Family Business

16.

That weekend 

James was getting ready to leave to hang out with Torunn and Morgan, and to say he was nervous was a bit of an understatement. He didn't know why, both girls where his friends, but he wasn't sure why he was having a bad feeling about today.  Almost like something was going to happen, he couldn't really explain it. 

"Hey James," His mother said knocking on his door. James frowned when he saw his mother standing by his door with an innocent smile lacing her face. 

"Here to snoop mom?" He asked as he pulled on a coat. He looked around to see if he could find her phone. James knew that his mother would come here eventually, she always liked to find out as much as she could before he left with his friends. 

"Snoop? I don't snoop, I am hurt you'd accuse me of such things. I would never betray your trust as such," Natasha said placing a hand on her heart. "I swear." 

"Why do we still act like I don't know what you are doing? The thing you do with your words that confuses me to no end until I forget what we are talking about so you can snoop, can't work on me any longer." He claimed. 

"I am playing no trick," She held up her hands. "I am just here to ask you if you needed me to give you a ride." Natasha was very protective of her son, anyone who had eyes could see that. She liked to make sure she knew everything about what he was doing and being the best spy in the world allowed her to figure out all of these things. 

"No god please no, I don't need you dropping me off and yelling out you love me," James said, looking through his phone now, not noticing his mother moving around his room. 

"That happened one time," She said defensively. 

"One time?! It happens every time you drop me off." He said barely looking up long enough to look at his mother, who was reading notes James had on his desk. "I feel like you love to drop me off so you can embarrass me." 

"Can't a mother tell her son just how much she loves her son?" Natasha asked with a smile. 

"no. Not you. Especially not you and dad. That's a train wreck waiting to happen."  James finally put down his phone to look at his mother who was no longer by the door where he last remembered her to be. "Mom! You're snooping!" James said giving her an annoyed look. 

"I'm just making sure you're okay," she claimed. "Tell Morgan I say hello. It's very bold of you to go out with both of the girls you are dating." 

"What? Eww gross. I am not dating Morgan!" 

"But you're dating Torunn?" She asked. "Can't say I am surprised, although I am a bit surprised." 

"No! Mom! I am going out with them as friends." He claimed. 

"Right, of course, you are. Just remember no to do anything... that will make me a grandmother, I am too young." She said smirking and shaking her head ever so slightly as if to display her disapproval of something like that happening. 

"MOM!" He exclaimed while the smirk on Natasha's face stay still, if not growing to twice it's size. 

"James bud, you wanna keep it down?" Steve said walking into the room he saw Natasha casually standing by James's desk and raised a curious eyebrow  "What's going on?" he asked motioning to her. 

"Mom is being Mom again."

"Do you expect any less?" He asked. "Your mother still thinks I am gay." 

"Cause you are." She said. "You and Bucky and Sam are in love, well more so with Sam now because Bucky is head over heels in love with Wanda. But you and Sam are just as cute. Maria and I support you."