Chapter Text
"Y/N," my mother called from across the wooden floor. Our house was filled with guests as we were celebrating my sister's engagement to Mr. Johnathon Hawthorne, an assistant to my father in the company he worked as a partner to his close friend. "Y/N," she called again, this time I was quick to drink the rest of my second glass of champagne as judging by my mother's voice, I would need it.
I handed my glass to my brother who nodded at me in surprise, "Good luck," he said as I walked away, parting through the groups of people. After pushing through a final group, I stumbled through a pair of people, involuntarily tumbling forward and colliding with one of the people in conversation with my mother.
There were two hands gripping my arms, a bit of a cold feeling coming from the hands before I noticed the source of the feeling. Turning my eyes from the floor to the hands, I noticed many gold rings on both hands, each one different from the last, some being bulky and others dainty.
"Are you alright?" The person asked, their voice sounding of a coarsely low tone, and yet a soothingly, rich, Russian accent.
I moved my eyes up to see the hazel eyes of a somewhat short in height, blonde. "Uhhhh—Uhuh," I nodded, starting to stand up straight.
"Are you sure?" The woman asked while taking her hands from my arms, keeping them near to me while I tripped over my own shoe. My feet scuffled over the wooden floors for a moment, the woman's hands following me as though they were there in case I fell. I quickly regained my step, nodding to myself as I repeated my response from earlier, taking a few steps over to my mother.
I stood at my mother's side as she had a friendly smile plastered over her face, one which was of course ungenuine but one she used when introducing herself to new people, or simply while making appearances in public. "Y/N, my dear," my mother started as she placed her hands on either side of my upper arms.
My dear', I internally questioned. Since when?
I then felt the hands on my shoulder squeeze them with a small amount of force but enough to get me to squirm. "Introduce yourself, dear," my mother instructed.
I met eyes with the three people in front of my mom, or the three that were in front of her before. I nodded to a woman with red hair, there being a shade of orange mixed into it as it appeared as a coppery blood-orange. "Natasha Romanoff," she nodded, her voice sounding low like the woman from before and no coarseness to it, if anything it sounded full and intense. Only there was a very minuscule hint of any accent to her voice. The main decipherable accent being an American one.
I nodded to Natasha, extending my hand to shake hers, "Y/N, Y/N L/N," I said before moving on to the woman to her right, my left. "Melina Vostokoff," the woman stated, there being a kind smile on her lips, a genuine one at that as the sides of her eyes creased with the smile. Unless she was just that good at faking it, whereas my mother's were easily discernible.
She had black hair, and her voice sounded a bit lighter, and pleasantly soft in comparison to Natasha's or the woman from before. Though a similarity was the Russian accent that was stronger in Melina's voice, in comparison to that of Natasha's.
I smiled and nodded to the woman, stating my name as I had with Natasha before turning to the next person at Melina's right, my left.
"Yelena, Yelena Belova," the blonde woman stated, extending her hand to shake mine as I opened my mouth to repeat my name. She drew her eyebrows together, "Y/N L/N, was it?" She asked in a playful tone, shaking my hand while maintaining eye contact.
My mother sounded to continue in conversation with Melina, Natasha's voice sounded to incorporate words here and there in agreement to what my mother was saying.
Yelena's hand was still shaking mine as there was just a quick second that passed after our introduction that my mother switched her attention. "Nice to meet you..." I offered, unsure of what to do now.
"Very," Yelena's lips curled into a smile, her warm hand squeezing mine before letting go as she held her hands behind her back, turning her attention to her mother beside her, who was talking to my mother.
As my mother was engaged in conversation with Melina, a conversation which the daughters, being me, Natasha and Yelena, were for the most part excluded from, I let myself observe everyone else in the room. It was an action which I was unaware I was consciously doing, but as my eyes went over to an old, broad, and silver gray-haired man to the right of my view, I continued my visual gander. Turning my eyes to a woman wearing a pale lilac gown with white gloves, then to my father who was engaged in conversation with a man. The man being his close friend and business partner, Alexei Shostakov, father to Yelena and Natasha, and husband to Melina.
I could hear the man's vivacious laughter from across the room, his face showing a wide grin and open mouth as his laughter only seemed to intensify and resound in the room. Alexei was an open and energetic man to say the least, though he was the father of two young women, he always appeared to be happy with showing emotion. Particularly emotions which were involved with expression to humor.
