~Eliza's POV~
I couldn't sleep.
It was a pain, quite literally, but I tossed and turned, and no comfort was found. My eyes stung with fatigue, yet my body decided it was itching for a run.
My back longed to be stretched, but it was the middle of the night and I was warm; curled underneath the blankets on my bed.
I tried to convince myself to just close my eyes, hoping I could ignore the itching, but then my bladder decided it was full. I rolled onto my side, and the familiar need to run to the bathroom shot through my insides.
I groaned, squeezed my eyes shut, and trailed to the en-suite.
My eyes had bags bigger than the ones stashed in my wardrobe, matching a grey pallor that made me look ancient. I rubbed at them tiredly, now beginning to feel my body slowly beg for its bed, and I trudged in the direction of the pillows and throws scattered on my bed in the darkness of my room.
And then I heard it. A soft whimper, like a child's groan of pain.
I wrapped my body more securely in the fluffy dressing gown I'd pulled on after I'd left the comfy space in my bed, and hovered by my door. I heard it again, but no other noise sounded through the wood.
I began worrying that someone had broken in, but I had to remind myself that I was living with the literal Avengers. Tony Stark would be more than prepared for an intruder, especially in the dead of night.
I creaked my door open, cringing slightly at the noise, but was met with everybody's doors pulled shut. Several warm lights cast soft shadows along the wall, and I chewed my lip. Maybe I'd imagined the strange noise.
But when I went to shut my door, I heard it again.
A distant whimpering of pain.
I tiptoed along the edge of the hall, pressing my ears to the doors for a few seconds at a time, waiting to hear the noise. I had reached the end of the hall, and turned to walk back the way I came, when it sounded - a little louder this time.
And then I realised which door was hiding the noise.
Pietro.
I ran on the toes of my feet, dancing lightly from one foot to the other when I finally reached his door. I hesitantly held my closed fist up, and considered knocking, but I changed my mind. I didn't want to wake everybody else up if he was sleeping.
Maybe it was just a snore?
I pushed the door open slowly, and slipped through the small gap I created before shutting it behind me. His body lay under a dark duvet, his grey-blonde hair stuck in wild angles away from his face. His eyes were shut, and as I crept closer I saw his face was contorted in a painful wince.
The light was spilling though the curtain he'd left open, and a light summers shower was hitting the window. My eyes accustomed to the gloom, when he rocked his head back, and the noise left his lips.
It was louder now I was in the room, and I understood what the boys had said when they'd told me the rooms were semi-soundproof.
His hand clenched around a blanket, his nails tearing feverishly at it as his eyes squeezed shut.
"Pietro?" I whispered, leaning forward to tap his arm.
He froze, but the whimper turned into a sob, and soon his whole body was shaking.
"Pietro?" I gently sat on the edge of the bed, wary that he was thrashing slightly in his sleep.
He mumbled, and shook his head, his cries becoming more audible as his shoulders stopped heaving quite so heavily.
I reached out and gently wrapped my hand around his, stroking his clenched fingers to relax the tense muscles. I massaged around his wrist, and tried to comfort him by soothing the popping veins in his arm.
Slowly his hand squeezed mine, and when I looked up, I saw him watching me. His icy eyes followed mine when I glanced down to our entwined hands.
"Eliza-"
"You're okay." I smiled, lifting my left hand to stroke the mane of hair that was stuck out in all angles. "It was just a bad dream Pietro."
"Come lie down." He murmured, tugging softly at the edge of the blanket he was currently buried under. I eyed him hesitantly, but seeing the worry and upset in his features, I followed his actions.
I slipped the fluffy dressing gown off, and lay it over our bodies, on the top layer of his blankets and duvet.
His arm tugged me onto his chest, and I let out a huffed breath of air as he shoved his face into my shoulder. He took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly, letting his shoulders relax.
He blinked blearily down at me once he was lying back on the bed, but tightened his hold around my waist. "I'm sorry," he blinked, "I'm sorry."
"It's okay Pietro-"
"I'm sorry."
I rubbed his chest in what I was hoping to be a soothing pattern. "What do you have to be sorry for? You've done nothing wrong."
His eyes darted around the room, and I saw the light of a tear slowly drop over his eyelash. I frowned, but didn't move as his fingers tightened on the skin of my hip. "I have... sometimes I can't..."
His leg was shaking, so much it was causing the blankets to lift and wrap around his foot.
