This flashback happened between Chapter 19 & 20.
The air buzzed with excitement, the sounds of laughter dancing with harmony against the distant echoes of roller coasters roaring through the sky. The scent of freshly popped popcorn and sugary delights drifted through the air. Everywhere they looked, there were rides that defied gravity and challenged the senses, from towering Ferris wheels offering breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape to twisting, looping roller coasters.
"So, this is where Midguardians go for fun?" Thor asked with a grin, his eyes gleaming as they strolled down the bustling Main Street of Six Flags.
"Yeah, amongst other things," Steve replied, his eyes tracing the vibrant lines of the theme park map spread out in his hands.
"Good thing we came on Halloween, huh," Bruce said smiling, his gaze drifting towards people in costumes, some scary and some cosplaying them as heroes.
Peter stole a quick glance at the assembled original Avengers, minus Clint who was off attending important matters. With a shake of his head, he couldn't help but notice how their attempt at being incognito with jackets, baseball caps, and sunglasses fell short.
Natasha remarked wryly, "We look like we're headed to a baseball game, this doesn't really hide us."
"So, where do we go first?" Tony asked, his usual business suit also swapped for relaxed casual wear, his gaze landing on his son, "Jr. Thrillseekers?"
"Dad, I'm not five," Peter said with a touch of dry humour. But then, a spark of excitement lit up his eyes as he added, "Let's go to Golden Kingdom!"
"The coasters there won't let you in, bud," Tony said with an apologetic smile, "Doesn't meet the height requirements yet."
"No fair. Uncle Thor could—"
"Your father speaks the truth, our young scion," Thor interrupted, a mischievous glint dancing in his eye as he shot Peter a playful wink, silently promising that they would uncover a solution in due time.
"We can go on family rides," Bruce suggested.
"The Ark sounds promising," Steve mused, squinting at the map in his grasp. "We're here," tracing their route with his finger, "and it should be right over there." He pointed off to his right.
Tony resisted the urge to roll his eyes and intervene. With an interactive hologram on his phone, navigation would've been effortless, but he indulged Steve's preference for the old-fashioned paper map.
They embarked on their adventure, beginning with The Ark. Peter found himself nestled between Bruce and Tony, their laughter echoing as the ark careened down its track. With each twist and turn, their grins sparkled in the sunlight, their joy infectious. Their next conquest was Cobra, though not the tallest roller coaster, it promised its own brand of exhilaration, the wind whipping against their faces as they soared through the air.
After their adrenaline fix, they retreated for a well-deserved lunch, recharging amidst lively chatter and sharing stories of their favourite moments.
They then opted for a Skyride to explore the park from a different angle. Thor and Peter eagerly hopped into the first cable car, Bruce and Tony followed suit on the next one, then Steve and Natasha.
In the cramped confines of the cable car, an unsettling silence hung heavy between the soldier and the spy, casting a tension that had seemingly taken root weeks prior. It was as if an invisible barrier stood between them at The Tower, causing both to tread cautiously, skirting around one another with an uneasy wariness. Conversations, when they occurred, were strictly confined to matters of business, revolving solely around the remnants of their former world within SHIELD.
Breaking the suffocating silence, Natasha's voice pierced the air, causing Steve to shift his gaze from the world passing below.
"Steve," she began, her tone carrying a weight of concern, "It's been weeks since Triskellion, we've barely exchanged words outside SHIELD-related discussions. Is there something wrong?"
Steve remained silent, his gaze fixated downward. Natasha persisted in her probing,
"Is it about your old friend? I know we need to talk about that and you need to tell Tony."
"No, that's not it," Steve said, but the tension in the air refused to dissipate.
Natasha bit the flesh of her cheek, tension knotting her stomach and seizing a tight grip on her heart. She teetered on the edge of decision, each moment a battle between her mind and heart,
"Is this about our kiss?" she finally dared to utter.
Steve shifted uncomfortably, Bingo.
"I thought we already talked about it," she said, "It's part of the mission, we were undercover."
Steve bit his lower lip, his tongue tracing its path with delicate precision, a nervous tic so subtle that didn't pass Natasha. It sent a shiver down her spine, like a sudden gust flipping the pages of her stomach.
