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( prologue. )

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It had been exactly a year since the incident with the time machine.

And it had been exactly a year since Natasha and Steve got together.

In addition to everything new that's happened, the Avengers had just finished stopping an artificial intelligence that threatened to eradicate mankind. They called him Ultron. He was, unfortunately, yet not surprisingly, created by Tony Stark with the purpose of helping them defend the Earth from any kind of threats. 

Tony was led to believe that a more powerful force, much more powerful than their previous enemies would soon come, and that's what drove him to create this. To creating Ultron.

But it completely backfired on him.

As such, the Avengers were forced to encounter another heartbreaking battle of measuring civilian casualties while destroying a bunch of android robots. 

It really wasn't supposed to be much of a problem since this wasn't their first time as a whole team to fight and stand their ground. But it is the first time that Natasha and Steve had fought with the team since they got together. 

Since none of the team knew that they were in the relationship (except Tony) because they never really got the chance to tell them when the Avengers went separate ways as shortly after the time machine incident happened, not only was the guilt eating them up of hiding these to their friends (to Clint, especially, in Natasha's case), but it was becoming harder to do it.

It was becoming harder and harder for the both of them to separate profession and personal relationships once they were out there in the field. Especially, in Steve's case. Since he was captain, he always had the final call in giving out orders. And it became a standard thing for the team to simply follow it without questioning anything at all.

But sometimes—no, actually most of the time, Natasha would forget that. She knew it was very uncharacteristically immature and unprofessional of her to do such a thing, but she couldn't stop herself. She would always have to keep in mind that once they were out there, there was no Steve and Natasha. He couldn't call her 'love' nor could she call him his. He was not her boyfriend and she was not his girlfriend. They were nothing but teammates, allies, and partners.

He was Captain America while she was Black Widow.

And something tells them that if they couldn't keep sticking into their own agreement of 'professional and personal don't mesh well together', then it wouldn't be long enough for everyone to find out about them.

Meanwhile, they were given a new facility since they figured that the tower was too cramped up now for them to stay in—especially when they were getting new recruits in the team.

"One of our tech boys flagged this."

Natasha turned her head to see Nick Fury approaching her.

"Splashed down in the Banda Sea, could be the Quinjet," She leaned over to see a digital map of what the director was pertaining to. "But with Stark's stealth tech, we still can't track the damn thing."

She couldn't suppress the sad sigh escaping her lips, "Right."

When the Avengers finally managed to defeat Ultron, they also went through some of their own losses as well. Even if they're doing their best to save everyone, it also comes with a price. Unfortunately, that price took a toll on the life of their former teammate, Quicksilver, and led to the disappearance of Hulk.

"Probably jump out and swam to Fiji." Fury continued, "He'll send us a postcard."

Having Bruce or the Hulk on AWOL is just as difficult as it sounds. She had grown closer to this team, to this family, that it pains her to think how easy it is for them to leave them behind. Maybe she had just gotten softer, or maybe not. 

Either way, it was a pretty dick move for Bruce to bail out on them without as much of a goodbye. 

"You think he'll find his way back?" she asked.

"You never know. You hope for the best, then make do with what you get. I got a great team, after all. A great captain. A great agent." He spared her a glance from the corner of his eyes, "Partners."

She raised an eyebrow, feeling that there's more to what he's trying to imply. Judging from his tone and sideways glance, she picked up the fact that he must know something. He must've known already. Well, this was Fury, after all, she'd only be a tad bit surprised that he found out sooner than their friends did.

But that didn't mean she couldn't play dumb. "Sir?" 

"You be damned if you think none of these people here already suspect something between the two of you, Natasha." He asserted, and she couldn't determine exactly if it was disappointment or disbelief in his case. "But I'll have to admit that I never once saw this coming."

His words were indirect, vague and unresolved, but she knew exactly what he was talking about. What he was implying. Honestly, neither she or he saw this coming as well. It was unexpected but it certainly wasn't something they regretted.

"We know the risks." she deduced.

Fury sighed, "Look, I have nothing against you or Rogers for that matter, but you know how the world is. How the world needs you." Truth be told, he felt like he was slightly at fault here because he was the one who decided to put this two together. But he didn't expect that this would work back against him. Instead of the spy being an expert to teach the soldier about emotional detachment, the soldier was the one who taught her the importance of compassion instead. And at the same time, the downfall of having one too. "I hope you both know what you're doing."

Natasha knows that she and Steve could never have a normal relationship. And they could never get to live a life like most couples planned to have together. But he had told her countless times that it shouldn't become a reason for them to back down. They may be Captain America and Black Widow, a spy and a soldier, but they're also just a man and a woman in love.

"When you assigned us together," She wanted to know the reason why he'd think they would work out despite knowing how different they were. "Did you knew then that this could happen?"

