THE SHADOW OF THE FIRE

chapter 21

Kyla's pov
I looked up at stark and he was smirking at me... Oh no. He definitely planned something.
- so, kyla, it is the first time you play. So, truth or dare?
I decided to be a bit bold so i choose dare. Stark rubbed his hands together with an evil smirk. Fuck, i'm screwed.
- take nat on your lap for the rest of the game.
- no problem.
I got up and nat got up too. Her cheeks were a light shade of red, i saw steve literally fighting himself not to punch me, or stark. I sat down and nat sat on my tighs. I wrapped my arms around her waist to secure her and she relaxed in ny hold. It was my turn
- bruce, truth or dare
- truth
- weirdest place you have ever been at
- it was some kind of satanic ritual i think, but i escaped soon after.
- that's weird yeah.
We went on for a bit, till thor asked maria.
- maria, truth or dare?
- dare.
She was smirking proudly. What an ass. But she was clearly at least a bit tipsy.
- i dare you to kiss the hottest person in this room
Her smirk faded and she went pale. She thought about it and then said
- fuck it.
She turned to me and grabbed my jaw, connecting our lips in a quick but rough kiss. Before i could do anything she had already went back at staring at the table. Fuck. Everyone in the room was speechless, including me. Nat seemed a bit sad, but i would have talked to her later. For the rest of the game Maria didn't even look at me, same with nat. When everyone got up to go to sleep, maria stopped me and nat.
- i am sorry, kyla.
- there is no problem, but it won't happen again.
- oh, i know, trust me. I just find you hot, that doesn't mean i feel something more than friendship. Nat, please, say something.
She stayed silent.
- i'll let you sort this out. Night
- night.
I took nat's hand and i guided her to sit back down on the sofa. I sat in front of her, still holding her hand
- nat, are you ok?
- yeah. It is just... I thought that maybe you two... Maybe there was something going on. I don't anymore. But i guess it feels strange watching you kiss another girl. And... I thought that maybe you deserved someone not as ruined as me...
- nat... Look at me...
She looked into my eyes and i put my hand on her cheek, gently caressing it.
- natasha, there is nothing between me and maria, i promise. I am just as ruined as you, it is me who doesn't deserve you, if anything. Nat, i want you, only you.
She smiled, but then her gaze dropped to my lips. I looked at hers too, and without realizing it we were slowly learning in. I closed my eyes as my lips tingled in anticipation. I could feel her breath on my lips, the intoxicating smell of her perfume. Our lips were about to touch when someone spoke from the speakers.
- avengers required in meeting room 3 in 5 minutes, with also maria hill.
God. We almost kissed.
- i guess i have to go.
- yup...
We got up and started heading out when she wrapped her arms around my neck and hugged me tightly. I wrapped my arms around her waist and she pulled back slightly to look me in the eyes. She smirked and pecked my lips. I didn't have the time to kiss back, but my heart was beating out of my chest when she pulled away. 2 seconds of courage. That was all i needed. I moved my hands to the back of her neck and i pulled her in again. The kiss was soft and sweet, just a press of lips, but it sent fireworks in my stomach. When breathing became a problem we pulled away and rested our foreheads together. She was standing on her tippy toes. We opened our eyes and she started laughing. I couldn't understand why at first, but seeing my confused expression, she explained.
- you have my lipstick on your face.
I laughed too and she whispered
- well, i guess that i can kiss you again. You already have lipstick on your lips.
- come here.
I pulled her in again and i pressed my lips on hers. This time the kiss became more heated and i slipped my tongue in her mouth. We made out for a bit and then she pulled away to breathe.
