She stormed out of the HQ, away from the blazing row she had just been having with Sam, and on automatic headed over the well-manicured lawn to the copse of trees surrounding the place, the one kind of area guaranteed to calm her down. She walked into it until the noise of the soldiers running drills faded away, then scrambled up two twisted oak trees to sit in the crook of one of the limbs.
"Idiot, idiot, idiot," she muttered to herself, slamming the back of her head against the trunk with each word. "Ouch." She reached for her pocket, then remembered she had left her hipflask behind. "Idiot."
She was too angry to cry; instead, she stared into the foliage with her teeth gritted so tightly her jaw threatened to lock, identifying trees by their leaves in the same way most people would count to ten.
"Eva?" said a smooth voice from below her, and she flinched.
"Damn, you're quiet," she told Vision, as he flew up to join her on the branch. "Wow."
"Sorry?"
"I've never seen you do that before," she explained, as he sat down next to her. "I mean, I knew you could do it, I just..." she leant against his side. "Never mind."
"I heard you and Sam arguing," he said, "and thought I might find you in here."
"You are too good for me," she told him.
"Not even remotely. Would you like to talk about it?" he asked.
She pulled a corner of his cape onto her lap- he must have just come off a mission, if he wasn't wearing people clothes- and fiddled with the hem. "I… he said I shouldn't drink so much, and I kinda took it personally. I mean, he's probably right, but… I am better," she said defensively, "since I met you, I hardly drink anywhere near as much as I used to."
"I can hardly take all the credit for that," he said. "It was your decision to cut down on your alcohol intake, not mine."
"It wasn't a decision," she explained, "I just… stopped wanting to block out the world so much. But, like- you know me, V, better than anyone. Getting myself wrecked is part of who I am, and it's none of Sam's business trying to change that."
"I wouldn't describe it as one of your defining qualities," he said, and she snorted. "I am quite serious, Eva. There is more to you than just your faults and self-destruction."
"Right," she said sarcastically, "such as?"
"Your love of nature," he said without needing to think. "And classical music. Your endless patience with the customers you serve. That you adopt strays, like Rachel Carson and myself, despite having more than enough problems of your own. That you are surprisingly skilled at pool, and crossword puzzles, and make the best coffee in New York. That although you will probably deny it, you really are exceedingly kind. Those are the things that make you who you are, Eva, not the drinking. Stopping that will not mean you lose what is important."
"Well," said Eva, "now you made me cry. And you forgot the horror movies."
"Ah, how could I forget the terrible films you watch?" he smiled, and she elbowed him as she used his cape to wipe her eyes.
"I guess I should go apologize to Sam, now," she said. "I kind of flew off the handle." She winced at the fresh, vivid memory. "I said some horrible things. V. Really awful. I doubt he'll take me back."
"He seemed to be more worried than angry when I saw him," he said. "You should have more faith."
"You should probably have less," she countered, dropping onto the forest floor with a thud as Vision landed lightly beside her. "Uh… which way is it?"
"Follow me."
"Thanks, V," she said, as he led her back to base.
"What for?"
"Being there for me," she said, "like, literally all the time."
"That is what friends are for," he said, over his shoulder.
A/N double update because we're practically at 450 follows. Also, these two chapters kind of come as a pair, so read the next one... NOW!