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Chapter Text

"Hi, my name is Nancy Wills."

"It's nice to meet you ma'am."

Natasha reaches over the coffee table in front of her to shake the reporters hand. And Steve quickly does the same. The two of them settle down onto the sofa behind them, and Natasha crosses her legs and rests her hand on the back of the sofa behind Steve. The reporter Nancy settles down into her chair as well, and straightens her papers.

"Well, It's great to be able to sit down with you. I've interview the Captain before, but I haven't had the pleasure with you Ms. Stark."

"Oh, well then it's your lucky day."

"It would seem so. Okay, so some of the questions I have here are from fans, and we'll get to them in a moment. But first, since you two have been married for almost a year now. What were your first impressions of each other?"

Chapter Text

"What were your first impressions of each other?"

Natasha moves focus away from Steve a little bit before rolling her eyes back round to meet his. Steve let's out a hearty laugh.

"Well, I don't think they were what they are now."

"Do you want to start? Or shall I?"

"I'm honestly not even sure if I want to answer that question at all."

"I don't even think I'm the same person that I was then. I've become a better person, a good person."

"You were always a good person."

Steve quickly says. The two of them stare at each other. And Natasha tilts her head, the silence hit's a beat. Steve leans back quickly to avert Natasha's gaze, and places a gentle kiss on her forehead. He turns back to the reporter, and slowly Natasha does the same.

"I think It went a little something like this, Natasha will stop me if she thinks something is wrong."

Cap sat alone in a shield conference room. People were shuffling around, and he was cleaning his shield idly. Fury strode into the room hading Maria a few papers before she left.

"Now that your free captain, we should talk about where your gonna stay. Ms stark has agreed to let you and the other Avengers stay in a building she owns."

"That's the dame Iron Man works for?"

"Mm hm. I suggest you go and get settled in."

Steve was driven right up to the building, and was greeted by the enormous sign of Ms. Stark's name on it.

"Which, just for the record, was totally rad."

"It was…"

"Narcissistic? self centred? vain? egotistic?"

"No, no. It's just, it was a lot to take in."

"Ohh, okay."

Steve was directed around the building by Jarvis, who showed him his room, the kitchen, the living room, and the gym.

"I'm afraid I must return to my duties now my Rogers."

"Oh, that's okay, and please, call me Steve."

"Of course. The other Avengers are all currently engaged at the moment, except for Iron Man, whom does not live in the tower. Also Ms. Stark is down stairs in the garage."

"Thanks, I should probably go introduce my self, since she's paying for all this."

"Then good luck Mr. Ro- Steve."

Jarvis turned and left the room. Steve set his bag down on his large bed, and sat down. The room was cold, and the walls were grey. He didn't much like the look of the tower so far. It was all far too roomy. Everything was spaced out, and there were no colours, only shades of black and white. He settled with him self, and resolved to spruce up the place some time. Make it all look less depressingly cold. He dusted his hands off on his knees and stood up. The elevator had a map next to it, necessary since the building was so large. The very bottom floor was labelled G for garage. He pushed the buttons and the doors opened to a large circular lift. Once again it was nothing but shades of black and white. The lift made a smooth buzzing as it slid downwards. It stopped abruptly, and the doors opened. Steve moved his head round the corner, trying to familiarize himself with the corridor. It was thin and grey, again. The corridor continued a bit to the right, even though there seemed to be nothing in that direction. However on the left it lead to a glass door. He promptly knocked on it.

"Access to this area is restricted Mr. Rogers."

Said a robotic voice, in a calm cool manner over the speakers."

"Umm. I wanted to talk to Ms. Stark."

"One moment please Mr. Rogers."

Steve stood there trying to occupy him self with his surroundings, as he waited patently.

"Ms. Stark will see you now."

The door sprung open just the tiniest bit, and the light on the panel changed to a crisp green. Steve moved the door out of the way cautiously. He was greeted by a large desk covered in paper, pieces of metal scattered on the floor, and several cars around the room, but no sign of Ms. Stark.

"Umm, Ms. Stark!? Are you here? It's Steve Rogers… Captain America? Hello?"

A single car sat in the middle of the room, and underneath it lay Natasha Stark.

"Ma'am?"

He leaned down to look under the car, and was greeted by Natasha Stark's focused face. He knocked on the car, and she shook and dropped her tools. She pulled out her ear buds, revealing the far too loud metal music that was playing on them.

"Capsicle? What are you doing in my Workshop?"

"I thought I should introduce my self."

"While I was working?"

She slid out from underneath the car and put away her music. She squared her face to look at his. When he had imagined Natasha Stark, the only daughter of his friend. He had imagined someone tall, well put together. He expected her to look like a business woman. But instead she stood nearly a foot lower than him, and wore nothing more T-shirt's, sneakers… Nothing all too interesting. She, at first glance, had a plain face. However he quickly discovered that that assumption was false. And it was in fact the lack of makeup on her face that gave that impression. She was an engineer through and through.

He thought that, much like her father, although she was indeed good looking, she got it all from inside, the confidence, the spark, the cockiness.

"The thing, the voice let me in."

"Damn it Jarvis! What did I say about letting people in here."

"Jarvis, but I thoug-"

"Jarvis is my butler and the A.I. that runs the house. The A.I. is based on him."

"I apologise Ms. Stark.. But you have gone without food or rest for a day half now. It is not healthy. Since both versions of my self have been unsuccessful I determined that it was worth trying again with Mr. Rogers."

"Jarvis I'm fine."

Natasha moved to go back the car, but Steve quickly caught her arm.

"What are you doing? Let go."

"You haven't slept , or eaten in a day and a half?"

"Yeah so?"

She shook her self free. And walked over to her desk.

"I've gone longer ya know."

"Still, that's not okay. Ma'am. Please let me get you something."

"I don't need your help Capsicle. I can take care of my self thanks."

"I wasn't trying to-"

"Check this out, Jarvis I'd like a sandwich."

A dumbwaiter hidden in the wall opened up and showed a plate with a small, white bread sandwich on it.

Natasha briefly raised her eyebrows at Steve, and quickly moved over to the sandwich.

"Well... You called me, Capsicle? So you know who I am them?"

"Yep. Captain stars and stripes. I got the file on you a couple days ago."

"The file? You mean the Shield file?"

"That's the one."

She grabbed her sandwich and started to eat at the corners of it.

"That was classified. No one was supposed to be allowed access to my file."

His voice started to raise ever so slightly.

"I know, but Sheild wouldn't tell me anything about the people I was going to living with, paying living expenses for, clothing, feeding, supplying. So I hacked in. No big deal."

"No big deal ma'am?"

Natasha shrugged, now no longer even looking in his direction, instead reading some blue prints on her desk.

"And did I meet you expectations ma'am. Am I, and all the other avengers acceptable?"

"Relatively."

Steve scoffed.

"What? You got a problem stars and stripes? Come out with it, I can handle it."

"As a matter of fact ma'am, I do. You don't go breaking into private files just to set your mind at ease. That's government property."

"Right, because the government never looks into private files. Do you know how long Shield has been after my tech. Years, just like everybody else. And guess what, they're not gonna get it. My tech is for me, and me only."

"So what you keep all this to your self?"

"Damn straight."

"That is so… So, selfish! You know your father-"

"MY FATHER!? You want to talk about my father capsicle?"

She almost lunged at him. But she froze at the end of her sentence, and stared at him ready to growl.

"Your father, was better than that. He may have been a bit ego centric, but helped people."

"And you think I don't help people? I made the Iron Man suit."

"Iron Man. Not you. You gave that suit to your body guard, Howard would have given that to the military."

"I can't give that stuff to the military! I don't know what they were like back in your day, but they sure as hell aren't like that anymore. Trust me there in better hands with me. So you can just skedaddle back to what ever white picket fence, boy scout town you came from."

"I get that there are a lot of things I don't understand about this time. But I do know that you could be helping a lot of people."

"I am."

Steve shook his head, and moved to the door.

"What did you really expect captain? That I would be as amazing as my father. Well news flash, I'm better."

And with that she returned to her blue prints and Steve went back to the lift. The two fo them immediately regretted what they had said. Truth be told. Steve had been looking forward to meeting her. The daughter of a good friends of his. He thought maybe her presence would make this all a little more familiar. And after all, she was in some respects what he expected. She was just like her father. Stubborn, narcissistic, snaky, but also breath takingly smart. He had to believe that there was more of the good from Howard in her. But damn it if she wasn't obnoxious.

The same went for Natasha. She hadn't wanted to say those things, but years of hearing her father talk about the great Captain America. How he wished he had a son like him. How he wished Natasha could follow his example. She had always hated Captain America. Until Aunt Peggy told her about him. She didn't tell her stories about his courageous battles. She told her stories of how kind and gentle he was, how simple and naïve he could be. She told her stories about Steve Rogers. She soon came to hate him even more. Simply because she knew he was good, and didn't deserve any of the hatred she harbored for him. But that realization only made her hate him more. Seeing him that day, it confirmed her worst fears. She would never be able to separate the Captain America she had heard about, and the Captain America that was actually there.

Chapter Text

"When did you first come to terms with each other?"

Natasha tilts her head, and sighs.

"It depends on the way you look at it. I mean, we were friends, since we first met. But it wasn't me and him, it was Cap and Iron Man. I guess that relationship is exactly what we needed to start getting along."

After Natasha finishes, Steve raises his hand as he opens his mouth to add to the comment.

"If it weren't for that… Well I won't say we wouldn't have ended up where we are. I think, that's impossible. But, most likely it would have taken longer."

"It took long enough."

Steve lets out a quick laugh. And Natasha smirks in his direction.

"I think maybe the first time we were a little like we are now was, pretty early on actually. Couple months into knowing each other. Four, five, maybe?"

"Four and a half."

"Oh, look at him he knows, he remembers."

Steve whips his head around and gently smiles.

The day was cold, and very wet. The tower was high enough to see clouds forming just a little bit above. The rain looked more like static as it fell. And the grey sky stayed opaque. Natasha walked out of the elevator into the living room, not a place she went very often, since she herself wasn't a member of the Avengers. The room was very large, and usually mostly taken up by a big semi circular sofa, that was a dark navy grey colour. To the left of all that was the kitchen, and a round breakfast table. However, recently the sofa had been replaced with a rich royal blue button back sofa. It was nice, but no one had asked her about it. Hawkeye was sitting on the sofa filling his bag and finishing off his lunch, ready to leave on a mission. And Bruce was taking it easy in a wing back chair near the window, that was also new to Natasha.

Natasha opted to leave the tower and go for a drive, nothing to fast or exciting, just a simple drive. She didn't bother to change her attire, no point she wouldn't get out. She stepped into a car, that she tried to make of random selection. But damn it if she wasn't bias towards the Audi. The roads were no more packed than any other day, but she managed to find her way around. Her mind was on idle thoughts only, until she saw Steve walking down the road going into a supermarket. She quickly pulled in, and locked the car. Inside the supermarket was just as cold outside it. She immediately regretted her decision of not bringing a coat.

He had a small basket filled with mostly greenery, onions, some pepperoni, and cheese. He was making a pizza, that was clear, but why? And did he have mushrooms? And if not, why not? Did he have something against mushrooms? She inched closer, trying to stay hidden for some reason. It wasn't exactly in conspicuous, people were giving her weird looks, and she was giving them right back. She got around half the shop before.

"Are you really going to follow me round the whole place? I'm not building a bomb Stark, Just a pizza."

Natasha stopped as Steve turned around, and she pulled off her shades.

"I just, wanted to make sure, that… You were getting the right ingredients. That's all."

"Oh, and you know how to cook do you?"

"A little bit. I had to do it a lot when I was younger. What? You accusing me of not knowing how to cook?"

"Huh. No."

He turned back to the isle.

"Are you gonna eat that pizza all by your self?"

"Are you asking to eat pizza with me?"

"I haven't had lunch. As much as I hate admit it, I am really hungry."

"What do you like on your Pizza?"

"Onions, mushrooms."

"I've got those."

"Good."

Neither of them were facing each other. Natasha slid her shades back on.

"You know your just like your dad sometimes."

Natasha didn't really know what to say to that, other than no of course. She was nothing like Howard. And she really wished he would just stop bringing him up.

They moved to the checkout, happily saying nothing to each other. And soon to the outside. He opened his umbrella and held it over the two of them as they started to move. Steve started to walk in the other direction, but stopped.

"Wait how did you get here Stark?"

"I drove. You?"

"I walked."

"Mmmmm."

Natasha took the bag in her hand and moved to go in the other direction. She grabbed his hand just to makes sure he was moving in the same direction.

"My cars a block away."

