#4:00 a.m.

[fourzerozeroam]

season’s greason’s @strangegeology!

i’m your @secretsaito uuuh santa helper?

sunrise attempt - noir edition

I’m so normal about noirs these days actually.

If you’d rather have an actual pastel sunrise I can do that!

— — —

"I woke up to watch the sunrise with you."

"Eames, the sun rises at 8 here, this is hardly any sacrifice."

"But you’re impressed."

"Yeah. yeah, i’m impressed."

[pangurlban]

Tessa Violet

Bored

2019

[mooblybloom]

I was reading a Robin x beast Boy fanfic because I recently found out I actually really like the ship cause it's kind of adorable but anyway off topic

And I thought of a very sad headcanon which makes no sense because the thing I'm reading is very fluffy

The fluffy inspiration

But anyway the head cannon

Garfield Logan or beast Boy has frequent nightmares due to this he has insomnia The little time he does get sleep it's constantly plagued with images of the past and anxieties of the future in these bouts of nightmarish fever he shifts into any animal to defend himself within the dream but it happens in real life and he finds himself swinging at the walls of his room in the Titan Tower and every time he wakes up he sees the scratches and thinks about how it would worry the team so he finds himself repairing the drywall with spackle in the sometimes late night or maybe even early light of the morning but the drywall looks out of place so he paints the wall over, covers it in murals of twisting vines and pretty flowers and all kinds of things some are sloppy and some are elegant but it fits his personality perfectly so whenever there's a new doodle on his walls it means there is a new scratch that has been repaired not that the team knows that. So from his team's point of view he just really likes art and has a knack for painting but from his point of view it's hastily covering up secrets so he can keep the fragile sense of calm in the tower

And wow you guys I did not mean to be so wax poetic about this shit this was supposed to be a simple little headcanon it was not it is full of trauma

[deadbeat0club]

Beach day!!

[sadfruittheatre-rp]

((Good Lord it has been a million billion years since I've been on this account for more than a few seconds, but I've gotten a few stray notifications here and there and I suppose I ought to acknowledge the people that have missed me and the handful of new people that have followed me despite my absence. To my friends, I've missed you guys a ton, and to the new people, thank you for taking interest in my stinky little boy even though I haven't been here to write him!

My disappearance has been for a multitude of reasons. Life has been seriously kicking my ass. Health issues, money issues, interpersonal issues, you name it.

The very last thing has also created a bit of an issue wherein I have had to retcon a whole bunch of things about my OCs because half of the important characters in their lives no longer exist. More info on that and what it means is over here, but I will eventually properly update profiles and such.

Tl;dr tho, What this means for y'all is honestly not much compared to what it means for me. The broad strokes of Bragi's past are still largely the same, it's just a lot of the specifics have changed (and honestly still have yet to be fully specified). His personality is still just as silly and full of hubris as ever, he's a bit less traumatized by life now-- but maybe we can change that--

It's hard to say if I will come back in full, I have been on discord lately and RP there has been way less energy lol. If I do come back here, it will probably be in a more reduced capacity, but I might see about testing the waters a bit and see how I feel.

I do want to pop back in at least a little more though just to check in, I've definitely missed some of y'all 😭

Or if you want to DM me for my discord, I think I would be okay with that, if I know you well enough and haven't given it out already lol))

[soulstagger]

Got close to finishing everything, but my hands started to hurt.

[calm-potato]

Bakugou x reader(comfort cuddles)

A/n- so recently this man has done numbers on me,not only with his character development but with many more... so I decided to make this short headcannon after crying to the cuddle videos of bakugou x listener on YT so hope you enjoy~

Warning: might be a bit ooc,fluff (no nsfw)

Summary: you've been having trouble sleeping and the only one who's noticed was bakugou himself and decided to confront you about it.

Also my first story so let me know what you think or if there's any mistakes!! Also reader can be any gender,it was never explicit!!^^

It was night and dark outside. You couldn't sleep no matter how hard you tried. A part of it was because of the voices in your head but another was because of all the nightmares you've recently had about who knows what.

The nights just kept getting colder and much darker than you had expected. You'd tried getting cold water as that was always helpful but for a short while. You even tried drinking warm milk or reading stories or listening to music-anything  to get your mind off of the voices or nightmares but eventually you still had to sleep so nothing really worked.

