Through the Bottom of a Glass
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any OCs.
Chapter 10: Fall in Love Everyday with Someone New
Wens. 11.30 AM
Steve felt his stomach flip with nerves as he walked up the corridor to Natasha's apartment, Tuesday and Wednesday were the days Cap's closed and were the only days Steve and Sam did not see Natasha. Steve had not seen her since Monday night, she wasn't answering his calls but he knew they needed to sort some things out. That was why he was making his way to Nat's flat. Taking a deep breath when he reached number 132, Steve knocked on the door three times and stuck his hands in the pockets of his jacket.
He heard movement behind the door as someone looked through the keyhole. The door opened to reveal Natasha, barefoot, without make-up and in a pair of grey sweat pants and what must have once been one of Clint's hoodies. It was safe to say she hadn't been expecting a visit from her boss.
"Hey," Steve said, smiling. Natasha failed to hide a yawn.
"Hi," she replied, not moving from the door.
"Loving the outfit, Nat…" This cracked Natasha's stoic expression, she gave a laugh and smiled.
"You should have seen me in my onesie last night, I was really something. It had a hood."
"I'm sure you were lovely," Steve laughed. Natasha smiled once more before suddenly remembering something.
"Did you need something? Is everything alright?" she asked. He scratched the back of his neck.
"I-uhh- I don't know… Can you tell me?" Steve asked. Natasha massaged the back of her neck.
"What do you mean?"
"You know exactly what I mean."
"It was just a kiss, Steve…"
"Was it?"
They bickered back and forth for a few minutes. Natasha protested that it was a fluke, Steve argued and kept asking why she had kissed him back.
"We were both tired, Bucky was back, you were amazing at the piano- Just blame it on the exhaustion and adrenalin and let's move on!" she said, exasperated.
"So you're convinced that it was just a fluke, a once off, then?!" he threw back. Natasha gave one of those irritating, frustrated smiles.
"One hundred percent!"
Steve returned the smile.
"Then you won't mind this?!"
"Mind wha-"
But Steve cut her off when his lips crashed into hers. Natasha was shocked initially but snaked her arms around his neck. Steve wrapped an arm around her waist and rested his other hand on her cheek. They jumped apart suddenly when they heard a door open down the hall. Natasha grabbed a fistful of Steve's T-shirt and pulled him inside her apartment, slamming the door behind him. Steve was slightly unnerved by her surprising strength.
"I would appreciate it if you gave me a little warning next time…" she hissed. Steve smirked.
"It's the only confirmed way to shut you up," he said. Natasha narrowed her eyes but Steve could see a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
"Wait a second, next time?" he asked, smirking.
Natasha had never seen the cocky smirk that was on Steve's face before, she had mixed feelings about it. She pointed a finger at Steve's face, inches from his nose.
"Seeing as you never drop anything, I can tell this will be no different." Nat took a deep breath.
"Why don't we give this a trial run? One month. If it goes well we can consider a full-time thing; if not, no harm done. Deal?" She held out her hand. Steve smirked and shook it.
"Deal." They stood looking at each other seriously for a few seconds.
"You guys are so weird…" a voice croaked from behind them. Clint was standing in the doorway of his room, watching the proceedings. Steve went pink while Natasha stood to her full 5ft 3 height and glared her best friend straight in the eye.
"Shouldn't you be playing somewhere, not skulking around here." Clint waved her scolding away.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm fucking going, Jesus Christ…"
And with that he marched out, guitar slung across his back, sound equipment in both hands. Natasha massaged her temples.
"I can feel myself morphing into his mother…"
11.55 AM
There was a bite in the air as Clint made his way to a different destination. Today he was going to play outside a park. He set up his equipment and laid out his soft guitar case on the pavement. People rushed by in a hurry to get to work, Clint sometimes envied them with their secure place in a warm office but other times he pitied them. He was sure that most of them had never dreamed about typing away at a keyboard for thirty years.
Clint quickly put all those thoughts behind him as he stepped up to his microphone and took a deep breath.
"Don't take this the wrong way,
You knew who I was every step that I ran to you.
Only blue or black day,
Electing strange perfections in any stranger I choose.
Would things be easier if there was a right way?
Honey there is no right way!"
Three women in plain clothes stopped to listen, each throwing him a few coins. Clint winked at them as the tossed him the change.
"And so I fall in love just a little, oh, a little bit
Every day with someone new.
I fall in love just a little, oh, a little bit every day with someone new,
I fall in love just a little, oh, a little bit every day with someone new,
I fall in love just a little, oh, a little bit every day with someone new…"
A few more people stopped, a few more coins were tossed.
"There's an art to life's distractions,
Somehow escapes the burning weight the art of scraping through.
Some like to imagine
The dark thrills of someone else I guess any thrill will do…
Would things be easier if there was a right way?
Honey there is no right way!"
The art of scraping through was something Clint had mastered. There was a few more people standing around listening to him.
"And so I fall in love just a little, oh, a little bit,
Every day with someone new.
I fall in love just a little, oh, a little bit every day with someone new,
I fall in love just a little, oh, a little bit every day with someone new,
I fall in love just a little, oh, a little bit every day with someone new…"
Clint genuinely began to enjoy himself as he played. People were smiling and nodding in time to the music. Some even through in a few bills. So, Clint decided to take some of the advice given to him by Jamie, the weird history teacher. He opened his mouth and smiled as he sang.
"Love with every stranger the stranger the better,
Love with every stranger the stranger the better,
Love with every stranger the stranger the better,
Love with every stranger the stranger the better,
Love with every stranger the stranger the better,
Love with every stranger the stranger the better.
I fall in love just a little, oh, a little bit every day with someone new."
The large crowd around him erupted into applause as he finished. Some people asked him his name and where else he played. Clint told them about Cap's and they left to continue their business, each promising to return if he was still playing later, which he would be. Clint took a sip from the water bottle he brought with him and started on another song.
"Today is gonna be the day that they're gonna throw it back to you…"
How are you all today? This was great fun for me, I hope you enjoyed it! Next time, you'll see Jamie giving Clint an education in Irish English, have urban dictionary at the ready. What do you make of Steve and Nat giving it a trial run? This could go two ways…
Songs used today were 'Someone New' by Hozier and the beginning of 'Wonderwall' by Oasis, one of my all-time favourites. Let me know what you guys think of this so far in the reviews. Now, excuse me while I freak out over Man Utd VS Man City. C'mon Utd!
Have a great day, night, afternoon, etc…
Thanks for reading,
Love ya! ;)