Miss Impossible (Natasha Romanoff x Reader)

Chapter 11

The only two that were left to be found were Nat and Bruce, 30 minutes into the game and they were still nowhere to be seen. This struck a nerve in you for some reason, you hated the idea of the two alone for 30 minutes straights and the idea of them being hidden in a small room...

Yes, you get it. It pissed you off to say the least.

You weren't saying she would cheat; you'd never once think that of her, and your suspicions weren't going because simply, you trusted her. But the thought alone was enough for you to back out of the game and head into the big city for some time alone.

There wasn't anything specific you had in mind to do, you thought maybe a little shopping spree on your own could help, maybe a walk through the park or a coffee in the nearby cafe. Each choice sounded peaceful, but which one would you decide on?

Walking through the busy streets of Manhattan, you found yourself in a place that wasn't even on your list to begin with. A quiet bookstore hidden between a cleaner and a takeout, it wasn't the best of locations to place a bookstore but the small size of it seemed welcoming, so you reluctantly walked in.

The shelves were tall, filled with books of all sorts but one thing you hated about bookstores was the endless amount on options to choose from, you were fussy and could never decide on something, never being able to finish a book as something else caught your eye. It was a repetitive cycle.

"Is there anything I could help you with?" The woman behind the desk asked you in a hushed tone when she saw you standing a little awkwardly in the middle of the small space.

"Uhm," you thought, not ready to be talking with anyone right now, "I'm okay, thank you." You smiled politely, and she nodded in response. You took this as a sign to move, so you began walking deeper into the store to investigate more options other than the ones that were on show as their new hits.

For whatever reason, new crazes never had your attention and that involved everything it could. New clothing styles, new food menus, songs, movies, you name it, everything new was something you hated. You liked the comfort of sticking to something you already knew brought to you, a reason you've always been closed off. Not the main reason, of course, but it played a big part.

You finally decided on an old horror sequel, you knew you weren't going to finish even half of it, but it was something to pass time. You took a seat on one of the old wooden chairs that was tucked neatly under a small desk and opened to the first page.

The light faded away in the bookstore, customers came and left, buying books both new and old as they came by. Some even returning some of their favorites, the ones you could always tell were one of the best due to their cracked spine and old looking covers. You loved that about people, how a huge group of living beings could love the same thing so much they talk about it to their friends and loved ones, going back to whatever that may be in a form of comfort when they feel like they have no one else around.

It was a sad thought, knowing that someone could feel so alone that they turn to an object old as time to pass through the minutes of their own, during themselves deep into the old pages of a worn book to suffocate their real feelings. But even with how sad the thought may be, it was comforting knowing there's always a way to feel better about something you have no control over, even if it is with a small distraction.

You always wished you could find your comfort object, maybe it would have been a book, or it could have been a movie that you rewatched over and over because you knew the ending wouldn't hurt, or maybe it would have been a childhood blanket your parents gave you when you were little. You wanted a comfort object with everything you had. But all your life, all you ever had was yourself, so the silence and space became your comfort. That's why you were so wary of who you let into your space, too worried about who could turn it into something you became afraid of. But not with Natasha, never with her.

You'd never allowed anyone into your space before her but now that you have, you loved the fact that you were able to do so. But even though you would always allow her into your zone, you still sometimes needed time for yourself to feel normal and to stay on track.

"Ma'am, we're closing up now would you like me to check that out for you?" The woman from earlier spoke from behind you, gesturing to the book that you had surprisingly almost finished.

"No thank you," you told her, not wanting to carry on with the book anytime soon. You rose from your seat and handed her the book when she held her hand out to take it into her hold. "Have a nice night."

You headed for the door, grabbing hold of the handle and opening it with ease as the chilly air hit you with so much force you wished you had worn a coat knowing your car was parked far away from where you were standing.

"Wait," She called after you before you had fully left and you turned on your heel to see what it was she was wanting, "I recognize you from somewhere." She thought aloud and you raised your eyebrows in slight shock, never knowing what to say in situations like these.

"I've just moved here so I doubt it's me," You chuckled awkwardly with the lie that flowed off your tongue with so much ease.

"No, you were on television, it was you." She clicked her fingers at you, smiling proudly at herself when she had placed her finger on it.

"That was a long time ago," you told her with a slight shrug, knowing you were no longer the person she remembers seeing.

"Y/n Y/l/n, you're one of the Avengers." She wasn't like all the other people you had come across, usually they would be ecstatic over being near you, but she seemed so calm, and you loved that about her, always hating the attention that came your way.

"Yeahh," you dragged out awkwardly, not knowing what you were supposed to say to that, "that's me, I guess."

"It was nice meeting you," She told you as she placed the book you had been reading into its original place reaching on her tip toes to reach the higher shelf, "be careful, have a nice night."

"Thank you, you too." You replied gratefully and left for your car.