DISCLAIMER: ALL CHARACTERS BELONG TO MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE.
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Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months.
Despite the serum that bumped through his veins, Steve had taken longer than expected to fully recover from the full brunt of his injuries. Whilst he had been lying in that hospital bed, he had made a mental note that one day, when his friend was back to normal, Steve would bring this up.
Tony Stark had sent a car to collect both Steve and Sam, and the billionaire had been very generous in giving them a floor each at his tower. With a roof over his head and a place to temporarily think of as home, Steve should have been spending his time relaxing.
Instead, he could do anything but.
His nights were always bad. He had visions of Bucky standing on that helicarrier as it caught fire. Just before Steve would wake up, his friend would point a gun straight at him. When the trigger was pulled, Steve would practically bolt upright, gasping and covered in sweat.
The other nightmare that found him in those long nights was of Natasha. She was somewhere very unfamiliar, isolated and always covered in her own blood. There was always a hooded figure standing over her, who would turn its head just as Steve approached, but then he'd wake up instantly.
He would have felt a lot better if Natasha had gotten in contact with him.
Of course, she had made no such promise, but the foolish part of him had hoped that with each ring of his phone that it would be her, telling him she was finished and coming home. It never was. It was always Hill, calling to check on him, or Sam inviting him for a run in the morning, as if hoping to add some normality to their day.
Sam, to his credit, had been a great friend to Steve ever since he had been allowed to leave the hospital. He always tried to get Steve to talk, and had attempted several times to reassure him that Natasha was okay, and that they'd find Bucky soon enough. Steve just didn't have it in him to feel that hope anymore.
Jarvis had coombed through the worlds security cameras in search of both Natasha and Bucky, and both were like trying to find ghosts. Steve watched every news report in search of mass chaos, anything to indicate that Bucky had been sent on another mission but had broken his mind. A part of him, although he felt bad for thinking it, also looked for any horrible incidents that might suggest what Natasha had done with the enemies she had mentioned.
One day, Steve had called Fury and asked if he had any idea where the spy could have gone.
Fury, now able to come out of hiding, had warned him, "One, it is not my place to give out confidential information on any of my agents, as you know full well, Captain. Two, if Natasha did not want you to know where she was or what you were doing, there is no way you will know, unless she tells you when you next see her."
"She could be in trouble." Steve pointed out, trying not to let his desperation be evident in his voice. The fear of something happening to Natasha was with him through every hour of the day, forming into nightmares that left him panting and sweaty when he managed to tear himself awake from them.
"Never underestimate the Black Widow, Steve." Fury said darkly. "She can handle herself out there." And then the call had ended, with Steve glaring at his phone and muttering under his breath.
Tony was hardly ever at the tower. After giving up two floors, he had been struck with the idea of creating a place where the Avengers could always seek refuge, that wouldn't involve his personal living space. So, the billionaire's time was spent up overseeing construction and ensuring that everything was going exactly how he had planned. This new facility would definitely be something incredible, if the blueprints were anything to go off.
Not even that file that Natasha had left with him had done anything to sooth Steve's constant state of worry. The file contained every piece of information that the spy had managed to get from combing through SHIELD and HYDRA's database, and really, it should have brought Steve some peace to finally have all of the answers in front of him. It hadn't. In fact, some of the things he had read weighed down on him greatly, and made him feel physically sick sometimes. After reading through it once, he had stuffed it inside his wardrobe and hadn't had the guts to read it again. That had been weeks ago.
After another week of mopping around the tower, Steve couldn't deal with being inside any longer, and had taken Sam up on the offer of a run around the city. The fresh air had definitely done him some good, but he wasn't prepared for what was waiting for him when they returned, both sweaty and out of breath after weeks off.
"N-Nat?" Her name stuck to his throat as the ability to speak was ripped away from him at the sight of her.
Although her teeth sank worriedly into her bottom lip, her green gaze glowed as she regarded him. "Hey, Steve." She sounded so quiet, so unlike the fierce agent who could make any grown man tremble from just one look.
