She was really, really, tired.

Natasha, the Black Widow, Avenger, master assassin and spy-extraordinaire, can't keep her eyes open anymore.

The mission was simple enough. Scout the area, count the number of hostiles, set up the traps, and come back immediately to their temporary base. She'd done this a hundred times over, so often that the steps were routine and were as familiar as breathing. She gathers the files she managed to swipe while stealthily trying to get out of the dilapidated building.

Honestly, with all the money these guys pour into weapons, you'd think they would also spend on their hideouts.

It was just a twenty-feet dash through an unsupervised spare lot and out of the barbed, thin-wires, but Natasha was winded when she managed to pass through. "I'm out," she declared to her earpiece, knowing Clint and Tony would start the second phase of their mission. She got the easiest part of it, maybe because her skillset is needed with the more delicate parts of their mission. Perhaps except for Clint and Bucky, all of them could use a lesson or two on espionage.

"We got 20 hostiles, northeastern corner. They're carrying light to medium firepower. No advanced weaponry. Managed to snag a few files from their control room, (or what passes for their control room), but other than that, I don't think this is where they are keeping their big guns, Stark," Natasha swatted at a few cobwebs that managed to cling to her hair, "another bust. I think they're just a minor outpost. Nothing special."

There was a beat of silence before her comms responded, "That's fine, Nat. Get on the Quinjet, and we'll take a look at what you got," Steve said.

A shiver went down her spine at the sound of his voice. Earlier this morning, that same voice was coaxing her to come around his cock. Who knew Captain America has such a talent for talking dirty?

God, she can't get enough of him. Any free time that they had, it was either spent at his rooms in the new Avengers HQ or her apartment downtown. She thinks that maybe Steve has made it his personal mission to defile every available surface that they happen to be on long enough. He has come a long way since their first night together, and what he lacked for experience, he more than made up for it in his eagerness to please her. Natasha won't ever admit it out loud, but damn, that was a powerful aphrodisiac.

She started down the little hill towards the Quinjet that was parked in the open with Stark's latest cloaking technology, effectively rendering it invisible to anyone who would pass by. The only proof that there was something in the small clearing is the flattened areas of grass that are directly under the Quinjet. It was very effective, even for her specially trained eyes.

Maybe it was because she was perpetually tired these days, or that she was confident that everything is over and done with, that she didn't hear the bullet whizzing until it was too late.

She tucked and rolled, getting behind a tree and collecting herself again. Get it together, Romanoff. "I got a bogey, could be a sniper," she hurriedly told the rest. She looked around her for some type of shelter against potential bullets but just found grass and the occasional rock that was too small to hide behind.

"Nat, what happened?" Steve's voice crackled at her earpiece.

"I'm pinned," and not the good kind of pinned, "there's no cover from my point to the Quinjet. Damn it, Stark, could you take them out?"

"Don't move Red, I'll deal with them!" Tony answered her.

A whoosh of red and gold streaked by the other end of the clearing and towards the old building she just came from. She could hear the shouts and some ineffective gunfire, but she was still pinned. She felt the world around her go fuzzy and mute, almost as if beckoning her to rest against the dry tree trunk.

"-come on. Nat?" This time, it was Clint that was calling her. "Tony's distracting the guards. Can you try to dash your way here?"

Natasha stood up – whoa – and secured the files in her arms. "I'm coming in," she told Clint, but she had not taken a few steps before another barrage of bullets almost clipped her in the leg.

She made to turn back to the tree, but strong arms circled her torso and lifted her up. The sound of bullets striking Steve shield rang out, but it was more subdued with the vibranium absorbing the shockwaves. "Need help?" Steve asked her.

"I have this, thank you very much," she gritted under her breath.

"Sure you do," Steve's humored her.

You're such a little shit, Rogers.

The bullets stopped for a moment, and the break was more than enough. Together, they sprinted back to the Quinjet and got up to the ramp with no problems.

"Stark, they're here. Fall back," Clint said.

"Falling back," Ironman parroted back.

"Are you okay, Tash? You look a little breathless," Steve asked her, kneeling under her. "Hey, look at me," he took her chin and lifted her face up. Blue eyes the color of the ocean filled her gaze.

"I'm fine, just tired," Nat managed a small smile at him, "and you really should step back because you know Tony would give you hell if he finally discovers you're dating me. Can hear his voice teasing you to the 1940s and back now."

