Romanogers One Shots

Soulmates

Note: This story takes place between the events of The Avengers and The Winter Soldier, while Fury is sending Steve and Natasha on a lot of missions together. After a failed attempt at capturing a wanted criminal, they share dinner at a Chinese restaurant in New York City.

Natasha broke her fortune cookie and reached for the tiny slip of paper. She still wasn't sure why she bothered. It probably said something fluffy about her future being bright or making new friends or that a complete stranger was going to give her a kitten. Exactly what she needed to take her mind off her split lip and black eye. Or the fact that she'd let a wanted criminal slip between her fingers after months of searching.

She unfolded the paper and scanned the single line.

Your soulmate is right in front of you.

Slowly, as if to check whether or not he was still sitting across the table from her, she lifted her gaze to Steve. Soulmate.

His eyes were scanning her face as though he could figure out what the paper said just by looking at her. "That bad, huh?" he asked, a hint of irritation in his voice. No doubt he was tired of waiting for her to tell him.

She bit her lip, trying to calculate what answer she could give that might possibly make him forget their previous deal. Unfortunately, it had been her idea. "You read me yours and I'll read you mine." That was what she'd said. It wasn't like he'd had any reason not to read it, but it seemed like a good alternative to sitting silently and replaying all the details of her failure over and over in her mind.

"You planning on sitting there until the restaurant closes or are you gonna tell me what it says?" Steve asked tiredly, his brows raised in that way that always reminded her of an impatient dad.

She folded the piece of paper and slid it into her pocket. "It's nothing," she said dismissively, grabbing the trash as she stood. "Just proof these things are bogus." She headed for the exit with Steve not far behind her and tossed their trash in the bin as she passed by.

"Come on," Steve said as he held the door open for her. "You might as well tell me."

She didn't reply as she stepped out into the chilly night air. It was a welcome relief from the too-warm restaurant, and she let the smells and sounds of the city fill her senses as they made their way down the sidewalk. After the wearying mission they'd had, and the utter lack of results, it was good to be back. Ever since Nick had taken a chance on her so long ago, New York had been the closest thing she'd had to a home. And for a long time, SHIELD was the closest thing she had to a family. And I've failed them.

"So you're really not going to tell me what it says?" Steve said, pulling her from her thoughts.

She released a sigh. "I told you, they're bogus," she said. "They don't mean anything."

"I guess it must've been something really good for you to be this cynical," Steve said.

She slid her hands in her pockets. "It was," she mumbled.

"What's that?"

"I said, it wasn't," she said louder. "It was just some nonsense about...kittens." Ignoring the confused look that he was giving her, Natasha quickened her pace and burrowed her hands deeper into her pockets.

"You want me to get a cab?" Steve asked.

Natasha shook her head. She didn't need to sit still in the dark, she needed to walk. Maybe if she walked far enough, she'd get ahead of the guilt that was weighing her down. And if she had to choose, there were far worse companions than Rogers. He wouldn't ask her questions or press her for answers. He would just be there, as he'd always been.