How it really begun | Natasha Romanoff

Chapter 31 | Way down we go

Thirty minutes on the road and Raven was out like a light, leaving the super soldier and Russian spy in awkward silence. Well, Steve stayed awkward, gaze strictly on the road, never paying real attention to the woman on his right. Natasha just stared at the window, turning around from time to time to check on the sleeping woman behind. Making sure she was not in a position that would have her neck stiff, or something like that.  

For the at least 30th time, Natasha turn her head to check on Raven, the ex soldier still passed out. She didn't move an inch, even with the movement of the car, head resting on the window, arms crossed on her chest which is rising and falling with each breath she takes in. 

"It's nice that she's taking a bit of rest." 

Steve's deep voice, seems three times louder in the confined space, Natasha taken by surprise that he started making a conversation. "She hasn't been getting much sleep recently. She think I don't noticed or don't hear her, saying she's just getting to work early but, the last two months were tough on her." 

The redhead take another look at the sleeping brunette, a sad look in her eyes. "Is it the usual ?" Natasha ask Steve, turning back to look at his side profile, the super soldier taking a sharp intake of breath. Natasha's pretty familiar with Raven's nightmares and night terrors, having  Steve call her multiple nights in the last two years to come and help him calm Raven down. "Mostly yes, but since she came back from that mission in Brazil... I feel like it's not just her nightmares." Steve pause for a second, looking at the French through the mirror before looking back at the road. "I think it's fear. Pure fear, that's keeping her awake late at night and terrorize her in her sleep, but I don't know of what or who. She won't tell me what happened there." 

"Yeah, me neither."

Once again the car falls back in silence, the only sound coming from the engines, both agents deep in their trouble thoughts about the brunette. 

It's only when the big sign written 'Welcome to New Jersey The garden state' that Natasha break the silence again. 

"Where did you even get the car ? You guys stole it ? Would you even know how to steal a car ?"

Steve's sight doesn't move from the road, as he casually answer her very random questions. "No we didn't steal the car, it's Raven's, and yes I would know how to steal a car. It was pretty useful back in 1945."

The blond turn to look at her for a second, then look down at her leg, propped up on the dashboard. "And I don't think Raven would appreciate feet marks on her dashboard, take it off."

The redhead, look at him with an amused smile, weighting her options. Of course she could ignore him, and not move her leg, or she could actually listen, but where is the fun in that ? Natasha look back at the brunette behind her, seeing that she's still asleep, or so she thought. Raven has been awake since they arrive in New Jersey, and was very amused in the conversation they just held, not wanting to interrupt or miss anything. 

Steve sigh exasperate, while Natasha looks very smug and content in herself, crossing 'annoying the super soldier' off her mental list, just not yet though. "Alright I have a question for you, which you do not have to answer. I feel like if you don't answer it though, you're kind of answering it, you know ?" 

Steve look at her warily, not trusting what's coming next, looking at her teasing expression, as he sigh once again exasperate by her constant teasing. "What ?!" 

Natasha doesn't wait a second, eager to hear the answer, almost on the edge of her seat like you would be in a cinema waiting for THE perfect scene to happen. "If you had kissed me... would it have been your first kiss since 1945 ?" Proud of herself, Natasha wait excited to hear his answer.