A/N: Mama!Nat
It started with a slight cough. You didn't think much of it because everyone got sick now and then and it was a very serious cough. It was also easy enough to hide, if you had a cold you didn't need anyone in the tower forcing you to sit out of training activities or stopping you from going out with your friends.
Soon the cough got progressively worse. It got to the point where you would separate yourself from the team in fear of them catching whatever cold you had. When your mother showed her concern for you-you assured her it was just a cold and that you just needed some rest. Natasha was skeptical but brushed it off as her being the usual overprotective mother.
The rest and cold medicine you had been talking about seemed to help a great deal and soon you felt good as new. You got right back on your feet, hanging out with friends, training with the team, everything was as it should have been. Until the chest pains started.
You were sparing with your mother, both of you going blow for blow. You were gaining the upper hand and felt a new burst of confidence hit you. With a wide smile, you went to take her down before you completely crumbled to the ground, clutching your chest. Immediately Natasha stopped her advance on you, eyes wide with worry. "Y/N? Baby, what's wrong?" You felt her kneel in front of you to help you. "Whew," you wheezed before looking up at her. "May have over excreted me there."
Your tone was almost playfully despite the clear pain you were in. "Let's get you to the med bay." She said about to help you up. Stubbornly you shook your head. "No, I'm fine, I just need to lay down."
"Y/N-"
"Mom, I'm fine." You cut her off. "Really." You smiled before stumbling to your feet and slowly making your way to your room to take a well-deserved nap.
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You were thankful it was getting colder outside, it made it so that the team wouldn't question why you were wearing ridiculously baggy clothes. It seemed you were getting thinner and thinner by the day, not that you would let it show. You had only been getting worse and worse but had played it off well enough to trick a house full of spies which surprisingly did wonders for your ego.
You had googled your symptoms a few weeks ago and deduced that you had somehow contracted tuberculosis. It would have been fully treatable if you had listened to your mother and gone to the med bay at first. It was far too late now.
The infection had fully taken a serious toll on you. Most days you were so weak it was hard for you to be out and around the team. On top of that, it was hard to hide the coughing and the blood that now accompanied it. You knew you didn't have much time yet and you just hoped that your death wouldn't be any more drawn out. You could feel your body would be ready to go very soon.
Today you had mustered up the strength to join the team in the kitchen for breakfast. "Hey, kid." Tony greeted warmly while he poured what you could only assume was his fifth cup of coffee. "Hey." Your voice came out weaker than you wanted it to. Your mother walked over and pressed a gentle kiss to your temple only to jump back, eyes wide with worry. "Sweetheart, take this hoodie off, you're burning up." Her hand pressed against your burning head and you couldn't help but lean into her cool touch.
Shaking your head weakly you stepped back. "I'm...I'm fine-" you were cut off when your body was rocked by a vicious bout of couching. Look down into your hand you glared at the dark red liquid that now covered it. The last thing you remember is Tony calling for help while he and your mother rushed forward to catch you before you blacked out.
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Waking up you felt worse than you had in these last few months. Looking around the room you could see the entire team standing and sitting around. Even Nick and Maria were there. Everyone had someone sort of stressed or far off look in their eyes. No one made a sound.
"Very welcoming crowd to wake up to." You quipped instantly regretting it as a few harsh coughs made it feel as if your chest was about to cave in on itself. Natasha handed you a glasses of water before helping you drink it. "Why didn't you tell me Y/N? We could have stopped this." The harsh edge to her tone cut deep and if your body would have had the strength you would have flinched away from her.
Looking around at all the pairs of eyes who were equal parts sad, angry, and guilty your heart ached. Looking down at your pale hands you sighed. "I'm sorry. I thought it was just a cold at first and didn't see a need to come here...then it wasn't a cold. By then it was too late." Tears welling in your eyes you sniffed. "I didn't want you guys to worry about me."
"It's our job to worry about you Y/N, we're your family." Steve's voice was firm and you could tell he was fighting to keep his composure in front of everyone. There wasn't anything else you could say. You simply nodded and looked over at your mother.
You had never seen your mother cry but right now it was evident she had been crying for quite some time. Her eyes were red and puffy, her face tear-stained. "It's...it's too late for me isn't it?" Slowly and almost reluctantly she nodded. You remained frozen for a minute before signing and closing your eyes. Taking your mother's hand you pressed a kiss to it. "I love you, mama."
Setting her hand down you laid back on the pillows and looked over those you called your family. "I love you guys too." Everyone began to return the sentiment. Tony was first to get up and press a tender kiss to your forehead, followed by Thor, Steve, Bucky, Sam, Rhodey, Clint, Wanda, Maria, Vision, and even Nick.
Softly you smiled and closed your eyes. The room fell silent besides the ever so faint noise of your shallow and labored breaths. Natasha watched the slow rise and fall of your chest intently, counting each.
Up...down. One.
Natasha took your hand in hers and squeezed it tight.
Up...down. Two.
Leaning in she pressed a lingering kiss to your temple, silent tears falling down her cheeks.
Up...down. Three.
"I love you too Y/N Romanoff. I love you more than anything in this world." she declared for all to hear.
Up...down. Four.
You gave her hand a weak squeeze before your hand went limp.
Up...down.
