried but didn’t even know what to say. So instead she opted for the next best thing and leaned in. The two of them impossibly and unusually close together but not uncomfortably so.
However, before either of them had the chance to process or react, the red alert alarm began sounding as well as the flashing red light. Finch shaking his head and smirking before looking at the blonde.
"Hold that thought." Finch nodded once before heading over to the cockpit and turning off the alarm.
Carol chuckled before following him and seeing what exactly the alarm was telling them. A series of planets popping upon the screen from the hologram map. The blonde looking at them in great detail.
An SOS call sounding from a planet and Carol tapped on it in order to gain more detail on who was calling them and what they needed. The blonde looking over at the alien as they nodded in a silent conversation that only the two of them could.
Being the excellent pilot she was, Carol flew onto the given planet in the details, dodging various debris within space with extreme skill, the way that she had done a thousand times before. Finch always enjoying watching her fly.
»»——— ★ ———««
Arriving on the planet, Finch stepped out first, taking in the surroundings, looking at the right in front of them, a small city in front of them with bright lights and some people, sound flooding through the small city.
Carol joining him as she stepped off the ship with Goose on her shoulder. The three of them walking towards the city, a few people running into their homes, a few younger people of the planet running away to get out of the way.
Nearing a tall building, Finch grabbed two of his guns, making sure they were ready to fire should they need them before lighting his hands up with his abilities, Carol already making her fist glow in preparation.
Entering the building, Finch looked around for unwanted guests in case they decided to give them hell. Carol nodded as each of the rooms were confirmed clear by Finch. One room remaining and Finch looked at Carol before opening the door.
"What took you so long?” The enemy questioned, though the only thing visible was a silhouette.
Finch pulled his guns out from his holsters, aiming them at the silhouette. Carol lighting her fist up ready to fight.
"What do you want?" Carol asked, her hands itching to fight but also not wanting to. Never wanting to start a fight if she could get out of it by deflating the situation.
"No, no, you got it all wrong. I'm the one who asks the questions." The silhouette spoke.
"I'm afraid that's not how this works." Carol shook her head. "You tell me why you're here and why you are terrorizing these people?"
The silhouette started chuckling. Carol looking at the person and raising a brow in question. Shaking her head. The silhouette turning around to look at Carol instead of out the window.
Finch and Carol locking eyes as they prepared to fight whoever the silhouette appeared to be. Currently that was something Carol wanted to know, who this person was and what they wanted.
The figure stood up and suddenly several guards entered the room, one nod between Finch and Carol was enough for them to know what the plan was between them. Finch using his powers and alien abilities to fight two of the guards, Carol shooting her energy beams at several of the enemies knocking three of them over like dominoes.
Finch throwing two men over to Carol, with his enhanced strength, the blonde shooting an energy beam at the guy before letting him fall to the ground. Carol punching one of them, arms and hands and fists meeting each other before her elbow meets the guys ribcage.
Carol smirking before Finch shoots two of the guys and uses his abilities to send one of the guys flying before tapping on another guys forehead and turning him to ice, the guy falling to the ground and shattering into a million shards of ice.
Both of them smirking at each other as they continued working well together in a way they always had. The two of them high fiving before the silhouette was about to leave. Finch throwing one of the knives Natasha gave him, the knife darting into its neck, killing them, if they were actually human.
The silhouette stepping forward and appearing as a matte black android. Some of the wires sparking before the figure grunted. "They call me.... The Silhouette. Neither here nor there." A bright blue light shrouding the figure before he then disappeared.
»»——— ★ ———««
"So.... That was weird, right? I mean.... Weirder than normal." Carol questioned.
Finch smirked before chuckling. "Captain, we deal with weird every day. I mean, look at me. I'm literally as weird as it gets."
"Why? Because your last name is a double barrel mix of the world's finest?" Carol mockingly dared.
Sipping his coffee, he continued to look over the blueprints for one of his next creations. Always building something, sometimes if he was bored, sometimes if he was confused or overwhelmed. This was what he was good at.
Carol shook her head with a chuckle. Sitting at the cockpit as she looked at one of the other mission briefs that Fury had sent.
Goose walking around the ship. Sniffing and knocking several things over. Finch picking her up and placing her on his shoulder and showing her pieces of equipment, not that the cat seemed interested.
Looking at one mission in particular, Carol could see the current appeal, having aspects that they both dealt with in their life. However, she was still reeling from the Silhouette and what on Earth had happened.
"Finch?" Carol knew she had a bit of an idea as to where she was going with this.