Sam awkwardly cleared his throat. "I'll be upstairs. It's good to see you, Natasha." He dipped his head as he headed for the elevator. Within seconds, he was gone, leaving just the two of them in the room.
Steve couldn't stop staring at her. She looked the same as when she had left, perhaps her hair had gotten slightly longer, but he was suddenly unsure of how to approach her. What he wanted to do and what he should probably do were two completely different things. His mouth felt dry as he asked, "How are you?"
Her throat bobbed. "Good," She answered.
"Good," He whispered. She wasn't hurt, she wasn't gone, she hadn't been kidnapped and tortured like his imagination had allowed him to think. She was here, right in front of him.
A teether inside him snapped, and he crossed the room. Natasha didn't back away or freeze, not even when his arms wrapped around her waist. He pulled her to him, embracing him in a hug that he hoped wasn't too tight, but he felt the need to have her as close as possible. The physical feeling of having her in his arms was enough to keep his heart from exploding right out of his chest.
Seconds later, he felt her small hands resting against his shoulder blades and her head nestled against his chest. He had no idea they stood there hugging for, but he didn't want to ever let her go. Clearly, the feeling was mutual, as Natasha made no attempt to move out of his hold either.
Months without him had more of an effect on her than she had first expected. Yes, she'd been busy. Very busy. But, whenever she had a moment to herself, her mind wandered back to him. The nerves she had felt in her stomach on the way here evaporated the second he had brought her into his arms.
Then, she took both of them by surprise when she finally moved, tilting her head up to look at him. Her eyes took in the slight bit of stubble on his cheeks, and she liked the way it sharpened his wonderful jawline even more. Honestly, this man had been sculpted by the Gods.
Her hand slipped round the back of his head, playing with the short strands of his hair that her fingers could reach. Reaching up on her tiptoes slightly, Natasha pulled his mouth down to hers.
Surprise left him freezing, but as soon as her lips moved against his, Steve returned the kiss, feeling an intense emotion surge through him, pushing away that moment of disbelief. His entire body felt on fire, burning for the woman he held against him. Natasha's fire surrounded him, and he was all too willing to let the flames consume him.
Natasha's hands threaded through his golden hair, and she whimpered slightly against him, pulling him impossibly closer. Steve made no protest, his hold of her waist tightening slightly as he felt every inch of her against him. God, how many times had he thought about doing this over the past few months?
They didn't break apart until the need for oxygen became too impossible to ignore, and even then, their foreheads remained pressed together.
"I promised I wasn't going to kiss you until we talked." She whispered. "Damn you, Rogers." Damn you, you irresistible, brilliant man.
He chuckled. It felt so good to hear her voice again. "I've missed you so much." He told her softly, his nose nuzzling against the edge of hers ever so slightly as he breathed in that scent of citrus that belonged to her.
"I thought about you every day." She admitted, and hearing her speak her heart in such an open way rendered him breathless. "It kept me going, Steve. It saved me from losing myself forever."
Not being able to possibly imagine what she had gone through alone, Steve asked softly, "Do you want to talk about it?"
At first, he believed that she would shake her head and refuse to bring it up. The old Natasha Romanoff certainly would have done. She would have buried it back into her mind and locked the door, throwing away the key whilst praying that she never had to speak of it ever again.
But, she was different now. He made her different.
So, she nodded shyly. "Please."
They settled down on the rather large couch, Steve's arm over the back of it, and she leaned back against him. She kept her eyes on her fingers as she nervously played with her hands. Wanting to soothe her, Steve covered her twitching movement with his own hand, squeezing slightly.
With a deep breath, nodded. She told him everything.
Starting from the very beginning.
As he listened, Steve's expression did not change. There was no hint of disgust, no flash of terror, not even a flinch as Natasha described some of the things she had been sent out to do. His gentle eyes and the hand covering hers was the only thing keeping her steady.
She described her first few years in the Red Room; how quickly that young, innocent girl had been broken and shaped into a warrior who knew no fear or limit. She told him of how she had tried to make friends at first, but the tutors would punish her for it, often making her fight the other girls, turning them against her when she won. At the start, she had been blinded to what was happening to her. She had been convinced that this was normal, this was what was expected of her by the world, even though it was cruel physical and mental abuse at the hands of women who would taunt and sneer at her horribly. Her first few months had been spent crying in her room, with sore muscles and often a nasty bruise or a fat lip.
