fandomtownies | Stark Industries

Of all the things Yelena expected when she took a job at Stark Industries, dealing with a "security" issue at the gremlin-run Starbucks wasn't one of them.

The gremlins had tried to "upgrade" the espresso machine to run faster and produce more coffee. While they succeeded, the machine had turned into an espresso cannon, spraying the lobby like a firehose and pinning the gremlins against the wall.

Unfazed, Yelena stood there, debating whether to let them suffer their own genius or step in. With a heavy sigh, she walked over and unplugged the machine.

"Congratulations. You’ve invented the first espresso fire hose. Want to tell me why my boots are covered in coffee?"

The gremlins looked up at her with wide eyes, still dripping with espresso. One of them sheepishly offered her a cup filled to the brim with coffee, half of which spilled before it even reached her. Yelena just sighed and snatched the cup of their hand.

"Clean that up," she ordered, gesturing at the small lake of espresso in the lobby before heading off to add milk and pumpkin spice syrup to her free latte.

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Steve paused on his way to the elevator up to the residences. "Do I even want to ask?"

"Probably not," Yelena said with a frown as she turned around and then realized who she was talking to.

There was just a moment of hesitation as this was the first time she had seen Steve since arriving on the island. Or at least the first time he wasn't a dog.

"Gremlins took 'improving the coffee' a little too far," she added with a wry smile. "Nice to see you’re back to normal, though Fanny’s going to be devastated to lose her playmate."

She extended her hand. "Yelena Belova. We haven’t officially met."

"Steve Rogers," Steve said, giving her a firm handshake. "It's nice to meet you, Yelena. And Patriot is always available for playdates. He has a lot of energy for a corgi."

"I've noticed. For a little guy he was able to hang with the big dogs and hold his own," Yelena said stepping aside for a gremlin and their mop. "Think Tony would mind me bringing Fanny into the office?"

"I doubt it," Steve said with a smile, "but check with the gremlins, too."

"After having espresso blasted through the office this morning, I'm not checking in with them for anything," Yelena said eyeing the baristas. "Franny can do oversight on any future projects for them."

Because dogs can do that.

"They did this?" And now the gremlins were getting the full dose of Captain America is Very Disappointed in You eyes.

Yelena frowned as the gremlins seemed to react more to Steve's disappointment than her threats.

"Yes," she said with a nod. "Apparently they felt the need to add some improvements. I'm not sure why espresso needs to be produced at such volume but they might have learned their lesson."

Steve laughed. "Well, they were hired by Tony."

Probably hired by Tony? Maybe they just showed up? "They have a similar spirit of experimentation."

"If that's the case he's not coming near my coffee machine," Yelena noted, dryly.

"Oh, he takes coffee far too seriously to waste it," Steve said with another pointed glance at the gremlins.

"I'm not taking any chances," Yelena said shaking her head. "Now I'm afraid of what will happen to my roomba."

"Oh, that's a valid concern," Steve admitted. "We did a whole class with roombas."

“Now I’m really worried,” Yelena said, but an old thought began to percolate through her head. “Just out of curiosity… in the mid 80’s did you ever have a run in with a Russian hero called the Red Guardian?”

"I was still in the Atlantic Ocean in the mid '80s," Steve said. "Why?"

Yelena let out a long chuckle. “You are familiar with Natasha Romanoff, yes? She and I are sisters. Sort of. Anyhow our adoptive father was their answer to a super soldier. Almost every day he’d brag about stealing nuclear codes from America and facing off with you.”

She smirked. “I should have known he was full of shit.”

Steve's entire face lit up. "You're Natasha's sister? It's really swell to meet you! She's one of my favorite people."

“She speaks highly of you as well,” she said choosing her tenses carefully. She studied the beard remembering a few conversations they had before everything went to hell. “I think I may be further down the line from you if we even share a similar reality. I’m from December 2024.”

Steve nodded. "I'm a few years earlier than you. Remember the Sokovia Accords?"

“Yes. It was hard to miss,” Yelena said with a nod. “Heroes beating on heroes tend to attract media attention. As do giant men.”

"In my defense, that was the first time I'd met Scott and I had no idea he could do that."

“I’m not sure anyone could be ready for that”

She paused for a moment, hesitant to ask.

“How is your Natasha?”

Steve smiled. "Amazing. Terrifying. Brilliant. Saw her a few weeks ago, actually."

“Oh?”

Sokovia accords and her seeing Steve put her at a certain point of time if it was anywhere near her timeline. Still…

She was tempted to ask about Dreykov and the Red Room. Not to mention just seeing her in general. Just one more time… maybe warn-

She shook it off. No.

“Please tell her an alternate sister showed up here. I’m sure that will break her brain.”

"She might even blink twice," Steve said, grinning. "I'll tell her."

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