A/N Thank you for your kind responses. I'm really glad that you like this collection and as long you have as much fun reading it as I have writing it, then all is well, right?

This bit is set after Age of Ultron with some Romanogers-friendship. Have fun!

Title: Black and Blue (Prompt #40)

Characters: Natasha, Steve (Frendship, possible love interest)

Word count: ~ 1670

The sky was a velvet black, dotted with blinking diamonds that beckoned the romantics and dreamers and couples out to cast their gaze up high, sitting on a picnic blanket and holding hands. The moon was barely visible, only a slim scythe between the stars, almost like a door to another world that was barely ajar. The air was still warm from the rather hot summer day but every now and then a breeze would bring some freshness, carrying the smell of grass and meadow flowers and trees.

Natasha had chosen her favourite place on the even roof of their new Avenger's headquarters, bare feet dangling over the edge. Black top and shorts, the clothes she usually slept in, clung to her figure under an oversized sweatshirt jacket she had borrowed (or rather, stolen) from Clint. She was neither of the above. As far as she knew she had no romantic side to her and she had given up dreaming a long time ago. As for being a part of a couple… well, Banner had put an end to that, hadn't he? She knew she needed her sleep; the new Avengers they took in after what had happened in Sokovia still had to be punched, kicked and yelled into shape. A job she was glad to have, otherwise she would have had too much time to think. With S.H.I.E.L.D. gone and Fury still officially faking his death, there weren't as much missions around as there used to be. She missed her obligatory banters with Clint, although they often talked over the phone. Sometimes he would even hold the phone to Nathaniel, although the little guy could barely say mama. Still, it was kind of nice talking with her godson.

And then there was the thing with Bruce. Natasha was pissed enough at him for calling him Banner when the conversation asked for his name but she never touched on the subject of him just leaving everyone behind herself. That didn't mean that she didn't ask herself why he left. What had gone wrong along the way? Was it because of her? Because she had thrown him in the well to bring out the Other Guy? As if he hadn't made any mistakes! And they had really needed the Hulk to destroy Ultron. How could he even have asked her to just go away and leave their friends to their fate? Exactly those friends who had been the only family she ever knew? Was it because she just had to much red in her ledger to ever be able to wipe it out? Because he couldn't handle her past, who she really was, no matter how hard she tried to be good?

And still, after weeks and weeks of looking for him, of scanning the news for anything that could include a hint to the Hulk, of waiting for a goddamn postcard, there was no lead. Nothing at all. No one had seen him, no one had heard of him. And Bruce didn't seem to want her to find him. Although Natasha would have had a few choice things to say to him.

Natasha sighed and leant back on her arms, eyes closed when another breeze caressed her skin. When she heard the slight creek of the door that led to the roof, her eyes snapped open again and she was on her feet and turned around quickly as a snake. One second later her muscles relaxed. "You shouldn't scare an assassin, Rogers," she chided with a sigh and took her former place on the edge of the roof. "You could find yourself with a bullet in your head."

"As far as I see you don't have a weapon with you," Steve quipped and stepped beside her. "I saw the door was ajar and thought Wanda was up here again."

"That doesn't mean I couldn't kill you," Natasha answered without looking up. "She wasn't awake at night for a few weeks now. Seems like her nightmares have ceded. Was about time, she wasn't to be used for anything during the first training session because she was so tired."

"Her brother died," Steve reminded her quietly. "It's only understanding that she needed time."

"Don't get me wrong, I'm not judging her for mourning her brother. It's just that they need all the training they can get. We don't know when the next Loki or Ultron will knock on our front door." She patted the stone beside her for Steve to sit down. Only now she had time to look at him further. He wore pyjama pants and a blue Captain America T-shirt Tony had given him for his last birthday, showing a comic-Cap standing on his shield. His blond hair was in disarray as from sleep and his eyes also betrayed his tiredness. Seemed like Wanda wasn't the only one dealing with nightmares.