Steve moved in front of her and handed the umbrella to her. He took of his jacket, and draped it round her shoulders. Took back the umbrella, and moved back to his previous position. Natasha's expression changed in an instant. She was shocked, annoyed, and then slightly less annoyed. It was more with her self though. If she was a bit more like other women, she could just say thank you, rather than stand there with an awkward expression on her face.

"I just didn't want you to be cold."

"Mmmmm."

She walked forwards anyway. She tried not to look in his direction, but she stole a few glances at him anyway. He walked her to the door of the car, and she slid in, he took the bag from her and got in the other side.

"No no no, sorry stars and stripes, you sit in the back."

He raised an eyebrow at her, and set the bag away.

"I'm serious."

She said it with a playful tone, Steve was glad of that. He got in and put his seat belt on, and closed the car door with a snap, that had a snarky undertone to it.

"All right, your funeral Cap."

She sped off, in an instant. She never stopped to slow down the whole way back. She was clearly a very good driver. Her speed adjusted gently, the turns were smooth. She eased down onto the break, and stopped in the garage of the tower. Steve took off his seat belt, and reached over for the bag. Natasha couldn't help but laugh at her self. Captain America was sitting in her car, going through his groceries.

"I'll be upstairs, the pizza shouldn't take long."

Natasha nodded and Steve left the car.

Steve took all the ingredients out, and placed some in a pan to pre cook them. And then moved to the dough. He laid out the table for two, but left out the knives and forks. The elevator whizzed up and gently stopped. Natasha stepped out and nodded to Bruce. Steve noticed she had changed. Instead of her usual clothes she would wear while working, she now donned a crisp white shirt. The pan on the stove was bubbling so Natasha quickly moved to start stirring it again.

"You said you cooked. I wouldn't think that you would need to."

"What? You mean cuz I'd have people for it?"

"Well, yeah."

"I did. But they weren't there all the time. And my mother liked cooking."

"Did she teach you?"

"No… I figured it out for my self. I used to rip out pages in the chef's cook book."

He could tell he'd hit a nerve. He really didn't want to pry, but. There was so much he didn't know. He let the silence hold for a while.

"I'm sorry, about what I said about Howard. I just…"

"There are things you want to know?"

Steve slowly nodded his head as the dough was finished being lay out.

"Well I don't really want to talk about it."

She snapped. She wasn't going to have him insisting that she tell him stories. She did not want to re live any of that. All she could think of was her mother. She tried desperately to hold the tears back. And after years of practice, she had just got the hang of it. She moved back to stirring, and tried to ignore him glancing back and forth to her.

"Here."

She handed the pan over to him to put over the pizza's. He scooped out all the ingredients, covered it all in one more layer of cheese and put it in the oven . As his hands reached in he pulled one of his fingers back.

"Ahh!"

Natasha closed the oven and set the timer. Steve was blowing on his burn, and waving his finger around. She grabbed his hand by the wrist and dragged him over to the sink.

"Your supposed to run it under cold water, dum dum."

Relief washed over him as the stinging subsided. Natasha stood in between him and the counter.

"Do you know where we keep the plasters, I can never keep track of that stuff."

"I thought this was your place?"

"It is, but I never come up here, Jarvis cleans the place."

She said as she turned round to face him. Steve stared at her in disbelief.

"Well, plasters?"

"Uh, yeah, I think there are some over here."

Steve moved over to a draw on the far right of the stove. And pulled out a small plaster. Natasha took it from him, and pulled off the paper with her teeth. She wrapped it carefully round his finger and smoothed down the sides. She crumpled up the left over paper and threw it into the nearby bin. He changed his mind. She wasn't like her father. Sure they had some things in common, that was to be expected. By they were by no means the same person. She had a cold look in her eyes that her father never had. You wouldn't think it but, actually she was quiet when she wasn't talking to fast for anyone to understand.

She moved to walk away quickly and Steve grabbed her arm.

"I was wrong."

She looked at him with her eyebrows furrowed, and her head tilted.

"When I said you were like your father."

Her eyes dropped, and he regretted bringing it up. But he continued anyway.

"You're similar, but not the same. I don't know what it is, but you have this look sometimes. There's something your not telling people, or just me. But whatever it is ma'am. You can tell me, or anyone else on the team."

"Were not friends cap, okay?"

She started to move away again. This time Steve moved in front of her. Once again Natasha was trapped in-between him and the island.

"I'm not trying to start a fight, I trying to get along."

"Why would you want to do that?"

"Why wouldn't I? You fund the team, you made the Iron Man suit. You and Bruce get on like a house of fire. And you're the daughter of my friend Howard. I want to get to know you."

"You really don't, trust me."

"I just want us to, try this, again. I really don't want us to fight..."

There was a long silence in which Natasha dropped he gaze, and sighed. Steve's gaze never left her once.

"I'm, sorry, okay. I Kind of snapped at you when we first met. I didn't mean to, well actually it's did. It's just, Howard… He's a, sensitive subject, and so are you really. So, I'm not even sure if I want us to be friends."

"What?"

She let out another deep heavy sigh.

"Howard talked about you a lot. I'll be honest, I hated you, you were my least favorite person in the world when I was little. He was always talking about you and not me. I really didn't like Captain America growing up. He would go on about how he wished he had had a son like you. He pushed me towards certain men when I got older, that he thought were son material. He never let me help him, And then."

"Then what?"

He leaned down to make sure his face was square with hers.

"I heard different stories. But they weren't about Captain America, they were about Steve Rogers. I guess I didn't hate you, I hated the attention you got, it pissed me off so much. And I just. And I don't think I'm ready to accept that you're a real guy, and not the man that I hated. Having you be nice to me just makes it worse. You being a real person, was too much for me to handle back then, and it's too much for me to handle now. I can't take you being nice to me. You ruined everything."

Natasha stopped abruptly. She hadn't meant to say that. It was a bit much, but it was how she felt. But of course now, she would feel even worse. Maybe tears would well up in his eyes, Just to prove that he was a thousand time better than her. The silence between them hit a beat. Steve moved his hand to her faced and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Sorry."

She looked up at him, so close. Searching his face for anything nasty, anything to justify the way she felt.

"Why are you so nice. I'm horrible, you should be angry at me-" She was cut of before she could go any further.

"You're not though."

His hand cupped her face. The two of them slowed, and their eyes dropped. He got closer and Natasha did nothing to stop it. She could feel his breath, and he could see every tiny detail in her face, that he so admired. And her lips, small, but rounded, chapped, and begging for attention. But it was the stare in her eyes that go him. There was something about her. And something about him. Natasha's eye's were closing slowly and gently, and then. SNAP! The sound of book loudly closing pulled them out of their trance. Bruce had got up from his chair and tucked his book under his arm.

"I'll leave you two alone." He whispered.

He looked a little awkward as he shuffled out of the room, and avoided eye contact. Natasha opened her mouth to protest, but nothing came out. As soon as Bruce had left the room, they were back to where they were before. They stared at each other. And then the timer went off. Steve turned around, and Natasha took that moment to get away. She sat down at the table as Steve pulled the pizza out of the oven. Natasha quickly finished her food, and left for the garage again.

"We got along a bit better after that. But…"

"That wasn't what made us friends."

Steve tucks strand of hair behind her ear, and smiles.

"You two are too cute."

Natasha rolls her eyes, but Steve just looks even happier.

"So were things a bit smoother after that?"

"Actually, they kind of got worse."

Chapter Text

"Was Steve's relationship with Natasha and Iron Man very different?"

Steve nods slowly.

"It was pretty different. I don't think I was ever, close with Iron Man. I mean, how close can you be with a guy who won't tell you his name, or take of his mask? But we got along. We talked a lot, usually before and after we were done with a mission."

Natasha looks to the right, and raises her hand slightly.

"I felt, a lot more comfortable around him with a mask covering my face. The suit has always given me the confidence to be something, most of the time, I'm really not."

It had been about two weeks since they had pizza together. And things had smoothed out between them, in a manner of speaking. In that they hadn't really spoken, other than, hi, how are you? And, good. Captain America and Iron Man on the other hand. Steve was surprised when Iron Man had started talking to him. But he was glad. They would chat about purely trivial things while waiting on a shield plane, or as they returned to Avengers Tower. Steve would ask him about certain gadgets and gizmos, and Steve would tell him about himself before he was frozen. Steve seemed especially fond or recommending music as well.

If Natasha had noticed anything in her quick discussions with him as Iron Man, it was that he liked to talk. He wasn't fast, or annoying, he didn't hurl off topic like she did. He slowly recounted aspects of his life and interests. He was very passionate about every single one of his interest and hobbies. His heart was always in it. Yet another aspect of him that she liked but hated all at the same time.

"I used to listen to a lot of music, but I've been branching out. There was some really good stuff in the sixties. And I think I've definitely got a thing for jazz."

Iron Man shook his head as he held onto fabric loops above.

"I'm really more of an AC/DC man myself."

"Huh, never heard of him? Is he good?"

"It's a band Cap, not one guy."

"Oh."

"Natasha usually blasts that stuff, so."

"You mean that loud banging stuff?"

"Yeah Cap, the loud banging stuff. Although that could just be her getting mad and throwing something."

The plane shook as it entered a cloud, and adjusted to the density.

"Do you know Natasha well?"

"Pretty well, why?"

"Just wondering. I mean."

The plane shook again.

"I just want us to, get along better… And I thought we were, but, nothing has changed."

"Why do you even care?"

"What?"

Steve turned round to face Iron Man, truly surprised by the comment.

"She's not the kind of person you want to get to know well. Only a small handful of people can put up with her. Me, Pepper, Rhodey… That's it actually, I can't think of anyone else."

Silence lingered, they exited the clouds, and the plane smoothed out.

"Does she every talk about me?"

"Huh?"

"You know?"

"No, I really don't."

"She said she didn't like me. No that's not true, she said she hated me. And trying to get us to be friends was just making it worse. It doesn't matter what I do with her. She's always going to hate me."

"Probably."

"Aren't you supposed to say something like, she's not that bad really. You just have to get to know her, or something?"

"I could, but I'd be lying."

"And you are her friend?"

"Possibly her best… Why does it even matter that much. It's not like your obligated to talk to her?"

Steve sighed.

"No I guess you're right."

The back of the plane opened up, and the light above spun round.

"All right boys, time to go."

Said Romanoff in a calm and cool manor. Iron Man shrugged and jumped out the plane sideways. Steve shook his head, put his shield on his back, and took a perfect dive.

They finished up, with minor injuries, ie, cuts and bruises, and made their way back to the tower. The sky had got dark, with a slight tinge of navy blue sitting behind the clouds. The living room had Steve watching TV, and Natasha motioning at the screen and pointing things out every now and again to him, while at the same time talking to Barton. However Bruce was peacefully looking through a technical book in the corner. Steve seemed to tune out from the television, which caught Bruce's attention as he looked up from his book.

"Are you okay?"

"Huh?"

He turned his head quickly, his sight still lingering on the TV.

"Are you okay?"

Steve brought his gaze round to Bruce and replied.

"Yeah, Yeah. I'm fine."

"How's it been with Natasha?"

He said cautiously. The question caught Romanoff and Barton's attention.

"Um, I don't really know. We haven't really spoken."

"You mean? Since you, um."

"Yes." Steve replied quickly.

Romanoff swiveled round in her chair and focused her attention on the discussion.

"You know-"

"I apologize for the interruption, but Ms. Stark is in need of help that I can not provide."

"What's wrong?" Steve said hurriedly.

"Is she alright?" Added Bruce.

"She has not been seriously harmed. She has simply collapsed in the lab."

Steve was confused for a second, he had never been into the lab. Her workshop yes. But not the lab where she and Bruce worked.

"She said she was going to leave and go to bed by ten."

"Looks like she lied."

Steve gathered up his jacket in preparation for the cold air on the floor with the lab, and sighed.

"I would suggest waking her Captain Rogers, and then advising her to go to bed, as she has not slept in twenty hours."

"Good God."

Steve turned round as he entered the lift and pressed the button for the lab. Most of the tower was empty, as originally it was meant to house workers, and nearly a hundred fully equipped labs. But now, they could dedicate an entire floor to each of the avengers, and have nearly forty floors left over. Once again the floor he stopped at was featureless. But rather than a grey, or black, it was all a pristine white. Double doors with no handles lined the walls. A large orange number contained by a dark grey circle sat by the right of each set of doors. He moved to the right and the doors of room one opened with a heavy slow slide. Natasha lay with her head on the table in front of her, her headphones crackling with noise. He lifted the headset from her ears and set it aside. As he held it in his hands he could just make out the music, heavy guitar, strong, almost screaming vocals, quick cords, and stomping. He briefly considered whether or not it was AC/DC, and quickly realized there was no way he could tell.

