natasha romanoff one-shots (gxg)

𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬

a/n: horrible title but i couldn't come up with anything else. party setting (yes again lmao), protective!nat

Natasha's arm circles around your waist as you push past crowds of people, trying to get to a spot that is less packed. You glance at her, feeling a light wave of warmth rush through you.

"God", she mumbles, keeping you close. "This is hell on earth."

"Sorry for dragging you here."

She looks at you, her demeanor softening in an instant. "Hey, don't apologize. I might hate parties, but at least I get to spend some time with you." Then she pauses, and her eyes dart around the room as a small frown appears on her face. "Just..."

"Yes?", you ask, squeezing her waist. Natasha's eyes meet yours, a pool of green. You swallow as you catch yourself wishing you could drown in them.

"Whose party is this?" She rubs her neck. "I know you told me, but-"

"You forgot." You let out a breathy laugh, and she smiles slightly. "A friend's. Logan, if you remember him."

Natasha nods. "Right, Logan."

The name feels foreign on her tongue, like something she has to force out of herself. It leaves an icky feeling, and she has no idea why. She met Logan before — twice, at your birthday party and at your graduation— and he didn't seem too bad. A bit obtrusive and arrogant, but somewhat civilized. Not too hard to get along with either, even if she found the conversations she had with him tedious.

She has no clue why you're friends with him, to be honest, as you seem like polar opposites to her; all she knows is that you met in some class three years ago. He asked you a question concerning the lecture, and you, polite and overly helpful as you tend to be, didn't hesitate to explain it to him in detail. You hit it off, went to bars together, and have been friends ever since.

He's never done anything that would justify Natasha's feelings towards him — but, for some reason, she can't help but feel a lingering sense of unease around him. She always feels like she has to be on guard when he's around, like she can't let him out of her sight. She feels no guilt about her behavior, as she's been proven right by her instincts before, but she's also trying to at least give him a chance.

"Oh, drinks", you suddenly say, ripping her out of her thoughts. She smiles and follows you to the table with the food and drinks, where you grab two bottles of beer. You clink the bottles, then you take a few sips as you let your gaze travel around the room. Tons of people, some familiar and some not, but all of them are either friends or family of Logan.

Natasha follows your gaze, looking around as well. It's a nice house, that's for sure — spacious, homey, with all kinds of trinkets and pictures of Logan and his family. Mom, dad, and a sister. White picket fence house and suburbia galore. The American dream in its true glory.

You stay where you are for a while, lingering next to the staircase as you talk. You ignore the crowds of people around you, that are laughing and talking way too loudly, and instead focus on Natasha. An anchor you can rely on, a haven you'd come back to time after time again. Not just a friend, but a safe space in human form — you've proven that to each other more than once.

Natasha lifts her eyebrows as you set the empty bottle aside, already reaching for another one. "What's your plan? Getting wasted before the clock strikes midnight?"

You pause, the bottle opener hovering above the beer bottle. "It's just beer."

"Beer contains alcohol."

You tilt your head. "Okay, fine. You'll keep me entertained, then?"

She chuckles. "Challenge accepted." Her eyes flicker over to a small group of people that's walking by and staring at her. She frowns slightly, looking back at you. "You sure Logan wants me here? I don't know anyone, and so far-"