You didn't want to bother any of your friends especially if it would impact their sleeping as well. So you tried to stay awake or even sing songs or whatever to pass the time as the clock ticked to 4:00 a.m. it was the same time every night. Most nights you didn't sleep untill 5 or even a few minutes before it's time to go to school.

They'd never tell you but your class 1-A friends kind of knew you weren't getting enough sleep. Why didn't they say anything? Well simply they felt it was something personal,at least everyone did expect for,bakugou...

You never really spoke with bakugou much. He was always loud and obnoxious. Always the center of attention,sure you didn't mind form time to time,but you didn't like being the center of attention. But of course that didn't mean to talk to him you had to be loud or match his energy.

"Good morning y/n!!" Some of your friends spoke as they gave you a warm smile. You tried to as well but then again as you slept pretty late last night and barely rested all you could do was wave.

You manage to make it to your seat next to bakugou in the front. Nearly falling as the sleep was slowly getting to you. Thank goodness no one saw the little wobble,no one,but bakugou.

"Hey,what was that?" He spoke quietly so no one would hear. Of course he had to be the only one with common sense paying attention.

"O-oh,nothing. Just almost tripped and fell." You gave a light smile depsite your desire to doze off and sleep. He gave a grunt and looked away even though he knew you were lying.

He'd obviously have to find out later.

The day went by as you tried your hardest not to sleep in class,especially aizawa's class,but it was hard when you kept nudging your head as it kept falling. The amount of times you got called out and tried to keep your eyes open were ridiculous.

Entering the common room your friends gave another smile.

"Hey y/n! Wanna play games with us?" Denki tried to suggest as you barely played games with them anymore considering every time you came to the dorms you went straight to your dorm to sleep.

Even though you felt bad and wanted to do nothing more than to play games with with friends,sleep was intoxicating you "uh,sorry,not today denki. Maybe next time?"

Of course it was the same as everyday. Maybe next time? But whenever next time came it was the same cycle.

Even though they were sad your friends gave you a nice smile and nodded as you trudged to your dorm room.

On your way you managed to bump into bakugou who was standing outside of your dorm. A weird sight, indeed,but it was to be expected considering you kind of had a feeling he found you out.

"Wha-what is it?" You tried to hold back a yawn as the blonde who had his eyes closed slowly opened them. He stood in front of you blocking your way to your dorm with a serious expression.

"You've been having trouble sleeping haven't you?" His expression never changing as your eyes widened in exchange. To be honest it wasn't much of a surprise bit more on the fact he decided to confront you on it.

But of course he sounded serious and was very prospective. You decided lying to him wouldn't do you any good if he's that far into the scoop. And not to mention he had proof so what good would that do?

Sighing you nodded "yeah..." his hands were now in his pockets.

"For how long?"

"Maybe 2-3 weeks at most."

He already knew as much but to hear it's been longer than he expected was worst. Even though you never spoke he always had some sort of admiration for you. The way you talked,the way you smiled,the way you did certain things. He never knew he paid any attention to you  untill now. And it was very evident he did as he was practically,if not,the only one who manage to speak upon the matter to you. And now he was the only one who could comfort you properly as after the whole kidnapping with shigaraki he's he's having a rough time sleeping too. So he could relate in some ways.

You looked down feeling a bit embarrassed for getting called out on your obvious actions like this but nonetheless feeling better for talking it out. Bakugou, being the stubborn person he is,looked away and quietly said "wanna sleep in my dorm?"

You looked up surprised but not fully hearing what he said as he spoke low and to be sure "sorry,what was that?" His face heated up at the fact he'd have to repeat.

Louder he said "wanna sleep in my dorm,idiot?!" A soft smile,a real smile,was plastered on your face now. Having realized that what you thought he said was actually true made you feel happy. Sure you never talked before and it was a little weird for him to ask a thing when you barely talked or he's usually loud and grumpy. At least this could be a step forward?

"Yes,thank you."

After changing your clothes in your room you manage to find your way to his dorm. You knocked to be polite and after hearing a "come in!" On the other side you opened the door and closed it.

