Chapter Thirty-Four | That's Pretty Gay

Alaina

Okay.

So, Alaina was freaking out a small bit.

It was 4 in the morning – 4 in the bloody morning – and she was still awake.

Bucky came back with a hundred dollars' worth of dog supplies – a hundred dollars from her bank account – and he helped her feed, bathe, play with the puppy, and of course come up with a name to call him from now on.

Cujo was actually pretty well-behaved and only acted up when he was put in the bathtub, but that was probably because he was a street dog who had never been bathed before. He even went outside to piss.

Alaina and Bucky used the toys to tire him out, and after an hour of constantly moving, Cujo finally fell asleep.

She texted Sam a quick update twenty minutes ago to inform him of the progress they were making if they could even call it that, and she let Bucky put the dog to sleep. Um, not literally put the dog to sleep, though. Bucky would probably kill a thousand men before he hurt that puppy.

Things were suspiciously quiet for a while as Al paced her living room, cleaning up half-hazardly and making a cup of coffee since she knew she wouldn't be sleeping that night, so she naturally assumed that Bucky had left through the window.

Boy, how she was wrong.

She first checked her own room and there was no Cujo, and after a brief moment of pure panic that the dog was kidnapped, she found Cujo in Bucky's guest room – yes, he had a guest room because she wouldn't allow him in a million years to sleep in her garage or shed.

But Cujo wasn't alone.

He was curled up on Bucky's stomach on the bed, snoring away, and Bucky had his metal hand resting next to his paw.

But that's not it, my friend.

Bucky was asleep, too, eyes closed, and lips parted as he exhaled in a quiet snore.

That might not sound like such a huge thing. Super soldier or not, he still needed sleep, but he has never once slept in the house. Even with Alaina constantly assuring him that he was safe in her house, he always snuck out during the night to probably sleep in the streets.

And now he was sleeping in a warm bed with a puppy on him.

With a soft, slight exasperated, smile, Al softly closed the door and moved back downstairs.

This was literally the definition of progress.

Checking her phone, she saw that she had a text. But it wasn't from Sam.

It was from Natasha.

Call me x, it said.

A weird squealing sound escaped the back of Al's throat when she read the kiss at the end.

She just got an 'x' from Natasha freaking Romanoff!

Physically attempting to calm her nerves – it didn't work – she called Natasha.

After a single ring, she picked up.

"I hear you've got a dog," she started, no greeting needed.

Al frowned. "How the hell do you know that?" she asked.

"Sam stormed on my floor and told me to deal with your shit so he could get a good night's rest," Natasha answered. "His words, not mine."

"Oh, god." Al groaned, flopping down on her sofa. She completely forgot the time. "I'm so sorry. You can go back to sleep, Natasha."

The redhead chuckled softly. It was oddly nice and warm for such a short chuckle. Like a soft breeze. Or the ocean waves.

Okay. Apparently, Alaina turned into Shakespeare when she was tired.

"I wasn't sleeping much to begin with," she admitted. "I'd rather be talking to you than sat staring at my wall for hours."

"Walls can be interesting." Al shrugged.

"They generally don't talk back," Natasha pointed out.

"Not unless you use your imagination, Miss Romanoff," Al retorted. "But while we're talking, I think I may or may not have another date planned out for us. I even have a backup in case you hate it and want to kill, or if you accidentally slit my throat…"

"A part of me is scared but the other part is intrigued," the assassin spoke. "What have you got planned, Miss Gunley?"

"Well, here's a story for you." Alaina cleared her throat. "I once went on a date with this girl, really cute, a redhead, kinda frightening but very hot, and she kept our date a secret. She even blindfolded me, if you would believe it."

"Is that so?"

"Mhmm," Al hummed, sinking her teeth into her lower lip to stop herself from breaking out in a grin. "And it turned out to be a pretty excellent date, one of my favourites – second to the guy who kept talking about his bowel movements because I learned a lot from him. Anyway, the element of mystery with this redheaded woman who you definitely don't know was what made the date pretty great, rhyme intended. So, I'm hoping that you'll enjoy this one."

"Well, I'm intrigued." Alaina could hear the smile in her voice. "Is the time and place also going to be part of the element of mystery?"

"This Saturday, around lunch," Al stated, and she proud of herself for not framing it like a question. "If you're not busy that day?" Eh, it lasted a moment.

"Unless someone tries dominating the planet again, we should be okay," Natasha said. "What's going on in your end now?"