Steve chuckled, "Yeah, well, I think he'd be terrified of you to tease me all that much. 'Sides, you won't let him make fun of me, right?"

"Oh, no. In this case, Tony and I agree," she sat down the bench on the side of the Quinjet.

"Traitor," Steve kissed her forehead before strapping himself beside Natasha. Just then, Ironman's repulsors came into view.

"I could've just picked Red up, y'know. Rather than sending me to be shot at," Tony jokingly told Steve.

"Well, where's the fun in that," Natasha smiled at Tony, "Thanks, though."

"Anything for you, Red," Tony quipped and went to the cockpit to start the Quinjet with Clint.

Natasha yawned. Her eyelids were drooping, and all she could think about is her bed back at the compound, after a looong hot shower, and maybe a certain supersoldier joining in –

"Are you sure you're okay?" Steve's voice permeated her foggy thoughts.

"Yeah, no problem. Just tired. I might doze off, just for five minutes," she murmured.

A clink of a seatbelt and some shuffling later, she found herself prone with her head on Steve's lap. "Sleep, Nat. I'll be here when you wake up," Steve told her gently, brushing her hair away from her face. "Sappy, Rogers," she mumbled, "Just five minutes."

"Okay, just five minutes," Steve agreed, but when he looked down, Nat was already out like a light.

The Quinjet landed on the tarmac in the new Avengers HQ, but Natasha still hasn't woken up on her own yet. Steve didn't bother to wake her up after "five minutes" because when five minutes came and went, she was still snoring.

Clint and Tony both giggled, hearing Natasha snore, which was a little mean. Usually, Steve would admonish them for that, but it was truly adorable. It wasn't the first time he heard Nat snore, but whenever she did, it was usually a sign that she was utterly exhausted. He warned them using his Captain America voice that they should never tell Natasha they knew she was snoring.

The first time he heard Nat snore, it had been after a particularly grueling mission in Kandahar. They had to chase and confront arms dealers intent on creating their own version of Ultron (Gosh, people really don't learn).

Of course, as they suspected, HYDRA was behind the funding and the acquisition of resources. Clint and Sam had accompanied them, but they splintered off to confuse their followers. As they spent the night in a small, ramshackle house that Natasha broke into, Natasha slept so deeply that she snores. Steve took the first watch, so he heard it. It was a completely adorable sound, and he thinks (correctly) that Natasha might kill him if he ever brought it up.

Coming back to the present, Steve gently nudged her awake. "Nat, we're here," he said. "We just landed at HQ." Clint and Tony deplaned immediately, with the latter babbling on about some experimental arrows that he developed and is now ready for testing.

"Five more minutes, please." Nat groggily answered him.

"Do you want me to carry you to your room?" Steve asked her. He knew she would typically don't like that, but looking at her now, she looked like she might fall over. And she was still lying down.

Hearing that, Natasha slowly blinked awake and slowly sat-up. She yawned rather impressively, and Steve tried to recall whatever that was keeping her up and tired. Aside from the usual training they usually do, there wasn't a deviation in physical activity that they were doing. Well, recently, they might have been a tad more engaged in bedroom activities, but that couldn't be it, right?

"I want five more minutes," she grumpily told Steve. He smiled at her, completely enraptured with this grumpy being in front of him. "You can have your five minutes of rest in a proper bed, how does that sound?" he gently took her arm and lifted her so she can lean on his frame.

"Tiring. Can I sleep in your arms?"

"Darling, you've always been sleeping in my arms," Steve kissed her hair. "But, we need a shower first to get rid of all the cobwebs and dirt in your hair."

A weak swat hit his chest. "You're mean, Rogers. You don't say things like that if you want to get laid," Natasha told him. As they were walking across the tarmac, the cold night air seemed to invigorate her. "You also need a shower, lover-boy. Maybe we can do our part and save some water, shower together?" Her eyebrows waggled teasingly at him.

Steve threw his head back and laughed. "Hmmm, my virtue is never safe whenever I'm around you, Romanoff," he curled his arms around her, "but I like it," and gave her a long, passionate kiss.

The moment Steve's lips were on hers, it was like a jolt of electricity coursing through her. Her earlier lethargy instantaneously disappeared and replaced with a burning ache that only Steve could fulfill. She curled her fingers in Steve's hair and pressed insistently against him. He hissed at the sensation and pulled back. "Yours or mine?" he rasped.

