Cold as Ice - WinterWidow One-Shots

the longest time

Summary: She and James had been together―whether as friends or as a couple―for so many years now, that it was hard for her to imagine them separated. He'd been with her since what felt like the beginning of time and sometimes she forgot that others didn't know just how much they'd lived through together.

A modern AU.

It was entirely Tony's fault they were celebrating her birthday, but after so many years of keeping the date a secret, it was kind of a nice change. She still wasn't exactly sure how Tony had figured out which day she'd been born, but if he was determined enough to search through what had to have been dozens of incomplete Russian hospital records, she could at least attend the party he threw for her.

A day that had once been filled with only muttered abuse from her stepfather was now, apparently, worthy of a Stark-funded party.

"We could tell him the records are wrong," James muttered, scowling as he watched her pick through her earrings. "Or that we already had plans. Which we did."

"Our plans can be moved for one year," Natasha told him, settling on a pair of diamond studs. "They haven't changed since we were sixteen anyway."

Since the first year she'd known James, her birthday had been reserved just for them. At ten years old, they started what would soon become a tradition: movies and ice cream in the dead of winter. Just like everything she'd done with him from the very first moment he introduced himself, the little tradition had become a lifeline that she clung to tighter than anything else (aside from James himself). At sixteen years old, the tradition had been extended to include a dinner where James had ever so shyly admitted to it being a date ("A real one. Not just cause it's your birthday.").

"Between the two of us," James teased, "I'm surprised you're the most okay with this."

Natasha glanced back at him, unsurprised to find him sitting on the edge of their bed with his shoulders slumped. He'd seemed more excited about her birthday this year than in the past, except for the time when he'd kissed her over the dinner table for the first time. She was trying not to read too far into it.

"It's how Tony shows affection: with his money." She joined James on the edge of the bed. "He's been trying to do this since our first year at NYU."

James snorted, remembering the many, many times Tony had bribed either one of them to tell him when Natasha's birthday was. Now, five years later, he'd finally found out.

"Even if we aren't going to a kitschy theatre or a hole-in-the-wall restaurant," Natasha murmured, "it'll still include the thing I look forward to the most." She reached for James's hand and, trying not to think about how goddamn cheesy she was going to be, said, "You."

"Wow, that was real smooth," James teased, squeezing her hand. "You work on that in the shower?"

With a roll of her eyes, Natasha let go of his hand and stood up. "After eight years of suffering through your romantic gestures, I've learned a thing or two."

James grinned.

"Now let's go," Natasha said, marching towards the door. "The sooner we get there, the sooner we can leave."

All it took was a wriggle of her brows and James was at her side, opening the door and ushering them both down the rickety flight of stairs to where Tony's driver was waiting to take them to the party.

* * * * *

She had known that a party thrown by Tony Stark would mean there were people there that she didn't know, but she hadn't accounted for all of them also bringing her presents. Tony had set up a table near the penthouse elevator where a large stack of gift bags, envelopes, and wrapped boxes was already awaiting her.