Chapter Text
”Hey, have you guys heard about the new guy training with the football team?” Pepper asked as she walked into her shared apartment. Her roommates Maria and Natasha were in their respective rooms doing homework, but their doors were open so they could easily hear their friend.
At her words, Maria and Natasha exchanged curious glances before setting aside their work and heading into the living room.
“No. Who is it?” Natasha asked. Her and Maria were sporting a small frown, since they thought it weird if Pepper were talking about a first year already accepted as part of the team without even a try-out.
Pepper dropped her bag on the couch and shrugged casually. “Tony mentioned he’s a second-year too. Apparently, he’s really good—good enough that he might even join the first team soon.” Pepper replied with a small shrug. Upon hearing those words, Maria and Natasha definitely couldn’t hide their surprise.
“Well, what else did Tony tell you about him?” Maria asked, her curiosity piqued. If this guy was that good at football, she definitely wanted to know more.
Pepper shrugged, settling into the couch. “He didn’t say much, actually. Just that his name is Steve.” She frowned, clearly disappointed in herself. “I probably should’ve asked for more details.”
“Yeah, you definitely should have,” Natasha chimed in, crossing her arms with a small smirk. “Now we’re stuck wondering who this mystery guy is unless we meet him ourselves.”
Maria rolled her eyes playfully. “Guess we’ll have to do some investigating.” Pepper’s phone buzzed on the coffee table. She picked it up, glancing at the screen.
“It’s Tony,” she said, holding up a finger as she answered the call. “Hey, Tony! So, about this Steve guy—what else do you know?”
There was a pause as Pepper listened to Tony’s response, her eyes widening slightly. “Wait, really? That’s... actually kind of impressive.”
Maria and Natasha exchanged a glance, waiting for Pepper to finish.
“Okay, yeah. Thanks for the update. See you later.” Pepper hung up and turned to the others with a grin. “Turns out Steve’s not just good at football—he’s already breaking records in the gym. Tony says he benched more than anyone on the team last week.”
Natasha raised an eyebrow. “So, he’s strong and he plays football? Sounds like a catch.”
Maria smiled slyly. “Now we really need to meet him.”
Pepper nodded, leaning back into the couch. “Oh, we will. If he’s as good as Tony says, he’s bound to make a name for himself. We won’t have to wait long.”
Pepper stretched her arms behind her head, looking more relaxed now that the conversation had shifted into light banter. “Honestly, if he’s already making waves like that, we might run into him sooner than we think. The whole school’s probably buzzing about him.”
Maria nodded thoughtfully. “Especially the football crowd. They’ll want to see what this guy’s made of.”
Natasha leaned against the back of the couch, still smirking. “Maybe we should go check out the next practice. See him in action for ourselves.”
Pepper grinned. “That could be fun. It’s been a while since we watched a game. Might as well see what all the fuss is about.”
“You just want an excuse to skip homework,” Maria teased, nudging her with an elbow.
Pepper held up her hands in mock defense. “Guilty as charged! But seriously, I’m curious now. Tony’s not easily impressed, so if he’s talking this guy up, there’s got to be something special about him.”
“Fair point,” Natasha agreed. “So, next practice, we’re going?”
Maria crossed her arms, pretending to think it over. “Yeah, I’m in. Could be fun.”
“I’ll bring snacks,” Pepper chimed in enthusiastically.
The girls laughed, the air between them light and full of excitement at the prospect of seeing this new player for themselves. They began discussing the logistics—when the next practice would be, what they’d wear, and how they might casually bump into Steve afterward. The conversation took on a playful tone, with Pepper making exaggerated plans about how they could “accidentally” run into him.
Suddenly, Natasha’s phone buzzed, pulling her attention away from the chatter. She glanced at the screen, her expression shifting from amusement to curiosity. “Speak of the devil...”
Maria and Pepper turned to her with raised eyebrows.
“What is it?” Maria asked, leaning in.
“Clint just texted me,” Natasha said, tapping at her phone. “He’s at the gym right now. And guess who just walked in?”
Maria’s eyes widened. “No way.”
“Steve?” Pepper guessed, her face lighting up.
Natasha nodded, her smirk returning. “Yup. Apparently, he’s warming up for some crazy weight-lifting session.”
Pepper jumped up from the couch. “Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s go check him out!”
Maria laughed. “You’re way too excited about this.”
“I’m curious!” Pepper insisted. “Besides, I could use a break from studying. And who knows, maybe we’ll get a sneak peek before practice.”
“Honestly, I gotta finish this homework. I won't have time for it tomorrow after classes, so, sorry girls. If you’re going, it's gonna be without me,” Natasha said and retreated back into her room.
“That sounds like your loss, Natasha. Come, Pepper,” Maria said and grabbed her jacket. A few seconds later, Natasha heard their front door shut. She was intrigued as to who this new guy is, but she had to be sensible. School had to be her priority.
Natasha sat back down at her desk, trying to refocus on her homework. But her thoughts kept drifting back to the conversation about Steve. She wasn’t one to get swept up in campus gossip, but something about this new guy had piqued her curiosity. Maybe it was the fact that Tony, who rarely gave out praise, had talked him up, or perhaps it was how eager Pepper and Maria were to check him out.
