fallaces sunt rerum species

Natasha Romanoff. At least sometimes. Everything about me is strictly need to know information and the vast majority of you don't need to know. [sidebar gif by heroicavengers]

[clinton-francis-barton]

Girl Talk | Clint and Natasha.

[russian-widow-blog]

“Not much at the time, no.  Just basic war records, date and place of birth, parents, family.  That sort of thing,” Natasha shrugged.

She bristled slightly at the mention of Bucky’s previous endeavors with women.  “Apparently he was a ladies’ man, if he and Steve are to be believe.  Different girl every week type thing.  He was even engaged once.  He broke it off just after Pearl Harbour.  I, ah, looked her up as well,” Natasha admitted.  “She got married to some soldier who served in The Pacific.  They had a few kids, some are still living.”

[clinton-francis-barton]

Clint saw Tasha stiffen when she talked about Bucky’s apparent string of exes. He reached out and pulled her to him. “Hey, listen to me, those girls were seventy years ago. Who gives a fuck about them. You’re the one he came back to. You’re the one that he risked a building full of super-powered ass-kickers for. Winter Soldier or no, that takes balls and dedication.”

He started humming a lullaby she had taught him once, but cut himself off as his eyes began to droop. “Hey, you should get some sleep. And after that, you should have a genuine face-to-face with the Buckster.” He winked at her. “You can’t hide everything from me, Tasha. I only see more when I’m drunk, you know that.”

He stood and picked her up, bridal style, surprisingly stable on his feet (he thanked his years of circus training) and brought her to her room, putting her gently on the bed. “Promise to at least try sleeping, kay? I’m gonna go upstairs and curl around Phil and tomorrow you’re going to talk to Bucky and sort things out and hopefully after that you’ll curl around him. Or maybe you already do that. Who knows. Anyway. Night.” He kissed her forehead and turned to leave.

[russian-widow-blog]

Natasha grimaced at the idea of having a face-to-face with Bucky.  After all, she still wasn't even sure about Bucky's feelings for her, if he had any at all.  She really wasn't willing to have the state of the union conversation with him.  It would only serve to make everything far more awkward than it already was.

Natasha crawled over to her side of the bed, curling into her pillow.  "Oh, I'm going to have to sleep this one off.  James will be home soon enough anyway.  Baseball games can't last that long after all," Natasha sighed as she tucked her legs under the covers.  She quickly shimmied out of her jeans and threw them to the side.  "He's so 1940s sometimes."

"Night, Clint," Natasha said softly as she closed her eyes.

[clinton-francis-barton]

Girl Talk | Clint and Natasha.

[russian-widow-blog]

Natasha grimaced at the thought of the noises Tony and Steve would be making once they sorted through their feelings.  “I haven’t been to France in a while.  Maybe I’ll go there when they get their feelings together.  I do not need to be around for that.”

Flattered at Clint’s assurance, Natasha smiled softly.  “Yeah, well, good luck.  Even when he wasn’t the Winter Soldier, he was still an incredibly talented soldier.  I, um, did research on him after I moved to America,” Natasha admitted ruefully. 

[clinton-francis-barton]

“We can have a sniper-off for your honour and all that cool stuff that they used to have contests for in the middle ages. I’ll win. Hands down.” Clint yawned slightly.

“Oh yeah? Research, huh? Find anything interesting? Was our dear Mister Barnes a ladies man? Did he sweep Steve off his feet?” Clint could actually see that happening easily. Especially if what Phil had told him was true and that Steve-Before-the-Serum had actually been a tiny little thing that had survived the depression by the grace of God (though Clint suspected it was probably more due to Steve’s absolute determination and probably a pinch of some grandmotherly figure in the neighborhood).

[russian-widow-blog]

"Not much at the time, no.  Just basic war records, date and place of birth, parents, family.  That sort of thing," Natasha shrugged.

