Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Grunts were heard, the heavy sounds of fighting echoing in the place. The usually crowded streets were near empty, the few people left were running away from the fight. Debris were everywhere, pieces of concrete and walls crashing the cars after the blow of the explosion.

"Cap, F.R.I.D.A.Y. found a bomb signature in another building," said Tony in the earpiece.

Making a quick work of two H.Y.D.R.A. soldiers, Steve wiped the sweat of his brow. His eyes flickered around, watching the disaster that was his favorite café.

"Send me the coordinates, Stark." answered Steve with a sigh.

A few meters from there, Natasha and Tony were fighting the soldiers that came from black trucks at the corner of the street. No matter how many goons they put down, others were taking their place like an army of ants. The H.Y.D.R.A. proverb saying "for every head cut off, two more heads grow back" made perfect sense.

"Tony, missile! Take cover!" yelled Natasha running and sliding behind a car to protect herself.

Tony didn't have the time to hide behind something as the missile hit him square in the chest. He was sent flying meters away, grunting at the rough impact with the concrete.

"Stark, can you hear me?" said Natasha as she fired bullets at the enemy. "Stark!".

Checking her ammo, she reloaded her guns before putting them in her thigh holsters. Grabbing an explosive in her pocket she threw it at the enemy and started running to where Tony had landed. In the background she heard the soldiers yelling to take cover before the blow of the explosion knocked her down on the ground next to Stark.

"Shit, Steve? Stark is out, his armor is damaged." Not waiting for an answer, Natasha hunched over, knees on the ground as she tried to remove the metal helmet. It was useless, the armor wasn't responsive without power. Stark's reactor was not emitting any light, his heart was not beating. Cursing under her breath, Natasha tried to call F.R.I.D.A.Y with no avail. Having an idea, she took a widow bite from her belt and put it on the reactor before stepping away. The H.Y.D.R.A. soldiers came back on the offensive, shooting at Natasha from afar. The Russian took cover behind a metal sign and watched as the widow bite shook the armor with electricity. Tony suddenly released a cough and started moving slowly, gasping for air.

"Fuck, that tickles." rasped the millionaire.

Natasha let out a low chuckle, still hiding behind the sign. Tony was not in direct danger from the bullets with his armor but he didn't seem to be able to move properly. The spy could not lift him with his armor any way so she left him on the ground for now. The situation was a bit shitty, she had not many bullets left and the soldiers were approaching rapidly.

"I'm going to take them elsewhere, Tony. I can't do anything from here." said the redhead. Vaguely hearing an affirmative sound from the millionaire, the spy rose from her hiding spot and, shooting at the enemy while running, she entered a building. Not stopping she jumped over tables, searching a way out on the other side. The building was some kind of restaurant, Natasha ran through the kitchen and throw open the exit door. She found herself in an alley of sorts, the soldiers hot on her heels. Natasha let out a breath, putting herself behind the open door and waited. As she heard the sound of footsteps just next to her, she kicked the door and slammed it on the first goon passing. The soldier let out a cry of pain, and Natasha knocked him out with the barrel of her gun. Shooting the next goon twice in the chest, she jumped on the third and wrapped her thighs around his neck, choking him until he lost consciousness. Suddenly, a red cape flew in front of her and attacked the last visible soldier in the building.

"What the-" Natasha saw from the corner of her eye a man standing not far away. "Who the hell are you?"

"My name is Dr. Steven Strange, Ms. Romanoff, and I believe that you are going to die in this universe." responded the black and white haired man.

The spy pointed her gun at the weird guy, narrowing her eyes.

"And are you here to kill me, Dr. Strange?" said the Russian spy. She saw the red cape leaving the now dead soldier and returning to the man, draping itself on his shoulders. The man grimaced slightly and raised his hands in surrender.

"Quite the opposite, Ms. Romanoff. I'm here to save you." he said. The gun still pointing at him, the spy took a step closer and checked her surroundings.

"Save me from what?" the spy whispered. She slowly took her gun down, keeping it pointed to the man but rather to his legs than his chest. The man wasn't threatening her but still looked suspicious. Better be safe than sorry right?

"I can't tell you that. But, if you stay here Ms. Romanoff, there isn't a single chance for you to leave alive." he responded softly but quite urgently.

"I'm supposed to believe you? How do I know you're not lying to me?" the response was cut short when a gunshot echoed right next to her.

"Shit, can't you die and stop coming already?" she grunted at the H.Y.D.R.A. soldiers that appeared out of nowhere. Five new men began shooting at Natasha and Steven, who made a shield in front of them.

"Is there a place that you wish to visit, Ms. Romanoff?" said Dr. Strange urgently while the spy shot her last bullets at the men.

Natasha still had a loaded gun on her left thigh, a couple of knives and a single widow bite.

"You are a strange one, Dr." she responded, taking a look at the man next to her.

"So that's a no I suppose? What about Colorado," still casting the shield, he had to think about where to send the redhead. She would be useful in the future, he had to keep her alive in the meantime. After a few seconds later and still no response from the spy, he took a decision.

"Ms. Romanoff, it was a pleasure to meet you. I hope you'll like Alaska!" he yelled to be heard over the gunshots. The shield dropped while Natasha ran and rolled next to a soldier, throwing her knee in his groin and punched his jaw.

Suddenly, the ground disappeared and they fell. Natasha grunted when she touched the cold ground. She raised herself on her knees and casted a glance around. She saw trees and snow all around her. Hearing noise next to her Natasha sighed with irritation. Five H.Y.D.R.A. goons were getting up slightly stunned.

"Fuck". 

Chapter Text

The fall wasn't long but the impact with the solid ground was hard. Natasha landed on a fallen tree branch; the air was knocked out of her lungs. She gasped, tried to fill her lungs with much needed air and then breathed deeply. Stunned, she tried to get up but only managed to raise to her knees, still gasping for air. Her ribs hurt a little and she tried to clear her head out of the dizziness. A few feet from her were five H.Y.D.R.A. soldiers who seemed to be out of it as well. The spy checked her surroundings and saw trees and snow as far as the eye can see, no apparent building or house, nothing but trees. She knew that the soldiers were going to get up soon so she forced herself to get on her feet before them.

"It's been a long day. Hell, it's been a long week, guys. Are you sure you want to do this? You may as well choose life and run." laughed the redhead.

Five minutes earlier. Denali forest, Alaska.

It was a perfect day so far, nothing alarming in the Denali territory. Kate was not in a prankster mood; Irina was her soft self and Carzar (Carmen & Eleazar) were cute as always. The three sisters decided to go on a hunt, the mated couple not coming with them this time.

Tanya stopped in the forest to breathe the air and smelled a moose not far from her. Venom pooled in her mouth and she swallowed thickly, running silently towards her meal. Kate and Irina were close to her, having their own target. Tanya climbed in a tree near the moose, planning to drop on its back. Suddenly, a noise attracted her attention. She decided to keep the height to her advantage and stayed on her tree branch.

"Kate, Irina did you hear that?" the strawberry blonde whispered, loud enough only to be heard by her sisters.

