prompt: hi sorry i live next to you and i hear you talking to your cat sometimes and- no no its fine, i was just wondering if i could pet it? au
note: i genuinely have no idea what this is. i tried to proofread as best as possible but i am very Sleepy so i'm sorry for any mistakes.
+ yes im working on requests i promise.
warnings: none, ??????????, take this as you will.
. . .
it was the third week in a row where you could hear your newly found neighbor talking to her cat. you'd seen her the day she moved in with a bundle of black fur not far behind her, but never any time after that.
the walls of your apartment were paper thin. you could hear almost anything and everything, but you'd grown accustomed to it having been there for several years now. you'd heard everything from screaming and moaning to glass and tv remotes being thrown against the wall. in time you just learned to tune it out, earbuds becoming your new best friend.
you assumed the redhead next door had no idea just how thin the walls were, otherwise she might think twice before arguing with her cat, liho. sometimes you could hear her fuss over hairballs and catnip strayed across the floor. other times it was over knocking something off the table or running on the counter for a bite of her food.
tonight was no different. you could hear the redhead talk to liho about the importance of being careful when jumping off the top of a tall bookshelf. her voice was muffled, but you could tell she was scolding the poor thing.
it was kind of a funny thing because at first you thought you'd gotten struck with another crazy neighbor. the first few days you'd completely forgotten about the black cat she strung along with her everywhere she went. it wasn't until you heard the cat growl at her when you remembered the four legged roommate of hers. she'd clearly been trying to clip its nails that night and you debated knocking on her door to see if she needed any assistance, but when her "sorry's" died down you figured there was no use.
"–okay now that we have that out of the way, do you understand now why you need to be careful? liho i'm over here– stop– hey! get off of that!" the redhead fussed once more.
you couldn't help the giggle that came from your mouth. who knew such a mysterious woman could have so much to say to a cat?
"liho, no! god you're so annoying. now stop or you're going to wake everyone in this apartment up."
ten minutes later you could hear her softened voice through the walls again.
"i'm sorry i yelled at you. look, i'll get you some more of those treats you like okay?"
the night was quiet after that and you couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.
. . .
the next day you decided to knock on the redhead's door. your curiosity was getting to be too much to handle.
she swung the door open, startled by your presence. her hair was damp, wet spots soaking the shoulders of her shirt.
"hello?"
"hi! sorry, i live next to you and i hear you talking to your cat sometimes and–"
"oh i'm s-"
"–no no its fine, i was just wondering if i could pet it? him? her?"
the woman eyed you up and down, perhaps to analyze whether or not you'd be a threat. you weren't really sure.
nonetheless, she stepped back and allowed you to come in.
her apartment was neat, bare, had all the essentials someone would need. but somehow, it felt just like her.
"liho's over there by the cat scratcher. she loves that thing."
"so i've heard."
the redhead tried to keep the blush from spreading across her face. if you'd heard that then what else have you heard?
"will she bite me?"
"oh no, not at all! if she doesn't like you she'll come to me."
you nodded and extended your hand out to her. "i never got your name."
"natasha."
"as in romanoff? like, the natasha romanoff?" a smile broke out onto her face. "so you've heard of me?"
"just a few things about you," you confirmed, scratching behind the ears of the furry animal in front of you.
natasha watched you for a moments worth before sliding next to you. "she's the biggest pain in my ass, but i love her."
"oh yeah?"
"mhm. i didn't even really want her at first. she just kind of showed up at my doorstep and no matter how many times i told her to leave she always came back."
"that's really sweet."
natasha shrugged, making her way to the other side of you. you'd definitely caught her attention now, she knew that for sure.
"would you like to stay for dinner?"
"i'm sorry?"
"liho clearly likes you and i think you're very beautiful, so... dinner?"
you put on a faux thinking face. "i don't know, natasha. we did just meet."
natasha was quick to stop you though. "that's not true, we met a few weeks ago."
liho bumped her head into your hand. it was almost as of she was telling you herself to say yes. you internally rolled your eyes at the cliché feeling you were experiencing at the moment.
"and what would we have?"
"anything you'd like."
"what if i wanted the most expensive sushi in the world?"
"then that's what we'll have," she challenged.
another laugh emitted from your mouth. "you're ready to risk it all, huh?"
natasha bit her lip, shrugging once again. "well when the world's prettiest girl is standing in front of you who wouldn't be ready to risk it all?"
"your compliments are corny."
"i can tell you like them though."
"maybe so." you mumbled, jingling the silver bell on liho's collar.
there was a beat of silence before natasha spoke again, "what's the verdict?"
"hmmm.... who would i be to say no to natasha romanoff?"
she licked her lips, "someone insane, obviously."
you giggled yet again. "you need to stop making me laugh, seriously! now lets go before i change my mind on you."
natasha took your hand, grabbed a set of keys with her other, and led you into the parking garage. "i've got a great idea. just hold onto me tightly, alright?"
"a bike? for me to wrap my arms around you on? oh you're sooo romantic, romanoff."
"safety is important, ya know." she retorted. "now put this helmet on."
"im beginning to think you were the pain in liho's ass."
natasha huffed. "and i'm beginning to think i should take you dumpster diving instead."
you ignored her for now. instead you focused on clasping your hands around her waist and resting your chin on her shoulder.
"let's see what you and your bike have got to offer, yeah?"
"yeah, you'll see."