"Hmmm, yours. But we need that shower first."

The next morning, Steve woke up and stretched like a cat. Last night had been fantastic, more so than the others. His eyes traced Natasha's sleeping face, marveling at the way the light and shadows played on her skin.

"Nat? Wanna go on a morning run with me?" Steve asked. Nat usually accompanies him when he goes running, and he thinks today is no exception.

"Five minutes," a grumbled voice sounded out. "Okay," Steve looked at her a moment and reached for his sketchpad beside the bed. He started sketching out Nat's silhouette, inspired by the soft pre-dawn light and her. Around five minutes later, he tried waking her up again. "Nat? Wanna get up now?"

"Five minutes," Nat mumbled and promptly went back to sleep.

Well, that's a no on the running, Steve smiled. Hiking up the blanket and tucking her in, he leaned down and kissed her forehead. Steve got up and changed into his running clothes.

His phone chimed, "Mornin' Capsicle. Wanna go a few rounds with the new and improved Avenger-inator?"

"Really, Tony? Even I'm cringing with that name. Sure. How does 10 am sound?"

"Hey, I built it; therefore, I can call it what I want. Sure, see ya, Cap. I'll make sure to accidentally set it to the highest setting when it's your turn."

Steve smiled at that and put his phone in his pocket.

"Steve?" Nat's groggy voice called out. "I don't like it when I wake up, and you're not beside me, soldier."

Steve went around the bed and crouched on her side, "I woke you up twice, but you asked for "five minutes." Also, you looked too peaceful to wake up. Besides, it's still really early, and you can sleep in today," he smiled at her, "I was thinking maybe that we can practice with Tony's new simulator later? Would you like that, babe? He told me there's a new obstacle run and sim weapons in the new version set to kick my ass."

"Mmm'kay. Can you bring back those donuts from that small diner down the Hudson? I think it was Jojo's?" Nat asked, "and some coffee, please."

"Donuts are not breakfast food, Nat. You should have something more filling than that," Steve chided her gently.

"Well, my breakfast got up unceremoniously early, so I'm settling for donuts," Nat retorted, watching as a healthy blush crept up Steve's neck. It still amazes her how easy she could make Steve blush even after all these months. Nat makes it a point to make him go red once or twice a day. It's practice, she tells him.

"Hey, now, you've had me several times last night," Steve said.

"Why can't I have you again in this bed?" Natasha pouted. Honest to goodness pouted. If he wasn't in love already with this woman, he might just be now.

"Because we are definitely going to miss Tony and his awfully named simulator if I give in, and you know how he will nag me on that. It's just a few hours, and you'll have me all to yourself for the rest of the day," Steve softly brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. "And I'm bringing back hot donuts for you," he bribed, "remember?"

Natasha's eyes went soft. "Fine, but only because of the donuts. Now get out of here. I'm getting back to dreamland."

"See you in a minute," Steve said and headed out of the door.

The sun wasn't entirely out yet, but he could see that the HQ was slowly waking up.

"Hey man," Sam called out to him, "You going for a run?"

"Yeah, wanna come?" Steve asked. "Though you have to keep up with an old man if you do."

"Har har, Rogers. And no, thank you, I'm saving my energy for the sim later. That not do it for you?" Sam raised a brow.

"I just like running before the city wakes up y'know. Peaceful and all that. 'Sides, Nat asked me to bring back some donuts, so I guess this is also a supply run," he sheepishly answered.

Together, they walked to the big hangar doors. "You know, man, I'm happy for you two. You deserved a win," Sam said, "and she makes you definitely happy. I can see that. Have you told her you loved her?"

Steve paused. "Not yet. I don't want to spook her. I think she already knows, but out of sight, out of mind, I guess. And what we have right now is working. We have what we have when we have it."

Sam was silent, "I don't think she would react like you think she would. I see how you two look at each other. The way you look at her? That's mirrored in her. But hey, you do you. I'm just here to pull your head out of your ass if you muck it up."

"Thanks, Sam." A beat or two, "I got to go. See you later!"

"Bring me some of those donuts, too!" Sam called to his retreating back.