Then, as each miserable day passed, Natasha's mind started to change. Hours of brainwashing started to take its desired effect. She no longer questioned the harsh training techniques, or wondered why young girls had to learn how to kill. Her voice and her opinion faded into nothingness. She was a soldier, a fighter.
It hadn't taken her long at all to rise to become the most promising fighter in her age group. That was when Madame B had taken a special interest in her, singling her out and giving her extra training sessions. No matter how much Natasha sweated, or how many times her blood would spill on that training mat, she never protested.
She mastered everything that was put in front of her. She was able to recognise all the weakest points of a person's body, knowing exactly where to strike to disarm them, and where to strike to give the finishing blow. Natasha excelled with weapons, her favourite being small guns that she could hide under her clothing. Her aiming was perfect every single time. But, her best skills lay in hand-to-hand combat. Madame B pushed her and pushed her to the point of breaking until Natasha could fight with her hands and body just as lethally as she could with any weapon.
Natasha became the weapon.
When she came of age, she had been expected to perform a ceremony that served as an initiation into the KBG. It involved an innocent man with a bag covering his face, cowering on the opposite end of the room. His prayers had hit her soul, and the morals that the Red Room had tried to rid of her prevented her from being able to go through with it. As soon as her bullet struck the wooden wall behind the man, Madame B had known she had done it on purpose. Her punishment had been cruel; they pushed her even harder, so much so that her body felt ready to shatter. They'd never break a bone though; the recovery time was too long, too much of a waste of time.
When she finally completed the task, the blackness entered her soul for the first time. The final part of her ceremony was the sterilisation, and her entire body tensed when she recalled that part to Steve, who listened and gave her another encouraging squeeze. She shut her eyes, but then that horrible corridor came to her mind, with her strapped to the table as she wheeled towards the final room. Rage and sadness washed over her as she recounted what they had done to her, to prevent her from being able to ever have her own children. Being pregnant and raising children were simply distractions for an assassin, and the KBG could not afford distractions.
"Breathe, Nat." Steve's voice echoed down the corridor, and brought her back to the couch where she sat beside him. Her eyes scrunched shut as tears burned behind her eyelids. When she opened them, she was ready to see the look of horror on Steve's face. But, she didn't find it. He only watched her with those kind eyes of his, sympathy softening his beautiful face. "Breathe, nice and slowly."
She listened, and her body started to relax slightly, but not because of the slow inhaling and exhaling. She was fully aware it was because Steve was with her, anchoring her, and she shifted slightly closer to him.
"After that mission," She whispered. "Everything happened. I was sent on countless assignments. I killed so many people, Steve. I never once questioned if they were innocent or not. I was giving the order, and I followed it."
"You were the victim of years and years of brainwashing." Steve reminded her, his thumb brushing soothing strokes over the back of her hand.
She bit her lower lip. "I was the best at the job. I drew attention from all over the world. Some, from people who wanted to hire me, to pay me to carry out their dirty work because they knew I would do it quickly, with no limitation on what was asked. But, once SHIELD learnt my patterns, it was easy for them to track me down. Fury sent Clint Barton after me, to put me down."
Steve had known that Barton had been assigned to kill Natasha all those years ago, but he had never heard the story in any great deal of depth from either of them. The fact she was sat here telling him all this came as a surprise to him, but he felt relieved to know that she trusted him enough to do so. He wouldn't let her down, and so, he sat and listened without any interruption.
"Clint found me soon enough. I'd just completed a particularly nasty job. Even to this day, I'm not sure what Clint saw in me that was worth saving, but I've not gone a single day without being grateful for everything he has done for me. He spoke to me, told me of SHIELD, and it was the first time I got to see clearly what was so wrong about the KBG. I was horrified by what I had done, and Clint took me back to Fury. At first, Fury was so angry, and had armed guards escort me out of the room. When Clint left his office after what felt like forever, he looked at me and said 'Looks like we're partners, kid.'"
