SUMMARY: After the night out with your friends you return home and find a surprise waiting for you next door.
Later on that night you and Vision were the last pair standing as the rest of the group was drunk off their asses.
You spent the rest of the night helping Vision get the drunk group home safely.
You first dropped off Steve and Bucky, they weren’t as drunk as the rest but still in no condition to either drive or help care for the others. So you walked them to the door and bid them a good night with the gentle reminder to drink some water and take an aspirin.
Then Monica who you entrusted her roommate Darcy to look after.
Finally you helped get Pietro to bed, making sure he was on his side and had water and aspirin on his nightstand next to him for when he woke up, although you knew he was going to be ok you thought maybe it would be best if you slept on the couch just to make sure he would be alright. Wanda would be fine because she had Vision. Monica would be alright because she had Darcy taking care of her. Steve and Bucky would be alright because they had each other. But Pietro had no roommate or anyone to take care of him except you and Wanda.
After assuring Pietro was alright you set up your place on the couch. Gathering blankets and an extra pillow from Pietro’s bed that would go unmissed. While setting up your area your eyes caught the picture of you and the twins during your highschool years hanging on the wall.
You smiled as you remembered how emo and edgy Wanda and Pietro looked and how eighties you unintentionally looked.
You laughed and immediately wanted to turn the picture the other way out of embarrassment when you studied how you looked.
Why did you think that looked good?
However embarrassed you were of the photo you smiled as you remembered your high school years with them.
Pietro was the star track athlete and every girl (and guy) wanted him in one way or another. Yet for some unknown reason he stuck with you and Wanda.
Wanda was the smartest among your small group and she didn’t even need to try. Looking back you don’t think you ever saw her study but yet somehow she managed to pass with flying colors that made Agatha green with envy. It wasn’t until she met Vision that you saw her actually apply herself and compete for valedictorian.
You were the only one they listened to most of the time. You didn’t know why but they had always listened to what you said.
You wonder what your trio would’ve been like as a quartet.
As you laid your head and began to try to sleep you thought about Natasha and how she would’ve fit into that small group of yours.
—
The morning started off pretty well so far for you. Pietro had woken up before you for his morning run and brought back coffee and pastries from the local coffee shop around the corner. You spent the rest of the morning laughing and talking before finally departing on your way back to the bookstore to open.
You really were thankful that you had thought ahead and had some clothes stored away at Pietro’s. You ate breakfast with Pietro before finally departing to your bookstore a few blocks away.
You hummed mindlessly all the way there. It had been a while since your last outing and last night had been refreshing, regardless of whether or not you got as drunk as everyone else did. You had fun.
As you neared your store you noticed a moving van with people unloading next to it. Curiosity filled you as you began to wonder what would fill the empty store next to you. As you got closer you could see a petite blonde woman giving the people unloading directions. You could see she was heavily tatted, your eyes were drawn to one in particular on her collar, ‘Miss American Pie.” in beautiful handwriting. You didn’t know why but she looked familiar to you. You decided to pay no mind to it as you went to unlock the store.
“(Y/n)?”
You turned around and saw the blonde woman looking at you. Her features were fair and the shape of her nose was something to envy. You quickly remembered that she was the blonde woman from last night that had a six foot man in a chokehold.
“You’re that woman from last night,” You say, “the one who put that man in a chokehold. I’ve got to say that was pretty cool.”
“Did I?!” She asks astonished, “I was so drunk last night I can barely remember Nat putting me to bed.”
“We’ve all been there,” You said, “how did you know my name though I don’t think I talked to you last night?”
“We were neighbors,” she explained, “you were friends with my sister Natasha.”
Flashes of a little blonde girl came into mind that usually stuck to Natasha like glue.
“Yelena?” You asked before the blonde grinned from ear to ear and nodded. “Oh my god I am so sorry I didn’t recognize you.”
“It’s no problem,” Yelena said, “it took me a few minutes too to remember who you were.”
“So are you the one moving in next door?”
“No actually,” Yelena said, “I’m just helping set everything up for the shop before going back to my place a few blocks down from here.”
“Who is moving in?”
“That would be me, Nancy Drew.”
You turned your head and there stood Natasha. Her tattoos now were more visible in light and decorated her skin like paint on a canvas. You thought she looked like she came straight out of a vogue magazine.
