Your relationship with Natasha was well… It was rocky to say the least. The both of you could silently sit in a room together and yet still find a way to piss each other off. That’s probably why your previous relationship with her had ended with a hell of a lot of screaming and tears. You supposed had felt love for her at one point but now, even just looking at her was enough to cause a pit of anger to boil in your stomach.
You would’ve been more then happy to have never spoken to her ever again. Not after what happened. But it wasn’t just like you could get up and leave. Your friends were here in New York and more-importantly so was your job. You were still an Avenger after all.
It was that your role as an Avenger which had resulted in you meeting Natasha in the first place. You’d been sent on a mission together all those years ago. The mission which had started everything. The mission which had set a train track for your love. There had once been a time where you two had become inseparable. Soulmates. And through the blood, sweat and tears, the pair of you had fallen hard for each other along the way, going on to morph into the Avengers greatest strategic fighting duo. What was that old saying again? The bigger they are they harder they fall? Well you’d both fell pretty damn hard alright, the painful-irony of your situation wasn’t lost on you either.
The team had done their best to keep the two of you separated for the main part but alas. You lived in the same building, you were bound to run into each-other in one way or another. There was a constant overhanging tension whenever the pair of you had to be together, it was suffocating. Your fuse was at its end. That was probably why you had snapped so hard at her that day.
You hummed as you walked through the hall down towards the training room. You had been completely in your own world when suddenly you felt the stumble of a body knocking straight into your chest. You scowled, recognising that fiery hair anywhere.
“Fuck Natasha, watch where you’re going.” You hissed aggressively as she stumbled backwards, looking stunned. She had sweat dripping down her face, obviously having just finished a workout of her own.
Natasha scoffed snapping back around to look at you with angry eyes, “How about you watch it. It’s not my fault that you’re in the way.” She grumbled before turning her head away to discreetly clear her throat.
Her statement infuriated you, “Get over yourself Natash-“
You were just about ready to rip into her when she had interrupted you, turning her as she muffled a chesty painful-sounding cough into her upper-sleeve. If you hadn’t had been so pissed at her then maybe you would’ve been slightly concerned for her.
Though you were mad, you couldn’t quite force yourself to lay into her for simply coughing, instead you gave a loud huff and continued, “Get over yourself, it was your fault Romanoff. You walked into me. Accept it. Now go shower or something.”
“Get out of my way then.” Nat growled as she shoved past you, however to your surprise,, her shove had been weak. It was barely enough force to move you aside, certainly not a show of strength from the ‘Black Widow’. Plus you had been pretty sure that you’d seen her stumble afterwards from the corner of your eye. Weird…
Whatever. It was none of your business, not that you cared anyway. You had a workout to attend too. You simply rolled your eyes and reached into your pocket to pull out your headphones before making your way towards the training room.
And roughly an hour or so later you had finished your workout. Punching things had always made you feel somewhat better, it was something about the release of pent-up energy that calmed you down. All you needed now was a shower and a good lunch to fill you up. Maybe then you’d be able to enjoy the rest of your day in peace, especially with tonights movie night.
The Avengers held movie nights weekly, Tony thought it was something which brought the team together and well he wasn’t wrong. It was the one time where all problems were left at the door and people were able to fully enjoy their night. Of course there was always tension between you and Nat but it always seemed a little less on these nights. To keep things fair, movies were picked by a different team member every week and tonight was your night.
You had been lost in thought, trying to think of a good pick as you made your way into the changing room. You lifted up your arms and pulled off your sweaty vest-top, throwing in onto a bench before going over to your locker and pulling out a fresh towel and a clean pair of clothes which you laid on the bench ready for when you returned post-shower.
You hurried took off the rest of your gym clothes and make your way into the shower. Stepping inside, you almost jumped out of your skin, dropping the bottle of shampoo which you had been holding loosely in your hand.