"Mmm?" Finch responded as he began placing electrical components together.
Standing up, Carol walked over to him and stood on the opposite side of the table. Her eyes looking between the documents and him.
"Is there by any chance.... I don't know.... You could use your alien abilities to find out what this guy is or does?” Carol smirked as she watched him put out a small fire with his hand.
Finch smirked with the thought. He had contacts, that’s why Fury allowed him to help with the missions, partly, the other part was that he was related to the two people he trusted the most in the entire world.
“I’ll see what I can do, Captain.” He salutes and smiles.
Carol nodding as she moves back to the cockpit, looking over all the notes.
»»——— ★ ———««
In their line of life, things were always weird, things were always changing. They were used to the almost impossible. Which made the world slightly dangerous. SHIELD had stood strong for so long but people often forgot to consider that one day it might not stand as strong as it once had. There would be a time where only its soldiers were left behind, it had happened once before, it would happen again.
Having grown up in the Red Room, having been created in the Red Room, Finch was already completely different than most people. I mean, sure he was an alien, he had different abilities than anyone Carol had ever met, but he didn’t get ill, he didn’t get tired, he didn’t need to rest like everyone else.
Carol had avoided looking at the logs on him, knowing very well first hand that everyone was more than their file. Finch had always protected her, saved her, cared for her. She trusted him more than she trusted anyone in her life, which Finch could admit was a huge but terrifying privilege.
The two of them had been through so much together, somehow the two of them had both survived and they were here on Carol’s ship, Finch almost didn’t believe it some days, but he was grateful, even when Natasha and Max kept paging him for various missions that they needed help with.
Like now when Max paged him with an SOS in the title, asking for him back as soon as he possibly could, Carol slightly concerned as she always was, knowing it was important if Fury and the guys needed the two of them back and couldn’t handle it themselves. So they did what they do best and they fly back to SHIELD, see if they couldn’t solve the problem.
»»——— ★ ———««
Nick had given them the brief the minute they got themselves situated. Natasha and Max had done their parts. Carol and Finch were still completing their missions. Finch's already going to shit as he tried to salvage what he could.
It had been four days since Finch had been given his mission. Four days and Max and Natasha hadn't heard from their son, Natasha knew he could look after himself but she worried about him, he was her son and she wanted to protect him and look after him.
Every time Max had come back from a mission, Natasha would look at him with a hint of hope in her eyes. Max would shake his head and she'd feel the pit in her stomach drop lower. Carol continued to beat herself up. Always saying that if she'd have just stayed with him a little longer..... But Fury would always interrupt the pity party with new information and missions to try and get their lost agent back.
»»——— ★ ———««
Waking up, Finch had no idea where he was. He knew he was sitting on a chair, he could feel the leather straps tying his arms to the chair, he could feel the metal chains around his ankles holding him in place. He felt his jaw aching from where he'd been hit.
Sweat forming on his skin, he looked around with slightly hazy vision. His head pounding as if he'd either been run over or thwacked with a slab of stone. Trying to move in the chair, he shook his arms and legs, grunting at the restrictions, before he then heard footsteps.
"You are a very difficult man to get a hold of, Mr Romanoff-Hill.” The man spat out.
"Well, I couldn't make it easy for you, could I?" Finch tilted his head with a smirk.
"If you thought that was hard, just wait until you see what I have planned for you." The man chuckled psychotically and Finch knew that he was fucked.
The man brought out a blue and red book with a black star on the front. Smirking, he opened the book and began to read the Red Room code.
“Один…” The man began.
“No.” Finch shook his head, trying to control his breathing. “Stop….”
The man smirked once again but made no signs of stopping. “Айрес, Семь…..”
Finch scrunched his face in pain and rage, shaking his head and closing his eyes. “I said, stop, please, don’t do this….”
“Ладья, Декабрь….” The man stood in front of him, his eyes trained on the genetically modified alien.
“Stop, stop, please….” Finch tried again, one more word was all it would take.
“Пять….” The man slammed the book shut and threw it on the desk.
Finch's eyes closed, his brain switching and glitching, the man smiling with a hint of the devil as he waited for the boy to open his eyes. Snapping his eyes open, Finch bowed his head. Looking straight on.
"175, are you ready to comply?" The man squared up to the younger Romanoff-Hill.
With a singular nod, Finch blinked up at the man. “Готов выполнить.”
