Warning: INTENSE MAKE OUT SCENE WAAAAAHH!!!

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( two. soldier and the spy )

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"He doesn't have it," She heard Sam's call. He was talking about the weapon. "I'm empty!"

Shit. So, if those men didn't have it, then it could only mean her targets do. With that in mind, her legs seemed to take off faster than she expected. She was jumping, leaping, sliding, and shoving people with an apologetic look since the marketplace was filled with a vast number of them.

"Out of the way!" She took a rapid turn to the right, then a sharp one towards the left. Her target looked back at her in fear, as he kept trying to outrun her to no avail. Natasha was too fast and too smart for him.

She stepped on a table and lunged at the man, tackling him in the process. He raised his gun but she quickly grabbed his arm and hit him in the chest. She took a basket and flung it in the second man's direction, shoving it with a kick that went straight to his feet to knock him over.

Natasha stepped on the man's knee, then captured his neck between her legs and spun him backward. As she dragged the man down, the other came right at her, so she slammed her feet at his face. She punched him straight in the face rolled over to grab the gun on the ground.

At the same time she raised the pistol, the man was smart enough to grab his gun and aimed it at her too. Thet both stopped, staring intently at one another while anticipating their next move. A drop of sweat trickled down Natasha's forehead as she tried to catch her breath. Her opponent's gun staring right back at her.

"Drop it." The other man ordered, holding the vial of some red liquid in his hands. It looks dangerous enough as it is. "Or I'll drop this."

She swallowed thickly, thinking of a way to outdo this guy. Dammit. She needed backup. A distraction.

"Drop it!" He demanded.

"He'll do it!" The man raising the gun yelled to convince her.

Just on cue, she saw a mechanical object hovering a few feet from where they where. 

She let out a deadly smirk. 

A shot of blade suddenly hit the man, she took this distraction to fire at the target in front of her. Then ever so quickly—as fast as lightning— she bent down to catch the vial just in time. She turned to the hovering thing. "Payload secure. Thanks, Sam."

"Don't thank me." Came the response.

Natasha caught onto what he was hinting at and shook her head in disapproval. "I am not thanking that thing."

"His name is Redwing!" 

"I'm still not thanking it." 

"He's cute. Go ahead, pet him."

Natasha grimaced. "Yeah... no."

After all that was over, her mind suddenly drifted off to their fellow captain.

She recalled what his current situation was just moments ago, and worry quickly filled up her chest. This time, she didn't hesitate to go and check on him. It's not because she doubted his capabilities (nothing could ever make her question what he can do) but since their mission was done here, there's nothing wrong to give a little help.

"Sam, have you seen Steve?" she asked.

"Nope. Last time I checked, he was with you remember?"

She placed the vial in her pants' pocket. "How 'bout Wanda?"

"Still a big nope." 

Natasha sighed, exasperatedly. "Well, let's find them. Steve did tell me to meet him after we're done here."

With that being said, she dashed off to find the aforementioned names. She kept glancing in all directions but was annoyed when she couldn't find even one of them. There were too many people on the grounds and that even made it more difficult than it is. 

Not to mention the fact that it's becoming goddamn hotter and sweatier with each minute.

"Natasha! I got sight on Wanda." Sam said.

"Great. Where is she?" She asked, trying to get through the mass of people. Though she was fazed once she saw a crowd forming in the distance. It was suspiciously quiet as if the people were watching something attention-seeking.

There was a moment of silence before he replied back. "Uh oh... this isn't looking good."

That caught her attention. "What?"

"Steve... and Rumlow.. it looks like they're talking." Sam answered, his voice sounding strained. "But I don't like where this is going."

Her heart started to race. That really didn't sound good. She knew how much Rumlow hated Steve. With what happened to him? He figured blaming the captain for the fall of SHIELD and HYDRA and getting back at him was the only way he could gain justice for himself.

"Hang on. I'm coming." She said, walking faster and tried to squeeze in through the people. "Where are you?"

"Your three o'clock."

Following his instruction, she snapped her gaze to that direction, Sure enough, he was there on the far corner with Wanda. But they weren't looking at her, they were looking at something far more important. She followed their line of sight.

The second she saw what they were looking at, she then felt a sickening feeling in her gut the second she did. 

It was true. Steve and Rumlow were really talking. He was kneeling on the ground, while Steve held him by the shoulders, but from the looks of it, he's telling the captain something worth listening to for him to not take him in and get this fucking mission done.

He's getting distracted. Natasha noticed. Her gut was telling her that this wasn't good. They were wasting their time and chance to take out Rumlow now. She didn't know what the hell they were talking about, but it sure didn't look pleasant.

She could only hear bits of their conversation.

"Who's your buyer?" Steve asked, gripping the edges of his collar harshly.