He briefly contemplated her sleeping face. She still scowled lightly, but managed a calm aura. No. The calm and relaxed sensation didn't come from her, it came from Steve. She was still herself, aggravated, stubborn, smart, tired, didn't know what was good for her, busy beyond belief. But he could see it all in her, without having to argue.

He decided to pick her up carefully and quietly. He tilted her head back, and put his arms round her waist, and legs. And lifter her into the air. Her head flopped in to a comfortable position in between his shoulder and jaw, as her steady breaths grazed over his skin. He walked out of the lab and back into the elevator. He stretched to try and press the right button for the top floor where Natasha lived. Or where she was supposed to. He tried to, sort of balance half of her with one arm, so he could extend his finger far enough to press the button for the pent house. She started to slide down slightly, he angled himself forwards toward the wall to try and compensate. He moved just a little closer, if he could, just. And with that, she slid down his arm.

He quickly grabbed her again and tried to catch her with the wall. As he did she opened her eyes with the sudden movement and collision with the wall. And hastily wrapped her hands around the back of his neck. Steve had to grab her legs with his other hand, and rest the other on her back. And trapped her in the corner.

Natasha stared at him wide eyed as the tips of her fingers lightly brushed the ends of his hair on the back of his head. He was too close for comfort Natasha thought. But none the less she still let her eyes dart down to his lips. She moved back to the rest of his features, hoping he didn't notice. As for Steve, he could have sword he just caught her looking at his lips. Her hands were almost in the brushes of his hair. But his hand holding her thigh, keeping her in place was the most awkward of all, or so he thought. That was not an appropriate place to touch a woman. But he didn't know how to stop, or fix it.

"What are you doing?"

"I um… I was, I was."

"You were what!? Tell me, please. Because I have no god damn idea."

Steve pushed her up slightly and brought his hand down lower her leg, to a more appropriate place. And set her up right again.

"I was taking you up stairs to your bedroom. You collapsed in the lab, Jarvis called for me, and told me to, put you to bed, so you could get some sleep."

"Oh."

Natasha's hands were still wrapped around his neck. Neither one of them wanted to move. Natasha could swear she could feel his breathe, and hers. Slow and heavy. Not to mention, he was now definitely closer than before.

"Are you alright Ms, Stark?"

Chimed Jarvis. Natasha quickly unraveled her self from Steve, and pressed the button for her floor. As soon as the doors opened Natasha rushed out.

"Are you okay?" He asked as he followed her into the pent house suite.

"What? Oh, yeah. I'm great stars and stripes, guess I just need to take a nap or something. Why did you want something, because if so, can it wait until later?"

"Well, I just wanted to check that you were…"

Steve stopped in his path across the large circular room, in which, was only a sofa, a large desk, and a bar. A huge window looked out on most of New York. To huge to be practical. He thought, there was no way you could maintain the heating in here. To the left, opposite of the window up a large step. Was another circular room, smaller, with a bed, and a thin table next to it. And that was it. All the walls were grey. The sheets on the bed, a slightly darker grey. The desk, a light grey. The sofa, a slightly darker than the light grey, but still not as light as the light grey on the desk, grey.

Steve's apartment in the tower used to be like that, but as soon as he moved in he put in some pictures, painted the walls a warm brown, that had just a hint of red in it. Bought some nice wooden furniture, that most people would without a doubt think looked old. And put in a record player. Plus a nice vintage, bright red, fifties style fridge that he had taken a liking to. His Apartment was warm, comforting, perhaps crowded some would say. But that was the way he liked it.

"Haven't you moved in yet?"

"Of course I have."

"But there's nothing here."

She poked her head round the corner to look at him.

"What do you mean, it's fine, there's nothing wrong with it."

"It bare, and everything is, grey. Again. Why is everything in this place grey?"

"Because reasons."

"What?"

Natasha came back into the room and faced Steve.

"I don't know. I couldn't be bothered to pick out scheme's and stuff. So I just told them to make it grey. Grey goes with everything. And besides, it's not like it really matters."

"But, it's where you live Natasha. Is this what you come home to every night after work."

"No. I don't come home, to anything. I barely sleep here. Most of the time I sleep in the workshop on my trusty leather sofa. It's much more comfortable than the bed. Though harder to spread out."

"But, where do you eat, or sleep, or, wind down at the end of the day."

"Wind down at the end of the day?" She laughed a little bit.

"At the bar. I wind down at the bar."

She walked over to the bar to fix her self a drink.

"Would it kill you to put up a picture. Or get a sofa they doesn't look like it's out of a luxury magazine. You know those living rooms you see where everything is cold, spaced out and inhuman."

"Inhuman?"

"You know… It just needs a homey touch."

"Right because I'm sure you've already renovated the whole floor your on. Painted the walls, put up some decals, found some vintage furniture."

Steve really didn't care for how accurate that was.

"What's wrong with that?"

Natasha didn't really know what was wrong with it, if she thought about it, nothing really. But it rubbed her the wrong way. She didn't like the idea of him settling down. No, not him settling down. Settling down in general. Sure she liked consistent friends, and a familiar set of surroundings. But she had strange dislike of, homes. People always described places like that as warm and cosy. Friendly and inviting. But no home she had ever been in seemed that way to her. Places like that made Natasha feel claustrophobic, alone, sad, like she… Like… Like she was a little girl again.

"Everything!" She snapped.

Steve didn't like the tone of her voice much.

"Wrong. It couldn't hurt to put a little bit of your touch here and there."

"This is my touch Spangles. Look around. This is me."

"Well then, I'm sorry Ma'am, but that's just sad."

Steve and Natasha lightly glared at each other, each expecting the other one to continue the argument. But nothing happened. Natasha took another sip of her drink. Steve swallowed, and broke the gaze that was held between them.

"Good night, Ms. Stark."

Natasha simply tipped her cup in his direction, wanting him to leave as quickly as possible. He left the room in long strides, and looked at her one more time as the doors of the elevator closed on him. Natasha's expression suddenly dropped, and she set her glass down. Something told her she wasn't going to get much sleep tonight.

Silence sits in the room for a while as Natasha avoids the gaze of Steve and Nacy. Nacy straightens her cards, and adjusts her microphone. Steve leans towards Natasha, adjusts a strand of her hair, and whispers something in her ear. Natasha's expression lightens a bit, and Steve places a small kiss on her forehead. Natasha returns to her previous position, and Steve tightens his grip around her shoulders.

"Right, well then. Where were we?"

Wow. That took a while. Thanks for reading, as always. Please leave a question in the comments, or in the ask of the blog, Avengers-Earth-3490. I currently have three questions on the list, that will be added in between some of the ones that tell the story fo they're relation ship. I already know what I'm doing for the next chapter, so look forward to it. Thanks again for reading.

Oh and I'm gonna try to reply to every comment I get, and write a chapter for every question.

Chapter Text

"How and When did Steve find out that Natasha was really Iron Man, and vice versa?"

"This a question from one of your fans. So since you were just talking about your problems with each other. How about it?"

Steve seems to struggle with that question.

"I think the most of that occasion is classified."

"How can it be classified? There was a huge fight in the middle of New York."

"But still-"

"But nothing. Look if it makes you feel any better, I'll leave out stuff S.H.E.I.L.D. would be worried about. Fine?"

Steve looks in the other direction. Which to Natasha seems to mean, go ahead.

"Okay then. It went a little something like this."

A missile zoomed past Black Widow's head. She dodged it with just a slight movement of her head. Ahead in the middle of the road, and in front of Stark tower, sat a rocket. In large red numbers it counted down.

"Zhis is Zee end of zeh line, Captain!"

The street was in a clear state of disorder, and the Red Skull revels in it. Steve managed to free himself from a hydra lackey with a well placed punch. A small metal craft came down from the clouds. Just big enough to fit one person, the Skull.

Steve readied his arm to throw his shield. He took his time, knowing he'd get just one shot. Widow and Hawkeye covered him in all directions. The shield flew through the air. It grazed his arm as he entered the small metal transportation. The craft turned round and revealed two large guns on the front of it. His shield had almost come back around to protect him. But it just couldn't get there fast enough. The bolt of light sped towards him. Waiting for his shield to come back around stopped him from an obvious dodge. But sadly he only realized his mistake too late.

Iron man flew in from the side. The arch reactor crackled and fizzled in mid air as he fell to the ground. Steve took the handle of his shield as it came by. He didn't need to look at it as it came at him. Instead he focused on the un moving figure of IronMan at his side.

The blue light behind the mask was faint, and he could hear strange fizzling coming from the tech.

"The… The rocket."

Steve dropped to his knees immediately.

"IronMan's down! Cover me."

All the other avengers nodded in acknowledgement.

"IronMan, can you hear me?"

IronMan raised his hand slightly, but quickly dropped it again. Jarvis's voice whirred into existence, stopping and stuttering here and there.

"Sir-s-sir- I saddest, you halp administsssssst-er the apropppriottt- pssssst. Green, base. Bull, button. Green button."

"The green button?"

Steve moved the suit round. A small area on the front slid opened to show a series of buttons. One very small red button, a slightly larger yellow one, and a green. He pressed it without hesitation. He heard a faint buzzing noise, and the light in the arch reactor grew. IronMan sprang into life, he sat up in an instant.

"The rocket, I have to get to the rocket."

"Right."

Steve helped IronMan to his feet, and the two made their way. IronMan sped of propelled by the rocket's now on his back, rather than his feet. He grabbed the rocket at it's base as it launched into the air. Cap grabbed hold onto the bottom metal bar of the ladder. And pulled himself up as the rocket zoomed off.

"We have to get this some where else Cap!"

"Agreed!"

But the voice from the armour wasn't the same as before, not deep and with a touch of reverb. It was softer and lighter. Steve shook his head and continued to climb up the rocket to the control booth. He reached the top and pulled off the door. IronMan was pushing the rocket's engins in another direction as best he could. Steve fumbled around the controls of the rocket, and pulled on the handle, reminiscent of that from a fighter jet. The map to the side helped him steer it in the right direction, getting higher and higher. He turned the wheel as much as he could, and set course for somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic. He looked out the window to check on his partner. IronMan was struggling with the three engines as they tried to correct course back to New. Instead they would push it to above the Atlantic Ocean. The bottom of his mask pealed slightly. Cap struggled to hold onto the controls as he got higher into the clouds. He checked once more on the armoured man.

The metal for decoration on the front of the mask bent slightly, and then peeled off all together as it bashed and hit the side of the rocket, before whirling off into the sky. Natasha closed her eyes as the wind rushed past her bare face. Steve couldn't pull his gaze away from her, but he held on to the steering wheel.

They were now high enough. Cap rigged the handle with rope, and grabbed a parachute. Natasha climbed the ladder slowly, knowing her job was done. She struggled with the weight of the suit and nearly fell off a few times. Steve waited hesitantly at the top for her. Natasha's hand hit the floor as the reached the top of the ladder. Steve helped pull her up.

"Natasha, there's only one parachute. How's your pack?"

"Umm let's see."

Natasha's rocket pack started with a grunt and a hiss, but none the less, it worked. And she quickly shut it off again.

"I'm good."

"Okay. Were going to have to bail…"

He grabbed the side of empty hole in the rocket, and readied himself for the jump.

"We'll talk about this later."

"Sure Cap. Whatever you say."

He jumped out of the rocket, and soon after so did Natasha. She had to cover her eyes from the wind. Her jets whirred into life once more, and she followed by Steve's side. Below them was small island coming into sight. It contain only two small patches of trees. It looked dense. But it was the only place around to land. All seemed well until the rocket above exploded. Steve's ears rang, and the light briefly blinded him with white light. The force and fire was still too far away from him to cause any harm. But Natasha fell from the sky, her pack had given out.

"Natasha!"

"Steve!"

She spun round in the air, falling too fast for her own good. She tried to strip off parts of her armour. An arm going this way, and leg going another. Her helmet speeding off completely. Steve, still falling freely, lightened his form and moved over to her.

"My chest plate!"

It was the last thing making her too heavy for him to carry. He grabbed it and pulled, as she pushed. It flung off, and the slide hit Steve dead on. Natasha took hold of his hand, and held onto the rest of his body for dear life. She reached round to find the string to pull for the parachute. She fumbled reaching behind him. He opened his eyes once more, regaining consciousness. He quickly remembered the situation at hand and held Natasha tightly. He Used his hand to pull the cord, and the large piece of fabric sprung open. They were a little too far down, so as the force of the sudden change of speed jolted them. Steve wrapped both his arms around Natasha's much smaller frame to keep her in place, and he buried his head in the crook of her neck in relief.

Natasha lightly rubbed his back as they fell. And their foreheads hit as they both sighed.

"Why didn't you tell me." Steve said breathlessly.

"I don't know. I just prefer people not knowing."

"I'm glad you're okay."