A faint smile appeared on her face as she remembered that particular moment in time as vividly as if it had happened only yesterday. Clint's faith in her had changed her, made her want to be a better person. No one else had ever given her that hope before.
"Ever since, I've worked for SHIELD." Natasha went on. "I've always treated it as a chance to make up for...for everything I did before. I know it does not bring back the people that I killed, but I convinced myself that it had to count for something."
"It does, Nat." He told her, and she smiled slightly at the nickname that rolled from his lips. She liked the way it sounded when it came from him. "You have saved thousands of lives. The past is in the past. I know you'll always regret it, but you've been given this chance to move forward. You're the strongest person I know." He was silent for a moment, debating whether to ask his next question or not, but then he went for it, "All these months, were you in Russia?"
"Mostly," She answered, looking back to her hands as her nails picked and fussed. "I...I have old allies there, people who were like family to me." She noticed how the corner of his mouth twitched, showing that he was warmed at the idea of her having such a thing, something that everyone deserved. His smile grew as she told him about Yelena, the girl who had been like a little sister, constantly causing Natasha grief and often left the spy wanting to pull her hair out, because the two of them were just so alike. Steve's eyes glowed when Natasha spoke of Melina, the woman who had been the closest thing to a mother that she had ever gotten, the woman who would tell her off for her language and her posture, but who fought beside her without hesitation.
Lastly, when she spoke about Alexei and how the giant brute of a man had been the gentlest, kindest soul she had ever met, that dimple appeared under the corner of his mouth. Speaking of them gripped Natasha's hurt, reminding her that although the three of them had been like a family to her, she had said her final goodbyes and left that part of her life behind her, completely.
She sighed, and that smile on Steve's face faltered as he picked up the sadness in the sound. "I couldn't let the Red Room continue to ruin lives, to corrupt young girls into killing machines. So, I went back, and I put an end to it all, finally."
Steve breathed out slowly as he processed exactly what she was saying. His mind whirled as he considered just what dangers she had faced, what she had had to do all by herself. Taking down a whole entire organisation like the KBG was not something that could be brushed under the carpet and ignored. But, here she was, unscathed on the outside. Inside, he knew, would be a completely different story.
"You're so brave, Natasha. So incredibly brave," He comforted her, wanting to draw her back into his arms and protect her from her demons till his last breath.
Her eyes flicked back to his face, with a devastating glimmer of sadness which darkened the emerald depths. "How can you sit there and not hate me?" Her voice shook, with such vulnerably that he had never thought Natasha could have.
"I could never hate you." He meant it, with his entire heart. "What those monsters did to you...you were a victim, Natasha. But, you managed to change the game. I've seen you in action. You are fearless, and the best fighter I've ever met. Honestly, you used to scare me."
That made her smile, and she instantly felt guilty for it, but she couldn't help how her mouth twitched. "Seriously?"
"Seriously," He confirmed. "I think part of the fear was because I had no idea how to behave around such a beautiful woman, but watching you on the battlefield...you're inspiring, Nat."
His words made her heart quicken in her chest, but that guilt ate at her, causing her to sigh. "I don't deserve you, Steve." She said, and his eyes clouded with confusion. "You are everything that I have never been. You're good, pure-hearted. There's no red on your ledger. Everything you have done has been for the good of the world. You deserve someone worthy of you."
Steve shushed her gently, moving so that he was practically knelt between her knees. "Nat," He said, willing for her to look at him. Eventually, after a few seconds of remaining staring at her hands, her eyes met his and the sadness in them was enough to break his heart. "I see you, Natasha. I see all of you, and it changes nothing. You have told me everything about your past, and it has not changed how I think of you, how I feel about you. Natasha Romanoff, I'm absolutely crazy about you."
Her eyes widened, but he didn't stop. He took advantage of her speechlessness, otherwise he'd lose his own courage.
