"What? But why?" She asked desperately. "I thought we were..."
"It's for the best." He said without emotion, walking away without a backward glance.
"Wait! You..."
The door shut softly as she stared into space, mind blank and tongue numb.
"You haven't told me why..."
She gulped down the tears threatening to fall out and shut the door firmly.
Once the door was shut, she slid down onto the floor and did nothing to stop the hiccups and tears as she balled her hands into fists.
She thought of the times they laughed together, carefree smiles lighting up the cold night.
She thought of the times they cried together, hugging each other as a character died in a sappy romantic movie.
She was a fool to think that he valued her over everything else.
Basketball was his love and passion. It was his life.
He didn't even apologise, the git.
To think she liked him, loved him, even.
Now, she looked like a fool, a helpless powerless fool.
Natasha Romanoff was not one to be crossed.
Fine, she thought. Game on, Rogers.
No one does this to me and gets away with it.
She spent the rest of the night staying up late drafting what would be her master plan for revenge.
The next day, the dark bags under her eyes were slightly noticeable, despite her efforts to conceal them with makeup.
"Been stayin' up late Romanoff? What for?" Bucky jeered.
Steve stood by his friend and joined in on the laughter, no signs of regret or pain on his face.
"Not that it concerns you, Barnes, but I actually hand in my papers on time."
Inwardly, she was panicking. She had no experience in such areas, and she was not used to such treatment.
"Sure you're not crying over heartbreak? Man, you were a bitch to Steve, no wonder he dumped your ass, right mate?"
Steve laughed, an arm casually flung over a skinny, leggy blonde who just so happened to walk by.
"I wonder why I ever even hooked up with her." He said, every word a twisting knife in Natasha's gut. "She's a prude, too."
"You should really thank Steve for even looking at you." the blonde said, running her hands down Steve's torso.
"Sharon's right, stay away from our bro." Sam, another buddy of Steve's, said.
Natasha merely looked each of them in the eye, turned, and left.
"Man, she's one cold bitch." she heard Bucky say.
She seethed, clenching her fists till her fingers grew white.
I'll show him, she thought. I'll put that bastard in his place.
"Need any help?"
"Woah!" she exclaimed, nearly falling over as Tony Stark held onto her arm.
"Are you ok? They really are a gang of hyenas."
She chuckled mirthlessly.
"The only thing that's hurt are my feelings."
"I know, they're terrible people. Want to get back at them together?"
"It's not like you to ask. What's in it for you, Stark? You're the independent tech genius."
"Glad someone noticed." he smirked, earning himself an elbow in the ribs. "Ow! I just want to help! Come on, Romanoff, you could use the company."
"Doubtful." She shook off his arm just as he grabbed her shoulder.
"Just hear me out."
"I'm listening." She said, arms crossed with a frustrated look on her face.
"Look. I don't like them anymore than you do. I want to get back at them."
"What'd they ever do to you? Not like they ever associated with you..."
"It doesn't matter. All you need to know is that they crossed me. Once."
"Okay...?"
"You'll need help anyways, and I've got a plan."
At this point, Natasha didn't care anymore. She wanted revenge, and so she ignored that nagging voice at the back of her mind.
She shrugged. "Sure, fine by me."
"Great! Now, first things first, we need to get you into martial arts." He said, a smug look on his face as he leaned onto the wall.
"What?" She asked, her dubious look obvious.
"You know, martial arts, as in judo, taekwondo…" he started to list.
"Yeah, yeah, cut to the crap. I know what they are!" She snapped, rolling her eyes.
"You need to reshape and present yourself as a strong independent woman who can defend herself. Besides, health perks! I'll pay."
"I don't need your money Stark."
"As of now, your revenge project is officially my project. Why are you even objecting to free money?"
Well, she could use more money...after all, it was free cash...She huffed and gave up.
Last night took a heavy toll on her, not that she would admit it though...
"Come on, I know just the guy. Meet me outside the gate once school ends."
"You're not going to get me arrested, are you?"
