It's one thirty in the morning. Way past Steve's bedtime. Not the case for the lovely Natasha. She could sleep at 5 and wake up at 5:01 if need be. Their rooms were close; only a room's difference, but the great hammer-wielding god rarely ever used his room. Steve usually slept soundly, but that hadn't been the case for the past few days. Somehow, his old feelings about his red-headed teammate had caught up to him. He had been tossing and turning for quite some time before finally nodding off. This had been happening regularly.
Today was a step up the chain. She showed up in his dreams. Memories flashed of the uncalled-for cuddle that happened in the bunker when they were protecting each other from SHIELD's bombs. Then he thought about how easily he could snake an arm around her and how her body perfectly molded with his; keeping aside the fact that they were fighting for their lives then.
Natasha got up to get a glass of water. Another Red Room nightmare. On her back from the kitchen, she heard the lab experiment she had her heart set on tossing and turning and mumbling things. Her perked-up ears caught him saying, "no, no" and then her own name - ''Nat."
Needless to say, she was surprised. And then again she wasn't. Those had been dancing around for a while now. It was their special game. Placing their hands close to each other, seating together almost all the time, being teased by Clint personally once in a while, chatting and laughing, discussing books and movies, and debating on music and whatnot. She could destroy cities in minutes, kill people in seconds, and roast people to the ends of the Earth, but she could not summon enough courage to go to Rogers and tell him that she loves him. What if he were to say that he did not feel that way? She often considered cornering him and spilling everything out, but then at the last moment, she chickened out. She even thought of writing a note. Oh, where's an accurate manual to love when you need it!?
She swung his door open silently and heard him say her name again. She was sure of it. And so was he; but in his dreams.
The spy made her way over to the soldier's side and there he was - sleeping shirtless and in those godforsaken shorts that did nothing for his behind. It only served to accentuate the situation.
Steve was still restless and Nat could not bear to see it. For a spy who has seen, been, and taken part in huge bloodshed, she was a cinnamon roll when it came to the ones closest to her heart.
She whispered sweet nothings in his ear to calm him down and it worked. Steve caught hold of her hand and used it as his stabilizer. If only he would wake from his slumber and see his
surroundings.
A half an hour or so went by and her mind decided that enough is enough. She was going to talk and his dozing ears would have to listen. How much longer was she supposed to keep it in?
"Steve. Steve. I have something to say. You listening?"
When she got no response, she continued.
"I have so many things to say and today's the day. You talk to me like you mean it and then show me all of your seasons, Steve. Smooth move. I'm impressed. I remember how you came into my bed and held me that night to get rid of all those nightmares. I knew right then that you were the one. Not everyone can walk through my fire and coal and come out alive. So, today I will say this to you and I hope you're listening. I don't want anyone else. I'll die by myself before I ever love another. Safe to say, I'm done. You're the only one I know will ever take me undеr. You turned my dreams into momеnts and saw diamonds in my nothing. We are in the wrong business for love, I know that. But sometimes you have to let my heart win. Today I'm letting it win. We always make excuses to find a good love and lose it. But this time I don't wanna run. Anywhere you go, I'll follow you. You good with that?"
She heard a mild grunt in response and that was not an answer, but it would have to do for the time being.
Her breath was coming in short pants because of speaking like a damn bullet train. Her eyes focused on his. Those gorgeous baby blue eyes and that unruly blonde hair. He looked so calm…how was he so calm? "Enough is enough!" said the devil on her shoulder. She agreed. Eager to destroy him as he was destroying her, she brought her face to his and kissed him deeply. It was nothing short of passionate. He unconsciously sucked her lower lip into his mouth and kissed her back.
She left after that. Satisfied. Electrified, excited, exhilarated, and intoxicated. She was high on him and so was he on her.
The next morning when Steve woke up he thought it was a dream. When he woke up the previous night after sleepingly making out with the love of his life, she wasn't there. It had to be a dream. The lipstick stain on his lips and neck said otherwise.
