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Maria Hill was a perfectionist, her life was the most organized it had ever been. She was on track to graduate the academy at the top of her class. She hated functions and she hated people.
How she ended up here, she didn't know.
Maria swirled the red liquid in her wine glass, trying not to catch the reflection of her mood in the shiny glass. The distortion looked back at her all the same and she sighed.
The room was full of rookie agents who were mingling with each other and Maria was sitting alone in the corner, skulking. After looking at her sour expression in the wine glass she could understand why no one was trying to talk to her. She had a reputation and it was not kind to her social life.
Maria had had enough. She stood and weaved through the people, making a bee-line for the door. She inhaled deeply once she made it outside, appreciating the cool air in her lungs. Maria didn't notice the curb until it was too late and she stumbled, grasping on tightly to her wine as if it would catch her. Maria wished it would, maybe it would save her from the impending embarrassment she was about to feel.
"Are you okay?" Maria waiting to hit the floor but it never came, a hand had gripped her wrist, keeping her off of the ground. Maria opened her eyes and eyed the figure who had saved her.
"Oh God, I'm sorry!" Maria pointed at the redhead's white T-shirt, which was decorated in splotches of burgundy where the wine had made contact.
"Don't worry about it." She shrugged and released Maria's wrist. It was only that she begun to recognize who she had run into.
The redheaded assassin was famous around headquarters, or rather, infamous. Maria wasn't fond of gossip and rumors but she had still managed to hear about the ex-KGB widow that had been brought back to SHEILD instead of killed like she was supposed to be. Natasha seemed to sense the moment she had been recognized but she didn't show anything on her face, twenty years of hardcore training coming to her aid.
"What are you doing outside?" Natasha mused, "Do you always steal wine glasses and run from events?" She quirked a brow.
Maria hadn't even noticed the wine glass in her hand, she was shocked she hadn't managed to drop it. "No." She shook her head, "I didn't mean to take it." She eyed the redhead's attire, blue baggy jeans and a white T-shirt, which was more red than white now. A strange choice for December. "Are you supposed to be in there? Do you work here?"
Natasha raised a brow at her question, "I came to see whether I should go," she shrugged, "I didn't think I would see you here." She was more intrigued at how the brunette was pretending she didn't know who she was.
"Do we know each other?" Maria asked, squinting in her attempt to remember any interactions they may have had. Maria thought she would remember talking to Natasha Romanoff.
"No." Natasha said, "But I didn't think 'hardass Hill' went to parties."
Maria bristled at the use of her nickname. She didn't mind it most days, working was her life and she wasn't afraid to admit it. However the reminder that everyone saw her as an anal retentive workaholic didn't do much for her confidence.
"How do you know who I am?" Maria was irritated, she wanted to leave.
"I looked you up after I kept hearing your name come up from the first year recruits." She shrugged. "Not fondly, might I add."
"They need to learn," Maria insisted, "Not my fault they can't hack it."
Natasha just hummed in acknowledgement and turned on her heel, walking away from the brunette. Maria didn't know whether to follow. Her body seemed to make the decision for her as her legs began walking hastily to catch up with the redhead.
"Where are you going?" She asked breathlessly, she had forgotten how strenuous walking in heels was.
"Back to my room," Natasha said, "Some stranger spilled wine all over my shirt." She smirked and Maria found herself apologizing before the redhead held up a finger, silencing her.
"Are you in Griffith?" She asked, she was referring to the apartment buildings for the agents. "Or Oaken?"
"Why do you want to know? Want to come inside?" The redhead asked, dropping her voice seductively. Maria spluttered.
"No." She shook her head adamantly, "I was just trying to make conversation with you. You haven't even told me your name."
"You know my name," She looked her in the eye, "you knew my name as soon as you looked at my face."
"No I don't." Maria lied, she didn't even know what possessed her to lie.
"You're a bad liar, Hill."
Of course the redhead had picked up on it.
"Griffith." Natasha answered her earlier question.
