Chapter Text
It was a slow afternoon at the diner you worked at, minus the few regulars that were seated in their booths. You were working the counter with Natasha, while your friends Bucky and Steve were roaming and checking on customers, and Tony and Bruce were in the kitchen.
“Tasha you know he’s looking over right now” you chuckled as you continued to wipe the counter.
She rolled her eyes and grabbed a rag to help you, “I’m glad someone is getting some enjoyment through my suffering”.
“You could also just go up to him and tell him the truth” you paused and leaned against the counter to face her, “it can’t be that bad”.
“And have him give me that grossly charming puppy dog face of his? No thank you, I swear Peter has rubbed off on him in the worst way” she sighed “besides, technically, I don’t even know that he likes me”.
“Oh yeah, you just got told by his best friend, and don’t expect him to know that you know? C'mon Tasha, I was like that in high school, everyone just knew from the grapevine or however, that saying goes”.
“That’s the thing too, we’re not in high school” she slapped your shoulder to get you to go back to wiping the counter, “he could also just come up to me, but I also don’t want to deal with that at ALL”.
“I guess you could also pretend to be dating someone, that usually throws them off for good” You snickered at the thought of Natasha pretending to date some imaginary person to throw off poor Buck.
“Really?”
You could tell by her tone that she didn’t believe you, and you laughed again, “Yeah, you just gotta sell it though. Don’t worry Tasha, you’ll get through this, and don’t forget, I’m your best friend so I have your back no matter what, even if I have to beat up Buck”.
“You? Beat up Buck?” Now it was her turn to laugh “I’d pay to see that”.
Hearing her laugh again made you feel better, even though she just attacked your skills, “hey, we all know Bucky the beefhead could probably lift things twice my weight, I meant like, in Mario Kart or Smash bros, between the two of us, those defeats are worth more than any physical fight”.
The two of you kept going back and forth while cleaning the counter for a few more minutes, not noticing Bucky walk up to the two of you.
“Er, hey Natasha? Got a minute? I really want to talk to you about something” Bucky cleared his throat and glanced over at you, giving you a ‘please give us a moment alone’ look.
Natasha flashed you a look you didn’t recognize before she turned to face Bucky, “Oh sure thing, hey hun, can you wait for me in the back? I’ll finish cleaning up while talking to Buck and meet you for lunch?” flashing you a smile so you could get the cue.
Before retreating to the back room you decided to help her, giving her a quick hug and a light peck on the cheek before giving a small wave to Buck, “Oh right my break, I’ll get out of your hair love. See ya, Buck”.
The moment your lips pressed against Natasha’s cheek, Bucky froze. He knew you two were close, but he never would’ve guessed that the two of you were together like that.
Your friends watched you escape to the back to enter the break room before breaking the silence.
“So Bucky, what’s up? Need me to take over a shift or something?” Natasha gave him an innocent smile as she wiped the counter.
He was mulling over his words for a few seconds before he blurted out “y-YEaH! Just came up, my ma is in town and I’m scheduled to open tomorrow so I was hoping you could?”
“Of course, don’t worry Buck, and tell her I said hi yeah?” Natasha put aside the rag she used before she continued, “I’m all done over here, take over the counter while I get lunch with (Y/N)?”
“Sure thing doll” he smiled back at her, “You’re both cute together by the way”.
The second Natasha entered the break room and sat beside you on the couch, you laughed at the large sigh she let out, “Sighing already? Shouldn’t I be doing that? You haven’t even taken me out for a real date yet, and you’re already telling the world about us”.
“I panicked okay” She slapped your shoulder and stole the rest of the blueberry muffin you held in your hands, “I really just didn’t want to have to deal with that whole situation and you said you’re on my side no matter what!”
“Okay, you got me there. But as payback, you’re gonna be my pillow during my lunch breaks for the next week” you huffed and rested your head on her shoulder, “wake me up in ten?”
“Wouldn’t have it any other way nerd” Natasha leaned her head against yours before propping her feet up on the table and pulling out her phone.
Safe to say, you barely had a nice, uninterrupted five-minute nap before you heard Steve and Tony crash into the break room, yelling and freaking out.
You groaned before opening your eyes and whispering to Natasha, “how long?”
“Only five minutes”. Like you, she was now watching your friends freak out in front of you, yelling incomprehensibly.
Stretching your neck, you stood up and grabbed the two men by their shoulders, “What in gods name are you both freaking out over while I’m trying to nap?”
Steve couldn’t look you straight in the eye and was blushing lightly, while Tony had a huge grin on his face before he opened his mouth to reply, “we heard from a little someone that you two are a thing”.
“Are you serious? It’s been like five minutes” you groaned and reminded yourself to “beat up” Bucky later when you were all off.
“Yeah five minutes too late” Tony scoffed “(Y/N), besides Natasha I’m like your best friend, I’m kind of hurt that I had to find out from boy wonder and Buck”.
You let the two of them go before sitting back down next to Natasha, “What can I tell you, Tony? It was a surprise, to be fair I didn’t plan on anyone finding out this way either, not that I’m mad”.
Natasha slapped your knee before speaking up, “To be fair, it just slipped out, I can’t help it, hun”.
Now it was Steve’s turn to speak up, “so, uh, how long have you two been? I’m sorry about dropping that thing with Bucky”.
“Just right before sadly” you covered your heart, “maybe if you had gotten to her sooner, Bucky would’ve gotten with her instead of me. My poor little heart”.
This continued for the rest of your break before you left to go back to the counter, tapping both Bruce and Bucky on their shoulder to know it was their lunch break, with Natasha following closely behind you, and Tony and Steve behind her.
After the chaos that was your break, you and Natasha continued to work the counter, grateful for the new calmness present in the diner.
“Did you expect all our friends to explode out of excitement like that?” You turned to her and grinned when you saw her looking at you with a worried face. “Or do you already regret 'dating’ me”
“I didn’t expect him to just tell everyone and their mothers” Natasha paused and locked eyes with you “I’m sorry I pulled you into this”.
You gave her a quick hug and smiled warmly at her, “hey now, don’t look so blue Tasha, I have your back no matter what remember?”
“Even fake dating me to get Bucky off my back?” she gave you a small smile and you knew she was already feeling better.
“Of course, I wouldn’t fake date, or date for that matter, anyone else out of our little ragtag group” you gave her another smile before greeting a new customer, “now we just have to sell it”.