A Tale of Mischief and Mutants part 2

"laPOOshychka"

—-Sam—-

I shift around trying to find the same amount of comfort I previously had and just go right back to sleep but without Lo' here it's impossible. I groan and sit up wrapping the cape around myself. Natasha chuckles seeing I've given up on returning to sleep and that I'm also doing a whole lot better now.

"You've really got him wrapped around your little finger don't you?"

She's probably referring to how Loki stopped doing whatever it was he was doing to accommodate me just now. I smile, I really do.

"Duh!"

I show off my wedding ring to emphasize my point I can't think of a better symbolic representation of how wrapped around my finger he really is. She laughs again at me doing this. I look around seeing he's not in the main 'room'.

"Where did he say he was going anyway?"

I didn't hear exactly what it was he yelled I just know it woke me up. She shares a look with Wilson and Bucky.

"To find Thor."

I sigh and roll my eyes.

"Of course he is. I swear if that boy gets a write up..."

She laughs probably at me referring to Loki as 'that boy'.

"He really keeps you on your toes doesn't he?"

"Yup but I knew that going into it. Besides like you said..."

I fiddle with my wedding ring then point to it for effect.

"'right around that little finger'."

Wilson laughs.

"Still it's almost gotta make you reconsider the whole kids thing am I right? Don't need to deal with actual children and the god of Mischief. Speaking of, any news about that yet?"

He's teasing of course all the same I feel my expression change I try to hide it but it hurts. I figure he probably doesn't know. I don't know who's looked at my files and who hasn't. Bucky hasn't noticed the look on my face and laughs at Wilson's remark.

"Sam slow down, don't rush her Samantha has plenty of time to figure all that out."

Natasha sends them both an icy glare.

"Exactly, now I think you two should go check the air compressing systems like you were talking about before."

I can only assume she read my entire file. The two men look like they want to argue looking confused as to why Natasha is suddenly sending them away. They relent with one hard glare from Nat figuring she probably has a good enough reason for it and that they can ask about it later. After a second of awkward silence they leave. I look down at the ground trying to seem unbothered I don't want to make anyone feel guilty.

"Thank you Nat."

She comes and takes a seat next to me.

"You're welcome, I'm sorry about them, guys can be idiots about that stuff sometimes."

She seems to measure her next words very carefully knowing it's a touchy subject.

"Listen Sam if you ever want to talk about what happened you can always talk to me... you're not alone in your... condition."

'Alone in my condition'? I'm very confused for a second before exactly what she's saying clicks in my mind. 'Was she?' 'Did?' 'Was the same thing done to her?!' My eyes widen at the realization. She simply nods to confirm what I'm already thinking. 'Oh Nat... this is awful.' My heart swells with sympathy and sadness for my friend.

"I'm so sorry."

She smiles.

"I'm alright, I'm more worried about you. You're a young, recently married woman people are going to be badgering you about having children thinking they're harmlessly teasing, I just want you to know that you're not alone and that if it gets to be too much you can always talk to me."

"Okay, I... thank you so much."

I don't even think about it as I hug the Russian spy. To my surprise she hugs me back slightly.

"Oh лапушечка, мы все тебя любим."

Thanks to Piotr I recognize лапушечка (or laPOOshychka) As a term of endearment meaning sweetie or sweetie pie and pick up the words 'all' and 'love' in the rest of what she says. I conclude she said 'we all love you' or something similar. I smile though my Russian isn't great I know enough to respond back, I think. My accent is probably horrible though. 'I love you too.'

"я люблю вас обоих."

She laughs.

"It's я тоже тебя люблю but that was a good try."

I feel my cheeks flush red in embarrassment. It's at this point that Peter comes over and Natasha leaves across the room towards Wilson and Bucky probably so she can chew them out for, in her mind, being insensitive.