Heya!
So, basically, I've been such a fan of Steve and Natasha ever since I first watched the Avengers film when I was in high school. During the first lockdown of this year, my sister and I decided to watch all of the Marvel films from the beginning in chronological order, and all it did was make me fall in them with them even more. I really can't believe they weren't a thing! It baffles me. There was so much potential there, and they were so perfect for each other (in my opinion) and so many scenes with them left me just wondering why couldn't they have been together?!
Anyways, first disclaimer; I haven't read the comics, or watched any of the spin off television shows or anything like that. I've literally only watched the Marvel films, so I apologise in advance if there's bits missing or characters missing, but this is my story, so this is just a little part of my brain which is happily filled with Romanogers. This story is literally just for fun, and although I love any reviews I receive, I don't want anyone coming for me because of my lack of knowledge on the Marvel world. This is just my story which I'm uploading for a bit of fun.
DISCLAIMER: ALL CHARACTERS BELONG TO MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE. THIS IS A NON-PROFITABLE STORY JUST FOR MY ENJOYMENT, AND HOPEFULLY YOURS TOO.
So, now that's out of the way, I hope you enjoy! :)
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If you were to ask Steve Rogers to pinpoint when he started thinking of Natasha Romanoff as more than just a friend, he wouldn't be able to give you an exact answer.
Of course, he had been captivated by the Russian super-spy the moment he had laid eyes on her, onboard the mighty SHIELD helicarrier. She'd had a way of walking that radiated confidence, not arrogance, and everything that surrounded her faded into the background. Her vibrant red hair contrasted beautifully against her pale skin and black skin-tight suit. It hadn't taken him long to discover that her personality was just as fiery and mesmerizing as her looks.
Natasha walked with the grace and controlled power of a lioness, with her chin raised high and an unreadable expression on her face as she observed everything that was happening around her. As she had fought in the streets of New York, each move had been perfectly calculated, but seemingly effortless. Nothing seemed to faze her, and even if it did, there was no way of telling by looking at her.
If it had not been for the seriousness behind the reason they had met, Steve would have been completely distracted by her. In fact, to be perfectly honest, he had been completely distracted by her on several occasions since the first introductions between them, and it was only the seriousness of the situation that brought him back to reality.
Forming a sentence had seemed far too complex when he had first met her, as Agent Coulson introduced them to one another. Words seemed to stick to his throat, and his tongue felt heavy in his mouth, so he had had to settle for greeting her with a polite 'ma'am'. Regarding him with her steady emerald gaze, Natasha had dipped her head to him, and he noticed how her red curls tickled her cheek slightly from the movement.
However, when the face of the world was resting on you and a newly-formed group of 'super-agents', appreciating a woman's beauty had to be pushed to one side.
As a young, scrawny boy who had never been considered a man, women had been quite intimidating for him, before the serum had changed his life forever. Even after the serum had altered his physical structure, Steve was still a little unsure on how one would approach a lady. One woman, all those decades ago, had left a lasting impression on him, but sadly, she had moved on with her life while he had been stuck in the ice. Since then, no one had caught his attention in such a way, not until now.
Peggy Carter had had the same walk about her, the confidence that challenged any man to disregard her authority, and eyes that felt as if they were seeing right through you. Quickly, Steve had dismissed such comparisons, as the thought of Peggy was still too raw, making such comparisons didn't feel right. Peggy Carter and Natasha Romanoff deserved to be admired and respected in their own rights, but they were not the same person.
As the Avengers, as they would be known as, gathered round a table and were addressed by Nick Fury, Director of SHIELD, Steve found that he glanced back to Natasha. She sat perfectly still, reminding him of a predator who lurked in the shadows, waiting for their moment. She had no shown no fear, though, when addressing a powerful Asgardian with the ability to summon lightning. Struggling slightly, Steve forced himself to turn his attention to the matter at hand, and not the beautiful woman sitting opposite him.
It became apparent quite quickly that the two of them were similar in terms of stubbornness. Both would willingly sacrifice their own safety to protect others, and both were formidable warriors on the battlefield. With their matching strength of forming strategies, it was inevitable that they would butt heads, and Natasha was never bothered about openly challenging his decisions - or anyones, for that matter, including the Director himself.
