A/N: WARNING: this chapter contains smut - if you want to skip it, stop reading at "as he moved them both to the bedroom" and you can pick back up again at "Sleepily, Natasha ran her hands through..."

Though Natasha had been studying for weeks, she still felt the need to review up until the day prior. She wouldn't be herself if she didn't. So that last and final week of school found her camped out in Steve's apartment.

She'd told her parents she was staying with Clint some nights and Maria others, so they could study all the way through the night. No surprise, they hadn't questioned it. She already felt like she was on her own, so it wouldn't be difficult to move out in a couple weeks as she and Steve had planned.

For the time being, though, Steve was helping Natasha in every way he knew how - being the ultimate supportive boyfriend.

"Thirty minutes left, Nat," he spoke up from across the table. He was currently keeping time while she practiced one of the potential essays for her US Government exam the following day.

The past few nights, Steve had switched between quizzing her, letting her teach him, and making sure she was well-fed and well-rested, as much as she would allow.

With two exams down and four to go, plus AP exams, Natasha was understandably stressed, as she wanted to make sure she was as prepared as possible. And so, she pushed herself. Steve was trying to be as helpful as possible, but he did have his own last items to take care of.

As of that moment, he was busy grading the round of first-year exam essays that had been completed the previous day while checking the timer every so often to keep Natasha updated. They were a good team - everything aligned so there was no conflict, as Natasha had been slightly worried about. She didn't know what she was thinking — of course Steve would be completely understanding and helpful. It was Steve.

Another 20 minutes went by before Natasha sat back, set down her pencil, and exclaimed, though not with a ton of energy, "okay, done!"

Steve looked up with a big smile and then glanced back at the timer, "hey! and with 10 minutes to spare. That's my girl," he finished, pride filling his voice.

Natasha smiled gratefully back at him before asking, "will you read it over?"

"Mhm," he stood, "just as soon as I put dinner on," he said before moving towards her and kissing the side of her head.

"Mac n cheese?" Natasha called out as Steve headed into the kitchen.

"You got it, dude," Steve looked over his shoulder and threw her a wink at his own cheekiness.

Upon hearing Natasha's resounding laugh and joke about him being Michelle from Full House, he smiled to himself and, not for the first time, recognized how happy she made him.

"Alright, water's on. Let's see what you got," Steve said as he returned to the table.

Natasha shifted anxiously in her seat as he took the papers from her and sat back down in his seat. He read silently, and Natasha watched his face for any indication of his opinion. When a small smile appeared on his face, she felt both relieved and even more anxious.

"What?" she couldn't help but ask. "What is it?!"

But Steve only shook his head, smile growing, turned the page, and left her to wonder until he set the pages down and looked up at her.

"Well?"

"It was great, Nat," he finally answered.

"Yeah?" she asked, eyes wide and eyebrows raised in anticipation.

"Yeah!" Steve chuckled. "I know I could be biased, but speaking as objectively as possible, you hit every important thing. I even feel like I learned a little bit more from this than I remember from my Gov class. You make some really good points in here — are you sure you're not going to be a Poli Sci major?" he teased.

Natasha rolled her eyes but smiled nonetheless, "I'm sure, but thank you for thinking I could be. Alright," she stretched her arms out, "if that was as good as you thought, I think I'm going to take a little break."

"Good, you deserve it. If you want, you can run the bath or hop in the shower while I finish up dinner. I'll come get you when it's ready."

"Thank you," Natasha said softly. She kissed his cheek on her way the bedroom and the next sound Steve heard was the water running and her quiet humming.

Natasha felt her exams had gone as smoothly as she could've hoped, so the next day, she went home and took a little time to make lunch for Steve as a thank-you for his help the past couple days.

She had his exam the following day, along with science which was just a two hour period of presentations, so she felt she could relax a little. And good thing, because just as Steve walked in the door, her phone buzzed in her hand with a reminder that she had to work a shift in a few hours.

"Hey," Steve's greeting caused Natasha's head to whip back up. "Hey," she returned with a soft smile before leaning up to kiss him when he moved closer.

"Something wrong?" he asked, nodding to her phone.

"No, actually," she smiled as she looked back up at him and it was one of peace, of resolve. "Everything's fine. Just work," she explained.

