As soon as the words left Steve's mouth, Natasha's world stopped. She knew that this moment was going to happen eventually, she just didn't realize that it was going to happen this soon. She sighed and nudged her face deeper into his chest, trying to savor the moment for as long as possible - in case she managed to fuck up again because she apparently had a tendency to do that when it came to Steve. "Okay." She murmured into his chest.

She could feel Steve rub comforting circles on her arms as he sighed. "What are we?" His voice was soft and free of any animosity.

Natasha didn't know how to really answer his question. They were stuck somewhere between friends and more than friends -. Truthfully, she never believed there was such a place; you were either together or you weren't - that was until now. Normally, what she had with Steve would be considered "friends with benefits". However, this situation didn't seem to fall into that category because there was something more. Feelings were involved and not the average "I find you sexy so let's fuck" type of feelings but the genuine kind that involved actual affection and adoration. She tried to pinpoint an exact moment of when the dynamic of their friendship shifted but she found that she couldn't. It just happened. Somewhere along the very short time she had with Steve, she fell in love. "I don't know" she finally answered.

Steve nodded his head and added his own sigh. "When did things get so complicated?" He could feel Natasha shrug slightly. "Can I ask you something?"

"You already did." Natasha chuckled lightly.

"I'm being serious right now" Steve said with a soft laugh of his own, nudging her playfully. Natasha nudged him back before nodding her head, urging him to ask whatever question he wanted to ask. "Ask me."

She noticed Steve's expression suddenly turn serious. She could sense a nervousness coming from him - as if whatever he wanted to ask her was weighing heavy on his chest. "Steve?" She propped herself up so she could be at eye level with him. "Whatever it is, you can ask me." She placed a reassuring hand on his chest.

Steve looked her in the eyes and nodded - letting out the breath he didn't realize he was holding. "I want you to disregard my feelings and be honest with me. Okay? Like don't even worry about hurting my feelings." Natasha looked at him unsure but ultimately nodded her head to agree. "Okay."

"What do you feel for me?"

Here was the moment of truth - the moment she was dreading, not because she didn't feel anything for him because she did. The truth was she felt more for Steve than she's ever felt for any other guy in her entire life. The problem was she was afraid to admitting it because admitting made it real and that terrified her. The last time she's opened her heart to anyone, she had it ripped out of her chest and shredded into a million pieces and her feelings for the man didn't even amount to anything she felt for Steve; she could only imagine how painful it would be if they didn't work out. However, when she pictured Steve with someone else, she got this unbearable ache in her chest which meant she only had one choice to make. For once in her life, she was going follow her heart.

"When Clint got the phone call that you were in the hospital, my heart stopped. I thought it was God's way of punishing me for the horrible things I said to you. I really thought I was going to lose you." The tears started to form in her eyes but she fought hard to hold them back. She needed to get everything off her chest now or else she might punk out. "I thought I was going to lose you Steve. It might sound terrible for me to admit this but seeing you so badly hurt, laying in a hospital bed was a reality check for me. It opened my eyes to how much I truly care for you." She took a small deep breath to control the emotions that were threatening to spill out before continuing on. "You've become my best friend Steve. I care about you so much." She softly placed her hand over his cheek.

Steve grabbed her hand and gently placed a sweet kiss on it. "You know since I've met you, my life has turned upside down." He gave her one of his adorable half smiles. "In a good way I promise." He added which earned a chuckle from Natasha. "I was so lost before you. It was like I was existing but not living. I have so much baggage but somehow you helped me push past them. I mean, they're still there but it's slowly getting better. I used to think that I was too damaged for anyone but you never looked at me as damaged goods"

"Because you're not." Natasha interjected.

"To you. Everyone else literally walks on eggshells around me." He shook his head with his face scrunched. "The point is I like who I am becoming because of you. It might sound corny but it's like you took the broken parts of me and somehow pieced them together, stitch by stitch." He looked away slightly with a slight blush on his face - kinda embarrassed by how lame he sounded. "I'm sorry. It sounded a lot less cheesy in my head." he said with a light laugh.

Little did he know, Natasha actually was at a loss for words. Not only did Steve always speak with such sincerity but his actions actually backed it up which was rare; at least with the men she knew. He never gave her any reason to doubt him so it made no sense as to why she was so hesitant. Steve Rogers could be the man she has been waiting for her whole life - her soul mate (not that she truly believed in those). Even if he wasn't, a part of her had the desire to just give them a chance. "You fixed me too." She said with a soft smile once she found her voice. They laid wrapped up in each other's' arms for a little longer before Steve broke the silence.

"So what are we?"

"I don't know." Natasha answered with a sigh. "I don't want to rush anything. If it's meant to be, it will be."

"I agree." Steve nodded. "But we should set up some kind of agreement."

"Agreement?" Natasha looked up at him with confusion.

"Well you care for me and I care for you" his words trailed off slightly. "It makes sense to at least give us a chance right?"

Natasha considered his proposition for a second before nodding her head in agreement - at least he wasn't rushing her to commit.

A huge smile spread across Steve's face, relieved that things between them were finally headed in the right direction. He didn't care if they moved at snail pace because truthfully he was terrified himself - maybe more than she was. "Alright so even though we're not official. We're not going to see other people."

"What kind of girl do you take me for?" Natasha raised her eyebrow - teasing him. She wasn't even the slightest bit offended by his suggestion simply because it was Steve.

"I'm just saying." He chuckled. "We are exclusive to each other without being exclusive." He lifted his pinky promise up at her. "Promise?"

Natasha couldn't resist but laugh at his childish antics. She had never met another grown man that solidifies his promises with a pinky promise. Fucking adorable. "Promise" She wrapped her pinky around his finger to seal the deal before lightly placing a kiss on his lips and then laying back into his arms.

"You know this isn't going to be simple right?"

"Not like simple ever really described us." Natasha shrugged. As she laid tracing tiny circles on his chest, Laura's face suddenly popped into her mind, causing her to chuckle softly.

"What is it?" Steve said curiously as he looked down as his unofficial girlfriend.

"I just thought of Laura and how happy she would be right now."

"About what?"

"Us." Natasha noticed that confusion spread on Steve's face. "She's been rooting for us since the night you came over for dinner."

Steve's face scrunched up as he tried to recall the events of that night. "Really? I didn't even know."

"Of course you didn't." Natasha rolled her eyes. "You're the most oblivious person I know."

Steve laughed at her statement. It wasn't the first time a person accused him of being oblivious to the obvious. "Well remind me to thank her." He looked down to see Natasha with closed eyes. God, she was so beautiful. Never in a million years would he thought he would find himself in a position like this. For once in his life, he was choosing to be selfish - for finally allowing someone to come into his life even though he wasn't fully healed from his past. It wasn't just a big step for Natasha to open up (because he knew how hard it was considering her past relationship) but for him as well. She challenged him to want better, to be better, and more importantly to know what it felt like to truly want to be loved by someone. They weren't perfect - as a matter of fact they were two broken people but somehow their broken pieces seemed to fit together. And whatever issues they had, together they could learn to mend those wounds, stitch by stitch.

AN: Welp, this is the end to my story. I wanted to drag it out a little longer but due to the events of my new job and life, I've decided to end it here. I'll still be writing but mostly will be one shots. I'll be more than happy to take any requests for one shots! Thank you for everyone's love and support - I really appreciated.