Steve was beginning to think his revival from the ice had been accompanied by a heretofore unrecognized curse. Or maybe he just needed someone to watch silly mummy movies with. His first and only choice wasn't speaking to him (again) and, were they on speaking terms, he suspected that he and Natasha wouldn't be spending a ton of time on movies. Or would they? Normal couples in normal relationships watched movies together.

Normal. Right.

Ever since they had gotten back from Las Vegas, she had been actively avoiding him rather than just ignoring him. If he entered the gym, she would abruptly end her workout and leave. In meetings together she would sit as far away from him as possible. She'd nearly run him over in her haste to get away from him in the garage three days ago. He was currently giving a new speed bag a thorough breaking-in after her latest disappearing act from the free weight benches.

It didn't help that the entirety of SHIELD was watching them with eager interest, probably assuming that the cold shoulder was just a diversionary tactic. He was used to getting looks just for being Captain America, but now the men were regarding him with mixed jealousy and awe, some even going so far as to offer winking congratulations or outright lewd comments. Steve generally took them good naturedly; he wasn't as naïve as everyone seemed to think. In addition to actually being a man, he had served in the Army and been in enough locker rooms to know how guys talked about women when left to themselves. Just because he preferred not to participate beyond an occasional nod or chuckle didn't mean he disapproved of the often explicit stories and observations about the human male's favorite topic. It had gone too far exactly one time and if Rollins from STRIKE had to have his jaw wired shut for the next few weeks, Steve really didn't feel all that bad about it. It would have been worse for the guy if Natasha had heard his question about her willingness to perform certain…acts.

He briefly paused his assault on the defenseless piece of equipment as two female agents passed him with looks he couldn't quite interpret. There was a tinge of disappointment, but he couldn't decide if it was related to his assumed relationship status or his choice. He liked to think they were unhappy he hadn't shown any interest in them, but how could he have even considered it? There was no woman at SHIELD that could compete with Natasha. No woman in the world, most likely. Not even Peggy back in 1945. Wait. Not even Peggy? He took a long swig from his water bottle as he thought about it. He'd made his decision by the time he'd finished swallowing.

The first thing Steve noted about the women's locker room was that it seemed to be a mirror image of the men's. He took a deep breath and concentrated on keeping his eyes open as he walked further into the room. He was able to drop his nonchalance when he saw a familiar face. "Hill, have you seen Natasha?"

She frowned at him, but turned back to tying her sneakers as if seeing Captain America in the women's locker room was just something that couldn't be avoided. "Check the sauna. Down the aisle and take a left past the sinks."

"Thanks."

Now that he had a destination, he made a point of keeping a hand firmly clasped to his eyes and looking only at the floor until he found the cedar door that could only mean the sauna entrance. He paused before pulling it open. He stepped inside and closed the door firmly behind him. When he finally looked up, he felt extremely fortunate that Natasha was the only person present. She seemed neither surprised nor amused by his appearance. "Rogers."

He tried, spectacularly unsuccessfully, to focus on the towel wrapped around her hair. "You…you're very naked."

"Yes. I'm in the sauna."

Thank God she'd been sitting with her legs crossed when he'd come in. He ignored the flare of lust and desire in his chest. "I…I thought we need to talk."

"Now?"

"I didn't think we should put it off…any longer." He licked his lips and tried not to track a bead of sweat making its way down her neck and between her breasts.

"Oh?"

"Natasha…we both want this. I know we do. Can we please just…"

"Stop with the 'we' bullshit." She crossed her arms over her chest, making it slightly easier for him to concentrate. "Tell me what you want."

He took a deep breath and smiled at the ease of the question. "You, Natasha. I want to be with you. I want to fall asleep with you at night after we make love and wake up with you in the morning and share a ride to work and argue about what we're going to have for dinner and what we're going to watch on TV while we cuddle on the couch. I want to hold you and kiss you and show you how much I love you every opportunity I get. Because I love you and I can't imagine life without you."

She stood slowly, using the towel she had been sitting on as a wrap around her midsection. She stepped down from the bench and stood in front of him. Her palm was warm even in the dry heat of the sauna as she placed it against his cheek.

He didn't move to kiss her, although he desperately wanted to. "Please, Nat. Please."

She looked at him steadily, stunningly green eyes unblinking. "Steve, someday you are going to meet a woman, and she is going to stare into your eyes and say, 'I love you,' and you are going to feel like you're drowning, you'll be so overwhelmed. That's what I want for you."

She slipped past him and left him alone in the sauna. He sank onto a bench, head in his hands.

"Um, Agent Hill?"

Hill wiped the sweat from her face and looked at the junior agent addressing her. "Yes?"

"I don't mean to bother you, but Captain Rogers is in the sauna."

"So?" She keyed in the combination to her locker and opened it.

"In here."

Hill blinked. She had told him where to find Romanoff before her workout and her workout had lasted over an hour, which meant that Rogers had probably been in there at least that long. She suddenly felt alarmed. "Is he hurt?"

"I don't think so."

"Then, what?"

"I just mean, he's sitting in the women's sauna. With all his clothes on."

"You want me to order him to strip?"

"N-no. It's just that it seems like he's been in there for a while and no one knows what to do."

"Has anyone tried asking him to leave?"

"We thought maybe a senior agent could…I mean, he's Captain America, ma'am."

