prompt: reader gets injured and nats a big softie
warnings: fluffffff + written in late 2020 + no really a warning but reader has long enough hair to braid in this :P
word count: 700
prns: not specified
. . .
natasha could be anything you wanted her to be - strategic, careful, robust, gentle. she had a particular way of carrying herself to be everything everyone needed all at once. but sometimes (like now) when she was upset it could be almost difficult to ask her to be nice.
you'd come back from a mission injured - completely non life threatening - and you were the only one to blame. you'd deliberately ignored captain's decisions and went ahead with your own impulse anyway.
which is why you were here: one broken collarbone, a sprained wrist and a few minor cuts and bruises on the way. it hurt, you couldn't deny that (albeit you had no room to complain).
you were greeted with a cold stare and a frustrated sigh from the redhead. she took one look at you and pulled you into the medbay, shooing everyone away that followed. the two of you needed privacy, a sacred place.
she hummed softly as she patched you up. a few stitched, an arm cast and an ice pack later and you were fine.
"i could've gone with a brace for my wrist, you know."
ah, and the glare was back.
"don't push it. stay in the bed until i come back."
"but nat-"
"stay."
her tone was icy, leaving no room for argument. swallowing your pride, you obeyed your girlfriend's order.
it felt like forever until natasha came back. a book, two glasses, and a bottle of alcohol rest between her fingers as she walked in. her red hair bounced each footstep she took and you couldn't help but become distracted by her beauty.
"talk to me? i'm sorry for what i did. it was stupid, i know, but i'm really sorry..." you pleaded, but natasha ignored your apologies. she clenched her jaw and poured the alcohol into both cups, filling yours far below hers.
"tasha?"
she shifted her gaze from the glass to your eyes before getting comfortable in her chair. the nickname you used always caused her to melt. even if she didn't show it, you knew the affect it had.
softie, you thought quietly.
but still, no matter how many times you tried, she continued to ignore you. if anything, she tuned you out more. you could tell by how focused she was on her book.
but natasha never actually lost focus on you. she was a brilliant multitasker, she was intent on listening for any whines of discomfort or aguish that could come from you.
thirty minutes later and you couldn't take anymore of the nothing she was giving you.
and so you groaned, "look, i know you're a hardass, but can you play with my hair? it would really help."
wordlessly, natasha put her book down and moved closer to you. her nails lightly scraped the base of your neck, pulling your hair into her hands.
it was quiet, peaceful even, despite the fact that she still hadn't really talked to you. you could feel her twist your hair into a dutch braid before pulling the strands apart and starting fresh.
"thank you," you mumbled quietly.
"you're welcome, sweetheart."
your ears perked up at the sound of natasha's voice and you quickly moved to face her, but she stopped you, keeping you in place so she could continue playing with your hair.
natasha didn't miss how you visibly slumped at the action. a small pout could be seen on your face and she had to stifle a laugh at your child-like reaction.
and so, as delicate as ever, she spoke.
"you scared me today. don't ever do something so stupid again."
"i won't, i promise. not if it keeps you from giving me the silent treatment." natasha quirked her eyebrow and leaned in closer. "there's a saying, "think before you act," try to keep that in mind next time you decide to be so reckless."
you snuggled closer into her touch, a telltale sign that you weren't really listening to what she was saying. but honestly natasha didn't care that much about it in the moment. she could save her lecture for later. as long as you were safe and in her arms things were okay.