In New York, Steve had been more than impressed with her combat skills, how every move was aimed for the perfect strike whilst looking as it came as easily to her as breathing. Steve knew nothing of her backstory, or the type of training that she had received to make her so good, but he could tell it had been intense. The type of training that was drilled into you, like a tattoo embedded into your skin. Whilst he was in museums for all to see, with every known detail about him plastered on the walls, the Black Widow remained a mystery.
Which, he quickly worked out, was exactly how Natasha Romanoff intended it to be.
During the fight, he had covered her with his shield without a second thought, protecting her from the explosion of one of Loki's alien beasts above them. Her heavy breathing had matched his own as she looked over her shoulder at him, those green eyes wide. Without needing to say the words, he knew she was thankful. Her eyes, usually so locked and focused, glowed with gratitude as she recognised what he had done for her. The moment lasted for merely three seconds before they were thrown back into battle, but it took a long time after for Steve to forget that green glow.
Now, a few days after the battle of New York, Steve was on his way to Stark Towers for a small party thrown by Tony Stark himself. "We all need a little reward for what we did." Tony had reasoned with him over the phone. "Think of it as a little team building exercise, even if it is a little late." The billionaire had hung up before Steve even had the chance to protest.
Steve, who had no idea how one should dress for such an event - it definitely wouldn't call for the same attire he had seen soldiers go to bars in, back in the 40s - had decided to go with his newly-found fashion safety-net of jeans, charcoal shirt and a leather jacket. Having woken up after seventy years in the ice, he had taken most of his inspiration from posters or mannequins in the shop windows.
Tony Stark's building was a giant compared to the New York skyscrapers. It was not something you could miss, or avoid admiring as you walked past it. As Steve parked his motorbike up, his neck ached slightly as he leaned back to take in the entire structure. The first and last time Steve had been here, they had defeated Loki. Tonight, Steve's mood was considerably much lighter considering the fate of the world wasn't weighing down on him, for now.
As Steve stepped into the elevator, he was greeted by the robotic voice of Tony's enhanced system, and part-time butler it seemed, "Good evening, Mr Rogers."
Feeling slightly awkward about talking to a piece of technology, even though Steve knew that Jarvis was so much more than that, he said, "Please, call me Steve."
"As you wish," Jarvis answered, and the control panel of buttons dimmed, with the top floor being the only one lit now. Without another word, Jarvis programmed the elevator and took Steve up to the highest floor.
"Capsicle!" Tony greeted him as the doors pinged open, revealing the impressive lounge space. Dark-haired Tony Stark was stood at the opposite end of the room, one hand holding his weight up against the bar while the other held a glass of what Steve guessed was gin. It almost felt strange to see Tony in a tailored, expensive suit rather than the technical, but still equally as impressive, Iron Man suit that he himself had designed.
The joyfulness in Tony's voice and the slight slurring of his speech implied that he had already started to indulge in his rather large alcohol collection. It was with such a stash of booze that Tony had tried to persuade Steve into coming, even though the soldier had pointed out several times during their conversation that it was nearly impossible for him to get drunk. Tony either had refused to acknowledge this fact, or simply did not care and now fully intended on getting drunk enough for the both of them.
Quickly, Steve glanced around, noting how the room looked completely normal, considering it had been ruined during the fight against Loki, especially when the Hulk had used the Asgardian as a human-sized rag doll. Now, the formerly smashed tiled floor was repaired, and the glass windows had been replaced, with not a single scratch. The space was dimly lit, casting an amber glow across the counter of the bar. To Steve's left, the glass wall that led to the balcony showed the lights of New York city.
Still slumped partly against the bar, Tony raised his glass. "Come join us!" He called across the room.
