"Sharon, please−" Natasha's voice came out as a fearful squeak, an arm stretched out catching her wrist.
Sharon turned back, gave her a dirty look, and the next thing she knew she felt a hard slap against her cheek.
"Oh God, I'm so sorry,−" The blonde gasped. Maria took a step closer to Natasha, asking if she was okay. Natasha nodded, rubbing the gaping pain on her cheek.
"Natasha, are you okay?" Sharon asked, sounding genuinely sorry.
"I'm fine." The redhead nodded with a stern face. She knew she deserved it; she really did.
A hand took her wrist and pulled her. She looked up and faced Steve, frowning with worry and looking at her as if there was literally nothing else that exists in the world. "Are you okay?" He exclaimed, more as a demand of answer than a question.
She knew Sharon was looking at her with a way more disgusted look. She just could feel the weight of her stare. She also knew Maria was looking at them confusedly, not knowing how to react, or probably thinking about the best way to leave this whole little showdown.
Natasha avoided his stare. She gritted her teeth and grunted almost indistinctfully. "Talk to Sharon, Steve. Goddamnit."
Steve caught her chin with his fingers, directing her face to him, the blue in his eyes deepening upon the sight of the fresh red mark.
"Steve." She called, meant it as a warning but it came out as a breathy sigh. "Steve." She raised her arms, struggling with her own brain and mind, took a grip of his wrist so he would let go of her. "Sharon is here."
"Steve?" A sweet voice called. They both turned their heads. Steve reluctantly let go of Natasha.
"Are you sleeping with her?" It was obvious from her tone and her posture that she was holding down an enormous rage. Rage that she rightfully is allowed to have. A rage that is reasonable enough. Enough to for Natasha to know she doesn't have the right to hit her back.
"Yes." He sounded emotionless−like he didn't even care. But he held a breath as he continued, "I didn't know how to tell you− our last mission went south and we were exposed to a bunch of hostile chemicals. When we woke up we couldn't stop having sex with each other. And with that I am sorry, Sharon. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, I'm sorry I can't stop this−" He stopped, not knowing how to finish the sentence. He couldn't find the right words to. His mind gets all fogged up. That, he learned, is what happens if he tries to think of anything else aside from Natasha.
Even Sharon doesn't know how to react now. "So it's not your choice?"
"How dare you say−" He stopped again and cleared his throat. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't protest. He shouldn't. Be logical, Steve. Be logical. "No. It's not."
"And if you could have it your way you wouldn't?"
He could feel Natasha staring at him with her luring green eyes, daunting his every word. The word was caught in his tongue. He couldn't say it. He couldn't. But he should.
"Steve?"
"He doesn't want me. He talks about you every night and day. He loves you." Natasha interrupted, earning a shocked look from Steve.
"You do?" Sharon stepped in closer.
Steve fought the urge to back away. "I think."
"When is this gonna be over, Steve?"
"Soon." Somebody else walked in the sliding door, waving a handful of file at them as she walked closer. Dr. Helen Cho, looking sharp as always, in her full laboratory coat. "What a coincidence to meet you all here." She opened the file to read it out loud before looking up at Steve and Natasha. "I doubt you both would read everything I put down here, so in that case, I'll just read it to you. The chemical that is inside your bloodstream right now, is a parasite, caused by an enhancement of neurotoxin−"
"Speak English."
Natasha smiled cheekily at Steve's complain.
nodded. "It increases your libido, making you express it to a specific other who shares the similar kind of this potion. But since its true nature is as a weak parasite, your body just fights it off naturally and if my calculation is correct it will be gone within the next two days."
"Any other information we should be aware of?"
She shook her head. "No, I'm afraid that's it."
"Thank you, ." Maria thanked her. The Korean scientist politely smiled and excused herself.
"See? You're gonna get your man back." Natasha forced herself to smile. Sharon returned the smile, oblivious.
She rose to her toes and kissed him on the cheek. "See you in two days, then, Steve."
Steve watched her leave before returning to his room, following Natasha who already stepped ahead.
"She was lying." Was the first thing Natasha said once he entered the room.
He got rid of his shirt and jumped to the bed next to lie with her with a frown. "Who?"
" . She was lying."
"About what?"
"I don't know. That's why I want to find out." She gave in when he leaned to kiss her. "After we're done with this, of course."