"Me too, floor seven."
"Hmm.
Natasha led them into the tall apartment building and into the elevator, Maria wondered if she was planning on killing her. Natasha pressed the button that read '7'.
"I'm not going to murder you." Natasha spoke, breaking the silence. Maria looked at her suspiciously, wondering how she had known. "You all look at me the same, a little bit of apprehension, a little bit of interest, and a lot of fear."
"I'm not afraid of you," Maria insisted, "I don't know anything about you."
"Do I make you nervous?" Natasha grinned, looking up at her through her eyelashes.
"No." She shrugged her off, "I just can't read you."
"Good, I like it that way."
The elevator stopped and Maria walked out before the doors had even fully opened, desperate to get away from the redhead.
"Slow down Hill," Natasha jogged to catch up, "you might end up falling for me again."
"I don't even know you."
"Yeah, but you want to."
Maria ignored her, turning her head away. The silence persisted and when she looked back the redhead had disappeared.
She shook off the strange interaction and pushed her door open, ready to go to bed.
"You owe me 7 dollars." Maria jumped at the voice as someone slid into her booth at the library.
"Romanoff." Maria greeted curtly, emphasizing her want to read by pulling the book closer. "What do you want?"
"Seven dollars."
"For what?" She asked, pulling the book closer once more.
"My shirt, the dry cleaning place on 27th said they can get the stain out for that much."
"That place is a scam." Maria replied, still not looking at her.
"Maybe," Natasha leant back, putting her feet on the table. "I think you're a sceptic."
"Get your feet off the table Romanoff, this is a library." She hadn't even spared a glance at the shorter woman but she had still known nonetheless. Natasha frowned but took her feet down.
Natasha noticed the wires coming from tucked behind Maria's hair, she pulled the one closest to her and put it in her own ear.
"You're not listening to anything." The words were more of an accusation than anything else.
"I know,"
"Then what's the point in wearing them?" She reached for Maria's phone but the brunette swatted her hand away.
"So people leave me alone." She put the book down with a loud slam and turned to look at the redhead. "What do you want Romanoff?"
"Seven dollars." Natasha couldn't help but notice how blue the brunette's eyes were as they stared daggers into her forehead.
Maria sighed, ignoring the hateful look the librarian was giving her. She reached for her wallet.
"You're taking a Russian elective?" Natasha's eyes narrowed in on the book on the table.
"Yes, and it's very hard to learn another language when being pestered." She pulled out Seven dollar bills and held them out to the redhead.
"I'm Russian you know?" Natasha said.
"I know."
"You said you didn't know anything about me."
"Word travels fast. Will you please just take the money?"
Natasha ignored her, "I could help you study."
"Take the money Romanoff." Maria sighed, all she could focus on was the amount of time she was losing as she engaged in this pointless conversation.
Natasha pinched the money and watched as Maria went back to her book, ignoring her once again.
Natasha slipped away, knowing when she wasn't wanted.
After a long day of training and studying, Maria Hill dragged her tired body up to the Seventh floor of her building. She had regretted taking the stairs the moment she had begun climbing them and her legs were screaming at her. She unlocked her door and flicked on the light. What she hadn't expected to find was a neatly folded white shirt with a post-it note placed on top with messy Russian scrawl penciled on top.
It took Maria ten minutes to translate the note and she was not impressed as she stared down at the message which read 'Here, I bet it looks better on you anyway. Also, not a scam. Let me know if you want to study.'
"Damn you, Romanoff." Maria sighed, reminding herself to change her locks.
"Who spat in your cereal?" Sharon asked as Maria sat down in the cafeteria, grimacing. Her legs were still sore from yesterday and she was tired.
"Don't start with me" Maria held up a hand,
"What's wrong with you?" Bobbi questioned, taking a seat opposite the women while pulling a begrudging Hunter with her.
"Romanoff broke into my room last night." Bobbi and Hunter exchanged a glance.
"Natasha Romanoff?" Hunter asked, skeptically. "She's in my interrogation class, she's a mega bitch."
