Siren's Port

“Are you…okay?” the barista asks. It’s sweet of the girl to ask. 

“Yeah, just fell on my way here.” It doesn’t look like the kid believes her but she didn’t lie. She just didn’t completely tell the truth. She fell…out of a window. She also managed to shimmy through a gap that they probably didn’t think she could. She ripped part of her shirt and the tights that they let her keep on. 

The kid finally hands over the coffee and she takes a sip, ignoring how it burns just so she can taste it. Sweet relief. She takes the croissant and sits down, facing the door. She’s not close enough to the window that she’ll be easily seen if they walk by. She can’t make it too easy. 

She probably should be more concerned about the fact that she was basically stolen by a bunch of heroes but if she’s honest, it felt a bit like a vacation. She didn’t need to worry about work because they had locked her in a room. Sure, her family was probably worried sick but they didn’t talk every day regardless so hopefully there was a bit of time before that. She’s not sure how long it’s been since they found her, since they mentioned giving everything to the world and wanting something in return. Not that she knew why she was apparently part of that plan. She’s seen pictures in the news. They could have whoever they wanted. 

She muses on the thought and orders another croissant and coffee once she’s done the first. She should probably eat something more substantial but with what she’s been through, she deserves it. At least in her opinion. 

 She’s considering what her next step is going to be, when an arm reaches past her heading for the croissant. She turns and bites down, as hard as she can. 

“Shit!” 

The arm yanks back and she digs in just enough to break skin before she lets go. She turns back to her coffee, grabbing the croissant and taking a bite if only to help wash the taste out of her mouth. 

“If you liked it rough, all you had to do was ask.” The person who made the attempt to steal her food moved, lowering themselves into the seat across from her and lounging as though he belonged there. 

She stared at Tony Stark. “Aren’t you rich enough to buy your own food?”

“You really put us out for a spin,” he said, ignoring the question. “Rogers demanded I get Friday to look for you. You know, cash would have been a better option if you wanted to stay under the radar.”

She knows. She could have swiped someones wallet, stuck to the side streets and gotten someone to order for her. She doesn’t say that though, sticking to drinking her coffee. 

 He peers at her over his glasses. “You know I’ve been told people wanted a piece of me but I don’t think they meant it as literally as you did.” 

She ignores him. It must grate on his nerves because it’s not long before he’s leaning forward, still staring at her. 

“You could have gone anywhere. Gone home, I mean sure, first place they would have looked, but why here?” 

“I wanted coffee.” They had refused to give it when she asked. Sticking to water and other healthy alternatives. She was pretty sure it had been drugged but she took what she could and left as soon as she was able. It’s not her fault they weren’t good kidnappers. 

He stares at her like he doesn’t understand. “Huh.”

She glances around. People are staring and talking to one another, likely wondering why Tony Stark is sitting across from a woman who looks homeless. Oh the things she could say. She’s pretty sure someone is recording. She waits. 

Stark seems to notice the others as he pulls out his phone and starts typing. She’s not sure if he’s contacting the others or disrupting any feeds that showcase them as they are now. She knows she’s not getting out of this, but she didn’t expect to. Not when she knew who had taken her in the first place. 

She tunes Stark out as he starts talking. She’s sure she could probably pick apart some of what he says, but they’re in public and despite the image he presents, she’s pretty sure he knows there are things they shouldn’t say…like how they know each other. Sort of. She’s never actually met Tony Stark before this moment. She can’t say that she missed much. 

A hand touches her shoulder and she looks just enough to see that Captain America has joined them. He leans down and kisses her cheek. She doesn’t lean into it but she also doesn’t recoil and she sees his pleased smile at that. 

“Here you are,” he says. “We’ve been looking for you, sweetheart.” 

She stares at him, a little amused at the slight frustration she hears in his voice. She wonders how long it would have taken them if she didn’t use her card. 

A chair scraps forward and she feels her chair shift, just enough so that there’s one on each side of her. She’s being blocked in and she has no doubt there are others. Not like she could get away from the two supersoldiers guarding her. Not like this. James Barnes sits on one side, silent but present and carefully watching the other patrons of the place. Steve sits on the other, turned slightly so he can face her. He looks as though he’s going to try and give her his patented disappointed look that she’s seen on youtube videos. The ones they showed teenagers in school. 

“Gotta watch this hellcat,” Stark says. “Already took a bite out of me.” He shows them his arm which she notices still has her teeth marks. She tries not to look too pleased at that. 

“Shouldn’t touch things that aren’t yours,” she says. 

The men all look at her in surprise. She hasn’t said much through the whole experience, preferring to watch, listen and wait. 

“Tony…” she hears Rogers say. “You touched her.”

Stark somehow looks like he lounges further into the chair. She’s tempted to nudge it. See if he falls off. “Please, I’m innocent. I went for the food, not the girl. ‘Sides, Pepper would kill me.” 

