Work Text:
Everything is gone. Her home, her family, her sanity. Wanda’s heart was clenched so tightly it felt like the rest of her body wasn’t getting enough oxygen. It made her limbs the equivalent of dead weight and caused her head to feel like it was filled with cotton balls.
She sits on the ground by the door of the strange Avengers jet she was on. In another life, this was her worst nightmare, being an Avenger that is. She always felt they’d caused so much pain in her life, yet, here she was, going with them after fighting alongside them. She vaguely wondered if she pinched herself she’d wake up. This couldn’t be real.
Tears flow freely down her cheeks, falling onto her arms where she had buried her head. She wanted to disappear. Everything she’d ever known was gone and she didn’t know where home was. It was supposed to be with Avengers now, but that didn’t seem right to her.
Someone sits down beside her. Wanda lets her eyes focus on scuffed black boots before glancing up and finding fiery red hair. Natasha , she recalled. The witch almost turned away but the soft look in Natasha’s bewitching blue eyes held her place.
“I know it’s been a rough day for you,” Natasha starts, making Wanda’s breath hitch, “But we don’t have to talk if you don’t want to.”
Wanda didn’t want to. She was sure if she opened her mouth all would come out were choked sobs and incoherent speech in Sokovian. The newest Avenger was resigned to her fate of drowning in her own grief and talking seemed unhelpful anyways.
Natasha finds herself trying almost too hard to be next to the brunette, overwhelmed with the need to cosset her. Perhaps it was because she’d been in the same situation years ago when she joined S.H.I.E.L.D. Being the new person on a team in an entirely new country was scary, and having someone by your side could make it easier. Natasha had Clint. Now Wanda has Natasha.
“Good, because I don’t want to.” Wanda’s tone was a bit more bite than she would have liked and she sighs.
Pulling herself together marginally, she tries again.
“Not right now, at least.” Is murmured in a softer voice with a half-formed apologetic smile.
Natasha just nods and doesn’t look offended at all much to the witch’s relief. Wanda uncrosses her arms slowly, sliding a little closer to the redhead. Her presence is comforting for a reason she cannot understand. Seeing how far her luck will go, Wanda presses into Natasha’s side.
Natasha doesn’t dare flinch despite how taken off guard she is. She decides it’s not in a bad way because she quite enjoys Wanda’s weight at her side. She glances down at her red leather jacket currently being worn by someone other than herself.
In a split moment decision, Natasha reaches into a hidden pocket sewn into the inside of the jacket. Wanda’s breath catches when the redhead’s fingertips brush her ribs. She remains still until Natasha pulls out a black ring embellished with little red stones.
“When I was a kid, I considered this ring my good luck charm,” Natasha explains, taking Wanda’s hand in her own, “I somehow managed to keep it all these years.”
The ring had been a gift from her mother, Melina, even though Melina was not technically her birth mother. She was the closest thing Natasha had ever had to one though. When Natasha had been sent back to the Red Room, she refused to give up the ring in hopes it would be comforting to her. She hid it wherever she could to make sure her Red Room teachers wouldn’t confiscate it. She used to think the ring would bring her good luck. Even though it was stupid and she knew it, she kept it with her even when she figured Melina was never coming back for her.
Natasha slides the ring onto Wanda’s right ring finger gently. The witch simply stares at their hands, lips pursed in an attempt to not audibly cry out at the kind gesture.
“Like the jacket, the ring is going to have a new owner now.” Natasha smiles at her tenderly.
Fresh tears roll down the witch’s cheek. She clutches her hand to her chest and mouths a quiet “Thank you.”
Natasha nods simply, wrapping her pinky around Wanda’s on her free hand. Their hands rest against Natasha’s thigh and they just sit. It’s mercifully quiet and undisturbed. Wanda focuses solely on Natasha’s warmth next to her. They just sit and for a moment everything feels okay enough.
---
Everything is new. And unfamiliar. And wrong. This new room is hers, and it’s the nicest she’d had well… ever. It feels too big, especially since she can’t share it with her twin brother. The emptiness reminds her how utterly alone she is. The bed--her bed--is comfortable, almost too comfortable and it makes her want to toss and turn. She wants to scream and cry and let out all her pent-up emotions.
Instead, she just stares blankly at the ceiling. Her whole body is numb and heavy. Maybe if she stays still long enough, she’ll slip away. She hadn’t even changed out of her dress or taken off her boots. All Wanda had the energy to do was fall back on the bed, and that’s what she did. She felt like she’d been swept out to sea and left on a deserted island, destined to die slowly.
A soft knock on the door caught her attention.
“Come in.” Wanda’s voice is woefully raspy and she winces.
She sits up against the headboard as Natasha enters slowly, balancing a cup of tea in her hands. She sets it down on the bedside table before looking at Wanda. She chuckles to herself.
“You’re a mess, Maximoff.” Natasha teases.
She plucks a tissue from the box and cups Wanda's face with her hand, wiping away tears and smudged makeup. The witch’s cheeks flush pink and she breaks away from Natasha’s stare. Wanda reaches out for the teacup, trying to give herself something else to do other than gawk at the redhead’s softness.
She takes a sip, delighted to find soothing, warm chamomile tea. She concentrates hard on the beverages while Natasha undoes the laces of her boots for her, sliding them off and setting them next to the bed.
“Figured you couldn’t sleep.” Natasha gestures to the mug before settling into the bed next to Wanda.
“Right on that one.” Wanda replies, taking another sip before setting it down.
She can’t say she minds Natasha’s presence and actually finds it comforting for a reason she can’t explain. Maybe it’s her kindness or her warmth. But Natasha makes her feel a little better about everything.