"Don't call women mega bitches Hunter," Bobbi warned, "even if she is one."
"Are we glossing over the fact that an assassin broke into your room?" Sharon asked. "What did you do to her?"
"Nothing!" Maria said, "She literally broke in for no reason, I've spoken to her twice."
"That's weird," Sharon said, "you should be careful. I heard she broke a guy's finger."
"I heard that too, and that she cursed out like four of the professors." Hunter added.
"She's supposed to be really dangerous Maria," Bobbi told her, "I'd watch out. Whatever you did to piss her off, undo it."
"She's crazy Maria."
"Hunter." Bobbi warned, "But he's right, she is crazy."
Maria listened but she still took her friend's words with a pinch of salt, last week they were convinced that the Spanish lecturer was an ex-convict. Being as opposed to gossip as she was, Maria tuned them out and returned to writing up notes.
The next time Maria saw her she almost turned on her heel and walked away. However she didn't, walking further into the classroom and taking a seat a few rows in front of the redhead.
She knew Natasha was bold but she hadn't expected her to pick up her things and relocate right next to her, plopping down into the seat directly on her left.
"Why are you here?" Maria asked quietly, trying her best to not be disrespectful to the teacher.
"To learn." Natasha stated, rolling her eyes as if it was obvious. "You didn't think I came to see you, did you?" She unwrapped a small lollipop and placed it in her mouth, making sure to keep eye contact with the brunette.
Maria was working hard at not letting her get under her skin. "Yes, that's exactly what I think."
"Don't flatter yourself Hill, you're very pretty but you're not my type."
Maria couldn't fight the blush that overtook her features, she turned her head away instead.
"Then why are you here? This is a Russian elective, you already know Russian." She was aware of the looks a few nearby agents were shooting them but she didn't care, plus who knew if they were even looking at her when Natasha was sat in the seat over.
"I just love education." She smiled sweetly, sucking on the lollipop she had in her mouth.
Maria couldn't help but stare at her.
"Don't gawk Hill, you'll catch flies." Natasha said, taking the strawberry sweet from her own mouth and putting it in Maria's before she even had the chance to blink. "You need to sweeten up."
Maria didn't know what to do between the redhead who was still making intense eye contact, the strawberry lollipop that was now in her mouth, and the fact her name had been shouted across the classroom. She winced, she didn't enjoy confrontation.
"Hill! Romanoff! If you have something to discuss then please feel free to share it with the class." He folded his arms and stared at the two expectantly.
Maria couldn't even think about replying, she could only feel the eyes on her.
"I was just saying how Hill needs to listen more, her Russian is not so good." Natasha announced in Russian, getting a few laughs from her classmates. Maria wanted the seat to swallow her whole and she sunk down into it, begrudgingly sucking on the sweet. She found herself thinking far too much about how it had been in Natasha's mouth just a few minutes prior.
The teacher seemed to lose interest in torturing her and had gone back to teaching the entire class. Natasha sat with her legs propped up on the desk, listening to things she already knew and giving input when she saw fit. Maria didn't move once, afraid to even pick up her pen now that her classmates were still giving her looks every few seconds.
As soon as they were dismissed Maria had shot out of her seat at an incredible pace, throwing everything into her bag as fast as possible and keeping her head down. She hadn't heard a single word that her lecturer had said, too busy plotting her own move too somewhere that no one would know the name Maria Hill.
"Hill!" Maria ignored the voice calling after her, speed walking as fast as her legs would take her. "What is your problem?"
Maria couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"You! You are my problem, you just embarrassed me in front of my class. My friends were right about you."
Maria spun back around and continued storming away, she could hear the redhead getting closer but didn't react until her wrist was seized and she was being dragged backwards into a dark and empty classroom.
"What the hell are you doing Romanoff!?" She exclaimed once the door had closed, she was trying to attract as little attention as possible.
"We should talk."
