Saving Natasha

PART 34: TAG, YOU'RE IT

NATASHAS POV

Steve woke up about 10 minutes after i had, i looked up to him and instantly started to smile

"Good morning"

"Ah you've finally woken up" i said it in a mocking tone and he laughed at me

"How long are you up?"

"Not long only a few minutes" i put my head back on his chest and he wrapped his arms around me.

We lay together for a further 10 minutes before i rolled out of bed. I walked over to my door and turned back to look at him. He was lying in the same position with a childish grin on his face. He moved his arms behind his head and i ran back over to him, giving him a few kisses before i left.

I walked down the hall, unable to pull the smile from my face. It was pretty early in the morning so no one else was awake so i didn't mind walking into the kitchen in my pyjamas. I grabbed a bowl and some cereal and moved around the counter to the breakfast bar. I sat cross-legged on the chair while I ate my breakfast. After a few minutes, Steve appeared still shirtless and in his pyjama bottoms. He sat down beside me and grabbed a kiwi from the fruit bowl. We sat and ate in silence, yet whenever i looked at him i started to laugh. Soon the kitchen was filled with the sound of our laughter.

"Do you 2 mind! I'm trying to sleep!" Stark poked his head around the door and then left again almost immediately

We started to laugh again but quieter this time. After breakfast i went back up to my room with Steve right behind me, randomly tickling me. I reached my door and turned to face him

"Go change so we can train" he smiled at me and gave me a quick kiss before walking off in the direction of his room. As he walked my eyes slowly and shamelessly travelled down his body to his ass

"I can feel you watching" he turned around walking backwards and i giggled opening my door and backing in.

I got dressed quickly and ran downstairs to the training room. I hid behind a wall waiting for him. I heard him coming down the stairs and started smiling. He walked into the room straight past me, i ran out from behind the wall and jumped onto his back, wrapping my arms around his shoulders and my legs around his waist

"Boo!"

He laughed at me and i hopped down

"Well rogers, ready to lose, again." I giggled and ran away from him as he tried to tickle me.

"New rule! No tickling!" I ran into the ring and he followed me in

We started sparring again, and every time i had him pinned I'd give him kisses until he'd start to tickle me. I found myself working harder to pin him. I laughed at myself, and then laughed at Steve as he attempted a judo flip.

"That needs work" i laughed at him again as he stood up and started to chase me. I jumped out of the ring running around the room barefoot trying to avoid a tickle attack. He caught up to me and tickled me until we were both on the floor laughing

"No more tickling!!!" He jumped up and i lay on the floor looking up at him, i started giggling again and he reached out a hand. I took it and he pulled me up, he spun me around tangling me in arms and kissed me.

After the rest of practice we went up the stairs to the kitchen. There were more people there now and when we walked in the all turned to us. I stopped dead in my tracks, confused. Steve came up right behind me and stopped as well.

"So....how long has that been a thing" stark turned to the others in the room

"What do you mean? Us!!??" I turned to look back at Steve and almost blew it by giggling again.

"Yes you 2. The walls are real thin you know, we could all hear you 2 giggling and messing down there" stark turned back to face us and i felt my cheeks flush

"Well, i don't know what you mean, the only sound down there was the thud as Steve hit the floor, time and time again"

Everyone laughed as i sauntered off back up to my room, i heard footsteps behind my and turned to see Steve, i giggled at him as he caught up to me, he pushed me back against the wall and kissed me. I could feel his smile against my lips i pushed him back and ran off towards my room again, he started to chase me and i started laughing like a child. He spun me around and pinned me against my door. He kissed me again

"Tag. You're it" he whispered it to me and i giggled again

I kissed him back "youre it"

"Ahem" we both turned our heads towards the sound. It was banner, he was clearly uncomfortable. I looked up at steve and then laughed.

I pushed steve back "hi Bruce"

"Romanoff. Rogers" he nodded his head towards us.

I looked back to steve and laughed, he turned his head to me, laughing.

"Banner" he nodded at him as he walked away.

I opened my door, walked into my room and closed it, i heard banner walk past and laughed again. I walked into the bathroom and looked at myself in the mirror, my hair had grown a good bit since i died it and the natural red of my hair came down past my chin. I hopped into the shower and when i got out i grabbed a scissors. I cut my hair to shoulder length and dried it. Without the extra weight of my hair length, once it was dried it started to form its natural, small waves i ran my fingers through it and then got dressed.

I walked out of my room and went down the hall to Steve's. I knocked on the door and then walked in without waiting for an answer, pushing the door shut behind me and leaning against it. He was standing by the bathroom door with a towel wrapped around his waist, his hair still wet from his shower and water droplets running down his back. I bit my lip as he turned to face me. He laughed at my expression and went back into the bathroom

"Heyyyy, i was enjoying the view" i wandered over to his bed and sat down on it leaning back against the headboard.

He walked back out a few seconds later in a pair of tracksuit bottoms, but still shirtless. He walked over to me grinning, he knelt on the bed and pulled my face up to his.

He kissed me once "you're it"

I giggled again and pulled him down onto the bed properly. I kissed him a few times and then rolled over, resting my head on his stomach. He propped his head up with a pillow and started to play with my hair

"You cut you're hair, i like it"

"I'm glad you like it because i do too" we lay there for a while

"Nat, listen.....i have to leave soon. Fury has a mission for me, its in Cancun" i felt my state of euphoria come to an end. It was like i had been walking through air over the last 2 days and i had just suddenly been dropped.

"When will you be back?"

" i dont know, but when i do get back, there will be anther mission, and another, and another" i sighed, i knew he was right, but i didnt want him to be.

"When are you leaving?"

"In 2 days"

I turned to look at him, "let's make the most of them"

I thought about what he was saying, we both had a job, in a few weeks, i would be cleared for missions, our time together would be short. I just had to hope that whenever we were assigned missions, we'd get the same ones. Our relationship would be broken, there would be times I wouldn't see him for months, and if i wanted to be in a relationship with him, i had to be ok with that. Its then that i realised, just how much i was willing to sacrifice in return for the love of this man