Scarlet Widow One-Shots

A calm walk under the rain

All rights go to emomilfwanda

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Wanda was resting against the bed side rail, staring absentmidedly at the rain drops hitting the bay window of her room. A firm knock pulled the witch out of her thoughts, the kind that made her shoulders feel way too heavy. She stayed put in her position, meaning to make as little noise as possible, she had craved to be alone since she had woke up this morning from some sort of a nightmare - which was closer to being an unpleasant guilting dream related to her brother than a simple nightmare. She even held out her breath, scared that somehow, the person standing behind the door could hear her and decide to come in. She waited a bit more, silent and still until a voice broke out.

"Hey Wanda, can I come in ?" Natasha asked softly. There was some hesitation in her voice, maybe a bit of nervousness, Wanda could feel it. She considered saying no for a minute : the woman would surely walk away without thinking twice - she seemed to be the type of person who could understand when a battle was lost without having started - Natasha would probably not be mad nor bring this up. However something with this scenario felt wrong. A part of the witch was dying to be left utterly alone, alone with this endless feeling of hopelessness, lonely, but another part wanted Natasha's calming presence. So she answered positively, one simple word which already scared her. She was used to staying in her room, hidden, anytime she would sense this familiar gloominess kicking back. It was less unbearable now, she had learnt how to handle melancholia, which she was not sure she fully accepted. The pain resting in her heart was one of the rare things she had left of Pietro. Hearing the door slowly opening, the witch tried to gain back her composure. Fortunately, today, her cheeks were free from tears.

"You skipped lunch," the redhead woman stated, not fully sure how to start this conversation. She was certain that Wanda was feeling sorrowful, and she did not know how to handle it. She had been taught to just ignore the pain, to burry it deep inside, so profound that it seemed like it wasn't even real anymore. But that was a form of denial, and she presumed Wanda was way too connected to emotions - her own feelings and other people's ones as well - to be able to achieve that.

"I was planning to eat tonight, when I am hungry," Wanda replied, her accent peeking through the last word she pronounced. As an answer, Natasha nodded, now actively wondering if she should leave the room. The witch, without any intention, was able to feel her growing discomfort and tried to break the silence to reassure the former spy.

"I feel like I'm going to go crazy here." The words escaped from her mouth, she probably shouldn't have let them slipped.

"You know, you're not grounded, Maximoff," Natasha said, a smirk on her face. Teasing. It meant she was already getting more comfortable.

"I am aware," she retorted firmly while maintaining eye contact with the woman. "It's just that I don't think I have the energy to be around those idiots." She was obviously joking but Natasha immediately understood what she was implying, years of reading people's minds by studying their expression and the true meaning behind the words they chose to use was often very helpful.

"We can go outside, I'm positive no one will try to follow us, even the clingy ones." Her final words stole a small smile from Wanda, her first one of the day. The Sokovian knew who she was talking about, Natasha never lost a chance to roast Sam even when he was nowhere to be seen, luckily.

"Have you seen the weather ? It is awful."

"I didn't get the memo about your new fear of rain. You're already getting too American," she added before chuckling. Maybe mocking someone that was feeling quite miserable wasn't the most intelligent strategy, but it was what she was going for. Wanda seemed to love being provoked, as far as Natasha had noticed. In reality, she merely enjoyed when the person doing the teasing was the Russian woman. Anytime she sensed she had hit the right spot, something magnetic would enlighten her eyes, and Wanda wouldn't miss it for the world.