Widow Sisters and Friends (Restoring Our Broken Hearts)

Always

Summary: Yelena wakes up one morning to find her sister not acting like herself. Throughout the course of the day and after a talk with Clint, it becomes startlingly clear that something is not right with Natasha. It is up to Yelena to figure out what's wrong with the most important person in her world.

   It was no secret that Natasha Romanoff had a tendency to sometimes act odd and somewhat aloof. Everyone that had known her for more than two weeks could easily understand this fact.

However, Yelena had never really realized just how intense that detachment could get until one day in autumn when Natasha had barely even cracked a smile and had not greeted her whatsoever when Yelena walked into the kitchen after dragging herself from her bed.

"Morning," Yelena greeted, and Natasha did not respond. Yelena paused in her journey to the kitchen table, furrowing her brow. She looked at Natasha curiously, rubbing at her eyes as she noticed that the redhead was deeply engrossed in what looked to be pouring cereal into two bowls. Yelena squinted strangely before tiredly ambling over to Natasha and wrapping her arms around Natasha's middle.

To Yelena's surprise, Natasha stiffened almost violently at first.

"Careful... If you're like this too often, just anybody could sneak behind you," Yelena quietly spoke, her voice deep with sleep, and Natasha quickly realized it was just Yelena. She loosened considerably, gently bringing up a hand and squeezing Yelena's arm just barely.

"Good morning, sweet girl. I didn't hear you walk in," Natasha greeted, and Yelena raised an eyebrow, noting the oddness in her tone and the lack of a smile. Natasha was a morning person, so she was one of those accursed people that were actually perky and energetic in the morning. However, today, she was displaying none of those qualities.

"Losing your touch?" Yelena joked, trying to draw out one of those smiles that she always was so proud to receive from Natasha. Natasha chuckled just barely, the sound nowhere near how it ordinarily sounded.

"Not quite. Can you go get the milk?" Natasha questioned, and Yelena raised an eyebrow, slowly unraveling her arms from around the redhead and moving over to the refrigerator, keeping her gaze locked on the older woman.

Natasha picked up the cereal bowls and the spoons, placing them at the table before sitting down and waiting for Yelena. Yelena furrowed her brow, realizing that Natasha's movements were almost on autopilot. The blonde felt her stomach twist a bit with worry, and she quickly pulled out the milk, heading over to join her sister.

"You okay?" Yelena asked as soon as she sat down, starting to pour her milk, and Natasha nodded much too quickly.

"Yeah... I'm just tired," Natasha told her, and Yelena gazed at her oddly as she handed over the milk to let Natasha have her turn with it.

That excuse was very possible. After all, Yelena could see the dark circles under Natasha's eyes that told the story of a very tired big sister. She remembered the previous night that it had taken Natasha a little while to finally come to bed, but Yelena had been dozing off and on until Natasha slid into bed with her, so the blonde really did not know how long it had exactly taken.

"Okay," Yelena responded simply, not sure what to say, but having the worst feeling that Natasha was not telling the entire truth. Natasha just flashed the barest of smiles before turning her attentions to her breakfast. Yelena started to eat her own, keeping a close eye on the redhead across from her.

This was not over, and Yelena was going to get to the bottom of it somehow.

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