Romanogers: One shots

Comfort

Natasha wasn't known to cry. Not ever.

It had been instilled in her brain that it was the ultimate sign of weakness. Actually, showing any form of emotion was according to her red room trainers. All emotions should be false, heightened or hidden in order to manipulate targets. Tears for sympathy. Laughter to form friendships. Seductive lip biting for lust. A wink. A tear. A smile. A glare. A rule for each.

It was hard to break her training, it had become her person, but over time, given all she had experienced and a team by her side it became easier to just feel what she wanted too without fear or second thought.

But she still wasn't known to cry. Not to breakdown or show any kind of fear even in the face of battle. She could stare death in the eye and not flinch. Be outnumbered by a mutant arm and still have the last word, smirking as she delivered it to the enemy. She was a warrior, and when a job had to be done, no matter how hard or how brutal, she would do it without complaint.

Steve Rogers loved that about her.

After Thanos disappeared, the remaining team taking a moment to process the horror of their loss. The battle field bare from most life as they returned to the estate, minus the king of Wakanda himself. It was eerily quiet inside except for the faint mourning screams or calls for loved ones from the city below and within the walls of the kingdom.

She didn't know if that was worse, or the silence.

She excused herself, frantically dialing her teammates number, Clint Barton's name flashing up on the screen each time she pressed redial.

Nothing.

Each time her breathing got shallower, her heart rate quickening, thudding in her ear as she listened to it ring out over and over. She dropped to her knees, pulling out her laptop from under the bed to hack into his security system, miles across the globe, to try and trace of there was any sign of living, a heart trace, a twitch on the monitor living streaming his family's home to her. But there was nothing, except small blurred piles on the ground.

Numbly, she closed the laptop, pushing it away from her as she stumbled to her feet. Grabbing her phone once more, she tried again. Then Pepper. Tony. Maria. Fury. Each one with no reply.

The grief was creeping through her veins fast along with the denial and anger that this could have happened. That they hadn't been able to prevent it. The dreadful shock that paled her smooth skin and kept her emerald eyes wide open. They had lost.

She stumbled to the bathroom, leaning against the sink as she breathed hard, her eyes widening in horror at the dust powdering her cheek, hands, clothes. Who was it? Barnes? Wanda? Sam? She couldn't bare to imagine.

She backed away from her reflection straight in the shower, turning the jets on without a second thought. She just had to get it off every last inch of her. Fully clothed, letting the cold water cascade urgently down upon her, she slid her back down the wall where she sat hugging her knees tightly to her chest. Only then did she allow herself to cry. Sobbing into her arms as the water from the shower drowned out the noise, her body trembling as she hadn't bother to change its temperature. She didn't care, it was the least of her worries.

She thought she had gotten away with it until Steve entered her bathroom. He had knocked but she hadn't heard, and she hadn't bother to close the bathroom door leading from her room. His face fell seeing her this way, looking up at him like a lost child. She didn't even hide what she was feeling like she normally would with everyone. She was helpless, embarrassed to be caught in such a state, but empty all the same. Lost looking. Her best friend and his family, her family, were gone. The young witch she had protected for so long. The falcon who both irritated and entertained her while living on the run. The figure of her past, his best friend, she'd never reconnect with. The man and woman who welcomed her to SHEILD and protected her when no one else would.

He said nothing, didn't offer her a look of pity or words of consolidation. He kicked off his shoes and stepped in beside her, Ignoring her confused look as he sat beside her. His large arms wrapping around her and pulling her close, letting her cold body curl into his as she clung to to him. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head through her wet hair, then further down on her temple as he held her, saying nothing, knowing nothing he could ever say would help.

They needed each other. They knew that, and for a moment, they were thankful that they had been spared, thankful that they at least had each other.

She hadn't lost her whole family. He hadn't lost his.

***
Hey guys! Basically this had been sort of floating around in my brain for a bit so thought I would try and create it the best I could! I have more planned for this book but (like alllllll my stories) I'll upload whenever I can🙌

Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoy and feel free to send prompts etc 🤞