Rumlow answered solemnly. "You know, he knew you. Your pal, your buddy, your Bucky."

Her breath hitched in her throat, curling her fists at the mentioned name. No wonder Steve was getting distracted. There wasn't anything much to distract Captain America and she knew that very well. Everyone knew that. But when it comes to things like this... Rumlow knew he had hit a soft spot; Steve's weak spot. 

Like they both expected, as soon as the name was uttered, Steve's demeanor changed. His face paled. "What did you say?" he asked, tightening his hold on Rumlow.

"He remembered you." No. No. He was using this distraction as an advantage. He needed to wake up, this was all a part of that bastard's plan. "I was there. He got all weepy about it. Till they put his brain back in the blender."

Natasha was seeing all through his act. She knew that this was all going south. If he doesn't snap out of it now, everything they planned and prepared for will all be for nothing. 

"Cap!" She called, almost breathing in relief when his gaze snapped to the direction of her. "Don't listen to him. He's baiting you."

"Shut up, Romanoff!" Rumlow growled at her, shooting her a deadly glare.

Steve was on the verge of wanting to snap this guy's neck in half and not to. He wanted to know what he was going to say because he wanted to know if Bucky was alright. His mind deliberately ignored and blocked out Natasha's calls to him, and he couldn't stop himself. 

He needed to know.

"He wanted you to know something. He said to me, 'Please tell Rogers, when you gotta go, you gotta go.'" Rumlow started to get something out of his pocket. 

Natasha's eyes widened, quickly grabbing the gun from her holster and aimed it at Rumlow. "Steve!"

"And you're coming with me." he snarled.

Steve jerked back as soon as he saw what he was trying to do.

Before she could pull the trigger, she saw Wanda stepped up just in time a fire erupted out. The flames engulfed the body of Rumlow—who was crying out in pain—while Steve stood a few feet back. Shock and shame overwhelmed his features. 

Natasha, however, could see Wanda's struggle to keep her power under control and intact. Judging by the way her fingers trembled, the spy also knew that it wouldn't be long till it completely fired back at her. Maybe literally. "Wanda, don't. Stop!" she ordered.Then she tossed him into the air.

"No!" she shouted.

Her jaw dropped in horror as soon as Rumlow's body crashed onto the side of the building. It set off an explosion. Thick flames burst out the windows while the infrastructure started to fall apart, piece by piece. People were screaming and running out of fear.

Oh, God.

This alone had caused hundreds of lives once more.

They got the mission done, but what they were forced to pay the price with almost made it seem like they were a complete failure and disgrace to these people.

She turned to Wanda, ready to give her a big mouthful and glare from what she had done, only to stop in her tracks. She looked just as guilty, probably more so than her. Her eyes were welling up with tears as she stared at the scene in horror. 

Natasha knew that look. It was a look of shame and self-loathe. It was the look that says 'this is all my fault'.

"Oh, my..." She glanced to her side and saw Steve. His face held a mixture of distraught, grief, and guilt. "Sam... we need fire and rescue on the south side of the building. We gotta get up there." 

He wouldn't look at her because he already knew what she was thinking. And he knew it within himself that this was his fault after all.  But it dawned on Natasha that this wasn't just Wanda's fault, or Steve's—they were all to blame here. They all had a part in causing this.

She could only sigh heavily, squeezing her eyes shut.

Now, this would be the exact alibi the government needed to hold against them.

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The ride back at the base was silent and awful. It was very uncomfortable and nobody was in the mood for talking or comforting because they knew they messed up big time. As soon as they arrived, Natasha didn't get the chance to talk to Steve about what had happened when he quickly excused himself and went to his room. Wanda wasn't in the mood for talking as well.

She, on the other hand, went to change out of her clothes and take a shower.

By the time she got back to the lounge, she was surprised to find Tony in the room with Vision and Rhodey. 

This was the first time she had seen Tony in months since he quitted, to be honest, she almost let out a gasp of shock. "Tony?"

She expected a smartass remark or a cocky response, but instead, all she got was a half-attempted smile. "Nat."

That was strange. And he didn't look as cool or laid back as he usually is. In fact, he seemed troubled, bothered, and quiet. "You didn't tell us you'd be visiting." 

"That's because I'm not." he surmised.

She quirked a brow. "Then why are you here?"

Tony sighed, giving her a serious look, his gaze hardening. One to which he rarely does. "Ross called us in for a meeting. He said it was urgent." He crossed his arms, leaning against the counter with. "I'm guessing it has something to do with what happened in Lagos."

That set off a streak in her. She bowed her head in shame, guilt crept up her face as she swallowed the lump in her throat. "You know what happened?" she asked.