"Ah," Steve nodded in understanding, "you ready for that?"

Natasha looked at him, really looked at him, and smiled. "Absolutely."

"I'm going to be there with you, all the way." Steve reminded her as he laced their fingers together, then pressed a kiss to her knuckles.

"I know, Steve, I know," she whispered, moving closer until their foreheads were touching. "Thank you," she murmured, and then kissed him soundly.

They pulled apart when the timer went off in the kitchen and Steve looked over curiously, before turning back to Natasha with raised eyebrows.

She pecked his lips once more before sliding off her chair and around him. "I made lunch! Your favorite sandwiches," she explained with a grin while heading to the kitchen.

"Ugh! You're the BEST," Steve exclaimed.

"Mhm, I know," Natasha answered with a wink.

After lunch, there was a snuggling session on the couch during which Steve helped Natasha review for the Lit exam as much as was appropriate given his position as her teacher. But Natasha felt confident enough in that, so she was okay with only a brief review. He let her run through her science presentation, and then it was time for her to get ready for work.

Natasha stood in front of the mirror and ran her hands through her hair one last time, smiling when Steve appeared behind her. "Ready?" he asked as he wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder.

She locked eyes with him in the mirror and leaned into his touch. "Yeah," she breathed out. "You?"

"Mhm," he mumbled into her skin before pressing a kiss to her neck. Natasha smiled and laced their fingers together, "let's go."

When they arrived at the club, Natasha left Steve at the front door with instructions to the bouncer to make sure he was in a comfortable seat.

"Hey, wait wait wait," Steve grabbed her wrist and pulled her close, tilting her chin up with one finger so he could kiss her. "Okay, go get 'em babe," Steve said when he pulled away after a moment.

Natasha smiled and rolled her eyes in mock annoyance. "See you in a bit. I'll come find you when I'm done," she nodded to the bouncer again and Steve was promptly ushered inside.

"Okay, Natasha. This is it," she whispered to herself as she walked to the back door. She briefly thought back to when she'd told Steve of her plan, and smiled instinctively at the memory of his bright, happy expression and how he'd swung her around before singing, "it's the final countdown" and dancing around her like a total dork.

As soon as she got into the dressing room and finished getting herself ready, she went to find Madame B. Turns out, she didn't have to go very far as the woman herself walked into the room in that very moment.

"Natalia, let's go! It is almost time for you to begin."

"Actually, Madame B, I wanted to talk to you about that," Natasha bravely began as she walked with her boss out the door. "See, I'm graduating, so I'll be moving soon. And -" she cleared her throat - "tonight is going to be my last night."

It was said so matter-of-factly that she was sure Steve would've been proud. Hell, she was proud of herself. And when Madame B stopped walking to look at her, she stood her ground. "Fine," the older woman eventually said with an exasperated sigh before turning the other way and leaving Natasha to smile to herself before striding with confidence out to the stage.

A rather short hour and a half later, Natasha was bounding out into the audience, back in regular clothes, straight into Steve's waiting arms.

He chuckled but held her close, nonetheless. "Hey, sweetheart! Good to go?"

She grinned, "one hundred percent," and then closed the space between them to lock their lips together. When she pulled back, she laced their fingers together and stood. "Come on, let's get out of here." She leaned closer to whisper in his ear, "I feel eyes," and Steve understood immediately.

He stood and pulled her closer until he could wrap one arm around her waist. "I got you," he whispered into her hairline as they began walking towards the door.

She slowed for a moment, enough to look Steve directly in the eye and tell him with a smile, "I know."

They stayed that way for a moment, gazing into each other's eyes like it was some sort of fairy tale. But it was the way they communicated, how they could instantly tell what the other was thinking, and in this case, they were both saying something important with a sparkle in each of their eyes.

When they returned home and were finally in bed, both on the brink of sleep, Natasha turned around in Steve's embrace and titled her head up to face him. "Hey," she whispered, waiting until he blinked his eyes open. She almost forgot what she was going to say with the sleepy, unfiltered adoring look he gave her, but shook herself out of it and continued speaking. "Thank you. For being there for me tonight."

He yawned and grinned tiredly. "Always," he murmured before kissing her forehead without much finesse and patting her shoulder, "now go to sleep."

