Note: Spoilers for end of 'Ultron', but it's canon-divergent since the end of season one of 'AoS' so that it's just the original team, sans Ward and plus Trip, and they were all affected by the Diviner, not that they knew what it was. And that thing at the end of 'Ultron' didn't happen. You know the thing.
"Love a Redhead"
They were all fidgeting in place, and Coulson was probably the worst.
"This is a terrible idea," he muttered. Skye poked him.
"Too late to go back now," she said. He rubbed the spot where she'd poked him and scowled at her.
"Thank you for pointing that out, Skye," he said. "Very helpful."
When his back was turned, she stuck out her tongue. He probably knew she'd done it, maybe even before she gave in to the impulse. Stupid know-all SHIELD director.
"I still don't understand how we're all alive after that… thing sprayed glitter all over us," Simmons said.
"Weren't they crystals?" Skye said. "They looked like crystals."
"Excuse me, Skye, but I was panicking about the size of quarantine, and that we wouldn't all fit in there!"
"That's what you chose to worry about?" Trip said, raising his eyebrows. "Really?"
"And that we didn't have the people power or resources to perform all the required tests."
"We've done okay," Coulson said. "At least we had plenty of uninterrupted time to hunt down HYDRA before getting zapped by the Obelisk."
"You think Thor will know much about it?" Skye said.
"More like I'm hoping he'll have a clue."
"That's encouraging," Fitz muttered.
Coulson knocked on the door of the conference room at the new Avengers facility. He'd requested (through Fury) that all of the original Avengers be there. Unfortunately, Bruce Banner had run off somewhere, but they'd managed to catch Thor and Clint Barton before they disappeared as well.
"Come in!"
"Oh my God, that's Captain America," Coulson whispered. His cheeks turned pink, and Skye took the initiative to nudge past him and push the doors open. Then she poked Coulson in the backside, and he scurried forward into the room. The five old Avengers and the five new ones were around the table. Most of them recognised him, and there was shouting as they leapt up. Skye, May, and Trip stepped in front of him when some of the originals began to move towards them. Natasha Romanov reached them first, and Skye tensed for a fight.
"You'll have to go through me first," she said. The Black Widow's eyes widened minutely.
"I'm willing to take that risk," she said dryly.
I've heard those words before. Freaked me out when a couple of them were HYDRA agents, but that didn't pan out, thank God. It's not going to be her. Skye hoped none of this showed on her face. Coulson face-palmed.
"Shit," he said. "I hate knowing everyone's soulmarks."
"You mean we are soulmates?" Skye said.
"If that's really the case, this will be awkward," Natasha said.
"I guess," Skye said. "Um… hi? I'm Skye. I work for Coulson."
"It's not our Coulson," Clint Barton said. Coulson cleared his throat.
"Well, I did come back differently after Fury used alien blood to revive me," he said.
"After five days," Simmons added.
"And we've had bigger problems lately," he continued. "Which is why we're here."
"You need our help?" Tony Stark said.
"Not you. The facility I arranged for you. And paid for. My team and I recently underwent some kind of transformation, we think, and now we need to find out what happened in more secure surroundings. I thought it would be less awkward to say hello first, let you know I was alive, get you to meet the team, so you won't be put on edge when you see us around here."
"If you own the place, then we're your guests here, so you don't need our permission, do ya?" Steve Rogers (Captain America, Skye was fangirling internally) said. He sounded put out, and they were all glaring at Coulson. Skye's hackles went up.
"Hey!" she said sharply. "Dudes, he's alive. That's a good thing. He was dead, and I'm guessing you were sad about that or you wouldn't be this pissed off about this being kept secret. But I would've thought you'd be, y'know, happy that he's okay. Or as okay as he can be. Why can't you just be grateful that you got a second chance? If we'd all died when those crystals hit us, you never would've known he'd been alive for another two-and-a-half years."
"Skye?" Coulson said. He grabbed her arm. "Are you… doing that?"
She realised the ground was trembling, and took steady breaths. Slowly, the tremors died off, and she turned away from the Avengers.
"Do we have an earthquake-proof room?" she asked quietly. "`Cause if so, we need to find out whether that really was me, or someone else on the team."
"Maybe we can all do that?" Fitz said.
"Only one safe way to find out," Coulson said. He was still holding her arm, and began to lead her out. She stopped him and looked back over her shoulder.
"Can you… come with me?" she asked Natasha. "Please? If you're my soulmate, I need you there for this. Even if it's only outside the room. Just…"
She nodded, and followed them out. The rest of the team brought up the tail end, and Skye heard them murmuring.
"If it's brought on by intense emotions, why didn't it happen while we were in quarantine?" Simmons said.
"We were trying not to freak out," Trip said. "I hope suppressing it doesn't hurt us."
They reached a room where the floor was slightly elevated and on springs. Skye raised her eyebrows.
"You're seriously prepared for anything," she said.
"I'd say 'even a nuclear strike', but I'd prefer not to tempt fate," Coulson replied. "Hop in. There's pencil and paper, ventilation, and a window. It's mostly soundproof, and the glass is theoretically unbreakable."
"Theoretically?"
"I guess we're about to find out. If nothing happens in five minutes, we'll give someone else a turn. Think unhappy thoughts."
"Good thing I don't wanna fly like Peter Pan," she muttered, climbing into the room.
"Do you want me with you?" Natasha asked. Skye considered it, then shook her head.
"I won't risk you getting hurt," she said. "Five minutes, right?" Coulson nodded. "Bet I can do it in three."
Coulson closed the door, and Skye was pleased to see a pile of cushions. She dragged them to the centre of the room and made a nest. If she really could make the ground shake, it was better to be as far away from the walls as possible.
She waited. And waited. Nothing happened. Unhappy thoughts, Coulson said?
Let's think about my life so far, Skye thought. She listed it in her mind: supposedly orphaned, passed house-to-house through the system, ended up on the streets, eventually found the sole clue, got onto the team, got caught with her ex who turned out to be selling corporate secrets, had to deal with everyone's betrayed-faces, lost her SHIELD badge the day she earned it, found out that Ward was HYDRA and put Fitz in hospital, chased HYDRA, everything culminating in the whole team getting covered in sparkly rock particles…
Her head thunked against the floor, and she realised that the room was shaking violently and Coulson was hammering on the glass in the door. She took steady breaths again, thinking about her team, how they'd come through this, how it would all be okay, that she'd finally met her soulmate who happened to be a sexy, badass superheroine.
Meditation over, Skye noticed the room was still. She stood, and her knees nearly went from under her. Wow. Must've been intense. She hoped she didn't cause any damage outside of the room. She yanked the door open, and fell into Coulson's arms.
"Okay, so my first guess was right," he said. "It was you."
"Should we all try, sir?" Simmons asked.
