Summary: Natalia may swear up and down that she isn't a tactile person, but James seems to always be holding her no matter what her mood. It's gotten to the point where the team can determine what type of mood she's in simply by looking at how James is holding her.

A/N: Italics represent Russian

i. her laughter is his favorite medicine

When Stark invites him to join the team's Christmas celebration, James isn't too sure he should take him up on the offer. It seems like an offer Stark would make simply to appease Steve and Natalia, nothing truly genuine. They may be on decent terms, but James wouldn't consider them to be friendly enough to spend Christmas together even if the rest of the team is going.

He has every intention of sending Natalia on without him, content to stay home with the cats while she enjoys time with the team, but she refuses. If he's going to stay home, she will too, she promises. After that, James agrees to go if only so he doesn't ruin her Christmas with the team.

"We don't have to go, James."

He's been fussing for about an hour now, unsure what to wear to the dinner. While Natalia promised it would just be the team―not a formal event―he still finds it difficult to pick an outfit.

"No, this is important to you."

Even though she hasn't said anything, he knows how much tonight means to her. The team had been her family for years before he came crashing back into her life and he doesn't want to be the one to take her away from them.

They arrive at the Compound five minutes after Stark had told them to, but he doesn't comment on it and Pepper still greets them warmly. Their only saving grace is that Barton still isn't there either and Rhodey pulls up at the same time as them.

Unfortunately, Pepper pulls Natalia away as soon as they step through the door and James is left alone for an awkward minute.

"Wanna grab a drink?" Rhodey suggests.

James nods and after a shot or three, he's feeling a little more comfortable in the current company.

Ten minutes later, Barton finally arrives and Stark finally allows the full festivities to begin. While James never actually encounters the man, he does decide that the party is enjoyable enough and that he's glad he came.

Much of his evening is spent chatting with Sam and Steve, but eventually, they make their way into the common room where the others have all slowly gathered. It doesn't take long for his eyes to find Natalia talking animatedly with Agent Hill on the other side of the room.

With a bit of maneuvering through the small crowd, James makes it to her side and loosely throws his arm over her shoulders. Natalia doesn't stop her conversation, but she does lean into him and her smile widens.

"Fuck, Romanov." Hill snorts, poorly covering her laughter with her wine glass. "You're whipped."

"Don't get jealous now," Natalia teases. "It's not my fault Wilson―"

"Stop right there," Hill interrupts. She gives James a side-eye and Natalia rolls her eyes.

"He knows, Maria," she tells her friend. Because, as a general rule, anything Natalia knows, James knows by extension.

"Of course, he does," Hill says, sounding less surprised and more exasperated. "Just because he knows, though, doesn't mean I want fucking Stark to know. And you know he's listening."

Natalia laughs and James grins as she throws back her head. Hill gives him a look, but she's smiling and James is too content with his arm draped over Natalia's shoulders to offer to leave. If she wants to talk to Natalia without him around, she'll have to wait.

ii. fiercely in love

Natalia has always been full of fire. From subtly defying orders in the Red Room to going behind SHIELD's back, she's never backed out of a fight and James admires her for it. Sometimes, though, he's worried about where it will take them.

Like right now, for instance. They had just returned from an unofficial mission and Natalia was absolutely furious.

In Natalia's defense, her anger is justified. If James weren't so focused on keeping her from flaying the agent, he would have been the one glaring a hole in the quinjet wall. His comment had been uncalled for and it's going to bother James for at least a day or two, but it doesn't mean the agent deserves Natalia's full wrath.

"Natalia, breathe," James murmurs in her ear. His left arm is wrapped tightly around her waist and while he doubts anyone else can tell, it's not just there because he wants to hug her. He's holding her back and she's fighting him with everything she has in her. It's subtle enough, though, that none of the others will notice.

"I'm going to skin him," she snarls, pulling against his hold. His arm doesn't budge. "Let me go, James."

"No." He adjusts his hold on her waist and in one smooth motion, he turns her to face him. "Let it go or you'll make it worse."

Half of the agents―presumably those that have worked with Natalia before―are politely pretending not to notice them. The other half―those that were clearly in agreement with the first agent―are staring at them expectantly.

He sees her fingers twitch and knows she's preparing to grab a gun even before she moves. He beats her to it and their hands land on her holster at the same time.

"If you shoot him, Fury will bench you," James warns her. "Let. It. Go."

Natalia glares at him fiercely but drops her hand from her gun. James still doesn't let her go.

"Let me off the damn jet, Barnes," she snarls. She shoves at his chest and he lets her go.

As she passes the agent, she gives him a glare so fierce it has him cowering. The agents around him disperse, but Natalia is already off the jet. It's fortunate they had landed moments before the agent had opened his mouth or James would worry about her jumping off the jet.

When James moves to follow her, the first agent cowers further into his seat. While he hadn't had any intention of speaking to the man, this makes him pause.

"You had no right," James tells him quietly, "but I hope it was worth it."

The agent stares up at him with wide eyes, unmoving and unblinking. James almost pities him.

"Your time is limited," he warns. "She'll make sure of it."

Natalia won't kill the agent because James will ask her not to, but he doesn't bother telling the agent this. He'll be out of SHIELD in two days' time because Natalia is just that good. Plus, James likes to think Hill has taken a liking to him and won't keep anyone on her staff that tries to drag his past up like that.

"Come on," James says, catching up to Natalia and tugging on her arm. "You need to blow off some steam."

They go to the gym before they go to debrief Hill, but it's well worth the wait because Natalia doesn't try to shoot the agent when she sees him again. She's still angry, but James's arm is locked around her waist once again and this time, it's more comforting than annoying. At least when she's mad, she knows he's still on her side.

iii. her favorite pillow

James knows she's had a long week so it's not necessarily surprising when she finds him thirty minutes into a team party. After a three-day mission and a full week of training, Natalia hasn't exactly had much time to rest. Usually, it takes her a bit longer to find him during evenings like these with the team, though.

Without breaking away from his conversation with Steve, James lifts his arm and tucks her against his chest. As he expected, she melts into the touch and nearly disappears in his arms. He doesn't have to look down to know her eyes are closed.

"Long week?" Steve asks, a smile pulling at his mouth.

James nods. "Too long."

Steve hums and they continue their conversation, but in quieter voices so as not to disturb Natalia.

He knows Natalia won't actually fall asleep, but she looks close to it by the time he and Steve finish talking. The others in the Compound have seemingly lowered their voices as well which would be surprising if James didn't know them better. Natalia's done a lot for all of them in the past week. Even Stark has decided he doesn't need to shout if it means she can hide peacefully against James's chest.

When they finally leave the Compound, Natalia is barely standing on her own and James is certain she'll fall asleep on the drive home. He doesn't mind carrying her up to their small apartment in the city, though. It's a nice reminder of how different things are now that they're out of Russia and far from Hydra's reach.