Natasha lays down and motions for Wanda to follow suit. She does, falling back to stare at the ceiling again. Silent tears slide down and fall into her hair. The redhead rolls onto her side, studying Wanda’s side profile.
She’s beautiful is all Natasha can think. Her eyes are a mesmerizing oceanic color scape. Right now they were more of a sad, dull blue. But Natasha remembers during the fight how they were a steely gray and beforehand than had been a captivating green. Wanda’s eyes always seemed to change with her emotions, and Natasha wanted to see every single expression and commit it to memory.
Wanda feels Natasha's eyes on her. She turns to her side, catching her stare.
“If you’re going to ask me to talk, I still don’t feel like it.”
The spy shakes her head.
“I wasn’t going to ask. I’m just going to be here.”
Natasha gives a soft smile before closing her eyes. Her breath evens out and Wanda tries to match it. She waits a few minutes until she feels sure the redhead really is deeply asleep before shifting closer, tucking the blanket snugly around the two of them. Immediately she’s hit with Natasha’s warmth, and she wants to bask in it forever. This, plus the soporific tea, drag her eyes shut.
Natasha trusts her enough to sleep next to her. That must mean something, despite their checkered past interactions. It also has to mean she can trust Natasha, too. More confidently now, she lets guard down and drifts to sleep.
Unbeknownst to Wanda, Natasha’s not actually asleep. She’s only pretending so Wanda will feel safe enough to fall asleep, too. And it worked.
She remembers Clint pulling the same trick on her when she first joined S.H.I.E.L.D. When he’d later told her that, she’d scoffed yet affectionately called him a bastard.
Now Natasha could unashamedly study Wanda. She reaches up to tuck some of Wanda's long hair behind her ear, fingertips gently trailing down her jawline. In her sleep, Wanda’s nose scrunches up and shifts closer to Natasha until their legs are tangled together. Natasha’s heart flutters and she moves her hand to Wanda’s waist, a reassuring touch. She falls asleep with a soft smile on her face.
---
Wanda wakes up slightly disoriented the next morning. Judging by the sunlight streaming through the window, it must be at least noon. For a brief moment, she can’t remember where she was.
But then she remembers Natasha, who’s still sleeping peacefully next to her. Wanda snuggles further into the redhead’s hold, determining she could indulge in the warmth a little while longer and ignore the anguish in her chest. She presses her face into Natasha’s collarbone, shielding herself from the impending sunlight.
Natasha stirs faintly, looking down at the brunette in marginal confusion. It fades quickly and is replaced with affection. She stretches before resettling her arms around Wanda.
“What time is it?” Natasha mumbles sleepily.
A glance at the clock over the spy’s shoulder tells Wanda “It’s 12:16.”
“I declare today a day to sleep in.”
“We already slept in.” Wanda points out with a soft laugh.
Granted, she wasn’t sure if there was really anything to do today, but she rarely slept this late. Usually, she was plagued by nightmares and was never comfortable in Hydra. But it was different with Natasha. Natasha was warm and radiated safety, unlike anything Wanda had ever previously experienced.
“So there’s no harm in going back to sleep.” Natasha counters with a crooked smile.
“Fair point.”
---
Wanda wakes up slowly the second time. She pushes the blanket down, suddenly too warm, and rubs her eyes sleepily. Rolling onto her back, she finally glances towards Natasha. Only to find that side of the bed empty. Wanda frowns at the rumpled sheets. The room is too big again.
The witch sits up, wrapping her arms around herself protectively as if holding herself together. She has to find Natasha. She quietly pads down the unfamiliar hallway, trying to memorize her steps in case she gets lost. Her heart thumps harshly in her chest as she begins to fidget with the ring Natasha had given her nervously. The hallway opens up into a spacious living room decked out with a large couch and armchairs and a flat-screen television. Connected to it was a smaller kitchen, which was currently occupied by a certain redhead.
Hearing light footsteps, Natasha looked over her shoulder. Her smile falters at the slightly perturbed look written across Wanda’s features.
“Hey,” Natasha holds an arm out, “C’mere.”
Wanda obliges, sliding into place at the redhead’s side.
“Sorry you woke up alone,” Natasha starts, pulling Wanda into a one-armed hug, “I was just starving.” She gestures to the grilled cheese cooking in a pan on the stovetop.
“S’okay.” Wanda murmurs into Natasha’s hair.
She closes her eyes and snakes her arms around the spy’s waist, content in just breathing her in for the moment. Being close to Natasha brought Wanda safety and comfort she thought she wouldn’t feel again without Pietro. Natasha was a solid rock amongst choppy seas, one Wanda never wanted to let go of.
Natasha’s smile is stupidly wide. And she can’t stop it. Somehow, Wanda’s stolen her heart and she can’t say she’s mad about it. They sway lightly in each other’s hold, not bothered by the silence. With one hand, Natasha flips the grilled cheese.
“Want half?” She offers.
“Sure.” Wanda nods.
Once it’s a golden brown, Natasha slides it onto a plate and cuts it in half with the spatula. The two sit down at stools on the counter island, knees brushing as they shared the sandwich. It sent sparks through Wanda’s body. Natasha shoots her a little smile that makes her heart flutter.
Wanda thinks that she’s found her home, her family, and her sanity all wrapped up in one redheaded, leather-wearing, badass superspy. She chuckles at the thought of being in love with the Black Widow. And then immediately chides herself for using the word “love” because it’s definitely too soon for that. Deciding that she can sort out her feelings later, she leans back and takes a bite of her grilled cheese, letting herself simply enjoy her present company.