As Steve approached, he took in the other person standing in the room. There was a tall blonde-haired woman dressed in a navy dress that went down to her knees. She had a soft, friendly look on her face as she stood beside a swaying Tony, and gave Steve a warm smile of greeting. "Excuse him, he's already on his second bottle." She pardoned Tony's overly enthusiastic behaviour before holding her hand out to Steve. "I'm Pepper, Pepper Potts, Tony's-"
"-little angel who sits on my shoulder and gives her all to keep me away from making bad choices." Tony ended, even though it clearly was not the choice of words that Pepper had intended to say, as she shot him a look of warning. No doubt, she was seconds away from removing the glass from his hand.
Steve chuckled, shaking hands with Pepper. She seemed lovely upon first impressions, and anyone who could tolerate Tony on a daily basis clearly had the patience of a saint. "Pleasure to meet you, Miss Potts. I'm Steve Rogers."
"Captain America," Pepper nodded, but unlike most people, she didn't say it with either an excited squeal or a gruff remark. She spoke to him as if he was a friend, an ally. "I know. Can I get you something to drink?" Clearly, she had taken over the role of hostess, as Tony was too occupied taking another gulp from his glass. It was particularly empty already, causing the ice cubes to clink.
"I'll take a beer, thanks." Steve said, and Pepper sourced him a cold bottle. It was the first time he had drank such a beverage in a very long time, making the taste seem almost unfamiliar to him to begin with. But, the coldness was refreshing as it slipped down his throat, and the alcohol warmed his belly. The act of drinking a beer seemed so mundane to him now, considering recent events.
Tony brought up a small digital display screen from the leather strap around his wrist, displaying his entire building. A small blue image of a car appeared. "Ah, Little Red and Katniss are here!" He remarked.
Steve needed a second to remember all of Tony's ridiculous nicknames for their teammates. He had many, which was quite something considering they had all only met a couple of days ago.
Little Red, of course, was Natasha, in honour of her bright locks and matching temperament. Tony always seemed to speak of her with a sense of affection, even though Steve had never seen the two of them engage in a private conversation. Katniss was Clint Barton, otherwise known as Hawkeye, masterful with a bow and arrow, so Tony had given him the nickname of a book character. Steve had never heard of the book before, but had no desire to actually read it to see how accurate the comparison was.
Something inside him felt a little funny at the thought of Natasha and Clint arriving together tonight, but he refused to allow that moment to form into something real and worth processing. The two assassins were close, having known each other for years, close in a way that none of the others could probably ever understand. Neither of them had shown any interest in sharing their story, therefore no one pried; they weren't the type of people you would actively try to irritate with personal questions.
All Steve knew, from the pieces of information he had managed to gain from Agent Maria Hill, was that Clint Barton had been a SHIELD agent for a long time and had been given the task from Fury to eliminate Natasha. At the time, Natasha had been a rogue assassin, and excelled at her job, therefore bringing her to SHIELD's attention. For whatever reason, Clint hadn't followed through with his mission and had instead spared her life, bringing her back to Fury insisting that her skills were too useful, and could benefit them greatly. Ever since, Natasha's allegiance had been to Clint and Fury.
A few moments later, the elevator doors opened once again, and Jarvis announced, "Natasha Romanoff and Clint Barton, sir."
The two assassins stepped out together, perfectly timed, which was another indication of just how well they worked as a pair. Despite the Avengers being a designed team, it was clear to all of them that the Black Widow and Hawkeye were partners. Friends. Their dynamic together made it seem as if they could communicate without the need for words, especially on the battlefield. They knew each other's moves as well as they knew their own. This made them as synchronised as well practised dance partners.
Part of the reason that Steve felt unsettled seeing them together was because it brought back his own memories of fighting alongside someone who knew him inside and out. But, the other part that felt prickled at their closeness as a feeling that he had never experienced before, so he couldn't recognise it to give it a name. It made him feel, though, as if someone had punched him in the gut whenever he saw them together.
Clint was dressed in his usual black clothing, but without his bow and arrow strapped to his back. He scanned the room thoughtfully, as if he too was noticing how transformed it was from the mess of glass and broken tiles that it had been before, when they had last all stood here. A small snort of amusement left him.