"Not until we've surveyed the room and surrounding area for damage. It did a good job of containing you, but it was like you'd spaced out, and your body was rocking around. Hitting your head like that broke the camel's back." He passed her to Natasha. "Your soulmate will look after you. Natasha, our rooms have been assigned. We're at the other end of the facility from you. Could you take Skye there?"
She nodded, and hooked an arm around Skye's waist.
"Can you walk?"
"Yeah," Skye said. "Legs are a bit shaky, that's all."
"I'll hold onto you."
"Thanks."
In the bedroom – a nice one, why couldn't Coulson do their rooms at the Playground like this? – Natasha helped Skye sit on the edge of the bed, then stood in front of her.
"Do you feel better now?" she asked.
"Maybe it's being close to you, but yeah, I do," Skye said.
"Mmm-hmm."
"Wanna… sit down for awhile? Talk with me?"
Natasha glanced at the door. "The others will be wondering where I am."
"I'm not gonna jump you. Well, not right away, `cause I'd have to be blind not to see how beautiful you are, of course I wanna…" She cleared her throat. "Moving on. I'm hoping you'd be open to a non-plato—"
"Your powers are new to you," Natasha said, interrupting. "Any strong emotion could set them off. Until you've learned to control them…"
"Well." Skye ducked her head and looked up at her soulmate. "Thinking about you calmed me down." She grinned. "Maybe a kiss from you can stop the shaking? Maybe beauty really can tame the wild beast?"
Natasha flinched. It was barely noticeable, but Skye was trained to be observant, and wondered what that was about. Before she could ask, Natasha held up a hand.
"I have to go," she said. "You look tired. We can talk again once you've adjusted to having these powers and learned to control them. You said yourself that you didn't want to hurt me."
"No," Skye said, frowning. "Of course not. I am a bit tired, now I think about it, but it could be the journey as much as anything."
"Sleep well, Skye," Natasha said, and she left, closing the door firmly behind her.
Skye didn't bother undressing, or pulling down the covers. She flopped down, rested her head on the pillows, and focussed on even breaths until she'd brought her pulse rate down to an acceptable level.
After the confirmation of Skye's powers, the others had all tried to cause quakes, to no avail. Fitz did twist the doorhandle out of shape, though. So Coulson had directed him to the stationery cupboard for paperclips, and now he was outside, attempting to twist the bits of metal into shapes.
"Ridiculous," he murmured. "Like this could actually work."
He managed to skew them awkwardly when someone walked down the stairs to sit beside him. It was Quicksilver, the blond twin, and he watched as Fitz tried to manipulate the paperclips.
"Who can make metal move like that?" he asked.
"Me, apparently," Fitz said, trying to concentrate.
"…What did you just say?"
"Hmm?" The clips fell into his lap and he sighed. Then he thought over the brief conversation, and his eyes widened. "I… I said 'Me, apparently'. A-and you said—"
"Your soul words?"
"Yeah."
They fell into silence. Fitz's heart was racing, and he realised that the metal he'd been playing with had risen into the air in front of them and was twisting together. He raised his trembling hands and moved his fingers, trying to feel them connect to the paperclips.
"Perhaps if you do not concentrate so much, you will find it easier," Pietro suggested. Fitz snorted.
"Is that how you control your speed?" he asked.
"It is more complicated than you think."
"So is this. Hell, I'll never get the hang of it."
Pietro turned Fitz's head to face him.
"You know, I thought that when I met my soulmate we would get to know each other," he said. "Not sit around playing with paperclips."
"I'm not playing!"
"You only meet your soulmate for the first time once, pet. Play with those later."
"It's not playing," Fitz protested sullenly.
"Neither is this," Pietro said, tilting his head closer. He stared into Fitz's eyes, waiting for him to make the final move. So he did, bringing their lips together and leaning into it. Pietro's arms snaked around him, and Fitz cupped the back of his head, angling it and deepening the kiss. His soulmate shuddered for a second before everything became more intense. Somehow, he ended up with a lapful of Latverian superhero whose limbs and tongue moved at an astonishing speed, not that he should've been surprised. But the enthusiasm was more than he'd imagined, and it was only the concrete digging into the back of his legs that stopped him from lying Pietro down and— Yeah, better stop there.
He managed to pull Pietro's head back by his white-blond hair, panting, and smiled at his soulmate's grin.
"Can we do that again?" Pietro asked.
"We can do whatever you want, my bonny," Fitz said. Then he noticed something, and flushed pinked. Pietro looked over his shoulder, and sniggered at the heart shape Fitz had unconsciously twisted the paperclips into.
"Somewhere a little more private?"
"How well stocked is this place?"
Pietro smirked. "Very well stocked. I will show you. Come with me."
Not until we're somewhere more comfortable, Fitz thought, dazedly collecting the clips and following his soulmate up the stairs.
After Skye awoke, she remembered Natasha's request to wait until she'd gained control over her powers. So she logged onto the network, hacked her way in easily – was Coulson even trying to keep her out? – and flipped through all the security cameras until she found her soulmate, talking with Fury. It wasn't stalking, okay? Besides, Fury and Natasha were both standing with their arms crossed, and if that didn't say confrontational Skye didn't know what did. She zoomed in, turned up the speaker, and listened.
"…changed because you found her?"
"Fate means nothing to me," Natasha said. Skye held her breath.
"So the fact that you've had those words on your skin for twenty-six years doesn't mean anything to you? A young woman's feelings don't mean anything?"
"I don't know her, Nick."
"And you barely know Banner. Yet you latched onto him quickly. Some people might ask why. Is it a way of avoiding Fate? Are you looking for an impossible relationship? Were you just looking for a boyfriend who knew how to run and hide?"
"Nick—"
"You owe her an explanation. Now your almost-boyfriend's split, I'd say the relationship – whatever you had – is over. You've got a soulmate. It might only be a platonic bond, but you can't ignore it just `cause your pride's been wounded, Romanov."
Was it true? Did Natasha have feelings for someone else? She… she didn't want Skye?
Story of her life, really. Potential families didn't want her. SHIELD didn't want her at first, until Coulson convinced them to give her a chance. Now her soulmate was rejecting her, and she didn't even have the guts to say it to Skye's face.
She heard rattling, and glanced up. Her little Hawaiian doll was rocking, and so were a few of the things on her dresser. She shut the laptop and collapsed back onto her bed, thinking happy thoughts. Her friends. They had to have nice soulmates, right? And they'd always be her friends. Besides, this meant that Skye didn't have to go with the person Fate chose for her; she could choose someone who didn't have a soulmate, or who'd also been rejected, or just had a platonic bond.
Skye's destiny was in her own hands, and that made her feel… powerful.
Someone pounded at her door. That was inevitable, if anyone else felt the quake.
"It's unlocked!" she called.
Simmons poked her head into the room.
"Are you alright?" she asked.
"Nightmare." The lie came easily, and Simmons accepted it.
"I'm so sorry, Skye."
"We're all gonna have them. I'll just have to sleep somewhere else."
