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After a boring mission and long trip home Natasha and Yelena were both eager to get to bed. They crowded into the bathroom of their little house, half-heartedly joking around and shoving each other out of the way. Yelena gained slightly on Natasha and got to her toothbrush first.
She dabbed a tiny amount of toothpaste on her brush and ran it once over each row of teeth, spat, and put the toothbrush back in its cup. Natasha had not even uncapped her toothpaste before Yelena was done.
The sloppy way Yelena performed this basic self-care sparked a dull, protective anger in Natasha.
It wasn't Yelena's fault that she didn't know how to care for herself, of course. The Red Room was to blame. Yelena had shared with her that she had to re-learn most basic things after escaping their mind control. Natasha was appalled, ashamed and angry all at once. And it showed. Her emotions shifted the mood in the room, the joking atmosphere evaporating in an instant.
"What's with you?" Yelena asked, raising a brow.
Natasha shook her head to snap herself out of her thoughts, then laid a firm hand on her sister's shoulder and guided her to sit on the edge of the bathtub. She grabbed Yelena's toothbrush and applied a more appropriate amount of toothpaste.
"Open." Natasha commanded, her tone leaving no room for debate.
The younger woman looked up at her sister with quiet defiance, jutting out her chin.
But then Natasha grasped Yelena by said chin. By God- she would make this right even if she had to fight Yelena over it. Natasha tilted her head slightly and raised an eyebrow in silent warning, saying Don't try me, kid.
Even though every fibre of Yelena's being was hardwired to resist, to fire off a witty comeback, she couldn't deny the sway Natasha held over her. Her sister's approval—her attention—was everything to Yelena. She could roast her all day, but in the end it was Natasha's favor that she craved.
So instead of fighting or walking away, she opened her mouth.
Natasha tightened her grip on Yelena's chin slightly and brought the waiting toothbrush into her sister's mouth. She deftly brushed Yelena's teeth as if she'd done it a thousand times before. Her movements were efficient, brushing each surface with meticulous care.
Yelena felt a strange warmth spreading through her chest. A fuzzy kind of limpness that came from being cared for. She had never experienced that before; it was startling. But her sister's firm grip on her chin kept her grounded.
When Natasha was satisfied with her work she instructed her sister to rinse and handed her the mouthwash.
Yelena made no move so Natasha gently took the bottle back, poured a portion into the little plastic cup and offered it again. Yelena swished the liquid in her mouth before spitting it out.
Natasha reached for a washcloth and wiped the corners of Yelena's mouth. Then she planted a kiss between her sister's brows.
"There you are. All good."
Yelena just stared up at her, baffled by this caring and gentle version of her sister. Natasha was always caring; but this behaviour was practically maternal.
Her mouth did feel...cleaner. Probably cleaner than ever.
"Thank you." she mumbled while looking down at the tiled floor.
"We probably need to get you checked for cavities if that's how you usually brush. I'm sorry nobody was there to help you before."
Natasha smoothed her thumb over Yelena's cheek and tucked a strand of stray hair behind her ear.
"I'm sorry I wasn't there." She continued, voice tinged with guilt.
"You are here now." Yelena lifted her arms to pull her sister into a hug. It was an awkward angle but they made it work.
In that moment Yelena felt untethered from the pain of her past. With Natasha’s arms around her all the neglect and loneliness faded, like memories belonging to someone else. Not this Yelena Belova - getting her teeth brushed and being held tight by her big sister.