F/F Spy vs. Sniffles [MCU, Natasha, F/F, Blackhill, Illness]

[Selkie]

This took way too long to write, stupid writers block. Anyway, cue a couple thousand words of Natasha Romanoff being very sick and stubborn much to her girlfriends dismay. Little smidge of angst thrown in for some *spice* but it’s all sorted out quickly. 

No fandom knowledge really needed, just enjoy the wlw rep! I apologise that the lack of editing is appalling but it's readable :,) Enjoy! 

tagging @Likesn since you asked about a story with these two!

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

 

The Black Widow was a trained assassin. A world-class spy, unbeaten in her field. An Avenger! The Black Widow was not burdened with such mundane problems like having a cold. The Black Widow doesn’t simply get sick. 

However, Natasha Romanoff does. 

But nobody else needed to know that of course. Especially not the Avengers. Tony gave her trouble enough for the few times she has shown herself to be human and she really was not ready for the snide comments that she was bound receive if this were to get out. Regardless of that, Natasha had always hated the idea of admitting weakness to anyone, even her closest peers. No. She had to hide it. That was easier said than done of course. 

She’d woken up that morning with a congested groan, the previous 8 hours rest she’d gotten feeling like little to none. The dim light filtering through the curtains revealed a room adorned with sleek, modern furnishings, a stark contrast to the tumultuous world she navigated daily. The room was silent except for the soft hum of the ventilation system yet even that seemed to hurt her head, a dull ache forming within her temples. 

Nat sniffled thickly, pushing herself to sit upright as she felt her nose begin to slowly drip, “Oh, gross.” She mumbled under her breath, reaching up to swipe the underside of her wrist against the bridge of her nose, in an attempt to quell the growing itch. 

“Hhup’tsch! Hh..Hhi’hiptshu”! 

It didn’t work. She was ducked forwards as she gave into the itch, sneezing down into her hands.  Nat cringed, sniffling thickly as she clumsily stumbled over to her attached bathroom, keeping her hand tightly cupped to her face as she swiped a handful of tissues from the box on her sink to clean herself up with – helpless to fight the small wince she made at already how sensitive her nose already was. 

The widow sighed, throwing away her soggy tissues before leaning over the sink to splash some cold water onto her face, “Today’s gonna be a shitshow.” She mumbled to herself, rubbing her eyes as her tired reflection in the mirror stared back at her. Natasha would’ve continued to judge her reflection further if only the insistent itching and teasing of her sinuses hadn’t snatched her attention away yet again. 

It was the feeling of discomfort that made her eyes squint shut with irritation and frustration as she groaned. Well, half a groan to be exact. She hadn’t really made it through the whole thing. Her throat objected to the motion, sending her into a set of harsh, chesty-rattling coughs that really didn’t sound good at all. The type of sound that would make a second listener cringe hard before ushering the afflicted back to bed. 

“Shit...” Shit indeed. This whole situation was shit. Natasha knew the second someone (and by someone she 100% meant her girlfriend) heard her sounding like this, she would be undoubtly forced to lay back down. No, no, no. That couldn’t happen. She wasn’t sick. She just needed to train. Just needed to sweat it out, that’s all. Then she’d be fine.  

The redhead someone managed to get dressed without stumbling over, though it had taken a little longer than usual due to the fact every time she leant over, her nose just seemed to drip. Eventually though, she’d finished pulling on her gym clothes – a sleek black crop top and leggings. Maybe not the ideal thing to wear when her body was struggling enough to keep its temperature in check she’d come to realise when a layer of goosebumps crept up and settled along her arms. Natasha shivered, pulling her arms around herself as she stepped out of her room. Whatever, she’d just blame it on the AC. 

She kept repeating her plan to herself as she slowly made her way down the long compound towards the kitchen. “Get a small bite to eat and then sweat it out. Eat then train... Eat then train... EatHh- thIhh theE’ShhIEW! Hhi’htshoo!” 

The sound of her desperate sneezes didn’t fail to echo down the corridor, making the spy’s cheeks blush a deeper shade of red at the thought of someone else hearing her outburst. Her head was throbbing, and her teary eyes barely blinked back open before a bout of rough, throat scraping coughing overtook her. Nat allowed one single exhausted sob to escape her as she leant against the wall, her body sinking against the concrete as she allowed the sweet relief of the floor to ease her exhausted body as she composed herself. She felt awful. 