"Coulson said that he'll adjust the room with the…"
"Springy floor?"
"Yes. Make it more comfortable for sleeping."
"He must've seen this coming," Skye said. "Seriously, it's like he has precognition."
"He's the director of SHIELD," Simmons said. "No doubt it's a job requirement."
"So." Skye settled cross-legged on one end of her bed, and gestured to the other. Simmons sat down and smiled at her. "Any good gossip going around?"
"Aside from the fact that Fitz and Pietro were seen stumbling into his room together?"
Skye goggled. "What? Fitz?"
"Wanda thinks they must be soulmates, because Pietro is traditional, so he's unlikely to fall for awkward flirting."
"Wow. Have you found your soulmate here yet?"
Simmons giggled. "No, not yet. Wouldn't it be interesting if we were all connected to various Avengers?"
"Let me know if any of them are unattached."
She frowned. "But… Romanov—"
"Doesn't want me. Didn't you hear? She and Banner are an item."
"…Oh."
"Look on the bright side. I get to choose for myself now."
"Y-yes, I suppose that's true."
"And I wouldn't know what to do with a woman. I've only been with guys before. No big loss." She shrugged. "Don't even know why Fate thought we'd be a good match."
Simmons leaned forward and took her hand. "You've both had difficult lives, then committed yourself to an organisation which turned out to be partially corrupt. You're both excellent field agents. I'm sure you can find more common ground."
"I don't have that chance, so I can forget about it."
"Skye—"
"Have you worked out your power yet?"
Narrowing her eyes, Simmons hummed.
"We believe that Fitz can manipulate metal," she said. "Don't change the subject."
"I'm reminding you that negative emotions could bring this room down around our ears."
"Ah. Yes."
"Getting back to the others," Skye said, nudging Simmons' foot with hers. "You don't have any idea what your magical mystery power could be?"
"Not an inkling," Simmons said, and she sighed as she leaned back against the wall. "I can't even imagine being able to do something which cannot be explained by science."
"Or Fate."
"Soulmateship is a recognised field," she said indignantly. "It's a compulsory class when studying science."
"Simmons…"
She rolled her eyes. "The point, Skye, is that these are unchartered waters."
"Otherworldly stuff is unchartered waters for us?"
"When it happens to us personally, yes!"
"Careful, Simmons, or something in here might go boom, and it won't be my fault."
Before Simmons could reply, there was urgent knocking at the door.
"It's unlocked!" Skye called again. This time it was Trip who burst into the room.
"You won't believe what May's power is," he said.
"What is it?"
"…She can fly. Without wings."
"Shit!"
"Are you serious?" Simmons said.
"Yep."
"Wow," Skye said. "Now I feel sorry for any bad guy who fights her."
"Not yet," Trip said. "Have you hacked the cameras?"
"Yeah."
"She's in one of the gyms trying it out. Know how she discovered it?"
"Nope," Skye said, grabbing her laptop and going through the hundred or so cameras Coulson had installed. "How?"
"Coulson was explaining how he'd come back to life, and one of the original Avengers thought it'd be a good idea to see if he was wearing a mask. Before Coulson could defend himself, May had literally flown across the room and knocked them down. When she realised she was hovering above the ground, she tried to get her balance, ended up flying into a wall, a chair, and would've fallen on her ass if Coulson hadn't caught her."
"So you're saying that our pilot can fly without a plane?" Skye said.
"Did she hurt herself?" Simmons asked. Okay, that should've been her first question.
"No more than when she's sparring," Trip said. "All I'm saying is that until she gets a handle on it—"
"Then she may need a medical professional nearby," Simmons said, standing up.
"…I was gonna say that it'll be hilarious to watch her wobbling about in the air, but now I feel like an asshole. Thanks, Simmons."
"Here it is," Skye said. She maximised the screen with the best view of the gym. May was actually doing alright, soaring through the air elegantly. Her landings were initially shaky, but she was getting better.
"Damn," Trip said. "She was so ungainly before."
"This is Melinda May," Skye said. "What do you expect?"
"I'm going to the gymnasium to check her," Simmons said. "You should be ashamed."
Skye waved her off, feeling less guilty when May flew up to the camera and glared at them. It was her 'I'll kill you if you don't go away now' face.
"How does she know?" Trip whispered.
"Maybe she got a second power, sixth sense."
"Nah. Like you said, this is Melinda May. What else can we expect?"
"I don't think I could handle a psychic flying Agent May," Skye whispered.
"The world isn't prepared for that," he agreed.
By the time Jemma reached the gymnasium, May was moving like… like a cross between Margot Fontayne and Esther Williams. Jemma spent a few minutes watching, until May landed. She still seemed unsteady, and was almost ginger with her left foot.
"What happened?" Jemma asked, hurrying forward.
"Twisted it on the first landing in here," May said.
"Let me look at it. You seem to have an abnormally high pain threshold, Agent May."
"Part of being a field agent."
"I suppose so," Jemma said, kneeling at her feet. "Please remove your shoe and sock." May obeyed, displaying a bit of swelling and a forming bruise. "Does it hurt when you rotate it?" May gave her a withering look. "Standard question."
"Yes, it does, but I'll be fine. I just need to rest it."
"Let me look at it properly," Jemma said.
The moment she touched May's ankle, the bruise began to fade and the swelling went down. The agent gasped loudly, and grabbed Jemma's shoulder.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"I'm not doing anything! I'm just touching you!"
"But it… where's the bruise? Why doesn't it hurt anymore?"
Jemma trembled. "I don't know. Try walking on it."
Being Agent May, she performed a series of acrobatic manoeuvres, rather than walking like a mere mortal.
"I think we've discovered your power," Coulson said. He'd covered his mouth, and she wondered whether he was hiding a smile. Or was he horrified? Surely not.
"You think I can heal minor injuries just by touching someone?" she said.
"Apparently. Let's see if anyone else is injured. I'm not hurting someone on purpose."
"She can practise on me," May said, starting to strip. "I've got bruises elsewhere after my first… attempts. I'm sure Trip told you about them."
"He did," Jemma said. "That's why I came here as soon as I could, in case I could help."
"And you did."
Coulson backed off a few steps. "E-excuse me a minute. I feel…"
He ran off to the changing rooms, and she and May exchanged a glance.
"Actually, you're terribly attractive," Jemma said. "But I assure you, I can be perfectly professional about this."
"They're only bruises, Simmons. We should be more worried about Coulson."
They hurried after him, and the retching sounds were audible.
"Sir?" Jemma said, banging on the door of the cubicle. "Are you alright? Can I help?"
"Everything…" He took a breath, and then coughed again. "Smells so… strong. It's like…" He retched again. "Like my sinuses have cleared… after being blocked… for years. What's happening?"
"I don't know," she said, wringing her hands. "When you come out, I can try to fix it. Maybe it's just a tummy bug?"
"Don't talk to me like I'm five years old, Simmons!"
