Marvel One-Shots

Romanogers (Romanoff + Rogers)

Title: Cluelessly Smitten

Steve Rogers was in love—a hopeless, stupid, over-the-top kind of love—with Natasha Romanoff. It wasn’t just a simple crush; he was head-over-heels in love.

And, to his utter mortification, it seemed like everyone in the Avengers Tower knew it…except, of course, Natasha.

It had all started a few months back, when Steve realized that every day he spent with Natasha made his life a little brighter. Whether they were sparring, planning missions, or just sharing a cup of coffee in the early hours, Steve found himself hanging on her every word, memorizing every expression.

And the worst part? He was terrible at hiding it.

“Hey, Cap,” Bucky smirked one morning over breakfast. “You dropped something.”

“What? No, I didn’t.” Steve looked around, confused.

“Oh, you did,” Bucky said, barely holding back a laugh. “Your jaw, right over there—probably when you were staring at Natasha.”

Steve felt his face go red. “I wasn’t—”

But before he could defend himself, he noticed Sam at the end of the table, stifling a grin of his own. Steve groaned, sinking down in his chair, trying to disappear.

Natasha, of course, was blissfully unaware of all this. She was sitting across the room, calmly reading the latest mission report, looking as composed as ever.

Steve glanced at her—just a peek—but then found himself staring, captivated. Her red hair fell over her shoulder, and she looked so focused, so fierce. Steve’s heart gave a little flip.

“Steve,” Sam said, raising his eyebrows, “if you stare any harder, you’re going to burn a hole in the report.”

Steve blinked, quickly turning away. “I wasn’t staring.”

Bucky chuckled. “Come on, Rogers. Just talk to her. You’re killing us here.”

“Yeah, man,” Sam agreed. “You’ve got to tell her. Even Hulk is picking up on this. Yesterday he asked me why ‘Cap goes heart eyes at red hair.’”

Steve groaned, rubbing his temples. “You guys don’t get it. She’s Natasha Romanoff. She doesn’t do relationships, especially not with…well, with someone like me.”

“Steve,” Bucky said, rolling his eyes, “she respects you more than anyone else here. Trust me, she’ll listen.”

But no matter how much Bucky and Sam tried to convince him, Steve couldn’t find the courage. Every time he even thought about telling her, he’d clam up, stumbling over his words until she’d give him that raised eyebrow look that made him feel like he was a teenager again.

It didn’t help that whenever he did manage to talk to her, it went terribly. Like the time he’d tried to compliment her in the gym.

“Uh…hey, Nat,” he’d stammered, catching up to her after her workout. “You, um…you look great.”

Natasha looked at him, eyebrow raised. “Thanks, Steve.”

“I mean,” he’d scrambled to clarify, “you always look great, but…you know, you look especially…” He trailed off, realizing she was giving him that confused look again. “Um, never mind.”

She smirked a little, probably thinking he’d lost it. “Alright, Cap,” she said, patting him on the shoulder before walking off, leaving him feeling like an absolute fool.

Later that day, Sam and Bucky cornered him in the training room, both of them looking exasperated.

“Steve, come on,” Sam said, throwing his hands in the air. “That was hard to watch. You’re Captain America, the guy who faced down aliens, robots, and half of Hydra. Are you seriously telling me you’re scared of talking to Natasha?”

Steve threw up his hands. “You don’t understand! She’s…she’s brilliant. And I’m just some guy from Brooklyn.”

“Stop selling yourself short, Steve,” Bucky said firmly. “Look, she’s an assassin, and you’re a super-soldier. Sounds like a good match to me.”

Sam raised an eyebrow.

Days passed, and Steve still couldn’t bring himself to say anything. Every time he even thought about it, he’d panic. It was finally Sam who decided that enough was enough.

It was Friday night, and the Avengers were all gathered in the common room for movie night. Halfway through, Sam hit pause and turned to the group with a devilish grin.

“Alright, I think it’s time for Steve to share a few words,” Sam announced, giving Steve a mischievous look. “We’ve all noticed he’s had something on his mind.”

Steve stared at him, horrified. “What—no! I don’t have anything to—”

“Come on, Cap.” Bucky grinned, crossing his arms. “We’re all friends here. If you don’t say something now, we’re staging an intervention.”

Steve could feel his heart pounding as everyone’s eyes turned to him, including Natasha’s. She was watching him, her expression unreadable but with a hint of curiosity.

“Er…” Steve stammered, looking down at his hands. “I, uh…”

Sam gave him a little nudge. “Just tell her, man.”

Taking a deep breath, Steve looked up, his eyes meeting Natasha’s. “Natasha, I…well, I’ve…liked you. For a long time, actually. And, uh…everyone here seems to know, so I guess there’s no point in hiding it anymore.”

He gave an awkward laugh, his face burning. “You’re…amazing, and I know you could probably do a lot better, but I just…I thought you should know.”

A hush fell over the room. Natasha’s face softened, her expression melting into something warm and gentle. She walked over to him, a faint smile on her lips.

“Oh, Steve,” she said quietly, a hint of amusement in her voice. “Did you really think I hadn’t noticed?”

He blinked, taken aback. “You…you knew?”

She shrugged. “Well, not exactly. But I hoped.”

Steve managed a smile, feeling a wave of relief. “So…you’re not going to punch me?”

Natasha chuckled. “Not unless you give me a reason to.” She reached out, lightly squeezing his hand. “You’re not ‘just some guy from Brooklyn,’ Steve. You’re you. And maybe that’s exactly what I need.”

The room erupted into cheers, with Sam and Bucky clapping Steve on the back as Natasha gave him a soft smile.

“Finally!” Sam laughed. “Now maybe we can all have some peace around here.”

Steve grinned, his heart light, and for the first time in ages, he felt like things were exactly as they should be.