It felt almost too unreal being able to be in his room but you couldn't deny the smile plastered on your face revealing that you were happy nonetheless. Finally you'll be able to sleep,finally he'll be able to sleep as well,finally both of you would get some good rest!!

The end....

A/n-Hey,hope you enjoyed!! This was my first time doing something like this so let me know if it was good and if you have any requests!!~

[im-obsess-with-pixel-characters]

New chatfic chapter!!

[spirits-and-sluts]

29?

A road trip where we stop at every possible thing that's even of slight interest and can buy whatever we want. I helped my fiance move across the country to move in with me a year ago, and I miss that feeling of being in the middle of nowhere with him, him and the radio and the giant pitchfork we did stop at, and the fudge factory that we didn't 😅 I'm gonna make it back someday, I swear.

[fourzerozeroam]

@lolahardy ask and ye shall receive

[taiscloset]

oh i cried a lil bit in the final episodes but the su hell is over

[catthew-patel]

I think we should meet up sometime, get coffee.

It’s not fair that you have to be so left in the dark..I’d love to chit chat where nobody can hear anything suspicious.

I’ll be seeing you around, Patel.

Despite it sounding like a goodbye, she didn’t move. Instead she stayed put and stared you down, expecting you to leave first

Uh ok...

*He he's very suspicious and concern but doesn't say anything about it*

Bye...

*He stood there for a second as well assuming she would leave but realizing that she wasn't he just awkwardly left himself*

[funky-lill-communist]

My blorbo named John

having a blorbo with a common name is so fun bc you’ll see people tagging posts “john” or whatever and you’re like well my john wouldn’t do that but it’s so special that yours would

[just-aake]

A Feline Connection

Pairing: Natasha Romanoff x fem!reader

Summary: Natasha makes a new furry little friend and becomes captivated by its owner along the way.

Masterlist Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10

Warnings: light fluff, light angst

Words: 4270

Natasha shoots upright in her bed, her heart racing and cold sweat clinging to her skin. Her hand instinctively reaches for the knife tucked nearby, gripping it tight as she scans the room, her pulse thundering in her ears.

She’s met with silence. The darkened space of her room at the Compound was empty of any threat. No footsteps, no shadows lurking—just her.

Exhaling shakily, Natasha lowers the blade, pressing her free hand against her eyes, as though she could push away the remnants of the nightmare from her mind.

The memories linger, though. They always do.

A quick glance at the clock tells her it’s 4:00 A.M. Too early for anyone else to be awake. 

But for Natasha, this was normal.

Sighing, she swings her legs out of bed, trying not to dwell on how long it had taken to fall asleep in the first place. 

Three hours of sleep was better than nothing. 

She dresses quickly, pulling on her jogging clothes in automatic, well-practiced movements, intent on escaping the restlessness that always comes with her dreams.

The sky was still dark when she went outside, the first hints of light barely on the horizon, but Natasha set off anyway, her pace swift and determined.

With every stride, the tension in her body begins to ease, her breathing falling into a steady rhythm that mirrored the pounding of her feet against the pavement.

This was her moment of relief—where she could forget, even if just for a while—pushing her body harder, faster, hoping to leave behind the lingering shadows of her past.

After a few miles, Natasha slows to a stop beside a tree, her breath coming in even pants as she stretches out her arms.

The world was still quiet, save for the distant rustling of leaves.

Then, faintly, she hears something.

A soft, distressed sound.

She freezes, tilting her head to listen. 

There it is again—a tiny cry coming from somewhere nearby.

From above? 

Her gaze lifts upward, and there, high up in the tree, a little black cat clings precariously to a branch, its claws struggling to maintain a grip on the rough bark. 

Natasha blinks in surprise, but before she can react to the sight, the cat lets out a desperate yowl and slips.  

Moving on instinct, Natasha surges forward and catches the cat just before it hits the ground. She cradles the small creature against her chest securely.

“You’re okay,” she murmurs, her fingers gently checking for any injuries. Its fur is soft and clean—not a stray, then. 

Her suspicion is confirmed when she notices the sleek collar around its neck, the gold tag gleaming faintly in the early light.

Natasha tilts the tag to read the name engraved on it.

“Widow?” 

