Salvo ~ Avengers Soulmate au

12.

Life in a Tower and not a small damp cell was definitely weird,Rhea decided as she laid in a queen sized bed in the middle of a huge room staring up at the white ceiling at 4 in the morning.

After her episode in the morning , the team had decided that she didn't need to be held in a 'cage' anymore and installed a bracelet on her hands that'd alert them if she reverted back to her personality of being Agent 007. They then collectively insisted on her taking the largest room on the common floor - why , she didn't know. Well Tony insisted because apparently she should always have the biggest but Rhea had quickly learnt that to tolerate him you had to look past his ego all.the.time.

Not being able to fall asleep in such uncomfortably new and comfortable surroundings Rhea threw off her covers and decided to get a glass of water. Finding the kitchen though ,was a task. She spent the next 20 minutes aimlessly walking around when suddenly a robotic voice interrupted her mid-thought.

"Can I help you with something Mrs Stark?"

Jumping ,she looked around to find the source.

"Hello ma'am I'm FRIDAY , Mr Stark's AI . I can help you in case you're lost Mrs Stark. "

Playfully rolling her eyes at the name given to her - by Tony as she assumed she shook her head, "Rhea is fine Fri, I can call you Fri right? Could you point me to the kitchen please?"

"Of course Rhea."

As the AI guided her to the Kitchen , she learnt a bit more about the Avengers from Friday. Like how Thor loved poptarts (and she mentally noted never to touch his share lest she had to face a grumpy God of Thunder), how Natasha and Bucky frequently had nightmares , how Clint spent at least 50% of his time eavesdropping on others from inside the vents (she was still trying to digest the fact that a built man like him liked to squeeze in vents for fun) ,how Sam and Steve ran therapy sessions for war veterans and civilians , how Pietro loved to prank anyone and everyone as a stress reliever and how Tony tinkered with his suits late into the night because of his insomnia. Friday told her about a  Bruce Banner (or the Hulk) and how he had someone called Betty but they couldn't meet often as she was a university professor where Bruce taught part time nowadays. She also learnt about Wanda and Vision , who were soulmates too apparently and about Loki and Yelena who liked to visit their siblings time and again . They apparently got on like a house on fire. How Tony had taken someone called Peter Parker who he had taken under his wing and Clint mentored a girl named Kate. Too soon for her liking she reached the kitchen where she immediately filled up a glass of water and gulped it down .
Lost in her mind about all the information she just learnt , she failed to notice the second prescence in the room.

***

Bucky Barnes couldn't sleep . With all the nightmares from his - well, nightmare of a life - good night's sleep was a treaure which he wasn't gifted with , so he decided to go to the gym a bit early. On his way though he noticed the shorter brunette standing in the kitchen by the moonlight lost in her thoughts and he couldn't resist speaking up,

"Couldn't sleep?"

Rhea jumped - once again - and turned around.

"For a highly trained spy ,this right here ," she pointed to her little jump ,"is highly embarrassing . And no- I can't sleep. My mind is just way too scared it'll go back to what it was or is if I close my eyes ", she bitterly laughed out.

Bucky looked at her and softened his eyes in understanding ," Can't say I don't understand . I had the same war with myself in the beginning but the others slowly made me see how I had to trust myself first. I promise we'll show you too ."

She smiled and walked up to him , " Thank you. I can't even begin to express how grateful I am. "

"You don't need to thank us doll, we're here to help you -always. Just trust us"

"I do, and that's the scary part. I trust you guys more than I do my own mind - and I haven't even known you all for long. This - this is surreal and I feel like my life just went from nothing to everything in a blink of an eye. It's honestly overwhelming ." ,she breathed out in a whisper - noticing the reduced gap between them.

She could now clearly see the mesmerizing blue in his eyes. They were deep and bright ,and she could get lost in them if left too long. Her heart hammered in her chest with a new emotion she couldn't for the life of her figure out as she stared back at him.

"You're so beautiful ," the man breathed out as she felt the cold metal hand on her cheek. Her breathing quickened and breaths came out short as his warm breath fanned her face. She could see him getting nearer as for the first time his warm lips softly touched hers. Lightly , tentatively.

There were no fireworks or music in the background, but her heart felt complete for the first time as he pressed his lips to her , harder this time. His tongue soon demanded entrance and she decided to tease him and not follow his lead. Smiling a bit she pressed her lips together when he growled and bit her bottom lip. As she gasped out loud ,he took the opportunity and swept his tongue into her mouth and backed her to the counter nearby. His metal hand possessively pressed onto her hip as he slowly gained more and more dominance over her petite frame and Rhea melted in his embrace as she tightened her hold on his long hair.

They were however cut off by a whine and a 'not fair' and looking up she could see Sam standing at the entrance of the kitchen with a towel on his shoulders,a bottle in his hands and a pout on his lips. Realizing her compromising position and comprehending what just happened , Rhea looked wide eyed at them and ran off to her room at once.

Last she thought she could hear someone running and someone chasing the other shouting threats before she closed the door to her room, still red in the face.