Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“What a day,” Valentina sighs, kicking off her heels. “I think we deserve a drink, don’t you?” Mel doesn’t answer, jaw clenched as she follows her boss into the kitchen. For some reason, Val - who normally has zero problem talking to herself with no response from her younger assistant - notices her lack of answer and looks up, taking in Mel’s tense stance. “What’s with you?” 

Mel doesn’t meet her eye, irritation and anxiety at war in her chest. She desperately wants to let every thought that’s been rumbling around in her mind the past few days out, to watch her words land like bullets in Val’s chest, but she would be lying if she said she wasn’t still a bit afraid of the older woman. And not just afraid of her, but afraid of being judged by her.

Of losing her. 

“Mel.” This time, Val’s voice is sharp and her eyes flash dangerously, as if she can tell Mel wants to say something she knows Val isn’t going to want to hear and is simply daring her to say it. “Spit it out.” 

“No, I don’t think you deserve a drink,” Mel snaps, her anger and frustration winning out. She curls her hands into fists, nails digging into her palms. “Literally everything that happened today was your fault, Valentina. And it could’ve been avoided multiple times if at any point in the past few days you’d put your ego aside and just listened to me!” She stalked closer to Val, whose face was hard and eyes unforgiving, but Mel could see just a hint of surprise in them. 

“I told you that giving the serum to twitchy-not-all-there-Bob was a bad idea. It was reckless and stupid and driven entirely by your need for fame and fortune!” She slapped a hand down on the marble countertops. 

“So you do have a spine,” Val murmured, tilting her head slightly and looking at Mel as if she was a lab rat who’d offered some surprising but ultimately unimportant results. “Fascinating.” 

Alarm bells were ringing in her head, telling her to shut the fuck up before she blew up her whole life, got fired, and ended up on Valentina’s shit list. But she couldn’t. All she could think about, the thought that played over and over and over again in her mind was- “What if I hadn’t gotten there in time?” Mel snapped, shaking. “Did you think about that? If I’d been even a minute later, I would’ve found your body, your neck crushed. I wouldn’t have been able to save you.” 

“But you did,” Valentina reminded her, her voice surprisingly gentle for someone who was actively getting reamed out by her subordinate. 

“Barely,” she said, her voice cracking. “And look what happened.” She reached up and let her fingers ghost over the bruises on Val’s neck, left by the Sentry’s super strength. How easy it would’ve been for him to snap her neck, to snuff the life out of her boss. It was unthinkable - the idea that with one move, in a split second, the most vibrant, enigmatic, invincible force Mel had ever known could be wiped off the face of the Earth forever. She felt nauseous at the very idea. 

Perhaps that was why she let her fingertips linger over Val’s throat, tracing the red and purple marks that remained, brushing over her pulse point - which seemed to have kicked up in the past few seconds for some reason. 

“Mel,” Valentina rasped. “You got there in time. You saved my life. You made me proud today.” 

Humiliatingly, Mel had to fight back a shiver. It was all she wanted - Val’s praise. Her acknowledgement. It was why she’d almost dropped the kill switch after Val had looked up at her, voice harsh as always, and called her good girl with that fucking smirk. 

“I did?” Mel asked, a pathetic amount of hope in her voice. She practically wanted to beg the older woman to keep going. 

There was a possessive, satisfied glint in Val’s eyes as that same cocky smirk crept back onto her face. She placed her hands on Mel’s hips and tilted her chin up, making Mel’s breath catch. “You did,” she murmured. “My good, obedient girl.” Her knees trembled and her core clenched around nothing at those words. She hoped to god Val couldn’t tell how she was affecting her. 

But of course, Val knew exactly what she was doing.   

“You’d do anything I told you to, wouldn’t you?” she asked, and Mel simply nodded, transfixed. “If I’d told you to hit Bob’s kill switch earlier, you would have done it, right?” And it probably meant that she was going to hell, but what else was new? Mel nodded again. Val’s eyes glinted wickedly. “And if I told you to walk into Congressman Gary’s office and offer to crawl under his desk and suck him off in order to get my impeachment case thrown out? Would you do that for me?”

Mel’s eyes widened, shocked. Although, perhaps not as shocked as she should’ve been. 

“I-if you wanted me to,” she answered uncertainly. “I’d do it for you.” Val smiled meanly. Mel stared at her, transfixed. What the hell was happening? 

“Of course you would, pretty girl.” Val tugged their bodies closer together. Surely she could feel Mel’s pounding heart through her blouse. “But don’t worry, I would never.” 

“I didn’t think that you would.”

“That’s right,” she murmured, bringing her wine painted lips right to Mel’s ear. “Because the only desk you belong under is mine.” Mel tried to bite back a gasp, but based on the way Val’s fingers tightened on her hips, she heard it anyway. “Sweet Mel. If I told you to lift your skirt up over your hips and bend over this counter, would you do it?”  

She didn’t even have to think before nodding rapidly. “Yes, yes.” Val kissed the shell of her ear, making her shudder violently. 

“Do it.” 

Val’s warmth vanished immediately, leaving Mel shaky and bereft. Her boss brushed her icy blonde streak out of her face and leaned against the counter, arms folded over her chest, detached and uninterested. It was as if she was completely unaffected. 

Hardly able to believe that was happening, Mel gripped the sides of her pencil skirt and - with some difficulty - yanked it up over her hips, leaving her lavender panties fully visible to her boss. 

Oh god. She was already so wet. 

Her cheeks burned as she obeyed her instructions, bending at the waist over the countertop, resting her cheek against the cool marble. Her ass was now completely on display for Valentina, who let out a low whistle at the sight. 

“Look at you, Mel. Where the hell have you been hiding all that?” she asked, stepping closer until her palms were able to grab the ample flesh of her assistant’s backside. “What a sight this must be for whoever fucks you from behind.” She snaps the band of her underwear. “These are nice, too. Are they wet?” Mel only pants. 

Val smacks her ass, hard. It stings, and Mel lets out a pained, surprised yelp. “Answer me. Are your panties wet for me right now?” 

“Uh-huh,” she manages. Fuck, are they. She doesn’t think she’s ever been this turned on, or this embarrassed. The two are currently forming a cycle - the more embarrassed she gets, the more turned on she grows, which only furthers her embarrassment. The result? 

Mel’s panties are fucking drenched, and if Val’s fingers keep toying with the edge of her underwear like this, it won’t be long before she figures that out for herself. 

Val laughs meanly. “Of course they are. Do you think I haven’t noticed the way you look at me? How you look at me with those puppy dog eyes, begging me to tell you that I like having you around? That you do a good job following my every instruction?” 

Oh, okay. So Mel hasn’t been even half as discrete at hiding her pathetic, consuming crush on her boss as she thought. That is super awesome news. 

“Well here I am,” she whispers, bending over Mel’s back and squeezing her ass, grinding her hips against her and making the girl moan. “You want me to tell you that you’re my good girl? My perfect, obedient little slut?” 

“Ungh, I- yes, yes.” 

“Then touch yourself. Over the panties only. I want you to rub your clit.” 

“Yes ma’am,” Mel breathes as she wedges a hand between the counter and her body. Val laughs again, husky and musical. 

“Such good manners, and I didn’t even have to tell you. So good for me.” 

Val’s words are honestly doing more for her than the sensation of her fingers rubbing her clit through the thin, damp fabric of her underwear. She steps her feet apart slightly, trying to get better access. The pleasure is already unrelenting, and she’s seeking more eagerly. She massages her clit in slow, heavy circles, tugging and trying to reach that blissful peak. Valentina rests some of her weight against Mel’s back, sliding one hand up to her breasts, gripping one through her bra as she kisses Mel’s cheek, her jaw, her neck. Her breath is warm and wet against Mel’s sensitive skin, making her moan. Her breath fogs against the cool countertop. 

“Mm- Val,” she sighs, shifting restlessly now, her body beginning to tense up. 

“So close already,” Val remarks smugly. “You must’ve been wound up. When was the last time someone took care of you?” 

“A w-while,” she pants, eyes fluttering shut. 

“What about you? Have you been taking care of yourself?” she asks, tongue darting out to lick Mel’s earlobe. “Do you touch yourself?” Mel can only nod, words feeling too challenging as slick, hot pleasure courses through her. “Yeah? What do you think about when you do?” 

“You.” 

“That’s right, baby,” Val rasps, hips jerking against Mel’s ass. “From now on, I’m the only one you think about when you rub that pretty pussy. I’m the only one who gets to make you come. Got it?” 

“Yes…” 

“Good girl,” she murmurs. “This is all mine now. Who does your pussy belong to?” 

“Y-you, Val, it’s all- oh god, it’s all yours…” 

“Uh-huh,” Val moans, sliding one hand into Mel’s thick, luxurious hair and tugging at it, forcing her head back. Mel cries out, and when the older woman reaches down and covers Mel’s hand with her own, adding pressure and guiding her movements, Mel practically sobs.

“Ungh- oh God, Val-” Mel whimpers. “Please, please, don’t stop.” Her legs tremble and her breath comes out in restless pants. 

“You want to come, sweet girl?” She nods. “Then beg. Beg mommy to let you come.” 

Mel jerks, that alone enough to have her catapulting to the edge. But she clamps it down and does as she’s told. 

“Please, please, please,” she begs. “Please let me come, m-mommy-” Tears of pleasure and humiliation gather at the corners of her eyes. She’s never called anyone that before, never done anything this filthy before, and fuck it’s doing a lot for her. “Please, mommy, I need to come so fucking bad, let me come for you…” 

“You wanna show mommy how good I make you feel?” 

“Yesyesyesyes-” 

“Okay pretty girl,” she breathes, tugging harder on Mel’s hair and sending little prickles of pain along her scalp. “Come for me.” 

Mel’s whole body tenses, and if it weren’t for Valentina’s weight pushing her into the counter, Mel would’ve collapsed onto the floor from the intensity of the orgasm that crashes into her. The detonation takes her breath away, and she can’t even moan as pleasure pulses through her. She twitches and jerks as Val fucks her through it, rubbing her relentlessly. She thinks Val might still be speaking, whispering sweet, filthy nothings in her ear, but she can’t really process it. 

She can feel her pussy throb as she comes and comes, her climax seemingly endless. When she does finally manage to acquire oxygen again, all she can say is Valentina’s name, over and over again as the woman invades every one of her senses. Val’s touch grows fiery and intense as overstimulation sets in, but she doesn’t stop until Mel begins to sag against the counter, the last of the aftershocks finally receding. 

She almost thinks she imagines it in her post-orgasm haze, but she thinks she feels Val’s lips place a gentle, tender kiss to her cheek. In a split second, however, it’s over, and Val’s weight disappears off of her. Mel straightens, still panting and trembling. She hears clinking behind her and turns to see Valentina opening a decanter full of whisky and pouring herself a drink. Mel simply stares, speechless. Val takes a deep sip before flashing Mel a wink and a cold smile. 

“Feel free to pour yourself one if you’d like, but remember I need you to come in early tomorrow. This mess with Bob and the New Avengers,” Val rolls her eyes as she says it. “Is going to be an ordeal to clean up. You need to call the Secretaries of State and Defense tomorrow and get meetings set up, they’ll probably also want to do a joint press conference…” 

Mel stares, dumbstruck in her debauched state as Valentina goes through her to-do list as if Mel wasn’t still coming down from the most Earth-shattering orgasm she’d ever had. She finishes and takes another sip of her drink, looking at Mel expectantly. 

“Did you get all that?” she asks, raising an eyebrow. 

“Um…” Mel tries to remember what the fuck Val was just talking about, but frankly she may as well have been speaking another language. Valentina sighs, annoyed. 

“Oh, come on, Mel,” she snaps, all traces of tenderness or warmth erased. “You’ll make me start thinking that the only thing you’re good for is ruining my favorite slacks.” She gestures to the wet spot on her thigh, clearly a result of Mel coming so hard against her crotch. She blushes all the way up to her ears, feeling utterly humiliated. 

“No, s-sorry,” she scrambles. “State and, um, defense. I’m on it.” Val nods once. 

“Good. I’ll see you tomorrow.” She saunters off, Mel’s dismissal obvious. She turns back just before she exits the kitchen. “And clean yourself up. You’re a fucking mess.” 

