Natasha paced outside Clint’s room, anxiety clawing at her chest. Taking a deep breath, she knocked on the door, and it swung open to reveal Clint lounging on his bed, a game controller clutched in his hands.
“Dude! Don’t leave me here! Come back, I can’t find the baby zombie. It's gone, it's gonna kill me. Come back!” Clint screamed into his mic.
Natasha cleared her throat, lingering in the doorway. Clint waved her off, his eyes not leaving the TV.
“Clint Barton!” Clint’s head snapped to face Nat’s, opening his mouth to tell her to go away, before catching a glimpse of her face.
“What’s got you looking like you’re about to face down an army of aliens?” Clint quipped, setting down his remote.
“Clint, I need to talk to you about something.”
“Okay, well are you going to talk to me from the door? You’re not a demon, you don’t have to be invited in. Hell, I don’t think you’ve ever asked to come in, usually you barge in blazing.”
Natasha took another deep breath, entering the room.
“I’m gay and in love and I don’t know what the fuck to do.” Natasha blurted out, her words stumbling over each other.
Clint’s expression remained unchanged as he leaned back against the headboard, crossing his arms. “Took you long enough to figure that out.”
Natasha blinked in surprise, “You knew?”
Clint chuckled. “Nat, it doesn’t take a genius to see the way you look at Wanda. You’re constantly eye-fucking that girl.”
“I… I don’t-”
Clint mimicked her, “You’ve been a blushing mess ever since she joined the team. I’ve never seen you so awkward.”
Natasha shot him a glare, but there was a vulnerability in her eyes that Clint hadn’t seen before. She sat down on the edge of his bed, tucking her legs underneath her. “Cut the crap, Clint. I’m serious. I don’t know what to do with these feelings. Love was never part of Red Room training. It’s for children and the weak.”
Clint’s grin faded as he shuffled over, loosely wrapping an arm over Natasha’s shoulder. “Nat, love isn’t a weakness. It’s what makes us human. It’s what makes us better, stronger.”
Natasha rolled her eyes, “Save the inspirational speech for someone who doesn’t have so much red in their ledger. I’m not human anymore, I don’t even think I can love.”
“Well, if love is for children, you were a child once, weren’t you?”
Natasha shot him a death glare. “That’s irrelevant.”
Clint sighed, realizing he needed to approach this differently. “Nat, love doesn’t make you weak. It makes you… more. More compassionate, more caring, more alive. It’s not a flaw; it’s a strength. A strength that doesn’t depend on the past or the blood on one's hands.”
Natasha looked away, her gaze fixed on a point in the distance. “I’ve been taught that love is a distraction, a vulnerability. It clouds judgment.”
“Sure, love can be messy and complicated, but it’s also beautiful. It gives life meaning. It’s worth the risk.”
Natasha scoffed. “Easy for you to say. You’re all about family and love.”
Clint grinned. “Damn right. And look at me - I’m still standing, still fighting. Love didn’t make me weak; it made me stronger. It made me care about something beyond myself.”
Natasha sighed, her guard dropping slightly. “But what if it gets her hurt? What if it makes me vulnerable?”
Clint shook his head. “Nat, you can’t control everything. Love is a risk, but it’s a risk worth taking. Wanda’s strong, and so are you. You don’t have to face everything alone.”
Natasha’s eyes flickered with uncertainty. “I’ve never been good at this. Opening up, being vulnerable - it’s not my style.”
Clint chuckled. “Well, maybe it’s time to change your style. Embracing love doesn’t mean losing who you are. It means discovering new parts of yourself.”
Natasha shot him a wry smile. “You should write greeting cards, Barton.”
He grinned. “Maybe I should. ‘For the Avenger in your life, who’s afraid of love but needs a nudge.”
Natasha couldn’t help but smirk. “You’re insufferable.”
“But you love me for it,” Clint teased.
Natasha’s smirk softened into a small smile, “Maybe a little.”
Clint dropped his arm from her shoulder, satisfied that he was breaking through Natasha’s defenses. “Nat, love isn’t for children. It’s for warriors, for survivors. Falling for Wanda, stumbling over your words whenever you're near her, betraying Captain's orders to make sure she's safe, it doesn’t make you weak. It makes us a better person. Nat, and I think you know that.”
“I don’t know where to start.”
“Start by letting yourself feel.”
Natasha looked down at her hands, a flicker of uncertainty still present. But in that moment, Clint saw a glimmer of hope, a crack in the armor Natasha had built around herself.
Natasha sighed, running a hand through her red hair. “What do I do, Clint? I’ve never felt like this before.”
Clint grinned, “Talk to Wanda, and see where it goes. You deserve to be happy, Nat.”
--
The training room buzzed with the sounds of sparring, the clang of metal meeting metal, and the occasional whoosh of a superhumanly fast kick slicing through the air. Natasha and Wanda circled each other, the tension palpable as they prepared for another round. Tony lounged on the sidelines, unwrapping his boxing gloves. He had just gone against Natasha and lost miserably, ending up sprawled on the mat, breathless. Clinmt leaned against the wall, watching the unfolding spectacle with an amused glint in his eye.
