Baggage

The evening draws on and Steve can catch Natasha feels a little out of place. They’ve all been friends for so long, so it's only natural. However, time goes on and she pipes in a bit more and laughs at few of the quips thrown around. However, as midnight nears Bucky practically carries out a drunken Wanda while Valkyrie, Okoye, and T’Challa take it as a cue to leave. Sam announces Maria is returning from Connecticut and wants to be there for when she arrives home.

The statement is true, but Steve can’t help but feel the timing is all too good when Sam throws a smirk over his shoulder as he slips on his jacket.

Rolling his eyes to his friend, he finds Natasha in the kitchen washing some salsa from a bowl.

“Hey knock that off.” Steve comments and he makes a move closer to the sink.

She faster though, standing in front of him so his hand can’t take the bowl.

“No.” She says with a laugh, her eyes never leaving the sinks.

Nat scrubs the bowl with a grin on her lips as Steve continues to navigate his way to her.

“I don’t want ya cleaning up after everyone, you are the guest.” He states with crossed arms.

This time she turns, “Then why are you allowed to do my dishes?” She challenges with a cocked eyebrow.

He groans and makes a move again for the ceramic object and accidentally brushes into Nat’s side pretty hard, to which she yelps. He steps away immediately as the sound of the bowl shattering echoes in the kitchen.

He peers over seconds later to see red swirling down the water.

“Oh my god Nat I’m sorry, I,” He began blubbering feeling awful.

She turns with gritted teeth as a way to suppress the pain.

“My fault. My sides a little…sensitive.”

He can;t help but have a look of bewilderment at the description but pushes it aside as he makes a move to the cabinet for some band aids.

“Sit.” He tells her as he shuts off the tap.

The redhead complies as she seats herself at his dining room table. Steve comes over with some wrap and wipes as he crouches in front of her.

“I’m sorry.” He says his blue eyes peering into her own.

He grabs her hand in the softest motion ever. She can’t help but let her breath hitch at the contact.

“It’s okay.” She whispers and its barely audible.

And it is really. She knows it was an accident and that the spot on her hip is still tender from time to time. She also knows that Steve, he would never hurt her intentionally, and that alone keeps her breathless as his hand slowly smooths over the band aid.

“There you are.” He says with immense softness, his eyes boring into hers as his hands remain.

“Here I am.” She doesn’t even know why she says it, hes referring to the bandage, not her.

There's a pause and she fears she's messed up, made things awkward. Like she always does.

“Yeah…” He responds after a little bit, eyes still connected with hers.

“Here you are.” The blondes voice is gruff as his one his large hands comes up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear for a better view.

However, before it came make contact with the locks, his phone buzzes.

His hand drops from her own and from the proximity of his face, as he sighs and stands up. He strolls over to the counter for the device as Nat does her best to gain composure.

‘You and Nat?’ Reads the text from Stark.

His blue eyes bulge at the words and the redhead notices.

“Everything okay?” She asks worried.

“Uh, yeah.” He chokes.

She does not look convinced.

“Sam was just letting me know he got to Maria’s alright.” He lies.

Nat nods, causing Steve to breathe in relief.

“Movie?” He offers.

Nat grins as they start for his couch.

-

Bucky’s tired. Handling a tipsy Wanda is all cute, but when she woke up at five o’clock hurling on his pillow, it’s not as cute. However, he's more than glad to hold back her hair as she lets it all out, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t tired.

Thankfully, the time is nearing six which means Steve comes in and he’s relieved of any duties. Things have been slow all day, so when the door sounds open his neck snaps praying it's his partner.

It’s not. It’s Maria Hill, and she’s walking right over to him.

“Hey.” He offers with a gentle smile.

“Hey.” She answers pulling out a set of keys.

She stands over Barton’s desk, who took the day, and looks at the keys as if she's finding the right one.

“Glad to see you back. Sam’s going through withdrawals.” The brunette jokes.

Hill chuckles.

“Well now he knows how I feel when he flies to Europe and back for work.” She adds smiling.

Bucky laughs at this, but is quickly cut off by a groan.

Maria slammed the drawer shut and turns to Bucky’s blue eyes.

“Do you know where Barton keeps his files? I need to make a copy, we’re on the same case and Nick has my copy.” She explains.

Bucky stands and points at the third drawer on the left. She opened it and he lifts up a few useless books he keeps as a cover until all his case files are visible. Bucky only knew they were there because he's watched Barton put that damn Russian case report every fucking night before going home.

“Thanks.” Hill smiles.

Then she grabs it. She grabs the ballerina’s case and walks away. And, as Bucket watches her leave, something clicks.

Now all he can do is wait for Steve.

---

Late shifts always sucked. They were tiring and drawn on. Not to mention he had to eat awful food from the small kitchen in the back for dinner. Lately thought, these things had dawned on him more than usual.