"So am I. That You're okay, not that I-"

"I know, I know."

The two of them rested their heads and waited for the thick trees to hit them.

The branches of the tree came into position and strung them up. The parachute gathered above them. The strings hung Steve amongst the trees.

"I, I'll get us out of this." Natasha said as she patted him on the shoulder.

A large tree lay next to them. The section in between the branches forming a nearly flat surface, big enough for the two of them. She grabbed his hand and tired to pull him over. Steve put his leg up on the surface, and pulled him self over. He took off the back pack, and stumbled onto the tree. Natasha was sure to catch him.

"Now I don't know about you, but I think we should be good here for a while until someone finds us."

"We've got cover, thanks to the parachute, and we're high up. So I suppose." He said lowly.

He shot Natasha a gentle glare as he emptied the rest of the backpack, and took off his mask. The both of them crouched in the tree as Steve turned his back to her.

"You're mad at me?"

She received not response.

"Why? What did I do this time?"

He grunted.

"Are you serious right now?"

"Yes Natasha, yes I'm serious!" He quickly turned round to face her.

"Why?"

"Because you didn't tell me. Why couldn't you tell me I've been fighting along side you this whole time. Didn't you stop to think that maybe we would have got along if you did?"

"Why would I want to?"

"If you didn't want to, you would ignore me as IronMan. But you don't. I consider IronMan a friend."

"That's nice Cap."

He huffed and turned around again. Natasha didn't like the silence.

"What do you want me to say!?"

"Why did you lie, and why do you do it. There. Simple enough for you?"

"I lied because I don't want people treating me like a hero, and I do it because I'm trying to be better."

"What are you talking about?" She caught his attention.

Natasha swallowed.

"My company, builds weapons, or at least it used to."

She lowered her head.

"I hurt a lot of people Cap. And I didn't realize it for years. I was too caught up in proving my father wrong."

"What?"

Natasha sighed. She sat down, legs crossed, and Steve did the same.

"It's okay Natasha, you can tell me."

Rain started to fall, and Steve moved in closer to stay under the parachute.

"When my mother died. Da-. Howard, changed. He stayed in the garage all the time. I'd come home from school and he'd be down there working with a bottle of brandy. Obadiah would come in and drop of forms. Eventually investors started to worry. And then I went down to see my father for the first time since my mum died. He was passed out next to something that look vaguely like a missile. I pushed him aside and covered him with a blanket, and, I finished his work. And that's what I did, for years. I came home from school, and tutoring, and I finished his work, and I signed the forms. I'd been running that company since I was thirteen. And my dad. Howard, figured it out eventually. I thought for years my dad wouldn't let me have the company when I grew up because he didn't think I was capable, that he wanted a male successor. He tried to get me involved with thousands of different guys. And they were nice guys. But I thought. He wanted them as his successor. It was only until, I guess nearly ten years ago. I realized I was wrong."

"What happened?" Steve leaned in closer.

"I was kidnapped, while at a demonstration. I found out my company had been selling to the bad guys. And then I realized, bad guys aren't a thing. There are just people, some worse than others. I made weapons. I helped people blow each other up. And I made this."

She tapped the glowing circle in her upper chest.

"I knew. I knew I could do more. That I could make something worth while. I made the suit and the arc reactor. And if those things, get into the wrong hands. The same things just gonna happen again. I used to be the wrong hands. But I'm not anymore. I don't want to be ever again. That's why my dad didn't want me to take over the business, that's why he pushed me to all those men. Because he didn't want me to have his life. He wanted me to fall in love and find something else to do. And, I understand that, I really do. But that doesn't excuse everything he did. He may have had good intention, but he still made my life a living hell. And I hate him for that. He tried to make my life better through lies, and punishments… I have a job to do. And I don't trust my self to do it if everyone calls me a superhero."

Silence lingered for a while.

"I'm sorry."

Steve looked up to meet Natasha's eyes, sincere as ever.

"I'm sorry Steve. You and I, were never going to get along. I know it. I can feel it. I promised myself I'd be better when I made it back. When I built the suit. And I'm gonna keep trying. But if your willing to give it ago. Being friends I mean. Now would be the time."

Steve smiled and held out his hand. And Natasha promptly shook it.

"I'd like that, Natasha. I'd like that very much." Natasha sighed.

The two of them sat down side by side.

"You know, I did get round to listening to some AC/DC."

"You did?" Natasha chuckled lightly.

"It was…"He struggled for the words.

"Not your thing?"

"Not really. The man sounded like he had a throat condition."

"Yeah." She nodded, and smiled.

"I've listened to some Queen though. That's kind of the same thing right?"

The sarcasm in his voice was thick and ever so slightly cheeky.

"Yeah, sure." She mirrored it.

"Although if you like Queen, I think I can forgive you for the AC/DC thing."

"Oh really?"

"Disliking AC/DC is a serious offence Captain."

"Is it now?"

"Sure is Cap. I might have to give you homework."

"You know I do listen to good music."

"Suuuuuurrrreee ya do." She waved his statement off.

"I do. Okay, fine they're oldies now. But since coming here I've broadened my horizon's."

"And…"

"And. I listen to some stuff from the fifties and sixties now."

Natasha rolled her head, and eyes. And fell backwards. Steve did the same.

"How long do you think it'll take for them to find us?"

Steve seemed to consider that for a while. Until Natasha was forced to nudge him.

"I'm thinking, I'm thinking. Maybe a couple hours. It's night fall now. So I'd guess not too long after first light."

"A night huh?"

"Most likely."

"Well in that case. I'm getting some sleep."

Natasha turned in the other direction to make sure she faced away from Steve, and closed her eyes. Steve did it too, facing the same direction. The wind picked up, and the lightning blared. Thunder roared, and the rain pushed through the brush of the trees. Natasha and Steve woke up instantly.

"What the hell!"

"Oh no."

Steve wrapped his arms around Natasha and scooted closer to the largest part of the tree to keep the two of them out of harms way. Natasha turned round in his arms.

"Well I seriously hope they get here soon." Was all she could manage to say. Steve's eyes were fixed on the rain, and the holes in the defense that the tree's provided. Steve was very clearly occupied. But Natasha couldn't think. For some reason he was treating her like a tiny puppy, with a cute bow on it's head. She frowned deeply.

"You know ca-"

"We should try and get back to sleep." Steve interjected quickly.

"Um… Okay."

Natasha was distinctly sure that she was distracted because she was so pissed at the way he was treating her, and it had nothing to do with how close he was. He loosened his grip, and put a little distance between them. Though not enough to clear Natasha's head. She looked round to find his eyes closed, and for a moment she contemplated his thick, but short eyelashes. His large lower lip, and his blonde hair. His hair was a yellow blonde, without darker shades running through it. It seemed oddly exotic to her. A perfectly uninterrupted colour of blonde. He seemed unmistakably unique to her. She let a small smile work it's way onto her face as he her eyes drifted closed. And she fell asleep in the arms of Captain America.

Thanks to Anastasia Watson for the question. Leave your questions in the comments, and I promise I'll get to them. Oh I'll get to them. I'll get to them all.

Chapter Text

"Did Steve being the only one to know who Iron Man was cause Trouble?"

"To be honest, not really."

Steve replies with absolute certainty in his voice. Natasha quickly chimes in.

"I'm pretty sure everyone had pretty much sussed that out already, well except for Hawkeye."

Steve chuckles a bit, and Natasha joins in.

"I can remember the first time it was an issue. By that time, I think I might have thought I could handle him."

Steve nods and bites his lips.

"I was wrong of course. This guy, can be pretty sassy at times."

It was early, far too early for Natasha. She had actually managed to go to bed last night, at four in the morning. Steve had said many times that she should keep the same hours as the other avengers, but she ignored him. She never needed much sleep. And besides she hadn't slept well in years, hadn't found a single comfy bed since childhood. She walked through the silver halls of the tower rubbing her eyes profusely. She held in her hand a cup full of smoothie, her breakfast. She stopped at two large metal doors as they scanned her barely open eyes. The doors opened with a hard mechanical sound. Natasha considered for a moment that it was reminiscent of dubstep. Mental note, replace all door noises with dubstep, she thought. Inside were all the other avengers, they were having the bi daily meeting. And she, was ten minutes late.

Steve looked down the large long table to give a stern, dad like stare. She slowly took her place next to Bruce as she yawned to show she didn't care. Probably not the best move considering they had just agreed to get along. But hell, if he couldn't handle a little bit of her sass, there was no point in them even trying.

"So, what did I miss?" She said half heartedly.

"A briefing of out last mission."

"Oh."

She yawned again, and Steve went back to the briefing.

"So, I suggested we run some simulations in the danger room. We're still not a cohesive team. It's more like we're all just there at the same time, we need to be a team."

"What about Iron Man?" Asked Clint.

"Iron Man has a agreed to the training. But he'll be doing it with me."

Natasha looked up from the game on her phone, mouth agape. What? She mouthed in Steve's direction.

"Iron Man and I agreed that he needed some help with his technique."

"What's wrong with his technique?"

"It needs some work."

The room fell quiet as the two of them silently dare the other to speak first.

"Well, now that that's out of the way. Meeting adjourned."

Natasha was too tired to complain, so instead she just glared at him. Everyone shuffled out of the room, and Natasha was left still in her seat sipping down what remained of her drink. Steve stood at the door.

"After lunch, come to the danger room."

She saluted half heartedly in his direction. She finished her drink and left muttering under her breath.

"I don't need training. I'm fine."

"Something wrong Natasha?"

Bruce came to the lift almost the exact same time as she had. He readjusted his glasses, and got in the lift with her.

"You have no idea."

It hummed down at a steady pace.

"What do you think of the Capsicle?" Bruce seemed a little caught of guard by the question.

"Ummm. He seems… Okay I guess, why?"

"He said Iron Man needed training. Iron Man!"

Bruce didn't look at her. She knew. He knew that she knew. And he knew, that she knew, that he knew. After all, he was too smart not to.

"Actually, I have to agree with him."

Natasha looked over at him, with an exaggerated expression that screamed betrayal.

"Iron Man could use some work. Just, at least the basics. I feel like, maybe he relies too much on the suit. He should probably know the basics of fighting too."

"Uh!"

Was all she could muster in response as the lift stopped, and Bruce walked out holding his hands up in defence. The two by now had divided up the lab. One side was for Natasha's engineering, and the other was for carefully maintained, and safely kept chemicals. Bruce had stressed the importance of the divide in the room many times, though Natasha rarely paid any attention to it.

Meanwhile Steve had sat down on one of the stools in the main room. He supposed it was the living room really. He sighed and took a sip of the coffee he always made sure to make just before every meeting.

"What ale's you friend?"

"Do you think I did the right thing in telling Natasha Iron Man needed more training?'

"We all need more training, do we not? And besides, it is not her suit which is at fault."

"True."

Thor gave Steve a hearty slap on the back. The force of it nearly making him spill his drink.

"Natasha mad at you cap?" Said Clint.

"Isn't she usually?" Added Widow In that way that was totally dead pan, but it may or may not have been intended to be funny, tone, that she was so famous for.

"Well why's she taking personal offence. It's not like you said she needed practice."

Widow's expression didn't change as Clint took a sip of his own drink. But it spoke thousand words a minute. She knew. And Steve knew she knew. And now she knew, that he knew, that she knew. But Clint, he did not.

Before lunch a small bank robbery took place. Widow and Hawkeye took care of it, and made sure to bring lunch back. Natasha finished her burger, while idly fixing a bolt in her armour she thought a little loose. She spent the next half hour looking over various prototypes laid out on paper. Eventually there was a buzz, and Jarvis's cool electronic voice came on.

"Ms Stark, Mr Rogers would like to begin training with Iron Man now."

"I'll, uh, go find him then."

She check over her shoulder to see Bruce's response. He didn't move an inch, good boy, she thought.

"Very good Ms Stark."

As she walked out the door and herd that noise again, she briefly considered remixing the sound of the doors with Jarvis's voice, saying something like, never let the part stop, or party all night yeah, something like that. Something that would sound amazingly disingenuous being said by his stately, clam and collected voice.

The danger room was large and oval. A grid on the floor and an observation deck above. The concept had been suggested to her by Wolverine in passing. Steve stood in the middle of the floor casually readjusting a punching bag, and hooking it up again. Natasha was taken a little off guard by the fact that he wasn't wearing his usual uniform. She supposed that really, she should have put on the appropriate clothing. Like, a vest, sports bra, different trousers? Instead she had just walked up here in jeans and a t-shirt.

"What are you wearing?"

Crap, she thought.

"Clothes, what does it look like? So what are we doing?"

"You can't exercise in that."

"Why not? You're wearing a shirt and sweats. And I'm wearing a shirt and jeans, basically the same."

"But don't you have to… You know."