"What? I'm hurt!" he gasped dramatically. "It's not like he's a mafia drug dealer...at least not now…"
He grasped her shoulder as she turned to walk away.
"I was just joking. Why not take a chance and see where this takes you?"
"I still don't see why you are so interested."
"I actually have a heart." he paused. "Like, not a biological one, but-"
"Okay, I get it." she said. "I'll give this master plan of yours a try."
A bright yellow Lamborghini drove up to the gate, Tony rolling the windows down.
"Hey, get in!" he yelled, catching the attention of many students and causing many whispers.
"Geez, Tony, do you have to make such a scene?" she huffed, putting on her seatbelt.
"Sorry," he shrugged, clearly not sorry.
If he wasn't driving, Natasha would've given him a shiner.
Fifteen minutes and a hundred traffic offences later, they rolled up to a large gym.
"Hey Tony!" A burly man yelled, wrapping the slim tech genius into a bear hug.
"Who's this?" he asked, looking at Natasha and winking. "She looks-"
"Don't even finish that sentence." Tony warned.
Natasha flinched at the icy tone.
"She's here to reshape herself. Bad breakup."
"Ah, I see." The man nodded, understandingly. "I know just what to do."
Despite her objections, Natasha found herself running a kilometer on the treadmill.
"She's good." the man noted with appreciation.
"Yeah, she was on the track team." Tony added helpfully.
"Why'd you quit?"
"I wanted to spend more time studying." Natasha confessed. "Besides, the competition and bitchy cheerleaders are not things I appreciate."
Next, she was lifting weights and doing all sorts of exercises, not that the gym equipment was new to her.
"You've got all the basics, so I don't need to do too much there. Now we'll start with the real thing. Punch me."
Natasha stared at the man.
Tony laughed. "He means it."
So she threw a punch.
He was completely unfazed.
"Ok, first thing before you throw a punch, you need to make sure that you're steady on your feet. Try to copy my stance."
Natasha adjusted her feet, shifting her balance.
"Yes, just like that. Now remember that when you throw a punch, don't extend your arm so much that it become straight, Make sure you leave a small curve, or you'll hurt yourself…"
The lesson went on until late at night, when Natasha's phone rang, reminding her of the time.
"My aunt's gonna kill me!" she cursed.
"We'll come back tomorrow." Tony promised. "I'll drive you home Natasha."
"No offense, but I don't want you now where I live, Tony."
"21 Lake Avenue, am I correct?"
She stared at him. "How did you-"
"Hacker, remember?"
So that's what he was doing on his phone the entire time.
"What else do you know?"
"Social security number, family members...you don't have nudes do you?!"
"No! You pervert!"
She glared at him but remembered that she had no other way to go home. Besides, she was exhausted and not in the mood to fight.
"Fine. I'll let it slide, just this once." She threatened, clenching her fist.
Tony grinned, but his smile disappeared once Natasha snatched the car keys.
"I'm driving." she snapped. "Be glad I am not abandoning you here."
"You wouldn't!" Tony mock-gasped.
She growled as Tony backed up, hands held up in surrender.
"Okay, okay! You're so feisty." he grumbled as she smacked him.
"You little spoiled brat! Why haven't you answered your calls?" a bitchy woman (Tony's words) yelled.
Then she saw the car and Tony.
"Oh! Natasha, is he your boyfriend? Honestly, he's so much better than the last one." she said, fawning over Tony.
"We're just friends Auntie." Natasha said firmly.
"Oh, that's a pity. Would you like to come in for dinner? Or do you have dinner with your family?"
"My parents died in a traffic accident when I was eight." he answered calmly.
"Oh no, I am so sorry for bringing up these terrible memories! If you don't mind, you can still stay here…"
"In fact, Natasha and I were just checking in with you. We're very eager to try out that new Vietnamese restaurant down the street." Tony said quickly, pulling Natasha back into the car. "Bye! It was nice meeting you!"
"What was that for?" Natasha exclaimed.
"Why stay there if you don't want to?"
"Tony, she's my aunt!"
"A very loving one at that."
"There's nothing I can do about it."
"You could always stay with me."
