Soul Reader

Part 2

Warnings: Swearing, a moment of self-deprecating thoughts? I think that's it?

They took you back to the compound. Steve made a point of escorting you, throwing dirty looks at Bucky for his treatment of you thus far. Steve sits you down on a luxurious sofa in a spacious living room. 

He seems to speak to thin air as he says, "F.R.I.D.A.Y. can you please ask Dr Banner to come to the living room to treat a flesh wound". 

Confusion spread on your face until you yelp at the female robotic sounding voice came out of nowhere, "right away Captain Rogers". He gives you an apologetic smile as he explains the AI to you. 

By the time he's finished Dr Banner comes in and goes straight to you. He motions to your arm and you give him a small smile of permission as he cuts the sleeve and sets to work. You make a point of not looking at it as it stings and burns under his touch. There seems to be a permanent grimace on your face as you see Steve, Sam, and Bucky talking rather passionately. Just then a red head saunters in and you knew it was Natasha Romanoff. You saw her glance at you before striding over to the boys. She ended the discussion in two minutes before coming over to you.

She was staring at you for a good few minutes before saying anything. The guys were getting uncomfortable, fidgeting at how she was just staring, "has anyone asked your name yet?". You shake your head, not trusting to speak right now. She just raises a perfectly manicured eyebrow continuing her staring. 

It stays like that for another few minutes before you clear your throat, "Y/N". 

She gives you a slight nod of her head before asking, "so, what were you doing following Barnes? And there just so happens to be an ambush once you've made contact with him?". Her tone is only slightly accusatory which you were surprised about. 

You see all stares intensify so you take a deep breath before saying, "you wouldn't believe me if I told you and I didn't know anything about any ambush. If you can see, I was the one that got shot". 

She shrugs her shoulders at that before stating in a matter of fact tone, "could be a rouse, not exactly a life-threatening injury, just to get us to trust you. That's what I would do. And in terms of us not believing you well you are in a room of assassins, super soldiers, and a green man, so try me". 

You consider what she's just said, and you guess she is right, they are the Avengers that fight aliens and bad guys for a living. You keep your eyes on her, fearing judgement from anyone else as you say quietly, "I think I'm what you call a soul reader? I don't know much about it, I've only just got my powers...". You trail off at her expression. Everyone else seems confused but she just looks shocked.

She slowly turns to everyone else in the room and motions for them to have a private chat out of ear shot. You feel anger bubble inside your chest and you can't help the words that burst out, "don't you dare walk over there and have a chat about me, without me. It's not happening. Now my life has been turned upside down with this thing and I've just got shot at and it feels like I've broken my back, so you'll do me the common courtesy to have this conversation with me". 

She looks surprised and you feel surprised once you realise you've shouted at a professional assassin. Luckily her face breaks out into a genuine grin as she says, "I'm starting to like you. Okay, fine, I'll have this conversation here with you but there will be some of it that may scare you since you really are just a normal woman". 

Bucky looks at her outraged that she thought you weren't in on the ambush, but she levels him with a glare, "let me explain Barnes. She really is what she says she is. They're rare. And I mean like only one will exist on earth at one time. When one soul reader dies the gift gets passed onto the next soul reader in the family. They're extremely useful and quite powerful if they have practised and lived long enough". Everyone looked at you in shock and you close your eyes. You could feel your head starting to pound and you didn't want to be ogled at like an animal at a zoo.