A kiss with a fist is better than none

Natalia Romanova || Natasha Romanoff || Black Widow || 28 || Member of S.H.I.E.L.D || Fought with the Avengers

[peppperpotts]

[temperamentofablackwidow]

A Painful Return || Tony & Tasha

[tony-starkim]

If the stakes hadn’t been so high, Tony would’ve realized how absolutely ridiculous he looked, standing in the hallway of Natasha’s building in his Iron Man suit. Thankfully, he hadn’t managed to run into anyone on his way in - if he had to listen to one more dick about how he was a menace to society… 

The door to her apartment opened easily, too easily, and he readied hid armour-piercing rounds, preparing for the worst. 

When he saw, he blinked in surprise. “Nat?” he asked, concern and caution and surprise all weaving together in his voice. 

[temperamentofablackwidow]

She dropped the gun, her finger still on the trigger as she sighed, seeing the Iron man suit. “You’re lucky I recognize that stupid voice of yours, otherwise I would have shot you once for being them, again for calling me Nat.” she said with a wince as she sat down on her couch, watching the crappily stitched wound still allowing a little blood to escape through her shirt. 

“Don’t start feeling sorry for me Stark, otherwise I’ll start having to keep your, going into space and saving the world seriously, after all the jokes I’ve cracked it’s just not something I’m ready to get rid of.” she said jokingly as she looked towards him, knowing that she took it seriously, especially after the PTSD.  

“Did you come for a nap? a drink? I don’t think I can join you but I’d love watching.”

[buckytakethewheel]

Scarlett Johansson ‘Behind the Scenes of Iron Man 2’

[americancapscicle-blog]

So… Happy birthday, America. At least one thing hasn’t changed throughout the years: fireworks.

[temperamentofablackwidow]

I hate losing bets. 

[punkpadme-deactivated20160131]

Nat’s stolen Cap’s gear again

[temperamentofablackwidow]

Suppose they call this a gracious return.

I call it a pain in the fucking ass. 

[temperamentofablackwidow]

A Painful Return || Open Para

Words of Russian spurred out of her mouth as she climbed into her apartment. Technically she should have gone into S.H.I.E.L.D Headquarters for proper assessment and debriefing, but considering the fact the actual mission hadn’t been S.H.I.E.L.D approved it didn’t seem like the smartest idea for an ex-assassin. Letting a small gasp of air escape she moved her fingers into the wound, her shaky breath as she fished around and dropped the two bullets that had been lodged directly above her hip bone. Once in every blue moon she actually thanked the Red Room for its harsh and inhumane training and this was one of it. She moved over to her cabinets, her eyes beginning to close from the blood loss that had come along with intervening a raid around Hells Kitchen. With a quick slap across the face to get the adrenaline running she poured the purest alcohol she could find into the aching gash. A cry out turned into a hiss came as she looked around for her stitching kit. 

Her heart beating at an abnormal pace before it started to slow dramatically she made herself sit down, surprised that she had made it almost two hours trying to get to this place without bleeding out. Even if it was a sterile and overly clean apartment it was the closest thing to home she’d ever had, if she had to die trying to get anyone it would be here, the place she could control, the territory coming with a lack of significant others, dying without risk, they called it. She slumped onto her chair trying to keep her ballerina trained posture but instead starting to slip as she heard the door starting to shuffle across from her, she’d forgot to fucking lock it when she stumbled in. ‘Fucking rookie mistake Natalia’ she said wincing at the voices use of her old name, how long until she could put it behind her. She clambered over, grabbing a gun and pointing it towards the door, hand on the trigger, ready as anything to shoot as her shaking suddenly went still. 

[gael-garcia]

[tony-starkim]

Nightcap

[tony-starkim]

Tony laughs, feeling comfortable leaving her to the revenge plot. His answer would be going in guns blazing, but hers definitely has a certain charm to it. “Let me know if you need any help,” he says honestly, squeezing her fingers. He can’t help but wrap an arm around her waist, though she was probably doing more to stabilize him than he was her. 

The lights fade up as they head through the halls, Jarvis shutting down the house behind them. His room is sleek modern furniture, highlighted with blue accents here and there. It’s surprisingly simple, but it reeks of money and indulgence. Cigar smoke clings to the sheets of the bed, a light scent of cologne lingers in the air. The wall to wall windows darken as he leaves her to use the adjoining bathroom, and then splash some water on his face. 

Things are getting a little wobbly, his body teetering lightly back and forth on its own accord. He pulls off his pants on his way back into the room, leaving them on the ground, throwing his suit jacket onto the chaise in the corner. His dress shirt is next, and he leaves it in a crumple on the ground next to his bedside table. The arc reactor glows lightly through his undershirt, and he touches it absently, tracing the ridges with his fingers. 