Natasha stared at him incredulously. "We first spoke like six hours ago!"
"I' not going to hurt you. Seriously, no worries. Money isn't a problem."
"It's just...wrong! I'm not your girlfriend! I don't even know you that well!"
Tony rolled his eyes.
"My house is huge. We won't be sharing a room. Not even a floor or a wing, if you prefer."
"Well...thanks for the offer, but it's still very inappropriate. I've only known you for what, six hours?"
"Did those six hours tell you that I'm a homicidal maniac-y rapist?"
"I'm not sure that phrase exists…"
"Do you think I'll hurt you?
"No." she replied honestly.
"So?"
"It's just not possible. What will my aunt say? All my stuff is at home…" she started ranting on and on.
Tony waved his hand, dismissing her concerns.
"Your aunt seems pretty keen to develop a relationship between us. Buy whatever you need to. I'll have them delivered ASAP. Lucky it's a Friday today. A weekend away from the likes of her would do you good."
"In that case...thanks." She said in a genuine apologetic tone.
"My goodness! Is the great Natasha Romanoff actually apologising?"
"Stark!"
They spent the following hours dining and laughing like best friends.
"Wake up!"
"Ahhh!' Natasha screamed, hands instinctively reaching for something to defend herself with.
"Calm down, it's just me!"
"Tony," she groaned, rolling over and squinting at the alarm clock. "It's only seven! Are you insane?" She tugged at her blankets and covered her head with them.
"If you want your revenge plan to work, you better get up. Alternatively, I could get a pail of ice water."
She glared, throwing the alarm clock at Tony, and smirked when he let out an oof as it connected with his stomach.
"Ouch, you must be a dominant masochist…"
She glared again.
The sound of running water hitting plastic made her narrow her eyes.
But she got up anyways.
Thirty minutes later, they were at the gym.
"Hands up Romanoff!" the man barked as he threw punches at a dodging Natasha, whose arms were flailing due to the many hits.
"It hurts! And I'm tired!" she protested, whimpering at every punch.
"Apparently, hours of exercise does take away your language coherency."
"Well, it hurts! Try being me!" She snapped.
"Are you okay?" Tony asked, looking up from his laptop.
"She'll be fine." the man dismissed. "She has protective gear on. It'll be a little bit tiring at first."
After an exhausting five hours of defensive training, Natasha was ready for a long nap.
Instead, Tony handed her an energy drink and a steak.
"They don't even go together." she protested. "Besides, I don't think we are supposed to eat in here."
"You can!" a random person yelled.
"It was the best I could do." Tony said.
Natasha was starving and already digging into the steak like a crazed grizzly.
An hour later she was back in the ring.
"Damn, she's learning fast." the man said, deftly catching a punch as he threw her onto the mat.
"Good, but not good enough it seems." Natasha said, glaring up at him as she twisted her legs and brought the unsuspecting man down with a thump.
"Where'd you learn that?" Tony asked, incredulous.
"I took judo classes when I was younger, but I stopped when I was ten. I just needed some time to warm up."
"You're good!"
"Thanks," she said with a smile.
She caught the man's punch and flipped him down.
"Now can we go?"
"You're such a badass!" Tony exclaimed.
"What's the next step of your masterplan?"
"Ah yes, I almost forgot." Tony said, rummaging around the glove compartment. "Here," he handed her a sheet of paper.
"It's a list of stuff I'd like you to chose from depending on your interests."
"You do know that I'll go for the boy stuff?"
"There's no such thing as boy or girl stuff. Choose whatever you like. You don't have to change yourself just to get revenge, you know."
"In that case, airsoft looks good. So does skateboarding. Oh wait, imagine their faces if I beat them at basketball!"
"Chose what you like most."
"Only one?"
"We're going to the activity centre now to spend the rest of the afternoon, so one."
"Skateboarding."
"Okay, sure."
"How will this help me exactly?"
Tony shrugged.
"Getting a hobby is something that will make you more passionate and happy. The best way to get revenge is to show him that you are happy."
