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Chapter Text

Sokovia was minutes from falling out of the sky. The civilians have been evacuated into the SHIELD jets and a few have landed on safer ground. Clint had taken Pietro’s body onto one of the jets with him as he laid flat across three empty seats with his feet dangling over the edge. After the last few people got on board the jets, Steve hopped on the same one as Clint.

Tony was somewhere underneath the city as he figured out a way to land it with as little damage as possible, and Thor in the air waiting for his signal.

Bruce, still as Hulk, flew across the sky in a SHIELD quinjet. The tracking was turned off but he didn’t activate the cloaking, letting agents in smaller jets find him easily and bring him onto the Helicarrier.

Even though Steve told Natasha to get on the jet with him, she wouldn’t move a single step. Not until she finally saw Vision carrying Wanda in his arms.

Using so much of her magic at once drained the young witch completely. She laid motionlessly in Visions arms as he slowly landed on the ground in front of Natasha.

“Get her in there,” Natasha gestured to one of the jets that wasn’t as full as the one Clint was in. Vision put her down in a seat next to the window, her head leaning against the glass. Vision left her side shortly after to assist some other passengers. Natasha finally gets onboard the jet, it was the last to leave the floating city. 

Just as the jet cleared away, Sokovia fell from the sky. Chunks of the earth fell into the ocean, and even more crashed into the ground below.

Tony successfully prevented what otherwise could’ve been an extinction level event, but at the cost of Sokovia being erased from the world map.

———

The battle left every Avenger exhausted. Tony got in one of the jets as soon as there weren’t any more pieces of Sokovia falling through the air. Thor had flown off on his own somewhere near the jets but the cloudy sky made it hard to see him.

Natasha, though just as tired as everyone else, managed to have a little energy left. She walked around the jet, checking on their passengers before eventually reaching one girl in particular.

Wanda had woken up at some point during their flight. She was scared at first, waking up on a jet without a clue of where she was or where she’s headed to. She soon realized that Vision was on the aircraft with her which calmed her down.

When Natasha approached her, she was looking out the window with her chin pressed on her palm. Wanda had never been on a plane before, much less seen a view of the world from so high up. She looked down at the cities just beneath the clouds, noticing more details with every passing minute.

Natasha sat down next to the girl. The sudden movement startled her, making the witch flinch and turned to see who it was. Wanda quietly sighed when she realized it was just Nat.

“How are you holding up?” Natasha asked softly. 

Wanda refused to make eye contact with her. She kept her head down with her eyes glancing out the window. The witch’s only response to Natasha was a shrug of her shoulders.

Wanda leaned back on the seat with her eyes fixed on the clouds that, without the glass between them, would be close enough for her to touch.

Natasha saw how Wanda’s fingers fidgeted with the many rings she wore. She assumed it could be out of stress or anxiety or maybe the discomfort her presence brought the witch. Whatever it was, Natasha didn’t need to know. She took the hint, Wanda wasn’t in the mood to talk.

As Natasha got up to give Wanda some space, she felt a hand grab her wrist. She turned around to see the little witch’s green eyes looking up at her before immediately turning away and releasing Natasha’s wrist.

Wanda kept her head down, her hands grasped the hem of her skirt. “Stay… please?” she hesitantly asked in a voice barely louder than a whisper.

Natasha wasn’t sure why she asked so suddenly, or why she had requested her specifically. But she wasn’t going to say no, so she nodded. The spy sat back down, sliding a hand over Wanda’s slender fingers.

Wanda didn’t say anything after that. They just sat together, quietly. Natasha saw how tired the girl was. Her eyelids were heavy and her body wouldn’t move much. Soon enough, Natasha felt Wanda’s body lean on hers as she fell back asleep.

Natasha sat with her for the rest of the flight. 

Chapter Text

Natasha had noticed back in their earlier encounters how much smaller Wanda was compared to everyone, even to her brother. But now, sitting next to her, she saw just how thin she was, her skin was pale and littered with bruises and dust.

Natasha knew she and her brother had to live on the streets following the death of her parents and destruction of their home. Even with some of the things she went through herself, the Russian couldn’t imagine how difficult it must’ve been for two kids to survive in a war-bent country.

Wanda shifted in her sleep, snapping Natasha out of her thoughts. A gentle hand ran through Wanda’s tangled hair with light strokes on her cheek every now and then.

The jet took the civilians to a safe location where neighboring areas and countries will help them while the state of Sokovia was being handled by government officials.

The final few people exited the jet when Steve approached Natasha who hadn’t moved since she first sat down.

“Hey, Nat. How’s the kid doing?” Steve asked quietly as to not wake the kid in question up. “She’s okay, I think. I can’t really tell. But she’s been resting which is good,” the spy quickly explained.

Steve chuckled lightly. “She seems to like you.”

Natasha turned her head towards the young Sokovian and rubbed her hand gently. “She’s been through a lot. She might’ve just wanted a sense of comfort and I happen to have been around.” Truth is, Natasha felt an unexplained a connection towards the young girl. Maybe it’s because she feels a sort of instinct to protect her from this cruel world she experienced first-hand.

“We’re heading to the compound now. Should be there in an hour or two,” Steve announced. “If Wanda wakes up, you should tell her beforehand. She might get anxious or even scared to be in such a different environment,” he advised. Natasha nodded and thanked Steve before he walked away, leaving the two alone once again.

———

The jet landed on a grassy field at the Avengers compound like Steve said. The Avengers left the jet one by one, Natasha and Wanda being the final two. Natasha decided that Wanda needed her rest and slowly moved her arms to wrap around the small figure and carried her outside.

The sudden movements and change in environment, from slightly cold in the jet to the warm sun on the open field, woke Wanda up. The girl was startled by the unfamiliar hands on her body, using her own to push them away. Natasha soon noticed this and set Wanda down as the teen non-verbally requested.

Wanda was confused by her new surroundings. She hadn’t been on an opened field since she was a much younger child, and the overwhelmingly large building ahead only made it worse. “Pietro…?” she instinctively muttered.

“Wanda, dear,” Natasha approached cautiously. “We’ve brought you to the Avengers compound. It’s where all the Avengers, now including you, stay.” Her explanation seemed to have worked well enough as Wanda calmed down a bit. “I was going to inform you before we arrived but you were asleep and I- I didn’t want to disturb you,” she added.

The teen slowly nodded, taking in everything. Wanda turned her head towards another quinjet that Clint arrived in. A group of medics surrounded the hanger of the jet as they talked amongst themselves. Wanda curiously peeked over to see what was going on, which she greatly regretted.

As is turned out, the medics and other staff were in charge of handling Pietro’s lifeless body that Clint had been looking out for during the flight. Thankfully his eyes were at least shut, making it less terrifying but still equally traumatizing.

Natasha was looking in Wanda’s direction when the teen saw her brother’s corpse. Wanda sprinted towards the other jet, her tired legs failing her as she fell to the ground. Tears began to blur her vision, she didn’t even notice her knees were bleeding from the force of the fall.