"I did," responded Irina, quickly joining Tanya in the tree. "Did you see anything?"

"Some sparks of sorts, maybe?" whispered the older vampire.

"Some action! I was going to die of boredom at this point." said Kate with barely contained excitement. "Move, Irina! I want a good seat."

The said blonde huffed and made room for her sister. Tanya groaned and hit Kate on the back of her head, beckoning her to pay attention.

A red circle surrounded by sparks appeared horizontally at approximatively six or seven feet off the ground. A noise that sounded a lot like a gunshot echoed in the woods and seconds after it, bodies cladded in black dropped from the circle and crashed on the snowy ground with audible grunts.

"Huh, that's new." chuckled Kate. She hunched over, hands on her knees and legs swinging with glee.

They could decipher six bodies; they seemed human at first sight and smell. Five men were in black uniforms, mercenary sort of clothes and some were gripping a leg or arm as if in pain. The sixth body was a woman in what seemed to be a black catsuit with blue lines on it and weird bracelet on her wrists, short bright red hair forming delicate curls above the shoulders. The woman was the first to get up after coughing and catching her breath.

"It's been a long day. Hell, it's been a long week, guys. Are you sure you want to do this? You may as well choose life and run." said the woman in a raspy voice and with a slight accent.

"Do not intervene, we don't show that we are here except as a last resort." said Tanya, without taking her eyes off the scene. Irina nodded and Kade didn't respond but didn't move either.

The men were beginning to rise to their feet when the fight began. The woman jumped on the first man and used him as an anchor to kick the one behind him, sending him to the ground. She rotated on the first one and quickly jabbed her elbow on his head and electrocuted him with her bracelet. She ran to the remaining soldiers not without slamming her foot on the head of the fallen one she kicked seconds ago. One soldier took out his gun but too late, the redhead kicked it out of his hand then sent a kick to his head, he dropped on the ground. Before she could react, a man pounced on her, sending them both to the ground. He hit her in the ribs and she let out a pained grunt before reversing their positions and raising her fist to hit him but the last man standing caught her arm and twisted it behind her. She managed to take hold of his right arm an send him flying above her to crash on his colleague.

"Can't we go? I feel like an old grandma watching and judging people from a bench in a parc." complained Kate. "No." was her only response, causing the blonde to huff angrily.

They watched as the woman took several steps back and the two men rose from the ground.

"Is it me or is this redhead really beautiful and kicking their asses like it's a walk on a Sunday morning?" Kate said balancing on the branch as she watched the fight. Her sisters just hummed in agreement.

The redhead rolled her shoulders before running again, hitting the first soldier in the throat multiple times, making him gasp for breath. She jumped on the second one, wrapping her thighs around his neck and squeezing before snapping his neck with her hands.

"Ow, that has to hurt." commented Kate again as if in a movie theater, popcorn missing but still.

The redhead was now left with the last soldier who moved his hand to the gun strapped on his thigh, one hand still at his throat. The woman moved rapidly, rolled on the ground and picked up the fallen gun of the goon that she kicked earlier, she removed the security and shot three times, emptying the clip and killing her opponent even before he could take the security off of his gun. The first man who was knocked out was slowly starting to wake up a few feet away from her so she took a knife out of her boot, drew back her arm and thew the blade, hitting him square in the chest.

"Well, that was fun. Thank you for your cooperation." muttered the redhead. She took her hand to her earpiece and clicked on it. "Steve, do you copy? Stark?" No response. "Fuck."

The three vampires still watched like hawks, not making any noise and not taking their eyes away from the lady even for a second.

"Dr. Strange? Dr. Strange! Where the hell did you send me? Fucking men with red capes." complained the redhead.

She threw a look around, still not seeing anything out of the ordinary so she leaned forward and searched the bodies. She found a single full magazine and replaced the empty one.

"I think we can show ourselves, see if she had a good reason to kill those men and she can tell us where she's from." announced Tanya, the coven leader. The woman had her back to them and the blonde jumped from the tree silently, softly approaching as Kate took the left and Irina stayed in the tree.

Third person pov

Natasha could feel the baby hair at the base of her neck standing. She had a feeling that someone or something was watching her. Suddenly, she took the gun out of the holster and turned around, pointing it at the blonde woman approaching.

"Do not come any closer or I'll shoot." stated the spy. The blonde immediately stopped, even if a bullet wouldn't do her any harm.

"You are on the Denali territory, what are you doing here? Who are you?" demanded the blonde with an authoritative voice. The redhead narrowed her eyes, remarking that the blonde was unnaturally beautiful, with weird golden/yellow eyes, really pale skin and seemed to have appeared from nowhere "hardly human" she thought.

"Oh god, isn't Denali in Alaska?" said Natasha, slightly exasperated.

"Yes, it is. Where did you come from?" asked Tanya, narrowing her eyes in suspicion.

"Great," the spy huffed. "A weird dude appeared and one thing leading to another, poof here I'm. Just another day at work."

"Why did you kill those men?" said the blonde, getting angry at not having any questions answered. The redhead responded with a sigh.

"They were responsible for the explosion and attack in New York. Didn't you see the news or something?" Casting a glance around her, she added. "Maybe not."

Tanya spotted Kate behind the redhead, supposedly trying to surprise the woman to take her gun? She wasn't sure, Kate was always unpredictable.

"Worry not, I'm not one of the bad guys." Natasha said, trying to see if the woman was a threat or not. She saw the blonde cast a glance over her shoulder and, trusting her instinct, turned around and throwed her last widow's bite behind her. It hit the chest of another blonde whose hand was extended towards her. The woman stared at the device on her chest before going rigid and dropping to one knee from the electricity coursing through her body.

"Kate!" yelled Irina, jumping from her hiding place and running to her sisters.

"How many are you? What are you?" yelled Natasha, taking a few steps back from the blondes and still gripping her gun, pointing it at the two blondes standing.

"Calm down, there's only the three of us. Put the gun away, we will not attack you if you say the truth." said Tanya calmly.

"Oh my, that's a cool trick! I have something similar, do you wanna-" still on one knee, Kate cut herself short, her golden eyes connecting with green ones as breathed out. "Mate."

Natasha watched as the golden eyes of the blonde she just electrocuted turned a dark caramel, emotions swirling on her face, joy, longing, admiration, ...something else?

"Oh shit." said Tanya, eyes wide with choc.

"Mate? Are you some kind of creature?" asked the redhead, eyes going from the caramel ones to the strawberry blonde who just spoke.

"Uh, we're...vampires." Tanya said hesitantly.

"Vampires." the redhead repeated.

"Yes. But we're "vegetarian", uh, that's a little vampire-joke really," the blonde said with a awkward laugh. "But essentially we don't drink from humans."

"Mate!" said Kate again. She rose herself off of the ground and with a goofy smile, took a step closer to the redhead.

"No, Kate, that's not a good idea! The lady just electrocuted you." said Irina, running to stop her sister whose current mission was to go to the redhead and probably try to kiss her, hug her, or worse.

