~*~𝓘’𝓵𝓵 𝓪𝓵𝔀𝓪𝔂𝓼 𝓫𝓮 𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮~*~

Well…here we are again. XD Another Marvel short story.

So…I wanted to try my hand at a bit of Steve X Nat. I’m sorta falling in love with this ship. 😀 What has EVERYONE DONE TO ME!? (and darn, I can’t be angry. They make such a cute couple. XD) This one made me cry. 0_0 Anywho, let me know if any of y’all want more Steve X Nat or not. I’d be fine with writing them together more. 😉 And if y’all have any ideas or suggestions for other Marvel short stories, just let me know! 🙂 Here we go!

This piece of beautiful artwork from the web inspired this story. 😉 

The woods fell silent. Just like that.

Over.

After all the fighting. All the struggle. All the trying…it was over.

That fast.

That instantly.

Natasha put up her weapons. She obviously wouldn’t need them any longer.

Even the insects and animals had become silent.

Thanos was gone. The battle was over.

But…they hadn’t won.

Natasha walked further into the woods, into a clearing.

So many…half the world…gone with a snap of fingers.

Natasha looked around.

And there he was.

On his knees in the dirt beside a gun and his vibranium shields, the gray dust in his hands staining his cut and bleeding hands, was Steve.

“Oh God…oh God…” he whispered, over and over again.

Quiet, soft, like a desperate prayer.

Natasha took another step.

A twig snapped.

Steve looked up at her, his dirty face cleaned slightly by tears stains. “Nat?”

“Steve…what happened?”

“I tried to stop him, Natasha. I tried to stop him from snapping his fingers. I tried to save everyone…but it wasn’t enough.”

“What did you have to stop him with? I’m sure your shields didn’t last long.”

“My bare hands. But Nat, what I did…none of it did anything. He still got to Vision. He still took the mind stone. He still snapped his fingers. He still made half the universe disappear…”

“Steve…”

Steve’s fingers ran over the gun. Natasha glanced at it, but quickly back at Steve.

“He still took Bucky.”

“Oh Steve…” she breathed, falling to her knees in front of him.

Steve’s best friend, and Bucky had been better. After Steve had already lost…everything and everyone he loved, Thanos had taken Bucky.

She took his hand that sat on his lap. Squeezed it.

“He’s gone, Nat, and I…I didn’t even get to say goodbye.” Steve whispered, letting go of her hand and holding onto her shoulders.

Natasha grabbed his arms, only wanting to make sure he understood that she was there. “Steve…I’m so sorry.”

“I didn’t save him…I didn’t get to tell him one last time that I would always be there…I didn’t…Nat…I didn’t say goodbye.”

“I know, Steve…I know…” she whispered, feeling her own set of tears begin to fall.

“I couldn’t save him…I couldn’t save everyone. They’re gone, Nat.”

“I know. Oh Steve, trust me, I know.”

“We lost them all…the world lost them all, Nat.”

Natasha squeezed his arms tighter. “I know Steve.”

“I thought Bucky was safe…I thought he was finally okay and safe and free. I’ve had Bucky with me, beside me, as my friend almost my whole life…and he didn’t die from the train like I thought he had…I guess…”

Steve gave her a small smile. “…It was just time for me to lose someone else…”

Just time for me to lose someone else.

Natasha, with her right hand, let go. She stroked his bearded cheek. “You’ve lost a lot Steve…I know…”

Steve closed his eyes.

“But no matter how many more people you lose Steve…”

He opened his eyes and looked up at her, his blue eyes brighter with tears.

“I’ll always be here.”

Steve merely stared at her, tears still coursing down his cheeks.

Natasha leaned forward.

And kissed his cheek. Bearded, bloodied, and wonderfully Steve.

“No matter what.”

A fresh set of tears coursed down Steve’s cheeks. He leaned forward and laid his head against Natasha’s chest, weeping.

Natasha wrapped her arms around him and ran her hand through his blonde locks.

His arms wrapped around her. He leaned against her, his tears, his sobs, causing Natasha’s own tears to fall.

She kissed the top of his head.

“It’s okay, Steve. I’m not going anywhere…”

She wrapped her arms tighter around Steve.

Slowly rocked him back and forth.

And nothing on earth could ever make her let go.

Oh yeah! Tags! XD @ava-blue. @keilah-h. @gracie-j. @lrose5.