Chapter 15
Yelena never had a ‘girls night’ before. That seemed to be a common thing among those who showed up.
MJ never had any friends to do it with. Toni was in the same boat as Yelena. Maria only ever had one or two with a few female coworkers before she became deputy director. Wanda only ever did a girl’s night once but it was with Natasha and Pepper.
So there really isn’t anybody knowledgeable about it. But they gather in the living room.
MJ flops into the spot next to Yelena, bumping her shoulder against hers as a way of checking in. Yelena nudged her back, letting MJ know that she was okay.
They sift through movies to search for one that didn’t trigger anybody. That was probably the hardest part.
“Why not Disney? That’s like the safest thing,” MJ suggests, snatching the remote from Yelena’s hands to flick through the Disney movies available.
“I know that one!” Yelena grabs MJ’s wrist to stop her. “They showed us that to teach us English. I didn’t know it was Disney…”
“Snow White?” MJ asked. “You learned English from Disney movies?”
“Not Disney movies… just cartoons,” Yelena said as she stared at the screen. “Did you learn English from cartoons too?” Yelena glances at Natasha.
“I did… but didn’t you know English from Ohio?” Natasha frowns and Yelena quiets down as she thinks.
“Probably… I think I forgot some when they messed with my head,” Yelena shrugs her shoulders before leaning against MJ. “Does anybody know any good Disney movies?”
“Uh, there’s that one with the alien dog…” Maria comments, snapping her fingers as she thinks of the name. “Stitch?”
“Lilo and Stitch?” MJ comments. “I remember when that movie came out.”
“Are we in agreement?” Yelena looks around as MJ pulls the movie up onto the screen.
Murmurs of agreement float around the room as MJ starts the movie.
Bags of junk food are dumped out and Toni sits with Yelena and MJ.
Yelena noticed that she didn’t remove her helmet, not that she expected Toni to be comfortable enough to.
“Nobody will mind if you take your helmet off,” Yelena whispers to Toni, shifting from where she was leaning against MJ to throw her legs over Toni’s lap.
Toni turns her head to glance at Yelena. “I don’t want to scare people.”
Yelena shifts as she gets comfy. “You won’t. I trust the people here.”
Yelena glances away from the screen to look up at Toni through the dark. The television reflects off of the helmet. Toni finally reaches up to the clasp to unlock the helmet.
Yelena smiles as Toni pulls the helmet off. Toni sets a hand onto Yelena’s calf as if to reassure herself that Yelena was right there. Yelena rests her head back against MJ’s shoulder as she glances back at the screen.
MJ picks out junk food that sits in a bag between her and Wanda that she thinks Yelena will like and she’ll pass the bag or container down after she and Wanda take a few. Yelena will take some before passing it to Toni. Toni will pass the container to Natasha next to her, who will pass it to Maria who will pass it back.
Toni puts her helmet back on when the credits roll across the screen before the lights come back on.
“I liked it,” Wanda comments.
“I enjoyed it about as much as I did the first time,” MJ said before poking Yelena. “Ohana means family.”
“It was good. I liked it,” Yelena agrees, glancing up at Toni for her input.
“I think I’ve seen it once before,” Toni comments with a small shrug. “It was enjoyable.”
“Clint forced me to watch a lot of Disney movies but never that one. I like it,” Natasha comments, glancing at Maria.
“It was cute,” Maria agrees.
“Isn’t there usually wine or alcohol at girl's night?” MJ questioned and Yelena swats her shoulders.
“Half of us are underaged or haven’t had their first drink before,” Yelena retorts.
MJ blows a raspberry at Yelena. “Being underaged never stopped us from doing things before.”
“Things such as?” Natasha raised an eyebrow and Yelena laughs.
“Nothing,” She replies, flicking MJ’s cheek. “MJ just has a big mouth.”
“Is everybody stuffed with snacks or shall we get pizza?” Natasha inquired and they decide to go ahead and order pizza.
It takes fifteen minutes to settle on toppings.
Yelena does feel better despite the rocky start to her day earlier with therapy. She quickly forgets about being upset earlier as she laughs and jokes around with her friends.
The pizza arrives halfway through the next movie, Finding Nemo.
Toni dares to remove her helmet in the lights this time to eat. She’d never had pizza before.
Yelena had only recently tried pizza with Peter and MJ.
