The Irony of it All

31

"Nat? Can you hear me? I need you to wake up. There's my darling. Hi." 

      Natasha groaned as she came to. Her eyes flickering open to see a freshly shaved face and trimmed hair. "Steve?" 

      "Yeah. How are you feeling?" 

     "Like I got tasered." He chuckled. "Do you know how many times I've been knocked out on the rogue trip. I'm really sick of it." 

    "You wanna tell me about it?"

    "I saw Yelena right after I landed in Moscow. She knocked me out after holding a gun to my ribs." 

    "Your sister?" 

    "Only by the Red Room. She wanted to turn me in for a reward and take my title. She also said that she'd infiltrated Shield on numerous occasions. Apparently Fury took some blood samples from you when they were thawing you out." 

     "Fury did what?"

      "She stole some and sold them to HYDRA. She used my title to do it. And then I made it all the way to Niger just to be hit with a tranquilizer dart while I was sleeping. Woke up two days later in Kiev. And then you broke me out, thanks for that by the way, but then I got hit by missile and was knocked out again. And then I woke up stuck in a transport with..."

   "Wait, wait, wait. Go back. You got hit by missile?" 

  

   "That's not even the worst part. I was so sick that entire ride, but I did learn something about Alexei." 

   "Nat, stop. The missile. Is the baby ok?" 

   "Of course he's okay. You saved me."

   "Nat, I wasn't even aware that there was a missile. I wish it was, but it wasn't me." 

    Her face fell. Her heart sank. Steve thought that she was upset that he hadn't saved her. "I'm so thankful though, to whoever pulled you out", he said, hoping to make her feel better. But he was mistaken. It wasn't disappointment she was feeling, it was guilt. Guilt that she had felt safe in the arms of the one that had saved her. She quickly changed the subject, touching her husband's check and brushing her fingers down his jawline. 

  "You shaved off your beard." 

   "Well, they kinda did that for me. I guess they didn't like lumberjack style Captain America." 

   She hummed. "Remind me to thank them."

   He scoffed. "What? I thought you liked it! It was your idea."

   "I know, but the moment this on the run thing is over, I better not see it again." 

   "Come on. It's not that bad a look." 

   "No, but it's a pain to kiss. And I like the short blond cut. It reminds of the good old days." 

   "Ah, those fun missions in the rain and mud, and those ridiculous parties filled with evil arms dealers." 

   "Actually I was talking about when you were young and good looking." 

    He laughed. "I'd make a comment about how you used to fit in those dresses back then, but I think I'd get smacked given the circumstances." 

   "Ha. You'd get smacked even without the circumstances. You're lucky I love you." 

   "I am." The jokes stopped after that, and they were both silent for a little while.