A/N: Nothing too fancy, just a Classic Christmas episode set in the AOM Universe. This was originally meant to be released last year, if not for several complications. Think of it as as one of those Holiday specials franchises have...
Warning: Sappy content ahead.
A Tennyson Christmas
...
December 20, 2012
...
Natasha Romanoff let out a breath that cooled in the chill winter air as she approached the Tennyson household, her steps echoing on the porch. She pulled her jacket close as she raised her hand to knock, pausing hesitantly as she internally debated her next move. She could hear the faint music coming from inside the home, followed by broken strings of mirthful laughter and conversation.
Try as she might, she couldn't rid herself of the uneasy feeling that weighed on her, ever since she'd gotten the impromptu invitation to what Ben had described as "a little get together". Parties were generally not her thing, unless there was a mission involved and said parties involved less than savoury characters. Other times she'd been tricked by Clint into babysitting his daughter.
Growing up as she did, there was barely any time to celebrate anything, much less a family gathering. Her family–if one could call it that, was always on some sort of mission. Always on the move, donning and shedding identities while trying to stay ahead of the spy world that would inevitably swallow them whole.
The only celebrating done was after a successful mission, and it was unto the next. Sometimes, under the cover of night, Natasha and her adoptive sister would share whatever treats they'd managed to save up after the previous mission. Her family lived and breathed for the mission, no more and no less. Life was a never-ending string of missions and the cycle repeated even after she'd defected and joined up with SHIELD.
Needless to say, it came as a surprise to the Black Widow when Ben offered an impromptu invitation, in his classic naive and quirky way. The redhead had offhandedly mentioned that she had other plans when he'd curiously inquired as to what exactly spies did for Christmas.
"W-what?", Ben stuttered in bewilderment, "–but it's Christmas!"
She resisted the urge to roll her eyes dramatically, "Yes, and I have a job to do".
"But–its Christmas!", the shapeshifter repeated, clearly not able to understand the superspy's apparently lack holiday spirit. "Even the bad guys take days off!"
She shook her head while cracking an amused smile, "Well, maybe your villains do. Spies on the other hand, don't really have days off".
The Omnitrix Wielder huffed in disappointment, clearly perturbed at the prospect of the Black Widow not being able to celebrate something as universal as the Yuletide season. Maybe he wasn't a spy, but he was a hero. And what kind of hero was he if he couldn't spread some Christmas cheer?
"Hey, y'know what?", the shapeshifter's expression lit up like an ornament, a twinkle in his eyes as the idea clicked in his mind, "you could come over to my house for Christmas! We're having a party!"
"Your house?", the redhead's brow raised inquisitively.
"It's not like a party–party...just like a family event, or something", Ben stumbled before awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck, suddenly finding the floor of Tony's furnished apartment quite interesting.
"Thanks, but family's not really my thing", she finally said, breaking the bout of silence between them both. The gesture was unexpected, but clearly unwarranted.
"C'mon–"
"No"
"Pretty please?"
"–still no"
"Please with puppy eyes on top?"
"...you're ridiculous."
Natasha let out an exasperated huff, Tennyson was nothing if not persistent. Still, it felt out of character for the Black Widow and even more out of place for her. She tugged on her jacket, taking a moment to glance around the suburban environment. It felt so sterile, so...normal. Despite having full knowledge on Tennyson's files, seeing the real thing felt oddly surreal.
She raised her hand again, only for the door to swing open, revealing a bespectacled ginger with familiar emerald eyes that shone inquisitively beneath the lenses.
"Oh, hello", Gwendolyn Tennyson remarked, clearly taken aback by the unexpected redheaded guest but still maintaining an air of courtesy.
"Hi, I'm Nat... Natalie", Nat quickly corrected herself mid speech, opting to use her civilian alter ego in order to maintain her cover, "Natalie Rushman. Ben invited me over."
Gwen raised an eyebrow, studying the enigmatic redhead before her momentarily. Despite having a few inches over the Ginger Tennyson, the Black Widow felt like she'd shrunken over the past few seconds following her introduction to the Ginger.
Naturally, the superspy had already familiarized herself with every page of Gwen's file as well. While not as voluminous or detailed as her cousin, it still contained quite a lot on the cousin. Near perfect grades through high school, karate black belt with a regional championship trophy to her name, Gwendolyn seemed like the classic overachiever. Though they paled in comparison to the Black Widow, Gwendolyn Tennyson's profile was nonetheless quite impressive.
