Learning to Love - Natasha Romanoff and Maria Hill

Six

Natasha stalked back to her quarters after she had been forced to go to medical by none other than Maria Hill. When she opened her door, she found Maria waiting on her bed for her. She had clearly just taken a shower and changed into something worthy of sleeping in. Natasha sat next to the brunette, burying her face in Maria's neck and wrapping her arms around her torso.

Maria just held her. She knew Natasha was probably exhausted and a little out of it due to the painkillers she had been given.

"Tasha, baby, you need to take a shower," Maria soothingly rubbed the redhead's back.

Natasha sighed,"I know."

She stood up, throwing her boots off before unzipping her suit and pulling it off. She threw her suit into her hamper before walking into the bathroom and taking her bra, briefs, and socks off.

"Will you shower with me?" Natasha knew Maria had already taken a shower, but she just didn't want to shower alone.

Maria nodded her head, pulling her sports bra and shorts off, along with her briefs.

Natasha just stood in Maria's arms as the brunette gently washed her hair. Natasha didn't feel like doing anything herself. She could fall asleep right here. Once Maria finished washing the shorter woman, she turned the water off and wrapped Natasha in a towel before grabbing one for herself. They both dried off and laid down in Nat's bed without bothering to put clothes on. Natasha was fast asleep within seconds of laying in Maria's arms.

"Good morning, beautiful," the American placed a gentle kiss on Natasha's head.

Nat's fingers played with the ends of Maria's hair,"Mornin', Masha."

"Still drugged up from the painkillers?" Maria chuckled at the sleepy woman in her arms.

"Only a little..I'll be back to normal in a few hours. Haven't had painkillers in awhile," Natasha sighed,"God, my ribs hurt. What in the hell is wrong with me?"

"You, Romanoff, need to learn when to fight and when to wait for help."

"Says you. You were too scared to ask me to help you carry a goddamn couch."

Maria scoffed,"That was not a life endangering situation, Nat."

"You seem to really care about that couch. What's so special about it?"

"Tell you what, I'll tell you in a few hours when you're sober enough to remember, yes?"

"Yeah, good idea, Mia. You're just, like, full of good ideas," Natasha began to place kisses all over Maria's neck.

Not that Maria didn't enjoy it because she did, but she just wasn't going to have sex with Natasha while she was like this.

"Tasha, I'm gonna go make us something to eat. Sound good?" The brunette slipped out from under Natasha, heading toward the small kitchen that's found in every one of their quarters.

"But I know of something really, really good. I tebe dazhe ne obyazatel'no eto delat'(And you don't even have to make it)," Natasha smirked.

"Do you now?" Maria raised an eyebrow at the redhead.

"Yeah, frozen waffles. Get your head out of the gutter, Hill."

"Right. That's exactly what you were thinking."

"Tochno(Exactly)," Maria knew that Natasha probably had no idea she was switching in and out of Russian, or she did. Either way, it was cute.

Everything just sounded better when Natasha said it, especially when she said it in Russian.

"Exactly," Maria smiled before turning and going into the kitchen,"Although..I don't know if you happen to know yet, but I make really good chocolate chip pancakes."

Natasha liked that idea,"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Or would you rather have your frozen waffles."

"Mm. I guess I'll try your pancakes."

"Alright, well, considering you most definitely do not have the ingredients in here, I'll go make them in my quarters..Right after I put some clothes on."

"Fine, but you know I'm just going to rip them off later, dorogoy."

That word made Maria's heart skip a beat. Dorogoy: sweetheart, darling. Maria smiled to herself as she slipped her sports bra back over her head, along with her shorts and underwear.

"Can I borrow a shirt, red?"

"Yep. In the closet. Top drawer of my dresser."

Maria returned to Natasha's quarters with a plate of pancakes and two coffees. The Russian was no longer laying in bed where Maria had left her. She looked at the bathroom, and the door was closed.

"Talia, I have to get ready to go into work. First day, can't be late. I'll leave your food in the oven."

"Alright," Natasha's voice was quieter than usual. And shaky.

Maria became worried,"Are you okay, Talia?"

"Yeah..yeah, I'm fine. Have a good first day."

"Okay..I'll see you later. Don't forget you have to go train with Rogers later."

"I won't."

With that, Maria left to go get ready. She didn't want to intrude or push Natasha's boundaries so she decided that if Nat wasn't really fine, she could tell her on her own time.

Natasha stood in front of the mirror, staring into her own eyes. Tears stained her cheeks.

"Damnit," she mumbled,"Damnit!"

She hated feeling weak. It was quite possibly the worst feeling in the world. All of this shit with Maria was making her feel weak. She knew she shouldn't feel that way, but she just did.

Maria doesn't deserve this. She deserves so much better. You're not worth her time, Natalia. She'll find out about you soon enough.

With that, Natasha forced herself to get ready. She poured herself a glass of vodka before drinking the whole thing in one gulp. She poured herself another glass and downed that one just as quickly. Luckily, she was not a lightweight. She could not go into work drunk. That was a line she would not cross. That would be humiliating, and she didn't want to be on Fury's bad side more than she already felt like she was. She knew he trusted her, but for some reason, she wanted him to like her. She craved validation. That was more baggage she carried. She craved any professional validation she could get.

Later, Natasha found herself in the training room punching the hell out of a punching bag.

She heard Steve Rogers' voice from across the room,"What did that punching bag ever do to you, Romanoff?"

She turned away from the bag, raising an eyebrow at the blonde man,"Ready to get your ass kicked, Rogers?"

"Try not to be so confident. I might just kick your ass."

"No offense, captain, but I strongly doubt it."

"We'll just have to see if you're right about that."

Three hours later, both Steve and Natasha gave up. Neither of them was going to win. Steve was stronger than Natasha, no doubt, but her technique was better, and she was faster.

As Steve was walking out of the gym and into the locker room, he turned around,"Good job today, Romanoff. We're lucky to have you here. You bring a lot to S.H.I.E.L.D."

Natasha smirked,"You too, Rogers. I've never met a man who could keep me on my toes like you just did, but not to burst your bubble or anything, I have two broken ribs, and you couldn't even beat me."

"Yeah? Well, you must be used to fighting with broken ribs or something because, damn, you really know what you're doing."

"I know," The redhead finished unwrapping her hands before standing up and passing Rogers to head into the women's locker room,"That's what over twenty years in a secret Russian organization built to train young girls to be killers will get you."