Yelena skips through the Thunderbolts compound, trying to find something other than the salted chips in her hand to entertain her.
It's midnight, everyone is asleep and all she can think to do is sing along to American pie - the long version of course - as loud as she can (the doors in the base are soundproof so she won't wake up anyone). She continues skipping around as she belts out the lyrics, trying to release her post mission pent up energy that's keeping her awake. She smiles a little because after a Red Room mission she was never allowed to rock out to her favorite song, instead she was just debriefed before being given another assignment.
"Did you write the book of love?"
Her team is an odd bunch, to say the least, but she supposes that's why she likes them. Odd is her speed. Ava is anxious but full of fire and passion, Antonia is quiet but definitely a fantastic partner on the field, Alexei is well...Alexei, and Walker is a handful, he's good for fighting but Yelena thinks he's way too high strung. Then there's Barnes, he's nice and a little high strung too - not nearly as much as Walker - but she thinks a little apprehension is appropriate when you're a leader of specifically trained operatives, especially this batch.
"So, bye bye, Miss American Pie..."
Just as she's singing about the day she dies there's a thud, like something falling onto a table and she stills immediately. She pauses the music and tip toes toward the origin of the sound.
Always be ready for anything.
Natasha taught her that. She walks down the hallway that leads to Mission Control but she can't see anything, the headlamps are shut off and the only light is coming from the electronic screens shining through the open doorway. When she peeks her head in the room and sees it's only Barnes, she breathes a sigh of relief. He's sitting alone, staring at the big screen in the middle of the room, his expression is restless and the fingers on his metal arm are twitching.
"Hey." She breaks the silence that seemed to engulf the entire area. He turns to her like he knew she was there which he probably did, super senses and all.
"Hey." He sits up and rubs a hand down his face, sucking in a breath through his nose like he just woke up. "Sorry, did I wake you up?"
"We have soundproof walls. That is impossible." He sighs, but he's not aggravated or anything, it's one of those mentally tired to the bone sighs. She knows a lot about those. "What? Forgetting how technology works in your old age?" He lets out a soft laugh and she smiles. "Don't worry your pretty little head Barnes, I was already up." She hoists herself up to stand on one of the tables across from him and rest her hands on her hips. "You know, this room seems much bigger when its not filled with Walker's ego."
"You could say that about a lot of things."
"Bootleg Captain America getting to you?"
"Among other things." Just as he says it, Fanny trots in with Alpine not far behind. They're a rare case of cat and dog that actually gets along, most of the time. Kind of like their owners. She drops down to sit on the table - now, apparently turned chair - as the white feline jumps up to greet her. She rubs her head against Yelena's outstretched hand as Fanny starts to whine in jealousy. She laughs as she pats the seat beside her, he quickly jumps up to meet her, his tail wagging happily as she scratches his head too.
"Where did you find her?" She nods her head to the cat and looks up at him. He shifts a little to face her and looks up at the ceiling.
"I saw her looking for food in the dump, skinny little thing. Gave her some food and moved on, next thing I know she's scratching at my apartment window, so I let her in and as you can see, she hasn't left since. I'm honestly suprised, people usually are tired of me by now. Just ask my old therapist." His chuckle has a hint of self deprecation in it and she scoffs.
"What? No! I don't believe that. You're so warm and welcoming and engaging!" He laughs again, this time with less self hatred than the last.
"Alright, alright. I get it." She laughs now too as he rubs his hands down his face. She stares for a second before her expression goes curious.
"Why aren't you asleep?" Her voice takes on that deep undertone that comes out whenever she's serious.
"I could ask you the same thing."
"True but I asked first so..." He sighs once again in exasperation but not of annoyance. He starts to flip a knife he pulled out of seemingly nowhere as the cat jumps down from her table and walks over to settle herself on his. He runs the knuckles of his free hand against her back.
"Can't sleep after an assignment."
"Too much going on in your head?" He hums in agreement. "I understand that. Maybe a little too much." She sets her feet back on the floor and walks over to quickly snatch the blade from him, flipping it between her own fingers as she proceeds to walk to the door. "C'mon Barnes, we're going to fight it out."
"You sure about this?" There's a question in his expression as he looks around the compound's gym. They've never sparred before. Which is actually kind of funny now that he thinks about it, they've both practiced with literally everyone else on the team but never gotten around to getting on the mat together.
"Of course. It's an assassin's melatonin." She pulls her hair into a loose bun atop her head and pulls up her shorts. "Weapons?"
"Hand to hand." A slow smirk pulls at her lips in response.
"Attaboy."
They don't crouch down and put their fists up, that's what a soldier would do. They're not soldiers, they're agents. They weren't trained to shoot guns, they were trained to fight for the kill, weaponized or not. In a split second, she's dropped down and taken his feet from under him with a sweep of her leg. She's standing again so she can watch him fall on his back but he's saved himself from colliding with the floor by reaching out his metal arm and using that to spring himself in a flip that has him calmly standing on his feet again, right in front of her.
"That was cute. Where'd you learn that? A mall karate class?"
"In a second you're going to wish I learned from a mall." He steps back with a smirk on his face before he replies again.
