"You probably want to get back, wouldn't want you to miss the rest of the party."
She was sitting on the couch, an arm rested up on the back of it while you sat with enough room for someone in between you both, a pillow on your lap.
After taking the cab for about two blocks, you insisted on riding a subway the rest of the way and she happily went with you. The two of you talked about the mission she took in Nigeria and when you told her about Paige and the shelter, she listened and laughed whenever you made a corny joke.
"Do you want me to leave?" She asked and you looked at her confused before she added, "Because I'd rather be here than pretty much any place else, but if you want me gone, I'm gone."
You furrowed your eyebrows, wondering if she was trying to get at something, but her eyes only showed how close to the edge of vulnerability she was, and you realized her guard seemed to fall whenever it was just the two of you. It was overwhelming, the way she was attempting to swallow you whole with those green eyes, completely honest and open with you, but in a way, it was a comfort you didn't know you had been craving.
"No," You cleared your throat when it came out raspy, "No, um, I want you to stay."
"I'm starving," Her eyes went wide as she smiled, leaning forward a bit, "Should we order?"
"I could make us something." You offered and she smiled adoringly at you but shook her head a second after.
"It's too late for that, you must be exhausted," She pulled out her phone and you watched her start an order from an app, "Next time though."
You nodded to yourself with a smile, liking the sound of a next time if this is how it was going to be.
After the food came, she ordered way too much Chinese, the two of you got comfortable on the couch again while a movie played. Every time one of you got up for the bathroom, a drink, or whatever the reason, the same person would inch just a little bit closer to the other and by the end of the movie, her arm was around your shoulders as you snored softly, snuggled into her warm side.
You stirred awake too early in the morning, Ollie was asleep at your feet, and when you looked up at the redhead, she was yawning, waking up when you had. You smiled when she did, a blush tinting your cheeks at the position, and she kissed the top of your head.
"Morning, feathers."
"Oh, yeah, I meant to ask about that," You sat up to better face her, "Why do you call me 'feathers'?"
"Angels have feathered wings," She shrugged like it was no big deal, "So, it just kind of slipped out since I had been thinking about it."
"'m not an angel."
"With or without your gifts," She smiled teasingly, kissing the tip of your nose, and smirking when you tried to meet her lips with your own without a second thought, "You're an angel, feathers."
You pouted, slightly embarrassed by what you had done, and she laughed, making you grumble, but she only found it adorable. You turned away to pick at the edge of the blanket and she played with your hair, running her fingers through it.
"My powers are finite, in a way," You admitted lowly, and she paused her movements, but still didn't interrupt, "I traded for a spell, kind of...it's all very witchy and I'm only human," You breathed out a short laugh before continuing, "But when they do run out or my soul flickers out, I um..."
"You what?" She whispered, fear lacing her voice of what she could guess, but you didn't finish, and she needed to hear it from you.
"Natasha," You glanced over at her when you told her, "I die."
Her whole body tensed next to you and for a moment, you thought she was angry, and she was, but it wasn't with you.
"So, every time you – every time you've healed someone, you've been slowly killing yourself?"
Her breathing had picked up, distress written across her face, but when she met your guilt-stricken eyes, scared of this exact reaction, she softened, and tried to hold it together so she didn't make everything worse.
"I had to do something," You told her firmly, never once regretting your decision, "And people were hurting, they were dying, so even if he came to...collect me, I would still feel good about the work I've done," You continued when she just pursed her lips, a heart broken look in her green eyes, "Because I've saved people's lives, or at the very least improved them, just like you have, and knowing that...well, it's enough for me."
"If you had to guess," She spoke after a long pause, choosing her words carefully again, "Knowing yourself better than anyone else," She couldn't help but to wish it was her who knew you even more than you did, "How long do you think..."
"A year, probably," You nodded, fine with the reality of it, "Unless I push it too much before that."
"Saving my life couldn't have helped."
"Again," You shrugged with a smile, "Worth it."
You could tell she hated this, and it wasn't just because it felt wrong or making a deal with a witch was a bad idea, but it was because she had grown to care about the girl next to her. No matter how much it pained her to see anyone put themselves through this, becoming a tool for other people's benefit, it hurt her to no end to think of you in so much pain that it would push you to do something like this.
And the heart wrenching pain must still be following you like a dark shadow since you still weren't regretful of the decision you had made some years ago.
"What was the witch's name?"
"It was odd," You chuckled, trying to remember it, "Stephen...Stage?"
"Stephen Strange?"
"Yeah, that's it...how'd you know?"