Steve's eyes instantly landed on Natasha, as if drawn to her by an invisible force. Although she was only dressed in a turtle-neck black jumper, dark jeans and a denim jacket, she still captured his attention without even trying. The tight fitting material of her jeans showed off the powerful shape of her thighs, just as her catsuit did. Her hair, which reached just above her chin, was curled slightly, no longer ruffled by combat. Steve had a hard time trying to look away.
Her eyes met his across the room, emerald green burning into baby blue. Quickly, he averted his gaze, but not in time to prevent the small blush pinkening his cheeks. Unbeknownst to him, Natasha's sharp gaze picked up on this, and the corners of her mouth twitched ever so slightly.
"Comrades!" Tony yelled across the room with just as much volume as he had greeted Steve with. The two assassins did not try to mask their surprise at the overly-excited genius that was waving at them. "Fellow heroes of New York, so glad you could join us tonight."
Pepper's palm hit her forehead softly, and Steve managed to prevent his snort of amusement. He found himself getting slightly tense as Natasha walked over, that same sway to her hips that had rendered him speechless on that helicarrier. Scolding himself for being such an idiot, he gave her a small smile.
"Did you actually save any alcohol for us, Stark?" Clint demanded good-naturedly, patting Tony on the shoulder as he stopped at his side. His observant eyes took in the selection of bottles in front of them.
Steve hadn't taken his attention off Natasha. It wasn't that he was staring at her - he had somehow managed to refrain from doing that - but it seemed as if his senses tracked her. His heart started to beat a little faster in his chest as her voice touched his ears. "This space taken, soldier?" She asked, her eyes flickering to the empty room around the bar at his side.
Her voice, as soothing as a purr, did nothing to ease the tension he felt curling inside him, but he took a small step to the side to allow her even more space as she nestled in beside him. Even though there was a respectable gap between them, the space seemed thick.
What was wrong with him? He hadn't been attuned to a woman's presence since...for a very long time, and even then, he couldn't remember it feeling like this. As if he couldn't quite get enough oxygen to his lungs, and to his brain it seemed.
Stop thinking about it, a voice in his mind prodded at him, and he realised just how stiff his shoulders had become. He tried his hardest to keep his breathing steady as his body started to slowly relax again.
If she noticed his awkwardness, Natasha did not show it. Instead, she accepted Pepper's offer of a drink, and Tony couldn't seem to be able to resist making a remark about her choice. "Vodka, chosen like a true Russian. Do you think of yourself as a bit of a hard case, Little Red?"
Tapping her glass with her painted nail, Natasha gave him a deadly smile, like one of a big cat who had just found something to play with. Steve once again found himself being reminded of a lioness. "Fancy a little drinking game in a bit, Tony?" Her eyelids fluttered in a teasing, taunting way, but the coy smile on her lips showed she knew exactly what she was doing.
At the same time as Pepper hurriedly said, "I think someone's already reached a suitable limit for tonight." Tony raised his chin at the challenge, stumbling slightly, and declared, "Get ready to lose, Romanoff."
At the spy's other side, Clint chuckled darkly. "I'd be careful there, Stark." He warned, although his relaxed posture suggested that he had no real intention on getting in between them. Instead, his eyes flickered with an excited spark, ready for the entertainment that such a game between the two would bring.
Just as Tony was about to say something undoubtedly witty and sarcastic, Jarvis once again announced the arrival of another member of their team.
"Banner!" Tony shouted, loud enough to practically drown at his computer system.
The doctor gave them a reserved dip of his head as he joined them, his hands shoved into the pockets of his navy jacket. Everything about his body language suggested that he was slightly uncomfortable. Bruce Banner was a very private man, with a brilliant mind, who lived with the constant pressure of keeping what raged inside him under control at all times.
"I promise, I will not leave this place in as much of a state as last time." Banner said, somewhat awkwardly, to break his silent entry. It was a rare attempt to make a joke, regarding the other side to him, the one he was so ashamed of.
The Hulk had been responsible for a lot of the damage done to Tony's tower and the city, and despite everyone knowing that it had been for the good of all of them, Banner was still clearly feeling guilty about it.
