code_blue | open to all

Where are you? Maybe I can fix it in person.

Following me again, Agent Romanoff? ...I'm at the gym.

If I was following you, I wouldn't need to ask where you are.

You could be asking just to throw off suspicion.

[A second text moments later]

I'm starting to think I've spent too much time around you and Barton.

There's no such thing as too much time around me and Barton. I can be at the gym in twenty minutes, there's just something I have to finish first.

[Meaning: She's in the middle of a job.]

[Steve really isn't going to ask. The less he knows about her 'jobs' the better.]

See you soon then. ...bring coffee? :)

[He's been getting a little better with practice, as far as texts go.]

[The next text doesn't come for another ten-fifteen minutes. She's been busy.]

Plain coffee, or do you want anything special?

Just black. Thank you, Natasha.

[Tasha pops up, about Ten minutes later, still wearing her catsuit, but holding two cups of coffe. She hands him one.]

I need to change.

[He smiles in thanks, but the smile doesn't reach his eyes.]

You've got a bit of.. [He motions to her shoulder with his coffee. A small blood spatter there.]

--what?

Oh.You have good eyes. [Because she didn't even notice that. Yeah, changing might be a good idea.] I'll be right back.

I left a t-shirt and a pair of sweats in the locker room. [Drawstring even, so they might be big on her, but they'll still work.] ..if you need.

[In the meantime, Steve settles on a bench and sips his coffee.]

You're amazing, thank you.

[She was really just going to go through the laundry, but this is even better. It doesn't take her long to change, when she's done, she sits next to him.]

So, what's wrong with your phone?

Nothing's wrong with it. It's just not how I set it up. [And it seems that someone put all the controls into Korean, Steve hands his phone over. Happy to be rid of it, really.]

Did Stark get a hold of it? [It's a good thing she can read Korean.]

He asked if he could borrow it. I should have known better, shouldn't I? [While she's looking at his phone, Steve can't help but glance at her in his spare gym clothes. He swallows a sigh back. Keep it together, Rogers. Really.]

...can you do anything with it?

[She laughs, because yes, he should have known better.]

I can fix it for you.

Thanks, again. [It's becoming a problem, this relying on Natasha for little things. He's almost gotten used to have someone flit in and out of his life, as she does.]

Next time I'll tell him to borrow yours.

Make him borrow Barton's. He's no good at Korean.

[WAS THAT A WINK. It might have been.]

[Oh, jeepers. Steve is forced to look down at his coffee to hide the blush on his face.]

Will do. [Poor Barton, if there's one person in the world that Steve will never feel guilty about pranking, it's him.]

There, it's back in English. [It took her a minute, but she got it, in the end.] What else did you want fixed?

That was it, really. I don't think anything else was changed. Or at least, nothing that I use.

[She hands his phone back, and smiles.]

Well, if you ever think of anything, let me know.

Not a fan of Hanson? I thought their wholesomeness would appeal to you. I'll tell you right now, they are about the closest thing you're going to get to the modern equivalent of the Andrews sisters.

Thanks for that. Next time you want to do me a favor.. don't.

I thought people from your time had manners.

[Way to land a guilt trip, Stark.]

..sorry. I think I just made a bit of a fool of myself in front of Natasha about it though.

[He'd feel guilty about that guilt trip if his name wasn't Tony Stark.]

You wouldn't be the first to make a fool out of yourself in front of Natasha. Have you seen her... everything?

WHAT? No. of course not! I would never!

[Cue one very red-faced Captain America. His mind going to gutters that people wouldn't suspect the Golden Boy capable of thinking.]

Cool it, Cap. It was a rhetorical question. I meant beautiful women make fools of most of us.

[Followed by.] Not me of course, but others.

[He's enjoying this too much to let it go, though.] But seriously? Never?

Not never- never. Just not without express permission. Why am I even telling you this?

Because we're bonding, Steve. Is Natasha still there?

No, she had some other stuff to do. [Or she was out seeing Barton. Steve frowns.]

So you're free. Good. Come meet me at my big ugly building. I have something to show you.

If by something, you mean a private jet that's going to take us out to see Bruce again, I'll pass. The man likes his privacy, Tony, hence the remote locations.

The man likes to hide. He needs us. The safe distance is more for him than for us.

That's quite sentimental of you. Will you at least call him first this time?

I don't do sentimental. Ask Pepper. Actually, don't. She probably doesn't need to be reminded.

You act like he wouldn't want to see me.

That whole manners thing. I don't want him to think that something wrong.

~~What if there was something wrong?~~

Fine. Don't come. My suit will be faster than a jet anyway.

open to all - text

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

One more for the road. ;)

miss you already!

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject