Chapter Twelve
Steve woke with Natasha almost sleeping on top of him, not that he was about to complain about that. Her body was draped over his. A wide smile cracked his face, as he lifted his head up and kissed the top of her head. Suddenly, his stomach growled loudly. He could see Natasha's body begin to shake, as she laughed.
Lifting her head, she looked him straight in the eyes, "Looks like we need to get some food into you. I hate to sleep on an empty stomach."
She laughed at her own little joke then moved off Tony's stomach in a sensuous graceful motion, which left him wishing she didn't get up.
"Are you hungry?" he asked her, trying to compose himself.
"I could eat," she said.
"Let's go up into the penthouse and I'll make us some breakfast," he said.
"Shouldn't you stay in bed?" Natasha asked him. "Bruce said you needed several days of bed rest."
"Nat, I'm fine," Steve said then he slipped out of the bed and stood there naked.
He didn't realize he was naked for a moment, but soon felt the distinct lack of clothes. Suddenly, he blushed and then grabbed the sheet to cover himself, but Natasha was too quick for him. She pulled the sheet away right before he could get to it.
"I like looking at you naked," she purred, as she stood there beside the bed as nude as he was.
"Um, the feeling is mutual," he said.
"Are you sure you are up to cooking?" she asked.
He ripped off his bandaging to expose perfectly unblemished skin. His wound was now completely healed. Once again, the effects of the Vita Rays and Super Soldier Serum proved to be amazing on his body.
"Damn it, you heal even faster than me, Steve," she said. "The serum I received in the Red Room was definitely inferior to your serum. It increased my ability to heal and mental and physical capabilities but not to your level."
"Also, I had Stark's Vita Rays combined with the serum," he said.
"So, you're healed," she smiled. "How about we work up an even greater appetite before you cook for me?"
"You mean," he paused and looked at the empty bed.
"Yes, Steve, I mean I'd like to go back to bed and make love to you," Natasha smiled.
"Yes, ma'am," he replied, "I think I'd like that, too."
Avengers
It was now five in the morning. Finally, hungry overtook the couple and they made their way to the kitchen. As Natasha watched him, Steve reviewed the contents of the refrigerator and decided to make a varied of foods knowing well enough that the smell of food cooking would wake Thor and his appetite. He started with a waffle batter and waffles. After making of pile of them, he cooked up scrambled eggs, bacon, and hash browns. Natasha made the toast. As the food warmed in the oven, he started to cook up steaks. All the while Natasha watched him and admired his form with a Cheshire grin on her face.
"Good friend, Captain, I smell your cooking. I have missed it and you," Thor announced as he entered the kitchen.
"Good morning, Thor," Steve greeted him.
"Hey, big guy, take a seat," said Natasha.
"Lady Natasha, you are keeping the company of the Captain, while he cooks," Thor said.
"As much as possible," she smiled from her perch sitting on the countertop near Steve as he cooked.
Thor sat down at the kitchen table. He was soon joined by Bruce, Hank, and Janet, who entered the kitchen drawn by the variety of edible odors.
"We having a breakfast party?" asked Janet.
"I'm just cooking up some food as a thank you for what you've done for me," said Steve.
"You know there is no reason to thank me, Cap," said Bruce with a slight smile, as he looked from Steve to Natasha.
"Nat, can you get what's done out and on the table?" he asked.
"Sure," she said.
Natasha slipped off the countertop. It was then that Thor, Hank, and Janet realized what Bruce already knew. It was a combination of factors that informed them of the fact Steve and Natasha were lovers. First, she was wearing one of Steve's plain white tee shirts, as her PJ's. Next, she did as he asked without a snide remark or threats of violence. Finally, before getting the food, she walked up to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek and a gentle rub on his buttocks.
She got out the plate full of waffles and placed them on the table, followed by the platter of scrambled eggs, bacon, hash browns, toast, and syrup. Steve brought over a platter of steaks and put them down then he sat down beside Natasha. Everyone started to fill up their plates with the food. After Steve filled his plate up, Natasha noticed he blessed himself then started to eat.
