Work Text:
Natasha and Maria stumbled through the doors of a 24hr pharmacy, leaning on each other for balance. They were both very intoxicated thanks to the large bottle of vodka that Natasha had insisted on buying during their last trip to the supermarket. Natasha led Maria to the aisle with hair products and stopped in front of the dye. Natasha drunkenly reached for a box of bleach and then a second box containing blue hair dye. 'Why blue? I like the red,' Maria slurred. 'I had blue hair when I was a kid,' Natasha giggled. 'What, in the Red Room?' Maria asked, eyebrow raised. 'Nope, Ohio, 95,' Natasha replied sadly. 'Ok, blue it is then,' Maria said drunkenly but encouragingly as she dragged Natasha towards the checkout.
'Miaaa, how long do we leave the bleach on for?' Natasha called out. Maria winced, 'It's probably been long enough, also you're being too loud, I'm right here,' she said with a laugh. 'Sorry,' Natasha apologised with a grin. Natasha tipsily walked over to the sink and washed the bleach out of her hair. Maria then did the same with her hair. They both turned to look at the mirror at the same time. Both women erupted into fits of giggles. 'Oh my god Masha, it looks great!' Natasha said, inspecting the chunks of blonde throughout her red hair. Maria wrinkled her nose when she looked at the streaks in her own hair, a portion of her fringe and then pieces behind her ears on both sides. 'I'm not sure if I like it,' Maria said with a frown. 'It looks great, the blue will make it even better though,' Natasha said with a wink. Natasha grabbed Maria's hand and they hobbled back to the sink to add the blue.
Natasha woke up with a groan and the familiar feeling of Maria's body pressed against hers. 'Hey Masha,' Natasha whispered. Maria made a quiet sound of protest and nestled more into Natasha's chest. 'As much as I enjoy you using my boobs as a pillow Maria, we're going to be late if we don't get up soon,' Natasha said with a smirk. Maria reluctantly sat up next to Natasha and opened her eyes. 'Nat, did you dye your hair?' Maria asked sleepily. 'What?' Natasha asked, confused. She then saw the streak of blue in Maria's fringe and swore in Russian.
'Well, in retrospect, maybe drinking all of that vodka wasn't a good idea,' Natasha said with a sigh. 'Well, shit,' Maria huffed with a small laugh, looking at her reflection in the compact mirror from her bedside table. Natasha grabbed the mirror out of Maria's hands and looked at her own reflection. She swore in Russian for a second time. 'Well, at least it looks better than the terrible blue with red roots mullet I had when I was a kid,' Natasha said with a small laugh. 'I'm going to need a photo of that, please, but what the hell do we do now?' Maria asked, eyebrows furrowed.
'I'm pretty sure Fury is the only one that knows we've been sleeping together, it's impossible to keep anything from him,' Maria said, examining the slightly frazzled strands of blue hair between her fingers. 'I guess suddenly having matching blue streaks in our hair is a bit of a giveaway,' Natasha finished Maria's thought. 'Exactly, not to mention that unnatural hair colours are against S.H.I.E.L.D dress regulations,' Maria sighed. Natasha laughed, 'you and your obsession with following the rules, I thought you'd be more worried about blue hair being a bit too noticeable considering we are both spies'. Maria groaned, 'ugh, I wish people would stop thinking that I'm such a square rule follower, also- you have red hair, which hasn't stopped you from being one of the most efficient and terrifying assassins to ever exist,' she added with a smirk. 'Ok, ok, I see your point,' Natasha replied with a smile, holding up her hands in defeat. 'Changing the subject, do we have time for some fun before we have to get ready for work?' Natasha asked with a wink. 'Of course we do,' Maria replied with a smirk before climbing over Natasha to straddle her hips and pressing their lips together in a heated kiss.
'You come into work with a hangover and matching hair with the deadly Russian assassin you're sleeping with, what the hell happened to the no nonsense commander I employed,' Fury said, the corner of his mouth twitching in what was presumably humour. 'We actually moved in together sir, it's more dating than just sleeping together,' Maria blushed and looked at the floor. 'Oh my god, you blushed, I didn't know that was possible,' Fury said, shaking his head. 'I have to admit, my second in command actually displaying emotions was not the outcome I was expecting when employing the black widow'. 'I apologise sir,' Maria said, embarrassed and a little ashamed. 'Sorry?, why are you sorry Hill?' Fury asked, with a small laugh. 'It's great seeing you happy- you know, I had a bet with Coulson about whether or not you were capable of feeling emotions- he owes me now'. 'I do have emotions, I wish everyone would stop assuming that I don't,' Maria muttered. 'Anyway, we've both got work to do, but I couldn't resist not teasing you about your and Romanoff's hair,' Fury said with a smirk before turning to the door.
'Sir,' Maria called after him. Fury turned, 'yes Hill'. 'Do you have a problem with my, ahem, involvement with agent Romanoff?' Maria asked carefully. 'Asides from the fact that it breaks multiple rules on workplace fraternisation, no I don't, I think it's good for both you and Romanoff to be able to, ahem, let off some steam in a way that isn't murdering a bunch of people,' Fury replied. Maria let out a small sigh of relief, 'thank you sir'. Fury nodded, 'now, work Hill'. 'Yes sir,' Maria replied.
'Oh my god you have blue in your hair,' Clint said with a snicker, bounding towards Natasha like an energetic puppy. 'I'm glad to see that your skills are working Barton, you haven't forgotten how to notice things,' Natasha replied with a straight face. 'Ouch, but hey It looks good,' Clint said with a smile. 'Thanks Barton, care to join me in the gym so I can beat your ass?' Natasha asked. 'Fine,' Clint said with a sigh, already wondering whether he would be able to escape through the vents in the gym this time.
