DISCLAIMER: ALL CHARACTERS BELONG TO MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE.
The rating of this story has CHANGED from T to M now, due to sexual content. Please bare this warning in mind if you decide to continue reading.
~0~0~0~0~0~
Almost stumbling over a pile of clothes in the corner of her room, Natasha pinned her phone between her shoulder and her ear and said, "Sorry, Clint, what was that?"
The phone call from her best friend had come as a pleasant surprise as Natasha had stepped out of her shower, and they had been talking for at least an hour already as she tried to get herself dressed for the day ahead. She had nothing important planned, other than trying to sneak in as many kisses with Steve in the sacred few minutes they'd probably be able to get today, so she searched for her gym wear.
"I said," Clint's voice sounded in her ear, with a hint of amusement. He could probably tell exactly what she was doing just from the sound she'd made as she tripped over. "I have a little girl here who is repeating asking me when she can see her Auntie Nat, and I want nothing more than to be able to give her an exact answer."
As always, Natasha felt warm at the mention of Lila. It had been so long since she had visited, and judging from the photos that Clint had sent her recently, the little girl had grown considerably. "When can I visit?" She asked, not even trying to hide just how excited she was at the thought of spending time with the Barton's at their farmhouse.
"You know you're always welcome here." Clint told her, and she had known that, but she still liked hearing him say it nonetheless. "Come and stay as long as you want. But, if you eat all my chocolate again, you'll have to go back early." Natasha rolled her eyes, but then Clint asked, "Remind me again, why are you staying at the tower?"
"Because Tony offered me a floor to myself," Natasha said, even though that definitely was not the reason why she had taken up the billionaire's offer to live here. But, she couldn't exactly tell Clint her real reason; the absolutely Adonis who lived on the floor above her, who brought her unbelievable amounts of pleasure each night but also made her feel appreciated, protected and cherished - emotions that she had rarely felt her entire life.
No, it was probably best to leave that detail out, especially when it was Clint Barton whom she was talking to.
"What about the safehouse?" Clint asked, referring to the property that they had bought together almost ten years ago, under false identities, because they had desperately needed somewhere safe to keep under the radar after a particularly messy undercover mission.
She searched for a good enough excuse. "Please, neither of us have used that house in years. There's probably a nice family of spiders taking up residency." She paused, and then added, "I'm happy here, Clint. The gym is amazing, New York is great for shopping, and I've got plenty of company."
Clint made a thoughtful noise, but before she could question it, he asked, "How's Cap doing?" Clint knew about the Winter Soldier, and the effect it had all taken on Steve. Not because Natasha had told him, as she respected Steve's privacy too much, but because what Bucky had done in DC had been plastered all over the news, and Clint was smart enough to put two and two together. Besides, Nick Fury had contacted him and kept him up to date.
"He's fine. I don't see much of him." She lied, and it seemed convincing enough, because Clint didn't press her. "Can I really come for a visit?"
"Of course," Clint told her. "Laura would love to see you, and the kids will go crazy."
"And their father?" She pressed, grinning. "Come on, you have to admit that you've missed me."
"Just don't touch my chocolate," Clint said, before hanging up. Seconds later, a text from him came through onto her screen, Let me know when works best for you, and I'll organise a jet to come and collect you from the tower. See you soon, kid.
Smiling, Natasha sat down at the end. Then, a thought hit her. Steve. She couldn't bring him with her, because Clint's secret was not hers to share, even though she knew that she could trust him. But, how was she going to explain where she was going?
She bit her lower lip, and decided that she'd think about it later. Right now, her room was a mess. She hadn't slept in her own bed all week, as she much preferred to fall asleep in Steve's arms, especially after a few rounds of mind-blowing sex, followed by pillowtalk.
For someone who used to despise pillow-talk, Natasha found she rather looked forward to that hour before she fell asleep, talking about anything and everything with Steve. Of course, she always looked forward to the sex beforehand as well. In fact, all she could think about all day was how much she couldn't wait to spend her evenings cuddled up on his couch watching a film, before one kiss got too heated and ended up with them never being able to finish the film.