"It could be related to your power," May said.
"As powers go, this sucks. And could you keep it down?"
"Keep what down?"
"Your voice. It hurts."
Jemma dropped hers to a whisper. "Is this better?"
"No!"
"Sir, you're the one shouting," May said, her voice even softer than Jemma's.
"I'm speaking normally."
Jemma cleared her throat. "Definitely power-related," she said. "Sir, how is your sight?"
"Normal." He coughed again, though it sounded less violent. Maybe there was nothing left for him to throw up. "Can someone get my toothbrush and toothpaste?"
"I will," May said, and she ran off. Jemma perched beside a sink and waited. The toilet flushed, and soon after Coulson emerged. He looked terrible, and washed his face and mouth at one of the sinks.
"Perhaps you've developed super senses?" she suggested. He glanced up at her, and his eyes narrowed.
"I can see your pores and freckles through the patches in your makeup," he said.
"Patches?"
"Your clothes seem normal, but I can see the places where it's loose against your body, or tight. I can see goosebumps forming on your arms. I can see the way your pulse is jumping in your throat. Hell, I can still smell Melinda's perspiration, and she hasn't even touched you. You haven't touched her beyond her ankle, either. I can hear your breath, the swing of your legs, the movement of your clothes against them…" He blushed and looked away. "Nothing's ever been this clear before."
"Sir… these appear to be symptoms of super senses, as I suspected. The only senses you have left to explore are touch and taste."
"I'll see what it's like with the toothpaste," he said. "And please keep your voice down. Your nervousness is palpable, more so than your worry before."
"Of course we were worried. You were ill, and we didn't know what was wrong."
"I mean when you entered the gym. Your worry for Melinda. Your worry for me just contributed to my nausea."
"I apologise, sir, but feelings are something I can't help."
"No, but why can I sense them?"
She tilted her head. "Remember the lie detector? The human body can't help giving out certain signals. Most of them are visual or auditory. It seems amplified for you, with the added… uh, bonus of being able to smell someone's emotions. Like a dog."
"Aren't you great for the self-esteem?" he muttered. "May's coming."
Ten seconds later, the gym door opened, and May was jogging over to them. Coulson covered his mouth again.
"I'll tell you what I believe the problem is," Jemma said, and she nudged May out of the room. "We'll leave him to it. Sir, tell me what the toothpaste is like when you're done." He nodded wearily, and Jemma led May to the middle of the gymnasium.
"What is it, Simmons?"
"He can sense people's emotions," she said. "Animals – especially dogs and wolves – can scent a person's emotions, because their sense of smell is multiple times keener than ours. His sight and hearing relating to other people is also sharper. He's like a human lie detector."
"A super sensory empath. That's what you're saying."
"Yes."
"So what do we do?"
Jemma shrugged. "What else can we do? Help him adjust to it."
"How?"
"Think about it. Who else on this base has had to learn to deal with super senses?"
"No," Coulson said from the doorway. "Not him. The last couple of times we talked – really the first couple of times we talked – I was the world's creepiest fanboy. It was incredibly awkward. I'm not asking Steve Rogers for help, thank you very much."
"Sir, what choice do you have? Stay away from everyone? That's hardly productive."
"Better than spending too much time with my childhood hero. He'd never agree to it."
May rolled her eyes. "Can you see Captain America turning away help?"
"He's more than that!"
When they resorted to glaring at each other, Jemma coughed gently.
"How was the toothpaste, sir?" she asked.
"Fine. It tasted like toothpaste."
"It seems that you may be capable of empathy—"
"Through refined senses, yes, I heard that. You forgot to lower your voices."
She glanced at May, who arched an eyebrow. "Right. Apologies for forgetting that, sir. Although we may have to invest in ear plugs for you. And dark glasses. And I should find some of the cream forensic specialists use when examining corpses."
"There'll be some in the med bay," he said. "I've got a headache. I'm going to bed."
"I'll take you there," May said. "If we're lucky we'll run into Quicksilver, and he can tell everyone to keep away from you for now."
"Unless he still smells of sex with Fitz."
"Shall I find Captain Rogers for you, sir?" Jemma said.
"No. If I decide I need his help, I'll ask for it myself."
Skye eventually told Trip what she'd overheard. They trawled through earlier footage, anything they could find of the Avengers at the new facility. Natasha was moping in a way converse to what Skye thought she knew about Agent Romanov. All those stories she'd heard, the fact that Natasha was an Avenger, led her to think that the woman was kickass and independent. Instead, here she was all lovesick over a man who'd bailed.
Maybe… there was something between them Skye didn't know about. They could've had some shared bonding experience that spilled over into requited… whatever.
"Calm down," Trip said, touching her shoulder. She pulled away. "Skye, you'll make the whole building shake if you don't—"
"Then maybe I should leave," Skye said. "If my own soulmate doesn't want me here—"
"Has she actually said that?"
"…No, but she was obviously putting me off until she could let me down gently."
"There isn't a gentle way to do it," Trip said, and he shrugged. Skye bent her head and gripped the side of her bed. The tremors began. "Skye, take a breath, okay?" The bed shook more violently. "Skye!"
He touched her arm this time, skin meeting skin, and she immediately felt calmer. When he removed his hand, the pain returned, and they both nearly fell off the bed. Trip grabbed her again.
"Calm down," he said, and she obeyed. For some reason. Their eyes met, and they must've realised what was happening at the same time. "Skye, cluck like a chicken."
"What?"
"So I can't control you. Thank God. That would've freaked me out."
"Maybe you're just supposed to make me feel more… serene?"
"Feel… angry," he said tentatively.
"Damn it, Trip! Don't pussyfoot around me just because my soulmate doesn't think I'm good enough for—"
"Be calm."
The anger drained away, and Skye caught her breath.
"Wow," she said.
"Be happy."
She grinned, and then started giggling. When she pulled her hands away to cover her laughter the elation disappeared along with it.
"We have to test this," she said. "Not on me. Let's try…"
"Simmons?"
"May," she said. "If you can make her show emotions, I'll…"
"You'll what?" he asked, starting to grin.
"Be pretty freaking amazed."
They walked to the gym, pausing when Simmons rushed past them, and continued until they bumped into Coulson and May. Coulson covered his mouth, and May shushed them before they could speak.
"Super senses," she whispered. Even then, Coulson winced, and she patted his arm.
"We think we've worked out Trip's power," Skye said, trying to keep her voice low.
"If I touch someone, I can control their emotions," Trip said. "At least it worked on Skye. Do you want me to try it on you, sir?"
"No!" He grimaced again. "I can sense others' emotions. Please don't mess with them."
"I could try blocking the worst of it for you?"
Coulson paused, and lowered his hand part of the way so he was less muffled.
"If you can do that, I'd be forever grateful," he said.
