Widow Sisters and Friends (Restoring Our Broken Hearts)

Tickle Monster

Natasha furrowed her brow, looking at her with concern, and Yelena sucked in a sharp breath as she realized precisely what that feeling had been.

Yelena was somehow still ticklish. She knew that she had been ticklish as a child, but she thought that she was long over it. No one had tried to tickle her since those days, so she had never really had the chance to figure out if she was still ticklish or not.

However, she very much had the answer to her unasked question now.

"Hey, I didn't mean to poke my elbow in you. I'm sorry. I promise I won't stab you again," Natasha playfully commented, but there was some concern in her gaze as she looked over Yelena. Yelena let out a small breath, knowing she was going to have to try to play this off normally. She definitely did not want Natasha to figure out she was ticklish.

She was not sure if Natasha was still the same way, but she knew that when they were young, Natasha would constantly grab her with those bony arms and legs that just seemed to constrict far too tightly as she held Yelena in place and tickled her mercilessly. Yelena was not sure if Natasha would even want to tickle her now or even be comfortable with it, but Yelena was not about to put the idea in her head.

Despite the fact that the one-on-one attention did sound sort of enjoyable even though Yelena was not overly fond of the tickling itself. Yelena always just used to love how Natasha would just hold her afterwards and cuddle her against her, shielding her from a world that Yelena had not even been aware she needed protecting from.

Plus, the way Natasha would just playfully dig her nose and lips into her neck and blow raspberries always sent her into hysterics, and Natasha would be sure to place a gentle kiss or two on her cheek just in case Yelena was aggravated by the tickles. Even today, Yelena treasured those kisses, and a large part of her sort of wished that she could somehow earn those kisses now.

Yelena moved back against her, forcing away the trepidation and the worry that Natasha was going to figure out that she was ticklish still.

However, as soon as she grew near, Natasha's hand shifted across her side as she guided her nearer, and Yelena jumped at the touch, a giggle escaping her in spite of herself. Natasha and Yelena both froze as they looked each other in the eyes. Yelena was sure that her gaze was full of horror at the moment, and she could see the curiosity and the questioning in Natasha's light greens.

To her surprise, Natasha's gaze suddenly turned quite mischievous as the barest bits of a smirk started to tug at her lips.

"You're ticklish?" Natasha asked, her voice gentle between them as she looked the blonde in the eyes. Yelena immediately shook her head, trying to blow it off as she pulled back just a little. However, Natasha's smirk grew even larger as she fisted her hand in Yelena's shirt and kept her in place.

Yelena felt a slight nervousness within her coupled with a strangely hopeful anticipation. Tickles had always led to cuddles and Natasha being close to her a long time ago, and she would gladly go through them to have Natasha near.

"You are ticklish," Natasha repeated, this time making her question into a statement of fact as she looked at her. Yelena forced herself to remain as still and serious as she possibly could, sticking her chin out defiantly and boldly as she looked her in the eyes.

"You don't know what you're talking about," Yelena challenged, and Natasha grinned evilly just before skittering her fingers against Yelena's side experimentally. Yelena immediately collapsed beneath her attack, trying her best to bring up her arm to block herself as she almost squealed and fell against Natasha's lap. She was immediately embarrassed by the sound, and she did her best to bite back any further dramatic responses to the tickles outside of laughter.

"My goodness, just like when we were kids," Natasha teased. Yelena just grunted hard, growling in a manner that was more of a gravelly chuckle.

Natasha laughed heartily above her, and Yelena was distracted by the noise just long enough for Natasha to take advantage of her loosening up. Natasha quickly winded her legs around Yelena's hips, constricting her in her grip, and Yelena swiftly tried her best to push Natasha's legs away.

Natasha just squeezed her tightly, and Yelena fought at her arms with a strangled cackle, trying to keep her from getting a good hold on Yelena's wrists. Natasha gave up on that for a moment, just looking down at Yelena with a smug smile as she paused. Yelena's chest heaved as she tried to regain her breath, and Natasha smirked at her knowingly.

"Y'know, it kind of looks like I know what I'm talking about," Natasha stated, her eyes soft and just a tiny bit guarded as she tried to disguise all of that with wicked playfulness. Yelena knew that Natasha must have been holding back because she did not know how Yelena was feeling.

So, Yelena narrowed her eyes and smirked at her, pleased with the fact that she was in Natasha's lap like this but still wanting Natasha to loosen up and mess with her more freely.

"I bet I'm not the only one that's ticklish," Yelena pointed out before jabbing her hand up into Natasha's ribs as she dug her fingers in.

Natasha was immediately writhing against her, trying to get away from her, and Yelena wasted no time in surging out of Natasha's grip. Yelena advanced upon her, her hands digging into her sides as she looked down at her with a wild grin.

"Who's ticklish now?!" Yelena demanded, and Natasha tried her best to hold back her laughter but was failing miserably. Yelena could not help but laugh in response to Natasha's laughter, the mirth spreading and growing contagious between the both of them.

Yelena finally let go of the older woman, realizing that she had climbed practically on top of her during their time together. Yelena very hesitantly started to move off of her, knowing that she was likely pushing Natasha's boundaries at this point and not wanting to ask for too much all in one day.

However, to her shock, Natasha kept a firm hold on her arms where they were braced on either side of Natasha while she tried to get off of her. Yelena stopped for a moment, looking at her uncertainly.

"Where're you going so fast? If I remember correctly, this is the part where we cuddle, right?" Natasha questioned, and Yelena looked at her, completely in awe of the invitation that had been extended to her despite the fact that she had probably overstepped her bounds at this point.

But Natasha's eyes were filled with so much love and affection, and she could not bring herself to even try to argue with her. Besides, she was not about to pass up an opportunity to be close to Natasha like this.

She tentatively settled in Natasha's arms on top of her, and Natasha held her close. Suddenly feeling uncharacteristically daring— well, uncharacteristically when it came to physical contact with her favorite person in the entire world— Yelena scooted up her body just a little so that her nose was against Natasha's neck.

Yelena immediately closed her eyes in contentment, breathing her in but trying not to take too deep of breaths so that perhaps Natasha would not realize she was literally smelling her. That would be an awkward conversation for the two of them to have at this point.

However, if Natasha noticed, she did not seem to care, and her arms simply tightened around Yelena as she held her near.

"Ne boytes' prosit' menya o chem ugodno. Ya vsegda budu otdavat' ikh tebe,"1 Natasha whispered to her, and Yelena immediately felt her heart squeezing with affection. Yelena let out a deep sigh, closing her eyes and allowing a smile to spread widely across her face.

"Spasibo."2

(1) "Don't be afraid to ask me for things. I'll always give them to you."

(2) "Thank you."