Fury remained lax and composed. "Honestly? It never crossed my mind even a damn second." A tentative smile became more evident on his face. "But who am I to judge? As long as you do your jobs and kick asses out there, that ain't going to be a problem for me. You just do what you have to do. Like I said, I got a great team."

She forced a lopsided smile. "Nothing lasts forever." 

"Trouble, Ms. Romanoff." He pointed out, turning away. "No matter who wins or loses, trouble still comes around."

Natasha sighed, knowing full well he was right. 

Trouble would always come after them whether they like it or not.

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As much as both hated to admit it, or neither actually wanted to admit it, Steve and Tony had been surprisingly getting along better than before. Well, it would make sense since they were teammates and all, and Tony was the only one whom Steve could approach whenever he and Natasha were having some problems.

Probably, the only one who'd keep his head checked whenever he lets his jealous-self tend to speak more than his logical self.

Like what happened recently, when he had just noticed that the Hulk had formed some sort of special connection with Natasha. He didn't even know how it started, it just happened. He knew that it was nothing but platonic, and it even became a 'beneficial factor' for the team to resort to a way of calming the Hulk. In taming the beast.

But Steve felt his own green monster surfacing at the thought of it.

When he had unintentionally been dragging this whenever he was addressing Bruce during team meetings or occasionally giving him a hostile treatment than the rest of his friends, Tony had to smack him in the head to knock some sense back into him again. Literally. 

Thankfully, he had managed (with great difficulty that is) to swallow down the pit of jealousy and immaturity and got to lead the team and finish the mission without any personal conflicts. He convinced himself that he would need to get used to it whether he liked it or not. For Natasha. For them. For everyone.

"I'm still wondering how on earth could he do it and none of can't? Not even Cap?" Tony's voice wailed in disbelief.

Steve fought the urge to roll his eyes. It had been days since it happened and he still hasn't let it go. "The rules have changed, Tony." 

"I guess we're dealing with something new then?" 

"Well, the Vision is artificial intelligence."

"A machine." 

"So it doesn't count?"

"No," Tony answered without missing a beat. "It's not like a person lifting the hammer."

Steve seemed to caught on what he was saying. "Right! Different rules for us." he exclaimed.

"Nice guy. Artificial."

"Thank you."

Thor stepped in on these two's banters. An amused smile settled on his face while he overlooked the argument between them. "He can wield the hammer, he can keep the Mind Stone. It's safe with the Vision." he concluded, "And these days, safe is in short supply." 

That seemed to do the trick.

But Steve still had one question lingering on his mind. A deep thought clouded his eyes. "But if you put the hammer in an elevator..."

Tony rolled his eyes. "It would still go up."

"Elevator's not worthy."

Thor laughed slightly, patting Tony's shoulder. "I'm gonna miss these little talks of ours." He was planning to go back to Asgard again, and that would only result in the Avengers losing one of their members again. It was not easy for them to be out of reach when a threat could always be close behind.

"Not if you don't leave." Tony offered.

"I have no choice." He said, starting to walk in his tracks, "The mind stone is the fourth of the Infinity stones to show up in the last few years. It's not a coincidence. The power stone, the one that you took from me—"

"I thought we were past that already." he frowned.

He ignored him, making their way out of the facility. "—was only the first to be contained under our protection. I ordered it to be relocated to another place safer than Asgard. They're keeping it there. And now, I believe someone had been playing an intricate game and has made pawns of us. Once all these pieces are in position—" 

"Triple Yahtzee?" Tony interjected.

"You think you can find out what's coming?" Steve asked, his eyes looming over to him in concern.

Without any hesitation, Thor nodded. "I do." He looked over at Tony's chest, patting his arc reactor. "Besides this one, there's nothing that can't be explained."

Thor gave one final nod at them, before raising his fist in the air with Mjolnir in hand. A bright flash of light blinded their eyes momentarily. Afterwards, Thor was nowhere in sight. Only a mark was left on the very ground they're standing on.

"That man has no regard for lawn maintenance," Tony remarked.

Steve smiled lightly. 

"I'm gonna miss him though, and you're gonna miss me." He continued to say, pressing the keys on his car. "There's gonna be a lot of manful tears." 

The captain shrugged. "Maybe."

"Probably." Tony deduced.

Steve shook his head in amusement. Truth be told, maybe he really is going to miss him. The second Tony had told him that he decided to take a break from all this after it's over, he couldn't comprehend what he was saying and thought he had just misheard. 

But he didn't, and he was really planning to quit for the meantime. So that means he's leaving the Avengers in his care. He's trusting them in his care.

Not to mention, no one's going to be there to tell him when he's being a complete jealous ass anymore once Tony leaves.

Steve smiled sadly. "I will miss you, Tony."

Tony looked taken aback at first, a sudden heat pooled through his face but he managed to brush it off like it was nothing. See, he and Steve had their differences, and they always would not see eye to eye, but despite that, they had come a long way. Despite everything, they managed to consider the other as a friend. 

