•Romanogers OneShots•

5 • New Years Day

Steve and Natasha in the aftermaths of Tony's annual New Years Day party. Heavily inspired by the Taylor Swift song New Years Day. Fluff.

A light covering of confetti and polaroids covers the hardwood floor. Candle wax; melted into a Picasso like mix. Steve watches from the top of the grand dark oak staircase, as girls carry their high heels through the lobby. He hadn't gotten much sleep this morning; as Tony's guests stayed well past their stay. It was the New Year after all. The solider had never been one for resolutions. Besides most gave up on them by February. This year was the same, Tony had vowed to give up getting drunk. Funny.

A door behind Steve creaks open, Natasha in the same black cocktail dress from the night before, stumbles from the doorway. Her five inch heels in her hand. Her hair frames her face in messy tendrils of red. Last night, Steve had been standing next to Natasha during the ten second count down to the new year. As couples kissed and confetti and balloons fell, their eyes locked. Steve had the sudden longing to kiss her then. Now because he didn't; an empty pit like feeling had sprung in his chest.

"Hey Rogers. Have fun last night?" Natasha slightly slurs.

"Sure. You look like you had too much fun last night," Steve chuckles at her sloppy apperence.

"Ya well it's just another year. What's your resolution Rogers?" She asks leaning next to him on the railing.

"Don't have one," He states bluntly.

"Ya me neither. Doesn't make much since to me. I try to better everyday. Why just for a year?" She asks retorically.

"That was oddly poetic Romanoff," Steve laughs.

"I guess it was. Anyway, I'm headed back to my apartment," Natasha says she kisses him on the cheek before descending down the staircase.

"Care to join me Rogers?" She asks over her shoulder.

"And what might that entail?" Steve says in a red blush.

"It's whatever you want it to be. I don't want to be alone on New Years day," She says quietly.

"In that case I'll be happy to accompany you," He replies suddenly empathizing with her. Besides what did he have to go back to? An empty apartment and three day old leftovers, that's what. He untangles the tie on his shirt and shoves it in his pocket before following her out the front doors. Steve steps in front of her and hails a cab. They track one down quickly.

In the cab; Natasha leans her head on Steve's shoulder and pulls one of his hands into her lap, she tangles her own fingers with his. He squeezes her hand three times in a reassuring pattern like his mother use too.

Squeeze, I,Squeeze, Love, Squeeze, You.

--- --- --- --- ---

The cab arrives at Natasha's apartment as quickly as it could against New York City traffic. Steve pays the driver and follows Natasha up the front stairs, into the apartment building. It's a large stone building. Maybe as old as he is.

"Shit," Natasha sighs, "Elevators broken. Again."

"Let's go," She urges and leads him up the stairwell. Each step creaks under his heavy footing as Natasha pads up them silently.

After five flights of stairs; Natasha leads him down a long hallway to her front door. She pulls a pin from her hair and uses it to unlock her door. When they are inside Steve settles on the couch, and rests his suit jacket behind him.

"Steve!" Natasha calls from the bathroom. He can hear water running from the shower. The Captain gets up and follows her voice to the bathroom. She stands infront of the sink tangled in her dress.