Slumped on the floor, leaning against the wall of the shower was that familiar redhead. Her eyes closed. The shower above her had gone off but her body was damp and pale as it leant limply against the tiled wall, her redhair hanging in wet curls aside her face.
“Shit-“ You swore as you fumbled with your hand and rapidly brought it up to cover your eyes.
You looked away, keeping your hand over your eyes, totally unsure of what to do. Why was she there? Had she fallen asleep? Just how long had she been there? Your head was filled with about a hundred different questions as you called her name, however no response came, infact the entire changing room was silent aside from the rhythmic drip of a distant tap.
What were you meant to do? You couldn’t just leave her there but you really didn’t want to violate her privacy. Especially considering the two of you weren’t exactly civil at the best of times. You may have hated her publicly but you still held some respect for her. Thinking fast, you tried your best to keep your head turned away from her as you knelt down and took the towel which you had previously had been used to wrap around yourself, instead using it to cover her with.
Once you were positive that you had properly covered her. You turned back to face her and now that you were able to get a proper look at her, you realised that she looked dreadful. You quickly ran out to get yourself some clothes, pulling on the sweats you had left out on the bench before rushing back in.
“Romanoff.” You said shakily, as you got onto your knees beside her, your voice was barely loudly then a whisper.
No response. She didn’t even stir. You huffed and gently raised a hand and shook her shoulder lightly, raising your voice this time, “Natasha. I need you to wake up.”
You shook her again for a moment before a garbled groan came from the woman beside you as she slowly came too.
You released a breath which you hadn’t realised you were holding as she woke.
“Jesus Romanoff. You scared the crap outta me.” You sighed with relief as she blinked wearily, “What on earth are you playing at?”.
“Im fine.” She grumbled, rubbing her fist against her eye.
You couldn’t help but scoff in disbelief, “For a trained spy, you’re a shit liar Natasha. Passing out in the shower isn’t the behaviour of somebody who is ‘fine’.”
She sniffled and pushed herself upright, “I just got tired ‘n’ dizzy, that’s all.” She mumbled as she pulled the towel tightly around her.
You were shocked at her honestly. You wanted to scream at her for her irresponsibility, all while wanting to throw aside your feelings and pull her into your arms. To your heavy displeasure, you were finding it increasingly difficult to stay pissed at her in that moment of time.
“Well, dizzy or not, taking naps on the floor of the communal showers isn’t beneficial for anybody.” You smirked at your own joke and pushed yourself up from the floor, thinking for a moment before offering her your outstretched hand.
Natasha looked up at you for second , seeming to think about it herself before accepting your hand. Allowing you to pull you from the cold tile floor. You looked away as she stood, turning your back on her.
“You need to get some warm clothes on and dry that hair. You’re gonna get ill otherwise.” You instructed, before stepping back into the locker room as she slowly padded behind you.
“HI’TSHHUIEW!” A sudden loud sneeze made you jump from your skin for the second time that day.
You turned to see Natasha’s nose twitching as her eyes fluttered closed as she hovered her hand infront of nose expectantly, “Hh’iiTSHIEW!”
“Bless you.” It then finally hit you as to why she had seemed so weak earlier and to why she was so out of it. Still, blessing her felt good. Hell acknowledging her as something other then somebody you hated felt good. And you’d be lying if you said you didn’t crave her touch in that moment.
She gave you a nod, her own way of saying thanks as she pulled open her own locker to look for some clean clothes. Only afew moments later you heard her give a congested groan, it seems she only had 2 pairs of spandex and a sports drawer stuffed in there.
You groaned and thought with you feelings. You hesitated before opening your own locker up and taking out your spare pair of joggers and an oversized band t-shirt accompanied by a baggy sweatshirt, “Wear these” You said bluntly, throwing them onto the bench beside her.
Nat went to reach for them but stopped, retracting her hand. “I don’t need help from you.” She tried to snarl but the effect was lost as she broke off into a fit of deep rattling coughs.