Immediately, Mel grabs her skirt and awkwardly tries to yank it back down to cover herself, but Valentina is already gone. 

~~~

Mel shuts off her alarm the following morning before it can even go off. She barely slept the night before, or the night before, or for the past week as a matter of fact. It would be understandable if only it was due to the mess with the Sentry or the New Avengers or what she’d been forced to relive when Bob went nutso, but it wasn’t. 

It was Valentina. 

After that night in Valentina’s kitchen, Mel had gone to work the following day prepared to act like it had never happened, taking her cues from Val’s complete switch up after the incident, as Mel had taken to calling it (in her head only, of course. There was literally no one she could actually talk to about what had happened between them). For the most part, it seemed to be the right move. Val never brought it up, and the vast majority of the day, she acted as though nothing had happened. 

The only thing that kept Mel from genuinely thinking she’d completely hallucinated the entire thing was the odd little moments when Val would just… touch her. It was nothing big, nothing obvious. But Val would put her hand on Mel’s back as they walked sometimes, or she’d let their fingers linger as she handed back a stack of paperwork. The other day they were in the backseat of the limo in their usual seats, Mel sitting in the spot adjacent to Val, and her boss had simply kicked off her heels and stretched out her legs, resting them in Mel’s lap. 

She’d frozen, heart racing, no idea what to do. She glanced over at Val, searching for a hint in the expression on her face, but Val had simply shut her eyes and let her head fall back against the seat. Left with limited options as to where she should put her hands with her boss’s feet in her lap, Mel eventually let her hand fall to Val’s calf. After a moment, she unconsciously began to stroke the smooth, supple skin with her thumb in a simple back and forth movement. 

She could’ve sworn she heard a soft little sigh slip from her boss’s lips. 

That’s it, however. Other than those little moments, Mel has received no indication from Val that what happened between them was real, or that she intends for it to happen again, and that’s a real fucking problem for Mel. Her crush on Val was manageable before, but now it’s all consuming. All she can think about is the feeling of Val’s weight on her body, her voice in her ear, her fingers against her core. She gets distracted by Val’s face and voice too much to be able to focus on what the woman is actually saying, and she gets wet just from a whiff of her perfume. She touches herself relentlessly every night, trying to relieve herself of the incredible arousal that plagues her day and night now, but it’s fruitless. She’s insatiable. She has an itch that only Valentina can scratch - not just the memory, but the real thing. 

Bleary and exhausted, Mel stumbles out of bed and straight to the shower. She lets the hot water soothe her tired body and reaches between her legs - as she does most mornings lately - hoping that masturbating now will ease the horniness that will inevitably consume her when she sees Valentina at work. It takes less than two minutes before she’s panting and shaking against the shower wall, moaning Valentina’s name as she comes. 

It won’t be enough, though. 

— 

It’s late evening and they’re eating takeout in Val’s office, going over tomorrow’s schedule. Mel has always liked these moments - when everything slows down and it’s just the two of them, but now it’s only increasing her restlessness. Fuck, she really might have to sneak off to the bathroom just to rub one out real quick, just so she can focus on the rest of their evening. She shifts in her chair, squeezing her thighs together. 

“Are you alright?” 

Mel’s attention snaps to Val’s face at the question, jolted back into reality. 

“I- yeah. Yeah, I’m fine. Sorry.” 

“Really?” she asks, leaning back in her chair and giving Mel that piercing, analytical stare. “Because you look like shit.” 

Mel chuckles awkwardly, picking at her bowl-salad-thing. “Sorry.” 

“Don’t apologize, just get a new conditioner or something.” Mel doesn’t answer, and Val sighs. “Seriously, what’s wrong? You look like you haven’t slept.” 

Mel gives up and drops her fork into the bowl. “I guess I haven’t really been sleeping. It’s been… it’s been a week.” 

“Yeah, it has,” Val agrees wearily. “Dealing with the ramifications of everything, moving into the tower, moving that ragtag band of losers in - we’ve been a busy pair, huh?” 

Once again, Mel is wondering if she imagined the incident. If she actually cracked enough to fully hallucinate having sex with her super hot boss. Maybe it’s the exhaustion that lowers her inhibitions, but she simply replies, “yeah, I kinda meant the whole you fucking me in your kitchen and then not acknowledging it all part. But yeah, moving. That sucks.” 

She’s not sure what kind of reaction she’s expecting - anger maybe? Shock? In classic Valentina fashion, however, she does none of that. She simply smiles, slowly, wickedly, and crosses one toned leg over the other, her red-bottomed heel dangling in the air. 

“So that’s what’s got you all out of sorts, huh?” she asks, tilting her head slightly. “You gonna report me? Go tell HR that I bent you over a counter and fucked you until you couldn’t stand?” 

Mel furrows her brows in confusion. Has Valentina been worried about that? Or is she just toying with her? Either way, Mel simply shakes her head. 

“Of course not.” 

“Then what do you want?” To anyone else, it might sound like a threat. But Mel knows the woman sitting across from her better than perhaps anyone else, and she knows a challenge when she sees one. 

“I want to make you come,” she answers simply. This, she can tell, has affected Valentina. Her expression remains schooled, but Mel can see the micromovements - the way her eyebrows twitch, her eyes widen, her lips part. “I didn’t get to last time.” 

“I see,” she says. “Well, I’m sorry I denied you the opportunity.” 

“Give it to me now,” Mel replies, leaning forward, and it comes out perilously close to a plea. Val bites her lip and her eyes dart towards the door; closed, but not locked. This time of night, few people are left in the building, but the chances of getting caught aren’t exactly zero. But now that it’s on the table, Mel simply cannot leave this office until she’s gotten what she wants. She needs it too badly. So she puts on her best puppy dog eyes and says, “please, mommy. Please let me make you feel good.”

Valentina inhales sharply, and Mel can tell she’s got her. 

“You little slut. Come here.” 

Eagerly, Mel does as she’s told, standing so she can round the desk. Val’s voice interrupts her, however. 

“No,” her boss commands. “Under the desk. Crawl for me.” 

Heat flushes through her. Of course, just when she thinks she’s gotten the upper hand over the older woman, Valentina can utter seven words and suddenly Mel is a quivering mess again, prepared to do anything Val wants. 

She sinks to the ground and crawls on her hands and knees under the desk, stopping when her face is right in front of Val’s knees. She looks up at her, waiting for direction. Val smirks down at her, cupping her face, running her thumb over her lips. 

“So eager, hmm?” Mel nods quickly, all pretense of pride or control gone. All she wants to do is to please Valentina, and she hopes to god that if she does it well enough Val will give her that praise she craves so deeply. “Have you ever eaten pussy before, sweet girl?” 

“No,” she breathes, suddenly feeling a little shy. What if she’s not good? What if she can’t please Val? She must be able to sense it, because she runs her fingers through Mel’s hair gently. 

“You’ll do fine,” she reassures her. “Are you nervous?” 

Is she? “I just want to make you feel good.” 

“I know, sweet girl,” Val murmurs, uncrossing her legs until they rest on either side of her assistant. “Then please me. Just go slow. I’ll tell you if I need something different, okay?” 

“Okay,” Mel exhales. Go slow. She can do that. She starts by running her hands up the insides of her legs. Her skin is smooth, soft, pale against Mel’s rich, brown coloring. She likes the contrast. She peppers little kisses along the insides of Val’s knees and thighs, making her sigh in pleasure. 

“Pretty little thing,” she murmurs, hips circling lightly, seeking. “Keep going.” 

“Can you, um, can you lift your hips?” Mel asks, trying to push Val’s skirt out of the way. Val does and they manage to lift the skirt up, allowing Mel to push Valentina’s legs open further. Her fingers, tentative and curious, begin to probe at Val’s center through her panties, making her moan. 

“That’s it, baby, don’t be shy,” she says, leaning her head back against the chair. Mel takes the encouragement and lets it embolden her enough to dart forward and press her face between Val’s thighs, mouthing at the damp fabric. She hisses and digs her nails into the arm rests of her chair, spreading her legs as wide as she can. “Little tease. Fuck.” 

Mel smiles into Val’s crotch, moving her face around just enough to frustrate the older woman. Val, however, is not in the mood to be frustrated. The hands in her hair grow firmer, holding her head in place as her boss begins to grind her hips against Mel’s face. 

“You say you want to please, so here I am, giving you the chance,” Val grunts, rocking her hips with more force. “And all you can do is tease me? Useless little toy, making me do everything myself - ungh, fuck-” 

Mel can’t really breathe with Valentina thrusting her pussy against her face like this, but she can hear Val’s disappointment and it makes her want to cry. But she can hear Val moaning above her, and she doesn’t want to mess with that, so she doesn’t try to pull away. Instead, she simply opens her mouth and lets her tongue fall flat, giving Val more to rub against. Val notices.

“Aw, trying to make it up to me? Sweet gesture, but that - ah, shit - that’s not gonna be enough.” 

So Mel decides to be bold and reach up to Val’s hips and tug on her panties. When Val notices what she’s doing, she releases her hold on Mel’s head long enough for her to pull her underwear down over her thighs. She looks up at Val beseechingly. 

“Give me another chance, please, I’m sorry,” she babbles. “I just wanted to make it good for you, I’m sorry, I won’t tease this time. Please let me taste you properly.” 

“Open your mouth,” Val orders sharply. Mel does as she’s told, and Val grabs her chin in one hand and spits directly onto her tongue. Mel moans loudly, her pussy clenching. “There. You’ve tasted me. Good enough?” 

Mel shakes her head and swallows Val’s spit. “No, mommy, please I need more. I need to taste your pussy.” 

“Go on then,” she snaps, settling back into her chair. “Do it properly this time.” 

“Yes ma’am,” Mel sighs gratefully, leaning forward immediately. She uses her fingers to spread the older woman open and licks all the way up, circling her clit at the top. Val moans loudly, hips bucking, and Mel feels those first trickles of pride. She does it again, and again, and again. 

She tries a few different things, trying to see what Val likes best. She dips her tongue into Val’s dripping entrance, flicking her tongue over that little rough patch, which makes her dig her fingers into Mel’s scalp and arch her back. She laps at Val’s clit with the flat of her tongue, fast then slow then fast again, which makes her moan and clamp her thighs down over Mel’s ears. She suckles her clit into her mouth and guides her teeth over the bud lightly, which makes Val’s legs shake against Mel’s body. 

When Mel slides two fingers into Val’s entrance with no warning and sucks hard on her clit, Val actually squeals, clapping a hand over her own mouth to muffle the stream of moans that falls from her lips. 

“Fuck, Mel, th-that, just keep doing that baby, fuck you’re so good, such a good little slut for mommy, making me feel so good…” Mel moans into Val’s cunt at the words, absolutely loving this. She’s her good little toy, and she’s making her feel good, she’s doing this right… 

She keeps going, ignoring the dull ache in her fingers and her jaw, gunning for Val’s orgasm, needing it as bad as she needed her own the other night. 

“Fuck, baby, don’t stop, don’t s-stop -oh!” Valentina arches with a shudder as she comes, gushing against Mel’s mouth. She laps it up eagerly, moaning and suckling and pumping her fingers, absolutely loving the squelching sounds filling the office as she fucks the older woman. 

“O-okay, okay, Mel-” 

She can’t bring herself to pull away just yet, despite Val’s whimpers. She swirls her tongue around, trying to drink in every drop of Val’s come, savoring the taste of her, relishing her shudder. “Mel, fuck, baby, stop… I need you to stop now-” 

She finally pushes Mel’s head away, and Mel lets her. They’re both panting, Mel looking up at her boss like she hung the fucking moon. She’s never seen her so unravelled. She doubts anyone has. 

Valentina looks half dead in the chair, eyes glazed and foggy, her chest heaving. She looks down and sees Mel grinning up at her, face shining with Val’s slick. With a speed and strength that surprises Mel, Val surges forward, pulls her assistant into a standing position, and pushes her against the desk. With hands that are still trembling, Val fumbles for the button of Mel’s pants, undoing it and her fly before shoving her hand into Mel’s underwear with no warning. 

“Val!” she gasps in surprise and pleasure as the older woman slips two fingers into her slick cunt and curls them against her front wall. Val practically attacks Mel’s throat with her mouth, kissing and licking and sucking, finding the sensitive spot below her ear and lingering when Mel cries out and clenches around her fingers. “Oh god, oh my god…” 

It’s quick and dirty - they’ve already spent far too much time shut up in her office together. Anyone left in the building could notice, so they don’t have time right now for anything slower. Val fucks her hard and fast, fingers curling rapidly against her g-spot, lips and tongue and teeth worshipping the ample skin of her neck. 

She never, Mel notices fuzzily, kisses her on the mouth.

It only takes a few minutes. Mel could never have imagined that she’d get so wet just from performing oral sex, but sucking off the handful of grad students she’s managed to hook up with in the past few years couldn’t possibly compare to burying her face in Valentina Allegra de Fontaine’s sweet heat while kneeling under her desk. She buries her face in Val’s neck, moaning loudly into her shoulder. 

“Shhh, I know, baby, I know it feels so good,” Valentina mutters, sounding a little worried. “But you need to quiet down.” 

She tries, she really does, but the pleasure builds fast and hard and hot, and her moans are starting to turn into screams, and she can’t hold it back. It’s too good. 

“Fuck,” Val curses, then steps away, bending down to grab something. 

“No, no, please,” Mel sobs, legs quivering. “I’m sorry, I’m trying, I’m really trying-” 

“Shhh, it’s okay,” Val soothes her. “These should help.” She holds up her underwear, lacy and black and still damp, and Mel’s brain short circuits. “Open up.” She does as she’s told, and Val shoves her underwear right into Mel’s mouth, muffling her cries when Val continues fingering her. 

“Mmph- mmm,” she wails. It’s so hot, so fucking hot, getting railed on Valentina’s desk with her panties in her mouth, acting as the perfect gag. They still taste like Val. Her hips thrust up into Val’s hand, seeking her release. 

“That’s it, baby,” she croons. “You deserve this. You made mommy so wet in her panties and now you’re sucking on them like a perfect little fucktoy. Do they taste good?” Mel whimpers in affirmation and nods. “You looked so pretty under my desk. I told you before that that’s exactly where you belong, and now I know I was right.” She crooks her fingers and tilts her head. “I think that we should just make that your permanent position. I’ll get a new assistant, and you can just stay under my desk so that I can use that pretty little mouth any time I want. How does that sound?” Again, Mel can only nod and make pathetic little noises. Val laughs. “Yeah, I thought you might like that idea.” 

A hot gush of fluid squirts onto Val’s hand, but only a little. She raises an eyebrow and looks at Mel’s humiliated face. “Aw, honey. Are you gonna squirt for me?” Another little spurt, and a muffled wail from Mel. “Poor thing, so riled up that you’re gonna soak your pants, aren’t you?” She grabs Mel by the throat and pushes her down onto the desk, choking her lightly. Her eyes roll back in her head as she grabs the edges of the desk, knuckles white. “Sweet girl, you need it so bad, huh? You must’ve been so horny all this time, rubbing this sweet pussy just trying to take the edge off, but this is what you really needed: me, treating you like the sweet fucking whore you are.” 

Mel’s back arches up off of the desk as she comes with a muffled scream, a seemingly endless stream of hot, clear liquid pouring out of her twitching pussy. It splashes against Val’s hand and spreads down the insides of her slacks, turning them from black to an even darker, less forgiving shade. 

“Fuck,” Val laughs in awe and delight. “That’s it, thaaat’s it, good girl…” 

Mel reaches up and yanks the underwear out of her mouth, gasping for air as she twitches. 

“Oh god,” she pants. “Oh my god. That was - fuck.” She looks at Val with doe eyes, not even trying to turn her on when she says, “Thank you.” Something shutters in Val’s eyes, and her face instantly closes off. 

“No problem,” she retracts her hands out of Mel’s pants and opens a drawer, pulling out a pack of wet wipes. She cleans off her hands then tosses the pack onto the desk beside Mel. “Clean yourself up. I have spare clothes in the chest over there - you should probably wear a different pair of pants, unless you want people thinking you pissed yourself.”

Mel sits up, stunned at Valentina’s instant change in demeanor. She could practically shiver at how frosty the room had become in a matter of seconds. 

“I- where are you going?” she asks, watching her boss straighten out her clothes and collect her things. 

“Home, obviously. It’s been a hell of a day.” 

“But-” 

“But what, Mel?” Val snaps at her, halfway out the door. She doesn’t reply, simply stares at her, goosebumps rising on her flesh as her wet pants cool against her skin. “What? Did you think we’d cuddle or something? Braid each other’s hair?” Mel recoils as if slapped. “Get dressed, and don’t forget to wipe off the desk. And probably the floor, too. I’ll see you tomorrow.” With that, Valentina leaves Mel alone in her office, shivering on the desk.

~~

In all honesty, she doesn’t know what she expected. This was Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. War criminal, expert manipulator, political mastermind, notoriously a little bit evil. Wringing a few orgasms out of each other wouldn’t change that fact that Val basically ran the world, and Mel was just her little sidekick who adjusted her schedule and brought her coffee and occasionally helped her commit said war crimes. 

So then why was she crying in the shower? Again? 

She’d consented. Fully, easily, without strings. This was never going to be a feelings type of thing. So why is she considering Val’s suggestion of going to HR?

Of course, she would never actually do that. The terrible truth of it is that it really doesn’t matter how Valentina treats her. She would endure worse for her touch, for her attention.

She tries not to; tries to be stronger, better, more emotionally healthy. To maintain boundaries. If Val is going to use and discard her every time they have sex, then it’s not worth it. Every feminist article she’s ever read would agree. Just because Valentina is also a woman, that doesn’t mean she’s not capable of being a toxic motherfucker. Tragically, she is also the center of Mel’s whole world, and healthy or not, she can’t let her go. 

Fucking in the limo or on the desk or the couch in Val’s office becomes a somewhat regular occurrence. Mel no longer has any false assumptions that Val will give a fuck about her the second the afterglow fades. At most, Val will offer her a wipe or a towel or help her adjust her clothes, but always with a cold, calculated efficiency. It’s not about affection, it’s about cleaning up the evidence as quickly as they can so they don’t get caught. 

Anticipating it should make it hurt less, Mel thinks, but it really doesn’t. The rejection stings each time, and in her mind, she decides that this time was the last time. It never is, though. 

One of the most frustrating parts is that she just can’t figure Val out. She knows Val doesn’t give a fuck about her; she wouldn’t discard her the way she does if she did. But there are times when they’re tangled up when there’s this look in Val’s eyes that Mel could almost swear meant something. Affection, desire, longing. But a split second later it’s gone, and Mel decides at most it was lust and tries to let it go.

She thinks about it though, in the dark of her lonely apartment. Imagines a world where that look was real, where it meant something, where she could turn over in the middle of the night and wrap herself around Valentina’s body, safe and loving. 

Other than the sex, the day to day of their lives remains remarkably unchanged. The dust settles post-Bob, the impeachment charges are dropped, and the New Avengers fully move into the tower. So does Valentina.

It’s about three months after the Bob Incident - three months of fucking Val - when she gets an invitation from Bucky to come see their new digs. She honestly cannot figure out why she decides to accept, but maybe it is just the crushing loneliness and boredom that greets her when she gets home every night. She’s starved for human connection that isn’t getting railed then ignored by her evil, super hot boss. 

So she goes. 

“Hi,” she smiles as the elevator doors open, revealing the congressman waiting for her. He looks relaxed, his hair damp as if he just showered, wearing jeans and a simple t-shirt. Just socks, no shoes. She notes it, as if the lack of footwear reveals a level of closeness she wasn’t aware they shared. 

“Hey! Come on in,” Bucky invites, reaching out for the charcuterie basket she brought as a gift. “Wow, this is so nice. Did Valentina order this?” 

“No, no,” Mel denies, laughing at the absurdity. 

“Yeah, I didn’t think so. She hates us way too much to do something so nice.” 

“No, she doesn’t!” Mel insists, even though they both know it’s a lie. 

“Yeah, she does.” 

“Yeah, she does,” she admits, and they both chuckle. “No, the basket is from me.” 

“Hey, you didn’t have to do that,” he says. “Thank you. Super nice of you.”

“No problem.” 

They walk into the living room, and for some reason Mel is nervous. Maybe it’s just the fact that she’s never really interacted with these people outside of work or life-and-death situations, and now they’re all sprawled on the couches eating chips. 

Bob, Yelena, and Alexi are sitting on the floor surrounding the coffee table and playing some board game Mel never learned to play. Yelena and Alexi are squabbling about something in Russian while Bob looks on, confused. Meanwhile, Walker and Ava seem way too invested in a reality TV show she thinks might be The Bachelor. Or the Bachelorette. Whatever. 

Bucky whistles to get everyone’s attention, and they turn to him, vaguely affronted. 

“There was no need to whistle,” Yelena says flatly. “We are not dogs.” 

“And we were not even being that loud,” Alexi backs her up. 

“Okay, whatever,” Bucky sighs, clearly having learned not to get into it with those two. “Sorry. Anyway, you guys remember Mel.” They all look at her with suspicion, which she supposes isn’t unwarranted. She did help Valentina try to kill them, and she personally tried to kill Bob.

She waves awkwardly, trying to come across as apologetic for the attempted murders without looking guilty, lest they sense her weakness. 

“Why is she here,” Ava asks flatly, turning back to the TV. 

“I invited her,” Bucky says. “I thought it would be nice for her to come see where we’re living these days.” 

“I brought a charcuterie basket,” Mel offers. 

“And is that supposed to make up for you pulling the kill switch on Bob?” Yelena asks, quirking an eyebrow. 

“Well, um, in my defense, he was about to kill my boss,” she tries. “I didn’t have any other way to save her.” 

“I’m sorry about that,” Bob says, looking embarrassed. 

“Oh, my gosh, no,” Mel shakes her head. “It totally wasn’t your fault. And I’m sorry for, you know, trying to kill you that time.” 

“Oh, don’t worry about it,” he replies, waving it off with a smile. “Neither of us were at our best that day.” 

“Right…” 

“And what about when you helped Valentina almost slow-broil the rest of us?” Walker jumps in. 

“I think it was more of a deep-fry,” Alexi says. 

“No, no, a deep fry requires oil,” Yelena argues. “There was no oil for us to be deep fried in.” 

“I’d say the amount of oil in your hair probably would’ve gotten the job done,” Ava smirks from the sofa. 

“Hey, what the hell-” 

“I’m sorry!” Mel cuts in before this squabble can go any further. “I… there’s no excuse. I was following orders, but you know. I know that doesn’t justify it, but… I’m glad you’re all alive.” 

There’s a few moments of silence, and Mel knows they’re about to kick her out. If she’s lucky. Why wouldn’t they? They have no reason to forgive her or want her around, and she can’t swear to never do something like that again, because she works for Valentina. There are no guarantees about what she may or may not have to do in the future. 

She’s just about to turn and leave when Yelena says, “It’s whatever. We’ve all done fucked up things for no good reason. We’re all alive, so,” she shrugs and turns back to her game. “Dad, it’s your turn.” 

Dumbfounded, she watches as Alexi and Yelena turn back to their game. “Seriously?” 

“Yeah, seriously,” Walker answers, crunching on a chip. “We literally met because we were sent to kill one another, so.” 

“Yeah, and he gave me up to a torture chamber when I was six,” Yelena says, gesturing to Alexi. “And now I’ve just stolen your sheep! Hahah, give me your sheep.” 

“Ah, no!!” Alexi groans dramatically. “I need those for my village!” 

“Too bad, haha, no village for you.” 

“Well…” Mel doesn’t totally know what to do about this. “Okay.” 

“I still don’t understand why you invited her here, though,” Ava says, not turning away from the TV. 

“Because she has no friends and no life,” Yelena supplies, tossing the dice casually. 

“Obviously,” Alexi backs her up. 

“Wait, what the fuck?” Mel asks, raising her hands in a ‘what did I do?’ gesture. 

“Are they wrong?” Walker asks, smirking. She wanted to protest, but… 

“Not really, no,” she admits with a sigh. 

“That’s what I thought,” Yelena brags in a sing-song voice. “Come. Sit. You can be on my team.” 

“No, no!” Bob protests. “You’re already winning. She should be on my team.” 

“Mel, do you know how to play Catan?” Yelena asks. 

“Not at all.” 

“Never mind, she can be on your team.” 

Somehow, Mel ends up sitting on the floor with the Thunderbolts, first playing Catan, then watching some more reality TV (which turns out to be Love Island, a show Mel has never watched and doesn't really understand). They order pizza, the awful greasy kind Val never wants to eat, and drink cheap beer. Mel can't remember the last time she laughed so much. 

So why does it still feel like something vital is missing? 

Chapter Text

Weirdly enough, the game nights become… a thing. That she attends. Regularly. It feels strange, largely because she knows that Valentina would absolutely hate it, which means that Mel has to sneak over to the tower that Val lives in without her knowing. This is challenging at times, given that they usually leave work at the same time. It feels nice, however, to have a secret from Valentina. Harmless, nothing that would get her ‘disappeared’ or anything, but just something private.

Mel’s life starts to become a bit more steady - perhaps not what the average person would call healthy or desirable, but at least it’s consistent. She wakes in the morning, goes to work, brings her boss coffee, screws her, then goes about her day. She trails behind Val for 14 hours, taking notes, offering input, keeping her fed and watered and caffeinated, then fucks her again in the office before she goes home, showers, and heads over to the tower to hang out with the Thunderbolts.

Bucky is usually her point of contact, the one she talks to the most, the one she reaches out to to schedule plans. Yelena, as it turns out, is fucking hilarious. Bob is still a mentally unstable sweetheart, and there are times where it just knocks the wind out of her that she almost killed him. He is kind, however, and seems to be able to sense when she’s really struggling with that. He’ll flash her a smile or squeeze her hand, and his capacity for forgiveness never stops surprising her.

They talk. Actually talk. It stuns her for a while, the way the group openly discusses certain things. They check in with one another.

Sleep okay last night? I had that stupid nightmare again- yeah the same one. I hate it… Don’t forget to eat something - you can’t take your meds on an empty stomach… I had a panic attack earlier… coping mechanisms… my mom called, I don’t know how to talk to her anymore… my kid started school last week, it kills me that I can’t be there with him… my therapist said…

Mel sits silently for most of it, simply taking it all in. In some hideous corner of her brain, she can’t help but think about how Valentina would want to know all of this information in case she needed leverage or something equally selfish. But she forces that voice to shut up. Valentina consumes every single other part of her life. She can’t let her have this one, too.

Of course, she should have known it wouldn’t be long before the questions started to be directed at her as well.

“So, Mel, how have you been since everything went down?” Bob is the one who asks her, but she can feel the attention of everyone else in the room on her, even if they aren’t looking at her directly.

“Oh, I’m fine,” she says. “And you just rolled a seven, sucker.”

“What- oh, crap.”

“But seriously,” Bucky redirects the conversation. “How are you?”

“I’m fine,” she insists, hitching a smile on her face. “Seriously.”

“We only ask because, well, you don’t really have anyone, do you?” Bob presses, rolling the dice. “I mean, you work literally all the time, so your only company is Valentina, and I can’t imagine she’s all that easy to talk to.” You have no idea, Mel thinks. “So, I guess we just wanted to make sure you knew you could talk to us if you needed to. If you want to.”

She smiles more genuinely this time. “Thanks, Bob. I appreciate it.”

“So…” Walker says expectantly. She raises her eyebrows.

“So?”

“Is there anything you want to talk about?”

“Nope.”

“Are you sure?”

“Quite sure, thank you, and this is starting to feel like an interrogation.”

“Sorry, it’s just that there’s a massive hickey on your neck, and you have mentioned absolutely nothing about having any kind of dating life, so if you must know all of this was a ploy for me to bug you for details.”

Mel stares at Yelena, eyes wide and jaw dropped. She claps a hand over her neck, cursing herself for not realizing that Val left a mark earlier that evening.

“It’s not- um… I don’t know?”

“You don’t know?” Yelena asks incredulously. “What does that mean? You don’t know how you ended up with a hickey?”

“Or you don’t know who gave it to you?” Ava presses. “Either way it doesn’t seem super plausible.”

“Um…”

“Would you people leave her alone?” Bucky jumps in. “It’s no one's business, and she clearly doesn’t want to talk about it.”

“Mel, listen to me,” Yelena presses, ignoring him completely. “I do not think anyone in this room has gotten laid in months. We are desperate. Just tell us a few minor, inconsequential details, such as who the person is, where you met them, how long it’s been going on, and the exact nature of your relationship.”

“Hah, speak for yourself,” Alexi chuckles from his position on the couch.

“Jesus Christ,” Walker jumps about six feet in the air. “I thought you were asleep.”

“I thought he was dead,” Ava says.

“Wait, what do you mean, ‘speak for yourself?’” Bob asks. Every head in the room swivels to stare at Alexi, who sighs loudly.

“Well, if you must know, there is a woman-”

“Oh no, no,” Yelena immediately covers her ears, shaking her head. “Absolutely not.”

“She is a woman. A real woman, you know what I mean,” he continues, despite the fact that absolutely no one in the room knows what the fuck he is talking about.

“I regret starting this conversation more than I have ever regretted anything in my life,” Yelena groans. “Bob, if you ever go all void-man again, I swear this conversation will be the memory I am trapped in.”

The room dissolves into laughter, and Mel gratefully skirts the topic of conversation.

She can’t help but wonder how they would react, though. And suddenly she wishes she could tell them. Somehow, weirdly, randomly, this ragtag band of superheroes have become her friends. It’s been so long since she’s had friends, people who she sits around and actually talks about life and emotions and whatnot with that she’s forgotten how it feels. She wants to actually be honest with them and tell them that she’s sleeping with Valentina.

She can’t for the obvious reasons, but also for other, more painful reasons. She knows that if she admits that to them, she’ll want to admit other things to them, things that she’s not ready to admit even to herself.

At some point, a bottle of high quality vodka gets brought out, and the next thing Mel knows, these fools have gotten her drunk.

She hasn’t gotten drunk in so long, she almost forgot how it feels. Her head is spinning and she doesn’t feel totally connected to her body. Her thoughts run like syrup, slow and heavy and focused on one particular thing.

Valentina.

“You should stay the night,” Bucky suggests. Being a super soldier, he can’t really get drunk even if he wants to. “There’s a spare room. Or I can take you home if you really need to get back.”

“That’s okay,” Mel answers, proud of how little she’s slurring her words. To her own ears, anyway. “I’m going to go upstairs.”

Bucky cocks his head. “To Valentina’s? I… I don’t really think that’s the best idea right now, do you? Showing up on your boss's doorstep at 1:00 am? Drunk?”

“Don’t worry, Bucky,” she reassures him, stumbling a little as she puts her heels back on. “I know my woman. I know what I’m doing.”

“I’m sorry, ‘your woman?’” he repeats incredulously. Mel gasps and quickly covers his mouth with her hand.

“Shhhh!” she hisses sloppily, not at all subtle. “You can’t tell anyone!”

“Wait, tell anyone what?!”

“Exactly,” she gives him an obnoxious wink and giggles, entering the elevator and clumsily punching in the code for Valentina’s quarters. “You’re the best, Buck.”

She leaves a baffled Bucky standing there as the doors close, taking her upstairs to where she most wants to be. The elevator dings as the doors open, spitting her out directly into Valentina’s living room.

“Honey, I’m home!” Mel announces into the dark apartment. She walks further in, her heels clicking against the hardwood, and she curses. “Too loud. Stupid shoes.” She kicks them off and drops her bag onto the floor. “Valentina? Director de Fontaine?” Her voice is giggly and musical.

“Mel?” Valentina appears from a dark hallway, illuminated only by the warm light leaking out of the master bedroom. Mel can only stare. She’s wearing a satin nightgown that leaves her long legs bare with a little robe flung over it, a deep burgundy that contrasts beautifully with her pale skin. Her face is washed, not a stitch of makeup, and she’s barefoot.

She’s the most beautiful thing Mel has ever seen. “Wow,” she breathes, awestruck.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Val asks, sounding shocked and a little irritated. “It’s the middle of the night.” Mel doesn’t answer. She can’t speak, she’s too busy staring and smiling at her boss. “Hello? Earth to Melissa? Is something wrong?”

Mel shakes her head. “No,” she finally manages, walking closer to Val. “I just… I needed to see you.” Boldly, she wraps her arms around Val and pulls her in for a hug, burying her face in her neck and inhaling the scent of clean skin and vague notes of her perfume.

Stunned, Val brings her hands up to hug Mel back uncertainly. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Mhmm,” she hums, melting into Val’s arms. “Just need you. You smell so good.”

“Are-” Val huffs in what could be amusement or irritation. “Are you drunk?”

Mel giggles and pulls back enough to hold up one hand, thumb and forefinger nearly touching as if to say only a little!

“Great,” she sighs, detangling herself from Mel’s hold. “Do you have a ride home?”

“I… do not,” Mel admits. “Bucky offered but I wanted you, so he’s probably ‘sleep now.”

“Wait, what do you mean ‘Bucky offered?’” Val asks, her tone sharp with something Mel can’t decipher..

“Super soldier. Can’t get drunk.” Mel explains sagely. The older woman opens her mouth as if to say something, but Mel can't get past the urge to let her fingers toy with the blonde streak in Val’s hair, mesmerized. “You’re so, so beautiful, Val,” she sighs. “I know it’s late, ‘m sorry. I just really wanted to see you. It’s all I ever want, y'know?"

Valentina’s expression softens against her will, sighing in surrender. “You should sleep. Come on.” She guides Mel down the hall, wrapping an arm around her when she sways a little as they walk.

“You’re going to let me stay with you?” Mel asks, surprised and eager.

“It’s too late for you to be schlepping home right now,” she replied. “And I have more guest rooms than I know what to do with.”

“Oh,” Mel says, disappointed and too drunk and tired to conceal it. She was hoping she would let Mel sleep with her, but she isn’t really surprised that that’s not what Val wants. Her boss doesn't acknowledge it, just takes her to one of her guest rooms.

“The room is fully stocked,” she explains, flicking on the light switch. “Some of the clothes in the dresser should do for you to sleep in, and there are toiletries in the bathroom.”

It’s simple but luxurious: a king sized bed with gray bedding, a desk with a lamp and a few decorations, a chest of drawers. The moneypiece, however, is the floor to ceiling windows that present a simply stunning view of New York at night.

“Wow,” Mel exhales, wandering over to them. She’s lived in the city for most of her life, but the sight of it sprawling before her never fails to astonish her. She turns to Valentina, who is watching her watch the city with an odd look on her face. “Nice view.”

The corners of Val’s mouth turn up. “Cost a pretty penny.”

Mel can’t help but notice the massive bed sprawling between them, swallowing hard. They’ve never had sex in a bed before. They’ve even really been fully naked together before. It’s only ever been quick fucks in a semi-public location. She wants it. She wants it so bad it almost feels like her skin is on fire.

She wants to feel Valentina’s naked body slide along hers beneath those thousand count sheets. She wants to kiss her, to feel tongues and hot breath and real intimacy.

She returns her gaze to Val’s face and wonders if she can see her thoughts written plainly on her face.

Valentina clears her throat. “Let me know if you need anything else. But only if it’s in the next fifteen minutes, because I’m going to bed now. Goodnight.”

She barely gives Mel a chance to say goodnight in return before she leaves, shutting the door with a click.

Mel stands there dumbly for a minute before figuring she might as well sleep. She fumbles around the room, brushing her teeth forgoing anything else, deciding she’ll wash her face twice in the morning in apology to her skin. She roots through the drawers and finds a white satin pajama set with lacy edges and puts it on. She kinda loves it, to be honest. She only ever sleeps in a t-shirt and underwear, but this night set makes her feel sexy and confident.

Too bad all she’ll be doing with it is sleeping.

She chugs a glass of water and collapses in the bed, falling into a deep, drunken sleep almost instantly.

~~~

“Mel. Melissa, wake up, it’s okay-”

She jerks awake, fighting to get away from the presence above her, a scream dying on her lips as the nightmare fades back into the dark.

“Hey, stop, it’s okay, you’re okay.” Valentina reaches towards the bedside table from where she sits on the bed and switches on the lamp. Mel sits up, trying to catch her breath.

“Sorry,” she says shakily. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“It’s fine,” she replied gently, rubbing Mel’s arm. The touch only adds another crack in the dam, and she has to fight not to cry. She covers her face with her hands and sniffles, the memories of the nightmare flashing through her mind like the worst highlight reel in existence. A small sob forces its way out. “Shhh.” They sit silently in the dark for a minute.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Valentina offers. Mel shakes her head.

“No, it was just, um,” she tries to wipe a tear away discreetly. “The memory I saw when the Sentry Project got out of control. I dream about it more frequently these days. I haven’t had a nightmare that bad in a while, though. I guess it was the alcohol.”

Valentina nods thoughtfully. “You never did tell me what he made you see.”

Mel raises an eyebrow. “I’ll show you mine if you show me yours first.” Val doesn’t reply, not that she expects her to. But after a moment, the older woman breaks the silence.

“I was nine,” she murmurs, sounding far away. Mel’s eyes snap to her face, shocked. She doesn’t speak, doesn’t move, doesn’t breathe for fear of spooking Val into silence. “My father had gotten involved with some bad people back home in Italy, and he owed a debt he couldn’t pay. There was a man…” she trails off, lost in the memory, before continuing. “He told me he was friends with my father, got me to tell him where we lived.”

“Oh, Valentina,” Mel breathes, sensing where this story was going and hating every bit of it. Boldly, perhaps stupidly, she takes her hand, her skin warm and dry.

Val gives her a wry smile, a haunted look in her eyes. “He killed my father. I saw it.”

“I’m so sorry,” Mel whispers. “That’s awful.”

“It was my fault,” she shrugs, her voice casual despite the obvious heartache weighing her down. Mel shakes her head vehemently.

“No. You didn’t know any better. You were just a little girl.”

“Maybe. But there’s still cause and effect.” Mel wants to protest, but she can’t figure out what to say. Maybe with more time, she could come up with something wise and comforting, but Valentina stops her before she can. “Your turn. I showed you mine. What were you dreaming about?”

Mel looks down, picking her cuticles.

“It was, um, the day of the Chitari attack,” she begins.

“Yeah,” Val sighs. “That was a pretty shit day for everyone.”

“Yeah, I’m not original,” she laughs wetly. “But, um, my sister and I were out together, and we got into a fight, and she stormed off because she was pissed at me. And then there was just…” her voice grows thick, and she waves her hands in the air, trying to demonstrate what it was like. “Massive chunks of cement and debris falling from the sky. I was looking for her, I was trying to get to her, but by the time I finally found her, there was this-” the words catch in her throat, and Val places a hand on her knee, thumb stroking back and forth. “She was trapped under rubble. She couldn’t really speak, but I could see that she was scared. I tried…” she breaks off. “I tried. But I couldn’t get her out. There was zero chance. And then… more aliens were coming. They were headed straight for us, but I couldn’t let her go. I just held on tight and prepared to die with her, but then this man just came and picked me up and dragged me away. Took me to safety. I was kicking and screaming, and I just remember the look in her eyes when we left her there…”

Mel sniffles.

“She was my baby sister. I was supposed to take care of her. And our last conversation was a stupid fight.” She shakes her head. “I just hate it so much. I wish things had been different.”

“Me too,” Val murmurs. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

“I don’t talk about it much.”

“I understand,” Valentina says. “I… I’ve never told anyone that story before.” Mel’s eyes widen.

“Really?”

“Really.”

They just sit for a few minutes, the silence full but not uncomfortable.

“Thank you,” Mel tells her. “For telling me. And for coming to wake me up.”

“Of course, sweet girl,” Val says, reaching a hand out and petting her hair before cupping her cheek gently.

Mel’s heart skips a beat. She stares at the older woman, lips parted in shock and awe. Val has never called her that outside of sex, and she never, ever offers this type of sweet physical affection. She wonders if she’s dreaming again, but this time it’s so lovely she hopes she never wakes up.