»»——— ★ ———««
His mission was straight forward, or at least it was for Finch after what the Red Room had done to him. Dreykov’s second had given him the order of killing a former SHIELD member, sending a message to Fury to not come looking for the genetically modified alien.
The month after that his mission was to kill one of the former Red Room experiments. Hunting them down until there was nowhere on Earth that was safe for them to hide.
Another month, another target to take down. Six months on and he was still their puppet on a string. One particularly brutal mission, causing Natasha and Fury to find him and Blue had five seconds of clarity to write down a note before leaving it for Natasha to find.
Running from the building, Finch headed back to Dreykov's second, awaiting his next instructions. The next mission seeing him end up in Moscow to find the next target that was wanted dead for godknows what reason.
He hoped that the note he had left for Natasha was enough, there was only enough time and brain capacity for two words. But his mom was smart, she could do this, she could work it out. She could save him.
He found himself tied to a metal pole, his body having gained new scars, his captors knowing how to hurt him and leave their marks. His arms were covered in new patches of pale raised skin.
"You are supposed to be my soldier, yes!" Dreykov’s second thwacking him across the face.
This being a part of the Red Room’s torture, breaking you to build you up again, making you believe you had nothing and were nothing in order to make you believe that they saved you. Distorting the vision you had of yourself so that you didn't know who you were anymore. Until you lost all senses of reality.
"You are to play by my rules, yes!” Another hit but this time to his stomach.
He might have impenetrable skin but they had their ways of hitting where it hurts. Of course they did, they.. No, they didn't create him. Another hit but with a specifically designed taser. His body shaking and folding in on itself.
A punch to the face, a punch to the stomach and the ribs, an injection of some sort and buckets of water poured on his head, saying words from the Red Room documents, making him have hallucinations of hurting the people he'd cared about most within the Red Room over and over again.
Every single piece of work he'd done to be better, to make a difference and be a good person and to help others, years of work to destroy what they had created, turned meaningless in seconds.
"You will comply."
»»——— ★ ———««
The news reports were considered his best work yet, countless names added to his ledger and more blood on his hands than he could ever possibly be able to clean off. And when he was able to he ran away, taking the tracker out of his neck and throwing it to the floor before shooting it.
Slumping on a half broken chair in a rundown building which had formerly been a prison according to his intel, he allowed his brain to shut off for a small moment, his eyes staring at a point on the far wall.
A week later and he can just about hear footsteps, he wants to scream that he's here, he's right here, waiting to be saved... But he can't. The footsteps get closer until a pair of green eyes and looking at his blue ones, red hair looking like a flame in his blurry vision.
A gentle voice coming into the otherwise silent surroundings. "Blue, it’s okay. It’s me, it's mama." Natasha knows this state of being. Knows that in front of her is her son who has been hurt so many times that he's almost a shell of who he normally is. She wants him to crack a joke, smirk, say something in a scientific ramble that she won't be able to keep up with. But she knows that he won't, he can't.
Finch tilts his head, fighting a war inside his head, wanting to scream that he knows she's there, that he's happy that she saved him. Instead.... "Can't be. Not here. Not there. I don't know. You don't know. Not good, not the same. Not me. Not you, not you, can't be you. You're here, I'm there, you're there, not here, not here, not here..."
Natasha wanted to reach out, to hold her son, to tell him it was going to be okay, that he could do this, but she knew she couldn't, not now, not yet, not whilst his brain was still fighting for control.
"Cold. Cold. Cold. Too cold. Snow? Snowing? It's too cold. Not right. Not right, you're not correct, I'm not correct." Tears falling down his face, Finch shaking and shivering. Natasha knowing he wasn’t cold in the normal sense, he was cold because he was breaking free.
»»——— ★ ———««
Returning to SHIELD felt good, like coming home after being gone for longer than intended, the second Carol saw him, she didn't leave his side. He'd spent some time with Max and Natasha getting through the worst of his aftermath before Carol suggested he come back on her ship and let the cosmos heal him.
She knew that Finch didn’t need sleep, his alien species having been biologically not able to sleep, but she knew what it was like to not want to deal with things and to sleep because you didn’t want to be awake.
Every now and again, she’d catch him on FaceTime with his parents, both Max and Natasha telling him about something and the three of them missing each other, she’d smile almost wishing she had the same chance or a family to share that with.
After that she’d sit in the cockpit and watch as he tried to design something, use his blueprints to make something, his hands shaking as he did so, she wanted to run over to him and take his hands in hers and tell him everything was okay and that she had him.
