Kira Barnes, the younger adopted sister of Bucky Barnes, is forced out of the dark underworld of espionage and into the light of the new world of superheroes when her brother abandons her with the Avengers to go on the run. She is set in her ways an...
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If it was anyone else, she wouldn't have listened.
Most people tended to have opinions on what Kira should and shouldn't do. Very loud and very wrong opinions. She guessed it was just what happened when you were the living product of some strange Jekyll-and-Hyde-esque experiment. People tended to see you less as a person and more as a test subject. Something to throw ideas at, rather than someone to help. She had learnt to ignore those opinions.
Steve's opinion, though, she respected. He was one of the only people who understood, at least part of, what Kira had experienced. Being thrust into an entirely new world with completely different norms was a frequent topic of discussion between them. She knew he meant well. He just wanted a normal life for her, after everything with Department X and HYDRA. Well, as normal a life as an Avenger could have.
Which is why Kira had been sitting alone, at the bar, for the last couple of hours. His only requirement had been that she attend. He said nothing about moping into a margarita. One of many. She silently cursed whoever took away her ability to get drunk with the Super Soldier Serum. Not even Thor's alien whiskey could get her tipsy. If it did, maybe then she could stop thinking about everything on her mind. Especially those missing twins.
Nat had insisted on bartending at the party, so she'd been making the margaritas for her, handing them over with an odd look. Kira assumed she was just worried about the drinks spilling on the clothes she'd borrowed from her last minute: a pretty green dress, that definitely fit Nat better than it did Kira, and matching heels. She made a mental note to agree to the next time she wanted to drag her along to get "real human clothes" (Nat's words, not hers).
From her seat at the furthest end of the bar, she watched as Sam won another game of pool, beating Steve once again. She smiled to herself. Kira had left Sam's side a while ago. She had initially stuck to him because he was the more extroverted of the two. After a while, she started to worry about coming off as a bit too clingy and quickly extracted herself when she noticed her mood starting to sour, not wanting to ruin his night. At least one of them was enjoying themselves.
Nat's eyes started to burn a hole in the side of her head. "What?" Kira sighed, still watching the room.
"Oh, nothing. It's totally normal for you to down 10 drinks in as many minutes whilst forlornly watching others enjoy themselves," she replied.
"Like you're any better." Kira turned to face her. "I know why you're at the bar too. Trying to convince everyone you're just showing off," she hit back. It was true Nat was weirdly competent at bartending, though. She had learnt decades ago to blend in at a club for a hit on some obscure politician, back in Department X. It was one of the only times all three of them had gone on a mission together. It was also the first and last time all three of them had tried to escape on a mission together. "You hate this shit just as much as I do."
