With Friends Like You, Who Needs Enemies?

6

The next morning the team left New Asgard to return to the compound. Y/N and Bucky stayed behind at the Queens invitation. Steve went back with the team and Tony begrudgingly agreed to take Nat since she still couldn't see. He locked her up in one of their holding cells and made sure she was well cared for.

Unfortunately Natasha was a vindictive woman and spent her convalescence plotting how to get back at Y/N. First on the list, contact Yelena to come help. Nat wrote a long sad letter about how the new mutant girl made the team think Nat was horrible and stole Steve from her, with strategically placed 'teardrops' on the paper, sent to a p.o. box in Ohio.

Over the next few weeks Y/N worked with Loki to learn how to control her powers. The days took on a comfortable rhythm. Bucky moved into the room Nat had been using and they spent quiet mornings together before she met with Loki for a few hours then a ride with Bucky and sometimes Loki, after lunch.

Dinner was in the great Hall which the Asgardians finished in record time. Evenings were often spent sitting around a campfire listening to stories of heroic adventures. Some nights Bucky and Y/N watched movies or had lengthy discussions alone. Most nights Bucky ended up sleeping next to her.

Every day Y/N grew better at controlling her powers and learning new ways to use them. She learned how to store sound in her body, for later use. How to manipulate different types of light to make a shield, to affect others moods and how to fly. She was amazed at the number of ways she could use her power, she was even slowly learning how to make realistic holograms.

She was also excited about the possibilities to help people, working with the Avengers. As her confidence in her abilities, and in herself, grew she became less afraid of working with Steve.

Y/N also grew closer to Bucky and could feel herself falling for him but Steve and Nats betrayal left a deep scar and she was wary of trusting anyone. She tried to explain but discovered she didn't need to, Bucky understood and was willing to go as slow, or wait as long as she needed.

Bucky just wanted to be with her and show her how a man is supposed to take care of the woman he loves. He was always bringing her wildflowers or a carving he had made from pieces of wood he found on their walks.

They held hands on their walks and often cuddled at the campfires or when they watched movies but nothing more. Until the night before they were scheduled to return home.

After 3 months, Loki had decreed that Y/N had come as far as she could with her abilities, for now, and that returning to avenging would help her discover new applications, real world situations that practice just couldn't duplicate.

The Queen insisted on a farewell feast that was worthy of Asgard. They ate, drank, toasted and danced until the wee hours.

Y/N and Bucky left the bonfire to head back to their quarters so they could try to get a bit of sleep before morning.

As they cuddled on the couch, she hummed contently and a soft rainbow mist surrounded them.