“And you’re sure you’re not interested in any extracurricular activities?” he asks, one last time, sliding under the sheets, turning on his side to face her. 

[temperamentofablackwidow]

“I’m absolutely positive Tony.” she said using emphasis on his name, climbing into bed next to him, turning to face him, caressing his cheek lightly before pulling her hand back to her  side of the bed. “It’s best for both of us, plus you’ve got a point to prove don’t you, that you’re a changed man, that we’re no longer Natalie Rushmore and Mr Stark...that despite the gloriousness that  it was, there maybe something beautiful in the platonic, what scares you is you probably feel that already and you’re not sure what to do when you love a woman and don’t need to hump her brains out.”  she said with a small smile.

Moving her feet out lightly and creating a small wall between them, knowing that to prove this to him as well as him proving it to himself would create a world of opportunity. Hoping it would at least. “Tony...” she said lightly as she closed her eyes, before looking up at him lightly, feeling the words on her lips before letting them slip away, I love you weren’t really either of their styles. “You’re the greatest boss I ever had.”  she said in latin, the words fluent as a smirk crossed her lips, watching him and waiting for sleep to take over his body that needed it so. 

[arp-jollygreenbanner]

The smile seem to be out of place on his downtrodden face. She did that to him though. No questions asked, no needing to dig deeper. Natasha accepted that Bruce was uncomfortable and didn’t want to be here. Read it on his face. But she wouldn’t let him go alone. The squeeze brought him down to her level again. Funny how she always seemed to bring him back from the depths (or in this case shades) of green. Clearing his throat, he nodded, following her to the elevator.

Leaning back against the wall furthest from the door, knowing Tony and the others might say he was being dumb for leaving so soon. How he needed to relax, or throw back a few beers, have some fun, ease the tension in his life. But Bruce hated being at ease. It wasn’t who he was. It’s why being the Hulk held so much heartache and painful memories of keeping himself under control. Bruce Banner was a busybody. “Heh, I don’t know… It’s like–” he hesitated, trying to find the right words. “We’re trying to be people we aren’t. Even now. Yeah, it’s great to have a family who cares for us, but sometimes they care too much.” he bites his lip, hands on either side of the elevator railing, casting the frantic gaze down. “We can’t change our most basic natures, Natasha.” he said with finality. “At the end of the day, we aren’t simply Doctor Banner and Agent Romanoff. We have aliases. Pasts. Things we’ve done. Compromised.” he sighed heavily, an exaggerated false chuckle escaped from him.

 “I don’t know. I’m being a downer. Sorry. But I’d give anything to stop being used as a weapon. Aimed then fired at the biggest problems of tomorrow. I want to be left alone. Maybe the people are right. Maybe we’re destruction incarnate.”

[temperamentofablackwidow]

She leant across from him, arms placed around waist lightly as she copied his lean, this was what spies did, they adapted to the people around them, brought out enough to make them feel a sense of belonging, a sense of trust, but with Banner-how long had it been since recruitment, since she saw him as a project, since she started to play the role he didn’t just need but that she wanted, things were changing and the sincerity between them..well it wasn’t something she had felt since she found out Cap would risk his life to save her, that Tony wasn’t all booze, that Clint had more...he was another member of the team.

But he was no longer just that, he was an individual, someone that not only intrigued her but caused her to...see herself and it was purely disgusting. Hadn’t she repeated it a thousand times, she wasn’t a creature of sentiment, regimes fall every day, love was for children, but how long ago did these mantras become denial and how come she was never aware of the change. 

“You mean to say that their love comes from not accepting our past but becoming convinced that it doesn’t matter. That lives can be washed away as easily with magic liquor, that who we are now changes all we’ve done when reality our past doesn’t make us who we are...our pasts just make us strive for what we aren’t, a constant facade under the confused blood lust of infants screwed over by the world...I mean if that’s what you’re referring to.” she said, a small chuckle escaping her lips, copying the form of her own, ironic, mistrusting, bitter as all hell. “People we loved now changed forever, ideals we had slaughtered in front of us, prospects. gone. poof.” 

“You’re not being a downer Doctor Banner, you’re being a realist, a opinion created from circumstance, they found our assets and they exploited them so much so that we don’t believe we deserve the normal life, no matter what people tell us because in the end we have the memories, the extortion, the scary fact that when we’re weapons, it’s the simplest life to lead. I get that. So does the big guy believe it or not.” she said looking towards the mirror in the elevator.

[evanss-chris]

we are things!

