Note: Thanks for the reviews, they're great motivation.
He can hear the water running in the bathroom, but his attention is on the bed.
Bed, singular. One bed, two people.
Despite her jokes about joining him in the shower, she can't expect them to sleep in the same bed, right? The house is full of avengers, there are children sleeping upstairs, and he's not entirely sure the other guy would stay under control if they … not that they would … but if they did, it definitely shouldn't be in a house full of people.
It's not safe.
He'd go looking for a couch to sleep on, but Tony's already claimed that, so the floor it is. He picks up a pillow and pulls the top blanket off the bed, and jumps when the bathroom door opens.
"Going somewhere?"
Natasha looks at him with that amused smirk he's seen so often lately. As usual, it leaves him a little tongue-tied. He looks at the pillow and blanket he holds, then back at her. "I thought …"
She sighs. "Get into bed, Bruce. It's been a long day, and who knows what tomorrow brings?"
He sets the pillow down and crawls into bed.
An hour later, he's still wide awake. He's pretty sure she is, too – she's forcing herself to breath evenly, but she's not relaxed enough to actually be asleep.
He turns onto his side and props himself up with his elbow. "Do you come here often?", he asks. The words are out before he realizes how much they sound like a cheesy pick-up line.
"Really?", she laughs, "You're trying to pick me up? You've already got me in bed."
"No." He's flustered now, not sure how to explain. "I mean … you've obviously been here before. The kids love you. Barton's naming the next one after you. I knew you and Barton were close, but I didn't realize you were the only one who knew about his secret life. I didn't even know he had a secret life."
"I come here a few times a year. Holidays, the kids' birthdays if I can, sometimes in the summer", she says. "The way I grew up … I didn't know people actually lived like this. It's nice."
"Yeah", he agrees.
Bruce rolls onto his back, staring at the shadows on the ceiling. "You know", he says, "it's been a long time since I've had someone else in my bed."
"I usually sleep alone, too", Natasha answers.
He stares at her in disbelief. "It's true", she says. "Sex, yes, but not sleeping together. That's too intimate."
"Are you OK with me being here?", he asks.
"You already know most of my secrets. It's fine." She rolls onto her stomach and hugs her pillow. "Go to sleep."
She's curled up in an alcove, staring out the window. Even though he could have sworn he didn't make a sound, she knows he's there.
"Just do it", she says, her body tensing.
He sits down beside her. "Do what?", he asks.
At his question, she looks at him for the first time. "They sent you to kill me, didn't they?" she asks.
He laughs - what else is he going to do? "Because that worked out so well for them the last time? No, they didn't send me to kill you."
"Oh", she answers, turning her attention back to the window.
"Natasha, no one has been sent to kill you. Hell, after what you did to Daniels, I'm not sure anyone could kill you."
Almost against her will, she laughs. "You heard about that?"
"Everyone heard about that. Man, I wish I'd seen it. 'New recruit almost kills hot-shot instructor in hand-to-hand-combat' If you'd videotaped it, you would be a rich woman right now."
"So if you're not here to kill me, what are you doing here?" she asks.
He shrugs. "I've got an assignment, and I need a partner. You interested?"