Steve came back with enough donuts for the team since he believed that Nat and Sam probably would just wolf down whatever he brought back. Might as well share these donuts with the rest of the group. Wanda and Vision were in the kitchen when he stashed the donuts away. They were making kholodets, and said that it would be ready for dinner.

Steve once tried to cook for the team, but what he managed to cook was only slightly edible, and from that day, either Wanda or Sam took over the kitchen. Vision helps with Wanda whenever she cooks, and the android seems to like understanding the various chemical reactions that happen when they're in the kitchen.

Vision was trying to explain the Maillard reaction to Wanda as they sautéed the meat. Wanda was smiling, but it was clear that she didn't understand what Vision was saying.

"Hey, Steve, good morning. What do you have there?" Wanda asked as soon as he caught sight of him.

"Donuts from Jojo's down the Hudson. Want one? These are all for us to share by the way," he said.

"Donuts," Vision intoned. "Wanda, did you know that donuts were once called olykoeks by the Dutch?" The AI went on about the history of donuts, and Wanda shot him a "please help" look. He mouthed "sorry" to her and escaped with a smaller bag of donuts for Natasha.

"Captain-" Vision called out to him, but he was quick enough to close the elevator doors. He felt a bit bad closing the doors on Vision like that, but Nat was probably hungry by now. There was quite a line back in the diner, and he had ordered a rather substantial amount of donuts.

He was right. The moment he opened his doors, the paper bag was snatched out of his hands.

Natasha took a donut and bit in. Her eyes rolled back, and she gave a somewhat scandalous (and exaggerated, for his benefit most likely) moan. "God, this is so good," she said. "You were gone for a bit. Was there a long line at the diner?"

"Yep, and now we have to change because Tony will be here in an hour," Steve told her and gave her a sound kiss.

It was supposed to be a quick one, but like everything with Natasha, it got deeper and more passionate. She dropped the bag on the counter, and Steve lifted her on it. As they broke off for air, Steve peppered kisses down her jaw and neck. Natasha moaned, insistently pressing against his hardening cock, and grabbed his head to yank him back to her lips. Her hands cupped him, and Steve released a strained groan. She slowly drags her hand up and down, mimicking the motions that make him go crazy for her.

Steve broke the kiss off, and hurriedly untied Nat's robe. The robe fell off, leaving her in that small teddy that she wore only to mess with Steve. He palmed her breasts in his hands and squeezed them, eliciting another moan from Natasha.

"Steve," Natasha whimpered, "please."

Steve kissed her again, and insistent hands were on his shorts and yanked them down, revealing his hard, aching cock.

"How do you want it, Nat? Tell me how you want me to fuck you," Steve murmured in her hair. "Tell me how you want me."

"Now. Please. Now," Natasha all but begged.

Steve gave Natasha another kiss before he yanked the flimsy material down her waist. He trailed wet kisses down her chest and softly bit Natasha's breast. She gasped and flinched but held his head there. "Easy, I'm a bit sensitive there," Nat whined. Steve let up some pressure, but rather than staying there, he had another thing on his mind. "Lay back," Steve commanded. Natasha raised her brows. He knows that she likes it very much when he uses what she calls his Captain America voice. It's not often that he uses it because of course even in sex, Steve Rogers is the perfect gentleman. It is fun to push him, though.

"I'm not asking twice," Steve growled and God, oh God, did that turn her on. She leaned back and kept her eyes on Steve. "Spread your legs, Romanoff. Let me see how wet you are." She was dripping. Steve runs his hands over her curves, and he clenches her legs open. Her eyes closed and God, "Steve, please, I need you inside me," Nat squirmed.

"Not yet, I think I'll be having my breakfast now," Steve replied. Nat inwardly chuckled because that was a corny line, but all her thoughts went out the window when Steve slowly licked her. He circled his tongue on her clit and sucked. Her body bowed with the sensations, and she felt his fingers slide inside her.. He curled his fingers and stroked just the right spot. Stars danced behind Nat's eyes. The combination of it was too much, and after a few more seconds, she fell over the edge. Her legs clamped over Steve's head, riding her high. She collected her breath and saw Steve's shit-eating grin on his face?

"Done?" he asked. No. not by a long shot, Rogers.