Nat bristled as she stood in front of Gwen, n person was quite a different matter entirely, the difference between a mere file and the real person as stark as night and day. Gwendolyn Tennyson's posture radiating a sense of uncanny perception and awareness, as though she could see through you.
If Gwen was an avid reader, Natasha was a closed book. The redhead offered a polite smile, as if to counter the Ginger's scrutinizing gaze.
Of course, Natasha was aware of the Ginger's uncanny... abilities for the lack of a better word. Suffice to say, the Tennysons were no ordinary family.
"Oh, of course", Gwen offered a tight grin as she stepped inwards, gesturing for the superspy to enter, "where are my manners...come in!"
...
The immediate chill was replaced with the warm ambience of the Tennyson household. As she stepped further into the living room, Nat was greeted by the warmth of flickering lights and the scent of pine that lingered in the air.
"You're a bit early, most of our guests haven't arrived yet", Gwen remarked as she led Nat through the halls of the Tennyson abode. Rows of tinsel and garlands streamed across the furniture and upholstery, with a traditional Christmas tree stood in the corner, adding to the festive atmosphere.
Several members of the Tennyson clan were already present, either conversing or partaking in the numerous snacks laid out on the tables, with barely a few cursory glances thrown the redhead's way.
"Ben did mention something about a surprise guest... you're not one of his alien friends are you?", Gwen finally turned to ask Nat as they made their way to the cost room, allowing the redhead is discard the snow crusted garment.
After the impromptu tour, a part of Nat felt oddly... disappointed, as though she were expecting to see not-so-human participants at the family event. The Christmas gathering seemed rather human...banal, in fact. A quaint family Christmas as regular as any other American household.
Perhaps her expectations had been skewed by her experience with Ben, perhaps the reports surrounding the Tennyson's had been slightly exaggerated. After the rather explosive introduction to Ben's world through their escapades at Undertown, it felt...rather refreshing to see a shade of normalcy to the hero's world.
"Nope, just a regular friend", Nat added with a chuckle, feeling the tension dissipate slightly, "A friend from... work".
"Uh huh...", Gwen nodded curtly as she led the redhead past the populated halls of the Tennyson household into a doorway leading to a separate, less crowded area of the Tennyson abode.
The room was much smaller, lightly decorated with a singular settee perched at the corner of the lodge.
The Ginger Tennyson promptly spun on her heel and faced the redhead squarely, arms akimbo.
"So, mind telling me why you're really here– Agent Romanov?"
Nat blinked, the sharp query momentarily taking her aback, "excuse me?!"
Gwen raised a finger, halting the SHIELD Agents in her tracks, "What, did you think I wouldn't figure it out? You spies are good, but I'm not stupid".
The superspy sighed, recalling just how Ben had offhandedly described his cousin.
"Yeah, Gwen can be a little...intense. Always the smartest person in a room, always able to read everything. She also gets overprotective sometimes..."
"Just tell me this", Gwen continued her impromptu interrogation, "is this a SHIELD thing? Did Fury send you?"
"No one knows I'm here", Nat's brow quirked in surprise at the Ginger's outburst, marvelling at the stark contrast to her amiable persona from just a few moments ago. Having a rather sordid past and reputation the Black Widow would naturally set off alarm bells in anyone with even a modicum of experience in their line of work.
The response was a bone-dry look from the Ginger maw, her silence punctuated by the rhythmic tap of her foot on the shag carpet.
"I don't suppose there's anything I can say to convince you otherwise?", the femme fatale remarked tentatively, hoping to at least placate the clearly. Starting off on a bad foot with Ben's cousin was definitely not the best first impression she wanted to make, especially with the rather tenuous relationship SHIELD already had with the Plumbers, as well as the Tennysons by proxy.
Gwen's eyes narrowed under the lenses of her spectacles. In the back of her mind, she really wanted to smack Ben at the back of his for being so naive, inviting a literal assassin into their homestead.
"You knock on my door and expect a hearty welcome? Sorry if I'm not as gullible Ben as Ben around you", Gwen huffed, arms folded in derision as shw eyed the agent, "I don't know if this is some elaborate spy game, but my family is very much off limits– Agent Romanov "
Some part of Natasha envied Gwendolyn, the girl being able to have something like a family to protect with such ferocity. The Ginger's paranoia seemed rather dramatic, but understandable given the unique circumstances of their meeting.
