#clint and laura

[crackshot-bowman]

"I need you to come home." (From Laura)

When Clint received this message, he was worried there was an emergency but didn't panic and went home to see his wife.

[waltermis]

Too?

*Y/N trying to throw everyone off her scent about the fact that she's married*

Y/N *sigh*: I'm never gonna get married.

Clint: I used to think that too, but now I’m married to my best friend.

Y/N *gasp*: YOU MARRIED NATASHA TOO?!

Clint: NO! Laura!!

Clint: Wait what?!

[lowkeyerror]

What We Lose in War

Natasha Romanoff x reader

Word Count: 8.6k

Notes: Endgame centric, Established Relationship, Vormir mentioned, minor character death, angst, near death experience, hopeful ending, Reader has heat vision & flight, canon typical violence

Summary: When you're sent with Natasha and Clint to Vormir things get complicated. You make a decision that costs you the love of your life.

An: Chat I can never full send the angst because it always ends up in someone asking me for a part two with a happy ending so it's packed with angst but the ending is hopeful.

Masterlist | Masterlist 2

There are some instances in life where it feels like things are moving in slow motion. Perhaps it can be chalked up to a gnawing anxiety or a crippling fear. It’s as if there’s a coil filled with tension waiting to spring up. A small lapse to reflect on one’s action or witness greatness unfold.

It’s akin a watching a basketball bounce around the rim as the buzzer goes off for the quarter to end. The crowd goes silent, the player stops in their tracks, and we all watch, waiting to see if the ball will go into the hoop. Sometimes it does, but other times it doesn’t.

Vormir; the place where everything slowed down for you. The mission seemed straight forward when it was assigned. Get the soul stone before Thanos.

Yet as you stood on top of the cliff, the assignment seemed more complex. There was only one way to get the soul stone. No one could have guessed the price.

The silence was heavy as you stood with Clint and Natasha. Only two of you would return.

Clint was your teammate, your friend. You saved the world together. You knew his wife and his children. The two of you were close, but the main reason for that closeness was Natasha.

Natasha was your partner. She was your world. You knew the most intimate parts of her soul. You had never loved anything as much as you loved her.

They were best friends and it seems like they both decided you were a non-factor in the matter.

They had worked together to tie you down. You struggled and screamed, but they ignored your pleas.

“Natasha please, you can’t make me watch this,” you plead with her.

“You won’t have too,” Clint said sprinting for the edge of cliff.

She didn’t hesitate to go after him.

“What about Yelena?”

Her movements faltered only for a second before she shook her head, “I can’t let him do this.”

“Then toss me,” you yelled at both of them.

“No,” they yelled back in unison.

You groaned in frustration trying to find any give in the binds. Natasha was a better fighter than Clint, if this went on too long, he’d make a mistake and she would win. You couldn’t let that happen.

You used the environment to your advantage, sliding your trapped wrist on a nearby rock. Once the rope snapped you used your heat vision to break the binds on your feet.

You stood just in time to see Natasha go over the cliff. Clint was holding onto her with all of his strength. You flew once you saw his hand slip.

You dived for Natasha without hesitation. She was falling fast, but you were flying faster. Your arms encircled around her waist and once you had her, you flew back up.

“Let me go Y/n,” she was pounding against your chest.

You dropped her next to Clint on the cliff.

“There has to be another way,” you argue with the both of them.

“We don’t have time to figure that out,” Natasha argues back with you.

You took in a deep breath. There was a solution right in front of you. You didn’t look up, you didn’t say anything, but you felt time slow down.

Your hand connected with Clint’s chest. You felt him gasp, you heard Natasha scream, but you didn’t react. You weren’t looking, but you heard him hit the ground.

You turned your back to the cliff and began to walk away. You only managed a few steps before Natasha shoved you in the back hard.

“How could you do that? You said there was another way and then you just-”

You couldn’t look at her, “You said there wasn’t. I did what had to be done.”

“THEN LOOK AT ME!” She screamed, spinning you around to face her.

She scanned your features looking for the regret, the remorse, something that told her that you felt like did the wrong thing. She didn't find anything.

“We have to get the stone,” you looked into her eyes.

Her tone faltered as she spoke to you, “You killed Clint. You widowed Laura, took a father from his children, he’s my best friend.”

“Natasha, I did what I had to do.”

She shook her head lightly, “How could you believe that?”

She stormed past you, ending the conversation. When her back was to you, you let out a shaky breath. You spared a single glance back at the cliff before following Natasha.

You did it for her.

She was so quick to throw Clint’s family in your face. What about her family? What would Yelena do without her? Alexei and Melina? You wouldn’t be able to live with yourself if you watched her jump from a cliff and done nothing about it.

You knew there would be consequences to your actions, but what else could you have done?

It was a harsh thought, but you knew Natasha was a better hero than Clint. Truthfully you thought she was better than most of the team. Where they had given up, she persisted. No matter what happened you knew she’d have that.

Clint took a dark path when the world needed him most. He took the vengeful root. Not everyone on the team had a clean past, but it was supposed to stay in the past.

If there was one person that deserved to survive all of this it was her; there was nothing that would change your mind.

You closed your eyes, taking a moment to mourn your relationship with Natasha. She’d never forgive you for this and you would never ask her to.

When you opened them, you were in a pool of water. You gasp at the sudden change of scenery. Then you realize the stone is in your hand.

One step closer to saving the world.

“Give it to me,” Natasha wasn’t asking when she spoke.

You didn’t fight with her, handing it over. She began to walk away and again you followed. Her steps only slowed slightly when she turned to face you. You could see the words bubbling in her throat, but she was struggling to say them.

“After this, I’ll move out,” you ripped the Band-Aid off for her.

She pressed her lips together in a thin line, “Yeah.”

Then you were back in the present with the rest of the team. They asked about Clint. You waited for Natasha to tell them what she wanted.

“He sacrificed himself for all of us. For this stone, so it better work. If not, I lost him for nothing,” she looked directly at you as she spoke the last line.

“It’ll work,” Tony took the stone from her.

When it was all said and done the glove ended up on Bruce’s hand. He snapped and it damn near took his arm off. No one was sure if it worked, but then a phone began to ring.

Clint’s phone began to ring.

Natasha picked it up.

You tuned out the conversation when the red head started to tear up. The other men looked at you waiting for you to comfort your girlfriend. You shook your head slightly signaling you weren’t going to. It was Steve who went to her side offering his comfort instead.

“What happened, trouble in paradise?”

“Not now Tony,” you said flatly.

Knowing that the missing half of the world was back did little to ease your nerves. A part of you was happy, you saved the world. The other part was focused on how you caused Natasha to cry.

At least she was here to cry.

Of course that couldn’t be the end of the fight. Thanos’ fleet had to come. You were severely fatigued and outnumbered, but you fought like you never had before.

“Can’t you blast them all of something?” Tony asked on your side.

“I can try."

You flew into the air, amassing some attention from the enemy. With the attention on you, you took a deep breath. You pulled from the depths of your powers shooting dark red rays from your eyes onto the army.

You gritted your teeth as the heat ray expands. It grew larger and hotter than you ever thought was possible. Even when they began to fire at you, you held the position. That was until one of them hit the side of your stomach.

You grunted in pain and the lasers stopped. You descended less than gracefully landing on one knee.

“Good shit Y/n,” Thor clamped a hand your shoulder as he strode past you.

With a hand on the wound on your stomach you gave him a curt nod, “I don't know how long we can survive this.”

When you saw that portals begin to open all around you. The battle seemed to freeze, waiting to see who would be emerging. You felt relief wash over you as you saw the heroes walking out.

“Avengers!” Cap shouted. “Assemble!”

You got off of your knee and charged back into the battle. You ignored the pain on your side or the way the red film covered your vision.

You were moving on instinct alone as you dodged, weaved, and attacked. Breathing started to burn, but you kept going.

Time seemed to slow down again. You wondered if this was how you would die. Then you got a glimpse of Natasha.

She was face to face with the mad titan. He smacked her away like she was some kind of ant. Then he slowly walked to stand over her.

You flew up again, not thinking about the fire raining down. Your body was begging for you to stop, but instead you yelled. When the red beam shot at Thanos, he was caught off guard.

You proceeded to shoot him with everything you had. Your face was on fire, you couldn’t really see. You didn’t relent, zeroing in on him from the sky, then descending until you were in front of him.

The attack was affecting him. He began to curl in on himself when he couldn’t back away from you. His army attacked you, but you couldn’t feel anything except anger.

“Power without restraint is only another weakness.”

He grabbed you by the neck. As soon as he did your beams became unsteady. You were shooting him the face, and you knew it hurt him, but he refused to give.

The rays died out with your breath. You didn’t struggle. Your vision was fucked, but you maintained what you hoped was eye contact.

Your last breath was strangled but you had to say something, “You will lose.”

You cracked a smile, which only irritated the mad titan. He decided he would put you out of your misery. As he went to snap your neck, he was attacked by someone else. Someone more powerful.

He dropped you. When you hit the ground, you didn’t have enough breath to make a sound.

“Y/n! Shit, can you hear me?”

You couldn’t answer. You felt your body being dragged away. There wasn’t anything you could do. They propped you up against what you assumed was a rock.

“Jesus Christ, Y/n your eyes.”

You felt a hand shakily touch your face. A harsh sob escaped them. Their hands touched all over your body. Your shoulder, your sternum, your stomach; you were bleeding out.

A violent cough climbed up your throat. You felt the blood pile in your mouth forcing you to spit.

“No! You can’t go while I’m mad at you. I’m not supposed to forgive you for what you did. You’re supposed to pack your shit and leave after we’ve won. You aren’t supposed to die here. You can’t die here.”

“Tasha,” your voice was a gravelly whisper.

“You’re okay, you’re going to be okay,” she told you.

You wanted to hold her hand but you couldn’t move. Tears fell down your face, but you didn’t feel it, “Go fight.”

“I’m not leaving you.”

“Don’t watch me die. Go save the world,” you begged her.

She stood on shaky legs, “I can’t forgive you if you die.”

You wanted to laugh, but it came out as a wheeze. You felt yourself slipping, there was only one last thing you wanted to say.

“Natalia, I love you.”

Her voice cracked but she responded, “I love you too.”

You heard her steps get farther away. When you thought she couldn’t see you anymore, you coughed some more. Blood spilling from your mouth like before.

You could feel the rawness around your eyes. It hurt from your brows to the bottom of your nostrils. The section of your face was red, burnt from the intensity of the heat. Your eyes were nearly numb with pain.

You moved from leaning on a rock to flat on your back. With much effort you closed your eyes and stopped fighting.

Your body was weakened. You had been shot multiple times, burned your face, and almost had your neck snapped. There wasn't anything else for you to do but die.

So you listened to the sounds of war all around you, while the last of the air escaped your lungs. It all sounded the same; weapons clashing, boots on the ground, distant commands that you could no longer distinguish.

The last thing you heard was deafening compared to the rest. It was clear even over of the chaos. The click of a snap.

You felt a spike of adrenaline from the uncertainty of what I it meant. Had good prevailed or had Thanos undone everything you struggled for. You couldn't do anything except let your heart pound wildly in your chest.

You lost consciousness then.

Tony was gone. His body wasn’t made to handle the power of the infinity stones. Though the victory was monumental it didn’t feel like a win. There was no glee or celebratory nature to it, only a somber relief.

Natasha didn’t know if she could take the attention away from Tony. One of the most brilliant minds of the world, a leader of their team, had taken his last breath. She felt the loss, but you were at the top of her mind.

Was she too late?

“Where is she?”

The voice startled Natasha. She locked eyes with the witch on her right.

“I’ll show you,” Natasha took of in the direction she had left you.

Wanda followed behind her. This caught the attention of a few of the people, some of them following too.

As soon as Wanda saw your body, she was on the ground beside you. She carefully placed your head in her lap. Her magic flowed out of the tips of her fingers as she tried to bring you to consciousness.

“Dear god,” Steve mumbled when he saw your state.

His hand found it’s way on Natasha’s shoulder. She turned to face him, burying her head in the man’s chest. He wrapped his arms around her, it was the only thing he could do.

“I can still feel her,” Wanda announced. “It’s faint, but she isn’t dead yet.”

“My people can help, but not here. They need something to work with,” T’challa stated.

Bruce gestured around, “The compound is destroyed. We don’t have anywhere else.”

“The tower.”

Everyone’s eyes landed on Pepper.

“He never got around to clearing everything out.”

Dr. Strange was the one to open the portal, “Let’s not waste anymore time then.”

Wanda was the one to carry you carefully through the portal. T’challa went in next with some of the Wakandans, Bruce followed behind.

“I can handle things here if you want to go with her,” Strange was talking to Steve.

With a curt nod the captain ushered the Russian through the portal. Just like that they were back in the tower.

Wanda was leading everyone to where the medical facilities used to be. Sure enough as Pepper had said, there were still supplies around.

The Wakandans took over, taking you from Wanda. They began to assess the damage done to you. The others were told to wait in a separate area while they tried to keep you alive.

Steve and Wanda were stationed on opposite sides of Natasha. She stopped crying, but she just looked empty.

“Nat,” Steve called her softly.

“I was so mad at her. We had ended things and now she’s dead because of me.”

Wanda spoke first, “She isn’t dead, yet. They will save her.”

“And if they don’t?”

Steve offered his words, “Then we remember her as a hero. We couldn’t have done this without her.”

Natasha shook her head, “She killed Clint.”

Steve said ‘what’ and the same time Wanda said ‘why’.

“The only way to get the soul stone is by sacrificing someone you love. Clint and I, we tied her up. We fought to sacrifice ourselves. I had the upper hand, I had accepted it, but Y/n got free. She saved me after I jumped. She said there had to be another way, but I told her we didn’t have time. Then she just pushed him,” by the end of the recap Natasha was crying again.

Steve and Wanda shared a look.