Sometimes, they didn't even make it to the bed...
The alarm of her phone went off, signalling that it was now nine o'clock in the morning and she still hadn't gotten down to the gym.
Deciding to leave the room tidying till later, Natasha slipped on a training bra and matching leggings before grabbing her water bottle and towel.
~0~0~0~0~0~
Running a hand through his hair in frustration, Steve glanced at his phone, and for the tenth time in that very hour, he debated whether it would be worth calling Agent Hill to see if she had anything on the Winter Soldier. But, there was no way that Hill would tell him, even if Bucky had just been sighted waltzing through New York City casually doing some shopping.
"This is impossible." He muttered to himself, chucking the newspaper onto the coffee table as he fell back into the pillows in defeat. His head was pounding from how desperate he had scanned through every article he could find on the Winter Soldier, hoping to find some sort of pattern in Bucky's movements. He had drawn a blank.
A text buzzed through on his phone, and when he checked to see who had sent it, he finally felt his body relax.
Don't lock yourself away all day long, Rogers. Natasha had written, and he could easily picture the grin on her face as she had typed the teasing message.
So, deciding to play along with their favourite game, Steve wrote back, Give me a good enough reason to leave, and I'll think about it.
It had been nearly a month since Natasha had returned from Russia and they had started this relationship. His mind was still finding it hard to come to terms with the fact that Natasha Romanoff was his girlfriend, and he couldn't work out what he had done right to deserve her. Their relationship was growing stronger and stronger by the day, and not just because of the sex - even though, that was definitely incredible - but they were opening up to each other more and more.
This past week, Natasha had practically lived on his floor, spending every night curled up in his arms as they fell asleep. He definitely was not complaining about this development. Listening to her gentle breathing and feeling her fall asleep against him was the one thing that kept Steve's nightmares at bay. He'd had peaceful nights ever since Natasha had asked to stay the night, and the next night, until it just became natural for her to remain with him until the next morning, when she would head back to her floor and they'd spend the day pretending to be just friends.
Rising to his feet and stretching, he headed for the kitchen and made himself some coffee. He'd spent the entire morning sat on his couch, following his routine morning run, combing through newspaper reports on his old friend. It appeared to have all been a waste. He had nothing. Once again. Not even a hint of an idea of where Bucky could possibly be.
He had told Natasha last night that he had started looking for him. He had expected her to tell him that he should be careful, because he'd probably just end up disappointed. But, instead, she had looked up at him and cupped his cheek before saying, "If you want me to, I'll help you."
His phone buzzed in his pocket, and the message from Natasha was waiting for him, reading, My new suit is finished. Want to get a sneak preview?
The mental image of her catsuit struck his mind, and caused something inside him to stir. Where are you? He sent his reply before taking a large gulp of coffee.
It had just turned twelve, and his stomach grumbled, a reminder that he had yet to eat something today. Even he couldn't survive off coffee. He rummaged through his fridge, finding the remains of last night's pizza that they hadn't finished as they'd gotten far too involved in more exciting activities than eating.
By the time Natasha's reply had come through, he'd woofed down three slices. Not in the tower.
His brow furrowed slightly, but he knew that wherever Natasha was, she had a good reason to be there. He probably would have told her to be careful, if it wasn't Natasha Romanoff he was talking to, and the fact he knew that she would probably smack him round the head for saying such a thing next time she saw him. Besides, whenever Natasha did leave the tower, she always wore a wig and sunglasses.
You know it's cruel to tease, Nat. He sent back, wondering how he could possibly spend his afternoon to make time go quicker. Although he felt bad for wishing the day away, he just couldn't wait until he settled down on his couch with her for the evening.
Her reply came back quicker than he expected, as he reached for the final slice of cold pizza. Oh, I know, but it's just so much fun.