She bristled slightly at the mention of Bucky's previous endeavors with women.  "Apparently he was a ladies' man, if he and Steve are to be believe.  Different girl every week type thing.  He was even engaged once.  He broke it off just after Pearl Harbour.  I, ah, looked her up as well," Natasha admitted.  "She got married to some soldier who served in The Pacific.  They had a few kids, some are still living."

[clinton-francis-barton]

Girl Talk | Clint and Natasha.

[russian-widow-blog]

Natasha threw her head back and laughed.  “Should have been born Russian, Barton!”  She joked before taking the bottle from him.  Standing up, she walked over to the bar and got two bottles of water.  She’d be lying if she wasn’t feeling the effects herself but merely tipsy.

“Steve and Tony will sort their issues out eventually.  I mean, look at James and I.  Cryogenic freezing, brainwashing, reprogramming, secret affairs… and now we live here.  I’m sure they can get over their issues if we got over ours,” Natasha lied as she handed Clint a bottle.  In truth, she still wasn’t sure where she stood with Bucky but as far as Clint needed to know, everything was fine.

[clinton-francis-barton]

Clint took the water from her and cracked it open. “I know they’ll sort it all out eventually. I just wish I knew when it was going to happen so that I could conveniently plan an Italian vacation for two and avoid having to HEAR them figuring it out. Because let’s face it, that is going to be a very noisy encounter.”

He got serious for a second after that. “Hey, you and Bucky? If anybody could make that work it’s you two. And Winter Soldier or not, if he hurts you, I am going to fuck him up.” He held up a hand, “Nope, no protesting about how you can do it just as well and defend yourself. It’s my right as best friend. I’m the one that gets to beat the shit out of him and toss him out into the night with a warning that will be witty and clever and involve arrows as soon as I actually sit down and think of it.”

[russian-widow-blog]

Natasha grimaced at the thought of the noises Tony and Steve would be making once they sorted through their feelings.  "I haven't been to France in a while.  Maybe I'll go there when they get their feelings together.  I do not need to be around for that."

Flattered at Clint's assurance, Natasha smiled softly.  "Yeah, well, good luck.  Even when he wasn't the Winter Soldier, he was still an incredibly talented soldier.  I, um, did research on him after I moved to America," Natasha admitted ruefully. 

[clinton-francis-barton]

Girl Talk | Clint and Natasha.

[russian-widow-blog]

Natasha waved a hand.  “Oh no, I’d never show him that one.  Especially since he served in Europe.  Band of Brothers is a gay bar in midtown,” Natasha informed Clint with a laugh.  “Retro music, guys in cages, curiously sticky floors, guys doing cocaine off the backs of toilet tanks, the whole 1980s nine yards.”

“I will say that if Steve ever decides he wants a hook up, he’ll have an easy go of it.  We didn’t pay for a drink all night.  You should go out with him some time.”

[clinton-francis-barton]

Understanding dawned on Clint’s face. “Ah. OK. That’s… definitely a more fun image.” He paused and let himself imagine a debauched, drunken Steve Rogers with just a pinch of glitter stuck to him. He took a drink and swallowed hard.

When Natasha said they should go out, he broke out laughing so hard that he had to wipe a couple tears from his eyes. “Oh, god, no. I mean, it’d be fun and all, but can you imagine Phil’s reaction? He’s the biggest Cap fanboy there is probably…” He paused and thought about what he was saying, “But, hmm…. there might be some potential for good sex there, though. Not with Steve, obviously, he needs to get his act together and realize that Tony is head-over-heels for him already and I’m not going to get in the way of that if you gave me the Iron Man armor AND Thor’s hammer to use as weapons against the happy trainwreck they’re going to be. But, like, jealous sex. Also, I think I might be drunk.”

[russian-widow-blog]

Natasha threw her head back and laughed.  "Should have been born Russian, Barton!"  She joked before taking the bottle from him.  Standing up, she walked over to the bar and got two bottles of water.  She'd be lying if she wasn't feeling the effects herself but merely tipsy.

