EPILOGUE
It was a three great years of their relationship. Steve and Natasha were the campus sweethearts. Everyone loves them. Everyone talked about them. Everyone knew about them.
They were the idol in every single angle.
Steve became the football legend in no time. After the third straight championship, the university decided to retire his jersey in honor of him. Many NFL teams came to him with an offer that no one couldn't deny such an opportunity.
Natasha Romanoff became the superstar of the performing school. With her intoxicating voice and her theatrical skill, she could take on to Broadway, Hollywood, or wherever she want. She was the queen ruling this campus side by side with Steve. Together they were the most powerful people.
It was a graduation day. Everyone in the gang gathered together outside the football stadium which will hold the ceremony in two hours. Steve and Natasha, holding hand and smiling, talked to Bruce, Phil, Maria, Bucky and Clint. Thor, Jane, and Darcy met up with them a moment later. Tony Stark always knew how to make an entrance by driving his brand new red sport car into the parking lot. Pepper was sitting with him in the passenger seat, looking annoyed by her boyfriend.
The ceremony passed very quickly and every member of the gang received a loud cheer from everyone especially Steve and Natasha. Someone put their names right after one another so Steve gave a kissed to his girlfriend on stage while everyone was cheering and giving them a loud applause.
After the ceremony ended, the group gathered again outside with their family. They took picture together, smiling and laughing. Steve also giving a little gift to his girlfriend.
"I have something for you." He said and reveal a brown box with red bow ribbon.
"You shouldn't have."
But she took the box and opened it right away. Natasha found a small Tiffany box and a scrapbook. She opened the Tiffany box first to find a new lucky charm. It was a graduation hat in platinum gold.
"You don't have to give me a lucky charm every time something happen Steve." She said
"I want to."
"I need only one lucky charm to be honest." Nat told "Which is this one." She lifted her left wrist up and revealed the snowflake charm.
"That's my favorite one too."
Nat moved on to the scrapbook and found that he handmade it by himself with every little detail of it. He put every photo they ever took together and decorated it in a very cute little way and wrote a small caption at every photo.
"Aww, you know you don't have to give me a scrapbook, right?" She asked, "I live with you, Steven."
"I know. It's just a reminder of our college time." Steve replied "At least, when you're lonely, you can take a look at this."
"Thank you, Steve." She said "I don't have anything to give you because I already live with you, dummy."
"I couldn't ask for anything better than that."
They shared a kiss which Tony and Clint snapped the picture of them right away. The couple broke off immediately when they heard the shutter sounded. Nat gave them a deadly glare and made the two troublemakers ran away. Steve lightly chuckled. Nat turned back to him and saw something in his eyes.
"Why are you acting like we will never see each other again?" Nat asked.
"It's just a reminder of our best time together during the past three years." Steve replied. "In case our jobs tear us away but at least there is something to remind you of how much I love you."
"You think I will doubt about your love for me after what we've been through."
"Just in case, babe."
"I love you, Steven Rogers."
"I love you too, Natasha Romanoff."
Four years in the university had given them the best time of their life. Well, even this was the end of their college life, it was just the beginning of real life.
4 Years later
Tony Stark and Pepper Potts
Tony subtlety forced Pepper to work with him in Stark industry. She refused it at first but Tony also refused to work with his dad unless he had Pepper with him. Howard had to ask Pepper nicely so his son could work with him and finally took the reign as the CEO of the company.
Most of the time, Tony spent working on developing new technology and had Pepper did the managing part but sometime they needed to combine force and took down their competitor.
They were the deadliest combination in business world.
Their relationship still growing strong and Tony found himself loving this monogamy relationship. After he was dating with Pepper in college, he turned into Steve Rogers. He stopped his womanizing day and spend his day worshipping the love of his life.
Meanwhile, Pepper, even though she loved Tony but sometime she felt like she wanted to strangle her boyfriend form doing stupid stunt. Sometime she had to call her girls up for a little girl night just so she could talk to her girl about Tony.
