Winter Sound

Chapter 14: Two to Call Her Own

Author's Note: I don't own the song "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes" from the 1950 and 2015 films, Cinderella.

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Anya had been a member of SHIELD since she joined a couple weeks after she came to Brooklyn, New York from Russia. Growing close to Clint Barton, Natasha Romanoff, and Director Nick Fury, even Dr. Fine, Phil Coulson, and Maria Hill over time and getting to know people Clint and Natasha were close to, Anya seemed to get along with the group of five as they treated her like a big sister, even somewhat like a niece in Nick's eyes. By joining SHIELD, Anya felt loved and accepted by everyone as if she was back in the army again and she even got along with and well-acquainted with other agents as well. The young woman even engaged in field missions where she did anything from undercover work to saving civilians and even to stopping HYDRA agents in their tracks before terrible plots of mass destruction could be enacted. Overall, Anya thought that this was the best job that she had ever had in her life because it was always full of variety and new experiences, which made it anything but monotonous. She loved it throughly and loved all the benefits of the occupation, so she did her best to perform well in her secret agent job in order to do her part in making the world a better place. However, one event would again change Anya's life while in her new life and her new job forever because it would be an unexpected yet joyous occasion.

One day, Anya had just finished eating breakfast in the cafeteria with Clint and Natasha before the two women went to go get changed for a field mission that involved reconnaissance on a potential target. Inside the lady's restroom, the two Russian redheads slipped into their undercover disguises as they made themselves presentable in the mirror with hair, makeup, and garments. However, Anya noticed that her bra just wouldn't go on right as she struggled with getting the clasp shut; she also noticed that her buttoned jeans wouldn't close correctly as it refused to clamp into place. Hearing her apparent struggle, Natasha tried to offer her help as she asked, "Hey, you okay?"

"Yeah, Tasha...I just can't get my jeans or my bra to go on. This has never happened before." Anya explained as she struggled to get her bra on while Natasha asked, "You need some help?"

"Nah, I got it." Anya shook her head as she tried to get her extra bra on again before she felt the band snap off from her soft finger's strength yanking on the fabric in frustration and her own lean body pressing against the clothing. A little bit embarrassed by her current predicament but recognizing her super soldier characteristics, Anya tried to lighten the mood as she replied with a giggle and a sigh, "Whoops. Sometimes I don't even know my own strength." At once, Natasha felt kinda bad for the woman out of one as she held up her index finger and replied, "Be right back." Remaining in the bathroom alone, Anya felt ashamed by the event of breaking her bra as she waited for her best female friend to get back until she heard the redhead come to the bathroom as she handed the older dame a bra, giving a small grin, "Here, this is one of my old sports bras. You can borrow it for today."

"Thanks, Tasha." Anya replied as she slipped on the sports bra along with her other clothes before she finally managed to get her jeans buttoned. Then, looking down at her chest again, Anya noticed something was off about it as she shrugged, "I think something's wrong with my boobs."

"What do you mean? You see some kind of cancerous mole or something?" Natasha asked in genuine concern for her best female friend with no joking tone in her voice or even jovial expressions on her face as Anya shook her head, "Nope, no cancerous moles, lumps, or tumors, which is good...But I think my breasts are getting more sensitive and my bra size is getting bigger. Maybe that's why my bra snapped and broke now that I think about it. And I'm starting to notice that certain clothes I have don't fit me in the waist like they used to, so it's almost like I've gained weight somehow. And my period, I haven't had one ever since I left my husband back in Russia while I came here...I don't know, maybe it's just me being active and under stress from my work, but I really don't know."