The spy effortlessly caught up with the girl and knelt down next to her, hesitant to interfere in such a vulnerable moment. Wanda’s face was wet with tears as more dripped down her chin, a scream of desperation escaped her dry throat as she clutched the front of her shirt and scrunched it in her fist.

A swirl of red magic danced around her fingers, eventually leaving her hand and exploding in a blast that sent a wave through the earth, pushing Natasha backwards a few feet from where she originally was. “Wanda,” Natasha tried, holding both hands up in an act of surrender. “Please, try to remain calm, I-” Her words were cut off by another blast, stronger than the one before.

A small team of guards along with a doctor approached them after being alerted of the first blast. Wanda noticed them immediately and glared at them, not trusting they have good intentions.

“Wanda, they’re here to help you, okay? But you need to cooperate in order for this to work, okay dear?”

Cooperate.

“Cooperating will make this easier for everyone. Your compliance will be awarded.”

The words of the men she had to face at HYDRA rang through her ears like a broken record—repeating over and over again.

“I’m not going back!” she screamed at Natasha, her words raw and dry. The ground shook at her words as more scarlet magic surrounded her.

Natasha noticed how Wanda was almost unaware of the magic she produced, too consumed by her own emotions. The magic seemed to be—for lack of better word—on autopilot, acting on it’s own consciousness. It wrapped Wanda in her own small space, like it wanted to protect the little witch from whatever threat Wanda thought she was facing.

The staff present muttered to themselves about what they should do, when Steve raced through the compound’s entrance and into the scene.

“Natasha, what happened here?” he questioned, looking between the two. Natasha shook her head lightly. “She saw Pietro’s… body, and had a meltdown. I don’t know how to help her,” she admitted.

Steve nodded and carefully approached Wanda. He made sure he was in her view, trying not to startle her with his presence. “Hey…” he started softly, “I understand it’s a lot, but… we only want to help.”

Wanda lifted her head, staring into the tall man’s eyes, Steve swore she was looking into his soul. Her magic retracted into her hands as they assisted her in getting back up on her feet. Her scraped knees dripped in blood, but Wanda could care less.

The witch’s eyes glowed a crimson red, shifting her gaze to Pietro, whose body had been left alone for the time being. “He didn’t deserve to die,” she said in a voice loud enough for both Natasha and Steve to hear. “It should’ve been me. It should’ve been. It should be me.”

Wanda started scratching her own skin along her arms, some pressing hard enough that they drew blood. Natasha rushed towards her. “Wanda, you have to stop, you’re bleeding.”

Her words didn’t even reach Wanda, her mind too preoccupied with everything else that was going on.

Steve ultimately had to resort to pulling Wanda’s arms away from herself in order for her to stop harming herself. Wanda panicked at the sudden touch, the only other person she let so near her was her other half, who was no longer here to hold her.

Hysterical screams were let out of Wanda, pulling herself away from the unfamiliar touch. Her magic only worsened the situation, as a blast knocked everything within a few feet’s radius away from her, including Captain America himself.

A medic ran up to Natasha with a filled syringe and handed it to her. A simple explanation was enough for the spy. She was swiftly able to inject it into Wanda’s system through inserting the needle in her shoulder.

Wanda felt her head fall heavy, limbs becoming numb with barely any energy left to hold herself up. She tried to fight it, but ultimately lost the battle. Her body collapsed, Natasha catching her just in time.

Steve sighed, of relief but also frustration. Not at Wanda, of course—none of this was her fault—but at himself. He was clueless and useless while a member of his team had a breakdown.

There was so much about Wanda he didn’t understand, and he wanted to learn. But it’s hard.

Steve and Natasha exchanged a knowing glance before both Avengers headed inside. They were about to have a very long day.

Chapter Text

The duo walked through the common area of the compound where most Avengers were resting and chatting.

Clint was the first to turn his head at them and gave them a warm smile. His attention turned to Wanda, who was still unconscious.

“She had to be sedated,” Natasha said as she adjusted her hold on the young girl in her arms. The spy had used some bandages the medics had at hand to stop the bleeding on Wanda’s injuries, they still had to be disinfected and cleaned but they did the job for the time being.

“Why? Was she destructive?” Tony popped in. Natasha nodded hesitantly. Wanda wasn’t necessarily destroying anything, but she’s a danger to the people around her—not that Natasha would ever want to say that out loud—but most importantly, to herself.

“Her room is still being set up,” Clint informed. “That’s no problem, I’ll just keep her in my room for now,” Natasha said.

“You sure, Nat?” Clint asked. “It looks like she hurt herself pretty bad,” he continued when he noticed the bandages covered in blood from the sloppy work. “We should get her to the medical bay-”

“That’s not necessary,” Natasha replied sternly. “I have some supplies in my room, I’ll take care of it myself.”

Clint nodded with a slight shrug. His experience with kids let him see that Natasha had formed a—might he add adorable—bond with the kid. Even if no one else noticed, not even the Black Widow could hide that from him.

“And… is there a way for her room to be closest to mine?” Natasha added.

“Uhh, well, hers is right across to yours so I guess it is,” the archer said.

“Perfect.” Natasha smiled at the people in the room before turning on her heel to leave. “I’ll see you boys at dinner.”

———

Natasha pulled the blanket off and gently laid Wanda down on her bed. The drug they gave her was light, the doctor that gave it to her said it should only last an hour—two at max. That was an hour ago.

She spent her time unwrapping the lazily wrapped bandages and cleaned the wounds before replacing them. Natasha knew it would would hurt, or at least sting, if Wanda was awake, but she wasn’t. Which the older woman was grateful for. She couldn’t afford having Wanda try to fight her in this condition, not when she knows Wanda needed her injuries to be treated.

When she finished, Natasha closed up her little medical kit and returned it to a cupboard under the bathroom sink.

Even though Natasha knew Wanda probably wasn’t able to hear her, she sat on the edge of the bed and told her some stories from her early days at SHIELD.

The red-head intertwined her hand with the little witch’s, holding it tightly as she told her stories.

Wanda shifted in her sleep and her brows furrowed, eyes pressing together tightly. She muttered something under her breath, something about her brother, and something else but it wasn’t coherent enough for Natasha to understand.

Her eyes bolted open, scanning every inch of the unfamiliar room she’s in. Wanda’s eyes involuntarily glowed bright red, an uneasy feeling bubbling through her. Natasha released Wanda’s hand when she felt a tug at her hand.

The young witch’s attention turned to the older woman in front of her. Wanda scanned her face, deciding if she was a threat or not. Wanda had encounters with Natasha before, but now that she was in what she quickly realized was Natasha’s bedroom, she wondered why she was here.

Her imagination brought her into dark and twisted places she wanted nothing more than to get out of. Was Natasha here to harm her? To make her pay for the Red Room memories she made the woman live through all over again?

The next moment, she realized the muscles in her body felt weak, weaker than even during the battle. They could barely move. Another wave of panic washed over her. This was all too familiar.

HYDRA.

A pull of a strap, a click of a buckle. Her arms and legs tied down to a flat table. She had no idea where she was exactly or what they were going to do to her.