Other than that they loved each other and Pepper knew Tony need her more than anything.
Pepper stormed into Tony's workshop where the billionaire was tinkering away with the latest gadget he invented. Loud rock music blared loudly inside the room. She was very angry at him because today was supposed to be a meeting with the important client but Tony deliberately missed it.
"JARVIS, turn off the stereo."
"Yes, ma'am"
The music gone and it got Tony's attention as he took of his protective mask.
"Hey! Don't turn off my music when I'm working, honey."
"Don't honey me, Tony!"
"Why are you brooding? Is this that time of the month again?"
"You forget we're having a meeting with Mr. King."
"Oh…." Tony exclaimed, "I'm sorry."
"DON'T JUST SAY YOU ARE SORRY!"
"Well, there is something else occupied my mind today…"
"WE MISSED OUR CHANCE OF EXPANDING THE COMPANY"
"Which is mostly about you and we and us and our relationship."
"THEY'RE GONNA GO FOR JUSTIN HAMMER AND IF WE MISS THIS—"
"I cannot imagine my life without you…."
"IF WE MISSED THIS-"
"Will you spend the rest of your life with me?"
"I WILL BLOW UP YOUR WORKSHOP AND KILL YOU."
"Pepper! You are not listening to me!" Tony yelled back to get her attention.
"It was like I'm already married to you and handle everything that you supposed to do by yourself."
"Pepper! I'm asking you to marry me!"
That silenced her completely as her eyes widened. Tony took this opportunity to get down on his knew and present her with a ring with big diamond on it.
"YES YES!" Pepper blurted out with tears forming in her eyes.
Tony let out a loud sigh of relief, "I thought you would say no."
"Just shut up and put the ring on me."
Clint Barton
Clint Barton was just arriving at the hotel in Dubai when his phone rand loudly. He smiled when he saw the caller's ID.
"BARTON! HOW WAS YOUR FIRST DAY IN WHATEVER COUNTRY THAT WAS?"
It was Natasha Romanoff, his best friend.
"Nat! You don't have to yell like that I can hear you from all the way back to New York." Clint told.
"I'm just so excited! It's Olympic and we gotta watch you on that podium with your gold medal" Natasha said excitingly, "We all will be watching you every competition you're in."
"Thanks"
"How are you anyway?"
"Just arrived at the hotel and we will be settled in pretty soon." Clint replied "It's a very nice hotel. Near all training facilities."
"Don't forget the souvenir! Steve wants some Arabian hand-stitched rug for our new house in LA."
"I will try to find it for him." Clint promised "Nat…"
Clint walked into the hotel when he caught a glimpse of someone that catch his eyes.
"What?" Nat asked when she didn't hear anything from him
"…."
"Barton, are you there?"
"I gotta go, Nat. Talk to you later"
"Wait, I just got a chance to talk to you!"
"I think I just met the love of my life" Clint replied and hung up immediately.
The archer fixed his hair and walked toward the direction of the girl he just saw. She was very beautiful in his eyes. There was something Clint couldn't tell but he felt something very strong with her. Her deep blue sparkled eyes were really hard to take his eyes off.
He stopped in front of her and immediately got her attention.
Clint gave her his charming smile, "Hi, I'm Clint Barton from the archer team." He introduced himself.
The blonde girl chanted him a smile in return.
"Hi, Clint Barton from the archer team." She repeated.
"You're not even gonna give me your name."
"Everyone knows me."
"Really, why don't I know your name?"
She chuckled but told him her name anyway, "I'm Barbara Morse but you can call me Bobbi from the Judo team."
"Nice to meet you, Bobbi." Clint smiled.
And that was how Clint Barton met his wife.
There was many thing going on during the Olympic. When Clint won four gold medals, he was dubbed as the greatest mask man alive. Tony and Pepper were there on Clint's last game as he win another gold medal. So he had five gold medals in total.
Clint got a chance to celebrate his victory with his friends and introduced Bobbi to Tony and Pepper.