Rolling his eyes, he typed, I'll see you tonight, Nat. Her goodbye text came shortly after, and Steve fired Sam a message to see whether his friend fancied hitting a few punching bags in the gym. When Sam agreed, Steve was relieved to have something to occupy his mind that wasn't his missing friend, or his sinfully tantalising girlfriend.
These next few hours were granted to pass slowly, he was sure of it.
~0~0~0~0~0~
Natasha was not at all surprised by Steve's reaction when she stepped out of the elevator wearing her new suit. She was sure that Tony's intention behind designing it wasn't to have the suit practically ripped from her body the second time she wore it, but she personally loved this outcome.
Within seconds, Steve had her pressed against the nearest wall with her hips around his waist and the zip of her suit being pulled down. She had purposefully not worn a bra, and Steve's growl had her arousal practically dripping.
"You have driven me crazy all day." Steve told her as he sucked at the skin of her neck, just above where it met her shoulder.
Smirking, she tilted her head, exposing more of her skin to his greedy mouth. "Me?" She asked innocently, adding a flutter of her eyelashes for effect. "I haven't even been here all day."
His teeth scraped across her shoulder, and she shivered with pleasure at the sensation. "Exactly," He breathed out, tickling her and causing her nipples to tighten. As if sensing this, he mercifully brought his lips down to her breasts.
"I take it you like the suit?" She asked, biting her lower lip as his tongue circled and taunted her.
He responded by taking a nipple into his mouth and sucking, hard. Instantly, her back arched, and she rubbed her centre against him, feeling how hard he was already. "God, Nat-"
Her fingers combed through his hair, tugging slightly so he looked up at her. His eyes were so dark that they were almost black. "Fancy testing out how durable this wall is?" She asked.
"Well, I'll have to get this suit off you." He reminded her, mocking regret. His hands squeezed her waist, where the suit had pooled in a bunch of black material after he'd slipped it off her shoulders and she'd freed her arms. "I'm sure it'll look good on the floor, though."
Natasha laughed, thoroughly enjoying this side of him. "You best let go of me then, soldier."
He kissed her vigorously before lowering her to the ground. It was a wonder that her legs were able to keep her standing, seeing as Steve had already reduced her to a heated up mess. Making sure that she kept eye contact with him, Natasha slowly pushed the rest of the suit off her body. It slipped from her legs, collecting at her feet.
Because she loved all the new improvements to her suit, Natasha picked it up and gently threw it to the couch, where it hung over the back. Standing in front of Steve with just her hot pink panties, Natasha looked up at him with a raised eyebrow.
"One of us appears to be wearing too many clothes, Captain." She pointed out.
He growled, his hand cupping the back of her head so that he could kiss her again, successfully riding her of the ability to speak. "Best we amend that then," He said, pulling away from her, but the burning in his eyes had her aching for him. Her fingers automatically got to work, gripping the hem of his shirt and pulling it over his head.
Soon enough, she had also disposed of his trousers and pants, throwing them over his shoulder. Where they ended up, she had no idea, and she didn't care. Clearly, neither did he, because he dropped down to his knees and pulled the last scrap of clothing off her. His lips trailed their way back up her leg, starting from her calf, dancing around the inside of her thigh.
"Later, Steve," She gasped out as his nose brushed against her, his breath touching her where she yearned for him most. "Please, take me. Now."
She felt him smirk against her skin as he nipped at her thigh one last time, but he rose up and picked her up once again into his strong arms. As soon as her back hit the wall and her legs wrapped themselves around him once again, he entered her in one smooth upward thrust.
The best way to describe the sensation that flooded through her in that moment was that she saw stars. Even after night after night of exploring each other's body, she still craved him just as badly as she had the first time. It was the type of desire that consumed her, and she gladly gave into it.
As his thrusts increased in speed and deepness, Steve took her mouth with his in another passionate kiss, and she responded eagerly. Her hands fisted in his gold locks, and she thrust down onto him as he entered her with each delicious thrust, enabling to reach even further inside her.