The redhead wondered why she'd even bothered with her cover identity. What exactly was Natalie supposed to protect? Her job? No one enjoyed being lied to, especially not to their face.
But there was something the Ginger clearly got wrong about her cousin, something that unsettled the superspy and rubbed her off the wrong way.
"Ben isn't naive", Nat pointed out, a sharp edge to her tone as she locked fiery gazes with Gwendolyn, "your cousin is many things; immature, overly cocky and irritating at the worst of times. But he's anything but naive. I would expect someone who's literally grown up beside him to see that".
A tension filled moment passed with neither of the two budging an inch, locked in a nonverbal confrontation.
"Heh, you've definitely been living with him all right", Gwen folded her arms as she snorted, her aggression dissipating slightly at the redhead's outburst, "Just tell your boss to stay away from my family. We already have enough on our plate without SHIELD bringing even more trouble–"
"Gwendy!", another voice called out, eerily familiar. The two ladies immediately turned to the source of the interruption, a dark-haired girl that had somehow snuck up on both of them causing the agent to double take.
Natasha wasn't sure if Gwendolyn's file mentioned a twin sister before, and if they had simply been redacted. The newcomer seemed to almost mirror the Ginger mage in every aspect of her appearance, every blemish and feature. However, the newcomer sported a heavy goth makeup, with purple eyes instead of green eyes.
The "original" Gwendolyn's reaction seemed to be anything but pleased, as a frustrated sigh escaped the Ginger's lips.
"What the hell do you want, Sunny?"
Sunny's lips curved into a sly grin, spreading her arms dramatically as if attempting a mock hug, "Come now, Gwendy, is that anyway to treat your dear old cousin?"
The goth girl's grin morphed into a predatory grin as her attention was divested from the Ginger Tennyson to the redhead beside her, Sunny's eyes flashing in amusement.
"And who's this? Mmmmhhh...she looks fun", Sunny's finger curved on her chin as she eyed the agent, her microscopic haze widening in amusement "Ohhhh, her aura's so mysterious and dangerous–I like it"
"Ahem!!", Gwen's outstretched arm came between Nat and Sunny, "just tell me why you're bothering me again, I don't have time for your shenanigans."
"Ohhhhh, touchy", Sunny pouted in faux disappointment before adding nonchalantly, "I suppose I shouldn't bother you about a call you apparently missed..."
"Wait, what?"
"Oh nothing,", A mischievous smirk curled Sunny's lips as she shrugged, clearly enjoying watching her cousin squirm, "just some annoying pest who called himself Ken".
"Ken?? You mean my brother?", Gwendolyn's eyes narrowed dangerously at the goth.
"Ohhhhhh that's why he sounded so annoying...I guess it runs in the family", Sunny's innocent pout was betrayed by the smug satisfaction in her eyes, "whoops, guess I shouldn't have deleted his number from your phone..."
"You did what?!"
The Ginger's eyes widened as she battled the urge to rip out her hair in sheer frustration. She'd been eagerly awaiting a call from her brother for a while now, only for Sunny to completely ruin what was supposed to be their Holiday tradition.
"What? You two always talk behind my back– I figured if I couldn't join in on the fun..."
Her brother had been away from home for so long, taking up residence in a foreign country. Ever since his encounter with the Xenocites and DNAliens, Ken had been wary of the other aspect of the Tennyson life. Gwen originally protested against the move, but gradually came to understand and even appreciate her older sibling's choice to keep the hero life and her life separate.
" Are. you. serious right now?!!", Gwen yelled out, startling both women. The outburst surprised Nat more, given that she'd only been treated to the reserved side of the Ginger.
Before Sunny could answer, Gwen had already stomped up the stairs in a frenzy, leaving the redhead alone with her. Sunny turned to Nat with a wink, causing the redhead to instinctively shrink back under Sunny's rather unnatural yet curious demeanour.
"Welp, that's one way to start a party...", the goth's toothy grin returned as she tilted her head playfully, as though she expected Natasha to be in on the joke.
"You do this a lot, don't you?", The agent raised a curious brow, watching the goth smirk in satisfaction. Sunny seemed to enjoy being the centre of attention, craving her fix from the various reactions of others to her antics. Natasha mused internally, noting how similar that sounded to Yelena.