"Steve and Tony will sort their issues out eventually.  I mean, look at James and I.  Cryogenic freezing, brainwashing, reprogramming, secret affairs... and now we live here.  I'm sure they can get over their issues if we got over ours," Natasha lied as she handed Clint a bottle.  In truth, she still wasn't sure where she stood with Bucky but as far as Clint needed to know, everything was fine.

[clinton-francis-barton]

Girl Talk | Clint and Natasha.

[russian-widow-blog]

“True enough, we should really address the short-sightedness of the SHIELD agents,” Natasha agreed.

“I’ve been fine,” Natasha shrugged, settling back in her seat.  “James seems to be adjusting, at least as well as can be expected.  He has nightmares pretty much every night.  If it isn’t work he did for the KGB, it’s memories of the war.  Sometimes I think those ones are worse.

“I took Steve out to Band of Brothers a while back.  I actually managed to get him drunk, believe it or not.  It took a hell of a lot of booze but we did it.

“Other than that, not much is new.  I don’t take out of town missions very often anymore, what with James needing me to be here.”

[clinton-francis-barton]

Clint reached over and squeezed her hand. “Hey, you ever need a hand with him, just let me know. I’ve had my fair share of dealing with nightmares.”

He laughed, throwing his head back at the idea of Steve being drunk, but the sobered up, hard. “How did that go? Like, I know grown men who never even considered service who cried when they watched that. How did he take it?”

[russian-widow-blog]

Natasha waved a hand.  "Oh no, I'd never show him that one.  Especially since he served in Europe.  Band of Brothers is a gay bar in midtown," Natasha informed Clint with a laugh.  "Retro music, guys in cages, curiously sticky floors, guys doing cocaine off the backs of toilet tanks, the whole 1980s nine yards."

"I will say that if Steve ever decides he wants a hook up, he'll have an easy go of it.  We didn't pay for a drink all night.  You should go out with him some time."

[clinton-francis-barton]

Girl Talk | Clint and Natasha.

[russian-widow-blog]

“That goes both ways,” Natasha said sincerely, offering Clint a smile.  “Though the underlings who think that we are secretly in love are going to be very disappointed in this turn of events.  Some of them are going to be out of money for this one.”

Natasha was flattered that she would be the first to know about their relationship.  “Well, I had my suspicions.  It’s nice to have them confirmed.”  Natasha laughed at the memories of combing her fingers through a drunken Clint’s hair as he wailed about his crush on Phil.  “I can imagine his face when you tell him those stories.  Tell him about the one where you sat in my shower fully clothed singing ‘I Will Always Love You’” Natasha encouraged.  “I don’t think you really understood that song.”

[clinton-francis-barton]

“I really wonder where the money will go since I’m 99% sure nobody had any on me getting together with Phil… or on Bucky showing back up and being your ex…”

Clint covered his hand with his face and looked out at her through his fingers, “Oh, god, that night was rough. I don’t remember most of it, but the water woke me up a bit. So I vaguely remember that. I’ll have to be drunk to tell him that one, I think.”

He took a drink, “Hell, I’d probably have to be drunk to tell him any of them.”

“Hey, how are you? We’ve got my big news out of the way and I haven’t seen you in ages. So tell me, what has the deadly Black Widow been doing?”

[russian-widow-blog]

"True enough, we should really address the short-sightedness of the SHIELD agents," Natasha agreed.

"I've been fine," Natasha shrugged, settling back in her seat.  "James seems to be adjusting, at least as well as can be expected.  He has nightmares pretty much every night.  If it isn't work he did for the KGB, it's memories of the war.  Sometimes I think those ones are worse.

"I took Steve out to Band of Brothers a while back.  I actually managed to get him drunk, believe it or not.  It took a hell of a lot of booze but we did it.

"Other than that, not much is new.  I don't take out of town missions very often anymore, what with James needing me to be here."