Tony shrugged off his comment, gesturing to the bar and almost sending a bottle flying. "Get a glass or two down you, my man. Tonight is not about what happened before, it's about getting as drunk as we are entitled to."
"So, that means you should have stopped about five glasses ago." Pepper commented, but there was a hint of affection in her voice as she rolled her eyes at Tony. Her casual approach implied that this was not the first time she had had to deal with Tony in this sort of state.
Tony scoffed. "Please, the city owes us. The world owes us." He pinched his chin thoughtfully. "Perhaps, I should bill them for tonight's beverages."
No one encouraged this suggestion.
Thor would not be joining them tonight. The Asgardian hadn't been in contact with them ever since he had vanished with his troublesome half-brother. Standing in this rather large room was the strangest collection of people you probably would ever meet, adding a God from another planet into the mix would certainly seem a step too far for most.
So, the small collection of people who barely even considered each other as 'friends' broke off into smaller groups. While Steve stayed at the bar with Pepper, Tony was quick to offer the start of his drinking competition with Natasha. Probably for everyone's safety, Banner declined the offer of a drink, and remained at the bar as well, shuffling from one foot to the other.
With a shrug of his shoulders, Tony dashed across the room, unable to move in a straight line, and pulled out a small coffee table. Exchanging an amused glance between them, Natasha and Clint headed over to join him.
"Is he always like this?" Steve couldn't help but ask Pepper as they watched Tony barely keep himself on his feet.
Pepper's expression was one of affection as she watched the genius practically throw himself to the floor and sit at one end of the table. "I'd love to say no, but I can't lie. He'll get progressively worse, but then it'll suddenly hit him. He'll crash, and be out like a light for the rest of the night. I imagine we've got another two or three hours to get through first."
Already ready to burst with anticipation, Tony rubbed his hands together. Although he was easily one of the smartest people in the entire world, Tony Stark was also narrow-minded and very competitive.
Steve hoped that Natasha would be able to swipe the smug grin off his face.
To her credit, the Russian sat herself down at the other end of the table with the same grace and smooth movement as she always did. There was a devilish smile on her face as she finished her glass of vodka and orange juice, and Steve's eyes caught the way her throat bobbed.
"Any preferences?" Clint offered as he started opening several bottles of alcohol that Steve didn't recognise.
Natasha's eyes danced with fire as she answered, "Anything that Tony feels he can stomach."
Leaving them to their game, Steve dove into conversation with Pepper and Banner. He quickly found that he enjoyed their company. Whilst working with SHIELD, he'd barely had any chance to speak with the scientist, let alone a conversation that didn't have Tony butting in. Dr Banner was a very complex man, as he kept everything inside, and only when he allowed all that hidden emotion to overcome him, did he transform into the Hulk. He'd been a force to be reckoned with facing those monsters on the streets of New York, but the man facing Steve now was humble and quietly-spoken.
Dr Banner always referred to the Hulk as a different being entirely, a separate personality. Now that Steve knew the man slightly better, he could wrap his head around that idea slightly better, could see how Banner tried so desperately to separate himself from the Hulk, even though they would always be one.
Pepper, on the other hand, was not scientifically enhanced or specially trained like the rest of them. She had been Tony's assistant for years, before he had become Iron Man. But, she was a careful listener, and knew more than she let on. There was also no denying that Tony Stark would burn the world down for her without a second thought.
As the game continued behind them, Pepper informed them of how Natasha and Tony had actually known each other before the Avengers had been formed. Surprised, Steve listened to the story of how Natasha had posed as Natalie Rushman and gotten the job as Tony's assistant, before her true identity was revealed by Fury and Natasha had helped Tony take down a threat named Vanko. Suddenly, it started to make a bit more sense why Tony always seemed to address her as 'Little Red' with such familiar affection.
After an hour had passed, Steve excused himself to take a step outside. The massive balcony fell away to the bustling city below it, and Steve inhaled the cold night air with his eyes closed.
When he opened them again, he took in the sights around him. New York was always busy, but at night, that bustle and noise became somewhat beautiful. It was as if the city was reflecting the night sky above it, adding stars that it blocked out with its own light.