He was her best friend, he made her smile when no one else could, he’d make her laugh when he began rambling about something at a million miles an hour even if she had no idea what he was going on about, he was her first thought in the morning and last one at night and his hugs were to die for.
A couple of months later and Stark sends them an invite for a party, Carol and Finch talk about it, making sure they’re both ready to handle that, Carol knows that parties can be a bit much in the best of days let alone for someone recovering from mind control.
But they turn up to the event, everyone merry in their spirits, Finch speaks with Max and Natasha, conversing with them until he ends up at the bar, grabbing a drink, a bottle of beer and a glass of whiskey neat because currently ice is making him feel all the wrong things.
The blonde turning up next to him, a hand on his shoulder, her palm on top of his shirt and waistcoat. She had seen him on the ship beforehand not knowing what to wear and barely being able to look in the mirror. She know that part of it was his dysphoria, the feeling of not feeling the way you thought you should and the pain of not seeing it reflected back. But she also knew that it was because he didn't know who he was anymore.
Sitting down next to him, she ordered herself a tequila and orange and took a couple sips hoping it would slowly ease away the anxiety. But with no such luck she looked at Finch and thought maybe she could help ease his.
"I never understood the need for parties. They always seemed a bit much. Somehow superficial in such a messy way." She smiled and watched as he smirked.
"Or a really good excuse to get drunk so no one gets mad at you. Or at least that's what I guess Tony throws these things for.” He smirked before taking a sip of his drink.
Carol shook her head with a chuckle. "I would say slow down but we both know you'd be carrying me home anyways. One thing about your genetic makeup that I envy."
Finch chuckled this time. "I'll drink one for you. But I also know how much you hate the small talk at these things. Somehow you've always been really good with people."
"I'm good with people but you've always been good with the talking. Managing to make a conversation out of nothing. It's a good skill. But I also understand how all this can be overwhelming for you.“ Carol smiles brightly.
Nodding, he knows that she just gets him in ways others struggle to. "We are quite the pair, Captain Danvers." He speaks but had no intention of it sounding that flirtations when it came out.
She smirks and takes a sip of her drink before turning her head to face him. "That's why I stay close to you. Because we are indeed quite the pair, Finch Romanoff-Hill.”
The two of them clink their drinks together before moving into a booth. Somewhere the lights aren’t blindingly bright, where the music and thrum of conversation isn't deafeningly loud, where they won't be overwhelmed with people coming to ask them a thousand questions about a mission they'd probably rather forget.
»»——— ★ ———««
They’d be lying if they said that the party hadn’t gone to complete shit, a large robot having thrown itself into the room causing everyone to panic, Finch and Carol standing side by side their powers at the ready as they prepared for what they might have to do.
Several things broken and shattered glass all over the floor, people slightly injured here, there and everywhere, Finch taking a massive gulp of whatever he could find even if he couldn’t get drunk he still needed the taste of something other than anxiety in his mouth.
Looking over to the side, he saw Carol taking a piece of glass out of his mother’s foot, Max was standing beside him now, knowing that after everything that had happened, this was extremely bad timing.
“She’s fine, Blue.” Max tried to assure his son that Carol was more than okay, she’s one of the most well known heroes. “She can handle herself.”
“Yeah, but she wasn’t meant to.” Finch shook his head.
He knew that she didn’t need a man protecting her, even if that man happened to be an alien trans one, but that didn’t mean he didn’t want to protect and keep his friend safe.
There had been a night when he hadn’t been able to shut his brain off and just focus on something else, he hadn’t been expecting to find Carol coming down to meet him too. But he was thankful because out of all the people that could have bothered him it was her.
“You aren’t someone or something that should be feared. I’m glad you’re in my life and your parents are too.” Carol had spoken softly, trying to convince him that just because he’d done a few bad things didn’t mean he was a terrible person.
“What about….” Finch began speaking.
“Listen to me, Fin, I don’t care whether you are green, red, pink, male, female, fish, kangaroo….You will always be Finch to me. Besides, I know what it’s like to have a period of time and memories wiped away. I’m still trying to figure out who I am too.” Carol nodded as she cut him off.
They’d had many conversations about this stuff, Carol often smiling and nodding knowing that he just needed someone to listen to things he needed off his chest, she was good at that, listening, she was good at being there for people and if she could help at the same time then of course she would.
“You might not know who you are half the time and it might feel like you’re fighting inside to be who you are but….I know who you are, I love who you are, it’s okay.” She spoke softly.
