Around lunchtime Emma came to pick up Levi as we had agreed, but the two of them stayed for lunch with us and only then did they leave.
"Alex in the afternoon Keane together with the others are coming here to talk about what to do next" my brother warned me before I went to my room. "You wouldn't happen to want to go buy some things for the snack we are going to make later?"
"I'm only going because I need to reinforce my Starbucks here at home, because I'm not your maid. Next time, if you want, you go."
"Where are you going?" Yelena asked walking into the room.
"To the grocery store."
"I also need to buy some things for myself so I'll go with you" She said crossing her arms.
"Okay, you can leave Fanny in my room-"
"She's already there, I guess you ran out of room Alex Grey" Yelena laughed as I rolled my eyes.
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"So what are you coming to buy?" I asked as we walked down the aisles.
"Feed for Fanny and ingredients to make mac and cheese"
"Okay, I'll go do my shopping, meet us at the cashier?"
"Sounds like a plan" She said and turned her back on me starting to walk.
Walking through the aisles I put some food in the basket and when I got to the Starbucks section...Hail Mary I just wanted to take it all in. I took some Frappuccino for myself and some Caramel Latte for Yelena. When I went to the cashier I couldn't see her anywhere so I started to walk around the aisles looking for her. On the fifth corridor I found her. It looked to me like she was comparing brands of cheese. As I was getting closer I saw a man looking at her and it was not with good intentions of course, but she was so concentrated that she probably didn't notice or even noticed but let it pass. In a surge of super protection I stood behind her, putting my basket on the floor, and putting my hands on her waist as I stared at the man and watched him walk away. However I began to hear Yelena breathing heavily. Did I make her uncomfortable? I started to remove my hands from her waist but she suddenly put the cheese packages back in place, took my hands and put my arms around her. Without saying a single word she put her head against my chest and took the packages again.
"Aren't they the same thing?" I asked leaning my head against hers.
"No, one will give one flavor and the other will give another. It's not here what I usually buy so I don't know what to take."
"Take both and then see what you use"
"I guess I'll really have to do that" I turned away from her taking my basket again and we walked together to the cashier where we paid and then back to my building.
Upon our arrival we were greeted by an upset Atlas.
"I brought the food and drinks for the snack...what's up?" I asked as he paced back and forth.
"Natasha won't let me in our room and she won't even talk to me or anyone else!"
How so?
"I'll go there" Something is going on and regardless of our conversation I worry about her. "Pack the groceries and I'll be right back"
I walked to their room and knocked on the door.
"Natasha? It's Alex, let me in please" The silence lasted for a mere seconds until I heard her voice.
"Go away, a few hours ago you didn't even want to talk to me"
"I didn't want to talk to you about our conversation the day we got here, not in general! ...Look I don't know what's wrong with you, Natasha. And I will not force you to open the door, but if you need me, you know where to find me." I started to turn to go back into the living room when I heard the door unlock. I didn't even have time to realize what was happening as I was suddenly pulled into the room. Natasha's arms quickly wrapped around my waist and her head was pressed against my chest. When I realized what was happening I placed my arms around her and we just clung there for a good three minutes until she said something that stuck in my head.
"I wish I could tell you..."
What is she hiding?
"It's okay, you don't have to tell me anything" I stroked her hair until I pulled away.
"Why did you stop?" She asked lifting her head.
"Because this reminded me of what we spent together in London and I don't want to remember that"
"Alex-"
And here we go again.
"Look I already told you I don't want to talk about this. You told me what you wanted to and that's what I'm trying to do but I don't understand you. Just this morning you made a scene because you thought Yelena had punched me in the face when in fact that's not what happened."
"Now you even call her by name like you've been talking for quite some time..."
"Listen to us Natasha, this is toxic! No matter what you want to call our relationship."
Out of nowhere her lips were on mine, realizing I didn't kiss her back she pulled away. My eyes were wide open because that kiss had been unexpected and did not correspond to what she had told me!
"I'm sorry...I didn't think about what I was doing"
She tried to increase the distance between our bodies but I pulled her back close.
"Stop, you know very well why you did it."
"Let go of me and go away please" She said looking away.
"Stop pushing me away, Natasha." I lightly pulled her chin so she could face me.
"I don't know what you are talking about..."
"Yes you do so why are you doing this?"
"What we did was wrong-"
Oh no no no no
"Look me in the eye and tell me this is wrong-" I brought my face close enough to kiss her. I already anticipated that she would kiss me back and at that very moment I pulled away.
"That was wrongly right" She said and I smiled before she kissed me again and pushed me against the door. "I'm addicted to your kiss but the best thing for both of us is if we just distance ourselves, just be friends-"
Is she fucking making fun of me?!
"And who are you to know what's best for me, Romanoff?"
"Believe me, Alex. You'll thank me later."
"You know what plus do what you say you think is best I don't give a shit. Why stand here trying to change your mind when I have Lizzie" I turned around, opened the door and walked out.
Upon returning to the living room I simply told Atlas that I hadn't been able to talk to Natasha either and sat down on the couch. Without realizing it Yelena sat next to me while I fiddled with the phone.
"Hey" She said making me stop looking at it and making me lift my head.
"Yeah?"
"Thanks for the Starbucks drinks"
"Oh you're welcome"
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The whole afternoon was spent in the meeting room.
"What are we going to do anyway?" Aaron asked.
I got up and went to the window admiring the view of New York City.
"Yelena the cell phone you had when they called you was disposable?" I asked without turning around.
"No but I don't know if they didn't call me from one"
"Then with your permission I would like to see your phone. Besides this we know that the caller was Russian...Oh shit..."
Son of a bitch.
"Atlas I already know who the caller was...Ivan Asimov"
"How can you be so sure?"
