"Familiarity can provide the misguided illusion of understanding. Assume nothing."
― Truth Devour
It had become usual now that Steve and Natasha could sense when the other was awake, and frequently they would awaken too. Tonight was no exception as Natasha stirred from her sleep, her limbs stretched and wriggled in a bid to shake the fatigue that clung to them. Turning her head towards the side where Steve resided, she kept her eyes closed however she could see beneath her eyelids the light that emanated from his side of the bed. Deducing from the strength of the glare it was most likely to be from a tablet or laptop she murmured languidly,
"Please tell me you're not still trying to figure out how to use twitter right now." She felt him flinch beside her, clearly so engrossed in whatever he was up to that he was unaware she was now awake. This in itself set alarm bells ringing, for Steve was never usually so distracted he would lack the vigilance that enabled him to detect the oncoming of danger or the presence of another. Something was bothering him. These thoughts were again confirmed as his voice rang out through the silence of the night, distant and harbouring the tones of concern she had heard way too often recently,
"Ummm... no, not right now." Turning over to fully face him, she palmed her hand over her face, her fingers following the contours of her nose and cheeks in a bid to rid the remnants of sleep. Simultaneously she struggled to open her eyes, as she squinted severely as soon as her gaze made contact with the glare coming from the Stark pad Steve held in his hands. Once her eyes had adjusted to the strong radiant glow, she allowed her gaze to skate over his features and the sight that met her was one that had become far too familiar. His handsome youthful features were once again etched with anxiety and apprehension, causing his brow to lower and pinch in a frown of unease. His lips were pursed tightly forming a stern and severe line, whilst the light from the screen that held his attention so cast unforgiving shadows across his features. He looked tired and weary, the odd lighting causing him to appear gaunt and ill... disturbingly he looked every inch the age he actually was. With that troubling thought she addressed him, her voice light and seemingly untroubled but holding within the hidden traces of care,
"You've got your worry frown on, what's up?" Her body had now warmed up to the idea of being awake, as she leaned on her elbow and propped her head upon her hand, allowing herself to cast her attention wholly on him. Lowering the pad onto his lap, a sigh exhaled heavily from his lips as he combed his fingers through his already dishevelled golden locks, his impression still remained absent and unfocused, before his gaze met her face.
As his azure eyes shifted to her he instantly felt grounded and present, something he had been lacking during the past few hours, in which he had solely been focused on the screen of the tablet before him. Even in the dull light and the late hour, she still managed to look enchantingly beautiful. Her sharp features were highlighted perfectly by the meagre illuminated frosting, enhancing her flawless ivory complexion and bringing out the luscious crimson curls that flowed over her shoulders. Her olive eyes glistened and gleamed in a manner that made him wish to fall into her gaze and never make it back out. It made him wonder if she knew, did she always know the affect she had on people, the way she managed to enrapture them fully by just one illustrious smirk. He had seen it all too often the way men and women alike had fallen under her spell, bewitched by a desire they never knew they possessed. But here she was the deadly vision that held them within her controlling grasp and they didn't even know it. Steve on the other hand fully knew it and willingly succumbed to her hold knowing full well she could hurt him in so many ways, but that was the chance he was willing to take. He hadn't been wrong yet.
His reply brought with it a voice that was far more present, but held around the edges exasperation and unease,
"Sorry... I... I've tried using the tracking software to locate Bucky... and I got nothing. He's seemingly left no trace of himself anywhere, I just... I don't know what else to do now." Her gaze skated over the deep seated worry lines that had now appeared within his features, and she felt the grinding churn of guilt within her gut that she too had played a part in this increasingly familiar expression of his. Not one to ever butter her words unless the moment called for it, she answered him bluntly however her voice was smooth and gentle with a tone that bid to soften the blow,
"There's nothing you can do." His eye flickered to hers, and within them she could see the pooling of disappointment at her reply, but as he nodded his head slightly she knew that he too understood that there was nothing more he could do. She continued to talk, her senses urging her to provide some comfort to the man that she cared so much for, it was not her forte but she tried and she hoped he knew that,
"He will let you find him when he wants to be found, but that's not yet. But when it happens you will be there and that's everything he'll need." His gaze had wandered from her, his azure eyes looking uncharacteristically absent but the frown that had corrupted his features had at last diminished, giving back the many years it had robbed from his features. That was enough for her to know that her words had fulfilled their purpose, as he nodded his head ever so slightly again in agreement, before his hushed words reached her,
"I hope so." She allowed her lips to curl into a consoling smile, as she replied confidently,
"I know so." That in turn provoked a grin on to his face, instantly bringing back the vivid sparkle within his crystal blue eyes, and that in itself relieved her of a burden she did not even realise she had held. With that minor success she snuggled back down under the covers, as Steve himself turned off his device and placed it on his bedside table before following suit.
With his pillows rearranged just so he shuffled down under the covers, before he sensed her shift towards him. Leant upon his chest with his arm wrapped around her waist tightly in what had become a familiar fashion, she basked in the soft rise and fall of his breathes. The heat from the hand resting on her hip seared her skin, even through her pyjamas, with the emblazoned and unforgiving desire for his touch to yearn for her as much as her body yearned for him. A yearning she had learnt to silence, but still refused to leave her, continuing to burn on and on even under the weight of suppression. After a few minutes of stilled silence, the darkness wrapped around them in an envelope of their own, a place where they were just Steve and Natasha, his voice permeated the comforting silence,
"By the way I can tweet... I even retweeted the other day." He felt her lips against his chest alter into a smirk, whilst her body vibrated with the silent chuckles of amusement, before she retorted back,
"Someone is ahead of their century." The gentle melodic laugh that emanated from the soldier finally dispersed the last remaining embers of unease that had clung so vehemently to him. All at once Natasha felt the overwhelming relief that for the moment they could resume the somewhat unknown occupations they held within each other's lives. However it unnerved her how this has become a feeling she now encountered, familiarity and routine were never good. Too easily are they predicted and disrupted, a combination that is never left undisturbed for too long.