"Nope. No, can't say that I do."

It was stupid, she knew that much, she was really going to regret not putting on a sports bra. It was going to hurt. But part of the suit she put on before getting into the armour, was specifically designed to keep the "Girls" down. If it wasn't, she'd have to wear a sports bra all the time. And wearing one all the time would probably suffocate her. Too late to back out now.

"All right, fine. Come over here and show me how you punch."

He used his stern dad voice. She silently shuffled over to the punching bag. She looked to her side to inspect her upper arms. And she had to admit, they were a bit disappointing for a superhero. She had Captain America standing over her, triangle shaped, and heroic. She was feeling gravely insecure again.

Her right hand lifted, clenched, and she slammed her fist into the bag. Steve frowned and shook his head slightly. Natasha could feel herself unconsciously rolling her eyes, though she was trying very hard not too.

"Try again. I think you can figure out what's wrong with throwing a punch like that."

That hadn't been the answer she was expecting. She looked down to her hung fist, and considered the trajectory of the punch. She had stretched out her arm, with a large angle in between fore arm and upper. And swung it round, hitting in the upper right. There's nothing wrong with that, she thought. But maybe she could do better. How could you inflict more force on the fist as it flew, well. By starting closer to the body. Allowing your muscles to clench more. And hell, while she was at it, she could extend one of her fingers slightly further to make the point of impact more precise.

She readied her self for a second time, and Steve redirected his previously wondering gaze back to the punching bag. She pulled her arm in much closer to her body, tensed her muscles, and threw forwards straight and precise. The contact of her fist with the leather of the bag mad a satisfying thud. Natasha felt happy with her deduction that she failed to see Steve's faint smile and nod.

"That was good. If you throw more like that."

"It's not really like I need to. I have my repulsers."

"Yeah, but someday you might not."

"I doubt that."

"It's not just your punches, it's your footing too."

"That's just the suit. It's difficult to walk in."

"We'll practice your footing today without the boots, and then when I think you've made some progress, you can wear them while we spar."

"I'm sorry, are we planning to do this regularly?"

Steve had no response to that as he gathered more equipment.

"When we're done with footing, we'll go onto strength exercises, and finish there for the day."

Steve showed her an appropriate stance for CQC, and then had to explain what CQC was.

"Controlling side back, knee's bent slightly, and arms ready to attack or block."

"How do I block?"

"When I do this." He very slowly drew his hand forwards, throwing a punch at her in slow motion.

"What's your instinct to do here?"

Natasha leaned to the left, making sure to be out of the path of destruction. Her right hand twitched upwards slightly as his hand came brushing past her face slowly.

"Now let's say, that rather than dodging, you wanted to get a hit in. What would you do?"

He stood back in the same position and slowly threw the punch again. She moved to the slide once more, but this time picked up on the small, but vital twitch in her arm. Her arm moved upwards and hit his fore arm, pushing it to the right in a circular motion, so as not to disrupt the motion his arm was already carrying. She brought in her right arm in a slow shot to his gut.

"That's good, that's good. But when you go in for the counter. Some one as small as you needs to be dodging at the same time, and, ideally, attaching a more vulnerable area."

"Are you talking about-"

"No! No. You could go for the side of the arm pits."

"Interesting."

They practiced that a few more times, and he showed her some more vulnerable places for her to hit.

"Can you lift?"

"Uhh, sure. Don't see why not."

"Oh really? The how about you try the bar?"

Steve pointed to a thick metal bar hanging nearly six ft off the ground. How in the hell was she going to reach that, she was barely average height as is. But, Steve stood one, maybe two inches higher than that bar.

She internally groaned, she was going to have to jump for it. She stood in place, and reached up for the bar. She hung in place. It was like the monkey bars as a kid all over again, her hands had always been to greasy to actually move from one bar to another. But all she had to do here was pull herself up. She tried, really she did. And she managed fairly well for her first time she thought. She refused to give up, she tried harder and harder to pull herself up, her arms were giving out. Steve stumbled slightly closer in case.

"No! I'm fine. If I have to get down by myself I will."

She started to growl as she willed herself upwards. Slowly but surely the bar reached her collarbone, and she let go happily. She landed on the grown with a thud, and quickly held up a hand to tell Steve she didn't need any help.

"There you go, I did one." She let out breathlessly.

"I suppose you don't think that's very impressive do you?" She continued as she propped herself up on her elbows and looked up at him.

"On the contrary, I'm impressed. You may not think it's much. But even just one of those a day will help you improve."

"Just one a day you say. So, then we're done?" She immediately regretted the use of we're.

"For today I suppose."

Jarvis quickly chimed in.

"Iron Man and Captain America are needed in the briefing room. Orders from a Mr Nick Fury.

"What's going on."

"I have been informed that Molecule Man's wand has been stolen."

They gave each other a knowing look. Natasha jumped to her feet, and the both of them darted out the doors.

Chapter Text

"When was the first time you really worked as partners?"

"The building, the tower. Was broken into this one time. We worked pretty well then. That was the start of the whole, shifter thing."

Natasha waves away the villain.

"Really, as far back as that?"

"Yeah, but it took us a while after that to figure out who was behind it."

Steve shifts a bit in his seat before he speaks up.

"I remember that day specifically. Although I think I actually remember the morning after better."

"Oh, I wonder why?"

Says Natasha in a sly voice. Steve moves his face out of sight from Natasha.

The air was cold as it hit the tip of her nose. She attempted to cover it with her thumb and finger. Natasha looked off to the right in a zombie like state. The clock projected on the wall said, four twenty five. She sighed, set aside her tools, yawned and stretched. time for lunch she thought Below her on her work desk sat a tablet with a long list of very complicated looking calculations on it. On top of the digital page was the title, danger room recordings. She brushed her hair out of her eyes, and pressed her thumb against the lock of the hard plastic door. It buzzed, and she moved onto the elevator. As she yawned for a second time, Natasha noticed that all the lights in the hall seemed to be turned off. It didn't matter though, all she needed was a good sandwich.

Her eyes were heavy, and her stomach in pain. The hallway at the top was unlit, and as she walked forward Natasha could see out the large window in the living room. The city outside was lit, and the sky was dark. Natasha looked at her watch, no, it was four in the morning, oh. Oops, she thought. She waddled over to the fridge. Taking in her hands the white bread and ham, and laying it clumsily all together. She swallowed a chunk of it, and as she chewed, she yawned again. Stumbling down the hall gently while she hummed, until she heard a crash. She took another large bite and started to run in its direction.

"Jarvis?"

No voice came from a complex combination of wires or from a kindly old man. At the end of the hall were two large thick metal doors, open. Natasha shoved the last of her sandwich into her mouth as she hugged the wall, and slowly inched closer cautiously. Her head turned the corner, still chewing the last of her food. Another bang.

"Stop throwing things."

"Or what? What are you going to do about it?"

"I'll cut your head off if I have to." A voice growled

"I'd like to see you try."

A man with a scythe for a hand came closer to another man with a skull on his mask.

"Zere is no time for fighting gentlemen. I need their fighting data, and I need them now." Said a faint robotic voice.

The red skulls face showed itself on a small hologram projected my one of their watches.

"Yes boss."

The hologram shut off. One of them went over to the physical files, and the other went to natasha's computer. It was a good thing that wasn't where she kept the files from the danger room. Natasha always made sure to transfer them to Jarvis. Jarvis, she thought. She quietly tip toed over to the elevator to drop a couple floors, to the computer store room. A room so large it too up nearly an entire floor. The two of those guys would never come into avengers tower by themselves. There had to be more of them. And if there were more, they had a plan.

Natasha heard footsteps coming in her direction, so she got in the elevator and closed the doors. The lift sped downwards and then stopped abruptly at its destination. The doors opened onto a large room, lit with blue light. All from large monoliths of technology. It was hot, and ever so slightly windy as you got closer to the rectangular blocks of data.

As she inched forwards she found three lackies in indiscript uniforms.

"All right, that should have locked all their rooms."

"Excellent."

Her head poked around the corner with a little too much confidence. So sure that she was in the shadows. One of them turned their heads. She darted back and pressed herself up against the computer.

"Hey, I think we have company."

She checked round her other side. Another had moved into place. If she could get to the elevator she could unlock some of the doors.

"Not so tough without your body guard are you, ms stark?"

Think Natasha. She pulled out a large disk of heavy data from the plimoth in front of her. And threw it into the face of the man on the right approaching her. It hit him straight on with a hard slam. She pushed herself off the plimoth behind her, and sprinted to the elevator doors. They opened just as she reached it. Inside though was another man in dark clothing. He wrapped his arms around her and brought her forwards.

"Bitch, she hit me."

"Oh grow up." Said the man holding her.

"I think she broke my nose."

"Damn it Bob, stop whining."

"Its bleeding!"

"No one cares."

Natasha struggled as much as she could, but the other two men came to help.

"Stop fidgeting!" The three men collectively grabbed a part of her, and threw her to the ground.

"All right, tell me where the data on the danger room is."

"That was my line."

"Bob, shut up, just let dylan do it."

"No! The boss said I could interrogate someone if we had to."

"Why are you so-"

"Its alright Dwayne, he can do it if he wants. But you better do it properly."

"I will I will, jeez." The smaller of the three men, clutching at his nose, sighed.

The tallest one moved over to side with the thickest one.

"All Right, tell us where the data on the danger room is!"

"I just said that." Claimed the taller man.

"I know. But, maybe she didn't hear it the first time."

Natasha lunged at the smaller device on one of their belts. She grabbed it with no problem, and held it out in front of her.

"Stay away."

"Haha, what do you think that's a weapon!?"

The largest man ran forwards, and wrapped his hands round her neck, pinning her to the ground.

"Where are the files on the danger room!"

"I-I don't know." She choked out.

"Where!?" He pushed even harder.

"Jarvis, Jarvis has them, Jarvis!"

He let go at once.

"Check the big on again."

"What?"

"The big one. The one nearest the main console. That's go to be the AI."

"Oh, right."

The smallest one pushed a small device into one of the plymouths. Of course he doesn't do it himself she thought. He wouldn't even know his way around one of these. Another one moved to join him. And just as he put his hand on his shoulder. A large electrical shock ran through them both.

"Ahhhhhh!" They both cried. Natasha jumped to her feet. Idiots, she thought. She grabbed a small tablet from a nearby table. The last man threw his fist at her. She remembered what Cap had told her, and smoothed it round with her right hand. She thrust her arm, with a pointed knuckle, into the side of his chest. It wouldn't subdue him, but it would give her the time she needed to get out of here. He fell to the floor and she grabbed his watch.

She ran to the double doors of the lift. And safely crouched inside. A small camera on the side

of the watch caught her attention. If she was going to use it, she would have to get rid of it. The camera was a small dome shape. It protruded enough for her to smash it against the walls of the elevator without damaging the rest of the device. Jarvises main terminal had been taken over, and somehow these thugs had made it into the building. One thing was for sure she thought. Red Skull had some tech wiz on his side. Or else there was no way he could have done this.

The lift smashed to a halt, but the doors did not open. Natasha attached the watch to her right rist, her preferred side. Something her father had always disliked. She tried to push her fingers into the small gap in between the doors in front of her. Natasha hated to admit it, but she had never been in a situation like this without her suit before. If she couldn't use strength, she would use the tools around her. She heard a bashing and a quick thud from above. She moved back, and hit the control panel sharply with the heel of her shoe. It fizzled and bursted with electricity. Only at that moment did she realize she had no idea what she had planned. The top of the lift had been thrown off, and above was the face of the one, Natasha Romanov.

"They've taken of the building stark, how?"

"The main terminal, the floor I just came from."

"Is there a back up? Another place we can get to?"

"Several, of course. But how did you get out of your room." Romanov dropped into the small room to continue the conversation.

"I was outside my room when I heard something, decided to take some precautions. Turns out it was worth it."

"There is a private access terminal in my room on the top floor. But the information they're here for is with Jarvis."

"The data on the danger room. But you just came from that floor. They have it over run don't they?"

"Wrong Jarvis." Romanov raised her eyebrow at Natasha.

"I keep most of the really important stuff on a small disk of memory with physical Jarvis. The dangerous prototypes, information on top secret substances, and danger room calculations."

"Alright. First off. We have to get out of here. Second you have to get to the private access terminal. I'm going to go find Jarvis. Is it possible that they may figure out its with him? I suggest we make our way to the floor with Jarvis and cap on it."

"Then you need to stay with Jarvis, make sure he's okay. And if he has no idea what's going on, fill him in. If we can get cap too. Well go up to the terminal."

"Sounds like a plan stark. Can you climb?"

"Sure."

Romanov hoisted herself up onto the roof of the lift, and extended her hand for Natasha to grasp. Natasha pulled on it and joined Romanov at the top.