And it just didn’t help that she still needed to, to- “ihh'ITSHU! HehH-Ht'SCHoo!” Natasha swore in Russian as she cursed her body for betraying her like this, rubbing the back of her wrist hard against her nose, with no care for delicacy anymore. This ended now, she growled to herself before she firmly pushed herself up of the floor, energy fuelled by self-frustration. Nat wobbled a little as she rose, but she managed to maintain her balance before continuing her way to the kitchen. 

Maria had been sat in the kitchen, sipping on a cup of coffee and working at the laptop on the countertop. She liked working there. People usually came in and out as they pleased, letting her have small casual conversations throughout the day to keep her spirits up as she worked. Plus being in close access to coffee was always nice. 

Then she heard it. A sniffle came from just outside the door. Usually, she wouldn’t have even noticed such a sound, but this was different. It was the type of sniffle that screamt of thick, cold-fuelled congestion. Not to mention the awful sounding cough that followed. You could imagine her surprise when her girlfriend came... shambling? (that’s probably the closest word to describe it) round the corner and into the kitchen. 

Maria’s eyes widened in disbelief. She nearly dropped her mug. Her girlfriend’s appearance was certainly startling to say the least, like something out of a horror film, her eyes watery, swollen and bloodshot. Her hair hung limply, plastered to her head with sweat, her nose red and dripping. She looked like she’d been hit by a train. 

“Nat? Oh my god, Natasha?” Maria gasped, “What on earth happened to you?" She frantically asked, immediately jumping up to come to her girlfriend’s side. The poor woman was swaying and fighting to keep her eyes open, she looked as if she was about to pass out, 

“I’m fine... Just tired..." Natasha spluttered, managing to turn away from her girlfriend as she fell into another round of coughing. She felt a soothing hand come to rub her back, slowly bringing her out of the fit as she struggled to catch her breath. Maria sighed as she took note of the heat radiating from her skin, shaking her head in sympathy at the sheen of sweat covering her girlfriend’s body. 

Maria kept her hand on her back as she turned to look over her girlfriend properly, “Natasha, honey, you look terrible. Come on, you’re in no condition to be up right now.” 

“I look fine," Nat muttered in reply, her tone more defensive than she intended. A sudden, forceful sneeze interrupted her, and Maria instinctively muttered a soft, "Bless you." 

The spy shot her a sharp look, "I don't need your sympathy. I just need to train and get this out of my system." 

The agent sighed, moving her hand to settle on Nat’s shoulder, "Nat, you're not in any condition to train. You'll only make it worse. Just go back to bed, okay? 

“Maria stop, listen to Hehh-, me, I’m hhH- fine, thank Hhy-you-Hh’tshhU! Hih'ii-I-eishSHOO! ” She helplessly ducked forward into a barely raised elbow, her messy red hair falling in front of her face before she straightened herself back up and pulled herself out of her girlfriend’s hold, “Just fuck off back to your work. I’m fine.” Natasha regretted the expression the second it had left her lips, but she was in no condition to fight the feverish fog clouding her judgment. 

Maria’s lips thinned into a line as her expression hardened at her girlfriend’s words. She had seen Nat sad, angry, and weak. However not once in all those moments had she ever been rude to her. Her eyes narrowed in a sudden flash of indignation, feeling like this was a complete rebuke of her concern. 

"Natalia Alianovna Romanova, I’m going to excuse what you just said on the pretence that you are absolutely burning up and have no idea what you are doing but if you think it’s acceptable to speak to me in that manner and that I’m just going to go back to work when you’re this sick, then you're delirious – which you clearly fucking are." Maria crossed her arms sternly and looked her girlfriend in the eye, her hard tone leaving no room for argument, "You are going back to your room. Right Now.” She took a deep breath, letting her annoyance fall away and be replaced with her prior concern. 

"Yes Ma'am…” Nat said reluctantly, hanging her head in defeat. She wanted to kick herself for how she’d spoken to her girlfriend and was ashamed of the ease with which the fever had driven her to outburst. She nodded in agreement despite the heat rising through her cheeks, she couldn’t deny that she was in no condition to argue her case. She looked to Maria sheepishly as she replied, accepting whatever would be said next. 

But the sharp voice she was expecting never came, instead Natasha found herself being pulled into her girlfriend’s arms and was helpless to resist. She sank into the hold. With her feverish body aching for the warmth of a human touch, she was powerless to resist and simply allowed the hold, surrendering to the warm embrace. 

"I’m sorry... I didn’t mean to be that rude..." She mumbled quietly into her girlfriend's chest her breath hitching as she tried to speak, "I just..." 