An amused smirk tugs at her lips at the irony.

At the sound of its name, the cat looks up at her with wide, inquisitive yellow eyes and lets out a tiny, plaintive meow.

Natasha couldn’t help but chuckle softly, sinking down to sit against the tree with the cat still nestled in her arms. 

“What were you doing up there?” she asks, her voice a soft murmur as she scratches behind its ears.

The cat responds with a long, dramatic meow as if offering some elaborate excuse for its predicament.

Natasha smiles softly in amusement before glancing at the tag again, searching for any contact information but finding none.

“Well, you obviously belong to someone,” Natasha muses, lifting the cat to meet its gaze. “They must really trust you to make it back on your own, huh?” 

In response, the cat swats playfully at Natasha’s face, its soft paws barely grazing her skin.

Natasha shakes her head with a smile and tries to set the cat down to let it go on its way, but to her surprise, the cat clings to her, its claws digging into the front of her shirt.

“Hey, easy now,” Natasha grumbles, gently trying to pry the cat off, but it stubbornly clings to her, refusing to let go.

“Really? This is the thanks I get for saving you?” she deadpans, raising an eyebrow at the tiny creature. 

The cat chirps, blinking up at her innocently before nuzzling against her chin. 

“Alright, I surrender,” Natasha sighs, settling back against the tree in resignation, her fingers absentmindedly stroking the cat’s fur.  

The warmth of the tiny creature in Natasha’s arms is unexpectedly comforting. Before she realizes it, her eyelids grow heavy, and exhaustion finally pulls her under.

It’s not until a soft movement against her arms stirs her that Natasha blinks awake, momentarily disoriented. As her vision clears, the first thing she sees is your face, watching her from a nearby bench, chin resting casually on your hand.

“You have my cat,” you say, your tone flat but not unkind.

Natasha blinks again, still shaking off the grogginess from the unexpected nap. She glances down to find Widow still nestled in her arms, staring up at her with wide, expectant eyes.

As she processes your words, Natasha loosens her hold and sits up straighter.

Widow hops onto her lap, stretching languidly and letting out a tiny yawn, completely at ease.

“Your cat was stuck in a tree,” Natasha explains, her voice still rough with sleep. “I caught her when she fell.”

You raise an eyebrow, your gaze flicking to the lazily stretching cat. 

“You do know they land on their feet, right?” 

Natasha opens her mouth to argue but pauses, catching the subtle teasing in your tone. She leans back with a small smirk, deciding to tease you back.

“Widow is kind of a strange name for a cat.”

At her remark, you scoff and cross your arms, leaning back on the bench with a playful glint in your eyes. 

“Wow, so you’re a thief and you’re judgy. Maybe next time I won’t be so nice and let you finish your nap.”

“I didn’t steal your cat,” Natasha retorts, unable to suppress the slight curve of her lips, trying and failing to hide her amusement. “She wouldn’t let go of me. Also, you watched me sleep. Isn’t that a little weird?” 

You shrug with casual ease and respond with a softened tone. 

“You looked like you needed it.”

Your bluntness catches Natasha off guard, leaving her momentarily speechless. She blinks, surprised not only by your remark but by the realization that she hadn’t woken up immediately when you arrived. 

The fact that she was able to rest so peacefully with a practical stranger nearby is something she never would’ve thought possible—but here she is.

As the sun rises higher for the start of the day, its gentle light softens the tension between you. It casts a warm glow over everything, including you, and Natasha finds herself at a loss for words at the sight.

After a moment, you stand, calling Widow to your side. 

The cat stretches one last time before hopping down from Natasha’s lap and trotting over to you with a playful spring in its step.

As you turn to leave, you glance back at Natasha, a faint smile playing on your lips.

“Maybe find a better spot for naps next time,” you say, giving her a backward wave. “Take care, Miss Black Widow.”

Natasha watches you walk away, something unfamiliar stirring in her chest. She exhales, running a hand through her hair as she tries to shake off the lingering sensation.