Shaking her head, Natasha forced herself to concentrate on her textbook. Focus. Homework first, curiosity later, she reminded herself. Still, as she stared at the page in front of her, the words seemed to blur together.
After what felt like an eternity, Natasha’s phone buzzed beside her, snapping her out of her unproductive trance. She glanced at the screen to see a message from Pepper:
Pepper: OMG, you missed it! He’s even better than Clint said!
Natasha rolled her eyes but couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at her lips. Pepper always had a flair for the dramatic. Her phone buzzed again.
Pepper: Seriously, Tasha. He’s insane. He lifted, like, three times the weight Clint does!
Natasha typed a quick reply: Glad you’re having fun, but I have homework to finish.
A moment later, Pepper responded with a single word: Boring.
Natasha chuckled and set her phone aside, forcing herself to dive back into her work.
The next day
Natasha was sitting in the front row of the big auditorium where their next lesson would be held. She was typing away on her computer when she noticed someone stopped beside her.
“Excuse me. Is this seat taken?” a male voice asked her. Natasha looked up from her computer and was met with the kindest smile she had probably ever seen. She quickly gave him a once over and could see that he was a well-built guy. He was wearing dark blue sweatpants and a white college hoodie. She couldn’t really see his body, but he was big, so she kind of assumed he was well-built.
“No, it isn’t,” Natasha replied and gestured to him that he could sit down beside her. She had been really engrossed in her notes until he interrupted her, so she tried to get back to that, but after a minute of her not writing anything, she gave up and decided she would just do them later. Instead, she decided she should introduce herself. “Where are my manners? I’m Natasha Romanoff,” She said and turned to the blonde guy who had just sat down beside her.
“Nice to meet you, Natasha. I’m Steve Rogers,” He said and flashed her that kind smile again. Natasha’s eyes widened slightly. This is probably the Steve that Pepper and Maria had talked about.
“Nice to meet you too, Steve. Are you new here? I’ve never seen you around before,” Natasha asked, now very interested in the guy sitting beside her.
Steve nodded and leaned back slightly in his seat. “Yeah, I am. My mom and I moved here last year, but I could only transfer colleges this summer. I’m just happy that I don’t have to start over,”
“So, you’re a real momma’s boy since you wanted to transfer colleges?” Natasha asked, only slightly teasing him. She knew that if a boy admitted that, he really was a momma’s boy.
“I definitely can’t lie about that,” He replied followed by a chuckle.
“Wow, Steve. In my experience that takes a real man to admit,” Natasha said with a grin that reached her eyes.
“I don’t mind people knowing that I have a soft since most people see me clashing into other guys,“ Steve said and shrugged. It is him I’ve heard about then. Steve chuckled again, his deep voice carrying a warmth that made Natasha’s grin widen. “I mean, when you spend most of your time tackling people on the field, it’s nice to have something to balance it out, right?”
Natasha tilted her head slightly, intrigued by how easily Steve talked about himself. He didn’t seem defensive or worried about what she thought—just honest. That was rare, especially around someone he barely knew.
“You’re definitely not what I expected,” she admitted, tapping her pen lightly against her notebook. “Most guys around here wouldn’t be so open about being, you know… soft.”
Steve’s expression softened as well. “I get that a lot. Guess people think I’m all muscle and no feelings,” he said, flexing one arm playfully before dropping it back down. “But what about you? You’ve got this serious, ‘no-nonsense’ vibe going on. Bet there’s more to you, too.”
Natasha laughed, raising an eyebrow. “Oh, I’ve got plenty of layers, but I don’t give them away so easily.”
Steve grinned, clearly enjoying their banter. “Fair enough. I’ll just have to stick around and figure them out.”
Natasha found herself enjoying the conversation more than she expected. There was something disarming about Steve, something that made her feel comfortable, even though they had just met. It wasn’t just the smile or the looks—though, objectively, he was very good-looking—it was the way he seemed genuinely interested, without any hint of arrogance.
The professor’s voice broke through their conversation, signaling the start of the lecture. Natasha turned back to her computer, but she could feel Steve’s presence beside her, still lingering in her thoughts. As the professor droned on, she found herself sneaking a glance at him every now and then, and each time, Steve was focused on the lesson, his brows furrowed slightly in concentration.
After the class ended, Natasha started packing up her things, and Steve stood up beside her. “Hey, Natasha, it was nice meeting you. Thanks for letting me sit here.”
“Anytime,” Natasha replied, slinging her bag over her shoulder. “I’ll see you around?”
Steve nodded, his kind smile returning. “Yeah, definitely. Maybe we can grab a coffee or something next time we have a break.”
Natasha smirked, feeling a little spark of excitement at the prospect. “Maybe. I’ll think about it.”
Steve laughed, giving her a little wave as he walked toward the exit. Natasha watched him go, her curiosity only deepening. Who knew the football star could be such a sweetheart? she thought, as she headed in the opposite direction, already wondering when their paths would cross again.