Said Kate began to growl and snarl at her sister. Natasha watched with attentive eyes, her instinct telling her that the woman was not a direct danger to her. She could feel a little something in her body but could not place a finger on what it was. Just as the blondes were beginning to shake each other she put her gun back in its holster.

"What are they doing?" she asked, taking a step closer to Tanya.

"How to put this... Vampires have what we call a mate, like a soulmate if you will, a one and only. When a vampire sees his mate, he knows instantly when looking in their eyes." explained Tanya.

"Hmm. Like love at first sight?"

"Yes, you could say that. Only on a deeper level." the strawberry blonde smiled and then added "I'm Tanya Denali. Those are my sisters Irina and Kate."

Irina was still holding Kate back but it was difficult as her sister was not quite herself at the moment. Just before the angry blonde shocked her sister, the redhead interrupted.

"Kate, was it?" she said softly, gazing at the eyes of the growling blonde. The woman stopped immediately and nodded with wide eyes, pushing Irina away.

"She's lost in her instincts. Her vampire side wants to protect you and be near you."

The redhead nodded and took a few steps closer to Kate. The blonde was frozen and breathing deeply, watching her every move. Natasha closed the distance and softly placed a hand on the blonde's cheek, gasping at the cold skin. Kate immediately leaned in her touch, breathing in her mate's scent.

"Do calm down, little vampire." she ordered. The blonde blinked a few times and, after a few seconds, seemed to come back to herself slowly, her dark eyes becoming again a dark caramel.

"W-what's your name?" asked the vampire trembling slightly. She took the chance to really look at her mate, seeing her beautiful features. Green eyes, well-shaped eyebrows, pulpy red lips, sharp jawline, beautiful curly red hair. And that was just her face, Kate couldn't admire her body quite yet. That would be inappropriate. Wouldn't it?

The redhead raised an eyebrow at the stutter but didn't comment.

"Natasha Romanoff. Pleasure to meet you." smirked the spy.

"Natasha" repeated the vampire, admiration in her voice. She reached out to touch the spy and, not receiving any complains, slowly slipped an arm around the redhead's waist. Before she could hug the woman, a single finger poked her in the chest.

"Not so fast, Speedy Gonzales." Natasha said with a smirk. She allowed the arm to stay around her waist and turned around. The vampire whined behind her.

"Do you have a phone?" she asked Tanya.

"Yes, at our house." the coven leader said. "Kate, you were a succubi for heaven's sake! Have some class!"

Natasha raised an eyebrow "Succubi, you say? I'm more like a Black Widow kind of gal." she said with a smile. "Anyway, can we go to your house? I need to make a phone call." The adrenaline rapidly leaving her body, she realized it was cold, like freezing cold. Every breath she took came out in a cloud and she began to shiver.

"Yes! I can take you there in a matter of seconds." responded Kate proudly. Natasha scoffed and throw a glance at the blonde still holding her.

"I can walk."

"O-okay, but it's freezing! The house is twenty miles from here!" she argued.

Natasha pushed the blonde away. "I'm Russian, I don't get cold." Kate watched with an open mouth as the redhead began to walk away adding a sway to her hips. Venom pulled in her mouth and she swallowed thickly. "Well, that was hot." she muttered, hearing her sisters laugh under their breath.

"Miss Romanoff?" Irina called. Natasha turned and the blonde continued with a barely contained smile. "This way." she said, pointing the exact opposite direction.

Chapter Text

After thirty minutes of walking in the snow, Natasha was half frozen. Not that she was gonna say anything anyway, stubborn spy. Not stopping for anything, she watched as Kate talked animatedly in front on her, walking backwards and making grand gestures. Tanya and Kate were walking a few feet away, sometimes adding details to the story Kate was telling. The blonde stopped talking when Natasha let out a sneeze followed by sniffles and curses under her breath.

“Aww, you’re too cute!” Kate said with glee.

“I’m not cute” scoffed the redhead.

“Are you pouting ?” the blonde asked with a big smile and her head tilted slightly. The redhead scoffed again but didn’t respond. “You are!” Kate laughed and attempted to pinch the spy’s cheeks but her hands were swapped away from her mate’s face.

“Zamolchi.” (Shut up). Natasha said with a visible pout. She couldn’t feel her toes or her fingers, it was so cold she shivered and trembled often. The sun was going to set down soon and there was no way that she could get to the house without help. But damn was she stubborn, and didn’t want to ask help so soon after meeting someone, even if the said someone was just waiting to carry her to the house. The spy crossed her arms and tried to warm her hands.

“You’re making me feel the cold at this point.” said the blonde before removing her jacket and putting it on Natasha’s shoulders. She held it closed for the redhead and planted a sweet and slightly hesitant kiss on her cheek. Light pink exploded on the cheek she just kissed and she grinned, satisfied. Natasha murmured a thank you before clearing her throat.

“This is pointless.” the spy complained after a few more minutes of walking. She stopped, turned towards Tanya and held out her arms. “You may carry me.”

Tanya laughed at the immediate complaints and whine that her sister let out. She wouldn’t even try to touch the redhead since it really hasn’t been long since Kate met the woman and her vampire instincts were quite still unpredictable. A glint in the redhead’s eyes told her that it was just to annoy Kate anyway.

“I will carry you! I’m faster.” Kate said convincingly. 

“That’s not true.” denied Irina. Kate just throwed her a glare with narrowed eyes then turned to Natasha and pouted with the best puppy eyes she could do.

“You told me I was cute.” Natasha said with an eyebrow raised. Kate seemed desperate and it took all her willpower not to smile, hearing the blonde’s sisters laughing a few feet from her.

“It’s tru-No! I lied. You’re…terrifying! You’re a really scary lady!” Kate responded, trying all her might to convince her mate. The redhead tilted her head and narrowed her eyes.

“I’m scary?”

“…yes?” said the vampire hesitantly.

Natasha hummed. “Good enough.” she suddenly jumped on Kate and wrapped her legs around the blonde’s slim waist. Her hands were holding the jacket on her shoulders but she had no problems at holding herself just with the force in her thighs. The blonde, however, obviously wanting to “help”, put her hands on the redhead’s ass. Natasha glared at her but the vampire’s attention was on her mate’s lips, her pupils blown wide and eyes quickly darkening. When she made a knot with the sleeves of the jacket so it didn’t fall, Natasha slapped the hands on her bum.

“Bad, bad vampire!”

The sisters were still laughing and Kate seemed to come back to herself, moving her hands from her mate’s ass to her back. She muttered an apology with a guilty smile.

“You might want to hold on to her neck and get your head down if you don’t wanna have all the wind in your face.” added Tanya.

Natasha wrapped her arms around Kate’s shoulders and put her head in the vampire’s neck, smelling her sweet scent. The blonde’s arms hugged her tighter against her body and she nuzzled her face to the redhead’s, a deep rumble coming from her chest.

“Are you purring?” chuckled the spy. The blonde responded with a contented hum.

