The silence has been soothing to his nerves the last few months. The knowledge that it's so quiet at night, that if anything did stir, if anyone tried to come for him, he would definitely hear it, has been a comfort. Not that anyone would, here in Wakanda. But recovering from 70 some years of being under HYDRA's control means working through a hell of a lot of paranoia. He's not sure he'll ever not be looking over his shoulder.

Having Natasha here means there's another person puttering around the cottage, but he doesn't mind. It's another layer of comfort, frankly. It means she's here, safe, with him, and that they're safe, together. He doesn't know how long she'll be able to stay, but he's going to enjoy the time he has with her while he can.

He hears the moment she leaves the guest room, moving almost silently around the kitchen, running water. He finds her lit up from the moonlight that streams in the window and he holds his breath for a moment.

"Want some tea?" he asks softly, not wanting to startle her if she hadn't realized he was up now too.