Nat spent her days at the hospital from eight to four. Usually around five Steve would arrive home where he would run into both Nat and Peter at the same time. From there he would converse with them, maybe come over for dinner, stay for a movie. Nights like these that wasn’t in question and he’d have to go all day without seeing the adorable little boys face, or his mothers beautiful one for that matter.

He does his best not to dwell on it so he fill out some cases reports from the previous day in hopes to shut his mind off.

And it does, for sometime.

That is until his phone beeps.

Peter just asked me where you were, said he had a drawing for you :)

The text makes his heart pound.

Trying to act cool he responds casually.

Send a pic?

Moments later the three dots appear.

No can do, he insists that it has to be given in person. Says he has to see your face when he does!

Steve smiles at the message and begins to type.

He’s a hard kid to say no to.

I know he is, too bad your not around to stop by, he won’t stop nagging me.
He reads is a few times and he knows what he wants to say, and gathering some courage he finally does.

I’ll be home tomorrow night, maybe you guys can come over and I can make dinner.

The blonde thinks its too bold and he’s worried he crossed a line. He’s not an idiot he sees how uneasy she can be in new types of situations. The last thing he needs is to make her uncomfortable.

He can watch me hang it on my fridge :)

Steve adds to lighten the conversation.

We’re both looking forward to it, stay safe Officer Rogers.

He smiles at the last text and goes to type his response when a voice sounds over his shoulder.

“Huh.” It says.

He jumps.

“I have been standing here for like five minutes. Your like a teenager.” Stark states.

He doesn’t know if the teenage comment is for his nose in his phone or if he's referring to him and Nat’s relationship.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Steve asks annoyed placing his phone on the desk.

“I brought food. Little birdie told me you were working the night shift and we have much to discuss.” Tony throws down two bags of takeout and sits in Bucky’s seat across from his.

Steve groans knowing Bucky or Sam’s big mouth got him into this position.

Stark unpacks the cartons of Chinese food and the police officer begins gorging on some noodles before Tony speaks.

“So you and red?” He asks casually eating a dumpling.

“Are friends.” Steve finishes.

Tony snorts, causing Steve to glare.

“Oh come on! Peter even said something to me about it.” Tony gets out between laughs.

This causes Steve to drop his chopsticks and stare at the billionaire to go on.

“Says you make his mom smile and your over all the time.”

The comment causes Steve to blush deeply.

“Just being friendly is all. They’re both good people.” He declares.

Tony nods in agreement.

“Of course they are, I’ve known you for a long time Rogers.”

Steve looks for him to go on.

“Women have never been your strong suit. You don’t even allow yourself to get attached to them.”

“Wanda? Maria?” He argues.

“Doesn’t count, your friends with them because they are dating your best friends. It's not like you would ever get involved with either. Face it, in the past you've always been scared.” Tony says.

The blonde gulps.

“Remember Sharon? You thought there was a future and it turns out she was just as shallow as the rest of them. Take it from me, just because it didn’t work that time doesn’t mean Natasha is like all the other woman you’ve met.” Tony declares.

There's a pause.

“I know she’s not like other women. That’s kinda the problem.” He admits in a whisper.

Tony’s face drops in a sad sympathetic smile as he stands and discards all their food. Gathering his things and standing he places a hand atop Steve’s shoulders.

“You’ve got it bad my friend. Don’t overthink this. It’s a good thing.”

The last sentence causes Steve to look into Tony’s eyes.

“For all three of you.” He declares before leaving.

After Tony’s left Steve sits and thinks.

Was he falling for Natasha?
---

The line rings three times before the receiving end picks up.

“Hello?” The voice says.

“Sam, I need a favor.” Bucky says back.

“Well hello to you too.” He groans.

“I don’t have a lot of time I’m about to go out on patrol with Steve.”

“Okay, what is it?” Sam asks.

“Maria took a file from Barton’s desk, I need to know if I can get a copy of it or something.” The brunette explains.

“Isn’t that like, illegal?”

“No I can help with the case but if Barton knew he’d flip, he's so hush hush about it.” Barnes answers.

“Okay.” Sam says in defeat.

“Maria reads it every night before bed, it's like huge. I’ll see what I can do.” Wilson says.

“Thanks man.” Bucky says.

“It’s nothing. See you.”

The line clicks as Bucky scurries inside the station ready for his daytime shift with Steve.

---

Natasha is sitting at the desk finishing some paperwork when it happens. It's nearing noon when the gurney is rushed into the emergency room. She peeks up to doctors yelling commands as they rush the body past. She sees a black uniform, that's almost familiar but pushes it down as nothing and returns her eyes to the screen.

Then Wanda comes running up in a hurry.

“Nat!” She yells for her attention.

Her eyes snapped up to Wanda’s glassy ones.

“The patient that just came through. Its a gunshot wound, to a police officer.” She explains.

Nat stands up at this with a panic in her eyes.

“James and Steve were on duty. I don’t know if it was them I,” Wanda keeps talking but all Nat hears is a ringing in her ears as it becomes hard to breathe.

Please don’t let it be him.