Taking Position

Former SHIELD Agent Maria Hill was sneaking up on Steve Rogers at Tony Stark's annual New Year's Eve party.

Well, not really.

She was sidling toward him, looking around with exaggerated caution that drew Steve's amused smile, as well as Bruce Banner's bemused gaze. Natasha Romanoff just smirked at her colleague.

Maria continued her charade, approaching Steve without looking directly at him, until he had to lift his beer out of her way. She backed up until her shoulder rubbed his chest.

"What are you up to?" Steve asked with laughter edging his voice.

"I'm taking position," Maria said seriously. "Two minutes to H Hour."

Natasha nodded approval, but the guys looked blank.

"I'm determined to not get caught by Stark," Maria told Natasha.

"I don't know why," Natasha said. "He has a reputation as a good kisser. Ten thousand floozies can't be wrong."

"Oh, the midnight kiss!" a suddenly enlightened Bruce told Steve.

Meanwhile, Maria was answering Natasha. "Oh, Stark's a decent kisser, but he's been drinking scotch and I hate the taste."

"And Pepper deserves first crack at him," Natasha suggested.

"That, too. She's the boss, no matter what Tony says."

"He usually says Steve's the boss," Bruce pointed out, just as Steve asked curiously, "When did you kiss Tony?"

"Undercover op a few years ago, before Afghanistan," Maria said shortly. "He caught me under the mistletoe."

"Doesn't sound like Tony," Bruce said. "Not these days, anyway."

"True," Maria confessed. "That was in Tony's pre 'I am Iron Man' days, when he thought it was OK to grab a waitress, spill her tray of champagne, drag her under the mistletoe and kiss her with breath tasting of scotch and cigars, while the whole crowd wolf-whistled. And then stuff three hundred dollar bills down her cleavage as an 'apology.'"

Steve put his hand on her shoulder in sympathy for what she had endured. "He doesn't do that kind of stuff any more," he reminded her.

"Pepper would kill him," Natasha seconded.

"I know, but I wouldn't want this similar situation to remind him of our 'encounter.' I wouldn't want to embarrass him and I wouldn't want him to realize how long SHIELD was keeping an eye on him. It would make things weird."

Steve coughed and Bruce raised an eyebrow, so she amended, "Weirder."

"Clint told me about that op," Natasha said. "He said you had the most peculiar expression on your face, trying to look pleased and not disgusted."

"Where is Barton, anyway?" Bruce said, scanning the crowd.

"He got a phone call." Natasha answered. "An old friend wanted to wish him Happy New Year."

"Not like he has anyone to kiss at midnight," Maria hinted, looking up at Steve.

Steve smirked at her. "So, to 'avoid' Tony, who you know will kiss Pepper at midnight, you decided to sidle over here."

"And take up position."

"Position?" Bruce asked.

"Position next to someone I'd rather kiss," Maria said plainly. She studied Steve's face thoughtfully. "How is he as a kisser?" she asked Natasha, as the countdown to midnight started.

"Not bad." Natasha shrugged. "He could use some practice."

"Practice!" Steve exclaimed in mock offense.

The countdown reached zero — midnight! Party horns sounded. Balloons dropped from the ceiling.

"I'm all for practice," Maria said and claimed Steve's lips.

Bruce watched bemused. It seemed to him that those two might have had a little previous practice, then he was surprised when two warm arms twined around his neck.

"Pucker up, Doc," Natasha ordered and kissed him.

The scientist realized the Black Widow had taken up position next to her mark, too. Then he kissed her back.


A/N: I know the Bruce/Natasha pairing wasn't universally beloved, but it is canon. Since this story takes place between Winter Soldier and Age of Ultron, I think this might be the first time Nat made a move on Bruce. There's no real evidence that Steve and Maria have dated, but she was wearing his jacket in AOU and I'd like to think Steve has had a few moments of happiness.