[theclaravoyant]

And you’re going to tell me it’s not ‘lady-like’ to scream, to take up space, to fight and demand respect and do whatever the hell I want. Don’t try to downplay my power. (insp - x)

[felinepatronus]

*Salutes*

[temperamentofablackwidow]

Half way in...

[selfmademarksman]

“I guess not.”

He could feel her piercing blue eyes tracing over him, and it was in a moment such as that that he wished he wouldn’t have to look to her… And yet he did, arms still crossed, but his own bright optics met hers, and a quaint smile crept across pale features. It didn’t matter what others said about her, she did, in fact, have a heart in that chest cavity of her’s.

“I… I can’t. Not yet.”  What?  “I just got here. Leaving already wouldn’t look good.”

[temperamentofablackwidow]

“You can’t or you’re afraid of what happens when you do.” she said raising her eyebrow as she looked at him, she knew the man, perhaps better than she knew herself, actually much better than she’d ever knew herself. Jests aside, complicated experiences that seemed to occur around him alone, duck tape bandaids. He was the most compassionate guy she knew, his kids and wife, while they mattered the most, they weren’t the only thing. Tasha knew she cared about them more than he should in this job, that their pain, anyones pain would always feel like a failure, it’s why he saved her after all wasn’t it? 

“Barton, no one would ever judge you, nor blame you because even though you hate to admit it, the responsibility for these kids, for us, it’s not yours.”

[arp-jollygreenbanner]

“In a few hundred centuries? Who knows. My bet is Aliens.” his cheek lifted with a tug of his lips to a friendly, knowing smirk.

At the mention of Hawkeyes, his dark almond eyes shift focus from his dance partner to glance over at the raven haired Kate Bishop. His tongue darts out to dampen the scorched landscape of his lips. Looking for any sign of moisture in the suddenly nervous desert. There’s a flash of green in his eyes as Captain America himself lands a national anthem on Kate’s cheek. Natasha couldn’t have known this would happen but It was a low blow to his gut. A sickening lurch from the booze which he thwarted by staring back at the redhead. Her eyes were filled with honesty, compassion, empathy– things Bruce didn’t deserve. 

But, what the hell. When in Rome, right?

“– I don’t know. Do you– Let’s get out of here.” a lift of her hand while he led the slow dance. A plea, worry weighing heavily in his heart. “Let’s just go and forget all this crap. Grab an ice cream or- or…” his already waning voice disappearing completely without a trace. A searching gaze stares out at the city, wanting to leave this crap shoot of a party. His hands pull away lazily, the heaviness rooting itself in his chest. A deep breath loosen it. “We don’t belong here, Natasha.” he says, losing the battle against himself.

[temperamentofablackwidow]

“Hundred centuries is a bit generous Doctor Banner, who knew you’d be such an optimist.” she said shaking her head as she moved closer, looking into his eyes. 

She could see the emotional shift going out in her eyes and as she looked over her shoulder to see what was caused such a thing she couldn’t help but feel a pang dart through her stomach. Rogers had done it, he’d finally found a girl, so why did it feel emptier than it did satisfying that he’d gone out of a limb. As she glanced back she couldn’t help but feel a strong sense of understanding, her composure not changing an inch, but the green eyes causing her to squeeze his shoulder lightly. Clearing her throat as she went to step in front of the girl and her parents. There Tasha was, always too late. Bucky, Clint now Cap. It wasn’t as if she couldn’t turn off the emotions, after all that was what a spy was, cutting off emotions and replacing them with the action that needed to be taken, her life was worth more than a love interest and so she would adjust, like she always did. After all these years she was still able to convince herself hartache was loneliness.

“That sounds like an absolutely ingenious idea, no wonder they gave you that PHD.” she said, a level of jest coming to her tone, an entertained smirk snaking in as she cut it off. “...and why do you say that Banner?” she said walking backwards towards the elevator, pressing the down button. 

[tony-starkim]

Nightcap

[tony-starkim]

“Yeah, sure,” he says, giving a token laugh he doesn’t believe, ducking his head - there’s that kiss he’s been waiting for. The tender touch seals the deal and he thinks he can get behind not getting a good fuck in tonight if this is the alternative. It seems like a very cozy alternative. 

And yes, he can’t argue with that. “Then you gotta promise me a slow and torturous death for the fucker, at your own hands.” At least he’s better than that now. Which he almost believes. 

He gets up then, standing next to her and holding out his hand to help her up. “I get it. Com’on. Let’s go pretend we had some really great sex, pass out, and see which one of us is the first to clear out in the morning.” And that would be okay, if she woke up, realized what’d happened, and wanted to pretend it didn’t. Here’s hoping it would lead to a decent night of sleep. 

