jackalope-- p. maximoff★

eleven.

HARRIET FEELS LIKE SHE COULD EAT A HORSE (METAPHORICALLY, OF COURSE).

She'd just finished her work shift on reception, heading out the door to lock up. Tony's still in his big, fancy office. Never rest for the rich, she supposes.

She gets into her aunt's car, the engine making a soft humming noise as she starts it up. "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" by The Smiths starts playing, and she can't help herself; she sings along.

♬

★

When she's home, she shuts the front door hastily, relaxing in the comfort of the house.

She can hear her aunt arguing with someone over the phone, and her head tilts to the sude as she glances into the living room to find Vanessa Brown, tears streaked across her aunt's face as she looks back at Harriet.

As soon as she sees the tears, Harriet springs into action, taking her aunt's hands and leading her to the couch in the living room. "Aunt Vanny? What's wrong?"

Her aunt shakes her head, her short hair bouncing around her usually plump and lively face as she covers her mouth with a hand. "They think she's dead."

Harriet blinks, the weight of the words feeling like a million tons as she swallows her emotion down and asks. 

"Who?"

She already knows the answer as soon as her aunt opens her mouth.

★

She's not sure how long she's been in her room.

Three hours turned into three days which turned into weeks. 

Time is nonexistent in depressive episodes.

Her room's eerily clean, she can't even bring herself to mess it up at this point. She's been in bed for a while. Eat, sleep, wake up, brush teeth, then repeat it again because she's not sure what else to do.

She wakes up again. She's about to go to sleep but a knock at her door disrupts her. "Harry? Are you there?" Harriet raises her head from her pillow and replies with a soft voice. "I'm here."

She wishes she wasn't.

Vanessa opens the door. They both look tired. Harriet's exhaustion has made her look old enough for people to confuse the two as sisters.

Her aunt sits on the end of the bed, resting a hand on Harriet's ankle to reassure her. "They don't know for sure, Harry. They're not sure." Harriet feels like those words are more to comfort her aunt than herself, and Harriet doesn't blame her.

Harriet wants to believe it anyways, so she nods.

Her aunt takes a short moment to hold herself together, and starts to stroke her niece's hair. "I don't want to make this worse for you, but you can't stay here."

Harriet frowns. "The Avengers?"

Her aunt's silence is answer enough, and Harriet just flops back into bed. She's too tired to debate this.

Way too tired.

★

a/n; i know i havent updated in ages and man, im sorry abt that but ive been busy lately :) pietro will come into the story soon ★ i won't be updating for another week or two due to a short hiatus, so enjoy this update while u can! 

edit: i luv alex g

gonna go make a soft toy out of a sock now

-m.d