"Listen, Romanov – I've got half a universe to babysit right now, and as excellent as I am at my job, I can't spare the time to go on some guilt trip - like, a literal trip - to Baghdad."

"It's not a guilt trip," Natasha replied. Glancing up from her laptop, Eva saw that the redhead was leaning forward in her seat, arms resting on the table, perfectly calm – well, calm for anyone else on the planet. But she knew the woman well enough by now to pick up the tell-tale signifiers of anxiety: the pursed lips, the hands wrapped around each other to stop the fingers from twitching, the voice slightly too level. "Barton's one of the best we have. And considering you're so busy saving half the universe, here on the ground we need all the help we can get –"

"He's a lost cause."

"I don't accept that," Natasha replied, still completely placid.

The woman she was with, who Eva vaguely recognized from the hologram conferences constantly taking place in the compound, sighed and stood up, taking her mug with her to the coffee shop counter. Realizing nobody was behind it, she frowned and looked around until her eyes settled on Eva.

"Hey," she said in a sharp, brusque voice, "you work here, right?"

"Occasionally," Eva replied. "I'm actually kinda busy at –"

"Can I get a refill?" the woman asked.

Eva slammed the lid of her laptop shut. "Sure," she said. Well, that's what I get for keeping this place running as a café. God. One day I'll earn enough money to stop having to deal with customers.

The woman was blonde and dressed in a grungey sort of style that had been popular twenty years ago and was now more in vogue with the hipsters Eva was used to serving. She didn't really give off a hipster vibe, though. For one thing, there was no way Eva would stand a chance against her in a fight. She took her coffee black, with no sugar.

"Word of advice?" Eva said, refilling her mug. "Drop the Barton thing. You won't talk her out of it, and it doesn't look like she's gonna talk you into it."

"I didn't ask for your advice."

"Comes free with the drink," Eva replied.

The woman smirked. Eva got the impression it was quite difficult to make her laugh, so took it as a win. "You know her?"

"All of 'em, unfortunately."

"So what's the deal? What does Barton have on her?"

"I don't ask questions."

"Why? Scared you won't like the answer?"

"No," Eva said. "I just don't care. Shall I put this on a tab for you? 'Cause if you're gonna keep arguing with her, you'll be here a while."

The smirk grew. "You think you're funny?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Captain."

"Oh, God. Another one?"

A/N so I just saw someone point out that it's been over a year since we got a new MCU film and hoooooo boy.