Natasha was in peak physical condition, a fact that she took pride in considering the typical rigors of her chosen lifestyle and current life choices associated with it. Even with her training, she was having difficulty, Perhaps she was used to a different climate. Or, perhaps it had been far too long since she was running in a casual sense that she had forgotten how much effort it took to both keep a good pace and maintain a conversation with Steve while not holding him back. Truth to be told if she needed to she was certain she could keep up with whatever speed he wanted to run at, though not having to was a nice blessing in light of all the hiding she had been doing since they last parted ways. There was a lot she wasn’t sure he knew regarding the aftermath of their last meeting. She knew it wouldn’t matter, that Steve Rogers wouldn’t judge too harshly. Natasha was consistently amazed by the understanding he displayed.
Natasha stopped when Steve did and followed his gaze to survey the surrounding hotels and the water surrounding them. She took a sip from her water bottle as she drank in the sights and allowed herself to experience a rare moment to pure calmness. There was something that seemed magical about being here with someone she trusted as much as she did Steve, and to a degree James (even if the latter didn’t fully remember her).
The comment came out of left field, she thought, but offered him an almost fond smile as she swallowed her sip and cleared her throat. “You’re not an old man, Steve, you’re a fossil. An incredibly well-preserved one,” she smirked, giving a nod. “That’s why you’re allowed to say such things and I’ll believe you.”