She cursed as the fell off the damned board yet again, Tony barely able to conceal his laughter.
"Shut up Stark," she muttered.
"Sorry, you look so hilarious! Ow! Hey, don't hit me!"
"Serves you right."
"I don't want to do this, Tony. Can we go?"
He sighed.
"Try one last time."
At Natasha's pleading look, he added, "You owe it to yourself. And me. Mostly me."
Gingerly, she stepped on the board again and succeeded in going once around the beginner's arena.
"See, I told you so! Now try turning."
Confidence boosted, she succeeded again.
"Soon we'll having you doing flips."
"No way I'm getting on that U-shaped terror, Tony. I've only just started!" Natasha protested as Tony led her to the advanced area.
"It's so dangerous!"
"What's a bit of thrill in life?"
"I don't want to break any bones! Or bruise my face!"
"Narcissistic much?"
"I didn't mean it that way and you know it!"
Tony kept a firm hand on her shoulder as he pushed her up the stairs onto the top of U ramp.
A shaggy haired boy whistled at Tony.
"Yo' mate, u got a nice thing goin' there!"
"Thanks, but we're just friends. For now." Tony said, amused. "Not that she can resist my-OW!"
"I'll push you down if you keep this up." Natasha threatened.
"Ooh, a spitfire!" the boy teased. "Wait, I just saw you over at the beginners' area! You sure you want to go here?"
Tony glared.
"See, Tony, even he agrees." Natasha smirked. "Aww, did we ruffle your feathers?" She brushed her fingers through his hair.
"I can teach you if you like." The boy offered.
"I don't think that'll be necessary."
"Sure!" Natasha piped. "I'd love a lesson."
The boy was so eager that Natasha couldn't bear turning him down. Ignoring Tony's glare, she listen to the boy's unclear, stuttered instructions and tried to imitate him.
"I'm exhausted." Natasha complained. "I smell full of sweat. I need to shower."
Tony sniffed her hair.
"Not too bad." he commented.
"Hey!" Natasha squealed, swatting him. "Don't do that!"
"Too bad," Tony smirked, before pretending to sniff her again.
She shoved him off the bench.
"Ouch! Violent woman."
Natasha glanced at her phone. It was five in the evening.
"We should go now," she said, getting up. "I'm kind of surprised my aunt hasn't called me yet."
"Oh, that?" Tony muttered sheepishly.
"Um, Tony, what did you do?"
"I, uh, blocked her?" He whimpered.
"My god, Tony, she's going to kill me! She might have already called the cops!" Natasha started to rant in panic and anger, running her fingers through her hair violently.
"No worries, I haven't heard anything like that yet."
"And you would know because…"
"I hacked the police radio?"
"...Tony…"
"Maybe their website as well..."
"God, Tony!"
He raised his hands up in surrender. "They won't ever trace it back to me. Hey, it's not like I hacked your nudes!"
She glared. "You wish, I don't have any."
"I know, you said that before. Want me to help take some?"
He got a black eye.
"Mmm, this is nice!" Natasha moaned, slurping down the tasty spaghetti.
"Perks of being rich." Tony smirked.
"Oh, shut up," she rolled her eyes.
"I have a very important question." he said, leaning forward with an air of seriousness. "Would you consider playing sports again?"
"Track? No. I've had enough of that." She answered, caught off guard.
"Other sports?"
"Yeah, I guess. I'm an athletic person. I thought about swimming but I didn't really like it."
"You could join the martial arts team." He suggested.
"Tony, there is no martial arts team…"
"No worries," he dismissed with a wave of his hand. "If you wanted to establish it, the principal would set it up. There are actually people in our school who like martial arts."
"Why would I do that?"
"I can see you enjoy it."
"I'm not good enough or experienced enough. Also, I don't particularly want to..."
"Nonsense, you're already great. With practice, you'll only get better."
"Let's go back to your master plan, Tony."
"Alright…" he whined. "Ok, so I took some photos of you having a great time and posted them onto Facebook. Show Steve you're happy."
"That's your master plan?"
