A THOUSAND LIVES ▹ N. Romanoff

FIVE. in which a deal is struck

Natasha flushes yet again. "How do you do that? How do you get everyone to... listen to you?"

Evangeline starts thinking again. "I'm very good at convincing. I'm like van Gogh in the art of manipulation." She replies truthfully. "What, you think people call me the goddess of persuasion for funsies?"

Natasha lets out a bark of laughter. "Please!" She scoffs. "You're not a goddess!"

She wonders why everyone doubts her when she says that, but believes every other lie that escapes her mouth. Evangeline stares at her wordlessly, hoping that her point will get across. It does. "You- you're a goddess, like Thor and Loki are gods?"

"Now you get it. Good girl."

Natasha's breath hitches at the name.

"And something tells me that your next question is something along the lines of "Am I actually in love with you or did you force me to love you?""

Natasha says nothing, which only verifies Evangeline's accuracy. "Tell you what," The brunette was in a surprisingly good mood. She sits up in her chair, clearing her throat. "I won't talk to you, let my magic or whatever wear off. Even though we'd have to make it look like we're not ignoring each other..." She shrugs. "But, if that's what she wants, it's what she gets."

Natasha looks hesitant, like there's a wrong choice to choose. Evangeline waits patiently for a response. "Fine." The redhead lets out quietly.

"Great!" It's not great. "It's a deal."

⭑ ⭑ ⭑

Evangeline's getting sick and tired of these parties already. Talking to mindless politicians and selfish businessmen quickly becomes a chore that she doesn't want to do. Sure, she likes the fancy dresses and free things Tony lets her have, but she'd be fine if she never had to fake her interest in stocks ever again.

She finds herself beside Thor yet again. She's the most comfortable with him. They've known each other for, what, a thousand years? It makes sense why Evangeline always ends up at Thor's side.

"You are not attempting to claim Lady Natasha?" His bushy brows furrow as he looks down at the goddess.

"Not in the moment." Evangeline mutters, folding her arms under her chest. "This is gonna sound really awful, but I kinda needed a break."

"I'm sorry?" He looks offended on Natasha's behalf. It's there Evangeline realizes how much Thor seems to love these little humans.

"No, no, wait, don't freak out." The brunette shakes her head. "Not from Natasha, never from Natasha. No, from... feeling, I guess. I haven't felt this way in a long time. I forgot how confusing it is."

"Oh." He nods. Then, it dawns on him. "Oh."

"Shut up." She grumbles, the sound being muffled by her hands.

"Oh, my littlest sibling has an amorous connection with another!" Thor whispers teasingly, a strong arm wrapping around her lovingly.

"Don't rat me out, Thor." Evangeline unwraps the musclely arm. "I just- I'm- I'm nervous. She's a mortal, a really smart one. And both of us have things that we don't want the other to know."

"Sister, you know many things about Lady Natasha-"

"No, I don't!" She admits this a little too loud; she has to ignore the odd looks from the people around her. Evangeline lowers her voice, "No, I don't. I don't know what she did, how she did it, and who she did it for. I only know her real name, the true, non-Americanized name, and that she's from the Red Room. That, and anything that SHIELD has. Which, let's be honest, it isn't much. Trust me, I've checked, like, a thousand times."

"...I believe I should return you to your quarters." Thor gives a short nod, Evangeline sighing.

⭑ ⭑ ⭑

"Sister, when did you acquire a home?" Thor explores the apartment curiously.

"When I wanted to." She pockets her keys. "Thanks for driving me, though. When'd you learn how to drive?"

"When I wanted to." Thor's proud of his comeback. Evangeline scoffs as Thor begins to raid her fridge like a hungry bear.

"You even keep avufruits in here?" The blond picks up the circular pink fruit before peeling it. He bites into it, the sweetness coating his tongue as he lets out a delighted sigh. "I have yearned for the saccharine taste of the avufruit for centuries!" He happily smiles as he turned to Evangeline, the pink juice dribbling down his chin.

"Yeah, I know, I'm amazing, you're welcome." She playfully scoffs. "But, seriously, Thor. Thanks for getting me out of there. I think I was spiraling a little."

"I never saw you spinning." He cocks his head quizzically while she rolls her eyes. "No, Thor, dearest..." The next five minutes are spent explaining what 'spiraling' means.

"...So you were never spinning?"

"You've been with me for the better part of an hour, no, I haven't been spinning!" Evangeline laughs. They had moved over to her couch a while ago, bottles of human alcohol in hand. It won't do much, but they both like the taste. "But, moving on-"

A moment of silence fills the space. Thor looks at his little sister; she's running her fingers through dark hair.

"You are thinking of Lady Natasha again, correct?"

"Yeah," She admits begrudgingly. "Yeah, I am."

"Why is this bad?"

"'Cause..." She takes a long sip of Asgardian vodka that Thor had brought. "I dunno. I've been doing my persuasion thing. Maybe more than I should. I'm scared that she doesn't even actually like me," She sighs. "I fucked up, Thor. And I keep fucking up."

"Do you know the reason for the persuasion? Why you continue?"

Evangeline says nothing for a while, slowly blinking while contemplating her next answer. "I-" She swallows. "I don't think I even know anymore." She's slurring now, and her pupils are dilated. Her mouth's run dry and she's swaying a bit now, as is Thor. "I wonder if she'll like me. Not Evelyn me, but me me."

"Why wouldn't she?"

"'Ca-" She pauses. "No, wait, you're not my therapist!"

Thor bursts into loud, drunken laughter. "I am better than a therapist!" His hand claps her back again, moving her forward again. "You will be ok, Sister. You and Natasha shall warm up to each other. I believe you should use your charm. Evangeline's, not the Goddess of Persuasion's."

"I dunno if there's a difference anymore, Thor."

{ AUTHOR'S NOTE }

idk if i like this chapter too much... but anyways!
hope you guys like it— comment your thoughts :))

- V