𝐑𝐔𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐀𝐍 𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐄━︎━︎ N. Romanoff ✓︎

𝐓𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲-𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐫

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR:
BUDAPEST

HE FOLLOWED HER LEAD. HE hadn't been in Budapest in a long while. And he had to admit that it was beautiful yet he still loathed the place. He followed her to an apartment building, watching as she opened the door to the main entrance before following her out to the open area that separated the office from the apartments. An uneasy feeling crawled through him. They entered the elevator, going to the necessary floor before walking a little ways down the hall before Natasha stopped.

     She kneeled down, opening an old looking cabinet and reaching her hand inside before pulling out a gun, and then another, handing one to Alec who quickly stuffed it into the back of his pants. They then made their way further down the hall before coming to a stop in front of a door. Natasha paused, turning her head to look at Alec. "Stay here."

     "No way in hell." Alec muttered. Natasha didn't try and convince him. She picked a lock, and the sound of someone's voice could be heard from inside the room.

     "I know you're out there."

     "I know you know I'm out here." Natasha mumbled before looking at Alec. "Just stay out of this fight." She didn't say anymore and he decided to nod before watching the door open, Natasha sliding in with her gun raised and Alec slipping in behind her, quietly shutting the door. He watched her, not sure what the hell it was that was about to happen or where they even were. So instead, he focused on how nice the apartment looked.

     "Then why are you skulking about like it's a minefield?" The unknown female asked.

     "'Cause I don't know if I can trust you." Natasha answered her.

     A chuckle fell from the woman's lips. "Funny, I was going to say the same thing."

     She reached the doorway to the living room, gun ready. "So, we gonna to talk like grown-ups?"

     "Is that what we are?"

Alec glanced at her before taking it upon himself to explore the apartment. He barely paid attention to the sounds of crashes and yelling, having a feeling he shouldn't get into it. His eyes were focused on a painting, humming and taking note of how that seemed like something his sister would have liked. He wondered into the kitchen, taking note of the glass on the floor and the destroyed cabinet. He rose an eyebrow before turning his head to see Natasha and a blonde woman on the floor, choking each other with a curtain before finally Natasha called a truce.

     He watched the blonde unravel the curtain from her throat, responding to Natasha in Russian before standing up. She stopped and stared at Alec, and before she could reach for a weapon Natasha stopped her. "He's with me."

     Alec waved. "Hi."

     Yelena Belova entered her kitchen, making her way to her fridge whilst Natasha fixed her stance. "You had to come to Budapest, didn't you?"