Natasha was still debating over whether or not to fly to Barbados and find Bruce. There was a chance he'd moved on from there, or that the postcard was to throw her off the scent. But he should've known better. She was an ex-SHIELD agent, knew every trick in the book when it came to hiding. She was also persuasive, and had a sufficient amount of money to be able to threaten and/or bribe someone into giving her information.
Skye's hacking skills would be handy, come to that. Maybe Natasha should take her…?
No, she realised. That would be awkward. Taking her soulmate to find her errant would-be boyfriend? Completely insensitive. Just because Natasha had no interest in being with a woman didn't mean she had to rub it in Skye's face. Soulmateship meant nothing, a worldwide superstition. Many found their happiness elsewhere. Bruce was keeping his own soulmate, Betty Ross, safe by staying away from her. Another soulmateship which wasn't to be; why should Natasha go with convention? She never had before.
As long as Bruce was willing, she'd be there. He fought when he had to, but because it was the right thing to do, not out of any actual desire to fight. She could say the same thing about the others – she was surrounded by people who fought only because they had to – but he was different. A cute genius who wasn't insufferable about his intelligence. It made Natasha like him, want him more. What was wrong with that? Nothing. Her soulmate didn't figure into this, and that was that.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door, and she sighed.
"Come in," she said, retreating to her desk to make a list of pros and cons. Skye opened the door and poked her head into the room. "Oh. Hello."
"Wow, that was enthusiastic," Skye said, rolling her eyes. Natasha didn't reply. "I heard you were thinking about going after your boyfriend."
"I… I don't have a—"
"Don't lie to me!" she snapped. It echoed the first time Natasha had been terrified of Bruce… of the Hulk. "Look, you don't want me. We're only here long enough to get our powers under control, then leave. Well, I'll leave if I'm not wanted. Fitz might stay, which means Simmons probably will."
"Skye—"
"I know you have feelings for Dr. Banner, and that's… fine. I'm okay with that." Her eyes lowered for a split second, and Natasha knew she was lying.
"Who told you?" she asked.
"You did."
"When?"
Skye shrugged. "I'm a hacker. I found you talking to Fury on the security footage. The conversation was… telling. You know, you should've said in the first place, `stead of leading me on. Stupid me, thought I had a chance. Doesn't matter now." Another lie she couldn't conceal, but Natasha didn't comment. "Some honesty would've been nice, that's all. So don't hang around `cause we're soulmates and you think you owe me. You don't owe me anything, and I don't owe you anything. Go be happy." She took a breath, and inhaled slowly. "I get freedom of choice now, so thanks. And… good luck." She swallowed, gave Natasha an uncertain smile, and then disappeared again.
(Outside the room, Trip squeezed Skye's hand, still projecting calmness. They headed down the hallway so she could go to her quake room and lose control without disturbing anyone. Simmons was worried about what effect suppressing her powers might have, if they were brought on by emotion. Still, Skye held them in until Trip was out and the door was locked, before falling onto her nest.)
Steve, Natasha, and Tony were talking to Clint over Skype, and the twins and Fitz were on the other side of the table. They all looked up when Coulson entered the room, and Clint gave him a dirty look.
"There you are," he grumbled.
"How are you, Clint? How's the family?"
"Can't hear you, Coulson. Why don't you take your hand down?"
Coulson tried, but clapped his hand back over his mouth after glancing at Pietro and Fitz.
"Sorry, no can do," he said loudly. Then he walked over to Steve. The captain stared at him frostily, and Coulson lowered his hand a couple of inches, looking kinda green. "I think… I need your help. Please."
Steve hesitated, then said, "Help with what, sir?" He watched the agent carefully, but there was no unusual reaction to his words.
"My power. It's…" Coulson turned away from his engineer and the twins, and took a shallow breath. "Given me super senses."
"…Oh."
"It's overwhelming. I… I have to go."
"I'll come find you," Steve said. The agent waved him off with his free hand as he scurried out of the room.
"Did he say super senses?" Natasha asked.
"Yeah," Steve said absently. "I can relate to…" He was flexing his hands under the table, going over Coulson's words to him. His soulmark. Could it be…? But the agent didn't react when Steve replied. It didn't make sense. Steve hadn't heard those exact words from anyone, either as their first words to him or in subsequent conversation. Not even before he received his mark.
"Problem, Capsicle?" Tony asked. Steve glared at him.
"We need to be happy that Coulson's here," he said.
"I'm glad they came," Pietro said, playing with Fitz's hair.
"Yeah, but Captain Rogers is less biased," Fitz pointed out.
"Maybe," Steve murmured. Then he jumped to his feet. "Better get started. See you later, Clint. Say hi to your family for me."
He didn't hear Clint's reply, running out of the room. It didn't take long to find Coulson, still walking to his quarters. Steve nearly ran into him, and smiled at the agent.
"Let's start with a shower," he said.
"…What?"
"A shower," Steve repeated innocently. "Y'know, I've never grown chest hair. Just didn't come with the serum. It's where all the germs are trapped, which cause body o—"
"You think it'll help?" Coulson said.
"Worth a try. Can you hear your own heart more than before?"
"It's not like you. I'm a sense-based empath, from what we can tell. I don't notice these things about myself."
"If you want me to help you, considering how much I exercise, then I should definitely shave elsewhere," Steve said. "It feels kinda nice. Wanna help?"
"W-what? Cap—"
"I should shower anyway. C'mon. We can walk and talk. What were you hoping I could help you with?"
"Just… tips. How to cope with super senses. I'm wearing earplugs, but I still hear everyone clearly, almost too loud. And I blink more than usual to control my enhanced eyesight. Shifts focus like a camera."
"Maybe Fitz can make you a pair of glasses for it?"
"Or you can just help me," Coulson said.
Steve inclined his head. "Or I could do that. Have you tried eating or drinking?"
"I've washed my mouth out. Food and drink don't seem to have an effect, and I'm not going to go around eating people. Remember, it's empathy. Kissing a person's hand… or any part of them—"
"True," Steve said. "You're a human lie detector, huh?"
"Not until I've got a handle on this. May can fly, Skye can almost control her quakes—"
"Fitz hasn't had much time to practise," Steve said. "He's been busy with Pietro."
"I could tell," Coulson said, still looking green around the gills. "Wish I couldn't."
"If you weren't like this," Steve said, "we wouldn't get to know each other."
Coulson's eyes narrowed as he glanced at Steve. "Why would you be interested in that?"
"`Cause I was an ass three years ago—"
"I was coming on too strong—"
"It was no excuse for blowing you off—"
"This isn't why I asked for your help!"
"No, it isn't," Steve said. He'd distracted the agent for just long enough. Then he yanked him into the bathroom beside them, shut and locked the door, and pressed the agent against the wood. "Speaking of blowing…"
"Captain?"
"Wanna learn to control your gag reflex? I've got tips on that. Let me demonstrate…"
"Captain."
"I know this room is well-stocked with shaving supplies, including disposable safety razors," Steve continued, peeling off the top of his uniform. Coulson gulped as he looked Steve over, as each new patch of skin was revealed.
