Multiverse One Shot Collection - Reader Insert

Marvel - Black Widow

The automatic doors slid open with a faint whoosh as you stepped into the supermarket, the cool air rushing out to meet you. Grabbing a basket from the stack near the entrance, you meandered down the aisles, tossing items into your basket—milk, eggs, cereal that was probably more sugar than grain. It was shaping up to be another quiet, uneventful grocery run.

As you rounded the corner near the deli, a familiar voice called out.

"Hey, Y/N! Long time no see!"

You glanced up to see Mr. Delmar behind the counter, his apron dusted with flour and his ever-present grin lighting up his face.

"Mr. Delmar!" you called back, leaning casually on the counter. "Still holding this place together, huh?"

"Somebody has to," he replied, chuckling. "Though I hear you've been stepping out on me with that shiny new market downtown."

Feigning guilt, you raised a hand in mock surrender. "Okay, you got me. They had a neon sign—bright, flashy—what can I say? I'm a sucker for good marketing."

Delmar shook his head, clicking his tongue. "That's how they get you. Next thing you know, you're buying overpriced kale and kombucha. Didn't some guy get his head bitten off in there? What's her name... Mrs. Chen?"

You smirked. "Pretty sure that's just a rumor. She's nice, though—welcoming, in a vaguely threatening sort of way."

"Sounds sketchy. What brings you back here, then? Forgot what real food tastes like?"

"Something like that." You scratched the back of your neck, pausing. "Actually, I was looking for... what's it called... that potato thing."

"Potato thing?" Delmar echoed, squinting at you. "Garlic?"

"No, not garlic."

"Fries?"

"Not even close."

"Mashed potatoes?"

You snapped your fingers, the memory clicking. "Gnocchi! That's it."

"Got some in the back. Hold tight." He disappeared through the storeroom door, leaving you to your thoughts.

You browsed idly while waiting, running your fingers over a display of snack bags when a voice—soft yet firm, with a faint trace of amusement—cut through the quiet.

"Gnocchi? Ambitious choice for a Wednesday."

You turned, and for a moment, the world around you seemed to blur. She stood a few feet away, holding a bag of coffee beans in one hand, her other casually resting on her hip. Her fiery red hair cascaded over the shoulders of a sleek leather jacket, and her piercing green eyes locked onto yours with an intensity that made it hard to look away.

"Uh..." You blinked, struggling to find your words. "Yeah, well, I like to keep things... interesting?"

She smiled—a small, knowing curve of her lips. "Does that include chips and cereal?" she asked, nodding toward your basket.

You glanced down, heat rising to your cheeks. "Hey, don't knock it. I've seen worse combinations."

"I'll take your word for it," she replied, her tone teasing but warm. "Natasha." She extended her hand, and the simple gesture seemed more poised and graceful than it had any right to be.

You took it, her grip firm but effortless. "Y/N. Nice to meet you... Natasha."

Her name lingered in your mind like the trace of a melody. She released your hand, her gaze flickering to your basket again. "So, what's the plan? Gnocchi and... whatever else catches your eye?"