[temperamentofablackwidow]

She moved her hand up to his cheek, caressing it slightly as she watched him, she knew, she felt it, it had finally sunk in and the best thing was he didn’t mind. Here they were, one of her closest friends, one she was surprised she even had, after all hadn’t the mission Barton stopped her on the one after his head, now he was one of the few she’d take a bullet for. 

“It’s going to start with his safe, then he’s going to get so paranoid until he basically chains himself to his precious car, that’s when I sneak in during a pee break and destroy the damn thing. Tame for me I know, but his face is going to be worth it.” she said her smirk grinning. 

She stood up, taking his hand and squeezing it her own, in all honesty if she had been bounded to a chair with chains she’d still be able to get up without needing his hand, but it was a rare moment of gentleman Stark, she wasn’t going to give it up. “As long as you tell people I’m the best you’ve had in your life I won’t mind.” she joked, rolling her eyes lightly as she crawled into his bed, stripping off her dress and taking out her hair.

[tony-starkim]

Nightcap

[tony-starkim]

Leaning into her touch, he wonders what she means by ‘not us’. Was he chasing after something that was already spoken for? That would make sense - and he wonders if it’s someone on the team, someone he knows. One of his friends. He feels the beginnings of guilt curling around his neck - but no one told him anything, and he has no way of knowing for sure. “I don’t want to hurt anyone,” he says softly, and he trusts her to make sure he doesn’t. From this, at least.

Tony watches her face as he listens, the words floating into his head like there’s a layer of gel between them. He grips her harder, protectiveness overriding his desire. “That’s not true at all - who is this asshole?” Said asshole is probably him, to who knows how many other woman. Tony knows he’s been perpetuating the sentiment for ages, knows that even though he tries to pick people who want the same thing that he does, sometimes it doesn’t work out that way. But this is Natasha, his friend, and right now he just wants to go out, find the jerk, and blast holes through the piece of shit with his suit. 

“You know that’s not what I want, right?” he asks, suddenly worried that she thinks he’s currently being one of those assholes. Missing the fact that she just said exactly that. “You know I don’t think of you that way? I mean, sure, at first, yeah, but -” that wasn’t helpful at all, “But no. I wouldn’t be trying this hard for someone who was just a piece of ass to me. Even if they were an Avenger.” 

[temperamentofablackwidow]

She moved her hand towards his, away from her curled up chest as she nodded lightly. “You’re not nearly as bad as you think you are Tony Stark and funnily enough I’m not the only one that sees it.”she squeezing his hand lightly as she kissed his forehead lightly, a small laugh as she moved her thumb to wipe off the defined lipstick mark. 

It wouldn’t take a genius to feel the shift in mood, she leant her chin against the tops of her knees, looking up at him. “It doesn’t matter, if I tell you then you’ll kill him before I start putting my lessons in motion.” she said tracing the skin on her shin lightly, an odd pinch, it’s what had kept her sane in the red room, light actions that proved to yourself that this was reality, that pain could happen from even the tiniest things, if you felt it, if you still pain sensations left, you were still alive, you had still made it. “Stark...don’t worry, I know, Natalie Rushmore and Tony Stark...while fun to mess with, they weren’t us, or at least, she wasn’t me.” she said reassuringly. “Do you know what I miss, it’s not even a relationship or sex, I just miss laying in a bed at night, and feeling the warmth, sleep is us at our most vulnerable and having someone that can-I don’t know it doesn’t make sense.”

[arp-jollygreenbanner]

“That sounds awful, I apologize on the behalf of the male species.” Bruce said, giving a curt bow before breaking out into a drunken chuckle. “Hopefully, douchebaggery dies out like chivalry did. Without a bang.”

“It clashes with my green reputation. Can’t have that now.” he retorted, smiling at the friendly banter. “That’s my secret, Agent Romanoff– I’m always Blue Suede.” he felt a tug of the lip, this entire time keeping eye contact with her. Remembering not to step on her toes, attempting to recall all those ballroom dance lesson he had to take when he was younger. Surprisingly, he was doing well, even in his buzzed stupor.

[temperamentofablackwidow]

“The real question isn’t how it will go out, it is what will it be replaced by.” she said, a low purr in her voice as the mystery was left unanswered, as if it was an episode of the x-files, though knowing them she’d end up being Scully, her hair was the right colour after all. 

“Oh no, we’re already struggling with Hawkeyes insisting for a purple suit, add blue to it and we will be thrown into chaos doctor Banner, forget the second coming, we have a costume dispute.” she said with a light laugh, not fearing keeping eye contact with the man, but reminding herself this wasn’t an interrogation, nor an act, this was real lives, people she cared about, the left over walls she had were becoming unreliable, each avenger adding another battering ram against the ancient brick.