Honestly, I felt like a new me. I had friends for the first time in my life. I felt like I was a part of something, a family.
I've used my voice more in the past few months than I have in 23 years.
I really expected my vocal cords to stop functioning, because they were not used to being used so often.
In the beginning, I was more comfortable with the women on the team. Interacting and talking to people took a lot of work. But it was a lot easier when it was with females. I think that was because of my mother.
But talking to the men on the team, was a little more challenging.
When I was in combat, I was the most confident person. Maybe because of my training, or because I didn't have to talk to the enemy.
The men on the team, bless their hearts, were so understanding, kind, and gentle. They knew I needed time. And eventually, that issue was resolved.
Unless I was on a mission and it was necessary, I spent most of my time visible.
That was another new experience for me.
I didn't need to be invisible in the compound. I was an equal, I had respect and friendship.
All of these thoughts were going through my head as I was in the elevator, going down for breakfast.
The elevator stopped, and Wanda got on. We smiled at each other.
We began talking like we always did. The elevator dinged and the doors opened.
We walked towards the kitchen, hearing the usual morning chatter.
As we turned the corner into the kitchen, I was looking at Wanda as we talked. We were not paying much attention to the others.
I walked to the counter and grabbed the coffee pot. And Wanda got the mugs, she knew my favorite was the one that changed colors when it was either hot or cold. Clint gave it to me a while ago because he said it made him think of me.
I was still talking to Wanda, oblivious to my surroundings. Drowning out the other conversations happening in the room.
I filled Wanda and I's coffees, while she poured the cream in.
I heard the elevator ding, and I hear Steve's voice.
I was listening to Wanda's long-winded complaining about how much sugar I was putting in my coffee. She did this every day. I was leaning against the counter while listening to her. Taking a long sip of my coffee. Humming in response to the caffeine that I loved so much. I heard Steve enter the room.
"Everyone, this is Bucky."
I turned to look at Steve.
He looked really happy.
My eyes trailed to the figure glooming next to him. The man's eyes trained on the ground, hands in his pockets.
Just as I was inspecting the man, his eyes trailed up. And caught mine.
I felt heat instantly travel into my face. I darted my eyes down to my coffee. Staring at the cup in my hand.
"Y/n?" Wanda whispered while Steve was talking.
"Hmm?" I hummed (barely) in response.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah.." I whispered.
"Are you sure?"
"Yea."
"Really? Cause you just disappeared."
I didn't even mean to, but I was invisible.
What the hell?
I looked back up at the man Steve brought in, Bucky. He was looking in my direction, but just ever so slightly, any untrained eye wouldn't have noticed the look of horror and surprise in his eyes.
I quickly left the room and got into the elevator, without saying another word.
I closed my eyes, putting my hand to my chest.
Why did it feel like the wind just got knocked out of my lungs?
I tried to steady my breath.
I became visible again.
The elevator doors opened on my floor, and I quickly rushed out and into my room.
Making sure to lock the door behind me.
What the fuck was that?
I was trying to think of anything else, but that man and his eyes kept creeping into my mind.
I sighed out of frustration and threw myself onto my bed.
I heard a knock at my door, I already knew it was Wanda.
I got up and walked to the door.
I opened it, and Wanda casually walked past me into the room. Which she did very often.
"So...." She said as she plopped herself down on my bed.
"What?" I said while doing the same.
"What was that?" She said as she picked up one of the magazines I had on my nightstand.
"What was what?"
Her eyes left the magazine page and met mine. She had her eyebrow raised.
"Don't play dumb with me y/n." She said while looking back to the magazine.
She had a bit of mischief in her voice.
"I have no idea what you are talking about," I said. I grabbed another magazine and began looking through it myself.
But just as I was looking at the pictures, Wanda's hand came crashing down, crumpling the magazine into my lap.
"The disappearing act."
"Oh, that. I don't know. It just happened. Let's just forget about it."
She rolled her eyes at me, she knew I was playing dumb.
She held up her magazine again, and so did I.
After a few moments,
"Oh, by the way. Tony and Bruce are waiting for you in the training room." She said very casually.
I glanced at my watch,
"Shit." I got up from my bed.
"You couldn't have led with that?" I threw the magazine at her and rushed out of my room.
I heard Wanda's chuckle as I left.
Tony and Bruce have many theories about my powers. And that means a lot of testing and training. Trying to see the extent of my powers.