“Good you’re here.” Yelena said as Natasha made her way to where you both stood, “Toni doesn’t know how you want to arrange the stations and needs help on that. Dad is trying to fight the movers and Mom is nowhere to be found.”
“Where’s Clint?” Natasha sighed.
“Still sleeping off his hangover.” Yelena explained.
“Ok,” Natasha said, “tell Toni I’ll be there in a few minutes to help her, tell Dad if he doesn’t knock it off Mom will knock him out, and Mom is probably upstairs checking out the apartment and I would try Clint’s phone if that doesn’t work get Nick.”
Yelena stood there expectantly at her sister before finally Natasha said. “Please oh great sister of mine.”
“There you go, was that so hard?” Yelena says before turning back to you. “I’ll see you later (Y/n), have Nat invite you to the housewarming party next week before she chickens out.”
“I was going to do that,” Natasha calls after her sister as Yelena begins to walk away.
“You weren’t doing it fast enough.” Yelena says before disappearing in the store leaving just you and Natasha.
“So you’re moving in next door?” You ask.
“Yeah,” Natasha says, “bout time I put down some roots, open up that tattoo shop I’ve been dreaming about since I first walked into one.”
“That explains the look then.” You say.
“What look?” Natasha smiles knowing exactly what you meant.
“That look you gave me all the time when you knew something I didn’t and tried to be all mysterious about it.” You explained and Natasha laughed. “So what is this tattoo shop going to be called?” You asked Natasha who ceased laughing before finally answering.
“Black Widow.” Natasha replied before gazing at her store with a sparkle in her eye that you were familiar with. It was the same look in your eye every time you looked at your store. Just as you were about to say something the vibrating sound of Natasha’s phone rang. Natasha grabbed it from her pants before sighing and looking back at you.
“I’ve got to take this call, it should just take a second.” Natasha said, understanding what she meant you said, “it’s ok,” You replied, “I’ll just be in the store setting up shop so come and visit when you’re done with the call.”
“I will,” Natasha promised before answering her phone. You turn the keys into your door and begin to set up shop.
You barely got through counting the drawer before Natasha comes through the door. The look on her face immediately got your attention. The redheaded woman leaned on your counter.
“Do you happen to know any artists that might have some pieces ready?” Natasha asks.
“Yeah my friend Steve,” You say, “I can give you his home number and his cell. His husband might answer though, his name is Bucky. If he asks how you got the number just tell him it was me.” You said as you quickly wrote the two seperate numbers on a piece of paper before handing it to Natasha.
“You are a lifesaver thank god.” Natasha praised.
“So who was on the phone?” You asked. Natasha groaned as she remembered how the heated discussion went.
“This artist that I had previously contracted to create some tattoo’s for us. He called to back out of the deal and since not all of the paperwork was signed he had every right to back out and take his pieces with him.”
“Why did he back out?”
“Didn’t say,” She responded, “but I owe you big time for this thank you so much.”
“Don’t mention it, Steve is the best and I’m sure he’ll appreciate the business.” You responded.
“Well if Steve is the best then I definitely owe you dinner at least.” Natasha said as she began to make her way to the door, “I’ll swing by around eight.”
As you were about to argue about it, she continued.
“No arguments,” Natasha cut off as she opened the door, throwing you an over the shoulder look before saying, “Just bring your pretty self Nancy Drew.” One of her blue eyes winks before sauntering off knowing how flushed your face is just from being called pretty.
—
The day had been busier than you anticipated. From one kid destroying a complicated book display to a karen or two saying this book or that book should be on sale when in reality it wasn’t. Finally the numerous people ceased and it was time to start closing shop.
You counted the drawer and left two hundred in the drawer, turned the sign to closed, re-did the book display, vacuumed and swept, wiped the counter, finally came to organize and restock the shelves.
You grabbed as many boxes of books as you could before returning to the shelves to stack. It was overall a tedious process, especially for the high shelves.
You were about to put the last one on the shelf when you heard the store door open.
“Hey are you rea-” Natasha began before the door closed behind her and the shelf in front of you collapsed. You sighed as you stepped down from the stepping stool to assess the damage, however the redhead had somehow beaten you to it.
“It looks like whoever installed this shelf for you didn’t know his ass from a hole in the ground.” She said as she picked up said shelf. “Thankfully I know my way around a drill and just so happen to have a million screws laying around next door.”