All she knew was that greedy hands began trailing over her body. A gag in her mouth prevented her from speaking. She whimpered when one of them made contact with her chest, which she quickly learned did nothing but earn her a slap across the face. They threatened her to stay quiet, calling her names and belittling her.

It makes sense, Wanda thought. Keeping her in Natasha’s bedroom made her vulnerable. The older woman could do whatever she wanted and would have complete control—not that Wanda would have it in her to fight back anyways. Or maybe she had already done it. And oh, god could Wanda only wish it was the latter. At least that way she would have no memories of it.

Wanda’s heart was racing to the point she thought Natasha must be able to hear it too. She tried to swallow the loud breaths she wanted to let out.

Natasha, on the other hand, was nothing but utterly concerned with her reaction to being in a room together. She hadn’t considered this as a possible reaction. Then again, she had no idea what she was getting herself into.

“Wanda, dear,” she started softly. “Hey, hey, it’s okay,” she said when she noticed Wanda’s eyes becoming watery. “You’re safe. In my room, and I know everything is happening so fast, but you’re safe.” Natasha heavily emphasized the last word.

The older woman kept her distance with the little witch, obviously not fully knowing what kind of things Wanda had been through and the things that could trigger her.

When Wanda gave no response other then her breathing becoming more stable than before, Natasha continued talking. “I had to sedate you on the field. I’m sorry for that,” she apologized. “I know it’s hard—losing someone like that-”

“Stop,” Wanda’s unstable voice let out in what was more of a whimper than a word, “please,” she added shortly after. The drug’s effects almost completely wore off, allowing Wanda to freely move again, but she didn’t want to.

Wanda hadn’t been in a comfortable bed or a warm room in, well, a long time. And as selfish as it is, she wanted to take everything she could get. All she wanted in the moment, was silence. It was the best she could get to peace, which with everything that’s in her mind, was nearly impossible.

She scrunched her eyes closed tightly until they almost started to hurt, but she didn’t care. She didn’t have the energy to care.

Natasha watched silently, hoping she was doing what Wanda needed her to. Though their situations were drastically different, Natasha knew that feeling of everything moving too fast for her to keep up with.

When she first defected into SHIELD, that’s how she felt. Everything around her was so different than what she was used to in the Red Room. And for once, someone was there to help her. Someone cared. It’s no secret to anyone by now that that someone was Clint Barton.

It seems weird to say, but Natasha wants to be what Clint was to her for Wanda. Someone the young girl could rely on, and come talk to when she needed it.

The silence stretched out for a long time. Wanda kept her eyes opened, staring at the celling above her. She slowly moved her arms up to wrap around her chest. That’s when she noticed the bandages. She definitely didn’t have these when she was on the jet, and the time from there to here was a blur to her.

“Did you…” Wanda started but ultimately trailed off, referring to the bandages. “Yes, I cleaned them and, um, that’s okay with you, right?” Natasha slowly said.

If Wanda were honest, the idea of someone being near enough to her to make contact with her body while she was unconscious made her skin crawl. But she couldn’t say that—well, more like she wouldn’t.

Wanda nodded, curling herself up into fetal position.

A sudden question popped into Wanda’s mind, one that she couldn’t stop herself from saying out loud. “When I was asleep,” her voice was low and quiet, “were you…” she lightly ran her hand over on the space on the bed next to her.

Understanding what she meant, Natasha shook her head. “No, no. I stayed right here.” Natasha tapped on the space she previously sat in, far enough from Wanda that the young girl internally sighed.

Wanda’s gaze went back to whatever her eyes laid on, just wanting to keep herself busy. Natasha saw how tired she looked, the dark areas under each of her eyes being the main thing that gave it away. “Do you want to sleep?” Natasha prompted.

Wanda lifted her head at the question, locking eyes with the Russian. Wanda didn’t give much of a response. Truthfully, she did want to sleep, especially with such a soft bed underneath her. But she knows better than to let herself be so vulnerable around people she barely knew.

Her first mistake was letting her emotions get the better of her when she first arrived.

Stupid.

She’s already laying in the older woman’s bed, making her feel small.

How pathetic.

Wanda shook her head and mouthed the word “no”, not having it in her to verbally say it. She forced herself to sit up, which she did way too quickly. Her head hurt, and weirdly enough, so did her chest.

Ignoring any discomfort she felt, Wanda stood on both her feet. Natasha kept her arms out in case she had to catch the girl, but Wanda seemed to be handling herself fine.

“Wanda,” Natasha said, the little witch looked up at the sound of her name, “do you want to take a shower? Or a bath? The bathroom is right over there, I’ll help set it up if you-”

“No.”

The quickness of the response wasn’t the only thing that caught Natasha off guard, but how stern she sounded saying it. Wanda was, without a doubt, certain that was something she didn’t want.

Natasha would never push Wanda into doing something she didn’t want to, but her curiosity and concern grew. She was so sure of that.

Then, Natasha came to a conclusion she could only hope wasn’t true. “Oh…” she mumbled at a volume Wanda wasn’t able to hear. It can’t be, can it? She’s too young.

Then again, she’d seen for herself how people in power abused said power. They would take advantage of anyone they could get their hands on. Especially young girls who don’t know any better. And honestly, they shouldn’t have to. Wanda’s a child after all, so was Natasha when her entire world was taken away from her.

“Alright, that’s… that’s okay. In that case, is there something you would like to do?” Natasha awkwardly filled the silence.

Wanda fidgeted with her hands, eyes glued down at them. “I want to see him,” she finally muttered.

“Him-?” Natasha whispered to herself before realizing what she meant.

Oh. Him.

Chapter Text

Uncomfortable would be an understatement for how Natasha felt at that moment.

With how Wanda reacted the last time she saw him, Natasha wasn’t sure Wanda would want to see him any time soon. But clearly she was wrong.

“Did- did I hear you correctly?” Natasha asked nervously, secretly hoping she misheard Wanda. “You… want to see… your brother?”

Wanda looked up at the older woman and nodded slowly, her hands never stopping the way they lightly scratched and pinched her own skin.

Natasha swallowed the ever-growing nerves and kept them from showing on the surface. She wanted to hold it together for Wanda, be strong for Wanda. She couldn’t be the one to react emotionally in this case. Not when she wasn’t even the one that was suffering.

You’re the Black Widow. Widows are made of marble.

Natasha let out a quiet sigh before opening her mouth to speak, but Wanda beat her to it. “Is someone watching him?” she asked.

“Yes, actually,” Natasha restrained herself from sounding too relieved that she wouldn’t have to be the one to speak first. “Vision is watching him. Since he doesn’t need sleep, we figured it was the best choice. And he was willing to do it as well.”

Wanda took in Natasha’s words and nodded slowly. “Where is he?” her small voice asked, accent heavy.

Natasha’s eyes wandered all over the room, she didn’t think she could bear to look the girl in the eyes. “Just a few floors down. I can take you… if that’s what you want.”

Wanda nodded once again. “A- are you sure though?” Natasha forced herself to look at Wanda. “Last time-” she shook the thought out of her head and stopped herself from saying another word. Bringing up the “incident” wouldn’t do any good, best to forget about it for now.

“I want to,” Wanda whispered. “Please.”

