Be Still My Heart

Bulletproof?

Y/N POV-

Stark approved of my newly designed suit and let me leave the lab for now. I told him I would be back to tinker with the gun thumbprint scanner later. I step in front of the mirror in my room with the suit on. I never thought I would see a day like this. I wish my parents could see.

There is a slight knock on my door behind me interrupting my thoughts. "Can we come in?" Wanda pokes her head into my room. "Yeah of course. Who is we?" Both Wanda and Nat come walking into my room. "Stark did a good job on the suit. Do you like it?" I look back in the mirror as they settle in my room. Wanda sits down on my bed and Nat walks over to the windows again.

"It truly is amazing, kind of want to test out the bulletproof suit aspect of it though. Anywhere we could do that?" I look to Nat since she is one of the main avengers who carries guns. "We could go out back. Stark has a makeshift shooting range out in the forest we can work on shooting practice too. I can always use it."

Wanda shifts around on my bed a little. She seems nervous. "Can I come too?" Is that what this is about? "Yeah, of course Wanda."

Nat turns around from the windows and references the suit. "If you want to take off everything but the bulletproof skin, I have an idea to test it out. You can just throw on sweats or something comfy." I can't really contain my excitement. I always loved when my Dad would take me shooting. He taught me everything I know about guns.

I step into my closet and strip off the yoga pants, knife holster, gun holster, and jacket. I set the earpiece down on top of all of it in my closet. I settle for a pair of jeans and a black hoodie. I have to give it to Stark I barely feel the bulletproof skin. If I couldn't see it, I wouldn't know I was wearing it.

I take a step towards my closet door but stop when I hear Wanda and Nat whispering about something. I manage to catch the back half of the conversation.

"You can't just shoot at her, what if it doesn't work?" Wanda's voice. "I am not just going to shoot at her, Wanda. We'll put her in a bulletproof vest and then we can shoot at her arm. Easier to heal from if it doesn't work. Plus, Stark already tested it and it worked. This is just for her sake to know it works." That is why Wanda seemed anxious, she's worried about me.

I step out of my closet to see them facing each other at the foot of my bed. "Ready?" Nat nods her head and walks out of my room expecting us to follow. Wanda waits for me hesitantly. She knows I have some enhanced hearing. Nat probably doesn't remember that.

Wanda's words come out quiet as she looks down at the floor. "Did you hear us?" She grazes her fingertips against the side of my hoodie as I step up to her. She grabs ahold of it between her fingers. I wrap my arm around her waist and pull her into my arms. "I'll be okay. Just trust me."

She nods her head. I kiss her forehead before she pulls away. "After you," I bow forward a slight bit and motion towards my door. Wanda finally smiles as she walks out the door with me in tow towards the shooting range.

Wanda POV-

I have never needed to really learn how to use a gun since I have my abilities but I have some minor experience. Stark made sure I could use one when I joined the Avengers but since I don't carry one that is all he required of me.

Y/N and I step outside and begin the walk into the woods. We walk mostly in silence but Y/N intentionally bumps her shoulder into mine every couple steps causing me stumble multiple times. Her laugh. God, be still my heart.

The trail is well worn that leads to the range. Nat is standing in one of the makeshift stalls with the guns resting on the ledge in front of her when we walk up.

"Okay, so here is the plan." Nat picks up a bulletproof vest and throws it towards Y/N. "I am going to have you stand over there," she points to about twenty feet away. "The vest is to protect your chest but I am going to aim for your arm. The skin like Stark mentioned is shock absorbent and will not allow the bullet to break it. It should hit and drop down to the ground."

Wow, we're doing this first. Y/N slips the vest on and straps it closed against her body. "Here," I lightly grab her arm to spin her around so I can pull her hood out. Nat shows Y/N the handgun she intends to use. "Normal bullet, nothing special."

Y/N stays silent as she walks to where Nat directed. I can hear her heartbeat increase with every step she takes. She turns around, pushes up the sleeve of her hoodie, and holds out her left arm to her side for Nat to aim at. She tucks her right arm behind her back.

I can see it in her face. She needs to know the suit will protect her. The tension running throughout her entire body and down her extended arm reveals her fear.

Even Nat looks a little nervous. I trust her aim. She has a perfect shot but she hasn't ever had to do something like this. A friendly. She was trained to be able to kill if need be but if this fails, she will see the pain shoot through Y/N's face as she drops to her knees. The blood that would gush out and cover the dirt ground. It would be her fault or so she would believe.

What if the bullet does go through her arm? What if Nat shoots and hits something else, like Y/N's unprotected head? Can she heal from a wound like that? What if it ricochets? She'd have to heal one of us. "Wait, Nat, let me put up a barrier for us just in case."

The red whisps flow out from my hands and fall to the ground where they begin to stack. The protective barrier is mostly see through but red tinted. It covers us both head to toe. I nod my head towards Nat. "Ready, Y/N?"

Nat extends her arm around the outside of the barrier and lines up the barrel. Y/N lets out a shaky breath as she nods her head. "Do it." She closes her eyes and clenches her fists waiting for the impact. Either way, she is going to feel it.

I can't watch. Nat clicks off the safety and begins to release her breath to steady her arm. I shut my eyes as the sound of the gun going off reverberates around the trees.

My body naturally jerks back slightly at the sound of the shot. I hold the barrier to the count of three then drop it and open my eyes.

Y/N is kneeling down on the ground, her fingers are reaching for something in the dirt. She looks up at me with a smile on her face.

I hear Nat click on the safety and set the gun down onto the wooden ledge but I am already mere steps away from Y/N. "Are you okay? What are you-" She holds out her hand to show me what she picked up off the ground. The smooshed bullet. It is now a flat metal disk about the size of a half dollar coin. "It worked."

I flip the former bullet over in my hand. Completely flat. I reach forward and take Y/N's arm in my hands. She helps me roll up her sleeve so I can see where the bullet hit. No mark.

Nat comes up behind me and looks at Y/N's skin too. "Absolutely nothing," All three of us are amazed. "Stark actually did it. I want one now." Nat laughs at her joke as she steps back.

Y/N rolls her sleeve down and walks with me back over to the guns. "Have to earn it Romanoff, let's see those gun skills." Nat cocks the gun in her head and aims towards the targets. "You're on, Y/N."