It was a couple of hours later, Athena and Matthew's things from their flat had been moved to the tower, and they now stayed in their separate rooms now. They ventured out into the common area, tentative smiles upon their faces.

"Ah! Welcome boy genius and girl-actually-a-wall!" Tony calls, walking up to them and wrapping his arms around them.

"U-um... Hi?" Athena squeaked, shrinking in on herself. She had changed into a loose grey sweater and black leggings, the clothing swallowing her, but not her confused expression.

"He has stupid nicknames for everyone."Natasha offers, and Athena nods knowingly, sliding out of his grip and moving to sit next to the ex-assassin.

"Forgive me if I sound like an idiot, but holy softballs Batman, but that's Black Widow!" Athena exclaims softly, causing the other red-head to chuckle, holding her hand out to shake.

"Pleasure. You can call me Nat, though. I have a feeling we'll get along well."

Athena blushed at this, and soon they were in a riveting discussion about different forms of dance.

Matthew was talking to Tony about upping the security on the tower, when the younger mans voice trailed off, his eyes glued to the man who had just entered.

Steve was absentmindedly walking into the common room, but when his eyes met the new recruits, his mouth dried and his palms began to sweat, but he steeled his nerves and walked over to say hi.

"Hey, Matt. Good to see you again. How're you settling in?" He asked, glad his voice didn't crack like it would have in the early 1940's.

"I-I, uh, I'm settling in well, the rooms are huge, the beds so big I can hardly imagine sleeping alone in it."

Matthew slaps a hand over his own mouth, eyes wide behind the wide black frames of his glasses as he realizes what he just said.

"I-I didn't mean how that sounded, I just, it.." He's cut off by Steve's throaty chuckle, and his face is burning when America's sweetheart, Captain America, leans over and whispers in his ear.

"Oh, I know just how lonely it can get." And then Steve pulls away with a wink, leaving Matt to stand there in shock as he goes to talk to Tony, who had wandered off.

Athena was in the middle of describing the perfect piroette, when a glint of metal caught her eye. Just as she finished speaking, Nat got a call, and walked away to take it, and Athena walked up to the Winter Soldier, arms behind her back and her steps smooth, yet coy.

"So what's up with you, Cap'n Hook?" She inquired, and his eyes widened in disbelief, before a small smile cracked his cool cover.

"Nothin' much, Petal." He retorted, and she gasped in faux indignation.

"If I'm a petal, does that make you a thorn?" She leaned against the wall next to him, pressing her shoulder against his playfully, at which he stiffened, before pressing back cautiously.

"Oh Doll, I'd only hurt you if you asked for it." He said with a coy wink, before he pushed off the table, leaving her standing there, a hand to her heart and her mouth open in a soft "oh" shape.

That night found some Avengers evading sleep, and some too far in.

The slap hit her, the sting turning into an ache.

"I'm sorry!" She screamed, her mouth tasting of copper and distress.

"Thats not good enough you fat cunt!" Her mother screamed, pulling at her hair and kicking her angrily, until it all went black.

"No!" Athena screamed, sitting upright, her chest heaving heavily, and her only thought was to find Matt to make the thoughts go away.

She stumbled out of her room, the tears falling from her eyes clouding her vision as she knocked on his door.

But he didn't answer...

Bucky?

She cursed herself over and over again, stuttering an apology, saying she was as looking for Matt, when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

Bucky turned her to him, looking at her wild, copper, sleep-tousled hair, the red long sleeved top she wore, and the flannel pants. He saw her red-rimmed eyes with residual makeup around them, and he knew she needed help.

He didn't ask what was wrong, he didn't say anything, he just wrapped his arms around her and let her cry it out.

They had slid to the floor, her arms around his neck, and his around her waist, when she has finally calmed down.

"I-i... I'm sorry." She sniffed, wiping her eyes. He shook his head, pressing a kiss to her forehead in an unexpected urge to be affectionate.

"I-I had a nightmare, and u-usually Matt is there to h-help me, I wasn't paying attention to whose door I was at..." She trailed off, and he nodded. He knew very well about nightmares.

"Would you like to talk about it?" He offered, and she minutely shook her head in the negative, and he nodded understandingly.

They fell asleep in his doorway, and that morning Steve stood in the hall in shock, seeing Bucky being affectionate with anyone, especially in his SLEEP, was unheard of.

He nudged the man awake, and the a winter soldier sighed, standing up and picking up the short woman, carrying her to her room, placing her on her bed, and untangling her arms from around his neck.

As he was leaving, he heard her almost inaudible whisper.

"Thank you, James."

It was now eight am, and Matthew and Athena were in the training room, with Natasha, Clint, Bucky, and Steve.

They were both very nervous as they walked in, and both were blushing at the wolf whistles they were given as they entered.

Athena, in her black cotton tennis shorts and a black tank top, from which her hot pink and grey sports bra could be seen.

Matthew was attired in grey drop-crotch sweats and a black v-neck tee, his trainers silver and black, matching with Athena.

"Are you two ready?" Asks Clint, and they both nod tentatively.

They both got their asses kicked the first half, until they were begging for a break.

They sat on the ground, sweat drenched and drinking their water, when Steve had an idea.

"You know what, let's just worry about you guys not getting hit, okay? We can deal with offensive maneuvers later."

"Why don't you guys... Think of this as a dance?" Bucky says, sharing his best friends thoughts.

Matthew and Athena's eyes lit up as they looked at eachother eagerly.

"Okay!"

It was fantastic.

But a bit odd.

Matthew stood in the middle of the room first, his eyes closed, en pointe, and elbows out, fingers touching right below his sternum.

He started to twirl, and Clint regretfully shot an arrow (that thankfully only had a small sandbag attached to the front) at the spot he was going to obviously be, and he spun the other direction, eyes still closed.

Natasha lunged at him silently, and Matt flipped out of the way, Natasha landing on the wood floor with a soft 'thump'

Steve was next, and Matthew ducked backwards away from the larger man's moving arm, moving with some invisible force, that seemed to be pulling him out of harms way.

Bucky even tried to shoot him with blanks, but he was untouchable.

The continued this on, and he failed to be even touched once.

For once, it was the others out of breath.

After a bit, it was Athena's turn, and she stood in the middle of the room, like Matt had previously.

Her eyes were closed, her hair pulled into a tight bun atop her head as she waited. She stood with her back straight, arms bent at the elbow behind her back in a military-esque stance.

She heard a soft whooshing of air, and she ducked, rolling her body sensually, and she felt movement to her right, and she twirled through the air, her legs flying above her head as she landed in a split, her legs sliding as she narrowly avoided Bucky's metal arm reaching for her ankle.

This went on for fifteen minutes before they called it quits, all of them a bit breathless, and more than a bit sweaty.

They all headed to their seperate rooms to shower off, and Athena could overhear Bucky and Steve exclaiming over herself and Matthew excitedly as she shut her door.

She stripped, climbing into the shower with a delighted groan as the steaming water pelted her body.