natasha romanoff x fem!reader one-shots

𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 (𝟒/𝟔)

a/n: happy birthday nat 🪽

— A TANGLED HEART —

The kiss threw Natasha off.

What started as a simple mission, a plan to figure out who Ethan Bailey is and what kind of shady business he's involved in, resulted in her meeting the love of her life again. Discovering that was a curveball Natasha wasn't prepared for, one that made everything about indefinitely more complicated.

Keeping her distance seemed easy enough at first, but it quickly became impossible. As soon as she'd figured out enough to know that Ethan Bailey is hiding something bigger, her old feelings came rising back to the surface rapidly. Protecting you and your daughter — that was her new priority. That, and not falling in love with you again.

Well, shit — she's failed at one of those already. Plans have always had a way of collapsing whenever you were involved.

To be honest: she never failed to keep her heart out of it. She never even tried.

Natasha leans against the counter in her kitchen. It's been a few days, but her lips still tingle whenever she thinks of the kiss. The look in your eyes burned itself into her mind and wormed its way straight into her heart, settling there comfortably.

She tried to distract herself — mostly because you're married and have a family. She knows your marriage with Ethan isn't perfect as you've told her so yourself, but becoming a homewrecker? Or even being something that's close to a homewrecker? It's not something she'd ever thought she'd do.

Natasha exhales slowly, her fingers drumming against the smooth marble countertop. It's silent in the kitchen, apart from the gentle hum of the refrigerator — a sharp contrast to the whirlwind inside her head.

Something that was once an easy mission has unraveled into something much more complicated. It's not just about Ethan anymore. In fact, it stopped being about him the minute she saw you.

And that kiss. That damn kiss.

Actually, it's way more than just the kiss. It's everything combined — your smile, the way you look at her even seven years later, the way Nina beams at you. It's the same affection you once directed at her: the same warmth, the same genuine, quiet adoration.

Natasha hates how easy it is to slip back into your orbit, but she can't help it. She remembers the day she realized she's in love with you for the first time. The realization that her feelings ran deeper than expected — that, what was once a quick conversation over coffee, had turned into something that would screw her forever.

The way she loves you has always gone beyond what she can easily explain. She's never experienced this before, and she's certain she won't have to experience it again.

Her gaze shifts to the window. The city outside is unfairly calm with its glittering lights and towering buildings, almost taunting her. Natasha quickly forces herself to look away, a shaky breath escaping her.

She knows she should focus on the mission, on Ethan's secrets, on protecting you and Nina from whatever storm may be brewing. But her heart keeps dragging her back, screaming louder than the rational voices in her head.

She pushes off the counter and grabs a glass of water. As she takes a sip, her phone buzzes in the pocket of her sweatpants. She fishes it out and glances at the screen, spotting Hill's name.

Maria: Any updates? — 10.32pm

Natasha stares at the screen for a moment, the message managing to pull her back to reality. The kiss may have blurred the lines, but it hasn't erased her responsibilities.