She stared at him out of curiosity for a moment then asked him, "Why did you do that?"
"Do what?" he asked.
"Bless yourself," she said.
"Because for the first time in a long time, I felt like God blessed me," he said the leaned across and kissed her.
Janet sighed and smiled. She had to admit it was easy to have a crush on Captain America. There was something open and sincere about him that engendered crushes.
"So, Steve, unlike most everyone else here, I don't know much about you. Where are you from?" Janet asked him.
"Brooklyn," he said. "I was born there in 1923. July 4th, 1923 to be exact. My parents were Irish immigrants. We never had very much, yet I remember never being unhappy when I was with them. My father died when I was a baby on a construction job and my mother died of pneumonia right before my thirteenth birthday," he told her.
Everyone sat for a moment transfixed. Steve never opened up about himself, not like this. With Natasha beside him, he was willing to talk about himself.
"I had always been sickly, asthmatic, thin, and weak. The kids in the neighborhood always picked on me. They liked to beat me up. I remember my mother saying – Steven, they can only beat you up, but they can't beat you unless you let them. Never let them beat you. They sent me to reform school because I stole flowers to put on my mother's casket. It was there that I meant Bucky Barnes. He became my protector and best friend in reform school. You see I had bullies trying to break me every day, but I never did break. I knew I could never win a fight, but I never backed down from one. World War II came and Bucky joined to fight. I tried but they kept marking me 4F. Finally, I met Dr. Erskine. We talked, got along well enough, and, little did I know, that he finally found the test subject that he was looking for to use the Super Soldier Serum on. I met Howard Stark, Peggy, even Bucky became part of team after I rescued from Hydra. The rest is literally history, some of I believe is still highly classified history, but it is history," he told them.
"Wow," said Janet then she smiled. "You look good for you age."
"Thank you, ma'am," he said. "
"I hope there is food left for us," they heard Tony's voice call out.
Soon Tony, Pepper, and Clint entered the kitchen. Even with Thor, there was still plenty of food for them. Natasha moved her chair closer to Steve's, so that more chairs could be added to the table. Tony sat down and filled a plate then looked over at Steve.
"We missed your cooking, Capiscle," he said.
"You have a chef on staff, Stark, who comes once a day to prepare meals for you," said Steve. "I don't think you really missed my cooking."
"Yeah, but he doesn't do comfort food like you do, Cap," said Tony. "It was missed."
Steve and Tony stared at each other for a few moments. Tony was offering Steve a chance to come back to the team.
"I don't mind cooking for those I care for, especially my teammates," said Steve.
Tony smiled then looked at Thor, "Goldilocks, I need the maple syrup."
Thor picked up the large bottle of syrup, which now only had a quarter of its content left. He tossed it to Tony.
"That is glorious nectar," said Thor, who then looked around. "Are there no Popping Tarts?"
"The Pop tarts are in the kitchen, the cabinet beside the refrigerator. I made sure to have the staff buy as many boxes as they could fit," said Tony.
"Excellent!" exclaimed Thor, as he got up to get a box of Pop tarts.
"You look tired," Natasha said to Clint.
"Tony and I are getting closer to find the mole," said Clint.
"How?" asked Natasha.
"A combination of a computer program I wrote that is going through the system looking for anomalies and Legolas' instincts," said Tony.
"Who is it?" asked Natasha.
"The computer program has to finish its magic and we need to have breakfast, Red. Calm your jets, or I'll make you to your room with the Star Spangled boy," smiled Tony.
Steve could feel Natasha stiffen with anger with Tony's words. His guess was that she didn't like Tony making fun of him more than she minded him making fun of her. He placed his right hand on her arm to calm her down. Natasha looked into his clear blue eyes and he stared into her green eyes. In his eyes, she saw acceptance and more, and he saw a woman who was willing to accept him for who he really was. She smiled and he leaned over and gently kissed her.
"When you have proof, please let me know who it is. I lost some good men because of this mole. I'd like to be there when you take him or her down," said Steve.
"I'll let you, Cap," said Clint.