'Hill,' Natasha said with a nod as she Maria sat down at seat next to her in the cafeteria. 'Agent Romanoff,' Maria said calmly. Clint spat out his drink. 'Oh my god, you have matching hair, what the hell?' Clint said, confused. 'Agent Barton, I'm glad you haven't lost the ability to notice things,' Maria said coolly. 'Hey, that's what Nat said,' Clint said with a pout. 'But why the matching hair, did you guys have a girls night and not invite me?' Clint asked with mock sadness.
Natasha had a wicked smirk on her face, 'oh yes, we had a very eventful girls night,' she said with a wink. 'Natasha,' Maria warned. Clint didn't notice. 'So what did you get up to, watch a movie, just gossip, paint each others nails?' He asked. 'Gross,' Natasha said with a frown. 'What?' Clint asked. 'That's just really stereotypical, but no, there wasn't any movie watching, gossiping or nail painting,' Natasha added.
'It was mainly getting super drunk and impulsively dying each other's hair at 2am,' Maria said. 'There was also a lot of fucki-,' Natasha began, before Maria interrupted her. 'There was a lot of fun, it was a lot of fun,' Maria spoke over Natasha, glaring at her with a look that would make most people tremble with fear. Oblivious, Clint just nodded and continued to eat his food. 'Yep,' Natasha said with a grin. 'I should get going, agent Romanoff, would you care to join me in my office for a word?' Maria asked sternly. 'Ooh am In trouble?' Natasha asked with a grin. Maria just rolled her eyes and dragged the redhead by the arm to the elevator.
'I'm sorry Masha,' Natasha said when the door to Maria's office closed behind them. 'It's ok, it's just very difficult to keep a secret from a bunch of spies,' Maria said. 'We could just tell them,' Natasha said. Maria sighed, 'I wish it were that easy Nat, but our relationship has broken quite a few workplace fraternisation rules,' she said. Natasha looked at Maria, reading her emotions. 'What is it really, are you embarrassed to be dating me?' Natasha asked, unable to hide the hurt in her voice. 'No, god no Nat, I'd never be embarrassed of you,' Maria assured. 'It's just not easy to be out and proud when you're one of the heads of SHIELD,' Maria said, laying her head on the desk. 'Oh, I didn't think about that, I'm sorry Mia,' Natasha said comfortingly. 'It's ok, I just don't want to lose my authority and respect because I'm gay, but I also really want to not have to hide our relationship any more,' Maria said with a sigh. 'Neither do I Masha,' Natasha said, pulling her into a hug.
'So, the plan is to just tell Clint, who will inevitably tell Coulson, who will tell Hand and May and so forth?' Maria asked. 'Yep, solid plan,' Natasha said with a grin. Maria took a deep breath, 'okay, go tell Barton before I chicken out,' Maria said, ushering Natasha out the door.
'Hey Clint,' Natasha said. 'Nat, please invite me to your next girls night with Hill,' Clint pouted. 'I'm not sure your wife would be particularly fond of that idea,' Natasha said with a grin. 'What do you mean?' Clint asked, confused. 'God Barton, you really can be an idiot sometimes,' Natasha said, rolling her eyes. She took a deep breath, 'Hill and I are dating Barton, we live together and girls night mainly consists of alcohol and orgasms'. 'Oh my god too much information,' Clint said, scrunching his eyebrows. 'But wait wait, you're dating Hill?' He asked, 'I didn't even know you were gay, I also didn't know Hill was gay'. 'Surprise,' Natasha said flatly. 'But that's great Nat, I'm really happy for you,' Clint said with a smile. 'Thanks Clint,' Natasha said, returning the smile.
'Hill,' Rumlow nodded at her as she got in the elevator. 'Agent Rumlow,' Maria replied flatly. 'Heard about you and Romanoff, you know I never really pegged either of you as dykes,' Rumlow said with a smirk. Maria ignored him and resisted the urge to punch him in the face. 'It's a shame that the two hottest women in SHIELD are dykes, but at least it's with each other,' Rumlow added. 'Is there any point to your conversation agent Rumlow?' Maria asked coldly. 'Yeah, if you guys need a third, then count me in, or at least send me a videotape,' he said with a wink, before getting off the elevator. Maria exhaled as he left, thankfully creepy comments like that had been few and far between since word got out about her and Natasha dating. However, there were a few men in SHIELD who still insisted on being jerks. Natasha had already hospitalised a few of the male agents, and Maria was sure that Rumlow would soon be next on that list.
'Hey Masha,' Natasha said, pecking Maria on the lips as she walked into the living room. 'Hey Nat,' Maria said with a sigh, collapsing onto the sofa beside the redhead. 'Long day?' Natasha asked, pulling Maria into her chest. 'Yep,' Maria said with a sigh, snuggling into Natasha's chest. 'You know, asides from the occasional creepy comment, this whole relationship reveal hasn't been as bad as I expected,' Maria said. 'Yeah, I'm glad we don't have to hide anymore,' Natasha agreed, kissing Maria on the forehead.
'Hey Maria,' Natasha said when they were lying in bed that night, limbs tangled together. 'Yes Nat,' Maria said. Natasha took a deep breath, 'I love you,' she said. Maria turned to look at Natasha, brushing red and blue hair away from her face. 'I love you too Nat,' Maria replied. Natasha smiled genuinely for what felt like the first time in her life and grabbed Maria's face, pressing their lips together.
Both women fell asleep that night in each other’s arms, red and brown hair streaked with blue splayed across pillows. The soft thrum of the city outside their bedroom was the only sound other than quiet breathing. Both women went to bed for the first time in their lives feeling loved.