So much had happened after that, he had Shuri helping him get his brain back together, though that was almost a tediously long process and often painful, he’d returned back to his normal time of events, having completed all his missions in this timeline, then he had returned and dropped in on Carol at just the right time, then of course there was a few missions in which Fury needed them to do, trusting them to be the only ones who could do it.
And then Finch had been shot. Directly in the heart and Carol thought a part of her might have died as well, she knew that Finch was bulletproof but not when the bullet used to shoot you was made from something your species didn’t heal great from. Kind of like Superman’s Kryptonite. Natasha reaching her hand inside his chest to pump his heart back into beating. And Carol thought her world fell apart. She didn’t know what she’d do without him.
A few missions had passed, a long period of time between everything but nothing had changed between anyone, except Carol slowly having realized what her feelings were and what to do with them. She’d found Finch in the SHIELD training room, the genetically modified alien shooting each target and swirling a green and purple light around his hand, something she’d seen him do so many times and yet it never got old.
Except when his mind drifted elsewhere. Memories flooding back. Flashes of a glass cylinder filled with liquid, tubes running through his body, injections and blood, so much blood. He tilted and shook his head trying to get rid of the thoughts.
“No, stop, too much pain, too much blood, the voices, no, no, can’t be….” He whispered, trying to will himself back to reality.
His memories and the voices converging with his own. “You are Project Callisto. You are the child of…NO, STOP IT, I am Finch….but are you, we created you….STOP, GET OUT OF MY HEAD.”
He placed his head against the wall, Carol walking past as she was on the way to bed, walking in to see him speaking to himself, his head against the wall. Looking for something to ground him, some way of getting the voices, thoughts and sounds out of his head.
“Do you not know who you are? Created, you were, you were created. No, I know who I am. I…I….Hill, Romanoff-Hill…Finch, Blue, Finch, Blue…Red Red Room.” Finch shook his head, twitching with each memory and word and voice going through him.
“Finchy, hey, it’s me, it’s Carol.” Carol placed her thumb and forefinger against his chin, gently twisting his head to look at her. “It’s okay.”
Finch pushed his face into Carol’s shoulder, his height difference not allowing for much else as he was taller than the blonde energy powered superhero. He felt her hand on his back, rubbing up and down gently, helping him breathe out. Grounding him to reality.
Nodding and regaining his breath, Finch looked at Carol, blue eyes meeting brown ones, the two of them seemingly locked in a moment with each other, his hands on her waist as they slowly broke the embrace, her hands on his shoulders as she looked up at him a little, both of them seemingly getting closer to one another.
Before any of them could process how far they’d gotten, Finch’s phone rang, the ring tone quietly screaming through the otherwise empty room. Finch picked his phone up and Carol smirked before chuckling as the younger Romanoff-Hill picked the phone up.
“Shuri, hi, yes, it’s Blue.” Finch answered the phone. Shuri telling him that he had to return for the rest of his treatment and Carol smiled at him, knowing that this is what he needed.
“You can’t keep torturing yourself. You went through hell and back to be who you are.” She placed a hand on his chest, reminding him of the scars and changes to his body. “I mean, you literally died and came back to life. No one is expecting you to be fine with that.”
Finch nodded knowing that it was true, Natasha and Max had told him that multiple times, offering to help him find therapy or some way of getting it out of his system and Finch had politely declined every offer.
“Just like your hormones and the surgeries, this is something you have to do to find peace for yourself.” Carol encouraged him.
“About what nearly just happened….” Finch knew they had to speak about it at some point, he wasn’t gonna ignore it.
“We will…come back to that, after you’re back to feeling like yourself again. You grow and change however you need to and if that means that I have to get to know you all over again, that’s exactly what I’ll do.” Carol convinced him.
Nodding, Finch knew what he had to do and he needed to do this for everyone as well as himself.
»»——— ★ ———««
Carol worried about him, whether she knew he was fine or not, it was something she couldn’t help but do. She knew that Finch would be fine, if there was anyone she knew without a doubt could look after themselves it was him. But that didn’t mean she stopped worrying about him especially when he was going to essentially free him mind like some kind of Matrix trick.
Finch knew that when he heard the words: “You’re free, Finch Romanoff-Hill. You are free, your mind and your memories are now your own, you are safe and you are free.” Spoken from Shuri that things would never quite be the same.
His mind suddenly shifting from dread and fear to hope and clarity over having his own mind back. And when he’d returned back, he’d been listening to music, not wanting to disturb anyone from their mission as everyone was quite busy upon his return. SHIELD and Avengers not having a break for five minutes was very much the norm.