"Of course not. It's only a step, Natasha. Next we'll have to show off your happiness in front of him. This is one way to do that. He'll probably twist it into something bad, like how you never loved him since you're getting over him so quickly, but it doesn't matter. Just enjoy yourself and other people'll see it."
"And how exactly will I do that?"
"There are a few people I know of who skateboard in school. Simply join them. With his curiosity, Steve will definitely find you and watch. Just enjoy yourself. Radiate happiness and be positive or whatever it is that those councillors say. Also, I've planned a bit of a prank."
"What prank?"
"I paid a kid to call Steve 'daddy'. And his mom to call up Steve's mom to tell her Steve left her pregnant. Now, we just have to fix the timing."
"Wow Tony, you didn't have to…"
"Nah, I enjoy a bit of humor here and there." he winked. "You're free to repay me, if that's what you're suggesting…"
"Tony!" she nudged him hard in the ribs.
"Ow! You're ruining my perfect skin!"
"Another word and I'll strangle you."
This time, he wasn't so sure she wasn't joking.
"Well, that's a great idea, but when will we do this?"
"I was thinking before school starts at the gate tomorrow?"
"Sounds good. I'll just finish this absolutely wonderful plate, then we can head back."
"Eager to go back, are we?"
"Dear Lord. Will you ever stop?"
"No?"
"I'm getting so fed up." She groaned.
Natasha felt absolutely giddy on Monday morning. She didn't know it, but Tony had gone above and beyond.
The happy new glamorous couple was walking towards the gates, the blonde clinging onto Steve like a vine.
Steve had a baseball cap on backwards, Ray Ban sunglasses, ripped jeans and a leather jacket. A fresh tattoo of a skull was clearly visible on his neck.
"He's changed so much," she murmured.
"No regrets now," Tony said, gently rubbing circles on her back in a rare gesture of affection. "He's not the Steve you used to know."
"You bet I'll enjoy it," she smirked, snuggling into his shoulder to conceal her laughter. "Where's the kid?"
"Have some patience, oh, here he is."
Natasha looked up and saw a cute little blond toddler (with eyes the same blue as Steve's!) around three years old walk unsteadily up to Steve, eyes lit with childish joy.
"Daddy!" he yelled happily, raising his arms. "Up!"
By then, the entire school was looking at him and Steve, with a few people recording. Murmurs broke out in the crowd, and Natasha sensed months' worth of ridiculous gossip.
"I think you've got the wrong guy, kiddo." Steve said slowly. "Where're your parents? Do you have their phone number?"
"Daddy!"
"As cute as you are, I'm not your dad. You really should go back to your parents."
"What's your name?" The blonde asked, kneeling down to address the toddler. "We can help you find your parents."
Then, there were loud moaning, slurping sounds, complete with recognisable screams of ecstasy. It didn't take much to figure out what the sounds were and where they came from.
Steve quickly reached into his pocket and tried to turn his phone off.
"Your handiwork?" Natasha whispered.
"I had some fun with a new hacking software." he replied. "Wait, the good part is coming. It's on speaker at full volume."
"STEVEN ROGERS! YOU GET YOUR ASS BACK HOME RIGHT NOW!" came the shrill voice of what Natasha recognised as his mother.
"I JUST HEARD ABOUT YOU GETTING A GIRL PREGNANT THEN DUMPING HER! AND I JUST GOT A COURT LETTER FOR CHILD SUPPORT! YOU HAVEN'T PAID FOR THREE YEARS!"
"Mom there must be some sort of mistake, I never got anyone pregnant…"
The blonde frowned and unhooked her arm from his.
"Steve, what's your mom talking about? What happened?"
"THEN WHAT'S THAT LETTER DOING IN MY MAILBOX? I JUST GOT A CALL FROM THE MOM TOO! YOU LYING BASTARD! GET HOME, RIGHT NOW! YOUR FATHER AND I ARE HAVING A TALK WITH YOU."
"Calm down mom, I'm sure it's a prank or a mistake…" he was visibly sweating and the audience was lapping that up.
"YOUR FATHER AND I ARE CUTTING YOU OFF!"
