practice for [teleios] .
5,890 years and 2 months
This isn't the way I counted it. [ her ledger is substantial, but the numbers before her eyes are making her head spin. she swallows, tries to compose herself, and looks again. but the numbers don't change, those zeros are next to her name. ]
no subject
Their opinion is what counts here, I suppose.
no subject
no subject
It's good to see you. [ even if for her, it hasn't been long at all. in fact, she can't even remember getting home after giving him bucky's file. her poor cat. ]
no subject
Isn't that my line? It's been months for me. Maybe a year. [He glances down and smiles in amusement.] Is this a bad time to tell you that I've been cheating on you with another Natasha?
no subject
the amusement drops right off her face at what he says next. ] What? [ no really she's pretty sure that's the only right response. she heard him wrong, or-- ] Is this a Single White Female reference? [ if so she's actually mildly impressed ]
no subject
You know how there's a bunch of different versions of Snow White? Imagine if each of them was a real person. Now imagine the same thing happening to us because it has. A lot.
no subject
If you think I'm going to be the one to change it just because I came second, you've got another thing coming, Rogers.
no subject
no subject
no subject
You might also run into trouble with people from a certain... Earth. Their Natasha did something terrible enough that no one actually wants to talk about it. They just looked at her like the devil incarnate so that could be a problem.
[A beat.] The good news is I took care of the Bucky situation so no more fighting on highways for us. [Yay?]
no subject
When you say took care of... [ what does that even mean? ]
no subject
[He leaves it at that. There's no need to get into the awful details. Suffice to say the man barely remembered how to be human and distrusted everything and everyone including Steve. It was an incredibly stressful and dark period for the two of them.]
They went to Bucky to give him the choice of reclaiming his memories and accepting the debt or losing his debt and staying how he was. He chose to take his memories back.
no subject
Not much of a choice, is it? [ better than being a husk, though. ] It must be a relief to have him back.
no subject
He couldn't live like that.
no subject
He said he's been here two years. [ that sounds like a long road to travel alone. not that she knows how alone steve is here, or has been. but she's gathered that other natasha or no she hasn't been here for him. that bothers her. ]
I know what it's like to lose the most basic parts of yourself.
no subject
[Just like that he rushes to appease her.] It wasn't all bad. We had time before it happened. The other Natasha told us what might happen to him so when it did we were prepared. The other Avengers knew saving him was my number one priority so it's not like we had to get into a big argument about who I was really loyal to and what I was going to do about him.
[He chose Bucky before the question could even be raised. They seemed to accept that.] Everything's fine now.
no subject
[ her lips twitch, but it isn't with mirth despite the lame joke. she likes that he calls this natasha "the other one." it makes her feel like less of an outsider. ]
I met him. In the Red Room. [ that was so very long ago, but she had never told steve. now seems as opportune a time as any if barnes really does have his memories back. ]
no subject
[It kind of hurts actually that Steve could more or less declare he picks his best friend over them and no one seemed to be bothered by that. No one ever fought to keep him. Then again they weren't as close back then as they are now. Bruce and Pepper at least would say something now.
Here comes the moment of truth. Steve has to take a breath to brace himself.]
I know. [Bucky kind of spilled that one ages ago.] I was mad at you for not telling me for a long time. I told myself I'd never be stupid enough to trust you again back when I first found out.
[It was hard not to feel betrayed after all they went through. The fact that the other Natasha had told him everything from day one only further solidified his anger.] Seeing you now I guess I can't find it in myself to be angry anymore. It's just nice to see you again.
no subject
I'm no good at apologies. [ he knows that. slowly, her eyes flick back up to his, full to the brim with things unsaid. ]
So me and Bruce, huh? [ seriously, that's whackadoodle. ]
no subject
[Because wow is he ever too old for her otherwise. Like seriously what would they even talk about? Then again he never got the impression Bruce and the older Natasha did much "talking" while they were alone. God help him. The man is like a little brother to him now. He shouldn't have to notice that.]
She got a version of the super soldier serum on her world so she looks about your age more or less. Her eyes are blue too.
[Fun fact.]
no subject
You have a really weird sense of humor. [ the thing is, she knows he isn't joking and it's kind of making her ill ]
no subject
[He already knows she isn't.]
no subject
Starstruck.
no subject
[It has all kinds of stuff she can look through in other words. Her snoopy self will love it.]
no subject
Like, the actual apartment or did you recreate it here?
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)