“Yeah,” she murmurs softly. “You too.”

~~~~~~~ ⧗ ~~~~~~~

A few days later, Natasha returns to her room after another one of her early morning runs, her body drenched in exhaustion from both physical exertion and the sleepless nights filled with nightmares. 

She lets out a tired sigh, closing her eyes and shaking her head as if to shake off the haunting memories of the recent dream when a soft scratching sound from her window catches her attention.

Her eyes widen in surprise as she spots the source of the noise. Hurrying over, she opens the window and carefully scoops the black cat perched on the sill into her arms.  

“How did you get all the way up here?” Natasha asks curiously.

Widow meows softly in response, twisting in her arms to bat playfully at a stray strand of hair that had fallen across her face.

Natasha huffs in amusement, leaning her head back to keep the hair out of reach.

Her gaze drops to the collar around Widow’s neck, reminding her of the lack of contact information to reach you. 

A small smile tugs at her lips as she recalls the memory of you accusing her of being a thief. Now, somehow, your cat has found its way to her again, staring up at her with those innocent, wide eyes.

Natasha taps the top of Widow’s nose lightly in mock scolding.

“You’re gonna get me in trouble with your owner again,” she mutters, half-playful, half-exasperated.

Unbothered by Natasha's words, Widow glances around the room with mild curiosity before letting out a pitiful meow, pawing at Natasha with an urgent expression.

Natasha raises an eyebrow, confused. "Am I supposed to know what that means?"

Her meows grow more insistent, her tiny voice taking on a more desperate tone.

“What do you want? Food?” she asks.

The cat immediately quiets at her suggestion, eyes shining with eager anticipation. Natasha chuckles softly, shaking her head.

“All right, let’s see if we can find you something to eat.”

An hour later, Natasha finds herself in the Compound’s kitchen, waiting for the coffee pot to finish brewing as she reflects on the bizarre morning.

Just as the aroma of fresh coffee begins to fill the room, the elevator doors slide open, and Tony Stark comes strolling in, waving his phone at her.

“Someone explain why the emergency communication system I created is sending messages for cat food.”

Before Natasha can respond, Peter Parker swings in through an open window, landing at the kitchen counter with a large bag of cat food under his arm. He pulls off his Spider-Man mask, flashing a wide grin.

“No worries, Mr. Stark! I saw the message and picked some up on my way,” Peter declares proudly, placing the bag triumphantly on the counter.

“Thanks, Peter,” Natasha says, taking the bag and raising an eyebrow at Tony. “At least someone’s reliable around here.” 

“Anytime, Miss Romanoff,” Peter replies, rubbing the back of his neck shyly as he moves toward the sitting area. 

Meanwhile, Tony scoffs at her teasing jab, muttering her words mockingly under his breath as he turns to leave. But he freezes mid-stride, pointing toward the couch.

“Uh, what is that?” 

Natasha follows his gaze and sees he’s referring to where Wanda is sitting on the sofa, using her powers to create a small red ball of energy for Widow, who is happily pouncing at it.

“Her name is Widow,” Natasha explains as she pours the cat food into a bowl.

“You named a cat after yourself?” Tony snorts, shaking his head. “And people say I’m the narcissist.”

“She’s not mine,” Natasha replies, rolling her eyes as she walks past him toward the sitting area.

“So, you stole it,” Tony deadpans.

“Why is that the first thing that comes to your mind?” Natasha huffs, exasperated, as she sets the bowl on the floor.

At the sight, Widow scampers over, letting out a happy meow before digging into the food.

Natasha smiles softly, scratching the cat’s head as it eats, though her thoughts inevitably drift to you, wondering how she will return your cat to you.

Wanda, who’s been watching the scene with an amused grin, chimes in, “Natasha has a crush on the owner. She keeps thinking about her.”

“Oh, this just got interesting,” Tony says, leaning on the back of a chair with an intrigued smirk. “When did that happen?”

Natasha glares at Wanda before answering, “I met her on one of my runs. We talked. That’s it. Also, what have we said about reading people’s minds?”

Wanda raises her hands in mock surrender.

“I’m not, I swear. Your thoughts are just…really loud, and most are about her.”

Tony chuckles at the revelation, thoroughly entertained. He raises an eyebrow at Natasha, grinning.

“Nat, there are better ways to get someone’s attention than stealing their pet. I could give you some tips if you want.”

Natasha huffs, crossing her arms.

“I don’t need your help, Stark.”

Tony, unbothered by her dismissal, smirks.

“Then why haven’t you contacted her about the cat?”

“I don’t have her contact info,” Natasha admits reluctantly. “I didn’t get her number.”

Peter, who had been quietly watching the exchange, suddenly perks up.

“I have an idea!���

He pulls out his phone from his backpack, snaps a picture of Widow, and begins typing. A moment later, he shows the screen to Natasha. 

The post reads: “Cat found at Avengers Compound,” with Widow’s picture attached. 

“What’s this?” Tony asks, peering over Peter’s shoulder.

“It’s the ‘Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’ app,” Peter explains animatedly. “You told me to focus on local stuff as Spider-Man, so I made this app where people can report crimes or activities happening in New York. This way, Miss Romanoff’s crush will see the post and know where to find her cat.” 

At his last casual remark, Tony bursts into laughter while Wanda hides her smile behind her hand.

“All right, that’s enough,” Natasha says, scooping up Widow and grabbing the food bowl. “Come on, Widow. Let’s get you some peace and quiet.”

With that, she leaves the room, escaping the playful teasing of the others.