Clearly, she had gotten him quite worked up throughout the day, as his pace didn't falter once. As her organsm approached, Natasha clawed at his back. That morning, as he had left the bed to get changed, she had seen the long pink lines from her nails, already partly healed due to the serum, and it had done unspeakable things to her. So much so, that she had grabbed him and thrown him back onto the bed, unable to let him go without one more round.
Despite having only been introduced to sex a couple of weeks ago, Steve's drive matched her own. She'd never craved someone like this, over and over again, in a way that was so powerful that it left her unable to breathe sometimes. There was no one else for her. She was locked in. Committed. Even though it was new and terrifying, she had never felt happier.
Perhaps, Natasha Romanoff had finally found her place in the world.
"Faster, Steve." She growled into his ear as he sucked at her neck. His hips responded to her request, bucking into her at a speed that was practically inhuman.
Soon enough, she was falling apart around him, her entire body quivering. He followed close behind her, moaning her name against her neck as he spilled inside her.
After a few moments of shere bliss, Steve raised his head to look at her and said, "Well, we can add 'wall' onto our list." He said with a smug grin.
She rolled her eyes at his comment, but she had to admit, she'd enjoyed the wall thoroughly. Just as much as she had enjoyed being on top of him on the floor by the couch the other night, riding him as he lay on the faux-fur blanket, or when he hadn't been able to keep his hands off her in the kitchen and had taken her against the counter. "I'm going to need to borrow another shirt." She said, glancing to where the suit was still lying across the back of the couch.
He chuckled, but he gently dropped her onto her feet before striding to his bedroom. She shamelessly watched him walk away, practically drooling at the sight of his muscular, naked ass. When he returned, he was wearing grey joggers, but the grin on his face told her that he knew she'd been watching him.
He passed her one of his old sleep shirts, and she couldn't resist bringing the material up to her nose and breathing in his scent. She slipped it on, and as always, it cut off at the middle of her thighs. She located her panties, which had been chucked onto the couch as well, and slipped them on even though they were thoroughly soaked.
"Food?" Steve suggested, scratching the back of his neck as he realised they'd already done the evening backwards. He didn't sound regretful though, but there was a slight blush to his cheeks that she found endearing.
Smiling at him, she said, "Yeah, food sounds good."
As Steve went to the kitchen to grab them something to eat, Natasha settled down on the couch and flicked through the selection of films on the large flat-screen. Even though she knew the likelihood of them finishing whatever she picked was slim to none, she still took her time in reading the blurbs, wanting to find something at least half decent.
Then, as she waited for Steve to come back, she remembered what she had to talk to him about, and she felt slightly nervous.
"Everything alright, Nat?" Steve's voice drew her from her thoughts, and she realised she must have been sitting there staring at the coffee table.
Shoving her thoughts away, Natasha looked up at him and said, "Everything's perfect." She reassured him, and eyed the plates in his hands. "You cooked?" The surprise was evident in her tone.
"I like cooking for you." Steve explained, and the softness of his words sent shivers of joy down Natasha's spine. "Besides, I found myself with plenty of time on my hands today."
Remembering what they had discussed last night, she asked, "Still nothing on Barnes, huh?"
Steve shook his head. "No. You were right, when you called him a ghost." Passing her a plate, Steve sat down beside her. As hard as he had tried, he couldn't keep his voice from betraying his disappointment over the lack of knowledge on his best friend's movements.
She placed her hand on his thigh and squeezed comfortingly. "We'll keep looking." She promised. "Was Sam out today?"
"No, we did a bit of boxing in the gym." Steve said. "Tony breezed in and out at various points of the afternoon. I think his new facility is starting to drive him a little crazy."
Natasha made a sympathetic noise. "I don't envy him, in all honesty. Did Pepper come round?"
Not wanting to speak with a mouthful of food, Steve shook his head before swallowing. "No. Actually, now you mention it, I haven't seen Pepper for a little while."
