TW: A pet's death
My hand shakes against my will as I dial Wanda's number. It's been almost a week since we last talked but work was busy and I spent the weekend with my friends, leaving no time for her or Natasha. It's fine though, we don't need to see each other on every possible occasion. But right now I need her, need the comfort of her hugs.
She picks up after two rings, even though it's almost eight and she is probably having a calm evening with Natasha.
"Hey, y/n." She says, sounding cheerful about my call but I don't find it in me to show that same excitement.
"Wanda." I reply, hearing the shaking of my voice.
"What's the matter, sweetheart? You sound upset?" She asks instantly. I nod, even though she can't see that.
"My mom called and told me my childhood pet died today." I tell her, tears burning in my eyes and a sob shaking my body.
We had Cookie for so many years, I never thought he would die, even if I knew he would someday. I'm just not ready for that day to be today. I'm too far away to drive to my parents and say goodbye and it's already late. It hurts like hell and I feel like a part of my heart just broke off, leaving me bleeding.
"Oh no, I'm so sorry to hear that." Wanda replies softly. I sniffle.
"Can you come over please? I don't want to be alone right now." I whisper, knowing that is a lot to request, considering she is married and probably already has her evening planned.
"I wish I could, but I'm not in town at the moment. I had to fly to a business meeting and come back in two days." She answers, making me sob. I try to stifle it but it doesn't work. Wanda winces on the other side of the phone.
"I'm sorry. Can you call anyone else to be there with you? I don't want you to be alone now." She asks. I shake my head, tears spilling from my eyes.
"No. Two of my friends are out of town as well for an event of their company and the other friend has a little daughter to take care of right now." I reply, hating that it has to be today that Cookie had to die. Every other day would have been terrible too, but at least I would have had someone by my side then.
Wanda takes a breath on the other side of the phone.
"I know, being on the phone is not the same as being there in person, but I'll stay on the phone as long as you need me." She promises. That is better than nothing but not exactly what I need right now. I've always been someone who needs physical comfort when sad. Which isn't always easy.
"Do you want me to distract you or do you want to talk about your pet?" Wanda offers.
"I wanna talk about him please, if that's okay?" I ask back.
"Of course, tell me everything about him." She encourages.
I start talking as more tears start to fall from my eyes. I wrap my arms around my knees and keep talking. Wanda listens to everything I have to say and I am thankful. It's not what I hoped for but it's better than sitting here all by myself and drowning in my feelings.
Just as I'm in the middle of telling Wanda a story about how we went on a walk with Cookie and he nearly pulled me into a lake, there's a ringing at my door. I stop and look towards the hallway and the entrance door. It's probably just a prank anyway. Or someone who forgot their key but I'm really not in the mood to get up and face anyone.
"Go open up." Wanda encourages me, apparently having heard the bell. I hug my knees closer.
"I don't want to talk to anyone right now, I just wanna be here with you."
"I know, sweetie. But I promise, you won't regret opening the door."
I grumble but unwrap myself from the blanket and get up. I trust Wanda, even if I have no idea how she knows it's gonna be good to open the door. I leave my phone on the coffee table and walk to the door, scraping together enough energy not to cry while ringing them in and waiting. When there's a knock at my door, I open it.
I'm perplex to see Natasha standing in front of it. Before she can say anything, I throw myself into her arms and hug her tightly, burying my face in her neck. Her arms instantly wrap around me too and she cradles the back of my head. I don't know why she's here but I'm glad. Her arms mean safety and comfort. She lifts me up, just enough to get my feet off the ground and walk me back into my apartment.
"Nat." I whisper and pull away to look at her, my vision a little blurry.
"Hey, darling. Wanda said you needed me?" She asks and smoothes a hand over my hair while kicking her shoes off.
I've never seen her do that and it so doesn't fit her but when she also just throws her jacket to the side and pulls me back into her arms, I understand. It's just about getting out of the things as quickly as possible.
I hug her again, feeling more tears welling up in my eyes. She doesn't hesitate to pick me up, placing her hands underneath my thighs. I am too caught up in my own feelings to be impressed with her strength. She carries me to the living room, after looking around for it. We settle on the couch and I continue burying my face in her neck, finding comfort in the warmth of her body and the fact that she is here. Nat leans forward to reach for my phone. I sniffle against her shoulder, allowing my feelings to take over because I am safe now and won't drown in them with Natasha here.
"I'm here now." She tells Wanda while softly rubbing her hand up and down my back. It's new because Natasha usually isn't so cuddly with me but right now I am so very glad to have her.
"Still upset but I got her." She answers and kisses the top of my head, giving me a little butterfly despite all the other feelings inside of me.
Yeah, she got me. Natasha hums and then gently pulls my face from her shoulders and offers me my phone. I take it while she wipes a tear from my cheek, her action uncommonly gentle.
"Thank you." I whisper into my phone. I don't know how Wanda informed Nat but I am very glad about it now.