[clinton-francis-barton]

Girl Talk | Clint and Natasha.

[russian-widow-blog]

Natasha shrugged.  “Well,  James and I didn’t have a choice.  Brainwashing and cryogenic freezing tend to help in the whole getting over someone process,” she quipped, though there was a bitter tone that laced her words. 

Shrugging, Natasha took another swig of vodka.  “Don’t feel weird about it.  He sees it as a sign of his brush with death.  You see it as a triumph.  People always have different perspectives on these sorts of things.  It depends on what side you stand on.”

[clinton-francis-barton]

“Have I told you lately that you’re the best friend a super spy could ask for? I’d be shit without you to pull my ass out of the fire when I do something stupid. So thanks. For everything.” Clint bumped his knee against hers.

“You know we agreed that you would be the first to know? I told him that’s what I wanted. That I owed you that much at least, to know that you were right. Someday I’ll probably even tell him about all the nights I spent in your room with a bottle of vodka talking about him. I’ll never hear the end of that one.”

[russian-widow-blog]

"That goes both ways," Natasha said sincerely, offering Clint a smile.  "Though the underlings who think that we are secretly in love are going to be very disappointed in this turn of events.  Some of them are going to be out of money for this one."

Natasha was flattered that she would be the first to know about their relationship.  "Well, I had my suspicions.  It's nice to have them confirmed."  Natasha laughed at the memories of combing her fingers through a drunken Clint's hair as he wailed about his crush on Phil.  "I can imagine his face when you tell him those stories.  Tell him about the one where you sat in my shower fully clothed singing 'I Will Always Love You'" Natasha encouraged.  "I don't think you really understood that song."

[clinton-francis-barton]

Girl Talk | Clint and Natasha.

[russian-widow-blog]

Natasha let out a short laugh at the memory of Clint’s eyebrow snafu.  Those had been a beautiful few weeks at SHIELD.  There was even a building-wide pool to calculate how long it would take for the eyebrow to grow back.

“I’m really happy for you two,” Natasha said sincerely.  “You both deserve a little happiness.  Especially Phil after the whole, you know,” Natasha started, trailing off awkwardly.  “The Loki incident.”

[clinton-francis-barton]

“Yeah… I… I think that was a big part of why I finally just stepped up. Almost losing him, God, Tasha, I don’t know how you did it with Bucky. You saw me afterward, before Fury told us the truth, I was a wreck. And that entire time it was weighing on me. That I never told him.”

Clint paused and took another drink. “You know, he’s still self-conscious about the scars? Which is weird because I’m drawn to it. It’s a reminder that he made it, you know? And I feel weird for liking it so much when he hates it…” 

[russian-widow-blog]

Natasha shrugged.  "Well,  James and I didn't have a choice.  Brainwashing and cryogenic freezing tend to help in the whole getting over someone process," she quipped, though there was a bitter tone that laced her words. 

Shrugging, Natasha took another swig of vodka.  "Don't feel weird about it.  He sees it as a sign of his brush with death.  You see it as a triumph.  People always have different perspectives on these sorts of things.  It depends on what side you stand on."

[clinton-francis-barton]

Girl Talk | Clint and Natasha.

[russian-widow-blog]

Though Natasha had her suspicions concerning the escalation of Phil and Clint’s relationship, she was still slightly shocked at the reveal.  “Congratulations!” She finally exclaimed, reaching over to grasp Clint’s hand.  “I knew he could only resist your charms for so long,” she joked before grabbing the vodka bottle and taking a deep swig.  She hadn’t had a drink since her night out with Steve.

“How did it finally end up happening?”  She asked, curious about the details.

[clinton-francis-barton]

“Thanks.” He smiled softly. Tasha was his best friend and her approval meant a lot to him. “You, uh, you remember when I showed up missing an eyebrow? Yeah…a little before that, the day I got back from my mission up in Siberia. I passed out in my living room and that’s when somebody removed my eyebrow—still haven’t figured out who yet—and Phil showed up looking for me. He made a comment about it being missing and I snapped at him and then I just… kissed him. And he kissed back.”