"I think things are a little...difficult, between her and Tony at the moment. He's always so busy, and she worries about him so much." Natasha said, but her own guilt was starting to eat up at her. "Steve, I've got to go away for a couple of days."
He paused, fork raised. His eyes flashed up to her face, his confusion evident in those blue depths. "When?"
"Friday," She had called Clint on her way back to the tower that afternoon, and he had already arranged for the jet to come pick her up. It was three days away. As much as Natasha was looking forward to seeing the Barton's again, she hadn't wanted to just pack her bags and leave, like she usually did. Not when she had to leave Steve behind.
Steve lowered the fork back to his plate, a muscle in his cheek jumping slightly. "Can you say where you are going?" He asked, clearly suspecting that she had been assigned to a mission.
Having already come up with a likely story to cover up where she was going, Natasha said, "No, it's classified, but it's not my typical kind of mission. I'll only be gone a few days." She felt terrible for lying to him.
It was clear that Steve was sad at the news, but he did his best to try to hide it. "Will I be able to contact you?"
She smiled at that. "I'm taking my phone with me." Her new phone had not been registered under her actual name, so it was believable that she would be able to take it with her. "I can call you, every night." If she didn't, she'd probably combust.
Although there were more questions burning on his tongue, Steve sighed and said, "I'm surprised Fury has pulled you back in so soon." It was enviable, that SHIELD would have waited to contact the Black Widow, needing her skills and expertise. Steve had perhaps just been foolish in hoping that they'd get a few more months of peace before the drama of the outside world found them.
"I never technically resigned, and this mission really isn't much of an inconvenience." Natasha pointed out. "Honestly, Steve, this is nothing big. Fury's just sending me because it'll be quicker than sending someone else. Before you know it, I'll be back here with you."
His eyes scanned her face, but the tension in his shoulders eased. "It's not up to me what jobs you take, Natasha." He said softly. "I just…"
"I know." She understood what he was trying to say. A part of her wished she could just stay here with him. Another part wished he could come with her. But, that just was not possible. The only reason she was even going at all was because it was to see Clint and his family. If it had been a mission request from Fury, she probably would have told the Director to shove it up his arse.
Steve resumed eating, and Natasha finished her own meal. Once they were done, she took their plates and washed them up, regardless of Steve's protest. He grabbed the towel before she could and dried up, and she swatted his backside on the way past him as she headed back to the couch.
When Steve rejoined her, she snuggled against his chest as the movie started. His arms wrapped around her, bringing her closer to his warmth, and she wondered just how far they would get into this movie before things went down the usual path.
The answer was exactly thirty minutes.
But, as Steve's head buried itself between her legs and she threw her head back into the cushions, Natasha did not have it in her to care.
~0~0~0~0~0~
When Natasha rolled over on Friday morning and her arm didn't land on a perfectly sculpted chest like normal, she instantly opened her eyes. Sure enough, Steve's side of the bed was empty.
Slightly hazy from waking up, Natasha blinked and looked around. There was no sign of her boyfriend, and no note to indicate where he had rushed off to. She was just about to grab her phone when the smell of eggs hit her noise and her stomach roared.
Smiling, she got out of bed and headed for the kitchen, finding the man she had been looking for. Steve looked up as she stood in the doorway, his eyes instantly taking in the sight of her in his shirt, with her hair messed up from sleep.
"Morning, beautiful." He said, walking over and wrapping his arms around her, pulling her close so he could kiss her.
She hummed against his mouth. "Morning," She looked round his shoulder at the two plates on the counter, both had two slices of toast and a generous heap of scrambled eggs. "What's this?"
"What, I can't attempt to treat my girl to breakfast in bed?" Steve asked, faking offense.
Natasha rolled her eyes. "Scrambled egg and toast won't be able to stop me from going on this mission." She told him, and that same stab of guilt found her as she lied to him.