Natasha had strong doubts, she didn’t know what to expect from letting her see him. But if it was truly what Wanda wanted, Natasha would do her best to do what she can to make it happen. Even if she doesn’t want to.

———

The ride down the elevator was purely silent. Neither of them felt the need to speak, and both were glad that was the case.

Down a hall is a door that led to where Pietro was. A light knock alerted Vision of their presence. He greeted them and Natasha told him about the quite obvious reason for their visit.

Wanda stayed quiet, letting the older woman do all the talking. She made eye contact with Vision a few times but broke it immediately, looking off into the distance.

They entered the room, Wanda instinctively wrapping her arms around Natasha’s to calm herself, just like she use to do with Pietro.

Natasha turned her head when she felt the contact, only to smile when she saw how Wanda clung to her body. This is progress.

The second Wanda laid eyes on her brother’s lifeless body, she couldn’t hold back her emotions. She tried, she really did. But it’s just too much. She had a very vague idea of what happened on the field outside, she didn’t want to repeat it.

Wanda knelt down next to him, Natasha mirroring her actions. Wanda’s vision became blurry with tears, each drop threatening to fall down her face at any moment. She had to let go of Natasha’s arm when she realized she was pressing hard enough that her nails left small red marks along Natasha’s skin.

Her head felt heavy, and every part of it hurt, like it could burst with everything she was feeling. But if it did, at least I wouldn’t be here anymore.

Wanda leaned forwards, pressing her head against Pietro’s chest. Silence. Not the beating of his heart, not the fall and rise of his chest as it would if he were breathing. He’s not.

Her tears wet the cloth of his shirt, a pool of tears quickly building up. Wanda entangled her hand in his silver hair, gripping tightly.

Natasha hugged Wanda from her side, an arm over her shoulders that rubbed slow circles down her back.

Too consumed by her own emotions, Wanda didn’t even acknowledge Natasha, just accepted the little pinch of comfort she felt at the moment.

Wanda’s body shook with her sobs, each time she let one out, the less air she had in her lungs. Each one became less audible than the last, Wanda eventually using up all the air she had in her lungs.

Wanda parted herself from her brother’s body, leaving a single kiss on his forehead before standing up completely. She used her arm to wipe the tears away, the bandage that was still wrapped around it soaking it up quickly.

Without a word, Wanda turned towards the exit, leaving Natasha and Vision behind. She memorized the route and the buttons to press on the elevator—just in case she had to escape like she just did—all the way till she was back in Natasha’s room.

She hated having to use the older woman’s space, but it was the only “safe” space she knew. Wanda went into the conjoined bathroom and accidentally slammed the door much louder than she wanted, instinctively muttering “I’m sorry” even though no one was there to see or even hear her.

Wanda fell to the floor, body curled up in a ball with her legs pressed tightly into her chest, nails scratching her face in attempt to get all the tears to just go away.

Her face was probably going to be covered in red streaks from how her nails dug into the skin, though she couldn’t care less at the moment.

Why won’t you go away? Just go away. Leave me alone!

Wanda kept fighting with the voices in her head that she could almost swear was able to manifest into a physical being. It haunted and taunted her every chance it got.

Why do I still have to be here? Still in this everlasting cycle of misery? Can’t I just… die? I deserve it after all. All the problems I caused for everyone. I don’t deserve to live, especially not alongside them. And if I were dead, I’d be with Pietro again. I’d be able to see mama and papa again. That’s not bad at all. Or maybe I deserve to suffer. It’s only fair.

Wanda rocked her body back and forth, head banging against the wall behind her. The impact made her lightheaded as she started hearing a ringing noise through her ears and into her head. She probably gave herself a concussion, but that was the least of her worries right now.

Light footsteps approached from outside, though Wanda’s own sobs prevented her from hearing them. A knock on the door was what sort of snapped her back in reality. Her hands left her scratch-covered skin, panic in her eyes as she peered at the door, another knock ringing through it.

Wanda’s throat was sore from all the crying, the words on the tip of her tongue couldn’t leave her mouth.

Natasha waited on the other side of the wooden door, when she heard no response, she thought about opening it anyway. It might make Wanda feel like her privacy had been invaded, though. But what if she was hurt? Natasha couldn’t let that happen. Or maybe Wanda didn’t want her help?

Her doubts and hesitation didn’t get another chance to consider the choice when her gut took over. The door opened, Natasha stopping it from crashing into the wall next to it.

It only took Natasha a moment to find Wanda still curled up in that same position in a corner of the small room.

Wanda couldn’t look up at the older woman, not in a state so vulnerable and pathetic like this. She kept her face buried in her knees that she tucked in her chest with her long hair hiding her even further.

“Wanda?” Natasha cautiously approached the young girl. She looked so small like this, like an innocent child who ran and hid after making a mistake.

“Hey, why’d you run away like that?” Natasha asked softly as she got close enough to touch Wanda’s hair and try to tuck it behind her face to get a better look at the kid.

Wanda flinched, turning herself away from the physical contact, a hand over the spot on her head Natasha previously touched to protect it. Natasha understood and moved herself away without needing to be asked twice.

Subtle sniffling noises escaped Wanda and filled the silent room, Natasha noticing immediately.

“Have- have you been crying again?” Natasha spoke gently and kept her distance this time. 

Wanda didn’t know how to response, she didn’t want to appear so weak in front of Natasha, but all she really wanted was to leap into her arms and hold her, and have someone to hold her in return.

The desire and want—no, need—was almost overwhelming, her subconscious reached out to hover over Natasha’s wrist before ultimately grabbing ahold of it. She tugged on it lightly before a voice in the back of her mind told her to let go and, though unsure, she did. Wanda didn’t want Natasha to feel like she had to always be around her whenever she was going through something, she could handle this herself.

Natasha, on the other hand, lightly placed her hand on the young girl’s shoulder. She wanted Wanda to associate her presence with the gentleness and kindness she deserved, a person she could come to for comfort—a safe space.

She rubbed small circles on Wanda’s shoulder and whispered soothing words to her until she felt the young girl’s breathing steady itself.

Wanda finally lifted her head and looked at Natasha for the first time since the older woman entered the bathroom. She used the palm of her hand to wipe away some tears that had started to dry up on her cheeks. She sucked in one last breath before releasing the tenseness of her body to finally let herself relax, though not fully but it was something.

“I’m sor- sorry,” Wanda whispered, her words interrupted by the need of more air to enter her lungs.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay. You don’t have to apologize for anything, okay?” Natasha continued rubbing random patterns on Wanda’s back.

Wanda didn’t really believe her but nodded anyways before leaning her head back on the wall, her head tilting upwards and facing the celling. She let out a tired breath. She’s so tired. So, so, tired.

Wanda leaned into Natasha’s side, her head aligning with her shoulder perfectly, which the older woman embraced.

Natasha’s skin felt so warm under Wanda’s own, and it was so soft. Wanda couldn’t help but nuzzle up against her. It felt so nice to be here, in her arms, knowing at least one person somewhat cared about her.

Natasha wrapped an arm around Wanda, pulling her in closer. They sat comfortably in the silence, both of them feeling pleasantly relaxed in each others presence.