"Yeah? Well, you better not let Natalie hear you say that, Rogers." He rolled his eyes, smirking in amusement. "She's just as bad as you are. Getting jealous for all the wrong reasons. Tsk."

He flushed both in embarrassment and annoyance. "Hey, I got it all under control now. I'm not as bad as I was, no matter how hard it is to ignore."

"Thanks to me." Tony scoffed. "And you've got to learn to hold it down on your own now that I'm not around to smack some sense back in your brain."

"I can very well do that myself, thank you."

He snorted, laughing, "Barely."

Steve shot him a look to which he just ignored.

"Well, it's time for me to tap out." He said, seeing his car come down to a stop in front of them. He turned to face him before he got inside, eyebrows knitting together. "Speaking of you and Nat, I've been meaning to ask you this for a while now."

He looked at him, perplexed. "What is it?" 

"Do you guys, you know, ever plan to tell anyone? The team at least?" he asked.

As much as he wanted to answer the question, he doesn't exactly know the answer himself. Steve let out a sigh, "I don't know."

Tony raised an eyebrow in doubt.

"Really, I don't." he contended, "We talked about it one time, but we figured some other important things have to come first."

"What else could be more important than your relationship?" Tony asked, tilting his head questioningly, and Steve gave him that look to tell him that he knows exactly what he's referring to. "You don't have to put yourselves last in everything you do. You both deserve a break."

"It's different, Tony. We're not—I mean, we can't just pretend we're normal for one second and the next we're off to fight a bunch of aliens and robots." Steve reasoned, sighing. "We can't live a normal life. Unlike Clint, or you or anyone."

Tony could feel the conflict in him. Like he was deciding if this path he's taking on is the path he wanted for himself all along. Somehow, he felt sorry for him that he wants to convince him that he shouldn't be the kind of guy who just accepts this. Steve Rogers doesn't deserve this.

"Come on, Cap, what makes you think that you can't live the simple life too? It may not be now, but you'll get there one day. You and Nat."

"I don't know." He admitted, quietly, "Family, stability... the guy who wanted all that went in the ice 75 years ago. I think someone else came out."

Tony opened the car door, but not before stopping to give him a piece of advice. "Listen, this life you're talking about? All those nonsense about fighting crap and saving the world? That's the kind of life that Captain America chooses to have, not you." He gave him a pat on the shoulder. "What do you want, Steve?"

Steve sighed, offering him a weak smile. "I don't know." He was lost. Hopeless. And even with Natasha by his side, he still didn't know what his purpose in the world is. What kind of life he's meant to live, and the kind of life he's meant to be with Natasha.

Tony forced a smile too, but one full of sympathy rather than joy. He sat down on the driver's seat and started the engine. Before he could speed off, he glanced at him one last time, "You going to be all right?"

He glanced at the place; his eyes fleeting from the lawn he stood on, to the facility itself, and finally back to his friend. Despite all the conflicts clouding up his mind, he was sure of this one thing.

He nodded. "I'm home."

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Natasha didn't know how long she was standing there and doing nothing but stare at the wall in front. Yet judging from the amusement laced in her boyfriend's tone, it was probably quite a while already.

"Do you want to keep staring at the wall or do you wanna to go to work?" His voice snapped her out of a trance.

Just as she expected, by the time she turned around, Steve was there. An amused smirk that he was desperately trying to hold back but seemingly failed settled on his face.

"I mean it's a pretty interesting wall." He continued to tease, his smirk growing wider by the second.

Now she rolled her eyes, her lips unconsciously curving upwards as well. He could be such a shit sometimes. "I thought you and Tony were still gazing into each other's eyes." She retorted back, walking over to where he was.

Steve shook his head, chuckling, "Figures you were watching."

"Yeah, I even expected a little goodbye kiss to seal the deal." She grinned.

He grimaced. "Now you're just being gross."

She laughed, pressing a kiss to his cheek before taking the tablet from his hands. Unlike before, he'd resort to a blushing mess at the affectionate gesture, but now, considering every intimate moment they've gone through together, a kiss on the cheek was just an opening act.

Nevertheless, he still smiled affectionately at her. 

"How do we look?" she asked.

He looked over to the tablet. "Well, we're not the '27 Yankees."

"We got some hitters."

"They're good. They're not a team." 

She smirked, glancing at him. "Let's beat them into shape."

Steve pushed open the metal doors while she followed closely behind. She saw the other recruits settling below. She could make out Wanda, Rhodey, Sam, and Vision. They would certainly be rusty, and it would be a rough start with Clint retiring, Thor leaving, Tony quitting, and Bruce on AWOL. It would just the be the two of them guiding these people. 

"Avengers..." Steve started, looking at them before looking back at her.

She gave him an encouraging nod.

Then again, as long as she's with him, and as long as he's with her— Natasha knows for sure they could go through anything and everything at all.  

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