In a flash, they were gone. Natasha closed her eyes and tried to breathe but the wind was so strong against her skin and they were going so fast that it was near impossible. Fortunately, the vampire did not lie and in a matter of seconds they were stopping. The spy took a much needed breath and raised her head from Kate’s neck.

“This is your stop, ma’am.”

“Thank you, my noble steed.” smiled the redhead. Setting foot on the ground, she wavered slightly because of her frozen limbs. Turning around, she saw a big house made with wood and stones, a particular but elegant shape. A black Jeep was parked in front of the garage.

“Nice place.” she complimented.

“We built it ourselves.” stated proudly the vampire, showing off her biceps and earning a smirk from the spy.

Tanya and Irina appeared next to them a few seconds later, Irina rushed in the house immediately.

“We have two other members of our coven, Carmen and Eleazar. Don’t be surprised if Carmen hug you when you go through the door, she’s like a mama bear to everyone. They’re not a danger to you, I promise you that.” said the coven leader, Tanya, when she saw the hesitant look on the redhead’s face.

“Come on, dear.” she added, advancing towards the entrance.

Kate hold up her hand to her mate and Natasha raised an eyebrow before shaking her head and gently slipping her hand in Kate’s. The smile she received made her heart skip a beat and she furrowed her eyebrows, angry at herself to be so quickly trusting and so easily flustered with someone she just met, even if the said someone didn’t do anything suspicious.

They moved to the door and Natasha immediately sighed in relief when she entered the house, which was warmer than the outside. She would need a hot shower to unfreeze her toes but it was a start. Kate tugged her towards a living room with armchairs and two large sofas which seemed cozy, there was a crackling fire in the fireplace, warming the room. For a moment she just wanted to wrap herself in a blanket with a hot chocolate to warm her hands. Her eyes took in the room, analyzing everything as a precaution. The first thing she noted was that they seemed to be rich. Not difficult to guess with the sheer size of the house but everything inside screamed luxury, even if it wasn’t necessary modern. A clearing of throat made her turn around and she met the golden eyes of two new vampires, Irina a their side.

“Hello, dear.” the man said, holding up his hand to shake with hers. “I’m Eleazar and this beautiful woman next to me is my mate, Carmen.”

Carmen was a small woman with brunette hair, soft features, golden eyes, in her mid-thirties maybe and with a warm smile. Eleazar had dark hair, golden eyes too and he seemed a little older, maybe in his forties. They were both beautiful.

“Oh, she’s gorgeous, Kate!” said the woman with joy.

Barely a second after letting go of Eleazer’s hand, the redhead found herself with her head caught between two cold hands. She tried to take a step back but the woman didn’t budge. The blonde next to her let out a chuckle at her horrified look and she nodded proudly at Carmen.

“Yes, she’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.” she said, admiration flowing from her voice.

Carmen cooed and finally released the spy, not without planting a kiss on both of her cheeks.

“What is your name, cariño ?” (Sweetheart).

“My name’s Natasha. Natasha Romanoff.” said the spy, taking a discreet step back. The brunette vampire didn’t seem to notice, too happy to care, but the blonde next to her however, did. She stepped a little closer to her and, letting go of her hand, draped her arm around the redhead’s waist protectively.

“Natasha. That’s a beautiful name.” Carmen responded with a smile. After a second, her eyebrows furrowed, noticing her clothes and guns strapped on her thighs. Fortunately, she didn’t comment the weapons but noticed the goosebumps on her neck and sent a disapproving glare at Kate. “You must be freezing!” She took the blanket draped over the couch and wrapped it around the redhead. “Kate, take her to the bathroom, she will need a shower to warm up. I’ll make hot chocolate for when you’re done, what do you say cariño?”

“Oh yeah, she’s a mama bear alright.” Natasha thought with a smile. She just nodded at Carmen, already warming up to the woman.

Kate pushed her towards the staircase. Once upstairs, she found herself in a hall with several doors. The blonde led her to the last door on the right side of the hall, and, pushing the door, she took in the spacious bedroom with a king-sized bed, a large wardrobe, a couch under the window and a few shelves filled with books. Some clothes were thrown on the bed and a few books were on the ground but the room seemed clean and tidy. It smelled nice, a warm and sweet scent like cinnamon and orange or something. After a few seconds, she realized was Kate’s.

“So, this is my lair.” said the blonde with a happy smile.

“Hm, weren’t you supposed to take me to a bathroom, not your bedroom?” asked the redhead with a smirk.

“Well, all things considered, maybe I can warm you up.” Kate said with a cocky grin. She took hold of the blanket and sent it flying towards the bed. She took a step closer to Natasha but the latter didn’t look impressed at all.

“Stop acting like a dog in heat, Kate.” stated the spy. Laughter and snickers echoed in the house and the blonde gaped at her. If she could, she would probably be blushing. She muttered something that sounded like “well you do make me hot” but turned around, opened her wardrobe and pulled out a simple black hoodie, a t-shirt with the phrase “I’m rich and I live like a millionaire.” and grey sweatpants. “You’re a shortie so they’ll probably be a little too big for you but should be fine.”

“I’m a what now?” scoffed the redhead. The blonde responded with a teasing smile.

“Well, you’re not exactly tall.” laughed the blonde.

“You’re like, 3 or 4 inches taller than me.” argued the redhead.

“Don’t worry, I like them short. I mean, this way I can prove my superiority.” the blonde flashed her white teeth at Natasha in a smile and it made her heart skip a beat, again. The spy decided that the time had come for revenge. She couldn’t melt on the spot like that just with a smile.

Spinning around slowly, she headed to the bed and grabbed the jacket over her shoulders, slowly pulling it off and folding it. Humming softly, she pulled of her discharged bracelets, guns and knives and threw them next to the jacket. Then, she pulled off her combat boots, settling them on the floor. Running a hand through her hair, she turned to Kate who was eying her silently. As she grabbed the zipper of her catsuit, she looked straight into the blonde’s eyes and saw them darken quickly. She licked her lips, almost smirking at the blonde when she saw her follow the movement with her eyes and then lick her own lips. Taking a few steps towards the blonde, she lowered the zipper a little, showing off her cleavage. Adding a sway in her hips, she soon found herself nose to nose with the vampire whose mouth was open, eyes dark. Her arms wrapped around Kate’s neck, she decided to push things a little but further. Nuzzling the vampire’s jaw, she smirked when she heard the blonde’s breath hitch. Kate placed her hands possessively on Natasha’s hips and pulled her flush against her. When she heard the purr the blonde began to make she placed a little kiss in the vampire’s neck and pulled away completely.

“So, where’s the shower?” asked Natasha innocently. The blonde gaped at her, chocked.

“W-what?” she stammered.

“Oh, you poor soul. You can flirt but you’re a bit of a puppy when people flirt with you, huh?” the redhead said, still with her innocent smile.  

“You’ll be the dead of me.” pouted the blonde. Natasha just rolled her eyes.

“Shower?”