"It shouldn't be part of the mission in the first place, Natasha," Steve said, his gaze locking onto hers.
Natasha's voice crackled with frustration, "Why are you making it such a big deal?"
"Because it is a big deal," Steve breathed out heavily, his eyes screaming with unspoken emotions.
By then they reached the other end of the Skyride, ahead stood Peter and Thor, Tony and Bruce waiting for them.
Steve, ever the gentleman, allowed Natasha to disembark first, an uncomfortable silence enveloping them all as they faced each other.
Tony broke the silence, his voice tinged with curiosity, "Did you guys feel that?" His gaze shifted from Bruce to Steve and Natasha, eager for an explanation.
Sensing the need to diffuse the tension, Natasha approached Peter, intertwining her fingers with his, "How's the ride, little Stark?" leading the way forward as the men trailed behind, their unspoken questions lingering in the air.
After a while of strolling around, Thor approached Steve, Natasha, and Peter, "Alright, this is our chance. Banner's done it. He's got Tony headed to the Ferris wheel for a chat."
Peter bounced in energy, unable to contain his excitement, "Come on, Uncle Thor!" tugging at Thor's hand with eager impatience. Thor, swept up in Peter's enthusiasm, grinned and allowed himself to be pulled along, his hand firmly clasped in Peter's.
Glancing back at Steve and Natasha, Thor's booming voice echoed through, "Hurry up, you two! What in the realms are you waiting for?"
Unexpectedly, Steve's hand found hers, their fingers intertwining tightly as they raced to catch up. Caught off guard, Natasha stole a glance at their joined hands, an electric current of connection between them. The world around them seemed to blur as they raced forward, the only clarity at that moment being the warmth of their touch. It was fleeting yet spoke of volumes without a single word exchanged.
Only when Thor shot them a knowing smile did Natasha tear her gaze away, their hands parting like reluctant tendrils of a vine releasing their grip. The spell momentarily broken as they reached the entrance of Kingda Ka.
When they approached, the attendant's eyes narrowed skeptically. Steve and Natasha gave wry smiles, while Thor beamed with confidence, his lightning cracking beneath Peter's sole, causing the young boy to hover three inches taller than usual.
After a brief exchange, the attendant relented, allowing them entry. In mere minutes, they found themselves strapped into the ride, Thor and Peter taking the lead, Steve and Natasha followed closely behind, excitement coursing through their veins as they prepared for the tallest roller coaster in the country.
"Are you nervous, little one?" Thor asked, beaming.
"No," Peter feigned nonchalance, but his fingers betrayed him, clutching the coaster's straps as if they were a lifeline, "Yeah, maybe just a bit. It's quite… tall," gazing up at the immense ride ahead. His small frame seemed almost lost in the oversized seat, an unlikely pairing with the imposing height of the coaster.
Thor laughed, "Fear not, young Stark. With the god of thunder by your side, what could possibly go wrong?" his large hand landed reassuringly on Peter's chest.
A hesitant laugh escaped Peter's lips, a release of tension he hadn't realized he was holding, "Yeah." he laughed, the sound both fragile and freeing.
Meanwhile, on the back, Natasha seemed to exude an air of serene calm, not even a hint of fear at the heights they were about to experience. She cast a casual glance at Steve beside her, she couldn't help but notice the tension in his posture. Despite knowing Steve's lack of fear of heights, she sensed an underlying unease, perhaps stemming from deeper, undisclosed concerns.
"I haven't been able to stop thinking about it for weeks," Steve confessed as the roller coaster began to go forward slowly. Before she could respond, their conversation was interrupted by piercing screams.
Collecting herself, "Steve, I don't think now's the time to be talking—" Another piercing scream interrupted her just as the coaster screeched to a stop.
"Every time I close my eyes it's you," Steve confessed, his gaze an ocean pulling her into its depths, where every wave whispered her name.
Caught in the moment, Peter and Thor found themselves unintentional eavesdroppers. Peter's jaw dropped in silent amazement, exchanging a wordless, "Wow" with Thor, who nodded saying, "I know."
