Broken Hearts Club

Chapter 15

"Wow," she breathed out in amazement. Walking in small steps to look around and indulge the aesthetic sight of the arrangement. Brushing her fingers against the white railings as she viewed his works of her sketches which looked absolutely real and the addition of the tiny lights which makes things a little bit more sweet, romantic in some way than it already is. She knows Steve's a great artist, but she didn't expect him to also excel at decorating places and making it all so heartfelt and somehow sincere. For the past years, she couldn't find someone so genuine towards her, most of them wanted to be with her because she's pretty or hot, you name it, some of her co-workers even tried to be with her so he would get recognized by Tony Stark. Of course in a matter of time, she finds out their intentions and would completely ignore them. She doesn't want to waste her time to go date dudes who don't truly love her.

Slow down there, Romanoff, she thought, this isn't love, is it? Just the thought of it frightens her, it scares her so much that someone she loves will leave her.

"Do you like it?" Steve asked, walking up to her and pulled her close by her shoulder.

"I love it," she said.

He led her to the table where the utensils are set up in a neat manner and the table and chairs were also decorated with several flowers of different hues. Pulling out her chair for her like the gentleman he is, he took a seat across her. Soon, a butler with a butterfly tie approached them and poured them drink before announcing that the main course was about to be served.

"How did you do all this," she asked after the butler left them alone, "I wouldn't be surprised if you told me this building is yours."

"Of course not," he chuckled,"the building's a courtesy of Tony, and the decorations... I kinda stayed up all night to get it done."

"Yet you've got no eye-bags, dermatologists hate you," she joked and he chuckled at her,"but seriously, Steve. Is wasting your sleep on this even worth it?" she said lightly.

"So worth it. I get to make you smile more than I ever did, and believe me when I say that I want to see you smile every day," he confessed. She was taken aback at his words, she didn't expect that coming. She even thought that she wasn't worth his time, that she wasn't worth enough for him.

"Steve, you don't have to-"

"Yes I have to, Nat. Because you mean so much to me, more than you know," more than you'll ever know was his unsaid words. Then his hands were reaching out to hers and in a blink their fingers were laced together, like its a thing they always do, like its a thing they were meant to do.

To say she was happy would be an understatement, she was elated. Her heart was fluttering as he filled it with his words, she smiles brightly because she didn't want to hide it from him. She wants him to know, that she's happy, she's smiling and it's because of him. He was smiling back at her, because no matter how hard he try he always gets captivated by that smile of hers and just the presence of her by his side itself made his heart leaped in pure joy over and over again, every single day.  He hoped this feeling could last forever, but he knows she wants another man.

After they have finished eating, she rose up from her seat and went to read the cards hung on the white railings. He followed behind her, eager to watch her expressions to his words he had written down for her. She read them carefully one by one, her smile wide and her eyes glimmered, she even teared up after reading one of them.

One said:

When you feel like nobody's by your side, that you're not worthy, remember that you always mean so much to me. Call me up and I'd travel across the oceans for you.

The other said:

When you're hungover and can't make breakfast on your own, call me and I'll cook your favorite pancakes for you ;)

He even wrote a poem which said:

Roses are red,

Violets are blue,

I don't really like poems,

But I like you.

And beside it was the merriest one of them all, colors and sophisticated cursive it said:

Happy Birthday, Natasha

She looked back at him, her eyes glassy with tears of joy. She rushed her way to him and hugged him hard, he even stumbled back a bit. She tucked her head under his chin, just like that night at Wanda's party, and he stroked her hair and pulled her closer. He felt wetness on his shirt and he realized that she cried.

"Thank you," she whispered.

He pulled away and held her face in his hands, "please don't cry," he said, and kissed her on the cheek.

She chuckled and said, "damn you for making me cry."

He kissed her on her cheek again, then on her left and back on her right, repeatedly until she lightly hit his arm to stop him. He pulled her close again and lightly swayed on his feet, indulging the moment, how everything felt so right and in place.

If only we could stay like this forever, he thought.