▤ = falling asleep on them
There’s a minute where every muscle in Natasha’s body tenses, green eyes blowing up wide as she feels a head drop onto her shoulder. It’s not often that someone feels comfortable enough to come into physical contact with her - or for her to feel comfortable enough to let them. It’s even rarer for someone to be comfortable enough to fall asleep on her, to lay their head on her shoulder and slip into a state that Natasha can only deem as vulnerable. Though, maybe it’s not comfort; maybe it’s pure fatigue that’s led to Laurel drifting off to sleep on the Russian spy.
Her eyes dart around the room, silently praying that someone closer to Laurel is in the room to move the younger woman, take her to her room…Anything. But alas, it’s just the two of them sat in this particular common room which begs Natasha to question how they ended up right next to each other when they had an entire room to themselves. Part of her wants to wake the other but as she carefully tilts her head to look down, there’s a peacefulness that she doesn’t want to disturb and so she succumbs to being trapped even if she loathes that feeling.
Instead, she carefully shifts her arm to wrap protectively around the younger; like a mother cradling a child closer to ensure nothing can touch them while their own defenses are down. That’s what she’s meant to do, right? As a teacher? Protect her students in all situations? Even if it’s just to watch over them while they sleep.