Soldier

CHAPTER TWO

NATASHA'S POV

I wake up alone in James' large bed but I'm not surprised. The past few months have been rough on us both, him especially. I don't think he even realises that he's thirty next week but I guess he didn't think much of it in the army, particularly when those jerks took his unit hostage for over a year. James hardly talks about that time with me, and it's not to be mentioned around anyone else.

After he dumped me, I gave into my father's request for training as an assassin, and I fell deep into the cracks of that world until Clint was sent to kill me, unknown to him was who I was. He made another decision the second he caught me because he couldn't do it. Clint helped me like I'm trying to help James. I love Clint but only as a brother unlike James. I never stopped loving James, and Tony knew that when he found the necklaces. Tony promised Steve and I that he would find James not matter what when he gave me the three necklaces.

I get up out of bed and wander out but stop when I hear Clint and James talking.

"Do you know what happened when you two broke up?" I hear Clint ask James. Oh God, I hope he doesn't tell him, I want to tell James myself. One day.  "You should ask her but be careful. Best to do so while sparring."

I let out a quiet sigh of relief and wait a few seconds before moving out of my spot in the shadows. Clint wasn't wrong about doing it while sparring. I kind of got a bit too angry a few times it was mentioned by him. Sparring is the best time to get out my anger and frustration over what I got into.

"Hey boys," I greet, unsurprised by Clint with the whole jug of coffee. James waves quietly, deep in thought about what he and Clint talked about. "James?"

"Hmm?" He looks up at me with raised eyebrows.

"Would you like go out for dinner tonight?" I ask him, opening the large fridge to see what we have. Deciding on apple juice, I grab a glass and pour some juice in and put the bottle away.

"Just you and me?" I can't catch the tone in his voice. It might be curiosity, excitement or worry.

"Yeah, just us two." I tell him. Clint looks between us both and walks backwards out of the room.

"I'd like that." His smile is brighter than I've seen in a long time.

"Be ready by eight." I tell him, pecking him on the cheek without much thought.

I down the rest of my apple juice before leaving James sitting there gaping like a fish.

Every morning, I wake up twins, Pietro and Wanda Maximoff and force them to go for a long run before two hours of training and then they get breakfast. Clint adopted them like he basically did me. Pietro is awesome at any kind of running and fighting close, while his sister is amazing at whacking people with a bo staff.

"Rise and shine!" I yell, doing my best not to laugh as I slam my fist down on each of their doors. I hear groaning coming from Pietro's room just like every other morning. "Don't make me get Tony down here to sing Black Sabbath!"

Tony can't sing to save his life and everyone knows it which is why I know the threat will work. Just like clockwork, the twins are dressed and running around the compound while I watch.

Eventually, I call the two in and we start sparring and training for the two hours before they head to school after a big breakfast.

I mostly stick to the dance room either listening to music or dancing. I've kind of claimed the room as my own because my drum kit is in the corner and I'm in here most days when I'm not on missions.

Grabbing a set of drumsticks, I sit behind the kit and drum for hours on end. Just playing any song I can think of until I'm hot and sticky. I didn't even know anyone had come in until I decided to stop from my hands being raw from the wood.

"Hey Barnes." I smile when I see him. He smiles a little back before going back to his sad face that he normally has now days. "Would you like to dance?"

He looks at me curiously for a minute before nodding. So, I get up and go to the stereo while James takes off his boots. I scroll through my play list before coming to a stop with a cheeky smirk and wondering if he'll remember the dance to this particular song. The song that got us second in our first competition together.

I look over at Barnes as I hit play, watching the questioning look on his face before realisation.

We move to the centre of the room and begin dancing to the song with the moves we did in competition. I'm quite surprised either of us can remember any of the moves after about eleven years but we do.
When the song ends and starts playing another, we collapse on the floor. I can't stop smiling, my smiling gets wider when I hear laughter. Genuine, carefree, hearty laughter coming from the man next to me. I look over and see his chest bouncing up and down as he laughs, his eyes closed.

James let's out a few deep breaths and looks over at me with the biggest grin I've ever seen on him.

"I can't believe we still remember that." James chuckles which is the most heart-warming sound ever.

"I can't either." I laugh, just wanting to kiss those lips but I don't because we're not at that level yet. I hope we will be soon. "Hey," I catch James' attention, his smile never leaving his face. "I was thinking we could go to Barbocino for dinner."

"Our old hang out?" James asks, clearly hoping that he got it right. I nod with a proud smile to let him know he got it right. And I don't know how but somehow, his grin gets even bigger. "That sounds awesome."

"What are you thinking about?" I ask because he has his brooding face back on. Not brooding like he's been doing lately. No, this is his classic brooding face, the one where he's deep in thought.

"The last time we were at that place." James tells me, looking back up at the ceiling. "It's a bit hard to remember."

"What do you remember?" I ask, pushing myself into a sitting position and facing him, wanting to know what he does remember about that day.

"I remember it was the day before Steve and I left for training." I watch as his eyebrows scrunch together. The scar above it getting deeper. "Steve and Tony were sucking faces like normal," That bit is most definitely true. "Clint was stealing slices off of everyone but us."

"He still steals food." I chuckle, thinking about my best friend for about second before focusing back on the guy in front of me. "What else?"

"Bruce was flipping through an old science text book and pointing out everything wrong in it." That makes us both laugh. Bruce loves doing that still. "And I couldn't let go of your hand. I wanted to join the army but I didn't want to leave you."