It’s interesting, she notes, that he’s afraid of Pepper for touching her but not for being a part of this thing. He’s not worried about helping them.  

Rogers turns back to her, glancing over her as she sips at her coffee. She’s going to push this as far as she can, make sure she can at least enjoy this cup if it’ll be her last. 

“Why did you leave?” 

“Why did you kidnap me?”

“We didn’t-” she pins him with a look, cutting him off. Rogers takes a deep breath as they both ignore the amused billionaire across from them. “It was explained.”

“I didn’t listen,” she says. “I left because I was refused coffee.”

“You didn’t go home?” Barnes asks quietly. 

“I wanted coffee,” she repeats. 

“You boys caught yourself an addict,” Stark says. 

She remains silent. Even as Barnes puts his arm on the back of her chair. She can feel the heat of it. At least it isn’t the metal one. She’s not sure how that would work against hair and she has no desire to test it out and end up with a bald patch. 

“Sweetheart,” Rogers says. “You can’t just–”

“Do you know my name?” she cuts him off as she asks. 

“Know you–of course we know your name.” He gives it with ease, as though he’s said it a thousand times before despite her hearing it from him now for the first time. It answers some of her questions. They know her. She wasn’t a sudden choice, being just unlucky enough to walk by. She was chosen because they know her. She takes another sip of coffee, thinking about that. 

Rogers’ knee knocks against hers as it presses closer. She’s more closed in than before, with each man next to her shifting closer. It’s almost as though the walls are pressing in on her. It’s not unexpected though. Not since she was locked in that room. 

The soldiers radiate heat. It’s not uncomfortable, at least not yet, but it lulls her into a state of complacency. Or it would if she hadn’t drank two cups of coffee after not having caffeine for how long. 

“Well, isn’t this cozy,” Stark says, looking at them. “Who knew your plan would work? I mean she’s not running. I would have expected her to run though. Further than this. Not that it would have mattered.” 

“Stark,” Barnes’ voice was hard. “Leave.” 

“Alright, Terminator, don’t get your panties in a twist.”

“Tony.” Rogers’ does not sound impressed. 

Stark rolls his eyes and gets up. “Sure, only call me when you need to track someone down. You sure you don’t want to chip her?” 

“I’m not a dog,” she says, deadpan. 

Stark turns to her, looking like he’s about to say something, when Rogers’ stands up. “I’m leaving, I’m leaving.” 

She focuses back on her coffee, ignoring the quiet conversation that sounds like threats between the two men standing. Would they let her get another? Maybe a latte? Something with cinnamon….

“How many have you had?” 

She looks at Barnes who is staring at her. “Hmm?”

He frowns slightly but nods towards the table. “Just the two?”

She narrowed her eyes back at him. “Three once I get the next one.” 

His gaze darts down. “Not four?”

“It’s still early.” 

He grins at her and her breath catches. He looks younger when he smiles, more carefree. Even as his arm moves slightly closer to her shoulders. If they were alone, she knows that he would not hesitate to touch her. She’s surprised he’s holding back now. He doesn’t have to. Not with the laws that are in place. 

Rogers sits back down next to her. “You scared us, doll.” 

“You locked me in a room,” she replies. She doesn’t look at either of them. Instead she looks over the others in the coffee shop. They’re still staring and talking. She wonders if any of them have figured it out yet. Or they think she’s been rescued by them. 

“Just for a bit,” Barnes says. “Had to make sure.”

She doesn’t bother responding to that. 

“Sweetheart,” Rogers leans in slightly closer. “Come home.” 

She needs a shower and she should probably eat something else than just croissants and coffee. Not that she’ll ever admit it out loud. 

“We’ll make you coffee.”

She looks at Barnes next to her out of the corner of her eye. “What kind?” 

“Whatever you want.” 

“Well…” Rogers trailed off as she noticed Barnes look over her head at him. “Only the good stuff. We can steal it from Tony.”

She snorts slightly into her cup. “Can’t fault that,” she murmurs. She sighs slightly and looks at the men she’s stuck between. “You kidnapped me.” 

“We did,” Rogers agrees. She looks at him in surprise. She wasn’t expecting him to admit it this quickly. “You know why.”

“Hmm,” she doesn’t admit that. “Do you drink coffee?” she asks, diverting the subject. 

“Yeah.”

“How?

“Black,” Rogers says. 

“Same here, doll,” Barnes agrees. 

“Ugh,” she stands up. They follow until she waves them down. “Wait here. I’m ordering more. If we’re going to do this, we need to expand your horizons.” 

She can feel their eyes on her as she orders a couple different drinks, one super sweet just to see their reactions. There’s no way to slip out of here undetected and no use to sound an alarm. So she’ll wait. They might not underestimate her as much, but they’ll get complacent and then she’ll have another chance. If only to keep them on their toes.