Romanogers - Oneshots

bruises bloom like flowers

So this took ages. I'M SORRY. But it's literally over 13,000 words so I think that makes up for it.

Requested by @Sxarletwidow3014. A domestic abuse AU.
I did a lot of research for this but pick me up on anything grossly inaccurate. Also, prepare for OOC Nat, and a little OOC Steve. I hope you like it.

TW for physical abuse, gaslighting and sexual violence.

"Bye honey, I'll see you later."

Swinging her bag over her shoulder, Natasha's farewell rings through the apartment. A man appears in the doorway to their bedroom, as usual, and she smiles on cue. Strolling towards her, he returns it widely, and Natasha feels herself lighten unconsciously. Today will be a good day. Sometimes- forget that: most of the time, it feels as if that smile is all she lives for, all she works for. And that's fine with her. Every twitch of the mouth is a gift wrapped in promises. It lights her up on the inside, makes her heart brim with a pride that she can elicit it. They are taken eagerly, as glad reassurances. I'm doing something right.

She oftentimes stops to let herself study him for a while, and wonder how she got so lucky. Charming, successful, beautiful, he's everything anyone could ever want, in her opinion. Next to her, the plain girl with the red hair, he's blinding, a supernova of charisma waiting to sweep you off your feet.

He stills her waist, pecks her cheek lightly. "You're leaving?" A note of disappointment sharpens his tone.
She smiles again apologetically, bring her hands up to his shoulders. "You know I have to, I'm nearly late. Besides, aren't you off soon too?" An eyebrow arches as she scans his state of undress.

Black hair so dark it's almost blue, gelled to perfection, as always, and a jaw that could slice bread, she's sure of it. He towers over her, and Natasha has always found the considerable height difference between them romantic. The piercing blue eyes that seem to lighten and darken along with his moods are presently a gentle cornflower that has an instant effect on her heart. But in the place of his usual crisp suit and tie, the vision of professionalism, are dark jeans and a perfect white t-shirt.

"I'm working from home today."
"Any particular reason?"
The smile drops off, replaced with the furrowed eyebrows of discontent. "We're going out for dinner tonight, I booked us a table at that place I like and didn't want to be dragged into working late. You did remember, didn't you?"
The smile fades from her face. Just like that. Her heart slows to a plodding. "That's tonight?"
"Yes, how could you forget?"
Face aflush with growing embarrassment, she bites her lip. "I thought- I thought it was next week."
The hard lines around his brow relax, soften minimally, in contrast to Natasha's insides, which feel wrung out with compunction.
"You must have got them mixed up, silly."

The flinch is accidental. Unthinking. The air freezes in the room immediately as one hand leaves her hip to cup her face, caress her cheek, and some innate reflex forces her to jerk away, eyes screwed shut. A cold horror trickles into her chest, and when she opens her eyes, the betrayal is barely eclipsed by a familiar stony mask.

"What is it?" His voice is lower now, steely and frigid.
"N- nothing." She doesn't recognise her own voice. It trembles, and she gives herself away by stepping from his grasp. The fingers that fall to his side twitch, as if resisting the urge to ball.
"I told you I was sorry, baby."
"I know, it's not... Can't you change the reservation? Please? I need to stay late today, Steve and I have a new case, and I-"
It gets darker. "Who's Steve?"
That throws her for a second, and she backtracks. "Some guy I work with. I-"
"You're going to put 'some guy' over me?"
Even Natasha can identify the ridiculousness of that statement. "No, of course not, I would never- I'll find someone else."
Flipped like a switch, even his beam doesn't reassure her. "Good, this is your fault after all. Bye, I love you."
Slam.
"I love you too."