"It's the only way ole' stick-up-her-ass up there can be any actual fun", Sunny pointed upwards before whispering to the superspy conspiratorially, "wait till she finds out what I've done with her diary..."
As if on cue, Gwen's incensed voice bellowed from upstairs, "Sunny!! What the hell's my diary doing here??!!????"
"Welp, gotta go", the girl in question chirped before sudden taking off in a swoosh, an aura of magenta energy levitating the goth away from the pervading reach of gravity as she floated across the hallways. A loud crash could be heard from the next room, presumably from Gwendolyn berating her free-spirited cousin.
"And what did I say about flying in the house young lady?!"
"Hey, you're not the boss of me!"
"Ohhhhhh, cat fight!!!", Someone else clamoured enthusiastically, sparking a spontaneous cheering amongst the Tennyson party. Sunny's debacle seemed to garner the attention she was seeking, as she effortlessly bobbed across the living room with an aggravated Gwen hot on her heels as the two mages soared through the air.
"Watch out!!"
CRASHHHHHHHHHH
"Gwendolyn Tennyson!!!!"
"Ohhhhhh, someone's in trouble..."
The rapidly unfolding scene before Nat felt akin to a train wreck, equal parts bizarre and amusing, leaving the redhead unable to look away. Everyone else seemed to revel in the ruckus, raucous cheers intermingled with several haphazard chants from the guests.
Taking advantage of the situation, Nat decided to slip away in the chaos, opting to avoid getting involved in unnecessary family drama. The redhead silently navigated the rest of the family abode, keeping away from the centre of attention while maintaining a semblance of a cover. Keeping oneself away from the spotlight was Spycraft 101.
However, the redhead's curiosity got the best of her as she kept exploring, eventually finding her way to a corridor interlocked between two rooms. The Black Widow hesitated for a moment, weighing the pros and cons of prying further, before her eye caught glimpse of a rather familiar poster peeking out from the slit of the second door. The same poster she'd observed in Ben's occupied room at Stark Tower.
The half open door slowly and silently swung open as the Agent peered in, the coast clear from suspicious eyes like Gwendolyn. Natasha wasn't sure of what she'd find snooping around Ben's childhood room, even as her gaze traced a curious arc across it's rather modest confines.
Faded posters clung desperately to the wall, preserving echoes of youthful aspirations and fantasies, posters of several childhood heroes and videogames avatars his parents preferred to leave untouched. Sentimental value, perhaps?
To the side of the untouched bed stood a row of framed photos highlighting different moments in the teen hero's life. From graduation, to winning a soccer game and even clips of younger Ben fishing with his grandfather. A warm grin tugged at the corner of her lips as her blue eyes settled on a framed photo of little Ben perched atop the sturdy shoulders of his Grandpa, beaming from ear to ear.
Nat couldn't help the wave of nostalgia that flooded her nerves, taking her back to simpler times. Her childhood had nary a memento left to reminisce over, every trace needed to be wiped clean and every "vacation" merely served as a cover for yet another job. Despite all that, she still clung to the simpler times, before the Academy, before the Red Room...
She reached out softly, tracing a finger across the photos, picking up specks of dust in the process. Ben often spoke in length about fond memories of his childhood, regardless of whether or not the superspy paid attention to every bizarre detail he'd fondly recall.
"Ahem...", a familiar voice broke Natasha out of her reverie, leaving the redhead startled for an uncharacteristic moment. She'd been so engrossed in her trip down memory lane that the superspy had missed Ben standing in the door frame.
Since when had he become so stealthy? Or was she simply losing her touch...
"Found something ya like?", Ben smirked as the redhead quickly found her composure while she internally scolded herself for being caught unawares.
The shapeshifter grinned in amusement as he leaned on the door frame, gesturing towards himself, "Why settle for a photo when you can get the real thing?"
"I find the real thing slightly more full-of-himself, and gets on my nerves more often", she clipped, placing the old photo frame down.
"Awwww, you missed me, didn't you?", Ben stuffed his hands into his pockets as he stepped into his old room.
"Charming as always–", She rolled her eyes with a huff, unable to keep the irritation from her tone, "Don't get flatter yourself up, hero–"
"Well, if you really wanted to see me that badly", Ben closed the distance between the two of them in a few strides, coming face to face with the redhead who shrunk back instinctively, a querying expression on her features.
"All you had to do was ask."
Her brow raised in confusion, something about this felt...off. Ben had always been cocky and overly self-confident, but this was overly brazen.