"C-Captain—"
"Steve, please call me Steve."
Coulson sighed. "Steve, what're you doing?"
"Wow, I thought you were more perceptive than this."
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were flirting with me."
Steve pressed up against him, and lowered his mouth to caress Coulson's ear. "What could be better, Phil?" He heard Coulson's breath hitch, heart speed up.
"…W-when we got here, I was the one who knocked. Technically, you were saying 'Come in' exclusively to me."
"That's your soulmark? 'Come in'?" Coulson nodded. Steve pushed his pants down and turned around, showing Coulson the back of his left leg. "Where's yours?"
"Here," Coulson said quietly, gesturing to the front of his right thigh.
"This your writing?"
Steve shivered as Coulson traced his soulmark, and grinned at the soft, "Yeah."
"Swell," he said, spinning around. "So. Shower with me?"
The agent's smile was deliciously wicked.
Bruce was torn. He stared at two pictures, one of his soulmate, and one of his fellow Avenger, the one who perhaps understood him the most. The one scared of the monster within, and was… looking for an out.
He sighed. Betty had been everything to him, but General Ross had gotten in the way as much as the Other Guy had. Betty was his soulmate. He was supposed to be with her; Fate decreed it. Bruce had fallen in love with Betty even before he met her, and discovered they were soulmates. He'd been over the moon to find the other half of his soul, and in one he admired so much, for her work, for her kindness, for her beauty of heart and appearance. She'd been like a dream come true.
Then the serum.
…The less said about that, the better. And the less likely to trigger the Other Guy.
So Ross went all Papa Bear on Bruce. Not just the Hulk, but Bruce. He'd never been good enough for Betty in the general's eyes, no matter what Fate said. And after the Hulk happened, Bruce believed it. He knew Betty deserved better than he could give.
Natasha Romanov was terrified of him, and when she decided to 'find herself' after HYDRA-Gate, and took to living in Stark Tower at Tony's invitation, Bruce did everything he could to make sure she wouldn't be scared anymore. Maybe they'd hung out a little longer than he'd anticipated, found common interests, spent late nights talking about their fears, and the destruction they'd caused against their wishes.
Tony had VERONICA – thanks, really tactful there – to neutralise the Other Guy; Thor could at least fly away, the Hulk listened to Steve for some reason, and seemed to like Clint as well. But he was unsure around the Black Widow, and she was no physical match for him, so they worked out The Lullaby. Staring into each other's eyes might've been necessary, but it also brought about a weird… thing between them.
(And what did Steve mean when he said he'd seen Natasha's flirting up close? No, not the time to think about that.)
He rested his head back against the wall of the jet and stared at the plain metal ceiling.
"What do I do?" he said to himself. The only conversation he had these days.
…Maybe smashing up the communications system was stupid. The postcard had been flippant because he chickened out of telling the truth before he even picked up the pen.
He drummed his fingers on the floor, and debated between the two women in his life: his soulmate, who he already loved; and the woman who intrigued him, who understood him, and could escape the Other Guy if something went wrong. Who couldn't have children anyway, so there was no expectation, nothing to lose. Not that children were a good idea… although somehow Clint got away with it. Bruce was pretty sure there was some supernatural explanation involved.
He shook his head with a sigh.
"Not doing any good here," he muttered, and he pulled out his wallet. Coin toss it was. Genius thinking. Bruce rolled his eyes, decided who was heads and who was tails, and flipped the quarter into the air.
It landed.
"I know something about control."
Skye opened her eyes from where she was meditating in the middle of the gym. The red-haired twin, Wanda, was standing close by.
"Uh-huh," she said. "Like HYDRA and Ultron's form of control."
Wanda narrowed her eyes. "Like being able to control others."
"Exactly what I said." Skye closed her eyes again, remaining in the lotus position with a steadiness which would even impress May.
"I am nothing like them!"
"You worked with them," Skye said. "I know what it's like to work with HYDRA agents, both knowingly and unknowingly. I had to pretend to be in love with one, while he thought that I thought he was SHIELD. Not even soulmates." She snorted. "Like I have any luck with that. Mine is Natasha Romanov, if that tells you anything."
"Ah," Wanda said, and Skye felt her sit nearby. "Because she and the Hulk…"
"I'm working through it. It's not like we found each other and then she betrayed me. She was already sweet on him… okay, remind me not to hang out with Coulson and Cap while they're still in the honeymoon phase. 'Sweet on him.' Jesus." She heard Wanda giggle, and smiled, her eyes still closed to help her focus. "She was attracted to him already. I was the interloper."
"But he isn't here."
Skye's smile turned bitter. "Yeah, well. Clearly he's an idiot. I'd say it's his loss, but he hasn't lost her. Neither have I. She was never mine."
"You truly believe that what Fate says is absolute? The last word on the matter?"
Skye opened her eyes, blinking rapidly to let them adjust to the light, and nearly fell back when she realised how close Wanda was. The Scarlet Witch cocked her head.
"I can influence people's minds," she said. "I could make her want you instead."
"What? No! No, don't do that. It'd be like… it'd be non-consensual. Too close to rape for… just, no. Not happening."
"Very well. But my offer stands."
"I'd never accept it," Skye said firmly. "Please, let it go. I'm used to disappointment, and we won't stay here forever."
"Won't you? What about Pietro and Fitz?"
Skye lowered her head. "That's true. Well, I don't have to stay here. SHIELD needs multiple bases when we get back up and running."
"If Natasha leaves, will you stay?"
"No guarantee." Skye unfolded, and sat with her legs stretched out in front of her and her hands behind her, propping her up. "Like I said, SHIELD has to operate from more than one place when it's—"
"Up and running," Wanda finished. "In the meantime, do you like board games?"
Skye blinked at the weird change of topic. "I've… played some with the team before?"
"Will you play with me?"
She smiled slowly. "I'd like that."
Natasha had caught a trail, and left a note with Steve – assuming he could tear himself away from his 'lessons' with Phil long enough to read it – to say that she was on the hunt, and would keep him posted once a day, and not to worry unless she went three days without contact.
And she thought she was good. Nothing surprised her more when she got a call from Bruce on her secret number, although she suspected help from Tony or Steve. Or Clint, the traitor.
"Where are you?" she asked.
"America."
"It's a big country, Bruce."
"I'm home."
She narrowed her eyes. Had she come all this way, only to miss his return to base? Or was he hiding at Stark Tower? Trust Tony not to tell her something important like that.
"Which home?" she said.
"With my soulmate."
It felt like the air had been punched out of her. She sat on the nearest park bench and leaned over, resting her elbows on her legs and combing her fingers through her hair.
"Uh-huh?"
"I'm sorry, Natasha. Seems like Fate wants me to be with Betty. Tony took care of General Ross, and Betty has a job at Stark Industries, so we can…" He trailed off.