“I watched the love of my life die in front of me twice in the span of 10 minutes. Once by my own hand. It is the most painful feeling I have ever felt in my life. I wouldn’t wish it on anybody. I would’ve done anything to have him here,” Wanda gave her opinion.

Steve drew in a large breath, “It was wrong to push him, but I can’t fault her for it. If I were up there with Peggy, I don’t know what I would do.”

“I wasn’t worth it,” Natasha said through her tears.

“Natasha we wouldn’t even be here if it wasn’t for you. You’re the only one that never gave up. That’s worth everything. Half the universe would still be missing without you,” Steve argued.

“As much as I think she saved you because she loves you, I also think she did it for the world,” Wanda added.

Natasha looked at them, “Would you have saved me or Clint?”

“Natasha,” Steve pleaded with her.

“I need the truth,” she begged.

Wanda sighed, “Clint was the perfect shot. He was talented at hand to hand combat, he was loyal, resourceful, and he had a family.”

Steve made eye contact with Natasha, “But you’re better. You have everything he had, just sharper. Clint was stubborn, but he wasn’t a leader like you are.”

Wanda nodded in agreement.

“He was my best friend.”

“They both wanted you to live, Natasha,” Wanda said.

Natasha shook her head, “And now they’re both gone.”

Before Steve or Wanda can respond T’challa and Bruce come out of the med bay.

“She’s stable,” Bruce revealed.

“For now,” T’challa added tentatively.

Natasha shifted in her spot, “Can I see her?”

“I don’t think now is a good time,” Bruce couldn’t look at the red head.

“How bad is it?” Steve asked the men, even though he knew the answer to the question.

T'challa started talking, “She lost a lot of blood. There was a wound on her stomach and blood in her lungs.”

Bruce took over, “Her collarbone is fractured. There are a bunch of bruises and minor cuts across the rest of her body.”

“The burns around her eyes and brow lead us to believe she overused her heat vision. It’s unclear to us if she can see,” T’challa added.

“I need to see her,” Natasha’s voice held strong.

Steve stood up, “They’ll let us know when she wakes up and you can be the first to see her.”

“No, I need to see her now,” Natasha doubled down.

Wanda tried next, “You need to rest and heal. You have your own wounds that need tending. I also think you have someone you need to call now that the universe is saved.”

“She is in the most capable care in the world,” T’challa affirmed.

Natasha narrowed her eyes, “You’ll call me as soon as I'm able to see her.”

T’challa and Bruce gave her their word. She was reluctant to leave, but Steve and Wanda escorted her out of the building.

“You should call Yelena. Tell her to meet us at your place.”

“No need, she’ll already be there.”

Wanda’s brow creased, “How do you know?”

Natasha started walking, “If I was in her position, I’d probably start with me.”

“Fair point.”

Much to Natasha’s credit, she was right. Once they made it to her apartment Yelena was already inside. The blonde had made herself at home. Her feet were kicked up on the coffee table as she watched the news explain what was happening.

“Hello sestra,” she addressed her sister first. “Other Avengers,” she followed.

Natasha made her way over to Yelena, not being able to stop herself from hugging her sister. Yelena was stiff, but eventually she held Natasha tightly.

“I’m glad you’re here Lena.”

Yelena pulled back to look at her, “I couldn’t do anything else without making sure you were still here. I was worried that you had gotten yourself killed.”

Natasha frowned, “Almost.”

Wanda and Steve had wandered off to a different room of the home. They wanted to give the sisters space to talk.

“What do you mean almost?”

Natasha plopped down on the couch, leaning her back against the cushion, “There was this stone…”

She recapped the story to her sister, just like she did with Steve and Wanda. Yelena was a little more animated than either of them. Natasha could see the shock, disapproval, and relief cross Yelena’s face one at a time.

“I want you to know that I would do exactly what she did.”

“Yelena,” Natasha’s tone carried some type of warning in it.

Yelena shrugged feigning slight discomfort, “I just got you back. I don’t think I could go through losing you again.”

This made Natasha deflate, “You would survive.”

“I’ve survived my entire life. I’m tired of surviving. Our relationship, it’s unconventional, but it makes me feel normal. There’s nothing that could replace that feeling, Natalia.”

Natasha puts her hands over her face, “Is that supposed to make it okay? I get to be here with you, but Clint never gets to come home. Laura and the kids never get to see him again. It’s not-”

“When has life ever been fair to us? Listen to yourself. This was always going to be a lose-lose situation. I’m sure they’ve already told you. Someone up there was going to die and two were going to come back.”

“Why not me?”

Yelena moved closer to her sister. She crouched down to get eye level with the woman, “Look at me.”

Natasha removed her hands from her face to meet her sister’s gaze.

“The way you’re feeling now, would you wish it on anyone else?”

“No.”

Yelena tilted her head, “You’re certain?”

Natasha let out an irritated sigh, “I would not wish this feeling on anyone else.”

Yelena raised her hands in good faith, “I am just checking. So, say you jumped successfully. Do you think that Clint would’ve felt the way you’re feeling?”

Natasha remained silent.

“How about Y/n? Do you think either of them deserved to feel the way you do? The guilt for not being able to stop you, depriving you of ever having a family, the resentment you feel for surviving?”

“That’s not what I’m saying,” she tried to defend.

Yelena nodded, “Yes it is.”

“No it’s not,” she was beginning to grow frustrated.

“Y/n’s tied up on the ground watching you fight to throw yourself off a cliff; to end the life you’ve built together, to sacrifice our relationship, to give up the chance of seeing your 5 years of hard work pay off. She can’t do anything, but watch, helplessly.”

“Stop.”

Yelena persisted, “Clint’s beating himself up for not being good enough to win your fight. He’s thinking he needs to be faster, stronger, he has to win to save your life. He owes you everything, all the best parts of him are possible because of you. How is he supposed to forgive himself for failing the one person who never gave up on him.”

“That’s enough,” Natasha stood up, trying to put distant between herself and Yelena.

The blonde followed her, “Y/n hates Clint for helping tie her up. She hates him for not being better, but she hates herself too. She can’t forgive him, or anyone else for what happened to you.”

Natasha turned on a dime, shoving the blonde in the chest. Yelena stopped though the adrenaline of her words coursed through her veins.

“Natasha,” Steve was the one to call her name, hoping to diffuse the situation.

Wanda stood by Yelena, acting as a barrier between the sisters.

Yelena seemed unbothered, but there was something fiery in her eyes, “It never mattered if it was Clint or Y/n or you. It was never going to be fair Natasha.”

Steve didn’t give the Natasha the chance to rebuttal. Instead he placed his hand on her shoulder, guiding her into her bedroom. The bedroom she was meant to share with you.

She sat on the bed, looking up and away from the man.

“You think she’s right?”

Steve sat on the edge facing away from her, “I don’t think she’s wrong.”

“I love Y/n. I didn’t think I could actually feel this way, but I do. She’s the only one to ever make me feel like this and I’m scared to lose her. It’s terrifying thinking that she might die.”

“But?”

Natasha closed her eyes, “But how am I supposed to forgive her?”

“You don't have to forgive her.”

Natasha sighed, “But?”

“But I can tell that you want to. Maybe you won’t forgive her today or tomorrow or even a year, but I think it’s possible.”

“When we were fighting all I could think about was him. I had to keep pushing or Clint would’ve died for nothing. Then Y/n saved me from Thanos. When I saw what he had done to her, I stopped thinking about Clint. I stopped thinking about the fight. All I thought about was how I didn’t want to live without her.”

Steve nodded along, “I think she could relate to the feeling.”

“Yelena was right. This was never going to be fair.”

Natasha needed space to process alone. Steve could sense it. So he stood up and she didn't stop him.

“Can I ask hard question?”

She gave him the go ahead.

“When it happened, did you love her any less?”

She hated you when you pushed him. She was sure of it. There was rage, horror, and shock. Natasha couldn’t recall anything more devastating in the last 5 years.

Yet she found herself saying, “No.”

Steve exited the room after she answered his question, leaving her alone with her thoughts.

“She’s going to need some time,” Steve entered the space living room.

“You think I pushed too hard?”

Wanda answered the blonde, “I think she needs it some times.”

“I’m going to go check on everything with Strange and the others. I need you to stay here, keep an eye on her.”

“Understood,” the magic user agreed.

Once he left it was only Yelena and Wanda.

Yelena tried to make small talk, “So, you weren’t here for any of this shit either?”

“Nope.”

You were no stranger to waking up in the infirmary. The sounds of machines beeping was familiar. The chatter from the medical staff was expected. Even the feeling of the blinding white lights didn’t startle you.

Or they wouldn’t have if you could see them.

“Y/n, can you hear me?”

You ignored the question, “Why can’t I see anything?”

“Y/n we’re working on a solution,” Bruce didn’t answer your question either.

“A solution to what, Bruce?”

T’challa speaks next, “You have lost control of your heat vision. Whenever your eyes are open, the beams come out.”

“So I’m blind.”

“We don’t know. We can't test anything because of your powers.”

One person crossed your mind, “Bruce, what about Charles?”

Bruce let out a little gasp, “I’ll see if I can get ahold of him. I’ll check with Summers too.”

He started to walk away, but he turned back to you.

“I can still feel you staring at me.”

He cleared his throat a bit, “Did you… did you kill Clint?”

You took a long inhale before answering him, “Yeah.”

“You pushed him,” Bruce said somberly.

“I- I wasn’t going to let Natasha die.”

T’challa interrupted, “Why not sacrifice yourself? There is no honor in murder.”

“You don’t think I know that? I wanted to find another way but Nat said we didn’t have any time. They were both standing by the edge. I just…”

A sob broke through your sentence. There it was, your guilt finally catching up to you. Your mask was slipping rapidly.

The tears were hot as they welled behind your eyes. They burned as they slid across the raw skin around your eyes.

“He was my friend too.”

Bruce attempted to back track, “I shouldn’t have asked. You’re in recovery.”

“She did jump, you know. I flew down to save her. I almost lost her and that was terrifying. I didn’t think about it, I didn’t plan it out, I just acted. Everything slowed down and then my hand was on his chest. Fuck.”

When you stopped speaking you brought your knees up to your chest. It hurt, everything hurt, but you needed it. You needed something tangible.

T'challa spoke, “I see it now, you did sacrifice yourself. You placed this burden on your shoulders intentionally.”

“Vormir was about more than one of us dying. It was about who could sacrifice something so monumental and have the strength to not die with what they loved.”

“Y/n, you have to lie down or the stitches on your abdomen will pop,” Bruce instructed you.

You do as the man said, “There was no reality in which Natasha went over that cliff and I didn’t.” You took a small pause before speaking again, “I would do anything to keep her safe. Even if that means having this guilt about what I’ve done. Even if she can never forgive me. At least I can find comfort in knowing she’s alive.”

“She loves you a lot more than I've seen her ever love anybody else. I don't know if she'll forgive you, but I know she won't stop loving you.” He cleared his throat, “Now, we’re going to see about those glasses.”

“Wait,” you stop them one final time. “How long has it been?”

“3 weeks.”

Once they exited your room Bruce made some calls. First, he called Steve to let him know you had woken up. The super soldier already knew he’d be tasked with telling Natasha. Then he called Charles Xavier, explaining the dilemma with your eyes. While the man didn’t have a pair he did send over the blue print for glasses. Lastly, he called Scott Summers who was reluctant, but eventually agreed to spare a pair of his special glasses.

By the time he had finished the last call Natasha was already in the building.

“I want to see her."

“She’s not ready to be seen yet. If you come back tomorrow-”

If looks could kill Bruce would be dead, “It’s been 3 weeks. She’s awake and I want to see her.”

“Natasha please, just one more day. We’re trying to figure out something important.”

“Five minutes. Just let me see her for five minutes and then I’ll leave,” Natasha bargained.

T’challa responded instead of Bruce, “Five minutes.”

“Thank you.”

She didn’t hesitate letting herself into your room. Her nerves were spiked, she was afraid to see you again. Over the last few weeks she kept picturing you like she last saw you. Bloody, broken, and on the brink of death.

You looked healthier in the hospital bed, but she didn’t know how much that meant. A lot of your injuries were hidden under the blanket. She could see some bruising along your neck. The sling on your arm also stood out to her. However, nothing was as noticeable as your face.

She remembered the bright red burns around your eyes from before. They were a much softer color now, but still present. It was as if someone had stamped your face with a red rectangle. Your eyes were completely covered, she knew you couldn’t see.

She stayed quiet as she got closer to you. She held her breath as reached out placing her hand on your cheek.

You didn’t move at first. Though you couldn’t see, you’d know her touch anywhere.

“Hi,” you broke the silence.

She responded, “Hey.”

It was quiet for another beat, “I didn't think you'd come.”

“You’re all I've been thinking about for the last 3 weeks. I didn't know if you'd wake up.”

“I’m sorry,” the volume of your voice died with your words.

She ignored your apology, “Can you see?”

“Don’t know yet. They can't run any tests because when my eyes are open my powers activate. Bruce is calling Charles and Cyclops to see if the same thing that works for him will work for me."

“And if it doesn’t?”

You go to shrug before remembering your sling, “Then I’m blind, I guess.”

“You should be more upset.”

You think about saying that you deserved it, but you don’t. Instead you let out a sigh, “I have other things that bother me more than potentially losing my vision.”

“I only have 5 minutes before they kick me out. I don’t- I don’t want to talk about that right now. I just want to be happy that you aren’t dead.”

You nod your head, “I'm happy that you’re happy.”

“We got the glasses, it’s time run some tests,” Bruce interrupted the moment.

“One last minute,” you tell Bruce who obliged.

Natasha’s hand left your face. She placed a kiss on your forehead, “I’ll come back tomorrow.”

“Until tomorrow,” you said.