"I know." He said, but there was a slight sigh that followed his words. "Still, I can't let you leave with an empty stomach. A good breakfast is the best way to start the day."
"Oh, really?" She leaned back and raised a brow at him. "I'm quite fond of the way we usually start our mornings."
His eyes darkened as he took in her words, and for a moment, she genuinely believed he was about to pick her up and carry her back to the bedroom, scrambled eggs and toast long forgotten about. But, then, he seemed to remember why he had cooked her breakfast before waking her up, and he took her hand and led her to the counter.
Arm circling back around her waist, he drew her against his side once again, simply because he enjoyed the closeness. "I thought it would be wise that we both had some fuel in our systems." His lips brushed against her temple in the softest of kisses. After we've eaten, I fully intend on us spending another few hours in bed." Before you have to leave, he didn't have to say the words out loud, because she knew that he was thinking them.
Wanting to lighten the mood, she teased, "You seem quite confident that we aren't going to be interrupted this morning."
"Sam is out running. I told him I didn't feel up to it today." Steve told her. "I couldn't say I was poorly, as he knows that's not possible. But, he didn't push." Sam never pushed. That was what made him so great. "Tony has already left for the facility. So, Natasha Romanoff, you are all mine."
His words made her entire body spark with anticipation, but she couldn't keep ignoring the food waiting for them both. Sending Steve a look that was sure to make him feel just as on edge as she was, she seated herself at the counter on one of the bar stools. Steve took the seat beside her, and the subject of their conversation steered away from their favorite activities and Natasha's approaching 'mission'.
Once the plates were washed and their stomachs were content, Steve picked Natasha up and threw her over his shoulder. Her squeal was definitely one of surprised delight as she was carried back to the bedroom.
~0~0~0~0~0~
The jet had come to pick Natasha up just after two o'clock that afternoon, and Steve waved goodbye on the launchpad with Sam, who seemed equally as confused as to why Natasha had been assigned onto a mission after everything that had happened with the fall of SHIELD.
Feeling as if a part of him had left on that jet with her, Steve watched as it disappeared into the distance, a black dot that got smaller and smaller before vanishing into the clouds completely.
He just hoped that she'd come back to him, safe and sound, soon enough.
"And she didn't say where she was going?" Sam checked, as they headed back inside.
"She couldn't. It's classified." Steve said, pretending that he already hadn't overthought the situation ever since Natasha had told him. She could be going anywhere, and although he knew she was more than capable of handling herself, he still worried.
Sam only shrugged, knowing that the Black Widow was perfectly capable of dealing with whatever came her way. "Any luck on our missing persons case?" He asked, when they had gone down to Sam's floor. Having not wanted to go back to his, which would definitely feel empty tonight without Natasha, Steve had been relieved when Sam had pressed the number for his own living area.
Bucky. God, Steve had been so caught up with the last few hours with Natasha that he hadn't even thought about his old friend. "Not a whisper,"
"Perhaps, there's a way to draw him out?" Sam suggested. "Could we get his attention somehow?"
"I'm not sure." Steve had already thought about that, but he'd drawn a blank. "Bucky's mind doesn't work the same as it used to. Hydra made sure of that. Besides, neither of us can exactly walk through the streets in our suits right now. We promised Tony that we would lay low."
Sam made a small noise of agreement.
For a moment, Steve debated bringing up that file that Natasha had given him that day she'd left for Russia, when he had been at the hospital. But, what lurked inside those pages wasn't something that he wanted to share, even with Sam. Not when they had caused Steve to feel so sick that he almost threw up on that hospital bed. "He'll show up sooner or later."
Neither of them voiced it out loud, but they were both fully aware that there was a high risk that the next time the Winter Soldier showed his face, there was a very high risk of there being absolute chaos.
~0~0~0~0~0~
The second Natasha had stepped off the jet at the farmhouse, Lila had ran at her and launched herself up. Catching the little girl, Natasha hugged her tightly. "Hey, princess," She greeted the bursting bundle of energy in her arms.
