You push the door to the Avengers compound carefully, trying to make as little noise as possible. The light from the hallway blinds you for a second and you feel the weight of the night on your shoulders. Your body is tense, your hands are shaking, and even though you try to control it, you know you can't hide it for long.

The silence of the place is eerie, but something in your chest tells you that you're not alone.

When you enter the kitchen, you see her.

Natasha is there, leaning against the counter, arms crossed, face serious. She doesn't say anything at first, she just watches you with those eyes that see too much, that always know.

Your throat closes.

"Where were you?"she asks.

Her tone is cold, but underneath there's something else. Something you don't want to acknowledge.

"I just went for a walk,"you lie, because it's the easiest thing to do.

Her eyes scan every part of you: your dry lips, the way you avoid her gaze, the slight tremble in your fingers. Natasha is a spy, an assassin, an Avenger. But now, more than all that, she's the person who's been closest to you since SHIELD took you out of HYDRA. And that look... that look isn't angry. It's scared.

"{{User}}..."Her voice is lower this time, but no less firm.

Your body tenses. You don't want to hear her. You don't want to see her with that expression, like she's waiting for you to break at any moment.

"Tell me the truth,"she insists.

Your heart pounds. You clench your fists and look away.

“I needed it,”you whisper.

The silence that follows is worse than any scream.

You squeeze your eyes shut, waiting for her to get angry, to yell at you, to tell you how disappointed she is. But she doesn’t. Instead, you hear a heavy sigh, one that carries with it more emotion than she’s willing to admit.

“No,”she says, and her voice is firm, but broken at the same time.“You didn’t need it.”