Lessons in Rule Breaking and Other Reader-Inserts*Steve Rogers*Reader*

No Apologies Needed - Pt.4/4

"Call her."

Steve raised his gaze from the phone spinning in his hand, alarmed, only to see the source of the voice standing two steps from him with an amused smile. He stopped the absent motion with his hand and laid the phone next to him on the couch.

It had been several days since the incident at the bar and what followed it – including the medical attention given to the injured woman in the Tower –, but it was still very fresh in his mind. He was not about to admit that in front of Natasha Romanov though.

"Call who?"

"Don't play dumb, Rogers. It doesn't suit you," the redhead huffed, rolling her eyes. Steve just sighed. Of course she knew.

"Why would I call her?" he asked, honestly curious.

There was no single reason to do that. He had selfishly used her as a cover at the bar, he had got her kidnapped and injured, but at least he had apologized profusely, made sure her injuries had been treated and they had parted ways with an offer for her to contact the Tower if she found herself in any trouble.

Not one reason to call her, no matter how much of space she had been occupying in his head.

"To ask her out, naturally."

Well.

Naturally, Natasha would pick up on that too. So what, maybe there was more than just one reason why he was thinking about the woman and the character of some thoughts was very inappropriate given the trouble he had caused – just another thing to discourage him from making the call. Steve was almost ashamed of thinking about kissing her again to be honest.

"I'm not gonna do that," he stated rather calmly, sure of the exclamation. He wouldn't say he didn't want to, because he didn't like lying. He wouldn't text her or call her, because he had to leave her alone. She deserved a peace of mind after what she had been through.

"Um, yes, you are."

"I can't do that," he rephrased, staring into Natasha's eyes with determination. He couldn't and he wouldn't.

"Wrong. You have to do that. You were making googly eyes at her. So was she."

"I got her kidnapped!" he blurted out hastily, straightening in the seat.

"So? You handled one crisis together already."

"Natasha-"

"And I didn't hear any complaints about the kiss either," she noted with a knowing grin and Steve internally groaned, feeling the heat of a blush creeping up his neck. Now she hit the nail on the head precisely and Steve actually was ashamed.

"That's— that's not relevant!

"That good, huh?"

"Romanov!"

"Grow a pair and call her, she was cute," the spy invited him with a friendly smile, just like hundred's times before when she had been trying to set him up with someone. Steve had thought there were over that.

Apparently not.

"I'm not calling her."

Natasha shrugged and held out her hand. "Alright, then I will."

"I swear to God, Natasha-"

Her eyes left his for a second and then she sighed, raising her hands in surrender.

"Okay, okay. I won't. And if you really don't wanna talk about it, I'll drop it."

Steve blinked in surprise. Since when she was giving up so easily? There had to be a catch... except Steve couldn't quite see it.