AN: Set during catws

"You done in there?"

Steve's voice had pulled Natasha out of her trance. She had walked right past him without even realizing it, and his voice would've made anyone else jump. Instead she only looked at him and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Yeah." Her voice sounded pathetic and she hated it. Hated how small and weak she sounded. Almost like a child.

Steve had looked at her, concern laced through his features. Thee was a spark of hesitation following the concern. He opened his mouth, but then, deciding against whatever he was about to say, he closed it. "I'm right here if you need me," he said instead and slipped into the bathroom.

Natasha hated that she did need him. She needed human contact and he was the only one that she wanted it from. The entire drive to Sam's house all she thought about was how it would feel to be wrapped in his arms; just be completely surrounded by him while he whispered comforting things into her ear. He'd tell her that everything would be alright, that she would be alright, and she'd believe him. But things weren't alright, and Steve was a terrible liar.

Over the years she has learned how to compose herself, and all she had to do was forget. Her home she found in SHIELD was gone, and she urged that thought away. But her mind went to something she did have. All that was left was Steve, her partner and her friend. The man only a short distance away from her who would accept her. Maybe even love her.

For once in her life she let her brain have a rest and didn't think about any negative outcomes that would come out of it. She shimmied out of the clothes she had just put on and left them in a trail to the bathroom door.

"Nat?" Steve asked, his voice echoing. The only other noise in the room was the water hitting the shower floor.

"It's just me," she called back.

"Everything okay?" Steve asked. The concern in his voice from earlier was still evident, and it made the corners of her mouth twitch up before she caught herself.

The hooks screeched against the rod when she pulled open the shower curtains. "Everything's fine," she declared, and stepped into the shower. "This okay?" She asked.

He was shocked but he still stepped closer to the wall to make room for her. "It's okay," he said, his voice unsure.

Years of using her body as a weapon made her comfortable standing naked in front of him. And with the serum erasing any of his body's flaws, he didn't seem too shy about his either.

But still, he looked away. Like he wasn't allowed to look at her, like she didn't voluntarily undress and get in the shower with him.

It was up to her to decide what came next. She chose to wrap her arms around him and bury her face in his chest over the luxury of taking him in fully with her eyes. His hands hovered over her skin, unsure of what parts of her he could touch. There was some annoyance, Natasha could admit that she needed him and didn't really have time for the noble side of him that thought touching her wasn't right.

"You can touch me," she said, her voice muffled by his chest. There was a light touch on her back that she assumed was the tips of his fingers but his other hand still laid by his side. She titled her head up to him. Her green eyes met his strikingly blue ones. "Unless you don't want to."

"No, Nat, I want to," he said. Red was starting to blossom across his cheeks and the color slowly crept down his neck until his entire body was flushed.

He was a full body blusher. Cute.

Natasha laughed, a quiet noise that was breathy and almost nonexistent. The corner of her mouth turning up only made his ears burn an even brighter red. "Are you uncomfortable, Steve?" She asked, her voice innocent.

"No! I just- naked. Why does anyone have to be naked?" Steve said. She's picked up on his body language, he was an open book to her. He had a habit of not so subtlety avoiding eye contact whenever he lied or denied something. Their eye contact was broken instantly so he could have a staring contest with the wall.

If she were to step out the shower neither of them would mention it again. Nothing would change. "I could get out," she offered.

She tried to detangle herself from him but his arms were around her instantly. "No. Stay." His voice was almost pleading. "You just caught me off guard."

He gently pulled her under the spray of water, which was a little too hot. Steve didn't like to be cold; she didn't mind it though. She got what she wanted, more than she wanted, his arms were like a blanket around her. He was warm and comforting and she sunk into his embrace with her eyes closed.

She could've cried with how gentle and caring he was with her when he pulled back the mass of wet hair and started pressing small kisses to her neck and shoulder. She almost did cry when his lips stopped at her ear. "You can talk to me, Nat."

"Later," she said. She was content for the first time in awhile and she didn't want to think. The only thing she wanted on her mind was Steve. How his hand almost covered her entire lower back, how his lips were slightly chapped but still soft against her skin, or the way his muscles moved under her fingers.

"Whenever you're ready, I'll be here for you," he said against her skin.

"I know you will."

She leaned up to him, and he got the hint and pressed his lips to hers. Even his kiss was gentle. He prodded her mouth open gently with his tongue and let his hands touch every part of her that he could reach. Both of her hands were in his hair, she wasn't too sure when that happened, but she let one travel down to his chest.

She broke off the kiss. The blush in his face never left and it looked a little comical paired with his slightly swollen lips. "Can I say something, Steve?" Natasha asked.

"Of course."

He laughed when her signature smirk appeared on her face. She gave his chest a small pat.

"Specimen."

AN: Review please!