"Well, I, uh-" Al stammered for a moment. "You might want to tell Sam not to come over tomorrow." If Bucky's still asleep, that is.

"Okay. Why?"

"I may or may not have a super soldier that isn't Captain America sleeping in my house," she answered, chewing her lip. "And I may or may not want to make sure he sleeps for at least one full night, and I may or may not have a feeling that, uh…" She paused. "Bucky is sleeping with the dog and I don't want to disturb him by having Sam or Clint come over."

There was a moment of heavy silence.

"Barnes is sleeping in your house now?"

"Uh, yeah?" she asked, not too sure what Natasha's tone meant. "It's safer than him being out on the streets, you know, getting shot at. Or stabbed."

"Alaina…" Natasha sighed.

"I've already heard it from everyone, Natasha. That I'm an idiot for even considering letting him in my house," Al said. "I don't want to hear it from you, too."

"No, I wasn't going to say that," she assured the woman. Al leaned forward and took her mug of now-cold coffee – Sam got her it for her birthday a few years back and it said, 'Boob Man', with the two O's drawn like boobs. It became tradition in college, and for every birthday and Christmas he would get her awful mugs with awful catchphrases on them. Her personal favourite was the 'My Job Is So Top Secret That I Don't Even Know What I'm Doing' one. "I think it's good what you're doing," Natasha continued. "Barnes needs someone he can trust that isn't Steve. He clearly trusts you if he's sleeping in your house, Alaina, but he isn't stable. One wrong move and he'll go back into his Soldier mode. You've seen it happen."

Subconsciously, Al brought her hand and rubbed it over her neck. The bruises were almost faded now, a mustard yellow with dots of purple where his fingertips dug into her neck. With all that's been happening recently, she pretty much forgot about it until Sam pointed it out. Bucky would always glance at her neck guiltily when the lights were on and she didn't doubt that he still felt responsible. Well, technically he was, but she didn't blame him. She never did, really.

"I know," Alaina breathed, rubbing a hand over her eyes. "I'd be a dumb bitch if I didn't know what he's capable of, what he's done and what he might do. That doesn't mean he's a lost cause. Just…" She pinched the bridge of her nose. "Trust me on this."

"Okay. I trust you." Whether Natasha actually believed her or not, Al didn't know. "As a side note, other than looking after Barnes and the puppy, what are you doing tomorrow?"

"Might go visit Frank," Al answered with a shrug, although Natasha couldn't see her. "He's on bedrest now and he loves dogs, so Cujo might cheer him up a bit. He hates being stuck in one place."

"Cujo?" Natasha repeated. "You named your adorable puppy after a murderous monster dog with rabies who murders everyone?"

"I'll teach him some tricks. And he is a bloodhound, so don't be too judgemental," Al muttered with a smile. "He could probably knock someone out with his ears."

"I was imagining a Bernese dog, in all honesty."

"Really? So what would you call a Bernese dog?"

"Bernard."

Al accidentally snorted. "Bernard," she echoed. "You would name a Bernese dog Bernard?"

"I would." Natasha softly chuckled. "But after Bernard Cribbins, not the breed name."

"Bernard Cribbins…?" Alaina had to wrack her brain for that one. "Are you… Do you mean Donna's dad from Doctor Who? How the hell do you know the name of the actor that plays Donna's dad from Doctor Who?"

"I don't usually put my secret obsession with Doctor Who on the record," Natasha explained, "but the fact that you figured it out in such a short time means that I can trust you with this."

"Wow, I've never been happier than I am now to call you my girlfriend." Al grinned from ear to ear. "Why is Doctor Who such a British show? I know it's all British actors and it's filmed in Britain, but it's such a classic show. Like, I would die for David Tennant. And Christopher Eccleston. And Rose Tyler- oh, my god, Rose Tyler is so—"

"Alaina," Natasha gently interrupted, amused. "Did you just call me your girlfriend?"

"Uhhhh…." Oh, shit. "I meant it, like, um… you know, like, how people call lesbian couples gal pals because they don't like that word- wait, no, I don't mean it like we're a couple… I…" Al cringed at herself. "I'm not helping myself, am I?"

"Absolutely not," Natasha murmured cutely. "But I'm perfectly okay with you calling me your girlfriend, just for the record."

Okay.

Alaina's brain just short-circuited.

Long-circuited.

Because her mind was…

She didn't even know.

Wait.

What just happened?