Some time had passed, Natasha never let her gaze off the young girl. “Would you like to be on the bed instead?” she asked.

Wanda hesitated, but decided to accept the offer. Natasha stood up first, Wanda following soon after, their hands interlocked to help Wanda’s stability.

On their way out, Wanda walked too quickly and tripped over Natasha’s feet, fortunately able to catch herself before getting hurt.

“Wanda!” Natasha screamed accidentally. Wanda jumped at the much louder tone, instantly using both hands to cover her ears and pull herself away from Natasha to back away into a wall.

“Oh, no, no, Wanda, I’m so, so, sorry,” her voice immediately became softer. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-” she cut herself off, trying to come up with something better than that. Natasha slowly reproached Wanda, keeping both of her hands in view to show she meant no harm.

“I’m sorry I scared you. That’s all my fault, my fault,” she repeated to emphasize, “I made a mistake. I was just… worried you might get hurt.”

Wanda held their gaze for a moment, taking a moment to let her racing heart calm down. She let herself return to her previous position, reaching for Natasha this time.

Natasha smiled, her heart infinitely relieved that she hadn’t completely broke their trust.

———

Wanda sat down on the edge of the bed, legs crossed and torso leaning forward with her elbows pressed into her thighs.

Natasha noticed that the bandages around her arms were messed up. “Hey, could I fix those?” She lightly tapped on Wanda’s arm.

Wanda nodded, Natasha quickly excusing herself to get the things she needed from the bathroom.

In the short while Natasha had been gone, Wanda had used the time to explore the room a bit. She took interest in a bookshelf that took up half a wall. The books inside ranged from English to Russian.

Natasha came back to find Wanda reading the cover of a book she took out of the shelf. She didn’t want to interrupt her, she looked so focused. Natasha stood by Wanda’s side until she realized herself, and when she did, immediately put the book back where she got it.

Wanda nervously looked up at the woman. She had gone through Natasha’s things without her permission. Surely this is where it’ll all go downhill.

“Are you interested in that one? I’ve read it before, it’s pretty good,” Natasha said quite cheerfully.

Wanda only looked at her with a slightly puzzled expression. “I’m sorry,” she muttered, looking off into the distance, fingers picking at her nails.

“What?” Natasha raised a brow. “What are you sorry for, душенька(darling)?”

“I- I went through your things, and didn’t ask first. Sorry,” Wanda answered, her voice quiet but loud enough for Natasha to hear clearly.

Natasha nodded understandingly and took Wanda’s hands in her own to grab her attention. “It’s okay, Wanda. Though there's no harm in asking, it’s okay if you’re curious,” she reassured.

That was definitely not the response Wanda had been expecting. She didn’t know exactly what it was she thought Natasha might’ve done, but it wasn’t this.

“I understand,” replied Wanda, nodding lightly though kept her head down.

“Here,” Natasha took out the book Wanda had shown interest in, “you can borrow it if you’d like,” she handed it to the girl.

Wanda accepted it happily, a small smile curving the ends of her lips.

The book was in Russian, it was close enough to Sokovian that she could understand most of it. Wanda hugged the book close to her chest before looking at Natasha again to scan her expression.

It was… joy? Satisfaction? Wanda couldn’t clearly tell, but she knew it was positive, and that’s all the validation she needed.

“Thank you,” she said before making herself comfortable in her little area of the bed and flipped open the first page.

“I still need to fix that up,” Natasha reminded Wanda of why she left in the first place.

“Oh, right,” Wanda muttered to herself. She repositioned herself so that Natasha could reach her better.

Natasha started working on Wanda’s left arm while the young girl read through the first chapter of the book.

Chapter Text

The rest of the afternoon went by smoothly. Wanda had been able to remain calm, the book being a very good distraction. Natasha sat at her desk, finishing up some work she had left over.

Evening approached when there was a knock on the door. Natasha quickly unlocked it to let whoever it was in, Wanda lifting her head from the pages of the book to see Steve’s friendly face walking through the doorframe.

“Evening ladies,” he greeted with a smile. He wrapped an arm around Natasha’s waist and kissed her forehead.

“Is it evening already?” Natasha questioned. Between being with Wanda and working, she had lost track of time.

“Yeah, we were just about to set up for dinner. The boys tasked me with getting you two downstairs,” said Steve.

Natasha switched her gaze to Wanda who had a clear look of uncertainty on her face. The young girl kept her eyes locked on Natasha, hoping she would understand.

Being around Natasha was one thing, it had been proven again and again that Natasha cares for her and doesn't seem to have any bad intentions. But being in a room full of men she barely knew made her stomach twist uncomfortably.

“Wanda, do you wanna come with us?” Natasha asked. Even though she already knew what her answer will be, Natasha still wanted to give Wanda a choice.

Wanda only shook her head, her answer crystal clear. “Alright, that’s okay,” Steve said before Natasha could. “I’ll bring some food up here if you prefer,” he suggested.

Truthfully, Wanda wasn’t in the mood to eat. She’d much rather continue reading or maybe even just sleep, but she wasn’t sure how she could say no to a gesture of such kindness that she didn’t deserve. She gave a neutral response before returning to the book in her hands.

“Is it okay if you’re alone here?” Natasha went to sit on the edge of the bed in front of Wanda. “I don’t have to go, I’ll stay if you want.”

“No,” Wanda whispered, “it’s fine,” she said slightly louder, eyes only leaving the pages for a brief second. “You can go.”

With that, Natasha lightly stroked Wanda’s hair before getting up to exit the room.

———

Natasha exited the elevator along with Steve and entered the kitchen which connected to the dining room.

Sam and Clint had worked together to make pasta with some nice tomato sauce for everyone. Natasha helped out with plating it, being sure to save a portion for Wanda. 

Everyone sat around the table, three conversations starting all at once. Natasha sat in between Steve and Tony, the latter having a conversation with Rhodey about some tech he’s been working on.

When Steve suddenly brought up the topic of Wanda, Natasha was quick to turn her attention to him.

“She didn’t seem to be so sure about eating with us,” he said. “We should give her all the time she needs to settle in. And judging by the way she looked so comfortable in your room, Nat,” he shot a smile in her direction, “you two have made pretty good progress in terms of trust.”

Natasha giggled before humming in agreement. “We have, actually.” She set her fork down on the plate. “It’s going to take time for sure, but we’re getting somewhere,” she smiled with her words.

“I think you’d be a wonderful mother to her,” Clint said suddenly. Natasha arched a brow at him, wondering if she had heard him correctly.

Detecting Natasha’s confusion, Clint decided to elaborate. “I mean, she’s kinda always been a bit more drawn to you, especially after the battle. Maybe it’s because you’re a woman and she just trusts you more, and I wouldn’t blame her for that, most men are assholes anyways,” Clint shrugged. “But I do genuinely think that having you as a sort of parental figure would be good for Wanda, and maybe for you too.”

Natasha leaned her body forwards as she thought about it. Even though she would never admit it to anyone, somewhere in the back of Natasha’s mind, she’s always wanted kids of her own. That want only increased with time she spent watching Clint and Laura with their kids when she’d visit them in their home. And that choice was stripped away from her by the monsters of the Red Room. Maybe this was a chance for her to finally have that. To get something she’s always wanted.

