Widow Sisters and Friends (Restoring Our Broken Hearts)

Don't Hide from Me

"I'm worth less than a sour cream and onion chip bag. Noted," Natasha pretended to be dramatic but she was unable to hide her wide smirk. She could not resist messing with Yelena at least a little about it even though she truly was not upset with the blonde at all.

Yelena narrowed her eyes, the pretty pools lighting up with the challenge as her hands dropped away from Natasha. Natasha hesitantly let her hands fall from Yelena, a grin spreading even further across her face.

"If you keep talking like that, I'm going to go to the store again and fetch some pickles just for you and make sure they're poser-sized," Yelena assured her, and Natasha raised an eyebrow curiously.

"I'd know I was even less appreciated then," Natasha messed with her as she turned her back to her. However, as she turned, she realized just a moment too late what Yelena was about to do. Yelena dug her fingers into Natasha's sides from behind, tickling her relentlessly. Natasha immediately burst into laughter, trying to fight off the blonde.

She could feel her stitches straining a bit against her already, and she knew that she had to quickly get the upper hand in this tickle fight. She started to turn toward Yelena to blow a raspberry against Yelena's neck, but Yelena quickly dug in even harder, moving up toward Natasha's under-arms which were undoubtedly Natasha's worst spot.

As Natasha's stomach constricted tightly as she turned her body instinctually in an attempt to escape the blonde's grasp, she felt the stitches pop.

She immediately yelped in pain before she could control herself, gripping at the place on her stomach that the stitches had been holding together. Yelena immediately stopped, her hands on Natasha as she moved in close.

"Woah, woah, what's wrong? What's wrong?" Yelena demanded, her voice on the edge of panic, and Natasha swallowed hard with her head bowed, gritting her teeth as she clutched at the area on her stomach.

She felt Yelena's hands on her face as she tried to catch her gaze. Natasha finally looked up at Yelena painedly, trying to force away her initial reaction and mask at least a little of how badly the gash hurt.

"It's okay, it's okay... Stitches popped," Natasha whispered, and Yelena's eyes widened as she gaped at Natasha. Natasha immediately regretted the words as so much guilt and so much panic flooded Yelena's every feature. However, it was quickly disguised by a fury that shocked and somewhat worried Natasha.

"You didn't tell me?! You said the mission went fine!" Yelena accusingly demanded, a flash of hurt crossing the infuriated mask that she had successfully pulled up. Of course, it was not fully a mask.

"To be fair, I didn't say that in those exact words," Natasha defended lightly, and Yelena's eyes flashed with an intense anger as she glared at Natasha, absolutely livid at Natasha's words.

"That was the implication you gave, you idiot!" Yelena hissed as she grabbed Natasha's arm firmly. However, Natasha noticed that the blonde was remaining mostly gentle despite her hold on Natasha and her anger.

Natasha painedly sat down on the bed as Yelena practically shoved her down with a small growl of frustration, her hand firmly on Natasha's shoulder as her fingers dug into her just a little.

She then rushed into the bathroom, slamming the cabinets open as she rifled around for the first aid kit in a rush. She then pulled it out, accidentally smacking it against the doorway as she approached her sister. She took Natasha's shoulder and pushed her down somewhat roughly but at the same time making sure not to jostle anything near Natasha's stomach. Natasha laid down on the bed, wincing a little with the overwhelming pain starting to take over her.