Tony nodded in Rhodey's direction who was currently talking with Vision, implying that he was the one who told the whole story.

"Just the important things. You guys messed up big." He wasn't saying it as if he was accusing her, he was simply saying it like it was a big deal to him too. Like he was a part of the mistake they made. "How's Cap handling it?"

"What do you think?" she couldn't help but retort. "He hasn't talked to any of us since it happened. He locked himself in his room."

"Well, you better get him down here now." He chastised, rubbing a hand over his face. "Something tells me we won't like what the secretary's giving us later on."

Natasha let out a breath, then excused herself to head towards the elevators. She got in and pressed the button of their floor. By the time the elevator doors slid open, she sauntered over to Steve's room.

She was about to knock when she saw that his door was left slightly ajar. She could hear faint voices inside the room, assuming it was probably sounding from the TV.

"Eleven Wakandans were among those killed during a confrontation between the Avengers and a group of mercenaries in Lagos, Nigeria yesterday. The traditionally reclusive Wakandans were on an outreach mission in Lagos, when the attack occurred."

She sighed, heavily. Figures he'd be watching the news. A better way of making him feel that the whole thing was nothing but his fault. She slipped in quietly, careful not to make any noise and left the door slightly open like before.

As soon as she reached his office, she hid behind a wall and watched him silently. He looked deeply troubled. He was slumped back in his seat, his shoulders stiff as he listened to the reports.

"Our people's blood is spilled on foreign soil, not only because of the actions of criminals but by the indifference of those pledged to stop them. Victory at the expense of the innocent is no victory at all."

"The Wakandan King went on to—"

At that point, Steve couldn't bear to hear them anymore so he shut the TV off. He rested his elbow on the table, contemplating to judge for himself whether their actions are indeed considered wrong or right. 

He must've already noticed her presence when she saw his head snapped back up and looked back slightly.

He didn't need to guess who it was.

"I know you're there." He muttered, letting his fingers drummed continuously on the table so he'd have an excuse to not meet her gaze.

Natasha pushed herself from the wall, moving closer to where he was. She wasn't surprised by the fact that he knew she was there, but rather surprised of the fact that it took him that long to notice. 

The silence filling the room was deafening and the tension was very uneasy. But she tried her best to shift the mood a bit. "It's not your fault," she said.

Steve shook his head in disapproval. "Did you hear the news?"

She nodded, quite reluctantly."I did."

"Then you know they're being very specific about it."

She sighed, looking at him. "You don't have to punish yourself for it. Just because you're Captain America doesn't mean you don't screw things up sometimes."

"But people died, Nat." His voice cracked, remorse filling his tone. "It's on me."

She rested a hand on his shoulder, making him finally meet her eyes. His blue eyes that were usually bright and full of life was now dimming in sorrow. "It's on all of us." she murmured.

They really could have done more. And it wasn't right just for Steve and Wanda to blame themselves, but it was too late for any of that right now. What's done is done. "This job... we try to save as many people as we can. We should try," he said.

"I know. But sometimes, that doesn't mean everyone, Steve. That's how the world works. Not everything comes with a fair price. And if we can't find a way to live with that... maybe, next time, nobody else gets saved." 

He kept quiet, hanging his head low. 

His voice barely above a whisper. "He said Bucky, Nat."

Natasha felt her heart stopped. The sudden reminder of what she was supposed to tell him before this had happened snapped back to her mind.

"Rumlow said Bucky and..." He shook his head, quite frustratingly, "Suddenly I was a sixteen-year-old kid again in Brooklyn."

"Steve..."

"It's stupid. Every time someone mentions him I just... I completely blank out. Ever since D.C..." 

She sucked in a breath, now having a harder time to look at him. Not when the guilt of keeping her past with his best friend was eating her up more so often these past days. But then she glanced at him, at the man she loves, and realized that he looked as broken and shattered like the moment he found out Bucky was the Winter Soldier.

He was lost without his friend.

And she wasn't going to add onto that by spilling that thing on him now. What he needed now was someone to assure that he wasn't alone. That she was here. For him.

"It's stupid, Nat. Real pathetic." he scowled at himself.

"Shh. Hey, look at me," She tried to get him to look at her, curling a finger under his chin and gently tipping his head up to lock their gazes. "It's not your fault. Whatever Rumlow said about James, it doesn't define you. It's not stupid because it only says how much you care about him." She brushed her finger against his lower lip, attempting a weak smile. "And that's what Steve Rogers does right? Care for the people who mean a buck to him?" 

That got her a low chuckle from him. The pun was incredibly lame but it did something at least. It still didn't ease enough for his worries though, the pain and exhaustion were still present in his handsome face. "You're impossible." 

"Incorrigible is more likely suited." 

