Devotion [Book 1]

Against The Odds

FanFiction.net

Against The Odds by T2 Angel

Rated: K+
Language: English
Genre: Romance
Characters: Steve.R + Natasha.R
Words: 1k+
Published: August 4, 2019

***

"So, when do we start?" Sam asked.

"We just did," Steve replied.

Natasha heard Steve say that to Sam as she walked away from the cemetery. She was convinced that she wouldn't see him for months after that, if not longer. That was fine for her, she still needed to figure out what she would do without S.H.I.E.L.D. being up and running. She was surprised to get a text from Steve, just two months later, asking her to meet up.

Natasha came to a bar in Manchester, England and looked around. She saw Steve sitting at a back table, who smiled and gave her a wave. She smiled back and walked over to his table.

"I wasn't expecting you to hear from you," Natasha admitted.

"I know." Steve motioned to the chair, "Have a seat."

She sat down. "Two months, you couldn't have found Bucky that quickly."

"Barely able to trace his steps."

"You'll find him. You're too tenacious to give up."

"Maybe," he said. "We'll see what happens."

"So, what going on?" she asked.

"I've been doing a lot of thinking."

"About what?"

"Life," he said. "Just... this. This life I'm living."

"How so?" she asked.

"There's been a lot of things I've had to get used to. The hardest out of all of them... the things I've lost."

"I know it's been hard for you."

"It's okay. It's just taken some time to adjust. To see things in a new light. To see what happens next."

"And that somehow lead you to me?"

"At first? No."

"So, why call me?" Natasha asked.

"Sam asked me something," Steve answered. "Something I wasn't expecting."

"What was that?"

"He asked me... 'what's left to do after we find Bucky?'"

"That's a heavy question."

"One I wasn't sure I had the answer to."

"And you came to me for help?" she asked.

"You could say that," he replied.

"What can I do?"

"You can answer something for me." He looked her over. "Why did you try so hard to find me a date?"

She shrugged, "I saw a friend in need of... some kind of break from all he'd been through. A way to ease him back into everyday life."

"Was that the only reason?" he asked.

"Would there be another reason?"

"You're dodging my question."

She stared at him. "Maybe. If I was, how could you tell?"

"You don't have a tell," he said.

"And that's how you know I'm lying?" she asked. "Because I don't give myself away when I'm lying?"