You could feel the distance growing as she walked away from you. Much like Bruce had earlier she stopped for a moment at the door. She looked back at you, a small debate running through her mind.

“I love you.”

“I love you too,” your voice tremored at the end.

She left the room, allowing Bruce and T’challa back into the space.

“We’re going to have to get you to a secure location to test this. We’ve got a wheelchair here for you. We’ll take you to the training floor, put the glasses on you, see what happens, and go from there.”

“Okay.”

Natasha went back home after seeing you. It was only a few minutes but she felt a lot of relief seeing you alive.

“How is she doing?”

Natasha frowned, “She’s not in good shape. They don't even know if she can see, something about her powers not turning off.”

“Oh god,” Wanda responded.

The witch had been staying with her and Yelena since everything happened.

“Yeah, they only let me see her for five minutes.”

Yelena chimed in, “Damn that’s barely anything. Are you going to back tomorrow?”

She nods, “Yeah, I think there’s some things we need to talk about.”

“What did you talk about today?”

“Just her eyes really. She said sorry, but I wasn’t ready to talk. I told her I loved her,” Natasha’s gaze was locked on the ground.

Wanda was gentle when she asked, “Do you know what you're going to do?”

Natasha sighed, “I know what I want to do, but it all depends on what she says.”

Yelena put a hand on her sister’s shoulder, “Y/n is stubborn. I hope this goes the way you want it to.”

“She’s not like that with me.”

Wanda hummed at the response, “You don't think she'll try to distance herself. Too much shame and guilt.”

Natasha ran her hand along the arm of the couch, “All I know for sure is that she loves me.”

“Is that enough?” Yelena questioned.

“I want it to be.”

Back at the tower, you were preparing to open your eyes. You were alone in the training room. Bruce and T’challa were outside of it observing through the glass.

They had wheeled you into the middle of the room, glasses placed neatly on your lap.

You were scared, but that didn’t stop you.

It burned when you opened your eyes. The skin on your face wasn’t fully healed. It felt like you were reopening the burn wounds. You screamed at the feeling, fighting to keep your eyes open.

Your hands shook as you picked up the glasses. You shut your eyes, breathing heavily at the sensation. Once the glasses perched on your nose, you froze up a bit.

That pain you just felt causing you to hesitate. The longer your eyes were closed the more you saw Vormir. The ropes they had tied you up with, Clint falling to his death, the look on Natasha’s face; they would haunt you either way.

When you opened your eyes again the raging fire you had been subdued to a dull warmth.

“Y/n can you see?” Bruce asked over the intercom.

You nodded, “Everything is red, but I can see.”

You tried to get up from the wheelchair, but you overestimated your strength. You fell back into the chair. The second try was more successful. It took a lot more effort but you made it to your feet.

Your steps were careful as you hobbled towards your reflection. You were finally getting a good look at yourself.

Your fingers brushed the tender skin around the glasses. They then trailed down to the bruises on your neck. You flinched as they moved outward to sling of on your left arm.

You lifted the hospital gown, knowing that more injuries were hidden underneath. The stitches on your stomach were neat, but the area around it was still very bruised.

“Let’s get you back to the med bay; see if we can run some tests.”

You limped back to the wheelchair, staring at it before pushing it away.

“Y/n you really should-”

The sentence stopped as you began to levitate off of the floor. Nothing too intense just enough so that your feet were slightly hovering above the ground.

The next few hours were exhausting. They prodded and poked at you like you were some kind of experiment. You knew they were just doing their jobs, but that didn’t make it feel any less invasive.

When they were done you felt empty. You laid flat on your back staring at the ceiling. The red tint to everything was something you would have to get used to.

“I know it’s late, but what kind of captain would I be if I didn’t come see you?”

Your head lolled over to side to face him, “Hi Steve.”

He took a seat on the edge of your bed, “How are you?”

You let out a sad laugh, “Not good.”

“You want to talk about it?”

You blinked at the man, “What’s there to talk about? I killed my friend to save the woman I love. She’ll never forgive me. Then I almost died, my powers are broken, and for the foreseeable future I’ll only see in red.”

“You’re not dead. You’re here and maybe you’re broken, but its only been a day. There could be a cure, and if not at least the glasses can help. Even if it’s all red, you can see. And Natasha… she loves you Y/n.”

You fought against your tears.

“You can cry you know.”

You shook your head, “I’m tired of crying. It burns.”

“Okay, we can talk about something else.”

“We won right? Against Thanos.”

There’s a pained look that crossed Steve’s features, “Yeah, we did.”

“What happened?”

Steve let out a labored breath. He was the captain of the team. The only captain. So even though the wounds were fresh he reopened them, telling you about everything that you had missed.

It was quiet after that. The people who had disappeared were now back. Tony was dead. You missed the services for him and Clint.

“How’s Laura?”

He doesn’t shy away, “She’s hurting, the kids too. It’s a rough reality to accept. You were gone for years and now you’re back, but you’re missing a big piece of yourself.”

“Does she know?”

He nodded, “Yeah.”

Your heart sank further than you thought was possible. You felt sick, you wished you could curl up into yourself. There was nothing you could say. You couldn’t hold the tears back any further.

“I’m so sorry,” you choke out.

“She doesn’t blame you.”

You cry even harder at that, “That doesn’t make it any better. She should hate me.”

“She understands.”

“I don’t deserve it,” you started to hyperventilate.

Steve took your hand in his. He began to breathe deeply, trying to get you to mimic him. You began trying to copy him. With much effort your breathing began to return to normal.

“I think it would benefit you to talk to her.”

You frowned, “I don’t.”

He tried again, “It would benefit her.”

That made you hesitate, “I owe the Barton’s everything.”

“How about a phone call?”

“It’s late.”

Steve didn’t budge, “She’s not asleep.”

“Okay,” you found yourself agreeing.

Steve handed you his phone. It rang maybe three times before someone answered.

“Hello?”

You didn’t say anything.

“Steve, are you there? Is everything alright?”

You were petrified.

The super solider took the phone from you, “Laura, hey. I wanted to tell you Y/n woke up today. I’m with her right now. I was wondering if you wanted to speak with her?”

There’s a small beat, but Steve handed the phone back to you.

“Y/n, sweetheart, are you there?”

“I’m here,” you squeaked out.

You heard Laura sigh on the other end, “I’m glad you’re okay.”

“Laura I’m- I’m so sorry,” you crumbled after hearing her words.

“I forgive you,” she said quietly.

You argued with her, “You shouldn’t. I don’t deserve it.”

You could hear her tearing up on the other end, “Y/n I knew Clint better than anyone else. He had his moments, but he was a selfless man. He was already planning to save the world. Clint always wanted to have a heroes ending.”

“Laura-”

She cut you off, “You were scared to lose Natasha and I guarantee you that he was too.”

“I wanted there to be another way. I didn’t want anyone to die. I just- I needed more time. I just needed more time,” your voice died at the end.

“Y/n you were in a war. Sometimes the only way is death and it doesn’t matter how much time is on the clock,” she told you.

You felt shame as you spoke, “I owe you my life. More than my life, Laura. I will spend the rest of my life making this up to you. Whatever you need, I promise to deliver for you and the kids.”

“Y/n you don’t have to do anything.”

You nodded even though she can’t see, “I do and even if I didn’t, I still would. I can’t fix this. I can’t undo what I’ve done. There’s not even a way I can really make it right, but fuck. This is all I can offer, I don’t deserve remorse, but please Laura.”

She was quiet for a minute, “… I will call you if I need anything .”

“Thank you,” you held back your sob this time.

“Tell me about how you’re doing,” she changed the subject and you let her.

You talked all through the night. Steve left his phone with you for the night. Talking to Laura was hard, but not nearly as hard as you thought. She wasn’t degrading you or berating you. Though you found it hard to believe that she didn’t have any animosity toward you, she didn’t let it show.

You told her about your injuries and bits of the battle that you remembered. She asked you about Natasha. You were honest with her.

Nothing in your brain was telling you that deserved the Russian. Laura said that was stupid. She pointed out that the only reason you were in this state was because you went to save Natasha. She said that the two of you obviously loved each other. Laura even went as far to say that Clint would’ve wanted you to be together.

You told her that it wasn’t your decision any more. It was all up to Natasha. You admitted that you would never turn her away, but also that you would never force her to be with you.

She told you that she knew Natasha very well. In the same way that everyone else had told you today she said that Natasha loved you. Part of you hoped that would be enough.

It was late when you finally woke up. You fought the urge to open your eyes. Instead you reached for the bedside table, feeling around for the glasses.

You grunted in frustration when you didn’t feel them. The sling on your left arm stopping you from reaching any further.

“Here.”

The voice startled you causing your heart rate to jump. She placed the glasses in your hand.

“You scared the fuck out of me,” you said placing the glasses on your face.

“Sorry,” she shrugged.

You looked at her for the first time in weeks. Subconsciously you were checking her for injuries, surely, they would’ve faded by now. She wasn’t as hurt as you were.

“How long have you been here, Nat?”

“A few hours, it’s late. I didn't want to wake you.”

You shot up in your spot, there was instant regret as you felt a pain in your stomach.

“What time is it?” You grunted out.

Natasha helped you sit up in the bed. Her eyes were sharp as she looked at you, “You need to be more carefully. It’s almost 2pm."

You kept her gaze as you nodded, “Sorry, I was up late last night.”

“Couldn’t sleep?”

You looked in your lap, “Steve came to see me. He told me I should talk to Laura.”

“Oh.”

You sighed a bit, “Yeah he called her. We ended up talking all I night. I think his phone is still in here somewhere.”

“You talked to Laura?”

Your nod was softer this time, “I didn’t want to at first. Steve said it would help her, that she wanted to talk to me. I will be indebted to her for the rest of my life, so we talked about everything.”

Natasha shuffled around in her seat, “How did it go?”

She watched the relief cross your face. There was even a small smile on your lips.

“I feel like it went as good as it could’ve gone. I- I wish I could do more to show how sorry I am, how guilty I feel. But all I can do is apologize and promise to be there for her any time she needs anything. It’s not him, nothing will ever be him.”

Natasha moved closer to you, “You’re right, nothing you do can bring him back. No amount of apologies or promises will resurrect him.”

“Natasha…”

She cut you off, “All I want to ask is why you did it?”

You caught her gaze again. Maybe it was wrong to weigh your options, but you started to do it anyway.

“The truth,” she stopped your thoughts in their track.

You turned your head away from her. You struggled, but eventually your back hit the mattress. Your eyes shut, thinking it would be easier this way. Natasha thought it was easier too.

“I thought it was for you at first. For the life you created, for the family you had just found. So that you could see all your hard work pay off. These last 5 years were so hard on you, I just wanted you to be able to feel the success,” you started.

“At first?”

You continued, “Then I thought it was for me. I didn’t want to watch you die. You guys tied me up, left me helpless. I had to watch you both fighting to kill yourselves. When I saw you go over that cliff I didn’t know if I was fast enough to save you. I tried anyway and if I would’ve failed then we both be dead.”

“I understand, after watching you almost die,” she relented.

“The truth is, in the moment I was thinking of us. It wasn't some long thought out thing. In my head it was simple. The world still needed you and so did I. When you said we didn't have time, it was my instinctual reaction."

The Russian didn’t take her eyes off of you, “I want to forgive you.”

“I won’t make you.”

Natasha kept going, “You almost died protecting me."

“Clint is dead because of me,” you refuted.

“One of us had to die,” she sounded somber.

You squeezed your eyes tighter, “It should’ve been on his own terms. I shoved him.”

“We would’ve been up there debating for hours or fighting each other. I won’t forgive you for pushing him, I just can’t; but I also can’t pretend like I don’t care about you anymore.”

You still haven’t opened your eyes, “What does that mean?”

Natasha placed her hand on top of yours, “It means that you can’t move out. It means that I want to try to work through this because I love you.”

You finally reopened your eyes, “Natasha, is this a good idea?”

“Do you love me?”

Your eyes softened, “Of course I love you.”

“Then it’s a good idea. Besides, I think you owe me for all of the trauma.”

“Fair point,” you responded.

There was a shared chuckle between the two of you.

Natasha reached out, much like she had the day before. This time she wiped some of your hair out of your face. Her hand trailed your side profile. She was mindful of your injuries.

You were subconsciously leaning into her touch. Her eyes fell to your lips. You felt your face heat with anticipation. Neither of you said anything.

She kissed you. It was delicate. Fragile in the way she held your face. Soft in the way her lips moved against yours. Much like the state of your relationship.

“You’re coming home when they discharge you.”

You drag your gaze from her lips to her eyes, “Okay.”

She pecked your lips once more, “Wanda and Lena are staying with us by the way.”

“Are they alright?”

“Wanda is doing the best she can without Vision. My sister is paranoid something is going to happen and doesn't want to be separated again,” she gave you a quick rundown.

“At least you have each other.”

Natasha hummed in agreement. It was quiet again after that. The two of you just staring at each other. You were the one to speak first.

“You want to cuddle?”

She let out a genuine laughter, “You’re in a hospital bed.”

“I know, but you can squeeze in,” you look away from her slightly embarrassed.

“And your stomach stitches?”

You mumbled in response, “It’s fine for the most part.”

“Sure it is.”

You glared back at her, “Are you going to hold me or not?”

She smiled when she stood up, slowly rounding the bed. She climbed in tiny bed, attentive to your injuries. She was careful as she placed her arms around you. You pushed yourself further into her arms.

She kissed the side of your head, “You’re needy when you’re hurt.”

“Whatever.”

“Cranky too.”

You huffed, “But you still love me.”

“Very much,” she teased.

“I love you back.”

She kissed you one last time. Then the two of you laid together. Guilt and shame still lingered in the back of your mind, but with Natasha holding you, love stood at the forefront of your mind.

In that moment you both had a similar thought: maybe love would be enough.

[incorrectquotesmcu]

Clint: Why do you look like that?