This world was completely different from the world he had known before the ice. It had developed in more ways that he could wrap his head around at the moment, and the people he had known were now gone. Apart from one. His hands on the railing tightened slightly. He still hadn't mustered up the courage to go and visit Peggy. Part of it was fear that perhaps she wouldn't care about seeing him again. He didn't know if his heart could take that, ever. Another part of him felt as if showing his face again would just make her sad. It wasn't her fault that he had ended up in the ice, but had she been angry at him for making the decision that in the end, stopped them being together?
Taking a deep breath, Steve reminded himself to breathe and focus on the lights in front of him. Even though his life had changed so dramatically, the city of New York continued with its daily comings and going, constantly moving, enhancing, changing. He needed that. The way that things kept going, even after it seemed the end of the world had been approaching.
He wondered how long it would take him to find his place in this new world.
As he looked across at the sight before him, he almost jumped as he heard a familiar, hauntingly soft voice behind him, "Have you been avoiding me tonight, soldier?"
How had she managed to come out here without him hearing the glass door sliding open, or her feet across the hard marble floor? Perhaps, for a moment, he really had allowed his mind a few seconds of peace, to be able to lose himself in the word around him that was, for once, peacefully quiet. Then again, this was a super spy he was dealing with, the best in the world at her craft.
He looked over his shoulder to find her standing leaning against the wall, one knee bent. Her arms were folded over her chest, and a watchful expression covered her face as she regarded him with those piercing green eyes. For a moment, any words he had hoped to speak were stuck in his throat. But, the earlier competitive fire that had lit her emerald eyes so brightly was now replaced with something softer, yet still guarded.
Her gaze seemed to pierce straight through him, and he couldn't remember a time where someone had made him feel so...no, intimidated wasn't the right word. He'd dealt with bullies before, and Natasha certainly was not one. Instead, she put him on edge, in a way that left him feeling both fascinated and a little cautious.
Still, his heart seemed to thud a little heavier in his chest, slowing right down. Without his serum bumping through his veins, he doubted that he would have been able to keep himself upright.
Clearing his throat, he straightened, turning to face her fully. "I wouldn't dare interrupt your game." He answered. Around her, it seemed he had no idea how to behave, or talk, or even how to stand. It was as if his entire body was on edge, waiting for a kind release that it was never granted.
"It is hardly a game if you already know you're going to win before the first move has been made." Natasha responded with a shrug, standing up on both her feet as she crossed the landing to stand at his side. The confidence in the way her hips swayed...Breathing suddenly became a hard task for him at her closeness, but she seemed unaffected.
"It's so beautiful up here." She said softly, as if speaking to herself more than anything else. So, Steve didn't say anything. He just listened. "All these lights, all these people. Days ago, they feared that the end had come for them. I dread to think what other monsters are out there, lurking both outside and inside our world, waiting for the moment the world is vulnerable again."
As he looked down at her, with the city lights glistening in the background like a thousand stars, Steve wished he could draw her. Since awaking from the ice, he hadn't even though about drawing, but Natasha inspired something deep inside him, a creative warmness, and he longed to attempt to capture her beauty on paper.
But, the artist inside him knew that no matter what, he would never be able to fully do her justice. That sort of beauty wasn't one that could be copied, brought to life by pencils and colour. Natasha was radiant, glowing with life. Still, he wanted to try.
Needing to distract himself from staring at her once again, Steve followed her gaze, across to the skyscrapers and apartment blocks. People would be finishing work now, or settling down at home with their families. Those people are safe from such threats, for now.
"No day should be taken for granted." He said.
Natasha's attention shifted from the city back to his face, taking in the sharpness of his locked jaw and the storm that raged behind his soft coloured eyes. He was a man of few words at the best of times, and often she wondered what was going on in that mind of his. Tonight was no exception. But, she still found herself wanting to know; to understand him.
"I was not avoiding you." He went on, taking both of them by surprise.
