Gone by Ghosts (Natasha Romanoff x OC)

~21~ Time to talk

"It is.", she admitted and looked over at Natasha just realizing what she had brought in.

"It's  the closest we'll ever get to them so enjoy it.", she said giving her  one of the cups and the blanket. She sat down in her seat and Kate did  the same.

Kate  unfolded the blanket, put it over her legs, and stared down into the cup  in her hand. Hot tea, the stars, and a comfy blanket. This must be her  way of apologizing and there was nothing wrong with that. She understood  the message and it meant a lot, even if she didn't say it.

The  awkward silence from before had turned into a comfortable one. Both  women sat in their seats and watched the stars and clouds pass by while  their minds were still busy thinking about the other.

"I  dreamed about the time I got the scars.", Kate said and her voice which  had been smoothened by the warm tea sounded rougher than usual.

Nat  turned to look at her worried that she was telling her something she  wasn't ready to share she mumbled: "You don't have to do this. I don't  need to know. I trust you."

"I  know.", she said, stopped, and reconsidered if she felt comfortable  with sharing a little. "I wasn't able to remember it for ages but lately  the memories start bubbling back to the surface and I don't know why.",  she swallows hard and struggles to continue for a minute or two.

Natasha  reaches out to her and pats her arm but doesn't even try to say  anything. She knew that Kate just needed her to listen, so that's what  she did.

"I  dreamed of the time I got the big scar on my thigh." She traced it  through her pants. "I always knew I had that scar and I kind of knew it  was from that time but I... I couldn't remember how it happened."

Nat couldn't keep her hand away from her lower stomach knowing exactly what that felt like.

Tears  ran down her cheeks. She looked up in hopes she could blink them away.  She didn't cry in front of other people. But somehow she felt safe  enough around her.

"They  did so many terrible things and... at some point, I just spaced out. I  just imagined my mother. How she held me at night when I couldn't sleep  as a kid. That's probably why I called her.", she explained. Natasha  nodded understandingly.

"I  guess that was the last time I really felt at home...", she added but  trailed off when she realized that it was a truth that she had not yet  admitted to knowing.

"I'm  sorry you had to go through that.", Natasha whispered, unsure how she  should react to such a display of vulnerability. "And I'm sorry about  earlier. I never meant to hurt you but I still did and I'm very, very  sorry about that." She looked up at Kate who was still staring at the  stars with glazed eyes.

"I'm gonna get some more tea. Do you want some, too?", she asked groaning as she got up.

"Shit. I really hurt you. I'm sorry! I don't know what came over me.", Kate trembled and moved to Natasha's side.

"Hey, it's nothing. You had a good reason to do so.", she tried to wave it off but Kate didn't buy it.

"Can I take a look at it?", she asked and Nat reluctantly nodded.

Kate's  hands, still warm from the tea, carefully lifted the shirt that Nat had  pulled out of her pants. She pulled the shirt up to the point where a  sports bra covered a possibly big bruise. Only parts of it were visible  before the fabric covered it. She couldn't say how bad it was with the  fabric shielding the view.

"Forget the tea. I need a clear view and better lighting. Let's go to the bathroom."

"That's  really not necessary. I've had plenty of bruises. It's fine.", Nat  still tried to talk her out of this but Kate just shook her head and  pulled her to the bathroom.

Her  arms were crossed in front of her chest while Kate's fingers carefully  touched the blue, red, and purple bruise that spread across three of  Nat's ribs.

"Well,  it's not broken, but I still caused a whole lot of damage. That bruise  won't go away for another three weeks or so. You should probably take  Iboprophen to thin out your blood. That way the build-up blood will be  reduced faster."

"Yeah,  I know how bruises work.", Nat said sort of snappy and looking guilty  as soon as she said it. "I'm sorry. Thank you for checking it out. I'll  try my best to not get hit there again." The last sentence she said with  a humorous smile and that spark in those emerald eyes made Kate feel  much better about her mistake.

"Is  that offer for another tea still a thing?", she asked and received an  eager smile. "Alright you get dressed and I'll get the tea."
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Hope you enjoyed their conversation
I tried to make it vulnerable but also believable
Did it work? Not sure
You tell me :)
Thanks for reading

~1486~