Later that afternoon, Natasha returns to the common room and finds Peter frantically overturning the sofas.

“What are you looking for?” she asks, arms crossed.

Startled, Peter jumps, dropping the sofa back to the ground with a loud thud.

“Please don’t tell Mr. Stark,” he pleads.

Natasha raises an eyebrow. “What did you lose?”

Peter hesitates, then slumps his shoulders in defeat.

“Mr. Stark gave me a USB with the new suit design, and I was going to show him my modifications, but now I can't find it anywhere.” 

He starts pacing, clearly panicking, as he continues.

“I thought I put it in my backpack, but it’s gone. If I lost it in the city, Mr. Stark will never let me help with modifications again!”

Natasha steps forward, putting a reassuring hand on his shoulder. 

“Hey, calm down. Tony will understand,” she says, nodding toward the window. “Why don’t you go check your place again? I’ll keep an eye out here.” 

Peter takes a deep breath and nods.

“Okay, yeah, I’ll do that. Thanks, Miss Romanoff,” he says before pulling his mask back on and swinging out the window.

Natasha shakes her head with a small smile and resumes her original task—finding Widow, who had somehow slipped out of her room without Natasha noticing.

The little cat was proving to be surprisingly clever and stealthy. It seems you obviously trained her well.

After searching around for a bit, Natasha is about to check with Wanda when a pair of yellow eyes appear from the shadows on one of the black sofas.

Widow stares up at her, completely unbothered.

Chuckling in realization, Natasha sits beside the cat, gently scratching her head.

“You’re pretty good at hiding. I didn’t even realize you were there.”

Widow responds with a bored yawn, stretches her body, and then hops onto Natasha’s lap, curling up contentedly. As her eyes begin to flutter closed, Natasha frowns in realization.

“No, no, you can’t fall asleep on me. I’ve got things to do.”

Widow ignores her, already deep in sleep. When Natasha hears the soft sound of the cat’s snoring, she throws her head back against the sofa in disbelief.

Sighing, Natasha spots a tablet on the nearby table. She carefully reaches for it without disturbing Widow and begins doing some work.

After a moment, the rhythmic purring from the cat brings an unexpected feeling of calm and comfort to her, and before she knows it, Natasha’s eyes start to grow heavy, and she drifts off without realizing it.

She doesn’t know how long she’s been asleep when she wakes up, blinking groggily. As her eyes adjust, she notices a familiar face beside her—you.

For a brief moment, Natasha wonders if she’s still dreaming. Though, she doesn’t usually have dreams this pleasant. 

But then your eyes lift from your phone at her movement, and you raise an eyebrow, amused.

“For a hero, you sure take more naps than I expected.” 

Natasha blinks away the remnants of sleep, sitting up straighter, and tilts her head at you curiously.

“How did you get in here?”

You gesture casually toward the elevator. 

“I came by after seeing the post, and your teammate—Wanda, I believe—she said she recognized me, so she directed me here.”

Resting your arm against the back of the sofa, you lean your head on your hand as your eyes twinkle with amusement.

“I thought I told you to find a better napping spot. This one’s just going to give you neck cramps.”

Natasha’s lips curl into a small smile as she gestures to Widow, still sound asleep on her lap. 

“Wasn’t exactly my choice.”

Your gaze drifts down to the cat, and you sigh knowingly.

“Widow, stop pretending and get off her.”

Natasha frowns in confusion at your words and snaps her gaze to the seemingly asleep creature on her lap.

For a second, the cat doesn’t move, but when you call her name again, a little more sternly, the cat’s eyes snap open.

Widow lets out an indignant meow before hopping off Natasha’s lap and licking her paws casually as if nothing happened.

Natasha shakes her head in disbelief.

“What a little liar.”

Groaning softly, she stretches out her stiff muscles and catches you watching her, your gaze lingering for a second too long.

When you realize she’s noticed, your eyes flicker back to your phone.

Natasha smirks, about to tease you, but then you show her the screen of your phone—the post Peter made about Widow.

“I need you to take this down,” you say, your tone serious.

Natasha furrows her brow but nods.

“Sure, I can do that. But why? It looks like she’s a hit with everyone.”

Your smile turns faint as you stand, the lightness in your expression turning somber.  

“Not all attention is good attention,” you say cryptically. 

Before Natasha can ask what you mean, you grab a pen from the table and reach for her hand. She watches in surprise as you scribble something on her palm. Your touch lingers for a moment, making her feel unexpectedly flustered.

“Here,” you said, finishing. “If Widow finds her way to you again, you’ll know how to reach me. Though, hopefully, you won’t need it too often.” 

Natasha glances at the number on her palm, then back at you with a raised eyebrow. 

“Am I only allowed to use this for cat-related emergencies?” 

 You smirk, though there’s a hint of something more serious in your eyes.

“I’m not sure I’m someone you’d want to get involved with.” 

Natasha holds your gaze, intrigued.

But the tension is broken when Widow hops back onto the sofa, drawing both of your attention. The cat tries to burrow into the cushions, as if searching for something or determined to get comfortable again. 

You sigh, picking her up despite her annoyed yowl. Before leaving, you glance back at Natasha, tilting your head thoughtfully.

“Though… I guess a hello from the Black Widow every now and then wouldn’t be too bad.”

With that, you head to the elevator, disappearing behind its doors.

Natasha looks down at the number on her palm, a small smile playing on her lips. She finds herself hoping that Widow might "accidentally" find her way back to the Compound again soon—if only for another chance to see you.

