Marvel Oneshots

Chapter 11 - Soft Comforts

No warnings today. Have a soft little moment. :)

Winter moving around woke me up, though I chose to stay laying, snuggled in his shirt. I peeked my eyes open to see what he was doing and saw the door barely open and Handler behind it.

That horrible man smirked at me and I felt a shiver run down my back. Winter suddenly opened the door fully and slammed Handler against the hallway wall by his neck. After he'd turned bright red Winter let him go and shut them out.

I slowly sat up with a groan, holding my torso up with one arm, wiping my eyes with the other. My head hurts, a dizziness settling behind my eyes.

Winter sat on the mattress in front of me and just watched as I came to a working state of consciousness. When my eyes finally focused on him, he brushed the back of his knuckles on my knee just casually admiring me.

A tightness gripped my chest as I felt the guilt overcome me. I don't deserve this. I hate this feeling.

"So no training today?" I took one of my earplugs out, nudging his hand off of me carefully.

"No. You're tired and you shook all through the night. Here, hold your hand out." He said, his voice unnervingly calm. I put my slender fingers up and watched as they jittered, knowing his statement to be true.

I tucked my loose curls behind my ears, "You shouldn't have to take care of me. That was embarassing."

After a moment of silence he asked, looking up at me with deeply human eyes "Which part?"

"That's not what I meant, Winter. I didn't like being tied down and exposed to all those people. I didn't like working that damn party. I didn't like what Handler did to me."

My lips were pulled into my mouth as I felt the betrayal settle in my stomach. "Sorry. This doesn't matter. Um-" I stood up suddenly, pulling the shorts up to rest on my hips as I walked to the mirror. "I traded for some bread rations, if you're hungry." The sight of myself drove my heart to pound, the marks on my thighs from Winter, the bags under my eyes, redness on my cheeks, and stripes from where the too tight straps of the black dress sat on my arms.

"Relax. We don't have to do anything. No training. No meetings. No assignments."

"I am."

"I can hear your heart pounding." He stood from the mattress now and started to walk over to me.

"I don't feel good. I'm going to go back to bed... if that's okay."

"Of course. Do you want me to stay?"

"It's your choice. I don't mind." I murmured softly, wiping my eyes with my palms and tucking my thick hair behind my ears again. The mattress squeaked as I put my weight into it and finally laid down.

I snuggled into my spot and soon Winter found his behind me. My shaky hand reached back and grabbed his metal one, trying to pull it over me. I was suprised to find him resisting.

"Here." He wrapped his flesh hand around me and I nuzzled into the warmth as I started to understand his hesitation.

My mind was filled with too many thoughts and I couldn't sleep. My stomach took the brunt of my emotions and for a second I thought I might throw up if I sat up.

A sharp exhale through my nose and then I whispered, "You awake?"

"Mhm."

"Can I ask you something?" I kept my voice soft, my hands tracing some design on his skin.

"Of course."

"You can't tell anyone."

"I won't. Promise."

"Do you remember anything... before here?" I froze as I finished, even my nail stopped dragging along.

"Why?"

"Sometimes... I wonder what you were like and what life is like without someone telling you what to do. I know it's stupid and I wasn't made for it, but I think."

"I think that kind of life would suit you." He confessed, putting a kiss in my hair. I exhaled shakily, relief soaking some of the anxiety out of me.

"So you do remember?"

"Mhm. Bits and pieces."

I turned to look at him, his eyes glinting as I spoke, "Can you tell me about it?" Winter's brows furrowed and his mouth opened and shut again and finally he began.

He told me about his family. He had siblings, a mother, a father, and a best friend. I found out he loved music and going dancing even before missions. I always thought it was just him trying to fit in. He said he remembers his best friend and how the kid would get into so much trouble.

"I think the thing I miss most is my sister. I used to wake up early to braid her hair and walk her to school."

I could see in his eyes how much it hurt him to think back on this. The pain of being ripped from something he actually had, a pain I'll never understand.

"Thank you."

"For what?" He sniffled.

"Sharing with me the man inside. Beyond what they've told you to be. The man I've fallen in love with."

~ ~ ~

The heel of his hand pressed into my lower back as I curled up on the mattress. It killed me, knowing I was getting ready for my week, when we have given it a few months of saying fuck it to trying to stop project genesis.

"Is this helping at all?"

"Mhm. Thank you. It's really not as bad. Maybe a five."

"Good. Want me to try trading some food rations for some pain meds."

"We both know they don't work. Have the serum to thank for that."

"Sorry." He pressed a little harder as I closed my eyes. This weeks training has only gotten harder, they are pushing me for the next mission. They want me to do something horrible and they want me to do it without being wiped.

It was tomorrow morning when the Handler looked at the bed with a raised brow, and still continued to put me in training.

Pain meant nothing if I got a look of approval, a stark change from the usual dissapointment. I hate that my first instinct is to make them happy.

Soon I was grunting as I think my shoulder was dislocated, still I had the upper hand. It took soldiers pulling me off and Handler's repeated commands to stop for me to let up on the man. Popping my joint back in before taking a good look at the man's face.

I think he was russian, an attempt at another person like me. He wasn't. They failed.

Winter and I shared the skimpy dinner they gave up, both trying to share anything we could possibly find good about our day. I wiped my mouth as I laughed a little off kilter, "Good news for you, I think I'm gonna take this bra off. I'm sore."

He smiled just barely enough for me to see, his hand raking through his knotted hair. I reached a hand under my his shirt, which I had thrown on in an effort to feel better, and pulled the undergarment off.

"Better?"

"Yeah. They are just really swollen. Happens sometimes."

"No way I can help?" He smirked, making me giggle. My hand slithered around and pulled him into a kiss. It was sweet.

The night ended with us in the bed, I slept in his lap while his nails lightly scratched my scalp. I fell asleep on him, my knees tucked to my stomach to aleiviate the soft cramps.