Bucky nodded and they met Steve at the elevator to head up to the general floor, which smelled like Indian spices because it was Bruce's turn to cook again and he was on an Indian kick.

Ella followed them, staying close. Even though Bucky said she was welcome, she was still a bit nervous.

"Aha, she finally emerges!" Clint crowed from the back of the couch. "About time, we thought they were just going to keep you down there forever."

Steve rolled his eyes while Bucky snorted and cuffed Clint in passing, all of them relaxed with the teasing.

Ella blushed slightly, although she couldn't help grinning a bit. The easy teasing actually let her relax a bit. Apparently they really didn't mind her being there.

"Don't mind Clint," Natasha said as she got out plates for everyone. "He's an idiot."

"Tasha," Clint whined. Natasha just smirked.

Bruce came out of the kitchen right about then.

"Ah, there you are," he said. "I was wondering if you were going to make it for dinner."

"Yeah, I'm here," Ella said, still a little pink and hovering near Steve and Bucky.

"She's even staying for movies," Bucky said, grinning as he slung an arm over her shoulder.

"Good, it's all set up." Clint grinned, apparently recovered from his whining, and hopped down to go get food.

Steve rolled his eyes at the group but grinned anyway, motioning for Bucky and Ella to go first.

Ella ended up going first, at Bucky's insistence, and got herself a plate. However, she did wait for the two of them before going into the main room to find a seat.

Steve let her pick, and then sat on one side of her while Bucky sat on her other side. They trusted the team entirely, but this was more comfortable for everyone.

Ella relaxed a bit more once she was settled between the two of them. That was definitely more familiar and comforting, and she cuddled in close once they were comfortable.

Steve and Bucky took turns getting up to refill plates, since they both had the metabolisms of hummingbirds on crack, and everyone settled in to start movie night. Clearly this was normal and comfortable and Ella being there didn't even make ripples.

Ella leaned against one or the other as they took turns getting up, and she sent her plate back into the kitchen with one of them when he went. Once they were both back next to her, she settled in fully, wedged snugly in between them.

Both of them relaxed a little with her between them. Bucky looked rather smug, while Steve just looked pleased.

Clint couldn't help but glance over at them every so often. He'd never seen the two soldiers so relaxed before, it was kind of bizarre. And all because some slip of a girl was settled in with them. He'd never heard of a triad so tight before now.

Natasha noticed but didn't comment, instead settling in a little more next to him. It had happened fairly quickly, she had to admit she hadn't seen that. They'd gotten together with little drama and worked better than several triads she'd seen with years under their belts. It made no sense, but then, none of them exactly made sense.

Clint easily shifted a bit to fit better next to Natasha, moving slightly without even thinking about it. They were more in-tune than a lot of bonded groups were. He glanced at her and then at the other triad and back, raising an eyebrow in silent question.

Natasha smiled very faintly. Yes, she was glad that Steve and Bucky had found their third and were relaxed with her. Then she quirked an eyebrow right back at Clint.

Clint shrugged a bit. He had no problems with the new girl. Now they just needed to figure out who Bruce and Tony kept slipping out to see all the time and they would be golden.

Natasha smirked and nodded a little. She was already working on the Bruce and Tony problem. Tony was craftier than people gave him credit for, but she could work around that.

Clint smirked just slightly in return and settled in. Yeah, he figured Nat had things well in hand with them.

So, a week later, when Ella had a guest coming to visit, Natasha wasn't surprised. She even knew who it was. What she didn't know was how things were going to turn out.

It was going to be an interesting day.

Ella was pleased to bring Sim back to the tower with her after work. She wanted her friend to see the place, and she had already made the connection between the scents she'd been picking up recently at the shop and the two science geniuses who lived in the tower.

Sim was mostly just nervous about going to the tower. After all, Bruce and Tony hadn't invited her, and it was their space. But Ella said it was okay, so she was willing to go along with it.

When they finally did get up to the living floors, though, her eyes widened. "Wow. You live here?"

"Isn't it amazing?" Ella asked, grinning. "Everyone gets their own spot. Steve and Bucky share a floor, and I share with them."

"Wow. Yeah, don't get kicked out, my apartment is tiny in comparison." But Sim was grinning. Ella seemed really happy here, and Sim was really glad.