Would you like me to stop writing 'Love is for children' and just do this, or would you prefer I do both? Let me know (: Sorry this is a short one.
No one expected Maria to be okay with her wife showing up two years after she left Maria, to help Steve, without warning with blonde hair, without a heads up. Fury and Sharon were both anxious to see how'd she would take it. They wanted to tell her that Natasha was back and no longer a fugitive, but they were not too sure on how to go about it. Sharon and Nick were the ones who picked Maria up off the floor every time she drank to much, Sharon was the one who washed her hair when it was full of sick, without judging her. Maria Hill needed therapy long before she met Natasha Romanoff, so you can imagine her current state.
"Liho! Come here buddy I got you a snack!" Maria called out into her apartment, "There you are!" she laughed picking Liho up and giving her a pat, Liho purrred up at her. Maria swiftly placed her back down. The two women, or should I say Woman and her adoptive cat had grown surprisingly close over the past two years. The demonic cat had changed since Nat left them both, I guess they bonded over it. They shared a mutual rejection. Maria grabbed Liho's bowl and placed it on the kitchen counter and began filling it with her favourite cat food. "Liho, I might have to go away next week, Nick needs me on a mission in Helsinki. I won't be gone too long! Don't you worry. Sharon will keep an eye on you" she jovially spoke away to the cat, who by all means had no idea what she was saying. In Maria's defense she had grown fairly lonely without Nat and so developed a coping mechanism of telling Liho her every thought. "Oh Liho, you'll never guess what happened tod-"
Maria flinched, her back straightening. She was alert, someone was in her apartment. The hairs on the back of her neck and arms rose, Maria pretended not to notice and remained calm. Whoever this intruder was, they had no chance. Maria's right hand slowly travelled from the kitchen counter to her holster on the side of her leg to grasp her gun.
"What happened today?" A raspy voice called out. One that belonged to a certain ex KGB red head that defected to S.H.I.E.L.D all those years ago. The same voice Maria Hill had fallen in love with. The very voice she woke up to every morning, until one day she didn't. Maria froze, she thought she might throw up. She removed her hand off her gun placing the safety back on. She wasn't in any kind of danger, not physically anyway. She leaned against the kitchen counter and inhaled a deep breath before turning around, her face was void. She wasn't sure how she wanted to react. Sure, she played out this moment in her head plenty of times but after six months she stopped. She knew Natasha would not be coming back any time soon. And she was right.
"What do you want?" Maria shrugged off the woman who stood in front off her, she didn't deserve a loving welcome. She didn't deserve her tears. She didn't deserve a reaction at all.
"What, your own wife doesn't get a hug?" Natasha tried to make the situation feel light, attempting to bring some humour into it but the air stayed stiff, it wasn't the time for jokes.
"You're right, my wife does deserve a hug! Have you seen her? She's got long red curly hair and a beautiful face and a charming personality. I don't know who you are, your hair is blonde and short and you look thin and tired, and quite frankly your personality is shit. Not my wife, at all." Maria did not recognise the woman in front of her, she knew it was her wife but so much has changed. And Maria doesn't want Natasha back, she's healed and sober. And God, it was so hard to maintain that sobriety when the world kept throwing shit like this at her. Natasha wasn't there for any of it. She wouldn't know.
Natasha shifted from foot to foot, scratching her neck to try a cool her nerves "Mia I'm Sorr-'"
"Okay. I don't care" she cut her off. She really didn't care. Or did she?
"Mia" Nat was pathetic, she was lost for words. She didn't know what she could say that would make this okay. Maybe she should of planned a speech or some thing beforehand.
"Can you stop calling me that? I'm sorry, but only my wife calls me that. The same woman who always lets me know where she is so I don't worry and sleeps next to me in bed at night, whilst I hold her tight, makes me coffee and teases me because when I make coffee I always burn it. She even took a bullet for me once. Maybe her loyalty just wore off? And from where I stand, you are no longer my wife. Natasha, let me make this very clear I do not have a wife."
"Mia, we're not divorced" Natasha now knowing her wife only wanted to talk facts, so she gave her what she wanted. She gave her the facts. On paper they were very much married.
"We will be." Maria let out, Natasha held in a breath.
"Maria please let me explain" Natasha was prepared to beg.
"No please leave" Maria turned around, her back now facing Natasha, to put the cat food back into the cupboard, unbothered by Natasha's presence.
"Mia I live here, I love you. This is OUR home" she pleaded.
"No, It's my home." She paused before signalling to the cat "And Liho's home, but it is no longer yours. It hasn't been for two years. Since you left me without a word. Without even asking me to join you. God you really are selfish, aren't you?"
"okay" Natasha had imagined how Maria would react to her coming back, she had expected many things. Ranging from screaming and crying and hitting to hugging and kissing and maybe even apology sex or hate sex. But this? She did not expect.
"Okay" Maria repeated. Natasha stood there a moment longer, awkward. Even Liho didn't bother to greet her. Liho stayed beside Maria's ankles. It was beautiful to see them getting on for once but Natasha knew Maria would be angry if she said anything about it. Natasha was now aware, she was no longer a key role in their lives. She turned around and left the apartment, closing the door gently. It was barely audible. As if she was a ghost. Maybe she was, she was dead to Maria.
As soon as she was gone Maria fell to the floor, all the emotions she kept hidden flowing out of her. She began to sob, choking on her own saliva and tears. She felt like she was losing Natasha all over again. She placed her head in her knees and began rocking back and forth to soothe herself. Liho sitting beside her. Supporting her with her presence. Natasha could hear it all, after all it was an open plan apartment, their kitchen, no, Maria's kitchen was opposite the front door. Natasha sat outside of the apartment, her own hand on her mouth to muffle her own cries. She needed Maria and the guilt was destroying her. But she had to respect Maria's wishes. She couldn't force her way back into her life, she knew if she did Maria would let her in. Maria was strong, and to the average person they would've believed Maria when she told Natasha to leave but Natasha could read her body language and the slight change in tone in her voice.
Maria had wanted her to stay.
(Do you want a part two?)
