When he crosses his arms Natasha mirrors the motion, her torso still stiff from the previous day but she ignores the vague ache. They told her that she should stay another night in the hospital and Natasha would have none of it, because she's got too much to do. The man before her, literally standing between her and her only exit, is getting in the way of that.
But then he responds and damn it, she really doesn't have the time to feel compassion right now. The way that he looks at her reminds her far too much of herself the first day she woke up in SHIELD headquarters, and it's much easier for her to dislike him when he doesn't talk. Now, with him standing there in his red jumpsuit, metal hand peeking out of the sleeve, it's hard to put him into the 'them' category of her mind.
And he's Steve's friend. She can't ignore Steve's friend, especially when she's one of the only people here who's qualified enough to give him the answers that he needs.
Natasha's gaze softens and a slight frown rises to the surface, a single nod eventually given in understanding instead of another snarky response. Well, there goes her morning and her chances of getting to the Commissary before it fills up with people that she has no desire to interact with.
"Alright." She begins with a sigh but not one of impatience. Rather, one of preparation, as if she knows that she's got a rough road ahead of her, and hell, couldn't he have shown up any other day than the one after she was gunned down by a man she trusted? She barely has the energy to go about her day normally, but this is important. She can't lose sight of that.
When she finally moves away from him it's to show two things, the first being that she's willing to give him the space he needs. The second one, most importantly, is to prove that she's willing to turn her back on him, and although it's partially because she knows she has a better chance of taking him down now if necessary, it's mostly because she's sure she won't have to. She sits on the edge of her bed, gesturing to the one across from her or him to sit as well.
"You know." It sounds like a reminder although it shouldn't be. "You know that this is real because you could always know, on a certain level. Sometimes you'd wake up and realize that you were in a body doing things that you didn't want to do. Those were the malfunctions, right? But you knew. And you know now, you know how to tell the difference, you just need to remember how." She pauses, her eyes moving to the floor for a moment. "And you're questioning." When she looks back at him it's with a smile, but one of empathy that's paired with tired eyes. "Questioning doesn't happen when it's not real. You know that too. Questioning means being reset, and I'm not resetting you. Am I?"
no subject
But then he responds and damn it, she really doesn't have the time to feel compassion right now. The way that he looks at her reminds her far too much of herself the first day she woke up in SHIELD headquarters, and it's much easier for her to dislike him when he doesn't talk. Now, with him standing there in his red jumpsuit, metal hand peeking out of the sleeve, it's hard to put him into the 'them' category of her mind.
And he's Steve's friend. She can't ignore Steve's friend, especially when she's one of the only people here who's qualified enough to give him the answers that he needs.
Natasha's gaze softens and a slight frown rises to the surface, a single nod eventually given in understanding instead of another snarky response. Well, there goes her morning and her chances of getting to the Commissary before it fills up with people that she has no desire to interact with.
"Alright." She begins with a sigh but not one of impatience. Rather, one of preparation, as if she knows that she's got a rough road ahead of her, and hell, couldn't he have shown up any other day than the one after she was gunned down by a man she trusted? She barely has the energy to go about her day normally, but this is important. She can't lose sight of that.
When she finally moves away from him it's to show two things, the first being that she's willing to give him the space he needs. The second one, most importantly, is to prove that she's willing to turn her back on him, and although it's partially because she knows she has a better chance of taking him down now if necessary, it's mostly because she's sure she won't have to. She sits on the edge of her bed, gesturing to the one across from her or him to sit as well.
"You know." It sounds like a reminder although it shouldn't be. "You know that this is real because you could always know, on a certain level. Sometimes you'd wake up and realize that you were in a body doing things that you didn't want to do. Those were the malfunctions, right? But you knew. And you know now, you know how to tell the difference, you just need to remember how." She pauses, her eyes moving to the floor for a moment. "And you're questioning." When she looks back at him it's with a smile, but one of empathy that's paired with tired eyes. "Questioning doesn't happen when it's not real. You know that too. Questioning means being reset, and I'm not resetting you. Am I?"