EDIT: 20 JUL 2015

10 : The Favorite Girl

To Natasha's surprise, Steve didn't freak out when he woke up and saw her in bed with him. He was rather calm and relaxed and held her tighter. Well, she faked to be asleep to gauge his reaction. The reaction satisfied her curiosity.

They had been sleeping in the same bed together for a week now and Natasha saw some progress on Steve's PTSD situation. Steve had less nightmares and he slept more comfortably and more peacefully. Natasha stuck close to his side all day and night to make sure he was doing okay. She had to be there to catch him if he fell again.

But overall the progress was very satisfying and the connection—bond between them was strengthened. Dr. White's theory was right. Your Soulmate is the only person in the world who can help you with everything. The only one who can pull you out of the darkest pits inside your mind.

She tried to be strong for both of them, considering how fragile Steve was right now. She was trying very hard to be strong but the only matter was when it would be her turn to break. She could see Steve was trying very hard to recover from this. He blamed himself for being weak even Natasha said it was nothing and it was totally normal for humans to experience depression.

But they had to do this together in order to move past this point.

She was the only one who got time to be in Steve's company because well, Fury grounded her due to the soulmate issue between her and Steve. They still had the distance issue that they couldn't shake, no matter how hard they were trying to fix this, to find a way to cheat this.

She couldn't go out undercover or do her job. Steve was nowhere near ready to get back in the field again. He didn't pick up his shield since well, he came out of the ice. He didn't touch it even once and left it in the corner of his room but she caught him staring at it when he was trying to think.

"Maybe you should try to pick it up again." She quietly spoke up when she walked into their bedroom and found him sitting in the armchair nearby the window while he stared at his shield.

"I don't want to." He replied, "I'm not worth it. I have barely handled my stress and PTSD. I don't think I can handle it."

"You can, Steven Rogers. Because you are Captain America."

"Maybe some other time, Natasha."

Steve got up from his seat but he noticed that she was dressed up quite nice like she was about to go out.

"Where are you going?"

"I don't know. I just feel like dressing up because, you know, I can't exactly go out because I can't be too far away from you."

"Where do you want to go?"

"What?"

"We can go out."

"Are you sure, Steve?"

"Yeah, why not? I shouldn't be the reason to keep you inside the tower and you should tell me if you want to go out."

"I'm not sure if you want to go or not."

"I would love to, Natasha." Steve said with a bright smile she hadn't seen in a while, "But you have to help me with the wardrobe. I have no idea how people dress up these days."

Nat grabbed his hand and led him into their walk-in closet and began to raid his closet and tried to find the most up-to-date clothes for Steve. Lucky for her, everyone was there when they went on a big shopping trip to buy clothes for the Captain when they had heard that Steve would be living with them.

"Here you go." She handed him his clothes but Steve looked at them with panic in his eyes.

"Are you sure it will suit me?"

"Steve, with a face and body like that you are fit to wear everything."

He blushed at that, "Thanks…"

"I will help you put it on."

Steve was trying to say no but Natasha left him no chance to protest. She pulled the thin white t-shirt off his body before she quickly pulled a grey t-shirt over his head. Her delicate hands adjusted the sleeves to fit perfectly on his biceps. He put on a dark navy blue hoodie and brown jacket.

"Turn around" He ordered when he was about to change into a pair of jeans.

"I have seen a man undressed before."

"Just turn around, okay?"

"Come on! We are soulmates! It's not weird if we see each other naked."

"It's weird for me."

Natasha sighed and turned around. Her ears still listened to his movement and decided to turn around at the perfect moment where Steve turned away from her and pulled his jeans up. Natasha madly grinned when she saw his sculpted ass.

"You have a very nice ass." She commented.

Steve shot her a deadly glare but he couldn't stop Natasha from doing anything that she wanted. She completed the look for him by putting a blue cap and glasses on and she gave him a pair of sneakers.

"We will go undercover as a hipster couple today so no one will recognize us when we go out."

"How can they recognize us?" Steve asked, confused. "Are we famous or something?"

"Well, it's mostly me who people will recognize because of the battle of New York while you are a very fine specimen and this will help prevent you from attracting every woman in this city."

Steve hesitated for a moment but when Natasha held her hand out for him, Steve quickly grabbed her hand and followed her out. He knew deep down he trusted her after everything that they had been through together.

"Agent Romanoff, may I ask where you and Captain Rogers are going?" JARVIS interrupted as the couple reached the elevator.

"I don't know. Just spend the day around town. That's all" Nat replied "And tell everyone, don't wait up."

"Yes, ma'am, and have a good day."

Natasha noticed a hoard of Avengers fans camping out at the front entrance so she dragged Steve to the garage and they took the back door out of the tower.

"You guys really are famous. Back in the 40's, I had fans camping out like that but they were mostly 12 year olds."

"The only thing that is keeping your status incognito is that SHIELD hasn't revealed that they have already found Captain America." Natasha replied, "If we do, you might want to lock yourself up in the tower."

"You know me too well. I'm not a big fan of being in a crowd."

"Don't worry. You will learn the lesson directly form the best. First of all, when you hide in plain sight. Don't run. Walk."

"These shoes will fall off if I run." Steve retorted back.

Natasha rolled her eyes, "Normal clothes like this will help you blend in with the crowd." She said, "Don't bother wearing sunglasses because people will look at you more than when you're not wearing them."

Natasha pulled her hood up to cover her fiery red hair. Steve knew she did it to avoid being noticed. Her red hair was very noticeable to be honest. The next thing Natasha did was to slip her hand in his.

"What are you doing?" Steve asked but didn't pull away. He got to admit it. He loved her small delicate hand and the feeling while he held it.

"We are a couple, remember?" She replied and gave him a very predatory smile.

Steve froze in his place when Natasha closed the space between them and leaned up to kiss him at the corner of his lips.

"You don't have to test my limits." He murmured

"I didn't" She replied, still didn't back away from him "You're my fake boyfriend and it's not weird if we are showing each other some affection."

His lips twitched up a little, "Well, Tasha." He purred her name and it send a shiver down her spine. Her name was so sexy when it rolled from his lips like that. "My girlfriend, do you have any plans for us today?"

"I have two or three places in mind."

Natasha broke the spell of the moment by pulling away and dragged Steve to her favorite café a block away from the tower. They sat at the outdoor patio to enjoy the sunny day in New York City.

"I believe Stark and Bruce already taught you how to use that thing in your hand."

"Yeah, a Starkphone and I don't even know why he bothered to give me one because I have nobody to call anymore."

Nat pulled the phone from his hand and began to explore the Captain's phone.

"I'm still confused with all this new technology. But it is really fascinating how everything has changed within 70 years." He said, "But I will get used to it very soon. Stark taught me some basics."

"No worries. I will help you with all of this." Natasha replied "When you need some help with anything, just come to me first and I will help you with it."

"Thanks…"

Steve watched as Natasha typed something into his phone before she handed it back to him.

"You have phone numbers of everyone in the tower now."

"But why is only your number in my favorite screen?" Steve asked. Brows frowned as he saw 'Soulmate' as a caller ID for herself.

"Because I'm your favorite girl."

Steve smiled but he turned away from her. She sensed he was uncomfortable with her flirting with him but he covered up with another smile like he was forcing it out. She didn't like it when he had to fake it with her.

Natasha grimaced a little and her good mood faltered a little. Steve noticed it and held her hands gently.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

"Nothing…" She lied "What should we have for our brunch?"

Clint and Tony had a very good time teasing them when they came back at the tower at 9 PM. Natasha shot them a deadly glare but it didn't stop them. Steve told them to stop but it didn't work either and Natasha dragged him back to their floor to end the conversation.

They took showers separately but ended up in his bed together again. She still didn't let him sleep alone even when he told her he hadn't had a nightmare in three days now but Natasha said she would not take that risk again.

Steve was prepared to go to sleep but he noticed that Natasha slipped a gun under her pillow.

They woke up again the next morning and they found themselves just having had one hell of a deepest sleep in a very long time. Steve held her tightly from behind with her back pressed tight against his chest.

Natasha pecked her lips on his cheek as a way to say good morning. Steve gave her a soft smile and kissed her forehead in return. They enjoyed this quiet peaceful moment of the morning by staying quiet, holding each other's hand and just savoring their companion.

"Would you like me to make you some breakfast?" Steve spoke up first.

"That would be lovely." Nat replied

He got up first and scooped her up in his arms. Nat spent a good 30 minutes just keeping her eyes on him, watching him moving around the kitchen. All round it was a nice morning but Clint called her, said he needed her help with the training and Steve said he had something to talk to Bruce about too.

"It's nothing to be worried about, Natasha." He ensured her.

