𝐁𝐔𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐅𝐋𝐈𝐄𝐒 | 𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘢 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘧𝘧 [✓]

Ch.1 Loner

Word count: 1.16k

Nat's POV:

Vision walks in to the kitchen, another person following closely behind him. My eyes widen in surprise as my heart flutters. When she walks in, I swear my heart burst inside my chest. There's just something about her that messes with my head. Her sea green eyes and perfectly dirty blonde hair - it's all too much. I bite down a cry of amazement and pained relief and avert my eyes. After passing Steve, she heads towards Peter, hugging him tightly. A rush of jealousy flushes through me; I don't even know the woman.

Parker drills a smile on to his lips, joy and pride flashing his face. He wraps an arm around her shoulder, guiding her towards Bruce. He smiles and reaches out a friendly hand, inviting her in to the compound. She shakes his hand gently.

I can feel my cheeks rush with red, blood gushing the emotions I am desperate to hide. Her skin shines under the constant light of the hanging bulb, her freckles glistening like stars: perfect and unrivalled. Soon, Parker turns to me, his eyes asking, his brow raised in questioning amusement. I suppose he can clearly see my uncomfortable discretion, and if he can, then she would too. I subdue the emotions rising, and brush the red hair from my face. With a reluctant last glance, I turn away from the pair and back to my mug of coffee. I clasp both hands around it, threading one through the handle and wrapping a palm over the opposite side. I cool my breathing to a steady inhale, following it with a shaking breath out - one that gives away everything I am still stupidly trying to hide.

Peter wanders over, arm still around her shoulder. My jealousy sky rockets. I let out a sharp breath, deeming myself useless in the situation.

They're clearly going out, Nat. There's nothing you can do but forget. You've all ready ruined relationships before, don't ruin this one for Pete.

Peter caresses the air with a sweet smile, directing the woman towards me. My heart flutters again in my chest and I curse under my breath. I say nothing as they come closer, not trusting my voice or words.

"Nat, meet Eliza." He smirks as I wriggle uncomfortably. So I decide to attempt at playing it cool. Big fail.

"Pete!" I mumble through a sip of coffee - hopelessly pretending to be startled. "Don't do that."

"I thought you were a world class spy?" Parker scrunches up his nose in fake confusion. "Given everything you've ever done for S.H.E.I.L.D how did I startle you?"

"My guard was down. Yours often is." I tease. I reach out a hand. "Natasha Romanoff." I tell her, a smile meeting my lips, but not quite stretching to my eyes. Hers glint with a surprising darkness - but a beautiful darkness, like the night sky.

"Eliza Parker, but people call me Ellie." She shakes my hand with a sudden tenderness. It's almost safe. Almost.

"Well, if the pleasantries are done, then I've got some training to get to." I excuse myself, carefully placing my cup in the sink and making my way from the kitchen. I pause at the door, frowning. "Parker?"

Peter looks up. "Yeah?"

"That's your sister?"

He hums an answer. "Mhm."

Laughing, I pick at my neck, rubbing it until red raw. "Seems someone got the better half of the gene pool." I walk out, leaving Pete gawking - his pride hurt - and Eliza chuckling both at my joke and her brother's face.

I head towards the gym, desperate to wipe Eliza from my head. After throwing a punching bag off it's hooks around 3 times, I give in. She's stuck in my mind. I shake out my hands and wipe the beads of sweat from my forehead. Sighing, I pick up my bottle and head towards the sparing ring. I turn on one of Tony's bots and set the level to hard. I wasn't about to get any better at fighting if it was easy to win.

I duck and throw a punch to the metal robot's arm. The metal turns red, as if I have actually done some damage. I scoff at the thing when it comes driving a fist at my stomach. I dodge to the left and jam my elbow down, hard in to the bot's arm. It smashes in to the ground and malfunctions. Sparks settle and the red eyes of the robot simmer down to a low glowing amber.

Well shit. Tony's gonna kill me.

"Who's made you angry?"

I turn quickly towards the door, hissing when I see Steve slumping against the frame. He chuckles and starts to move towards me. I'm a mess, that parts clear, and I can tell he knows. "Cat got your tongue now, Romanoff?"

I glare at him, my eyes darkening at the nickname. He's always used it, I know that. It's nothing new. It just hits differently when he's being an idiot.

"Go to hell, Rogers."

"Oh, I'm afraid I can't do that. My Nat is angry and I can't leave her alone. She'll blow the whole compound to pieces." He teases jokingly. I feel my face tense, my jaw cut from stone - it feels wrong as he approaches me, his strong hands around my waist. I know it's wrong. But something just makes it feel so right. All of a sudden I'm against the wall and my guard is all but shattered.

Firm and steady hands work their way up my thorax, carressing the skin of my neck, running a finger over the edge of my jawline. His lips on mine.

"Hey, Nat. I was just wondering if you'd want to-" Her voice comes skipping over the mutual silence. Eliza.

Steve pulls back immediately, his face a flutter of mixed emotions, mostly embarrassment and gratified happiness.

"Eliza." My voice seems broken, even to me. I slap a hand over my face and curse a million words under my breath. "What's up?"

'What's up?' Are you fucking serious right now, Nat? That's all you've got?

"I can always come back later if I was interrupting something?" Her words tremble ever so slightly. Is she afraid?

Steve saved me from talking awkwardly. "No, it's fine. You've come for something, and now you're part of the team, you get what you need."

"Hold the fuck up." I snap. "Since when was that cleared? And why was I not told?"

"You ask Fury, Nat. I don't make all the decisions. Besides, you're the one whose supposed to know it all."

I hiss in a breath, snapping. "I only pretend like I know everything, Rogers." I turn my attention quickly and intentionally towards Eliza, who shifts uncomfortably, hopping from one foot to the other. "What did you need?"

"Mission report files. 21st of August, 2010?"

I flinch, knowing exactly what's in that file. Fury would never have cleared this, would he?