There's barely a pause, but to the trained ear it's there, and it means Steve's been listening to more than just her words.
"I was going for levity," he says, so dry it could be a joke in itself. Anyone else wouldn't have taken Steve seriously, but of course Natasha would have. Steve's gone around the system before, and he has no doubts she knows that. Unlike her, however, he tries not to do it a lot.
But it's the hitch in her voice that keeps him from being a smartass, or from getting frustrated with her. It speaks volumes. Looks like they'll have more to talk about than he thought. "Right, I guess I'll see you in a couple hours. It's a good thing I'm wearing clean underwear."
This time, he lets the tension ease up from his voice just enough to see the joke home. Things aren't great between them right now, but above everything else he wants her to know she's still his partner, and he's still going to watch her back. He's glad she's OK.
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"I was going for levity," he says, so dry it could be a joke in itself. Anyone else wouldn't have taken Steve seriously, but of course Natasha would have. Steve's gone around the system before, and he has no doubts she knows that. Unlike her, however, he tries not to do it a lot.
But it's the hitch in her voice that keeps him from being a smartass, or from getting frustrated with her. It speaks volumes. Looks like they'll have more to talk about than he thought. "Right, I guess I'll see you in a couple hours. It's a good thing I'm wearing clean underwear."
This time, he lets the tension ease up from his voice just enough to see the joke home. Things aren't great between them right now, but above everything else he wants her to know she's still his partner, and he's still going to watch her back. He's glad she's OK.