~~~~~~~ ⧗ ~~~~~~~

Natasha didn’t have to wait long for another chance to see you, after all.

Just a few hours after your departure, late at night when the Compound was quiet, Natasha—still unable to sleep—wandered into the common room.

To her surprise, there you were, dressed in dark, stealthy clothes, frozen the moment you noticed her. 

Her instincts kick in immediately, and within seconds, Natasha has her weapon drawn, pointing it directly at you.

Yet, you show no sign of panic. Instead, you raise your hands slowly and tilt your head at her with a calm, almost amused expression. 

“You really shouldn’t be up this late, you know,” you say lightly, as if this was a casual conversation. “Messes with your sleep schedule.” 

Natasha ignores the teasing, her gaze unwavering and her senses on high alert. She didn’t feel any malice from you, but the situation is far too strange to let her guard down. 

“How did you get in undetected?” she asks, her voice low, tinged with suspicion.

With deliberate slowness, you gesture with one hand toward the open window behind you. 

“That was left unlocked. Pretty reckless for the Avengers.”

Natasha’s frown deepens as she glances at the window, already making a mental note to have Peter redo security training. 

“And the alarms?” Natasha asks, her weapon still trained on you.

You shrug casually.

“Let’s just say we have a lot of experience when it comes to not being seen.”

Natasha's eyes narrow at your words. "We?" 

You nod toward her feet, and Natasha briefly glances down.

Widow is there, casually walking through her legs and brushing her fur against Natasha with a soft purr, completely at ease.

When her gaze snaps back to you, you gesture toward her weapon. 

“Mind putting that away? I’m unarmed. You can check if you like.”

Natasha hesitates, her eyes studying you carefully, looking for any hint of deception.

But there is none.