After they came back from Dubai, Clint held a small party for only his closest friends. It was the second group reunion that everyone actually all showed up. Clint announced his engagement to Bobbi.
Thor and Jane & Loki and Darcy
"Brother! I'm so glad that you finally join me in running our family business!" Thor boomed as Loki stepped into his office.
"Geez, you don't have to yell." Loki rolled his eyes, "Beside, Darcy asked me nicely."
"Whatever you say brother." Thor smiled fondly at his younger brother who annoyingly sit down opposite of him.
"Your brother is indeed a stubborn man." Darcy spoke up
"How did you manage to convince him?"
Loki was about to protest something with Darcy who just raised her hand up and Loki shut his mouth completely.
"I say he can write poetry all he want but I'm not gonna marry to a guy who doesn't have a real job. You know, you have to shatter his confidence and his ego."
Thor laughed loudly while Loki rolled his eyes again.
"I will work at our publishing section if you don't mind. I have no interest in…this side of work you are currently working on." Loki said.
"Do whatever suit you little brother."
Loki got up and dragged Darcy along with him. Thor smiled at the sight of the couple leaving his office, bickering at one another. He glad to know that his baby brother finally met his match and that someone was Darcy who can outwit Loki and managed to annoy him in every turn.
Thor was now managing the hospitality section. He already married to Jane a year ago. She was working with the research and development at Stark Industry with Bruce. Lucky for them, the HQ of both companies were in New York so they didn't have to separate from one another.
Jane had archived many scientific breakthrough. Thor was a successful businessman. While Loki finally published his first novel and Darcy helped him with all the inspiration he need.
Bruce Banner
"My bro! This is your own labs as a gift from me and Pepper. When I mean your own labs, I really mean your own labs." Tony said as he led Bruce into the laboratory floor of Stark HQ in New York City. "You can do whatever research you want and hire whoever you want as a part of your research team."
"Thanks, Tony." Bruce said.
"You don't have to thank me, man. You're my best friend and I love you so much, buddy."
"Love you too, pal."
Tony showed Bruce to the rest of his lab until they reached the one office.
"Bruce, this is Dr. Elizabeth Ross." Tony introduced, "She is one of our top scientist and it is better that you two get to know each other."
Tony left them alone and Bruce was awkwardly standing in the room while Betty gently smiled at the sheepish man.
"Come here, Dr. Banner. I will show you my work."
That was how Bruce Banner met Betty Ross and she will be his wife in the next five years.
Phil Coulson and Melinda May
After the graduation, Phil went back to his hometown with Melinda. He got a job in a big company while May became a martial arts instructor. He worked there for three years until the company decided to lay off half of the employee. They came back to New York to visit their friends and to attend Natasha's first Hollywood movie premier, Budapest.
When the couple heard that Phil and May had a little problem with their jobs. Steve quickly called his mother and to surprise Phil, Steve and Nat invited May and Phil to spend their weekend at their Hampton home.
They announced the surprise after they were half way to Hampton and Phil couldn't get out of the car. Phil yelled at Steve but the captain only chuckled and said that everything will be alright and he didn't have to fear for anything.
"Steve, you really don't have to do this." Phil said as Steve pushed him inside his Hampton house.
"Yes, I have to. You're my friend, Phil. And I owe you a lot." Steve replied "Besides, my mom needs someone she can trust."
Phil swallowed hard when Steve pushed him into Sarah's office.
"Mom!" Steve greeted loudly and Sarah looked up from her paper work with a bright smile.
"Steve, finally my son return to me."
"Mom, I just visited you last week."
"And where is my lovely future daughter in law?" Sarah asked.
"Mrs. Rogers." Nat smiled at the woman
"This is Phil and Melinda I assume."
"Yes, Mrs. Rogers." Phil and May said at the same time.
Sarah got up from her seat to hug them both.
"Phil, Steve already told me about your current situation and I offer you a position in my company. You will be my Hampton Manager of every business I own in this town. For you, Melinda, I have a friend who run a martial arts institute."
