Avenger's One-shots and Preferences

Ordinary-Natasha Romanoff

I got a request from Jediknight129 who wanted me to include more one-shots with a male reader.

So I had this idea where the reader is just a regular guy who is friends with the team and he falls for the one and only Black Widow. But the reader is nervous about asking her out because he feels she deserves better than him. I'll include a Stan Lee cameo here too in honor of the man (may he rest in peace).

Enjoy. I hope I can write a male reader as well as a female one.

"Hey, everyone," you call out as you enter the lounge of the Avengers facility, a box of cookies from your bakery in hand. "Ah, (y/n), good to see ya," Steve greets, "Is it 6 already?" "No, there weren't many customers at the bakery today," you explain, "So I decided to close up shop early. I did bring some of these," you open the box of snicker doodles, "I know how much you all love these." 

Sure enough, the team gather and grab as many cookies as they could, Steve, Bucky, and Thor taking the most for themselves. "Thanks (y/n)," Natasha says as she manages to take a cookie from the box and bite into it, "Tasty as always. My compliments to the chef." You try to contain yourself from blushing. You have a bit of a crush on Natasha, but you weren't quite ready to act on it.

"These are good," Sam adds in agreement, "You really should tell us the recipe so we can make these ourselves." "I've told you before, Wilson, I can't de-vouch my grandmother's secret recipe," you point out, "She made me promise ON her deathbed to never speak the snicker doodle recipe beyond family." "You don't consider the Avengers your family?" Tony asks. "Well I would," you admit, "but I don't think my granny's ghost would." That made some of the others laugh.

When everyone else decided to head back to the couch to resume the film they were watching, you reach for Nat's arm to get her attention, "I brought you this," you hand her a smaller box which she opens to reveal a red velvet cupcake, "ooh, red velvet" was her reaction, "How'd you know it was my favorite?" "I've been paying attention to what you guys talk about every now and again," you answer, "This by the way has cream cheese filling." "The best kind for red velvet," she smiles, taking a bite, "you're a really great baker, (y/n). I know when you get a girlfriend you'll make her happy the rest of her life with these."
Your smile falters a little, thought the redhead didn't seem to notice, "Yeah, a girlfriend. Won't that be nice?"

Truth be told, you've really like Natasha for a long time. Sure, you were already a pretty big fan of the Avengers, and sure you always had a fanboy crush on the Black Widow, but ever since they saved your shop and livelihood from an unmarked AIM attack, you've really got to know them better seeing as they always kept coming back for your pastries.
And there were times when you wanted to pluck up the courage to ask out Nat as you got to know her better but...you would chicken out at the last minute, thinking she deserved far better than what you had to offer.

Compared to the rest of the team, with Steve and Bucky's super solider strength, Thor's godlike powers, Tony and Bruce's smarts, Pietro's super speed, Sam and Scott's tech, and even Clint's archery skills, you just felt...ordinary. Just a normal average man whose only power was being able to run a small business and satisfy sweet tooth cravings one eclair at a time. What good was that in the grand scheme of things when the woman you love fought alongside superheroes who have actually saved the world more times than one can count?

You would've stayed a little longer but you told the team you just remembered you had to go finish filling out an order for tomorrow. That was partially true, but you didn't exactly feel like hanging out right now.

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The next day you had got all the boxes of snicker doodles together by the time the guy who ordered them the other day came in to pick them up. "Here you are, sir, four dozen snicker doodles," you say handing the boxes to an elderly looking man who was something of a regular at your shop. "Thanks," Stan happily says taking the boxes from you, "These are some of the best snicker doodles I ever had, and I'm sure my daughter will love em for her birthday. How much do i owe ya?" "...you know what, Stan," you answer. "Consider them on the house. Think of it as me valuing your service."
"That is incredibly generous of you, young man," Stan replies, but stops before he turns to leave, "Hey, before I go, I should tell you...don't give up on her."