She feels those three little words bubble up in her chest, making their way to her lips like champagne travelling to the lip of a bottle the second the cork has been popped. Explosive. Unstoppable.

She forces them back down. She can’t say them, can’t let herself feel them.

“Why don’t you ever kiss me?” she says instead, the words escape her before she can stop them. Not quite as damning, but pretty freaking close. She wants to disappear the moment she says them, but she also needs an answer to that question so badly that she can’t bring herself to regret asking it. “You’ll kiss any part of my body but my mouth. Why?”

Maybe she’s still a little drunk. Or maybe she’s finally cracked and gone completely insane. She thinks she has actually lost it when Val starts speaking because she cannot understand a single word she says. It takes a minute to realize it’s because she’s speaking Italian.

“Perché se ti bacio, non mi fermerò mai,” she breathes. Mel’s eyebrows scrunch in confusion, but Valentina simply stands. She wants to beg the woman not to leave, to stay and hold her instead, but she refrains. “Go back to sleep. I’m right down the hall if you have another nightmare, but… you’re safe here. Just rest.”

She bends down, cups Melissa’s face, and presses a dry, gentle kiss to her forehead. Mel’s eyes flutter shut and her cheeks flush. A moment later, Val is gone and Mel is left alone in the dark once more. She burrows back into the expensive sheets, but it takes her a long, long time to fall back asleep.

Chapter Text

Melissa wakes early, hungover and embarrassed. Her head is pounding, her mouth is dry, and she feels nauseous. A winning combination that is not helped by the sunlight pouring in from the massive windows that she loved so much last night. Now, they feel like her worst enemy. 

She groans, pulling the comforter over her head. 

She cannot believe she was stupid and irresponsible enough to bombard Valentina and make her deal with her drunk, weepy, nightmare ridden self. Val had been surprisingly kind, though. She let her thoughts drift back to her nightmare, when the older woman came and helped her through it. She must have been screaming loudly for her to hear it from down the hall. She opens her eyes as she remembers Val divulging her own dark past, along with the surprising revelation that Mel was the first person she’d shared that story with in god knows how long. Maybe ever. 

And how tender she was… 

Mel sighs and decides she might as well get up and get whatever humiliating morning-after experience is waiting for her out of her way. 

Dressed, cleaned up, and trying to seem less stupid than she feels, she finally leaves her room and wanders down the hall until she ends up in the kitchen. Val is already up and dressed (because of course she is. If Mel hadn’t seen Val for her own eyes last night, she would assume the woman was always put together, stern and sexy) and is scrolling through her phone, a tiny cup of espresso steaming in front of her. 

Mel just stands and stares for a moment, a mirror to last night. Valentina is wearing what Mel assumes is her weekend attire, which is still remarkably high-end and flattering. Her hair is pulled up into a clip, a few platinum tendrils dangling in front of her face. She’s wearing a form fitting, cream-colored cashmere sweater tucked into boot cut jeans that probably cost more than what Mel makes in a week. 

It’s the most casual Mel’s ever seen her - in the daytime, anyway - and she still looks fucking incredible. 

“Good morning, sunshine,” Valentina says drily, not looking up from her phone. Mel startles. 

“Good morning,” she replies, forcing a confidence she does not feel. “What are you doing up so early?” 

“7:00 am is early for you?” Valentina asks skeptically. 

“On a Sunday?” She steps further into the kitchen. “Yes.” 

“Well, I’m sure the hangover isn’t helping.” 

“I’m not hungover.” Val gives her a look. “Okay, maybe a little,” she admits with a sigh. “I don’t drink very often.”

“I can see why,” her boss says with a small laugh. 

“Yeah,” Melissa feels her cheeks burn, but she’s able to flash a self-deprecating smile. “Not my finest hour, I will admit.”

“We all have our moments.” Valentina finally puts her phone down and walks over to her espresso machine. It’s huge and probably costs two months rent on Mel’s apartment. “Double or triple shot?” 

“Triple, please,” she says eagerly. “And then I’ll get out of your hair.” 

The machine hisses loudly as the shots pour, steam spilling out as the smell of freshly brewed coffee hits her nose. Everything around Valentina drips of luxury and elegance, and the espresso filling the dainty mug is no different. 

“There’s no rush,” Val says after a moment, her back still turned to Mel. “I have some work to get done, I’m sure you do as well. You could stay and do it here, if you’d like.” 

Mel stares at her astounded. After invading her space uninvited and waking her with a nightmare and a sob story, Val is actually offering for her to stay? Mel assumed that fleeing immediately was the least the woman would want from her, but apparently she feels otherwise.

“Thank you, that’s- that’s very kind,” she says. “But I think I’ve probably overstayed my welcome. Especially considering said welcome wasn’t exactly extended willingly in the first place.” 

“Mel, please,” Val hands her the steaming mug with an eye roll. “Have you ever known me to fake niceties?” 

“Well…”

“Okay, let me rephrase. Have you ever seen me fake them when I don’t need something from someone? Just for the sake of being polite?” 

“I… have not.”

“Exactly. Go home if you’d like, but the offer is genuine. Whatever you want to do.” With that, she returns her attention to her phone, leaving Mel to sip her coffee in silence. 

Damn. That’s some good fucking espresso. 

“Remember how you said you were impressed I could always manage to get you a good cup of coffee?” 

“I do.” 

“Considering that this is what you drink at home, that compliment just meant a lot more to me.” 

Val snorts, and Mel’s chest blooms with pride. There are very, very few feelings that compare to the sensation of making Valentina laugh. Mel thinks she has all the different ones memorized by now. The little huff or snorts she does when Mel has said something she finds slightly amusing, the dry scoff when she finds something ridiculous, the toothy, delighted laugh she gives when trying to charm someone. Mel prides herself in being one of the only people who knows just how false that laugh is. Her favorite laugh, however, is the loud, unrestrained ones that she has only ever heard when it’s just the two of them.

As far as she knows, she’s the only one who is able to make Valentina laugh like that these days. But who knows. Maybe that’s just her ego talking. 

“Okay,” she decides, drinking deeply from her mug. “I’ll get some work done here.”

“Good. It’ll be helpful to have you on hand today,” Valentina says with a little smile. “Why don’t you go take a shower? You look like shit. I’ll order us some breakfast - I don’t usually eat this early in the day, but for some reason I’m starving.” Mel opens her mouth, but Val cuts her off. “Don’t worry, I know your allergies. I’ve got it covered.” Her jaw snaps shut in surprise. She wasn’t going to mention it; in fact, she was planning on protesting once again, insisting that Val didn’t need to do that for her. But then her boss just automatically remembered her diet restrictions and casually mentioned already having accommodations for her. 

The thoughtfulness is honestly very touching, and it makes Mel want to shove the other woman against the counter and kiss her senseless. Instead, she simply says, “Okay. Thank you.” and returns to the guest bedroom to clean up. 

~~

Melissa shifts on the couch, trying to get comfortable. She clears her throat, forcing herself to focus on the report she’s reading. Valentina needs this read and summarized in the next twenty minutes, so she really needs to concentrate. 

“Everything okay over there?” Val asks, looking over the top of her reading glasses. She’s on the other end of the couch, feet resting on the coffee table as she works on her laptop. 

“Mhmm,” Mel hums, not looking at the older woman. 

“Okay. Just checking, because I need that report in exactly… 18 minutes, and you seem a little,” Val messes with something on her phone, and Mel twitches with a gasp. “Distracted.” 

“No, no,” Mel replies in a strangled voice. “I’m f-fine.” 

Val laughs, a low, throaty chuckle as she turns back to her work. Mel exhales shakily, turning the page and highlighting a passage with a trembling hand. Valentina fiddles with her phone again and Mel arches with a moan. 

“Val,” she groans, thighs squeezing together. “I- I’m really trying here, but you have to give me a f-fighting chance…”

“I know, darling,” Valentina croons. “And you’re doing so well. Only a few more minutes. Focus on the report.” 

Mel could cry as the vibrator pulses on her g-spot in strong, heavy pulses. The vibrations aren’t nearly as fast as they could be, she knows, and she’s desperate for her time to be up so that Valentina will turn it up a few notches. But she still has 12 minutes left, so she takes a deep breath and tries not to focus on the fact that she’s so wet she’s probably going to ruin the Dior sweat pants she took from Val’s guest bedroom. 

Valentina reaches over and rests her hand on Mel’s thigh gently, and the contact makes her whimper. 

“Val,” she tries, but she can’t even get anything else out before the elevator door dings. Val quickly removes her hand as Bucky enters the space, and Mel clenches her jaw. 

“Barnes,” Valentina sighs, displeased. “What can I do for you on a Sunday morning? Something extremely pressing, I assume?”  

“Sorry to bug you,” he says, not sounding sorry at all. “I had a few questions about the mission we’re prepping for Wednesday. Plus I wanted to check on Mel.” 

“Well, obviously Melissa is fine,” she replies, gesturing to her assistant sitting right next to her. “Nothing a shower and a cup of espresso couldn’t fix. As for mission prep, we’ll be going over everything tomorrow, during business hours, at the meeting designated for discussing mission prep. Sound good?” 

Mel glares at her boss. She and Bucky have made some small progress on their relationship; as in, Bucky is no longer trying to get Valentina impeached, and Val is no longer trying to have Bucky killed. That is about the extent of it, however. Most of their interactions are still icy at best and downright hostile at worst. Which is inconvenient for Mel since she cares about both of them.

“I’m fine, Bucky,” Mel interrupts, offering him a stiff smile. As much as she likes him, she really needs him to get the fuck out, because Valentina is an evil little shit who has once again turned up the dial on the vibe inside of her. Val offers her a subtle little smirk. “But we’re getting some work done, so maybe we can talk later?” 

“Yes, Mel did mention that the two of you were together last night,” Val says, something predatory in her voice that makes Mel nervous. “What were you two doing?” 

Luckily, Bucky is a good, loyal friend who knows that Mel isn’t ready for Valentina to know that she’s a regular at Avengers tower, so he replies, “Nothing much. She brought over some intel for Wednesday, and we had a couple drinks. I didn’t realize she was such a lightweight.” 

She glares at him, but ultimately is thankful for the automatic cover he provides. 

“Wow. I didn’t realize you two were drinking buddies,” Val says. Her tone is icy, and it makes the hair on the back of Mel’s neck stand up. “Mel, would you like your new friend to stay for a while?” 

Val turns up the dial once again, and Mel has to clench the couch cushions in her fist to keep from crying out. Her thighs tremble, and she hopes to god Bucky doesn’t notice. She knows exactly what Valentina is doing. For some reason, she’s jealous and doesn’t like the idea of Mel and Bucky hanging out, especially late at night. So now she’s torturing Mel while simultaneously making her choose between Valentina and Bucky, right in front of them. 

Staking her claim. Clarifying Mel’s allegiances. 

And she knows damn well that Mel is wound up, on the edge, desperate for more.

“N-no,” she chokes out. “That’s okay. Valentina and I are p-pretty busy, so… maybe another t-time?” 

“Hmm,” Valentina hums smugly. “I guess not. We’ll see you later, Buck.” She throws the nickname at him mockingly. 

“Right…” Bucky says, looking between the two women. Mel thinks she notices what could be amusement or suspicion or both in his voice, and she sees the corners of his mouth quirk up just a tad. “Okay. I’ll see you both tomorrow, then.” 

“I can’t wait,” Valentina says sarcastically. Bucky rolls his eyes and exits, waving goodbye to Mel. 

The second the elevator door closes, Mel buries her face in the back cushion of the couch with a moan, and Val lets out a husky little laugh, reaching out and rubbing her back. 

“Well, that was fun,” she murmurs. Mel lifts her hand and gives her the finger, panting. She laughs again. “Come here. Come sit on mommy’s lap.” With some difficulty, she manages it, crawling across the couch to settle in Valentina’s lap, straddling her. “You didn’t want Bucky to join us?” 

Melissa shakes her head, eyes scrunched shut as the pleasure grows. “Of course not,” she breathes. 

“So you weren’t fucking him last night?” 

“What?” her eyes fly open and she forces herself to meet Val’s gaze. “No. It’s not like that.” 

“You sure? Because from what I’ve seen, a little slut like you would be willing to open her legs for anyone who can make you come.”

“There’s no one else,” she insists breathlessly, hips rocking against Valentina’s. The older woman clamps her hands down on Mel’s waist, guiding her movements. “No one makes me come like you.” 

“That’s right,” Val says, eyes fierce and possessive. She thrusts her hips up against Mel’s and latches her lips onto her neck, sucking and biting. Mel moans. She can tell Valentina is going to leave marks, but she doesn’t dare tell her to stop. Not with whatever mood Val is in right now. “Because you’re mine, and I don’t share.” 

“Yes,” Mel groans, lacing her fingers through Val’s hair and tilting her head back, allowing Val more access. She takes it eagerly. The vibe pulses in her throbbing pussy, and it’s so intense Mel feels like she might die. “All yours.” 

“Say it again,” Val commands, lacing her fingers through Mel’s hair and pulling hard enough to hurt, yanking her head back forcefully. 

“I’m all yours, Val,” she cries, meaning it from the bottom of her heart. “I don’t w-want anyone, oh god, idontwantanyoneelse - just you, Valentina, I’m yours-”

Val wraps an arm around Mel’s back, tugging her closer, pulling their chests together. Mel buries her nose in Valentina’s hair, inhaling the sweet scent of her, and grinding her hips down against Val mindlessly. 

“Are you close, sweet girl?”

“So close,” she exhales, pleasure coiling hot and hard in her belly, her whole body tensing up. 

“You don’t get to come until I tell you.” 

“Yes ma’am.” 

“Say my name,” Val orders softly, kissing her neck. 

“Mmph- Valentina,” she whispers, right into her ear. She feels the woman shudder beneath her. Val squeezes her tightly. “Valentina…” 

“My good, pretty little girl,” she coos, her soft tone completely at odds with her possessive, almost painful hold on Mel’s hair. “You want to know something?” 

“Hmm?” 

“I’m glad,” she breathes. “You came here last night.” 

Warmth spreads through Mel’s chest, and it has nothing to do with her impending orgasm.

“Me too,” she sighs. “God, please let me come.” She feels Valentina shuffle, hears the drawer of the end table open and close. 

“Okay, pretty girl,” Val allows. “Go ahead. Come on mommy’s lap.”

“Ungh-” Mel groans as the orgasm washes through her, hips jerking restlessly on top of Val’s as she clenches and throbs around the toy. It keeps pulsing, carrying her through it, and Mel shudders as she tries to come down, but the toy is still stimulating her sensitive pussy. “Oh- okay, Val, you can t-turn it, ohmygod, you can turn it off now-” 

“Hmm. No, I think we can leave it on for a while.” 

Mel hears another buzzing noise, and her eyes fly open, revealing Val holding another vibrator, a wand with a bulbous head. Val smiles up at her smugly, and Mel gasps sharply. She doesn’t even have time to process before Val places the vibe right on her clit, and any air she’s managed to take in is instantly punched from her lungs. 

“Fuck!” she shrieks, holding onto the couch cushions for dear life, dropping her forehead to Val’s shoulder. She squirms, trying to get away from the heavy vibrations, but Val simply tightens her hold and follows her hips with the toy, keeping them right on her clit. “Val, Val, I-I can’t, oh my god, it’s too much, Val please-” 

“That’s not what I want you to call me right now,” Val snaps, and Mel remembers herself. 

“Mommy,” she sobs, her breath coming in shuddering pants as both vibrators drive her to the brink of madness. “I can’t, please…” 

“Don’t bother,” Val breathes. “We both know you’re a little slut, desperate for anything I give you. I could tie you up and make you kneel beside my desk with that little vibrator in you, and you’d still beg to grind that needy clit against mommy’s shoes, just for a little more stimulation.” 

Mel’s eyes roll back in her head, and she forgets how to breathe for a minute. Val simply laughs. 

“Oh, you like that idea, don’t you?” she mocks. Mel simply whines. “Why don’t you show me how much you like it? Come for me.” 

Mel’s back arches as she comes with a scream, thighs clenching around Valentina’s hips as she judders on top of her. Val strokes her back as she loses herself to the ecstasy of it all, her vision practically whiting out. 

“Off, off,” she begs, tears of overstimulation welling up in her eyes as the pleasure turns to pain. “Please, I can’t-” 

“Okay, sweet girl, okay,” Val soothes as she pulls the vibrator away, tossing it aside. 

“The other one, Valentina, fuck,” she cries, fumbling for Val’s phone. 

“I’ve got it, darling, just hang on,” she murmurs, snatching the phone and quickly turning the other vibrator off. 

Mel pants, trying to catch her breath, and melts into Val’s embrace. She strokes the girl’s hair as she trembles. 

“You did so well, sweet girl,” she says, kissing her temple. “I’m so proud of you. You took that so well.” 

“Thank you,” Mel sighs, still shaking.

“Come on. Let’s get you cleaned up.” 

~~~

“Mel. Mel!” 

She turns as she hears a voice call her name while leaving the meeting. 

“Bucky, hey,” she smiles, watching him jog to catch up with her. “Did you need something?” 

“No, no, I just, um,” he seems uncomfortable, which isn’t exactly unusual for him, but he rarely seems this nervous. “Can we talk for a second?” 

“Oh. Of course.”

He takes her arm and pulls her aside with surprising gentleness. Mel is always surprised by how careful he is with his metal arm. They step into an alcove and wait for everyone else in the meeting to file past. Once they’re alone he gives her a piercing look. 

“What’s up?”

“I wanted to talk to you about yesterday.”

Mel’s cheeks grow warm. Right. When she kicked him out of Val’s apartment so she could finish fucking her boss. 

“Yeah, I’m sorry for kicking you out,” she laughs, trying to seem unbothered. “We had a lot to handle, and we were kind of in the zone, so…” 

“Yeah, not buying it,” Bucky says, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. 

“What do you mean?” 

“Something is going on between the two of you, right?” 

Internally, the gears in Melissa’s brain grind to a halt. Well, fuck. She swallows hard, but she can’t afford to bumble through this. What she and Val have… she’s not an idiot. She knows that the Director of the CIA having an affair with her young, female assistant would blow up the internet and both of their respective lives. They can’t afford risking it getting out. So she brings herself up to her full height and summons the courage that her job requires in order to get Valentina the results she demands. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Bucky,” she says firmly. “Valentina is my boss. We were working, and you interrupted. I don’t know what you want from me.” 

He raises his hands in surrender. “Look, I get it,” he says. “I know what it’s like to have a secret, okay? I’m not a threat to you two… whatever it is.” 

“‘It’ is a perfectly respectable boss-employee dynamic,” Mel snaps. She’s vaguely curious about the secret he insinuated about, but now isn’t the time. They’ve become friendly the past few months, but if he keeps pushing, if he keeps sticking his nose into the secret she’s learned to hold tight to her chest… 

“Mel, you called her ‘your woman’ the other night,” Bucky reminds her, raising an eyebrow. Mel falters, her quick mind racing to figure out a valid reason for why she would’ve called Val that. She mentally curses herself. She forgot she said that. Stupid. “And then spent the night at her place.” 

“In the guest bedroom,” she insists, grateful that that at least is the truth. 

Bucky sighs. “Look, Mel, your business is your business. I’m sorry - it’s probably not my place to pry.” 

“It’s not.” 

“But I’m coming to you as a friend. I just-” he runs his fingers through his hair. “I just wanted to make sure you’re okay, and to let you know that, like I said, I know what it’s like to have a secret. To not be able to talk to anyone about the person that you… that you’re with. It weighs on you. So this is me, telling you that if you want to talk about it ever, you can talk to me. And I won’t tell anyone, not even the other members of the team.” 

Mel’s icy demeanor melts as he speaks. He’s looking at her with kind, knowing eyes, and something clicks in her brain. “Are you talking about… Captain America? As in, like, Steve Rogers?” 

Sorrow flashes through his eyes, but he nods. “Yeah. He was… he was mine.” 

“Oh,” is all she can think of to say as the enormity of his confession hits her. “Wow. No wonder you hate Walker so much.” 

“I don’t hate Walker. He just lives to piss me off.”

“You and everyone else, I think.” 

“Yeah,” he laughs humorlessly. “Definitely the worst breakup ever.” Mel chuckles at that, brushing an errant lock of hair out of her face. “Some days I don’t think I’ll ever love another man, and some days I’m fine. But back then, and even now… there aren’t a lot of people who know. Basically zero, actually. So I could never talk about it. The good, the bad, the ugly. And I know how much that sucks. So, if you ever need to talk, or you want to talk, or whatever, the offer is on the table. And I’ll keep your secret.” 

“Thanks, Bucky,” she says sincerely. “Maybe someday I’ll take you up on that.” 

“Feel free.” 

“Okay, well I have to get back to work now,” she tells him. “Is game night still happening on Friday? Or is it movie night?” He shrugs. 

“I don’t know. Yelena or Walker text me and I show up. Or I’m in the kitchen just trying to get a peaceful bowl of cereal and go to bed and then they coerce me into playing.” 

“How do they coerce you?” 

“You know, mental health and community and blah blah blah. The usual.” 

“Right,” Mel laughs. “I actually have received that spiel a few times myself. Anyway, I’ll see you Friday either way, then.” 

“Sounds good.” 

Mel exits the alcove, making her way down the hall. 

“Hey, Mel?” She turns. 

“Yes?” 

“You know what you’re doing, right?” Bucky asks, sounding genuinely concerned. “I don’t want you to get hurt, and Valentina… you sure know what you’re doing?” 

Mel clenches her binder. “I hope so,” she tells him, before turning and heading down the hall to her next meeting. 

~~

A few days later, she’s in the bathroom, checking her phone quickly before she has to go back to work. She laughs at a text Bucky has sent in their group chat, a lame meme confirming her presence at the tower tonight, and likes it in the affirmative. 

“What’s so funny?” 

Mel damn near screams and drops her phone. She turns quickly, the device pressed against her chest. 

“Val,” she pants. “You scared me.” 

“Did I?” she asks, unconcerned. She looks incredible. Mel can’t help but notice. She’s been dressing in bolder colors lately, now that the impeachment is over and she doesn’t have to try to make herself seem soft and likeable and whatever the hell else the general public likes to see women be. She wears a red, form fitting top tucked into black slacks, her blazer nowhere to be seen. “Why? Scared you’re going to get caught doing something wrong?” 

“What?” Mel asks, trying not to show that she is in fact a little freaked out to be caught socializing with the Thunderbolts. But she forces herself to calm down and remember that she isn’t actually doing anything wrong. “No, of course not.” 

“Hmm. Who were you texting?” 

“A friend.” 

“Wow,” Val laughs. “I honestly didn’t know you had actual friends.”

Okay, true or not, people assuming that is starting to feel kinda fucked up. 

“Not many,” she says self-deprecatingly, tucking her phone back into her pocket. “Anyway, I should be getting back to work.” She tries to slide past Valentina, but the older woman grabs her arm. Mel freezes. 

“What are you doing tonight?” Valentina asks, sounding genuinely curious. “Do you have any plans?” 

“I, um.” I’m playing Monopoly with a bunch of trained killers you kind of despise. “Sort of. Why? Do you need me?” 

“Oh, no, it’s not work related,” she answers. “I just happen to have an extra ticket to the Lincoln Center tonight. I was going to invite you, but you seem more preoccupied lately, so if you have other plans-” 

“They’re not important,” Mel immediately says. 

“Are you sure? You don’t have a hot date?” Val asks, and there is something in her eyes, something that almost reminds Mel of that look she gets when they are together from time to time. The inexplicable hint of longing. This time it seems like maybe there is fear, or jealousy. The way she sounded when she confronted Mel about hanging out with Bucky the other night. But then it’s gone, and Mel is certain she is losing her mind. Still, she’s firm in her convictions when she says, 

“No. Definitely not.” It’s such an absurd assumption, the idea that Mel could be going on dates when she has Val, that she can’t stop herself from reaching down and tangling their fingers together. A quiet reassurance. The smile Valentina gives her in response was dazzling - toothy, genuine. 

“Alright. Good. Dinner beforehand? You can make us reservations at that restaurant down the street, the… I forget the name. But you know the one.” 

“I do.” Mel nods. “I’ll take care of it.” 

“That’s why you’re my best girl,” Valentina says, squeezing her hand before dropping it. “Make the reservations for 7:30. The show starts at 9:00.” 

“I-I will.” 

Val leaves Mel in the bathroom, stunned. That’s why you’re my best girl. Val almost never throws out those kinds of compliments unless Mel is half naked and shaking from arousal. 

She whips out her phone.

THUNDERBITCHES ⚡💪🥵 + mel

Mel: I lied. I can’t make it tonight - work stuff. Sorry!! 

Yelena: booooo

Bob: aw man :(

Walker: just quit your job 

Yelena: ooooh unless ‘work stuff’ is code for something 👀

Yelena: please tell me ‘work stuff’ is the person who gave you that hickey 

Ava: yelena stfu do you remember what happened the last time you brought this topic up in the presence of your father 

Yelena: relax he does not know how to text in a group chat

Alexi: BOO

Yelena: for fucks sake

Yelena: okay we really need a group chat that does not include my dad. there are things i cannot talk about with him here 

Bucky: Guys please I am working. If you don’t shut up I’m muting this group chat. 

Bob: not dnd jail 

Yelena: guys i have a great idea lets all go bother bucky at work 

Bucky: No. I work in a government building. Do not do that. 

Bucky: Hello? Please acknowledge my text. 

Bucky: Goddamnit. 

Privately, Bucky texts her. 

Bucky: So… is it work stuff or ‘work stuff’? 

Mel: Mind your business old man

Bucky: Just remember to put on concealer tomorrow morning! 

Mel: Blocked. 

~~~

Mel takes the most intense everything shower of her life after work. She shaves, scrubs, plucks, and slathers creams and oils and lotions over every inch of her body. It doesn’t help to alleviate the nerves. 