"Who would be the only person who would have the guts to try to put a bullet in our heads? Plus, who has also tried to kill us more than once?" Now it all makes sense
"You have a point"
"I'm going to find him and when that happens the one who kills him is me. He will pay dearly for trying to kill us again but mostly for what happened to mom. It's my fault but nothing would have happened if he hadn't been there." I clenched my hands losing myself in my thoughts.
I will find you Ivan and you will pay for everything you have done.
"Alex I know that voice and don't even think you're going to do this alone. He could kill you if you don't let us help. So don't even think about hunting him alone" Wanda said.
"He can't kill something that is already dead"
"Alex don't say that" Wanda pleaded me.
"He broke the wrong parts of her, he forgot that he broke her wings but she has claws...and now she won't stop until she kills him" My brother said taking a deep breath.
On an impulse I walked out the door and headed to my room.
That son of a bitch is dead!
"Alex?"
"Yelena now I have no head for jokes okay?"
"I just came to see if you were okay"
"I don't want to talk about it"
The next second she carefully took my hand.
"I don't know what you're feeling but I'm here if you need me"
"Thank you Yelena"
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After I calmed down a bit I went into the living room where everyone was eating and drinking.
"Hey, are you okay?" Four asks approaching me with a glass of champagne for me.
"Better now, thanks."
I walked around the room and sat down in a corner.
"We'll find him, Alex"
"I know Damon. Whatever it takes."
"Well I don't want to bother you with that matter so to take your mind off your head I have to tell you that you have 3 people here in this room looking at you" He said and I turned my face to get a better look at the room itself but I didn't see anyone looking at where we were.
"I think you are wrong, there is no one looking at me"
"They were quick to look away. And by them, I mean Yelena, Natasha and Lizzie. And by the way you don't have to tell me that Natasha is with your brother, I know that but the way she looks at you is very different from the way she looks at him."
"She wants nothing to do with me."
"I think you're wrong but go ahead and try to have fun"
Damon left and I sipped my drink while thinking about a lot of things at once. A song started playing and I saw everyone dancing, everyone but Yelena.
Fuck it.
Slowly I walked over to her.
"Aren't you going to dance?"
"I don't like dancing"
"You don't like to dance or you don't want to dance alone?" I asked raising an eyebrow to which she simply rolled her eyes. "Come on" I dropped my glass and pulled her over to the others.
"Alex I already told you that-"
"Don't focus on them, focus on me. Okay?"
"Okay"
Without caring about those around us, we danced non-stop, looking into each other's eyes.
When the music stoped we let go of each other and, by coincidence or not, my eyes found Natasha looking at me.
However, our exchange of glances is interrupted by my brother's voice.
"Hey guys, let's play truth or dare!"
We all sat down on the couches, and luckily or unluckily, I was seated between Lizzie and Yelena.
"So let's get started. Keane, truth or dare?"
"Truth"
"Pussy. Have you ever filmed a sex tape?"
Only my brother to ask these kinds of questions, anyway.
"Yes. It's my turn, Clary. Truth or dare?"
"Dare"
"I dare you to kiss Arthur"
Well played Keane.
"Okay, so...Lizzie, true or dare?"
"Have you ever been caught in action? If so, by who?"
"I have and it was by my brother. Well...Romanoff. Truth or dare?"
"Truth"
"Have you ever had an interest in someone in this room throwing your boyfriend?"
Natasha's gaze immediately crossed mine but quickly looked away.
"No..."
Of course not...
"Wanda?"
"True."
"When and with whom was your first kiss?"
"School and it was with Alex"
Oops...
"What?" Four asked. And yes he has a crush on Wanda.
"In my defense we were children and it was unintentional, we went against each other and it happened ok?"
"Yeah, we both got big bumps on the head after that" She said laughing.
"Anyway, Alex?"
"Dare"
"You have to keep your hand on the very inner thigh of the person on your left for the next round."
Really Wanda?!
"Can I?" I asked Yelena and she just nodded.
"My dear brother, truth or dare?"
Now I'm going to be mean not least because I already know what he's going to say.
"Dare obviously"
"I dare you to put three ice cubes inside your boxers"
"Asshole, this shit is going to freeze my penis!"
"Not my problem" I said laughing.
"Belova, truth or dare?"
"Dare..."
"I dare you to kiss my sister"
What?!
"Atlas you're drunk" I said but didn't have much luck.
"Regardless of whether he's sober or not she has to do the challenge he said" Wanda aren't you supposed to be on my side?!
"It's okay with me..." Yelena said turning her face to me and only then did I realize that I still had my hand on her thigh.
"Are you sure?"
I don't want her to do something against her will.
"Yeah..."
We both moved closer and kissed. My hand went to her face and caressed it as we pulled away.
"I think it's time for us to go to sleep" Natasha said already taking Atlas with her and not looking at anyone.
I said goodbye to everyone and was on my way to my room when I was pulled into a dark corner very quickly. I didn't even had time to say anything as I had someone kissing me but I immediately recognized those lips. The same lips that I had kissed minutes ago.
"Do you want to go to my room?" I asked separating our mouths.
"And wake up without dignity? No, thank you."
"Then what do you want?"
"I want you to fall in love with me..."
This I really didn't expect...
"You're drunk, Yelena" I said not sure but hoping it was true.
"Probably"
Thank God.
"Come on, you sleep over tonight. You are in no condition to leave."
I took her to my room and put her to bed. Fanny lay down on the bed and I, after changing clothes, lay down next to Yelena.
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At sunrise I woke up, however both Fanny and Yelena were still asleep. I went to the kitchen to drink a glass of water when I heard someone's footsteps approaching.
"You slept with her?"
"Good morning Natasha, and as much as my personal life is none of your business, no I did not sleep with her."