"It's been a second." He snarks lowly and she eyes him, like a eagle hunting his prey. She smirks now too and curls a finger, beckoning him forward. Instead of taking a shot at her torso like she expects (which she would have retaliated with a jump to the left, hook a leg around his outstretched arm and flip backwards to plant him on his face), he grabs her by her wrist and uses the advantage of his slight surprise to twist her around and put her in a chokehold. It's not tight enough to kill her, just enough to keep her in his grasp. She grips his arm and pulls her legs up, hitting him in the knee. He goes down on his knees in response but doesn't let go, she places her hand on his chin behind her and pushes upwards which causes his grip to loosen just enough. She crawls away as a sly grin breaks out on her face but just as she's getting up to her feet to launch herself at him, he drags her by her ankle across the mat and towards him. She growls in slight annoyance and flips herself over, wrapping her legs around his head - Natasha's favorite move. She pushes herself forward and off the mat so he's laying on the ground and she's sitting on his chest.
"Give up yet Barnes?"
"Why? You getting tired Belova?" She rolls off of him, smile apparently permanently set on her face as she picks up the knife from before. As she examines it, she notices the initials 'J.B.B.' on the blunt edge. She looks back towards him and holds it up, his eyebrow raises in question as he leans against the wall of the large gymnasium.
"James. Did you get your knives engraved?" She teases and bites down on her lip, thoroughly enjoying the amused and slightly embarrassed look on his face.
"It's an inside joke from Sam."
"And you carry around this joke as self defense?"
"No, well-"
"Oh, I know! He's your best friend and you want to please him!" She mocks further and pouts her lip, setting her chin in her hand.
"Yeah, I wouldn't say best friend. Sam accidentally got a good set of knives and I just...happen to use them." She laughs wholeheartedly and pokes at his chest when he stands in front of her to pluck the knife from her hands.
"You love him." She lulls tauntingly and he grabs her wrist.
"I'll use this." He jokes with faux seriousness as he holds the blade up in front of her.
"Kinky." She jests but it comes out a bit too breathy, too raspy and low to be just a joke. He studies her for a second before a slow smile slides onto his face. He rolls his eyes affectionately and turns away from her. Her heart rate speeds a little as she watches him because what the hell was that? He tosses the knife into the nearest wall and the sound of it lodging itself into the cement brings her out of her stupor. She takes a deep breath to calm her pulse and - as embarrassing as this is - to cool herself down too, it suddenly felt a little too hot. She promptly squares her shoulders and runs up behind him on her tip toes, landing a hard kick to his side. He seizes her leg with his metal arm before it can come down and flips her onto the ground. She grunts as she hits the mat and blinks, they weren't near the mat when she kicked him. He must have threw her there so she wouldn't split her head open on the hardwood. She quickly rolls out of the way as his flesh hand comes down in a punch and sits on her knees a few feet away from him. He seats himself on the ground too as she fiddles with her hair again, putting up the strands that came loose. She can't fight with her hair down, she's sure her sister was delusional. Because honestly, how could she possibly see her opponent with the strands obstructing her view?
"You ever work freelance?" She slides into an easy conversation as she takes a breath, trying her hardest not to show she's a little winded since he hasn't even broken a sweat.
"No. You?" He runs a hand through his chin length hair and the corner of her mouth lifts. He's delusional too.
"Only a little. After I freed the widows I tried it out for a month. It was alright, very slow, you're always waiting to be contacted and shit like that. I was looking into maybe becoming a private agent for someone but then Valentina picked me up, so..."
"Here you are."
"Here I am." She chuckles lightly. "I guess I did become a private agent after all."
"Lucky for us then."
"Of course it is." Its his turn to laugh now and she grins. He doesn't do that enough, it's a shame.
Before he can blink, she stands and launches herself over his head and grabs his collar, bringing him down to the mat. They both land on their backs and she tilts her head upside down to look at him. Smirking, she slinks, "never let you guard down."
"Who says it was down?" She belatedly realizes that he's got a hand on her back and yelps when he pulls her up and on top of him by the waistband of her Jean shorts. He shifts so they're on their knees and effectively puts her in a headlock but before he executed the move she managed to get her arms around his neck too. They've both got each other in a chokehold and their noses are a centimeter away from touching. With a single look they simultaneously count to three in their heads and let go. He takes a deep breath as she coughs a little.
"That was good." She comments with a thumbs up as she huffs.
"Your form was perfect."
"Thanks." She tilts her head to look at the ceiling. "I think it is safe to say I won."
"It was a draw Yelena."
"I beg to differ James." He breathes out a fond sigh. Looking up at her with that trademark boyish grin she saw in the pictures from the forties in his file. She gasps quietly, she's never seen it in person. It's so much better in person. All of a sudden she gets a stupid, terrible, awful idea.
No, she won't do it.
"Alright Belova, I concede." She bites down on her lip.
Fuck it.
"You wi-" She interrupts him by surging forward and planting her lips on his. He's shocked, she can tell because he doesn't immediately respond but after a second, he does. Fuck, he does. She wraps an arm around his neck and digs a hand in his hair as his flesh hand squeezes her thigh, she settles herself on his lap in response. His metal hand clutches her torso and the cold vibranium is a stark contrast to the warmth taking over her body. She moans softly as he pulls her impossibly closer, kissing her deeper. He holds her like if he lets go, she'll disappear. She digs her fingers into his back like she's scared the moment will end too soon.
When they finally pull away, their chests are heaving and she feels light headed.
"Fuck, you're good at that."
"Really?"
"Why are you surprised?" She smirks. "Am I your first James?"
"Shut up." He demands playfully but there was a hint of roughness to it that spills over to the way he kisses her neck. Her mouth falls open and closing her eyes, the only thing she can think is holy shit. She bites down on her lip.
"You know we could end up starting a scandal right?" He moves on to her chest and a short sound of satisfaction comes from her throat. "The Russian and the American."
"I'm kind of Russian and to be honest, I don't really give a shit."
She giggles and when he flips her on the mat this time, it's not to fight.