It was one of those rare quiet mornings—the kind the New Avengers never trusted. No calls, no missions, just silence. Bob, or “Bobby” as John Walker had taken to calling him, sat alone at the kitchen table eating cereal. Routine comforted him. He liked knowing Yelena was already out for her 6 a.m. run, Ava wouldn’t be up till noon, Alexei was snoring somewhere, and John would be mid-workout. He’d memorized it all. Predictability kept his mind calm.

Which is why he jumped slightly when you walked in—bright, unpredictable, and humming some pop song he didn’t recognize.

“Hey, sweets,” you grinned, ruffling his hair like you’d done it a hundred times before. You were the newest on the team, closest to him in age, and easily the most chaotic. Young, warm, flirty. Especially with him. Though Bob had noticed you got shy around Walker. That he was curious about.

He looked up at you, blinking through the surprise, then smiled softly. “Oh… hey. Morning. Uh, yeah.” His spoon scraped the side of the bowl.

He liked you. You liked him. It didn’t have to be complicated. Not here. Not now. It was simple. Safe.