i'm with you, every step of the way

Chapter 26

Summary:

Senior year is here and high school is coming to an end.

Notes:

OMH HI I'M BACK. this is the LAST CHAPTER!!!
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO SUPPORTED ME ALONG THIS JOURNEY. I OWE IT TO ALL OF YOU GUYS. ENJOY!!!

The last few months of senior year flew by. Natasha and Steve officially became a couple, much to the amusement of their friends and family. They all saw it coming and were just glad the two were able to sort their feelings out. Natasha and Steve looked visibly happier with each other and soon became one of the "power couples" in school, alongside Tony and Pepper, of course.

The transition from being best friends to a couple wasn't too big for them. Natasha's mom sat her down and gave her a longer version of "the talk" and let her know that she doesn't mind the two of them being in her room alone like before, but told her they had to be "responsible", at which point Natasha just stopped her from talking. Steve would always hangout with her after their own practices and while studying, and he's even sweeter and affectionate lately.

Steve surprised her for their first-monthsary by leaving 30 notes in different random places for Natasha to find, with each note containing something he loves about her. It kept a huge grin plastered on her face for the whole day, and she kept every single one in her binder. Steve ended the day by cooking dinner for her at his house and the two of them watching a meteor shower on his balcony that night. Natasha wished that things would stay like this forever for them as her hold on Steve's hand got a bit tighter.

A few months later, as college acceptance letters are starting to be sent out, Natasha is getting more anxious as she still hasn't received anything from Yale, her dream school. She and Steve both applied there - her for Engineering and Steve for Physics. A letter from Steve came two weeks ago but he refuses to open it until she got hers. She checked her mail again that Saturday afternoon only to find her letter has arrived.

She ran to Steve's house and pounded on his door. "I got it, I got it!" She breathlessly let out when he opened the door. She went in and Steve got his letter out so they could both open it at the same time.

"On the count of three?" Steve asked, both of their hands shaking as they await to see if they got into their dream school. Natasha nodded and they both slowly opened the envelope and read the letters. Steve scanned through the first line and looked up to see Natasha's emotions.

"Steve I... d-didn't..." her voice broke and her lips started to quiver. Steve dropped his letter and took her in a hug, rubbing her back as he felt her tears wet his shirt. "I worked so hard..." her voice sounded so small as she started to cry more.

"Shhh... baby it's okay, everything will be okay, I promise," he whispered as he soothed her hair and kept pressing kisses on the top of her head. He didn't move, allowing Natasha to cling onto him and cry as much as she wanted. He knows how devastating this must be - she's been aiming for this school for as long as he can remember and he's damn well sure she's overqualified for it too. "Do you want to sit?" he asked and he felt her nod. He lifted her up and brought her to the couch. They sat down and Steve took the letter away from her, setting it on the table in front of them.

"What did your letter say?" Natasha managed to let out after a couple more minutes of crying. She was curled on his lap and she frowned at the huge stain of tears she left on his shirt. "Shit, sorry," she mumbled as she patted his chest.

Steve chuckled and took her hand away by holding onto it instead. "Don't mind that," he said. "And I didn't get in either," he answered.

Natasha blinked up at him. "You didn't either?" he nodded. "Well that's a shitty decision of them," she deadpanned and Steve laughed.