"Mom! Wait, mom!"
Only then did he realise that there was a large group watching, some even recording the entire affair.
"Daddy?" asked the little toddler hopefully, raising his arms up once again.
"Oh f...go away." the blonde snapped, waving her hand to dismiss the kid.
The kid pouted, his lower lip wobbling and tears threatening to fall.
"But...but...I want my daddy!" He screamed, crying his head off.
"Go away! Steve isn't your dad." She hissed, shoving the kid.
"What a bitch!" a 'passerby' said with disdain, glaring at Sharon, who promptly flipped her off.
She bent down and hugged the kid. "Don't worry, we'll find your mom together, okay? Let's get away from these mean people."
"Steve. Explain this." The blonde demanded, gesturing at the kid, her voice shrill and unsteady. "What's going on?"
"Let's talk about this some place more private, Sharon." He said, grabbing her shoulders.
She shook his hands off.
"I want answers! Now!" She poked him in the chest repeatedly.
"I don't know anything!" He exclaimed desperately, flinging his hands into the air with exasperation. "I've never gotten anyone pregnant, at least not that I know of...this has got to be a prank of some sort! Some kind of msitake!"
He looked around and spotted Tony and Natasha, waving his finger at the two.
"It must be them! My vengeful bitch of an ex girlfriend and the tech genius! They'd be able to pull something like this off!"
"Don't be silly, Rogers." Tony drawled. "I don't have time to waste on the likes of you."
"Well don't look at me," Natasha scoffed. "God knows who you knocked up and why you're in this legal trouble now. What you just said surely will be a good defence in court."
Even Bucky was giving him strange looks.
"Buddy, maybe you should go home and sort all of this out..."
"But...but...I really don't know what is going on! Someone's messing with my life! It's got to be them!"
That being said, he lunged at Tony.
"I'll call the cops on you once I'm done with you bastards!"
Just as he drew back his fist, Natasha grabbed his shoulders and flipped him onto the ground.
"We've done nothing. Don't you dare come near us." She said, her voice cold as steel, digging her heel into his back.
Though startled and somewhat frightened, Tony was able to respond quickly.
"Get away from me and don't ever come near both of us, or I'll call the cops and my lawyers. And we can all guess who will win that game." He threatened, an arm around Natasha's waist, body hunched forward in an intimidating stance.
Muscles tense, Tony glared at Steve.
Humiliated, Steve stood up and attempted to grab Tony's shirt, but Tony easily blocked his arm.
"You have three seconds to get the hell out of here." He said quietly, eyes shining with serious intent.
Huffing, Steve turned back, only to find Sharon and Bucky gone.
"Those bastards!" He swore under his breath.
Knowing that he had no backup, he swallowed his pride and left, jeers accompanying him on his way home.
"Did we...did we take it too far?"
Tony rubbed her shoulders soothingly.
"No worries. He'll find out that it's all been a mistake. We haven't really gotten him into any trouble."
"We should probably end our revenge here. Thanks for all of your help."
"Aww, but we made such grand plans."
Natasha laughed. "Well we've reached our goal so…"
"No worries." He smiled. "I enjoyed it."
"So did I." she paused. "Well then, I guess I'll get going now. I can come over to your place to pick up my stuff." She said, not looking at him.
"No, don't worry about that. You can stay, as long as you like."
"Tony...I can't. It's not feasible. My aunt is my legal guardian." She pleaded with him, sincerity in her eyes.
"Nothing a few lawyers cannot solve. You're seventeen now. It's only a few months till you can live independently anyways."
"Tony I'm really grateful for your generosity, but I don't want to feel indebted to you. Besides, it may make things strange between us..."
"What's the use of a billion dollar bank account if I cannot spend it on my friends? I won't hold it over your head Natasha. It's better for you to stay away from your Aunt."
"Maybe, but..."
"There really is nothing stopping you but yourself. Don't worry. You have all the time to make up your mind. I'll go away for some time so you can think without being pressurised."
"No. Wait." Natasha said suddenly.
"I've made up my mind."
And she was happy.