Spencers POV
We've been back in Russia for about a week.
It's been a lot of packing and trying to do things last minute before we leave.
Because we leave tomorrow.
I had my last tattoo today.
It's a really bittersweet moment as I finished filling in the ladies dragon mermaid. (Don't ask how it works, but it does).
It feels great to have accomplished so much here, to have built up such a (good) reputation for what I've been doing. To know my clientele valued my work so much that they kept on coming back.
But at the same time, it really fucking sucks.
This has been my home for the last couple of years. I've really grown to love and appreciate this town. It's where I truly got my fresh start.
I just never imagined that it would have such an impact nor would I have guessed where it would lead me to now: moving in to the avengers compound with my girlfriend, the black widow.
If you had told me that when I first got here.. well I probably would have thought you were insane or that I end up insane. Or that it was some crazy plot to trap me.
But instead.. I'm here. Standing in the entrance room where all my clients would tell me what they wanted, where I created their dream.
I'm soaking in the moment. All of the memories. Everything that started from this exact spot.
Maybe I shouldn't be emotional about it, but I am.
I'm taking deep breaths to attempt to keep the tears in.
That's when there's a hand on my shoulder.
"You did good work here, Spencer. I could not be more proud. This will always be your home, whenever you need or want to come back to it."
I tackle him in a big hug. Ok, more like he accepts my attempt.
"Thank you so much, Red." I hear him take a big breath at the sound of his old nickname. "You didn't have to take a chance on me, but you did. I don't know where I would be now if you didn't."
"Probably out at some karaoke bar, drunk," he jokes.
I laugh. "Yeah, you're probably right." It would probably be worse than that, but we won't go there.
I pull away from the hug, letting this be the final goodbye to the place.
That's when I hear the door open and turn around to be greeted by Yelena, Melina, and Natasha.
"Hey, bub. We just wanted to stop by for your last day." I hug Nat as she walks in.
"We have desserts!" Yelena proclaims as walks up to hug me too.
"You know the way to my heart," I say, grabbing the food once I hug Melina.
"It's not hard to figure out, dear," Melina says.
"Ouch. I'm truly wounded," I place a hand on my heart, playing it up. Nat gives me a look.
But they laugh.
"I'm really going to miss this place. And you both. I can't thank you enough for what you've done for me."
"Thank you, Spencer," Melina says, putting the emphasis on 'you.'
"I'm sorry, what?"
"She said thank you, Spencer," Alexei clarifies.
"Yeah," I shake my head, "I heard that. But why?"
Melina answers, "Because you helped bring our family together. You've been an amazing friend, amazing worker, amazing addition to this family, amazing.."
"Girlfriend." Nat finishes for her, grabbing my hand and kissing my cheek.
"Oh. Well.. I.."
"Yeah, Spence. You mean a lot to all of us," Yelena agrees.
I just scratch the back of my neck because I don't really know what to say.
Yelena speaks up again, "Spence, we're just trying to say that we're glad to have you as part of this family." Then she winks at me.
My eyes widen, hopefully she gets the hint not to say anything more.
She does.
"Never thought I would say this, but I'm really glad you worked for my dad."
"Me too. I never thought it would lead to all of this. I love you all."
"We love you too, Spence."
——————
Even having everyone there and with the desserts, it was still difficult to officially leave that place.
I know I can and will come back. But still.
We have everything packed and ready to be teleported.
But I can literally do that at anytime and it would only take minimal effort and a couple of minutes. Maybe.
So, to go out the right way, we're going to the karaoke bar.
And this time, Alexei and Melina are coming too.
We're going big. Dressing to the nines.
We'll leave a lasting impression.
(Not that we haven't already.)
Anyway.
We're here.
"Okay. This is very loud. Where do we get the drinks?" Melina asks.
"I'll get them, you find a table?" I offer.
"On it." Yelena says.
I order a couple rounds for us, having the bartender help me take them over to us.
Yes, it's the one I slept with forever ago. No, it doesn't matter.
"Alright, you're all set. Enjoy your night. Let me know if you need anything," she says as she winks before walking away.
Maybe it matters a little bit.
Nats glaring.
Moving on.
"Alright everyone," I grab a shot, indicating to them to do the same. "To family!"
"To family!" And down the shoot it goes.
And then another.
And another.
And another.
You get the drift here, right?
And that has lead all five us up on the stage, singing We Are Family by Sister Sledge.
If I wasn't living it, I wouldn't believe it either.
It's mostly off key, there's a lot of enthusiasm, we definitely miss some words, but overall, it's still beautiful.
And I'm drunk.
We walk off stage to loud cheers and applause, soaking in the stardom.
"Okay, was it just me, or did we kill that? We could totally be one of those family bands," I say as I plop down at our table.
"It was.. something," Nat says.
"Oh, come on. You know that was fun," Yelena says, poking Natashas cheek.
We're on the same level. Of awesome.
"So what song are we doing next?" I ask the group, wiggling my eyebrows.
"Oh, I think we're going home," Alexei brings the bad news.
"Noo! We need your baritone! It totally offsets my being off key!" I try to argue.
He just laughs. "It's time for you girls to enjoy your night. Us 'old folks' have to call it quits." He actually uses air quotes.
"But.."
"Spence, let them go," Nat tries to convince me.
But that just.. is sad.
"But.. I don't want to let them go.."
"Bub. I didn't mean it for forever. They can't stay out all night. How about I sing a song with you?"
I've got her right where I want her.
"Can I pick the song?"
"Yes."
I smile, with a little bit of evil shining through.
I get up, avoided Nats narrowed eyes. I hug Alexei and Melina before they go.
I turn back to Nat.
"Are you ready for this, love?"
"I.. don't know. I think I was set up."
"Noooo.. the emotions were real. I just made good use of the situation," I shrug, walking off to the dj booth.
Once I put in our song, I stop by the bar to get a few more drinks.
"M'lady, your drink. Yelena." Then I sit, going to drink my own.
"Oh no you don't." Nat takes my drink.
I give her the sad face.
She closes her eyes. "Don't pull that on me. You really need some water, bub."
"Haha. You got cut off," Yelena's sticks her tongue out at me. So I return the favor.
"Ok. That's for you too, Lena. I'll go get some waters."
"Looove.."
Then she gives me a look. One that stops me from saying anything else.
I gulp audibly as she walks over to me.
Bending down to my ear, "don't push your luck. You're way past your limit."
I.. have.. no.. words..
She smirks before she walks away.
"Damn. She got you, Spence."
She's.. not wrong. When did this get switched around? How is she the one..
"Here. Drink this," Nat says placing water in front of me.
I grimace, but do as I'm told..
Damn it.
I only drink half.
And that's when Nat and I are called up on stage.
"Should I be worried about the song choice?"
"Maybe."
She shouldn't.
The instant the song starts playing, Nat relaxes.
"You would pick this song."
"You can never go wrong with Whitney."
And that's when we fell into the song, singing I Wanna Dance With Somebody by Whitney Houston like we were the only two in the room.
It only takes a few verses before I've got my free arm around her waist, dancing around the stage without a care.
And at the end I lift her up. She wraps her legs around me as I kiss her with everything.
We sang one more song all three of us, leaving the crowd with the memories of us singing a classic by Don McLean;
I started singing bye bye Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry
Them good old boys drinkin' whiskey and rye
And singin' "This'll be the day that I die
This'll be the day that I die"