Nat only let him go because he didn't lie. She headed out to the gym while Steve headed for the lab where he found Bruce working on his latest research project.

"Dr. Banner" Steve greeted

"Hey, cap. What can I do for you?" Bruce looked up from his work.

"I need to ask you something." The captain replied "It's about what has happened recently between me and Natasha."

Bruce put down his pen and gave Steve full attention as Steve sat down on the stool opposite of the doctor.

"Well, Natasha told me that she and I might share the nightmare or maybe a dream because she saw what I saw in my dream."

Bruce thought for a second, "It can happen, Cap. It's possible that the phenomenon might occur with the two of you."

"Why do you sound unsure about this?"

"Because something like that should happen later than… right now. Not this early. You guys just started to bond but you seem to have connected with each other on every level."

"Is it a good thing or a bad thing?"

"It's a good thing, Steve. The only downside would be you and her will need each other more than normal soulmates do." Bruce explained "This confirms one of my theories about soulmates."

"Which is?'
"There is no specific pattern for how a couple of soulmates bond because you and Natasha are a totally different situation from me and Dr. Ross."

"The conclusion is that Natasha and I have to experience it by ourselves and there is no way I can plan anything ahead of time."

"Yes" Bruce nodded "It will be easier if you let her in completely. Open up to her will help you with this. Everything will go smoother and faster than you can expect once you let her in, everything will fit in the right place almost instantaneously."

Steve only nodded, "Thank you for the clarification, Doctor."

"You're welcome, cap."

Clint kept her with him all day so they could finally talk without Steve around Nat and the archer could get honest answers from her. He asked about everything that had happened in her life lately and how the adjustment was going. To his surprise, Natasha answered everything.

"I think we are okay, you know, if I compare everything from when we first met."

"At least he has comes to his senses about treating his soulmate the right way."

"I know he is trying to treat me better but sometimes I can't help but feel like he is pretending to be happy for my sake."

"Give him some time, Tasha." Clint suggested "I believe he will finally fall in love with you."

They talked a lot about this matter and Clint made his best afford to provide Natasha with positive thoughts. But JARVIS interrupted their conversation to inform the spy that Steve asked for her at their floor.

"Tell him I will be there in 5 minutes."

She hugged Clint and walked out of the gym heading for her floor. When she walked into the living area, she found candles everywhere leading to their dining room where Steve had set up everything nicely.

"I hope you don't mind." He said sheepishly "I cooked us dinner."

"Wow..." That was all she could say "You did all of this?"

"Yes, for you." He smiled brightly

"Thank you"

"You can take a shower first. Lamb will be ready in 15 minutes."

Natasha couldn't resist and give Steve a kiss on his cheek. The Captain's eyes widened and his cheeks flushed a little. Natasha couldn't resist a smirk and quickly hit the shower. When she came out, Natasha found out her Captain had set up the table and decorated her plate. He smiled and pulled the chair out for her.

She sat down and Steve leaned forward to kiss her on the neck. Natasha tensed up but the feeling she got inside of her was really good.

"Hope you like it." He said.

And she did like it. His culinary skills were superb and it added a bonus point to her soulmate. Natasha found herself thinking that she was one hell of a lucky girl to have Steve Rogers with her. His crusted roasted lamb was a food from heaven. The wine he picked complimented their main course very well.

Steve actually smiled honestly at her.

"I like it when you don't have to force a smile for me." She spoke up, feeling the need to make it clear for both of them. "Like I said you never have to fake or pretend anything when you are with me. We are supposed to be honest with each other, right? And I can feel that sometimes I force you to be happy."

"Natasha…"

"Like the other day, I know you faked a smile. You didn't like it when I flirted with you."

"Natasha…listen."

"I just want it to be real. I want the real you."

"I didn't pretend or anything, Natasha. I just didn't know how to react or how to be in a relationship." Steve interrupted "I obviously don't know how to handle it when a woman—a very beautiful woman flirts with me. I want the best for both of us too but I don't want to force you to love me or anything."

"Then I will make it clear, Steve Rogers. I want to be with you all the time and maybe the feeling inside of me isn't love right now but I kinda want to be with you and figure this out with you."

"I would love for you to be with me all the time too, Natasha." He said "And this time I wasn't lying. I really need you more than you could ever know."

"I know because…"

"You can read me like an open book."

"Yes, I can." She smiled "What do you think about visiting SHIELD tomorrow with me? I can show you around."

"That would be lovely."

Beta read by captain-romanogers