Authors Note: The story continues
Warmth.
Warmth was all around. It seemed to envelope everything around in a bubble of safety and peace. This was the bubble she woke up in. She nestled her head into her pillow, which wasn't as soft as she'd like it to be but for some reason it felt right. She reached out to feel around the bed when she touched upon another hard substance, similar to the pillow. Something was off, she quickly opened her eyes and realized that she wasn't anywhere near a pillow as she saw fabric and looked up to see a sleeping Steve.
"Shit."
She couldn't remember much of last night but she did remember endless amounts of alcohol followed by total blackness. She knew she should be reprimanding herself for getting into this situation but it just felt so right. She was comfortable and it wasn't like they had sex or anything, Steve was just taking care of her. Like he always does.
"Might as well enjoy it." She mused as she snuggled back into Steve's chest and closed her eyes, a goofy grin spreading across her face.
Steve opened his eyes to a bluish light as the morning sun slowly moved in from outside. Steve always loved this time of the day, that's why he always woke up so early. Sunsets were beautiful but to Steve it always meant the end of something great. But the beautiful bluish haze as the sun barely rises from the horizon bought along a cooling sensation and a promise of new beginnings. Steve made to stretch when he felt something sharp claw into him causing him to grimace and look down.
"Right."
He was wondering why his chest felt heavy as he quickly remembered the events of last night and the reason why a certain red head was glued onto him refusing to let her new pillow go anywhere. Steve sighed as he observed Natasha's sleeping form and couldn't help grinning at how silly she looked. Her hair was slightly messy and there was a little bit of drool dripping down her mouth. But what amused Steve the most was the goofy grin spread across her face.
"I wonder." Mused Steve as he relished in this opportunity to stare at the red haired beauty to his heart's content. She was growing on him and growing fast. He wouldn't say he loved her or anything as love was a strong word and shouldn't be thrown around. Now that Steve thought about it he never really truly loved anybody other than his family of course, but they were gone. He really liked Peggy but he never got to truly know her and they never got a chance to go out on that date. It was left to be one of those unanswered questions in life that one kind of just accepts and moves on. She was special to him; she was the first woman that was kind to him before the serum. She saw his heart and mind instead of the scrawny kid barely keeping up with his platoon. She was a great friend and more but alas fate intervened and their ship had sailed.
"Eight o'clock on the dot and don't you dare be late."
A somber smile crept along Steve's face as he reminisced on their last conversation before he went barreling into the icy sea and seemingly eternal slumber.
"Gee Rogers, is that terrible to sleep with me?" Quipped a familiar velvet voice that shook Steve from the past and back to the present causing him to look down towards the voice. He was met with familiar emerald eyes gazing expectantly at him with a mischievous glint shining across them.
"Natasha."
"Quite the contrary, I thought you looked quite adorable drooling all over my shirt," mused Steve enticing a horrified expression to spread across Natasha's face as she shoved Steve into the pillows and darted towards the bathroom.
Still laughing Steve got up to finally stretch; afterwards he headed out towards the patio where he was met by the shining blue of the Asgardian Sea, which shone brilliantly in the sunlight. It was beautiful place and Steve had to constantly remind himself that he was no longer on Earth. But it didn't seem to be a big difference as these days both Earth and Asgard were foreign to him. He remembered that here were some paper and writing equipment inside the room and with a smile he headed back into the room to grab it.
After about an hour Natasha emerged from the bathroom looking as proper and dangerous as ever. She didn't feel the need to wear her catsuit so instead opted for the Asgardian clothes that seemed to be laid out for her. The red fabric was soft and free flowing hugging her curvaceous figure quite nicely. She walked back into the room and noticed Steve outside sitting on the ledge looking out towards the open sea and sketching.
"I didn't know you drew."
"There's a lot about me you don't know." Said Steve as he continued sketching
"True, can I see?" asked Natasha as she stood on tiptoes trying to peer over Steve who quickly moved the notebook away from her.
"Wait." Said Steve sternly as Natasha pouted and decided to climb onto the other side of the other side of the ledge. She folded her arms around her knees and looked out towards the sea.
"I made a mess last night huh?"
"I think you amused more people than cause any real havoc." Said Steve with a chuckle.
"Listen, Steve. I know I said some things last night.."
"I don't need an apology, you were drunk. We all do silly things when intoxicated." Said Steve looking up and giving her that comforting smile that seemed to promise the end to all her problems.
"I guess I owe Sif an apology."
"Maybe, she felt bad afterwards, she had some kind words for you." Said Steve as he continued sketching.
"I'll talk to her before we leave," said Natasha with a small smile as Steve recounted what Sif said to her.
"So where to now?" Asked Steve as he finished the last stroke and handed the notepad for Natasha to see.
"It's beautiful." Muttered Natasha absentmindedly
"Well, It's just a quick sketch, nothing too technical or fancy I was just, inspired." Said Steve nervously scratching his head. He never really showed his art to anyone so he wasn't used to positive feedback.
"You know, you were right. There's a lot of things we don't know about each other." Said Natasha still staring at the sketch.
"Well we haven't known each other that long, and up until recently it's all been professional."
"Then lets go somewhere, somewhere where our past hasn't been. Somewhere where I can meet Steve Rogers." Said Natasha with a smile as she stroked the sketch.
"How about Florence?"
"I don't see why not, we do get free airfare." Mused Natasha as she looked towards the Bifrost.
Since the two didn't bring anything with them they simply walked out to find Thor to tell them they needed to depart. After a quick meal in the hall and some conversation with the warriors three along with Sif they found themselves standing with Thor by the portal.
