` 𝙎𝙏𝙀𝙑𝙀 𝙍𝙊𝙂𝙀𝙍𝙎.

⠀ The price of freedom is 𝙝𝙞𝙜𝙝.
And it's the price I'm 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 to pay.

——— Steven Grant Rogers.

[` 𝙎𝙏𝙀𝙑𝙀 𝙍𝙊𝙂𝙀𝙍𝙎. @praesidiumis]

⠀⠀

𝙍𝙊𝙂𝙀𝙍𝙎, 𝙎𝙏𝙀𝙑𝙀𝙉 𝙂𝙍𝘼𝙉𝙏. ࿐

The 𝙁𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 Avenger
marvel &.& multiverse
ships with chem ; ms
mdni —— oc friendly.

♡ + ↻

⠀⠀

[` 𝙎𝙏𝙀𝙑𝙀 𝙍𝙊𝙂𝙀𝙍𝙎. @praesidiumis]

We're talking about you here, buddy.

[𝔍𝔞𝔪𝔢𝔰 𝔅𝔞𝔯𝔫𝔢𝔰 @WinterUnbroken]

(a raised brow)

Pretty sure natashas saved your ass at least once

[` 𝙎𝙏𝙀𝙑𝙀 𝙍𝙊𝙂𝙀𝙍𝙎. @praesidiumis]

› Maybe Natasha felt the same way. Maybe she didn't. But whether she realized it or not, Steve had come to think of the redhead as his anchor.

Someone who kept him grounded when everything around him felt unfamiliar.

[` 𝙎𝙏𝙀𝙑𝙀 𝙍𝙊𝙂𝙀𝙍𝙎. @praesidiumis]

In a way, he understood her. Having woken up from the ice decades after his time, Steve knew what it was like to find yourself in a world that had moved on without you. There were things people couldn't possibly understand unless they'd lived through them themselves. ›

[𝗡𝗔𝗧𝗔𝗦𝗛𝗔. @OfWidowsPast]

She’d never really said it out loud, but she hoped he knew how much it had helped her to have his support, after she’d come back. She was never very good at talking about the experience, but the normalcy between the two of them had made all the difference in the end. It had —

[` 𝙎𝙏𝙀𝙑𝙀 𝙍𝙊𝙂𝙀𝙍𝙎. @praesidiumis]

@OfWidowsPast › off the last remnants of sleep.

Lifting a brow, he gave Natasha a once-over, a hint of amusement tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"Didn't think you'd be back today. How was your trip?"

[` 𝙎𝙏𝙀𝙑𝙀 𝙍𝙊𝙂𝙀𝙍𝙎. @praesidiumis]

The blonde was abruptly awakened by a bushy tail brushing against his face. Confused and disgruntled, he cracked open his eyes, only to find Liho settling comfortably on his chest, stretching languidly.

He didn't recall picking Liho up, nor did he remember @OfWidowsPast ›

[` 𝙎𝙏𝙀𝙑𝙀 𝙍𝙊𝙂𝙀𝙍𝙎. @praesidiumis]

@OfWidowsPast › hopping off the bed. With her tail held high, she sauntered past Nat as if she had somewhere far more important to be.

"Is that so?" Steve grinned, his blue eyes meeting the redhead’s. He took another sip of his coffee, the warmth and caffeine doing wonders to shake ›

[` 𝙎𝙏𝙀𝙑𝙀 𝙍𝙊𝙂𝙀𝙍𝙎. @praesidiumis]

› quiet kitchen. For now, at least, he had a few moments of peace before the rest of the team woke up and the day truly began.

[` 𝙎𝙏𝙀𝙑𝙀 𝙍𝙊𝙂𝙀𝙍𝙎. @praesidiumis]

Steve had finally managed to get some much-needed sleep. The following morning, he woke up a little later than he would have liked, having missed his usual morning jog in favor of preparing for the mission ahead. It wasn't often that he skipped his routine, but even he ›

[* 𝓝𝒂𝒕𝒂𝒔𝒉𝒂. @FIERYR0MANOFF]

Natasha took one last look with a smile, she then headed off and went to put everything away in the kitchen area. Instead of going to bed herself she picked up the files and headed outside.