“Oh cut the crap Nat, I know you’re sick.” You rolled your eyes as she stifled a sneeze into her arm, “That’s not good for you.” You added, a hint of concern slipping into your words.
“Im sorry.” She sniffled a reply before reached out for the offered clothes, not bothering to turn around as she pulled them on, still sniffing as she did so.
You sighed and reached back into your locker to see if you had any tissues for her. Sometimes you kept them in there incase of emergencies. Luckily for her, you had a small packet of those travel ones.
“Blow your nose or something, that sniffling is getting on my nerves.” You lied as you came over to her and pressed the pack into her hand.
It seemed you had done that in the nick of time, just as she had pulled a tissue from the pack the incessant itch in her nose made itself known again.
“Hhi’tshhiuew’ hH’ii’hhtshoo!” Natasha sniffled into the tissues before turning away from you to blow her nose. Her face blushing a deep red as embarrassment seeped into her cheeks.
“You really don’t feel well, do you?” You asked quietly once she had finished, the concerned words came pooling from your mouth.
Nobody could’ve expected what had happened next though. Wordlessly Natasha turned back to you and fell into your chest, wrapping her arms tightly around you.
“I miss us.” She whispered, her voice barely audible. You could feel the fever burning its way through her body as she held onto you.
“Nat-“ You stumbled over your words, “We cant do this. This isn’t you talking, it’s just your fever. This is silly. Come on now. Don’t say stuff like that.” You said but still you kept ahold of her, keeping her safe in your arms.
Of course she didn’t mean what she was saying. She was just feverish and sick. She’d go to bed and wake up with that same hate. Nothing could ever happen between you two again, right?
You felt her chest begin to jerk forwards as she began to cough again, Natasha moved to try and pull away but for some reason you couldn’t let her go. God you wanted too, but you just couldn’t make yourself let go. Instead, you felt your hand moving up to rub comforting circles down her back. Your body acting on its on accord.
Neither of you had felt your tears that had begun to spill from both of your eyes until you’d both let each-other go several minutes later.
Well, there was no going back now. You looked at Natasha, glancing over her pale face and green glassy eyes, you found yourself admiring the beautiful damp crimson curls which fell from her head. God, she was still as beautiful as ever. You’re stomach felt like it had been invaded by an army of fluttering butterflies and as you opened your mouth to speak, it was almost as if you’re words came pouring out.
“Natasha. I cant do this anymore. I cant stand here and say I don’t care about you because U do, and it hurts so much to lie to myself about this. Because at the end of the day, I still lov-“
Your sentence was cut off by a sudden movement. Natasha reached up and pressed her lips hard against your own, the memory of her kisses came flooding back as you found yourself reaching up to cup her cheek as she kissed you harder, turning to push you against the lockers.
The moment between you two seemed to last hours, each kiss bringing back tidal waves of feelings which you thought you’d long since buried.
Eventually she pulled away, the taste of her cherry lipgloss still hung on your lips.
“I love you too.” She replied to your unfinished sentence, a small smile spreading across her face. You felt yourself blush red, heat rushing to your cheeks.
“Can we really do this?” You whispered against her cheek, not wanting to break the atmosphere.
“I want us to try.” She replied as she pressed a final soft kiss against your lips.
You smiled and took her hand, “I’d like that, but first we should probably get you into bed. You really don’t look too good.”
She laughed before sputtering off into a weak cough, “Are you saying I look bad?” God. It was like nothing had ever happened between you two.
Smirking, you shook your head and looped an arm around her waist, “You know what I mean. Come on, lets get you into bed.”
Natasha nodded as you lead her to the exit and headed towards the elevator, “What about movie night?” She sniffled, running the sleeve of your sweatshirt underneath her nose.
“Movie night can wait until you feel better.” The elevator dinged and you let her step inside first, “Now more importantly, your bed or mine?”
Natasha smiled, “Yours.”