𝐇𝐄𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄, 𝐒𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐄, avengers

𝘣𝘰𝘺𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥

Chapter 73:
𝘣𝘰𝘺𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥

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HOW LONG HAD IT BEEN AGAIN? Once again, Y/N had lost track of time. However, this time it wasn't because she was lost in her own mind, or stress made it seem like it didn't even exist at all, but because Jesse was taking up most of it, making the older of the pair give a tour around of the tower. 

A sigh left the H/C-haired, collapsing on the couch. My feet hurt like hell, she thought as she glanced over at Ethan and Pepper who were also seated on the couch, talking quietly amongst one another. They were so busy speaking, that they jumped a bit when Y/N had cleared their throats, heads whipping so fast in her direction.

''You guys are getting along well, huh?" she asked with a sly grin making Ethan roll his eyes at the girl's word, and Pepper smiling at the girl fondly before standing up.

"I need to get back to my office, but I'll be there if you need me,'' she said, ruffling her hair a bit before giving her hug. Y/N hummed softly, gladly accepting. ''Stay safe, kiddo,'' she said softly, but there was a twinge of seriousness in her tone.

''I'll try,'' she answered honestly, not seeing the sad look that flashed across the ginger's face before she turned around to walk down the hall.

That kid will give me grey hairs, I swear, she thought, sighing and shaking her head. Another Tony, huh?

Y/N turned to Ethan, smiling at the brunet. ''Hey, Spice,'' she said, tackling him into a hug. It had been hours with them in the tower, but she still couldn't get over the fact her best friend was here, and it was comforting to say the least. Ethan sighed as she initiated a cuddle session, but a small smile was on his face as he looked at her.

''Hey, Sugar,'' he greeted for the umpteenth time that day, not that he minded it at all. Brown eyes seemed to dim in it's sparkle as he tossed his head back a bit, looking grey ceiling.

He glanced back over at her, draped over his lap was Y/N while she had her nose in her phone, a tiny grin on her face as she looked on her phone. Though now, when he looked at it, he didn't even knew if was real or not.

''Hey, Y/N,'' he started, making the girl look over at him, lips turning down into a frown at the use of her first name, something he didn't do much, especially when it was just to two of them. She turned her phone as she sat up slightly.

''What's up?" she asked, sitting on his lap now instead of across it. She was tense again, he noted, pursing his lips before continuing. 

''You're not okay,'' he said, hiding a bit of his anger as she opened her mouth to object the truthful statement. ''And don't say you are. Please, you and I both know you aren't.''

At her silence, he continued. ''I—Jesse, we've been with you forever, and we didn't even notice. I saw some bruises because you always liked roughhousing when we were younger, so I guess it was that. After Mrs. L/N's funeral—'' he stopped for a second when he saw Y/N deflate, ''—you got quiet, which was understandable, but you were like that as a kid too,'' he trialed off ever so slightly, another sigh escaping him.

The two Brown siblings were beating themselves up for it, the male-counterpart showing it more than the other. He felt like he failed at something, cursing his being as he knew he should've knew, done something, anything. The slight flinching when she was a preteen, or maybe even a younger than that, how she was a lot more hesitant around males in general. Dammit.