He laughed and reached out to take the bottle from her, taking a long pull. “It was… God, Tasha. I can’t even describe it. He just… it’s like a part of me wasn’t there and he’s it, you know? And from what I gather, he feels pretty much the same.”

[russian-widow-blog]

Natasha let out a short laugh at the memory of Clint's eyebrow snafu.  Those had been a beautiful few weeks at SHIELD.  There was even a building-wide pool to calculate how long it would take for the eyebrow to grow back.

"I'm really happy for you two," Natasha said sincerely.  "You both deserve a little happiness.  Especially Phil after the whole, you know," Natasha started, trailing off awkwardly.  "The Loki incident."

[clinton-francis-barton]

Girl Talk | Clint and Natasha.

[russian-widow-blog]

Natasha squeezed Clint back.  She wasn’t usually one for hugs but for some reason, Clint was different.  She furrowed her brow at his warning.  “Of course not, we’re not amateurs,” she joked before moving to sit on the couch.

“Something important?”  She prompted, her curiosity getting the better of her.  “Troubles with SHIELD?”  She guessed out of the blue.  It made sense.  She and Clint were both married to the job.  Well, at least up until a few months ago.

[clinton-francis-barton]

“No, actually. It’s something good this time. Really good, actually.” He opened up the bottle and took a deep draw, relishing the burn and held the bottle out. “You remember all those times you listened to me complain about how I had no chance in hell with Phil? Well, uh, it turns out I do. A pretty damn good chance.”

He paused and assessed her reaction before continuing. “We’ve kinda been… I guess dating is the best word but it’s so much more than that. It’s just… it’s so much more than I’d ever hoped for. God, Tasha, he took me to an arcade!”

[russian-widow-blog]

Though Natasha had her suspicions concerning the escalation of Phil and Clint's relationship, she was still slightly shocked at the reveal.  "Congratulations!" She finally exclaimed, reaching over to grasp Clint's hand.  "I knew he could only resist your charms for so long," she joked before grabbing the vodka bottle and taking a deep swig.  She hadn't had a drink since her night out with Steve.

"How did it finally end up happening?"  She asked, curious about the details.

[clinton-francis-barton]

Girl Talk | Clint and Natasha.

[russian-widow-blog]

Natasha tugged her jeans on quickly as she heard the knock on the door.  Grumbling slightly, she made her way down the hall.  She was slightly bitter at this abrupt interruption.  Bucky had gone to hang out with Steve for a few hours meaning that Natasha finally had the apartment to herself.

It seemed like her alone time was not meant to be.

She looked through the small peep hole and a grin suddenly spread across her face.  Yanking the door open, Natasha greeted Clint with a huge smile.  “Clint!”  She exclaimed excitedly.  It had been a while since she saw her old friend.  “I see you brought me a present,” she said slyly, motioning to the alcohol in his hand.

[clinton-francis-barton]

Clint leaned in and pulled her into a tight hug. “Course I did. I know how well you respond to bribery.” He said it jokingly. Everybody knew Natasha couldn’t be bribed. If she wanted it, she just took it.

“Can I come in? I, uh, I’ve got something pretty important to tell you.” He stepped in when she moved aside. “So. Couch? And, uh, I don’t think we need glasses for this.” He waved the bottle.

[russian-widow-blog]

Natasha squeezed Clint back.  She wasn't usually one for hugs but for some reason, Clint was different.  She furrowed her brow at his warning.  "Of course not, we're not amateurs," she joked before moving to sit on the couch.

"Something important?"  She prompted, her curiosity getting the better of her.  "Troubles with SHIELD?"  She guessed out of the blue.  It made sense.  She and Clint were both married to the job.  Well, at least up until a few months ago.

[clinton-francis-barton]

Girl Talk | Clint and Natasha.

