and i'll tell you all about it when i see you again WHO: Natasha and Steve (MCU) WHAT: These poor broken toy soldiers and spies WHEN: Tuesday morning (super early) WHERE: Natasha's room at Clint's farm WARNINGS:Trigger warnings: mentions of PTSD, possible mentions of torture/brainwashing, forced sterilization
Getting a good night’s sleep was, really, one of the best things he could have done. It felt like it’d been too long since he had slept so well, even though he knew it’d only been a week at most. Regardless, he couldn’t deny it’d been nice to wake up and not feel exhausted. The sun hadn’t been out for more than a few minutes when he began to stir. Once he’d disentangled himself from the blanket, he carefully manoeuvred away from the still-sleeping man in the bed -- something that he felt maybe deserved a bit of thought later, when they weren’t worried a homicidal robot that Tony and Bruce had built. For now, Steve wasn’t going to think too hard about it. Of course nothing had actually happened between him and Tony last night, but most friends don’t go from casual small-talk to falling asleep while spooning.
Steve pushed the thought away, determined to focus on making a pot of coffee for everyone before he’d set about gathering his things and keep his hands busy. Anything, really, to distract him from his actual worries. Hearing the reports of protesters outside the Tower did nothing to improve anyone’s mood; he and Banner weren’t best friends, but he’d never have wanted to see him in this situation.
And then there was the conversation he had with James. Hearing that you wound up dead in an alternate universe at the hands of an enemy who suddenly appeared in your own was a little unsettling, but he’d meant it when he promised James he wouldn’t go down easy. It was difficult to understand how, but despite the boy being from a completely different world, Steve had come to view himself as if he was actually James’s father. He had no intention of abandoning James, through death or otherwise. Still, he couldn’t say it didn’t make him pause and consider that Ultron seemed especially spiteful toward Tony, and suddenly he wasn’t too worried about his own fate as much.
For now, though, he’d look over what information they’d managed to obtain and wait for everyone else to wake up and get moving. On his way back to his bedroom, however, he paused at the sight of Natasha’s door being slightly open. He could’ve sworn it’d been closed earlier when he first passed by it, and though he considered simply ignoring it and moving along, he chose to approach it. Gently pushing it open, he caught sight of a seemingly wide-awake Natasha, and stepped inside after giving a couple soft knocks on the door with his knuckles to announce his appearance.
“Good morning,” he said, keeping his voice low. He paused, his gaze lingering on her face as he considered the expression she’d had on the quinjet. Steve had worked with Natasha long enough to know what she looked like when she was frightened, and he couldn’t claim it was a sight he was eager to see again. His lips thinned slightly as he stepped further into the room, slowly shutting the door behind him.