I sat upright, and rubbed his shoulders, feeling his body slowly calm down. "I get nightmares," I confessed, sensing where this conversation was going. "My Mum died, my Dad... I don't know what happened to him. And my brother is stuck on the other side of the world. Not to mention my new green friend." I gave him a weak smile.
His frown deepened, and he tugged me back onto his lap. He pressed his back against the pillows so he was propped against the wall. "Eliza, baby you don't have to be alone."
"Neither do you."
He pouted, and I laughed at the childish expression on his face. I cupped his cheek and gently leant forward, pressing my lips lightly against his. "We're not alone any more Pietro."
He held my hands, holding them to his face as his previously tired and worried expression lifted into a smile. "No longer alone, my love."
I slipped off his lap, and curled myself around his side. "Can we go to sleep now? I like it when you cuddle me, come on."
He chuckled, his voice deep as his thick arms wound around my waist. His lips landed lazily in my hair, and his sleepy goodnight kiss sent me to sleep.
***
~Third Persons POV~
It was late evening, and the Avengers had long since retired to their rooms. Steve and Bucky were sharing Bucky's room, where the window had offered them a view of the sun setting.
It had gone down hours ago, now replaced by a dark sky that was lit by the sight of hundreds of sparkling stars. Clouds were slowly moving across them, and a single drop of rain rolled down the window.
"It's happening," Bucky murmured, holding a candle by the glass. "The rain has come."
"No need to make it sound so morbid Buck." Steve smiled as he joined his boyfriend. "It's only Thor's rain."
"Does that not bother you?" Bucky squinted at him, peering though the messy locks of his hair at Steve's shining blue eyes. "That it's raining because your friend is worried?"
Steve's smile faded into a frown. "Thor causes it to rain all the time. He told me he was forecasting one for tonight."
Bucky froze, feeling worried that he'd just dampened Steve's spirits. He still wasn't used to the unconditional love they felt for one another, and he hadn't fully healed from his trauma yet.
Steve caught his eye, and immediately caught the guilt and worry storming through Bucky's features. He grinned, knowing how to cheer him up. "Do you want to make a fort?"
Bucky's face lit into a smile, and the pair proceeded to collect blankets, pillows and a collection of jumpers to form a pile on the floor. They were in the process of draping a blanket over the desk to the bed, forming the soft roof, when they head a door squeak open in the hall.
The pair fell silent, then edged to Bucky's door. Steve held a finger to his lips, worried it was an intruder, but Bucky's smile only grew. He knew exactly who it was.
"It's Eliza," he whispered, pointing at the door they were leaning against.
Steve frowned, "Why would she be walking around now?"
Bucky smirked, "Pietro."
Steve shook his head, "Bucky-"
"Five dollars says she goes to his room."
Steve growled softly, unable to say no to the bet. "Fine."
Bucky pushed his door open, and watched at Eliza slipped into Pietro's room.
"Fuck." Steve whispered.
Bucky grinned, "Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?"
Steve's face froze, a dark pink rising on his cheeks. He huffed, and playfully flicked his boyfriends cheek. "No but I kiss you."
He turned around, with the idea of curling up in their half made fort, but Bucky had other ideas.
He threw his arms around Steve, and tugged him back. "I'm sorry," he whined. "Forgive me?"
Steve shook his head, trying to keep his smile from giving him away. "Never," he muttered.
Bucky frowned, and squeezed Steve's back against his chest. His lips found their way to his neck, and in between his kisses he apologised. "I love you."
Those three words were enough to crumple Steve's resolve. He turned in Bucky's arms, and tugged him to their childlike fort on the floor.
Bucky laughed as he fell into the pile of blankets and cushions, giggling like a kid at Christmas as Steve flopped onto a bean bag beside him. The single candles flickered as the men laughed, and they curled into each other as the rain continued to fall softly outside.
***
Nat sighed, and walked away from the punching bag that hung from the ceiling. She'd returned from leave that morning, and had hidden in the gym all day.
The others knew not to approach when she did that. Hiding was her way of telling everybody to leave her the hell alone. They weren't going to make the same mistake Tony did when he offered her a coffee the first time she'd returned several years ago.
Earlier in the day, Steve and Thor had sparred together in the ring near her, but they'd made sure to give her a respectful distance.
But she'd still overheard their conversations. Thor listing his worries about Bruce being stressed over a girl. That had piqued Nat's interest. Bruce had been with Thor for a while, there wasn't a reason why he'd leave him for some girl.