"Talk about what?! We don't even know each other." Maria crossed her arms, she tried to ignore how she towered over the assassin.
"I like your shirt." Natasha commented and Maria cursed internally, she hadn't even noticed that she had thrown on the white shirt in her haste to leave this morning.
"It's not your shirt." She lied.
"You're still a horrible liar." Maria could see Natasha's green eyes staring at her, even in the darkness.
"I'm not lying, I own loads of white shirts"
"Let's check, shall we?"
Natasha pulled the woman closer to her by the hem of the shirt, lifting the bottom of the material to find the tag. "See," she pointed down at the tag. Maria couldn't deny the letters drawn in black sharpie. 'N.R' was staring her in the face.
Maria looked up to argue with the woman but her breath caught once she realized how close they were actually standing together. Natasha's breath was warm on her face and Maria wanted to take a step backwards, unfortunately for her the wall was there.
"Romanoff," Maria warned, her own voice low. "We should go."
"Yeah." Natasha agreed, but her hand was tracing lines on Maria's stomach.
Maria found herself pulling Natasha closer until their lips met and then they were an entangled mess as Maria pulled her shirt over her head and fought to be closer to the redhead, if that was even possible.
Natasha's hand on her stomach, Natasha's lips on her collarbone, Maria's hand in her hair, Maria's fingers tracing her jawline.
Maria only realized what was happening as the redhead played with the waistband of her jeans and she pushed her away, breathing manic. Maria and Natasha just stared at each other in the darkness.
What was she doing? Maria hill did not do hookups, let alone in classrooms in her school.
However, her eyes betrayed her. She seemed to be staring at a completely different person, one who wasn't composed and unreadable. As Maria stared at Natasha she could see every thought that was going through her head.
The room was getting smaller, the look on Natasha's face was dangerous. Maria grabbed her shirt and pulled it back over her head, storming out of the classroom and leaving a startled redhead behind who was still trying to catch her breath.
"Maria Jane Hill!" Bobbi sat down in the seat next to her, slamming her books down on the table. Maria had seen her coming but she jumped anyway at the loud noise. Sharon shot her a look of apology as she sat opposite, considerably uncomfortable at the change in their seating. She wasn't used to sitting next to Hunter.
"I knew I would regret telling you my middle name." She mumbled, putting her headphones in.
"We both know you aren't listening to anything so don't try that." Bobbi continued. "When were you going to tell us?"
"Tell you what?" Maria was alarmed now, the looks her table were getting was not helping at all.
"Bobbi, voice level." Hunter whispered, sinking down into her seat, "Hey Hill."
"Hunter," Maria greeted, thankful.
"That you were hooking up with someone!" She went on, still too loud for everyone else's liking.
"I'm not hooking up with anyone." Maria hissed back, begging her to lower her voice.
Bobbi just smirked and stared at the brunette.
"Sharon?" Maria looked at her friend for help.
"Your neck," Sharon offered, handing her her own phone so she could see on the camera.
"Shit," Maria mumbled, she cursed Natasha Romanoff. Her collarbone was sporting a few maroon marks.
"Care to explain?"
"Okay fine," Maria said slowly. "It happened once with a guy from a bar."
Bobbi whooped and Maria died inside. Sharon tried to shush her but she was too busy giggling at her friend's misfortune.
"I want details." Bobbi crossed her arms.
"No. I have a class." Maria stood, pulling her bag onto her back and leaving as fast as possible.
Maria hid out in her room until she deemed it safe to leave again. There was a big hockey game on between houses and her friends had all gone to support Oaken. Maria, being the only Griffith, had opted out.
She left her apartment building and headed left to somewhere she knew her friends would never go. Her favorite ice cream shop. Both Bobbi and Hunter were lactose intolerant, another thing that made them perfect for one another, and Sharon hated ice cream. Maria ordered her ice cream and sat down at one of the tables, head in hands. She couldn't face seeing her friends again after being so embarrassed today, she needed a lie to convince them to leave her alone.