She sat up and kissed Steve, tasting her come on his lips. It was a heady feeling, and it turned her on more than she can say. She wrapped her arms around Steve and pushed, making the supersoldier step back. She was on her knees in a second. "My turn," she smirked and closed her full, lush lips on the head of his cock. Steve threw his head back and gripped the counter for support. Goddamnit. He felt his knees go weak, and Natasha grabbed his perfect butt and took him whole. He skyrocketed. He was nearly there, but he wants to finish inside her. Too bad Natasha doesn't seem interested in letting up anytime soon, though. She always knows how to quickly drive him to the edge, and he has a sneaking suspicion that she likes using it on him anytime they have a disagreement. He falls for it hook, line, and sinker.

"Nat, I'm close," he warns her, grabbing her head with his other hand. Just when everything is about to break, she stops. Wha-?

Nat hooks her leg under Steve's legs, and he falls to the carpeted floor. "We're not done yet, Captain," she says as she straddles him. She rolls her hips and slowly rubs herself over the underside of his cock, teasing him and making his grip on her hips tighten. "Nat," he says huskily. She finally acquiesces to his unspoken request and lines herself with his cock. When it did, she sank down on him entirely.

Nat thinks that there is nothing better in this world than Steve sinking inside her for the first time. They both stopped, breaths heavy, savoring the feel of the first thrust inside. Nat eventually moved, rolling her hips in an angle and maintaining a steady pace. Steve's hands on her hips guided her and supported her movements, and it wasn't long until she was back up that cliff again.

Panting, Nat gave a short cry when Steve's fingers touched her clit. "Come for me, Nat," Steve gritted out, "I wanna see you come. Come with me so I can come, too, Nat."

Natasha was losing the battle. Steve's thrusts became harder and harder, and his face was set in concentration in getting her off. "Steve!" Natasha cried out as she came, but Steve was still relentless. Steve prolonged her high by still pumping into her and kissed her hard.

He pulled out of her, and the sudden emptiness caused Natasha to cry out in protest, but suddenly, Steve wasn't under her, but instead behind her. She doesn't usually care for this position because she is more exposed this way (and Steve doesn't too because he can't see her face), but Steve's cock plunging back into her silenced her protests. He still can't get over how it turns him on to see Natasha vulnerable like this. It was a privilege, and something that she willingly gave her; no pretenses, no lies.

"Nat, Nat, God, yes…" Steve chanted like a madman. "You're so fucking wet and so fucking tight." Nat's answer is just another pleasured moan, urging Steve to go faster. It was building up again inside of her, even quicker this time. "Harder. I need it harder, Steve," Natasha said. The sounds they made were utterly lewd and lecherous, and on a good day, even Natasha would wince, but this was something primal that happened between them.

"Eyes forward, Nat," Steve said. "Look at yourself while I'm fucking you." Oh. So this is why he positioned me like this. A full-length mirror was three feet away from her, and she can see the outline of Steve's body and how he moved behind her. Sweat glistened on his body, droplets sluicing down his flushed skin. Their eyes met in the mirror, and it was over. Both of them cried out, falling together this time.

Steve bent over Nat's back, holding her close and breathing on her neck. After a while, he softened enough, and he stood up to go to the bathroom. Returning with a towel, he gently cleaned up after them. Natasha was still catching her breath, lying in a puddle on the floor. Steve scooped her up, and together he sat them down his couch. He kissed her forehead, "I wasn't too rough on you, was I?"

It was sweet of him to ask. Despite their differences in stature and strength, Natasha has always trusted Steve – in battle and in the bedroom, it doesn't matter. He would never hurt her. She knew that.

"Of course not. I liked that. You being a little rough," Natasha cupped his face and reached up to give him a sweet kiss.

A knock disturbed the little bubble they had. "Steve, Tony's here. He's setting up the Avengers-inator," Clint's voice said. "Tell Natasha to stop corrupting you and actually let you test the obstacle course. I'm excited to try it, but Tony wants Steve to go first. As a control, he said."

Nat has been giggling the entire time Clint was talking. Steve's face was a little panicked, they barely had time to have breakfast by the time he got into his apartment, but they got sidetracked, so there really was no time now.

"Ten minutes, Clint!" Nat called out. She pushed Steve away but immediately held to the arm of the sofa. "Whoa," wobbling more for Steve rather than balance. As expected, Steve's hands went out to steady her. "Don't think we have time to eat those donuts, but we do need to shower. Come on, Captain. Never let it be said that I'm holding you back," she grinned.

