I didn't want you to be alone: Romanogers Oneshots

The one (and only) time I've seen you drunk

There she is- her small frame hazy in the yellowed lights. Heels lightly cascading across the glossy wooden floor as she spun to the music, farther, and farther, and farther... into a  small red dot in the distance. I could reach her, as I believed, if I kept chasing. Past my family home, through the walls, into the darkness. I sprinted towards the fiery red hair, and soon I was close, so very close. I could smell her scent, a mix of rose and regret. I reached out for her hand, just as the endless darkness ripped out from under my feet, sending my tumbling down and down and down. Below her- where'd she go? "Natasha..." I whispered, or screamed as her name echoed around me while I plummeted.

"NAT!" Steve screamed, (yes we're switching to third person.) his voice raspy with sleep. He blinked his eyes as the dream slowly faded away and reality took it's place, revealing his familiar bedroom, the moonlight filtering onto his phone. His phone. Gasping for breath, Steve extended his arm towards the ringing noise, his vision still blurry. The number I.D glowed white in a name Steve couldn't register. He fumbled his fingers to awkwardly remove the phone from its charger and press the fluorescent green button.
"H-hello?" Steve said, clearing his throat.
"Steeeeeve!! Finally! Took you long enough." The person on the other end of the line declared, jumbling together their words . Steve froze on his bed, dumbstruck. "hellloo?"
The contact on the caller I.D confirmed his suspicion that the slurring voice belonged to his ex-girlfriend, Natasha Romanoff.
"Natasha, why are you calling me at," checking the watch on his wrist, Steve continued, "2:30 in the morning?"
"Wellllll Steve, I've been calling you for, like, 15 minutes now but you didn't pick up. Uhg why- are you mad at me or something?" She replied, her words hitching on the latter. Steve wanted out of this conversation, especially after his dream- nightmare- whatever.
"Are you- Natasha are you drunk?" Steve asked, choosing to ignore her previous question, not wanting to answer the obvious. Even though he was technically asking her something obvious.
"Noooooo- what makes you say that?" Natasha giggled on the other end of the line, and Steve could hear a deeper voice whisper something to her, incomprehensible to him. Rage boiled in his chest. Not only is Natasha drunk- which she had never even drank before when they were dating- but she was with a guy.
"God Natasha, why'd you call me? To gloat? Cause I've gotta go, it's late." Steve rebuked, and removed the tightly-clenched phone from his ear. He had just begun to get over this woman, and here she was her voice and the idea that she was with another man.
"Wait!!!" Steve heard an echo from the phone, just as he was about to disconnect from the call. Internally- and verbally- groaning, he raised the phone back to his ear.
"Steve I. need you t-to pick me up." Natasha said quieter, her uncharacteristically cheery mood fizzling down, and for the first time on this phone call he could hear the voices surrounding her. She must be in a bar. Great.
"Natasha I-"
"Come'ooooonn Rodgers- you're really gonna leave the damsel in distress?" Natasha cut him off. She knows he can't leave her there, at a bar, alone. Hell, Steve can't say no to anything she asks- especially if she puts it like that.
"I'm on my way." He blandly states, already regretting this.

There was a small building at the corner of the empty street, the skyscrapers fading into worn-down shops as Steve rode farther from the city. He parked his motorcycle parallel to the sidewalk and walked into the bar. They had always shared their location with each other on their phone, even after they broke up, in case they were on a mission and one of them went missing. He supposed it was lucky they kept it- even if this was the last thing Steve wanted to do on a Friday night, or and this hour, a Saturday morning.

There she was, all the way in the back, lazily leaning against the counter, a glass of god knows what in her hand. Wearing a tight black dress, she was talking to a guy, probably the person Steve heard on the phone call. He slowly walked up to Natasha, behind the man. Over the guys shoulder, Natasha's bright green eyes met with his.
"heyyy!" Natasha stumbled over toward him and subconsciously Steve wrapped one of his arms around her small waist, keeping her steady. She was hammered, her eyes drooping as she finished of the drink. "bye bye Louis!" She exclaimed to the tall guy she had apparently been talking to earlier. The man, Louis, glared at Steve.
"Bye bye Louis." Steve repeated sarcastically to the man as he rolled his eyes and walked away. Steve wasn't usually this rude, but it was 3am and this man had been flirting with his ex.
"You took a long time to get here," Natasha deadpanned as the two heroes left the bar. "buuuut thanks for
coming."
Steve simply nodded his head, but tightened his grip on Natasha's middle when she tripped forward. She placed practically all her weight on Steve as they continued past his motorcycle.
"Where. are we going?" She question, looking up at the tall man who was practically carrying her.
"We've gotta go sober you up. I brought the bike, and I need you to be able to wrap around me." Steve replied.
They slowly made their way to a Tesco, and Steve bought Natasha a coffee to try and sober her up enough he could drive her home. She cradled the cup in her hands and slowly took a sip the warm liquid.
They followed their route back to Steve's motorcycle. Steve gently took the empty cardboard cup from her hand and tossed it into a trash barrel. He then gingerly lifted her into the motorcycle, himself following suit. He started up the engine, and they drove off, the early morning streets empty.

It was a silent ride, but after a few minutes Steve felt a soft *plunk* onto his shoulder, and Natasha's already loose grip around his middle fall limp. He would be worried about her falling off, but they were driving slowly and we're almost back to her apartment, each and every turn on the way there felt familiar. Like Steve was finally back home- where he belonged.
He pulled onto the side of the road, and lifted Natasha into his arms.

The super soldier saunter silently into the elevator, balancing Natasha in one arm to press the bold FLOOR 8 button. Natasha shifted in Steve's arm, nuzzling her face in his chest. The elevator dinged loudly and Steve walked out, turning and walking down the hallway to apartment 152. He set Natasha on her feet gently, and shook her shoulder.
"Nat, hun, where's your key?"
Natasha wearily opened her sagging eyelids. Mumbling, she pointed to the back of her dress.
"M-my dress... back pockets," she then collapsed, her knees going lose. Steve caught her in time, then reached into the hidden pockets, right on her behind. He unlocked her pitch black apartment, carried her to her bedroom, and placed her on the bed. He slipped her out of her heels and her dress, making sure not to look at her bra or panties. He took a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt from Natasha's drawer, following through every movement, like second nature. Being around Nat like this, her bedroom, this close...the pain from losing her was coming back. Once she was changed Steve got her under the covers, got her an Advil and water cup and placed it on her nightstand. He began out the door when a small slurring voice stopped him dead in his tracks.
"Steve... don't go."
"It's alright, just go back to slept Nat." Steve replied, and then took another step to the door.
"No. I'm not asking," There was silence, and Steve thought she had fallen asleep until her heard a small "Please?" Natasha was pleading, attempting to sit up in the darkness.
Steve rushed back over to the bed, pushing her back down gently.
"Hey, hey, your fine, I'll stay." Steve whispered, then slipped under the covers. Nat curled up onto Steve's chest, swinging one leg over his waist. Steve brought his arms around her back, snuggling close, and waited until Natasha's breathing slowed. He pressed a soft kiss to her fiery red hair, then closed his eyes, relishing in this moment before he drifted off to sleep.