- all i need is you needing me.
Natasha came in fifteen minutes past ten. I only moved from my spot in the kitchen once and it was to move the box from Lucia's stashing it in the kitchen drawer to in my pocket. I'd just carry it around until I found the right moment to propose. But now I rose again and moved swiftly to Natasha.
I didn't say anything but instead hugged her. She needed a hug, I could tell because as soon as my arms wrapped around her, she buried her face into my neck and sighed. It was nice to hold her, knowing she was back safe.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you." She whispered. I just kissed the top of her head, assuring her it was alright.
"I'm sorry because I never asked you. I'm sorry because I wasn't there for you." I held on to her tightly, as if to make up for the time I lost.
Natasha backed up and met my eyes. "You wouldn't have known. Assassins don't usually have siblings." She looked away, her eyes dark. "I know I don't anymore."
My hand brushed against her face, and her eyes drifted back to me. "I'm sure he's very proud of you," I assured her.
But then, I heard footsteps. The apartment door was still open, and the footsteps were coming closer. I stepped towards the door and eyed a knife stuck in the wooden block on the counter.
"Relax, Katya." Natasha grabbed my hand, pulling me backward. "I want you to meet someone."
I loosened up but still watched the door warily as a cinnamon haired girl stepped inside. I frowned at her, studying her. She wore SHIELD sweatpants tucked into black combat boots, and a black shirt.
Natasha, noticing the tension, stepped in between the two of us. "Katya, this is Ava."
"Ava Orlova." My features softened as I watched her stick her hand out to me. I shook it.
"You know her?" Natasha looked confused.
I shook my head no. "Tony said you were going to Moscow to pick her up."
"It's nice to meet you..." Ava wanted to know my name.
"Katya Volkov," I informed her.
"She was my brother's girlfriend," Natasha said sadly, then turned to me. "Alexei would have liked you. Once he got past your scary and threatening looks, he would like you."
"I'm sure I would have liked him too," I said but then frowned. "Hey, I'm not that scary, am I?" Natasha only smiled, brushing past my arm to close the apartment door. I eyed Ava. "Are you staying with us?"
"Only for a night, if that's alright with you." She was wary of me, and I could see it.
I nodded. "You can take the couch. I'll grab you a few things." I began to walk towards the closet, but Natasha pushed me away.
"I've got it. You talk to her." She smiled.
I turned back towards the girl. Natasha must like her a lot if she wants me to talk to her. Looking at her more closely, she was similar to Natasha. She acted like her too.
"Russian?" I raised my eyebrow. She nodded. "Let me guess...nineteen?" Again, she nodded.
"How do you know this?" She asked me.
"I know everything, kid," I smirked, grabbing three glasses from the cupboard. "Whiskey?"
"Water, thanks." She corrected me, and again I smiled.
"Good choice."
She watched me carefully as I poured water for her. I could feel her eyes on my back, and I know what I must look like to her. A punk chick living with Natasha, there weren't many explanations for that. For some reason, Natasha had taken a liking to me and Ava seemed to want to know why.
"Ty russkiy," She decided.
"I am, yes." I grinned, handing her the glass of water. "Just like you and Natasha."
"Early twenties?" She raised an eyebrow, just like Natasha and I do.
Speaking of Natasha, she entered the room and started to set up the couch as a makeshift bed. I glanced at Natasha, and resisted another grin as I said, "Try four hundred and two years old." Her eyes narrowed, trying to decide if I was lying.
I grinned again when Natasha said, "If you're planning on scaring her away, that's the perfect way of doing it."
"You're joking." Ava stared at me in disbelief.
"Not in the slightest." I sipped some whiskey on ice and watched her mind trying to process how that could be possible. Not wanting to watch her struggle, I told her what I was. "I'm a fallen angel, Ava."
I wasn't a fan of all the questions that usually followed the insane discovery, but I tried to answer them as best as I could.
"And your relationship with Natasha is not strictly business, then," Ava observed. Natasha seemed a little embarrassed, so I was the one to tell Ava she was correct. "I never would have guessed." She looked to Natasha. "I always thought of you as a solo type of woman."
"I thought of myself that way too," Natasha admitted, grabbing her glass of whiskey from the counter. "But people change."
"That they do." Ava found a new interest in Natasha as if her being in a relationship had completely surprised her. "How long have you been together?"
Natasha and I locked eyes. Neither of us had been keeping track of the time. "Months?" I was first to speak.
"Was that a question, or an answer?" Ava seemed to be trying to hold back her gaiety.
"Yes," I spoke again, earning a chuckle from the teenager.
"Time doesn't matter, it's not a measurement of love." Natasha decided. "Not to us, anyway. That's why we don't keep track of it."
Ava glanced at the two of us and smiled. "I wouldn't have guessed, judging by looks, that you two would get along." Her words emitted a light laugh from me.
She was right, of course. Natasha was reserved and dressed athletically. She was quiet, but when she spoke everyone paid attention. I, on the other hand, dressed like a punk. Leather jackets, combat boots, a notable lip piercing along with traditional earrings. Dark, faded jeans and ripped shirts lined my closet. I had two pairs of combat boots, one was black and the other was grey. The rest of my shoes were black converse or black athletic shoes for my missions and training.
