Untangling a Memory

Settling In

Natasha took her time unpacking and settling into her new room. She didn't bring much with her, as she always packed light, traveled light. But she tried to be deliberate now, finding a place for each of her belongings. This might not have been a permanent home, but she almost never had that anyway. The rare opportunity to feel safe enough and be in one place long enough to unpack her things was an opportunity to be treasured. So, she relished in every moment and every thoughtful placement of every little thing.

The suite she had been given to stay in was as beautiful as it was simple. The walls had the same sparkling sandy appearance as she'd seen on the outside of the palace. The furniture was made of the same rich hardwood that she'd admired when she arrived, but were less ornate. Where the front doors had intricate carvings that appeared to tell the history of the Black Panther and Wakanda, the four-poster bed in her room was very simple, dressed with white linen sheets. The bathroom was covered in the same natural stone as the facade of the palace. She was delighted to find the rainfall shower and large soaking tub, both beneath giant windows that seemed to never need closing. In fact, all the rooms had large, magnificent windows that you could always leave open, feeling perfectly warm during the day and perfectly cool at night. Wakanda really was an incredible place.

"Nat, you in there?" The knocking on the door initially startled Natasha, but Steve's clear and kind voice quickly put her at ease. Natasha relaxed, opened the door for Steve, and welcomed him in. Steve easily settled onto the foot of the bed.

"How are you doing getting unpacked?"

"It's weird to actually put my things away somewhere, but I'll get used to it. How's your room, Steve? You find somewhere to display your shield?" Natasha couldn't help but smirk and start the ribbing between friends.

"I thought about putting it right above my bed, but couldn't find a hook." Steve shrugged and smiled. Hanging out with Natasha, he'd gotten a lot better at thinking on his feet and dishing out comebacks to her teasing.

They appreciated the relationship that had formed between them. Since Washington, they had built up a lot of trust in each other, mission over mission and day over day. Steve didn't have that many close friends after being in the ice, but Natasha had quickly proved herself a good one. And for Natasha, Steve was her most trusted ally next to Clint. She was still working on opening up, but he knew more than most.

"I saw how you reacted to seeing Buck earlier. I just wanted to come in and check on you." With some people, Natasha would have been defensive with such a question, but with Steve, she knew he was coming from a good place, looking out for her.

"Oh, it was no big deal. Ha ha, I knew we were going to see him when we got here, of course. But he usually shoots me when he sees me." Natasha continued to smirk and give a light laugh as she dismissed what had happened when Bucky had greeted them.

She hadn't talked to Steve about any of her history when it came to Bucky and had no plans to. They were close, but there were always going to be things that she held close to the vest. Steve understood by now that he could trust Natasha to share important things with him over time and not to worry about the things she kept to herself. Natasha didn't let on that he was missing anything from her interaction with Bucky earlier and he didn't seem to notice.

"Ha ha, yea that's kinda what I figured. Just wanted to check." Natasha smiled at him, appreciating the way he looked out for her. "We should be leaving for the dinner. If you're ready, I'll head down with you."

"If you pass me that dress next to you, I'll change quick and be good to go!"

Steve handed her the black, cotton jersey dress that was in a pile to the side of him on the bed and she stepped into the bathroom to change. Natasha slipped into the different clothing, ran her fingers through her hair, and looked in the mirror. At first Natasha had been sad to change her long, vibrant red hair to a light blonde bob for the purpose of disguise on missions. Now, she appreciated the simplicity of getting ready and having it out of her face. She checked the little make-up she had on, slipped on some sandals that strapped around her ankles (always prepared to run or fight as necessary), and they headed down to meet their hosts and the other guests.

Listen to: "Holiday" - Gabe Dixon