Friday came a lot quicker than you anticipated and you went back and forth between actually going to this sleepover thing about a dozen times. You were outside the bigger living room, shifting your weight back and forth, gripping the hem of your shirt's sleeves in each hand and biting your lip, hating that it was bothering you so much. You promised Peter you'd go, but he's just a kid and he'd get over it if you bailed, so you turned to leave, finally making the firm decision not to attend when you ran into Wanda.
"Hey," She greeted you kindly, "Nervous?"
"What? Pshhh," You blew her off until she cocked an eyebrow, "Yeah, fine."
"If it helps," She let out a deep breath, "Since everyone here is...you know, you won't have the guards lurking over you."
"A bonus." You nodded with a smile in thanks, and she returned it before heading inside, gesturing for you to follow her.
You went off to the side when she went for the group around the TV, the usual suspects hanging out and laughing. Venturing over to the bar instead where you found Bruce and Tony talking about something while nursing their drinks felt more your speed right now.
"Hi, Y/n." Bruce smiled nicely, and you returned it with a grin.
"Hey, Bruce, what's happenin', man?"
"Oh, so you're pals with the green rage monster," He looked over to Bruce with a wince and patted his shoulder, "No offense, buddy," Then he looked back to you, "But not me?"
"You trashed my equipment," You argued, shaking your head, "Took me over a year to perfect that shit and you destroyed it in less than a week!"
"I was about to take bets whether you'd show up or not," Sam smirked, coming from behind you, and put a hand on your back, "Glad you did."
You turned to him and raised your glass with a smile, looking past him to the others.
"I think you might be the only one, hot wings."
Tony laughed at the nickname and Bruce hid his smile while Sam raised his eyebrows,
"Oh, that's how it is?"
"That's how it is!" You laughed and he led you over to the bigger group.
"What about Julie?" Natasha was asking Steve who was just shaking his head with an amused smile before he sipped his beer, "What's wrong with her?"
"Nothing, nothing," He admitted truthfully, and he glanced over at you quickly when you sat down with your drink, trying not to eavesdrop, "She's great, she's just not..."
"We're trying to find Steve a date," Bucky told you, "It's not going so well."
"Maybe he doesn't swing that way." You shrugged.
"Nah, he's just a prude." Clint teased, leaning back on the couch and putting his foot up.
"I'm not a prude," Steve practically growled, and you smirked behind your glass, hiding your surprise when his eyes landed on you, "I just want to find a girl who challenges me."
"And this Julie..." You trailed off, putting your drink down and leaning forward on your elbows, "She doesn't do that for you?"
"She's a nice girl." Sam piped in, you and Steve not breaking the staring contest you didn't realize you were having until his eyes narrowed, a smirk crossing his lips as you cocked an eyebrow.
"I thought land of the free over here would be all for nice girls," You told them honestly, tearing your eyes off the super soldier, "Apple pie women love a man in uniform," You shrugged again, "Nothing wrong with that, we all have preferences."
"Oh, yeah?" Sam's tone was light as he looked over at you, "What's your preference?"
"Nah," You shook your head, "We don't have time to unpack all that."
"Fair enough," Wanda chuckled, peering over at Natasha, "Yours, Nat?"
"Brunettes," She deadpanned, smiling with soft eyes at the witch, "Gorgeous brunettes."
"The tension in here is THICK." Sam laughed and Clint nodded with raised eyebrows, adding,
"I think it already was."
"Hey, guys!" Peter jogged over with a little hop in his step and you bit your lip, glancing up at Steve before you stopped to smile at Peter.
"Hey, Pete, how's it going?" You asked him as he sat down, but you could still feel Steve's eyes on you as you looked over at the kid.
"Really good," He smiled, rubbing his legs excitedly, "Ned and MJ are coming by, Mr. Stark said it was-"
"Holy crap, you're – you're! Him!" Ned's voice came from across the room, pulling your guys' attention as you watched Peter's friend point and gape at both Tony and, "Dr. Banner, I am such a big fan. Pleasure to meet you sir."
He was shaking his hand aggressively and Peter excused himself to go save the doctor from his friend as MJ stood back awkwardly, trying not to laugh.
"I'm gonna get another drink," You told them, getting up, "Anybody want anything?"
"I'll take a martini." Natasha told you.
"Another beer?" Sam added.
"Make it two." Bucky raised his empty one.
"Nobody? Okay." You nodded and went off, not missing the few laughs and grumbles that you received.
You were pouring yourself some whiskey after you spotted the expensive bottle and you glanced up when you felt someone watching, only to see Steve just look away, making you wonder why. Shrugging it off, you stood there and sipped on your drink, feeling out of place again.
The trickster's words floated through your head, knowing what you are and wondering if you could hold onto it. You wanted to so badly to go back to everything, drown out the noise with every crime you could commit and get away with, but knowing that they'd always be hunting for you made it less appealing. They caught you once, they'll be able to do it again. Especially since they seem to have a longer reach than you had assumed.
So, the next morning you went to Fury's office, looking for,
"A deal?"
"Yes," You nodded, placing your palms on his desk, "I want to make you an offer."
He leaned back smugly, crossing his arms, and then surprisingly, gesturing for you to continue.