Natasha's smile as Steve's eyes fluttered shut again could've made a goddess jealous. She snuggled further into his embrace and whispered, "night, Steve," before falling into a deep slumber herself.

When it came time for Natasha's Lit exam the next day, she was definitely feeling more nervous and stressed than she had the night before. She was still working on the multiple choice section as Steve called out that they had an hour and a half left, and Natasha's whole body tensed up. She stared down at the paper with a helpless look, anxiety getting the better of her, until her brain finally forced its way through.

She squeezed her eyes shut, shook herself out of it, and went back to work. But the tenseness in her body remained, and as Steve glanced up from his desk to check on the class, he noticed it - as soon as he laid eyes on her.

Frowning to himself, he put his pencil down and set the papers he was grading to the side, then stood. He began to walk up and down the rows of students, saving Natasha's row for last. It was time for a check-up anyway, so the pretense made sense.

When he finally reached her, he stood behind her, pretending to look over her shoulder at what she was writing. Her shoulders were drawn up - she was still stressed, Steve could tell. Luckily, she was sitting in the very last row, with no one behind her to potentially look up.

So he slowly and inconspicuously brought his hand to the back of her neck, brushing his fingers along the patch of skin that was visible, until his fingers reached the spot between her shoulder and neck. He pressed his fingers in a little harder, then moved them in slow circles, giving Natasha a small massage. After a few moments, he felt her muscles relax and her shoulders move up and down as a quiet exhale left her lungs.

He slowed and eased up the pressure until his fingertips were skating across her neck, then down her back and away until they were no longer there at all. As he walked slowly past her, he caught her small, half-grin, and gazed warmly at her for a moment before continuing on.

From there, Natasha was like a whirlwind, writing paragraph after paragraph, feeling confident and sure. Thanks in no small part to Steve, she ended up being the first one finished, and shared a smile with him before practically floating out of the room.

Her presentation in the next class went smoothly and before she knew it, she was home again, sitting across from Steve on the couch, her ankles in his lap as he drilled her on information for her AP exam the following day.

She felt fairly confident in that, and so moved onto the next after just a few hours. Steve got up to make dinner, cooked for about half an hour, and came back to find her still pouring over her study guide. He had to actually push the papers out of her hands to get her to eat, and, once dinner was over and she'd gone back to the couch, had to hold a glass of water in front of her to remind her to stay hydrated.

Eventually Natasha asked Steve to quiz her, which was a sign of progress. However, she seemed to be going hard on herself, pushing herself and really making sure she was ready, and Steve knew it wasn't good for her. She got practically everything correct when he asked her questions from the study guide, so even if she didn't think it, he knew she was ready.

After another hour of Natasha reviewing, she asked him to quiz her again. Only this time, Steve said no.

"What? But I need to make sure I know this!" She looked at him with wide, scared eyes and he almost felt bad, but he was confident in his decision.

"Nat," he spoke softly, "you know this like the back of your hand. You just got almost every question right. I think you're ready."

She looked slightly more convinced, but still nervous at the prospect of being done.

"Come on, you're going to do great. When was the last time you relaxed a little?"

She appeared thoughtful, and then a little ashamed.

"Exactly. So come to bed," his voice lowered an octave, "and let me take care of you."

At that, her eyes flicked up to meet his from under her lashes, and the faintest hint of a smirk appeared on her lips. Steve took that for what it was and didn't wait a moment longer before he was picking her up and molding his lips to hers as he moved them both to the bedroom.

He laid her on the bed beneath him and broke the kiss just so he could look down at her. The sight he found - Natasha with flushed cheeks, chest heaving, and eyes darkened - nearly did him in. But he had an idea in his head, and he was not going to be deterred from carrying it out.

He smiled lovingly at her and tucked her hair behind her ears so he could see her angelic face better. At his touch, she closed her eyes and breathed deeply, only opening them again halfway. He pecked her lips again and then moved his lips down her jaw, up again until he reached her ear.

"Relax," he whispered, and she did. He felt her body sink further into the mattress as he began working his lips down her neck, kissing and suckling in the spots he knew she loved. It wasn't long before she was panting lightly beneath him and pulling him in for a sweet but telling kiss.