He added with a saucy wink, "After all, we both know you're in love with me".
"Excuse me?"
She raised a suspicious brow, unable to tell if he was joking or not. He simply inched even closer, maintaining the mischievous twinkle in his emerald eyes.
"It's okay, I'm in love with you too!", Ben announced cheerfully, leaving the redhead flabbergasted. The awkwardness of the situation left Natasha speechless for a moment, still processing the awkward nuclear mine of a conversation.
Another moment passed before Ben erupted in a fit of chuckles and guffaws, leaving the redhead somewhat perplexed at the rather uncharacteristic display before her.
"PSYCHE!!!!!!"
Natasha's eyes widened in shock as "Ben" morphed in front of her, his skin taking on a rubbery and mud like quality before quickly reforming, replacing the form of the Omnitrix Wielder she knew with an unfamiliar blonde, blue eyed girl with prominent freckles on her face, her giggles punctuated by adorable snorts.
"Seriously guys, how many times do I have to tell you that my room is off limits?"
Fortunately for the befuddled agent, the reveal was immediately followed by the timely arrival of the real shapeshifter in question.
"Hey, what the–Cousin Lucy?!", the real Ben exclaimed, as he popped into view from the door frame, "what did I say about messing with the guests?!"
"But it's so fun!", Lucy grinned enthusiastically, "And I was right, she definitely likes you!"
"That's not...why are you even here?!"
Lucy responded with even more chuckles, at the expense of the superspy's befuddlement. Nat's wary gaze flutter between the two as Ben shooed away his doppelganger before turning back to the redhead, sheepishly running his hand through his messy curls. She never understood why she found it so adorable.
"Sorry, she tends to do that...a lot".
It took a moment for Nat to regain any semblance of clarity as she eyed the shapeshifter warily, before letting out a deflated sigh.
"You have an... interesting family, to say the least", noted the agent, after yet another awkward pause between them. It was bad enough she was caught off-guard multiple times in a row, the superspy wasn't accustomed to being at the centre of.
"Yeah... it's something", Ben rambled for a little bit before offering a sheepish grin, "glad you could make it though".
"Well, it was either your place or Clint's", Nat said with a shrug, "and as adorable as they are, I'd rather not deal with even more rowdy toddlers". Of course, she was still his handler and still had to keep tabs on him. Not that meeting his family was a prerequisite to carrying out the objectives of her job.
"Jury's still out on that", Ben nodded in the general direction of the living room, as Lucy continued her reign of shapeshifting terror.
Nat folded her arms as she raised a wary brow, "So, any more surprises I should know about?"
"Well, Grandpa Max is making dinner so naturally we all voted to get pizza instead", the Omnitrix Wielder chuckled conspiratorially before adding with a wink, "just pretend you like mealworms to stay on his good side".
That got a good chuckle out of the redhead, untangling the tense knot in the pit of her stomach since her arrival.
"You uh...you look great by the way", Ben added, shuffling lightly on his feet, a sudden lapse of nervousness by the often laid-back hero.
"Uh huh", the superspy bristled at the compliment, before folding her arms as she eyed the brunette incredulously, "you're not some... skinwalker pretending to be Ben are ya?"
"Nope, just regular old me", the brunette joked weakly as he raised both hands in faux surrender.
"Your definition of regular could use some work", She deadpanned, a sliver of a grin playing on her lips as she mused at the absurdity of their situation. Here she was, at a Christmas party with alien guests. Invited by an alien shapeshifter.
What else should she expect but surprises?
"Are they always like that?", Nat wondered as she observed the bickering duo of Gwen and Sunny, amongst others at the oversized dinner table. Or more accurately, Sunny doing anything in her magical power to frustrate the Ginger Mage.
"You'll get used to it", Ben nodded as they both observed the chaos unfold. Moments later, Max interrupts their bickering as he slams down his latest concoction on the table, prompting several members of the Tennyson gathering to recoil in fear. A chorus of groans rang out as he unveiled his latest culinary creation The old man definitely understood how to keep them in line, thanks to his own brand of alien cuisine.
"Don't knock it till you try it!", Max called out, his invitation sounding less like a suggestion and more like a prescription. According to Ben, Max had alien recipes for nearly every family occasion, from birthdays to anniversaries.