Natasha, laying face-first on the floor: Like what?

Clint: Like you’re dead.

Natasha: It’s because I’m dying. Leave me here to perish.

Laura: Nat accidentally called Maria “babe” in front of everyone today.

Natasha: [sobs into the floor]

[squilfmybeloved]

grumpy men and the feral child they found on the streets are so special to me

[literaryavenger]

Happy Birthday

Summary: It's your birthday and the only person who doesn't seem to be excited about it is you.

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Reader

Warnings: Mentions of death. Angst. Fluff. Language probably. My poor attempts at being funny.

Word Count: 2.5K

A/N: This story was completely self-indulgent, but I hope someone out there likes it!

Masterlist

You’ve always been very reluctant to celebrate your birthday.

You haven’t had a birthday party since you were 12. The following year your mom died a couple of days before and neither you nor your family were in the mood to celebrate anything.

It wasn’t by any means unexpected, she had been sick for a few years, but it still hit you hard.

You were the youngest and were far too young when she first got sick to really understand everything going on.

You were 8 and all you really remember is watching your mom get more and more sick until eventually there was nothing more the doctors could do.

Her death hit you hard and you closed yourself off, never talking about it or even crying after the day of her funeral. To this day you’ve still never cried, in front of others or even by yourself.

You started exercising to channel all your energy, refusing to do anything more like the therapy your family suggested. 

When you were 15 you discovered SHIELD and decided you wanted to help others, so you signed up for the SHIELD Academy, working your hardest and pushing yourself to your very limit.

You ended up being not only the youngest cadet ever, but the youngest to actually graduate and then the youngest recruit at SHIELD at only 16 years old.

Natasha was very impressed when she heard about you and took a liking to you, convincing Fury to make you part of her team during her missions and teaching you everything she knows.

That’s how you ended up in the Avengers Initiative, not that you felt you didn’t deserve it since you know how hard you worked and everything you gave up to work towards this achievement. 

The team themselves were initially skeptical since you were barely 18 during the battle of New York, but they were quickly proven wrong when they saw how well you handled yourself against the Chitauri. 

You were devastated when SHIELD fell, but carried on as an Avenger, battling Ultron and then moving to the Compound with the team.

You met the actual Bucky for the first time when you were 22, during the whole Civil War thing with Baron Zemo. Like Natasha, you were on Tony’s team, fighting mostly Pietro, but the conflict eventually ended. 

It took Tony some time to get over the whole “Bucky killing his parents while brainwashed” thing, but, as he likes to say, he can’t call himself a genius without admitting that Bucky didn’t have much of a choice. 

Thanks to Tony’s help Shuri was able to find a solution to Bucky’s brainwashing faster than she would’ve alone, meaning Bucky didn’t have to go back into cryo and was pretty quickly cleared to join the team, about a year after the airport battle in Leipzig.

You were warmly accepted by everybody and, the more the team grew the more you felt at home with these people.

And now you wish you could burn down the whole compound because, somehow, Tony convinced you to have a birthday party for the first time in 13 years because, in his words, 'you only turn 25 once'.

Good news is you managed to make him limit the guest list to the team and other people close to you like Maria Hill and Fury. Bad news is you’re still gonna be the center of attention, which you hate.

You couldn’t stop Tony from making everyone dress up for the party, and you couldn’t stop the team from getting you gifts even though you insisted all you wanted was everyone together and to have fun with them since for the longest time nobody ever even knew when your birthday was. 

What you didn’t realize was that the only person more worried than you about your gifts was Bucky.

Since he joined the team the two of you have gotten close, starting with his first training with the team where he very loudly told Steve about his disbelief that someone as young and small as you could actually be an asset to the team.

You quickly put him in his place by taking him down after less than two minutes of sparring, taking full advantage of his underestimating you because he “didn’t want to hurt a pretty little thing like you.”

Admittedly he was impressed and wasn’t shy about letting you know that, while the rest of the team snickered at his initial shock when you pinned him down.

You became friends after that, not as close as you’d like but friends nonetheless.

If you were honest with yourself you’ve been harboring a little crush on the supersoldier, but he’s never shown any interest so you resigned yourself to just being his friend.

Something that you did come to treasure, though, is your and Bucky’s late night talks.

It started with you walking in on him in the kitchen on a late night where you couldn’t sleep, nothing new to you, but the two of you barely talked other than acknowledging each other.

You took a bottle of water and left.

A couple of days later you ran into him again and you stood there in silence while you made yourself a cup of tea and then left for your room.

A few days later again he was just sitting there and said nothing as you made your tea, except this time you put a cup in front of him and silently took a seat next to him at the counter.

Two nights later when you arrived at the kitchen he was already there with a cup of tea in front of him and one in front of the seat next to him.

You didn’t want to assume it was for you, but you took a chance when you noticed it was the cup you always used, a blue mug with Stitch on it that says “Let’s get weird”. Your favorite in fact.

You hesitantly sat down next to him and, without you having to ask or without even looking at you, he told you that the nights you stay up late because you can’t sleep you tend to be more quiet during the team dinners and while you hang out afterwards.

You didn’t say anything in return and just sat there, trying not to overthink how much he seemed to watch you.

But the more nights you spent like that, the more you two talked and you gathered quickly that Bucky is a very observant person, nothing more.

You loved the time you spent together after dark where you’d talk about everything and anything, but come morning it was almost as if it never happened, which you came to accept.

It weirdly made the nights you spent talking even more special, which was almost every night.

But back to the present, you’re currently getting ready with Natasha and Wanda, who know much more than you about hair and makeup and are always happy to help you out with getting ready for Stark parties. 

You put on the black cocktail dress with rhinestones all over the corset and a slit down the left side, then the three of you make your way to the party room and you take a deep breath before entering.

Everyone is already there, all dressed up in fancy clothes as they all shout “Happy Birthday”.

You laugh and say hi to everybody while they all take turns hugging you, there’s not too many people but everyone important to you is there.

Even Laura and Clint’s kids are there, which you consider a second family at this point, since Laura always did treat you like a daughter.

You hate to admit that it's a nice party.

Knowing you, everyone makes an effort to not put you too much at the center of attention and you just go around talking to your friends like every other party.

Eventually time comes for the cake and, the moment you kind of dreaded, opening the gifts.

Since it's the first birthday you allowed the team to celebrate everyone decided to go all in for your gifts, which you picked up on from the very first gift you open.

Pietro got you a first edition of “The Picture Of Dorian Gray” which is your all time favorite book, Wanda and Maria got you a leather jacket and an amazing pair of boots that you knew were expensive because you were all out shopping together when you came across them.

Steve got you a gold heart-shaped locker with a picture of the team inside it, Natasha got you a charm bracelet with a little charm to represent everyone on the team, and Sam got you a cute necklace with your birth stone on it.

When you open Fury’s gift you start laughing since it's a gun, a SIG SAUER P226 to be precise, which is very Fury.

“It was my first gun when I joined SHIELD.” He says with a smile and you smile back, knowing how much thought he put into this gift.

You open Clint’s gift next, a bow and arrow that he already taught you how to use, and Laura got you a pair of diamond earrings.

Your heart melts when you open Lila, Cooper and Nathaniel’s gifts, respectively a friendship bracelet, an Avengers action figure of yourself and a Stitch plushie.

The three of them hug you tightly as you say thank you and now you only have two gifts left, Tony’s and Bucky’s, and they’re both little boxes. 

You open Tony’s next, thinking it’s some fancy necklace or earring but you frown when you see a car key.

“Is this the key to your car?” you ask Tony, knowing full well you’re holding the key to an Audi R8 Spyder, the car Tony’s let you borrow so many times you’re now wondering if he’s gifting you his spare set of keys.

“No.” He says casually “It’s the key to your car.”

You’re even more confused and simply stare at him with your mouth gaped, not really processing the information.

“Y-you… You got me a car?!” You almost yell out of shock and everyone else starts laughing at your antics when you start basically jumping up and down and hugging Tony, squealing like a little girl.

“Well, come on, let’s go see it!” Tony says enthusiastically after you’ve calmed down, and you get up, just as enthusiastic, but are stopped by Steve’s voice.

“Wait, wait. You have one gift left.” He says, picking up the small box and giving it to you. “It’s from Bucky.”

You were so pumped up by the car, you almost forgot about it and completely miss the mischievous look Steve gives Bucky and the murderous glare Bucky gives back.

You also miss Bucky starting to protest before you open his gift, but he instantly shuts up when he sees your face falling the second you open it.

It’s a small necklace with a blue rose in it, it really looks like something you’d give a little girl more than a 25 year old woman.

You look at it for a minute, running your finger on it before you raise your head and look at Bucky.

The whole room goes silent as they all watch you worriedly, everyone noticing immediately that tears are streaming down your face.

Nobody understands what’s happening and nobody knows how to react or what to do, it’s like they’re all frozen by the sight of you being vulnerable for the first time ever. 

Meanwhile Bucky’s heart is beating so loud he’s sure everyone around him can hear it, and he feels himself starting to panic at the thought of having ruined your birthday with that stupid gift.

Everybody else got you expensive gifts and all he did was get you a small, cheap necklace that reminded him of a story you briefly talked about once on one of your late night talks about a necklace you had as a kid.

He saw it at the mall while looking for a gift for you, remembering the sweet smile you had on your face when you mentioned it and the fleeting sad look he thought he saw when you told him you lost it when you were 12.

He was really proud of himself for that gift, but the more he saw the other gifts you got the more he regretted his choice, especially after Tony gave you a fucking car.

And now you were crying, not saying anything while just looking at him.

He doesn’t know what to expect from you at the moment, nobody does, he thinks you might yell, throw his gift back at him, tell him how much you hate it and him.

But you surprise everyone by throwing your arms around Bucky’s neck, hugging him tightly while crying into his shoulder.

You honestly forgot telling Bucky about that story and certainly didn’t expect him to remember it, especially since you always got the feeling that he didn’t care about your talks as much as you.

You just assumed that come morning he deleted everything you told him to make room for more important things, and you didn’t blame him.

But he didn’t.

What you didn’t tell him about the necklace is that your mom gave it to you because blue roses were her favorite, you had that necklace since you were born but you somehow lost it the day of her funeral.

That day you lost the two most important things in your life and cried yourself to sleep, and that was the last time you allowed yourself to be weak and cry.

Until today.

Bucky hesitantly wraps his arms around you, rubbing your back hoping to get you to calm down. He looks around at the rest of the team, panicking a little and not knowing what to do.

Everyone else is as clueless as he is, never having seen you in such a state before.

Bucky starts apologizing, his heart breaking at the sight of you crying, and he feels horrible that it’s because of him.

You shake your head quickly and pull away a little to look at him, wanting to reassure him you’re not sad or angry but incredibly happy, but words refuse to come. You take a deep breath to calm yourself and finally manage to speak.

“Thank you. You have no idea how much this means to me.” It’s quiet, but it’s something, and it’s enough to make Bucky let out a breath of relief at knowing you don’t hate him or his gift.

He brings you back in for another tight hug, almost forgetting about everyone else in the room as you hug him back without hesitation.

You’re honestly not even embarrassed at crying, all you care about at the moment is Bucky, his arms around you while he lets you bury your face in his neck, like you’ve been wanting to do for years now.

“Happy birthday, doll.” He whispers in your ear and, for the first time in 13 years, you really feel like it is.

[togrowoldinv]

Falling for Christmas

Natasha Romanoff x Female Reader

When you wake up from an accident, you don’t remember who you are. A local ski lodge owner helps you find yourself

Note: Yes, this is based on the very cheesy movie on Netflix with the same name. Some big plot differences, but cheesy all the same. Enjoy!

Natasha Masterlist 1, Natasha Masterlist 2, Natasha Masterlist 3, Main Masterlist

Your life was perfect. You had everything you wanted. And everything you wanted came easy to you. So, why are you waking up now in a hospital bed so confused?  

The doctors try to calm you down, but you keep incessantly asking why you are here. It isn’t until a beautiful red headed woman walks in that anyone answers your question. 

“Hey, you’re okay,” the woman says. “You just had an accident.”  

“What kind of accident?” You ask. You feel a pounding in your head. Undoubtably, you feel sure you have a concussion.  

“A skiing accident. At my lodge,” she says. She walks further into the room and asks the doctors and nurses to leave you be.  

“Thanks,” you remark.  

“No problem. I’m Natasha.” She holds out her hand for you to shake. You take it and feel a shock of electricity in your veins.  

“Hi Natasha. I'm- I- well-”  

“The doctors were worried you might have had some amnesia.”  

You shake your head and drop her hand. You have no idea who you are. The beautiful woman, Natasha, excuses herself to talk with the doctors again. They come in to tell you that you can stay here or go stay at her lodge until someone comes to claim you or you get your memories back.  

“No offense, but I don’t know you,” you say.  

“Well, you don’t know anyone,” Natasha counters. You want to make some snarky reply, but she keeps talking. “Maybe coming back to the lodge will spark some memories for you. We have plenty of extra rooms.”  

“That would be good for her. She needs to get into a routine doing normal things,” the doctor explains. “Natasha will take good care of you.”  

“Thanks, Monica,” Natasha says. The woman nods and leaves the room.  

After a couple of hours, you are discharged from the hospital. Natasha drives you to the lodge in an old truck. Part of you wants to ask for more details about this woman, but the other part of you is just ready to sleep and try to forget this is happening.  

“So, we’ll set you up here,” Natasha says, opening the door of a suite. “My sister stays here a lot when she’s in town and she’s picky, so this is the best room in the place.”  

You manage to smile at that. Natasha walks further into the room and you follow her around. She tells you she’ll bring you some clothes to wear and to call her if you need help with anything.  

You turn in for the night without much fuss. The next morning, you put on some of Natasha’s clothes and go to the lobby.  

