Endings And New Beginnings

CHAPTER SIX - BABYSITTER

Five days have passed by since their talk, or as what Bucky calls it their 'dynamite dinner reveal'. Natasha rolled her eyes at him for such a lousy name. Things went normal, as normal Steve hoped they would be, and by normal meant Bucky and Natasha firing teases and flirtations at each other. Steve tried refereeing but soon gave up, realizing that it's Bucky and Natasha --- the former is her childhood best friend who made almost every woman in Brooklyn swoon with his smile and the latter is an ex-assassin highly trained in the art of seduction. It's like watching two wrecking balls colliding at each other.

"At least I don't have to worry about you two getting along," Steve said one morning when he found the two locked in a seducing stare down in the kitchen.

Steve has managed to ignore the two when they're 'playing' so he doesn't really know who's winning. He's just hoping the two will not take their flirting game to the next level because when that happens, then he'd definitely be uncomfortable in his own house. So he warns them one night.

"Just don't do something that would make me kick you out of my house. I'm serious," Steve told them.

"Aye, aye, captain," Natasha said coyly while Bucky acknowledged with a salute. If he's being honest with himself, when things get out of control between that two, Steve actually sees himself to be the one walking out of his house, embarrassed. 

Steve shakes off the idea. Right now, he's just making sure that he gets to enjoy each day with his two favorite people.

During the day Steve busied himself with either painting or picking up on repairs around the house. There's still work to be done, especially in the master suite upstairs and in the garage. 

Bucky helped by doing small repairs like replacing hinges in the kitchen cabinets, cleaning the gutters, painting the porches, replacing light bulbs, etc. 

Natasha continued installing security devices around the house and setup Steve's computer so he remains hooked up to the system in the Facility. He thought about protesting but remembers Bucky's argument on the perimeter sensors.

They would often sit in the living room after dinner, either playing board games or watching a movie. There was a night Natasha made them watch a horror movie that made Bucky confused. He said why would someone even bother doing such a movie in the first place. But Natasha saw right through him --- he acted confused but in truth, he was scared. Steve had to agree because he did see the plates on his metal arm whir and move multiple times as he clenched his fists tight, keeping his guard up as he anticipated for scare moments in the movie. Needless to say, Natasha used it as an advantage in their daily bickering.

There were afternoons when they would spar outside. It was Bucky's idea saying that he needs to prepare for his first mission. Steve doesn't show it but he's anxious of the day when Fury finally makes contact telling Bucky or Natasha or Bucky AND Natasha to come in.

This actually has been keeping him awake for the past nights and now as he thinks about it again, an idea hits him. He jumps out of his makeshift couch-bed and quietly walks upstairs and into his bedroom. He finds Natasha on her back, the sheets mid-way her body and one hand under the pillow. 

He had the misfortune once of having a gun pointed at his face because he didn't know yet how to safely wake Natasha up in the middle of slumber. So he designed a strategy. He would hover one hand over the pillow that conceals her hand clutching the gun, ready to push and pinch it down if necessary, while only using his other hand to shake her if calling out her name isn't doing the trick.

"Nat, hey, wake up," Steve whispers close to her face. "Nat come on. Natasha ---"

She finally stirs, opens her eyes and lets out a groan the instant she recognizes Steve. At that moment Steve knew that Natasha finally lets go of the gun under her pillow. She rolls to her side, turning her back on Steve.