The Avenger-inator (God, what a stupid name) was a thing of beauty. A 250-m long simulator, it was a gauntlet filled with tests that challenged their prowess, agility, and mental planning precisely like they were in a mission.

The first time they tried this, Steve finished it within under a minute. Tony reasoned that the course should, at the very least, make Steve work for it (With no consideration for the more human among them. Like her, and Clint, and Sam). Since then, Tony has made it his life's work to make the courses more complicated and more challenging. In this fifth reiteration, Steve earned a record time of 4 minutes and 42 seconds.

Not bad.

She was up next, and as she finished her last donut and taken a swig of coffee, a sweating Steve came near her.

"How was it?" she asked, curious to see how he did.

"I think Tony is getting the hang of this thing. A few more iterations and I might just feel a bit breathless," Steve said cheekily.

"Show-off," a nearly passed out Clint and Sam chorused. Clint opened his eyes from where he was lying on the grass. "My arms and my sides are sore like crazy from the sim guns, and this asshole here just looks like he came back from a run," he complained.

Tony heard them, and even he sounds like he was winded. "Your turn, Red. Feel free to start anytime. If you can knock Steve's time down a peg or two, I would name my firstborn after you," his mechanical voice said.

The screen above the course lit up green. Nat stood gazing at the entrance of the course, mentally mapping where corners could come in useful, and targets. I can do this. She breathed deeply. Once. Twice.

The bell rang.

She ran as fast as she could, sliding on a corner before taking out a target and moving on to the second. Seeing a suspended bar, she used it to topple the incoming sims and took out a bunch more with a few well-placed shots. Seconds passed, and she finally passed the first phase of the course. She could hear faint cheers, and that spurred her on. If there was one thing the other guys lacked, it was being fast and agile. Sure, they're not too bad, but Natasha was the best in this.

Just as she turned around for the next bend, she felt faint and about to throw up.

That one moment of pause cost her, and she felt something throw her off. The second phase was more difficult because she had to navigate the terrain as well as taking out the sims, and she mistakenly stepped on a trap. It opened under her and caused her to slip. She tried to get up, but the room was still spinning around her. This part of the course was not well-lit, which added to her nausea because the flashing lights of the sims got nearer. She managed to take one down, but then another wave of dizziness hit her. She fumbled for the "STOP" button in her wrist, and the room immediately lit up, and a door to her right opened. She quickly went through it and into the fresh air outside.

"Nat! Are you okay?"

"Tasha!"

She bent over and threw up her breakfast. The rest of the team came nearer, but she held up her hand to ward them off.

"Did she hit her head?" Sam asked Tony. A hologram appeared above Iron Man's arm, reviewing the footage. "No, I don't think so. She just slipped, but she did not hit her head." Tony answered

Strong hands held back her braided hair and rubbed her back. "Hey, it's okay," Steve said. Clint came over with a glass of water that Nat gratefully drank. "Thanks," she slurred. "I'm fine. Just a little dizzy. Should've had a proper breakfast," she tried to joke.

Steve's brow furrowed. "Nat, you've been lethargic and sick. Do you think this is something else?"

"I can't be sick Rogers, I'm also enhanced like you." Nat snapped. Really she was fine and getting better by the second. She just needed fresh air. Steve looked hurt at her tone, but she wasn't really in the mood to console him.

"Capsicle's right, Red. Maybe you should go see Banner?" Tony hedged. If looks could kill, Tony Stark would be dead right now, "or maybe not," he amended.

Just as sudden as it came, it passed, too. Aside from the bitter taste of bile in her mouth, there was no proof she was sick.

"I'm fine," she repeated. She stood straight, Steve still looking at her worriedly as he assisted her, and for some reason, it irritated her much. "I'm going inside," she said and shrugged off Steve's hold.

"I'll come with you!" Wanda said. "I don't really want to try out Stark's machine," she confided in Nat. She felt grateful for how the other woman was trying to distract her. "Do you want to come with me to the kitchen? Vis and I are preparing dinner, but I want to check on it," Wanda narrated.

Nat grimaced at the thought of staying up. Her lethargy seems to have come back, and though she did not want to be rude to Wanda, she really couldn't stay up. "I'm sorry, Wanda, but I think I need to go to bed right now. I'm still a little faint," she apologized.

