A Familial Visit [Natasha/Eiji]

There was no voice that initially rose up to greet Eiji. He had found the correct room, certainly, but the woman of the hour he sought to meet hadn't particularly felt all that bright-spirited to humor him quite yet. A palpable silence followed until a soft sigh exhaled her lips. Turning from one side to the other, Natasha regarded Eiji with a tired smile. An expression attempting something equivalent to the all-encompassing warmth she was known for, but there was nothing other than the telltale signs of a weary soul.

To be honest, part of her almost wished she had told the nurses to let her operate in isolation before any visitors entered. At the very least, she could wear a better smile, present a lovelier image than the one she held now. That wouldn't have made things any better, would they? Isolation would let her idle mind be a devil's playground, exacerbating her already disheveled spirits further. No matter how she chose to approach it, it was all so counterproductive in execution. No matter her mood, she wasn't going to let Eiji get too familiar with that part of her. Rising from the pillow, she lazily lifted an arm to welcome the young man in.

"Yea, me, sugar. What brings you round' these parts? Hate to see ya visitin' yer caretaker like this. I'm a mess."

"Mm, I've seen better days, sweetheart. Ya probably overheard the nurses on yer way here. And then there's that stuff with Natsumi, and worrying about my fellow men and women in the reich. Nothin's been easy. I'll say that much, but I'm glad ya decided to visit me, Eiji. Means a lot."

Natasha gazed up at him with a small semblance of the warmth he was familiar, softly patting a hand against the one that laid against the rail of her hospital bed. It was a welcomed sight to see him here, even if the circumstances were less than ideal. The flowers were a nice gift, and so too was his presence. He was still the trademark brat she met in Karakura.

Among all the troublesome thoughts that took root within her soul, the halcyon memory still proved pleasant enough to put her mind at ease. Which was progress of no small degree, truth be told. Even so, there were still thoughts that bothered her. The possibility of watching a beloved friend relapse into a realm where she couldn't properly reach them, the massacre in Africatastrophe, Natsumi running away based on nothing but a perception. It was enough to wear away at her weary soul, but she would persist. It was bigger than her now. She had people to look after now, and one of them was standing at her bedside. Opening her arms, Natasha loosed another soft sigh as she smiled warmly.

"Can I get a hug?"

"Maybe a few. I just need a lil' encouragement, s'all."

He was entirely correct. She wasn't herself right now. There wasn't an ounce of the cheery disposition, let alone the radiant smile that could light up a room. It was pretty difficult to swallow failure, after all. She didn't possess anything close to a warrior's ego, but she thought she'd improved significantly, thought she could shift the momentum of a battle in her favor. Where had she went wrong? She was supposed to be strong enough now. Overcome the odds. Protect her fellow men and women. Now, she wasn't so sure. It was so easy to just fall back into old habits, go to the nearest bar in the City, and drown her sorrows, return to that miserable frame of mind where she thought so little of herself.

Eiji likely couldn't understand the depth of his next actions, but right now, that show of comfort served as a barrier to keep her mind away from those miserable thoughts. He hardly knew her, and yet she showed her support all the same. Tightly did she clasp that hand, holding him close as she exhaled softly, gazing at the ceiling. For a moment, she laid there. Reflecting on her purpose, on those she had vowed to help, her own self-worth. This, too, shall pass. That's what she always told herself. But she didn't feel it in her spirit. Not at this moment. Either way, it might get awkward if she remained silent any longer. It was best to express those thoughts to him since he offered.

"Am I nuisance? Recent events have been weighin' pretty heavily on my mind, sweetheart. I know I'm the type to keep a strong face and all, but it's been difficult. I nearly lost a friend on the battlefield, most of my peers are in critical condition, and... Natsumi just ran off all because I wanted to extend the same kindness to you. I play things off so well, but even I have my limits. I want to help so many, but I just feel like I end up falling behind."

"Lookit you being the voice of reason. Yer' developin' before my eyes already. It's enough to make a grown lady shed a tear."

Maybe he was right. She recognized that for a young man, he could never truly understand the scope of what was going on here. Honestly? She preferred it that way. Someone like him didn't deserve to know what it felt like to fight in a battle where the stakes were high, where the slightest little mistake could spell one's doom within the space of an instant. And she never wanted him to experience that. It was better for him to learn under her wing, to experience something pleasant rather than wallowing in misery over failing to protect his loved ones. That was a crown he would have no business wearing if she could help it. Furthermore, what would she achieve in this state, except drag others down with her? It wasn't going to change what happened.

"I reckon Natsumi would be angry anyways. I call you a brat, but I honestly think she's got you beat, sugar. I welcome ya in, and she's at war with her own caretaker. I can't win for losin', I tell ya."

Even if most of these current events still bothered her, Eiji's support was a welcomed reprieve from it all. She hadn't always yearned to be the one uplifting others. The concept alone may as well be foreign territory to her, in fact, but above all, she knew she wanted the best for those she cared for. Those she loved from the bottom of her heart. There were was much to be stressed about, that was an irrefutable fact. But, right now? It genuinely felt nice to be embraced and told that she mattered. Beyond advice, that was a gift that words did no true justice.

"Ain't much to argue with there, sweetheart. Guess I just wish she woulda' been a lil more receptive, ya know? I honestly meant nothin' by it... but it still bothers me."

Was that her nurturing spirit at play? Worrying about that young lady even if she didn't exactly expect anything would happen to her in the City of Lights? Maybe so. This was unexplored territory for her. Watching over someone, overlooking their progress, treating them as the children she never had. Most likely, the children she would never have.

Of course, even with those doubts, there was something reassuring about the way Eiji chose to tend to her needs in this moment. He hadn't known her for anymore than a few days, but he approached her with nothing but genuine care for her wellbeing. In a bid to try and place all the fault on her shoulder, she had lost sight of what mattered the most at present - herself. Arching an eyebrow bemusedly, Natasha held her hand against the fingers that comforted her own.

Honestly, part of her almost doubted for a moment that he had been a disagreeable person in the past. Or perhaps this was him maturing? She couldn't quite tell. Whatever the case, it was pleasant and comforting. Even if momentarily, it washed away the bitter taste of defeat nesting in her spirit. Resting her chin against his head, Natasha offered a playful sigh in defeat. With him buttering her up with encouraging words like this, she reckoned there wasn't much to be down about, now was it?

"Okay, ya got me beat, sweetheart. I ain't gonna keep beatin' myself up. I gotta' say... in the short time I've known ya, I'm proud of what yer showin' me. I'm glad ya decided to take me up on my offer."