"I understand," she said, forcing neutrality into her tone.
"It's not that I don't care about you. I do. But what we almost had… it felt rushed, and pushed. We were trying to protect our soulmates from ourselves, without giving them any say in the matter. Not that you've found your soulmate yet, but if you did, you need to give them a chance. With me in the way—"
"Bruce, that doesn't matter—"
"And I love Betty," he interrupted. "I always did, and I always will. I've taken the choice away from her. I called her, and she… she still loves me. She's not you – there's no one like you, and your soulmate will be so lucky when you find them – but I know I could never hurt her. Tony's got a safe room, so I'm letting the Other Guy get to know her until she's safe with him. If we ever adopted, we'd do the same… Not that that's likely, but Fury told me you've got new Avengers, and I can do more work in a lab, better work now that we've learnt our mistake from Ultron. With Betty's help…" He cleared his throat. "I know you can be as happy as I am."
"How long?" Natasha asked. "Since you decided this?"
"Just under four weeks. It… it was the hardest decision I've ever had to make, if it's any consolation."
"No, it isn't," she murmured. "Thanks for being honest with me, though."
"Don't turn away your soulmate, Natasha. It's the best feeling in the world when you're with them. When I met Betty, I realised why—"
"I did meet my soulmate," she said. Bruce went silent. "Over a month ago. I've been searching for you for weeks. I rejected her because…" Tears of frustration and humiliation came to her eyes. "Because of you."
"…Natasha, I left for a reason."
"You didn't tell me why! One stupid postcard and no other contact?"
"When you met her, you should've taken it as a sign," he said.
"Bruce—"
"I have to hang up before the Other Guy takes over. Talk to you some other time, Natasha. Go win back your soulmate, if you can."
Then he disconnected the call. Natasha stared as the screen went dark. Her stomach felt leaden. She sent a quick message to Steve, telling him she was on her way ho… to base.
Wanda snuggled closer into Skye's side. They'd finished playing Bananagrams, then moved onto Disney movies, and the credits of Enchanted were rolling. Skye kissed the top of Wanda's head, and breathed deeply. She loved the shampoo Wanda used, and cuddled the girl closer.
"Is it horrible that I'm glad you don't have a soulmark?" she asked.
"No, because it means we are hurting no one," Wanda replied.
"I wonder why Fate paired me with Natasha?"
"Perhaps one day you will be the world's greatest crime-fighting duo since Holmes and Watson?"
"Nah," Skye said, rolling Wanda onto her back. "I'd rather fight crime with you. Quake and the Scarlet Witch."
"I like the sound of that."
"Me, too." Skye rubbed their noses together, and then gave Wanda a quick kiss. "Okay. Classic Disney next. We might have time for…" She checked the clock. "Half of a one before Coulson calls us?"
"If we ask nicely, I am sure Steve will delay him long enough for a whole movie."
"Ooh, evil plan. I like it."
Everything turned complicated when Natasha finally returned to the base, and asked to speak with Skye alone. Wanda hung her head and turned away, and Skye held up a hand.
"Hang on a second," she said, and she ran after Wanda. The girl pulled her arm away when Skye touched it. "Please, Wanda."
"She's your soulmate, Skye. I see it in her eyes. She wants to—"
"Yeah, I can guess what 'she wants to', but it won't happen. I'm with you now."
"She's your—"
"Stop saying that!" Skye wanted to start tearing her own hair out, she was that frustrated with her girlfriend, or whatever they were. "It didn't mean anything before, and clearly Bruce broke up with her, and… and I'm not gonna be someone's rebound."
"Like I am?" Wanda asked. Skye fell back a step in shock.
"What? No, you're not," she said. "One, that would imply that I'd been with Natasha before, which is not the case. Two, I didn't get a chance to develop any feelings for her beyond attraction, because she's smoking hot. But so are you. You're the one who plays games with me when the rest of the team is busy working, or testing their powers, or hanging out with their soulmates. We kid around, we watch movies together, and I really like you, Wanda. You're my girl, okay? There. I've said it. I'm not gonna run back to my soulmate because she'd rather settle for second best than be independent. That's not the base for a healthy relationship. Okay, I don't know much about healthy relationships, but I know I'm not giving you up without a fight."
Wanda's eyes looked damp and Skye pulled her close, relaxing when Wanda wrapped her arms around Skye's waist.
"No one's ever… I thought no one would ever—"
"You've got me in your corner, babe, and I'm not leaving you. Not unless you get tired of me, and don't think I won't get a lie detector if I think you're just trying to make it easier on me."
Wanda laughed, and drew back. Skye bumped their noses together.
"I'll hear what she has to say, but I'm gonna be thinking about you."
"Very well."
Skye half-hoped that Natasha had heard at least some of the conversation, or that she was an excellent lip-reader, because she wasn't sure she could repeat the entire speech she gave to Wanda. She led Natasha to seats by the large windows and stared out of them, definitely not interested in being shut in a room with the woman who'd rejected her, whose mere presence and possible interest had almost screwed up Skye's very new relationship with Wanda.
"How did your quest go?" Skye asked.
"I know where Bruce is, and that he's with his soulmate," Natasha said.
"So now what?"
"I was hoping… for a second chance."
"Seriously?"
"I wasn't expecting…" She glanced to where Skye and Wanda had been standing.
"You told me to move on," Skye said, frowning. "Was that s'posed to be a temporary thing? Until you decided I was probably good enough, at least as a replacement when your boyfriend finally chose his soulmate over you?" Natasha flinched, and Skye felt an unwanted flash of guilt. "That was… okay, that was harsh, and I'm sorry about that. But I'm with Wanda. It's new, and it's nice, and I don't think she'll screw me over like every other romantic relationship I've had before, so that makes a change."
"Thought so," Natasha murmured. "It was the way you looked at each other, but mostly the way you looked at her."
Skye sighed. "It's not your fault. You were with Bruce before. Breaking up with him for me would've been—"
"We weren't together," she said. "But you're right. It would be the same thing I'd be asking you to do."
"Listen… if I can find happiness with some who doesn't have my words on her skin, you can, too."
"I don't think I can," Natasha said, her brow furrowing. "Before Bruce, I would have said I was aromantic." Skye tilted her head. "Incapable of falling in love. But I did… do… did? Have feelings for him."
"Which means you could have feelings for someone else again," Skye said, and she stood up. "I'm sorry… well, not sorry, but it's a shame you didn't want me in the first place. I am sorry, for your sake, that you lost Bruce. That sucks, and I'd hate to lose Wanda, even though she's not my soulmate. You'll just have to find a way around it. There'll be someone else. So…" She looked around uncomfortably. "I guess I'll see you later?"
Natasha nodded silently, which Skye took as her cue to get the hell out of there and find Wanda. She was stopped at the door.
"Can we at least… perhaps be friends?" Natasha asked. "A platonic soulmateship? I think I need a friend more than I need… a partner."