She’s going on a date with Valentina. Or is she? She really has no idea. Dinner and a show, dresses and heels, those are usually pretty solid indicators of a date night, but she seriously can never tell with Val. It is entirely possible that Val simply had no one else to go with and didn’t want to go alone. 

But then she thinks about the other night, and she can’t help but wonder if something in Valentina is starting to soften towards her. It’s the little moments here and there, like the other night when she comforted her after her nightmare and then again today in the bathroom. And the way she was jealous when she thought that something was going on between her and Bucky… she can’t help but wonder if maybe Val cares more than she normally lets on. 

She’s trying to decide which dress to wear when a knock at her door interrupts her. Mel secures her robe around herself and looks through the peephole - nothing. She opens the door and finds only a box on the ground. She looks up and down the hall and, after seeing no one, picks up the box and brings it inside. 

When she opens it, she stares, jaw dropped. She reaches for the contents, lifting them from the box. The dress unfolds in her touch like liquid silver, rippling beneath her fingers. It’s lilac matte satin, and she can tell before she even tries it on that it will fit to every curve of her body. 

She checks for the tag. Donatella Versace - Custom.

A card drops from the box, and Mel picks it up. 

Wear this tonight. 

xx

V

Valentina just gifted her a sexy, custom made, one-of-a-kind Versace dress with instructions to wear it tonight. 

“Okay,” Mel says to herself. “Definitely a date.”

Chapter Text

Valentina’s driver - Dave tonight - picks her up at exactly 6:45. He gets out of the limo and opens the door for her, and when she slides into the backseat, Val is sitting there waiting for her. 

“Hi,” Mel says with a smile. Valentina looks her up and down with an approving smirk. 

“You wore the dress.” 

“I did. Thank you, by the way. It’s stunning.” 

“As are you,” Val compliments. 

“Thanks,” Mel says again. She knows she’s blushing, but whatever. It’s dark in the car. Not so dark, however, that she can’t tell that Valentina looks drop-dead gorgeous. She’s wearing a sleeveless, eggplant colored dress with a shockingly low neckline. It’s the perfect yin to Mel’s lilac yang. 

She was right in her assumption that her dress would fit to every contour of her body. The dress has a corseted waist which turns into pure matte satin that sneaks its way down her hips and thighs, falling just above her knees and ending mid-calf. It’s a gorgeous, sultry contrast to her dark skin tone and the deep, rich color of Valentina’s dress. 

In the dim light of the car, it takes Mel a moment to notice the detailing on Valentina’s dress. There are little lilac details along the trim that are an exact match to the color of Mel’s dress, as if her outfit were simply an extension of Valentina’s. As if she were merely an extension of Valentina. 

The car moving jolts her out of her musing, and she realizes she’s been staring rather obviously. Valentina is watching her, amused, and Mel’s blush deepens. 

“You look really incredible, too,” she tells Val. 

“Thank you, darling. I thought it would be best to coordinate a little bit,” Val says, fingering the fabric of Mel’s dress. “It looks even better on you than I thought it would. And, of course, it’s always gratifying to see you following instructions.” 

She swallows hard, clenching her thighs and trying to slow her racing heart. “As long as you’re the one giving them,” she replies with more confidence than she feels. Valentina lets out a sultry chuckle that makes Melissa melt. 

“That’s right, darling,” she purrs, tracing her knuckles down Mel’s cheek. Without meaning to, she leans into Val’s touch like a cat seeking pets. “Sweet thing.” She takes her hand away, and Mel fights back a whimper. “Are you looking forward to dinner?” 

Mel tries to focus despite the change in topic. “Oh, um, absolutely.”

“I took a quick look at the menu - not the full thing, I just wanted to take a peek at some options, and there are a few vegetarian dishes that look incredible. You shouldn’t have a problem finding something you’ll like.” 

Mel smiles in disbelief at Val’s uncharacteristic display of thoughtfulness. Although, she thinks to herself, such displays are growing less and less uncharacteristic, at least where Melissa is concerned. 

“Thank you,” she says, reaching over and squeezing Valentina’s hand. “I’m really excited. The restaurant looks fantastic.” The older woman’s eyes flicker down to their entwined hands, and Mel immediately feels self conscious, moving to pull hers away. Val simply tightens her hold and prevents Mel from going anywhere. 

She doesn’t say a word about it, simply laces their fingers together more comfortably and settles their hands in her lap. “Yes, it is,” Val replies instead, as if this were the most normal thing in the world. “It’s been a long, long time since I’ve eaten there. I can only hope that it hasn’t gone down in quality.” 

“W-well, if it’s awful,” Mel jokes, hoping Val can’t feel her rapid pulse through her wrist. “We can always make a run for it and head to Shake Shack instead.” 

Val snorts. “Right. Yeah, I’ll make sure Dave knows that’s our plan B.” 

Mel doesn’t answer, simply takes in the simple luxury of holding Valentina’s hand in the backseat of the limo. She settles into the seat and gazes out the window. Val does the same. 

They spend the rest of the drive in silence, completely still aside from Val’s thumb occasionally stroking Mel’s wrist. The air is thick with anticipation and something Mel can’t quite decipher, but it’s not uncomfortable. In fact, in addition to the anxiety and exhilaration and hope coursing through her veins, there’s also a profound sense of peace, as if she knows she is exactly where she is supposed to be. 

~~

The Grant Tier is, of course, dripping with elegance when they enter. The staff greets them with respectful little bows of the head, taking their coats and guiding them to a private dining room in the back of the restaurant. They sit at a little table with white tablecloths, and Mel tries not to seem woefully out of her depth. She’s entertained elites and politicians and big wig donors at the highest levels in the fanciest environments, but always on the clock. Dressed nicely, of course, but clearly working, tablet tucked under her arm.

This time, she’s the one being waited on, and it throws her off a bit.

They order drinks, appetizers, mains, and Melissa’s eyes nearly bug out of her head at the cost. Valentina picks up on it, because of course she does, and rolls her eyes, sipping her wine. 

“Honestly, Mel, do you think I’m so out of touch that I’d invite you to a place like this and ask you to pay? Get whatever you want - it’s on me. Obviously.” 

“I’m starting to feel like a sugar baby,” Mel jokes, but she does give herself permission to view the menu with less anxiety. 

“And would that be the worst thing in the world?” 

Mel gives her a look over her menu. “I like working. I like being independent. I don’t mind being treated from time to time, but I’ll never allow myself to be fully financially dependent on another person.” 

“Hmm,” Val murmurs, looking at her appraisingly. “And where does that come from?” 

“What do you mean?” 

“Well, I’m trying to ascertain if it’s just modern day feminism talking - which, don’t get me wrong, I fully support - or if there’s a story behind that.” She takes another sip of her wine. “Based on your tone, I’m guessing it’s the latter.” 

Mel leans back in her chair and shrugs, feeling vulnerable. “I almost made that mistake once before. I’ll never do it again.” 

Val, conversely, leans forward and rests her chin on her hand. “You know, Mel, sometimes I feel like I don’t know you at all.” 

“You knew my dress size,” she counters with a cheeky grin. Val laughs. 

“Yes, well, that one was easy. I’d say I have much more intimate knowledge about your body than about you.” 

“And you want to…” Mel clears her throat. “To change that, do you?”  

Valentina’s eyes narrow. “You sound surprised. Is it so out of the question that I would like to know more about you?” 

“A little bit,” Mel says with a nervous laugh. “I mean… for most of the past few months, you treat me exactly the same. Just your assistant. Except for when you fuck me, of course, but then it’s right back to telling me to adjust your schedule or get you coffee. You seem to have made a habit of telling me I’m yours and then tossing me aside. So, yes, you taking me out on a date and asking me questions… it’s definitely a little out of the blue.” 

Valentina is quiet, and Mel wonders if perhaps she’s made a mistake saying all of that. She worries that Val will shut down. But it needed to be said, whether or not it ruins things. She likes the direction that things are heading, but she can’t afford to be blindsided. She needs to be able to mentally prepare herself for whatever Val has in mind next. 

“You’re right,” Val says, and Mel’s eyebrows lift. “I’ve taken you for granted. I’m sorry.” 

“Huh,” she huffs, shocked. “I… was not expecting that, to be honest.” 

“Mel,” Val begins, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. Mel can see her try to determine what exactly she wants to say here, so she remains quiet and lets her arrange her thoughts. “It’s come to my attention that I want more from our… encounters. I don’t want to… I want you, Melissa. When I say that you're mine, I mean it, and I suppose I owe it to you, well, to both of us, to act like it.” 

Mel’s eyebrows furrow in confusion even as her heart kicks into gear again. “What do you mean?” 

Valentina sighs, clearly frustrated, but Mel can’t help her here. “Even before we began having sex, you were never just ‘my assistant.’ You have to know that.” 

She simply stares at Val, shaking her head with an uncertain little shrug. “I… didn’t know that, I don’t think.” 

Val bites her lip. Mel can see that she’s trying hard to be vulnerable, which is something she knows doesn’t come easily to her. 

With a tentativeness that Mel rarely sees in the older woman, Val reaches across the table and takes her hand once more. “I mean it, Mel. You’re mine. On some level, you always have been.” 

Melissa stares down at their entwined hand, heart still racing. “And you?” 

“What do you mean?” 

“If I’m yours,” Mel says, trying not to show how nervous she is, how badly she wants to hear Valentina say the following words. “Then what are you?” 

“Well,” she takes an unsteady breath. “I-I suppose I’m yours as well. If you’ll have me.” 

Mel’s hand feels like it has an electric current running through it. Her face breaks into a broad grin. She feels like everything has just fallen into place around her perfectly, like the world is finally exactly as it is supposed to be. 

“Yeah,” she laughs. “Of course I will.” 

Val smiles as well, and Mel swears time stops as she leans in. 

Before Valentina can kiss her, the door opens and their waiter re-enters with the check. They move apart in what Mel hopes to god is a subtle move, Val reaching for her bag to pay. 

In the meantime, Mel tries to orient herself in this new world in which she is not only Val’s, but Valentina Allegra de Fontaine is hers as well. They whole ride to Lincoln Center, she feels like she’s on cloud nine, waiting for Val to say psych! and take it all back. But she doesn’t. She just holds Mel’s hand again, and Mel can see that she’s got a pleased look on her face, fighting a smile. 

At the opera house, they sit in the private box, high above the audience, out of sight of everyone in the theatre. It honestly didn’t even occur to Mel to ask what they were seeing tonight, which now seems like quite the oversight. But the Italian opera is the last thing on her mind right now, because Valentina actually reaches a hand out and rests it on Mel’s knee. 

It’s astonishing, really, how Mel has grown accustomed to Valentina saying the dirtiest things directly into her ear with two fingers inside of her, but the simple act of placing her hand on her knee is making Mel’s heart race. 

“I saw this in Italy once,” Val murmurs, leaning over to whisper to Mel. When she turns her face, Valentina’s is right there. 

“What are they saying?” Mel asks her even though she doesn’t really care. 

“There are translations right there,” Valentina reminds her, pointing to the little screens in front of them that show the lyrics in Italian and English. 

“Yeah,” she whispers, her eyes flicking down to Val’s lips - full and dark. “But I just like hearing you talk.” 

Valentina meets her gaze with a loaded look. The older woman licks her lips, and Mel stares, heat coursing through her. Val’s eyes narrow, not missing a thing. 

The music swells around them. Emboldened by the dark, intimate privacy of the box and the closeness of Valentina, she lets the words she’s wanted to say for months spill out. 

“Kiss me,” she breathes. 

Time stands still, stretching between them as her words hang in the air. Val’s eyes widen at her request (command? plea?), and Mel simply waits. Waits to see if Valentina will spook, retreating like she always does. 

She brings a hand up to cup Mel’s face, and her breath catches in her throat. Val strokes her cheek with her thumb, and Mel sees it again. That look in her eyes, the longing, the desire. But this time it lingers, and Mel knows she isn’t imagining it. She hasn’t been imagining it this whole time. She waits for it to vanish again as if it was never there, but it doesn’t.

It’s still there when Valentina pulls her in and kisses her. 

Every single cell in her body lights up, as if an electric current has just run through her. 

It’s perfect. Val’s lips are warm and soft and she can feel the lipstick on them, but underneath that it’s just her. The most raw and real and lovely thing Melissa could have ever imagined. 

She turns her body towards Val so she can kiss her more fully, drinking her in like a fine wine. She caresses Valentina’s ribcage, and someone moans into the kiss. She can’t tell who. She lets her tongue slip free to stroke Val’s lips, and she opens her mouth with a moan, deepening the kiss. Valentina surges forward, cupping the back of Mel’s neck, and she recognizes the dominance Valentina brings to their usual sexual encounters. 

Finally, they break apart for air. “Gotta love a private box,” Mel rasps after a moment, and Val laughs. 

“It has its perks,” she says, playing with one of Mel’s curls. It mirrors the action she has done to Val so many times, and she grins. “You really are beautiful, Melissa. Truly.” 

“Thank you,” Mel says softly, sweetly. “So are you. I think you might be the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.” 

Val’s eyes shimmer. “You wanna get out of here?” 

“It’s not even intermission yet,” she laughs, but her protest is half-hearted. 

“Oh, I’m sorry, were you invested in the Italian opera?” 

“No, not really,” she admits. Mel squeezes Val’s hand. “Let’s go.” 

They exit as quickly as they can, making a quick stop in the bathroom to fix their makeup and call Dave around. The second they climb into the limo, all bets are off. 

Mel gets in first, and Valentina is straddling her before Dave even has a chance to shut the door. She makes quick work of Mel’s half-updo, yanking the bobby pins out so she can fully plunge her hands into her hair, and kissing her soundly. It’s deep, all tongues and teeth and hot breath. Mel holds her close, moaning and hardly able to believe that she’s making out with Valentina in the back of her limo. Mel slides her hands up Val’s thighs to cup her ass, squeezing and kneading and encouraging her to grind her hips down. 

“Mm, Mel,” Valentina moans. God, she loves that sound. Val tilts her head to the side and Mel instantly latches her lips to her neck, kissing every bit of skin she can reach. When she reaches a spot that makes her gasp and tighten her hold, Mel keeps her mouth there, flicking her tongue over it again and again until Val is panting, holding her head in place. 

Mel’s hands fumble for the zipper of Val’s dress, tugging it down and running her hands over the newly bared skin of her back. Val tugs her head back and kisses her again, and Mel feels like she could drown in it. It’s so good, so right, she can’t imagine not doing this every day for the rest of her life.

Dave turns a corner, and they’re shifted into the door, Val nearly losing her balance and toppling off of Mel. She steadies Valentina, both of them giggling, and kisses her again. 

Mel brings a hand up the inside of her thigh and cups her between her legs, pressing her fingers against Val’s wet heat, making her groan. “Don’t start something you can’t finish, Gold,” she warns. Mel grins. 

“Oh, trust me, I have every intention of finishing you off.” 

She slides her fingers through Valentina’s folds, spreading her open and sliding her slick all around before plunging two fingers deep inside of her, relishing the noise she makes in response. It’s quick and dirty, knowing that she’ll have all night to take her time. She makes Val come in record time, holding her close and pumping her fingers steadily as Val rocks her hips on top of her, fucking herself on Mel’s fingers until she’s gasping and shaking in Mel’s arms. 

“We’re almost there,” Mel tells her, removing her fingers and wiping them on a tissue. She helps Valentina climb off of her and zips up her, kissing her way up her spine as she drags the zipper back up. They finish putting themselves back together just in time for the car to pull into the private garage. Valentina is on her the second they’re in the elevator, pushing her against the wall and pinning her arms above her head. Mel whimpers, flexing her fingers as Val kisses her, sliding her tongue through Mel’s mouth and biting her lip. 

She hikes her leg up over Valentina’s hip, trying to draw her in closer, and Val moans approvingly. A minute passes, then the elevator dings and lets them out into Val’s apartment. They stumble out, and Mel actually trips a little bit. Valentina steadies her. 

“Woah, steady,” she says. “Okay?” 

“Yeah, yeah,” Mel laughs. “I’m good.” 

“Okay.” 

They take a breather, standing together in the entryway. Valentina kisses her again, but it’s softer, sweeter this time. It makes Mel dizzy. She laces their fingers together and guides her through the dark space. 

“My bedroom is this way,” she murmurs, and suddenly Mel is a little nervous. Mostly horny and so happy she feels like her heart might burst, but a little bit nervous. 

They walk down the hall hand in hand, and she can’t help but notice how natural it feels. As if it was always this way, as if it would always be this way. 

Val takes her through the doorway before dropping her hand and walking towards the nightstand, turning on the soft bedside lamp.

Mel takes in the room before her slowly, almost reverently, the way one would enter a cathedral. She slips off her heels and wanders around, taking in the room. The walls are a gentle sage green, paired elegantly with dark brown furniture. There are a few photos, mostly of Val with world leaders. There’s one of Valentina as a young girl, wearing a baby blue dress and playing in the Italian countryside. She picks it up, gazing intently at this young, sweet, innocent version of the powerhouse she’s become. 

“My father took that,” Valentina murmurs wistfully, coming up behind her and wrapping her arms around Mel’s waist, resting her chin on the younger girl’s shoulder. “Just a few weeks before he died.” 

“It’s a beautiful picture. He must have loved you so much.” 

“Hmm.”. She doesn’t seem to want to talk about it, and Mel can’t blame her. She sets the picture down and lets Valentina distract her by dropping sweet little kisses along Mel’s neck, making her hum in pleasure.

“I want to play with you properly tonight,” the older woman breathes, running her hands up the front of Mel’s body. 

“Yes,” Melissa sighs without question. She wants that too. She wants it so badly it feels like her chest is caving in. “You always say I’m yours.” She turns her head and kisses Val lightly, just enough to tease. “Show me. Make me yours.” 

Instantly, Val turns her until her back is pressed against the dresser with Val’s hands resting on the hardwood, bracketing Mel’s hips. 

“You’ll do whatever I tell you,” Valentina commands softly, her voice dangerous and dripping with anticipation. Melissa shivers. “You’re mine to play with, to do whatever I want with. You obey my every order, be a good girl for mommy, and I’ll reward you. Do otherwise, and there will be consequences. Understood?” 

“Y-yes ma’am,” Mel nods, her voice already shaking. 

Val reaches up and begins removing Mel’s jewelry. “Is there anything that’s a hard no for you?” 

“Um…” she can’t think properly with Val’s hands gently removing her earrings. Plus, before sleeping with Valentina, the sex she had was largely vanilla. She doesn’t really know her limits. 

“Here, why don’t I narrow down the list for you a little bit?” Val suggests with a husky laugh. She enters her closet and comes back out with a blue shoebox, which she sets on the bed. She removes the lid and lets Mel take a look. Her eyes widen. 

“Oh, wow…”   

“I know, I have quite the collection. Anything in here that you think you won’t like, or that you’re not willing to try tonight?” 

Mel rifles through the toys, but all she feels is excitement. She shakes her head. 

“No, I’m good,” she says, anticipation making her head spin. “I trust you.” 

Val smiles again and kisses her gently. “Good. I’m going to take such good care of you, sweet girl.” 

~~

“Val?” Mel calls softly from the bedroom. Valentina looks up from her work and eyes the    clock. It’s been close to forty minutes since she left Mel, but Mel has no way of knowing that. She sets her laptop to the side and heads to check on her, pushing open the bedroom door. Her gaze falls on Melissa immediately, and her pussy, which has been throbbing since she left her there, begins to dampen further. 

She walks over to where Mel lays in the middle of the mattress, wrists and ankles wrapped in soft cuffs, pulling her into a spread eagle position. Mel can neither see nor hear her approach, thanks to the silk blindfold covering her eyes and the noise cancelling headphones over her ears. Val checks the phone on the nightstand, making sure the audio she’d chosen - an audio that is predominantly soft moans and whimpers - is still playing. 

Mel calls her name again. Valentina slides her hand gently up the inside of her thigh, letting her know she’s there. She jerks in surprise, then settles. 

“Can I have some water?” Mel asks, licking her lips. Val flicks her leg, prompting her to follow with a, “please?” She squeezes her thigh in the affirmative and then vanishes. Mel lifts her head when she feels Valentina cupping her behind the neck, bringing the straw to her lips. She lets her drink her fill, waiting until she murmurs, “thank you,” to pull it away. Val places the cup on the table.

She should walk away now. There’s twenty minutes left until… 

She can’t help herself, however. Not when Mel is spread out so deliciously for her in that skimpy little nightgown she’d chosen for her. 

Careful not to touch her, Val places her hands on either side of her, carefully lowering her mouth to hers. She waits until their lips are centimeters apart, then lets her warm breath ghost over Mel’s mouth. She gasps softly, shuddering. Mel tilts her chip up, trying to reach her, trying to get Valentina to kiss her, but she pulls back. 

“How much longer?” she whispers. Val lifts one headphone enough to speak directly into her ear, more air than words. 

“You don’t need to worry about that.” She shivers again, squirming under her barely-there-touch. 

“I- I want-” 

“I know, sweet girl. But this isn’t about what you want. It’s about what I want,” Val tells her. “So you’re gonna stay right here, and when I’m ready to use that little pussy to make myself feel good, I’ll come back.” The whine Mel lets out in response nearly makes her break her resolve, but she knows what Mel needs tonight. She braces herself and begins to rise up off of the bed. 

“Will you stay?” Mel asks, a little catch in her voice. “Please? J-just… I just want you close. Just stay in the room?” 

Val doesn’t want to meet the woman who is capable of denying such a request. “Of course, sweet girl.” This time, she does kiss her - just a tender press of lips to her forehead before she covers her ear with the headphone again. 

This time, she doesn’t even pretend to work. Val simply stares at her, watches the rise and fall of her chest, the occasional pull of her arms or legs against her restraints. 

Fuck. 

The minutes inch past, and her need grows to an almost unbearable level. Valentina can only imagine how wound up Mel is right now. She rubs herself through her pants, searching for a little relief.  

It’s a few minutes before the full hour that she laid out as their timeline, but Mel doesn’t need to know that, and Valentina really doesn’t want to wait anymore. She rises from the chair and grabs the flogger, walking up to the bed. 

Without any warning, Val brings the flogger down, smacking Mel right between her spread thighs. 

Mel’s whole body reacts, surprise and arousal making every touch feel a thousand times more intense. The gasp she releases is simply beautiful, her thighs trembling as she jerks. 

“Oh! Oh, fuck.” Mel’s chest heaves. “Is it time?” Knowing she can’t hear her, Valentina doesn’t bother to answer her. Instead, she simply hits her again, the strands of the flogger landing right over her panties. She twitches again. 

Val takes the headphones off and sets them aside before hitting her again, and again, and again. She waits different amounts of time between each, not wanting Mel to be able to figure out a rhythm, not wanting her to be able to predict the sensation. Each hit has her gasping. 

She switches up, dragging the flogger up over her panties, along her pelvis. She’s panting now, tiny whimpers escaping her. God. Val’s barely touched her, and she’s already coming undone. 

Satisfied that she’s teased her enough, Val sets the toy aside and tugs up Mel’s nightgown (which is actually one of Valentina’s), revealing the panties she had Mel wear - light grey. Mel asked why she wanted her in grey while Valentina picked out this outfit for her. 

“Because I want to see how wet you are before I even take your underwear off,” she’d murmured, helping her step into them and tugging them up over her ass. 

Sure enough, there’s a large wet spot on the cloth covering her cunt, once light grey, now so wet it’s nearly black. 

“Look at that,” Valentina remarks, her voice dark and heavy with arousal. She walks around the    bed until she’s standing at the end of it, where her ankles are strapped down. “So wet for me. And I haven’t even touched you yet.” 

“Please,” Mel says, hips lifting off the bed. “Please, mommy.”

“Your panties are soaked, sweetheart,” she tells her. “Did you come? Are you such a little slut that you came all by yourself, just from being tied up and left alone for a little while?” 

She shakes her head frantically. “No, no. I didn’t come.” 

“Hmm,” Val hums, considering. She slides her hands up the inside of Mel’s thighs and she   moans, loudly. “Damn. So all that is just… what?” She squeezes. “Tell me.” 

“God,” she groans, her head tilting back. “I just… I just fucking want you.” 

Val chuckles condescendingly. “I can tell.” She reaches forward, running the tips of her fingers over the damp fabric, stroking her from bottom to top. 

“Ungh,” Mel moans, her core clenching in response. “Oh, fuck, oh my God…” 

“Mhmm.” She watches intently as her fingers find her clit, obviously soaked and swollen even beneath her underwear. She presses harder, massaging the tender flesh in slow circles. Mel’s chest heaves as she cries out, her fingers curling around her restraints. 

The pleasure starts to peak and her thighs begin to close of their own accord, her legs straining against the cuffs. 

“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” she pants, her back arching, rising up off of the mattress. Just this, just Val’s fingers rubbing her through her panties is about to have her coming harder than she has in a long time. The ripples start from deep inside of her, spreading and multiplying and warming her entire body. 

Just as she’s about to crest the wave, Val stops, pulling her hand away entirely. 

Mel wails. Actually cries out in anguish as her orgasm, so close to blessed release, stops dead in its tracks. 

“No,” she sobs, hips bucking desperately into the air. The wet spot on her panties nearly doubles in size, her poor pussy so close to coming that it can’t help but release fluids anyway. “Mommy, please, please…” 

“Shhh,” Val comforts, running her hand over her stomach. “Relax. It’s okay. You’re doing so well.” 

She reaches up and tugs her blindfold down, letting it hang around her neck. Mel blinks, adjusting to the soft lamplight of the room. Val continues on, unlatching her feet before grabbing her ankles and pushing them up until knees are bent, her heels touching her ass, her thighs spread wide. She’s trembling beneath her grasp. 

Valentina maintains eye contact with her as she leans down slowly, resting her mouth against her core, mouthing the soaked fabric. Mel shudders. 

“Mommy,” she whimpers, the feeling of her warm breath and soft lips against her almost unbearable. 

“Delicious,” Val mutters, burying her face against her. Mel makes a choked noise, grinding her hips into her boss’s face as much as she’s able, feeling utterly filthy as she does. 

