Working alongside the Avengers has never been easy, particularly for Agent Grant. She always felt like an outsider. Yes, everyone had their quirks, their own stories, their dark secrets the world has yet to uncover.
Not Agent Grant though, everyone knows her life, what she's done. How she ended up here. The world frowned upon it, how dare there be an Avenger with this much blood in her ledger.
Because of this, the Avengers kept their distance, they didn't want their pasts getting out there also, despite those with similar pasts, Natasha Romanoff being one of those of course, she was there the whole time.
She worked along side Agent Grant in the Widow program, they were part of a family once, briefly of course. Along side Yelena Belova. But they eventually parted ways and reconnected in New York, not exactly the reunion Agent Grant was hoping for, now that Natasha knew what she had done between their last interaction.
With all this tension in the Avengers tower, Agent Grant kept her distance, making new Avengers curious about her broodiness, why she distanced herself so much.
"Grant, stop being a party pooper and join us for a game of pool", Sam Wilson called out. Distracting her from her trance.
The Avengers gathered around the lounge in the Avengers tower after a long mission.
"Exactly Lady Y/N, who wouldn't want to use a stick to hit a ball into a hole, and shout 'touchdown!'". Added Thor
Sam shook his head, "Thor I've explained dozens of times, that's not how this works"
Ignoring Sam, "Please Lady Y/N".
Y/N shook her head, stood up from her chair and walked out the room.
"I told you it wouldn't work", Tony shouted over from the bar.
"Maybe it would have been if you guys weren't so harsh on her", Sam replied.
"We're not being harsh, Sam. Simply keeping ourselves a safe distance from her", Clint replied.
"A safe distance?", Sam raised his eyebrow. "How does that exactly work, being apart of a team and all?"
"We keep a healthy work relationship with her, just not a personal one", Natasha replied.
"I just don't understand", Sam replied.
"One day you will, just give it some time." Steve joined into the conversation.
-
Y/N wandered into her room, sitting on her bed. She sighed and rubbed her shoulder where it ached from today's mission. Being thrown accidentally by the Hulk mid running can do some slight damage. Not too much for Y/N's case, but enough for some aching.
"Hey." a voice appeared at her door.
"What have I said about knocking", Y/N replied.
"That it makes an excellent noise", the voice responded with a chuckle. Sitting beside her. They noticed her rubbing her shoulder, "Bruce get you that bad?"
Y/N shook her head, "No, just lifted too much this morning during training.", she lied.
"What have I said about lying, everyone is allowed to hurt sometimes.", they replied.
"Well, I took that in as much as you've taken in my statement about knocking on my door.", Y/N responded.
"Y/N... you can't keep shutting me out, I'm not like the others."
She looked away. "It's just easier that way."
"Sounds very lonely"
"I'm used to it". Y/N replied.
"Well I tried.", they smacked their knees as they stood up. Walking towards the door "Catch you later Grant."
"Bye... Wilson.", She replied.
He chuckled and left the room.
That was one thing about Sam, he always tried to include Y/N in stuff, he didn't care about her past, he treated her the same way he treated everyone on the team. He just could never wrap his head around why the rest of the team couldn't do the same.
-
"Let's discuss yesterday's mission shall we." Fury called out from the end of the long table in the meeting room.
"Let's not shall we, I think we could all agree the Margaritas Romanoff made afterwards were excellent however", Tony chimed in.
"Stark.", Fury sternly reprimanded him.
"Okay okay." Tony replied standing up. "Yesterday didn't quite go to plan."
"No shit.", Y/N retorted.
"What was that Grant?", Stark questioned.
"Nothing boss." She sarcastically replied.
"I'm sorry, Y/N". Bruce called out, he was honestly sorry about the Hulk incident.
"Wasn't your fault Bruce.", you turned one again to look at Tony.
"Hey, wasn't my fault either.", he tried to defend himself.
"It was your defective suit that spooked the Hulk." Sam chimed in.
"Work in progress, not defective". Tony corrected.
"How about wearing suits that work on missions for once?", Sam responded.
"I wish that was possible but Jarvis says its the best way to test the suits out, you know, in actual missions"
"Since when did you listen to robots?", Clint questioned.
"Not a robot, AI.", Tony defended.
"Enough.", Fury called out. "It's this kind of behaviour that's stopping you from having successful missions. We need to expand our team."
"How? There's not many more of us out there." Natasha snorted.
"Well there's gotta be someone out there.", Fury replied.
"I know someone...", Steve replied.
"See, bring them in for interviewing." Tony said with a large smile.
"That's not how it works Stark", Fury added.
"Oh sorry, my bad. That wouldn't be fair. None of us had interviews, just let them join.", Tony replied sarcastically.
"Not that either." Fury replied through gritted teeth.
Tony rolled his eyes.
"Get that info to me Rogers ASAP, and I'll look into them.", Fury said.
Steve just nodded.
"Y/N, I need a word. The rest of you dismissed." Fury waved everyone off.
Y/N rolled her eyes. "What now?" Everyone cleared out the room.
"How have you been doing lately?", Fury asked.
"Since when have you ever cared about anyone?", she replied.
"I'm not appreciating this attitude, Agent Grant. I know you haven't really settled into here. Perhaps I should move you into, exterior missions.", He stated.
"I'm sure as hell not going out there on my own.", Y/N responded, crossing her arms.
"Perhaps you need a partner, maybe whoever Rogers has in mind could be perfect.", He suggested.
She snorted, "Unlikely, no one ever wants to work with me."
"Well I'd say Wilson would, however he's paired up with Rogers.", Fury defended.
"It's fine, he's too peppy for me.", She replied.
"It's this attitude that makes people avoid you.", He added.
"Wow Fury, not very HR of you to say."
"Y/N, I'm serious. Only you can change how people view you."
"How? Everyone knows what I've done. I can't change that. I couldn't change that back then, even if I wanted too, I had zero control on my past, my entire life. And the fact the whole world knows about it, no amount of saving people now, can change that.", she defended herself.
"I think there's more to it than that, don't you think." Fury started heading towards the door. "Think about it Agent Grant. How are you going to get through life without people in your life.", and with that he was gone.
Y/N sighed. "Not happening Fury." She muttered under her breathe.