Lila had grabbed her hand and practically draped her into the house, where the rest of the Bartons were waiting. She embraced Clint and Laura, before subjecting Cooper to a hug that the boy claimed he was 'too cool' for. Natasha took her role of auntie seriously, and that included embarrassing the oldest of the Barton children. As she ruffled his hair, he ducked out of the way, but she'd seen the grin that was on his face.
Laura had gone overboard on the dinner spread that covered the entire table, but Natasha was more than hungry. The jet ride hadn't been long by any means, but after her scrambled eggs this morning, she had only been able to drag herself away from Steve and the bed when the need for packing took priority, meaning she hadn't eaten since breakfast.
Delighted to have her auntie back, Lila instantly wanted to give Natasha a tour of her newly decorated 'big girl' room. With all her teddies neatly stacked at the bottom of her bed, Lila's room was now painted a light shade of pink, with pretty fairlights criss-crossing over the ceiling. Having over-exerted herself, it didn't take long before Lila was yawning between sentences, and Natasha helped her get ready for bed. Once the little girl was settled in her blankets and had drifted off to sleep, Natasha headed back downstairs, saying goodnight to Cooper as she passed him on the stairs and ruffling his hair affectionately.
"How have you been, Tasha?" Laura asked, as the adults settled outside on the comfortable porch furniture. The sky was darkening, as the sun had already disappeared behind the forest around the house. Stars were starting to appear, sparkling prettily against the navy background.
Natasha took a sip of her hot chocolate. Laura made the best hot chocolate, and she'd been looking forward to it during her jet ride. "I've been good." Better than good. "I've missed you guys, though."
"We've missed you, too." Laura said, and then exchanged a glance with her husband, who nodded subtly. "We have something to tell you, actually."
Instantly pricked with curiosity, Natasha's eyes darted from her best friend to his wife. Clint's face was an unreadable mask, but there was a gleam in those eyes of his, as if he couldn't even contain himself fully.
Laura reached across and took Natasha's hand, bringing it to her stomach and resting them both there.
Catching on almost instantly, Natasha gasped, "Really?"
"It's still very early." Laura admitted, but her fingers stroked over her still flat stomach lovingly. "Only a couple of weeks, but yes, really."
"That's so great!" Natasha beamed for them. Once, there had been a time where she had been jealous of the family that Clint had found himself. As she couldn't have children herself, Natasha had ruled out that chance of happiness long ago. When Clint had found out about her sterilisation, he had brought her to the farmhouse and introduced her to Laura and a ten month old Cooper. Now, she felt so embarrassed to reflect on that jealousy. No one deserved happiness more than Clint, and the fact he had welcomed her into his family so openly, she would never be able to repay him for that kindness. "I'm so happy for you guys."
"That's not everything." Clint told her, leaning forward slightly in his seat beside his wife. "We want to name the baby Natasha."
Hr mouth parted in instant shock. "T-that's my name."
Clint chuckled. "Wow, really? What a coincidence."
Jabbing her teasing husband in the side with her elbow, Laura's glowing eyes turned back to Natasha and she said, "You mean everything to us, Tasha. It would be our honour for our baby to be named after you. If, of course, you would like that?"
Tears burned at her eyelids, and sitting with two of the people she cared for most in the whole entire world, Natasha wasn't afraid to let them show. "I can't believe you would do that." She whispered.
Clint smiled, getting up and moving to sit down at her side, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "You are the best auntie to Cooper and Lila. You've saved my ass more times than I can count, and I know you would protect my family till your last breath. We want to do this for you."
Once the first tear started rolling down her cheeks, they didn't stop. "Thank you." She said, managing to keep a steady voice. She covered Laura's hand with her own and squeezed, whilst leaning into Clint's side. "This doesn't mean that I'm not going to teach this baby all my best tricks, though."
Chuckling, Clint kissed her temple. "Oh, we're already prepared for that, seeing how well you taught Cooper and Lila."