Kate opened a door next to the wardrobe and Natasha entered the ensuite-bathroom. The room was spacious, smaller than the bedroom but still big. Tastefully decorated and with a large walk-in shower, Natasha liked it instantly. Her attention was demanded by the blonde when Kate tapped her arm softly.

“Can we talk? After your shower, I mean.” she asked hesitantly.

“Of course, are you okay?” Natasha replied with worry.

“Yes, yes. I would like to settle things straight, it’s all. I know everything is very sudden and-“ she took a breath. “Can I have a hug?”

Natasha laughed at the sudden change. “I’d like to shower. But, maybe after when I smell good and I’m no longer cold, yes.” she smiled. The blonde beamed at her and left the bathroom with a smile, closing the door behind her.

The spy shacked her head fondly. Finally able to remove her catsuit, she put herself out of it, only clad in her black sports bra and lacy black panties. She splashed water on her face at the sink and took a breath. Everything was indeed very sudden. She always took a great amount of time to trust people because of the what the Red Room taught her, and here she was, taking a shower without even locking the door only a few hours after meeting the woman. Well, maybe she should’ve locked it, because Kate suddenly opened the door without knocking and strode in, head down and a pile of clothes in her hands.

“I forgot to give you those, and I added undies too, I’ll put them on th-“ she chocked on her words when her gaze lifted to the redhead. She looked up and down at her mate’s body and venom pooled in her mouth. She wanted to kiss her mate, bite her, love he-. A cough interrupted her line of thoughts and she turned around hastily. “S-sorry.” she squeaked.  

“You can leave now.” laughed the spy. She put the clothes down and a second later, Kate had disappeared.

Diving in the shower, Natasha sighed in relief as the hot water started to warm her frozen limbs. Wetting her hair, Natasha reached for the shampoo and slowly washed her hair, taking advantage of the hot water. After washing her body, she rinsed herself and got out of the shower. Choosing two fluffy towels on the shelve, she dried her short hair with the first and draped the second one around her chest.

“Kate, do you have a spare toothbrush ?” she shouted at the door. “Don’t feel the need to come in.” she added after a second.

“Ha-ha. Look in the drawer under the sink.” Kate responded loud enough for her to hear.

Finding what she was looking for, she brushed her teeth quickly, finished drying off her body and hair and got dressed. The clothes were too large, looking oversized on her. “Damn giant.” she muttered. Pulling the hoodie up to the nose, she took a sniff and smiled when she smelled the scent she was quicky beginning to assimilate with Kate. The redhead brushed her hair and ran her hands through it to reform the curls. Leaving the bathroom, she found Kate lying on her bed, stretched like a cat. The blonde turned her head towards her and smiled. “Hi.”

“Hi.” laughed softly Natasha. Kate got up from the bed and looked her up and down.

“Mm, I like to see you like this.” she said softly.

“Like what?” asked the spy, her head tilted slightly.

The blonde closed the distance between them and raised her arms with a questioning gaze, silently asking if she could hug her. When she received a nod, she hugged her mate tightly.

“Wearing my clothes. Like…like you’re mine.” she whispered.

Natasha returned the hug, placing her arms around the blonde but gritting her teeth.

“I’m not yours, Kate. I met you a couple of hours ago.”

She heard the blonde take a unnecessary breath.

“No, I-I know. You’re not mine yet.” voice slightly hurt. Natasha pulled away.

“You don’t even know me, how do you know that you want me?” Natasha asked with furrow eyebrows, feeling guilty when she saw the blonde’s hurt expression. “I don’t get it.”

“Come, sit. That’s what I wanted to talk about.” she took a seat on her bed and patted the place next to her. Natasha shrugged, telling herself that trying to contact the Avengers could wait a bit more, and took a seat.

“Okay. So, when we met and I looked into your eyes, I knew you were the one for me. It’s like, our soul are made for each other. I cannot love, or even want someone else romantically.” explained the blonde.

“Don’t you want a choice?” Natasha asked, frowning her eyebrows.

“No, I don’t. I know we were made for each other, I can feel it in my heart. I never laid eyes on someone as beautiful as you, inside and out. I want to get to know you better than anyone, I look into your eyes and I can see a future. Your smile makes my dead heart beat again. I-I lose my breath, I cannot think.” chuckled the blonde.

“Kate… Don’t go to fast.” Natasha said, shaking her head.

“I-I know, I’m sorry.” the blonde responded, bowing her head. “It’s just… I waited a thousand years to find you, Natasha.” she said with a soft smile.

“You look like you’re 25, maybe 26.”

“Yes well, I’ve been 25 for a while.” she chuckled with a sad smile.

Natasha looked at her for a moment, silent. She took notice of the beauty of the vampire, those golden eyes who expressed so much, the pouty rosy lips, the pale and soft skin, the delicate line of her jaw, the beautiful gold hair looking so soft. She was attracted to the blonde, very strongly. It was like her body knew her and reacted to her but her heart wasn’t ready yet. She could feel a deep connection, and it made her trust the blonde to an extent. She knew that it was risky to do so but , once, a long time ago, she did put her trust in a stranger and it brought her one of the best things in her life, her brother in everything but blood, Clint Barton. So she decided to take the risk.

Putting her hands gently on the vampire’s face. “I’m not saying no, Kate.” she said softly.

“So… I’ve a shot? Will you give me a chance?” the blonde asked, hope lacing her voice.

“Yes, you have a chance.” she smiled. The blonde pounced on her and kissed her cheeks, murmuring soft thank you’sbetween kisses. Natasha pulled away with a laugh.

“Okay, Casanova. I still have a phone call to make and I was promised a hot chocolate.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

Kate pulled the redhead to the door, opened it and let Natasha go through it before her. Feeling so much happiness she could burst and seizing the opportunity, she swatted the redhead’s ass playfully and send a jolt of electricity, making the spy jump and hit her.

“KATE!”

Chapter Text

They went to the living room with grins on their face, Natasha pushing Kate’s shoulder playfully. Tanya and Irina were seated on the couch facing the fireplace and Eleazar was in an armchair, Carmen sitting on his lap. The redhead smiled at them, going to sit next to Tanya on the couch. Kate looked at her with her eyebrows furrowed and motioned her head to the free sofa, wanting Natasha to come and sit next to her but the spy just smirked at her. Kate took a seat in the couch, alone, and pouted like a dejected child. Tanya rolled her eyes at the scene, a smile tugging at her lips. Carmen disappeared in a flash and came back with a mug and a plate filled with chocolate chip cookies. Natasha’s eyes zoomed on the cookies and she tried to be discreet with her excitement.

“There you go, dear.” she said with a smile, placing the plate and mug on the coffee table.

“Thank you.” the spy smiled back. Taking a sip of the hot chocolate, she moaned at the taste.

“Mm, this is delicious!” Carmen seemed extremely satisfied and sat back on Eleazar’s lap.

Kate dropped a cushion she was moving at the sound the redhead made but quickly picked it back up, acting innocently. Irina hid her laugh with a cough.

“So, what are you doing for a living, Natasha?” asked Eleazar.