“More,” Mel begs. She feels dizzy with need, unable to believe that Valentina has actually managed to get her in this state so quickly. 

She obliges, but Mel has the feeling that that has much less to do with her begging and much more to do with Val’s own desire to move further. Val lifts her hips and slides her panties down, tossing them aside, then pushes her legs open and simply stares, her mouth watering. 

Her sex is pink and swollen and shiny, absolutely dripping for her, the short black curls covering her cunt glistening with her wetness. 

“God, I wish you could see yourself, sweet girl,” she says, shaking her head. “So wet and perfect for mommy. Exactly how you’re supposed to be.” She bends down and licks her, her tongue flat and wide. Mel’s thighs shake immediately beneath her touch. She does it again, sucking her clit into her mouth at the end, making Mel squeal. 

She stays there for a minute or two, trying not to get lost in how fucking delicious her girl tastes. “Such a good girl,” Val praises into her pussy, barely audible. She can tell she hears it, however, based on how Mel releases another little gush of fluid onto her face. Valentina chuckles when she feels it. 

She stops before she can get too worked up again and kneels between her legs, undoing the    restraints around her wrists. Once Mel is unbound, Val slides a hand around the back of her neck and brings her mouth to her, kissing her for the first time since she tied her up. 

It’s a deep kiss, claiming and brimming with need. Val moans into it, sliding her tongue along hers and biting her lip. She tugs down the straps of Mel’s skimpy nightgown, leaving the    garment wrapped uselessly around her waist. Her hands find the younger girl’s nipples and waste no time pinching and pulling at them. Mel whimpers into the kiss, arching into her touch. 

Val doesn’t relinquish her grip as she scoots backward until she’s once again standing at the    foot of the bed, taking Mel with her, panting and moaning as she sits on the edge of the bed. She still has an iron grip on her nipples, twisting and torturing them. 

“Kneel for me.” 

Mel slides off the bed, kneeling with her back against the mattress, eye level with Val’s navel. She stands before her and cups her cheek, running her thumb over her lips.

“Take off my pants,” Val orders quietly. Mel obeys, undoing the tie at the front of Valentina’s soft black pants. They both reach for the strap on she’s wearing, freeing it from her pants. Mel’s mouth waters. 

Val rubs the head of the dildo along Mel’s lips, spreading her spit. “Look at me.” Mel does as she’s told. 

“You want my cock, baby?” Val asks her. Mel nods, waiting for her permission. “Yeah?”

“Yes,” she breathes. Fuck, does she. She’s fairly certain she’s dripping onto Val’s carpet right now. 

“Good, baby. That’s good. Because I’m going to use that pretty little mouth of yours to make myself feel good, and you’re going to take every inch. Understand?” She nods, but that’s not enough for her. Val grabs her by the hair, yanking her head back, making her yelp. “I said, do you understand?” 

“Yes,” Mel answers immediately. She tugs harder on her hair, bordering on aggressive. 

“Yes, what?”

“Yes, ma’am.” 

“That’s my good girl,” she smiles briefly before letting her face grow hard again. “You can touch yourself, but you are not allowed to come, understand?”

“Yes, ma’am.” 

She laughs. “Such a quick learner. Now open up.” 

Mel does as she told, opening wide. Val pushes in immediately, keeping a hand on the back of Mel’s head to keep her in place. The toy is warm and heavy on her tongue, the taste unfamiliar but extraordinarily arousing. Val moans as she watches Melissa take it, rocking her hips in and out of her eager mouth, pressing in a little further each time. She gags as she hits the back of her throat, instinct causing her to rear her head back, but she holds her there, forcing her to keep her toy in her mouth. 

“Take it,” she says. “We both know you want it, sweetheart. You can’t get enough of my cock down your throat, can you?” 

She finally lets her off, coughing and spluttering. Valentina lets her catch her breath before she takes her mouth for herself again, both hands on her head as she fucks her mouth, grinning in primal satisfaction. 

“Fuck,” she moans. “Look at you, sweet girl. So fucking hot.” 

Mel can’t help herself - she reaches between her legs and slips two fingers inside of herself, moaning in relief as she starts to pump her fingers. She knows she’s not supposed to come, but God, she’s more aroused right now than perhaps she’s ever been in her life. 

Val keeps pumping her hips in and out of her mouth, her grip on her hair tightening as she tries to keep some semblance of control over herself, but the sound of Mel gagging on her dick and the    wet noises of her fingering herself as she kneels on the floor are not making it easy. When Mel   starts to choke a little, Valentina gives her a break. She gasps, a string of drool maintaining the    connection between her toy and her lips, wet strands dangling in the air. 

“Fuck, please let me come,” Mel pants, planting a hand on the ground for stability as she fucks herself. She steps back and watches her, a smug smile on her face. 

Her sweet girl, her slutty little assistant, naked and kneeling on her carpet, hips gyrating into her own hand. Mel’s eyes roll back into her head as she brings herself to the edge. 

“I won’t stop you,” Val says, her voice soft and dangerous. “But there will be consequences if you disobey me.” 

“Ungh,” she moans, looking at the older woman pleadingly. “Please, mommy.” 

“No.” 

And fuck, if her denial doesn’t send Mel careening over the cliff without a second thought.  Mel doesn’t even have a chance to consider her options before her orgasm crashes into her with overwhelming, heart-stopping force. She thinks she’s reaching her peak, that the ecstasy can’t grow any stronger than it is right now, when Val takes a step forward and grabs her hair, perfectly manicured nails digging into her scalp as she tugs with more force than she ever has before. The pain and humiliation sends her fucking flying, and the pleasure becomes bright white and unyielding. After a moment, she becomes aware that warm fluid is streaming out of her, spilling over her hand as she squirts all over the floor.

After what feels like a small eternity, the wave finally recedes. She slumps, boneless, until she’s sitting on the floor, trembling as she tries to come back down. 

“You little slut,” Valentina murmurs, kneeling next to Mel’s trembling frame. “You made a mess all over my carpets. Dirty little whore, coming without permission.” 

“I- I’m sorry,” she tries, eyes pleading. She can see in her eyes that Val is unmoved. 

“You will be,” she replies, her voice hard. “Get on the bed. Now.” 

“Yes ma’am,” Mel manages, scrambling to her feet on unstable legs, crawling onto the bed. 

“On your back.” 

Val returns the blindfold to its spot over Mel’s eyes, blinding her once again. She restrains her wrists, this time binding them together above her head, strapping them to the center of the    headboard. Mel’s breathing is already uneven, her chest rising and falling as Val watches, her eyes locked on her breasts as they move. 

She squeezes her thighs together, excited for what’s to come.

Val grabs a feather toy from the nightstand. Slowly, she drags it over one of Mel’s nipples. Mel twitches, but she pays her no mind, stroking each of her nipples with the feathers. She watches goosebumps rise over her flesh, popping up even on her stomach as Val sensitizes her skin. 

She waits until her nipples are diamond hard and she’s shivering before letting up, tossing the    feather aside. Valentina then uses her thumbs and middle fingers to flick both of her sensitive nipples, hard enough to hurt. 

“Ah!” Mel squeals, lurching on the mattress. “Oh, God.” Val watches intently as she flicks her again, again, again, tormenting the girl’s poor breasts. She whimpers constantly, largely soft sighs and pained little sounds interspersed with whispered curses. 

Time to up the ante. She grabs their next toy.

With no warning, Valentina attaches the clamps to Mel’s abused nipples. Her whole body convulses, her chest heaving, and she relishes in her scream. She can’t quite tell if it’s from pain or pleasure. She doesn’t really care - to Mel, right now, they’re likely the same thing.

“Feel good?” Val asks meanly, as she pinches her nipples and twists hard. Mel’s back arches as she lets out a choked little gasp. “No?” Mel doesn’t answer. “That’s okay, sweet girl. I can find out for myself.” 

She uses her fingers to probe between Mel’s legs, making her moan as Val glides them through Mel’s copious wetness. 

“Ah, see? I thought so.”

“Fuck, mommy, you make me so wet,” she says, half anguished as her head slams back against the pillow. Mel lets out a little sob as she bucks her hips into Val’s hand. “Please.” 

Valentina obliges, sliding two fingers deep into her at once and instantly pumping them, the    tips of her fingers rubbing right over her G-spot. The moan she lets out is one of the loudest Val’s heard from her tonight. She tugs on the chain connecting the clamps on her nipples. She babbles incoherently, caught between pain and pleasure, barely able to stand it. 

“That’s my girl,” she murmurs, loving the way her hips rock on her hand. Fuck, she’s so turned on right now. “You can’t even help it, can you? You’re so needy, such a good little fucktoy for me.” Her words are getting to Mel, she can tell. Her whole body is tensing up, her mouth wide open, hardly any sounds escaping. “You’re just gonna lay there and let me play with this pussy, aren’t you?” Val works a third finger in and tugs gently on the chain again. “Answer me, Mel.” 

“Y-yesss…” The word comes out in a long, broken moan. She’s close. Very, very close. Val’s original plan had included denying her for as long as possible, but frankly she is too enraptured by her to stop. Plan B, then.

She can tell the poor girl is on the verge of tears, desperate to come and simultaneously overstimulated as hell. This doesn’t stop Valentina from pulling on the nipple clamps, massaging her clit with her thumb, and saying, “Show me what a good little whore you are for mommy. Show me how good it makes you feel to be treated like a horny little slut.” Mel out a harsh moan, her knuckles white where she’s clinging the straps for dear life. “Show me how grateful you are, how excited you are to have my cock stretching open this tight little pussy, using you for my pleasure.”

Mel’s back arches up off the bed, her whole body going rigid as her orgasm slams into her, forcing her to submit to the endless pleasure.

“Good girl,” Val mutters, continuing to pump her fingers as she writhes, her cunt spasming and fluttering around him. “There we go, baby, that’s a good girl.”

“V-Val, Val, oh, oh fuck…” 

She reaches up and yanks off the blindfold, undoing Mel’s bindings. Val wants her to see exactly what she’s doing to her body.

“I didn’t say you could stop,” she says harshly, continuing to fuck her forcefully. She grasps a fistfull of her hair and tilts her head down, forcing her gaze between her own legs. “Look at that. Nuh-uh, keep those eyes open. Keep coming for me.” Mel’s chest is heaving, her legs trembling, her face and body flushed. “This pussy does exactly what I want it to, understand?”

She nods as best as she can with Valentina’s hand still in her hair, each breath coming out as a high pitched whimper. 

“You needed to come so badly that you went ahead and did it without my permission,” Val reminds her, thrusting her fingers in and out of her. “So you’re gonna go ahead and keep coming until I decide you get to stop.”

Melissa doesn’t even feel like she’s in her body right now, with everything so out of her control and her being so unbelievably aroused. It’s like she’s transcending, and the normal limits of her body cease to exist. 

Which comes in handy when Valentina brushes her lips over hers and whispers, “Squirt for me.” 

Mel falls mute as her body obeys her command, curving in on itself as a warm gush of fluid escapes her for the second time that night. Val fumbles around for a blanket and shoves it between her thighs, trying to keep the mattress from getting completely soaked.

“Ungh, ungh, uh-” 

“Shhh,” she murmurs. “Just let it happen, baby. Make a mess for mommy.” 

It feels never ending, the pleasure both blissful and excruciating. The blanket grows warm and wet between her legs, and it all just feels unbearably filthy. 

“I-I, Val-” she  gasps, sounding borderline panicked. “I can’t- fuck, oh my God, it’s too much…” Val ignores her. “Fuck, mommy, please, I can’t take it.” 

She slows - but doesn’t still - her movements. 

“Color?” she asks. Mel pants, not meeting her eyes. “Mel, honey, what’s your color?” 

She gives Val an utterly pathetic look and whines, “Green.” She only chuckles and ramps it back up, fucking her screaming into another orgasm. 

Finally, after Mel is half dead in her arms, she relents. She removes the harness and sets it aside for later before covering Mel’s body with her own, her forearms planted on either side of Mel’s head to keep from smothering her. Val presses her lips to her soft, pliant ones in a deep, luxurious kiss. She moans as Mel leans into it, stroking her tongue along hers. Valentina cups her cheek, a tender act that helps to ground her. Her body is pressed all along hers, skin to skin, Val’s weight heavy and delicious against her.

“I wanna hold you,” Mel murmurs shyly. Val unties her wrists, freeing her, and Mel immediately wraps her arms around her, hugging her tightly and burying her face in the crook of Val’s neck. She’s still trembling beneath her, and the older woman slides her arms under her slim body to cradle her properly. 

“You’re so hot, sweet girl,” Val breathes, her hips already rocking against Mel’s. Mel wraps her legs around her, encouraging her movements. “You having fun?” 

“Mhmm,” she hums, turning to kiss her again. “I didn’t even know I could do that. Come that many times in a row.” 

“It was incredible to watch,” Valentines tells her, kissing her again, and Mel drinks her in. She tastes better than the finest wine, the richest dessert. “Do you need a breather?” Mel nods, sensitive and a little sore. 

“Can I touch you? Please? I want to make you feel good.” 

Valentina chuckles. “Yeah? What do you want to do for me?” 

Melissa surges up, flipping the both of them before Val can even process it. She lands on her back with a little oof! and wide eyes. 

“Everything,” she says, laying her naked body on top of Val’s and resting the thigh between the older woman’s legs. “Okay?” 

Valentina nods and clears her throat before rasping, “Okay.” Mel smiles and gets to work. 

Val is still in charge, that much is clear, but she’s giving Mel license to explore, and she’s going to drink up every moment of it. She kisses Valentina until they’re both breathless before moving lower, kissing the expanse of creamy white skin along her neck, her jaw. She bites down on Valentina’s collarbone, making her gasp and arch her back. 

When she reaches Val’s breasts, the older woman moans and clutches Mel’s head. She takes her nipple into her mouth, suckling lightly, dragging her teeth over the hardened bud before kissing her way to Val’s other breast and doing the same to that one. 

“Melissa,” Valentina moans, squirming beneath her touch. 

“Am I doing well, mommy?” she asks with a little smile, kissing Val’s stomach. 

“Yes, darling, you’re making mommy feel so good…” 

Mel kneels on the bed and runs her hands over every inch of Valentina’s body. She watches her face as she strokes her thighs, her stomach, her breasts. She isn’t sure which is more mesmerizing: Val’s pussy on display from her view between her thighs, or her face as Mel touches her. 

Valentina looks up at her, panting and shifting restlessly, eyes wide.

“You’re so beautiful, Val,” she breathes. She’s never said anything more sincerely in her life. She can see Val’s breath catch from the way her chest twitches. 

“Come here,” Valentina murmurs, reaching for the younger girl. Mel lays back down on top of her and lets Valentina take her mouth in a hungry, passionate kiss. She only lets it go on for a moment, however, before pulling away. “Do you want to eat mommy’s pussy, sweet girl?” 

“Yes,” she says, nodding rapidly. “Yes, yes please.” 

“Okay, baby. Go ahead,” she says, letting her head fall back against the pillows. “Eat your fill.” 

She kisses her way back down Val’s body eagerly until she reaches her target. She lays on her belly on the mattress at eye level with Val’s cunt. She can smell her wetness already, and it makes her mouth water. Val spreads her legs wider in anticipation, and her back arches up off the bed at the first stroke of Mel’s tongue. 

Mel knows how to do this by now. She knows how to get Val off quick and dirty when they don’t have time. But this is the first time she’s been able to take her time, so she does. She laps up every drop of Valentina’s arousal, loving the way she moans in response. 

“That’s it, darling, that’s a good fucking girl,” Val groans, hips canting up against Mel’s face, fingers buried in her hair, her other hand gripping the pillow for dear life. “Oh, my god, Mel, you’ve gotten so fucking good at this.” 

Mel eats the praise up, doubling her efforts, licking and kissing and sucking until she feels Valentina’s legs shake on either side of her. 

“Give mommy your fingers, sweet girl,” Val orders breathlessly, squealing when Mel does as she’s told. “Yes, fuck, you’re gonna make me come right in that pretty mouth of yours.” 

“I want you to,” Melissa begs softly as she pumps her fingers inside Valentina. “Can I have it, please? I want your come so badly, mommy, please give it to me.”

Valentina wails, shoving Mel’s face into her pussy and writhing on the mattress. “Fuck! Mel, Jesus Christ, I’m so close, don’t stop-” 

She moans into Val’s cunt, letting the vibrations out right against her throbbing clit, and Val screams as the damn breaks and she comes hard, gasping and whining and shaking. 

“Oh god, oh god, oh my god, Mel, baby, fuck-” 

Mel laps it all up eagerly, moaning and sighing as Valentina shudders through her orgasm. She can feel her clit throbbing on her tongue, and she has to clench her core around nothing, already so turned on again. 

“Thank you for giving me your come, mommy,” she sighs in between licks. “You taste so good.” 

Valentina’s eyes roll back in her head, twitching and jerking. “Jesus Christ, Mel, your fucking mouth,” she groans. “You’re the perfect little fucktoy, darling.” 

“Thank you,” she laughs, crawling her way back up Val’s body to kiss her. “I do what I can.” 

“And you do it so well,” she murmurs, hooking her leg up over Mel’s hip. “Are you ready for more, sweet girl? I think you deserve a reward for taking such good care of me.” 

“Yes,” she breathes into the kiss, pride warming her from the inside out. She loves making Val feel good, loves the praise she offers when Mel does a good job. “I want you.” 

“On your back, darling,” Val orders, switching positions with her once again. She slips the strap back on, and Mel swallows hard as she watches her, getting comfortable against the pillows. I want to see your face when I fuck you.” 

“I want that, too,” she says, spreading her legs so Valentina can kneel in between them. Val lubes up the dildo, even though Mel is probably wet enough not to need it. 

“Are you excited, Mel?” Val asks her, sliding her hands up her torso and squeezing her breasts. “Are you ready to have my cock inside of you?” 

“Yes,” Melissa sighs, reaching a hand down to stroke herself, spreading her own arousal. “I’ve wanted to have you like this for so long, Valentina.”  

“I know,” she says, leaning down and kissing Mel’s belly. “I have, too.” 

It’s not just dirty talk. They’re both aware of the significance of this moment. To go from quick, meaningless fucks against Val’s desk to finally being bare on the mattress, with the time and space and trust to really take care of one another… it’s everything. 

Val presses a hand against Mel’s belly, guiding the head of the dildo against her entrance. Mel’s eyes widen as the head slips inside of her, letting out a soft moan. Valentina thrusts her hips forward, and the toy sinks a few inches deeper inside of her, making her cry out. She grasps the comforter in her fists in an attempt to ground herself, to not shatter into a million pieces from the sheer pleasure of it. 

When Valentina finally bottoms out, tears spring to the corners of Mel’s eyes. It’s so, so good. So deep, so right. 

Val strokes her stomach. “Breathe, darling.” Mel exhales, not even realizing she’d been holding her breath. “Feel good?” 

“Uh-huh.” 

“Are you ready for me to move?” 

“Yes, yes, please move,” Mel begs, needing more. Needing Val to fuck her into oblivion. Instantly, Valentina begins to pump her hips slowly, dragging her cock along Mel’s inner walls, before pushing back in, hitting every sweet spot along the way. 

“Fuck,” she whispers, overcome not only by the feeling but by the look on Val’s face as she fucks her. It’s pure rapture, eyes roaming over her naked body as the toy slides in and out. 

“Pretty girl,” she coos, cupping Mel’s face sweetly. Mel turns her head and kisses Valentina’s palm, maintaining eye contact as she does. In response, Val picks up the pace, snapping her hips at the bottom of each thrust, making Mel’s eyes roll back in her head. Val runs her thumb along Mel’s bottom lip, pushing it into her mouth. Moaning, she closes her lips around it, sucking obediently.

She pulls her hand away after a moment, wrapping her arms around Mel’s thighs and pulling the girl into her lap with surprising strength. It changes the angle of the dildo inside of her, and Mel cries out in pleasure as it slams into her g-spot.

“There!” she gasps, grabbing Val’s arms. “There, god, please mommy, fuck me just like that-” 

“Okay, darling, okay,” Valentina obliges, driving her hips down into her, making her whine. 

“I think I’m gonna squirt again,” she cries, covering her face with her hands. 

“Go ahead, sweet girl. It’s okay.” 

It’s not an orgasm, but something else detonates deep within her, and then a stream of hot fluid is gushing out of her. It soaks the toy and Val’s lap and the blankets beneath them. 

“I can’t stop, fuck, I can’t s-stop,” she wails, writhing on the mattress as the ecstasy slams into her in relentless waves. . 

“It’s alright, darling, just let it happen,” Valentina purrs above her, still fucking her at that same, delicious pace, fingers digging into her hips. “I know, it feels so good when mommy fucks you like this, you can’t help but soak the bed. You’re so hot, Jesus Christ, Mel…” 

When it finally subsides, she changes position, settling herself on top of Mel, pressing their breasts and stomachs together. Mel wraps her arms around Valentina and holds her close, whimpering in her ear as Val fucks her with slow, rolling movements of her hips. 

“Say it,” Melissa begs, digging her nails into Val’s back. “P-please, I wanna hear you say it-” 

Val cups her cheek and brings her lips right to Mel’s sensitive ear. “You’re mine,” she whispers, voice dripping with sensual authority. “I’m yours, and you’re mine.” 

Mel didn’t even realize a part of her was missing until this very moment. Having Val surrounding her, every sense subsumed by her smell, her taste, her touch, and hearing her say those words… it feels like that piece has finally fallen into place, right in the center of her chest. 

She lets out a moan that sounds more like a sob and wraps her arms tighter around Valentina. 

“Can I touch myself? Please, mommy, I’m so close, I just need-” 

“Go ahead,” Val allows, snapping her hips harder against Mel’s and bringing her ever closer to the brink of madness. “Rub that achy little clit. I know you need it so bad, don’t you?” Mel reaches down and does as she’s told, using the pads of her middle two fingers to rub her clit. She’s so overstimulated it’s almost painful, but she needs this orgasm almost more than she needs air. 

“Talk to me,” she pleads breathlessly. “I need to hear your voice, god, I’ll come so fast…” 

Valentina laughs, a soft, patronizing sound and kisses the shell of Mel’s ear. “You want me to talk to you, darling? You need me to tell you that you’re my good, obedient girl? You’ve made me so proud tonight, taking everything I’ve given you. Such a good little cocksleeve, writhing on the mattress, soaking my sheets.” Her voice is a little breathy from the exertion of fucking Mel all this time, but fuck, it’s really doing it for her. 

“Feels so good, mommy…” 

“I know, sweet girl, I know. That achy, throbbing little pussy needed to be filled so badly, huh? You needed me to stretch you open, to treat you like a perfect little slut, just so you could get a little relief.”

“Yes…” 

“I think you should thank mommy for fucking you so well, don’t you?” 

“Ungh, ungh-” Mel is barely coherent, barely able to process Val’s words, let alone form her own. But she fumbles her way through it, not wanting to face whatever punishment Valentina will inflict if she doesn’t manage to. “Th-thank you,” she breathes, eyes shut tight against her impending orgasm. “God, mommy, thank you so much, it feels so good… oh god, oh god, Val-Valentina, I’m fucking coming, can I come, please, please-” 

“That’s it, darling. Show me how good it feels. Come for me.” 

Mel swears to god her brian actually melts as she comes one final time, every muscle in her body bunching with tension and then releasing as the pleasure reaches a point so intense it borders on pain. Sparks light up behind her eyes, and she has no awareness of what her body might be doing or what noises she might be making - beyond the fact that she thinks she’s being very, very loud. 

She comes to a little while later. Valentina has already removed the harness and is wearing a thin, silk robe, moving quietly around the room. Her skin feels like it’s buzzing, as though there’s an electric current running just beneath her epidermis. Mel makes some kind of incoherent noise, but it’s enough to get Val’s attention. 

“Hey,” she says softly, smiling and sitting on the bed next to her, stroking her hair. “Welcome back.” 

“Did… did I actually pass out?” she manages to ask, shocked. Valentina laughs. 

“Just for a few minutes. I fucked you pretty hard, though, so.” 

“Wow.” Mel looks around the room. “What are you doing?” 

“Just cleaning up,” Val answers. “I figured we ought to get you cleaned up - shower or bath, whatever you want. And then we’ll probably want to sleep in the guest room, since you pretty much destroyed the bed. I think I’m going to have to get a puppy pad or something if you keep that up.” 

Mel blushes. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be,” Val reassures her, petting her hair again. “It was very, very hot. Every second.”

“Yeah,” she agrees with a little laugh. “I guess it was.” 

“Did you have fun?” Valentina asks sincerely. “It seemed like it was good for you. Was it?” 

Mel laughs fully this time. “Are you kidding?” 

“Just covering my bases.” 

“Yes, Valentina, it was very, very fun.” 

“Okay,” Val smiles and kisses her lightly. “Good. Now let's get you cleaned up.” 

Mel winces as she leaves the bed. She’s sticky and sore and kind of cold, thanks to the massive wet spot she’d been lying in. 

Valentina draws her a bath in the most elegant bathtub she’s ever seen, complete with candles and rose petals and the whole thing. Mel would be touched, but she suspects that Val didn’t actually do it for her, and instead this is just how she always bathes. Still, it’s lovely, and she nearly falls asleep while Val is washing her hair. 

Valentina washes her, dries her, lotions her up, and guides her to the guest bedroom she slept in a few days ago. For a moment her heart drops, thinking that Val would make her sleep alone after everything that’s happened tonight, but then she remembers that Val had mentioned that they should sleep in the guest room since the bed was destroyed. Comforted by the thought, Mel climbs into bed, completely wiped but immensely satisfied.

A moment later, she feels the bed dip, and she smiles as she feels Valentina gracefully climb into the bed next to her. In the dark, she searches for Val by touch and is immediately wrapped in the older woman’s embrace. Mel molds her body around Valentina’s like a lizard on a warm rock, feeling every system in her body regulate as she soaks in the warmth and softness of the other woman. It’s divine. 

“Goodnight, sweet girl,” Valentina whispers, pressing a kiss to her hair. It’s the last thing Mel is aware of before she succumbs to the sweet darkness of sleep. 