"I just asked you to be my girlfriend," Natasha explained. Did Al say that out loud? "I didn't think I would have to explain it."

"Are you sure?" she blurted, chewing her lip. "I mean, I'm sure you know what you want, but I'm, like… I'm me, you know?"

"I know it's you. That's why I asked."

Al's heart stuttered in her chest at that. "That's very homosexual of you, Miss Romanoff," she said, trying to keep a straight voice. Hah, straight.

"Well… Do I get an answer?"

"Do you really need an answer to that?" Alaina held back a laugh.

"I can hear Clint listening in in the vent above me, so yes. In order to fulfil his gay fantasies."

"Clint is actually in a vent?" Al asked. She thought Sam was joking when he told her.

"You get used to it after a while," Natasha shrugged it off. "So?"

"Of course I'll be your girlfriend, dumbass."

There was a crash on the other end that startled Alaina, as well as a very loud 'yes!' that came with it.

"Natasha?"

"Clint just fell through the vent," she explained hurriedly. "I'll call you tomorrow."

And then she hung up.

Alaina grinned to herself.

Her girlfriend is Natasha freaking Romanoff.

Natasha

"So," Clint started, shifting in his bed, "about Al."

The redhead almost rolled her eyes as she adjusted the pillows behind his head and under his arm. "You're sat in the med bay with a broken arm and you're worried about my relationship?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I have my priorities," he said with a Cheshire grin. God, she wanted to hit him sometimes. "So… are you gonna go on a date? What's happening? When's it going to be? What are you gonna do? How are you gonna dress? Like- just, what?" He couldn't hide his grin.

Jesus. Even in a year's time, Clint would still be fangirling like crazy over the two.

Wait… Did Natasha just assume they'd be together after a year?

(Yes, she did).

"I'm letting her plan it this time around," Natasha explained, checking Clint's temperature. Warm, but no fever. "She doesn't like going out to dinner for dates, in a restaurant or anything like that, so I don't know what she has planned, when or where it's going to be." Removing her hand from his head, she took a seat next to his bed. "You should ask her."

"Why would I do that when I can ask you?"

"You don't have any friends outside the team," she pointed out. "Why not talk to her a bit and get to know her better?"

"Hey!" Clint exclaimed, offended. "I have many friends outside the team, thank you very much."

"Government officials don't count," Natasha said.

"Fury is technically no longer a government official," Clint argued, smug.

"Okay, but he is legally dead," the redhead pointed out. "The only friend you have outside the team and government is a dead man. He's more like your dad, anyway."

"That's beside the point." Clint shook his head. "Al's my friend. We hang out sometimes. We even hang out alone."

"You mean that one time you went to her house to hide Poptarts from Thor?"

"And when I took her to The Tower before your date."

"Clint."

"What?"

"Stop arguing with me on this. You know I'm right, and the rest of the team would agree with me," Natasha stated. Clint's lips pursed into a pout, looking too much like a stubborn toddler. "Seriously, Clint. You should go visit her this week, go out and make a day of it. Like when Steve visited her at the school."

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to set us up," Clint observed with suspicion lacing his tone. "Why are you so adamant about this?"

"Because you deserve it." Natasha lightly pinched his arm. "You're a good guy, Clint."

"Did Al somehow manage to turn you gayer?" Clint raised an eyebrow. "You never compliment me."

"Might as well get it out of my system." Natasha smiled with a shrug. "You're the best person I know, Clint. You're always here for me even when I have my bad days. Even when I'm not there for you." She clasped his hand in hers. "And I can't thank you enough for that."

Clint turned his head away and sniffed.

"Are you crying?" she asked.

"No!" Clint yelled defensively. "It's Halloween soon and I'm just doing my best impression of a fountain."

"You're dressing as a fountain for Halloween?"

"No, I... Yes. I'm dressing as a fountain."

"Okay, Clint." Natasha stifled a laugh and stood up. "I'll leave you to your, uh, impressions. I'll be back in an hour." She walked through the door with a smile lingering on her lips.

Damn.

Alaina Gunley was her girlfriend.

Author's Note: After 30+ chapters and 90,000 words, they're finally dating. I wasn't lying when I said slow-burn, you know.

Some cute Nalaina shit and a brief cute (platonic) Clintasha moment because I'm a cute mood.

By the way for chapter 36 I'm doing a Halloween special where everyone dresses up, so please give me any good costumes that The Avengers would wear or what you'd like to see.

Next chapter is going to be a date chapter!

Thanks for reading:)