Student Secret

Chapter 6 : Water Break

You both stood awkwardly before one another, unsure of what move should be made next. Natasha cleared her throat, turning the lock in the front door then running her fingers through the front of her hair.
"Do you want something to eat? I didn't really think that far past asking you to stay. I'm a bit lost now." She giggled in embarrassment, clearly anticipating some form of response from you.
In some twisted sense, you found pleasure in watching her fall shy to your silence. However, her demeanour caused you to cave.
"I'm not hungry don't worry."

Natasha pursed her lips. You could visualise the cogs of her mind turning to form another question or suggestion.
"Why don't I find you something to change into?"
Blurting out her words abruptly, you nodded, grinning a little to ease her nerves. You were sure it wasn't you that was causing this anxiety, merely the fact you were a first year student staying at your professor's house - who's undeniably much older than you. How much older? You still weren't sure.

You trailed behind Natasha, tracing her footsteps and following her up the stairs as she went on the hunt for borrowable attire.
"Can I ask you a sort of...personal question."
She turned to you, backing into her bedroom through the door. It swung open and stayed that way, though you found yourself speaking up as she rounded it's backside and was now out of your sight. Oddly, you stood in the entryway, attempting to respect whatever ropey boundaries existed between yourself and 'Miss Romanoff'.

"Uh...what age are you?"
The rummaging through her drawers came to an abrupt halt, followed by her footsteps towards the doorway.
"First of all, you should never ask a woman their age. Second of all, will you just come in please? You're freaking me out standing in that doorframe like some kid in a horror film."
You cleared your throat, feeling the skin of your cheeks becoming flushed with every step you took into Natasha's bedroom. To be honest, you were surprised she kept her clothes in here. Judging by the size of her house, part of you expected her to have a walk in closet. Or two.
"Sorry, I don't mean to be nosey. Forget I asked."

She turned and stood at an uneasy distance from you, handing you a small folded set of clothes. You had to lean from you position to take them, smiling a little as a non-verbal thank you. Suddenly you were wishing you hadn't pondered.

"I'm 37, by the way."
You nodded, taken aback a little. Her physique and face didn't match her age whatsoever. Clearly, she takes good care of herself. However, that didn't remove the fact she was nearly two decades older than you. Admittedly, it turned you on.
You struggled for a moment to string together a sentence, unsure of how to continue after this revelation.
"Wheres the bathroom? So I can change."
Natasha ran her eyes slowly up you, holding your eye contact for an uncomfortable extra second.
"You can change here, I'll go get the spare room sorted."

She brushed past you, closing the door gently. In a nonchalant manner, you stripped yourself, the floor length mirror on her sliding wardrobe forcing shrewdness upon your skin.
You slipped into Natasha's clothes before allowing the self-discernment to consume you. Allowing the top to slide down your stomach, quickly you realised what Natasha had dressed you in was hardly appropriate. Did this woman ever dress casually?

You were stood in a tight lace vest, uncomfortably sheer and not hiding much due to its pale tone - and unfortunately, you slept braless. With regards to your bottom half, a pair of tight boy shorts in the same pale tone, that barely stretched to the apex of your thigh. You might as well have been wearing nothing.
You heard Natasha's footsteps draw closer to her bedroom, stopping just outside the door. You called out to her before she could walk in.
"Do you own any student fitting items of clothing?"
"Not really. I'm telling the truth when I say that's the best I've got."
You sighed, accepting that these were tonight's pyjamas.
She walked in unhurriedly, her gaze touching your thinly clad skin only momentarily before her eyes were averted elsewhere.
"You're telling me you have no other nightwear?"
Truthfully, you wish she'd look at more of you, despite your utter discomfort at the display of every and all of your body parts.
"I sleep naked, Y/N. I see no need for 'nightwear'."
You shook your head a little, gathering your discarded outfit in a messy pile and laughing awkwardly and uncontrollably.

You turned to leave, muttering a short goodnight as the heat of Natasha's presence rendered you unable to remain in her room much longer. Using your clothes to shield the front of your body, you sped hurriedly towards the door. As you entered it's frame, Natasha grabbed your upper arm, stopping you in your exit.
"I'm sorry if I've made you uncomfortable." She paused for a moment, as you've noticed she does often, contemplating her follow up.
"Let me know if you need anything. Goodnight, Y/N"
You nodded frantically before turning and darting down the hallway. You hadn't even asked which room was the spare - you thanked the universe as you'd noticed Natasha had left it's door ajar.

You allowed your clothes to drift messily onto the floor, closing the door behind you before sliding beneath the silk sheets of her double bed. Though you were sure you'd never felt comfort like this in your life, you couldn't help but find yourself in an annoyingly restless state. The pelting raindrops of the harsh outside weather tapped your window non-stop. Your eyes refusing to shut at it's sound. The noise, mixed with your overactive mind running laps round your own professor, it appeared that a good night's sleep was off the table.

You pushed the sheets from your frame, shivering as the cold air of the room pricked your skin. You held your arms folded, opening the door as quietly as humanly possible in the hopes of not waking Natasha. You wanted a glass of water from downstairs, but her house was so dimly lit and so vast that you felt as though you might never retrieve it.

After enduring what seemed like a rich person's winding maze, you finally found yourself in the intense light of Natasha's bespoke kitchen. You rummaged for a moment looking for a glass, then poured yourself a cold cup to take with you. En route back to the spare room, you rubbed your eyes a little along the stretch of hallway from Natasha's bedroom to your temporary stay.

"Y/N?"
You were spooked by the sudden sound of a voice in the dark, quickly sheepish and instantly realising its possessor.
"Is everything okay? Why are you up?"
You turned back to face her indistinct silhouette, feeling much more content in your stance without light to expose the features of your physique.
"I haven't slept yet. I got up for some water, sorry if I woke you."
She left her door open slightly, the illumination bleeding into the hallway. Natasha had thrown on some underwear - that being all. You could barely identify the curves of her body, though your eyes squinted to see them. Clearly, she hadn't expected you to be awake.
"Don't worry about it. I'm the same - no sleep, wanting water."

You stepped towards her, extending your arm to hand her the glass.
"It'll save you a trip downstairs."