A/N: This takes place between Winter Soldier and Age of Ultron, and Valentine's Day was on Saturday in 2015.
Cupid
"Steve, Clint and I got a tip from an informant that we need to check out," Natasha said. "Can we borrow a plane? Something small and inconspicuous?" She carried small overnight bag.
"You'll have to ask Tony," Steve answered. "Everything I control has a big A on the side."
Natasha looked a question at Tony who waved negligently, "Mi avion es su avion."
"Gracias, patron," Natasha answered. "We'll be back on Monday," she promised Steve.
"Is this something to do with Loki's scepter?" Steve asked.
"No, old business," Clint answered, coming into the room, stuffing a jacket into a flight bag. "Probably nothing, but we owe the source a chance to be heard."
"OK, be careful," Steve admonished.
"Yes, Mom," the two agents chorused, as they left the room together.
"Now, you remembered the bribes?" Natasha asked.
"Of course. In gold," Clint responded.
"Good."
When they were out of earshot, Tony said, "You know they're not going to talk to a snitch, don't you?"
"They aren't?" Steve didn't sound shocked or disbelieving, just mildly curious to learn Tony's thought process.
"This is Valentine's weekend, Rogers," Tony explained, as if to a rather dense foreigner who didn't speak the language. Tony flapped his hand in the direction the duo had taken. "They've flown off to bill and coo in Hawkeye's little love nest." He waggled his eyebrows lecherously, in a way that reminded Steve of Groucho Marx.
"Why would they lie about it, Tony?" Steve said mildly. "We don't have a non-fraternization policy in the Avengers. They can be together if they want."
"They lie because they're spies. It's in their nature," Tony replied.
"Leave them alone, Tony," Steve suggested. "You don't need to know."
"I always need to know," Tony countered. "Jarvis, track that plane," he ordered.
Steve shook his head. Personally, he thought Natasha's "informant" was Nick Fury, but Tony didn't know Fury was still alive. And he was safer not knowing.
And if Clint and Natasha were going for a romantic weekend, they deserved some privacy. Tony's suspicions weren't out of bounds, Steve admitted to himself. Natasha did wear that arrow necklace.
Turning his back to the billionaire, Steve sent a quick text warning Natasha that Tony was trying to track down Hawkeye's "love nest."
"Precautions already in place," was the reply.
Steve really should have known better. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do," he teased.
"Way to spoil a girl's fun, Rogers," came the reply text.
Steve chuckled to himself and put the phone away.
"What? What do you mean we lost the signal from the plane?!" Tony exclaimed to Jarvis. "It's my plane!"
Steve took the opportunity to leave the lab. If Tony was going to be preoccupied with Clint and Natasha, he wouldn't notice Steve and Maria sneaking out on a romantic date of their own. Steve didn't want to be teased about something that was so new and tentative. They were still more friends than lovers. Maria totally understood why he needed to spend some time with Peggy at the nursing home on Valentine's Day. So Maria deserved a nice lunch and a gift, probably chocolates. They definitely weren't at a jewelry stage, yet.
Making his plans, Steve headed for Maria's office.
"Hi, Pepper. Mind if I steal Maria for the rest of the day?" Steve asked, as Maria sat up with interest.
Pepper smiled at them. "You two go ahead. In fact, I will, too. It's Saturday and Valentine's Day. I don't know why we're working," she said decisively.
"Tony's in the lab trying to track Clint and Natasha to 'Hawkeye's love nest,'" Steve said ironically.
The women rolled their eyes. "I'll put a stop to that," Pepper said. "Tony has plans for today. At least, he told me he does."
She went off to claim her promised romantic weekend. Steve offered his arm to Maria and they headed off for their own excursion.
It took Clint and Natasha a little longer to get to the farm, particularly with the measures Natasha took to prevent being tracked or followed.
It was just getting dark when they walked up to the front door. Dressed in a nice suit, Clint carried a bouquet of roses and a jewelry box with a gold bracelet. His wife Laura met them at the door. She was dressed in a beautiful blue dress with a warm coat ready for the cold February night.
"Did you call?" Clint asked Natasha, who denied spoiling the surprise.
"I had faith, Clint Barton." Laura said. "The only time you failed to take me out to dinner on Valentine's Day was when you were in the hospital. Then Natasha warned me."