What came as a genuine surprise to Natasha was the fact that some of the Tennysons were eager to try out the latest batch of semi-sentient sludge that crawled around in Max's casserole. Surely not everyone in Ben's family happened to also be some kind of alien progeny?
"And what about you, young lady?", Max winked at Natalie, offering a generous helping of the wriggling mass unto a plate, "care to try some?"
'Well...I–uh", Nat nervously eyed the wriggling mass in a bowl before desperately turning to Ben, who gestured wildly in panicked motions, his eyes blown wide as saucers. Needless to say, the agent already had her fill of aliens for the day.
CODE GREEN!
"I'll try it!!", Ben offered rather enthusiastically, much to the chagrin of the redhead. She looked to him with pure relief written on her features, silently whispering her thanks as she shrunk back in relief.
My hero...
"Really? I thought you never liked my gumbo!", Max frowned slightly, already dishing out spoonfuls of the wriggling sludge, clearly not paying attention as several members of the Tennyson clan began planning their tactical retreats.
"Well, it's Christmas time and I'm feeling adventurous toda–", Ben drawled before he took another cursory glance at the less-than-appealing concoction and immediately blanched, "aaaaaannnd they're moving. Never mind, I lost my appetite".
Natasha's expression turned crestfallen, as even her hero was no match for the forbidden alien mystery meal. She'd gone toe to toe with assassins, warlords and the worst humanity had to offer, yet nothing could've prepared her for the horrors of Maxwell Tennyson's cooking.
Unfortunately for her, the old man still kept his offer extended, leaving her trapped under his expectant gaze. She gulped inwardly, praying that some part of her organs could at least survive the ordeal.
"Well, that was...intense", Ben remarked, the door closing behind him with a soft thump as he finally located the redhead by the front porch.
She seemed to blend into the shadows of the twilight, her scarlet locks illuminated by the array of festive lights that decorated the Tennyson homestead's exterior.
"That's an understatement", Nat huffed sarcastically, tugging on the collar of her jacket as the evening winds howled in the distance.
"Hey, at least the pizza was good", Ben added, ever the optimist. Shortly after Christmas dinner, the Tennyson clan reconvened in the living room to indulge in several boxes of pizza that Gwen had "conveniently" ordered before Max had returned.
"Lemme guess, this happens a lot?", smirked the redhead,
"More than you'd think", Ben sighed as he rubbed back of his head, "I love Grandpa Max–I really do, but there's a reason we don't let him anywhere near our kitchen".
"So, what changed this year?"
"We got outvoted", Ben sighed, taking a spot next to her.
"Seriously?"
"Yeah, Great Aunt Vera decided that this Christmas should be more...exotic", Ben raised his fingers in air quotes, "not to mention almost half the parents in the family are Plumbers. We stood no chance".
They both shared a chuckle. Another moment passed before Ben spoke again.
"You were gonna leave, weren't you?"
She shrugged, tucking her hands into her coat pockets as she glanced at her feet, "It's great that you invited me–and I appreciate the gesture, but it's not really my scene".
Ben watched her bristle at the statement, her movements stiffened with the weight of tension.
"Which part? The aliens or the family part?", Ben asked only to receive a half glare in response.
While Natasha wasn't a stranger to being surrounded by so many aliens, the Tennyson homestead was a different case altogether. Undertown was a mission for her, with clearly defined objectives and categories for the superspy to follow. With the Tennysons, the lines between the professional and the personal blurred significantly.
She could navigate social situations with ease if she had a cover, a role to play. Being "herself", letting herself just be, especially with Ben's bizarre family pulled her out of her element.
"Sorry, bad joke", he admitted with a nervous grin, "it's just that, I know you had other stuff to do, and I thought..."
"It's alright"
"I know how lonely it gets on the job", Ben added, "when Kevin and Gwen retired, I was prepared to go it alone. Cuz I thought that was something heroes had to do. Or did, anyways"
"Lonely, huh?", Natasha repeated, a glint of amusement in her cold blue gaze.
"I mean, not that I think you're lonely or anything...", the brunette stumbled over his words as he attempted to backpedal, "I mean you're awesome and all and definitely not a future cat lady..."
Ben clamped his jaw shut, feeling the embarrassment cascade over him in waves. Foot, meet mouth.
"Nice save, hero", she offered along with a rueful roll of her eyes.
It was a sight to see, watching the great Ben Tennyson squirm. While often laid back and witty, the brunette had the penchant for getting himself into rather perilous situations, often due to his witty tongue running faster than his brain.