- shit, i have to go
I opened my eyes, she grabbed a tissue and wiped away the lipstick from my face. I wiped the smudged parts of her lipstick and i kissed her cheek. We made our way to the meeting room and everyone was already there. Nat got in and closed the door, the only words i could make out were "we found the scepter". I headed back to my room, I started thinking about where i could take nat for the date. It was difficult. I wanted to make her have fun, but i still wanted to do something romantic without being cliché. Maybe dinner? No, that's fucking cliché. Maybe i could take her on a hike. Gay. A drive. But i didn't have a driver licence. A bike ride and a hike after. Gay as hell, but so am i, so it works. I could make lunch and take her to a picnic after the hike. After a bit of pacing back and forth i decided to sit at the desk and try to draw a little. I wanted to upgrade my suit, so that it wasn't the one from the red room or hydra, i wanted to be free from my past. After a bit of drawing i was quite satified from the result. It wasn't like my old one, instead it was totally different, but it didn't look too comfortable to put on. But it looked cool. In that moment someone knocked at my door and i yelled
- come in.
Nat opened the door, she seemed a bit nervous, but also sad.
- kyla... I have a mission tomorrow, so i can't come to our date... I am so sorry...
I tried to play it cool.
- don't worry, nat, it's your job. I understand.
- yes, but i was really looking forward for it. Did you plan something?
- maybe. But i'll save it for our date another day. So, what is the mission about? If it is not classified.
She laughed lightly and i couldn't help but smile. She is beautiful.
- oh, actually you are coming with us, just for back up. Because it's hydra, we don't want them taking you.
- you all don't want me to be taken or is it just you?
- well... Mostly me, stark and maria. Banner and clint also, but they don't know you that well. Thor said that he hasn't talked to you yet.
- oh, yeah, he is some kind of god, right? That's kinda intimidating. And i think that steve wants me to be taken
- that's not true...
I gave her a look
- ok, maybe it is true, but he wouldn't screw up a mission just for that.
- no, he is too uptight.
She laughed lightly and then her face changed.
- i am really sorry for the date
- i know
I got up and i put my hands on her shoulders.
- nat, don't worry about it. Just think about the mission, ok? I'll plan something for another day. I know how much you care, it is kinda cute.
The smile returned to her face and i pressed a kiss on her forehead, i was about to pull away when she tugged me down and kissed my lips softly. We pulled away to breathe but she pulled me in again almost immediately for a longer, more heated kiss. It took me by surprise but i am for sure not complaining.
Someone cleared their troaths so we pulled away and maria was leaning on the door jamb smirking.
- so... What do we have here?
Nat flipped her off and she playfully gasped.
- stop making out you two. You need to sleep. Say good night.
- such a mom.
Nat muttered under her breath.
- what did you say romanoff? Uh?
Maria was now closer to natasha, looking at her the way she did when scolding the recuits. So nat, feeling naughty, yelled
- SUCH A MOM!
With this nat got pushed out of the room.
- no good night kiss from her, romanoff. Go sleep. And if you don't i will know.
Maria was staring at nat without blinking, so nat, without missing a beat, run to me againg and pecked my lips, then run to her room even quickier and shut the door. Me and maria bursted out laughing. I didn't have this much fun in a while.
Maria came up to me and closed the door behind her. She sat on the bed (i forgot to mention, she is in her purple pj) with crossed legs and motioned for me to sit next to her.
- so, kyla, why did you and nat disappear for a while earlier?
- we just wanted to have some time to ourselfs without all the noise from the party.
She leaned against the headboard.
- so yesterday you were telling me how you didn't want to ask her out cause you were scared, and now your tongue was down her troath. Care to explain?
- no.
- come on...
- ok.
- Yes!
Maria seemed quite excited, so i moved to sit next to her and she smiled
- so... We... Uhm... Where do i start?
I explained everything and she was smiling widely, when i was finished she pulled me into a tight hug. Then a thought popped into my brain
- maria? How long have you and nat been together?
- 3 years and 4 months.
Oh. That's a lot of time.
- and... Why did you break up?
- we just realized that we weren't right for each other. At least not as lovers.
She stopped for a moment, looked at me and then continued
- i also noticed that her heart was somewhere else.
- really? Where?
- you.