"Ever since New York, when you jumped off my shield after the Chitari, I've admired your bravery and spirit. But, it wasn't until we started working together, without the rest of the team, that I started to see the real you, between the cracks of your armour. You're the funniest person I have ever met. You've been able to make me laugh when I didn't even feel like smiling. I've watched you run into a burning building to save the life of a stranger. I've seen you stand up to bullies like Rumlow and be a friend to new, nervous recruits. You are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, Nat, and I know you refuse to see it, but you deserve the entire world."
Dry, her mouth was completely dry, whereas her eyes felt ready to shed enough tears to create a flood in this very lounge space.
Steve's hand reached up to cup her cheek, and she leaned into his touch despite herself. "I just wish you could see yourself the way I, and so many other people, see you."
A tear escaped her then, and it was caught by his thumb. "Steve, I don't want you to feel as if you have to-"
"I don't have to do anything." He said firmly. "But, Natasha, all I've wanted for a very long time is you. I'm not going to let you go without a fight, even if you've convinced yourself that you don't deserve a chance at your own happiness." He leaned his forehead against hers. "I want to make you happy, Natasha."
"You do," She admitted in a quiet voice. "I've never felt this way about anyone before, Steve."
"Neither have I, and it scares me just as much." He told her. "If you tell me right now that you do not want me, then I will let you go. It'll destroy me, yes, but if you honestly don't want to try, then I won't make you."
A tight grip held her heart as she stared at him, but it eased as realisation washed over her. Steve cared for her deeply, but he wouldn't make her do anything that she didn't want to do. That meant more to her than he probably would ever know.
Taking her silence the wrong way, Steve dropped his hand and leaned back, creating more space between them. He would be respectful of her wishes, no matter how devastated he would feel if she truly walked away.
But, Natasha suddenly launched forward and kissed him with so much passion and emotion that he couldn't do anything but fall back onto the couch. He landed with a small grunt, the sound muffled by the eager lips that devoured his. Natasha went with him, her body covering his as her hands wrapped around the back of his neck.
Responding almost instantly to her hungry kisses, Steve's hands rested on her waist and he moaned into her mouth. He was more than aware of the fact that Natasha Romanoff was currently straddling his waist, and he tried desperately to not allow his body to react exactly how it wanted to. Be a gentleman. Be a gentleman. Be a gentleman. That was easier said than done, as Natasha's hips slightly rolled against his, pressing closer to him.
When Natasha pulled away reluctantly, her lips were swollen slightly and her cheeks were flustered, and it was one of his new favourite sights. "I want us to try." She confirmed. It wast as if the kiss hadn't been enough, but hearing her say the words out loud made Steve's entire body feel as if it would glow with happiness.. "I want a chance with you. I want you, Steve. I'm sorry it's taken me so long to admit."
He slowly stroked the side of her cheek with so much affection and joy that it made a wide smile spread across her face. "Oh, Natasha," He whispered.
As she beamed down at him, she leaned forward to kiss him once again, but Jarvis's voice entered the room, "I'm sorry Miss Romanoff, but you told me to alert you when Mr Stark arrived home. His car is two minutes away."
Natasha groaned, and Steve couldn't resist chuckling at her frustration. Giving him her best playful glare, Natasha straightened up but remained straddling his hips. "Thank you, Jarvis." She said, and then raised an eyebrow at Steve, who was still looking at her. "Yes?"
He was fully aware that he was grinning up at her like a fool, but he couldn't help it. "You're beautiful." He replied, before sitting up and causing her to squeal. He silenced the sound with his mouth, as if he could taste the noise. If he could, it would certainly taste sweet across his tongue.
Natasha purred against his kiss. "Flattery will get you everywhere, Rogers, but we should probably stop before a certain billionaire walks in uninvited. You know there would be no end to his teasing."
Steve huffed, making it clear that he didn't want the moment to end, and Natasha laughed. But, Steve understood that they had to stop. So, he snuck one more kiss in before squeezing her hips. "You'll have to get off me then, otherwise Tony definitely will be unbearable if he witnesses us in such a compromising position."
She grinned, but did as he suggested, rising to her feet. Steve got up and brushed his jeans down a little, and she noticed the ruffled look his hair was now sporting. Steve caught her looking, and instantly ran a hand through the golden locks, taming them somewhat.
"We'll finish this conversation tonight, then?" She checked, biting her lower lip once again.
Unable to resist, and relishing in the fact that he now could, Steve kissed her sweetly, something he had always wanted to do whenever she did that little habit. "You're staying here?" He checked.
She nodded, smiling. "My floor is directly under yours, courtesy of our generous friend." Then, a flicker of unease settled in her eyes. "Steve, can we keep this between us for a little while? It's just so new and I don't want anything to spoil it and it's just -"
He chuckled softly, effectively stopping her from continuing her babbling. Her cheeks turned pink, and he was far too tempted to kiss her again. Only the threat of an approaching Tony Stark gave him the strength to resist. "Of course, Nat. One day, we will tell them, when we are both ready."
That worry was replaced by his favourite teasing glint as she asked, "You're planning on keeping hold of me for a while?" She checked.
"I don't intend on ever letting you go, Nat." He promised, and the smile she gave him was radiant. Deciding the risk of Tony Stark was not nearly important enough to stop him, Steve gave her one last mind-blowing kiss before they parted and Natasha retreated to her floor quickly, flashing him a wink as the elevator doors between them closed.
Flopping down on the couch, Steve tried to process exactly what had happened, fully aware that he was smiling like a goof, but he didn't care.
~0~0~0~0~0~
That night, the four of them had gathered for dinner together. It was takeaway, as none of them had it in them to cook, but it was very nice all the same. Steve sat across the table from Natasha and couldn't help but watch her as she laughed with Tony or joked with Sam. His heart jumped every time she caught him watching, and that adorable gleam in her eyes when she looked at him was enough to make him forget about the food in front of him and the company sat with them.
After the meal, Natasha had excused herself, saying she was tired and wanted nothing more than an early night. Steve would have left her to it, if it hadn't been for the look she sent his way as she left the table. Understanding, he helped clear away and waited half an hour before declaring that he too needed a good night's sleep.
He wasn't surprised to find Natasha waiting on his couch, her legs drawn underneath her and a beautiful smile on her face as he approached.
"Hey, trouble," He greeted, leaning down to kiss her softly.
Natasha hummed against his lips, letting him go after a few wonderful moments. He settled at her side, and instantly she moved to cuddle into his side. His arm wrapped around her shoulders, holding her close.
"I wanted to say goodnight," She told him, tilting her head up to look at him. "I just couldn't say it the way I wanted to with the other two there. They definitely would have something to say about it."
Steve raised an eyebrow. "And how would you like to say it, Nat?"
Her answering kiss was powerful and consuming, and he kissed her back with just as much desire. He felt her tongue brush against his lower lip, and he allowed her to deepen the kiss as her hands ran up and down his neck. In one quick moment, he maneuvered her so she was sitting on his legs, straddling his waist.
Steve had never kissed someone like this before, nor had he felt something as strong as what he did for Natasha. Making out on a couch was a whole new experience for him, and he couldn't believe it was her who was with him. Although she had voiced quite clearly that she didn't feel as if she could ever deserve him, Steve had the same concern about how worthy he was of her. She was incredible, in so many ways. She shone so brightly that he worried that he would be too dull, too inexperienced for her. After all, he'd never had this with anyone before.
As if feeling his sudden distraction, Natasha pulled away to say, "Tell me what you are thinking, Steve."
He exhaled slowly, while his body still continued to burn for her. "I...Nat, I've never...I don't know how-"
She silenced him with a gentle kiss, and as she reached up slightly to reach him, it caused her hips to move against his. He moaned at the sensation. "We don't have to go any further tonight, Steve." She reassured him. "But, you're doing perfectly fine. More than fine. Just follow your instincts, and keep kissing me."
Unable to withhold anything from her, Steve crashed his lips back against hers. As their tongues battled for dominance, he was growing increasingly more aware of her small movements against his hips. Feeling brave, his hands cupped her waist and he controlled her hips, making them roll slowly against his own.
Natasha's response to this was to moan so deeply into his mouth that the sound alone was enough to drive him crazy, let alone the sensations that were being caused by having her against him like this. "Please don't stop. Never stop, Steve."
