[A/N: Hey, there! Just a little something I had in mind after watching Infinity War and Endgame for millionth time. I pretty much pretended endgame never happened, and a few things in IW, too. I hope you like it.]

"I thought we had a deal. Stay close. Check in. Don't take any chances."

Natasha's tone was not amicable. As the Quinjet doors sealed shut, she didn't listen to whatever excuse Wanda came up with in response. When Sam asked Steve where they were headed, his answer was obvious, simple, almost automatic. 'Home'. Nat had to hold back from rolling her eyes. The idea of home was almost ironic, if not completely naïve. When he took the seat next to her, Steve didn't grab her hand. Didn't make any silly remarks. Didn't start a conversation.

Natasha sank into her seat and pulled a book from under it, snapping on her headphones and cranking up some music at the same time.

Sure, Natasha and Steve were very much still friends. Partners, at least. The best pairing ever. Two years on the run and counting. A lot had happened. And it was funny to think how the most obvious thing to happen is that she would end up in his bed, sooner or later. Not Sam's. Steve's.

It had always been Steve. It's not like they'd fallen in love, though. It wasn't even regular, actually. But it was good nevertheless.

But now, well… After a particularly intimate conversation, the conclusion was that it'd better not happen again, for both their sakes. Never again.

Sam obviously knew something was up, but judging by the "this is awkward" sentence she heard him say hours later when Bruce Banner showed up… He still hadn't realized it was over.

Those were the craziest twenty-four hours ever. That was obviously debatable, of course, but then, that was the first time they were going to face Thanos. Actually face him.

On their way to Wakanda, Steve kept on staring at the seat in front of him, where Natasha sat with her ridiculously huge headphones. She didn't even have a ritual before the battles anymore. Her plan was to fight as she knew. Not that her knowledge was small, but when it comes to a genocidal purple alien, nothing seems good enough.

When they landed, everyone was out of the Quinjet in seconds. Natasha stood behind, attaching extra equipment to her vest, as if it were any use. Steve hesitated and thought many times before speaking, but whatever. Who knew if they would even be alive when it all ended.

"Natasha."

She looked at him, but gave no verbal response.

"Don't let yourself get killed."

She smiled without showing teeth and walked past him.

"Ok. I'll see you in a minute."

One step before exiting the Quinjet, she turned around.

"Don't shave off your beard. You look much less like a good guy with it."

Steve smiled and walked up to her, both of them setting off into the unknown.

Hours later, the Sun was down on them, and it felt like being stabbed with heat. Huge beads of sweat went into the torn uniform. The mind stone had been destroyed, and so had Thanos. Still, there was a disturbing silence, that resembled nothing the relief they should be feeling.

Part of that was due to Vision being killed off. But when Bucky called his name, Steve turned around and saw him turn into dust. And Sam. And T'Challa. And..

He couldn't see Natasha anywhere. Last time they'd made eye contact, she was covered in Proxima Midnight's blood, in the middle of the battlefield. She'd be there already.

Still, he went to where he'd last seen her. Nothing. Everyone who had survived the snap grouped together, feeling scared and astonished.

"She's not here, Steve." Wanda said. He looked at her. The tears still stained Maximoff's young face. Rogers couldn't tell if she knew something or if it was obvious he was looking for Natasha.

Many hours later, when they finally got to the headquarters, Steve didn't linger in the common areas. In all of them, he could see Natasha making a snarky remark about something, or maybe reading.

He wasn't one to cry, but didn't make any efforts to wipe the fat tear that escaped his left eye. Had he known what was going to happen that day, would he have told Natasha they couldn't be together anymore?

Would he have spent so much time without seeing Bucky? Maybe he would have gone for a run with Sam the day before?

Steve didn't know what exactly had happened, but he wouldn't sit and wait for things to go back to normal on their own.

After taking a shower, he brought the razor close to his face. His initial idea was to shave his beard, but then remembered Natasha's last suggestion.

As he put away the shaving items, Steve decided to go find a solution first thing in the morning.

[A/N: So, what'd ya think? :) ]