Avengers / DC crossover

Chapter 21

"Cool! So your a super spy?" Stephanie asked. Natasha was getting along quite well with Stephanie. As from what she heard about her so far, they could relate but Natasha was still uneasy about telling the blonde about her past.

"I guess so." Natasha chuckled at Stephanie's enthusiasm. "What about you? What's some things about you?" Natasha asked, she needed to refocus the attention to the blonde. Little did she know Stephanie had some tricks up her purple sleeve. 

"Well, there's not much I guess, other than I am the queen of glitter. And I maybe the only one sane around here." Stephanie said as Damian walked by.

"Brown, we both know that's a lie, none of us are sane. Maybe with the exception of Thomas." Damian interrupted, correcting her. Stephanie threw a half empty water bottle at Damian face, but the young boy caught it with ease. Without looking. He tutted and continued to attack the dummy with his katana.

Stephanie rolled her eyes, "ignore demon spawn, but yea he might be right." 

Natasha watched as the strange boy who spoke formally used his katana sigh such grace. He was only 10 maybe 11 and it was clear he had much more training than most of the people here. It would take decades to be on such level of training, so how did this young boy keep up with it... Unless. No- Natasha may have doubts with these people but there's no way they'd actually train someone as a baby, right? 

The more she thought about it the more her blood boiled. Stephanie titled her head in confusion as Natasha grew slightly angry. She couldn't tell if it was from what she said before or what Damian said. "Woah, calm down. Damian is just Damian, you'll get use to it." She reassured. Natasha was snapped out of her trance, confused. She shook it off and continued training. 

Every once in a while there'd be chatter echoing throughout the cave, s few shouts back and forth. One caught Natasha's attention, especially since it was Stephanie who shouted it. 

"WE DO NOT SPEAK OF THAT, TIM!" 

A few chuckles echoed as Damian and Stephanie visibly shuddered. "Speak of what?" Natasha finally asked.

"Discowing..."

***

"15 more minutes, children!" Alfred called out through the PA system. Natasha didn't even know that it was there. A few bats flew down from the ceiling when Alfred spoke. "I guess that's our que. we should start getting showered since we are sweating." Stephanie stated. Natasha nodded. 

As they slowly walked down the stairs to get to the main level Stephanie kept glancing at Natasha. After the second glance Natasha caught, Stephanie finally spoke. "You don't have to hide your past."

"What? What'd you know?" Natasha was confused and surprised how this teenage girl found out. She read Natasha like an open book!

"I may not know what exactly your past is but I can tell its traumatizing... Experience." She said softly in a reassuring voice. "every single person who is in this cave right now as had a rough past or a traumatizing one. Maybe not your teammate but we understand what it's like. You can open up to us."

Natasha stayed silent, it was nice to know that someone could possibly relate but stressing too. What did she mean by... Everybody in this cave had a traumatic experience? These people who only young kids to young adults. How could they possibly-? Natasha chose to cut off her thoughts, trying not the stress herself too much before Stephanie could even continue.

"Take me as an example... A villain dad. Abusive too... Just think about it? You don't have to open up to us, after all were practically strangers." She quickly added that last sentence, trying to not make it seem like she was prying. She wanted Natasha to feel welcomed, she could feel Natasha's pain. She knew that every person associated with batman had some kind of trauma. 

She knew her family, her bat family. So she knows all types of trauma from every person she considers family. Witnessing your parents death... Literally dying... Abuse... Outcasted... And much... Much more. Stephanie knew here was more to Natasha than she let on. Stephanie couldn't help but feel the same traumatic aura she felt around her bat family. She wanted to help Natasha.

They parted ways once the elevator opened, Natasha couldn't help but think about what the blonde said.