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“Do you and the misses have any plans for the evening?”
Tony asked, his voice filtering through the speakers in Bruce’s car as he drove home from the university.
Bruce furrowed his brow in confusion, glancing at the screen that displayed his name and number as if Tony could see him.
“No?” he drawled out like a question. “I’ve got some work to do and I don’t think Natasha will be back until later tonight?”
Tony grumbled something unintelligible and Bruce heard a loud crash on his end before he started talking again.
“You really don’t have anything planned?” he asked, his tone full of disbelief.
“No, why would we?” Bruce questioned.
Tony gasped dramatically and Bruce startled, jerking the wheel when he jumped in his seat.
“Tell me you didn’t forget.” He was practically begging.
“Forgot what?” Bruce snapped, his heart still beating fast in his chest.
“Your anniversary,” Tony said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “You know the day you and Romanoff tied the knot at city hall and had the reception in your own backyard. Ringing any bells?”
Bruce shook his head vehemently as he turned down their street.
“It hasn’t been a year yet,” he argued, pulling into the driveway, but idling in front of the open garage door.
He heard Tony let out a long sigh on his end and Bruce nervously spun the silver wedding band he wore around his ring finger.
“You two got your bands engraved right?” Tony asked knowingly.
Bruce nodded to himself and slid the ring from his finger to look at the date carved into the metal. Sure enough the date matched the one displayed on his phone screen, exactly one year apart. He groaned and dropped his forehead to the steering wheel feeling like a complete idiot.
“You still there, buddy?” Tony asked and Bruce heard the amusement in his voice. He was tempted to just hang up on his friend, but he needed help.
“Yeah,” he said, reluctantly straightening back up in his seat. “I’m fucked.”
“Call me later so I know you made it out alive,” Tony joked.
Bruce sighed and scrubbed a hand down his face.
“Thanks for the help,” he bit out sarcastically.
“Any time,” Tony shot back. “I’ve gotta go. Tell Natasha I said hello.”
“Sure.” Bruce responded shortly and the car went quiet.
Bruce sat and fiddled with the ring in his hand before sliding it back to its rightful place. He still couldn’t believe it a year had already gone by. They hadn’t made a fuss out of any of it. A few months after their talk following Pepper and Tony’s wedding, Bruce had gone out to buy a ring, planning to propose properly, but she’d been on to him the entire time. As soon as he’d made it home from the jewelry store she asked him how long he planned to wait before her asked her and he got down on one knee right there in their kitchen.
Neither one of them wanted to make a big deal out of the wedding. They didn’t want a flashy ceremony or anything, but Bruce suggested a little party at their house after. The Bartons, Tony and Pepper, Sam and a few others came over for a barbecue and that was the end of it. They had their rings and the piece of paper as proof of their commitment and fond memories of a day spent with friends that had become family.
Being married to Natasha felt the same as not being married to her aside from the flutter in his chest every time he called her his wife. Bruce figured that was why the significance of the day completely escaped his notice. He wondered if she hadn’t noticed too.
Of course she knew what day it was, he chastised himself in his head. Nothing got by her, but she hadn’t seemed bothered by it that morning before they parted ways for work.
Either way, this day was theirs. Going all out wasn’t really their style, but Bruce thought the very least they could do was acknowledge its importance.
Mind made up he shifted the car into reverse and dialed the Indian restaurant she loved.
The house was quiet when Natasha finally made it home. Bruce’s car was in the garage, but she couldn’t hear the usual signs of him moving around the house. Her mind immediately jumped to the worst case scenario, but the smell of Indian food wafted in the air and light flicker in the hall that looked suspiciously like candles.
She smirked as she rounded the corner into the living room and saw Bruce sitting on the floor, two plates set in front of him. Every flat surface was covered in candles, casting a warm glow around the room.
Bruce’s back was to her and he hadn’t noticed her yet so Natasha took a moment to take it all in. That morning she’d been almost certain he forgot what day it was. In all honesty, she’d nearly forgotten herself until she put the necklace that held her ring close to her heart on after her shower. Sam and the others had gotten quite the kick out of her forgetting their anniversary and she’d detoured on her way home to buy him a gift.
But clearly he remembered and wanted to surprise her.
Natasha swallowed and took a step closer, heavy steps so he’d know she was there.
“What’s all this?” she asked, and saw him startle slightly before turning to face her.
“I wanted to do something special tonight,” he told her, wringing his hands nervously, fiddling absently with his ring.
“What’s the occasion?” she asked, biting her lip to hide her smile.
He squirmed nervously under her gaze and she decided to have mercy on him.
“So you did remember,” she teased, walking over to stand in front of him.
Bruce rubbed the back of his neck in that endearing way of his and looked down at his feet.
“Tony was the one that reminded me,” he admitted and Natasha couldn’t help but chuckle a little.
“Can I tell you a secret?” she asked and he looked up at her with his brow furrowed. “I didn’t remember either.”
He let out a relieved sigh and the tension seeped from his shoulders.
“We’re quite the pair aren’t we?” he said with a soft chuckle and reached out to slide his arms around her waist.
She smiled and rested her hands on his chest. “We do alright.”
“Happy anniversary,” he said quietly and leaned into kiss her softly.
Natasha laughed and pulled away.
“Is it bad that I think that is terribly cheesy?”
“Did you miss the part where I lit a hundred candles in our living room?” He snarked, squeezing her her hip lightly.
Natasha laughed and looked at the plates on the coffee table. “I’m starving.”
“I got your favorite.”
“Let’s eat.”
Bruce let her go long enough for them to sit down before putting his hand on her thigh.
“I got you something,” she said after a few minutes of eating together in comfortable silence.
“Really?” he asked, an eyebrow raised at her.
She nodded and reached into her back pocket and held the keychain up for him to see. It was a flat metal circle with a little turtle punched in it with the words “I turtely love you”. It made Natasha laugh and she thought he’d enjoy it too. The soft smile on his face as he took it from her proved her right.
“I didn’t get you anything,” he told her, setting the keychain down on the table. He sounded guilty and she shook her head.
“Dinner was gift enough,” she said, resting her head on his shoulder.
Natasha watched him turn the silly keychain over and over in his fingers. She smiled softly and brought her hand up to slide her fingers between his, his ring cool against her skin.
Some of the candles had started to burn out and Natasha closed her eyes. Being married to Bruce was easy, no adjustment period like when they first bought the house together. Just the two of them, bound together forever. Her husband.
Who cared if they forgot their anniversary? What was one day when they had everyday to spend loving and appreciating the life they’d built.