“Nat you don’t need to-”
“It’s not a problem Nancy Drew,” Natasha assured, “I’ll be right back with a couple of screws and a drill. We’ll have that fixed in no time.” and with that Natasha left the store out of the same door she just came in from. You start to get the books that had haphazardly fallen from the shelves and you prayed that none of the pages from the books had creased or any of the spines bent.
True to her word Natasha returned a few minutes later with a tool kit in one hand and a drill in another. Her usual leather coat was nowhere to be seen leaving her arms exposed.
You could see that she had one arm sleeved with tattooed webs and the other had a few miscellaneous tattoos here decorating her arm like ink on a canvas.
You watched patiently, being very careful not to let your eyes wander from her face. However you would catch yourself more than once staring at the way her tattoos moved with her muscles.
Once the shelf was properly installed and stacked the redheaded woman turned to you.
“I should probably check the other shelves to make sure they’re properly installed.” Natasha said, breaking you out of your trance.
“You don’t need to do that.” You quickly said. Not wanting to bother her further.
“It really isn’t a big deal.” Natasha assured, “what kind of neighbor would I be if I didn’t help you out huh?” She smiled as the argument on your lips fell silent.
“Fine but I’m ordering take out and you’re picking the place.” You said already reaching for your phone, Natasha was about to argue but was quickly cut off, “after all what kind of neighbor would I be if I allowed you to go hungry after doing me a favor?”
Natasha smiled as the argument fell silent on her lips.
—
After listing off a few different restaurants that deliver, Natasha settled on ordering a pepperoni pizza with wings and asked if you had any beer. After confirming that Natasha went straight to work on the shelves.
Natasha was done re-installing the shelves by the time the pizza and wings arrived. While dealing with the delivery person Natasha grabbed two ice cold beers from the cooler you brought downstairs from your apartment.
The night was spent in a bunch of laughter and conversation. You couldn’t remember the last time you had this much fun and felt this deep of a connection with someone. Even though it had been years since you had last seen each other and had a moment like this, you couldn’t help but feel like no time had passed. Like she was still your blue haired neighbor and you were her book obsessed best friend.
As the night dwindled you found yourselves laying on the floor next to each other in comfortable silence.
Well almost.
Despite feeling like no time had passed you can’t ignore that it did, you can’t forget how she got up and left one day. Without a word and you were left wondering for years what happened to her.
You still were trying to piece together what happened.
“Hey Nat?”
“Yeah?”
“Why did you leave?”
The question hung in the air for a second until you heard Natasha let out a shaky breath.
“I didn’t know we were going to until that day,” She said, “I wanted to say goodbye but I couldn’t.”
“Why though?” You asked.
“I just couldn’t,” She said, “I want to tell you more, I do. But just trust me when I say that it’s going to take time for me to actually put it into words.” There was a silence before she continued, “you deserve a proper explanation.”
“I do,” You agreed, “you were my best friend and you just disappeared. That hurt me and for a while I thought it was me-”
“No,” Natasha interrupted, “it wasn’t you.”
After another pause you continued.
“Whenever you can tell me,” You said, turning your head to look her in her oceanic eyes, “I’ll be here with open ears.”
Natasha smiled before you both turned your heads back to the ceiling. Your hands brushing against each other like it was old times again.
“What are you all gawking at?” Thor asked as he witnessed not just Steve but Tony, Bruce, and Clint staring at what Thor assumed to be your office, their faces various degrees of concern.
“Thor, do you not see that?” Steve asked, not looking away as you crossed your feet on the expensive looking desk.
“You mean Lady (Y/n)?”
“Point break, don’t you know whose office that is?” Tony asked incredulously. Thor gave a small shrug as he responded, “isn’t it Lady (Y/n)’s?”
“It’s Nats.”
Suddenly it became apparent to Thor why they were all standing there gawking at you. You not only were in Natasha’s office when she wasn’t there, but you had your feet on her desk like you hadn’t a care in the world.
Just as Thor was about to grab you and take you to safety before it was too late, Thor witnessed Natasha enter her office.
Everyone held their breath, even the security guards nearby didn’t dare breathe as they waited for Natasha to throw you out of the window.
