Golden Stars / Scarlett Johansson

Chapter 55: Unspoken Tensions

Two days had passed since Y/N had distanced herself from everyone. Texts from Calie, Scarlett, and Chris kept coming—asking how she was doing, if she wanted to meet up, or join them for dinner at Chris' house. Y/N responded with the same short, vague answers: "I'm busy with work," "I've got exams coming up," "Maybe another time." Nothing more, nothing less. But today, it seemed her excuses had run out.

When Y/N returned to her apartment that evening, laughter and conversation greeted her even before she opened the door. She paused for a second, knowing exactly what was waiting for her inside. With a deep breath, she quietly pushed the door open and slipped inside, hoping to make it to her room without being noticed.

But Calie's voice stopped her before she could get very far. "Y/N!" 

Y/N turned, forcing a smile as if she hadn't expected to find everyone there. "Calie, what are you doing here? I didn't expect you today."

Calie raised an eyebrow, her arms crossed over her chest. "Don't give me that. Put your backpack down and come to the kitchen. Stop brushing us off and ignoring everyone."

Y/N let out a quiet sigh, knowing she couldn't get out of this one. She nodded, placing her bag down in her room before heading to the kitchen. Calie followed close behind, her eyes never leaving Y/N.

When Y/N entered the kitchen, she saw Scarlett and Chris. Chris had little Rose in his arms, and they all turned to greet her with warm smiles. Scarlett's face lit up as she made her way toward Y/N, clearly intending to kiss her.

But Y/N quickly sidestepped, walking up to Chris instead and gently taking Rose from his arms. "Hey, Rosie! I missed you so much," she cooed, her attention completely on the baby.

Chris, Scarlett, and Calie all exchanged glances. Chris chuckled sarcastically. "Yeah, maybe you wouldn't miss her so much if you didn't keep avoiding us."

Y/N rolled her eyes, brushing off the comment. "I told you I've been busy. Exams, work... you know the drill."

Everyone fell silent, the tension hanging thick in the air. Y/N shifted uncomfortably before blurting out, "I'm gonna take Rose and Cebrus to the living room. We'll play for a bit."

Before she could leave the kitchen, Scarlett's voice stopped her. "Y/N."

Y/N turned around, intending to ask what Scarlett wanted, but her words were swallowed by the sudden press of Scarlett's lips against hers. It was quick but firm, and when Scarlett pulled away, her voice was low as she whispered, "If you avoid my kiss again, I'll beat your ass. I'm the Black Widow, and you know I can do it."

Y/N blushed slightly, nodding in silent agreement. Scarlett kissed her again, this time softer, before turning back to the stove to finish making dinner.

Y/N, her face still flushed, hurried out of the kitchen with Rose and Cebrus. She could feel their eyes on her as she left, and it made her uneasy. She couldn't explain it, but there was a sense of guilt she couldn't shake.

Once in the living room, Y/N sat down on the carpet, setting Rose in front of her. Cebrus laid next to them, his tail wagging lazily as Y/N started talking to Rose in a soft, playful voice. She tried to focus on the present, on Rose's giggles and tiny hands grabbing at her fingers, but her thoughts kept drifting back to the party, to the moment she stood at her parents' graves, confessing the darkest parts of her heart.

Suddenly, Y/N noticed something. Rose was standing—wobbling slightly but standing on her own. Y/N's eyes widened as she realized what was happening. "Oh my God..." she whispered, watching in awe as Rose took a tiny, unsteady step forward. 

"Scarlett! Chris! Calie! Come here!" Y/N's voice was urgent, but filled with excitement. 

The three of them rushed into the living room, their expressions shifting to shock as they saw Rose taking her first steps toward Y/N. Scarlett couldn't believe it. Her hand flew to her mouth as she gasped, eyes wide with joy. She quickly knelt down next to Y/N, her fingers wrapping tightly around Y/N's hand in excitement.

"Oh my God, Rosie!" Scarlett exclaimed, her voice shaking with emotion. "You're walking!"

Y/N's heart raced as she watched Rose's tiny feet shuffle forward, her steps slow but determined. The room erupted in cheers when Rose finally made it into Y/N's arms. Scarlett squeezed Y/N's hand, her smile so bright that it made Y/N's heart flutter despite the nagging sadness in the back of her mind.

Scarlett pulled Y/N and Rose into a tight hug, her arms wrapped around both of them. "I love you so much, Rosie," she whispered, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of Rose's head before giving Y/N a quick peck on the lips.

Everyone was beaming, but Y/N's thoughts started to slip again—back to the party, to Scarlett flirting with RDJ, to the quiet moments at her parents' graves. No matter how happy she felt in this moment, the weight of everything she'd been pushing down gnawed at the edges of her mind.

Chris grinned, clapping his hands together. "This is huge! Rose, you're amazing!" 

Calie laughed, shaking her head in disbelief. "I can't believe we got to see this."

As the excitement died down, Scarlett gave Y/N a long, searching look. "You okay?" she asked, her voice soft but filled with concern.

Y/N nodded quickly, forcing a smile. "Yeah. I'm fine. Just... processing."

Scarlett studied her for a moment longer before letting it go. She gave Y/N's hand one last squeeze before returning her attention to Rose, who was giggling and bouncing in Y/N's lap.

Y/N watched them all, feeling a strange mix of emotions. Part of her was genuinely happy to share this moment with them. But another part of her—one she couldn't quite ignore—felt distant, as if she didn't really belong in this world. As Scarlett and the others laughed and celebrated, Y/N couldn't shake the feeling that she was just... passing through.