“Shh, shh.” Maria hushed her sweetly, bringing her hand up to gently cup the back of her head, “I know sweetheart, just save your poor voice, okay?” She held her girlfriend in place, her comforting hold not wavering even when Nat’s hitching breath took in a sudden shaky inhale. 

“It’s okay baby, just let it out.” The agent encouraged her gently as she felt her attempting to hold back the dreadful itch. 

Natasha hadn’t needed much more encouraging, she was going to have to give into the burning tickle either way, “ii-I-eishISHUU, Hih-tshoo! EhH-Hhh-itSHUUH!” Her nose twitched and she gave into another violent fit of powerful sneezing into Maria’s chest, her entire body shuddering weakly against her girlfriend’s grasp. “hii’hI-eishSHOO” The spy let out a soft whimper as she pressed her nose against Maria's chest as if hoping it might bring her a shred of relief from the irritating and stubborn tingling sensation, even for a second. 

“Goodness, bless you sweetheart. You done?” Maria whispered, pulling her sleeve over her hand when she received a small nod, she gently used the fabric to clean up her assassins' face, ignoring the whined complaints about ruining her clothes, “My hoodie can be washed baby, don’t you worry about that.” 

The two women exchanged a quiet moment, their attention turning to the comfort and relief that was coming from the silence, “Do you want to go back to bed now sweetie?” The agent asked quietly, pressing a soft kiss down to her girlfriend’s hot temple. 

"Please..." The spy mumbled helplessly in reply. She felt utterly exhausted and helpless to the growing pressure of this sickness that was eating her alive. Maria smiled and easily lifted the exhausted, sick girl and carried her out of the kitchen, giving Nat's rear a soft pat on the way which had elicited a small, sleepy smile from the redhead in return. It didn’t take long to reach their room and Natasha felt herself be gently laid down on their bed. Familiar blankets were quickly tucked around her. 

With a soft, understanding smile, Maria joined Natasha on the bed. She carefully wrapped her arms around the spy. The room soon fell into a soothing silence, interrupted only by Natasha's occasional sniffles and coughs and Maria’s soft reassurances. 

"Rest now, my love. I'm here," She whispered, placing another loving kiss on Natasha's forehead. It didn’t take long for her to fall asleep after that, soon enough the redhead’s eyes had fluttered closed and she was finally resting, her sleeping forming carefully cuddled in protective arms. The world outside their room ceased to matter as the two women found solace in each other's company. 

[SleepingPhlox]

It is a good day when I see you've posted a new story! It is a VERY good day when it's a Natasha story.  This is definitely my cup of tea, the stubbornness, the wanting to train...the crumbling into accepting defeat and help at the end. Just so perfect.

And high five for WLW rep!

[Selkie]

2 hours ago, SleepingPhlox said:

It is a good day when I see you've posted a new story! It is a VERY good day when it's a Natasha story.  This is definitely my cup of tea, the stubbornness, the wanting to train...the crumbling into accepting defeat and help at the end. Just so perfect.

And high five for WLW rep!

aaah tysmmmm :}}} Your comments (well, any really) make my day :} I can definetly do more Natasha fics if youre a fan of those, I'll honestly write anyones direction requests of what they wanna see, just shoot me a message explaining what you want to be included and I'll try get it done for you : D (goes for everyone!)

[Likesn]

14 hours ago, Selkie said:

tagging @Likesn since you asked about a story with these two!

And as promised - I did read it 🙂 Loved the dynamic between these two, especially when Maria used Natasha's full name to put her in her place.

[NoV]

As I am sure I have said before, you write Natasha so well - not just in the amazing sneezes, but her character is spot on to how I imagine her to be. Thanks for this fic  

[Selkie]

2 hours ago, Likesn said:

And as promised - I did read it 🙂 Loved the dynamic between these two, especially when Maria used Natasha's full name to put her in her place.

thanks for reading! and dw I love that part too >:} 

 

1 hour ago, NoV said:

As I am sure I have said before, you write Natasha so well - not just in the amazing sneezes, but her character is spot on to how I imagine her to be. Thanks for this fic  

aaah tysm!! I'm glad you liked it, thanks for reading it ;D 

[TartanSneezer]

On 12/29/2023 at 9:26 PM, SleepingPhlox said:

It is a good day when I see you've posted a new story! It is a VERY good day when it's a Natasha story.  This is definitely my cup of tea, the stubbornness, the wanting to train...the crumbling into accepting defeat and help at the end. Just so perfect.

And high five for WLW rep!

Same here! If I was going to say I had a favourite “template” for a story then this summarises it. Really well written