She'd paused her music and listened to Steve's questions about her. An Eliza, who was dramatically involved with a love triangle including the young Maximoff twin Nat was fond of.
She smiled, feeling at home as she heard Steve saying that Eliza would be good for Pietro, as he was sure she only had a friendship with Harley.
Nat unwrapped her hands and threw the bands into the bin in the corner. She slung her bag over her shoulder, and began gulping the icy water in her bottle. She made her way through the twisting hallways, but slowed at the end of the corridor that housed the bedrooms.
She could hear someone talking, a soft murmur that caught the air and crept around the shut door. She stopped at Pietro's door, and heard him talking quietly. The lightest laugh replied to his comment, and Nat smiled.
She wondered who this Eliza was, that had captured the heart of the teenage boy she cared so much for. She'd spent many days helping Pietro grieve for his sister, and if she was around when his nightmares hit, she was often the person he would turn to.
But she was glad he had found someone. She only hoped this Eliza was worthy of him.
***
~Bruce's POV~
"Thor?" I rubbed my eyes and shut the bathroom door behind me, making sure the light was flicked off.
Thor lay on the bed, a sleepy smile etched on his face as he lifted his arm up for me to crawl into his hug. I obeyed, and slid the slippers off my feet before cuddling into his side.
"What's wrong?" He murmured softly.
I lifted my brow at the irony. "Thor, you're making it rain outside and something's wrong with me?"
He ran his fingers through my curls, and rested his head back on the pillow. "It's because of you that it's raining outside."
I propped myself onto an elbow, and shook my head softly at him. "What do you mean?"
He sighed gently, and gestured to the door. "I'm worried about you. You've been stressed recently and it's not good for you-"
"It's Eliza." I jumped in, "you have no reason to worry about me Thor, I'm just worried Eliza will..."
I fell quiet, and attempted to roll to face the window, outside of which the rain drops continued to fall.
Thor's hand clamped on my shoulder and rolled me onto my back. "That Eliza will what?"
I chewed my lip, "turn out like me."
Thor's face fell, and he gently lifted my body so he was holding me. I stiffened a little, like I did every time he held me, before slowly leaning into his touch. "She would be lucky to turn out like you." He stroked his large hand down my face. "She'd be lucky." He repeated.
I eyed his face warily, but smiled as I saw him lean closer, feeling his forehead rest on mine. My eyes fluttered shut, and I felt the unnatural but insanely comforting spark that ran through my bones as his lips met mine.
The touch of thunder and electricity that spread from his kiss made me shiver, and I pulled away before I let myself get carried away. "I need to check on her."
Thor nodded in understanding, and carefully moved so he was sat on the other side of the bed. "And then come back?"
"Of course." I pulled my slippers back on and crept out of the door. The hallway was quiet as I tiptoed towards Eliza's door, but when I pushed it open I saw her bed left empty.
I felt my heart rate spike, and I twisted around quickly. "What the-?" I whispered.
My eyes met the peeling stickers of Sonic the Hedgehog that were stuck on Pietro's door. Mixed feelings rose from my stomach at the thought of possibly finding them... doing something.
I shook my head, and after a moment of listening through the door, I pushed it open.
Eliza was nestled against Pietro, who was wrapped around her body with the blankets covering them. I relaxed at seeing them both safe (and clothed), and shut the door softly.
I gave the door a last glance before returning to Thor. He was lying across half the bed, eyes peaking open as I shut the door.
He blinked properly as I sat down beside him. His hand reached out to hold mine, "and?"
I paused, wondering if I should tell him where I found her. Or who I found her with.
Deciding to keep her privacy, I smiled. "She's just fine. Already asleep-"
"Well it is the middle of the night, Doctor Banner." Thor grinned, before budging along the bed to give me space to lie down. "I believe everyone else on this planet is sleeping right now too."
"Apart from you." I muttered, "you never sleep."
"I'm not everyone else am I?" He grinned. "Anyway, you need your beauty sleep."
I scoffed, "Oh thank you."
He grinned, and pecked the top of my nose. "You're welcome."
With that, he flicked his bedside light off, and his snores filled the room as we were plunged into darkness.
AUTHOR'S NOTE
Hello!
I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I know there's not a lot of Pietro and Eliza, but I wanted to show the other couples dynamics. I know ThorBruce isn't a super popular ship, but I love it - same with Stucky.
If you liked it (or hated it) please comment, vote and share with others!
XXX