He paused and looked down at her.
"No," she shook her head, "don't stop," she gasped, struggling to get out the words as he finally let her climax.
Her thighs shook and her entire body shivered beneath him. He kissed her again, savoring it. She returned it hungrily. It was nothing like their kiss on the escalator in the mall. It was the kiss he'd wanted for years. He slowly pulled away and opened his eyes.
For once, she didn't have any witty quips. She stared into his eyes and he knew two things in that moment, one that this was real. It was more real than he had ever dared to hope. And two, it scared him. Holding her at arm's length meant that he could compartmentalize. He could find a way to cope if something happened to her. At least that's what he'd told himself. But now…
He swallowed.
"Are you okay?" She whispered.
He nodded. "I am now."
#
"I didn't want you to be alone."
They stood together in the empty church after Peggy's service. She pulled him into a hug, and he hugged her back tightly.
#
Alone. Nat understood what it was like to be alone better than anyone. She was the one who made sure he had someone when it mattered most. She had taken Wanda under her wing.
"Staying together is more important than how we stay together."
He kissed her again, gently, and groaned as he felt her squeeze him in her warm little hand. She slid her fingers around him, stroking him slowly, and wrapped her leg around his, pulling his hips closer.
"I didn't bring condoms," he said, holding himself up.
"We don't need any."
"Birth control doesn't work. On me."
"But condoms do?"
He nodded.
She stared up at him, her brow furrowed. "The pill wasn't invented until the fifties. How do you know it doesn't work on you?" She pushed herself up on her elbows. "Do you have a secret family, Rogers?"
"What? No. Fury… hypothesized."
She raised an eyebrow. "Did you… in a cup?" She snorted. "It doesn't matter, weird as that is. We don't need condoms."
"You don't understand—"
She took a deep breath. "Look, you might have super swimmers, but they can't regrow a uterus."
He stared at her, not sure how to respond. "The red room?"
She nodded.
"I'm sorry, Nat."
"It's um.." she looked up at him. "I didn't mean to ruin the moment."
"You didn't."