He was halfway through making a new suit, something he did in his free time, not able to just leave his hands away from making something, Carol having walked in the room to see him as he did so, noticing how he swayed to whatever song he was listening to, something she’d also seen him to many times before.
A fire crackling in the background, one of the few rooms that he knew would be empty, Carol letting the fire and the heat of the room warm her up, something she’d always taken note of was how Finch always ran warm and she was constantly freezing. He felt a hand delicately touch his shoulder blade causing him to turn around, taking an earphone out and smiling at her.
“What are you listening to?” Carol looked at the new suit. Leaning to the side to see it clearer as Finch was stood in the way.
Smiling, Blue placed the other earphone into Carol’s ear, the blonde energized hero looking him in those deep blue eyes she knew she could drown in as his fingers gently ghosted her chin.
The music slowly flooding through both of their ears. Carol recognized the tune, the song was one that she had heard many times before, something familiar and comforting, a sense of relief and warmth flooding through both of them at the tune.
Smirking, Carol also began swaying to the music before Finch held his hand out for her to take, the two of them dancing together once more, two of their hands clasped together, Finch’s other hand on Carol’s hip and Carol’s other hand on the back of shoulder blade, as her hand slide underneath his armpit to hold him, the two of them swaying gently in each other’s presence.
Carol letting out a calm and content sigh as the lyrics flooded through their ears. The lyrics holding more meaning for them as they both considered how much they’d gone through together.
“Ain't no mountain high
Ain't no valley low, ain't no river wide enough, baby
If you need me call me, no matter where you are
No matter how far, don't worry, baby
Just call my name, I'll be there in a hurry
You don't have to worry
'Cause, baby, there ain't no mountain high enough
Ain't no valley low enough
Ain't no river wide enough
To keep me from getting to you, babe”
Finch gently twirling her around on the spot as the two of them danced together, both of them forgetting about everything and everyone for a moment, just the two of them in the room only concerned about the other and simply content to be in each other’ presence.
A small moment between the two of them as they stood still for a second, brown eyes meeting blue ones and the two of them slowly moving in closer, Carol leaning in once more, the way she had in one of the last few moments they had with each other.
Finch leaning down a little to meet Carol, the music still playing in the background as Finch’s arms wrapped around her waist gently and Carol’s hands coming to capture Finch’s head in between them. The two of them gently leaning in and meeting each other in a gentle kiss.
»»——— ★ ———««
She hadn’t been expecting it, then again she never knew what to expect especially when it came to her and Finch, she never expected to fall for him, in any sense of the word, normally when she met someone and got paired with them for a mission it was a quick reach for the finish line and then back to their usual lives. But he had stayed. He always stayed.
Walking downstairs, she hadn’t expected to see him either, she knew that he didn’t sleep or that it was more of a case that he didn’t need to and was biologically not supposed to but could if he chose to, there was so much about him that intrigued her, so when she entered the kitchen on their last night here before entering the ship, she smiled upon noticing him with his earphones in once again.
Wrapping her arms around him rom behind, she placed her cheek against his back, smiling as she was enveloped in comfort. Finch’s hand softly stroking one of hers as he continued building whatever it was he had in front of him.
“Couldn’t sleep?” Finch took his earphones out before turning around to face Carol who looked up at him with a bright smile.
“Mmm, something like that.” She chuckled and smirked as the two of them found comfort in their proximity. “And what would one be building at this time of night? Especially when you could be laying next to me or like packing to go on our next mission.”
Finch chuckled. “I know, I just….are you sure you’re okay with me coming with you, I’ve put you through a lot and I know that it might be rushing or it might make you uncomfortable or….”
She didn’t let him finish his sentence before their lips were touching once again, it was one of those weird things, once you’d done something you couldn’t stop doing it. She never wanted to stop doing it and she knew it old probably only get worse when they were on her ship and she knew they wouldn’t be interrupted.
Goose making her presence known by jumping from the kitchen island and landing on Carol’s shoulder, Finch chuckling and giving the Flerken cat some scritches under her ear, both of them smiling and content.
The next morning arriving quickly and the two of them heading into Carol’s ship as Fury gave them their mission file. Carol looking at him from the cockpit seat as Finch sat beside her.
“Ready to go, Spaceman?” Carol smirked with her usual nickname to Finch.
Smiling and nodding, Finch looked at her from the seat beside her. “Ready when you are. Besides, we always come back when they need us, it’s not like we’ll be gone for long.”
To be continued……