"It's always you, Natasha," Steve said, his words a gentle caress against the rushing wind.
Natasha's pulse quickened at his words, her eyes locking with his in a silent exchange of unspoken truths. With each passing moment, a tide of emotions surged between them.
As the roller coaster lurched forward with exhilarating speed, Natasha felt a rush of adrenaline coursing through her veins, matching the intensity of her feelings for the man before her. At their ascent, amidst the backdrop of Thor and Peter's infectious laughter echoing around them, Steve's touch was a comforting anchor in the whirlwind of sensations.
And with their descent, Steve placed a tender kiss on her hand, conveying volumes without a single word, igniting a spark of warmth in Natasha's heart that glowed brighter than the sun setting on the horizon.
That night, as they went home to the tower, Natasha made a visit to Steve's suite. Like a shadow in the night, her steps were as silent as a cat's, gliding effortlessly and unnoticed through the corridors. Despite Steve's keen senses, her sudden presence startled him momentarily, causing him to tense up before relaxing as he recognized her.
Natasha's eyes locked onto Steve's with a mixture of hope and uncertainty. "Did you mean what you said earlier?"
Steve's gaze softened as he closed the distance between them, their breaths mingling in the charged air.
Their proximity was electric, tension humming between them as if the universe itself held its breath.
"I am," Steve said, each word laden with sincerity.
Their hearts seemed to beat in unison, the moment hanging between them like a delicate thread. But just as their lips were poised to meet, Natasha's voice shattered the space,
"Are you completely over her?" her words a hesitant plea.
In that fleeting moment, a shadow crossed Steve's gaze, a momentary falter that Natasha caught with painful clarity. Something fractured within her, a fissure widening as she turned away,
"I can't do this, Steve," she whispered, her voice strained, "I don't want to be reduced to being an alternative, filling that void Peggy left behind."
Steve's protest was swift, "It's not like that, Natasha," but he could only feel the gap widening between them with each step he took towards her.
"But it is," she countered as she retreated from the room, leaving behind the echoes of their shattered hopes.
Pulled back to the present following the movie night, Natasha leaned at the doorway of Steve's bathroom, memories flooding her mind from their earlier conversation, "Six Flags, huh? Seemed like ages ago."
Steve, freshly shaved and towelling off his jaw, glanced towards her with a reminiscent smile, "Seemed like yesterday," he replied, his voice carrying a hint of nostalgia. "After that day, you treated me like it never happened."
"Because nothing did," Natasha said, her voice carrying a soft undercurrent of longing, "Even during Ultron, Peggy still had your heart."
"She did," Steve acknowledged with a fond smile that only widened Natasha's smirk, "But she didn't hold it, you did."
As Steve began to move toward her, Natasha retreated playfully, leading towards his bedroom.
"I realized what I was truly holding onto wasn't just love, at least not the romantic kind," he confessed, his words trailing off with a hint of vulnerability, "It was respect. And yet, no matter how hard I tried to show you that you're the love of my life, you brushed past it for over a year."
Natasha's laughter filled the space between them, a melody of shared understanding and affection,
"I needed to be sure."
Steve's gaze locked with hers, a wordless conversation of emotions. With a gentle nudge, her back brushed against the TV rack.
In one fluid motion, Steve effortlessly lifted her onto it, positioning himself between her legs.
"You are the bane of my existence and object of all my desires," Steve said, shattering the seriousness of the moment that made Natasha laugh aloud, "So you're also reading Bridgerton now?"
A grin spread across Steve's face, "No, no. I came up with it myself," prompting Natasha to tap his chest in playful jest.
Capturing her hand gently, Steve continued, his gaze softening,
"I loved you at every fight, on every walk, every time we've been together, and every time we've ever been apart."
Her laughter faded as she looked into his eyes, seeing the depth of his devotion. It wasn't just love that sprang so suddenly, it was love forged through friendship, a bond fortified through countless moments of being there for each other through the ups and downs of their journey together.
"Do you believe me now?" Steve's question lingered with hope, intertwining with their breath.
Without a word, she leaned in, sealing her affirmation with a gentle touch of her lips against his.