When she pulled back. he moved on. He kissed every inch of skin he could find while pushing her shirt up a bit at a time, until he tugged it up and over her head when they'd both had enough of it.

Before long, his tongue and mouth had worked over her bare chest and Natasha was squirming beneath him, enjoying the slow teasing but also needing more. Steve knew this, and so he obliged, but drew it out in a way he knew she'd hate on the surface but also greatly enjoy on the inside.

He hooked his fingers in her leggings and swiftly pulled them down and off her legs, then, tantalizingly slowly, ran his fingertips back up her now-bare legs. When he reached her hips, he gripped them tightly and pulled her down the bed so he could bury his face between her legs.

He pressed a kiss to the now very damp fabric of her panties and smiled when Natasha twitched beneath him. He moved his lips and tongue to every place except where she wanted him most, and he waited until she was softly whining beneath him to give in.

But when he did, he didn't tease her a moment longer. He swiftly removed her panties, and dove right in. He groaned at the taste of her that he loved so much, after not having it for over a week.

He nearly lost himself in her, twisting his tongue inside of her and kissing her very sensitive nub, until Natasha made a noise above him and tried to twist her hips.

He pulled back then and let her breathe a moment, settling for letting his breathes wash over her until she was ready. After just a little bit, he heard her breathing calm down, and took that for the sign it was, going back in, but slower.

This time, he was completely focused on her - making her forget everything, every stressor, and only focus on the pleasure. He flattened his tongue and drug it up her still sensitive folds before snatching her swollen nub between his teeth and nibbling ever so lightly. He repeated that for a while, alternating between nipping and sucking, before suddenly plunging his tongue inside of her and pressing just roughly enough on her clit. He remained steadfast in that position, speeding up and increasing the pressure when he could feel she was close, until she was whimpering his name in a chant. Then, he switched his tongue and his fingers, hooking two of them inside her, and she came instantly with a shout of "Steve!"

He stayed there, slowly sliding in and out of her, lapping up every last drop until her breathing had slowed and he could no longer hear her heart pounding in her chest. When he finally pulled away, she whimpered a little and held her arms out to him, eyes still closed. He wiped his lips on the back of his hand and went willingly, pressing a light kiss to her inner arm as he went.

He knew just what she wanted, so he let her wrap her arms around his neck, and lowered himself onto her so she would feel the weight of him, but not be fully crushed.

Sleepily, Natasha ran her hands through Steve's hair and hummed contentedly. "Thank you," she managed to get out. A hand wandered down his side until it reached his waist, then wrapped around it.

He took hold of her and turned them so she would be completely tucked against him, able to feel his heart beat beneath her head, just the way she liked.

"I feel better," she mumbled into his skin. Steve's resounding smile was full of adoration and selfless happiness, but all he said back was "I'm glad." He tightened his embrace, and they both promptly fell asleep.

The next two days passed swiftly, and in much the same way - Steve continued to help Natasha study and take care of herself, and she finished each AP exam feeling fairly confident in her performance.

Only when it came to Friday night did she get extra nervous again, and that was because graduation was the very next day. She was proud that she was Valedictorian, and she felt her speech was honest and sincere, so she was happy with that, too. The only thing causing her nerves was that she'd never really been very close with her class, never been in on things that had gone on. So she was worried that they wouldn't receive it well, or that it would be irrelevant to the majority of them.

After practicing it in front of Steve a couple times, though, and hearing him repeat that it was widely applicable and very relatable, and she'd captured the feelings of a large group of people, she began to feel better about it.

So she put it away, and spent her last night of high school relaxing on the couch watching High School Musical 3. Steve had thought it would be very apropos, and she kissed him soundly for that. How did I get so lucky? she thought.

Natasha lay with her back to Steve's chest, stretched out and resting comfortable in his embrace, and when Troy appeared at Stanford and began to dance with Gabrielle, Steve stood, letting her fall back against the cushions.

"May I have this dance?" he flashed her a charming smile and held out a hand.

Natasha blushed a little but smiled, and took his hand.

Just as the characters on screen started dancing and the song started playing, Steve twirled her around and they danced in slow, grand circles. He began humming the song, and then lowly singing the words into her ear, while twirling her every so often and always pulling her back into his strong arms.