"You know what I can do," He cringed, clearly displeased with the start, but then eased up when you continued, "You've seen my...abilities in action and I think I'm worth something," You stood straight when he pursed his lips, "It's why you brought me here in the first place and I know I would normally be rotting in solitary confinement, so I've come to appreciate the opportunity," You forced a grateful smile, "But I want my life back, I want something to work for, and I think you can make that happen."
He considered your argument for a good minute, contemplating what he might be able to do. He hated what he found out about you, but the more he dug and looked into everything for reasons, the more he saw you. What you went through and some of the 'why' you did the things you did. That, and he's seen how the others are becoming around you, especially the Parker kid and you're even growing on a few others, but he'd never tell you that.
"I'll get back to you on that."
It wasn't a no, so you took this as a win and gave him a nod with a small smile before you excused yourself.
The guards followed you down the hall, but even the shadows couldn't keep the smile off your face. You felt like there was finally a reason to being here and maybe if you could earn your freedom, you'd never have to look over your shoulder for people trying to take you in. Sure, there'd always be enemies on your tail, but you've alluded them for most of your life, so that wouldn't be a difference.
Even when Steve came off the elevator you were waiting for with Sam, your mood didn't falter, and he seemed pleasantly surprised by the genuine happiness that was depicted by your warm smile.
"You just came from Fury's office and you've got a smile on your face?" Sam smirked, cocking an eyebrow in disbelief.
"He's a reasonable man, Samuel." You shrugged and he scrunched his eyebrows, shaking his head.
"You have a nice smile, Y/n." Steve added, and your face fell.
"Yeah, well, whatever." You mumbled, taken off guard by the sincerity in his compliment, and you got on the elevator with the guards, avoiding his eyes.
By the time you got back to your room, one of the guards informed you there was another mission tomorrow. Apparently, your abilities weren't the only thing they wanted you for and your background in weapons and hand to hand combat was something useful.
So, let's get started.
You approached the guard who stood a few steps down from the top where you were and slid to your knees, wrapping an arm around his neck and whispering,
"Sleep."
Before he dropped to the floor.
You grabbed his gun and hid behind the wall, screwing on your own silencer as more approached his body, so you aimed the gun at them, and they froze. You searched them for weapons, pawing at their pockets and sides before locking them in a closet.
You dumped their weapons in the garbage bin and continued making your way down the hall, shedding the wig and digital face you had on when you were out of sight for any more security cameras. You unzipped your jumpsuit and straightened out the black gown, adjusting your earpiece.
"Romanoff?" You mumbled and the assassin responded,
"Clear."
"Who am I lookin' for exactly?" You asked her behind the drink you waved down the bartender for when you approached.
"Think tall, dark, handsome, and dangerous."
"Just my type," You smirked sarcastically, scanning your eyes over the party until you landed on a man laughing loudly, surrounded by three gorgeous women, "Any chance he's the popular type?"
"He's married, but he runs with prostitutes according to our records."
You watched closely as he slipped one of them some cash and they nodded before pocketing it. It wasn't a confirmation, but this mission was sketchy at best and this was probably the guy.
Just when you got a refill and was about to head over, another man stepped into your view.
"Hey, beautiful," He grinned, running a hand up your arm, and pushing your hair behind your ear, "Where're you off to so fast?"
If you weren't on a mission, you might've broken his hand for that, but he fit the description, so you put on your most coy smile and pretended his words got to you.
"No place," You batted your eyelashes, "What's your name?"
"My friends call me J," He smiled, taking your hand, "How's about a dance, beautiful?"
You followed him out to the middle of the floor, half convinced this was the guy, and Natasha told you to keep him busy as she ran his face through.
"Don't you wanna know my name?" You asked sweetly, letting him lead.
He dipped you and then brought you close to him again before he spun you out in a twirl, pulling you flush against him.
"Tonight, I think I'll just call you beautiful, darling."
You'd be the first to admit, you weren't good at flirting, but this guy's idea and methods of it was just plain weird and creepy. It made your skin crawl how he looked you over, seemingly wanting to peel you apart for his own collection and when he grazed his nose across your neck, you had had enough.
"Excuse me," Your smile was tight, but it's the best you could muster right now, "I need to-"
"It's him," Natasha's voice in your ear cut you off, "Move, move!"
"Need to what?" He asked just as agents stormed into the room and he realized what was happening.
You went to back away like you were instructed to, just get eyes on the target, let them confirm, and stand by, but he grabbed you and pointed a gun at your head. The agents froze as the barrel pressed into your temple, leaving a mark, and you rolled your eyes, annoyed.
"Stay back or the girl dies!" He started bringing you with him out of the room on the opposite side the agents came from and you went with him until you held his arm with your hand.
You slowly, almost unnoticeably, raised his sleeve because you needed skin to skin contact. The moment you had your fingertips on his arm, he turned the gun on himself, and released you immediately, your fingers still on his wrist, with the same shock in his eyes you've seen a thousand times at this point.
They didn't get to you in time as you forced him to pull the trigger, blood splattering off to the side and some getting on your face, but you barely flinched. None of the agents said anything as you walked away and they took care of the scene. The gunshot being so close to you, blew out your hearing on the left side, and you wiped the blood off with the back of your hand, going to get some fresh air when you spotted an exit.