“Uh, I work with the Avengers.” answered the redhead absently. She took a bite of a cookie,  had to force herself not to moan at the sweet taste and tried not to send crumbs on Tanya beside her. Having been successful with her mission she sent a smile at the blonde eying her critically. She took the mug from the table and looked at Eleazar, sending him a guilty smile because she wasn’t very attentive but chocolate chip cookies were one of her weaknesses.

“What are those Avengers ?” said Carmen. “It doesn’t ring a bell.”

Natasha put down her mug, her eyebrows furrowed and she tilted her head slightly.

“You’ve never heard of the Avengers? The team with Iron Man, Captain America, the Hulk?” asked Natasha. She looked at Kate, searching for a spark of recognition or something. She just seemed confused. “No? Tony Stark, genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist?” she added with a smile, remembering the conversation where Stark described himself as such.

“I’m sorry. Those names are not familiar to me.” Carmen looked curious.

Weird. That was really weird. Without wanting to be arrogant, they were really famous. Even more so since Natasha dropped all H.Y.D.R.A. and S.H.I.E.L.D.’s secrets on the internet. The spy got up from the couch and started thinking, her brain on overdrive. She was missing something big.

“Are you alright ?” Tanya asked, putting a hand on the spy’s shoulder gently.

Natasha massaged her temples, searching for the missing piece of the puzzle. Suddenly having an idea, she put her plan on the road.

“I need a phone, a laptop and a bottle of vodka.” She said. Before adding. “Please.”  

Carmen rushed in the kitchen and Kate got up from the couch, exchanged a look with her sisters before disappearing a second and reappearing with the requested items. She held them out silently but Natasha just stared at it, raising her eyebrows.  

“Old school?” she asked.

“…what?” Tanya seemed to get more and more confused.

“This phone. Does it know how to call at least?” laughed the redhead.

“I brought it a few weeks ago, it’s a Blackberry 7290.” scoffed the coven leader before adding proudly. “It even has the Bluetooth.”

Natasha paused, looked around her and began to notice some things. The furniture didn’t seemed old but it wasn’t modern, even the vampire’s outfits weren’t really modern. Eyes back on the items in Kate’s arm, she saw the outdated phone and laptop. She took a breath. The setting was the same as in the series on the early 2000s.

“What’s today’s date?” she whispered.

“Um, January 13.” answered Irina.

“…what year?”

This time, Tanya seemed to make a connection as well. “2005. January 13, 2005.”

“Oh, my god.” Natasha said in horror, then took a seat in the couch closest to her and put her head in her hands. Kate squatted down in front of her and touched the spy’s knees.

“What is it? What’s going on?” she asked, worried.

Natasha didn’t answer, trying to remember every detail of her meeting with Dr. Strange. She got up, took the old items and set them on the couch. Opened the laptop on the couch and squatting down in front of it, she quickly opened a web page and began to search. She typed ‘Iron Man’, nothing. She tried ‘Stark Industries’, nothing at all. She tried every member of the Avengers, with no result. The spy shook her head, almost trying to pinch her arm to wake up. Unfortunately, it was no dream. She sat back against the couch, legs on the floor. Kate sat next to her, talking, worry in her eyes, but Natasha couldn’t hear anything.

After a few minutes, she raised her head and saw the coven members talking with each other to rapidly and too low for her to understand. Kate suddenly appeared in front of her, a glass of water in hand.

“Are you okay, baby?” the blonde asked softly.

Natasha blinked. “It’s worse than I thought it was.”

“…why?”

“He sent me through time.” she began to laugh.

“Who?” Irina asked, still confused.

Natasha got up from the floor and accepted the water, took a deep breath and tried to calm down, she looked kind of crazy laughing like that.

“We had a call at the compound and were send to rescue civilians after an explosion. Tony Stark, Steve Rogers and I went to secure the place, save the civilians stuck under the rubble and eliminate the threat. There were H.Y.D.R.A. soldiers everywhere. Steve went to another location, to stop an other bomb or something. Then, a rocket hit Tony square in the chest and sent him flying. His armor damaged, I managed to restart his heart but he couldn’t move. So I got up and lured the soldiers away from him. I ended up in an alley and a weird guy with a cape came up out of nowhere. He told me that I had to choose someplace to go to ‘save my life’ but I couldn’t hear what he was saying after that because of the gunshots. Next thing I know, I end up in the middle of the forest with five minions of H.Y.D.R.A.” she explained.

Everyone looked confused, horrified even.

“I’m not following.” said Kate. Natasha looked at her calmly. She took the bottle of vodka Carmen put on the coffee table and took a long sip. The familiar burning in her throat calmed her a little.

“This morning, when I got up, it was January 13.” After a second, she added. “2015.”

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Later that night, Natasha was laying down on Kate’s bed staring at the ceiling silently, lost in thoughts. The sun was long gone, the moon taking place and slightly illuminating the room. She was sad. Not even because Strange sent her to an another universe, but because she found herself be ripped off the first real choice she made in her life. All her life, she had learned to be a weapon. The Red Room had manipulated her, making her do things that have stained her hands with so much blood. So she tried the road to redemption, helping people through S.H.I.E.L.D., risking her life with the Avengers, but it never quite washed away her sins. And now, she was in a world that didn’t knew her, where she never did anything wrong or bad. Where she could maybe start over. She never thought it was a possibility but now that she was here, she thought that, maybe, this was it for her. Maybe this was what she was looking for all along. She was interrupted in her line of thoughts with a soft knock on the door and Kate’s head popping inside.

“Can I come in?” the blonde whispered, not to disturb the spy.

“Well, it is your room.” said back the redhead, softly. Kate entered and closed the door behind her, the mattress sank a little when Kate lay down next to her. They stayed in silence for a few minutes, the only noise being the steady breathing of the spy.

“Are you hungry?” asked the blonde.

“No.” chuckled Natasha. “Are you?” she asked, turning her head to the side to watch the blonde.

“Why, you feel generous?” smirked the vampire. Natasha smirked back.

“Do you see me like a big squirrel or something?”

The blonde laughed. “Nah.” Then added with a suggestive raising of eyebrows. “Not that you don’t look good enough to eat, though.”

Natasha turned on her side to face the vampire and playfully punch her shoulder. Kate turned to her side too and flashed her a smile, the redhead had to fight her own smile from her face in response. They stayed like that for a while, just gazing in each other’s eyes. Green lost in dark gold. The teasing smile had slipped from Kate’s face, a contented one taking place. The spy raised a hand and let the tip of a finger trace the vampire’s jawline, her cheekbones, forehead, her nose. She traced the soft lips who parted under her finger, finally stopping on the blonde’s chin. She could feel the burning of Kate’s eyes trying to catch hers but she kept her eyes down. 

“Why do I feel like I’ve know you for all my life?” she whispered, not wanting to break the bubble they were in. Kate moved closer to her, took her hand in hers and placed a kiss on it.