"Ahem–Thing is I...", Ben cleared his throat after an awkward pause, "I just...didn't realize I'd miss my team. Cuz of how much time I spent around them. Then I got a new one, with you guys. And I know we're not always together...but I'd like to think we have each other. With or without the job"
She paused for a moment, letting the shapeshifter's words wash over her mind as she stared into the distance. Subconsciously, the redhead pulled her coat even tighter, as the frigid winds wrapped around the duo like an icy glove.
Instinctively they drew closer, compelled by the need for body heat. He caught a whiff of her scent from his proximity, the faint yet sweet allure of lavender.
Not that Ben was complaining either way.
"So uhhhhhh...", Ben broke the silence with a tentative grin, "you're telling me your family doesn't have weird alien goop for dinner? I like them already".
Natasha barked out a laugh, "Thankfully, no. But we were far from a normal family as you can get".
"Oh really?", Ben replied with a raised brow, "bet yours can't top mine when it comes to being weird.
"You just had to ruin the moment, didn't you, Alien boy?"
"Hey, I have actual aliens for cousins", Ben shrugged, stating the rather obvious yet unmistakably bizarre facts, "I'm just saying, I know you've been in some weird situations, but this has to be a top ten"
"Is that a challenge, Tennyson?", she asked,
"You tell me", He added with a confident smirk, satisfied at the seeming cracks in her formerly cold disposition. Slowly but surely he could tell, the shapeshifter was picking at her barriers.
Score one for Tennyson...
Their conversation wore on through the evening, eventually spilling over even as the guest slowly began trickling out and the sounds of Yuletide festivities winding down as more time passed.
Neither Ben nor Nat seemed to mind as they continued to swap several stories from their contrasting yet comparatively bizarre backgrounds, their conversation punctuated with full blown laughter and chuckles as they moved back inside. Somehow, the agent didn't even seem to mind the seconds as they ticked by, thoroughly engaged as she was.
Ben made her feel welcome, both in his home as a whole and in his world. He invited her into his world, his weird, unpredictable, and strange world with which she was wholly unfamiliar, and, in many ways, she thought, woefully unprepared to navigate safely.
Yet his world felt unusually comfy, a safe haven from the world of spies and secrets that she inhabited. It was a world where people had roots. Regardless of the variety in their species, they trusted each other. They had emotional attachments: families, friends, social groups. It was a world she had been so far removed from for so long that she had forgotten, almost, that it had existed, let alone how to a part of it.
He had let her in, as much or as little as he wanted. And for some reason, with him, she constantly wanted more. Beyond the exterior of the Black Widow, beneath the veneer of Natasha Romanov.
"Wait, so they just flew away?", she asked, managing to catch her breath after another bout of laughter.
"Yup. According to Gwen and Kevin I spent the last few days building some kinda alien nest in the middle of nowhere. And I still don't remember anything".
"I guess you're both a teen mom AND a deadbeat dad", joked the superspy, her lips curled in an amused grin.
"Hey, I check on them! Sometimes...once in a while", Ben muttered under his breath, embarrassment colouring his visage in a pale shade of crimson.
Her laughter rang out again, a melodic jingle that resonated with the shapeshifter. Ben had to admit, it was quite a refreshing sight, seeing the reserved and stoic Black Widow so carefree and genuine.
They fell into another bout of shared, comfortable silence before Nat spoke up again.
"Y'know, I met her before you came", she said ominously–perhaps more ominously than she had intended, "Apparently, Gwen thinks I'm some kind of spy for Fury."
"Oh crap", the shapeshifter sighed warily, "remind me to never leave you two alone with each other"
"But you still trust me?", her jaw set firmly, nervousness tugging at her expression.
"Well technically you are a spy", Ben stated without mincing words, his tone carrying a hint of seriousness despite his laid-back demeanour.
His gaze carried an intensity to them as he continued, "But we're partners, aren't we?"
It wasn't as much of a question as it was a reassurance. A reassurance that the shapeshifter expected from her. The real question was how much of a reassurance Natasha could give him.
"I'm your handler, Ben."
"And my partner, since we're on the same team", Ben waved off her objection as he continued, "Teammates trust each other. Besides, I'd like to think that ole eyepatch can't make you do anything you don't already wanna do".