Clint finally had some time off. It seemed like lately if he wasn’t on a mission, he was working with the Avengers, and if he wasn’t doing that, he was training junior agents. What free time he had was spent collapsed in bed snoring softly into Phil’s shoulder. But now he was free for at least a couple hours and he really wanted to find Natasha. He and Phil had agreed that she would be the first to know (even if Cap had caught them in the pool, he was sworn to secrecy). And he was so looking forward to not having to skirt around Tony (was actually looking forward to the faces Tony would make if he walked in on Clint with Phil).

So for now, Clint had picked up a bottle of specialty vodka and was on his way down to Natasha’s floor. He just hoped he wouldn’t be… interrupting anything now that Bucky had essentially moved in. He stepped forward and knocked on her door.

[russian-widow-blog]

Natasha tugged her jeans on quickly as she heard the knock on the door.  Grumbling slightly, she made her way down the hall.  She was slightly bitter at this abrupt interruption.  Bucky had gone to hang out with Steve for a few hours meaning that Natasha finally had the apartment to herself.

It seemed like her alone time was not meant to be.

She looked through the small peep hole and a grin suddenly spread across her face.  Yanking the door open, Natasha greeted Clint with a huge smile.  "Clint!"  She exclaimed excitedly.  It had been a while since she saw her old friend.  "I see you brought me a present," she said slyly, motioning to the alcohol in his hand.

[kellyreichardt]

[russian-widow-blog]

I got a special outfit all ready for Steve's birthday.

Drink up, soldier.  It'll be a good one. 

[capfrombrooklyn]

Girl Talk Steve|Natasha

[russian-widow-blog]

Natasha nodded sympathetically.  “He’s been through a lot,” she explained.  “I mean, I’m sure even after he went to war he was different.  All that death, all the evil that he’s seen… it’s hard to go back to being a snarky depression-era Brooklyn type.”

Smiling brightly despite herself, Natasha took comfort in Steve’s reassurance.  “I’m happy with him too,” she confided.  “Even if it isn’t the way I thought it would be if we ever had a chance, I’m so glad he’s here. 

[capfrombrooklyn]

He smiled.  ”I’m glad I came down here to find you.  I like talking to you.  You’re honest…and I trust you, you know.”  He tilted his head.  ”And I don’t mind if you take me to bars and get me drunk.  I had fun.”  He let his grin go a little goofy.  ”But I think next time Tony will want to come because he was sad he missed my night of debauchery.”  He chuckled.  ”His words, not mine.”  He made sure to tell her.

[russian-widow-blog]

"I like talking to you too," Natasha said honestly, but with a slight shock lacing her tone.  She wasn't overly used to having friends.  Clint was one thing but neither were big on the whole "heart-to-heart" type of chatter.  Maybe this was something she was missing.  Sure, she could do it with James, but sometimes a person needs a fully platonic friend to talk to.

"I think James will probably want to come too.  I promised him he could.  He likes to get out of the Tower every once and a while," Natasha informed Steve before dropping her voice slight.  "Though we should probably go to Brooklyn.  Some place familiar.  Manhattan overwhelms him sometimes."

[capfrombrooklyn]

Girl Talk Steve|Natasha

[russian-widow-blog]

Natasha stilled, shocked at Steve’s inquiry.  She shifted slightly and spared another glance towards the bedroom door to reassure herself that Bucky was still sleeping.  “You have to understand,” she began, twisting her hands slightly.  “James and I have an incredibly complicated history.  I loved him somuch and I know he loved me even though it wasn’t in his programming but we never stood a chance.”

“Now, even though we have less standing in our way, it’s harder than it was.  I still love him but those feelings… are not reciprocated,” she admitted.  “I mean, he likes me well enough.  I know he’s attracted to me, even if we never act on it anymore but it’s hard,” she shrugged, happy to finally get her Bucky feelings off her chest.  “I’m just happy he’s here, though.”