"Friends, I must thank you again for coming all this way to help me deal with the frost giants and dark elves." Said Thor with a wide smile
"It wasn't a problem, thank you for allowing us to visit your world and the hospitality." Said Steve
"Especially the hospitality." Repeated Natasha with a smirk
"Asgard and its palace are always open to its friends." Said Thor with a smile. "I will return to Midgard shortly after I handle some things here, we will meet soon. I've told Heimdall where you wanted to go so just walk through when you are ready."
With a final wave to Thor and Heimdall the duo walked through the portal and was shot back towards Earth onto cobbled streets and streetlamps that tried to shine as bright as it could through the foggy air.
"I don't think this is Florence." Said Natasha looking around
"Nope, we're in London." Said Steve with a sigh.
"Well, I guess we could just take a train or something tomorrow." Said Natasha as she took out her phone and begin tapping away.
"Come on, I booked us a hotel room nearby." Said Natasha grabbing Steve's hand and pulling him down the street past the gawking pedestrians.
The two checked into a 5 star hotel by Hyde Park but due to vacancy issues Natasha could only book one room. Whether she did that intentionally or not is again one of those unanswered questions in life.
Both Natasha and Steve went to the nearby stores and bought some more clothes, as they didn't need to be wearing uniforms or Asgardian outfits everywhere. Steve didn't dress flashy as he simply went with jeans and a grey hoodie while Natasha dressed in something similar except her hoodie was red.
Afterwards the two decided to grab some dinner at a café nearby, as everything else seemed to be closing soon.
"Alright out with it, why do you look so down?" Sighed Natasha as Steve held a distant look ever since they arrived in London.
"So much for avoiding the past," sighed Steve. "Remember when you asked me who that woman was when we were at the base?"
"Margaret Carter? I read her file later on." Said Natasha quickly at Steve's surprised look.
"Peggy, I knew her as Peggy. She was an agent from London when I first met her. She saw something in me before the serum. She was a great friend, comrade, and more. Well, maybe more I wouldn't have known," muttered Steve sadly on the last part.
"Did you love her?"
"I wouldn't know, we never got the chance to know each other to get to that stage." Said Steve. "We were supposed to meet at the Stork Club in New York at 8 but I was just 90 something years late. "
"Do you regret it? What you did?"
"Never, millions of lives would have been gone if I didn't crash that plane. I guess being here just makes me wonder what could have been. She's still here you know, she gave me a letter when I last saw her. She told me to live my life and not worry about what I've missed. To live like I was 28 and 95 years hadn't gone by. That she lived a good life and her only wish was that I would be able to do the same."
"So why are you still moping then?"
"I guess I never really had time to just sit and digest everything that's happened as it's just been missions after missions saving the world." Said Steve
"Alexei, his name was Alexei Shostakov. He was the first man I supposedly fell in love with when I was training in the red room. The times we had seemed so real but in the end it was just a lie from the KGB. The wedding, the memoires, and the times we had everything in order to motivate me to go deeper in the red room. It worked. After Alexei I felt like I had nothing to live for and that love was a lie. It was like that for a long time until Clint saved me. It was when I was on the other side and I learned that it was all a lie that I began to fully realize the reality of it all." Said Natasha looking down at her coffee mug.
"Well, I guess I really shouldn't be here complaining." Said Steve looking abashed.
"I wasn't trying to make you feel bad, I'm trying to tell you that things happen that we can't control or always know why it happens but life goes on. We could go mad thinking about everything that could have been or reflecting and being angry or sad over what's happened in the past but that doesn't solve anything. We'd just constantly be looking back and missing the present and ultimately the future. You might not have noticed Steve but time is short, and we have to do with what little of it we get. Said Natasha looking into Steve's eyes with a fire sparking inside of it.
"You do have a way with words." Said Steve in awe looking at Natasha with warmth in his eyes.
"Excuse me, sorry to interrupt but we're closing in five minutes." Said a waiter
"We''ll be out of your way in just a minute." Said Steve as he grabbed so cash and put it on the table. The duo left the café and was walking down the steps when it suddenly began to rain.
"Damn." Muttered Natasha
The two stood under the canopy as soft jazz music played from the outdoor speakers. The roads were empty and the duo sat on the steps deciding to wait the rain out. Suddenly the speakers crackled a little and a Frank Sinatra song came on, "Moonlight becomes you."
"Natasha, have you ever danced in the rain?" said Steve with a mischievous grin.
"I can't say I have why?" asked Natasha suspiciously as her eyes narrowed.
"Natasha Romanoff, would you do me the honor of this one dance." Asked Steve as he got up and bowed in front of her offering his hand.
"Why I thought you'd never ask Mr. Rogers." Said Natasha playing along with a smile as she took Steve's hand and the duo weaved out onto the cobblestone street.
In and out they weaved to the jazzy rhythm as they let the rain splash upon them, completely soaking their hair and clothes but not their spirit. The two laughed and joked as they enjoyed each other's presence. They ran, walked, and danced some more as they weaved in and out of alleys and streets getting completely lost in the city. The passerby's had no idea that these two were avengers as to them they were just a young couple savoring there youth.
"Ah to be young again." Muttered an old man who was holding an umbrella up watching the duo running and laughing from a distance
"We'd used to the exacts same thing, remember that." Said an old lady who was under the umbrella that the old man was holding.
"And I'd do it again and again for an eternity." He said with a smile as he leaned down for a kiss.
Authors Note: And that's chapter four! Let me know what you guys think!