No, no, she told herself. This wasn’t about her or what she wanted. This was about Wanda.

“How old did the records say Wanda was?” Natasha asked no one in particular.

“Um, if I’m not wrong, fifteen,” replied Sam from across the table.

Fifteen. Fifteen and she had already lost her entire family. Fifteen and she already carries so much trauma. Fifteen and she had already been through hell and back.

A notification lit up the screen of Tony’s phone that he placed next to him. He picked it up to take a look, a slightly confused expression appeared across his face.

“FRIDAY detected noises coming from upstairs,” he informed.

“The only one up there is Wanda,” Natasha said quickly. “Do you think she’s in trouble?”

“We better go find out,” Steve pushed his chair back and stood up, Natasha mirroring his actions.

A few others came alongside them. The ride up the elevator was too slow for Natasha’s liking, she wanted to be up there with Wanda as fast as she could.

The halls were all clear, nothing but air filled the space between the walls.

“There aren’t any noises coming from anywhere,” Sam noted. “Maybe whatever it was has stopped?”

Natasha’s keen hearing skills heard shuffling from inside her room, the room Wanda was in. “You guys wait here,” she held up a hand which was enough to stop anyone from taking another step.

The door opened easily, the hinges creaking slightly, her steps heavy and loud in the emptiness of the atmosphere. She peaked her head in the room, a bunch of stuff was everywhere, mostly on the floor.

She stepped fully into the room, eyes going over every inch of the place. Along with some papers and various other things, the blankets that Wanda was previously comfortably snuggled in were scattered on the floor while one hanged over the edge of the bed. But the book Wanda was reading when she left was placed neatly on the nightstand.

But the most alarming thing by far, was the little drops of blood on the floor.

The door to the conjoined bathroom was opened slightly and the light was on.

Natasha gently pushed it to get it opened wider. As she had expected, a small figure with a head of brunette hair sat in front of the opened cabinet under the sink.

“Wanda?” Natasha said quietly, trying not to startle the kid.

Wanda only glanced over her shoulder, making sure even though she knew it was just Natasha by the sound of her voice.

With her back turned towards the older woman, Natasha had no clue what Wanda was doing in here. She stepped closer, and with height at her advantage, saw that Wanda was firmly pressing a cloth over her stomach. A cloth that was practically soaked in crimson blood.

“Wanda, what happened?”

A million thoughts ran through Natasha’s head, but she suppressed them to be able to take care of this situation in front of her.

She knelt down and grabbed onto both of Wanda’s shoulders to slowly pull her back. Though she resisted at first, Wanda knew there was no way she would win this fight.

Natasha grabbed the nearest towel and picked Wanda up to lay her flat on the bed. Wanda soon lifted her hands to reveal a four inch long cut across her abdomen. It was deep enough that Natasha was sure it needed to be stitched.

“You don’t have to tell me now, but you have to tell me what happened,” Natasha muttered breathlessly.

She discarded the cloth somewhere on the floor in exchange for the fresh towel.

With her hands busy, Natasha resorted to using her foot to kick a box of wipes off the nightstand and close enough for her to reach. She lifted the towel momentarily to clean the area of skin. Once it was cleaned and dry, Natasha worked quickly to apply more pressure on the open wound to stop the bleeding.

Wanda hadn’t spoken a word since Natasha found her, too preoccupied by her own pain and panic to even think straight. She kept her eyes shut tightly, brows furrowed as she winced at the pressure Natasha put on her admittedly fragile body.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart, but it’ll stop the bleeding faster, alright?” Natasha reached out to hold Wanda’s hands, which the kid accepted. “You’re the strongest, toughest girl I know. And the bravest, too.”

After a few minutes of applying pressure, Natasha lifted the towel, and thankfully there was no more blood rushing out of the wound.

Both of them sighed, though Natasha was more audible. She didn’t celebrate too soon though, immediately racing to get her medical kit to find a needle and thread.

If the quick and heavy heaving of Wanda’s chest was anything to go off of, she was terrified. And Natasha took notice immediately. 

“Okay, so since your wound is quite deep, I need to stitch it. I’ll numb the area before I start so you won’t feel anything. It’s going to be over before you know it,” Natasha quickly explained enough for Wanda to understand what she would do.

Wanda bit down hard on her bottom lip, unsure if she should say anything, she looked the older woman in the eyes.

“If- if you’d prefer a professional to do it for you, I can get one here in a few minutes,” Natasha offered, brushing strands of hair out of Wanda’s face.

Wanda shook her head. She already didn’t want anyone to help her in the first place, she didn’t want to cause any trouble for anyone. But if anyone was gonna do this for her, she wanted it to be Natasha. “You- you do it,” she said weakly.

Natasha nodded, taking the numbing gel and applied it as necessary. With one hand over Wanda’s abdomen and the other holding the needle, Natasha let out a breath before beginning.

———

Halfway through stitching, the bedroom door sung open, Steve and Sam entering with the others trailing behind. The sudden noise in the silence made Wanda jump, and Natasha accidentally stabbed the needle into an area of skin that wasn’t numbed.

“Sorry, I’m sorry.” Natasha’s hand went to nurse the area even though she knew it definitely couldn’t even compare to a four inch open wound.

“Nat,” Steve breathed upon laying eyes on the scene. “Nat, you were in here for so long, everyone came up. We thought-”

“What happened here?” Clint cut him off. He crouched down next to Natasha at the side of the bed.

“Don’t know, doesn’t matter right now. Just need to get this done,” Natasha continued her work.

“Should we get her to the medical bay? It looks pretty bad,” suggested Rhodey.

“Was she attacked?” asked Sam.

Voices of assumptions and questions filled the room, all way too much for Wanda to handle at the moment. Her hands came up to her ears to block out as much noise as she could, but it wouldn’t work. She felt like she was suffocating even though there’s all this air she could breathe easily. But she just couldn’t.

Natasha knew Wanda’s distress wasn’t from the wound, she’d been calm just moments ago. Putting two and two together, she cleared her throat loud enough for everyone to hear. “We need space. Everyone out,” she said, her voice raised but not enough to say she was yelling.

Not needing to be asked twice, Steve led everyone outside, and Wanda could breathe again.

———

Minutes later, it was all done. Natasha wrapped it up to keep it clean and dry, telling Wanda it would speed up the heal process.

After cleaning up most of the room, Natasha joined Wanda on her bed and hugged her from the side.

“Okay, dear, I’m not pressuring you to say anything but can I know what happened?” Natasha asked softly, rubbing the kid’s arm gently.

“Aren’t the others waiting for you?” Wanda tilted her head to get a better view of Natasha.

“Those boys are fine without me, that isn’t what matters right now,” Natasha shrugged with a smile.

“Well, I um,” Wanda shifted in her spot, “a while after you left I felt tired so I tried to sleep,” she started slowly. “But I couldn’t,” she words turned into whispers. “I kept seeing things I didn’t want to, and remembering things I wished never happened.” Wanda felt sobs form in her throat, attempting to suppress them in hopes this wouldn’t turn into a full on break down.

