The Avengers and the X-Men have long had a surprisingly tricky relationship. While they've come to blows plenty of times over the years, many members of the latter team have joined the ranks of the former. The Avengers have also openly aligned with the X-Men in the past. Heroes from both teams developed deep connections with each other over the year and in some cases even romantic relationships, such as Storm and Black Panther.
But there's one timeline where it was another former Avenger and X-Man who started a romance, and it was perfect. X-Men Forever #11-14 (by Chris Claremont, Tom Grummett, Cory Hamscher, Wifredo Quintana, and Tom Orzechowski) introduced the Colossus and Black Widow of this timeline after they left their respective teams and became teammates on the Winter Guard. Notably, while the two may not seem to have much in common beyond their shared Russian heritage, the romance that blossomed works on a lot of levels.
The X-Men's Colossus Had a Relationship With Black Widow
While Earth-161 initially seemed similar to Earth-616, X-Men Forever revealed a number of important differences and deviations from the core-Marvel Universe of Earth-616. One of these deviations came when Russia decided to invest heavily in reforming the Winter Guard. Among the heroes recruited for this program was Colossus, who took the opportunity to be near his family. Receiving a tweaked costume, Colossus became a major member of this world's iteration of the team.
Due to her experience in the field and long history as a deadly agent, Black Widow was placed in charge of the Winter Guard. And, to everyone's surprise, a romance quickly blossomed between the pair. It was strong enough that when Kitty Pryde visited her first love after the death of Wolverine, Colossus could only weakly explain that his heart belonged to another and that it had occurred so naturally that he can't help but believe his love for Black Widow seemed "right".
Black Widow and Colossus' Romance Makes Sense
A romance between Colossus and Black Widow can seem arbitrary. Both characters are from Russia but hold very different perspectives of the world. Despite the lengths, he had to embrace to protect his loved ones and fight for what he believes in, even killing enemies on occasion, Colossus is still ultimately a noble man. By contrast, the cool and calculated Black Widow spent her life dealing with untold numbers of threats, all while maintaining a suspicious nature. However, these differences seem to work in their favor, making the case that they're a solid couple.
The genuine and unassuming Colossus would surely win her heart. Black Widow has the kind of confidence that Colossus finds attractive in women. And, their shared experience as Russians in America gives them something sentimental to bond over. The two can seem blunt and disconnected from the world, but both have a surprising amount of empathy that they frequently reveal to those they're close to. While the Colossus and Black Widow of Earth-616 never got the chance to be together, it's heartening to see that in at least one reality, the pair were able to find happiness together.