“NATASHA!?!?!?” Maria screamed as she entered their apartment. Natasha was doing homework with her headphones on, so she didn’t even hear Maria’s scream. She was shocked when Maria grabbed her chair and turned her around. She even let out a yelp. She threw her headphones onto her bed and stared wide-eyed at Maria.
“What the fuck, Maria!?” Natasha yelled back. ¨
“How could you not text me that you have been sitting beside Steve in your psychology class?” Maria was practically bouncing on her feet with excitement, her eyes wide and gleaming.
Natasha blinked in confusion. "Wait... how do you even know about that?"
"Darcy! She ran into me after class and told me everything!" Maria exclaimed, shaking Natasha’s chair for emphasis. “You were sitting next to Steve freaking Rogers in your psychology class, and you didn’t think to mention it?!”
Natasha rolled her eyes, rubbing her temples. "Maria, it's not that big of a deal. He just sat next to me—"
"Not a big deal? Natasha, he’s practically a celebrity on campus already!" Maria interrupted, throwing her hands in the air. "Football star, gorgeous, and apparently a total sweetheart. And you, of all people, were lucky enough to sit next to him! How could you not text me the second that happened?"
Natasha sighed, leaning back in her chair. "I didn’t even know who he was at first. He introduced himself, we talked for a bit, and that was it. I wasn’t about to fangirl over the guy just because he plays football."
Maria gasped dramatically, clutching her chest. "Natasha Romanoff, are you telling me you weren’t even a little bit interested?"
Natasha’s cheeks flushed, and she crossed her arms defensively. "I mean, sure, he’s nice. And yeah, he’s... not bad-looking. But I was trying to focus on my work."
Maria narrowed her eyes, clearly not buying it. "Uh-huh. Well, you know what this means, right?"
Natasha raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"You have to sit next to him again!" Maria declared, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Get to know him! Maybe... ask him to hang out?"
Natasha scoffed, shaking her head. "Oh, no way. I’m not doing that. He probably just sees me as another random classmate."
Maria smirked. "Oh, come on, Tasha. You’re not just 'another random classmate.' You’re smart, confident, and, let’s be honest, you’re kind of a badass. He’d be lucky to know you better."
Natasha rolled her eyes again, but a small smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "Thanks, Maria, but seriously, it’s not a big deal. Besides, I don’t even know if I’ll see him again."
Maria’s smirk widened. "Oh, you’ll see him again. Trust me."
Natasha shot Maria a suspicious look. "What do you mean by that?"
Maria leaned in closer, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Let’s just say, I may have heard through the grapevine that Steve is pretty serious about his studies, too. You’ll definitely run into him again in class. And if I were you, I’d make sure he knows how... interesting psychology can be with the right study partner."
Natasha snorted. "You’re unbelievable, Maria."
Maria grinned. "Come on, Tasha. I’m just saying—why not see where it goes? Worst-case scenario, you make a new friend. Best-case scenario, you get to know Steve Rogers better, and, well..." She wiggled her eyebrows. "Who knows what could happen?"
Natasha shook her head, laughing despite herself. "I’m not looking for anything like that right now. I’ve got enough on my plate."
Maria folded her arms, looking skeptical. "That’s what everyone says right before something unexpected happens. Besides, what harm is there in being open to possibilities?"
Natasha raised an eyebrow, thinking about it for a moment. "I guess it wouldn’t hurt to be friendly, at least."
Maria clapped her hands together. "Exactly! That’s the spirit!"
Just then, Pepper walked into the apartment, grocery bags in hand. She immediately noticed the lively conversation and raised an eyebrow. "What’s going on? You two look like you’re plotting something."
Maria turned to Pepper, a sly smile on her face. "Oh, nothing major. Just convincing Natasha to make her move on Steve Rogers."
Pepper’s eyes widened. "Wait, wait, wait—what? Natasha, you didn’t tell me you were sitting next to him today!"
Natasha groaned. "Oh, not you too, Pepper! I already had Maria grilling me about this. I wasn’t trying to keep it a secret; it just wasn’t that big of a deal."
Pepper set the grocery bags down and hurried over, her face full of excitement. "Are you kidding? Of course, it’s a big deal! Steve Rogers is like... the campus crush of the century. You’re sitting next to him and playing it cool like it’s nothing? That’s impressive!"
Natasha threw her hands up in exasperation. "I swear, if I’d known how much hype this guy gets, I’d have chosen a different seat just to avoid all this."
Pepper laughed. "Well, too late now! You’ve got our attention, and we’re fully invested."
Maria nodded in agreement. "Exactly. We’re not letting you off the hook that easily."
Natasha rolled her eyes, but deep down, she couldn’t help but feel a small flicker of curiosity about Steve. Maybe her friends had a point—there was no harm in getting to know him better. And if nothing came of it, at least she’d have some interesting stories to share with them.
"Fine," Natasha said with a sigh, giving in to her friends' playful pressure. "If I run into him again, I’ll talk to him. Happy?"
Maria and Pepper exchanged triumphant looks.
"Very," Maria said with a grin.
Pepper added, "Oh, I can’t wait to hear how this goes."
Natasha just shook her head, smiling despite herself, as her friends continued to tease her.