Caught In The Widow's Web

Ch 5

Natasha and I were just finishing lunch in the helicarrier's cafeteria. We've spent like all morning together working and the time has flown by.

"Here, let me throw that away for you I'm getting up anyways." I say gathering all of our trash as I get up from my seat.

"Thanks." She smiles.

I throw the trash away and I hear my name being called.

"J.D! There you are!" Steve exclaims and I turn around to see him approach me worried.

"Are you okay?" He asks placing his hands on my shoulders examining my body then my face.

"I'm just fine." I chuckle.

"Okay." He sighs relieved with a nod then punches my arm.

"Ow!" I emphasize rubbing the spot he hit.

"What's the point of me having this thingy if when I press the J.D. button you don't answer. You know how big this place is? I've been looking for you nonstop." He says bringing out his cell phone.

"I'm sorry Steve I must've left mine back in our room. And I've been with Natasha *clears throat* I mean Agent Romanoff all day." I explain.

"Natasha?-

"Hey Cap." She greets as she comes over making Steve turn to her direction.

"Ma'am." He nods then Natasha turns to me.

"I'm gonna head back to work. I'll see you later?" She raises an eyebrow and I nod.

She walks away my gaze following her with a small smile. When I turn to Steve he looks at me with a raised eyebrow making my face get serious.

"What?" I ask with a nod.

"You were talking? To her?" He asks slowly is disbelief.

"Yes, like I'm talking to you." I mock amused.

"Is there anything you want to tell me?" He questions looking over where Natasha walked away before he turns back to me.

"Yes, you snore." I pat his shoulder.

~

That Night

Natasha and I were inside the shooting range again practicing and making small talk.

"So how'd you get your name?" She asks turning to me.

"Well when I was born my parents-

"Not your birth name. Your alias, Sergeant Brawns." She cuts me off amused.

"Oh." I mumble feeling a slight blush come on my cheeks.

"Yeah." She giggles and it was the most beautiful sound I've heard.

I then clear my throat with a slight shake of my head so I can focus.

"Well it was given to me before the serum. Brawn means strength." I start, grabbing a gun so I have something to look at.

"So you were strong before the serum?" She asks.

"Yeah I guess you can say that. I never gave up once I started something, *fights back a chuckle* even if I got my ass kicked in the beginning. At first it was a nickname from friends you know? I never expected it to be a household name like Captain America. Now I'm known as that and it's kinda weird. Random people calling me that. And they think I'm this meat head that just likes to fight and Steve's the rational one. Yeah big words confuse me, I rather fight than talk things out because I'm not good with words but they shouldn't just assume." I finish with a shrug.

"Yeah I get what you mean." She nods with a smile.

"Plus it sounds like Barnes. *shrugs* But what about you? I've heard the name Black Widow and yours in the same sentence a few times." I say and she fights back a smile.

"Yeah that's my alias, Black Widow." She nods.

"Charming." I tilt my head with a slight nod.

"You said you were more than a SHIELD agent. I'd like to know what you mean. If you know, it isn't to much trouble." I stammer at the end getting embarrassed at questioning her past.

There's a slight pause before she starts to speak.

"Before I worked for SHIELD, I uh, well, I made a name for myself. I have a very specific skill set. I didn't care who I used it for, or on. I got on SHIELD's radar in a bad way. The one of ours who's compromised, Agent Barton, he was sent to kill me but, he made a different call." She says and I lick my dry lips.

"Well you can count on me to help you get him back. Safe." I tell her with a determined nod.

"Thank you, now can I ask a new question?" She asks and I shrug with a nod.

"Shoot." I say after I take a clean shot at a target before setting my gun down.

"Are you planning on talking to the others on this "team"?" She asks and I stop not expecting this question as it's way off topic.

"Uh, well, I don't know. I don't see the point too." I answer honestly with another shrug. 

"Maybe you can try. If we're going to defeat Loki we need to work together. You could maybe open up more." She suggests.

"Maybe." I mumble.

Natasha continues to practice and I take a seat on a nearby bench.

'Natasha is making me feel things I don't understand. I mean, I'm attracted to women. Well I have to be right? I have a guys genitalia. I've liked woman for as long as I can remember. But no one knows, not even Steve, it's a secret I've kept since before this time. Now I'm in a new world and things are very different. What do I do? Should I tell my best friend? Maybe he's homophobic, back in our time it wasn't necessarily acceptable to like the same sex and my situation makes it even more difficult. I have no idea what to do. And Natasha isn't making it any easier.' I think to myself biting my lip as my fingers intertwine with each other.