Thor sat back down at the table with a box of frosted cinnamon Poptarts. He opened the box and started to consume the morning treats.
"You Viking Gods eat a lot. Do you have some sort of second stomach or something?," remarked Tony.
"We have healthy appetites," said Thor. "We like to live at the fullest. Now that you are here, I must return to Asgard. There is trouble in the realm."
"You'll be coming back?" asked Janet.
"I have my friends and comrades here in the Avengers, as well as Jane. Of course, I shall return," said Thor. "I brought with me from my last trip from Asgard a keg of mead to be enjoyed by my good friends and comrades. It is the drink of Asgard, a true brew that will bring drunkenness to anyone."
"Mead," Clint repeated the word then looked at Steve. "Think it will get Steve drunk."
"Mead has never failed to get me and my companions in Asgard drunk. I think it will work on the good Captain," smiled Thor.
"Okay, I see a drinking game in your future, Cap," chuckled Clint.
"Yup, we are just one big dysfunctional family," said Tony.
Avengers
The drinking game Clint chose was that a hot had to be drunk any time Tony said something obnoxious. Bruce, Pepper, and Hank didn't play the game, but Janet, Thor, Clint, Tony, Steve, and Natasha did. They were almost through the keg, when Tony finally decided to stop speaking much to the amusement of Pepper.
Steve was seated in an armchair with Natasha on his lap. Although he didn't want to play the game, he finally gave in and played along. Now he was feeling warm and more relaxed than he had ever felt in his life.
"Do you think Cap is drunk?" Clint asked Thor.
"I cannot tell. Speak Captain," demanded Thor.
Steve was looking at Natasha in his lap. When he heard Thor demand that he speak, he looked over at the Norse myth.
"Black Widow is the most beautiful woman in the world. Bar none," he said.
"No offense, Lady Natasha, but I believe he is inebriated," said Thor.
"That's okay, so am I," she responded to Thor, though she stared into the eyes of Steve.
She gave him a deep, long, passionate kiss.
"Hey, Capiscle, watching you and Black Widow lip lock has given me a new idea for a new drinking game," Tony spoke up again.
"Take a drink," said Pepper, who had been made the mediator of what was obnoxious.
Tony glared at her, though it didn't stop him from lifting his glass and drinking. Janet was asleep with her head in Hank's lap. Thor drank down a shot as did Clint. Natasha grabbed her glass off the coffee table then she took a large swallow turned and kissed Steve once again transferring the mead from her mouth to his. He swallowed then he started to devour her mouth.
"Yup, he's drunk," said Clint.
"And horny," added Tony then he looked at Pepper. "That was an observation, a fact not obnoxious."
"It was a little obnoxious," she said.
"Bite me," he retorted.
"Take a drink," Pepper said.
Steve and Natasha were beyond listening to them, though. They were lost in each other.
"I believe the game is over," smiled Thor then he stood up from the sofa, wobbled for a moment, then sat right back down. "And I am drunk."
"Same here, buddy," said Clint.
Steve stood up with Natasha in his arms. Their lips never separated as he carried her away and towards his room. Clint laughed.
"He holds his mead better than I thought he would," Clint remarked.
"I would toast him, but I am feeling tired," said Thor.
"It looks like our Star Spangled baby is all grown up," Tony added.
"You know, Tony, you really are obnoxious," Pepper told him, as he put his head in her lap.
"But you love me, right?" he said.
"Yes, I love you," she said.
"I think I'll sleep here," Tony said. "Hey, Hawkeye!"
"Yeah, Tin Man," said Clint.
"Sleep well. Tomorrow I think we catch a mole," he said.
"Sure, Tony," said Clint, as he felt his eyes begin to shut and he slowly leaned into Thor's already sleeping body.
"Mead is good," Tony said the closed his eyes leaving Pepper and Bruce the only ones awake.
Pepper looked over at Bruce. He smiled.
"Care to watch a movie?" he asked.
"Your choice," she said.
"I was thinking a Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn movie. The other guy doesn't get excited when I watch them," Bruce said.