“Good morning,” Natasha greets you. She is wearing a sweater that looks extremely cozy. You’re not sure why your brain thinks about how it would feel to hug her while she is wearing it.  

“Hey Nat,” you say. She smiles at the nickname. “Is there coffee?”  

“Oh, yes,” Nat chuckles. “Caffeine addict Clint over here couldn’t live without it.”  

“I’m Clint,” the man working the front desk tells you.  

“I’m-” you stop, still not sure what your name is. “Sorry.”  

“No worries,” Nat reassures you. “Let’s get you that coffee.”  

You follow her into the dining area, but she keeps walking to the kitchen. She enters with ease and greets several people on the way to the back.  

“Danvers, I need your best cup of coffee,” she tells a tall blonde woman. The woman grins. 

“Coming right up, Romanoff.” She turns around with a mug full of coffee that smells amazing. “Special guest?”  

“Something like that,” Nat replies. “This is Carol the head chef.”  

“Hi,” you say to her. Your eyes catch a pendant necklace resting against her skin. “I love that necklace.”  

“Oh, thank you. My wife got it for me when our daughter graduated medical school,” Carol explains. Her smile is the brightest one you’ve ever seen.  

Natasha takes you to the sitting room where a fire burns and there are walls of books.  

“I have to take care of some things, but you make yourself at home. Feel free to explore the lodge. We have horses around back and whatever you’d like to eat or drink is on us,” Natasha says.  

There’s a comfort you feel around her that you really can’t describe. But you’re sad to see her go. Though she walks by throughout the day, you feel like you didn’t get much of a chance to see her.  

Dinnertime comes and she finally gets a moment to stop. She plops down in the chair across from you and smirks at the way you fell asleep in the chair with a book open.  

“Hey,” she says gently trying to stir you awake. “Sleeping beauty, it’s dinnertime.”  

“That’s a good name for her,” Clint says. “Especially since you think she’s cute.”  

“What? I don’t- it’s not-”  

“You totally think that,” the newest member of the team, Kate, pipes in. “As you should though. She is beautiful. And hopefully single.”  

Nat raises her brow at the girl. “Should I tell Yelena about this exchange?”  

“Please don’t,” Kate says, her face going white.  

Everyone laughs at that and you stir awake. You're met with a smiling Natasha.  

“Hey there,” Nat says. “Join us for dinner?”  

You expect to go the dining room, but Natasha leads you to the next building over. She opens the door to reveal a Hallmark level decorated living room and kitchen.  

“This is where I stay when I’m at the lodge,” Nat explains.  

“You don’t stay here year-round?”  

“I have family in Ohio, so I spend some time there in the summer.”  

“Your sister?”  

“She actually spends time all over the world, but my parents live in Ohio. It's glamorous,” she jokes. “Carol made us some dinner.”  

“Aw man, I thought you would be cooking,” you tease her. 

“Oh, you do not want that,” she replies, throwing her head back laughing. You don’t remember, but you have a feeling you haven’t made anyone laugh like that lately.  

Dinner is going smoothly with small talk and Natasha telling you about the wildest things that have happened to her since running the lodge. But you’re interrupted at dessert time by a knock on the door.  

Nat excuses herself and opens the door to be met with three children tumbling through it.  

“What are you guys doing here?” Natasha asks excitedly. She hugs the older two kids and picks the youngest one up. “How is my namesake doing?”  

“So good, Auntie Nat!” The little boy says. You watch on with a smile, but something twinges in your gut at the sight of family. He catches your eye and points to you. “Who’s that?”  

“That is Auntie Nat’s new friend,” she explains. She tries to put the little boy down, but he hangs on tight. The girl, maybe a preteen, sticks close to her as well. “These are Clint’s kids. Cooper is the one too cool to be here, Lila is the best girl, and this guy here is Nathaniel.”  

“Hello,” you tell them.  

“Hi, sorry for interrupting dinner,” Lila says. She seems sweet.  

“No worries at all,” you say. “I think I'm going to head back to my suite.”  

“Oh,” Nat reacts. She puts Nate down after some protesting by the kid. “You don’t have to leave. They just only see me a few times a year, so they get excited when they do.”  

“That’s sweet,” you say. There is that twinge again. “I think- um- I think my brain is trying to process some stuff so I just-”  

“Need some space?” Nat asks.  

“Yeah. Thank you for today, Natasha. I had fun.”  

“Of course,” she says, helping you to the door. “Oh hey, if you hear anyone calling you Sleeping Beauty I might be to blame.”  

“I’m not even going to ask,” you joke. Natasha chuckles and you try to memorize the sound. 

The next few days go by without anything too exciting happening. You meet Carol’s wife Maria, Clint’s wife Laura, and even Natasha’s sister makes it into town. You really like Yelena.  

And you find yourself now sitting by the fire with all of them. Carol and Maria sit close together. Clint and Laura do the same, watching their kids play. Natasha sits by herself, but close to where Yelena and Kate are snuggling tentatively.  

“So, you don’t remember anything?” Maria asks you.  

“Not really,” you say. “I just get gut feelings. Like seeing you all with your families, I think I have family.”  

“I’m sure you do,” Laura says. “We’re your family in the meantime.”  

“Yeah. We are always here for each other,” Carol adds.  

“Speaking of,” Yelena starts. “How are you doing this holiday season, Natasha?”  

You figure she is referring to the lodge or maybe the busyness of the season, but when Natasha’s eyes drop you realize there is something more.  

“I’m good,” she says. No one believes her. Not even you. 

“Natasha,” Clint begins but he’s interrupted by Nat.  

“I just said I'm fine. Can we drop it?”  

She stands up and disappears into the kitchen. The group sighs and you look around confusedly. Something more is definitely up here. You excuse yourself and follow after Nat. You find her placing cookies on a tray.  

“Hey, are you alright?” You ask her. She wipes a silent tear from her cheek. “Sorry, obviously you are not. But I wanted to make sure you weren’t not okay all alone.”  

“That’s kind,” Nat replies. “I- it’s hard for me to talk about.”  

You nod. Although you don’t remember your life, you’re sure you have your own set of things that are hard to talk about.  

“You don’t have to talk about the sad parts,” you say. “But if there was any joy in there it is probably worth telling. Tragedy is only tragic because it was once beautiful.”  

“Poetic,” Nat teases. You smile at her. She feels comfortable. She takes a deep breath. “I was married. Very happily. And she- um- she got sick a few years ago.”  

“I’m so sorry,” you say, placing a hand on her shoulder.  

“She passed away last fall,” Nat says. “I actually didn’t even celebrate Christmas last year.”  

“That’s understandable.”  

“Yeah, but I realized it made my friends and family miserable too. So, I tried to be more festive this year. It wasn’t going that great until I met you, but now I feel like I have a reason to celebrate again,” Natasha explains.  

“Yeah?”  

“Yeah,” she says. “I know it sounds fucked up to be glad you ended up here with no memories, but-”  

“No, actually I am glad I did too. I’ve met so many wonderful people. Especially you.”  

You are standing close to each other now. Nat starts to lean in, but she stops a couple inches shy of your lips.  

“I don’t know if you are with someone, so if you are I don’t want to cross that line,” she explains.  

“Oh, yeah. No, I guess that makes sense,” you say.  

“We should get back out there.” 

The next few days are lighter on your heart. You spend time with all of the wonderful people you’ve met, and get geared up for a Christmas Eve party that the lodge always hosts. You help decorate, prepare food, and pick out clothes for everyone to wear.  

Walking into the room now you see Natasha standing by the bar. She looks breathtaking. She thinks the same about you.  

“Wow,” Nat says, approaching you with a grin. “You are beautiful.”  

“I can say the same about you, Natasha.” A blush hue finds its way onto her cheeks.  

“Looking good, SB,” Carol says, her arm interlocked with Maria’s.  

“Told you the nickname would catch on,” Nat says.  

The party is going well for a few hours until a man you don’t recognize, the doctor you do recognize, and a woman that seems strangely familiar enter the lodge.  

“Y/n!” The woman calls out to you.  

Everything clicks. Your name, your family, who you are. And your girlfriend.  

“Wanda,” you say.  

“She does remember!” Wanda says to the doctor. She pulls you into a hug. Funny, it doesn’t feel like it used to.  

“What’s happening?” Carol asks. “Monica, you know her?”  

“I do, Mom. These folks were looking for our Sleeping Beauty. I treated her at the hospital and knew I’d find her still here,” Monica explains.  

“We can go home now,” Wanda says, pulling your hand. “Pietro, get the car running.”  

“Wait, I'm sorry,” you say. “Natasha.”  

“Who?” Your girlfriend asks.  

“Hey,” the redhead steps into your view. “Y/n. That’s a good name.”  

“I guess so. Although, I liked being a princess.”  

“Ah, you’re still a princess,” Nat says. She looks at you with sadness in her eyes. “Go on now.”  

“Thank you for everything,” you tell her. And then turn to the group. “Thank you to all of you.”  

Wanda pulls you away before you can say any true goodbyes. You go with her and the three of you end up at the resort just down the road. Your parents own this, you remember.  

A few days pass, but you don’t feel that normal. Things felt better at Natasha’s lodge.  

She feels the same way. Things were better with you there. Clint comes in to find her slouched over the counter.  

“You should reach out to her,” Clint says. “ 

“She has a whole life,” Nat says. “Apparently a big one.”  

She had looked you up on Google and went on a deep dive of your social media presence. The daughter of hotel mogul, she felt sure you didn’t want her in your life. But, god, is she wrong.  

“Kind of breaking HIPAA here,” Carol eavesdrops and speaks. “But Monica told Maria y/n has another appointment before she leaves town.”  

“When did everyone decide to eavesdrop?” Nat asks.  

“When you fell in love with her,” Yelena replies, seemingly appearing out of thin air. “Go get her.”  

Natasha nods. She wants this. She drives across town and parks out in front of your dad’s resort not caring that her truck might get towed.  

“Y/n,” she calls after you, seeing part of you slipping into the elevator. She runs and slips in just before it closes.  

“Natasha?”  

“Hi,” she says. “I needed to see you.”  

“I’m listening.”  

“I couldn’t let you leave. Not when I’m falling in love with you,” she says. “And I know you have Wanda, but-”  

“Actually, we broke up,” you say.  

“Oh.”  

“Yeah, we never made any sense,” you explain. “Continue about the in love with me thing.”  

“Right,” Nat says. “Maybe I should just kiss you?”  

“That would be perfect.”  

Natasha takes your face in her hands and leans in. She wastes no time deepening the kiss and your knees threaten to buckle beneath you.  

“Come home with me, y/n?” Nat asks when you break the kiss.  

“I’d love to, Natasha.”  

[westannatasharomanoff]

Laura, to Clint: Help me get the kids in the car. Cooper! Lila! Come on! The whole family is going to the spaghetti hut for dinner!

Natasha: I guess I better go, then.

Laura: Where are you going?

Natasha: What?

Laura: I said the whole family. Get in the car.

[ryrat]

Why do I get attached to the most unpopular characters I'm going to lose my mind 😭

[theravequeen]

The MCU fandom's inability to see Clint and Natasha as romantic is something that should be studied i think

[petrerpkr]

marvel comics I recommend for beginners

X-men

X men(2010- 2024)

Uncanny x men (2012-2024)

X men blue (2017-2018)

Generation X(2017)

All-New Wolverine(2016-2018)

(laura as wolverine)

Wolverine and the x men (2011-2014)

All-New X-Men(2013-2017)

X-Men Red (2018-2024)

Uncanny X-Force(2010-2014)

Wolverine and Jubilee (2011)

X-Men Origins - Wolverine(2009)

X-Men Origins - Jean Grey(2008)

X-Men Origins - Emma Frost(2010)

X-Men Origins - Cyclops(2010)

Wolverine the Origin(2001)

Spider-Man & other spidey's

Amazing Spider-Man Or start here

Ultimate Comics Spider-Man (2011-2013)

Miles Morales spider-man (2014-2015)

Miles Morales spider-man (2019-2022)

Miles Morales spider-man(2022-2025)

Silk(2015)

Spider-Men(2012)

Spider-gwen (2015-2018)

Spider-gwen 2(2015)

Ghost-spider (2019-2020)

Spider-Man/Deadpool

Avengers and friends

Young Avengers Vol. 2 (2013)

Avengers (2012-2024)

Uncanny Avengers(2012-2014)

Westcoast Avengers (2018-2019)

Captain America: Sam Wilson(2015-2017)

Black Widow(2010-2022)

Invincible Iron Man(2015-2017)

Ironheart (2019-2020)

Hawkeye(2012-2015)

Hawkeye freefall(2020)

Avengers Origins: Scarlet Witch & Quicksilver (2012)

Scarlet Witch (2016-2024)

Ect

The Unbelievable Gwenpool (2016-2018)

The Unworthy Thor(2016)

Totally Awesome Hulk(2016-2017)

Ms. Marvel(2014-2018)

Moon Knight(2014-2024)

Runaways(2003)

Reading order here for more In depth list

[sycamorelibrary754]

Happy Easter

Summary: You are three weeks from your due date, but the thought of you and Natasha missing Easter at the Barton’s farmhouse in Iowa was simply inconceivable. What will you do if your little bundle of joy makes an early, unexpected entrance?

Genre: Fluff

Pairings: Natasha x reader, Avengers x reader (platonic).

Word Count: 5.7k

Warnings: None

A/N: Happy belated Easter! I wanted to post this fic on Easter, but there wasn't enough time. This is part 3 of Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas! I recommend reading those stories first, but it can be read as a stand-alone story as well. This was so much fun to write. I hope you enjoy it! 

"Does anyone know where the purple egg dye is?" you inquired, scanning the table as you addressed the Barton kids. "I could have sworn we had two cups of every color." Cooper and Lila were fully engrossed in the Easter egg decorating contest, meticulously crafting their designs, while Nate seemed to relish in using every color available on the table. "Oh, it's on the counter.”

