Breaking Free | Natasha x OC

Chapter Fifty-Four

"Everytime a man yells, you are seven years old again."
___

Nat's eyebrows twitched as consciousness found her. How long had she been asleep for? Reaching out to her right, she attempted to find her phone on the side table, instead colliding with something warm and large. Someone.

Eyes opening fast, she looked and felt the strongest emotion crash into her at the sight of Natara, asleep beside her. Here.
She could remember all of last night now, fully awake.

Nat had been in the spare room over the last year and months. She'd even slept on the other side of the bed to her usual side, hence why she'd reached out expecting to find a table.
She'd basically gone out of her way to not do anything that reminded her of the nights that Tara was beside her.

But she was in her room now. On her side of the bed. With her wife.

Nat stared at Natara, a few strands of hair falling into her gorgeous face. God, Tara looked so good. Even when asleep.
The blonde just looked at her, peaceful and at ease. She then followed Natara's arm, seeing it near her own body.

Looking over at her phone, Nat checked the time. It was late. The lastest she'd slept since Thanos had first beaten them.
As she put the phone down, it made a soft thud. The noise was enough though.
Natara's arm moved, surprising Nat when she didn't wake up and instead clutched the spy's shirt.
The movement made her entire being tighten and come alive.

The fact that subconscious Natara clung to her for safety... it meant so much.
It also helped that this Natara was also beautiful and in only her underwear.
The redhead's short temper was definitely made up for by her looks- though Nat loved the temper too. It was part of the ex-assassin.

Natasha took the time to analyze her wife. She'd be lying if she said the new scars didn't worry her. Especially the ones that weren't physical. Nat knew Natara, even if they were further apart than they had been. She knew her.
And she knew that as much as the work Tara had been doing had saved the redhead, it had taken a toll too.

How couldn't it have?
Natara was rescuing people from the same situation she'd lived in for five years. Reliving those things, they were bound to cause issues.
Nat had noticed it in the beginning, when Natara would come back home after short periods. Or at least they were short compared to their time apart now.

Nat had seen it the day Natara had broken down before here, and before she'd said she was leaving again. The way Tara had cried about the things she'd seen and was seeing.

Nat had seen it too, in a moment after, during the first year.

***

Tara was home, again, and they were arguing. Also again.

Nat, so incredibly frustrated and emotional, stood up quickly from behind her desk. Maybe it was the anger in the room, or the quick movement... but Natara flinched and moved a step back.

The whole room seemed to freeze.

Natasha went entirely still, eyes wide and lips parted. Shock, guilt, and concern was on her face, while Tara's went oddly blank.
The blonde Avenger didn't move, didn't know how to react to her wife's momentary fear... to her actions.
"Tara-" Nat breathed shakily, worry and guilt in her tone.

The sight of Natara's body reacting in fear to something she'd done... it made Nat so sick to her stomach she'd never be able to describe it.