“I- I guess my magic just sort started… working. I don’t know how it happened, things just started flying in every direction. But it wasn’t on purpose, I swear!”

“No, no, I know it was an accident, and it’s okay.” Natasha cupped Wanda’s cheek.

“It’s not. It shouldn’t be. I caused you so much trouble, you had to come up here just to clean up my mess,” Wanda’s voice broke as she spoke.

“Hey, hey, don’t think like that. I’m glad I came when I did. I couldn’t imagine what could happen if I didn’t,” Natasha said reassuringly.

Wanda silently questioned the truth of her words, which made Natasha continue.

“You got hurt, it was an accident, it’s no one’s fault. You needed help, Wanda. Besides, we all need help sometimes. Even me,” Natasha added the last part as a half-joke.

Wanda’s lips curved into a soft smile as she nodded.

“But um,” Natasha’s face grew serious once again, “do you know what caused this cut?” Her fingers ran over the now bandaged wound.

Wanda cleared her throat. “I don’t really remember. It was a kind of blade, I think.”

A blade? Natasha’s body stiffened when she knew exactly what had hurt Wanda. It was the knife she kept under her desk. It had to be.

Well now she felt like a piece of shit. She left a potentially lethal weapon out in the open around a teen with unstable telekinesis. This was all her fault.

If that knife had cut just a few inches deeper… or if she had arrived even a few minutes later…

No. She couldn’t think about that. Natasha shifted her focus back to Wanda, who reached out towards the nightstand to grab her book.

“Wait, wait,” Natasha pulled her back, “you shouldn’t be moving around like that too much, you might break the stitches open.”

Natasha got up to retrieve the book and hand it to Wanda herself.

“Thank you,” Wanda said, flipping to the page she had marked earlier.

Natasha let out a happy hum in response as she settled back down on her side of the bed. 

She noticed the numbers on the clock that hung on the wall across her. “It’s getting late, do you want to eat?” Natasha prompted, having completely forgotten about her own dinner that she was having downstairs.

“No, I’m not hungry,” replied Wanda. “Have you finished your food downstairs?” Wanda asked in return.

“Don’t worry about it.”

For what felt like forever to them, they just sat there, together. Wanda used Natasha’s chest as a soft pillow while she continued to read.

They felt so comfortable in each other’s presence. Neither of them wanted to let go of this moment. Ever.

Chapter Text

Natasha eyed the clock on the nightstand. It was almost midnight.

Wanda was still as focused as ever on the words on the pages. The right side of the book was getting thinner while the left got thicker, another chapter or two and she’d reach the end.

“You’re a fast reader,” Natasha mumbled, gently combing some knots out of Wanda’s hair with her fingers.

“It’s a good distraction.” Wanda flipped to the next page.

Shifting in her seat, Natasha tapped Wanda on the shoulder to get her full attention. “It’s almost midnight. Can I wash you up and get you into bed?” she tried.

Wanda hesitated, sitting up straight to look at Natasha properly. “I- I don’t know…” she muttered.

“I can help you, or you can go yourself if you prefer,” Natasha offered. It was important to her that she always gave Wanda choices instead of making decisions for her, and Wanda was grateful for that. It made her feel like she at least had a sliver of control over her life, even if it was just over a few things that would be insignificant in the long run.

“I can manage,” Wanda decided. She stood up, placing the book on the nightstand. Natasha helped her pick out some of the smaller clothes in her closet that would fit Wanda better.

They settled on a comfy blue sweater and leggings. Natasha also gave her a soft white towel and quickly went over how to operate the shower.

“I’ll wait right in front of the door so you can call if you need help,” said Natasha as Wanda took a few steps to the bathroom. “Okay,” was all Wanda replied.

Only three steps into the room, Wanda’s legs unexpectedly gave out. She let out a soft yelp as she reached for the door handle for support. Natasha wasted no time in helping her back up. “You’re tired,” the older woman said softly. “Let me help you.” Natasha felt like she was at fault. If she had just gotten Wanda to bed earlier, the teen wouldn’t be so tired. How could it have ever come across Clint’s mind that she could be a mother?

“No, no, it’s- it’s alright. I’ll do it myself,” Wanda said, hoping that she sounded confident enough for Natasha to believe it. Natasha took a step back, but never let her eyes off the younger girl. “You’re too tired, you might hurt yourself,” Natasha insisted. “I’ll be fine,” Wanda countered.

Natasha sighed in defeat. “Alright, that’s okay. You can take off the bandages on your knees, don’t soak your wounds in water for long, be careful of slippery wet tiles. I’ll still wait out the door until you’re done.”

Wanda nodded, happy that Natasha respected her choice. Although she understands where Natasha’s concerns come from, she doesn’t want herself to be literally naked in front of someone else. Just the thought of it makes her want to puke.

Even after she made sure the door was locked, she was still hesitant to take her clothes off. What if she set up cameras? Was this her plan to get blackmail? No, no. Natasha wouldn’t do that, right? Right, right. That’s stupid. Wanda still checked every crevasse in the walls, looked through the holes in vents, even moving some bottles to check behind them.

She felt stupid doing it. Wanda had just been in Natasha’s bed, wrapped up all warm and snuggly in her arms. She even let her stitch up a wound. Surely if Natasha wanted to attack, those would have been easier moments to strike.

I trust her, don’t I? Yes, I do. I’m just being stupid. She tried to reassure herself, in the end Wanda forced herself to stop worrying and began to strip.

She couldn’t stop herself from seeing her reflection in the large mirror. She looked horrible. Dark circles under her eyes and her skinny body, bruises everywhere, and the bandages on her arms as a result of her “incident”. She hated the way she looked, everything reminded her of all she’s suffered in her short fifteen years of life.

Making herself stop thinking about anything other than successfully taking a shower on her own, Wanda stepped in and turned the water on.

She adjusted the temperature to her liking and took the first step inside. She tried to keep her hair dry but ultimately decided to wash it. It felt pretty good having warm water on her body, that was until too much water flooded her face, making her choke on it. She gasped as she coughed the water up. “Shit!” she muttered.

Wanda wiped her face with her palms, and turned the water off. She stood there for a while, not sure how much time had passed.

Suddenly, she felt like the room got colder, darker.

“No, please, I’m sorry!” Wanda could have tried everything, but nothing would have prevented this. She had made a mistake. While being dragged out of a lab, her arm knocked over and broke a glass bottle that was apparently very valuable. Now they had a reason to punish her.

Wanda felt her system become flooded as she drowned in the tub of water they forced her head into. Just at the brink of going unconscious, they pulled her head up by her hair. “I- I’m sorry! I won’t… won’t do it again, swear!” was all she could choke out with the water still gagging her. Apparently that wasn’t good enough for them, and they pushed her back into the cold water, holding her for just over three minutes. They would’ve kept her drowning until she suffocated to death, but she is worth more to them alive than dead.

“Wanda,” Natasha called from outside the room, snapping Wanda back into reality. “You’ve been in there for a while. Is everything okay?”