[capfrombrooklyn]

“I can’t imagine.” He shook his head.  ”I know he’s Bucky but he’s not all…my Bucky.  He remembers stuff but he’s changed.  If I can help you out with anything…you know for you and him I will.”  He looked up at her.  ”Because honestly he seems happy when he’s with you.”

[russian-widow-blog]

Natasha nodded sympathetically.  "He's been through a lot," she explained.  "I mean, I'm sure even after he went to war he was different.  All that death, all the evil that he's seen... it's hard to go back to being a snarky depression-era Brooklyn type."

Smiling brightly despite herself, Natasha took comfort in Steve's reassurance.  "I'm happy with him too," she confided.  "Even if it isn't the way I thought it would be if we ever had a chance, I'm so glad he's here. 

[capfrombrooklyn]

Girl Talk Steve|Natasha

[russian-widow-blog]

Natasha smiled softly, her heart swelling with Steve’s outward display of platonic affection for her.  “Anytime, Cap.  I can’t see anyone else in the Tower being great at the whole ‘I’m in love with Tony Stark’ type of conversation,” she joked. 

Nodding, Natasha turned more fully towards Steve.  “So you have to make him tell you what he wants.  And you have to give him what he needs.  Tony will never do what he needs and you need to make sure he does.”

Natasha beamed at him brightly.  “And I’ll help you,” she offered firmly. 

[capfrombrooklyn]

“You will?  You’ll help?  Good cause I’m new at…well all of this.”  He smiled ruefully.  ”I trust you.  I will take any advice I can get.”  

“What about you and Bucky?”  He asked, unsure of how to bring up this subject.  ”Everything okay with you two?”

[russian-widow-blog]

Natasha stilled, shocked at Steve's inquiry.  She shifted slightly and spared another glance towards the bedroom door to reassure herself that Bucky was still sleeping.  "You have to understand," she began, twisting her hands slightly.  "James and I have an incredibly complicated history.  I loved him so much and I know he loved me even though it wasn't in his programming but we never stood a chance."

"Now, even though we have less standing in our way, it's harder than it was.  I still love him but those feelings... are not reciprocated," she admitted.  "I mean, he likes me well enough.  I know he's attracted to me, even if we never act on it anymore but it's hard," she shrugged, happy to finally get her Bucky feelings off her chest.  "I'm just happy he's here, though."

[capfrombrooklyn]

Girl Talk Steve|Natasha

[russian-widow-blog]

“Of course!”  Natasha reassured Steve vehemently.  “Of course it’s okay to like both.”  She paused and looked at him for a moment.  “Although I suppose your time period wouldn’t lend to that way of thinking,” she amended.  “But it’s more than fine.”

Natasha listened to Steve ramble about his feelings, his words hitting far too close to home.  “Perfect sense.  To me, anyway,” she shrugged, sparing a look towards her bedroom where she hoped Bucky slumbered on.  “I completely understand how you feel.  Trust me.”

“So I guess the main question is where do we go from here?”   

[capfrombrooklyn]

He reached up and slid an arm over her shoulders and tugged her closer for a hug.  ”Thank you.  For listening and everything.”  He reached up and cupped his hand to her cheek and pressed a kiss to her temple.  ”You’re a doll.”   He sat back and thought about everything.  ”I’m not sure.  I still don’t know if Tony wants anything like a relationship with me.  He did promise me he wouldn’t use me though.  So I think he knows that I’m not just in this for kicks.”

[russian-widow-blog]

Natasha smiled softly, her heart swelling with Steve's outward display of platonic affection for her.  "Anytime, Cap.  I can't see anyone else in the Tower being great at the whole 'I'm in love with Tony Stark' type of conversation," she joked. 

Nodding, Natasha turned more fully towards Steve.  "So you have to make him tell you what he wants.  And you have to give him what he needs.  Tony will never do what he needs and you need to make sure he does."

Natasha beamed at him brightly.  "And I'll help you," she offered firmly.