One Month Later…
Time passed. Slowly. Viscerally.
Thirty days since that moment in the hearing room. Thirty nights since Maria Hill, under both political and emotional pressure, reluctantly agreed to recognize Naruto as a "non-affiliated strategic entity."
And yet… in those turns of time, nothing had truly changed.
Nothing—except them.
The Apartment — 07:12 AM
The alarm had never rung.
They woke by instinct. Like two creatures in a half-alert state. Like two souls who had never truly learned peace.
Naruto was already awake, seated on the edge of the bed.
Shirt on, black tactical pants, hair tousled. He stared at the filtered light passing through the curtains.
A pale morning sunbeam brushed the chakra marks on his chest, pulsing gently at rest—like a second heartbeat.
Natasha was still in bed.
Or at least… she looked asleep.
He knew.
She could feel his movements the moment his breathing changed.
But she pretended.
To let him believe he'd had a moment alone.
And he said nothing.
To let her believe she still slept peacefully.
A quiet balance. A language of gestures, of silences.
In the kitchen, the coffee was already brewing. A familiar smell rose, seeping into the walls, their clothes, their habits.
Naruto poured two cups. One black, for him. One with a hint of cinnamon—for her.
He remembered. She had never told him. But he'd noticed.
One morning, she had smiled after watching him prepare it.
Since then, he'd done it without asking.
She entered the kitchen, still dressed in an oversized t-shirt and socks.
He handed her the cup.
She took it, and they stood there. Side by side. Drinking.
— "Sometimes it feels like we're… normal," she said, breaking the silence.
Naruto turned his head toward her, his gaze calm and steady.
— "Do you want it to be?"
She shrugged.
— "I don't know if I'm made for it."
He tilted his head slightly.
— "And me? Do you think I am?"
She hesitated, then shook her head.
— "No. You're worse than me."
A smile tugged at her lips.
But it wasn't sarcasm.
It was tender. Real.
Almost a compliment.
Some things weren't said out loud.
Out of fear they'd break what they were quietly building.
Naruto hadn't mentioned Hinata.
Not yet.
And Natasha hadn't spoken of the void.
Of her stolen motherhood. Her reconstructed body. A future without children.
But they watched each other.
And sometimes, a glance said everything.
A slight furrow of Naruto's brow when she touched the scar on her shoulder.
A silent sigh from Natasha when he slipped too far into his thoughts.
Silence was their confession.
And closeness, their price.
– 11:23 AM
Even after a month, Naruto remained under surveillance.
Not detained. But never free.
Trackers embedded in his ID badge. Thermal sensors. And probably other methods he wasn't even aware of yet.
He tolerated them.
Because he understood.
Their fear was justified.
A month ago, he had effortlessly dismantled an entire training division.
He had apologized.
But the drones, the security agents, the command—none of them had forgotten.
And neither had Hill.
Natasha had fought tooth and nail for him to walk freely—without needing to hide his face.
But she couldn't control the entire Council.
And in the shadows… the knives were already being sharpened.
In the evening, they trained.
Not for missions. Not for fitness.
But to survive their own ghosts.
The room was bare. Dimly lit. Tatami mats on the floor. No spectators.
Natasha in a grey tank top, her hair tied back.
Naruto shirtless, barefoot, his mind sharp as a blade.
They exchanged strikes, feints, evasions.
But with each contact, there was more.
A need to feel.
A need to stay.
He blocked her wrist. She slid under his arm. He pivoted. She fell into him in a perfect roll.
And they ended up on the floor.
Breathless.
Still.
Their bodies tangled.
Their eyes locked.
Naruto hovering above her.
Natasha pinned—but unyielding.
And she smiled.
— "You learn fast."
— "I have a good teacher."
She raised a hand and brushed his face.
— "And you're not a kid anymore."
He didn't reply.
But he lowered his head.
And their lips met.
Soft.
Without storm.
A kiss that said:
"I'm still alive."