You were just about to rise from the kitchen table, no easy feat at this stage of your pregnancy. It felt like yesterday when you surprised Natasha with your pregnancy at Thanksgiving in front of her family and announced to the team that they would all be aunts and uncles at Tony’s annual Christmas party. Your due date was three weeks away, but missing Easter with Clint’s family in Iowa was out of the question.

“Don’t get up, Y/N. I got it!” Nat said as she jumped up to grab the paper cup of purple egg dye behind you.

"Thanks, sweetheart," you said as Nat placed the cup on the table.

"How are you feeling?" Natasha asked as she gently caressed your cheek. "Maybe you should take a break?”

“Nat, I promise I’m okay. Come sit back down and color some Easter eggs with us,” you replied, trying to put your wife at ease. 

Natasha was looking forward to Easter, too, but she was more focused on you and the final weeks of your pregnancy. Dr. Cho had given you the green light to go, with the condition that you'd have daily check-ins by phone and go on bed rest as soon as you returned home.

"Auntie Nat, look at this!" Nate proudly showed off an egg with The Black Widow symbol on it.

"Look, Auntie Nat," you echoed with a smile.

"This is amazing! Maybe I should have you design my next suit instead of Stark," she said.

"Shall we start the judging?" Clint asked as he entered the room with Laura.

"Yep, all set," Cooper confirmed.

"Just a sec," Lila said, focused on decorating her egg. "There, done."

"Where are Yelena and Kate?" Laura asked.

"We're coming!" came a shout from the living room.

"It's not a Fabergé egg, you two, come on!" Nat yelled.

"Tada!" Kate exclaimed, revealing a beautiful purple egg with green and orange stripes.

You whispered to your wife, "So that's where all the purple dye went.”

You placed your egg on the table with all the others. Pink and blue with red polka dots. Symbolic of your current anticipation over the impending arrival of your bundle of joy. You and Nat both agreed you wanted to be surprised.

“Hmmm, this is going to be a tough decision,” Clint said, stroking his chin. “As you all know, you will be judged on creativity, technique, and presentation.”

Walking back and forth in front of the kitchen table, you couldn’t help but giggle at his mock seriousness. 

“Allow me to confer with my fellow judge,” he said. After a few moments of hushed whispers with Laura, Clint returned to the group. “We thank you all for your participation. You all decorated beautiful Easter eggs. The competition was tough this year, but one egg stands head and shoulders above the rest,” pausing for dramatic effect. “The 2024 Barton Easter Egg Decorating Champion is Nathaniel Barton!” 

You shouldn't have spent so much time on the sketches!” Yelena said, slapping Kate on the arm. 

“Yes!!” Nathaniel cheered. 

“You are hereby awarded this Lindt Milk Chocolate Gold Bunny,” his father said, handing him the gold-wrapped chocolate as big as his head.

“That you will share with the rest of the family and not eat in one sitting,” Laura added.

“Aww!” Nathaniel whined. 

*^~^*

You spent the evening on the porch, surrounded by the laughter of the kids playing on the lush green lawn as the sun set over the farm. Laura served her delicious homemade Lemonade as you shared stories and reminisced about old times. The air was filled with nostalgia so vivid that you could almost reach out and touch it. Natasha sat next to you, holding your hand gently, her calloused touch a reminder of the strength and resilience she had acquired through years of training.

You were taken by surprise as you felt the baby begin to kick.

"Wow!" You exclaimed as you gently placed your hand on your belly.

All eyes turned to you. Though unspoken, everyone shared the same nervous anticipation as your wife for the approaching due date.

"Are you alright, malyshka?" Nat asked, her eyes filled with concern as she squeezed your hand.

"I'm okay. The baby is kicking. Here, feel." You said as you took her hand and gently guided it to your stomach, trying to find the right spot. 

“Oh,” Nat squeaked. “I’ll never get used to that feeling.”

“Move aside, sestra; I want to feel my little plemyannitsa or plemyannik.” (Niece or nephew).

Yelena playfully bumped her sister out of the way with her hip and eagerly reached to touch your stomach.

"Wow, that's amazing!" she cried out. "Hey there, little one. I'm Aunt Yelena, and I will spoil you rotten!"

"Have you two settled on a name yet?" Kate inquired.

"No," you sighed. "We just can't seem to agree. Since we both want to be surprised, it's been twice as hard to come up with two names."

"Don't worry, you'll know when you see the little bundle of joy," Laura reassured.

"This wouldn't be an issue if either of you were open to any of the names I've suggested," Yelena added with a grin.

“Yelena is not an option,” Natasha frustratedly replied.

“What about—“ 

“Neither is Alaska! That isn’t even a name!” Your wife is exasperated.

“It could be!” Yelena said. “What about—“

“Or Wolfgang!” Nat interrupted.

“You lack all originality, sestra,” Yelena berated.

^*~*^

The soft glow of the table lamp reflected off your glasses as you delved into the pages of your latest beloved read. You placed your bookmark between the pages at the sound of your wife closing the bathroom door and crawling into bed beside you.

"Did you get a chance to talk to Helen today?" Nat asked as she helped me fluff up my pregnancy pillow.

"Yeah, I did. She was glad to hear that the swelling in my ankles went down and suggested taking a warm bath to help with the discomfort," you replied, shifting to get comfortable against the pillow.

"Mmm, a warm bath does sound amazing," Natasha hummed as she settled down on her side, facing me.

“Oh, I didn’t realize you’d be joining me?” You said softly, with a sly grin and a raised eyebrow.

“Of course I would, detka,” leaning over and kissing your baby bump. 

You gently squeezed Nat's hand, feeling a wave of anticipation as your due date drew near. Thoughts of what your baby would look like and who they would become filled your mind. Would they inherit Nat's fiery red hair, or perhaps have your Y/E/C eyes? The anticipation was almost overwhelming, but knowing that Natasha was by your side made it all feel possible.

"Are you looking forward to the Easter egg hunt tomorrow?" You asked, pulling yourself out of your daydream.

Nat giggled, "You make it sound like I'm the one participating."

"Well, you might as well be. I can never tell who's more excited, you or the kids," you replied.

Natasha glanced down at our intertwined hands and then back up at you. Her green eyes sparkled like emeralds.

"I think it's because holidays in my childhood weren’t real. We filled the photo album with fake pictures and empty boxes. But this," looking around at the small details of Clint and Laura’s farmhouse, "Is real, and I’ve always done my best to help ensure that Cooper, Lila, and Nate have everything I didn’t. A carefree childhood filled with love," Natasha explained.

"You’ve done a wonderful job with Clint’s kids, Nat. They love you so much, and I know you’ll be just as amazing with our little one," you said, doing your best to reassure her. “Goodnight, Natasha,” kissing her lips. 

“I hope you're right, detka,” Nat said, kissing your lips in return and laying a hand on your stomach. “Goodnight, malen'kiy (little one).

*^~^*

The following day, you awoke to the sun shining through the window and a soft breeze that caused the curtains to dance gently on the wind. Your back was aching, and you were tired, but you were determined to make it through today. You slipped into the most comfortable maternity outfit you had. Natasha helped you with your shoes, and you both went downstairs to the kitchen. 

“Happy Easter, you two!” Clint said upon seeing you two enter the kitchen. 

You sat down at the kitchen table as Laura placed a plate of eggs and toast in front of you and Nat, along with two glasses of orange juice. The kids were already eating and arguing over who would find the most Easter eggs this afternoon. 

Yelena and Kate walked in a few moments later, clad in bathrobes and their hair disheveled. 

“Against the idea of showering and dressing before breakfast, were you?” Natasha asked.

“Kate Bishop kept me up all night with her snoring, and Lucky and Fanny woke me up by sitting on my face,” Yelena mumbled as she flopped beside you. 

“Hey, that’s how dogs shows affection,” Kate interjected.

“So, I should consider your snoring a Valentine?” Yelena deadpanned. 

After breakfast, the kids ran upstairs to prepare for the Easter egg hunt while Clint got a head start on hiding the eggs. Nathaniel insisted Nat accompany him to help find his Easter basket, but she hesitated to leave you.

“Go ahead, babe. I’m fine.” Motioning for her to follow her namesake. 

“So, how are you really feeling?” Laura asked, now that Nat was no longer in the room. 

You let out a deep sigh, “Tired and sore,” resting your head in your hands. “But this quality time with you all means so much to both of us. I can make it one more day before going on bed rest.”

Laura rubbed her hand softly on your back, “Why don’t you sit in the family room with Kate and Yelena until the fun starts.” 

“Okay, that’s a good idea. Make sure Yelena and Kate haven’t snuck into the Easter candy,” you laughed. 

Laura helped you to your feet and then began to clear the table. As you started to walk, you felt a minor twinging pain in your stomach. You winced but thought nothing of it. With the amount of shifting the baby was doing these days, you had every spasm and cramp in the book. Unfortunately for you, you were in a house full of spies, and Laura picked up your discomfort. She made a mental note to watch you as the day progressed.

*^~^*

"Look, there's one!" Cooper exclaimed, pointing at the leather seat of the tractor in the front yard. He dashed towards it, but Lila beat him by a step. "Ha! Slowpoke," she teased.

From your spot on the porch, you glanced over and saw my wife hoisting Nathaniel onto her shoulders to carefully grab an Easter egg from the crook of an old sycamore tree. 

After about 15 minutes, everyone's baskets were full of eggs. Now came the fun of opening them all. You watched as all three kids dug into their baskets, opening the eggs to find mini Hershey bars, M&M's, jelly beans, or starbursts.

Nathaniel walked over to you and placed an Orange Starburst in your hand. "Here, Aunt Y/N. I know the Orange ones are your favorite."

"Aww, thank you, Nate," you said, kissing his forehead.

As you were about to open the soft toffy candy, a sharp contraction cut through my stomach. “Aaah!” you reached for your stomach as you bent over at the knees. Much stronger than anything you had felt before.

Natasha rushed to your side. “Y/N?! Are you okay? What’s wrong?” Reaching for your hand.

"I don’t know," you grunted.

Natasha's voice quivered with anxiety as she tried to rationalize the situation. "This—this can’t be it. We’re still three weeks out," she said, her mind racing with worry. "Maybe it’s just false labor."

That was the moment when your water broke. "Oh God—" you took a sharp breath as another contraction hit.

"Okay, not false labor," Nat conceded.

"It’s okay, Y/N," Laura reassured you calmly, gently taking your hand. "Most first births are a long labor. But we’re going to get you inside, okay?"

You felt a surge of panic. "What? No, no. I can't have the baby here. I'm not ready. We had a birth plan; I don't have my overnight bag!" you started to ramble, the anxiety rising in your voice.

"You're not boarding a Quinjet now. “I'm going to call Helen,” Clint said as he started to run inside.

"What's wrong with Aunt Y/N?” Nathaniel asked.

"Nothing, sweetheart, but the baby is coming a little bit earlier than we thought," Laura said calmly as she and your wife Nat gently guided you up the steps and into the warm and welcoming embrace of the house.

"Cooper and Lila, please grab a soft, warm blanket and clean towels from the linen closet?" Laura called out to the older children, her voice steady and reassuring.

I'l boil some water and tear up some sheets!" Kate announced frantically.

"This isn't Little House on the Prairie," Yelena quipped. She looked at you and Natasha with a warm yet nervous smile. "I’ll call Mom and Dad.”

"I thought you said this was a long process?" you managed to say between deep breaths, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness.

"Yes, but there's nothing wrong with being prepared, honey," Laura replied with a comforting smile, her hands steady as she and Nat helped you onto the bed.

Natasha gently grasped your hand and locked eyes with you. "Y/N, look at me," she said reassuringly. “You’re okay, and I'm right here with you. Let's take a deep breath together.”

You took a deep breath, trying to follow Natahsa's lead. The air came out shakily as it moved around the sharp pain of the contraction.

"Do you remember your Lamaze breathing?" Nat asked, her voice calm and reassuring.

"I think so," you replied, trying to focus on the breathing technique you had practiced during the prenatal classes.

*^~^*

Contractions came and went over the next few hours. You were thankful that childbirth was part of the first aid classes all SHIELD recruits were required to take. Otherwise, the prospect of giving birth in a farmhouse in the middle of Iowa would have been more terrifying than it already was. 

You heard the front door open and the screen shut behind it as footsteps hurriedly approached the bedroom. When you saw Dr. Cho, you just about burst into tears. 

Helen! Oh, thank goodness," you exclaimed just as another contraction began, your face twisted in agony.

"Y/N," Helen responded, rushing to your side and gently pushing the sweaty strands of hair away from your eyes. "Clint and Laura briefed me. They said that you're handling this wonderfully. Let me take a moment to set up, and then we'll check your dilation progress.”

Okay," you managed to say, catching your breath. "Where's Bruce?"

He's in Kamar-Taj with Wong. Something about ten rings? I'm not entirely sure, but don't worry, both of you," she reassured, meeting your and Natasha’s fatigued and apprehensive gazes. "I have a backup.”

Thor strode into the room, effortlessly carrying a collection of Helen's equipment that seemed as light as a feather in his hands.

"Thor? What are you doing here?" Natasha asked, clearly puzzled.

Thor glanced at your wife, then at you, then at Laura, and then at Helen.

"Hello, everyone," he said shyly. "I was, uh, Helen and I—Dr. Cho. She invited me for Easter, and we were enjoying a nice glass of Asgardian Mead when—"

"When Clint called," Helen finished. "Anyway, he's here to help, right?"

"Of course," Thor replied. "I've never witnessed a human birth before, but I've been present for the births of many Gods and am well-versed in many newborn blessings."

You and Natasha locked eyes, your nervousness quickly replaced with gratitude as you realized the significance of having another close friend by your side during this pivotal moment in your lives.

Natasha expressed her gratitude to Thor, finally breaking the silence. "We're both thankful that you're here," she said, her voice filled with sincerity. 

