#this is so stupid but I kinda love it | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

maggicktouched · 1 year

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This is officially the stupidest thing I've ever written. A while back @bokketo and I talked about this sort of thing in passing and this is where my brain rot took me. But it's honestly kind of adorable and I love it.

She wasn’t sure how long she’d been on the roof. She’d burned through six cigarettes, but she was so out of it she’d wasted half of them. At first she’d been crying, it was the least destructive way to release the ever-rising pressure in her chest that city life inspired, but the tears had died a while ago. In their place was a numbness that was only occasionally broken by the desire to take a drag off her cigarette, only to find it had burned to cinders since she stopped paying attention.

The door to the roof opened behind her and shut loudly; whoever it was didn’t want to startle her. Half of the residents of Stark Tower walked around like cats—completely silent unless they wanted to be heard—and she did too half of the time, so it felt hypocritical to be angry about it, but she wasn’t used to people being able to sneak up to her. She was too overwhelmed here. That was her whole problem with New York.

Sound proofing and privacy spells could only go so far in soothing her spirit. The only true balm to her extended overstimulation was Natasha’s presence. And Natasha was gone. Again. It was the fourth time in a month, and Beck was going to lose her mind.

The person behind her was getting closer, and even though she tried to swallow it back, her tears threatened to reemerge. She just wanted some space to breathe. Beck could see Clint’s growing shadow approaching to her right, and she flicked the butt of her cigarette down onto the roof and crushed it under the toe of her shoe.

“There you are!” He sounded too happy for how utterly miserable she felt. Beck tried to force the smile she’d gotten so good at over her life, but this time it didn’t come. Clint sat next to her anyway and lightly bumped her shoulder with his. “I got something to show you.”

Beck shook her head. Looking at him properly felt impossible. Below them, a chorus of cars started to blare their horns, followed by a symphony of swear words from angry drivers. Beck winced.

She didn’t have a lot of serious moments with Clint, but he was silly, not stupid. He had to have noticed she was wearing thin. In the corner of her eye she saw him cautiously lift up his hand, and it came to rest on her shoulder.

“Beck?”

“Clint please. I just–I’m really not in a great mood right now.” She couldn’t help the tremble in her voice.

Clint squeezed her shoulder gently, and scooted closer to wrap his arm around her in a hug. It felt nice, but somehow it only made her miss Natasha more. He sat with her for a few minutes in comforting silence until his phone buzzed.

“I know you said you aren’t feeling great but—what if I told you I had a surprise for you?” He asked, carefully, as to not upset her.

Clint didn’t understand, and Beck didn’t have the heart to explain it to him. The right thing to do was humor him, wasn’t it? He was trying to help her. This time when she tried to put on her fake smile, it worked. “What sort of surprise?”

He looked down at his phone, twisted his lips, then shrugged. “Well I, uh, I can’t exactly tell you, can I? Then it wouldn’t be a surprise!”

Beck narrowed her eyes a bit at him, but took the hand he offered and let him pull her up onto her feet. They made it just to the door before he cut her off.

“Wait! It’s a secret surprise. We’re not supposed to tell anyone else about it. Let me cover your eyes.”

This time Beck’s laugh was dry, but genuine. “Fine. But I’m not getting into your white van to help you look for your lost puppy. You only fall for that one once.”

One of Clint’s hands hovered over her eyes, and the other rested on her shoulders, winding her up and down the halls of the tower as if he were trying to purposefully disorientate her. They passed Tony at one point who had stopped, then proclaimed he didn’t want to know, before leaving them alone again. Finally, they stopped and Clint pulled his hand away.

“Tada!” They were standing at the end of the hallway.

Beck glared at him. She wasn’t sure if this was funny or annoying. “...This is just the door to my apartment.”

They weren’t even at the door—just lingering near the fire exit because Beck refused to go on the elevator.

He nodded. “Yeah but Natasha told me if I came any closer she’d have to encase me in ice for a hundred years.”

“Natasha—Nat’s home?” Her heart skipped a beat, and the smile instantly became more genuine. She turned to the door, turned back to Clint, caught sight of herself in the elevator doors down the hall and swore. “You prick! My hair is a wreck. You could have told me!”

“She told me I wasn’t supposed to tell anyone she was back until eleven am tomorrow morning under threat of the whole ‘encased in ice’ thing. Just you. As a surprise.”

She couldn’t even be annoyed with him. With hurried fingers and a bit of magic, she attempted to tame her mane of unruly golden curls before pulling them up into a ponytail. Why the secrecy? Why hadn’t Nat called? She was meant to be away for another few days. Was she hurt? No. Nat wouldn’t hide that. Was this a…

Maybe that’s why Clint hadn’t brought her into the apartment.

She turned him around and pushed him gently toward the elevator doors. “Well, it’s been lovely. You have to go now.”

He said something after her as the elevator closed on him, but Beck was not at all listening. A weight had been taken off her chest. Natasha was back.