There was something in Wanda's eyes, and after a beat, she agreed. "Of course. I'll walk you to your room."

"It's not necessary. I can do it," Nat countered.

"I'd feel better if I see you resting, Nat. You took quite a fall back there," Wanda answered.

Natasha didn't have the heart to deny the young woman twice. She wanted to go back to Steve's bed, but she thought better of it. So far, she thinks Wanda already knows about her and Steve anyhow. Her room with soft, muted lighting sounds good right now for her.

After Wanda escorted her to her rooms and made sure she was okay, Natasha turned in her bed thinking. Why am I so tired these days? Her concentration is also not synchronized, and she is slow to pick things up sometimes. Could I have caught a bug somewhere, and I'm sick? That was less likely, but not impossible. The Red Room serum is nowhere near Steve's, but it was pretty powerful, too. She can only recount two instances that she had been seriously sick, and both those times she had been okay after a few days.

I'll give this a week.

Natasha closed her eyes and drifted off.

When she awoke, arms were around her. Steve. She turned to look at him, and his blue eyes looked unhappy.

"Hey," she said.

"Hey, yourself," he told her.

They were just content staring into each other's eyes before Steve broke the ice.

"You're not fine," he stated.

"I am. I'm fine now," she reassured him.

His face was still pinched in worry, and she smoothed his forehead with her fingers. "Hey, I'm fine. I promise you that. I may just have caught a bug somewhere during our overseas mission," she said. "Even though I'm enhanced, my serum is not as good as yours, Rogers. Yours is almost infallible."

"But you still can get sick. And sick people give their body time to rest and recover," he maintained. She sees that he isn't going to let go of this, so she sighs.

"What time is it already?" she asked him. "It's 8:30 in the evening, Nat. You've been asleep for almost 9 hours," Steve told her. That surprised her. "I thought I was just out for an hour or two," she said lightly.

Steve was silent. She can see that those blue eyes have now become a stormy blue, pupils dilated. "I was worried," Steve declared, "I was worried that something bad happened to you during the simulation. I could only see you through a screen, and I wasn't sure if you were injured or not."

"I'm fine now," was all she could respond. Steve's hold on her tightened as if assuring himself that she really was there.

"Well, if I'm sick, do you wanna be my nursemaid?" Nat asked him.

Steve's eyes widened. It was not every day that Natasha bares herself to him and let him take care of her. He nodded and sat-up. "Stay here," he said. Nat wondered where he went, but after a minute or two, he was back, holding a tray with a steaming cup of soup and some bread.

"You didn't have any lunch or dinner, and you threw up your breakfast, so I cooked some soup for you. Well, Wanda did, but I helped chop the carrots! I was just waiting for you to wake up." Steve said embarrassedly. He set down the food tray beside the bed and fluffed some pillows for Natasha so she can sit up.

"I'm not that sick, Rogers," she said, eyebrow raised.

"I know, but humor me, please?" Steve pleaded. Well, how can I say no to that?

"Fine. But I'm milking this for all it's worth," she warned.

"Deal," Steve said brightly. Once he had Nat arranged, he set the food tray on her lap. "Would it be too much if I spoonfed you?" he teased. Nat glared at him playfully, and he backed off, hands raised.

"Maybe we can make it a movie night. We still have not finished The Last Five Years," Steve said.

If anyone told her that Natasha was a fan of Broadway musicals a year ago, he would've laughed in their faces. Now though, he was discovering things he never thought he could about her.

"Of course, but only if you finish your dinner," Steve said bossily.

After the last drop of soup was consumed, they moved to Nat's couch, and Steve made sure to cover her with a blanket, effectively making her a human burrito. She would've complained about it had it not been for the look in Steve's face and his determination in taking care of her.

I love you.

The thought had been sitting on her mind for a while now, but she can't bring to say it out loud. Not yet. But whenever he did things like this for her, being so charming and so thoughtful, she thought she might just let it slip.

But no, the right time will come.

Steve's arms were on her hips, and he was gently stroking her hair. Her head was on his lap, and she was very comfortable. So comfortable in fact that when the opening notes of "Shiksa Goddess" started, her eyes were closed.

"Nat? Are we going to finish the movie?" Steve asked, amused.

"Yep. Let me close my eyes. Just five minutes," she murmured, already half in Morpheus's arms.

Steve snickered.

"Okay, five more minutes."