He followed her peace offer and took a seat, dangling his feet like Natasha over the edge. "I know. I just cannot force her to train when she's clearly not in the shape for it."

Natasha smiled crookedly at him. "That's what I'm here for, right? Playing the bad cop."

It was quiet between the two of them for a while, both enjoying the slight breeze that cooled them down a little bit. "What are you doing up here?" Steve finally asked and eyed her more closely.

Natasha sighed silently. She appreciated Steve as her friend but she really didn't need the Captain right now who tried to keep his team in a good mood. "I can do with a few hours less, Rogers. No need to worry."

"Is this because of Banner?" His voice was even quieter than before, just as if he feared her reaction to his question. "It would be normal if you'd miss him. Even human. You don't have to be ashamed of your feelings." Her silence seemed to encourage him, but the words tumbled fast from his lips as if he'd like to bring the whole thing behind him and end it before she could punch him. "Whether you're angry or sad or… whatever, that's alright. You just shouldn't bottle those things up. That's not-"

"Okay, you wanna hear me talking about Banner?" Natasha's usually calm and cool demeanour was as suddenly gone as if she had taken off a mask. "I'm angry at him. I could punch him until he's rather black and blue instead of green. For not letting himself to be found. For not sending a note that he's alright. For leaving the team behind without warning whatsoever."

"For leaving you behind?"

Since it was night and no one else was on the roof and she was tired of pretending, Natasha snorted. "Yes, also for leaving me behind. I knew he wanted to go, to not be a danger to anyone, and I offered to go with him. Someplace he felt safe. Someplace where we could be… just us. And when I offered him, he sounded like he would like to have me around. But then he just stole this goddamn bird and vanished and left the rest of us to pick up the pieces. So excuse me if I'm in the mood to kick his ass."

"Language," Steve reminded her absent-mindedly. "You were planning on leaving the team?"

"Not out of the blue." Natasha rolled her eyes. "We would have warned you guys. Rather, I would have warned you in time." She pulled her bent legs closer to her chest and laid her arms atop of her knees. "I thought… We both are damaged goods, you know? I thought we could be there for each other." She shrugged, feigning indifference. "Well, maybe it's better this way. Black widows tend to eat the male; who knows what would have happened to him. Seems like I'm better off like this, too. No one to be more worried about than I would normally be. Makes the missions easier."

Steve scooted a little bit closer and, after some silently debating with himself, laid one arm around her shoulder. "I tried to help. After you spend so much time to set me up with girls, that was the least I could do. Told Banner not to wait too long and that you both deserved some happiness."

Natasha looked up at him in astonishment. "That did you say to him? Really? I always wondered what it was you two had talked about. He was a little inquiring afterwards."

Steve grinned as if in remembrance of a private joke but said nothing. It only kindled her curiosity more, but Natasha could be patient. She would find out eventually. With or without the help of torture. "But speaking of the girls, you did what I asked you to do? Called Sharon?"

The usually confident captain squirmed a little beside her. "Not yet. I thought it was more a suggestion than an order, you know? There had been so much going on the last months… I'll call her soon, promise."

"Good. Otherwise I'll call her and you don't want me to do that." Eastwards the sky was already tinged a dark blue and the stars seemed to blink less brightly. It wouldn't be long until the sun came up. "Since neither you nor me will get some sleep until the alarm goes off, how about I get us a coffee and then we shoo the greenhorns out of the beds? Today's villains don't wait until after breakfast before carry out their masterplans." Natasha winked at him and gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek. "And thanks for being there. I didn't want to keep you up."

"Don't mention it." Steve released Natasha out of his half-embrace and stood up. "But let me get the coffee. You make it so strong that even I'm about to get a heart attack despite the serum."

Natasha hummed in agreement and directed her gaze back over the meadows and forests, enjoying the peace for another five minutes. Another day. Maybe finally with a message from Bruce.

Okay, I kind of see a pattern with all the previous stories taking place at night. The next one won't, I promise ;)