VII
Steve had just boiled the kettle in preparation for a pleasing cup of tea, however on inspection of the fridge it seemed they were out of milk... as usual. Grabbing the empty carton that had been left behind, most likely by Clint or Tony, he chucked it into the bin before surmising that he would have to go and buy some. It was ridiculous that for a building of such technological advancements that yes, you could identify a wanted criminal by face recognition software, or decipher complex coded messages in seconds, yet no one could put an empty carton of milk in the bin or purchase a new one to replace it. With a heavy sigh of irritation Steve cast his gaze out of the window to be met with aggressive looking clouds that hurled out torrents of rain that hammered violently against the glass, yearning to share its damp company. Muttering under his breath he struggled to suppress his annoyance,
"Great." Making his way swiftly to his room, he planned on grabbing his coat popping out and returning to the tower as quick as possible, with little fuss and the comforting knowledge that at the end of it was a cup of tea and a chance to relax. Entering his room he went to the wardrobe that he knew specifically held his coat; however it seemingly no longer occupied its rightful place, much to Steve's annoyance. He was so sure he had put it here, in addition to his impeccable tidiness he also possessed an amazing capacity to remember pretty much everything, so to find that both qualities had failed him so was frustrating to say the least. He continued searching his room for another 10 minutes, before conceding that it was not to be found here, and so made his way back to the living quarters, his patience starting to wane.
As he started to look around he heard the smooth glide of the elevator doors, and looking up he was met with the petite figure of Natasha. Her crimson curls turned almost black at the rain drops that had clearly managed to avoid the shelter of her hood, causing them to coil even tighter in a manner that made her look utterly adorable. Her skin glistened and gleamed, highlighting her porcelain complexion further, as water droplets adorned her skin profusely as a drop skated down her nose and dripped off the tip onto her... coat. His coat. Casting his gaze on his garment she wore he allowed an exasperated sigh to escape his lips; however his features could not deny his amusement. His sapphire eyes sparkled with glee at her dishevelled appearance, whilst his lips fought against a smirk, which he eventually allowed, as he conceded to his hilarity over his annoyance,
"Of course you had it... do you not have your own coat?" Walking towards the kitchen she answered him, her voice holding the rich and smooth tone that was unmistakeably her,
"It was in my room and yours is closer." Plonking the plastic carrier bag on to the kitchen counter, she tilted her head towards him, a cheeky grin adorning her lips in the most attractive manner. Now she had entered into the warmth from outside, the stark contrast in temperature had in turn induced her cheeks to flush a bright crimson blush. Her radiant complexion enhanced her captivating emerald eyes, bringing forth the slightly uncomfortable thought that he would gladly fall into her gaze, abandoning himself to her enchanting stare wholly. His observations were interrupted by her teasing tone of voice as she inquired,
"I pull it off though, right?" Turning towards him she started to mimic a number of model poses, placing her hand behind her head, tilting her hips and completing them all with a luscious pout. He chuckled readily as he observed her, the long dark coat hanging off of her and saturated with water droplets which flung this way and that as she posed. As his laugh receded, before he knew it he allowed the thought that crossed his mind on a regular basis, to be voiced with a coy smile to accompany it,
"You know you look good in anything." It was her turn to laugh now, amused by the simple fact that wearing an overly big rain coat had induced this handsome man to voice such a compliment of sincerity. It was... endearing to say the least. Amidst her gentle chuckle she quipped,
"Ever the gentleman." As she turned back to the bag on the table, Steve revelled in the way her smirk of amusement lingered on her lips, however his appreciation of her was disrupted by the carton she pulled out from the bag. Milk. It was at that moment that Steve realised he appreciated her much more than he ever thought that amongst all their jests, conflicts and minor tiffs, she was his constant. A dependent individual within a world that was far from the one he had once known, and within the chaos of the here and now, she was undoubtedly his stable support. The one person who he could rely upon, the person he associated with home.