Won't you promise me, that you'll never forget; we'll keep dancing, wherever we go next
It's like catching lightning, the chances of finding someone like you.. it's one in a million, the chances of feeling the way we do. and with every step together, we just keep on gettin' better, so can i have this dance?

By the time it was over, they had slowed to just a sway, until Natasha stopped altogether and rested her cheek on Steve's chest, relishing in the tightening of his arms around her waist. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head and then returned them to the couch.

He held out his arm and Natasha snuggled in without a word. As the film moved on to another scene, Steve whispered "I'm so lucky I found you."

Natasha's heart stilled and jumped at the same time, and pressed herself further against him before finding it wasn't enough and turning to kiss him softly. "We're lucky we found each other," she whispered into his lips once she pulled away.

Steve just smiled down at her, love as present in his gaze as ever, and Natasha matched her gaze with his before turning back to the movie.

Steve held her closer and wiped her eyes when a few tears fell in the final moments of the movie, and carried her to bed when she was too exhausted to move. He changed her into one of his big shirts which had become her pajamas, stripped down to his boxers, and slid in next to her. Wiggling one arm under her and placing the other around her waist to pull himself closer, he looked down at her and quietly told her, "I'm so proud of you, Nat."

She'd been working so hard that week, and he was incredibly happy she was finished, and that all her hard work had paid off. Natasha knew it wasn't only that, though, that prompted his statement. Steve was able to see every part of her, every single thing she'd been through and had to put herself through, and he saw where she had gotten as a result - the tip top of the range of possibilities.

So she shifted slightly, enough to face him directly, and smiled. "I have you to thank for a lot of it. But, thank you."

Steve knew it was pointless to argue and so just shook his head lightly and kissed her forehead. "Before we get caught up in everything tomorrow, I want to give you something tonight. Don't move, I'll be right back."

Natasha sat up, interest piqued, and watched as Steve disappeared into the closet before coming back with a small box. Her eyes widened as her mind raced with possibilities, and Steve laughed lightly at her expression as he returned.

"Don't freak out, I promise it's not what you're thinking," he spoke gently. Upon seeing her calm a bit, he continued. "It's something I saw a while ago and, I think you know, you're pretty much it for me, Natasha. So think of this," he opened the box and took out what was inside, "as a promise ring."

Her eyes widened again and suddenly filled with tears, her throat constricted and all she could do was stare at him.

"This is my promise to you that I'll do everything I can to be good to you, that I'll never leave you again, that you have me - that I'm yours."

Steve held out the small, simple band to her and waited patiently. Shortly thereafter, Natasha reached out with slightly shaky hands, and Steve slipped the ring onto her finger.

Natasha just stared at it for a moment before looking at Steve again, and when she did, she couldn't stop the sincere, strong smile that appeared on her face. She took her newly ring-ed hand and cupped his jaw, kissing him fiercely for a few seconds before pulling back and pecking his lips one more time.

"Thank you." Her voice was strong and sure, and happy, and Steve smiled when he heard it.

He kissed her chastely and smiled into it. "Now let's go to bed."

It was a Saturday morning in late May, in a small town outside of Washington DC where Natasha Romanoff stood before her classmates, their parents, and almost the entire faculty and staff. They were about to be announced as high school graduates, and she was about to share her soul, her story with them all, though without them knowing it.

She stepped up to the podium and graciously addressed the crowd, thanking them for being there, for their support of the students, and to the students themselves. Natasha spoke about unity, about developing not just as professional learners but young adults going into the world. She looked out at the crowd as she spoke about how they "may not have been the closest of classes," but that they acted as one when it mattered, and would always carry the past four years with them.

Then, she moved on to the future. "I know we're all worried and maybe a little scared about what's next, but I've learned something from watching the classes before us go through this, and people all around the world moving on from things, or from people or places, every single day."

Natasha glanced out at her classmates and saw more than a few nods, and just like that, she was encouraged to go on, without any fear.

"There is a universal truth that we all must face - everything eventually comes to an end. Summer vacation, a carnival ride, relationships, or even a good book. It's hard, sometimes, to accept the ending of something wonderful, something we've become so comfortable in. But endings are inevitable, time doesn't stop, and we move on.