"I'm getting too predictable!" Clint pouted, then he laughed and presented his gifts. Laura expressed her delight with a kiss.
The adults heard the thunder of children's feet down the stairs as the kids caught on to their father's arrival.
"Are you sure you want to babysit?" Laura asked Natasha.
"I enjoy it," the spy said. She knelt down and spread her arms wide as Cooper and Lila barreled into her. "Like I always say, love is for children."
Clint and Laura drove into town for a lovely dinner at their favorite restaurant, and then a long drive looking at the stars and talking like two parents hardly ever had a chance to. They finished with a little necking at a secluded spot with a view of the town's lights, but they cut that short because of the cold.
Natasha played games with the kids. They particularly enjoyed hide and seek with Auntie Nat. They assembled homemade pizza. Laura had left all the ingredients ready. The kids just had to put on their toppings. Cooper piled his section high with cheese, sausage, bacon and tomatoes. Lila made a pretty design with bacon, tomatoes and green peppers. Natasha randomly sprinkled a little bit of everything on her part, then put cheese on top so she could surprise herself with every bite.
After dinner they played board games while watching a Disney movie. The kids were in bed by the time their parents got home. Natasha was sipping a cup of green tea and reading a mystery novel when the Bartons joined her in the living room.
They chatted amiably about the kids, the farm and eventually the Avengers. Laura enjoyed hearing stories about the super powered group.
"I hope I get to meet Captain America some day," she said.
Clint playfully scowled at her. "Talking about another man on Valentine's Day!" he chided.
Laura chuckled and poked her husband playfully. "I want to thank him for being such a good partner to Natasha." Clint nodded. "And he's dreamy," Laura added, teasing.
"He did save Nat's life," Clint agreed. "But she saved his, too."
Natasha laughed, a relaxed girlish giggle that Clint only ever heard at the farm.
"Yes, he saved me by covering me with his shield when a building fell on us. I saved him by kissing him on an escalator."
"Kissing? Really" Laura sat forward eagerly. "Is there something between you and the captain?"
"Nah, it was just a cover to protect us from the strike team looking for us. I try not to get involved with my partners," Natasha said, giving the couple a sly look. "It's too much like being at work all the time. Actually, Steve is seeing Maria Hill."
"He is?" Clint was surprised.
His wife shook her head. "That's Hawkeye. He can see a whorl in the fur of a mouse in the next field over, but he never notices office romances."
"I know. He didn't even notice I stopped trying to find Steve a date," Natasha said.
"I only snoop when I'm paid to," Clint said loftily. "So, did you give Maria the shovel talk?" he asked Nat.
"No. Maria won't hurt Steve. She's fond of him."
"Fond?"
"It's not a bad place to start," Natasha said, as an image of Bruce Banner crossed her mind. "Maybe they won't work out, but they won't hurt each other."
Hawkeye asked, "Do you think they're serious?" Because he liked them both and would hate to see a messy relationship damage the team.
"They're just getting started," Natasha opined. "Holding hands and having dinner. Just try to keep Stark from pestering them.
Natasha said she'd better go and leave the lovebirds ("lovehawks") to their Valentine's romance.
The Bartons exchanged a glance. "There's one more thing," Clint said.
Laura touched her abdomen. "We didn't want to say anything until after the first trimester, but we're expecting another baby."
Natasha's eyes had brightened at the word "trimester." She hugged her friends. "I'm so happy for you!" she said.
"Natasha, we want to name the baby after you," Clint said.
The agent was flabbergasted. There was so much blood on he hands, so much horror in her background, yet these good people had taken her in, treated her like a sister and now they wanted to name a baby after her.
She stammered thanks and wept a bit into Laura's shoulder when the other woman held her.
After Natasha recovered her aplomb, Laura went up to bed. Clint lingered for a moment.
"Thanks, Nat."
"For what? For babysitting?" she scoffed.
"For babysitting. For covering for me so I have a chance to see my wife once in awhile. For keeping our secret. For everything you do for us." He gave his partner a chaste kiss on the cheek. "I may have the bow, but you're our Cupid."
A/N: There will probably be a part 2 to this, since I started thinking about Steve and Maria's date.