Natasha and I get along really good and I can spend time with her alone but I didn't know if she was the right person to call for comfort. Apparently, Wanda knew better than me though and made sure Nat is here now. She knows what her wife is capable of and right now, I see it too. Nat's and my relationship is different to the one I have with Wanda. It was based on an emotional connection as well but not as deeply as with Wanda. Which might be another reason why I hesitated.
"Anything for you." Wanda says softly. I still lean against Natasha for support, which she doesn't comment on and still has her arm around me.
"I..." I trail off, not able to get the words out. But I don't have to.
"I know." Wanda assures me softly, making me smile through my tears. "Do you want me to stay on the phone?"
I glance up at Natasha, who watches me. I smile again and shake my head.
"No, it's okay, you can enjoy your evening away. I think, we got this." And we do, I feel certain that Natasha will give me the comfort I'm seeking.
"Okay. I'm still just a phone call away though, if you need me." She promises before we say goodbye and I end the call. I shift my positon, getting off Natasha's lap but staying close. For now, the tears are drying and I am more interested in learning what Wanda told Natasha.
"When did Wanda let you know I needed you?" I ask while wiping at my eyes. Nat glances at the clock above my door.
"About twenty minutes ago." She answers. My heart starts beating a little faster because I know it takes about fifteen minutes to get from their house to my apartment and considering Natasha is here for already two or three minutes, she must have jumped up right when she got the message.
"And you came right away?" I ask. Natasha looks as if she doesn't understand the question.
"Of course, you needed me." She answers as if it was out of question that she would come running then. I'm deeply touched by that and take her hand to give it a squeeze. She smiles, her expression all soft and not a sign of being reserved or distant.
"Do you want a tea? Hot chocolate? Anything else to drink?" She offers.
"A hot chocolate actually sounds very nice." I agree and she nods and gets up, extending her hand. I look at it and take it slowly.
"I took a wild guess that you don't wanna stay here while I go to the kitchen." She explains and pulls me up.
Something inside me flutters because she is absolutely right about that and I have a feeling the guess wasn't all that wild. I nod, silently telling her she is right, at which she squeezes my hand. I guide her into my kitchen and hand her everything she'll need. She looks around my kitchen, searching for something.
"Do you have a microwave?" She asks, scanning the kitchen further. I shake my head.
"No, I couldn't afford one when I started renting the apartment and now I prefer saving my money for other things like vacations or in case my washing machine breaks. I know, there are cheap microwaves and they are very practical, but I want a proper one and those are expensive." I explain and hop up on my counter.
My kitchen isn't big, so it's easier and more comfortable for me to sit on the counter. I could sit at the table but then I would be further away.
Natasha accepts my lack of a microwave and searches for a pot. When she sees me sitting on the counter, a soft smile appears on her face that holds something that I can't read.
I tap the drawer next to my left foot. Nat comes over and grabs a pot out of it. While standing back up, she places a soft kiss on my cheek and that small action has my heart stumbling. Not because of the action itself but because of the casualty of it. As if it was something she does on a regular basis.
I watch as she pours milk into the pot and turns on the stove to heat up the milk. She keeps an eye on the milk and comes closer to me. I watch her and open my legs for her to stand between them, which she does. Her hands rest on either side of my hips.
"I'm sorry, your pet died." She tells me while looking into my eyes. I feel a bit of the sadness coming back but don't start crying again because I don't feel like it right now.
"I am too." I answer. She looks at me and takes my hands into hers, giving them a soft squeeze.
"What do you need right now?" She asks, studying my face. I sigh and shrug. It's hard to tell. The pain won't just go away but I already talked to Wanda about Cookie and don't feel like talking about it again.
"I'm not sure but you being here is helping. I just don't want to be alone right now." I answer honestly.
Natasha nods and gives my hands another squeeze. Her eyes say a lot more than she does out loud and that means a lot to me. She lets go of me to go over to the stove and stir the milk to keep it from burning.
I watch her silently, allowing my thoughts to quiet down while watching her. Her being here means a lot to me and not just because Wanda told her to come. If she didn't want to be here, she would have taken more time to get here but she didn't. She came right away to take care of me and is now in the middle of my kitchen, making me a hot chocolate.
Natasha shows her care differently than Wanda and in a way that I am not very familiar with and yet, right now I don't doubt that she cares about me. I'd even go as far as say that she might have some kind of feelings for me too. Because when I listen to myself, I know I have feelings for her and they are just as strong as the ones I have for Wanda.
It's a little scary because I don't know what will happen but I trust that we all will figure that out together. So far, there has been no decision made that concerns the three of us without consulting the others before. It feels like we are working as a team and I like that. Our situation might be complicated but communication definitely helps in avoiding problems and drama.
"Do you like cinnamon in your hot chocolate?" Natasha asks, pulling me out of my thoughts. She's slowly steering the cocoa powder into the milk.
"Does that taste good?" I ask back. Nat smiles a little but it's not a smile for me, it's more like she is smiling to herself, which is quite cute.
"It does. It makes it taste a little like the winter time where everything is quiet and dark but peaceful." She answers. "It's comforting."
I watch her for a few seconds longer, my heart warming up at her words.