"Thank you for your kindness, Mrs. Rogers."
"Don't worry. You look out for my son for a very long time. It's the least I can do for you."
Sarah ended up with both Phil and May taking care of her business establishment in Hampton. She brought them a small house so they could start planning about their future and family. She really adored both of them.
Phil decided to ask May to marry him a couple years from when they started working for Sarah.
Maria Hill and Bucky Barnes
Maria Hill was at her first step of political career. She was a part of the election campaign and slowly moving her way up. She was deemed one of the brightest future in political world.
She moved permanently to DC so she could fully work on the career she always want. Sometime, she headed back to New York to meet up with her friends or sometime they came here to visit her.
Her life was perfect to be honest and to prove the point, she got someone to share all her glory with.
In that quiet Sunday morning, Maria woke up to the smell of breakfast from the kitchen. She loved it. She loved this little domestic life and she was glad to have someone she could share it with.
"Morning, Barnes" She spoke up as she entered the kitchen
"Morning, Hill." Bucky turned and smiled at the woman.
Oh, right. James 'Bucky' Barnes was her boyfriend. He moved to Marvel University on their junior year and spent the entire year tiptoeing around, bantering, and tried to outwit each other with Steve and Nat constantly had a headache and stopped telling them to get together.
Surprisingly after they stopped, they instantly date and was together ever since.
James became a defensive tackle for Washington Redskins. One of the brightest future player on the team. He was the beacon of hope for the defensive team when they were up against one of the best offensive or the best quarterback like Steve Rogers.
"What do you make for breakfast?" Hill asked
"Some pancake with berries the way my girl loves so much."
"That's nice."
She gave him a peck of his cheek and sat down beside him.
"So, tonight is the game night against the Giants and Nat will be here too." Bucky started " I hope you will be there watching me crushed Steve."
"I don't know why you guys didn't choose the same team, you know. You have to play against each other again and remember last time you tackled him."
"Yeah, Nat stops talking to me for a week."
"Why don't you choose the Giants?"
"Because my girl is in DC and I have to be here with her."
"That's the exact same reason Steve gave to Nat."
"That punk always had and always be a New Yorker. He rather died if he had to play against his favorite city."
They chuckled and stayed silent for a while until Bucky decided to speak up again.
"Please be there. I really want you there to watch me."
"You know I always will even how much busy I am."
"I'm the luckiest man." Bucky smiled and kissed her again.
And the last couple.
"Steven Rogers of New York Giants just lead his team into the Super Bowl. They will face New England Patriots at the ground of their own home. Everyone was speculated that this year will his year of glory."
The young couple were sitting in a secluded corner of the restaurant in New York to avoid anyone from detecting them. They needed some privacy and they've been doing a very great job in keeping the press in the dark about their love life.
"Moving on to the next news, Natasha Romanoff, Oscar winner for her leading role in the movie 'Budapest', has been spot smooching with a hunky guy wearing hoodie and glass covering his face outside her apartment building in NYC last night"
They have been hiding this since they had their jobs in the spotlight. Natasha landed her first role in the production of 'Cinderella' right after she graduated from the university and two years later, she scored her first big screen role and it was her Oscar winning role in 'Budapest'. Media was all over her so the couple knew they had to be more discreet if they want to have something only to themselves.
Steve was following his dreams. He was a quarterback of New York Giants and led his team right to the Super Bowl on his first year. Luck was all that would describe his miracle year. The first quarterback was badly injured and out for the season so Steve took his place and did better than anyone expected from the college kid. He became everyone favorite player in no time. His friends who live in New York always accompanied Natasha to his home game. Sometimes, his lovely girlfriend flew from her set at a place across the globe to watch his game and spent some time with him. This year, he was able to lead his team into the Super Bowl again and Steve knew, nothing can stop him now.