Skye didn't look over her shoulder. "I'm sure that'll be okay. If it's not awkward…"
"Quite," Natasha said. "That… that was all. I'll let you go now."
Later, with Wanda curled around her, Skye broached the subject of hanging out with Natasha sometimes, the three of them, just as friends.
"What if you choose her over me?" Wanda asked. Skye snorted.
"Not gonna happen," she said. "Just `cause I love a redhead as much as the next girl…" She twined some of Wanda's scarlet hair around her fingers. "When I found out Natasha was my soulmate, I never thought I'd wanna be with a girl, `cause I'd only been with guys before. When it didn't go anywhere, I figured it was a sign. Then you came along."
"Are you disappointed?"
"You're the best thing to happen to me since I joined SHIELD, and a lot's happened." Wanda squirmed, and Skye noticed her cheeks darken. "Aw, you're so cute."
"I do my best," Wanda mumbled.
It took a bit of convincing, but Wanda agreed to join them for meals and films, since Skye was determined to make sure that she wasn't jealous, and to make sure that Natasha understood that Skye and Wanda were an item, and wouldn't be separated.
"This is nice," Natasha said, not taking her eyes off the TV screen, where a romantic comedy was playing. Well, it was supposed to be a chick flick, but there was more romance than Skye thought there was going to be, and she wasn't sure whether or not to feel guilty when she saw how white Natasha's lips were, and how Wanda kept glancing between them. Skye squeezed her hand, eliciting an unsure smile from her girlfriend.
"We can't watch action films," Skye told her. "We critique the fight sequences and take all the fun out of it for other people."
"Like an audio commentary?" Wanda said.
"That's a good way of putting it."
After the movie, Wanda hesitated, then pulled out a deck of cards.
"We could play something next?" she suggested. Skye glanced at Natasha, who nodded.
"Okay, babe," she said. "What'd you have in mind?"
Steve watched his soulmate closely as they walked. Phil was wearing glasses for now, which Fitz had knocked up between reaffirming his bond with Pietro. Phil looked edible in his specs, and it took a lot of self-restraint to stop Steve pushing him up against the nearest available surface.
"How do you feel?" he asked softly. Phil didn't wince as much anymore. He was fine with loud music; it was when people spoke to him that it hurt. He was getting used to the volume, but Steve didn't want him to go deaf, not when he liked the sounds Steve made.
"It's not so bad," Phil replied. "I think when I learn how to use them, my powers will be less of a bother."
"I'm sure you're right," Steve said. "Do you know how you'll go about it?"
"Simmons," he said. "And you." He slipped his hand into Steve's. "I can't believe how lucky I am."
"Neither can I. Who doesn't have a soulmate around here?"
"Most of my team. I'm in no rush to pair them off with anyone, to tell the truth; it's bad enough whenever I'm near Fitz and Pietro after they've been…" He cleared his throat, and Steve grinned.
"What about after we've…?" he said. "Sure it's about the sex, not the emotions?"
"How can a person smell emotions?" Phil said. "That doesn't make sense."
"Dogs can do it," Steve said. "They can smell fear. Humans can smell arousal. Hell, if you can scent that a woman's on her… menstrual cycle," he turned red in the cheeks, "then you can tell her emotions are gonna be higher than usual. Maybe one day you'll even be able to tell if a woman is pregnant, or if someone is sick?"
"Can't you?" he asked, frowning slightly.
"Nah," Steve said. "I had to get used to it, and I just use my heightened senses for work. Yours are for telling how a person is feeling; it's different."
"Oh, joy."
"Cheer up." Steve elbowed him gently. "Means we get to spend more time with each other and call it 'work'."
"And do other things and call it 'work'," Phil murmured, looking Steve over in that way, which nearly always led to interesting things.
After their first real night together, where Wanda didn't leave before Skye woke up, she grimaced at a burning itch at the base of her spine. She went into the bathroom, pulled up her pyjama top, and looked at her lower back.
Her blood ran cold. She had a soulmark. She wasn't close enough to read it, and it was backwards from the mirror, but she didn't want to show Skye. She'd lose her for sure.
"Wanda? Where…? You didn't leave again, did you? Shit, she left again," she heard Skye mutter. Wanda poked her head back into the bedroom, and felt bad when she saw Skye's look of relief. This didn't have to change anything, did it? Skye chose Wanda.
The same itching sensation was on her leg as well, and she feared the possibility of two soulmates. How could she leave both? Not that there was anything to leave. She was with Skye, no one else.
"What's wrong?" Skye asked, her eyebrows drawn together. Wanda resisted the urge to scratch her leg, and wandered back to the bed, where Skye was rubbing her arm. She winced, and raised the sleeve of the top. Wanda cocked her head when Skye gasped, stomach sinking with dread.
"You have another soulmark?" she said dully. It was worse when Skye smiled, blinding in its intensity. Wanda turned her back, sitting on the edge of the bed and waiting to be told to leave.
"Yeah," Skye breathed. "The first words you said to me."
"What?" Wanda whirled around, and saw her writing really was there. "That's… that's impossible."
"Nothing's impossible in soulmateship," Skye said. "Simmons is always telling me that."
"What does this say?" she asked, showing Skye her back.
"Uh… not my first words to you."
"Oh." Wanda remembered the other strange feeling, and raised her pant leg. "This?"
"What…? Yes! That's my writing! But this other handwriting is familiar…" She trailed off. "The first thing you said to Natasha was 'Hello', wasn't it?"
"Possibly."
"Because… this is the same writing of my other mark."
"…Natasha is our soulmate? I mean, I'm your soulmate?"
"It's `cause we chose," Skye said, and she hugged Wanda from behind, laughing. "Oh my God. This is awesome. We have to find her. Come on."
Well! Another long chapter. I've been working on this for awhile, and finally finished it. Obviously. In honour of it being the 100th chapter, Trip lives! And everyone on the team gets powers! And Capsicoul! Now, do I leave the fic here and start a new one so that the pairing tags on AO3 don't get out of control, or do I just keep going like ozhawk has?
I wasn't kidding about the chicken yesterday. It visited again today. Only got as far as the door before I grabbed my phone to try to take a picture. Then it took off. Obviously a camera-shy chook. Ah well. Maybe I'll get lucky and catch a picture of it some other time? As long as nothing happens to the books…
Okay! I've written Fitz/Pietro and Phil/Steve before. Natasha/Skye was requested by kogouma, Anna, Tab, and Natasha_Romanov181001. Kind of overwhelming, really, so fic was inevitable. I wasn't sure how to end it, to tell the truth, and decided just to make a threesome soulmateship so that no one was left broken-hearted. Hmm. So it started as Natasha/Skye, went to Skye/Wanda, then ended up with Natasha/Skye/Wanda, or at least strongly implied.
Please review! Ooh, and I've created the Bucky/Phil Tumblr thing. The URL is phuckyarchive dot tumblr dot com.