She unlocked the door with a bit of magic rather than a key, but the apartment beyond was totally dark. Beck’s brow furrowed. If this was Clint’s idea of a prank it was not funny. Maybe she was in the bedroom.

Beck stepped into the apartment and fumbled for the light. The switch clicked, but nothing happened. Beck let out a silent curse.

“Natasha?” She called.

“Shut the door.” She heard Nat say from deeper in the room. She sounded dead serious, but Beck’s heart skipped a beat all the same. She kicked the door shut behind her with her foot.

The second the light from the hall was gone, the apartment flooded with dim, multicolored light that was shining from a cheap disco lamp that had been hastily stuck to the ceiling. If she hadn’t been confused before, she certainly was now.

Nat stepped out from behind a chair, and Beck’s crumpled look of confusion changed in an instant as she burst into laughter.

“What. The fuck. Are you wearing?” She asked, unable to stifle her idiotic grin. She couldn’t even give Nat time to answer. “Oh my god. Oh my god, oh my god. Is what I think is happening happening right now?!”

Natasha didn’t look nearly as enthused as she did. “Yes.”

Beck squealed with glee.

“But if I have to dress up, so do you.” Natasha said it as if Beck didn’t have an outfit in the back of her closet waiting for this very moment. She was wearing one of the most ridiculous shirts Beck had ever seen, bedazzled with a thousand tiny rhinestones and horrible fringe pads on the shoulder. On her head was a black cowboy hat, and she had matching boots to go along with it that her jeans were tucked into.

“Give me five minutes!” Beck called, bolting toward the bedroom and finding the equally ridiculous outfit she’d bought herself when she’d tried to convince Nat to take a country line dancing class two months ago. Hers was an obnoxious, shimmering pink shirt with a pair of cut off jeans and boots that were completely and totally covered in rhinestones. “I can’t find my hat!”

She couldn’t hear her from inside the closet, but she swore she felt Natasha sigh. “It’s in here.”

Beck ran back into the room and came to a sliding stop only inches from Nat who, albeit reluctantly, laughed before plopping the hat onto her head.

“Ground rules.”

Beck stood to attention. “Yes!”

“You never, ever tell a soul about this.”

“Check!”

“Three pictures maximum.”

“Check check!”

“This is the only time I’m doing this.”

“Check check check!” She was bouncing up and down on her heels, and she could tell it was getting harder for Natasha not to smile. “Do I get to pick the music?”

“...You already have a playlist don’t you?”

“Yup!” She nodded. “Oh! And between good dancing songs can I hit on you like you’re the root’nest toot’nest cowgirl I’ve ever did see at this here hoedown?”

This time Natasha did laugh. “I hate this so much. Yes.”

Beck stood up on her tiptoes, kissed Natasha on the lips, and then ran off again to get her phone. Nat gave one last perfunctory sigh and connected the device to the tv. A second later Brooks & Dunn started singing about the Boot Scootin’ Boogie.

“Oh my god is this a tutorial?” Natasha was shaking her head, but she couldn’t suppress a smile as she watched Beck’s eyes intently lock on the screen.

“They all are! I couldn’t take the class by myself! This was the next best thing.”

“I regret this already.”

“Heel toe, Natasha!”

They both began a clunky, heel-toe dance side-by-side. To their credit neither of them completely fell or stepped on one another, but what else did she expect from Natasha? Still, half of the moves were improvised as they swirled and stomped around one another. Every now and again Beck would stop singing along to give an audible “yeehaw!” that made Natasha both cringe and laugh every time.

“Bartender asks me, say, ‘Son, what’ll it be?’” She pointed her finger at Natasha as she sang. “I wanna shot at that redhead yonder looking at me!”

Nat raised an eyebrow, then rolled her eyes for the thousandth time. “God. Stop!”

This time it was Beck who laughed, almost tripping over her own feet. Natasha snatched her to keep her upright and their lips met again.

“This is the worst song I’ve ever heard.” Nat grumbled, when she pulled away. Beck was so thrilled she felt like she was floating.

Two more dances went by before the music slowed and Beck held out her hand. “Pardon me, ma’am-”

“Absolutely not.”

It didn’t dissuade her or the terrible southern drawl she was putting on. “How’s about you let me russell you up somethin mighty tasty to drink?”

Natasha let her take her by the hand and lead her into the kitchen. She turned on the light and reached into the fridge for a pitcher of strawberry lemonade she’d made earlier that day. She poured them each a glass and tried to keep a straight face. It was extremely difficult. In the full light of the room they looked even more ridiculous than before.

“I hope this ain’t too forward, but you look hotter than a tin roof in August.” She wriggled her eyebrows. Natasha made a face as she took a drink. “No? Ok how about this one: how’s about we mosey on back to my home on the range and I’ll show you how the deer and the antelope play?”

“Cowboy you is kind of a dog.” Nat snorted.

“I know right? I’m not sure I like him.” She said with a laugh. Beck perched herself on the side of the counter and finally dropped the accent. “Ok but seriously-”

Beneath the music, Beck heard the click of the door. Natasha must have heard it too, because she gave her a wide-eyed look.