She sat herself down on the steps, as she went through it for the hundredth time, she—

[` 𝙎𝙏𝙀𝙑𝙀 𝙍𝙊𝙂𝙀𝙍𝙎. @praesidiumis]

› mission to prepare for, after all, and he preferred to get a head start whenever he could. Besides, he couldn't very well start his morning without a cup of coffee.

Reaching for a mug, he set about preparing the coffee, the familiar aroma soon filling the otherwise ›

[` 𝙎𝙏𝙀𝙑𝙀 𝙍𝙊𝙂𝙀𝙍𝙎. @praesidiumis]

https://t.co/eHU5mzet7u

I'll be hiding in DMs for
a bit.

Please, feel free to slide
in if you wanna plot or
banter. ☺️✨

[` 𝙎𝙏𝙀𝙑𝙀 𝙍𝙊𝙂𝙀𝙍𝙎. @praesidiumis]

⠀ ⠀ Apparently, he's been compared to a 𝙜𝙤𝙡𝙙𝙚𝙣 𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 today. Still tryin' to figure out whether that's a compliment or if he's supposed to be offended.

[` 𝙎𝙏𝙀𝙑𝙀 𝙍𝙊𝙂𝙀𝙍𝙎. @praesidiumis]

https://t.co/eHU5mzet7u

I'll be hiding in DMs for
a bit.

Please, feel free to slide
in if you wanna plot or
banter. ☺️✨

[` 𝙎𝙏𝙀𝙑𝙀 𝙍𝙊𝙂𝙀𝙍𝙎. @praesidiumis]

› take her presence for granted. If anything, the experience had only deepened his appreciation for the redhead. He might not always say it, but he was damn grateful to have her around . . . even whenever she's being a menace.

[` 𝙎𝙏𝙀𝙑𝙀 𝙍𝙊𝙂𝙀𝙍𝙎. @praesidiumis]

Natasha was one of the few people Steve trusted without question. Hell, they'd been on the run together; that sort of thing tended to forge a bond. And after everything they'd endured during the war against Thanos, after coming so close to losing her, he'd learned not ›

[𝗡𝗔𝗧𝗔𝗦𝗛𝗔. @OfWidowsPast]

She appreciates the way he accepts her for who she is—or how she is, which easily ensures he’s among the few people she’ll actually be real with when it counts. And although she can be cryptic and unserious at times, she’s never outright dishonest in the areas where it matters.

[` 𝙎𝙏𝙀𝙑𝙀 𝙍𝙊𝙂𝙀𝙍𝙎. @praesidiumis]

› too. Keeps him alive ——— and frustrated all the same. In the best possible way.

[` 𝙎𝙏𝙀𝙑𝙀 𝙍𝙊𝙂𝙀𝙍𝙎. @praesidiumis]

And he was very much aware of that. Steve had never been one for grand speeches or flowery words. He was the sort of man who showed he cared through his actions, making sure the people he loved knew it without having to say it outright. He appreciates Nat's shenanigans, ›

[𝗡𝗔𝗧𝗔𝗦𝗛𝗔. @OfWidowsPast]

Deep down, she’s quite aware. But then her reasons for teasing or pestering him, are really a giant sign that she cares. It’s easier to poke him a little, than to outright say it. But he’s always been a good judge of character, so she’d be shocked if he isn’t aware.

[` 𝙎𝙏𝙀𝙑𝙀 𝙍𝙊𝙂𝙀𝙍𝙎. @praesidiumis]

› for Nat to take her leave before he got up, turning the lights off. Feeling tired, he yawned and eventually crawled to bed.

It didn't take long for the soldier to finally fall asleep.

[` 𝙎𝙏𝙀𝙑𝙀 𝙍𝙊𝙂𝙀𝙍𝙎. @praesidiumis]

The kiss to his forehead was rather pleasant. Steve flashed him a boyish grin, a hint of bashfulness creeping into his expression. Even after all these years, it seemed he wasn't quite immune to a little affection.

"Goodnight, Nat. I'll see you tomorrow," he said, waiting ›

[* 𝓝𝒂𝒕𝒂𝒔𝒉𝒂. @FIERYR0MANOFF]

Natasha slowly got up off the bed, as she grabbed everything so that he didn’t have to worry about it. Standing there she gazed at him with a smile.

“Anytime…” she spoke softly as she leant over and pressed a soft kiss against her bestfriends’s forehead gently.

“Goodnight, —