Chapter Text

“What are you even going to do with these?” Valentina asks with a soft laugh, acquiescing to Mel’s most recent request and hiking the sheet further up her thigh. Mel follows the movement first with her eyes then her Nikon, kneeling on the bed to photograph the older woman. “Post them on Instagram?” 

“I don’t need to do anything with them. I just like looking at you.” Mel murmurs, reaching out and adjusting Val’s hair before changing a setting on the camera. “Now, rest your head on your hand, yes, just like that.” 

Val gazes into the camera with a sultry stare, naked on the bed besides the soft sheets covering her hips. 

It’s been two weeks since the night of the opera, and the sun is just starting to set, filling Valentina’s room with a warm glow that feels almost surreal. Mel practically vaulted out of bed to grab her camera from her bag, demanding that Val stay exactly where she was so she could capture every magical moment of it. 

At Mel’s direction, Valentina moves to the window, sheet held low to completely expose her back as she looks out over the city. The camera snicks a few times. 

“How did I not know you were into photography?” Val asks, glancing over her shoulder and grinning at Mel’s complete focus. 

“Haven’t really had time for it lately,” she admits. “Plus I haven’t really been inspired. I haven’t had a muse.” 

“And now?”

Melissa just smiles and changes her angle, snapping another photo. Val laughs, pleased. 

“My turn,” Valentina decides after a few more minutes of playing model. She reaches out a hand, gesturing for the camera. 

“You want to take pictures of me?” 

“I’d be insane not to,” she murmurs. “You’re half naked on my bed. The art creates itself.” 

Mel hands over the camera with a shy laugh and an eye roll. “Who knew you were such a poet?” 

“Not a poet,” Valentina replies, lifting the camera to her eye. “Just a woman who can recognize beauty when it’s in front of her.” 

~~~

“Tell me about Italy.” 

“What do you want to know?” 

“I don’t know,” Mel shrugs from her position on the floor, nestled between Valentina’s legs, back pressed against the sofa. “What it was like for you growing up there. Something happy.” 

“Something happy,” Val murmurs, running the brush through Mel’s hair again, even though she got the last of the tangles out ages ago. “It was actually quite charming when I was small.” 

“Where in Italy did you grow up?” 

“Tuscany, outside of Florence. My family owned a vineyard.” Valentina finally puts the brush down and switches to running her fingers through the girl’s hair, scratching her scalp and smiling at Mel’s content little sigh. “It belonged to my grandfather before he passed, and it was passed to his two surviving children, so we shared the property with my aunt. Even though I never had siblings, I grew up with my cousins. We’d run around the vineyard, sneaking wine and playing hide-and-seek.” 

“It sounds idyllic.” 

“Hmm. I suppose it was for a while.”

Mel looks up at her, perched on the couch. “But?” Valentina smiles wistfully at her. 

“I’m afraid that wouldn’t qualify as ‘something happy,’ darling.” 

“You can tell me anyway.” 

“Maybe another time,” Val says. “Do you want one braid or two?” Mel shrugs again. 

“Whatever you want to do. I just like it when you play with my hair,” Mel tells her with a smile, eyes fluttering shut as Valentina returns her attention to Mel’s long, dark locks. She loves it when they get to be like this, just the two of them in domestic bliss. 

Still, reality is starting to press in on them, like a child pressing their palms against the windows of a house, fogging the glass up with their breath and desperately trying to get a glimpse of what’s inside. Mel has spent a grand total of two nights in her own apartment in the past few weeks and is just barely managing to stay on top of her work. Any time they’re behind closed doors, Valentina makes it very difficult to get any work done. 

“You say that like it’s a solo endeavor on my part,” Val defended herself when Mel accused her of distracting her again. They were both still flushed, with messed up hair and swollen lips, clothes strewn about Val’s home. 

“You practically jumped me!”

“Woman, I gave you a kiss hello.” 

“Exactly!” Mel exclaimed. “I was defenseless.” 

Most pressing and definitely most concerning is the undeniable fact that whatever they are, whatever this is between them violates so many rules. Not to mention the court of public opinion would eat them alive if it ever got out.

Returning to work is an exercise in self control like Mel has never experienced. She constantly has to remind herself that here, Valentina is just her boss, and she absolutely cannot reach out and tuck a curl behind her ear in the middle of a meeting. Still, the weight of it feels different from the one she carried before - when it was just sex. Before, Mel felt like a dirty little secret. Now, whenever Val flashes her a tiny grin and a wink, she feels like she’s keeping this secret with Valentina instead of being the secret that’s kept. 

It’s like she’s walking on air. Even the most mundane tasks have this lovely shimmer over them. Mel knows that that comes from knowing that at the end of the day, she gets to go home to Val. 

There is one other issue, however. 

THUNDERBITCHES ⚡💪🥵 + mel

Yelena: Mel 

Yelena: Mel 

Yelena: Melissa 

Yelena: Melissa Gold

Yelena: guys help me out here

Ava: mel where tf are you

Bob: we miss youuuu

Bob: its movie night your presence is required 

Walker: Yeah seriously are you dead? 

Alexi: Mel is dead?!!!

Alexi: MEL ANSWER WE ARE WORRIED 

Alexi: Is this humor or is Mel in danger?? 

Alexi: I am putting my suit on Mel we are coming 

Yelena: oh my god alexi stop she’s fine

Bob: mel if you don’t come tonight I’m gonna do meth

Bucky: First of all, no 

Walker: jesus christ bob 

Bob: its my trauma I get to joke about it 

Alexi: It was not just traumatizing for you Bob. I was hit with that sign many, many times.

Ava: Bob if you do decide to do meth can I join you 

Bob: yeah of course 

Ava: 🥳

Bucky: No one is doing meth!

Mel: Can you people please shut the fuck up 

Mel: 💖

Yelena: she lives 

Yelena: so are you coming tonight? 

Mel: I’ll let you know!! 

Her response in the group chat was clearly not satisfactory, however. 

“Where the hell have you been?”

Mel screams and drops half the papers she’s holding when she’s accosted in the hallway. 

“Jesus Christ,” she gasps, hand on her racing heart. “You can’t sneak up on people like that.”

“We’re in a public space. I literally did nothing wrong,” Yelena defends, unbothered. Bob, meanwhile, scrambles to the floor to help her gather her mislaid papers. “And you’re avoiding the question.”

“Thanks, Bob,” Mel smiles quickly, rising and trying to reorganize the folder. “What question?” 

“The one about where you’ve been?” 

“I haven’t been anywhere!” 

“Exactly.” Yelena raises her eyebrows. “You’ve missed three game nights and a movie night, and you’ve basically been radio silent in the group chat.” 

“Which is fine,” Bob tries, ever the peacemaker. “We know you’re super busy-” 

“Which is a valid excuse for her to go dark for a few days,” Yelena says pointedly. “Not a few weeks. I have abandonment issues, Mel.” 

“Hey, me too!”

“We know, Bob.” 

“I’m sorry!” Mel says sincerely. Truthfully, she does miss her friends. “The past few weeks have been crazy, but it wasn’t cool of me to just stop showing up.” She adjusts her binder a little nervously. “Actually, as annoying as you guys are… it kind of means a lot that you keep pestering me.” 

“Not used to people wanting you around?” Bob asks knowingly. Mel huffs out a laugh.

“Loaded question for the middle of a hallway,” she winces. “But, honestly, yeah. Guess you guys aren’t the only ones with abandonment issues.” 

“Okay, so stop going ghost on us!” Yelena pokes her. “And I get it, I’m sure Valentina’s been keeping you very busy-” 

“What?” Mel asks, stunned. “How do you- what do you mean?” 

Yelena’s eyes narrow. “Haven’t you been busy with work? I assumed that Val had you running around in circles.” 

“Oh, right,” she laughs, trying not to seem totally thrown off guard. “Yeah, absolutely. We’ve been, yeah, so busy. With work.” Mel clears her throat. Bob and Yelena are both looking at her like she’s insane. “So, anyway, movie tonight?” 

“…yes,” Yelena confirms, still sounding suspicious. “It’s Walker’s night to pick. I think he said Fast and Furious?” 

“Oh hell no.” Mel shakes her head instantly. “Absolutely not. You’re kidding, right?” 

“Relax, I doubt we’ll even turn the movie on,” Yelena soothes. “I can’t remember the last time we had a movie night where we actually watched more than twenty minutes of the movie.”

“Yeah, it’s more like we get five minutes into a movie, pause it, and then talk about random shit for four hours,” Bob agrees. 

“So then why bother with the movie at all?” 

Bob shrugs. “I don’t know. It gets everyone in the same room?” 

“Just come, okay?” Yelena insists. “Bob is making banana bread.” He nods with an enthusiastic grin. Mel sighs, relenting. 

“Okay,” she says with a smile. “I’ll be there. And I really am sorry for blowing you guys off lately.” 

“It’s okay,” Bob says. “I knew the banana bread would be enough to lure you back.” 

~~

Mel slips into the Watchtower and heads to the Thunderbolts’ floor, smiling as she walks into the entryway. The apartment smells like banana bread and she can hear laughter coming from the living room. 

“Hey, guys,” she greets with a wave. She’s answered with a resounding Mel! from the rest of the gang. 

“Melissa,” Alexi huffs, relieved, striding towards her. 

“Oh what the fuck-” 

She’s cut off as Alexi wraps his arms around her and hugs her so tightly she’s lifted off of her feet, arms pinned at her side. 

“I was so worried. They said you were dead, and then would not clarify whether or not it was a joke.” 

“Obviously it was a joke, Dad!” Yelena groans into her hands. 

“Hey, Santa, maybe put the woman down?” Ava suggests. “I don’t think she can breathe.” 

“Can’t-” is all Mel can manage with the supersoldier crushing the air out of her lungs. Instantly, he puts her down, and she gulps down air. 

“I am sorry,” he says, placing a hand on her shoulder as she wheezes. 

“All good,” she rasps. “Good to see you, too.” 

“Mel, hey!” Bucky says enthusiastically, striding into the room as the rest of the team turns back to their conversations, leaving them in relative private. “I was glad when they said you were coming.”  

“I’m glad I was able to make it. I feel bad. I didn’t mean to totally vanish like that.” 

“It’s okay, I get it.” He looks around the room to gauge the interest of the others before pulling her slightly to the side. “So… Yelena said you’ve been busy with work?” He raises his eyebrows suggestively, a little twinkle in his eye. “Is that true? Or is it more the boss lady herself that’s been keeping you preoccupied?” 

Mel rolls her eyes, unable to keep a smile off her face. “Shut up,” she mutters affectionately. 

“Ha!” he laughs. Mel gives him a playful little shove, but he doesn’t move an inch. “So things are going well?” 

She considers him a moment. On one hand, it still feels very weird to discuss her relationship with Val with Bucky, since those two still kind of hate each other. On the other hand, she’s so happy she feels like she’s going to explode, and she can’t talk about it with anyone else. 

“Yes,” she eventually says with a grin. “Yeah, things have been going well. Really well, actually.” 

He seems to pick up on the subtext, and his eyebrows raise. “Wow, really? As in, you two are an actual… I don’t know, what are people calling it these days? An item?” 

“Um, old people are calling it that,” Mel teases. Bucky glares at her. “But yeah, I guess we are.” 

“You seem happy,” he notes. 

“I am.” She can’t help but giggle a little. It’s fucking ridiculous - she’s all smiles and giggles these days. She can’t seem to stop. “I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy.” Bucky smiles at her, but she thinks she sees something flash behind his eyes. She tilts her head, her own grin dimming. “What?” 

“What?” 

“I thought you were giving me a look or something.” 

“No, I-” he takes a deep breath. “I’m happy for you. Really, I am. I just…” he shrugs. “I don’t know. I guess I just don’t totally trust Valentina, and I don’t want to see you get hurt.” 

Mel stiffens slightly, defences rising. “You won’t. I know you think you know her, Bucky, but you don’t. You only see the worst in her. And I get that she’s got a lot of dark parts, but I already know all about them. I love them just as much as I love the rest of her.” 

Bucky nods. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be so quick to judge. You’re my friend, and I don’t have a ton of those. So I want you to be okay.” 

“I am okay, Bucky,” she insists. “I appreciate it. Really. But you don’t need to worry about me.” He nods again. 

“Okay. Got it. I am one hundred percent Team Valentina. Team Melentina. Team Melval. Whatever we’re calling it - I’m in.” 

Mel snorts. “Okay, no need to overdo it there, old man. But thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” he says. His eyes turn mischievous. “Also, did you mean to tell me what you just did?” 

Her eyebrows furrow in confusion. “What do you mean?” 

“Well, I’m afraid you did in fact just admit that you love her.” 

Mel’s eyes widen. “No I didn’t.” 

“Oh, you definitely did.” Bucky grins. “But don’t worry. As always, your secret is safe with me. Under a few conditions, of course.” 

“What- conditions?” she gapes. “You fucker. You’re blackmailing me with my own love confession?” 

Bucky shrugs, laughing. “You see, next week is supposed to be your night to choose a movie, but I’ve been trying to get everyone to watch the original King Kong for ages. So, the way I see it, you choose King Kong, and I don’t run to Val and tell her that you’re all lovestruck and adorable.” 

“I cannot stand you!” Mel throws a pillow from the couch at his head, which he deflects easily with a chuckle. “Seriously, Bucky, I will smother you in your sleep.” 

“Good. Put me out of my misery.” 

“Hey!” Walker shouts, throwing popcorn at Bucky. “Moratorium on suicide jokes, remember?” 

“That rule isn’t real,” he insists. 

“Dude, you’re like the primary enforcer!” Ava reminds him. 

“Anyway, are we going to watch the movie or not?” Alexi says through a mouthful of potato chips. 

“Almost certainly not,” Ava says. “But you twats should come sit down anyway. Mel has tea to spill.” 

“I do?” Mel asks, settling into the couch next to Yelena, who throws the other half of her blanket over Mel’s lap. 

“Yes. You’ve been totally MIA, you had mystery hickeys the other week, and we’re not stupid,” Ava lays it out. “So?” 

“Why is it so hard for you to believe that running after the Director of the CIA is actually a very time consuming job?” Bucky asks before Mel can say anything. She throws him a grateful look, and he winks. 

She never had a brother, but Mel is starting to wonder if this is what it’s like. Teasing her when it’s just the two of them, but always having her back when it actually matters. 

“Because she’s always had that job, but it’s only in the past three weeks that she stopped answering her phone or showing her face around here,” Walker says. “But also I don’t really care that much. Can I just play the movie?” 

Three different people say no at the same time. One of them is Mel, which really goes to show how much she hates that movie, since the distraction would be the perfect reason to not have to talk about this anymore. 

“Honestly, I kind of just assumed she didn’t wanna hang out with us anymore,” Bob says, and it’s so casual it kind of knocks the wind out of Mel. 

“Why would you think that?” she asks him. Bob shrugs. 

“I don’t know. I guess I get it?” 

“Get what?” 

“Just, you know… I know you’re not technically a member of the team, but then again, neither am I these days. Without the Sentry serum, I’m just a regular guy that everyone else lets hang around.” 

“Hey, that’s not true,” Yelena says, sounding upset. She puts a hand on his arm. 

“No, it’s okay,” Bob says, covering her hand with his own. “I don’t mean that to be all woe is me. I just meant that, well, I’m still figuring out my place in all of this, but I know that even though I don’t have superpowers anymore, you guys are still my friends.” He looks around shyly. “Right?” 

“Of course,” Yelena insists. 

“Yeah,” Walker adds. Ava simply nods. 

“Exactly,” he says. Mel can hear the notes of relief in his voice. “So my point is, Mel, that just because you’re not a superhero or whatever, that doesn’t mean you’re not one of us. You’re still our friend.” Everyone is silent for a moment. “I don’t know if that’s something you needed to hear, but yeah.” 

Mel blinks back tears. 

“Is it something you needed to hear, Bob?” Bucky asks carefully. Bob shrugs. 

“I don’t know. I’ve kind of always been the odd one out, so I guess I’m used to it. And you guys are really great, but sometimes it just feels like you all have a purpose, and I’m just here. You’re heroes, and at best I manage to not be the fucking antichrist.”

“That’s not true,” Yelena says softly. Mel can hear the hurt in her voice. “You… you might not have powers, but without you… we’d be lost.” 

“No, I know, I mean,” he pops a chip in his mouth. Mel can see how hard he’s trying to seem casual, but this is clearly a conversation he’s been needing to have for a while. “I know that I was the thing that brought you all together, since you had to team up to save my ass - and save everyone else from me, but -” 

“No, Bob, no,” Yelena insists, her voice cracking a little. “It’s not just that. You- you make us better, okay? Me, Ava, Walker, all of us - we suck. We’re not great people, and we’re selfish, and we don’t trust people-” 

“Not sure what your point is, but I’m starting to feel a little insulted here,” Ava mutters. 

“My point,” Yelena charges on. “Is that you are the reason we actually bother to talk to one another. You make us better. Better people, better teammates, better friends. We need you.” 

“Yeah,” Walker says softly, elbows on his knees. “Without you, we’re just a bunch of superheroed losers dicking around. With you around, it’s like we’re actual… friends or whatever.” 

“You’re our glue,” Bucky says. 

Bob simply sniffles and nods, not meeting anyone’s eyes as he wipes his nose. Mel feels something loosen in her own chest at their words. After a minute, Bob looks at her. 

“But that’s what I was saying about you, Mel,” he says thickly. “You might not totally know what your place is here, but you’re important to us. We like when you’re around, and when you’re not, it’s… quieter. And I’ve had more than enough quiet in my life. I like it when this place is loud and busy and full of the people I…” he breaks off, tips of his ears turning red, but he takes a breath and forces himself to push on. “The people I love. And that’s you fuckers, okay? All of you.” 

No one quite seems to know what to say in the face on Bob's profound honesty.

“I’mreallysorryItriedtokillyou,” the words spill out of Mel’s mouth, her breath catching at the end. She has to bite her lip in an attempt not to cry, because she really doesn’t want to do that. This was supposed to be a fun night, for fucks sake. 

No one says anything for a moment, until eventually, Walker says, “This friend group is weird as shit.” The silence stretches until- 

“HA!” Alexi shouts, eyes wide and mirthful. Mel jumps, startled, and she’s not the only one. Alexi continues to cackle, loud and obnoxious, until Mel can’t help but giggle at how ridiculous he is. Then Bucky snorts, burying his face in his hands, and then they’re all gone. 

Mel doesn’t know how long they spend laughing themselves silly, but her stomach starts to hurt and she really can’t breathe. Next to her on the couch, Yelena drops her forehead onto Mel’s shoulder, her whole body shaking. 

They’re so overcome, their laughter so loud, that no one notices the ding of the elevator or the steady clacking of red-bottomed heels coming ever closer. 

“Oh, God, what the hell is this?” Valentina asks, looking around the room at the group in stitches. Mel has no time to come up with an escape plan before Val’s gaze lands on her, curled up in a ball on the couch, tucked under the same blanket as Yelena, face pink with laughter. 

Valentina’s eyes nearly pop out of her head at the sight, and the only thought that runs through Mel’s head is I’m in trouble. 

She does her best to flash an easy smile and wide, innocent eyes that she’s sure fool absolutely no one as she lifts the bowl off the coffee table and asks, “Popcorn?” 

~~

“Okay,” Valentina says, pinching her nose in obvious confusion and frustration. “Run it by me one more time.” 

“Val.”

“You’ve been secretly hanging out with them,” she gestures wildly towards the crew still sitting in the living room, trying to pretend they’re not listening to their conversation, which is currently happening in the kitchen. “For months. And this isn’t some, like, recon mission you decided to undertake on your own so you could surprise me with intel?”

Mel rolls her eyes. “No, Valentina, I’m not spying on them. They’re… my friends. For real.” 

Val looks at her like she’s insane. “Why on earth would you want to be friends with them?” 

“Would you lay off, please?” she asks. Mel doesn’t like this, and it’s exactly why she didn’t want to tell Valentina in the first place. She doesn’t like being put in the position of having to defend her friends to her girlfriend. “I’m friends with them because… I don’t know! They’re fun, and they’re nice to me, and they want me around.” 

Val groans. “I’m gonna be sick.” 

“Valentina,” Mel warns. “You don’t have to like them. But I do, and they treat me well. I’m not going to stop spending time with them.” 

“You’re not?” Val repeats, and suddenly this is very, very important to Melissa. There is no world, no version of herself that can let a relationship dictate her friendships. Not again. 

“No, I’m not.” Mel stands firm. The moment stretches between them before Val eventually sighs and throws her hands up in the air. 

“Fine. Be besties with them. What do I care?” she relents. Mel grins, knowing she’s won. “Can I just say this: I’m really happy you have friends, Mel, because frankly your lack of a life has actually been concerning to me-”

“Okay, I’m really gonna need everyone to lay off calling me a friendless dork.”

“But did it have to be the losers who live in my basement?” 

“That’s not accurate or nice!” Ava shouts from the living room, and Mel is reminded that they really don’t have that much privacy. She gives Valentina an unimpressed look. She just shrugs unapologetically. 

“What do you guys do together, anyway?” Val asks, sounding genuinely curious. “Drugs?” 

“No, Val.” Melissa rubs her forehead in exasperation. “We do normal stuff. Watch movies. Play board games. Trauma bond. The usual.” 

“Huh,” Val contemplates. “Fascinating.” 

“Valentina, release her!” Bucky calls. Val’s eyes narrow, displeased. 

“So that means you’re actual friends… with Bucky,” she confirms, saying his name like it actually tastes bad in her mouth. 

“Yup,” Mel confirms. Val doesn’t stop glaring at him through the wall. “Val, seriously, you have literally nothing to worry about.”

“He likes you,” Val tells her suspiciously, and Mel has to fight a laugh at how completely untrue that is. Unfortunately, Bucky’s business is Bucky’s business, and there’s no way she’s going to out him if he’s not ready for people to know, not even to end Val’s totally unwarranted jealousy. 

“First of all, no, he doesn’t,” Mel insists, stepping forward and sliding her arms around Val’s waist. “And even if he did, it wouldn’t matter.” 

“Why not?” Valentina asks quietly. Mel’s lips quirk. 

“Because I’m taken, and very happily so,” she reminds Val, sneaking a quick kiss. 

“Hmm,” Val hums. “But they don’t know that.” 

“Well,” Mel admits with a wince. “Bucky sort of does.” 

“You told him?!” 

“No! He figured it out.” 

“Oh for the love of god.” 

“May I remind you that you were the one who was not even a little bit subtle that day he came into your apartment,” Mel says pointedly. “That’s how he figured it out.” 

“Well, that’s as awkward as it gets,” Valentina sighs.

“Maybe to avoid any more awkwardness, we could go ahead and just… tell the rest of them?” she suggests shyly. Val hesitates and Mel knows what her answer is going to be. 

“I’m not saying no,” Val says quickly, seeing Mel’s disappointment. “Just not yet. I know they’re your friends and you trust them, but I don’t. Not fully.” 

Mel nods. “I get it. It’s okay.” 

“It’s just risky, that’s all.” Valentina plays with her hair before cupping her cheek. “I’m sorry, sweet girl. We will tell them eventually if that’s what you really want.” 

“Okay,” she says, kissing Val’s palm. “I really do understand, Val.” 

“You wanna go upstairs?” she asks, a little twinkle in her eye. Mel smiles, but shakes her head. 

“No, I’ve been blowing these guys off all month. I’m gonna hang out with them for a bit.”

Val nods. “Come up after?” 

Mel sneaks another kiss. “You bet.”

Chapter Text

“So what’s her name again?” 

“Kate. Kate Bishop.” 

“And she’s friends with Hawkeye?” Mel confirms.

“Yes.” 

“And you met her because she stopped you from killing Hawkeye last year?” Ava asks.

“Uh-huh.” 

“And the two of you are now…” 

“God, I don’t know! It’s new, I guess.” Yelena snaps. Mel puts her hands up in surrender. 

“We’re just asking,” Ava defends her. “You’ve been very much so not seeing anyone lately, and then all of the sudden you’re dating this girl that’s - how old is she?” 

“Twenty-five. And she’s damn good with a bow and arrow.” 

“Love.”

“Smashing.”

Mel, Yelena, and Ava step off of the elevator onto the Thunderbolts’ floor, coffee and donuts in hand, and are greeted with the screech of the fire alarm, the smell of smoke permeating the entire apartment. 

“What did you idiots do?” Ava shouts. They head towards the kitchen. 

“Guys, seriously, if you burn the place down, Valentina will actually kill you all,” Mel complains, waving a napkin in front of her face in a vain attempt to keep the smoke away from her. 

The girls enter the kitchen to see Bob balancing on Walker’s shoulders, waving a dishtowel below the smoke detector. Bucky is holding a fire extinguisher that he has clearly just used, and Alexi is standing guiltily in the corner. 

“What the hell happened?” Yelena asks, exasperated. Thankfully, the fire alarm finally shuts up. 

“Bob, we told you, if you’re gonna cook meth, you can’t do it in here,” Ava reminds him, and he throws the dish towel at her. 

“Funny, my sponsor said the same thing,” he replies drily, clambering down from Walker’s shoulders. 

“Seriously, what did you do?” 

“I was trying to bake!” Alexi explains, sounding so disappointed that Mel actually feels compelled to comfort the man. “I wanted to practice making cake.” 

“Cake for what?” Mel asks. 

“For my sweet Lena’s birthday!” 

Yelena groans. “Oh, no, no, Dad-” 

“It’s your birthday?” Mel and Ava ask at the same time, surprised and a little accusatory. 

“It is on Friday!” Alexi continues jovially. “June 13th. My baby will be thirty-one years old. Where does the time go?” 

“Okay, Alexi, you know that birthday isn’t real, right?” Yelena reminds him with a wince. “It was made up so you’d have something to write down on all of my school forms. We don’t even know when my real birthday is.” 

“Me neither,” Ava tells her, shrugging. “Who cares? June 13th works for me. Let’s celebrate your birthday.”

“Yes!” Bob agrees enthusiastically. “Lena’s birthday. It’s decided.” 

“Shouldn’t I have some kind of say in this?” Yelena asks. 

“Tell me one person who has a say in when their birthday is,” Bob reminds her with a grin. “We’re celebrating. End of story.”

“Ugh, fine!” Yelena groans, but Mel can tell she’s quietly pleased. “Do I at least get a say in what we do?” 

“Only if it’s not lame,” Walker interjects, and Yelena flips him the bird. He simply winks, which only irritates her more. 

“I have never in my life been lame,” she snaps. “We’re going out.” 

“Wicked,” Ava says, nodding. 

“Going out as in…?” Bucky asks, sounding like he’s already dreading it. 

“Dancing, baby!” Yelena shouts victoriously. 

“Yes!” Alexi agrees enthusiastically. “Bring your cute girlfriend, Lena. I must make sure she meets my standards. She must fear the wrath of the Red Guardian if she is going to date my daughter.” Everyone stares at him, stunned. “What? You all think I’m an old fool? I know when my daughter is keeping secrets.” 

“I never even told you I was gay,” Yelena tries, visibly confused. Alexi just laughs hysterically. 

“You think you had to tell me?” His face actually starts staring red with mirth. “Honestly, um-nichka. What is it the kids say these days? ‘The closet was glass.’”

“Damn,” Walker mutters under his breath. 

“But you don’t need to worry, my daughter,” Alexi says. “Woman-love. I think it is beautiful.” 

“Huh. Well… okay.” Yelena looks both perturbed and comforted by his statement. “Then… yeah. I’ll invite her.” 

“Excellent! We dance and be gay!” Alexi declares. 

“Well,” Mel sighs, sipping her coffee. “I see no way that this could possibly go wrong.” 

~~

“Darling, is my phone in here?” Valentina asks, stepping into her bedroom before stopping short, stunned. “Holy shit, Mel, what the hell are you wearing?” 

Mel stands from where she was leaning close to the mirror, adjusting her eye makeup. She looks down at her outfit self-consciously. “What? What’s wrong with it?” 

“Apologies, let me rephrase: you look absolutely incredible, and where the hell are you going looking like that?” 

Mel grins, turning back to her makeup. “We’re going out for Yelena’s birthday. I told you this.” 

“Yes, but…” she trails off, and it draws Mel’s attention back to her. She rarely sees Valentina at such a loss for words. 

“What?” she asks with a chuckle. 

“Well, I guess I didn’t realize that you’d be going out dancing looking like an absolute dish, and that I wouldn’t be there to ward off potential suitors with a stick.” 

Mel checks herself out in the mirror, trying to see herself through the other woman’s eyes. She can admit, she does look hot. She’s wearing a burgundy lace corset top that draws attention to her tits and waist, and a little black skirt that flares out, feminine and flirty. The kicker is the sparkly, knee-high, black heeled boots she’s wearing. She got them for a concert last year and has only worn them twice, so now seems like a good time to whip them out. Her makeup is bold and sexy, with just a hint of glitter. 

As far as she can tell, she’s executed Yelena’s order to slut it up!! to the best of her ability. Based on the way that Valentina is practically drooling, she’s willing to bet she’s done alright. 

“Don’t worry,” Mel laughs. “The whole team will be there. I trust them to make sure I don’t get into any trouble.” 

“The whole team is going?” Valentina asks, and Mel thinks she hears a note of something in her voice, but she can’t quite put her finger on what it is. 

“Yeah,” she confirms. “Plus this girl that Yelena’s been seeing, and I think Alexi’s… girlfriend? I don’t know what we’re calling her. But I think he’s bringing her along, too.” 

“Oh,” Val says. The notes are stronger this time. “So partners are invited?” She crosses her arms. “Huh.”

It hits Mel suddenly. “Y-you want to come?” she asks incredulously. Val shrugs. 

“Do I want to go dancing with those losers? No. But,” she says, suddenly sounding a little uncertain. “I wouldn’t mind going with you.” 

“Well,” Mel sighs, putting her eyeliner down on the counter. “Obviously I would love that. I just don’t know how it would work, since you’re not ready to tell them about us. Which is fine, really. But if you’re not there as my date, then it’s kinda just…” 

“The boss lady that no one likes crashing Yelena’s birthday party,” Val finishes for her. Mel winces. 

“I would have said it nicer than that,” she tries. Val rolls her eyes. 

“Please. I’m under no illusions when it comes to what they think of me. It’s not like I hold them in particularly high regard, anyway.” 

“Right,” Mel says softly, trying not to show that it upsets her that Val still can’t get along with her friends. Valentina, of course, notices anyway. 

“Sorry. I’ll try to be nicer to them, for your sake.” 

“It would be nice. And really, they’re pretty cool once you get to know them.” 

“Uh-huh.” Val’s voice is dripping with skepticism. “Well, anyway, I hope you have a good time tonight.” She pulls her close. “And seriously, darling, you look hot as hell.”

“Why, thank you.” 

“You have your location on?” 

“Mhmm.” 

“Do you want to take a member of my detail with you? I think Dave is on tonight, or you could ask Axel.”

“It’s okay,” Mel laughs. “I’ll be with the Avengers, remember?” 

Valentina rolls her eyes. 

“Alright. Have fun out there. Just remember,” Val warns softly, lifting Mel’s chin with two gentle fingers. “Who you come home to.”

“Yes ma’am,” Mel murmurs, dropping a gentle kiss to Valentina’s lips. 

“Good girl. I’ll see you later.” 

