The Eternal Avenger

Chapter Twenty-Five: I Never Forgot

(Claray's POV):

She crushed her lips to mine in a bruising kiss, making me gasp in surprise and freeze for a moment before I could react. I pulled back slightly, grabbing her shoulders and staring into her bright green eyes. "Natasha, are you okay?" She didn't answer me, just pushed herself into my arms again, wrapping her hands behind my head, pulling me down into her lips. I wrapped my arms around her instinctively, pulling her in closer. She whimpered into the kiss before I was able to pull back and attempt to catch my breath. "Tasha..." I gasped, looking at her in shock. Her eyes stared back into mine, wide open, and she licked her lips.

"I've wanted to do that since the moment I met you," she whispered, making no move whatsoever to let me go.

"In a dark alley? When I left you there?" I teased, a smile teasing the corner of my mouth. She shook her head.

"That's not when we met," she whispered. I released her, stepping back.

"What do you mean?" I asked. I bit my bottom lip anxiously, waiting for her answer. She took a step forward, right into my personal space, tracing her fingers over my cheek softly.

"I fell off the bridge that day," she started, leaning up on her tiptoes, her lips just barely out of reach. "You caught me." She opened her mouth to speak again, but I didn't give her the chance. I wrapped my arms around her waist again, pulling her tight into my arms, kissing her slowly. Her fingers caught in my hair and held me close.

"You remember," I whispered, brushing the tip of my nose on hers.

"I never forgot," she whispered back, leaning back into the kiss.

(Wanda's POV):

The security room was in an uproar. Everyone was screaming, Tony looked like he was moments away from jumping up and down in glee, and Steve had grabbed Sam in a crushing hug that they both backed away from as quickly as it had begun, looking each other over warily. I just stared at the camera, smiling. We noticed the new couple heading back towards the compound, and we all filed out of the security room, placing in ourselves in the kitchen – in other words, directly in their path. They entered the room, fingers entwined, dripping rain onto the floor but smiling wider than I had ever seen. Tony leaned over the counter, smirking at them. "It took you two long enough," he teased, unable to help the grin spreading on his face. Claray laughed and wrapped her arms around Natasha's shouders, Natasha looking up at her and smiled.

"Shut it, Stark," Natasha snarked, but her heart wasn't in it. Steve picked Nat up in a hug and spun her around the room. I almost caught her laughing until she composed herself. Natasha looked over her shoulder at Claray, smiling at her before turning back to the room. "We're going to go..."

"Train?" Sam cut her off. Even Steve couldn't keep the knowing smile off of his face.

"But why would Ms. Ridel and Ms. Romanoff train if they're..." I put my hand on Vision's chest before he could finish the sentence.

"They're going to go change, Vis," I smiled at him, and he returned it instantly, still clueless as to what was happening. It was cute. Natasha and Claray smiled at each other and walked out of the room hand-in-hand, leaving droplets of rainwater behind them in their wake.

...

A/N: A more explicit/detailed insert to this chapter has now been published by a good friend of mine who is working with me on parts of these stories.  It can be found by looking up avengerswriter4eva, in her Marvel One Shots book, chapter titled (TEAB1:25 First Time.)*

Three hours later Tony, Sam, Steve and I were sitting around the conference room table, staring absently up at the ceiling, wondering when exhaustion would set in and the rest of us would be allowed to get some sleep. Vision seemed fine, however, albeit confused. Steve's head rested on the table, and I used my magic to play with a stack of post-it notes on the table in front of me. Pietro was throwing a ball against the wall, then trying to outrun it. Tony was pacing, but every once in a while, he would stop in his tracks and an expression crossed his face that looked like a cross between being proud and impressed. Sam was playing solitaire in the corner, but couldn't stop laughing to himself quietly.

...

(Claray's POV):

An hour later, Tasha and I had finally paused to catch our breath. She lay with her head on my chest, blanket pulled up to her chin, tracing my jaw lightly with her index finger. "Can I ask you something?" She murmured into the side of my neck.

"Mmhmm," I caught my fingers in her red hair, gently massaging her scalp. She leaned up on her elbow, looking down at me as I stared up into her eyes.

"Why wouldn't you feed from me at the shop? When you were hurt?" I smiled at the memory. It seemed like decades ago, but only minutes earlier at the same time. I rolled onto my side to look at her so I could explain.

"When I feed on someone, it injects something into them called U4," I whispered softly. "It makes it easier to feed, when it feels pleasurable so they don't try to resist." I plucked at the sheet with my fingers. Natasha caught my hand in hers, squeezing it tight. She was staring at me intently, and I couldn't help but smile at her. "The sensation is described as Euphoric, and when we use it, it's hard to tell if someone really likes us or...if they just like the way it feels." Natasha smiled, processing the information, nodding her head.

"And you didn't feed on me because?" She was teasing me again.

"I already liked you, and I was trying to figure out if you liked me too." I admitted, nuzzling into her neck. She pulled back suddenly.

"So, when you fed from Wanda..." her voice trailed off, with a hint of jealousy. I smirked and traced my thumb over her lips softly.

"I wasn't exactly in control of that," I smirked.

"Sure, you weren't." I looked at her, and saw that teasing smile that I adored so much. I flopped back over onto my back, resting my hands behind my head grinning.

"Well, you're the queen of mixed signals, Ms. Romanoff," I teased her back. She rolled her eyes at me, leaning back down and resting her head against my chest.

"Whatever you say, Princess." I groaned jokingly before pulling her in tight, holding on for dear life.

(Wanda's POV):

The next morning – practically afternoon – the two finally emerged from Claray's room, walking hand in hand into the kitchen where the rest of us were nursing some much-needed coffee. Claray fetched two cups from the cabinet, pouring and handing Natasha hers before tending to her own. I smiled at the gesture. They really were so cute together. True to form, Tony broke the moment with a healthy dose of snark.

"You two cost me two hundred bucks last night," he jerked his head towards Claray and Natasha, pointing at them both." They just looked at each other and smiled.

"Worth it," Claray smirked. Tony threw his hands into the air in fake exasperation. Natasha poked her in the side.

"You'd better say that," she teased. It was cute to see Natasha like this. Usually all business, the ex-assassin was allowing Claray to shelter her under her arm, and her hand was resting lightly on the hybrid's shirt. I looked at Vision and smiled.

"You two ready to train, or do you need your beauty sleep?" Steve asked, standing from the table and stretching.

"I'll beat you into shape, Rogers," Natasha growled playfully. The super soldier rolled his eyes.

"At least you look somewhat happy, if not well rested," Sam grumbled from the corner. There was a silence in the room before all of us burst into laughter.