An unconventional trio

"I'll deal with you in a moment."

Nat's POV:

Clint and I make our way down the hall toward the kitchen—dinner duty tonight. As we round the corner toward the elevator, the doors slide open, and Steve steps out. His expression is... off. Almost frantic. Which is very unlike him.

"Hey, Cap, you good?" Clint asks, his tone casual but curious.

Steve's eyes immediately find mine, his brow deeply furrowed. "Where's Bucky?"

I pause for a second, a little caught off guard by his tone. "I... think he's in Nova's suite," I reply. I watch as Steve's eyes roll, his hands landing on his hips with an exasperated sigh.

"Why is he always with her?" he mutters, mostly to himself.

I can't help but laugh. "Well, they *are* dating, Cap. It's not that weird that they spend a lot of time together." My voice is light, trying to break whatever tension he's carrying, but it's not working.

His jaw tenses as he glares at the door leading to Nova's suite. Clint and I exchange quick, side-eyed glances, both of us noticing Steve's unusual mood.

Steve closes his eyes for a brief second, shaking his head like he's trying to dispel whatever thoughts are running through his mind. "Forget it," he mutters under his breath. "He isn't going to listen to me anyway."

Before either of us can respond, he huffs, spins on his heel, and starts marching toward the stairs.

"Hey, where are you going?" I call after him, throwing my arms up in confusion.

"I need to find Stark," he replies, not even turning around as he disappears down the staircase.

I look at Clint, both of us standing there, momentarily speechless. "Okay... what was that about?"

Clint shrugs. "Beats me. But whatever it is, it's about to be a long night."

As Clint and I cook dinner, I can't stop replaying that interaction with Steve. His words keep echoing in my mind. "Why is he always with her?"

I know Steve. Probably better than he'd ever admit. I've been piecing it together, watching the way he's been acting—his frustration, that coldness whenever Nova's name comes up. There's something deeper there.

Jealousy.

I glance over at Clint as he chops vegetables, completely absorbed in the task, but my thoughts keep drifting back. I've seen it all unfold. Back when Steve used to see Nova at SHIELD, he was different. So kind to her. Gentle, even. He always had time for her, made her feel comfortable—almost like she brought out a softness in him. But now? Now, there's distance. The warmth is gone, replaced by something sharp and unspoken. Cold.

I see it. I know what it is, even if Steve's too stubborn to admit it to himself. He's jealous. Maybe he doesn't fully understand it, but it's there. He's fighting it, trying to push it down, but I see the way it eats at him.

But here's the thing—Steve can never tell Bucky. No matter how much he wants to, no matter how much this... jealousy gnaws at him, he'll never let Bucky know. He'd bury it deep before admitting how he really feels.

I pull myself back into the moment, stirring the pot in front of me, but my mind keeps spinning. Steve's jealousy... it's going to come to a head eventually. The question is—when?

Clint and I finish setting the table after FRIDAY alerts the group that dinner is ready. As we step back to admire the spread, people start filing in one by one. Wanda, Sam, Scott, Bruce, Thor, and Loki are the first to arrive, each taking their usual spots around the table. There's a buzz of light conversation, everyone in good spirits, but I keep my eye on the door, waiting for the next arrivals.