You nodded in agreement, silently acknowledging the sentiment.

"It's my pleasure, ladies," Thor replied warmly.

“Thor, can you bring the rest of my equipment in from the Quinjet while I check to see how far Y/N is dilated?” Helen asked.

“Sure, and do either of you need anything? He asked.

Some ice chips would be great, you said in a tired voice. “Thank you.”

“Water,” Natasha said.

Shortly after Thor departed, Yelena entered, engaging in small talk as they crossed paths in the hallway. "What's the God of muscles doing here?" she inquired.

"It's a long story," Helen responded.

"I spoke with Melina. She and Alexi are en route and should arrive by morning. At least, I think that's what she said. It was hard to hear her over Alexi's ecstatic screams in the background."

"Okay, Y/N, you've done most of the hard work in my absence. You're just about at 10 centimeters. It’s time to start pushing. You two are going to parents soon," Helen announced with a smile.

“Oh my God,” you said, looking over at Natasha. 

“Hey,” your wife said, running her hand through your hair, “I love you.” 

“I love you too,” you said.

*^~^*

“Push. Push, just a little more! Come on, push for five seconds. 5…4…” Helen counted down.

Gasping for air, you exclaimed, '3-2-1 oh!!' as you fought to catch your breath.

Thor gently wiped away the sweat from your forehead with a cloth.

“You're doing great, Y/N. The next contraction should be coming in about twenty seconds," Helen encouraged, glancing at the monitor. 

“I can’t,” you cried. “I can’t push anymore, I can’t.”

Natasha reassured you, "Yes, you can, Y/N. You're so close," she reached out and firmly took hold of your hand.

“Oh God, twenty seconds, my ass!” You shouted.

Natasha screamed in pain and fell to her knees beside you as you squeezed her hand. “Fuck, detka!”

"Here, Lady Y/N," Thor said, taking her hand in his, "Give my hand a good squeeze; you won't hurt me. And when you reminisce on this moment, you will remember that a God has faith in you. You can do this!" Thor's voice was solid and reassuring, his eyes filled with genuine belief in your strength.

Your eyes shone with tears as you held Thor's hand tightly, feeling the strength in his grip while Natasha enveloped you, her arm supporting your back.

I can see the baby's head. Are you ready to push one more time, honey?” Helen asked, “Here we go, on three: 1... 2... 3!”

You let out a final scream and then collapsed back onto the pillows, trying to catch your breath. As the room fell silent, the innocent cries of your and Natasha’s baby filled the air.

"It's a boy!" Helen exclaimed with joy.

Tears welled up in your eyes as you looked at Natasha, who was also crying. It was more emotion than you had ever seen Natasha show before.

Helen held up your son for both of you to admire. His little head was adorned with the beginnings of red hair. 

"He's absolutely perfect," Nat exclaimed with a radiant smile as she affectionately kissed your temple.

Thor carefully cut the umbilical cord, and then Helen gently passed the newborn over to Laura, who began to clean him up. 

Overwhelmed with emotion, you exclaimed, "He's so tiny! Where'd he go?"

Natasha reassured you, "It's okay. They're just wrapping him up," as she wiped away her tears. Concerned for the baby's well-being, you cautioned, "Okay, well, be careful with him. He's really tiny!”

Moments later, Laura tenderly announced, "Here he is," and placed your precious son on your bare chest, swathed in a soft blanket.

"Hi, baby boy," you whispered, tears streaming down your cheeks. "I know you."

As your voice reached his ears, his little Y/E/C irises opened, revealing a world of innocence and wonder.

At that moment, gazing at your son, you experienced a love so profound it felt as though your heart had been laid bare.

Natasha tenderly kissed his head and softly murmured, “Dobro pozhalovat' v mir, moy malen'kiy mal'chik.” (Welcome to the world, my little boy).

We’ll give you a few minutes," Helen said with a reassuring smile as she closed the door behind her. In the serene stillness that followed, the only sound was the gentle cooing of your precious newborn son.

“I can't believe he's finally here,” you said.

"I know. He’s so beautiful," Natasha said, her gaze fixed on the newborn.

"It looks like he’s going to take after his Mama," you chuckled, running your hand over the delicate red hairs sprouting from his scalp.

"Yes, but look at his eyes—sparkling Y/E/C like yours. Wow," Nat said.

You remarked, "I guess this narrows the names down, then."

Nat sighed in relief, "Thank goodness I don't have to explain to my sister why we didn't choose Yelena."

Looking into your wife's eyes, you asked, "So what do you think?"

*^~^*

A short while later, a gentle knock on the door signaled Helen's arrival as she peeked inside. "Hey, you three. I need to conduct a few routine tests, and there are some eager people outside who can't wait to meet your son."

"Please, come on in, everyone," you welcomed them.

You couldn't hold back the tears as you witnessed the heartfelt expressions on their faces as they laid eyes on your baby boy. It was as if he instantly captivated them, just as you were when you first saw him.

"Oh, my goodness," Laura exclaimed as Clint enveloped Natasha tightly. Tears glistened in his eyes as he held his best friend close.

"He's beautiful, Natasha," Yelena said, her eyes brimming with tears. "Privet, malen'kiy plemyannik," she whispered (hello, my little nephew).

"He's so cute, Y/N! Oh my gosh," Kate exclaimed as your son wrapped his tiny hand around your finger.

"He is lovely," Thor added, his voice filled with warmth. "Strong and brave, like his mothers."

Cooper, Lila, and Nathaniel gathered around you, admiring the newborn in your arms.

"Everyone," Natasha began, her hand resting lovingly on your back. "We have someone special we'd like you to meet.”

“This is Nikolai Odison Romanoff," you announced with a proud smile.

"Nikolai! What a beautiful first name," Clint exclaimed, wiping his eyes. "It suits him perfectly."

"Oh, my, Odison," Thor said wide-eyed. "Ladies, this is an honor fit for someone else. I wasn't even supposed to be here, I—" 

"But you were, Thor. You were here when I needed someone the most," you said, looking at him with gratitude. "We'll never forget what you did for us."

The God of Thunder exhaled, visibly touched by your kind words. "I'm truly honored, Y/N. Thank you," he said, kissing your cheek.

Excuse me, ladies," Helen said, "May I borrow him for a moment? We'll be right back.”

Nikolai began to cry at the loss of contact with you, and the sound tugged at both your and Natasha's heartstrings. "It's okay, little one. It's okay," Helen soothed him. 

Then, looking up at your wife, you added, "There is something else we wanted to ask. 

“Clint and Laura, we would be honored if you would be Nikolai’s godparents,” Natasha said.

“Of course!” Clint declared.

“Nothing would make us happier,” Laura added.”

The couple hugged you both in appreciation as Helen returned with Nikolai. 

“You have a healthy little boy on your hands! Born March 31st, 2024 at 7:23pm. He weighs five pounds and eight ounces and measures 16.5 inches long," she said as she gently placed your son in Natasha’s arms. "He's a bit small, but that is because he was impatient and arrived a bit early," Helen explained with a warm smile. "Nothing to worry about.”

Natasha cradled the baby in her arms, swaying gently back and forth as a soft yawn slipped from his tiny lips.

“We’ll spend the night here, but I want to bring Mom and Nikolai back to the compound tomorrow. I want to perform a thorough examination in my lab before sending you all home.” Helen explained.

"Of course, whatever you think is best," you agreed.

Natasha nodded in approval before a sudden realization struck her. "Oh, Mom and Dad! They're on their way here."

"They can join us if you'd like," Helen suggested.

"That would be great," you said. "Right, Nat?"

"Yeah, great," Natasha said, her mind racing as she tried to imagine the chaos of the Quinjet flight home with Alexi and Melina.

Yelena couldn't help but burst into laughter, fully aware of what her sister was thinking, until Kate elbowed her in the ribs.

"We'll leave you all to get some rest," Helen said. "I'll be outside if you need anything, and I'll be back in a little while to help you with breastfeeding him.”

"Thank you, Helen, and all of you, for everything," you said, feeling the exhaustion and emotions of the day overwhelming you as tears began to fall.

After exchanging warm embraces, everyone exited the room, leaving you and Natasha in peaceful solitude with your precious newborn son, savoring the tender moment.

Natasha gently settled Nikolai in Nathaniel's bassinet, a family heirloom lovingly retrieved from storage by Clint and Laura. As your little one drifted into a peaceful slumber, you both couldn't help but marvel at the miracle of life, watching his tiny chest rise and fall with each breath. It was a moment you never wanted to forget.

“Rest, detka. I'll take care of Nikolai," Nat offered, her voice filled with warmth and reassurance.

"I can stay up; it's fine. You should rest," you insisted, determined to take responsibility.

"Y/N, you've just brought new life into the world. You deserve to rest for the rest of your life," Nat chuckled, her eyes filled with affection and concern.

She settled beside you on the bed and enveloped you in a comforting embrace.

"Look at your face," Nat suddenly remarked, her expression softening with genuine admiration.

"I must look a mess," you replied, a tired smile tugging at your lips.

"No, Y/N, you look absolutely beautiful," Nat insisted, her words filled with sincerity. "I've never seen your face more radiant than it is right now.

Natasha's soft lips met yours in a tender kiss, and in that moment, you felt the truth of her words resonate deep within you.

*^~^*

The following day, Laura prepared a delicious breakfast and brought it to you and Natasha in bed. Both of you had barely gotten any sleep with Nikolai waking up every couple of hours. Despite feeling utterly exhausted, you didn't mind one bit. This weariness stemmed from the joy of caring for your precious newborn son on his very first night.

Twenty minutes later, the tranquil moment was interrupted by familiar voices outside. Natasha gently pulled the curtain back to glimpse her parents making their way up the front porch steps.

Yelena strode into the room with her arms folded and a mischievous smile on her lips. "Brace yourselves," she teased, "The grandparents have arrived.”

"Where's my little guy?" Alexi eagerly shouted as he entered the room.

"Shh!" Natasha hushed him with a grin, motioning to Nikolai nestled in her arms. "Oh, look at him!" Alexi whispered in awe. 

"Mom, Dad, this is Nikolai,” Nat said, wiping a tear from her eye.

"He's beautiful, Natalia," Melina murmured.

"May I hold him? I washed my hands," Alexi asked eagerly.

"Of course," you replied, carefully passing the baby to Alexi. The sight of the mighty Red Guardian tenderly cradling your newborn son made you smile.

"Hello, Nikolai. I'm your dedushka," Alexi said affectionately. "You're so adorable; yes, you are."

As he spoke, Nikolai slowly opened his eyes, and you could have sworn you saw your father-in-law's heart swell with love. 

Alexi gently placed the baby in Melina’s arms. Your mother-in-law had always been a complex and enigmatic figure. She was one of the longest-tenured widows, and her resilience made her one of the strongest women in your eyes. As she cradled your newborn son in her arms, a single tear traced its way down her cheek, revealing a depth of emotion and vulnerability that you had never seen before.

Yelena inched toward you and whispered, “He won them over faster than you did.” 

*^~^*

The next morning, Thor joined in to assist with packing while Clint hurried to the store to purchase an infant car seat for Nikolai. You were a family of two when you arrived, and you were leaving a family of three.

After a swift diaper change, Natasha placed your precious bundle of joy in his carrier. "Time to head home, Nik," you said, taking his tiny hand in yours. 

You bid farewell to everyone and securely placed Nikolai's carrier beside you on the Quinjet.

Nat smiled as she prepared the Quinjet for takeoff. Your first Quinjet ride," she said. "You're already an overachiever, moy sladkiy mal'chik" (my sweet little boy).

Your phone suddenly vibrates with a flurry of notifications.

"The team group chat is blowing up, sweetheart," showing Natasha your phone.

Nick Fury: Congratulations on the arrival of your precious son, Nikolai! It's heartwarming to see the Avengers family welcoming the newest member. Everyone at SHIELD looks forward to meeting him and supporting you and Natasha.

Steve Rogers: Hey, Y/N and Nat, huge congratulations! I'm so excited to meet Nikolai, the newest addition to our Avenger family. 🎖️

Wanda Maximoff: Congratulations to you both! All those cliches, those things you hear about having a baby and motherhood—all of them are true. Motherhood is the most beautiful things you will ever experience. I’ll drop off some food for you both in the morning. 🥰

Clint Barton: Hey, Y/N! Make sure Nikolai is securely fastened in his infant carrier. I hope he sleeps the whole way back. If he gets fussy, ask FRIDAY to turn on the cabin pressure stabilization. It's a feature I insisted Stark add to the Quinjet after SHIELD found out I had kids. You're welcome. 😏

Laura Barton: I know things didn't go as planned, but I'm grateful we could share in your special day, Y/N. Nikolai is absolutely beautiful! Please let Nat know that I'll give her a call tomorrow. 😊

Tony Stark: Rushman! Y/L/N! Congratulations on the arrival of your precious son. Nikolai will bring you endless joy and fulfillment and become your favorite reason to lose sleep for the rest of your lives. 😉

Pepper Stark: Congratulations, you two! I'm so happy for you and Nat. I can only imagine how incredible it must feel to look into Nikolai's eyes and feel like everything is right in the world. Please don't hesitate to reach out if there's anything I can do to help. Sending lots of love! ❤️

Bruce Banner: I'm truly sorry I couldn't be there; I’m thrilled for you and Natasha. I can't wait to meet Nikolai! 💚

Maria Hill: Congratulations, Y/N and Nat, on the arrival of baby Nikolai Odison! I can't wait to meet the little bundle of joy and see those tiny fingers and toes. The name Nikolai Odison Romanoff is absolutely beautiful. I spoke with Thor this morning, and the honor deeply moved him. 🥹

Thor Odinson: I am incredibly grateful to have been present for the birth of your son, Nikolai Odison Romanoff. Your decision to include me in this momentous occasion is a great honor, and I want to assure you that I will always be there to support and care for all of you. The arrival of Nikolai is a joyous event, and I am committed to being a steadfast presence in his life. ⚡

Peter Parker: Y/N! Congratulations on the arrival of Nikolai! I'm so thrilled for you and Nat. What does he look like? Does he have your hair or Natasha’s? What color are his eyes? I'm already thinking about all the adventures we'll have with him. I'm going to text Nat right now. I can't wait to meet him! 💙

Yelena Belova: Give my little nephew a kiss and hug from me. Also, heads up - Mom and Dad are considering staying with you for eight weeks to help care for Nikolai. Happy Parenting! 😂

Kate Bishop: Yelena is sitting next to me, and she can't stop laughing, so I'm going to assume that everything is going well. Please give Nikolai a kiss and hug from me! 🩵

*^~^*

You and Natasha stood together at the front of the Quinjet, the hum of the engines surrounding you as the aircraft soared safely through the sky. 

