Burning Bright: An Avengers Fanfiction

Old Wounds

After five days, my skills had definitely improved. Natasha had enforced a strict diet, which would help me gain weight. Already, some of my old curves were coming back. I felt stronger, faster, and sharper. Clint and Tasha put me through hell every day, working me so hard sometimes all I had enough energy for was to drag my sorry ass into bed.

We had been doing drills for about an hour when I feel like I'm going to pass out. The heat in the gym is intense today, and me being in a long sleeve shirt and sweatpants was not helping. While Natasha had offered to get me a couple workout outfits, I politely refused. No matter how suffocating it was, I couldn't let them see my scars. I wore long sleeves or a jacket every day, always paired with long pants. A least I usually had an excuse as it was the middle of November.

"Lila, maybe you should change." Natasha says, stopping right in the middle of our spar, looking at me with a bit of concern.

"I'm fine Tasha, just getting a little worn out." I breathe out raggedly.

"No, you're not fine, you're sweating buckets kiddo! Why don't you just change into something more comfortable?" Clint is now butting into the conversation, walking over to me and Natasha. I grit my teeth and try to keep the overwhelming feeling of panic out of my voice.

"I don't want to change, it's fine."

"Why not?" Clint demands.

"Because."

"Because why?"

"Because I just don't want to okay? Can we drop the subject and get back to the training?" I ask, a pleading tone creeping up in my voice. I grab the edges of my shirt sleeves and pull them down more, gripping them tightly in my hands. Natasha's eyes fly down to my hands, and she seems to be thinking a mile a minute. Shit shit shit shit shit shit!

"Lila, are you hiding something from us?" she's staring at me intently, as Clint gets a puzzled look on his face.

"No, why would you think that?" I can feel my anxiety level rising, and dig my nails into my palms so hard I'm sure I broke skin.

"Why else would you be so adamant as to keep those clothes on when you're clearly uncomfortable?" she states.

"I....uh....um..."

"Change. Now." Natasha says, pointing towards the elevator. Her voice told me that there was no room to argue, and that if I tried, she wouldn't be above using force.

I rush over to the elevator with my head down, and once I'm in my room I start sobbing. They weren't ever supposed to find out! This was going to ruin everything!

I pull on the navy cotton workout shorts, now exposing all of the scars, gashes, and burns on my legs. I slowly peel off my shirt, and then put on the loose white t-shirt that was also with the shorts. I look in the mirror, and another sob escapes my lips. I'm horrifying, hideous. With everything exposed, I truly see the wicked things my "parents" had done.

I march into the elevator, head down and arms crossed, and wait for it to take me to the gym. Every antagonizing second was filled with me thinking of the two master assassins' reaction. Horrified faces filled my mind as I pictured what would happen when I walked in. The elevator came to a smooth stop, and I took a deep breath and entered the gym.

" Tasha had to go take a call from the director, but she'll be back soon. Now see, don't you feel-oh my god." I hear Clint gasp from all the way across the room, and continue to stare at the floor as not to see his disgusted expression. My eyes fill with tears, and I wrap my arms around myself, trying to keep the trembling down.

"Lila...who...oh god, what happened?" Clint whispers. A unexpected cry tears itself from my throat, and I bite down on my hand to keep any others in.