The living room buzzed with a fresh wave of energy. Leo, recovered from his initial shyness, was practically vibrating, his eyes fixed on Natasha with an intensity usually reserved for new video game releases.
"Black Widow! You are the Black Widow, right? The Original Avenger!" he exclaimed, his voice a reverent squeak. "People say you fought against Thanos! Was he super purple and wrinkly? Was Hulk really super strong and super green? Could you lift Thor's hammer? Even a little bit? Could I get a bow like Hawkeye's? Can you bring me to the Stark Tower? Is the Iron Man suit still there?"
The questions tumbled out, one after another, a torrent of nine-year-old hero-worship. Maya, with a sigh that was part exasperation, part fondness, quickly moved, gently pulling Leo back and trying to stuff a half-eaten chocolate bar into his mouth. "Leo, you brat, don't ask so many questions at once! Otherwise." she whispered conspiratorially, loud enough for Natasha to hear, "she might actually hate you, and then no one gets to see Stark Tower."
Leo's eyes widened in genuine horror at the thought. He clamped his mouth shut so abruptly the chocolate bar, momentarily forgotten, tumbled from his lips to the floor. He stared at Natasha, suddenly terrified of incurring the wrath of an OG Avenger.
Mia, who had been observing with an amused smirk, stepped forward, her tone carrying a subtle, almost territorial edge of protectiveness for their "town superhero." "So, what has brought an Avenger of your... vintage... all the way out here to our little town, Black Widow?"
Natasha's gaze shifted to Mia, cool and appraising. "I came here for Ranger." she stated simply, her eyes then flicking to Ranger before returning to Mia, a silent, almost imperceptible challenge in their depths. "He and I go way back. A very, very long way back."
The air in the room shifted, a subtle current of unspoken history and possessiveness flowing between the two women. Except for Leo, who was still contemplating the horror of being disliked by Black Widow, everyone could sense the delicate spark of tension. Mia held Natasha's gaze for a moment longer, then, with a small, almost reluctant sigh, her shoulders sagged slightly. She glanced at Ranger, a flicker of something wistful in her eyes, before her usual bright demeanor reasserted itself.
"Well, I hope you both have a good day sorting out whatever ancient history you need to." Mia said, a touch too brightly. She grabbed her jacket. "Maya, I'll be going on ahead to see Amelia. Try not to let the international super-spy interrogate you too much." She winked at Maya, then gave Ranger a small, almost shy wave.
"I should go and see Amelia too." Maya said quickly, starting to rise. But Mia was faster, pushing her gently back down onto the sofa with a hand on her shoulder. Mia leaned in and whispered something into Maya's ear, her expression mischievous. Maya's face instantly bloomed a brilliant shade of red, her eyes darting towards Ranger, then quickly away. She sank back into the cushions, her gaze fixed on her lap as Mia sauntered out, casting one last, lingering look at Ranger over her shoulder.
Natasha, a ghost of a smile playing on her lips, turned her attention to the flustered Maya. "She seems… spirited."
Maya just nodded mutely, still blushing, unable to meet Natasha's gaze.
"Maya, raise your head." Ranger's voice, calm and steady, cut through the awkwardness. He turned from where he was observing the children's discarded capes. "No need to bow or look at the floor. Natasha won't eat you." He paused, a teasing glint in his eye. "Will you, Natasha?"
Before Natasha could reply, Leo, who had apparently recovered from his earlier fear, peeked out from behind his sister's legs. "What?! She eats people?!" he shouted, his voice filled with fresh terror.
Natasha's smile widened, becoming a shade more predatory, though her eyes sparkled with amusement. "Yes, Leo." she purred, leaning forward slightly. "I eat people. Especially little boys as young as you who ask too many questions." Her smile grew, a playful imitation of a villain. Leo gasped and scrambled further behind Maya, clutching her leg like a lifeline.
"She's scary." he muttered, his voice muffled. Maya let out a resigned sigh, gently patting his head.
"Leo, why don't you go up to your room and finish that game?" Maya suggested, her voice soothing. "Otherwise, she might get hungry." Leo didn't need to be told twice. He shot up the stairs like a rocket.
Once he was gone, Maya turned back, her expression a mixture of apology and nervousness. "He's… enthusiastic." she offered weakly. Then, she hesitated. "Do I… do I need to go? So you two can discuss your missions, or… whatever it is superheroes discuss?"
"Stay, Maya." Natasha said, her voice surprisingly gentle, her earlier teasing demeanor gone. "I don't need to discuss anything with him right now." Her gaze flickered to Ranger, then back to Maya. "Only you, if you're willing."