Reluctantly, she holsters her weapon and steps closer, reaching out to pat you down.

You stand still, hands raised, letting her search you for any hidden weapons or gadgets.

“So, what are you?” Natasha asks, her tone sharp. “A spy?”

“Reformed thief, technically,” you reply with a casual shrug. “I don’t do this sort of thing much anymore.” 

You sigh lightly, casting a glance at Widow, who had settled by Natasha’s feet and is now nonchalantly licking her paw. 

“She, however, is still struggling to break her old habits.”

Natasha raises an eyebrow, glancing at the cat.

“You’re telling me this cat’s a thief?”

You chuckle softly, catching the disbelief in her voice.

“I’m serious. Check my pocket—it’s the reason I’m here.”

Frowning, Natasha reaches into your jacket pocket, her fingers brushing against something small and metallic. She pulls out a USB drive, her eyes widening slightly in realization when she notices the small Spider-Man logo sticker on the side.

“I didn’t realize Widow had swiped it before we left earlier,” you explain, your tone sheepish. “I came back to return it before there’s any trouble.”

“Is that why you wanted the post deleted?” Natasha asks, her suspicion now tinged with curiosity. “Are you in some kind of trouble?” 

There is a brief pause as you meet her gaze. Your smile turns slightly rueful at the concern in her voice, and for a moment, something unspoken lingers between you.

“Let me worry about that,” you say softly, your tone more serious than before. Then you lift your hands slightly in surrender, a playful glint returning to your eyes. “So, are you going to arrest me, or am I free to go?” 

At that moment, Widow trots over, settling in front of Natasha and meowing softly as if to plead on your behalf. 

Natasha crosses her arms, her lips curling slightly in amusement at the sight, though the concern hasn’t left her eyes. 

“You two sure know how to double-team a person.”

You chuckle, realizing Natasha’s letting you go, and call your cat’s name. Widow immediately jumps into your arms, curling up comfortably. You look back up at Natasha, your expression softening.

“I told you—you wouldn’t want to get involved with someone like me.”

Natasha’s gaze softens in response.

“Your cat seems to think otherwise.”

You smile at that, gently shifting Widow in your arms.

“She’s got good instincts. A good judge of character, too. So, you must be really special if she’s interested in you.” 

For a moment, silence settles between you, broken only by Widow’s soft purring. The tension eases, but something still lingers beneath the surface—an unspoken understanding that there was more to your story, more to you, than you were letting on.

With a small smile, you take Widow’s paw and give Natasha a playful wave.

“You should head to bed soon, Miss Black Widow,” you tease softly, raising an eyebrow. “We wouldn’t want you napping in random spots again.”

As you move toward the window, Natasha steps closer, her voice lowering.

“You know, I don’t mind the visits from Widow. And the two of you don’t have to sneak in or anything. Just…come by whenever.”

You raise an eyebrow, surprised by her offer.

“Are you sure about that?” 

Natasha holds your gaze steadily. “Yeah. I’m sure.” 

You study her for a moment, then smile—a genuine, appreciative smile that softens the usual teasing banter.

“I’ll think about it,” you say with a playful tone.

With a quick nod, you adjust Widow in your arms and slip through the window with practiced ease. Natasha watches you disappear into the night, her mind spinning with questions and curiosity.  

One thing’s certain: this won't be the last time she’d see you and your cat. And to her surprise, she finds herself looking forward to the next time.

~~~~~~~ ⧗ ~~~~~~~

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10

a/n: thank you for reading!

[eepycorgi-kogi]

Mithrun

Song: 4:00 A.M. by Taeko Onuki

[actual-science]

Do the laws you're talking about only apply to vertebrates? Because I was permanently scared off from going into genetics because my first lab that involved animals included tearing off off the wings of living fruit flies. So. There are definitely still some problems.

the cognitive dissonance from people who want the products of modern medicine but get weird about animal research. like im sorry but this is necessary for the survival of the society we currently live in. and the scientists who work on these things are not evil cackling psychopaths. anyone you talk to in animal research has incredibly complex feelings about their work and incredibly complex relationships to the animals in their care. there are regulations and oversight and penalties in place to make the work as humane as possible and scientists are overwhelmingly the ones enforcing and advocating for better care.