"If I remember the schematics of this building correctly, since it is mine. Jarvis's floor should be three up."

"Allright." Romanov replied. She pulled out a small slip with her face on it that read, Avengers. She spoke into it.

"Hawkeye stay put."

"Will do."

"Cap, have you had any progress?"

"I have no idea how any of this works. But his rooms next to mine right?"

Romanov turned her head to Natasha for an answer.

"Your across the hall from him, so in case you were thinking off smashing through the walls like hulk, I'd advise against it."

"Natasha? Are you alright? We'd been trying to reach you."

"I know I didn't pick up. We're coming to get you know."

"I think the vent in his room goes over to Jarvis's room."

"So? You're not going to fit in those."

"No, but he might be able to hear me through them."

"Alright captain, were on our way." Romanov finished.

The two of them slowly climbed their way up the cables. They reached the appropriate floor and Natasha jumped onto the small ledge before it. She lifted her foot up to the doors and pushed them apart. The further they got apart the easier it was. Eventually they opened, and Natasha and widow stepped out slowly. They could hear whispering coming from round the corner. They pushed themselves up against the wall. Two voices could be heard. Widow turned the corner, she smashed one guys head into the wall, the other swung at her, only for her to deflect it and put him on his arse. Natasha ran to the door on the left, and immediately dropped down to the control panel. Just as she had taken off the front plate, three men came running round the corner.

"Hey! It's them. Get em!" Said the small one as he pushed one of his comrades forwards.

Widow ran down the hall as the men readied their guns. She kicked one of their hands. Another got shoved against the wall as she quickly turned round to dodge the guy at the back, and push the one at the front. He got a hit to the throat and the last guy got one to the gut. Meanwhile Natasha was still fiddling with the control panel. The door buzzed and opened nearly half way, revealing part of Steve's body.

"Natasha?" Asked Steve.

"Which one?" Said Romanov.

Steve's arm came out the door as he tried to push it out of the way. It slid away carefully and slowly as he joined them in the by hall.

"Both, I guess."

"Madam, is that you?" Said a ghostly voice from a vent out of the hallway in caps apartment. Natasha quickly ran to the vent, and stood on her tip toes.

"Jarvis, are you okay?"

"Yes madam I'm fine and so is the fob."

"Good, Romanov is going to stay with you in case." Natasha was just about to move away, when Jarvis called out to her once more.

"Madam, Natasha?"

"Yes Jarvis?"

"Do be careful."

She considered for a moment saying something like, I'm always careful, or, you know me. But she knew Jarvis, and he meant it.

"I will, don't worry."

Widow went up to the vent and pulled herself up, and started to crawl over to Jarvis's half of the floor.

"All right, what's the plan Natasha?"

"We need to get up to the top floor, that way I can take control of the building back. Because right now they're locked into almost every system."

"Alright, how do we get up there?"

Steve moved to close the door to his apartment, which allowed Natasha a short glimpse inside. It looked dim in light. The walls were covered in pictures, and furniture crowded the walls. It looked cozy Natasha thought. Sweet and cozy. She wanted lie down on the large soft sofa in the dim light and rest. She had been up for so long. She was so tired, but she had only realized it when she looked into that room.

"Natasha? Are you okay."

She had been staring into space remembering the confines of his living room. Had he been asleep when all this started to happened. He wore a white t shirt and Grey sweats, not too dissimilar to what he wore when they were training.

"Stairs, we take the stairs. These henchmen are clearly too lazy to get into anything other than a lift."

natasha ran to the slim door that opened on to the stairs.

"All the way to the top then?"

"Fraid so cap."

"Will you be okay, you know without your armour?"

"I'll be fine, I'm not the ninety year old."

"Funny."

The two of them sped up the stairs. kind of a bad Idea in retrospect. They got up about twenty flights, only ten, fifteen more to go. She didn't know. This building was too big for the, oh, seven people who lived in it. She was out of breath. but she wasn't about to let the steve race on by like he hadn't a care in the world. She had to stop for a second, and catch her breath.

"What was that about me being a ninety year old?"

He felt distinctly proud. Sure natasha was smart, smarter than anyone he had ever met, save for maybe Banner. But he'd always have the upper hand when it came to fitness. He could run rings round her if he wanted too. He felt bad for thinking that, but he just felt so damn good that he could one up her in at least one way. All she could do was dismiss him with a wave in his direction.

"Come on natasha , only, ten more flights to go." he said in a teasing tone.

She glared in his direction, and jogged off up the stairs at a steady pace, holding his arms close to his side. Natasha pushed herself up and clambered on behind him. The top door opened onto a very short corridor with only one exit. In between them and the door were three men. They took a moments of hesitation, and then Steve and Natasha ran towards them. The man in front, surprised by their quick response, drew back his arm for a punch. As his fist came forwards, and the man to the left moved ever so slightly to the side. Cap used his fore arm to push back against his extending fist, pushing it in the other direction, setting him off balance. And in that opening made, Natasha slipped through, and pulled both their legs. And just as the last guy had time to turn around, Natasha and Steve hit him both at the same time.

"Ow! Hitting people hurts." She started to shake her hand furiously. Steve shook his head. And they moved onto the door. They walked into natashas apartment. The large glass window l making the room cold. A glimmer from outside the window caught Steve's attention. He grabbed her by the waist and stopped them as they were about to turn the corner.

"There might be more out there."

Natasha looked both ways, and ran. Steve was caught off guard and got left standing there behind the wall while Natasha crouched over her computer that faced the window. And started it up. The delicate blue lights whirred into life, and the monitor flashed and joined it. She readied her hand on the mouse.

Suddenly there was a huge crash and a burst of cold wind. She looked to find five men having broken through the window. Natasha cursed herself, as she crouched lower. Steve readied himself, she typed her password in and pushed her thumb for print. The desktop came up, and the icons started to appear. Steve ran from cover and immediately went for the biggest guy. A simple punch sufficed for him. He turned round and hint another in the stomach, and kicked him once more. But Steve was a little too late with the third guy. He took a hit and Natasha got up in an instant, ran forwards and flung herself at him. He had him round the neck. The last two men both swung at Cap at the same time. He moved to the left. And bashed their heads together, they both fell to the ground.

Before she could have seen it coming one of the guys on the ground came up behind her. She turned around to face the window. He stumbled and Natasha lost her grip. She slipped ever so slightly, but it was enough to shove her out the large hole in the window. Steve moved forward quickly to try and catch her before she would fall. An arrow came racing past Steve's head and hit The guy right behind him. Natasha was slipping, she fell down and held her hand out. Steve caught her wrist just him time, parts of the broken glass at the bottom of the window making her wince in pain.

"Natasha!" He pulled her up slowly but surely. They both fell over onto some of the glass. they both lay side by side as they caught their breath. She lifted her thumb to signal Hawkeye, whom had clearly been keeping an good eye on them. And somewhere in the distance Clint did the same.

"All Right, we're almost there."

Natasha hoisted herself up, and clutched at her arm. From around her neck she took off a strange long metal pendant, or so Steve thought. She turned the middle of it round, and out of it came a USB fob. She plugged it in. And searched the files on it. She had a few on there. Some work related, like, suit 56, or ark reactor variation 32. Others seemed to be titles of books, and a complete history of the ancient egyptians. And then there were the last few at the bottom, labeled. Pepper, Jarvis, mom, and Howard. He briefly considered if they were pictures, or cold hearted information, like age, and weaknesses.

She quickly clicked over to a file named, iron house. The file opens onto four different iterations all in recogniseable file types, though cap didn't know that much in the first place about files. She clicked the first one, and the computer flashed over to a red screen. Every single light but that of the computer shut off. They Stood in the darkness for a few moments. And then the walls lined themselves with blue light, and feeds from cameras around the house made themselves visable.

Arms retracted from several different places around the house. They could see two men bashing at Jarvis door. She quickly typed in the command for the arms, and they scooped them up and threw them down. She continued to do the same for the ones in the computer room. Down on the bottom floor, outside banners room, and Thor's. Just as she had moved away from the mouse, out of the corner of her eye she caught the large man with the skull on his mask, and the man with the scythe. And in their hands they held a disk.

"They've got the data from the danger room. We have to stop them."

Steve didn't hesitate. They both ran to the elevator, now safe to use. And it sped downwards, it was fast, but not fast enough. The rotating doors at the front spun round as they exited. Natasha and Steve followed after. But as soon as they left the building they were blinded by white light, and a large booming sound. A huge aircraft came down as the two men got on board and left. Just as the door to the craft closed an arrow made its way into the shoulder of the man with the skull. And another landed on the outer hull and stick itself there. The mechanism stuck to the side, and beeped with regular intervals as the craft disappeared into the night.

The others made their way out to their rooms, quickly realized that all the excitement was over, and went back. Bruce made sure to check that everyone was okay before heading back to bed. And Jarvis had nearly killed himself with worry over Natasha. She hugged him good night and patted his night cap with the delicate little furry ball on the end, that she had given him many years ago. He shook his head at her and smiled. Widow moved out to the room and joined Steve and Natasha.

"Barton put a tracker on the side of the ship, so we can check that tomorrow. Oh and I forgot my fob upstairs." said Natasha.

"Yeah, how did you do that?" Asked widow as all three of them stepped into the lift.

"It's a program I've been working on. Thought it might come in handy, and I was right. Its actually still not finished though."

"We'll it did the job." Added Steve.

The doors opened to her apartment. The large room that made up most of it, now really cold. She let out a large yawn as he looked over to her bed. And took her USB out of its place.

"Great where am I supposed of sleep?"

"You sleep?" Added Steve.

Natahs a glared in his direction as she tried to hold back another yawn.

"You could sleep on Caps couch until the windows fixed. It being you an all, you could get it done in one day." Widow started to move away back to the elevator with a ghost of a smirk playing on her face.

"Um, sure, we could do that. If, Natasha's okay with that that is."

"Yeah, sure. I'm okay with that." They both shook their heads at each other briefly, before they joined Widow in the lift. She raised her eyebrow at them, the smirk dared to show itself again as they zoomed down.

She stood at the entrance of his apartment, and took in the strange old person smell. If she had to describe it, she would call it old cologne, ginger cookies, and maybe some moth balls? Steve shuffled in and awkwardly took out a blanket for her. He stopped for a moment as he held it in his hands. He couldn't let her sleep on the sofa. He couldn't sleep in bed while she slept on the sofa. If she was going to stay. She would sleep in the bed and he would sleep on the sofa. If not, well he wouldn't be able to live with himself. It just seemed wrong to make a lady sleep on the couch.

"Uhhh, Natasha." He started as she closed the door behind him.

"Would you mind sleeping in the bed, and I'll sleep on the couch?"

"What? Why?"

"Well..." He braced himself for her reaction.

"Its just not right for me to sleep in bed while I let a lady sleep on the couch."

She stared off into space for one second, and then re joined him.

"Really?"

He nodded his head. And she sighed. She knew, there was no getting out of this one. Sure she would feel bad about making him take the sofa in his own home, on his own. But then again, it was for one night only, and she knew he meant it. She nodded and walked off to the bedroom. Steve lay himself out on his couch, and wrapped the blanket around him as Natasha settled into bed. Eventually she let the amber lights, the simple softness of his bed, and the smell specific to him, lull her to sleep.

"What happened the morning after?"

Natasha smiles.

Chapter Text

."So we have a fan question here. Slr689 asks, What is one thing about the other that REALLY bugs the other person?"

Steve and Natasha both speak up at the same time, creating a strange fumble of words.

"I think I know what he's gonna say. It's always the same thing."

"Oh you do?"

"Yeah, I do."

Steve raises his eyebrows.

"Go for it then."

"He's going to say I always have to fix everything, and that I can't let tech rest."

Steve tilts his head to the side.

"I knew it. It's always the same. He always says the same thing. Always."

"Well it is true Natasha. She just, can't let it go. She always has a tablet in her hands, has to have the TV on in the background all the time. Even when watching a movie, she has to fix the aspect ratio, if it's not perfect. She has to get up and start fiddling."

"Well what's the point of having a cinema room, if the it's not at the right aspect ratio. and I keep the tablet with me because I like to know what's going on, and I can't concentrate in silence, so I put the TV on."

Steve shakes his head, and smiles.

"You know what bugs me?"

Steve turns his head, and smiles.

"He won't eat cake. He just won't."

Nancy and Steve both look bewildered. Natasha shrugs and continues.

"He won't, he just won't. It's really annoying. He doesn't like desert in general. He eats sweets, but he won't eat and baked goods. It's very annoying."

Steve starts to snicker, and soon Natasha joins in.