~~~

Mel slips down to the Thunderbolts’ floor, music thumping through the apartment. She heads to Yelena’s bedroom, pushing open the door to find her, Ava, and a tall, pretty brunette in various states of readiness. Clothes are strewn about the room, and makeup clutters the vanity. 

“Well shit!” Ava grins. “Don’t you clean up well.” 

“Mel! You have boobs! Who knew?” Yelena exclaims, smudging eyeliner all over her eyes. 

“Thank you, thank you,” Mel laughs, giving them a little twirl, making her skirt flare out. 

“I love those boots!” The brunette says earnestly. “And I’m Kate, by the way.” 

“Nice to meet you!” Mel greets with a wave. “Where are the guys?” 

“Who knows?” Yelena grumbles. “It takes them five minutes to get ready.” 

“I honestly feel bad for them,” Kate says, slipping on a pair of strappy heels. “This is half the fun.” 

“Okay, I’m gonna go hunt them down. We’re leaving in what, 10 minutes?” Mel confirms. 

“Ya!” Lena shouts from her closet. 

Mel wanders down the hall, poking her head into the open bathroom door when she hears clattering inside. 

“Hey,” she says, and Bob flashes her a smile in the mirror. He adjusts a curl that’s flopped in his face. 

“Hi. Wow, you look awesome.” 

“Thanks. You don’t look half bad yourself.”

“Aw, thanks. I showered.” 

“Ah, I thought something was different about you,” she teases, making him laugh, but she can see that it’s a little forced. “You okay?” 

“Yeah, totally.” 

Mel hesitates, trying to decide if she should believe him (or at least pretend to) or push. She hasn’t actually gotten to know him too well - she mostly talks to Bucky and Yelena when they’re not hanging out as a group. But she likes him, and it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that something is wrong. 

“You sure? Because seem a little off.” He doesn’t answer. Mel tilts her head. “You can talk to me, if you want to. I won’t tell the others.” Something occurs to her. “I won’t tell Val, either.”

That gets his attention, and he meets her eye in the mirror. She can see his walls come down a little, and he shrugs. 

“I don’t want to ruin Yelena’s birthday,” Bob says quietly. “And I want to go tonight.” Mel waits, letting him speak when he’s ready. “I haven’t been out in a long time, and I’m worried about being around that much alcohol and people drinking. I’m really trying to stay sober, and I’m making real progress for the first time in my life. I don’t want to miss out, but I also don’t want to risk my sobriety.” 

Mel nods. “That sounds really hard.” 

“Yeah. Most of the time I’m okay, you know, I have a sponsor and I go to AA or NA meetings a few times a week, and I’m working an actual program, not just faking it. I just don’t want to fuck it all up. And I don’t want to be miserable all night because I’m jealous of everyone who’s drinking or getting high.” 

“Yeah,” Mel says thoughtfully. “You know, I read your file from when you were in Sentry Project. It’s… Bob, it’s a miracle that you’re sober at all, you know that right? It’s fucking incredible that you’ve made the progress that you have. The people in that program… it’s awful to say, but the whole point is that they were people who had no chance of recovery anyway. So you should be really, really proud of yourself.” 

Bob doesn’t meet her eye, and she thinks he might be tearing up a little. 

“Would it help if I didn’t drink tonight? I’ll be your sober buddy.” 

“I don’t want to ask you to do that,” he says thickly. Mel smiles softly. 

“First of all, you’re not asking, I’m offering. And second of all, I really don’t mind. I wasn’t planning on drinking much anyway.”

“Really?” 

“Yeah, really,” she says. “It makes me act stupid and I usually feel sick. Not super fun.” 

“I’m such a fucking addict,” he laughs wetly, pressing the heels of his hands into his eyes. “Not drinking just because it doesn’t sound fun is completely unfathomable to me.” 

“Your brain works differently,” she says with a shrug and a smile. “It’s okay. We’ll stay sober and have plenty of fun. Probably more than the rest of these dorks, since we won’t be puking our guts up tomorrow.” 

“So true,” he agrees, finally turning and facing her. His eyes are wet, but he seems way more relaxed than he did when she came in. Bob takes her by surprise and scoops her up in a hug. It takes her a second to realize what’s happening, but when she does, she wraps her arms around him and squeezes him tightly. “Thank you.” He buries his face in her neck. “Seriously. It means a lot.” 

“You’re welcome,” Mel says sincerely. “You know, if you brought it up to the others, I’m sure they would understand. And also, Bucky can’t get drunk, so we’ll both keep you company.” 

“Yeah, probably,” he agrees, releasing her. “Just not tonight. It’s supposed to be about Yelena; I want to keep it that way.” 

“Whatever you want,” she tells him. “Now come on. Let’s go shake some ass.” 

~~~

They pile into two Ubers, paid for by Bucky. 

“My birthday present to you is ensuring that no one drives drunk,” he tells her. Yelena snorts.

“And we all appreciate you for it. Now get your cute butt in the car.” 

It takes about 15 minutes to get to the club, and they spill out, Yelena and Kate holding hands. Mel smiles as she notices Kate’s red ears. At the door of the club, Mel is surprised by the bouncer - he demands their phones. 

“Oh, yeah, did I not tell you?” Yelena asks. “No phones rule. This place is known for its discretion.” 

“Aw, man, seriously?” Walker complains. “What if I need it?”

“You can come outside if you really need to complete the Wordle, Walker,” Ava smirks, patting him on the shoulder. 

“That’s not why-”

“Be so serious, John,” Yelena says. “I saw you doing Connections the last time we went out.” 

“Look, I have a streak to maintain-” 

“Okay, whatever, just hurry up and check your phones in,” Yelena interrupts, sacrificing her phone and dragging Kate inside. “Come on, Alexi!” 

“I am right behind you, Lena!” 

“Alexi, isn’t your secret girlfriend coming?” Bucky asks. 

“She’s meeting us later. Come! We dance.” 

“Assuming she’s real,” Ava snarks, following them inside. 

Mel gives the bouncer her phone, exchanging it for a little ticket that she sticks in her bra. She enters the club with Bucky and Bob and her eyes widen. 

It seems Yelena took Alexi’s declaration that they would ‘dance and be gay’ to heart, based on the pride flags hanging from the walls, the drag queens dancing on little stages, and the sound of Lady Gaga filling the building. 

“Well,” Mel snorts, leaning in to speak directly into Bucky’s ear. “You might actually have some fun tonight.”

He gives her a little shove and she laughs, making her way carefully down the spiral staircase that leads from the entry way into the actual club. Bob waits for her at the bottom, and she loops her arm through his offered one.

The next hour passes in a blur of dance music and sweaty bodies and glitter. Mel, Bucky, and Bob grab sodas from the bar while the rest of the gang orders their drinks. Yelena, predictably, is drinking whisky neat. Alexi, unpredictably, is drinking the frilliest, pinkest drink Mel has ever seen, complete with a cherry and a little umbrella. 

The girls grab Mel and Bob and drag them onto the dance floor, right in the middle of the mess of bodies writhing and grinding. She looks around, wondering if she’s going to have to do some kind of damage control as a result of showing up at a gay club with the New Avengers, but no one seems to be paying them any attention. Mel realizes that this is likely why Yelena chose this spot: no one gives a fuck who’s there, and even if they did, no one can whip their phone out to take pictures or videos. For one night, it seems that they get to be just as invisible as anyone else in this city. 

So she lets go. All of the stress of her job, the heavy weight of having to keep her love life secret from her friends, the deep insecurity that everyone will leave her in the end - she decides to put it aside for a few hours. 

She dances. Ava and Yelena act as girls do when they’re dancing with their friends, and it gets very gay very fast. They’re all grinding against one another, swaying and laughing, arms around one another's shoulders. Yelena and Kate keep sneaking kisses, and Mel has never seen Ava look so loose before. Bob joins the fray, and it seems that he’s forced Walker and Bucky to come along as well, and before she knows it, they’re all in a big huddle, dancing their asses off. 

In that moment, Mel is stunningly, profoundly grateful for the bizarre turn her life has taken. 

Parched, they stumble to the bar, trying and failing to flag down the bartender when-

“Holy shit,” Walker gapes, staring at something over Mel’s shoulder. “What the hell is she doing here?” 

Mel turns. Her jaw drops. 

She sees three people walking down the spiral staircase they’d gone down earlier. Two men for security, both dressed in jeans and button down shirts, making a valiant effort to blend into a crowd they one hundred percent do not belong to. And in between them is a striking woman in a tight black dress, red-bottomed heels on display as she descends the staircase. 

Short dark curls, with a blonde streak at the front. 

“What the fuck?” 

“Alexi, I swear to god, is your secret girlfriend Valentina?” Ava asks incredulously. 

“No!” Alexi and Mel answer at the same time. Heads turn her way as the others look at her in confusion, but she’s saved from having to explain her outburst by the arrival of Val. 

“Hi everyone,” she greets, sounding far too pleased with herself. 

“What are you doing here, Val?” Yelena groans. Val gives her a look of mock-offense. 

“Celebrating the birthday girl, of course,” she smiles, white teeth shocking against her red lipstick. “My invitation must have gotten lost in the mail.” Mel fights the urge to groan. Yelena looks like she’s going to punch the woman. Val puts her hands up in surrender. “No, really.” She turns to the bartender and flags him down in half a second. 

“Hi, honey, could we get a round of tequila shots? Top shelf - whatever’s most expensive.”

That seems to earn her some approval from the team, who share looks that seem to say might as well and offer up a cheer. Mel leans over the bar to speak to the bartender.

“Just five shots, please,” she asks. Val gives her a quizzical look. “I’m not drinking. Neither are Bob and Bucky.” 

“Okay,” Val gives her a questioning look but nods. “Make that four shots. And four lemon-soda shots.” 

“Yes ma’am.” 

“Lemon-soda?” Mel asks, Bob peering over her shoulder. 

“Lemon juice and club soda,” Valentina explains. “Tastes like shit, but you get that same god, that was awful experience that you’d get with a tequila shot. That way, no one’s left out.” They stare at her, flabbergasted. “Plus it’s good for the gut.” 

“Right,” Bucky says, giving Mel a questioning look. “Well… thanks.” 

“Sure,” Val brushes him off, as if that isn’t the kindest thing she’s literally ever done for them. The bartender brings the shots and everyone takes one. Val lifts hers. “To the White Widow!” she toasts. “Happy Birthday, Yelena.” 

Everyone follows suit, wishing a happy birthday before throwing their shots back, and sure enough, all eight of them screw up their faces in disgust. 

“Thanks, Val,” Yelena says suspiciously, wiping her chin. Val nods. 

“Whatever. And honey,” she turns back to the bartender again. “I’ve got their drinks for the night. Name on the tab is Allie.” 

“Yes ma’am.” 

“Woah, thanks Val, you don’t have to do that.” 

“Shut up, Walker,” Ava hisses. 

“Right, sorry.” 

“Aha!” Alexi shouts triumphantly, pointing to the staircase. Another woman is elegantly descending them, and she looks up at Alexi’s inhumanly loud shout. Her whole face lights up, and she waves at them, flinging her whole arm about. 

“Her?” Walker and Bucky ask incredulously. 

“There’s no way,” Ava says, staring at the dark haired beauty making her way through the crowd to reach them. “That’s your girlfriend?” 

“Wait a minute, I know her,” Valentina squints at the woman. “Why do I know her?” 

“Hey babe!” The woman exclaims, throwing her arms around Alexi and accepting a kiss from him. “What’s up, losers?” 

There are a few stunned hi’s from the group. Yelena stares, confused and slightly disturbed. 

“How old are you?” she asks, and Walker pinches her arm. “Ow! What the hell?” 

“She meant to ask, how are you?” 

“No, no I didn’t-”

“It’s fine,” the woman brushes it off easily. “I’m Darcy, I’m doing great, and I’m 41.” 

“Huh.” 

“I don’t understand,” Val says. “Is he blackmailing you?” 

Darcy tilts her head in polite confusion and Alexi glares at her, but uncharacteristically, no one corrects her snipe. It seems they’re all equally stunned by Alexi’s young, hot, and seemingly intelligent girlfriend. Who is very real. 

“Well,” Yelena says. “I’m going to need a moment to process that.” 

The group scatters a bit after that. A few head back to the dance floor, others hunt down a table. Mel thinks she sees Kate and Yelena sneak off to the bathroom together, and chuckles, happy for her friend. 

Eventually, she and Valentina are left alone at the bar. 

“Well,” she begins with a little laugh. “Unlimited drinks on your tab. Not a bad way to earn some goodwill from the team.” 

Val shrugs. “What can I say? I know how to turn it on when I need to.” 

“That you can,” Mel agrees. “But I have to admit… I’m kind of surprised you bothered.” 

“Bothered to come, you mean?” 

“Well, I mean… it was definitely unexpected,” Mel laughs. 

“The most important parties to show up to are the ones you weren’t invited to,” Val tells her with a smirk, and Mel rolls her eyes. 

“Right,” she acquiesces. Because of course Val would view Yelena’s birthday party as an opportunity for a power play. “Come dance with me.” 

“Absolutely not,” she scoffs. “No chance in hell I’m cavorting out there with those ruffians. I ballroom dance - that’s it.” 

“Not true,” Mel reminds her, grinning. Val glares at her. 

“Dancing at home with you doesn’t count,” she insists. “But you should get that cute butt out there. I want to see what your ass does in that skirt.” Valentina’s eyes glint, and Mel gives her a sultry smile, rising from her barstool. 

With an attitude and confidence she didn’t realize she possessed, Melissa struts onto the dance floor, joining her friends. Yelena and Kate have rejoined the masses, hair messed up and lipstick practically gone, dancing with Ava and Walker. Mel lets Bob spin her around, laughing as she crashes clumsily into him. Alexi is an absolute unit, practically taking up half the dance floor with his size and bizarre dance moves, spinning a cackling Darcy around almost aggressively. Even Bucky is dancing. Sort of. He has zero rhythm and is awkward as hell, but he’s there. 

The music changes, becoming slower, deeper, a strong, pulsing beat that changes the rhythm everyone dances with. Mel notices her thighs starting to burn as she bends her knees and lets her hips sway suggestively. When she looks up, through the flashing strobe lights and moving bodies, she sees Valentina’ gaze trained on her, intensely focused. She smiles and plays it up, throwing her head back, letting her hair swish behind her, arms above her head. 

She gravitates towards Ava, Yelena, and Kate naturally, and after a moment, Ava ends up behind her, holding her hips as she sways. She’s got a thigh between Yelena’s, who is dancing back against Kate. It’s sexy, fun, and means absolutely nothing. The real turn on is knowing that Valentina is watching. She throws a glance over her shoulder at the older woman. 

Her gaze has turned possessive, jealous, and it sends heat rushing through her. She flashes Val a wink she isn’t sure she sees, and turns back to her friends, throwing an arm around Yelena, who laughs. 

Mel feels an arm wrap around her waist and is coerced away from her friends. She stumbles slightly, but Valentina is right there, keeping her steady. Mel’s eyes widen. 

Val doesn’t even say anything, simply wraps her arms around Mel’s waist and starts moving to the rhythm of the music, her eyes blazing. Her arms automatically go around Val’s neck, allowing herself to be guided.

“You don’t have to do this,” Mel blurts out, speaking directly into Val’s ear so she’ll hear her over the deafening music of the club. “I was trying to make you jealous, yeah, but you don’t need to- I know you said you weren’t comfortable with them knowing yet, and-” 

“Mel, just shut the hell up and dance with me, would you?” Val interrupts her, squeezing her waist and molding their bodies together. It’s exhilarating, but her heart races as she glances around. Even here, in this place that values discretion where no one seems to care about them, this is risky. 

But as she looks up, she sees that something remarkable has happened in the past few heartbeats. 

The team is surrounding them. Kate and Yelena are attached at the hip, Ava and Walker are locked in some kind of dance battle, and Bucky, Bob, and Alexi form a solid wall of awkward but enthusiastic dance-adjacent movement. Even if someone were to look their way, they’d have to strain to see beyond the mess of bodies shielding them from view. Mel glances over at Bucky.

He simply winks at her and nods in Val’s direction, physically bumping into Mel to knock them closer together. 

Surrounded in the cocoon of her friends, guided by the heavy beat of the music and the anonymity of the dark, just like that night at the opera, Mel lets the current pull her lips down to Val’s. 

When Valentina kisses her, it’s hungry. She claims Mel, fully and unquestionably. Her heart soars at the feeling of being so publicly possessed by this woman after so long of sneaking around and biting her tongue. Val seems to feel it too, swooping her tongue into the younger girl’s mouth and grabbing her hair, pushing her thigh between Mel’s, invasive and wonderful and everywhere. 

They break apart when, after a moment, the music picks back up and the bodies around them begin jumping and crashing into one another. Mel is shoved into Yelena, who leans over her shoulder and yells, “So this is a thing?” 

Mel just laughs joyfully and nods, securing Valentina at her side. 

“Excellent! Walker owes me twenty bucks. Hey, Walker! Walker!!” Yelena dance-shoves her way over to John to inform him. “I totally called it!” 

“They were betting on us?” Mel asks incredulously, and Val just rolls her eyes. 

“Heathens,” she says. “I told you!” 

“You were right,” she laughs. “Is that what you want to hear?” 

“Always, darling.” Valentina squeezes her close, grinding their hips together. “Happy?” 

“Mmm, very.” She leans down and kisses Val as best she can despite the wide, unrelenting smile that’s become fixed on her face. 

Chapter Text

“Alright everyone, focus up,” Valentina snaps, striding into the conference room, Mel at her heels. The team’s attention laser focuses on the two of them. 

Everyone seems to have recovered from the weekend by now, except for Yelena’s throat, which is peppered with mouth-sized bruises. There are a few little smirks from the gang, which is to be expected, given that it’s their first day back at work since Val boldly revealed their relationship to the Thunderbolts. 

After dancing practically until their feet bled, the team had coerced Valentina into letting them all squish into her limo for the ride home. They fit, but barely. There were limbs and hands and fits of laughter everywhere, but they made it back to the Watchtower in one piece, even though Val had glared at them all so intensely Mel actually wondered if the woman was trying to kill them with a look alone. 

Thank god no one hurled in the back seat. 

The following morning, Valentina had woken them all with NDAs the size of bibles, along with a violent stare and a warning that she would “personally flay each and every one of them alive” if they spoke to anyone about their relationship. 

“Would you relax?” Walker mumbled through a mouthful of waffle, signing his paper and leaving drops of syrup on it. “We’d never hurt Mel. Chill out.” 

“Leaking our relationship would hurt Val, too,” Mel reminded him, but he just shrugs. 

“I’m less worried about that,” he said. “I’m going back to bed.” 

Now, sitting in the conference room on a Monday morning, it is somewhat awkward to be back at work together. But Mel powers through, because the stakes of their current project can’t be overstated. 

“This,” Valentina says, sharp and authoritative as she pulls up a man’s face on the holographic projector. “Is Victor Prentis. By day: high profile wolf of Wall Street. By night: dirtbag. Multiple charges over the years of smuggling weapons, drugs, and people. All have been dismissed.” Valentina’s distaste is obvious. “Yelena,” she nods in her direction. “Was able to glean from some underground sources that he has now expanded his efforts and is using the black market to sell alien weapons recovered from the battle with Thanos at the Avengers Compound. Which means that his crimes not only fall under the jurisdiction of the FBI, but of the CIA and the New Avengers as well.” 

“He’s despicable,” Yelena spits, and Mel is reminded that Yelena herself was a victim of human trafficking. 

“He is. And I want him.” There’s a vehemence in Val’s voice that makes her wonder if there’s something about this one that hits home for her, too. They deal with alien threats and villains and terrorists of all types regularly, but there’s something in her eyes… 

“The FBI has been building a case against him for two decades,” she continues. “But like I said, he’s managed to keep any charges from sticking. Intimidation, threats, making people disappear.” 

“So are we taking him out?” Alexi asks. “Slowly? And painfully?” 

“As much as we’d like to, no, we’re not,” Mel replies. “Because it’s not just him. He’s just the tip of the iceberg. We take him out, and another scumbag just takes over his operation.” 

“You want to take down the whole thing,” Ava sums. Val nods. 

“We need the information he has - who he’s working with, how he is accessing alien tech, all of it. The fact that we’re working in tandem with the FBI and this guy’s high profile also means that we have to keep it at least somewhat above board.”

“So where do we come in?” Walker questions, leaning back in his chair. 

“Glad you asked. For now, we need more information. Yelena?”

“My source told me they’re using a warehouse in Pennsylvania as a minor base of operations. For now, that’s our best option to figure out exactly what this tech is, how much of it they have, and hopefully, where they’re planning on sending it.” 

Val stands at the head of the table, commanding the attention of the room. “We don't like this guy, and we don’t like the people he’s arming.” Mel sees the fire in her eyes, and she’s profoundly grateful that it isn’t directed at her. It sends a shiver down her spine anyway. 

She’s gotten to see Valentina be softer than she could’ve imagined the last few months. But now, she sees the woman who first captured her attention - the world’s attention. Fierce. Determined. Prepared to do bad to do good. 

“Let’s get him.” 

Mission prep takes hours. They work on gathering intel, coordinating with the analysts from the CIA who are assisting them, and assigning everyone their respective roles for the op. Bob brings them banana bread and other snacks.

Two days later, it’s time, and Mel feels herself growing unreasonably nervous. This is far from the first time the Thunderbolts have gone on a potentially dangerous op while she’s helping to run them, and this one isn’t even meant to be a combat mission. 

That doesn’t mean that things won’t go wrong, however. And they’re more than just her team, now. They’re her friends, her people, and it’s making the idea of sending them into the field less appealing. She goes to their apartment a little while before they’re set to leave. 

She finds Yelena in her bedroom, lacing up her boots. 

“Hey,” Mel says, leaning against the doorframe, trying to seem casual. 

“Time to go?” Yelena asks casually. Mel shakes her head. 

“No, not yet. You need to be at the launch site in twenty.” 

“Copy that.” 

“How are you feeling?”

“What do you mean?” 

“You feel prepared? 

Yelena shoots her a knowing look. “Aw, are you worried about me?”

“Please,” she scoffs, as if it’s ridiculous. 

“Good. Because you know I’ve faced way worse than a simple recon mission.”

“Yeah,” Mel says, biting her lip. “But you weren’t my friend then.” 

Yelena softens. “I’m just as much of a badass now as I was then, okay? I know what I’m doing. We all do. You don’t need to worry.” 

“I know,” she sighs. “Just be safe, okay?” 

“Don’t tell me what to do.” 

Mel grabs a balled up pair of socks off of the dresser and throws it at Yelena, who dodges it without even looking up. 

“See? My killer reflexes are perfectly intact.” 

“Yeah, yeah,” Mel rolls her eyes. “I’ll see you after, okay?” 

“I’m counting the seconds.” 

~~

Mel stands in the command center beside Valentina, watching the live stream coming from the camera attached to Yelena’s vest. She watches Bob in the corner of the room, talking quietly with one of the analysts from the CIA. She can see that there’s a bit of a spark in his eye. Something contemplative, almost hopeful. 

“Thunderbolts, check in.” Valentina’s voice brings her attention back to the large screens in front of them. 

“All quiet,” Bucky’s voice comes through the speaker. “Gathering weapons specs now.” 

“Yelena?” 

“Searching for travel documentation. So far nothing indicating who the weapons are for.”

“Okay,” Val sighs, irritated. “Get moving. 2 minutes and 47 seconds until our hack on their security system will be overridden.” 

“Got it.” 

The air is thick with tension as the seconds tick by. If they don’t manage to get this intel now, then they have no way of knowing when their next opportunity will appear. 

Movement in the corner of the screen catches Mel’s attention. 

“Val-” she gasps sharply. 

“I see it.” 

Gunfire starts a split second later.

“We’ve got hostiles!” Walker shouts, followed by several various yells and scuffles. 

“Well, handle them,” Valentina snaps. 

“Are they using alien weaponry?” Mel asks, heart in her throat. Regular gunfire is bad enough, but if they’re armed with alien tech… 

The chaos continues, growing in intensity. The screen is a blur of movement as Yelena fights multiple men, taking them down with incredible skill. She almost makes it look easy. 

“Shit!” Ava yells. “They’ve got some kind of weapon - it’s, fuck!” 

“Jesus Christ!” Walker shouts. They hear Yelena grunt. 

“Oh, God,” Mel mutters, covering her mouth with her hand. Bob comes to stand at her side, placing his hand on her back. “They’ve got to get out of there!” 

“Not yet,” Valentina insists. “Get it together! Complete the mission - get the damn intel!” 

“Valentina,” Mel hisses, but Val simply snaps at her. 

“Be quiet!” 

Mel rears back, stunned. 

“Dad!” They hear Yelena scream. “Dad! He’s down - Alexi’s down, they hit him with something, I don’t know-” she roars as she violently takes down three people, the sound of fists slamming into flesh and shots firing. Mel’s stomach drops, her palms sweaty. 

“Get out of there!” she tells them, her voice cracking, her brain scrambled as she blood splatters on Yelena’s camera. 

“No!” Valentina orders furiously. “Complete the fucking mission! And Mel - someone get her out of here.” 

“What? No! I’m not going anywhere!” Mel resists, rounding on Val. “They’re going to get killed. We can’t-” 

“Did you say fall back?” Walker’s voice crackles through the speaker. 

“No! Stay on mission, I repeat: stay on mission. Robert, get her out of here. Now!” Val commands sharply, eyes still on the screen, not even looking at her. 

“You can’t-” 

“Mel,” Bob says softly. “Come on. Let’s go.” 

“No-” 

“Mel.” There’s something in his voice that makes her look at him. He grabs her forearm, kind but firm. “Let’s go.” 

Her stomach twists, and she hates everything - everything - about this. “Val…” Mel pleads. The older woman doesn’t even look at her, doesn’t acknowledge her. Just keeps her eyes trained on the scene unfolding before them. 

She lets herself be guided out of the room.