Then, the conversation easily shifted to Clint and Laura recounting all the recent jokes and pranks that their children had done over the past few months, all inspired by their Auntie Tasha. As she listened and laughed, Natasha's heart felt so full that it was ready to explode.
Later than night, after she had showered and slipped into one of Steve's old shirts, Natasha called him, wanting to hear his voice before she went to bed.
He picked up after the third ring. "Hey, trouble."
Unable to stop the smile that spread across her face, Natasha rolled onto her stomach, lying with her knees bent and her feet up in the air. "Hey, back."
"Are you okay?" He asked, and for a moment, she was confused about the underlying concern in his question.
Then, she remembered what he thought she was doing, and quickly answered, "I'm fine. The jet ride was a little rocky." She really hated having to lie to him, and she hoped that one day when she told him exactly where she had been, he'd understand. "You?" She quickly moved the conversation away from her.
"I'm just cooking some food." Steve told her, and sure enough, the sound of his oven alarm went off in the background. "Would it be weird for me to say that I'm missing you already?"
Warmth spread through her, and a giddy feeling emerged in her stomach, setting off those butterflies all over again. "Hmm, I don't think so, considering I miss you just as much." She did. Despite loving behind back here with the Bartons, her thoughts had often crept back to Steve, wondering what he was doing, if he was thinking about her.
"I know you said you weren't sure of when you'd be back, but Tony's throwing a party next Friday." Steve told her. "He said it would be a private function."
Natasha snorted. "So, knowing Tony, that probably means there'll be at least a hundred people." She bit her lower lip, feeling mischievous. "Does this mean you'll be wearing a suit?"
"I haven't actually said I'd show my face." Steve said, and she knew how he found such large social situations difficult. His awkwardness made him even more irresistible to her. "I was kind of hoping that a certain red-head would be there."
"Would that give you the motivation to join in on the fun?" Natasha asked him playfully.
His deep chuckle touched her ear, "Any excuse to see you in a dress, Nat."
She hummed thoughtfully, but before she could respond, there was a light tapping on the door. "Auntie Nat?" Lila's voice whispered from the corridor.
What was she doing up? It must be close to midnight. Quickly, Nat said, "Steve, I'm really sorry, but I've got to go. It's morning here." She lied.
"You're going straight out?" Steve asked, clearly more out of concern for her well-being.
"I'll call you when I can." She promised.
"Alright, Nat. Stay safe." He said, and then the call ended.
Quickly, Natasha got up and headed for the door. Sure enough, there was Lila, standing there in her PJ's. "Are you okay, sweetie?" Natasha asked, worried that perhaps Lila had had a nightmare.
But, Lila tilted her head and asked, "Who were you talking to?"
"My friend," Natasha told her, and the answer seemed good enough, because Lila didn't ask any more questions regarding her phone call.
"Can I stay with you tonight?" Lila asked hopefully. The brightness in her eyes reassured Natasha that the request wasn't brought on because Lila had had a nightmare. In fact, Lila never had nightmares, as her father had made sure that her life was as sheltered from the dangers of the outside world as possible. No, Lila just wanted to sleep in Natasha's room because she missed her, and Natasha definitely couldn't refuse such a request.
Breathing out with a smile, Natasha opened the door wider. "Of course, princess."
As she settled down alongside the little girl, a text came through on her phone. Thoughts of you in a dress aren't making it easy for me to go to sleep.
Grinning, Natasha quickly sent back, I'll make it up to you when I get back. Then, she placed the phone on the bedside table and snuggled closer to Lila,who was already sound asleep.
~0~0~0~0~0~
Was anyone else ridiculously happy the first time that Clint's family were shown in the film? It just made me smile, knowing he had loved ones, and that they welcomed Natasha in as part of that family. I really enjoy her and Clint's friendship, and I'm looking forward to writing more about them together in later chapters, along with Natasha's closeness to the rest of the Barton's.
- E x