[ Video, action for Tony's building ]

[vdova]

[ The video feed clicks on, and Natasha looks neutral and blank. ] Thank you to everyone who worried. I'm fine. [ She pauses, and then furrows her brow, her eyes growing steely. ] Lensherr. I'm watching you. [ And with that, it ends. ]



---

[ Later on, Natasha can be found curled up on a couch, reading what looks like an old tome, bound in leather, title printed in gold and mostly faded on the spine and cover. She's let herself in, and has chosen a room, all without any of her new flatmates realizing it.

And as far as they're concerned? She's all better. ]

Comments

[action]

[bowsbeforehoes]

[Clint has no qualms walking around in a towel, so that's what he's doing currently. He might have just gotten out of the shower. He's currently looking for something, and by the time he gets to the living area he's completely forgotten what it was.]

Hey Tasha.

[It's said without realizing, because he's mostly used to Natasha curled up on a sofa reading stupid hipster books without pictures because that's what she does on away missions-

backpedal

blink blink, turns on his bare heel]

When in the hell did you get back?!

[action]

[vdova]

[ She glances up only briefly, and exhales a disapproving noise through her nose before going back down to her book. She flips a page, and readjusts her weight on the couch. ] Today. What did I tell you about talking to me without pants?

video, locked to Natasha//timelordy security

[icanbuyafez]

Many times people say they're alright in order to hide their true feelings from others, to prevent them from worrying or from getting too close.

[A pause while the Doctor considers the camera with a small sad smile. His voice is gentle and understanding.]

If you ever need anybody to talk to, I would be more than happy to listen.

And if you ever need to just escape it all, there are places in my TARDIS where nobody would ever find you.

[action]

[bowsbeforehoes]

[He cocks his hip to the side, giving her this 'girl, please' look.]

It's not like you haven't seen me in less.

Re: [action]

[vdova]

[ Page flip. ] You know the rules.

[action]

[bowsbeforehoes]

[Eyeroll.] We are not carrying those rules over here.

Re: video, locked to Natasha//timelordy security

[vdova]

[ She just watches him for a moment, studying his face, gauging his sincerity. Finally, she speaks again, more firm. ] Thank you. But I'm fine.

[action]

[vdova]

We are. Go put pants on.

video, locked to Natasha//timelordy security

[icanbuyafez]

Of course.

If you ever change your mind, I'll be here.

[action]

[bowsbeforehoes]

[Seriously. This face.

and he marches off to go find some pants.

He comes back a few minutes later, plopping down on a chair opposite her. He's still without a shirt, but he now has pants.]

Better?

[ action ]

[ontheropes]

[ After having a little morning spar with Steve, Bucky decides to wait on the shower and go grab something to eat. He's topless (but has pants on, don't worry) and shoeless as he pads in the direction of the kitchen, which passes by the living room and the couches.

And he sees a blob of red hair out of the corner of his eye.

If Bucky weren't a hardened soldier, he's probably shriek and flail a little. He blinks and turns his head, clearing his throat. Natasha was back? That's... good, right? ] Uh, good morning.

[action]

[vdova]

Much. [ And she puts her bookmark in and sets the book down, sitting up. ]

Re: [ action ]

[vdova]

[ She really shouldn't be surprised that he's here. She'd seen him responding to Tony's message, seen signs of him having moved in when she had come in the night before. It was probably because she hadn't expected to bump into him so soon. The surprise flickers away from her face as fast as it had come, and she softens, allowing herself a small smile at him (and maybe a small peek at everything else, too; the familiarity of it is both nice and unsettling at the same time, and it's for reasons like that Natasha is never quite sure how to act around Bucky-- something else that makes her feel like she's off kilter and not quite as in control as she'd like) as she closes her book and sets it aside.

He's someone else she probably should talk to, and she's ready for that now, or at least as ready as she'll ever be.

