Natasha Romanoff — Black Widow — stood in the living room, arms crossed as she looked toward the spot where the Bifrost had opened a day ago. She had been lodging here temporarily, sent by S.H.I.E.L.D. after they detected the Bifrost's signature on Earth. But by the time she arrived, Dave and his companions had already vanished.
She muttered under her breath, "When is he going to return?"
It wasn't like Dave to leave without a trace, though given who he traveled with and the kind of power he wielded, Natasha had learned to expect the unexpected around him. Still, she wasn't used to waiting around — and it was starting to get on her nerves.
She wandered into the kitchen, opened the fridge, and grabbed a water bottle. As she leaned against the counter, she glanced at the faint scorch mark left behind on the ground where the Bifrost had touched down.
S.H.I.E.L.D. had confirmed the energy readings matched Asgardian tech. But Dave's house had been eerily untouched — like he had simply stepped out for a moment and might walk back through the door any second.
Just then, a soft tremor passed through the floor. The lights flickered once.
Natasha's eyes narrowed.
Then — FWOOOSH — a blinding flash of light erupted in the backyard.
She was already moving, gun drawn, crouching low as she slid to the patio door. But when she looked outside, her eyes widened in surprise.
There stood Dave, relaxed as ever, along with four stunning women — each radiating power in a different way. Emma's eyes glowed faintly with the last embers of Phoenix energy. Trish stretched her arms behind her head. Diana stood tall and poised. Boa had one hand on her hip, flicking her hair as if she were stepping onto a stage.
Dave caught sight of Natasha through the glass and smirked.
"Miss me?"
Natasha blinked, then shook her head with a sigh. "About time."
"Hello, Natasha," Diana said warmly, her eyes lighting up as she spotted the redhead.
Without hesitation, she walked over and embraced her. Natasha returned the hug with a small smile, patting Diana's back. The others greeted her as well, exchanging nods and light smiles.
"So, what brings you here?" Dave asked, stepping forward and tilting his head slightly. He could already guess, but he wanted to hear it from her directly.
Natasha sighed, then pulled out a small tablet from her pocket, showing him an image. Strange Asgardian symbols glowed faintly on the ground — left behind in the aftermath of the Bifrost's arrival.
"This," she said. "That beam of light — our S.H.I.E.L.D. sensors picked it up immediately. Energy readings off the charts. I came to ask what it was... and what it was for."
"Nothing major," Dave said with a shrug. "Asgard was about to be invaded by Dark Elves, so Thor called me in for a bit of fighting."
Natasha raised an eyebrow, folding her arms. "Dark Elves? You're telling me some ancient race tried to invade Asgard, and Thor had to ask you for help? What even are those things?"
"Don't worry about them," Dave replied casually. "They're all dead. Their leader's reduced to dust, and they won't be interfering with anyone anymore — not Asgard, not Earth."
Natasha exhaled slowly, processing it all. "Right. Just another normal day, I guess."
Emma chuckled nearby. "For Dave, yeah. This is normal."
Boa smirked. "He barely even had to lift a finger."
Natasha gave Dave a sideways look. "And you didn't think to call me in for backup?"
Dave grinned. "Trust me, by the time you would've arrived, it would've been over anyway."
"Even I didn't fight," he added, jerking his thumb toward Emma and Trish. "They handled everything. It was over in minutes."
Emma and Trish smirked proudly, exchanging a nod behind him.
"Hah," Natasha muttered under her breath, watching them. "You're seriously surrounded by some overpowered women..."
Dave raised an eyebrow. "What was that?"
"Nothing," she said quickly, waving it off. Then added, "One look at that crater and those readings told me everything I needed to know. I'm reporting back to S.H.I.E.L.D."
Dave nodded. "Alright then. Stay safe, Widow."
Natasha turned to leave, but paused at the doorway, glancing back over her shoulder. Her expression softened slightly.
"...Dumb bastard," she muttered with a faint sigh — just loud enough for Dave to hear — before disappearing down the hallway and out of sight.
Dave just chuckled under his breath, watching Natasha walk away.
"I think she's into you," Trish said, watching her leave with a smirk.
"I know," Dave replied casually.
"So why isn't she in our bed with us yet?" Emma asked, raising an eyebrow as she leaned back against him.
Dave chuckled, wrapping an arm around her waist. "Because it's more fun teasing her."
The girls laughed softly, exchanging amused glances as they leaned into each other, the playful energy between them unmistakable.
The sun outside was beginning to dip, casting a warm golden hue across the living room. The group had settled into a relaxed, post-Asgard calm — lounging around Dave's home, enjoying the rare peace.
Emma was curled up on one end of the plush couch, flipping through a book with telekinesis while sipping wine. Boa was admiring herself in the mirror, adjusting her hair as if preparing for a runway. Diana was looking at the files like an perfect secretory. Trish, meanwhile, had her legs propped on the table, tossing popcorn into her mouth while half-watching an action movie playing on the TV.
Dave walked in with a bowl of snacks, tossing a few at Trish who caught them with her mouth without looking.
"You're welcome," he smirked.
"Don't act like you're not impressed," she shot back, winking.
He sat down beside Emma, casually resting his arm across the back of the couch. "Alright, since we're all back and things are calm, I guess it's time I start dealing with that Aether."
All eyes turned to him at once.
"You're going to purify it now?" Diana asked, setting tablet aside.
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