Thor
If you’d told Natasha Romanoff in a few years time she would be battling alongside a Norse god, THE god of Thunder... well she would have said you were mental.
Yet here they were, once again on the streets of New York fighting aliens. Though these were not Chitauri, no they were a different race. When Thor had claimed he had not known what alien race they were, Tony had then proclaimed “Well, we’re screwed.” Steve had given him a dirty look and gave orders and they disbanded.
Everyone was holding their own. Clint was up high as usual keeping an eye on the perimeter and taking out the creatures from up top with his arrows. Tony and Thor flew around keeping the damage contained to a perimeter, and they had also helped clear the area of civilians from buildings. Natasha and Steve worked together at the epicenter on the groundworking together and at times separately taking out the hostile creatures, and Hulk... well he smashed. The battle seemed to be going in their favor, and the end looked near. But then something had happened, the unthinkable really.
Some way, somehow, Thor had been hit. In all his mightiness and glory—an alien had thrown it’s staff while Thor had been turning towards it and the offending weapon pierced his gut. Natasha saw it happen as if it were in slow motion; the staff pierced his chest armor and the god jerked as it broke the armor and entered his body blood spurting from the wound, his hand immediately going towards it. He fell to the ground a block away Mjolnir flying out of his hand, and she saw the aliens advancing without mercy. She didn’t hesitate, she ran towards him shooting as she went.
She aimed for their heads with her shots, purple alien blood spouting from their craniums as she did so. She knew she was covered in it but didn’t care, she had to get to Thor. She knelt by his side, “How bad?” She asked as soon as she skidded to a halt.
He grunted, seemingly unable to move as well as he normally should. “I know not what is in this weapon, but it weakens me still.” He was clutching at it, clearly in agony. “You must go. We cannot give in!”
“Don’t get all self-sacrificial on me.” She said, still shooting. “We already have Tony for that.”
He made a breathy noise that may have been a laugh. Natasha’s gun clicked. It was jammed. There was another wave of aliens headed their way. She didn’t have a choice, she turned to look at him.
“Thor...” she started to say.
He nodded, he seemed to understand. “Do what you must.”
She grabbed the staff with both hands, and he looked perplexed. “Sorry about this.” She yanked it out of him ignoring the cry of pain that came from his lips and swung the weapon around just in time to continue the attack. “Keep pressure on that!” She called back to him.
The battle didn’t last too long after that. The streets were covered in alien corpses and purple slime but they had won. Banner was back and Natasha called for him, he came over to tend to Thor. She realized the staff was still in her hands, she threw it to the ground and wiped her hands on her suit.
She heard footsteps approaching, she turned to see Clint a little banged up but no worse for wear. “You okay?” He asked, giving her a once over. “You look like shit.”
“Always the gentleman.” she said. “Banner’s tending to Thor, I’m fine. You?”
He nodded, panting slightly. He was giving her a strange look, she narrowed her eyes “What?” She asked.
“You pulled a weapon out of Thor and then used it to kick some alien ass. Nat, that was...” It took her a moment to realize he was impressed. She shrugged nonchalantly,
“It’s the job.” She said.
“No it’s not.” Came Thor’s voice from behind. She turned to look at him, Bruce was helping him sit up. “When I said to do what must be done... I meant you to leave me. But you did not.”
“I told you I wouldn’t.”
He nodded, a look she couldn’t quite interpret crossed his face. “So you did.”
——
Tony had insisted on taking the staff back to the tower, the fact that something had taken down Thor so easily had been worrying. Thor had tried to explain it was most likely some form of magic—but soon realized it was Tony’s form of trying to help so he let it be.
Thor did seek out Natasha though. As soon as he could walk again he approached her as she microwaved some food late at night. She heard him coming and turned to face him.
“How are you feeling?” She asked.
“I am well.” He said. Then after a beat, “I want to thank-you Lady Natasha. I never doubted it, but you are indeed a mighty warrior.”
Natasha smiled kindly, taking out her food. “We’re a team Thor.” She said. “I’m always going to have your back. Besides, I’m no god of thunder.”
“One does not need such brutal strength or magical ability to be so mighty.” He said. “You of all must know this best. For all you have suffered, and all that you have done... you are indeed the mightiest of us all.”
Natasha didn’t know what to say. Thor seemed to understand, he placed an arm on her shoulder and softly squeezed it. Then he nodded and walked away. Natasha stood there, still frozen. Thinking about what he had said.