~~~ 

The stars are barely visible where she sits, just inside the landing pad. Needing to feel useful, Mel ensured their doctors knew they were bringing an injured super soldier back who would need medical attention. Of course, they already knew, and she was left with nothing else to do but wait until the team got back. 

Bob sits with her, infuriatingly calm while she watches the sky intently, waiting for the damn quinjet to bring her friends home. She has no idea what happened after she left the control room, no idea if anyone else was injured. She assumes that no one is dead. No matter how pissed Val is at her, she can’t imagine the woman not letting her know if there had been a fatality. 

Finally, after what may have been minutes or hours, she hears the thrumming of the jet as it lands on the tarmac and races outside, the wind whipping her hair. Bob is right behind her, running through the hot, humid night air to meet them. 

“Alexi-” Mel gasps when she reaches Bucky. He puts his hands on her arms, steadying her. 

“He’s okay,” he reassures her. “Or he will be.”

The team files back, Walker and Yelena supporting a semi-conscious Alexi between them. They’re all banged up, but nothing serious. 

“What happened?” she asks, embarrassed to hear that she’s still a little frantic. She can’t seem to turn it off, though. “I- I didn’t hear anything after I was… after I left.” Her cheeks burn. She doesn’t know how much he registered what happened in the control center, but as she sees the team limp inside, she feels so stupid. They’re fine. Cuts and bruises, but even Alexi is still upright. 

She freaked out for nothing. 

“We beat them back, managed to steal the weapons specs and some shipment details,” he says tiredly. “The plan changed after we were ambushed, and we ended up grabbing as much of the weaponry as we could, so we’re going to have to figure out where to store all of it while we figure out what it is.” 

“Okay,” Mel breathes, her voice small. “Okay. I’m really glad you’re all alright.” He gives her a grim smile and places a comforting hand on her shoulder. 

“I’m sorry we scared you,” he says. Mel feels tears burn her eyes, embarrassed and relieved and exhausted. “I’m gonna head to medical.” 

“Yeah, of course,” she agrees instantly, swiping a tear and praying he’ll just assume it was from the wind. She whips her hair out of her face to cover it up. “Go, go.” 

He squeezes her shoulder and heads inside, leaving her standing alone on the tarmac. The wind picks up, and she wraps her arms around her stomach, collapsing to her knees as the tears pour out. Mel sobs, stupid and pathetic and alone.

Arms wrap around her, and for a split second, her heart picks up because she thinks it’s Valentina. But as she lets herself lean back into the embrace, she realizes it’s Bob. 

“It’s okay,” he murmurs, petting her hair as she weeps. 

“I’m such an idiot,” she sobs into his chest, clutching his shirt. “I just- I thought- I couldn’t-” 

“Shh,” Bob soothes, rocking her as they sit on the airfield, high above the rest of the city, alone in a sea of lights. “I get it. It’s okay.” He presses his cheek to the top of her head. “It’s okay.” 

~~~

Mel steps tentatively into Val’s apartment, dark aside from one lamp in the elegant living room, the woman herself seated beside it, nursing a glass of whisky. 

She’d stopped by medical to see for herself that everyone was going to be okay, and sure enough, they were alive and well. Ava and Bucky were even talking quietly, laughing drily about something. She wasn’t sure if it made her feel better or worse. 

“Hi,” she eventually musters up the courage to say. Valentina doesn’t even look at her. “Val.” Nothing. “Are you going to ignore me all night?” 

She takes a deep pull of the amber liquid before returning it to the side table, glass clinking against glass. “What would you like me to say?”  

Mel clenches her jaw. “I’m sorry.”

“Great.” 

“Val-”

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Her words hit Mel like a punch in the gut. Val doesn’t even shout - she says it like she’s genuinely asking, and that makes it so much worse. She can’t even begin to formulate a response. “I mean it, Melissa. What. The fuck. Is wrong with you?” 

“I just wanted them to be safe-” she tries, but Valentina is having none of it. 

“You could have compromised the whole mission,” Val hisses, finally looking at Mel, and it’s like looking at Medusa. There’s none of the softness, none of the warmth she’s grown accustomed to the past few months. “And what the fuck were you doing giving orders? You don’t give orders in that room, not unless they’re mine.” 

“I know, I know, I’m sorry.” 

“You were pathetic in there,” Valentina continues, as if Mel didn’t even say anything. “It was embarrassing.” She flinches as Val lays it all out, but she can’t say anything because she knows the older woman is right. “You acted like a scared little girl. And what if they’d listened to you? What if they pulled back and abandoned the mission because they were getting contradictory information from control?”

“Alexi was hurt!” Mel exclaims, trembling with shame and frankly a little anger. “They all could have been hurt. They could have been killed, Val!” 

“You think I don’t know that?” Valentina finally rises from her chair, and it makes Mel want to shrink against the wall. “You think that they don’t know that?! It’s the job, Mel! They’re soldiers! They are fully aware, every time they go out in the field, that it could mean their deaths. But they do it anyway because civilian lives are at stake. 

“We send them on these missions to protect the people who need it. Who don’t have super strength or assassin training or weird particle-bullshit powers! I was so fucking clear - I want Victor Prentis. I want to know exactly what he’s been doing, I want to know who’s been helping him do it, and I want to burn him at the fucking stake. And your pathetic emotional outburst could have ruined our chance to do that. And all because what, Mel?” 

They stand in silence, tears once again burning Mel’s eyes as Val reams her out. The worst part is that she knows she deserves it. 

“I didn’t want to see them get hurt,” she whispers. Valentina remains stone cold. 

“And you risked everything because of that. You overreacted and you overstepped.” 

“I’m sorry,” she breathes again, and the tears fall. She feels like she could crumple to the ground again, curled at Valentina’s feet. Anything to make the crushing sensation of her disappointment go away.

“Prove it.”

Mel looks up, stunned and confused. “What?” 

Valentina returns to her chair, crossing one leg over the other, arms on the arm rests. She’s no longer outwardly furious, her face a calm, cruel mask. There’s no kindness behind her eyes, only icy steel and power. 

“Prove. It.” The words drip from her lips like icicles, sharp and cold. 

“H-how?” she asks, her breath catching. 

“Figure it out.” 

A shiver runs through Mel’s body even as heat begins to travel south. She knows this. It’s old but familiar territory. She stands before Valentina, trying to figure out what she wants from her. 

Silently, Mel drops to her knees. Val’s chin tilts up slightly, but it’s the only sign of approval Mel gets. In the face of her silence, she mentally scrambles for what to do next. It comes instinctually. 

She leans onto her hands, then crawls across the carpet towards Valentina, sniffling. 

“Pathetic,” Val scoffs as she watches, shaking her head and taking another sip of her drink. Mel isn’t sure which burns hotter - her cheeks or her core. 

“I’m sorry,” she says again, her voice pleading as she kneels next to Val’s armchair. She weaves her fingers through Mel’s thick hair, scratching her scalp and pulling hard enough to make her gasp in pain. 

“For what.” 

“For- for- um-”

“God,” Valentina pulls harder, making Mel squeal, eyes screwed up and thighs trembling. “You’re fucking useless. Can’t even focus on a simple apology.” She drinks again, casual as anything. “Answer the question: what are you sorry for? Tell me.”

“I shouldn’t have ignored your orders,” Mel gasps, tears leaking from the corners of her eyes. “I ov-overreacted. I was too emotional.” 

“What do you do when I give orders?” 

“Follow them,” Mel weeps. 

“Even when you don’t like them.” 

“Yes.” 

“You do what I tell you, when I tell you. You don’t question the orders I give to others.”

“Yes.” 

“You were naughty today, Melissa. You let me down. You didn’t just falter; you failed.” 

“I’m sorry,” she cries. It’s the worst feeling in the world. She’ll do anything - anything - to earn back Val’s approval, her praise. “I’m so, so sorry, mommy.” 

“Hmm. I don’t think that’s quite enough for me this time.” Val leans down, pulls Mel’s head back to force their eyes to meet. “I think you need to be punished, don’t you?” 

“Yes, ma’am.” Mel’s wide, doe eyes look pleadingly into Val’s stone-cold ones. “I- I really am sorry.” 

“Oh, sweet girl,” Valentina purrs. It’s different from how she normally says it. It’s not comforting or loving - it sounds dangerous. “No, you’re not. But you will be.” 

Mel’s heart races, but even so, something in her mind calms. Val will fix this. 

“Take off your clothes,” she commands, releasing Mel and rising from her chair abruptly, strutting away. “Get on the couch and bend over the armrest. I’ll be back.” 

And then Mel is alone, shivering on the floor. She takes a deep breath, trying to compose herself, not wanting to make it worse by disobeying. She stands shakily and begins unbuttoning her blouse with trembling fingers, kicking off her shoes and removing her slacks, bra, and underwear.

Valentina is still gone when she settles on the sofa, bent over the armrest, ass in the air. 

The telltale clack of her heels signals her arrival. 

“Arms out,” she says, and Mel obeys, stretching her arms out in front of her. Val binds her wrists together, then ties them to the leg of the side table. “Any wiggle room?” 

“No.” 

“Safe word?” 

“Georgia.” 

Val sighs, circling her like a shark. “What am I going to do with you, hmm? You were a wreck today. You disobeyed me. You questioned me in front of people. You put the mission at risk. What to do with such a naughty girl?” Mel doesn’t answer, correctly guessing that Val is simply thinking outloud. Taunting her. 

Mel simply waits, trembling, her forehead pressed against the arm of the couch. 

“Look at me,” Valentina says, soft and dangerous. Mel does, lifting her head. Val’s gaze burns into her. “I’m going to use this,” she tells her, holding up the flogger. Mel whimpers. “I’m going to spank you with it twenty times. You won’t make a single sound. Not one, do you understand me?” She nods, panting. “Each time you disobey, I’ll add two. Got it?” 

“Yes ma’am.” 

It’s not so bad at first. Val brings the flogger down again, again, again, smacking her ass and the backs of her thighs, counting each one out loud. Once she reaches the ninth hit, Mel has to fight not to whine. On the eleventh smack, she bites her lip, trying her best not to moan. 

The twelfth hit doesn’t land on her ass or her thighs. Valentina hits her right on her pussy out of nowhere, and Mel can’t stop the cry that escapes her. 

“That’s two more,” she announces, smacking her pussy twice in rapid succession. Mel’s eyes screw shut, but she manages not to make a noise. 

In the end, she ends up receiving twenty-eight lashes, in tears once again. 

“So red,” Valentina remarks, amused as she rubs the tender skin of her ass before digging her nails in, making Mel whimper. “What do you say?” 

“Thank you,” she breathes, shifting beneath the older woman’s grip, unsure if she’s trying to get away or get more.

“Hmm,” Val hums. With no warning, she sends a manicured hand between Mel’s legs, finding her soaked center. Her fingers immediately reach for her clit, securing it between her thumb and forefinger and pinching hard. Mel screams, hips lurching. 

“Ow! Fuck, god, Val, ah-” 

“Please,” Valentina scoffs. “We both know you love it, pathetic little slut.” Kneeling behind Mel on the couch, she plunges two fingers from her other hand into her cunt, rolling her clit between her fingers. 

Mel’s eyes roll back in her head. It’s sharp and painful, but so, so good. Pleasure zings through her, each sensation more intense than the last. She gyrates her hips against Val’s hand, seeking. 

Val laughs meanly. “Aw, see? You just can’t even help it, can you?” 

“Oh, god, mommy-” 

Her thighs shake and her breath catches as Valentina fucks her. She wraps her fingers around the ties binding her, holding them so tight her knuckles turn white as the pleasure begins to peak, so intense her brain feels like it’s vibrating. 

As quickly as it started, it stops. Mel moans in protest when Valentina pulls her hands away, rising up off the couch and leaving her panting, horny and confused. 

“Val?” she calls, then gasps in pain when Valentina smacks a hand against her raw, abused ass. “Oh, fuck!”

“That’s not what you call me right now, and you fucking know that.” 

“Sorry,” Mel gasps with a shudder. “I’m sorry, mommy.” 

“Better.” There’s the sound of movement behind her, and after a moment, Valentina walks into her view, and her pussy clenches around nothing at the sight of the older woman wearing the strap on, their largest dildo jutting proudly out of Val’s hips.

She’s still wearing her blouse and work slack. 

“Please,” is all she manages, broken and desperate. “Please, mommy, please fuck me.” 

“Oh don’t you worry, sweet girl, I will,” she says, but it sounds like a warning. “But first you’re going to learn to shut the fuck up when you’re not supposed to talk. Open your mouth.” 

Heart racing, Mel does as she’s told. Valentina ties the gag around her head, tight enough that it won’t fall off but loose enough that she can slip her fingers in between the fabric and Mel’s hair. She tongues the satin in her mouth. 

“Can you breathe okay?” Val asks, her voice holding the first notes of softness Mel’s heard from her all night. 

She nods and makes a muffled, “Mhmm.” 

“Show me how you safeword with the gag.” Mel snaps twice, and Val lets her fingers ghost over the sensitive skin of Mel’s ass. “Good girl.” 

It’s the first taste of praise she’s given her since the command center, and it tastes so sweet that Mel lets out a little sob. 

“You don’t come until I tell you, got it?” 

She nods. 

“That is, if I let you.” 

Mel’s eyes widen at the implication.

Val’s hands grip her waist tightly, and then the fat head of the dildo, covered in lube, is pressing against her throbbing entrance. She inhales sharply through her nose when the head slips in, spreading her open. The toy is thick, ribbed, and intense as Val spears her on it, pushing in deeper with each thrust. Valentina is aggressive with it, her pace steady but harsh, forcing her cock deeper and deeper inside Mel’s weeping pussy as the girl whimpers through the gag. 

She cries out when Val bottoms out, the fabric of her pants rough and almost unbearable against her tender ass. Valentina just chuckles at the sound and grinds her hips harder against Mel’s ass, her gasp on her hips tight enough to bruise. 

“Mmph! Mm-” she whines. The dildo feels huge inside of her and her behind burns against Val’s rough movements. When she starts moving properly, each thrust punches the air from her lungs. 

“That’s it,” Val coos, grasping the gag and yanking, forcing Mel’s head back. “You love taking mommy’s cock, even when it hurts, don’t you? Hmm?” 

The pain and the pleasure are indistinguishable, as are the humiliation and the arousal. Each movement, each word - it all just takes her higher and higher, giving her blissful relief from having to think or feel or do anything other than be good for Valentina and take when she gives her. She’s just a body, composed of pure sensation. 

“This is the only way you’re happy, isn’t it, my little fucktoy? You just want to be spread wide open on my cock, taking it deeper and deeper, even when you know you don’t deserve it.”

Mel tries to beg, so desperate to come, but it’s unintelligible with the gag on. 

Valentina reaches around and places her other hand on Mel’s throat, squeezing gently as she bends over Mel’s back. It’s not enough to affect her airflow, but she feels dizzy and lightheaded anyway from the possessive hold. 

It changes the angle of Val’s cock inside of her, and she feels it in every part of her body. Her eyes roll back in her head and she shudders, goosebumps rising on every inch of her skin even as a fine sheen of sweat begins to gather between her breasts, at the base of her neck, on her lower back. 

“You will never, ever behave like that again,” Valentina hisses. “This wasn’t a punishment, Melissa. It was a warning.” 

Mel shivers again, but this time in trepidation. She doesn’t want to know what a real punishment at the hands of the Contessa would entail. 

She nods as best as she can. 

“Good girl. Do you think you deserve to come?” Val whispers. Mel can only whine. “Hmm, I can’t decide.” She whines louder, doing her best to beg despite the gag. “Honestly, I don’t think you do.” 

Mel cries out, practically sobbing. She needs it so, so fucking bad, she can’t imagine walking away from this encounter without getting her release. 

“But even now,” Valentina breathes into her ear. “I can’t seem to deny you anything. Fucking do it then. Show me what a needy slut you are, Mel.” 

Her orgasm crashes into her instantly, sweet, blessed relief after Valentina’s torture. She quakes violently in Val’s arms, pushing back against the older woman even when the movement sends pain ricocheting through her. Every breath is a panting whimper, every muscle bunching and releasing as fiery pleasure sends her into madness.  

She melts into the sofa, slumping against Valentina as every drop of pleasure is wrung from her trembling frame, aftershocks keeping her in a state of sleepy bliss long after the initial wave recedes. 

She moans when she feels Val slip out of her. The gag is removed, the ties undone, and a minute later, she feels a warm washcloth between her legs. 

A blanket is thrown over her naked body, and she lays there for a few minutes while her heart rate returns to normal. She hears the sounds of Valentina moving through the apartment, cleaning the dildo and changing out of her work clothes, slipping on a satin robe.

And then-

“You should go home,” Valentina says. It takes Mel a few heartbeats to process what she’s just said. 

“What?” she asks, lifting her head from the sofa. “But I thought…” 

“We’re not magically all better just because I made you come, Mel,” she says flatly. “I need some space. So do you. Go home.” 

Her dismissal cuts like a knife, and rather than simply hurting this time, it pisses Mel off. She fucked up, she knows that, but she expected that after the initial fight that Valentina would at least care to hear her side, to know how she was doing. To give her something after an emotionally volatile day.

“Fuck you,” she spits, throwing the blankets aside and wrenching her clothes back on.

“We’ll talk tomorrow,” Valentina says, and Mel scoffs, yanking her heels on. 

“Like hell we will,” she says, grabbing her bag. She flings the bedroom door open. “Go fuck yourself, Val.” She slams the door behind her hard enough that the window at the end of the hall rattles. 

Mel storms over to the elevator and hits the ground floor button. A split second later, she changes her mind and punches in the code for the Thunderbolts’ floor instead. It’s nearly three in the morning, and she’s exhausted - physically, mentally, and emotionally. She doesn’t have the energy to get home, and frankly, she doesn’t want to be alone. 

She plans on heading to the guest bedroom Bucky had offered her a million years ago, but stops when she sees light spilling from under Yelena’s bedroom door. She knocks. 

“What’s up?” she hears from the other side of the door, so she pushes it open. “What are you doing here?” 

Mel takes in the scene before her. Yelena and Bob are seated on her bed, and between them on a massive wooden tray is what has to be a 3000 piece puzzle that they’re about halfway through. Mel notices that Bob’s side is far closer to being completed than Yelena’s. 

“You guys are still awake.”

“Yeah, I can never sleep after a mission. Takes hours for me to chill out,” Yelena replies, trying to fit together two pieces that don’t click. She groans in frustration. 

“Chronic insomniac,” Bob explains. 

“You didn’t answer my question,” Yelena points out. Mel bites her lip. 

“Can I sleep here?” she asks instead of fully answering. Yelena and Bob share a loaded look, then Bob hops off the bed. 

“Time for me to try and enter dreamland,” he says cheerfully, squeezing Mel’s arm as he passes. “Goodnight, guys.” 

“Night, Bob,” they both reply. Yelena scoots over and pats the spot on the bed next to her. 

“I was actually just going to crash in the guest bedroom,” Mel says, gesturing vaguely down the hall behind her. Yelena gives her a knowing look. 

“You can if you want to, but something tells me you could use the company.” Yelena shrugs. “Up to you.” 

“Um,” Mel contemplates, weighing the weirdness of having a sleepover after having fight-sex with her girlfriend/boss vs her desire for comfort. “Yeah, fuck it. Why not.” 

“Yeah!” Yelena cheers, throwing the covers back. “Get in here.” 

Mel changes into a pair of Yelena’s sweats, then clambers into the bed with her, lying side by side. 

“How’s Alexi?” 

“He’ll be fine,” she says. “I didn’t expect to react so badly to seeing him hurt.” 

“Yeah. Me neither.”

“Are you doing okay?” Yelena asks, turning onto her side to properly face Mel, even though she’s still lying on her back, staring at the ceiling. 

“I don’t know.” 

“Everyone’s okay, Mel,” she reminds her. “We didn’t lose any of our people, we took out a decent amount of theirs, we got valuable intel. We even managed to swipe some of their weapons. It was a successful mission.” 

“Yeah.”

“Mel.” 

She doesn’t reply, doesn’t look at her. Mel can feel the tears welling up in her chest, building behind her eyes. If she speaks, if she moves, they’ll come spilling out.

“Mel.” Yelena’s voice is firm. “Talk to me.” She shakes her head, her bottom lip trembling. Yelena sighs. “Okay. It’s okay - you don’t have to talk.” They lay in silence for a moment, the quiet of the room both soothing and oppressive. “Do you want a hug?” 

Her question pierces the wall Mel was trying to maintain, and she lets out a weak sob, nodding. Yelena scoots closer under the blankets, wrapping her arms around Mel. She burrows deeper into the assassin, gratefully accepting her presence. It’s not quite right - she doesn’t smell like Valentina, doesn’t slot her leg between Mel’s thighs, but on a night when she is so raw and ragged, she’s grateful for the warm, solid company of her friend.