"Hey stranger." Maria groaned, she recognized the voice alone and burrowed her face deeper in her hands.
"Go away." She mumbled.
"I can't hear you." Natasha sat down opposite her.
"I asked you to leave." Maria repeated, resting her chin on her hand and looking up at the redhead. Natasha was wearing sweats and still managed to look flawless. "Did you follow me here?"
"Do you want me to have followed you here?" She asked, grinning.
"That's creepy." Maria wrinkled her nose. "I seriously need a restraining order."
"You never fail to flatter me." Natasha said.
"You're a pain."
"Only for you." Natasha ate her ice cream while Maria let them sit in silence, drowning in her thoughts. "You've been avoiding me."
"Not very successfully, apparently." Maria grumbled. She thanked the waiter as he handed her her food.
Once she had received her own ice cream she stood to leave.
"Are you leaving?"
"Yes."
"That's bad date etiquette, leaving just because I wont put out for you." She announced, suppressing a smile.
"Natasha." Maria hissed, still not sitting back down.
"Okay then, I guess we're leaving." She pulled Maria by her arm out of the shop, as if she was afraid the brunette might run. Maria was honestly considering it.
The two walked in silence until Maria couldn't take it anymore. "Vanilla? Seriously?"
"What?" Natasha asked, "What is your issue with vanilla?"
"It's just so basic." Maria insisted, "There were like a thousand flavors you could have chosen."
"I like vanilla." Natasha argued, "vanilla is safe." Maria raised an eyebrow, as if telling her to continue. "We didn't get ice cream in the Red Room. I had vanilla once on a mission so I know that I like it."
Maria didn't know how to react to the sharing of her childhood. The only things she knew about Natasha Romanoff were things she had heard from others.
"You've never had anything else?" Maria asked, tone soft. Natasha shook her head. "Here." Maria held out her own spoon and Natasha eyed it suspiciously.
"What is it?"
"Pistachio."
"That makes perfect sense." Natasha mumbled and allowed Maria to put the spoon in her mouth. She watched the redhead process the flavor.
To Maria, this felt strangely intimate. They had stopped under a street lamp and Maria was aware of the prolonged eye contact.
"I like it." Natasha nodded. She seemed to notice the intimacy of the moment too but she stepped closer, unafraid.
"You put me in the shit earlier." Maria stated. "My friends noticed your little love bite."
"You're welcome." Natasha grinned, "It's some of my finest work."
"No, Romanoff." Maria was firm, "It was a mistake, It can't happen again, okay?"
Natasha stared at her for a moment and Maria hated how she could feel the redhead analyzing her. "Okay."
"Just friends?"
"Just friends." The two fell into quiet, Natasha still watching her, unreadable as ever.
"Do you want to dance?" Maria blurted. She had to refrain from punching herself in the face after she realized what she had said in a desperate attempt to break the silence. Who wanted to dance on the streets of New York in the middle of December.
"Is this you trying to be romantic?" Natasha questioned.
"No?" Maria shrugged. She honestly didn't know how to make this better.
"Okay." Natasha's face broke out into a grin and she kicked her sliders off, insisting she couldn't dance in them and pulling Maria into the street. Thankfully there were no cars around at this time of night. Natasha made Maria take her trainers off too after demanding that she couldn't be the only one shoe-less.
Maria found herself laughing more than she had for as long as she could remember, losing herself between the clear night sky and the red of Natasha's hair.
"Do you want to come back to mine?" Natasha asked breathlessly after a while. "just as friends." She made sure to add.
Maria found herself agreeing.
"Who knew that Romanoff was a vinyl collector?" Maria mused the next morning. The two had talked and drank the entire night and Maria hadn't left, despite repeatedly saying she was going to.
"This one is my favorite." Natasha held up the record and in her delirious and sleep deprived state she managed to knock over the incense sticks, sending the liquid everywhere.
Maria was up in an instant, pulling the vinyls to one side so they wouldn't get ruined. She watched Natasha clean the shelf and sank to the floor.
