Natasha had been prepared for the inevitable moment when she and Bruce met face to face. As one would assume, she was unaffected by seeing him again. But she was still going to be polite, so after he said her name, she replied with a simple, "Bruce."
Sam stood a few feet behind them with Vision and Wanda, muttering, "Awkward."
And it certainly was. Natasha wouldn't say that she was uncomfortable in this moment, but she was more concerned with Steve. She noticed that he didn't greet Bruce with a hug or with a handshake, just stone faced silence. Natasha knew he wasn't angry with the other man, but he didn't have anything to say to him.
After Bruce left the team, Natasha threw herself into her work as an Avenger and more importantly, as Steve's partner. Many days, she'd crawled into bed with him, wanting to feel the warmth of his strong body against hers. They had already been close, but grew closer still.
Steve had been curious about Natasha's sudden attraction to Bruce back then, but he never probed, never tried to wheedle information from her about it. That wasn't his way of doing things. She knew he didn't expect her to divulge any of the details, yet she found herself telling him anyway.
She told Steve that she mistakingly believed she and Bruce had a kinship, that she fancied the idea of running away with him during their fight with Ultron in Sokovia. To this day, those thoughts made her grimace. Why in the world she believed she could settle with Bruce, she'd never know. But Steve didn't judge.
After the proverbial beans had been spilled, Steve sensed that she finished her story and proceeded to hug her closer to his chest. The protective cocoon he formed around her made her feel safe and at peace. Natasha buried her face in his neck, breathing in his scent.
Steve didn't speak for a long time and she'd nearly fallen asleep, but she still heard him. "You're not a monster, Nat. You never have been."
Those simple words were like a balm to her soul and made the heaviness she'd been feeling evaporate.
It's what she needed when she told Bruce about her past, but he hadn't offered her any comfort. It was a painful experience that she was unable to forget, but as she lie in Steve's arms, Natasha knew she was finally beginning to heal from her old wounds. And only Steve could have done that for her.
Inevitably, they became a couple, which surprised no one. The bond between them was strong and proved to weather through the worst circumstances. So yes, they continued to fight all over the globe as secret Avengers, but this time, they were lovers.
One night in a rundown Slovakian hotel, Steve left a tiny box on the bed for Nat after she had taken a shower. Her trembling fingers opened it to find a ring inside. It was a simple gold band with a tiny diamond spider at the center. Natasha heard Steve step into the room and he touched her arm, turning her to face him.
Hope shone in his eyes as he said, "I know this is pretty sudden, but do you think you could...?"
"Yes."
Steve's smile was as brilliant as a thousand suns and he took the ring from the box and slid it onto Natasha's finger. It fit perfectly and she eyed him suspiciously.
"This is exactly my size. How did you-"
"I measured your finger while you were asleep."
"And I didn't wake up?"
"You always sleep more soundly after we make love." He gave her a look that she knew all too well.
"Oh, so you planned this?"
"Mmhm. Took me a month to actually go through with it."
"Did you think I was going to say no?"
"I had my doubts, but...we never really talked about marriage and I wasn't sure if this is what you wanted."
Natasha took his face in her hands, tears forming in her eyes. "Steve, we've been living like a married couple for years and even before we became fugitives, the others teased us about being the official mom and dad of the Avengers. I've thought about this a lot and there's nothing I want more than to be by your side. I'd follow you into hell if you asked me to."
"Well, I don't think marriage to me would be hellish, but I can fix that for you."
"Shut up," she laughed and tugged his head down for a kiss.
On a visit to Wakanda, they requested that King T'Challa marry them - an honor he'd been grateful to accept - and they had a small ceremony in the village with all of their friends present. All of this occurred five months ago and they'd been married for four months now.
Natasha moved on with her life and with Steve as her husband, she was happier than she'd ever been.
Back to the present, she stood by Steve's side while Bruce talked about this Thanos and the danger he posed to earth. After some discussion, Steve mentioned that the best place to remove the stone from Vision's head and make a stand against Thanos would be Wakanda. Everyone got their gear ready and headed to the quinjet, but Natasha hung back to pull out her ring.
The fingerless gloves she wore in battle were impossible to wear over her wedding ring, so she put the ring on a gold chain around her neck inside her suit. That way, it stayed safe and close to her heart. Just like Steve.
Speaking of the super soldier, Steve approached her with a look of concern. "You okay?"
"Yeah." She looked at the ring for a moment before putting it back in her suit and zipping up her utility jacket. When she saw the seriousness in his eyes, she gently bopped him on the chin. "I'm fine, really. Any feelings I had for Bruce died a long time ago."
"I know. I wasn't worried."
"Just checking up on me, huh?"
"It's part of the job." Steve pulled her to him and brushed his lips across her forehead. The hairs from his beard tickled her skin and she laughed softly, taking his hand in hers, their fingers entwining.
"Come on, husband. We've got a world to save."