Blinking, Natasha was rendered speechless. Although she had only been teasing him, she had noticed his distance from her all evening, and had tried not to let it prickle at her. But, her attempts had been in vain; even as she downed shot after shot against Tony, her eyes had wondered to the super soldier stood at the bar across the room. His mere presence had made it hard to concentrate on the game she had so willing signed herself up for.
For someone who had always prided herself on being able to read people, she was stumped when it came to Steve Rogers. Her desire to get to know the man behind the shield made her feel unsettled. It had been a very long time since someone had made her this curious. Still, she did what she did best, and didn't show even a scrap of how she was feeling.
Steve's shoulders were stiff as he waited for her response.
Instead of answering with words, Natasha shifted slightly closer to him, feeling the warmth that surrounded him, that same warmth that had pressed against her back on the battlefield, when he had sheltered her from harm. The warmth that smelt of cinnamon and reminded her of a safe place, even though she couldn't comprehend why.
Both the spy and the soldier held their breath as the tiny space between them crackled with that same unknown energy as it had done earlier at the bar. As green eyes melted into blue, the world around them slowed down. The only noise that greeted their ears as the sound of their breathing.
"Good," She whispered, her eyes flickering down to his lips, her tongue sneaking out to wet her own. What would his mouth feel like, pressing against hers? Would he taste sweet, addicting? Definitely. Would he kiss slowly, or take control? Her entire body tingled with a burning curiosity and a hungry desire, the overwhelming need to find out the answers to her questions…
She blinked, banishing such thoughts from her mind. Come tomorrow morning, they would go their separate ways. Steve was everything that she was not, a goodness that could not be tainted by her darkness. He did not deserve that, and she would never deserve him.
His eyes followed the movement of her tongue, how it felt her lower lip glistening. His whole body was on edge, in a way he had never experienced before, a tightness to his chest that made his lungs scream for more oxygen. Although it was not particularly an unpleasant feeling, it unsettled him that she could engage such a reaction from him. He couldn't comprehend it or recognise it, and that alone left him baffled and conflicted.
Steve Rogers was a good man, with a way of looking at the world that Natasha had never been able to process. Her demons and shadows were hers alone to be burdened with.
So, Natasha lifted her chin and stepped away from him, reluctantly. The scent of cinnamon and autumn breeze that belonged to him faded slightly, but her senses refused to let it go completely, unable to shut him out entirely. She could hear the heaviness to his breathing, and it made goosebumps appear on her skin, thankfully hidden by her jumper.
"I'll see you around, Steve." She whispered in a promise, before turning on her heels and leaving him on the balcony.
The city blurred into nothingness. Uninterested in everything else around him, Steve watched her every step as she disappeared. He pushed away the strange, aching feeling inside his chest as he forced himself to turn around. Suddenly, the balcony felt a great deal more empty without her presence beside him.
With his hands clutching the railing in front of him, Steve took a deep breath, trying to settle himself. His brain was racing at the same speed as his thundering heart, as he tried to make sense of what had just happened.
He had wanted to kiss her. He had wanted to wrap his arms around that slender waist of hers, and cup her beautiful face gently, as he brought his lips down to hers. More than anything, he had wanted to kiss her and never stop kissing her.
He lifted his eyes, trying to block out the thought of red hair, emerald eyes and fire.
Unfortunately, the city lights weren't as captivating as before, and did little to distract him. It was as if the lights which he had found fascinating a moment ago had faded, as soon as the spy had left his side.
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So, there it is, the first chapter!
This chapter is just a little beginning piece to set the tone for the story. It is between the aftermath of New York and just before Steve and Natasha start getting assigned onto missions together. Although the next chapter skips straight to the events of the Winter Soldier, I may do a little separate story with a couple of chapters based on some of their missions together, if that is something people would like to also read.
I'd really appreciate hearing back from you guys on whether you liked it or not, or if you think anything needs changing. I've reread and re-typed out this chapter (as I will do all of them) from my draft version of this story, but I apologise for any bad grammar and if any spelling mistakes have managed to slip through those checks.
Anyways, I hope you enjoyed, now it's time to get onto the Winter Soldier film.
Stay safe everyone. I hope you've had good Christmas, despite everything that has happened this year.
- E x