The doorbell rings as I grab the spirits from the cupboard. I rush over to the door and pull it open to be greeted by Nat and Pepper. "Come in ladies." I say, opening the door wider for them. The pair slink into my apartment. "What can I get you ladies to drink?" I ask. Nat answers first, "Cosmopolitan please baby." She says. "Dry martini if you can." Pepper answers. "Coming right up." I say and make my way back to the kitchen. I grab three cocktail glasses from the cupboard as well as my cocktail shaker and some ice. I add one and a half ounces of vodka, one ounce of cranberry juice, half an ounce of Cointreau, and half an ounce of fresh lime juice into the shaker after filling it with ice. I shake the ingredients before double straining into one of the glasses and top it off with a lime wheel. Then I rinse out my cocktail shaker before refilling it with ice, and combining half an ounce of dry Vermouth and three ounces of gin. I stir for thirty seconds before straining it into a martini glass. I squeeze the oil from lemon peel into the drink and garnish with a cocktail stick of olives. Finally I rinse my shaker and fill it with ice once more. Adding two ounces of whiskey, three quarters of an ounce of sweet red vermouth, and a dash of orange bitters over the ice. Stirring for thirty seconds I strain into the remaining glass and garnish with a maraschino cherry.
I carry the three cocktails back to the living room before taking my seat next to the tortilla chips. Many drinks later Nat and Pepper are slurring the speech whilst I'm lightly buzzed, forgetting to ask Thor for some Asgardian liquor before he left. "Sooooooo" Natasha drawls, wiggling her eyebrows, "How's Steve?" She asks. I laugh softly, "Stevie's good." I answer. Nat and Pepper share a look before Pepper turns to me, "Stevie?" She asks. I sigh, "I think Bucky used to call him that." I explain and the girls smile sadly. "What else do you call him?" Nat prompts and I roll my eyes playfully at her antics. "Malysh, milyy, krasavchik." I answer, "To name a few." Pepper looks at Nat in confusion, "Am I drunk or was that not English?" She asks and Nat laughs, "Both." The three of us laugh. "What's he like Vik?" Pepper asks, I furrow my brows. "You know him, you know what he's like, why are you asking me that?" I ask, confused. "In bed." Nat clarifies. "I'm not telling you that." I scoff. The girls pout but eventually drop the subject.
A few minutes later we find ourselves watching Spring Breakers and crying with laughter at the movie. Nat and Pepper have no shame firing questions at me, "Who's in charge? What's his favourite position? Is he good? What's the longest you've gone with each other? Is he kinky?" I dismiss the bombardment of questions with a shake of my head and a laugh but I smile as the answers of each of them. Halfway through True Blood Pepper's soft snores begin to fill the room. Nat was just beginning to fall asleep when the door opened and Steve strolled in, dirty from his mission. Natasha blearily looked at me and smirked. I glared at her, "Go to sleep." I tell her, she laughs softly. "You know what?" I say as I eye Steve, I look at Nat, "Me. Lotus. Very. 3 hours. More than you'd think." I answer. Steve looks at me with a raised brow and I smile.
I pick Natasha up and carry her to the guest bedroom before returning to the living room and carrying Pepper to join her, wrapping the two in a blanket. I head back to the living room and collect the array of glasses, bringing them into the kitchen and loading them into the dishwasher. Steve comes in with the leftover food, placing what can be kept into the fridge. "How was the mission?" I ask quietly. He pulls me against his chest and kisses the top of my head, "Muddy." He complains. I laugh, "You go shower. Are you hungry?" I ask. "Already ate." He explains before heading to the bathroom, leaving me alone in the kitchen. I twist the ring on my finger as I imagine how different my life would be if I still had James by my side. Sighing sadly I had to my bedroom. I pull out my diary and write down my thoughts, feelings, and any memories that came back today, as well as recounting the day. A habit of mine, just in case.
In case HYDRA returns.