i forgive you (y/ns pov)

Chapter 6: I quit

I woke up the next morning to the sound of Tonys angry voice yelling for me.

„Y/l/n! Barnes! Conference room! NOW!"

Annoyed, I threw over a hoodie and put my hair in a messy bun as I made my way to the conference room barefoot and in my pyjama pants. To be honest, I had absolutely no idea what time it even was. Tony and Steve were already waiting there fully dressed. Both looked mad. Barnes sat at the table in his gym clothes with his arms crossed in front of his chest.

„Look who finally managed to get her ass up", Barnes mumbled.

At least he finally gave up being friendly with me. It was way easier to hate him with that attitude.

„Nice bruise you got there", I sarcastically complimented the three stitches above his eyebrow.

„Nice necklace", he replied regarding the bruises his grip left.

„Thanks! It was so easy to get!"

His smile faded.

„About that", Steve interrupted our funny little conversation.

„Any explanation on that?"

Tony looked at me first. I leaned back in my seat not making any effort in explaining how these bruises found their way around my neck. He then turned to Barnes.

„None of your business", Barnes said.

„Oh, really?", he started sarcastically.
„The bullet hole in my wall tells me something else."

„That's on her", Barnes sniffed.

„But the bullet was for you, wasn't it?"
Tony already got annoyed.

He pointed the remote control he held in his hand towards the screen and video footage of the security cameras at the shooting range played. Barnes looked down ashamed. He couldn't even look at what he did. Meanwhile, a wicked grin spread across my face. I was not sorry for anything that had happened the night before. Quite the opposite. I even enjoyed the show.

„Still into silent movies, Steve?", I asked sarcastically.

Barnes let out a small laugh but Steve was unimpressed.

„Too bad. I really liked that dialogue."

Barnes gave me a sharp look.

I could already tell that Steve hated everything about this conversation. But I really couldn't care less. Before I left, him and I were really close and had each others backs all the time. He didn't like this new attitude and he definitely didn't like that I hated his buddy.

Tony reared up in front of us.

„You're both gonna hate me for that, but the decision has been made that from now on you two will work together as partners."

WHAT?!

He then continued:

„And with partners I mean everything. Training, workshops, missions. Everything. Until you two decide to grow up."

Barnes got up from his seat: „And whose decision was that, huh?"

„Mine!", Steve intervened.

We both looked at him in total shock.

„We are a team. And as a team we need to trust each other, look out for each other and care for each other. There is no other way! So you need to learn to get along with each other."

Barnes slumped back in his chair in frustration.

Just as Steve wanted to continue, I cleared my throat.

„How about: No?!"

My voice was calm, my whole body was relaxed how ever I was absolutely determined. Steve and Tony definitely were caught by surprise. This was a first. Ever since I joined the Avengers, I always had been the first to obey any commands. But I wasn't that naive little girl anymore that I was back then.

And there was no way I would be working with Barnes.

„I will not work with Barnes. I don't even know how you can stand there and even try to tell me that that's the way things are working around here now. After everything that happened! How dare you! So: No. I will not work with this monster! No workshops. No training. And no missions. Period."

„If we wanna make this work, this is the only way."

I shrugged my shoulders: „Oh, I do understand. But you don't. I don't wanna make this work."

„So?" Tony asked.

„So", I said walking past him

„I quit."

A loud, surprised and confused „What?!" from Steve filled the hallway.

„You heard what I said. I will not work with Barnes. This is not up for debate. If you want to hold on to that stupid idea of yours, I quit."

Through the glass walls of the conference room I caught one last glimpse of Barnes. He seemed impressed. Our eyes met. His smile faded away.