The rise of the White Widow

Red room trauma

After our arrival at the Avengers tower, Natasha leads me to the familiar elevator that Peter and I had used during my first encounter with the team. The elevator chimes as it reaches the twelfth floor, revealing a cozy living area.

"This is the females' floor," Natasha explains, "The boys have their quarters on the floor below us"

She guides me towards a bedroom with pristine white walls and expansive windows that offer a breathtaking view of the city. From there, she takes me to an attached bathroom and gently sits me on the edge of a bathtub. As she turns on the faucets and adjusts the temperature, I cant help but be reminded of my traumatic experiences in the red room. Fear creeps up on me, leaving me feeling vulnerable and terrified.

Without thinking, I slide off the edge of the bathtub and crouch down in a corner of the bathroom, trying to regain control over my emotions. Noticing my distress, Natasha immediately voices her concern.

"Hey, what's wrong?" she asks gently.

Glancing at the bathtub once again set off a series of haunting flashbacks. A stray tear trickled down my face, which I quickly wipe away before responding.

"I don't like baths," I finally admit with a quiet shake of my head.

"Showers?" Natasha suggests kindly.

"No, just baths," I clarify in a near whisper.

Upon understanding my predicament, Natasha promptly stops the running water in the bathtub and decides on a new plan of action.

"Alright then, let's take a shower instead"

She briefly steps out of the bathroom to change into her swimsuit before returning. As she turns on the showerhead, I hesitantly study it to ensure there were no triggers for further anxiety.

Sensing my hesitation, Natasha extends her hand toward me with an encouraging smile. "It's alright"

Grateful for her support, I take her hand and let her guide me into the shower. I sit down on the shower floor, drawing my knees up to my chest protectively.

"I'll wash your hair first, and then I'll help you clean up," Natasha proposes, "Only if you're comfortable with it, of course"

I manage a nod, indicating my approval, "It's fine"

Natasha beams at me before reaching for the shampoo bottle from a nearby shelf. Pouring some into her palm, I catch a glimpse of the label and notice it is lavender-scented. Panic sets in as I scoot away from her. (Idk, I wanted to give her a allergy and lavender was the only thing I could think of as I'm allergic to it lol)

"What's wrong?" Natasha questions, concern etched in her face once again.

"Um, I'm allergic to lavender," I explain sheepishly.

"Oh no! I'm so sorry," she apologises immediately.

Setting aside the lavender shampoo, she grabs another bottle and proceeds to gently wash my hair with it instead.

Once Nat finishes scrubbing my hair, she carefully rinses it, making sure all the shampoo washes out of my ginger locks. The sensation of the warm water running through my hair is soothing.

"I'm going to wash your body now if that's okay," Nat says softly, her tone considerate and respectful.

I nod my head in agreement, now realizing how caked in blood, mud and dirt I am. She picks up the soap and gently starts to apply it to my body. As she does so, I can't help but tense up.

"I can stop if you want," Nat offers kindly, noticing my discomfort.

I shake my head, "I'm fine" I muster some courage to help ease the situation.