Giving me to you

July

Steve used one sentence to convince Natasha to help. "She needs you now, Nat."

It made Natasha realise how much she had been overthinking. It wasn't about if Aria wanted to see her, it wasn't about what Aria felt about her. 

Aria needed to get better, and no matter what was between them, Natasha was the only one that can help, for now.

Aria's room was dark when Natasha entered, the curtains were drawn tightly shut, the plate of food nibbled at, nearly untouched. 

The girl was sitting on the floor by the window, rocking back and forth, back and forth, her eyes gazing into the dark, empty.

"Aria?" Natasha cleared her throat, unsure of what to do.

The rocking stopped. 

A pair of eyes turned to her, as if waiting to see what she does next.

Natasha made her way to Aria, slowing sitting by her side. She could barely make out Aria's features in the dim light.

Aria hooked her finger around the edge of the curtain beside her, tugging at it until a few rays of sunlight were able to escape into the room.

The light made Aria seem so much more breakable, as if a thin sheet of ice under the sun that could melt at any moment.

Natasha didn't dare move a muscle as Aria leaned closer, seeming to be examining her face under the light. After a few seconds, Aria seemed satisfied with what she saw, and sat back down.

"I heard that you aren't eating the meds that Tony got you." Natasha cleared her throat. "He said it will help you regain your memory and help your nervous system recovery. I mean, you don't have to eat it but it's for the best."

There was no reaction.

"I... uh... I want to apologize to you, about something I did in the past." Natasha watched intently for any trace of emotion that appeared on Aria's face, any sign that she's listening, comprehending, remembering. "I don't know if you remember but... when we were on a mission together, I ran away and... left you to die."

Aria only looked at her in silence.

"I'm sorry." Natasha felt her eyes heat up, a tear threatened to fall from the corner of her eye. She stood, but was stopped by a hand, loosely gripping her wrist. 

"Natalia, stay." The soft voice said. "I will eat, I will eat."

Natasha watched as the girl swiftly drew out the bottle of pills, picking one out and stuffing it in her mouth, swallowing it hard without any water. 

"Stay." Aria looked at her expectantly, her voice slightly raspy from forcefully swallowing the medicine. She held out her palm to show that she had eaten the pill.

The tear made its way down Natasha's cheek, she twisted her lips into a smile, sitting back down. "It's alright, I'll stay."

Aria gave Natasha a shy smile, one that sent Natasha's memories tumbling back to the Red Room. 

Maybe Tony was right to some degree. She could try to right the things she did wrong, she could try to undo the damage she caused. 

Although Natasha would never be able to forgive herself for what she did, knowing that there was nothing she could do to right the wrongs she did, she still wanted to try. 

"I see Captain Popsicle managed to get some sense into you." Tony snickered as he leaned on the table counter, biting down on a donut. Aria sat like a three year old in a nursery, with her hands in her lap, her eye down casted.

Natasha rubbed her forehead as she turned down the fire on the stove. "Please Tony, it took me three days to get her out of that room, don't scare her into it again."

She put a plate of buttered bread, an egg and some sausages in front of the girl, who slowly and tamely began to eat, reminding her like a kitten lapping up egg yolk. Don't ask why she knew how that looks like, Pepper feeds stray cats better than she feeds humans.  

Natasha raised her eyebrow as Pepper's human downed another donut, heavily ladened with different coloured icing. 

"Well according to our checkup yesterday, your little girlfriend is doing just fine." Tony picked up a third donut.

"She is not my girlfriend." Natasha removed the box of donuts from his sight, watching as his toffee coloured eyes followed the box. "And if you have another one of these donuts, you are going to end up with diabetes." 

"Fine, fine." He rolled his eyes, then wiggled his eyebrows at Aria, who was looking at him with curiosity.

Aria immediately dropped her gaze back to the plate of food, putting another small bite into her mouth. 

Natasha felt a smile tugging at the corner of her lips again. 

"You don't have to finish it if you are full." She walked up to the girl, beginning to braid her hair, then letting it unravel between her fingers. 

Aria hesitated, "But you made it."

"And you said she's not your girlfriend?" Tony banged his palm against the counter excitedly, pointing at Natasha. Aria shivered, shrinking into Natasha's embrace.

Natasha glared at Tony, gently patting Aria on the head. 

Aria snuggled into Natasha's embrace. She wasn't that scared of loud noises now, being around Natasha's friends all day, especially Tony, Thor and Clint. 

The three always managed to make some kind of ruckus, no matter how quiet it was meant to be.

But she was not going to tell Natalia that.