Hyde and Seek

Chapter Ten

"You're sure about this?"

Currently, you're – and honestly, you'd pinch yourself right now if you didn't think she'd see – not only in Natalia Alianovna Romanov's room, but you're sitting on the woman's bed itself. You're trying not to pop a boner and make the situation awkward, but it's getting harder and harder as time goes on. Heh. Literally.

She's packing for her trip to Ohio that she plans on piloting a helicopter for, all off the book stuff, and after volunteering to join her about a dozen times, being rejected nicely each try, you've succumbed to making sure she's not having second thoughts.

"For the fifth time, yes," She smirks, and you don't know what you're getting more excited about – the fact that you're going to actually get the serum or that she's talking to you without frowning or scolding you, that's a total lie, it's the second one, "Stop worrying. She's my mother, after all."

You can't help but think back to the last fanfic you read, remembering how intimidated you were to meet Melina and Alexei, but they'd warm up to fake you after a bit. Funny, you doubt you'll ever meet Alexei in this life and even though Melina is undersold in the fics with how jaw droppingly gorgeous and dangerous she is, the rest isn't far off.

"As long as you're sure."

She puts the shirt she had lifted up back into the dresser drawer and turns to you slowly with an amused smile, her eyebrows quirked, "Are you okay?"

"No, not really, but you in my lap would help," You admit without hesitation and then furrow your eyebrows with a frown of disgust, looking to her apologetically as she cocks an eyebrow, her expression turning curious, "Sorry. I meant to say yes. I don't know why I said that. I wasn't even thinking it, I don't...think."

Her eyes fall over you and she frowns, turning back to the dresser so you can't see her expression when she tells you, "It's probably just messing with you. Might be getting worse."

You deflate – so much for being on good terms again, you probably just made it weird, "Yeah."

There's a beat of silence, but you know she's folded the same blouse four times already, "How long since the last dazie?"

The term surprises you, you didn't think she'd pick up on you naming them or care enough to respect your wishes, but you don't make it known, "Um. Twenty-eight hours."

"You're overdue."

"Might mean it's gonna be a bad one." You mutter under your breath.

"Do you..." She trails off, but you don't pick it up, instead, you just wait until she's forced to finish her thought, "Want me to stay until it passes? I don't have to leave right away."

Now, if she was your wife like in the fics you've read, this would just be a considerate, nearly expected offer. But she's not. You've recently realized this. Because of the lack of kisses, mostly. So, you kind of just gape at her, even when she turns around to pack a few more items before zipping up her duffel, and you notice she's avoiding your eyes for once.

"Thanks," You muster out, your voice a bit strained, "But the sooner I get this serum from Melina, the better, honestly."

She gives you a small nod, moving her bag over to the foot of the bed, only inches from where your bent leg is rested as you sat with it up. She keeps her hands on the straps and you can practically see the gears turning, but you're too nervous to ask about it.

The last couple of hours have been a lot, mmk? And you didn't want to risk her not talking to you again.

It's not twenty minutes later that you're watching her take off and your heart is in your throat.