Today we're saying goodbye to four years of comfort, of growth, of memories, of families created both by blood and by friendship. It's hard, I think we can all agree on that. But I've learned something, and it's important for everyone to know — there are some people who are so much a part of us, they'll be with us always. Our solid ground, our North Star. And no matter where we go, they're there, the small clear voices in our hearts, guiding us and giving us a home.

So I ask of you, graduating class of 2019, one last and final thing. Find the people who are your home, who will be in your heart. Tell them. And be that person for someone else. It doesn't matter if you are everything to one person - you just need to show kindness, and love, to every person. That, my classmates, is how we can all change the world."

She paused, and let the thoughtful silence fill the air for a moment before closing with, "Thank you. And congratulations to the Class of 2019. It's been an honor."

As soon as she stepped back from the podium, the audience erupted with applause. But the first person to stand, to jump to his feet, was Steve. The crowed quickly followed suit, and Natasha felt her cheeks burning from the flush and the way her smile was stretching her skin. She smiled out at the crowd one last time and returned to her seat.

Several minutes later, she was turning the tassel on her cap as the president issued his final congratulations, and then she was a high school graduate.

Her parents did actually attend, but when they were let go and she went back to put her things away and pick up her real diploma, she knew it would be Steve who was there for her, waiting and watching with so much light in his eyes Natasha thought he might combust.

As Valedictorian, she was the last one to parade out, so instead of following the rest of the line, she darted away and ran almost full-speed towards a small hideaway in one of the brick walls that had become a secret place for her and Steve to meet.

And sure enough, as she rounded the corner, there he was, waiting, arms open. She ran right into them and he lifted her instantly, twirling her around until she was out of breath from his kisses and laughing so much and so freely.

Once Natasha's feet were back firmly on the ground, Steve pressed her back against the wall and kissed her deeply, brushing the hair from her face after a long moment so he could move his lips to pepper kisses all over. He was just so damn proud, so incredibly happy for her, and for what it meant for them.

When her giggles became too much and she pushed him away, Steve leaned his forehead against hers and breathed in the moment. "You did it, Nat," he whispered.

She pulled back a little and gazed up at him, then whispered back, "yeah, yeah I did," with a small smile, rather in awe that she was finally living that moment.

Steve smiled and pecked her lips again before pulling away. He quickly fixed her hair and clothes and told her with a wave of his hand, "now go! Take pictures, be with your friends, celebrate."

She laughed, almost drunkenly because of all the joy running through her - she was practically walking on air. She intertwined their fingers and kissed him once more for good measure, then pulled away, but not far. She whispered, "thank you," into his lips, then flicked her eyes up to his to make sure they were connected.

"I love you."

And if Steve didn't think his heart could soar anymore that day, Natasha just went and destroyed that assumption — crumbled it and turned it to dust. He didn't think his face could contain his smile, but then again, he didn't want to stop it.

"I love you too, Nat."

She giggled, happiness positively oozing out of her, before he pulled her in for one of his great bear hugs, enveloping her in everything Steve. He kissed the top of her head before resting his chin there, holding her close all the while - he just couldn't let her go.

It was a rare moment of privacy, tranquility, and simplicity that they'd never been able to fully achieve on school grounds before, and they deserved to savor it.

Footsteps approached and they both held their breath, watching as a staff member walked right past them, none the wiser.

Once she was far enough away, Steve laughed and leaned into Natasha, who then mirrored his actions exactly. "I can't wait to show you off to the world," he told her.

Natasha beamed up at him and uttered quietly, as if truly astonished, "we're free."

"Yeah," Steve smiled, "yeah we are. And now you're stuck with me forever." He intertwined their fingers and brought her hand to his lips before letting their hands fall, together.

"Good thing that's just what I want, then," Natasha winked and kissed him again, pulling away just so she could whisper "I love you" into his lips again, and again, and again.

And Steve never once missed an opportunity to say it back, just as he promised, for as long as she would have him, or as long as they both lived.

A/N: The End.

Thank you so incredibly much to everyone who has read this, reviewed, favorited, and followed. You've made me feel so wonderful, and I hope this is ending is worthy of you, and what you hoped for from this story. I wanted to get it out before I see Endgame, and I'm leaving in 5 minutes, so. mission accomplished. Thank you all again - so so much. 3