THE RAVEN | avengers

[62]

ACT 1
Chapter 62
Slumber Party

Raven woke up tangled in the Winter Soldier's arms, his metal limb heavy yet somehow comforting against her skin. She blinked up at the ceiling, her mind racing as the reality of last night settled in. It had been impulsive, a moment she hadn't planned. But she hadn't been able to stop herself. Maybe it was the thrill of leaving, the uncertainty of the future, or the connection she'd been trying to suppress since the first day she laid eyes on him.

It was something she needed to get out of her system.

That's all.

A part of her felt guilty, though, because she knew the truth. After today, she'd probably never see him again. What they shared was fleeting — just a brief moment in the chaos of their lives. And then there was Caelan.

Caelan.

Raven closed her eyes for a moment, pushing down the surge of emotions that his name brought up. She loved him. She knew that much. She had always loved him in the way she knew how — complicated and messy. But their relationship had always been more complicated than either of them could handle. Being friends, or whatever they were, was easier. Less dangerous.

She carefully slipped out of his arms, holding her breath as she moved. He didn't stir, his breathing steady. His face, softened in sleep, was a far cry from the cold, unfeeling soldier everyone expected him to be. Raven paused, taking a long look at him. His dark hair was tousled, his lips parted ever so slightly, and for the first time since she'd met him, he looked... peaceful.

Human.

She let out a soft sigh, pulling on her dress from the ceremony the night before. The red silk clung to her body, and as she glanced in the mirror, she realized how out of place she would look sneaking through the base in this. But she didn't have much of a choice as her departure was scheduled for today.

Raven opened the door slowly, peeking out into the hallway. The coast was clear — for now. She slipped out, her bare feet silent against the cold floor as she moved quickly. Soldiers were patrolling the base, and she cursed under her breath every time she heard footsteps approaching. Ducking behind corners, flattening herself against walls, Raven's frustration grew. She was supposed to be the one in control, the one moving unseen. Yet here she was, sneaking around like some recruit trying to avoid morning drills.

She rounded another corner, her heart pounding in her chest when she heard voices coming from down the hall. Great, Raven thought, her annoyance growing. But as she looked up, she realized where she was. The Night Blades' quarters.

Of course.

Quickly, she slipped into the nearest room, closing the door behind her as quietly as she could. When she turned around, Ingrid and Lena were staring at her with wide, confused eyes.

"Uh... good morning," Raven said with a sheepish smile.

Ingrid blinked, looking her up and down. "Is that... the dress from last night?"

Raven glanced down at the red silk, her cheeks flushing slightly. "Yeah. I just... wanted to take home a piece of Hydra," she blurted out quickly, like that should explain everything.

Lena raised an eyebrow, exchanging a look with Ingrid. A small smile crept onto both their faces, while Raven frowned, realizing just how ridiculous she sounded.

"It's... complicated," Raven added, trying to dodge any further questions.

"Complicated as in you were sneaking around the base at dawn in a dress, or complicated as in you were with someone?" Lena asked, her arms crossed and a smirk on her lips.

Raven raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that a little too forward?"

Lena simply shrugged while Ingrid walked over to the wardrobe, pulling out some clothes and tossing them towards Raven.

"Here," she said. "They should fit you. They're Lena's."

Raven caught the clothes, glancing at them before looking back at Ingrid. "Lena's?" she asked, her tone half amused, half incredulous. "So this is some sort of team effort now?"

"Hey, we're in this together, right?" Lena chuckled. "Consider it my contribution to your 'complicated' situation."

Ingrid smirked. "Besides, we can't have you sneaking through the base looking like you just stepped off a runway."

Raven rolled her eyes, but couldn't help the small grin forming on her face. "This is definitely not what I imagined when I signed up to come to Hydra. We're in an experimental base with super soldiers, and I'm borrowing clothes like we're at some slumber party."

Lena laughed, crossing her arms. "Yeah, well, Hydra's experimental bases could use a little more drama, don't you think?"

Raven let out a breath and shook her head, amused. "I'll take the clothes. But for the record, this didn't happen."

Ingrid held up her hands. "Your secret's safe with us."

"Good," Raven said, heading to the bathroom to change, mumbling to herself as she closed the door behind her. "Why does it feel like I've joined some sort of weird sorority?"

Not too long after, Raven stepped out of the bathroom, fully dressed in Lena's clothes — black tactical pants and a fitted long-sleeved shirt. She ran a hand through her hair, finally feeling like herself again.

"So much better," she said, a satisfied grin tugging at her lips.

Ingrid and Lena both gave her an approving look.

"Definitely more Raven-like," Ingrid said with a nod.

"Don't you have a plane to catch?" Lena asked, glancing at the time.

"Yeah, I do," Raven replied, her voice softer now as she glanced at them.

Silence fell over the room, a weight settling between them. Viktor's words echoed in her mind, the warning he'd given her after assigning this mission: 'Don't get attached, they're experiments.' But despite his words, in a strange, unexpected way, she had. She trained them, shaped them into something more than just soldiers. They fought alongside her, listened to her, and in return, she'd given them a purpose. These three, in some weird way, had become important to her. A part of her, jokingly, even thought of herself as their mother. It was ridiculous, but the feeling lingered all the same.

"Well..." Raven broke the silence, her voice lighter than she felt inside. "It was nice meeting you."

"Same here," Ingrid said, standing up. She crossed the room and extended her hand towards Raven, the gesture more formal than it felt.

Raven stared at Ingrid's hand for a moment, her chest tightening. Before she could stop herself, she reached out — not for a handshake — but for a hug. It caught Ingrid off guard, but she returned the embrace without hesitation.

"You too," Raven said, glancing at Lena.

That was all it took for Lena to spring off the bed and join the group hug, wrapping her arms around both of them with a grin.

"Thank you," Lena whispered.

Raven chuckled softly, pulling back slightly as the embrace broke apart. "Tell Erik... whatever it is you have to say to him, just don't make it look like I didn't want to say goodbye to him."

Lena smirked, raising an eyebrow. "I'll think of something that'll make you sound cool, don't worry."

Raven rolled her eyes, but a small smile played on her lips as she took one last glance at the two girls. They were stronger than when she first met them — more focused, more determined. She had given them the tools they needed. Now it was their turn to survive.

"Don't screw it up and take care of yourselves," Raven said, her voice firm but filled with something close to affection. Then, with a final nod, she slipped out of the room without waiting for a reply.