Alexei had more hair than my father, as my father's head held just enough hair to be an equal comparison to a crescent moon. Mr. Alexei's beard matched the fullness of his hair as it was a thick one, the color remaining consistent in a dull, amber, brown. While continuing with his laughter as my father said something else to the man, Alexei clapped my father's shoulder, the impact showing to jolt my father's body as the slap seemed to be rather harsh.
I was not very fond of Mr. Alexei's family, nor him, though I did exchange courteous 'hello's when he'd come by to talk business with my father. Other than those quick words, I didn't talk to the man much before this night.
Though he'd been in business with my father for some years now, we rarely saw him, as he and my father kept business matters in the workplace. They would typically refrain from bringing that kind of talk home.
Looking over to the left side of the room, still hearing the commotion and laughter of those in the room, accompanied by the soft orchestral music playing by the band.
I spotted my brother. He stood in the same spot that I'd left him in before, still holding a glass of champagne as he drank it leisurely.
Truth be told, I was bored. Be it due to the alcohol now crowding my attention span, or the lack of conversation though the entire purpose of me coming towards my mother was for a conversation with guests. Regardless, I wanted to do something. Anything but remain stagnant, and my brother knew this as he made faces at me and my impatience for my mother to dismiss me.
My head moved, swayed as I found myself unconsciously bobbing it slightly, taking an unsteady step back as I was feeling the floor move slowly beneath my feet. Y/B/N's eyebrows raised, his head shaking softly as he had an amused smile on his face.
I squinted my eyes, shaking my head at my brother as though I were questioning what the hell he was looking at me for. He responded by making the face I had, mocking my movement. And I must say, though it might have been my unexplainable, sudden, irritation for my brother's mimicry or simply the alcohol, I found myself nodding at my brother before extending my left arm. I flicked up my middle finger, proudly showing it to him across the room.
My brother's amused grin broke into a distant chortle as he clapped his hand over his mouth, covering it to retain his laughter. I kept my finger up as though it were going to 'stick it' to him any more. Though, I probably should have brought it back down as my mother gasped, smacking my arm down. "What in Heaven's name are you doing!" She said in a harsh, whisper, yell.
Her eyebrows were creased as she began scolding me—Though in all honesty, I heard nothing she was saying as I was looking at the way the lines on her forehead began moving like beach waves on a cold day as she changed from expression to expression.
"Y/N!" She continued in the same tone from before, pulling me from my attention to her forehead. She gripped my arm harshly as she pulled it to further her seriousness with me, "Behave," she muttered, releasing my arm as she turned back to Melina and her daughters who did in fact witness the entire interaction.
"Terribly sorry about that, Melina," my mother apologized, shaking her head as she continued on with wherever she left off. That is before I brought her conversation to a halt again as I began whispering loudly to her, "Mother." No answer.
"Mother!" Still no answer, only a shutting of the eyes momentarily as she continued talking. I peered around the room, looking over to my brother before moving my eyes back to my mother, in the process noticing the eyes of the blonde, Yelena, fixed on me. I glanced at her before actually fixing my short lived attention span on her. Noticing the curl of her lip as she retained a smile of amusement, most likely finding entertainment in my irritating behavior.
She gave me a simple nod to which I returned before turning back to my mother. "Mother—"
"What?" My mother snapped, turning to me as her nostrils flared, her eyebrows turning towards one another as she glared at me. I straightened myself up, brushing the front of my dress, "I was going to say," I cleared my throat, "You told me to remind you about the vases earlier," I said in a hushed tone.
My mother's face immediately calmed, "Oh," she turned to Melina, plastering a smile on her face, "That's right, I have vases I've been meaning to ask your input on them," my mother stated as Melina followed my mother out of the room, Natasha looking over to Yelena and considering staying before deciding. "I'm getting a drink," she stated plainly, turning and walking away as I nodded, "Me too!"
I followed Natasha to the bar, getting a glass of champagne as my brother made his way over to me. It was only now that I noticed Yelena had tagged along silently with Natasha and I.
"Rude of you to not introduce me to your friends, Y/N," my brother joked, glancing passed Yelena as he surveyed Natasha who had a glass in her hand as she drank from it daintily. "I'm Y/B/N," my brother said pleasantly, smiling happily as he extended his hand to shake Natasha's only for Yelena to cut in beforehand. She was reaching in between my brother and her sister as she grabbed for a glass as well.
My brother apologized for coming into Yelena's arm and she did brush it off quickly, giving Natasha a short look as my brother turned for a second. He didn't see the short lived exchange as they dropped their expressions before he turned around, asking their names once again.