Natasha chucked the cloth towards the kitchen and joined Maria on the ground, chucking her legs on top of the brunette's lap. Maria was beginning to understand the redhead more than anyone at SHEILD ever had. She was also hearing all of the stories behind the broken fingers and cursing of teachers, she was also agreeing that they were very much justified.
Maria had realized that Natasha was not, in fact, in Griffith when she had been lead somewhere else completely. "I live with Clint Barton." She had said sheepishly. "They still don't trust me enough to have my own area."
"The agent that brought you in?" Maria had asked, "I heard he's an amazing shot."
"Yeah," Natasha had nodded. "He's not half bad."
Clint had emerged from his room at that point, triumphant at the plethora of compliments he was receiving. He had ruffled the redhead's hair and then announced that he liked "This one" in reference to Maria. He then disappeared back wherever he had come from.
"What were we even drinking?" Natasha now asked, holding her head as it pounded.
"Your roommate's screw-top rose." Maria held up the bottle.
"Oh that stuff is awful." Natasha laughed, "He bought it for a fiver from the Chinese takeaway last month."
"I heard that Romanoff!" His voice echoed from the other room and the two women burst into laughter.
"Do you want to come with me today? I'm meeting my friends for lunch." Maria asked, she was extending an olive branch. A chance for a real friendship.
"Yeah," Natasha smiled. "I would."
"I feel like I see you everyday." Natasha said, sliding into Maria's room from her window.
"Romanoff!" Maria scrambled over and pulled her inside. "This is the seventh floor!"
"I know, climbing keeps my skills sharp." She tapped on her head.
"You see me everyday because you seek me out every day." Maria argued as Natasha made herself comfortable on Maria's bed. Maria dove back into her book.
"Can we watch a movie?" Natasha asked, throwing a pillow at the brunette to get her attention.
"No." Maria threw the pillow back. "I only agreed to you coming over because you said you would let me study."
"I don't remember saying that." Natasha teased.
"Romanoff, please. I have a test tomorrow that I'm unprepared for."
"You? unprepared? That's so unlike you!" Natasha continued to make fun of her, throwing the pillow back.
"Only because a certain redhead keeps taking up all of my time." She said, "my friends think I'm neglecting them."
"That's because I'm the most interesting and fun." Natasha caught the pillow as it was hurled at her head. "I like your friends, you should invite them over."
"No." She emphasized, "I'm studying."
"Fine," Natasha stood from the bed, pulling Maria's book away from her. "How would you ask me if I speak English?"
"Ты говоришь по-английски?" Maria spoke instantly and Natasha nodded,
"Good," she praised, "how about asking me what my name is?"
"Как вас зовут?"
"And my age?"
"Сколько тебе лет"
"You're a natural!" Natasha said, "No need to study."
"I'm not so good at the other way around." Maria admitted.
"Okay," Natasha perched on the edge of her desk. "What am I saying when I say: На кого вы работаете?"
"You're asking me who I work for, right?"
"Mmhmm, what about Мне нравятся твои волосы сегодня?"
"Romanoff," Maria warned, "That is not on the list."
"What did I say? Natasha faked offense.
"You said something about liking my hair."
"I do like your hair." Natasha moved closer.
"Just do another one."
"я хочу поцеловать тебя"
"Natasha!" Maria snatched the book. "That is not on the list." She stood from her desk chair and put the book away, realizing there would be no more focused studying tonight.
Natasha was caught off guard by the use of her first name. "My name sounds hot when you say it," she tested the waters, looking at Maria cautiously.
"Natasha." She warned. Something about her expression was hard for the redhead to decipher as she stood with her back against the wall.
"Maria." Natasha stuck her tongue out and hopped off the desk.
"What are you doing?" Maria was whispering as the woman got closer.
Natasha put her hand to Maria's face and trailed her jawline with her fingers, listening as the brunette's breath hitched. "Can I?"
Maria nodded slowly.
That night they were much more than friends.