Getting to Know You

Catching Up

            Natasha hissed and cringed, a swirl of shiver ran down her body when she slumped her achingly tired figure on the cushy couch of the Avengers lounge. Steve would come along soon enough, she predicted. He always does; to debrief, he says, but mostly to make sure he catches up on things in her life.

"How are you feeling, Romanoff?" Just as she thought he would, the captain strolled casually into the room with the familiar Captain-America-exclusive suit, helmet excluded. His blonde hair spiking up onto messy tufts, face marred with gray dirt stains.

"Glorious." She sighed, nobody could beat her on the battle of sass. But Steve is a strong competition though.

"At least you're not on 24/7 babysit duty." He remarked, taking a seat next to her, still keeping a proper distance. A tiny crescent smirk displayed on his red-stained lips. Now that he was closer she could see the light bruise on his left cheekbone, as well as the fresh scratch mark making a line down his upper lip to the left corner of his chin.

"Well somebody's looking gorgeous, at least." She snarkily commented, smiling back to him, unintentionally making it sound seductive.

"Are you complimenting yourself again,Romanoff?"

"Arrgh. Rogers." She playfully rolled her eyes and punched him on the shoulder, earning a laugh from him. Silence passed between them, as they just gazed upon the massive glass wall in front of them, giving them view of the heavy rain, dropping down along the glass with indistinct thumps and hydrating the green grass on the outdoor fields. Both of them tired but mutually longing for each other's company.

"How was the mission?" it was him who started the conversation. She was missing for two weeks. She couldn't blame him.

"Same old, same old." And it was an honest answer. It wasn't that she wanted to be secretive, she just doesn't feel like she has the energy to give him a full length explanation. "How are our kids?"

Steve chuckled. Our kids is the term they started using not so long ago to refer to the New Avengers. They're all gifted and extraordinary, but some, especially the younger ones are in an urgent need of further guidance. It takes more to be a hero than just your skills. "Missing you."

"Aww, did any of them cry, or was it just you?"

By this time, Steve already know her too well to not notice the genuine affection she puts behind her relentless flirts. He looked away for a brief moment before leaning his back to the couch, inhaling a deep breath. "They're doing better. Wanda on the other hand...is...a different case."

"She'll manage." She answered cooly.

But Steve knew better. "Let it go, Nat. She's a different person now. She did say she's sorry. She's just a kid for God's sakes. Talk to her. You're the best person to understand her at the moment."

"What, cause we both lost some people and killed innocents too?"

"Nat." Steve warned, although his tone was still calm and assuring.

She turned her head and was welcomed to his radiant blue eyes, slightly darker under the pale lighting from the rainy sky. She let him maintain eye contact for a moment, giving him an insight of her; for who she truly is, not the masks she fooled everyone else so easy with.

"I know it's hard−" He started but by this time she already looked away and stood up to leave.

"Nat." He called, almost begging, but didn't catch up with her when she started walking away.

"You don't." She said, coldly."You don't know."

Steve Rogers was leftspeechless, sighing heavily and throwing himself back to the couch, slapping both palms to cover his face.