He loved the way his name sounded when she was breathing so heavily, and he didn't think he even had it in him to stop. It just felt too good.
So, they continued to make out on the couch with no regard for how much time had passed. Steve's hands would squeeze her waist every now and then, especially when Natasha decided to kiss along his jawline and down his neck. When he returned to favour, she arched her back and writhed.
He wasn't sure who pulled away in the end, but both of them were out of breath and riled up. "Nat, will you be my girl?" He asked, his voice barely coming out louder than a whisper as his eyes hungrily took in the sight before him. Natasha was always breath-taking for him, but the sight of her swollen lips did things to him that he had never experienced before.
Her smile rendered him speechless as she replied, "Yes, Steve." She kissed him sweetly, a close-mouthed peck of the lips, but even that made him feel warm inside.
"Tomorrow night," He decided, his hands stroking the thin material of her top. "How about a date night?" He wanted to spoil her, and the gentleman in him wanted to do this properly.
Natasha's eyes widened slightly, but her smile widened. "Alright, but we can't exactly go waltzing around in the city just yet." She'd done a lot to rile up the government, and she knew that by keeping herself out of trouble was the only way of getting them off her tail.
"I know. How about Chinese?" He asked. "Tony is going to that posh galla anyway, like he told us earlier. Sam seemed keen to go with him."
She pretended to look thoughtful, and when Steve's fingers tickled her side, she giggled and relented. "Alright, alright, it sounds absolutely perfect." She leaned forward to lay several kisses down his neck, sucking at his skin slightly. His breath tickled against her ear as she said, "Do I get to dress up for such a night?"
"You could show up wearing a potato sack and you wouldn't be able to convince me that you weren't the most beautiful woman in the entire world." He assured her, meaning every word. He'd not long ago worked out that the reason that he couldn't remember the details about any woman's face apart from hers was because they blurred in comparison to Natasha's beauty.
She threw her head back and laughed, and he loved the sound. "Alright, lover boy, you've charmed me enough. I've already agreed to this relationship."
"And I promised to spoil you," He reminded her, smiling as the word 'relationship' fell from her lips so comfortably. "Giving you truthful compliments is just part of the deal, doll."
Doll. She'd never been a fan of such nicknames before, but she found herself liking that term of endearment very much. "I'll be prepared to be utterly wooed tomorrow night, then." She said, and then tilted her head. "Hmm, how am I possibly going to be able to keep my hands off you tomorrow?" To empathise her point, she ran her hands over his shoulders, over his strong chest and then down his dreamy arms.
The same thought had crossed his mind about how he could possibly resist the urge to kiss her senseless when he saw her in the morning. "We'll just have to be good actors."
She scoffed at that. "Yeah, right, I remember your idea of acting in the mall."
Rolling his eyes, he tickled her again, and she giggled and squirmed in his lap. "I'll be better." He promised.
"I'll see you in the morning, Rogers." She said, giving him a final peck on the lips before regrettably getting up from his lap. Steve walked her across the room to the elevator. She smiled at him before stepping inside, giving him a little wave before disappearing from sight.
That night, Steve slept better than he had done in months.
~0~0~0~0~0~
So, if you can't already tell, the next couple of chapters will fit in between the Winter Soldier and Age of Ultron movies, and will show the first few months of Steve and Natasha's relationship.
I really didn't want to write it as being awkward, even though both characters are quite guarded. Instead, I wanted to show just how much they needed one another to bring out the best sides of them; Natasha allowing herself to be happy, and Steve being confident.
Also, I'm very sorry if I missed out any details on Natasha's past or got some of them wrong. If pointed out, I'll amend. I did do a lot of background reading, but as I've never read the comics, I'm aware there may be several things I have missed. Also, I did not make Alexei Natasha's ex husband like the comics had, because in the Black Widow film, it's already stated that he was more of a father figure, and that's the route I wanted to take with this storyline.
WARNING: THIS STORY WILL NOW BECOME RATED M AND I WILL CHANGE THE RATING TO FIT ACCORDINGLY.
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