It was a seven delightful year of their relationship. Surprisingly, their jobs didn't pose any threat to their relationship even her acting career required some intimate scene but Steve didn't let his jealousy get in the way like when he was younger. His handsomeness, fame and popularity always drew women to him but he never ever let anyone came near him. Sometime the media was joking that he was gay because he didn't seem to have any girl by his side. Steve just simply replied to the question about his sexuality that they should ask alumni from Marvel of his legend in the campus.
Even he gave them a hint, media could be blind to a very obvious evident that Natasha was his girlfriend.
"Oh, how wrong of you. If Steve is gay, every living man on this earth would be gay." Tony replied when he was asked by the reporter about the matter. "That guy fucked half of the women in the campus, literally. But I guess he put that old glory day behind."
"What about the fact that he dates Natasha Romanoff?"
"They used to date." Tony lied "She sometime came to see his game as all of us in the gang would do if we have free time."
Natasha and Steve chuckled.
"At least Stark doesn't be his usual big mouth self." Nat said.
"Yeah, he knows we need to keep our relationship a secret to avoid everything."
"Tell me again why we need to meet here?" Natasha asked
"Because you don't want our relationship to go on public and you said you want to give the media the chance to keep their speculation of my sexuality."
Natasha actually laughed out loud because it reminded her of how he whine about this matter.
She looked at him fondly and grabbed his chin "I guess it's time for us to tell the world, Rogers"
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, that's why I told you, dummy."
"If you were okay with it, I'm okay with it too."
"Let's get outta here."
He grabbed her hand and let her out of the restaurant from the front door which was something they never did. They always used the back door from the kitchen and had their limo waiting for them a couple block away.
Everyone in the restaurant went silent and looked at them before some started grabbing their phone and took their photo. People began to gossip and as they reached the front door. Some paparazzi were out there waiting for some celebrities to show up.
Nat stopped Steve in his track and pulled his neck down to give him a kiss.
And that was how the whole world knew they were dating.
After they exposed their relationship to the public, every TV show invited them for an interview but they carefully selected which one they really want to be on. Natasha always had a good relationship with Jimmy Fallon and Steve knew Ellen DeGeneres.
They were on those two show, having their good time until it was the Super Bowl. Nat said she will be there with everyone because they knew how important this was to Steve.
Everyone was there wearing Steve's jersey and witnessed the moment of greatness of their friend. Steve ruled the field and the crowd. The underdog with much less experienced quarterback went against one of the best quarterback of the entire time.
It was a very memorable game. They won the game but Steve took a big hit again. The medical staff had to take him to the hospital. She went to the hospital with him too and the celebration party needed to postpone.
Steve was whining in the hospital bed when the doctor told him that he needed to take a rest for two months. His angle was sprained and his left arm had a little injury due to the impact when he fell to the ground.
Nat was staying at the hospital with him that night when another memorable thing happened.
"Nat, can you do something for me?" Steve called from his bed.
She looked up from her book and smiled, "Yes, sweetie"
"Will you marry me?"
That question took Nat off guard every time. It came at the most unexpected moment and each time in a different condition and entirely new different setting.
"Do you ever notice that you ask me to marry you every time something happened? Your jealousy, and six more times after the first propose, the time when you almost got expelled, the paper cut last week."
Steve smiled fondly and took her hand before pressing a kiss on it.
"I took it as a good sign, baby. If in our worst day, I still want to spend the rest of my life with you and you still want to be with me then it shouldn't be a problem, and if you say yes to me, I'm the luckiest man on earth to know that my future wife can accept the fuck up part of my life. I love you, Natasha. No matter thick or thin, rich or poor, best day or worst day. Our love is real and I really sure that I want to be with you for the rest of my life. Doing all the crazy thing with you, woke up every morning with you in my arms, raised one or two babies boy and girl with you, growing old with you. That's what I want and you're the only thing I need to make all of that happen. Will you marry me?"
Nat felt her eyes tears up before she let it flow freely. She got up and kissed him deeply. She broke away and answered the question.
"Yes, you dumbass"
-THE END-