SUCKER FOR PAIN ▹ N. Romanoff

TWENTY TWO. yes (but not to the dress)

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━━ "YOU HAVE TO FIGURE OUT SOMETHING," Xiomara demanded with crossed arms. Tony had taken twenty minutes to get to her room, twenty-two minutes to be exact. So, she was a bit angrier than before. "Stark, I don't wanna wait for seven months to heal. I use my hands too much, and you have a bunch of machines that help heal people. So heal me."

"She's bossy today, isn't she?" The man murmured to himself. "Look, you're right. I'm like Jesus in the world of science. I have big chunks of metal that heal things like that," He snapped his fingers for emphasis. "But not only did you get stabbed in the hand -through and through, may I add- you got a bullet full of radiation flying at 11 miles per hour into your knee. So, no. I'm not risking it. You don't wanna hurt yourself, and I don't wanna hurt my machines. No."

"But imagine the press this would bring! I haven't been watching the news on purpose, but you'd be a medical mastermind. You don't wanna be a medical mastermind?"

He seemed to ponder his answer before speaking again. "Medical mastermind does have a nice ring to it, but I'm not fucking up my tech because you wanna fuck Romanoff."

"Ok, that is not true." Her eyes widened, Xiomara quickly getting defensive. "This is not for Romanoff. This is for me and my job."

"So why did you get defensive?" He snickered. "And why'd you start enunciating? And where did the Mexican accent come out?"

"Dude, I'm Dominican and Puerto Ri-"

"Same difference." Tony shrugged it off.

"Well, now you owe me, 'cause you're racist." Her eyes narrowed. "All Latinas aren't Mexican. It's like... not all white people are from England. Are you from London?"

"No-"

"What about Berlin? Oslo? Were you born in Rome?"

"No, but-"

"No 'but's.' You owe me, 'cause you're racist. And if you don't, Stark, I'll fuck you up. I'll end your life one-handed. Got it?" Xiomara urged with a look of determination in her eyes. Tony, for once, didn't give any arguments. He could only give a singular nod before exiting the room, a defeated aura following him. She smirked to herself. Xiomara managed to make Tony Stark, Earth's most pretentious billionaire, retreat like a punished puppy. It gave her great satisfaction, watching him run away like that.

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Later in the evening, Xiomara had convinced Jimmy to help her into a wheelchair. Even though she should be relaxing in bed, everyone knew that the woman was too active for that.

Jimmy wheeled her into the elevator, which took the two to the agents' floor. "I assume you want me to take you up to Romanoff's room?" The man suggested. "You know me quite well, Agent Woo." Xiomara joked, chuckling.

"It's not about knowing... I mean, if I had an injured girlfriend, I'd wanna see he-"

"Wait." Xiomara slammed her good foot onto the ground, prohibiting Jimmy from pushing the chair. "Injured? Yes. Girlfriend? No. Where did you hear that?" She looked up at the man.

"I got it from everyone except you and Romanoff."

"Exactly. They're rumors."

"To be honest, it sounds like everyone knows about your relationship except for you. You're so indiscreet that even Rambeau Sr. noticed. Now move your foot so I can take you to your girlfriend."

"She's not even my girlfriend." She scoffed, lifting her foot. "I mean, I support. Don't think we're gonna, like, oust you for it."

Xiomara gave him a brief death glare as the two reached Nat's room. Jimmy shrugged before knocking on the shut door. It took a few seconds for the Russian redhead to reach the door and open it, so Xiomara and Jimmy waited patiently. "Package for Agent Romanoff?" The man snickered, Xiomara scoffing.

"Well appreciated." Nat gave a nod before pulling Xiomara into her room. Jimmy walked away, Nat shutting the door. "What happened with the weapons that 'we' stole?" Xiomara looked up to Nat, who pushed the wheelchair closer to her bed.

"Oh, the others got them." She responded calmly, the tanned woman staring at her. "Uh- when?!"

"While we were fuckin' around with the HYDRA agents." She sat on the edge of her bed. "Pressed the buttons, then got the weapons. They told me about the weapon part while you were in surgery."

"Fun." Xiomara let out sarcastically as she attempted to lift herself out of the wheelchair. "Do you- do you want some help?" Nat stifled a chuckle.

"I can't believe you're mocking my injuries." Xiomara's face took on a pinched expression as she continued to carefully hoist herself out of the chair.

"Mocking?" Nat repeated, her lip slightly pushed out in a pout. "Oh, honey, I meant it."

Nat got to her feet before lifting Xiomara with ease. The Russian redhead held her 'co-worker' in her arms bridal-style. Xiomara could only stare into the woman's forest eyes as a fluttery sensation resided in her stomach. "Since- since when am I 'honey' to you?" She composed herself, ignoring the adrenaline that surged through her body.

"Since you reacted like that when I picked you up." Nat placed her on the bed before taking her spot on the edge. "Also, the fact that you forced Woo to take you to my room... it speaks volumes. Actions louder than words, all that."

"Maybe you'll like this action then." Xiomara retorted before wrapping her arms around Nat's waist, pulling her into another kiss. Her eyes closed, the sensation of Nat's fingers in her hair sending a tingling down her body. The two laid back, the redhead being pushed into the bed. Every few moments, one would pull away for a quick breath. Xiomara's heart pumped madly as one of Nat's hands secured its position on her waist.

"Wait," Xiomara whispered, her lips detaching from Nat's for a brief moment. "Does this mean you'll be my girlfriend?"

Nat pretended to contemplate her answer, her hand pushing the dark hair out of the tanned woman's face. "Long answer? Hopefully, I'll be with you evermore. Short answer? Yes."

"I didn't know I was dating Shakespeare." Xiomara's face lit up as she let out a chuckle. "It's hot. I can't complain." She speckled Nat's face with kisses. "I've always liked a woman who has a way with words."

"And I've always liked a woman who takes bullets for me." Nat took on a serious face and tone. "But, honestly, I don't think I've properly thanked you. You coulda let me take that."

"But, you did thank me." Xiomara sat up gradually. "By saying yes."

{ AUTHOR'S NOTE }

Enemies to lovers <3

- V