"I'll take care of it," she said with a sigh and a wave of dismissal. She was really beginning to dislike the dimension of her job that seemed to make junior agents think she was the cheerleading captain, holding ultimate sway over all things locker room related. Or something. She really didn't have the energy to sort through Rogers and Romanoff's drama after ten miles on the treadmill, but there was always a chance that future SHIELD agents would be rehydrating the poor guy's body in another 70 years if she didn't handle this now so…

Hill tugged open the sauna door and stepped inside. She'd never understood how anyone could last more than five minutes in here. Rogers wasn't even sweating as he sat on the bottom bench, head leaning back against the top one. He hadn't even opened his eyes when she'd entered. She sat on the opposite bench, resting her palms on her knees. "Planning to stay in here all day, Captain Rogers?"

"Huh? Oh. No. I…I should probably…go." He didn't make a move to get up.

"I take it your conversation with Agent Romanoff didn't go so well."

"Not particularly."

She exhaled audibly. "Don't know how to help on that one. Maybe you could figure it out somewhere cooler. Somewhere in the men's locker room."

"Yeah." He still didn't look like he was planning to get up any time soon.

"Is…is there anything I can do?"

"I don't think so."

"Look, you're obviously hurting and I'd throw you a life preserver if I could, but…"

"You'd what?"

"I'd offer you help if I knew what you needed."

"No, what you said before. You said you'd throw me a life preserver."

"It's just an expression."

"No, but I'm drowning."

"Kinda hard to do in a sauna."

"No, she said…she said I'd feel like I'm drowning. And I'm drowning. I'm drowning!"

"Is that something to be happy about?"

He suddenly jumped up. "I'm drowning and today is someday."

"Rogers, I think the heat may be affecting you."

"No, I just finally got it." He picked her up in an exuberant hug and swung her around the small space. "I'm drowning, Hill!"

"Um…" His excitement was more contagious when he put her down. "Should you be doing something about this drowning thing?"

"Yes!" He shoved the sauna door open, but paused. "Agent Hill, if you would be so kind as to convey my apologies to the ladies for…"

"Rogers, stop being a gentleman for a second and go find Romanoff. That's an order."

"Yes, ma'am!" He snapped off a smart salute before taking off at a run. Hill shook her head and waved off the group of women gathered at the corner. Apparently word had gotten out that she actually had been planning to order Rogers to strip.

Clint sighted down the arrow notched in his bow and decided to spare the mechanic the terror of a shot through the opening at the end of his ratchet. He released the tension on the string and changed arrows, selecting a new target far below on the hangar floor. Something much closer moved, catching his attention, but he decided it was best not to aim at Natasha's hand, no matter how distracting he found her fingertips tapping against the girder. He lowered his bow and set it atop the pile of arrows he had deemed acceptable for use. "Are you just gonna lie on that beam looking pitiful for the rest of the day or are you gonna tell me what's up?"

She sighed heavily in reply. He shook his head. Hanging out with Natasha was usually one of his preferred activities, but he disliked being her second choice. If she wanted Rogers, she needed to stop being so damn stubborn about it. That, or drop it completely. She didn't pull off 'pining' very well. Clint shook his head again. "Y'know, I was saving this for a special occasion because I felt bad about leaving you hanging the last time I was out, but…"

She caught the small jewelry box without looking. Her features softened as she opened it. "Oh, Clint. That's sweet." She was actually clipping the small silver arrow necklace before he had the wherewithal to reply.

"Yeah, I…I figured it would be a little reminder that, uh, I'm still there, even when I'm not."

"It's perfect." She tossed the empty box back and he caught it without effort. "I should have gotten you something."

"For what?"

"Our anniversary."

"Oh…" He pretended to fumble with an arrow as he thought. "Right. The anniversary of me not putting one between your eyes."

"As if you could have." She fell silent as they both thought about the implications of the strange date. He was about to ask if she expected him to buy her dinner when she blurted out, "I told Steve I love him."

"Oh." He glanced out the window, but there were no signs of burning skies or horsemen. He decided it would be best to just go with it. "So, did the dumbass not say it back?"

"He's already said it a couple of times. I don't think he got it."

"What's to get? Unless…did you wuss out and say it Russian or something?"

"No."

"Tasha, you gotta give me something to work with."

"I made a stupid metaphor. Or simile. Analogy? Whichever. The point is if it were meant to be, he would have understood. He didn't."

"That's the dumbest reason you've come up with yet to avoid this thing with Rogers."

"I'm not avoiding…"

"Like hell you're not. Either fuck him until you get it out of your system or start something, which I think is what you're going for at this point if you're cryptically confessing your love to him."

"I don't…"

"You wouldn't be all worked up if this was just about sex. Just…let yourself feel something good for a change, Tash. I mean, he's freaking Captain America. I think you're pretty safe from heartbreak at this point."

"I…"

"Hm." He picked up his bow and sighted another target running around between the jets beneath them. "He's looking pretty frantic." Clint stepped off the wide window ledge onto the catwalk and hooked himself into the wire that would drop him to the floor of the hangar, the quickest exit from this particular hide. "Think I might just help the good Captain relieve some of his anxiety. Just remember, this is a Hawk's nest, not a love nest." He was dropping out of the shadows toward the floor before she could reply. As soon as his boots hit the floor, he called out, "Hey, Cap! Think I might be able to help you out!"