Steve opened his eyes and looked over to the antique clock sitting on the table next to the TV. It said six, exactly. Steve smiled. He always managed to wake up the same time almost every day if he forgot to set his alarm. Steve threw off his blanket and stretched his arms upwards and yawned. He considered briefly going for a run, grabbing a smoothie, something small as he passed the fridge. He stopped abruptly, as his mind caught up. He remember Natasha. He rushed over silently to the door of his room and peered in. He caught a glimpse of Natasha laid out on the bed. Only one pillow remained on the bed, all other had fallen on the floor. The covers joined the pillows on the floor, and Natasha covered her self only in a the white throw Steve kept at the bottom of the bed.

She had pulled it up around her neck, but left the majority of her legs uncovered, and stretched out every limb as far as they could go. Her mouth was opened ever so slightly. Steve could tell she was in a deep sleep. He smiled and moved back to the fridge. He opened the door and peered inside. Normally Steve would have grabbed something small and gone down stairs to exercise, and then at ten he'd start the meeting. He decided he would skip today. He grabbed a large packet of strawberries, laid them out, and chopped them up, and paired them with a dollop of cream cheese.

Steve set the food down on his impossible small table that sat in the alcove he called a kitchen. Steve only took up three or four rooms on the floor. Natasha had insisted that he take the whole lower floor for himself recently, but something just didn't feel right about all the space he said. He turned on his TV, still not too well adjusted to how it worked, not that he was going to admit that. The table had been set, and everything was ready, so he moved back into the bedroom. Natasha still lay there spread out to a ridiculous extent. He hesitated for a second, it was only six o'clock, he'd bet his bottom dollar that Natasha never woke up this early. But in the end he figured he could just ask her if she wanted to sleep in, and if so, no harm done. He moved over quietly, and rather than whispering, or poking her. He instead decided to rip it off like band aid.

"Natasha? … Natasha?"

He didn't shout, but he did raise his voice ever so slightly. Steve wasn't sure what he had expected her to do. Have her eyes flutter open as she carefully and delicately got out of bed? Perhaps roll over gently and wave him away? Instead she attempted to open her eyes, only to find that the light of the room was too bright. She coughed as she threw the blankets over her head and said.

"Too bright. Jarvis. Turn the lights down."

She coughed again.

"And get me a glass of water, I slept with my mouth open again."

She groaned as she rolled around under the covers. Steve got a tall glass and filled it with water. He wasn't Jarvis, but he figured he would have to do for now. He shuffled over to the bed and crouched down.

"Natasha?" He whispered.

Natasha tossed the top half of the blanket away in one precise movement. She squinted from the light, saw the water, saw the man holding it, and then froze.

'oh, right." She said under he breath.

"Hey Steve." She said awkwardly.

"Hey Natasha."

Natasha's chest rose just the tiniest bit as he said her name.

"I made breakfast."

He passed the cup of water to her, and she sat up. She took a couple gulps of it as Steve moved back into the other room.

"I was going to let you watch the news, since you know, you always have your tablet with you in the morning, but it doesn't look like the TV is working."

Natasha put down the drink and waddled over to the TV without a second thought. She hit the side of the TV lightly. It fizzed and Natasha tilted her head to the side. She peered behind it to get a better look.

"Natasha just leave it. It's fine."

"What do you mean it's fine? It doesn't work."

"I mean, it's just. It's not that important. Eat something first."

She didn't seem to reply from the back of the television. Steve sighed and sat down in his chair.

"I think I've got it."

Natasha was now fully behind the table that held the television, scooting around with the wires. The TV buzzed back into action, as the BBC news played.

"There."

She returned from behind the TV and stood in front of it.

"Natasha?-"

"Why is your TV so small? Who can live with a TV this small?"

"Natasha?" His said with his voice raised slightly.

"Huh."

Her attention moved back to Steve, and the table with her breakfast on it. She sat down quietly while Steve stared at her. She started shoveling the strawberries into her mouth one by one. Natasha's eyes darted round his apartment. It was a little brighter this time round. It wasn't the same amber colour it was last time. But the furniture was still brown and the tables almost exclusively wood. The walls were lined with vintage appliances, that Jarvis had no doubt spent a very long time finding for Mr. Captain America. Eventually her eye caught sight of a plastic cover of a barely eaten slice of victoria sponge cake, or at least that's what it looked like. She scooped up her bowl and walked over to the cake. It looked a few days old.

"When did you get this? Did I miss a birthday?" She said in between bites.

"Umm no. I had dinner, with someone. Took the desert home, but I don't really like desert."

"You don't like desert? What is wrong with you. It looks expensive too."

Natasha raised her eyebrows in Steve's direction as she took another bite. He sighed.

"You can have it if you want."

"Sweet." She set down the bowl with the carefully prepared breakfast in it, and picked up the cake. Steve held a gentle frown on his face as he looked downward and pushed away his food. Natasha stopped abruptly, threw the cake into the bin and picked up the strawberries again.

"I think I'd rather eat what you made for me."

Steve smiled and the two sat down together.

"You know you didn't have to fix the TV right?"

"I'm pretty sure I did. I mean it's not like you'd know what to do."

"Oh nice."

"What? And you knew what to do with it?"

"Well, no, not really."

"Well them."

She smirked at him.

"You think you're so clever don't you."

"No, I know I'm clever."

"I'm not completely useless when it comes to technology."

"Oh really."

"I'd say considering, I've done pretty well adjusting."

"Says the man who doesn't know how to send an email."

Steve looked up from his meal mouth open.

"Widow told me."

"Damn it. That's just one thing. I can use a computer. A smart phone. The jet."

"Yet you won't let me upgrade your suit. If you just let me-"

"I'm fine. I'd really like to stick to doing it the old fashioned way if you don't find."

"look just say it Capsicle."

"Say what?"

"You know."

He shook his head.

"I'm scared of tech. It's only natural Cap."

"I'm not scared of tech."

"Uh huh."

He scowled and deep fatherly scowl.

"Oh gee Ms. Stark what ever will I do with all this baffling technology? If only there was someone smart enough to teach me about the terrifying future? I mean gosh, I'm just a regular old city boy, what do I know about all this-"

"I get it. You're sassy today star spangled banner."

"I'm always sassy."

"Really, then why does it always seem like you have a stick up your ass?"

"I don't Natasha. I just. I want to do my job. I want to make sure everyone's safe. And, I know you feel the same. It's just sometimes it doesn't seem like you do, so I'm a little hard on you."

Natasha smiled as she finished her food. The two of them let their eyes drift over each other. The doorbell rang. Natasha got up to the door and opened it. Hawkeye stood on the other side with Natasha's tablet in hand.

"Oh wow you really are sleeping in his apartment, I though Nat was making it up."

"What is it?"

"We have a trace on the craft from yesterday."

"Where is it?" She took the tablet from him.

"In the middle of a forest. We think there could be a base there or something."

"We'll have to check it out."

Chapter Text

“So a lot of people know about the Stark-Rogers family tradition of camping. But I think all of us would like to know when it first started. So, What started the tradition of camping?”

Natasha sucks in her breath as she leans to the side.

“An argument.”

“Barely an argument.” Adds Steve.

“Right, but the camping is an important family tradition.”

“I, didn’t expect it to  be. But, The whole thing is really important to me now. At first I agreed to go camping to prove a point. Steve kept saying is was a great way to get away. Feel like the world belonged to you, and get away from all the tech…”

“Is that why you go?”

Natasha pauses a bit, and Steve looks puzzled.

“No.”

Steve seems a bit taken aback.

“I go… Because it makes it feel like Steve and I are the only two people in the world. He’s the only person there. And, I love it. I get to have him completely to myself… That’s why I love it so much. Somehow it always remind me of how important he is to me.”

Steve smiles gently as he strokes Natasha’s hair.

“Is it really okay for you to be here without your bodyguard?”

The plane shook ever so slightly. Light barely peeking it’s head round the clouds and various mountains. Widow rolled her eyes, and Natasha opened her mouth to speak.

“Yes. This is purely scouting. If we do find something, we’re not going in. We’ll look around, and then report back.”

“Still don’t see why you have to come.”

“Because I wanted to.”

Steve nodded his head knowingly.

“All right, we’ll be touching down a few klicks away from the coordinates.”

Natasha stood up from her place across from Steve, and took hold of one of the straps above. She paused for a moment, then slowly lifted her index finger quizzically.

“A klick is a kilometre.” Steve answered before she could ask.

“I knew that.”

The plane slowed, and set it’s self down. Hawkeye and Widow made their way out. Steve got up from his seat and quickly grabbed a vest, and handed it to Natasha. 

“I know it’s just a scouting mission, but, just in case.”

“I don’t need this relax.”

“Natasha.”

His tone wasn’t demanding, it was his usual stern dad voice that he liked so much to use with her. She took it none the less, and put it on. They stepped out into a misty forest. A gentle yolk colour began to rise over the mountains. 

“Okay, it shouldn’t be too far.”

They all walked out, and soon they were far from the plane. Widow kept her tracker out to make sure they were going in the right direction, and Hawkeye stayed ready in case of unwelcome company.

“Did we land in a swamp? Cuz all this mud is really annoying me .”

“No. It rained earlier.”

Natasha lifted her leg to inspect the large culmination of dirt on the sole. 

“Never been camping then?”

“Nope.”

“You should it’s fun.”

Natasha walked carefully and slowly through the thick mud. Eventually Steve fell behind to stand next to her, out of ear shot of the others. Natasha sighed, as she struggled to get her boots out of the wet ground.

“Some how I don’t think I’d be into it.”

“Camping is fun. You get to be closer to nature. See the stars. Cook your own food. And spend time with the people you love, away from any distractions. Give them your full attention.”

“You went camping a lot then?”

“All the time. We used to do it every now and again. It wasn’t expensive, so it was nice to have a family get away.”

Steve stopped, and Natasha turned her head. His eyes dropped to the ground. And she sighed.

“Have you been camping since you got back?”

“No. I haven’t been camping since… Captain America. Though a lot of nights, during the war, it felt a little bit like it.”

“You should try glamping.”

“What?”

“Glamour Camping. The only camping I’ve ever considered.”

“Camping might be good for you. You know, get away from all your technology.”

“All my technology? I don’t know if you’ve noticed Cap, but that’s kind of my thing.”

“I did notice. You carry around that tablet all the time. I wish you’d just get away from it, or step away from your work now and again. Get outside.”

“I’m outside right now.”

Steve shot her a quick look. Natasha wouldn’t know how to describe it, other than bitch face.

“You know what I mean Natasha. You barely ever eat or sleep.”

“I don’t eat because I’m busy, and I don’t sleep because my bed is hard, horrible, and I hate it. And besides I don’t really need much sleep anyway. I also function perfectly fine with lack of food.”

“No you don’t. You get dizzy, and clammy. You get headaches.”

“That’s normal.”

“No it’s not… Look, I was just trying to say, you might like to try camping. It’s fun, really.”

Natasha pulled ahead, taking her place next to Widow and Hawkeye. And all Steve could do was sigh.

Eventually a building started to show it’s self from behind a small mountain. Dozens of men stood outside in uniforms unrecognisable to the four of them. They ducked behind a boulder in an instant. A small sleek ship dipped down from the sky. It’s jet’s turned to the ground, and slowed. It landed with a huff, and the back opened. Six men exited, forming a ring around one other man. They could only see glimpses of him through the moving bodies. He wore a cream suit, and bright red tie. Something about the combo, and the short stature got Natasha thinking. The group of men moved uniformly into the building’s large steel doors. The man’s cinnamon blonde hair, and vaguely round glasses made Natasha jump. Her hand landed in an instant on Steve’s shoulder. The movement jolted Steve as he spun round to see Natasha’s wide eyes as she peered at the man as the doors closed in on him. She shook as she slowly raised herself off of the ground.

“Natasha?” Steve whispered.

But she continued to rise from her place. Steve grabbed her wrist to stop her, but she shook his hand free. She ran in the opposite direction at top speed. Steve stood up to follow, but was stopped by Widow. 

Natasha had found her way onto the small ship. Lying around sat and small uniform and helmet. Thank god for masked henchman she thought. She slipped in with another group of soldiers. She quickly picked up that these men were not top notch guards men. Their patrols were irregular, guns loosely held, And they actually chatted to each other. Not to mention Natasha was pretty sure that she caught one of them scratching his arse. She had been wandering the halls for a while now, getting no more than irregular glances in her direction as she passed. She was fairly certain by this point that the base was circular. Which meant that he was almost undoubtedly in the centre. After wandering the twisty maze of passages all alike. She came to a hall with a large door. The door lead to one of the largest rooms she had ever seen. Yet no one was there. She walked in cautiously. Tables, and tables sat with various different  gadgetry.  In the middle of the room sat a large silver man. Natasha took off her helmet in shock as she realized it was designed after her own Iron Man armour. Of course it was, it always was. But it was larger, sleeker. And instead of the usual face plate was a oval screen. A desk to the right held several pieces of paper. The title on top of one of them, stating, Adaptoid, in bold red letters.

