WinterWidow =⊙= One Shots

To Protect (Drabble)

Natasha looked at the slumbering form beside her. Brown hair, long and unkempt and possibly not cut in years. His sleeping face bore the signs of exhaustion; dark circles around his eyes that were from stress and tiredness and not blackout makeup anymore. The crease line between his brows that would forever mar his features now. More grizzled, but not much older than she remembered.
It had taken him a long time to get used to sleeping in a bed with sheets and blankets and pillows- truth be told he still didn't sleep in his. But he would come sleep in hers. When the nights awake got to be too much, she could always tell. She'd send him a text, one line, two words. "You coming?"
Ten minutes later there would be a knock on her door, a silent man standing before her. He'd nod, she'd nod. He'd climb into bed while she went through her nightly routine. He would watch her; a familiarity they'd never been able to share way back when, and they never spoke about it now. When she was ready to sleep, or to get in bed, because let's face it she never really slept much; he'd extend his arm and she would lay beside him. Lips brushed across one another's mouths, but generally no love making; they did that too, plenty, catching up on years apart. But this was time for their souls to rest.
His breathing would slow, and he would sleep. And she would be vigilant and protect her soldier all though the night.