It definitely was, and if anyone knew that, it would be Natasha. She always did have a funny way of seeing right through him, despite his best efforts to the contrary.
"Yeah, I know, why do you think I rely on it so much?" And the thing about Natasha was that he could usually be honest with her in ways that he couldn't with other people. He might not put it into such plain words, but he respected her, and he was glad he knew her.
"Nothing wrong with that, though, unless it winds up with you burnt out. No one wants that." But then, even if Natasha weren't burnt out, she'd never tell anyone about it. He was the same way. "If it checks off your squares, then I'd say it does the trick alright."
And then he was giving her a small smile; it was actually a genuine one, not one that he put on for the press or the fawning public. "Yeah? Well, now I want to give you one, then." He was glad she'd stopped in too, even if she had knocked his defenses, or lack of them.
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"Yeah, I know, why do you think I rely on it so much?" And the thing about Natasha was that he could usually be honest with her in ways that he couldn't with other people. He might not put it into such plain words, but he respected her, and he was glad he knew her.
"Nothing wrong with that, though, unless it winds up with you burnt out. No one wants that." But then, even if Natasha weren't burnt out, she'd never tell anyone about it. He was the same way. "If it checks off your squares, then I'd say it does the trick alright."
And then he was giving her a small smile; it was actually a genuine one, not one that he put on for the press or the fawning public. "Yeah? Well, now I want to give you one, then." He was glad she'd stopped in too, even if she had knocked his defenses, or lack of them.