“Nikolai is sound asleep. I don't think your parents have taken their eyes off our son since they got here,” turning around to see Melina and Alexi lovingly admiring their grandson. 

Nat lovingly reached for your hand. “Our son,” she repeated with a big smile.

Nat took her place in the pilot's seat and turned off the autopilot as you settled in beside her.

"Come on, Y/N. Let’s go home.”

[luvrloki]

father daughter duos that will make me cry uncontrollably and be the only thing i think about for the rest of my life? sign me up!!!!

[chaxan08]

Clint: We decided that, God forbid, if anything happens to us, we would like Nat to be Nate’s godmother

Natasha: That’s great news, Nate! If something terrible happens, you’ll be all mine!

Laura: IIt really is an 'if' situation-

Natasha, already holding baby Nate: All mine!

[incorrectquotesmcu]

Clint: For the record, I am very comfortable seeing men with other men… yeah, that didn’t come out right.

Clint: I have been very, very supportive of the LGBTQ community.

Laura: Clint—

Clint, worried: Did I leave out a letter??

[kneecapsbelong2me]

Kate Bishop x Reader HC:

Your OG Avenger parents find out you’re dating Kate

Pairings: Kate Bishop x Reader (romantic); Thor, Bruce Banner, Steve Rogers and/x Bucky Barnes, Tony Stark x Pepper Potts, Clint Barton x Linda Barton, and Natasha Romanoff x Maria Hill x Reader (familial) (No pronouns used)

Content Warnings: Kate being in a medically induced coma (Natasha’s HC only)

———————————————————————

Thor

Thor talks with you about your romantic life

It’s not an awkward thing, it’s just how your relationship has always been

You don’t talk about your courtships often, but if you don’t mention anyone to him for a couple months, he’ll ask about it

So as soon as Kate gives you her blessing, you tell your dad

You’re having your weekly dinner together when you tell him.

“Father, I’m dating someone new.”

“Wonderful!” Thor claps a hand on your back. “Woman? Man? Somewhere in between?”

“A woman. Kate Bishop.”

Your dad smiles. “The little hawk! Good, I like her. Bring her to dinner sometime so we can get more closely acquainted. I can tell her stories of your childhood.”

“Father!” Your protest falls on deaf ears as he keeps talking

“Yes, she will know all about how mighty you were, even as a little one. I can even show her the pictures—“

“Dad!”

Bruce Banner

Bruce knows you’re hiding something from him

But you don’t appear to be in any danger, so he doesn’t bring it up with you

You’ll tell him whatever it is when you’re ready

You know your dad knows that you’re hiding something

You also know he doesn’t know what you’re hiding

He’s never been the best at talking about feelings—his or yours

Especially romantic ones

When he gave you “the talk” he was more embarrassed about it than you, even though he kept reassuring you that everything your body felt and did was normal

He couldn’t make eye contact with you for a week after that

But his awkwardness isn’t the reason you haven’t told him your secret

You just don’t want to say anything until you’re sure your relationship is at least a semi-long-term thing

“Hey, dad?”

“Hm?” Bruce looks up from tinkering on his latest project

“I have to tell you something,” you fidget a little

“Sure,” he gestures to a free stool, “is everything okay?”

You suck in a deep breath. “Everything is great, actually. I, uh,”

Your dad looks at you expectantly. His calm demeanor is simultaneously soothing and nerve-wracking

“So, I’ve been seeing someone. A girl, specifically. One you know, actually. And we’re officially together - as in, she’s my girlfriend - so I thought I should tell you…and yeah,” you finish your rambling, breathless and with warm cheeks

“That’s great,” he smiles, “do I get to know which girl?”

Oh. In your rush to tell him, you’d completely neglected to mention the fact that you’re dating

“Kate Bishop.”

“Oh. Wow,” your dad’s face has gone from happy to surprised, and you feel your anxiety start to creep up again. He sees the look on your face and immediately stammers, “no no no, I’m happy for you, kid. I just didn’t realize she was your type. I mean, I didn’t really have any idea about what your type was before this, and I’m glad Kate is…I’m glad she makes you happy. She does make you happy, right?”

You definitely got your rambling from your dad. You smile, “she makes me really happy.”

“Well good,” Bruce wrings his hands together, “you deserve to be happy. And if she ever stops making you happy you tell me, okay?”

“Okay, dad.” It’s cute when he gets protective over you.

“I love you,” he stands and wraps an arm around you

“I love you too.”

Steve Rogers (and/x Bucky Barnes)

You and your dad have a tradition of watching movies together whenever you both have a free Friday night

Usually, your Uncle Bucky joins you, and when your dad is on a mission you occasionally watch with your uncle instead

But there are times when all three of you are busy, so you’re pretty sure you’re safe when you cancel occasionally to hang out with “friends”

AKA your girlfriend, Kate Bishop

(But sometimes your friends too)

It’s a Friday night, and Steve and Bucky are both on missions

You miss them, you don’t have anything else to do, and it’s been a while since your last movie night

So you decide to have Kate over instead

You end up with Kate cuddled into your side with your arm wrapped around her, both of you yawning even though you’re only halfway through the movie

Kate kisses your cheek lazily, “what if I just…” she begins lowering herself onto your lap, “close my eyes for a second? Not to sleep, just to rest.”

You laugh and card your fingers through her hair. She sighs contentedly, and soon you’re both dozing on the couch

Before you know it, someone is gently shaking your shoulder

“Whuh?” You startle awake and see Bucky staring down at you. Kate shifts, still asleep

“Hey kid.” He ruffles your hair

All the drowsiness instantly leaves your body as excitement takes over. Your dad and uncle weren’t supposed to be home for another few days

“Uncle Bucky!”

This finally wakes Kate, who rubs her eyes blearily, “Babe, wha—?” She stops mid-question when her eyes land on Bucky, “I-I mean…Bucky! Hi! Wasn’t expecting to see you here.”

“Nice save, Bishop,” Bucky smirks

Kate sits up and buries her face in the crook of your neck, groaning softly. “Sorry, babe”

You and Bucky stare at each other, daring the other to break the silence as you rub slow circles on Kate’s back

“So,” Bucky finally breaks, more for your benefit than anything else, “you and Bishop?”

This makes your face heat up. “Don’t tell dad. Please?” You beg. You’ve never brought anyone home before, and this is not the introduction you want

“Don’t tell me what?” Your dad picks that moment to walk in. Kate leans back from you to an approximately platonic distance

The look your uncle gives you says he’s not going to tell your dad, but you probably should

“I, uh, so the thing is—“

“We’re dating,” Kate blurts out, unable to resist Steve’s Captain America stare

Your dad looks at you, dumbfounded. “Oh,” he finally gets out

“Dad?”

“Well, I, for one, am happy for you two,” Bucky claps a hand on your shoulder

“As long as Hawkeye Junior doesn’t break your heart,” Steve levels Kate with an intense look and the latter aggressively shakes her head. He smiles, “and she has good taste in movies.”

relief floods you, even though Kate is a stuttering mess

“Yes, sir. I promise I have excellent taste in movies, Captain Rogers, sir.”

“Good,” Steve moves to sit on the couch and wraps an arm around you, the other beckoning to Bucky. “So, what are we watching?”

Tony Stark and Pepper Potts

Growing up, you’d see Kate at various functions

Your families ran in similar circles

You didn’t really get to know each other until high school, when you went to the same boarding school

The two of you quickly became best friends, but it took years for the two of you to realize your feelings weren’t just friendly

You agree not to tell your parents about your relationship because you don’t want things to get messy

But Kate is still your unofficial, official date to your dad’s annual New Year’s Eve party

At 11:59, the two of you sneak away from the party to your dad’s office and step out on the balcony as the countdown to midnight begins

You kiss her exactly at midnight, and you might…get carried away

You’re so wrapped up in each other that you don’t notice your dad and your step-mom open the door behind you

“Kid!” Tony is shocked to see you like this. “and Miss Bishop. What a surprise.” He doesn’t sound surprised at all to see Kate here

You and Kate jump back from each other at the intrusion, and your cheeks begin to heat up

“Dad! Mo—Pepper! What are you doing here?”

Your dad raises his eyebrows, “what am I doing? In my office?”

You have enough self-respect left to look decently sheepish. You’re waiting for Tony to chew you out when Pepper turns to him and smirks

“You owe me 50 bucks.”

Tony groans. “Thanks a lot, kid.”

“Wait, you were betting on me and Kate? How did you even know I liked her?”

Pepper turns her smirk to you, “we raised you, honey. We know you better than you think.”

“We’ll leave you two alone now,” Tony opens the door. “Just make sure to use protection,” he calls as he steps inside, Pepper following close behind

You bury your face in Kate’s chest and groan, “Daaaaad, gross!”

“Well, that went better than expected.” Kate’s shaking, and it’s not immediately obvious if it’s from fear or laughter.

You get your answer when you pull back and find her eyes gleaming. She kisses you again, a little more passionately

“Now, where were we?”

Clint and Linda Barton

You originally met Kate at a college archery tournament, and the two of you became fast friends, and then something more

She practically worships your dad, but you don’t tell her who he is to you

You use your mom’s maiden name in public for safety reasons, and you want Kate to like you for you, not because of your dad

After talking and going on dates for months, you finally asked Kate to be your girlfriend during Thanksgiving

It’s too soon to meet each other’s families, so you don’t invite her over for Christmas

So imagine your surprise when your dad walks in after being delayed in the city with your girlfriend and a golden retriever in tow

You stare, slack-jawed, unable to hide your surprise, Kate’s face a mirror of your own

“…and this is my eldest—“

Your name tumbles from Kate’s lips before she can stop herself

“You two know each other?” The look your mom is giving you tells you the gears are already turning in her mind. You haven’t told her you have a girlfriend, but she’s always known you so well

Kate’s eyes go wide in panic, “we know each other from archery!” She looks at you accusingly, and you know you’re in trouble, “I didn’t know Hawkeye was your dad.”

“How well do you know each other?” your dad is making weird eye contact with your mom, a clear sign they’re having a silent conversation. Your parents turn to look at you

Lila rolls her eyes. She’s the only person in your family who knows about you and Kate. Little sister privileges. “Guys, just ask the question you actually want to.”

“Is Kate your girlfriend?” Nate asks, saving your parents the trouble. Damn, the kid’s perceptive

You pick him up and look at Kate, silently asking if she’s okay with this. She nods. You turn to Nate and say, “She is, bud.”

“Well, I guess you two shouldn’t stay in the same room,” Clint says, “and Kate and I are going to go out into the woods and have a talk about what’s going to happen if she hurts you.”

“Dad, I’m an adult. I’m old enough to share a room with my girlfriend responsibly.” You don’t even try to argue with him about giving Kate the shovel talk. He’s done it to every partner his kids have brought home

“Bring the poor girl back in one piece, Clint,” your mom winks at Kate, who smiles nervously. Laura’s gaze hardens

“I want to have a chat with her as well.”

Natasha Romanoff and Maria Hill

Your moms are extremely protective of you

This extends to your personal life

They run thorough background checks on all of your friends and their families

You know they will be even worse if you bring someone home

They’ve interrogated hundreds of people, and they know all about psychological torture

So…yeah, you haven’t told them you’re dating Kate Bishop

It’s hard keeping it from them, especially because they’re spies and you and Kate are both Avengers

But you’ve been incredibly careful

Whenever you’re in public, the two of you are just a pair of platonic bffs

But then Kate gets hurt on a mission

As soon as she’s brought to the Compound you’re by her side and you refuse to leave

They keep her sedated, but you still talk to her

“Hey, Katie.” You hold her hand and talk about anything and everything

Your moms walk in when you’re talking to her

“—and for our anniversary I was thinking we should recreate our first date,”

“Hi baby,” Natasha’s words startle you out of your rambling

“Mama! How much of that did you hear?”

“Enough to know you’ve been hiding your relationship from us,” Maria crosses her arms and raises an eyebrow

You gulp. “I wasn’t hiding it from you, I just didn’t say anything.”

Maria sighs. “We’ll talk about this later. How’s she doing?” She asks, gesturing towards Kate

“Stable. Her vitals are strong, and she’s starting to wake up on her own”

Maria puts a hand on your shoulder and looks directly into your eyes. “And how are you doing, kiddo?”

“I’m scared, Mom. I’m trying to be brave for her but it’s hard.”

“Oh, baby.” Your moms wrap you in a hug.

“We know how hard it is to see someone you care about like this,” Natasha says. Maria nods,

“We’re here for you, whatever you need.”

“Are you mad that I never told you about me and Kate?” You ask in a small voice

Natasha shakes her head. “Baby, no. We’re not mad. We feel bad you didn’t feel comfortable telling us sooner.”

“But we do want to talk to Kate once she feels better.”

“Mooooom, please don’t threaten my girlfriend.”

“We won’t threaten her, we’re just going to make sure she has good intentions and let her know what will happen if she breaks your heart.”

“Mama!”