Yelena mentions it to keep the attention off of Toni.
Yelena also mentions the Iron Spider.
“Ah. When a smaller suit was seen flying with Stark, I assumed that it was you,” Maria nods her head.
“It was fun,” Yelena nods her head. “I could fly and I didn’t even fall.”
“You trust Tony with your life?” Wanda comments and Yelena glances at Wanda.
“I do. He’s pretty much the only man that I trust entirely,” Yelena nods her head. “He hasn’t let me down.”
Their chatter turns more serious from there. Yelena made a comment about her fear of falling and then the others share their fears.
“I’m scared that I’ll never be good enough for my parents,” MJ said, her head in Yelena’s lap as the blonde twists her hair up into braids.
“I’m frightened of never being able to connect with someone,” Toni said quietly, her fingers tapping against the helmet set in her lap.
“I worry that my past will come back and hurt the people I love,” Natasha says, glancing at Yelena.
“I fear that I’m going to hurt the people I care about,” Wanda said, glancing down at red wisps fluttering around her fingers.
“I can’t let myself have friends because I can’t handle the guilt that comes with lying to them,” Maria starts which spurs the others.
“I have very few friends because I’m worried that my parents won’t approve and will make them leave me,” MJ said.
“Anyone that I had considered a friend when I was younger thinks I’m dead,” Toni comments.
“I push away people that care about me because I’m afraid of hurting them,” Wanda mumbles.
“I always hold my friends at arm's length because I’m used to cutting ties and running,” Natasha says.
“I wasn’t allowed to have friends in the Red Room. Personal attachments were taken away, and I had to kill any friends I made,” Yelena comments. “MJ is my first best friend and I’m scared that people from my past are going to hurt her to get to me.”
“Natasha was my first female friend,” Wanda glances at the redhead.
“Natasha and Yelena were the first to make me feel welcomed,” Toni adds quietly.
“Yelena’s my first female best friend since I was in elementary school,” MJ nudges Yelena with her shoulder.
“Natasha was the first female college of mine that I didn’t refuse to make a relationship with,” Maria glances at Natasha.
“I’m scared of falling,” Yelena pipes up. “I fell off the side of a ship in the sky without a parachute.”
“I’m scared of diners,” MJ said quietly. “Mainly what could happen in them. The people.”
“I’m scared of explosions,” Wanda nods her head. “Primarily bombs.”
“I’m scared of blood,” Maria said softly. “I lost my team in a mission in the desert. Red against the white sand.”
“I’m scared of the unknown,” Toni adds. “I still don’t know a lot of things and adjusting to the world is frightening.”
“I’m scared of the people I love dying,” Natasha glances around the room. “Mainly the fact I don’t know what I’d do without them.”
“I’m triggered by the loss of control. Being restrained and tied down,” Yelena leans against MJ.
“I’m triggered by the sounds of gunshots,” MJ rests her head against Yelena’s shoulder.
“I’m triggered by things touching my neck,” Toni said.
“I’m triggered by the feeling of things brushing against my face,” Maria bumps her knee against Natasha’s.
“I’m triggered by ballet shoes,” Natasha bumps her knee back against Maria’s.
“I’m triggered by fireworks,” Wanda admits.
“What a bunch we are, huh?” Yelena finally lets out a yawn, resting her head against MJ’s.
“Tired?” Natasha asked, reaching out to grip Yelena’s ankle and squeezed it gently.
“Maybe,” Yelena admits, glancing around. “We don’t have to stop on behalf of me.”
“I’m getting tired as well,” Wanda said and Toni nods her head, pulling her helmet back on.
“You spending the night?” Yelena glances at MJ.
“I never say no to spending the night in your bed. It’s like a cloud,” MJ grins and lets Yelena tug her up.
“Thank you for coming. I had fun,” Yelena tells the other girls before looking at Natasha. “I’ll be in my room with MJ.”
Natasha wrapped her arms around Yelena quickly and everyone said their goodnights.
Yelena is dressed and laying with MJ in bed when she realizes that she left Dog back in Natasha’s room.
“I’ll be right back,” Yelena murmurs to MJ and moves toward Natasha’s room.
She opens the door, pausing as two figures inside the room freeze. Yelena’s eyes drink in the sight before her.
Maria pulls away from where she and Natasha had been kissing moments before.