𝐏𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐂 𝐑𝐎𝐎𝐌

𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭

- ⧗ NATASHA ROMANOFF ⧗ -

THE CLOUDS IN THE SKY PASSED SLOWLY as Natasha stared at them through the window. Their usual white struck through with orange as the sun began to set for the day. Her fingers twirled the fork in her hand, spinning it over her knuckles.

"You know that's supposed to go in your mouth right?"

The voice startled Natasha. She turned quickly in her seat, but settled once more when she noticed it was only Clint. "You make a better spy than a comedian," she replied dryly, turning back around on her stool.

"You sure? Was maybe thinking of changing career paths." Clint walked further into the kitchen, coming to rest at the opposite side of the breakfast bar, facing Natasha. "Wanda slaved over that dinner, you don't wanna let it go to waste."

Natasha looked down at the plate of untouched food on the counter. She placed her clean fork down beside it. "Lost my appetite," she murmured.

   There was a short pause. "It's the girl isn't it?" Clint said softly. "She's bothering you."

   Natasha sighed as she looked up. "I just want to help her Clint. And I'm trying but she won't let me in."

   Clint nodded slowly. "I know, Nat. Just give her time, it took you a little bit to get readjusted."

   "I wasn't like that though," Natasha replied, shaking her head. "I mean, you heard the stuff she was saying. She idolises that place."

   Natasha pushed back the lump she felt forming in her throat. "She must have been there years Clint. So long that she doesn't even know what the outside world is like. They've brainwashed her completely."

   "I wanted out, Clint. I needed to get away from there. But she..." Natasha took a deep breath. "She seems to want to go back."

   Clint reached out to hold Natasha's hand, softly grazing his thumb across her palm. "It's just the way she's been raised, Nat." He smiled at her softly. "We just gotta make her realise how things can be different."

   Natasha nodded. "Yeah."

   "And those things she said about you," Clint continued, leaning in closer. "None of them are true, alright?"

   Natasha's eyes welled up with tears. As much as she liked to pretend she was fine, Natasha knew deep down her past would always come back to haunt her. The things she did before SHIELD, the person she was, was not a place she liked to revisit.

"Tasha," Clint said firmly. "None of them are true."

  Nat looked up, meeting his eyes. He's right, she told herself. You're not that person anymore. She just needed to convince this girl the same.

"Yeah," Natasha replied, nodding her head once.

Clint smiled. "Listen, I gotta head home before Laura yells at me for missing dinner again. But if you need anything, anything at all, you call me, okay? I'll be straight here."

Natasha breathed out a laugh. "Yeah."

Clint's hand slipped away from hers. He passed her another smile as he began to turn away. "Take care of yourself."