"I am...so sorry," I slurred, leaning on my brother though he was in fact taller than me and my arm was elevated at an awkward angle just so I could rest it on his shoulder. "This is my brother," I said to Natasha and Yelena, "He's concerned with your names as he is--" I hiccuped, "very single, and very annoying."
"Am not!" My brother turned to face me, causing my arm to drop quickly as my support was gone, sending me forward. That is until a hand gripped at my arm, the other at my waist as the arms pulled me back to stand. After I was standing upright again, the hands released as quickly as they were there.
"Well," my brother turned to Natasha, "I am single," he nodded, releasing a smile before turning back to me, "But I am not annoying," he stated.
"I nodded apathetically, "But, you are...Speaking of my brother," I chirped, "Did you guys know, he's very good at sewing clothes?"
Y/B/N's eyes widened as he froze, a tinge of red showing on his cheeks as it crept down to his neck before he began rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "I—I don't know what she's going on about," he said anxiously.
"Does he now?" Natasha inquired, cocking an eyebrow as she bobbed her head.
"Mhm," I nodded, "That's why his hands are so small," I pulled his hands to show them, "They're very soft too because he uses this lotion—"
"Okay!" Y/B/N shouted, pulling his hands back before Natasha came any closer to inspect the hands with an amused smirk on her face before he turned away. "I'm going to—Ah, see there? I'm coming!" He shouted in a random direction, an older gentleman looking at my brother cluelessly, "Very sorry ladies but I'm being requested. Pleasure—Meeting..." he exhaled, shaking his head as he turned on his heel immediately, walking away from us.
"Okay," Natasha turned to me, "I'll admit, that was entertaining," she took a drink of her champagne before pointing at me, "You're not that bad," she stated before turning to walk away.
I turned in Natasha's direction accepting her compliment, "Thank you—You're welcome!" I turned back to the bar behind me, turning to the bartender, "Hey, can I get some vodka?"
The young gentleman shook his head at me, "We don't have that Miss."
"Okay then a scotch on the rocks. And oh!! And can I get a little umbrella?" I asked, swaying side to side though I was leaning on the countertop.
"I think you've had enough," Yelena propped herself beside me, turning her eyes to the bartender as she held up two fingers, "Two waters, pozhaluysta."
"Hey, why?" I groaned, turning to face the blonde who was already facing me, leaning on the counter with her left arm.
"You can hardly stand on your own, Miss Y/N," she chuckled, "I think you're good for the night."
"You are right, I am good," I nodded, giving the blonde a smile before she turned behind us to look into the crowd of guests. I immediately leaned onto the counter again, "Hey," I whispered harshly to the bartender while holding up my hand to the side of my mouth. I turned to see Yelena still facing the crowd and figured I was in the clear. "Give me...some rum! Or vodka!"
The young man shook his head before responding in a regular tone, not following my whispers, "Miss, we don't—"
"Shhhh, she'll hear you!" I whispered, looking at the man in hopes he'd lower his voice. He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice to match my loud and harsh whisper, "We don't have vodka!"
"How about, scotch! On the rocks! Oh! And a little umbrella!!!" I whisper shouted, feeling myself get excited over the drink as I bounced on my feet a bit. Only now I knew something was wrong as the bartender was looking beside me silently, and not looking at me to confirm my request.
"Two waters," Yelena stated again.
"A mojito?" I asked, emphasizing the vowels, looking at Yelena as I wanted a response only I relieved no words, just an arch of the eyebrow as she looked at me knowingly.
"Fine," I groaned, "Water it is..." I said, turning my back to the bar countertop, waiting for Yelena to look away as I gave the bartender a wink to say 'psych'. I turned back to face forward to see Yelena already looking at me as she shook her head in disapproval. I began blinking profusely, "It was an eyelash," I lied.
"Yelena released a chuckle, turning away for a second before looking back at me, her lips slightly pursed as she contained the curl at one corner of her lips. The curl looked to be an amused smile she didn't want to let through.
"You are a handful, you know that?"
I shrugged, "You can leave if you want to, I'll be fine over here...waiting...for my mother."
"Oh no, I won't fall for that, khoroshaya. I'll just have to stay with you, make sure you don't cause any trouble," she smirked.
"Suit yourself, but I'll have you know—" I paused, frowning to myself as I realized my comment slipped my mind. But as quickly as the thought flew from my head, so did my attention to Yelena from the conversation. I turned around to face the bartender, "Hey can I get an umbrella? A yellow one?"