A THOUSAND LIVES ▹ N. Romanoff

SIX. in which mistakes are made

[ A THOUSAND LIVES ]
chapter six; in which mistakes are made

❝ Ugh, you're welcome, I guess. Now go away
before you make me change my mind. ❞

EVANGELINE KEEPS HER PROMISE AND GIVES NATASHA THE SPACE SHE PROMISED SHE WOULD. In the meanwhile, her time is split between working with Tony, talking with Thor, and finding a friend in Steve. Sometimes, the testosterone would become too much, and she'd drive around New York in search for clear air.

She eventually meets Pepper Potts, Tony's girlfriend. She had seen the blonde from afar, but they had never had a formal conversation; they were busy all the time. She's very pleasant, much more than Tony. It makes Evangeline wonder why Pepper even puts up with Tony. She bites her tongue in an attempt to be polite.

The more time away from Natasha, the more time is spent thinking about her. She hates this stupid deal, even though it'll benefit Natasha. Also, she's the one that came up with it. Evangeline mentally face palms every time she thinks of it.

Summer comes to a close, the formerly muggy New York air being replaced with bare trees and the autumn breeze. Tony's preparing for a vacation, which means no seminars, no speeches, nothing. Unless, of course, a god from Space and his goons come and try to take over the world again.

Evangeline isn't sure how to spend her time. True, parts of it can be spent with the Avengers, but even time with them will get boring fast. She's tired of all the parties Tony attends, and Pepper is going on vacation with him. She wishes she could go talk to — borderline bother — Natasha again. But, she agreed to respect the woman's privacy. Even if it comes at her own expense.

She finds herself getting closer to Steve. He's funny, even if he's not trying to be. He's a little more traditional than what Evangeline is used to; she had to explain that the little smiley face on his screen is called an emoji. That took about an hour.

She also speaks with Thor. She asks if Natasha ever mentions her. She doesn't like the answer.

"She is not a very open individual, Sister." Thor's attempt to pacify her doesn't help. "You know this."

Evangeline is fully aware of this. "If I had a dollar for everytime someone told me that..." She gives a mirthless chuckle. "The last girl I dated that was this secretive was Agatha, and she had her reason to be."

"Agatha was pleasant enough." Thor recalls the Salem-born brunette.

"She was good with her hands, in more than one way." Evangeline smirks as sinful thoughts and memories fill her head. She stops when she notices Thor's lost-puppy-like expression. "She was a witch who used her hands for spells... and for fucking me well. That's the joke."