"I've never had it but I'd like to try it. How much cinnamon goes in?" I reply and hop off the counter to get a better view of the pot. Natasha's smile seems to brighten and this time it's for me.
"That's difficult to measure, it's more like a feeling." She explains and takes the cinnamon that I hand her. I watch as she adds a little bit, then stirs and then adds a little more. She looks very concentrated with a little frown on her face that is straight up adorable. And it's hard to find something adorable about her. She can be sweet but most of the time seems too tough or hot to be adorable but this right here is just straight up cute.
"Like that." She decides and hands me the cinnamon back. I take a step back so she can fill the hot chocolate into the mug without bumping her arm into me. Once it's in the cup, she hands it to me.
"Careful, hot." She warns but it sounds more like an instinct than an actual warning. I smile softly and wrap my hands around the mug that is starting to heat up. Natasha takes the pot and carries it over to the sink, starting to run the water.
"You don't have to do the dishes." I assure but she shrugs it off.
"I doubt you wanna do it and you deserve to have a few hours of a break without any chores." She replies and pads the counter near the sink. I smile fondly and set my cup down on the counter before jumping up.
I wasn't sure what I needed but right now, I know this is exactly what I needed. No talking, just having her here and being close to her. I watch as she cleans all my dishes and after drying them, searches through my kitchen to find where they go. It has my heart all soft and almost makes me forget about my sadness previously. It's a little bizarre to have her here in my kitchen but also good. None of them have been in my apartment before but now that Nat is here, I like it.
"How do a movie and cuddles sound?" Natasha offers once she is done with everything and turns to me. I nod happily. I'm not sure how she managed to turn my mood around but she successfully did it. And not in a way that made me feel like I can't feel my feelings. I did that while talking to Wanda and now I'm just glad to have a distraction and to smile again, which felt like the hardest thing only an hour ago.
"That sounds lovely." I agree and slide off the counter, taking my half full cup with me. We arrive in the living room and I look down at what Natasha wears.
"Do you want something more comfortable to wear?" I offer, feeling a little shy about it because I don't know how Nat feels about wearing clothes that aren't hers or her wife's. Also, because I've never really seen her wear anything but jeans, slacks, or just underwear.
"That would be very kind." She says and follows me when I lead her towards my bedroom after setting down the cup. "Sleeping in jeans would be quite uncomfortable."
I spin around so fast that she almost walks into me.
"You're staying the night?"
"Of course. Or did you think I would leave you alone after all of this?" She asks back.
My heart melts at the tone in her voice. As if that was obvious and the only right way. Following an impulse, I pull her into a hug and kiss her cheek. She hugs me back and holds me a second longer after I let her go.
We lock eyes for a few seconds before I turn back to my closet and search for something that could fit her. I find some sweatpants that reaches my knees when I wear them, for Nat they end above the knee but she doesn't complain about it. I also offer a shirt but she declines, for now.
We go back to the living room and get comfortable on the couch. Natasha sits down on the couch first, putting her feet up on it, barely leaving space for me to sit next to her, but I don't want to sit next to her anyway and from the looks of it she doesn't expect that either.
I lay on top of her and rest my head against her shoulder while shimming my legs between hers. She pulls my blanket over us and scrolls through the streaming server until she finds what I want to watch.
We stay quiet throughout the movie, I only hear the steady beating of her heart. She gently combs her hand through my hair while the other one tickles up and down my back, successfully lulling me to sleep.
I wake up to the end credits and rub my eyes, not remembering when I fell asleep. Natasha's hands never stopped their actions and I hum contently.
"Awake again?" She asks silently and I nod.
To be honest, the last thing I expected tonight was to fall asleep on top of Nat while watching a movie with her. But it happened and I am glad it did. Even if we didn't talk all that much, I feel like our bond is growing. Today I learned that I can count on her for emotional support just as much as I can count on Wanda. Even if Natasha doesn't show that she can be this soft and caring, I just experienced it and know it wasn't a one-time thing.
"Mhm." I hum and stretch, pushing the blanket off me.
"How about we go to bed." She suggests and kisses my forehead, making my heart feel full and happy. I agree and get off her.
We get ready for bed rather quickly and when she finds that the shirt I offered her doesn't fit her, she decides to go without a shirt at all. When I ask if she would mind if I do that too, she tells me she doesn't. We get into bed and I snuggle into her arms, sighing internally at how good and intimate it feels to feel her warm skin against mine.
As I drift off to sleep, my thoughts aren't with Cookie, they evolve around Natasha.
A lot has changed tonight and I am happy with it. I feel closer to her in multiple ways and can for sure say that my feelings for her might have exploded during our calm night together.
A/n: What do you think did y/n want to tell Wanda but didn't get the words out to do so?
Also, this is the last part of this story. I know, it's not a proper ending but I just wanted to try out writing a throuple and I like how this story went. I did think about this story a bit more and technically have ideas but I'm in the middle of another project, so I don't know when/if there will be more parts to this.
In case there will be: I'd be happy for suggestions, as most of the ideas I have are steamy chapters but I don't want this to be just about sex. So feel free to comment your ideas/wishes. :D
Thanks for reading and love to you all <3