"Huh? Oh. Okay." Maya replied, visibly surprised but also a little scared.
"Then I guess I will leave you girls to your… discussion." He gave Maya a reassuring nod and walked out onto the porch, leaving the two women alone.
-----------
Ranger leaned against the porch railing, the cool evening air a welcome change. His wrist interface chimed.
Mia: "A surprise for OUR town superhero."
Mia: "Don't tell Miss 'I'm-too-hot-to-even-care' about the sass she has. But I am jealous. ;)"
Below were the cosplay photos and the more explicit nudes. Ranger allowed a small smile. Resourceful, and certainly bold. He sent the thumbs-up emoji. Almost instantly, a new chat bubble popped up.
Mia: "Don't be like those grumpy old men, Superhero. I know you can do better than a thumbs up. If you're the type who doesn't know how to chat, I can teach you. I'm an excellent tutor. Very hands-on."
Ranger's eyebrows rose slightly.
Ranger: "And how will you, Miss Flirty, teach me the nuances of modern digital courtship?"
Mia: "A shirtless pic should be a very basic start. Get you comfortable. Then we can move forward to more advanced lessons. Think of it as… loosening up your heroic inhibitions."
Ranger: "And what profound wisdom would a shirtless picture impart about the art of conversation?"
Mia: "It will make you a little more carefree, silly! You know, like, 'I've already sent half-nudes to this incredibly charming and attractive girl, so we can obviously chat about anything now. No more secrets!'"
Ranger: "Anything you say, Miss Flirty. Your logic is… compelling. Anyway, some emergencies have popped up. So I gtg. We'll continue this lesson later?"
Mia: "So you do know how to chat after all! ;) Looking forward to "later," Superhero! Don't keep a girl waiting too long!"
He was about to let the interface retract when a soft, charming, and undeniably deadly voice spoke from directly behind him.
"Chatting with the girl that just left?" Natasha asked, her presence so quiet he hadn't even registered her approach.
He turned slowly. "Would you believe me if I said no?" he questioned back, his expression carefully neutral.
"No." she stated simply, her eyes unblinking.
"Then I was." he admitted with a slight shrug. "She's a good flirt. Very direct."
Natasha moved closer, the subtle scent of her perfume, something familiar and intoxicating, reaching him. Her breath was warm as she spoke, her voice a low murmur. "Even more so than me?"
"More so than you, Natasha?" Ranger's hand moved, almost of its own accord, gently brushing a stray strand of fiery hair from her forehead, tucking it behind her ear. His fingers lingered for a fraction of a second against her skin. "She at least does it with a clear heart, an open agenda. Yours." his eyes met hers, "is a little too cloudy sometimes. Full of shadows and unsaid things."
"Aren't all adults a little cloudy?" Natasha stepped nearer, closing the small space between them until he could feel the warmth radiating from her. "Don't we all carry our share of shadows?"
"Yes." he conceded, his own voice dropping. "But most know when to express what they truly feel, do they not, Romanoff? Or at least, when to let a little light in." He, too, stepped closer, the movement almost imperceptible, until they were nearly touching.
"And have I expressed enough for you recently?" Her breath melted against his chest, her eyes searching his.
"No." he said softly, his gaze intense. "You have not, Natasha. No, you haven't."
Natasha looked him eye to eye, her gaze unwavering. She stepped that final fraction closer, their lips mere inches apart, the air crackling with a familiar, potent energy. The world seemed to narrow to this single, breathless moment.
"So." she whispered, her voice husky, her eyes dropping to his lips for a fleeting second before returning to his, "what did she ask for in your chat?"
"A shirtless pic, as a start." he replied, his own voice a low rumble. "And then, she implied, her demands would likely escalate."
"And will you comply?" Natasha's voice was soft, dangerously so. "With her escalating demands?"
"It would be bad manners if I didn't acknowledge such… enthusiasm, wouldn't it?" he mused, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips, deliberately provocative.
Natasha moved then, not closer, but with a sudden, sharp intake of breath. Her foot came down, hard, on his. The impact, even through his boots, was surprisingly sharp.
"Then I guess." she said, her voice suddenly devoid of its earlier warmth, replaced by a cool, clipped tone, "you have no need for me." She turned and walked off, her stride unatural.
Ranger watched her go, the faint, amused smile fading from his lips, replaced by something more complex, something almost… regretful. He rubbed his foot, not in pain, but in thought.