“We are soulmates. Your soul recognizes mine even if your suborn brain doesn’t completely trust it.” she said, smiling teasingly. “I know your heart beats faster when you see me. I can hear it speeding up when I smile at you, or when you tease me. I can hear your breath hitch when I’m close to you.” she purred.

Natasha rolled her eyes, not phased at all by the poor flirting. “Yes, Kate, you are irresistible. I’m literally melting. Can’t you see?” she said, flopping her arms around. A smile appeared on her face.

“Mm. Well, it seems I succeeded at making you smile at least.” The blonde laughed.

“At what cost?” scoffed the redhead. Kate patted her on the arm and rolled her eyes.

“It wasn’t that bad.” she smiled. Natasha noticed how close they were, their nose almost touching. The vampire’s eyes were fixed on her lips and she could swear she was leaning in. So, she hit Kate in the face with her (too long) sleeve and the blonde scrunched her nose, pushing the offending arm away.

“What was that for?” she whined.

“You were getting too comfortable.” smirked Natasha. The blonde scoffed but didn’t respond.

After a few minutes of silence, Kate got up on her elbows. “You should get under the covers, it’s getting late.” The redhead didn’t argue, the long day had exhausted her. She slipped under the sheets and hugged a pillow to her head, breathing the sweet cinnamon and orange scent. Casting a glance at the vampire, she saw her look attentively.

“Comfortable?” the blonde asked.

“Mm, very.” she whispered. Natasha’s eyes were closing, weakly trying to fight the sleep. The mattress dipped when the vampire got up and Natasha felt cold lips on her cheek and a soft murmur that sounded like “Goodnight, my love.” then, sleep took her.

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“…okay, what about this one?” Kate put the t-shirt against herself to show it off. Natasha eyed her critically. Fashionable clothes in 2004 were not the same style as in 2015, not even close. The jeans were low rise jeans, not high waisted like she liked them and they liked to put on several layers with long sleeves and short sleeves t-shirts of different colors. All of it giving something horrible that the redhead did not want to wear at all. She mumbled a “ugly” and hurried away from the blonde who was already looking for another garment.

They decided that it would be easier for Natasha to have her own clothes and not Kate’s because they were obviously too large and not her style. After two days of looking like a penguin, they took the car and went to the mall. Natasha couldn’t be more happy about it but the happiness quickly faded when she saw the clothes in the store. She was desperately trying to find clothes to her liking and avoided Kate and her horrible proposals like the plague. The store was not very crowded, a bunch of teens and a men who trailed behind his wife with a bored expression on his face. The vampire had apparently made it a mission to find her some outfits and she took it quite seriously.

Natasha managed to find a pair of black pants and a simple long sleeved white t-shirt which she liked well enough, she folded the clothes and kept searching. After a few minutes and more items found, Kate came next to her with her arms full of clothes and a big smile on her face.

“You’re going to love what I found!” she said with visible glee and Natasha suppressed a groan at the sight. She casted a weary glance at the pile, as if the bright colors were annoying her.

“I see a little too much pink for the “Only black and brown, Kate” rule I gave you.” the spy said  with a bored expression. The blonde let out a “Oh!”, threw the pile on the ground and started digging in it, visibly trying to find a specific item. Natasha had to turn her head away to stop the smile coming on her face, the blonde was annoying, yes, but she was also very cute, like a little puppy. Her heart was warming at the blonde after two full days with her and her family, she found herself become quickly attached to Kate, not wishing to be far away from the vampire, thinking of her from the moment she wakes up until she goes to bed. It became almost embarrassing with how corny it was. If Clint knew, she  would never live it down.

“Got it!” Kate threw her arms in the air in triumph and gave Natasha a black leather jacket, blazer style. The redhead raised an eyebrow, impressed. The jacket was quite long, rather fitted at the waist and had two front pockets. She liked it instantly. “Now this, I like.” she smirked. She saw from the corner of her eyes a woman shaking her head with a hand over her  mouth in disbelief, moving closer to them. “I’ll let you handle the desperate saleswoman and go try everything I have.” the proud look on Kate’s face quickly faded as she glanced at the pile on the floor, then at the saleswoman, then at Natasha with a scared expression.

“Don’t leave me with the scary lady.” she whispered and took a step closer to the redhead. The spy smirked and took a step back. “I hope she doesn’t kick you out, if we never see each other  again…” she laughed and walked away quickly, not wanting to be in the war zone. 

She spotted the fitting rooms and as she walked in she saw a young man in his underwear with  a white short sleeved t-shirt knocking on the door of his fitting cabin. Casting a frightened  look over his shoulder, he whispered/yelled “Hurry up, dude, there’s someone.” Natasha smirked at the boy and when he saw her correctly he had to take a second look, his eyes widening. He seemed  to be in his early twenties with short black hair.  “A boy or a girl?” said the voice behind the door. The mouth slightly agape, the boy gaped at the spy and muttered lamely. “A-a g-girl. I-I mean, uh, a-a woman?” The redhead just smirked, clearly enjoying herself.  A sound of metal on the floor came across the room. “Oh, shit, I dropped the key in the pile of clothes…” the guy behind the door said, clearly with a laugh. “WHAT?! Are you serious ?” responded the other, clearly embarrassed.

Natasha took a step closer to the boy in his underwear and he turned towards her, joining his hands over his groin. “Hi, are you locked out or are you here for fun?” she said with a serious expression.

“Uhhh… No, a-actually, my friend lost the key. H-he licks, uh, looks, for it. He looks for the key.” he stuttered. Just a second later, a romantic music was heard from the ‘still’ closed room. Natasha had to suppress a smile and the boy looked more and more embarrassed by the second. “Ah, yes, he seems in a hurry to open the door for you.” she said, still with no expression on her face. She took a step towards an empty fitting room and asked. ”I’m Natasha. And you are?” The boy seemed lost and overwhelmed. “Uhh, I’m Adam.” he said, looking at her like he couldn’t believe she was talking to him.

“You have very cute underwear, Adam. I love it” she winked and closed the door, leaving a gaping young boy with dinosaurs boxer shorts staring at the empty space.

Chapter Text

Kate sat nervously on her couch. The room was shrouded in semi-darkness, with the curtains drawn to soften the sunlight, which, for her, was more than just a source of light.

Upstairs, in the tranquility of her room, rested Natasha, her soulmate from another universe, a human whose fate was inexplicably linked to hers in a way even supernatural forces couldn't explain.

Yet, despite the intensity of their connection, an indomitable anxiety gripped Kate. Panic, like a storm unleashed within her, threatened to overwhelm the calmness reigning in her living room. Thoughts swirled in her immortal mind—elusive doubts and fears giving way to unexpected vulnerability.

The cold leather of the couch creaked beneath her pale fingers as Kate desperately resisted the irresistible urge to climb the stairs and join Natasha in her room. Every unclimbed step was a victory over the uncertainty consuming her. Staring at the ceiling, she wondered if the ghostly beats of her vampiric heart could resonate in Natasha's soul as hers echoed within her. The fear of uncertainty, the uncertainty of love and loyalty haunted her.