She likes Bucky, in whatever sense that meant. True, he reminded her of a past better left unspoken of, but it was a part of her past that she still clung to, to this day, and it was for that reason alone she didn't push him away before, and was trying to not push him away now. ]

Good morning.

[stretchy_pants]

[Unlike some of his teammates, Bruce is not one to walk around in a state of undress. They undoubtedly see enough of him half-naked anyway, post-Hulking. The yoga pants and plain t-shirt he is currently sporting are not the most flattering; but then, Bruce has never had much fashion sense--not even back before the accident, when he was able to afford nice things.]

N...Agent Romanoff?

[He stops short upon entering the room, a mug of steaming green tea in his hand and a text titled Positron Emission Tomography tucked under one arm. It's been a busy week so far with all of the remodeling he has been helping Tony with, and he plans to just sit back to do a bit of light reading.]

Are you... I mean... You're back?

[ russian, text ]

[sunflowersister]

I'm very happy you're feeling better. Please let me know when your friend is done building his tower so I can bring a housewarming meal!

[vdova]

[ Natasha looks up from her book at the sound of her name, and her eyes linger on his tea mug, his book, and finally look back at him, smiling. ] Just arrived today. Sorry I'm late.

[ russian, text ]

[vdova]

I don't know if I can say thank you enough, Auntie. We'd love to have you as soon as everything is ready.

[ontheropes]

[ He's glad for the positive reaction; he gives a little smile back and reaches up to run a hand through his hair. He'd find her totally justified in immediately getting up and relocating herself but he hopes they can get back to being how they were before. Which was... amicable and a bit flirty? Hm, won't be jumping straight into that, if at all... ]

Glad you've made it back okay. [ It seems like the best thing to say. He feels it'd be condescending to say 'I was worried about you,' especially to someone like Natasha. He doesn't think she needs to hear those kind of things. So he just broadens his smile a little bit and points in the direction of the kitchen. ] I was going to get some coffee, want any?

[ russian, text ]

[sunflowersister]

Please, you're no trouble at all! No one's allergic to anything, right?

[vdova]

[ She really doesn't blame him. It wasn't his fault, and avoiding him wouldn't do any good, especially if they were going to live in the same building.

Natasha unfolds herself from the couch and stands, adjusting the hem of the tank top she's wearing. ] Sure. Coffee sounds nice.

[ russian, text ]

[vdova]

No, not as far as I know.

[ontheropes]

[ Well, at least his gut still flutters at the sight of her. Time to act like a putz yet again, Barnes, oh goodie.

He nods and stuffs his hands into his pockets, turning around to head into the kitchen. He can smell it once he walks through the door; Bucky wonders if Stark made it earlier or he just... made the coffee maker thing do it by itself every day. He was still getting used to all these kind of pointless time saving things about the future. ]

So uh. [ He starts off as he goes to get a couple mugs. ] What were you readin'?

[vdova]

[ She follows him into the kitchen and leans with the small of her back against the counter, palms down on top of it. At his question, though, she laughs a little sheepishly, reaching up to tuck a stray bit of hair behind her ear. ] 'Recollections of Imperial Russia', written by the daughter of an Ambassador to Tsar Nicholas the Second. Clint calls them my 'pretentious hipster' books.

[ontheropes]

[ He fills up the mugs with coffee and grins a bit after she speaks. ] And that's easy reading for you, huh? Sound interesting though. Never really got a chance to read much, was always too busy. How do you take this? [ He gestures to the coffee. He usually just drinks it black, maybe some milk if he feels like it.

But then he catches up to Natasha's last sentence and furrows his brows rather deeply. ] Wait, what do Russian ambassador's daughters have to do with jazz?

[vdova]

[ It takes her a second to realize what he's asking, considering the various terms the word 'hipster' has been attributed to over the years. And she shakes her head -- sometimes it's easy to forget that Bucky and Steve aren't from these parts, so to speak. ] Cream and sugar.. and no, it's more like.. he's saying they're kind of snobby and pretentious... he's just teasing me because I like to read smart books instead of comics.