Steve reached up to grab her hand in his, tracing her knuckles with his calloused fingers. He didn't say anything else.

She didn't pull away though, even curling her own fingers around his. "Tony's here," she informed.

Shock settled on his face, the brushing motion of his fingers on her hand stopped. "I'm guessing he didn't drop by to say hello?"

A lopsided smirk appeared on her lips. "No, he's brought a guest." She shrugged. "The secretary of state."

"Well, that sounds delightful," he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

"Yeah, and we better get down there if we want them out of our asses as soon as possible." She said, tugging at his hand to pull him up. He didn't move an inch though. "Get up, Rogers."

Catching her off by surprise, he suddenly tugged her hand and wrapped an arm around her thigh to pull her towards him. She ended up losing her balance and straddling him instead. 

She gaped, cheeks almost flushing red. Steve stared at her flustered look and smirked in amusement. "Wha—" She quickly looked back at the slightly ajar door and felt the panic rising in her chest. "What are you doing?" she hissed, glaring at him, though she wasn't exactly making a move to stand up. 

Steve leaned closer, his clouded eyes were now filled with mischief. A smug grin evident as he gazed into her eyes. His hand was resting dangerously on her thigh while the other was still tangled in hers. "What do you think?" he chuckled.

Her glare quickly melted and she scolded herself for withering under Steve's attempt at flirting. She felt his lips ghosted over hers and restrained herself from reaching out and planting one on him herself. She wasn't going to give in, though. She knew she had more self-control than him. And she's the one who was supposed to make him crave this bad. 

Or so she thought. "Is this the kiss you promised to give me?"

"Maybe," he murmured. Their noses were touching as he kept tilting his head to press his lips on the corner of her lips, then to her cheek, and to her jaw.

He smirked lightly as soon as he saw her eyelids flutter closed and she let out a soft whimper. "S-stop teasing." she breathed out.

Steve then nosed her chin up. He kissed softly on her jaw, trailing down to the side of her throat and started pressing lavishing and torturous kisses there. Unconsciously, she was tilting her head up to give him more access. The hand on her thigh disappeared and wrapped around her lower back to pull her flushed against him. Her hands curled against the front of his shirt, and she felt the heat of his lips against on her skin enough to send her hormones into overdrive.

He was teasing and was going to make her beg for it.

But she wasn't going to give in. She wasn't going to let the satisfaction by admitting defeat that he could seduce her as good as she can.

"Steve..." The words in her throat died as soon as she felt his lips got to her collarbone, his kisses got wetter and hotter. He pulled her shirt down to have more access and felt his tongue sweep over her skin. 

She gasped softly, eyes rolling to the back of her head. 

Oh, God.

"Steve, we need to..." Stop. But she couldn't make herself say it. Torn between wanting to feel his touch all over her and wanting it the other way around.

"What?" he murmured, going back up to cup her face and kiss her lightly. There was contact but not enough satisfy her. She could feel his own hunger pooling in the pit of his stomach when she felt something straining hard on his jeans. Another moan escaped her mouth, tightening her grip on his shirt. "What, love?"

"Meeting now. Gotta stop." She could only say, not able to pull back anymore as she dipped her head to kiss him. He didn't give her the chance though because he kept pulling away, letting her chase him. Her eyes suddenly fluttered open and she stared, an amused smile dancing on his face. He was clearly enjoying this. "What... that's not fair!" she whined, leaning to kiss him again but he purposely averted his gaze so her lips landed on his cheek instead. 

"Oops." he smiled cheekily.

She stared at him hotly. "Rogers! You little shi—mmph! "

Whatever she was saying drowned out when he finally attacked her lips. He kissed her hard. Demanding. Passionate. Open. Desiring. His fingers weave through her hair while his other hand got confident to slip under her shirt, smoothing the skin by her waist.

Natasha had enough. Enough teasing. She took the lead and deepened the kiss, seeking entrance by prying his lips open. He grunted, refusing for a moment before finally obliging and succumbing to her. Her tongue swept over his teeth, darting deep inside to claim him. He moaned in her mouth, and she paused to let him take a breath, before stealing it again with a searing kiss.

Once both were running out of air, they finally pulled away, bracing their foreheads together. 

His eyes were still hazily closed, breathing heavily, "Love you, Nat." he said weakly, still cupping the side of her face. His eyes drifted down to the necklace he gave her, smiling. "Love you so much."

"Love you too." She breathed against his lips, unable to hold back the smile appearing. She closed her eyes, letting down her walls. Masks. Everything inside to him. "Love you too."

They stayed like that for quite some time.

Perhaps later there'd be more to think of. More problems to deal with. And more setbacks to face.

But now? Just this time, just this moment— the world was theirs.

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So? Is the kiss too much? xD