And to the left of the display was large jar, filled with a violent looking red substance. She moved closer to inspect it. A large mechanical sound came from behind the Adaptoid. A hand grabbed her from the back. Natasha whipped round to catch the hand. But instead her mouth was covered, and she was pushed up against a large body, and dragged away, under a table. She managed to wiggled round in the man’s arms as she fought for freedom. 

Her mouth moved to his hand as she sharply bit him. He pulled his hand away in an instant and pulled his mask off. Natasha stopped as she caught a glimpse of  bright yellow blonde hair came into view.

“Steve?”

He covered her mouth again, nodded, and motioned above. He slowly released his clasp on her mouth.

“Now are you going to tell me what’s going on?” He whispered to her as close and as quietly as he could.

Natasha’s breath caught in her throat and she readjusted in her place.

“Hammer.” She replied breathlessly.

“What?”

“Hammer, my competitor. I’ve known him for years, since MIT. He was always trying steal my stuff. He has the second most successful weapons company that sells to the US. Hammer Industries. He’s always trying to beat me, and always failing. But ever since the suit. I haven’t heard from him. Look, the point is, he’s bad new Capsicle. He’s willing to do anything and everything to be on top.”

“So-”  A sharp mechanical sound cut into Steve’s sentence. Natasha managed to peak her head out from under the table to catch a glimpse of the scene. 

“Wow, wow, wow. She’s quite something ain’t she.”

“You like it sir?”

“Like it? I love it!

Hammer shouted at the top of his lungs as he clasped the shoulder of a man clad in a white coat. 

“Liven up! Ha ha! I’m finally doing it. Ms. Stark won’t know what hit her!”

He spun round on his heel, and spread his suit jacket. 

“Fire it up boys!”

He grabbed a hard hat and moved behind a wall. Small delicate lights on the Adaptoid sprung into life as it lifted it’s head. It detached it’s self loudly from it’s harness. It turned round and stiffened. 

“Come on! Let’s go go go!”

“Uhh, yes sir.”

The man in the white coat pressed a large red button, and a burst of flames hit it’s outer shell. The metal case shifted to look like feather as it all became darker and stiffer. 

“Okay, but what about the fighting! The super heroes! With the powers, and the shields and stuff!?”

“Um, uh. We made a simulation, just let me.” He fumbled around as he gathered another remote.

From an alcove came three thin bots. One jumped in the air as flames flashed out of it‘s heel, the other crouched with a shield in hand, and the third held a small gun gripped very precisely in both hands. The Adaptoid copied the jets of the first, the stance of the second, and the speed of the third. The Adaptoid took them down one by one as it stole each of their moves. And when it was done, wires and fluids lay on the ground every where. And the machine halted once more. Steve’s grip tightened on Natasha. And his expression turned to one of horror. 

“That’s what they used the data for. To make those bots?”

“Yup.”

“Natasha we have to get out of here.”

“What is that red stuff?”

“What? Natasha, we don’t have time for this.”

Steve slipped his mask back on, and Natasha did the same. They slipped out while Hammer was too busy jumping up and down shaking his assistants around. They moved down the hall at a steady pace until they passed a door. Steve grabbed her and pushed her through it, whipping of his mask.

“What were you thinking!?”

“What?”

“What were you thinking!? You can’t just run off Natasha. We’re a team. Not to mention you don’t have your suit.”

“Okay, so maybe I didn’t think it through too much, but I can handle myself.”

“Without your tech?”

“No, because I’m never without my tech. I’m not just some girl who stick wires together. I’m an inventor, and an engineer. Tech goes where ever I go Steve. Invention is who I am. It’s not just wires and circuits, it’s quick thinking and innovation. You may think that without my suit I’m not Iron Man. But Iron Man isn’t the suit, I am. And I’m much more than a few fancy tricks and gadgets.”

Silence sat between them for while, and Steve dipped his head before he looked up again.

“Alright… But I worry that you rely on your gadgets too much. That’s why I said you should go camping. That’s all.”

“I guess I could use some practice. We could take the team or something, for a night.”

“That would be nice.”

Steve raised his hand to push and stray piece of hair behind her ear, and smile gently. For that brief moment all Natasha could do was contemplate the cool blue of Steve’s eyes. Steve coughed and moved his hand away, not realizing it had been lingering on her cheek.

“But just for a night, we can’t go off duty for too long.”

“Superheroes have to take holidays some time. We could take turns.”

“We could do that.”

“Yeah, yeah. But we are still in Hammer’s secret weapon base.”

“Let’s go.”

“Yup.”

Thanks for reading! I'm kind of excited for the next chapter, so stay tuned. And as always please check out Avenger-Earth-3490 on Tumblr, and my personal account, Fistsofthedemi god for updates on all my fics. Please leave a review, or ask a question for the interviewer to ask. Thanks!

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Chapter Text

Chapter 10

“What Happened With Hammer!?”
“Well, a lot.”
Steve clenches his jaw, and look to the side.
“I’ll go through it.”

Natasha stood at the edge of the red carpet, her arms firmly around the shoulder of Bruce Banner. She smiled and waved, while Bruce shyly nodded in the direction of the photographers. They stood side by side, both in similar three piece suits, though Natasha was also sporting some gaudy orange sunglasses. They walked to the end of the carpet to several open doors leading into the hall. Bruce let out a large breath as he walked in.
“Next time you want to go to a charity event with me, let‘s go in the back door.”
“But the camera’s are so fun.”
“I need a drink.”
Natasha released his shoulder, and he walked off to the bar. She whipped off her glasses as she caught a glimpse of the outside through the many open doors, and large wall incubating windows. She tucked the glasses away in her front pocket and clasped her hands together as she peered around the room. Crowds of people filled the place, and the area was lit with amber light. Bruce could be seen off in the distance Rubbing his temples and nursing a drink. Natasha slowly walked over to Bruce, and joined him on a stool.
“What’s got you so stressed?”
“Uhh.”
Natasha turned to him questioningly.
“I haven’t been out in a long time. Especially not to a place with this many people.”
“Eh, it’s okay, it’s not like I intend on talking to any of them.”
Bruce chuckled slightly.
“We can just sit here.”
Natasha turned round on the stool to face the same direction as Bruce, and ordered a drink for her self. Bruce swished the drink round in it’s glass, and pushed up his glasses before opening his mouth to speak again.
“I was kind of surprised that you asked me to come.”
She grunted as she grabbed her drink from the bar tender.
“You normally come to these alone don’t you? And besides I thought Steve was coming with you.”
“What? No. I don’t think star spangled banner even knows this is a thing. And normally I do come alone, but I was told to bring a plus one this time. And besides, I heard someone you know is here.”
“What?”
Natasha gently motioned to a woman in the crowd. Bruce’s eyes brightened instantly. He set down his drink and stood up. He sputtered as he searched for words.
“H-how do I look?”
“Like you.”
Natasha lifted her leg, and gave him a gentle nudge with the sole of her shoe. Bruce stumbled slightly, but walked forwards towards Betty Ross. Natasha let out a half hearted smirk, and took another sip of her drink.

The crowd outside of photographers roared and chattered once again as another guest arrived. Their excitement over the new comer was much louder than before. Out of a bright red car, in the drivers seat came the fiery red head, Natasha Romanoff. And out the other side, was Steve. Romanof had clearly taken the time to pick out a suit for him, infact that he looked almost modern. Natasha shook slightly as she stood up from her stool, and straightened her waist coat and jacket. Steve moved into the building, smiling as he caught Natasha’s gaze. She finished off her drink quickly, and moved to meet him at the entrance. Stridingly she moved across the room to the large double doors at the front. Suddenly she was jolted to the side by someone pulling her in the other direction. Natasha’s face distorted it’s self with confusion. She couldn’t see who was pulling her through the dense crowd of people. But she did catch Steve’s puzzled look as he broke away from Romanoff. Natasha was practically throw towards a man in a cream suit, and square glasses.

“Hammer. Nice to see you could make it.”
“Natasha.”
He said tipping his drink in her direction. She had to try desperately not to gag. He sat down with a gentle twirl.
“I know Natasha.”
He said smugly with a sip of his drink. She sighed.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about Hammer.”
“Well I think you do.”
He set his drink down and walked over to her slowly. He closed in, and whispered to her.
“ I just want you to know darling. You can’t win this time. I’ve got you.”
He pulled back with a slimy smirk playing on his features.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Oh come on Natasha. Don’t be like that.”
“Okay, look. Even if I did know what you were talking about, which I don’t. There would be no point. You’re not smarter than me. I can kick your ass any day. Have you really not learnt that by now?”
Hammer just laughed. He moved round her, and extended his hand down. And planted his hand firmly on her ass. Before Natasha could turn around and punch him square in the face. A hand grabbed his collar and held him a good foot of the ground. Steve held him securely by his collar as he fought back a barrage of rude and distasteful word that were on his tongue.
“Steve?”
He growled in response, and Hammer wriggled and panicked.
“Help, help me.”
Hammer’s body guards moved to help him cautiously. However stopping when Steve shot them a stern glare.
“Steve, baby. Let me handle this. It’s just Hammer.”
“Natasha, he…”
“I know. I’ll deal with it popcicle.”
Steve’s expression changed from a furious glare to a gentle look of disapproval. He slowly lowered Hammer to the floor. Keeping his eyes on him. As Hammer’s feet touched the ground, he straightened his tie, and jacket.
“Thanks Stark, but I didn’t your help.”
“I wasn’t helping you.”
“What are you-”
He didn’t have time to finished before Natasha’s fist collided with his face, and she shouted for everyone to hear.
“Never touch my ass without my permission!”
She grabbed his drink and finished it off for him. She grabbed Steve arms and pulled him away. Steve was still fuming. Eventually Natasha managed to drag Steve to the back, out through a door, and into the gardens.
“I can’t believe him, I’ll-”
Natasha a had one leg over the railing that sectioned off the ground level balcony from the res of the garden.
“What are you doing?”
“Leaving.”
“Through the garden?”
“I’d rather not have my picture taken right now.”
Steve clenched his fists and closed his eyes.
“I’m sorry, I’m going to teach that guy a lesson!”
“Capsicle!”
Natasha quickly hoped over the partition to catch him. Only to trip. Steve forgot his anger and rushed in the other direction to catch her. He caught her, her head falling on his chest. They both froze. Natasha held onto his shirt for fear of falling over. She slowly pulled self up slightly, and said, without looking at him.
“It’s fine. I already punched him.”
“I know but-”
Natasha raised her head , her body still resting against his.
“But what? Steve?”
His name cut through the air. Steve was sure she had called him by his first name before. She must have. But somehow this seemed like the first time. Anyway he looked at it, Natasha was beautiful. Maybe not in a traditional sense. She wasn’t wearing a fancy dress, she didn’t have on a lot of makeup. But she had the most gorgeous dark wavy hair. Deep brown eyes he could get lost in. Her hands were calloused and rough, but they held everything delicately. And That look, that look that said. I’ve been there, I’ve seen a lot. But you’re still new to me. Neither Steve nor Natasha were sure when it had happened, but his hand was in her hair now. Slowly gliding over her scalp. Natasha’s mouth parted ever so slightly, her eyes lowered, and Steve said.
“You’re so beautiful.”
Her eyes widened. She looked scared, but she didn’t move as Steve got closer. Suddenly they heard the clicking of cameras. Three, no, four, maybe five? Natasha pushed Steve away in an instant, and Steve ducked his head. The two of them raced inside though the flashing of cameras.
“Natasha?”
Steve caught a glimpse of her as she ran out the door, and back to her car. Steve’s face dropped in an instant. And Bruce walked up.
“How am I going to get back now?”
“You can ride with me and Romanoff if you want.”
Steve didn’t face Bruce as he said it, he just stared off into the distance as Natasha’s car raced away.

Okay, Hi, fistsOfTheDemiGod here. Oh jeez. Lots of news.

First off, go to my tumblr for updates on the story, I’ll post how I’m doing on a chapter, and post any chapter you may have missed. I also take suggestions for other stories.

Secondly, I am extremely busy. I’ve just started university, I’m working on a book (That I swear isn’t as badly written as this.), and I have an art exhibition coming up.

Third, I’m still working on this story. I’ll keep working on it. I just want everyone to know why it might be a little slow. And if you really love the story, now would be the time to drop a review and tell me. I would really appreciate it. Really, really, really appreciate it.

Forth. The book I’m working on is a large portion of what I’m doing. So, you know look forward to that. It’s YA urban fantasy. It should be really funny.

Lastly. Thank you. Just thank you.