"If only if were that easy", she snorted in disbelief, her gaze trailing away from the shapeshifter. Maybe not naive, but Ben tended to be overly optimistic. Trust came easily to him but was seldom ever given out on her world.
"It never is", The brunette added with a witty grin, his trademark cocksure attitude that never ceased to amuse the agent. They were together in that moment, yet she felt they were miles apart, tethered to different worlds.
BEEEEEEEEEEP!!!!!
As if waking her up from a dream, Natasha's communicator blared loudly, a shrill reminder of the superspy's real-world obligations. She hissed under her breath, a mixture of frustration and disappointment clouding her features.
A stark reminder of her existence as the Black Widow, married to the job as a consummate professional. Attachments were ill advised, and while she appreciated the little distractions, she had a job to do.
"Duty calls", Nat's attention flicked to her communicator, her features schooled in a mask of professionalism. She stepped away, leaving the shapeshifter alone with an apologetic glance.
It didn't come as much of a surprise to Ben, watching her hesitant departure with earnest curiosity. Despite how close he was with the rest of the team (some more than most), Natasha had always been the most distant. Even more distant than Bruce, with his condition keeping him paranoid in regard to interacting with people.
Regardless of the fact that they technically shared a roof under Stark Tower, he'd realized that beneath the allure of mystery that was Natasha Romanov, there was a silence–a fragility of sorts.
Not physically; of course, he'd no doubt she could kick butt and take names, even his if the shapeshifter made the calamitous error of underestimating her.
In truth, Ben was bothered by the fact that she never seemed completely comfortable or open. There was an invisible barrier around aspects of the superspy, making it impossible for her to fully let others into her life or be completely present with them. Perhaps it was his infamous hero's complex, always trying to reach out a helping hand to anyone he'd assume needed it.
"Gotta go", Nat announced as she returned, much to the shapeshifter's surprise. To her credit, she'd stayed longer than either of them had anticipated.
"Anything serious?"
"Can't say for now", came the redhead's reply, her brow furrowed in thought for a moment. He could practically hear the wheels in her head spinning before her gaze returned back to him.
Natasha's icy gaze softened as she pocketed her phone, keeping her attention on the Omnitrix Wielder, "Thanks for...everything. Really"
"Hey, don't mention it", he nodded, fully expecting the redhead to take off immediately as soon as she got the call.
What he didn't expect was for her to step closer before planting her velvety lips to the side of his cheek, leaving the shapeshifter motionless, eyes blown wide in stupefaction.
"W-what was that for?"
Her warm smile reached her eyes as she savoured his reaction, promptly turning on her heel with a wave of her hand.
"Early Christmas present", she winked, soft laughter under her breath as her lingering gaze followed his dumbfounded visage. "See you around, hero".
Still rooted to the spot, his hand travelled to his blushing cheek as his eyes followed her exit, the cold chill leaking into the house announcing her exit. Eventually his short-circuited brain would reset, wiping away the dumb grin on his face.
The only thing he knew for sure was that he had a lot to learn about Natasha Romanov. Despite all that, he found himself drawn to her even more, a moth to the scarlet flame. Gwen would call him an idiot and Kevin...well, the less said about his best friend the better.
"Merry Christmas, Nat"
...
END
...
A/N:
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, folks! This chapter took a while to put together, as I had to reconstruct most of it from memory (again). Originally I planned this to be an episode of Marvellous Moments, but I decided to leave it as a oneshot. Mostly because I'm lazy and like to overcomplicate things. The original plan was to release it on Christmas Day, but inspiration is a cruel mistress and left me at my most vulnerable (lol)
I actually wrote a draft of this story last year but wasn't able to finish it in time for that Christmas, so I ended up shelving it. Unfortunately, my phone got bricked mid-year and I lost it. So what you have is another (hopefully satisfying) Frankenstein's monster of a story. It's mostly experimental, like Marvellous Moments, so you won't see a lot of it. Maybe for other events like birthdays, Valentine's, maybe even anniversaries...who knows?
As always, if you enjoyed this feel free to leave a review. If you didn't, you can still leave a review and tell me what I can improve. Feedback is appreciated.
PS: As of the time of writing, the final chapter of Winter's Secrets is still in the works. Any guesses as to how it all ends?
Anyways, Happy Holidays! Drink water, spend time with your folks and let's all look forward to a brand new year! Thanks to everyone that favorited my stories and left reviews. You're all truly amazing.
EXCELSIOR!!