Natasha couldn’t deny the way her heart raced every time she locked eyes with Wanda. The training had become more intense since Natasha had accepted her newfound feelings. As they sparred, Natasha found herself getting lost in her eyes and the way they glinted in the light.
“Come on, Natasha, focus!” Wanda called out, snapping Natasha back to reality. The redhead shook off her distraction, narrowing her eyes in concentration.
“Keep those elbows up, Maximoff.” She responded.
They clashed again, a flurry of kicks and punches. Natasha swiped her foot, sending Wanda tumbling to the floor. Wanda, trying to dodge the move, tripped over the leg, sending her stumbling into the corner of the ring.
“Remember, Wanda, keep your stance solid,” Natasha instructed her, her voice low and husky as she moved in, demonstrating the proper form. Wanda nodded, trying to concentrate on the lesson, but a mischievous glint danced in her eyes.
As they continued to spar, Natasha couldn’t shake the swirling emotions within her. The feeling of Wanda’s warm body against hers, her hair tickling her skin when she dodged and countered Natasha’s attack. Natasha’s heart skipped a beat with every twirl and spin, and her thoughts wandered to places she never allowed them to go during training.
Caught in the moment of distraction, Natasha’s guard slipped, and Wanda seized the opportunity. With a swift move, she flipped Natasha, pinning her to the mat. Natasha’s eyes widened as she looked up into Wanda’s triumphant smirk. She felt her face heat up, a crimson blush spreading across her cheeks at the feeling of Wanda’s body on top of her own. She felt her heart stutter, and she choked on any words trying to escape her mouth. Wanda had successfully beaten her and left her speechless at the same time.
“Well, well, looks like someone’s mind is elsewhere. And I’m the one that's distracted,” Wanda teased, a playful flint in her eyes as she clamored off Natasha.
Tony, always the showman, whistled and quipped, Damn, no one’s beaten Natasha. She is head over heels for the girl. Literally.”
Clint smirked, elbowing Tony, “Looks like love is a distraction, huh?”
Natasha grabbed Wanda’s hand, standing up to face Wanda. She paused for a minute, her face inches from Wanda’s, before playfully pushing Wanda away, regaining her composure but unable to hide the goofy smile that lingered on her face.
“Come on, Romanoff, don’t tell me you’re losing your edge,” Wanda teased.
Natasha rolled her eyes, but the subtle sparkle in her gaze betrayed the playfulness that had taken root in her heart. She couldn’t deny the joy that Wanda’s presence brought, even amid a training session.
Wanda threw an arm around Natasha’s shoulders, the camaraderie evident. “looks like I’m the new undefeated champion,” she announced, earning a cheer from the onlookers.
Natasha’s gaze lingered on Wanda, her heart still racing from the close encounter. The room echoed with laughter and banter, but Natasha found herself lost in the magnetic pull of Wanda’s eyes.
Clint leaned in, whispering to Tony, “I never thought I’d see the day when Natasha Romanoff gets googly-eyed over someone.”
Tony chuckled, watching the unfolding drama with keen interest. “Love’s a powerful thing, my friend.”
Meanwhile, Wanda continued to revel in her victory, playfully mocking Natasha’s momentary lapse. “Maybe next time, Romanoff, you’ll remember how to fight instead of daydreaming about me.”
Natasha shot Wanda a mock glare, “You wish, Maximoff. You’d need an elevator to get on my level.”
“I’d need an elevator to get to your ego, Romanoff.”
Natasha smacked her in the arm, “Go shower, you stink.” She said, her retort caught in her throat as her heart fluttered yet again.
--
Natasha found herself standing outside Wanda’s room, nerves bubbling within her. She took a deep breath and knocked on the door, hoping her rehearsed lines wouldn’t betray her.
Wanda opened the door with a smirk, “Come back for a rematch?”
She moved, beckoning Natasha in. A towel was wrapped around her neck, and her wet hair plastered to her face. She wore a grey tank top and a pair of sweatpants, and she looked so beautiful it practically floored Natasha.
She stumbled over her words, her carefully planned speech evaporating. “I, um, I was thinking that we could… you know, do something together. Like, outside of training, obviously. Not that training isn’t great, but I thought maybe, you know, something else could be great too. Like dinner! I could take you somewhere, I won’t cook. I promise. Unless you like peanut and butter sandwiches. I mean everyone likes PB&J’s but I’m not going to make you a PB&J for dinner because that's just sad-”
Wanda chuckled, finding Natasha’s awkwardness endearing. “Are you asking me out, Natasha?”
Natasha groaned, “I’ve been working so hard on this!”
Wanda laughed, her eyes twinkling. “Sorry, sorry, but your rambling is just so cute. But please, continue, your doing great, sweetie.”
Natasha huffed, crossing her arms. “Fine, you do it then.”
Wanda took a step closer, her smile softening. “Natasha Romanoff, would you like to go on a date with me?”
Natasha sighed in mock exasperation. “I was supposed to ask you.”
Wanda grinned. “You were taking too long.”
“I can still do this,” Natasha said, leaning forward, pressing her lips into Wanda’s. They were soft and gentle, and she could feel Wanda smiling into the kiss. She smiled back because, after all, love wasn’t a weakness.