All the Colors of Earth (Natasha Romanoff)

5.2

Natasha

"Promise me you'll be safe," I say as I give Marzda's suit one last look over. "That you won't do anything stupid."

She gives me a grin, "when have I ever done anything stupid?"

"Well let's see," I retort as I pretend to think. "There was that time you walked into traffic, jumped off a building, asked out a commanding offic-."

Her lips stop my words and I gladly let them. She kisses me like she did the first time. Deeply, breathlessly, heatedly. Her hands pulling me as close to her as we could possibly get. There was almost a desperation to her movements, like this was going to be the last embrace we'd ever have.

Which it very well could be.

We kissed for what could have been eternity, only stopping when Tony interrupted us. "As much as I love this sappy stuff, the army is ready to move."

We break apart slowly and I throw an annoyed look at him that quickly turns to confusion. "What the hell are you wearing?"

He stands with his hands on his hips, a golden suit gleaming in the sunlight. It looks like Thor's armor mixed with Tony's. "What?" He asks as he looks down at himself. "You don't like the upgrade?"

"Did you raid the Asgardian armory?" Marzda asks him.

"I would never," Tony replies, acting offended. "I simply.. liberated an item or two."

"Stark!" Marzda scolds.

"I'll return it!" He promises.

"Sure you will," I mutter.

Marzda gives me one more quick kiss before pulling away, "is everyone in position?"

Tony nods, "just waiting on you oh glorious leader."

Marzda holds out her hand to me and I take it, letting her lead me out of the command tent and into the bright sunlight. We head towards one of the three ships that have their engines running, "are you coming with me now?" I ask her as she pulls me onto my ship. She's supposed to be on the lead ship but maybe the plans have changed.

"No," she tells me as we stop at the top of the ramp.

"Wow," I mutter as I take in the soldiers on the ship. They all are dressed in black combat suits that match Marzda's and as a sea of double irises stare back at me, I see why- all of them are Colorian.

Marzda pulls me close to her and starts talking to them in her language. I mentally kick myself for not having picked any of it up yet. If she can learn Russian then I can learn Colorian.

After a few short sentences they all smack their right fist over their hearts, the sound echoing through the ship, all of their eyes firmly on me. "What did you tell them?" I ask her quietly.

She smirks slightly, "I told them that you are mine and if you don't come back, they don't come back."

"Marz!" I hiss at her as I smack her shoulder. "You can't threaten them like that!"

She shrugs, "I can. I'm Quake, their leader, and they will do as I say. My people, our people, take Bonds seriously. Especially when it comes to protecting them. They were actually surprised that I'd let you come."

"You didn't exactly let me," I remind her. "Besides, what about them? What if they die?"

"They have no Bonds," she tells me. "Only the Unbonded are allowed in the army. And before they can even start training, they have to meet every single person and if they Bond they aren't allowed to stay."