"It really is a miracle." I nodded, "I didn't think she would ever notice me."
Natasha rolled her eyes, pulling her drink away from her lips. "How could I not notice you? Katya, you were the first recruit we've had since Peter. Everyone was interested in who you were and interested in you."
I dragged my hand across her waist, then moved towards the windows. "Do you smoke, Ava?" I questioned. She shook her head no. "Smart girl."
"You smoke." Natasha scrunched her nose up at me.
"It's weed, Natasha. It's not exactly bad for you." I grinned. "Plus, I'm immortal. It wouldn't kill me anyway."
Natasha emptied her glass, and set it in the sink. "Those cigarettes reek."
"Good thing I'm more of a cigar woman." I winked, putting my glass in the sink as well. I'd have to take care of those later. Natasha glared at me, and I put my hands up in surrender. "Kidding! I'm only kidding. I stick to weed, and that's it." I pulled up a chair, settling into it.
"You act like a married couple." Ava shook her head with a laugh. Suddenly my stomach turned. Married couple. The idea shouldn't do this to me, but it does. I felt the weight of the box in my pocket and wondered if they could see it. It seemed to be burning a hole through my pants, and I'm so glad I chose to wear baggy sweatpants instead of my usual jeans.
No one had noticed my panic. Natasha sided up to me and I felt her hand around my waist. She laughed at Ava's comment and looked up at me. "I guess we do." Her smile was soft, and I forced myself to smile back without acting nervous.
I checked the watch on my wrist, and it was almost eleven-thirty in the evening. "I assume both of you're tired. Long flight from Moscow, it's probably a good idea for you to get some rest." Ava had already settled into the couch, supporting what I had said.
Natasha nodded, and we went into our rooms. I stripped down to my undergarments, too scared of exposing the ring and the box so I didn't move the pants.
As soon as I settled into bed, Natasha asked, "Is there something bothering you?" Concern was written all over her face, even in the darkness. I could feel it, too.
I didn't want to lie and say that nothing was bothering me. But I couldn't outright say what was bothering me until I have decided to propose to her. So I decided on a compromise of sorts.
"You know that you mean a lot to me, right?" I turned so my body was facing hers.
She frowned, but still had a smile. "Where's all this coming from?"
"I just feel like because I didn't know about your brother, I'm not the best person for-" I began, but she cut me off with a kiss. "I'm sorry," I whispered.
Natasha moved closer to me, grabbing my hand and winding our fingers together. "If I told you about him, would you feel better?" She asked.
"Only if it's what you want, and you're comfortable with talking about what happened." I squeezed her hand before bringing it to my lips. "I know it must be hard for you to talk about him."
And so she began the story. Her brother, Alexei Romanov, had lived in New Jersey. He had gotten mixed up with Ivan the Strange, and that's how she met Ava again. The first time she had saved Ava in Odessa, Ukraine, from Ivan. But now was different. Ava and Natasha's minds were linked, and that's the reason Ava acts so much like Natasha. Ava and Alexei had run off to Odessa to figure out what had happened with Ava's parents, and how to fix the connection with her and Natasha's brain.
Natasha went to go find them and stop them from doing anything stupid, but before she left she figured out that her memory had been wiped. Everything from before SHIELD found her, was wiped away. She looked into the file and found out that it was wiped away from Alexei too. Meanwhile, in Odessa, Alexei had found his own picture and instead of Alex Manor being the name, it was Alexei Romanov. That's how they found out they were siblings.
Alexei had died in battle, protecting Ava from Ivan's thugs. He bled out from bullet wounds, Natasha had told me. Her voice shook, and I could tell how hard she was trying to make sure tears didn't fall. She loved him, it was obvious.
When her story was over, a long silence fell over us. "I'm sorry," I closed my eyes. It was hard to look at her and not feel horrible for what happened. "I know what he must have meant to you."
"It's okay," She took a deep breath to calm herself down.
"If you don't come with me, would you stay with Ava?" I questioned. "I don't want you to be alone here. You can invite Ava to stay with you."
This made Natasha frown. She stared at me, not understanding where all of my words keep coming from.
"I want you to be happy, Natasha. I don't want you to be alone."
She smiled and kissed my nose. "I'm not going to be alone. Want to know why?" She asked, and I hummed in response. "Because I'm with you. And I'm staying with you."
My eyes widened and my heart hammered in my chest. Did I hear those words correctly? Impossible. Natasha said she still had work to do here. "What?" I gasped. "Do you really mean that?" Natasha nodded with a soft giggle. "Our month isn't even over yet." I was in disbelief. How could she have changed her mind so quickly? I needed to know. "What made you change your mind?"
"Nothing changed my mind." Her words confused me, but she elaborated. "I just realized what I truly wanted. I was afraid of the idea, at first. I wasn't sure what would happen but now I see that I don't care what happens, as long as it happens with you."
"I love you, Natasha. More than anything in this world." I held the back of her neck as I kissed her.
"I love you too, Katya." She kissed my forehead before cuddling up to me and falling asleep.