Images turned in her mind, visions of her beloved leaving her immortal life to return to a universe where vampires were mere elements of fiction—a world where Kate herself existed only through words in a book. Kate worried not only about the reciprocity of her feelings but also about the decision Natasha had to make regarding their unusual relationship. Would she choose to stay with Kate in this universe, or would she be tempted to find comfort in her own world?

Irrational thoughts overwhelmed her, creating an emotional storm raging within. The stillness that had defined her existence for centuries seemed to shatter as her essence quivered in response. The beats of her long-silent heart, a distant echo of her past humanity, took on an illusory cadence, seemingly accelerating at an alarming rate. Kate felt trapped in an internal conflict, torn between the fear of losing Natasha and the fear of holding her against her will.

The delicate features of her face were tense, her amber eyes reflecting deep anguish. Her slender fingers gripped the leather of the couch as if to anchor her tormented mind in reality. She was a creature of the night, an immortal in search of a love that would transcend time, yet she couldn't escape the emotional turmoil haunting her at this very moment.

The temptation to give in to her vampiric instincts, to be guided by the impulse to join Natasha, to comfort her own worries, was almost irresistible. But the fear of pushing her too far, of making her flee from her protective embrace, kept her at a distance. The paradoxical duality of immortality and human love tortured her.

As the panic reached its peak, the oppressive silence of the room was broken by a slight creaking of the floor. Natasha appeared at the top of the stairs, her piercing green eyes capturing the turmoil in Kate's amber orbs. 

The spy descended the stairs with a gentle grace, her eyes locked onto Kate's troubled expression. Without uttering a word, she reached the bottom step and approached the apprehensive vampire. The subtle warmth emanating from Natasha's presence seemed to calm the tempest within Kate.

As Natasha neared, her eyebrows slightly furrowed, she extended a hand toward Kate's tense shoulder, her touch delicate yet reassuring. Kate's amber eyes, filled with a mixture of fear and longing, met Natasha's gaze.

The redhead spoke with a hesitant tone, “Are you okay?”

Kate lowered her head, a sense of shame engulfing her. It felt terrible to be over 1000 years old and still not know how to handle her emotions. Kate was a fighter, a warrior. She shouldn't easily reveal her weaknesses, especially not in front of her other half. A forced smile then adorned her lips, attempting to escape the emotions that whirled within her.

"Of course. The others went hunting, you can go back to your nap."

Natasha settled beside the blonde on the couch, grabbing a cushion and fidgeting with it on her lap. Expressing emotions had never been her strong suit, so she was well-positioned to understand the woman before her. But she couldn't let it pass either; the expression, so sad and broken, that she had glimpsed on Kate's face before she assumed a neutral demeanor had been powerful enough to shake her internally. After a few seconds of silence, Natasha spoke in a soft voice, almost like a hesitant whisper.

"I've had to play a role for almost my entire life. If there's one thing I can recognize, it's when someone is lying."

Kate avoided her gaze, her eyes getting lost in the flames dancing in the fireplace. "I-I'm sorry. It's not like me." she whispered in a broken tone.  

“Kate… I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong."

The blonde smiled, but it was more of a wistful smile than one filled with joy.

“You see, I used to think that after finding you, nothing could make me feel fear again. But here I am, immortal, and yet as scared as a teenager afraid that her first love won't last forever."

Natasha concealed her surprise as best she could. “I don’t understand.”

The vampire lifted her head, seemingly seized by a sudden surge of courage. She inquired, her voice laden with emotion, "I know you're seeking answers about your world. What will happen if you find them?"

Natasha smiled gently before responding, "I don't know. But what I do know is that it's been years since I fell asleep like this in someone else's bed." She glanced around, taking in the cozy, warm living room. "Maybe I feel more at home here than in my own world."

The redhead let out a gasp as long, muscular arms suddenly encircled her waist, the blonde almost throwing herself onto Natasha and sending both of them sprawling onto the couch. The redhead's long, silky hair brushed against her face, the sweet, sugary scent of the vampire eventually relaxing the muscles that had tensed reflexively. After a moment of consideration, she allowed the blonde to hug her, and as if her soul had a visceral need for this closeness, her own arms wrapped around the warrior.

In the quiet sanctuary of their shared embrace, Kate whispered to Natasha, her voice barely audible, "You don't realize what this means to me."

Seconds passed, marked only by the rhythmic rise and fall of the spy’s breaths. As Kate buried her head in the intoxicating scent of Natasha's vibrant curls,

Kate expressed her gratitude in a voice laden with meaning. "Thank you," she murmured, the words carrying the weight of unspoken emotions. It was more than a simple acknowledgment; it was an affirmation of the profound impact Natasha had on Kate's well-being in that vulnerable moment.

The redhead hummed softly, her fingers burying themselves in the light locks, gently massaging the vampire's scalp.

As the evening unfolded, Natasha's vivacity began to wane, the first signs of fatigue manifesting. Natasha turned to Kate with a sly smile. "I could use some company tonight. Fancy joining me, even if it's just to keep me entertained while I attempt to sleep?"

Kate, trying to contain the bubbling joy within her, nodded with a bashful smile. "I'd like that. I mean, keeping you company, not the sleeping part, obviously."

As they made their way to Natasha's bedroom, the other inhabitants of the house, Tanya and Irina, raised their eyebrows in mock surprise. Natasha, with a theatrical bow, declared, "Wish me sweet dreams, I've got a hot date with insomnia tonight."

Tanya, unable to resist a tease, winked at Kate. "Have fun, you two. Make sure Kate doesn't hog all the blankets."

Irina chimed in, "And remember, lights out at a reasonable time. Some of us need our beauty sleep."

In Kate's room, the atmosphere shifted as the two women settled in. Natasha, reclining on the bed, patted the empty space beside her. "Come, darling. Let's make insomnia look glamorous."

Kate, feeling a mix of excitement and nerves, took a seat. Natasha chuckled at Kate's slight hesitation. "You're adorable when you're nervous, you know that?"

If Kate could blush, she would probably be bright red. "Well, I'm not used to bedtime stories that involve staying awake all night."

In the soft glow of the room, Kate and Natasha engaged in a quiet conversation. Kate, sensing Natasha's fatigue, began to weave tales of her human life—a warrior navigating battles and triumphs. The stories flowed like a gentle lullaby, and as Kate recounted the chapters of her past, Natasha's eyes grew heavy.

The cadence of Kate's voice, a soothing melody, acted as a tender embrace, wrapping around Natasha and lulling her into a peaceful slumber. Eventually, the room fell into a tranquil silence, the only sound the soft breathing of the human who rested comfortably in Kate's arms.

Kate, watching Natasha's peaceful expression, couldn't help but be captivated. She reached out, gently tucking a strand of hair behind Natasha's ear.

The blonde, a tender smile on her face, continued to watch over Natasha, her vampire senses attuned to the subtle rhythm of Natasha's dreams. The weight of the world seemed to fade away as Kate found solace in the simple act of being there, in the quiet companionship that transcended the supernatural complexities of their existence.