Romanogers One Shots

The Man Who Never Lied

Sell it. That's what Fury had told him to do. And if he didn't, the entire mission would be a failure.

To Natasha, it was likely just another day working for SHIELD. To Steve, it was what he defined as...a challenge. To say the least. Storming Hydra bases, freeing prisoners—that was what Steve could do. But lying? Natasha never failed to remind him how inept he was at that particular task. Of course, she was teasing, but she was also right. And as they drove through the night to the place where the mission would go down, he began to question Fury's sanity for choosing him to accompany her on this mission. He could think of a dozen other agents that could do that job better. But he'd chosen Steve.

"Don't worry, Rogers. If it's a test of your abilities, it's because Nick believes you can do it," Natasha had told him. He hadn't taken the time to explain how it didn't matter much whether or not the director of SHIELD believed he was up to the task. It didn't even matter whether Steve himself believed it. All that mattered was whether he could. But even after all this time, he was still a soldier. And soldiers obeyed orders.

When he stopped the sedan outside the abandoned warehouse, he took a moment to study the dilapidated structure. Illuminated by the faint glow of the moon overhead, the outline towered above them. Tonight was it. Tonight, he would finally know the outcome of this mission. Natasha's complete and utter ease in this environment practically radiated off of her from her seat on the passenger's side. "You ready for this?" he asked quietly, not shifting his eyes from the sight before them.

"Are you?" she asked, a note of amusement coloring her tone.

He released a sound that was half chuckle and half scoff. "You really have to ask?"

She didn't reply, but she didn't need to. He could sense her lopsided smirk without even looking at her. He took a deep breath. It was a mission. That was all. And if he couldn't lie, then he wouldn't. He'd just find a way to twist the truth.

Because planning and leading operations was one thing Steve was undoubtedly skilled at, Fury had put him in charge. And so Natasha was simply awaiting his command.

Steeling himself for whatever was coming, he said, "Let's go."

Together, they climbed out of the vehicle and slowly approached the warehouse. They made their way inside, and once they had pretended to make certain they were alone, they lowered their weapons and faced one another. "So this is it," he said.

Natasha nodded. "This is it." She didn't quite meet his eyes, and he was relatively sure she wasn't saying most of what was on her mind. "Think you can handle it?" she asked, her voice low.

Because it was very likely that someone was listening in, he thought through his answer carefully. "As long as nothing happens to you," he said softly, as though he didn't want anyone to hear. In reality, if their "friends" were already closing in on them, it was exactly the sort of thing Fury wanted them to hear. That Natasha mattered to him. That he'd be willing to pay an impressive ransom if she were to be taken. "Sell it. They have to believe she'll make good leverage." That was what Fury had said.

"And nothing will," she said, feigning comfort.

Steve took a deep breath, allowing his nerves to show. Let them think he was truly afraid of losing her. "When do you think they'll be here?" he asked, letting his eyes wander the vast, dimly lit space.

"Any minute now," she replied. "If you've got anything to say before they show up, you should say it now."

And that was his cue. He kept his expression guarded as his eyes traveled her face. Twist the truth. What was the truth? That he didn't actually care for Natasha? Sell it. Make them believe you love her. And who was the last person he loved like that? The person whose picture he'd already decided to conjure up in his mind in order to portray those feelings? Peggy. If he was truly making an illegal arms deal and Peggy was involved, and if she was by some twist of fate actually helpless to escape capture, what would he feel? Panic? Anger? Determination to stop such a thing at any cost? And he could. He could stop it. But he'd have to pretend that he couldn't. He had to let them take Natasha, or they would never get the intel that was essential to finding the true ringleaders.