At the sound of the other woman’s voice, Wanda made fast work of drying herself and putting the clean clothes on, almost slipping on water by rushing too quickly. “I’m fine! I’ll be out in a- a moment,” she insisted as she wrapped her wet hair in the towel.

Can’t even take a shower without messing up.

Natasha had been leaning on the wall next to the bathroom door. As soon as she heard the door’s lock click open, she stood upright and put on a soft smile.

Wanda stepped out the bathroom with one hand holding her dirty clothes while the other fidgeted with wet hair. Natasha reached out for the dirty clothes. “Here, I’ll take those with the rest of my laundry,” she said as she put them in a basket with her own used clothes.

Natasha scanned Wanda’s face, noticing how her eyes seem to be wandering away from her, not only that, but her mind was somewhere else completely. “Are you okay, душенька (darling)?”

Wanda lifted her head. “I’m fine,” she said in a stern whisper. “I think- just need a bit rest,” she continued in a heavier accent. It always happens when she’s tired.

Not wanting to wait for Natasha’s responds, Wanda walked to the bed which she’s grown to be more comfortable with.

Chasing just behind her, Natasha stopped Wanda from laying down with her still very wet hair. “Wait, let me dry it. It’ll just be a little while.” She could tell Wanda really wasn’t in the mood, but kept trying. “You could catch a cold.”

After a quick thought, Wanda finally agreed and sat at the edge of the bed as Natasha went to fetch the hairdryer. Natasha first used the towel to get lots of the water out, simultaneously giving Wanda a well deserved head massage.

Wanda relaxed into Natasha, focusing on the soft touches instead of whatever her mind was thinking about, which would often not very pleasant.

Just before Natasha turned the hairdryer on, she remembered how loud they could be. She’s not sure if Wanda is sensitive to noise, but if her past experience was anything to go off of, it could be stressful for her.

“Do loud sounds bother you?” she asked, tucking some loose strands behind Wanda’s ear. “Um, a little bit,” Wanda answered. “I have some earplugs you could use,” Natasha offered as she dug through her desk drawer. Soon enough she handed them to Wanda who gladly accepted. 

After the earplugs were comfortably in Wanda’s ears, Natasha turned the hairdryer on.

It was almost completely silent to Wanda which she throughly enjoyed. It could’ve been the fact that the only thing she could hear was a soft, soothing buzzing sound, or that entire day has drained her, or maybe even the comforting way Natasha gently handled her hair, either way Wanda felt her eyelids become heavy. She tried her best to stay alert, but the more Natasha touched her, the sleepier she got.

Just rest for a second. Natasha is good. I can sleep.

Before she knew it, Wanda dozed off into a deep sleep.

———

Wanda’s eyes shot open when she felt the leather straps that were tying her to a table. She was no longer in the soft clothes Natasha gave her, rather a tight straitjacket that wrapped around her upper half almost enough to crush her ribs. The metal rings and hooks on the straitjacket connect with some more straps that kept her down on the table, while the straps on her ankles spread her legs apart in a very uncomfortable and vulnerable position.

Wanda’s heart began to race. The last thing she remembered was being with Natasha… while sitting on her bed, while they were completely alone together.

As panic and fear rose up her chest, she did the only thing she could think of. Scream. Her heavy breathing prevented her from building up the breath to scream, and even after she could, she realized that no sound escaped her lips. She kept on trying, the more she did, the dryer her throat felt, yet not a single sound could be heard.

Her last resort was to kick and push in every way she could, but with every movement, the restraints seemed to just keep getting tighter. Out of energy, Wanda gave up. She laid still, trying to see where she was.

She lifted her head, only to be choked by a strap that secured her head down by the neck. Somehow she hadn’t noticed it, but now that she did, it only added to her ever-growing panic. Her head started to hurt, like there was a loud pulsing in her skull.

Suddenly, she heard the sound of heeled shoes clicking on the floor. Wanda couldn’t decide if this was good or bad. On one hand, it could be someone that could help her, but judging by how calm their steps sounded it was most likely the person who wanted to hurt her.

Wanda bit down on her lips, her eyes were shut tightly and her whole body was tense. With every step whoever it was took, the more anxious Wanda got. She had thought that seeing this person’s face would be horrible, considering they have her completely defenseless and vulnerable, but nothing could prepare her for the moment she saw Natasha’s face framed with fiery red hair looming over her.

Wanda’s eyes were wide opened. She couldn’t move or even think. Her focus fixated on Natasha’s eyes, which seemed to be anything but worried. Her eyes trailed to the redhead’s lips, which she would discover were smiling brightly. Wanda needed to scream, but she couldn’t. She was trembling, her lips quivered as her heart kept racing.

It can’t be… no, this is a misunderstanding. It has to be. She’s here to help. To help. Help.

Even though the younger girl was visibly in distress, Natasha just stood still, softly smiling at the way Wanda struggled. It was almost as if she found it entertaining. She didn’t make any attempt to help her, only placing her hand on Wanda’s head and slowly stroking her hair.

As if air had just been shot into her lungs, Wanda could suddenly speak. “Natasha!” was the first thing she could say. “Where- what are we doing here?” Her voice was sharp and quick, running out of breath between words.

The redhead grinned wider as she chuckled. “I thought you excepted this to happen. Why do you look so surprised?” Her voice was cold, nothing like what Wanda was use to. It was as if Wanda’s distress meant nothing to her, like Wanda didn’t matter to her. Unable to form any words to say, Wanda stayed silently as she felt her cheeks grow hot, and tears slowly form in the corners of her eyes.

Natasha just smiled as she took a step back. Then from behind her, a tall man appeared. Wanda couldn’t recognize his face, but she did recognize the uniform. HYDRA.

He kept moving closer, touching parts of her body at any chance he got. “Well, would you look at that. She’s back.” He chuckled. “Thought you might’ve gotten away forever. Too bad for you.” He turned to Natasha and gave her a nod. “All thanks to your ‘friend’ Natasha.”

The older woman in question stepped forward. “You are so stupid to believe I’d want to be around someone like you. Useless and worthless. A freak.” She leaned down to speak right into her ear. “Your only use is to be a good little plaything for HYDRA. That is your purpose.” Her hand, that was as cold as she was being right now, grabbed Wanda’s jaw harshly, forcing her to look into those merciless eyes. “You don’t deserve my care, especially not my love.” She spat the last word like it was a curse. “Who could ever love something as pathetic as you?”

A river of tears streamed down Wanda’s face. It was just as she thought. No one could ever love her. Useless. She repeated the words in her head. Stupid.

Despite choking on her own saliva and fear, Wanda gathered enough courage to speak. “Tasha- ‘m sorry, I-” A needle stabbed her neck, injecting her with something warm that stings her skin. She felt her limbs grow numb. Her vision began to blur and darken. A sedative, just like the one Natasha gave her when she first arrived. Wanda felt herself fade away.

“Goodnight, душенька,” were the last words she heard, spoken by someone Wanda thought she could trust, someone that might’ve even cared about her. Now she sees the true monster that lies beneath the surface. No, not a monster. Wanda deserves this.

———

She woke up with a start.