Give This A Like For An Edit Of Our Muses.

she didn't count the minutes that had passed since she'd entered the office, instead taking the time to glance around the room where she sat waiting, eyes searching for something that would let her know she was making the right choice. eyes were drawn from furniture and then the walls, not seeing anything but a layer of dust that came from living in new york. there was no magic writing on the wall to tell her that she was in the right place. and to be fair, considering most of her life had been one impulsive decision to another, she didn't understand why she expected this to be any different. the pretty blonde behind the desk was good for small talk, but unfortunately, that wasn't something that natasha excelled in at all.

at the arrival of who she'd been waiting for, there wasn't a moment missed as she stood from her seat following him as she was directed to. "i appreciate you seeing me on such short notice."

it takes natasha time to sit into the seat across from him at the desk, eyes studying him as she considers her options before electing to open her mouth. "i'm looking to hire you to assist in reobtaining a property in new york that i lost when SHIELD fell. it had been listed in the files as a safe house, and while it may have been used as that, it was originally my home and i'd like it back."

@madeofmarblex liked for a starter

The morning had started out like any other; groaning at the sound of his talking alarm clock going off, smacking it off of the nightstand in his attempt to quiet it, only making him groan again in frustration he would have to put the thing back together for a second time that month. But there was a deep sense of worry with knowing who was waiting for him at the office; the Black Widow. He had encountered several times on patrol as Daredevil and when he found Natasha Romanoff's name on his schedule for the following day, he silently prayed it was just a coincidence.

“Matt!” Karen piped up from behind her desk the moment he stepped through the door, looking relieved. “I was just about to call you. You’re late again and we were getting worried. Miss Romanoff has been waiting for you."

“Ah, I apologize. Rough morning.” Matthew waved an apology before slipping inside the office. Slipping his suit jacket off and hanging it on the coat rack, he picked up his briefcase and cane again before nodding towards the open door of his office. “Miss Romanoff, if you don’t mind me getting settled, come in and sit down. I don't think there was any notes about your case so you're going to have to bring me up to speed."

@badgerops pressed the ♥ for a starter

for a moment it's as if she doesn't know that he's there, her body doesn't move, her lips don't open. but then there's a hum of acknowledgment before she tilts her head slightly to talk over her shoulder without really looking at him. of course, she'd known he was there, she'd known he wasn't a threat. "what brings you knocking on my door? i'm not much help these days. haven't you heard — i'm retired.

who needs memes?

fun fact, nat is the “who did this to you? it doesn’t matter i’ll kill them all.” type of person for the people she cares about.

❛ i love you, but you’re not mine. ❜ says @murder-popsicle

"that's not fair."

it's difficult when one of you is hiding out from the world, unready to admit that they're out there, and the other is a well-known avenger. natasha had always been easy to pick out of a crowd with her stunning red hair, but recently, it had been even more of a tell since she'd help save the world the day the sky had fallen open in new york. she wanted to see jane, she wanted to respect the fact that the other wasn't ready to see steve and that she didn't trust what was left of SHIELD. not to mention it was tricky when HYDRA was still out there hunting for their most prized possession. but she'd never expected it to be this difficult.

natasha had been walking on egg shells, keeping her opinions to herself, unwilling to talk for more than a few sentences here or there. beyond that, everytime she showed up, jane had to be prepared to move because it was only a matter of time until the black widow drew media attention for visiting the town jane was so desperate to hide in. it was why natasha had suggested that she stop showing up for a bit... to give jane her best chance at figuring out herself and what she wanted without the theatrics that natasha brought.

"what do you want me to say? i've done the whole on-the-run nonsense you're trying right now; if i keep showing up, you're going to keep risking being exposed. my presence is more of a hindrance to you right now."

@contritioned pressed the ♥ for a starter

there's the smallest smile that graces her lips as she spots him, but as quickly as it's appeared, it's gone. as if the whole look had been a figment of imagination — a trick of the light. "if you tell me what's going on, there's a better chance that i can help you."

𝒐𝒉  𝒔𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒆  𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈  𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆  𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆  𝒚𝒐𝒖  𝒈𝒐𝒏𝒆?   i'm  getting  old  &  i  need  something  to  rely  on.   𝒔𝒐  𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒍  𝒎𝒆  𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏  ,  𝒚𝒐𝒖'𝒓𝒆  𝒈𝒐𝒏𝒏𝒂  𝒍𝒆𝒕  𝒎𝒆  𝒊𝒏.   i'm  getting  tired  &  i  need  somewhere  to  begin  …

natasha gives a slight hum at the acknowledgment that he doesn't know where Sam is or what's next. and she can relate to that on many levels. the not knowing what comes next. she hasn't known that for a while, instead, focusing on each day as it comes. life is easier that way along with a little less overwhelming.

the silence between them envelops her for a moment as she sips her drink, allowing it to settle between them comfortably. but as quickly as it's there, her head is turning, listening as he speaks, responding with an uneasy smile as she processes. "thank you, james. i'm glad that i'm here with you." she means it because as uneasy as she is in the world around her, this right here is familiar and comfortable.

"but don't go all soft on me now." eyes narrow slightly with a smile that twinkles despite the words that she speaks.

He finds it easy to talk to her, still. It’s been a good long while since they’ve actually sat down and had a real discussion, and yet the words flow from his mouth comfortably. He knows, somewhere deep embedded in him, that he’s not going to find judgement with her.

“I don’t know.” He answers both questions at once, a small shrug of his right shoulder. He thinks Sam is in DC, but he hasn’t heard from him. He will, at some point. If that means a friendly chat or gearing up, he won't know until he answers the phone.

“I wanna say something.” He says, after a long moment of extended silence– the type that doesn’t need to be filled. He’s filling it now, because he doesn't see the point in biting his tongue. He looks at her, something genuine in his gaze. “I’m really, really glad you’re here, Natalia.” He doesn’t mean just here, where they’re sitting, and he hopes she understands that.

@eyeccndy pressed the ♥ for a starter

"oh come on, hill. it's been years since i've seen you." and that's not even counting the years from the blip. it's definitely an understatement. "you've got to catch me up. pick one of the best stories and start from there."

@bettertelepath pressed the ♥ for a starter

"how does it work? the whole—" a hand that waves around him as though the motion is supposed to tell him everything that her voice currently isn't. "—mind reading thing work? do you get to pick who you're reading or does it just happen?" natasha is generally curious partially because she couldn't imagine the chaos of not having a choice.