The newest running theory: Can I turn people invisible without touching them? And can I do it without seeing them? What was the range? How far can a person be for it to still work? (visible and not)
So far, after 3 weeks, if a person is a few inches from me, I can turn them invisible.
Turning other people invisible in general is really tough and tiring. It takes a lot of energy. But since beginning to push myself more and more, it's beginning to be less draining. Bruce says it is because I am building up stamina. Kind of like how athletes train and can lift more weights.
I walked into the training room, Bruce was standing in front of a computer with Tony.
I knew they were working on something but I didn't really know the details.
"Finally," Tony said, "We've been waiting for you"
"Sorry guys, I lost track of time."
"It's alright y/n. We are glad you are here."
Tony suddenly had an apple in his hand. I swear this man is always eating something that appears out of thin air.
Tony took a bite of his apple, "Go stand on that X kid"
I did what he said.
Bruce began talking about the thing Tony and He was working on. He was saying a bunch of sciencey stuff that went right over my head. My confusion definitely showed on my face.
"What he means to say," Tony said while walking over to me.
"This machine should be able to let us visually see the, how do I put this, the range of your power."
I scrunched my face up, still confused.
"Here, Tony walked over to the screen and turned it toward me. It kind of looked like an infrared camera.
He turned around to look at me, "Turn invisible"
I did as Tony said,
He gestured to Bruce, and Bruce began typing stuff.
The colors of the screen change a little, and with one final button, I could see it.
As I stood there invisible, what I would describe as a small cloud surrounded my body.
It was showing me the physical representation of my power.
"Oh shit, cool!"
I said as I became visible again.
Tony smiled at me.
He came over to stand next to me, his body now also showing on the screen.
"Now turn me invisible."
I nodded my head. I closed my eyes and began focusing my power. I opened my eyes and Tony was gone.
I looked at the screen, I could see Tony's body, but now that cloud was radiating off of me and engulfing Tony.
As I stared at how cool it was, Tony's figure began moving. I think he was dancing.
Began laughing as I watched, Tony fucking Stark, 'Genius, Billionaire, playboy, and philanthropist', doing the chicken dance.
Bruce looked up from writing his notes, looking at the screen, and seeing what I was laughing about.
He just let out a sigh.
I made Tony visible again, as he was still dancing around, thinking he was still invisible.
When he looked at the screen and saw his figure return back to normal, the cloud disappears. He dropped his arms to his side.
"Everyone always ruins my fun."
He said while walking back to where be placed his apple, taking a big bite.
"You are free to go kid. Now that we know the machine works, tomorrow we will try some more stuff." He patted my back as I walked past him.
Bruce nodded his head at me.
I took out my phone and began texting Wanda as I walked down the hall toward the elevator.
I began hearing voices talking. When I saw Steve and Bucky appear from another corridor, and press the elevator button.
I stopped in my tracks.
Bucky was standing at an angle while he listened to Steve talk.
His eyes glance at me, then back to Steve.
As If just realizing and registering he saw a figure in his peripheral vision, he looked back at me. But, I was gone.
He scrunched his face in confusion while glancing around the hallway. He shook his head, trying to brush off what just happened.
The boys got into the elevator.
I really didn't want to climb 55 flights of stairs. So, despite being invisible, I got into the elevator too.
Standing there silently as Steve kept explaining the building to Bucky, most likely giving him a tour.
I pressed the button to my floor, hoping they wouldn't notice.
They did.
Bucky looked at the level 56 button that was now lit up. Steve noticed where Bucky's attention was.
"Oh. Hey Y/n" He said casually.
Bucky shot Steve a confused look.
"I have that book you let me borrow. It was really good. I'll give it back to you later."
He got no response, but he was so used to it, that it was a normal thing for him.
The elevator dinged as the doors opened,
"Alright, see you later y/n," Steve said as he and Bucky got off of the elevator and began walking down the hallway.
Just as the elevator doors were almost closed, Bucky turned around, just to catch a small glance of a woman standing in the elevator.
I let out a long breath.
Bucky's POV:
Honestly, when I met everyone in the kitchen, and I caught a glimpse of the most gorgeous woman I have ever seen. I thought my mind was playing tricks on me.
When Steve started talking to literally no one, I thought he had also gone insane.
But when I looked back at the elevator and saw a woman through the closing doors, I knew that neither of us was crazy.