“Hide!” She whispered frantically, pushing Nat’s head down behind the counter. A heartbeat later, Bucky rounded the corner. Much like her, he looked completely confused at first, and then he erupted into fits of laughter.

“God. Tony said you were struggling but this is—what am I looking at here?”

Beck frantically tried to motion for Nat to get down on the ground, and Natasha swatted her hand away lightly.

“Bucky! My good pal Bucky! Uh… uhm.” How in the hell did she explain this one. “Why didn’t you knock?”

But she already knew the answer to that question. She was famous for leaving the door unlocked and expecting people to let themselves in. Half the time when Natasha wasn’t home, she didn’t even close the door at all.

“I did.” His brow furrowed and he frowned. “Are you ok?”

“I’m great! I’m fine! Things are great. Really, really great.” She rambled, trying to shoo him away. He gave her a suspicious look, then glanced around the room. His eyes landed on the two glasses on the counter.

“Do you have company?”

He was trying to skirt around her even as she was trying to shoo him.

“Yes! I mean—yes. This is uh, mine and Jari’s country line dancing class.” She managed. “He’s in the bathroom. He has a very tiny bladder. Like a squirrel.”

“Oh. The buff guy with the glasses. The one you keep trying to set Maria up with?” She could see the mischievous glint in his eye. Beck nodded, and Bucky shrugged. “Alright. Mind if I hang out for a bit then?”

“Bucky I swear if you don’t leave I will stab you!” She heard Natasha call from behind the bar.

“Natasha?” He was holding back laughter. “Well I guess you’d have to come out here to stab me, huh?”

He took a quick few steps to the right, but Beck stomped her foot on the floor and the enchanted floor runner under his feet only slid him further to the left.

“Get OUT Barnes!” Nat managed to find a ball of yarn that Boda must have knocked out of her basket and blindly chucked it over the counter. Bucky caught it easily, but he was too distracted by that to notice Beck had taken off her hat. She gave him a good whack with it, knowing it wouldn’t hurt, but he still looked shocked.

“Did you just hit me?” He laughed, even as Beck was gearing up again. This time she put the hat back on her head and held up her fists like a boxer in an old timey cartoon. Now Bucky was red in the face from laughter. “Beck Tandy–you’re gonna swing on me?”

He sounded like he didn’t think she’d do it, and honestly, she wouldn’t have really, not if she wasn’t positive he was going to dodge it.

Her horrific southern drawl was back, “I’m a cowboy, Bucky. And if there’s anything I learned from the two John Whinny movies my ukki watched on repeat when I was a kid, it’s that cowboys always protect their women folk.”

“No!” Natasha snapped from her hiding place. “That is absolutely where I draw the line!”

“Look you can teach cowboy me about modern feminism later, Natasha, right now I have to defend your honor!”

She threw a punch at the still laughing Bucky, who easily blocked her and pushed the hand aside. She tried three more times, and each one he dodged or blocked her, looking more amused than anything. Once he even gave her advice on her stance, and Beck tried to kick him in the shin.

“That is not very cowboy like.” Barnes snorted. They had backed up until he was almost to the door, and Beck opened it with a flick of her wrist.

“Neither is this.” She put her thumb and her middle finger in her mouth and gave a whistle. This time the floor bucked beneath him like a bronco, and Barnes fell on his ass into the hall before she promptly shut the door in his laughing face.

When she turned around, Natasha was sitting on the arm of the couch, scowling, “That’s it. He has to die.”

“He didn’t even see you!” She giggled, falling into Natasha’s arms.

“Still.” She huffed, winding a strand of Beck’s curls around her finger. “---Did you call me womenfolk?”

“Honestly, this outfit is doing things to me.” She defended, shrugging.

“You’re taking it off, and I’m burning it in the morning.”

Beck rolled her eyes and laid her head in the crook of Nat’s neck, taking in her scent. Without any sense of the manic silliness that had possessed her the entire evening she whispered. “I missed you so much… How did you get back this early?”

Natasha plucked the hat off her head and tossed it to the floor so she could play with her lover’s hair. “I knew you were upset when I left. And then Tony called.”

Beck frowned and pulled back, giving Nat a puzzled look. She sighed.

“So did Clint. I think they were a little worried about you. Said you had an—incident in the elevator?”

Beck winced. “I didn’t wanna carry my groceries up all those stairs, and the doors malfunctioned. I—thought I was trapped.”

Natasha frowned, then pressed her forehead to Beck’s, holding her close.

“So you came home and did all of this to cheer me up?”

Natasha smirked and gave her nose a peck. “Officially the worst mistake of my life. Now I have to kill the Winter Soldier because he thinks we have a cowboy kink. That’s gonna make it a rough weekend.”

Beck erupted into a fit of giggles at that.

“Well—you did say you wanted me to take this outfit off.”

“I did, didn’t I?” Natasha grinned and took her by the hand to lead her back into the room. “But we’re turning this awful music off.”

#;;my drabbles #this is so stupid but i kinda love it

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