Not The Endgame (Avengers & Narnia Crossover)

09. Promise of Trouble

[Author's Note: The music on the link is my chosen soundtrack for this fluff with Caspian. Enjoy!]

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The comforting smell of the old, musty books and leather filled Natasha's nose as she climbed up the small, wooden ladder to return the royal journal that Professor Cornelius had finished reading the other night. The femme fatale red head, having the burden of keeping her identity a secret off of her shoulders, was now more free to dress as herself.

The assassin no longer bother herself to wear dresses that the women typically wear at this age, or in Narnia for that matter. She began wearing pants and a pair of comfortable boots topped with slightly loose tunic fastened around her middle with leather bodice–not just because it accentuated her form in a way that she always liked, but because the leather corset was a perfect place for her to sheath her knives without being conspicuous at all.

Well–the medieval bodice was not conspicuous. But the rest of her, the pants, the way she walked so straight with an unexplainable confidence; watchful, mysterious blue eyes–one glance, and everyone who looked at her would know that she was no average woman.

“Is this how I’m going to see you from now on?” a familiar timbre, soothing voice that belonged to Caspian made Natasha smiled to herself.

The female glanced at the handsome king from behind her shoulder and smiled rather teasingly. “Does your majesty do not approve of my attire?” she chirped with a flirty tone that Caspian knew now as her way of being playful before returning to her task arranging the books to return to its shelves alphabetically.

Voice as smooth as honey and a crooked smile that promises nothing good, sighed Caspian inwardly, Does she even know what it does to a man?

Caspian was feeling guilty for ogling her form, even for just a polite, non offensive once-over from Natasha's point of view. The young king chose to lean against the door frame with arms folded in front of his broad chest, his eyes looking away from her to the many books on his old tutor's collection. Absently brushing his short, neat beard, Caspian shrugged. “I have to admit you wear pants better than most men. Even me.”

Natasha smirked at him at his response. “Not necessarily,” she mumbled.

The dark haired man heard it. He chuckled, “What was that?”

“Nothing,” Natasha smiled secretively to herself, amused.

“So why the sudden fashion change?”

“What we learned about a week ago about the Calormen… I just want to be ready for anything. I figured I better stop wearing confining dresses, plus this is the closest way to how I would dress back then,” Natasha got the ladder and faced the King of Narnia, seeing the subtle hesitation in his gaze as his dark eyes met hers. Had she wasn’t more observant than others, she would’ve missed it. “You don’t like the way I dress?” she concluded.

Caspian looked mildly surprised and shook his head. “No, not at all. I wasn’t lying when I said that you wear pants better than I do,” he covered up with a playful remark of his own. But Natasha’s curiosity was piqued because of his response, and decided to find out what exactly was in his mind.

“But that’s not what you have in mind,” she hummed thoughtfully. “If you have something to say, go on and tell me. It’s okay. Do I look off somehow?” Natasha inquired, now starting to suspect that she might be violating a fashion trend in Narnia.

“No,” Caspian quickly replied, “You look beautiful, whatever you wear,” he said with conviction, an innocent truth that sent a smile on the Black Widow's pretty face.