For Clint to admit he was afraid he must have been downright terrified. It was just all so foreign, so unknown, and she would be lying if she said she hadn’t worried about it herself more than once. She had knocked him out and it had seemed to bring him back around, but what if it was only temporary? What if Loki somehow returned and was able to reinstate his control? There were so many ‘what ifs’ that nobody could answer, and clearly the doctors were just just as worried about a setback, though Natasha also felt that their lack of confidence was only compounding things and making them worse. If they truly believed he was fine they would lessen his appointments or clear him completely.

She felt the violent shiver run though him and pressed herself closer, almost protesting when he moved away but knowing that confining him wouldn’t be a good idea. Thankfully he only put enough distance between them to turn to face her before pulling her into his arms where she could hold him close again. When he buried his face in her shoulder she wrapped one arm around his back and the other over his shoulder. Threading her fingers in the hair at the back of his head, she placed a soft kiss at his temple. For a moment she considering rolling to lay on her back so she could more easily hold him, but the position seemed a bad idea right now with his fears of overpowering and hurting her. It would be better to remain neutral or take a more dominant position herself unless he wanted otherwise.

“I’m always careful,” she assured him. “You won’t hurt me, Clint. Neither of us would allow it.”