They saw Natasha gently nudge your feet off her desk as she handed you one of the brown paper bags in her hands. Based on the grease soaking the bottom it was safe to assume it was fast food. The group’s minds whirled as they tried to come up with an explanation to what they just saw.
—
Gradually the group became more and more interested in your interactions with Natasha.
Even the Hulk admitted that Natasha was by far the scariest avenger on the team, it was something in the way she walked. Graceful, intimidating, like a lioness stalking its prey.
Or in this case a spider spinning its web around it’s latest meal.
Her skills in combat, any combat, was frightening.
Natasha could beat Steve in hand to hand combat.
She gave Clint a run for his money when it came to long range and close range shooting.
She easily psyched Thor out when he saw her tease at picking up mjolnir, she merely gestured to it and he swore he saw it move an inch her way.
And she could calm the Hulk.
Natasha was the scariest avenger on the team.
So when the rest of the avengers saw you, a slightly younger but very promising SHIELD agent, not even flinching as Natasha threw you a glare… safe to say they were shocked.
This had been going on for weeks, and slowly they had started to believe you had a death wish.
First time the thought crossed their minds was when they found you with your feet on Natasha’s desk.
Second time was when they were stuck on an elevator with you and Natasha and you made a horrible joke about spiders to her.
The Third and final time before they just concluded you had no self preservation instincts, was when you gave her Black Widow merch.
—
Finally the group had enough and decided to stage an intervention for you. Everything had been planned, the meeting would be held in the debriefing room, and they would lure you in with the promise of doughnuts.
Everything had gone to plan.
Well almost everything.
They had successfully lured you in with the promise of free doughnuts. However, after a few minutes of talking to you.
Natasha came in.
“Have any of you see-” Natasha began before accessing the situation in front of her.
She had been looking for you the past few minutes to no avail and since she noticed the other members of her group not so subtly watching you like a hawk, assumed they knew where you were.
Once she tracked their whereabouts to the debriefing room, she had intended on asking where you were only to discover it seems like they were giving you what seemed to be an intervention.
“What are you guys doing to them?” Natasha asked as she neared your side, you gave her an almost innocent look on your face.
Almost.
“They lured me in here for an intervention with the false promise of free doughnuts.” You explained bluntly, the group simultaneously jaw dropped at how easily you ratted them out.
They learned then never to lie to you about doughnuts.
“Well- I mean.” Steve began fumbling as he began to sweat underneath the heated glare Natasha was giving the group.
“Why, pray tell, is this intervention about?”
“Lack of self preservation skills.”
“Psych evaluation.”
“General wellbeing.”
“I just wanted to see if she could join Asgards army.”
Everyone looked at Thor for a second.
“What?” Thor said “if they can look at Natasha with that glare on her face and not flinch, Lady (Y/n) can easily become the bravest warrior on Asgard.”
Ignoring Thor’s statement Natasha continued.
“Agent (L/n) can you give us a moment.” Natasha asked.
“Sure thing Natty.” You responded before leaving the room leaving the rest of the avengers at the mercy of Natasha Romanoff.
Tense silence filled the room before finally Nat spoke.
“Who wants to start?”
Silence filled the room before Steve finally spoke.
“How long has this been going on?”
“It started a few months ago right after the battle of New York.”
“And you haven’t killed her yet?” Clint asked.
“In the beginning I was tempted but now she’s grown on me. Like a wart or something.” Natasha responded.
“Aww I’ve grown on you?” You awed as you peaked your head through the door to which Natasha’s only response was gently closing the door once again before locking it. “You’ve grown on me too Natty!” Your exclaimed response muffled behind the door.
“Anything else?” Natasha responded before the rest of the avengers shook their heads. “Good,” She responded before placing her hands on the table in front of her. “Now listen up, somehow along the way Agent (L/n) has become my responsibility and if I catch you luring her somewhere without my knowledge again or giving her the wrong look. Just know I have the skills and means necessary to make the rest of your lives on this plane of existence unbearable. Do I make myself clear?”
The team nodded before Natasha made her exit. The rest of the team watched as you and Natasha linked arms before heading off to presumably get the doughnuts you were promised. Chatting happily to the scariest woman alive who only smiled like that in your presence.
Natasha had been gone on mission for three days already and you were sad when you woke alone in bed. You sent her a text telling her you miss her and can’t wait to wake up beside her when she gets home. Your phone dings a few minutes later with a message from the fiery beauty.
