Special Touch Part: Three

Chapter Thirty-Seven

"I could talk to Nat, maybe you could move in with us for a while?"

Natasha went to pick up Cory from school that following Friday and BC had stopped by for a visit. The two of you were sitting in the living room on opposite ends of the couch with face masks on, sipping tea, and facing each other.

They had had a long day at work and just needed a friends' weekend, so you invited them to stay over. It was easy with a couple of extra guest rooms and after everything with Valerie, the two of you kind of hung onto each other. Everyone understood you lost someone close, practically a sister, but only you guys knew the extent of the loss.

Ollie was curled up in the corner and you smiled softly over at your friend who looked pretty tired, but you could tell this time together was already helping.

"You're really sweet to offer that, even if it's behind your wife's back," They chuckled and you shrugged with a smirk, "But I'm moving in with Jenny soon."

"Does this mean...?" You raised your eyebrows and they blushed, nodding their head shyly, "Oh my god! She said yes!" You set your tea down and crawled over to tackle them in a hug, luckily, they were quick enough to put their cup aside in time too, "I'm so happy for you!"

"Thanks, love," They laughed lightly, hugging you tightly, "Couldn't have done it without your support."

"Yeah, you could've," You chuckled against them, "But I just...oh man, this is amazing."

You pulled away to just sit back and look at them with such a huge grin on your face, it was already hurting your cheeks, and tears welling in your eyes.

"Don't start," They warned, pointing to your face, "Because if you cry, then I'll cry," You could tell they were already getting emotional and it just made you get even more so, "Stop it!"

"You're my family, of course I'm gonna cry." You pouted, wanting to keep it together, but knowing it was a lost cause.

"God, I love you so much." They sniffled and you glanced down, letting a few tears fall as they peered up, trying to hold them back.

"I love you more though, always have." You whispered shakily, getting choked up.

"Son of a bitch." They mumbled in frustration, not being able to hold it in anymore.

"Son of a bitch is right." You agreed, your voice cracking, and you reached over towards the side table for the box of tissues, offering them some.

They took two without making eye contact, feeling a little embarrassed, and you let out a pathetic laugh at the both of you.

"Something funny, Romanoff?" They smirked, trying to sound annoyed, but failing miserably before blowing their nose.

"You're getting married and we're bawling like someone died." You chuckled and there was a moment where you thought you had ruined the announcement, maybe Valerie flashed into their mind too, but then they were laughing, and you felt a rush of relief flow through you.

"That's because we've become more emotional with our age." They shrugged and you hummed in thought.

"We don't get older, we just get better looking."

"You sound like a dad." They teased and you nodded, laughing again in agreement.

"So, how'd you do it?" You wiggled your eyebrows as they wiped their nose clean a moment later, "How'd you get someone to say yes to your lame ass?"

"I didn't do it in my bedroom like the queen herself," They teased you with a smirk, but you pretended to think they were serious, waving it off and trying to play humble, "But I took her to the park and got down on one knee in the middle of the bridge just as the sun rose."

"You mean set," You corrected, "As the sun set."

"No, it was the morning."

"You're evil."

"Would you just shut up and let me finish my story?" They huffed and you gestured for them to continue, "Anyway, so, then I gave a little speech before she said yes and after, we walked back to her place instead of finishing our run."

"You proposed...in the middle of the night-"

"It wasn't the middle of the night." They grumbled, but you ignored it.

"...in the middle of your run when you're all sweaty and probably look like shit?" You gaped at them, but they looked so very done with you, "And she said 'yes'?? You're very lucky you're so goddamn sexy because I would've pushed you into the water right then and there."

"That's because you're not in love with me."

"No, no, it wouldn't matter."

"It matters."

"Agree to agree."

"No, that's not – fine, yeah," They gave up, "Agree to agree...I guess."

"Ring pop?" You guessed and they looked confused for a moment before they sighed in remembrance.

"No, I didn't use a fucking ring pop, I'm not a child or insane," They deadpanned, but when you opened your mouth to object, they interjected with, "And you didn't even use one of those, but if you had, I think Natasha would've returned your ass to wherever you came from."

"I mean, I was born in Brooklyn, so it's not far since we're in the same borough."

"Nah," They shook their head, reaching over to the coffee table and swiping the jar of peanut butter that had a spoon stabbed into it already, "You were definitely made in a lab or something, there's no way this," They used the hand that now held the buttery spoon in your direction, "Is normal."

"Big talk for someone who has goop on their face."

"Isn't that a Gwyneth Paltrow thing?"

"Shhh," You widened your eyes at them, "I'm gonna pretend I don't know who that is and say no, it's the face mask stuff, you weirdo."

"Uh, yeah," Their voice was laced with sarcasm, "I'm the weirdo...sure."

"I love when we agree on things." You hummed, reaching over to dip your finger in the jar and they gave you a look of disgust.

"That was your goop hand!"

"No," You frowned, looking down at your hands, "It was the other one."

"You're lying," They cringed, practically shoving the jar into your cleaner hand, "You always get a sad, guilty puppy dog look when you lie and right now it looks like I whacked you with a rolled-up newspaper on the nose."

"That was a lot just to say you can tell when I'm lying," You pointed your peanut butter finger at them and then shrugged before putting it into your mouth, looking to be in thought after, "Hmm, to be honest, the goop doesn't taste that bad."