She barely stirred at his pre-dawn visitation, but he moved so silently it should have been expected. As yet she hadn’t been trained in waking with the slightest disturbance, she had some semblance of innocence left to her. It showed when she slept like this. Her youth, her untainted spirit. This was not a killer, not yet. An untested and beautiful weapon, but not yet lethal. She would have wanted to be awake though, she would have wanted to see him, but it was for the best for both of them that she slept on while he watched her and left his notice of return.
She woke early, eyes snapping open even before the alarm sounded. She stretched and eased from the bed, wide awake in moments. Just as she’d been trained, she was alert and taking in her surroundings, something was out of place. Eyes caught sight of the paper on the sill and it took less than a heartbeat to know who would have left it.
Natalia dashed for the note and read it’s single word. It said so much, her mentor had returned as promised. The weeks of his absence were over, a smile that had no right to be, blossomed across her lips. She ran through her morning rituals faster than she ever had and arrived early to training. She did not see him however. James..no Winter Soldier, she must only think of him by his given name when they were alone, something in her warned of being too casual, had not looked on this morning.
Still she excelled, Natalia ran her exercises with a grace and exuberance that showed every inch of her nerve and natural physicality. She shone like a star because she had something worth preforming for. Her observers praised her, the General took notice personally and Natalia, already earmarked for larger things, was catching all the wrong attention. Oblivious to the notes being made of her she glowed, even daring to best the field trainer in her exercise by downing the man with a kick hard enough to double him, disarm him and leave hims sprawled and panting for breath. She stood a bit proud over the mock setting of a generic town and her fallen foes, yes, the Black Widow had earned her title today.
Still through it at she looked for him, showed off her skills and what she'd learned for him and when she was praised, like a good soldier she demurred it to the greatness of her teachers, her program and of course her country. By the end of the day Natalia's name was on the lips of many, but she only cared for one. She was sent out to meet important but nameless figures within Red Room, those whose influence reached high in the government but whose identities were to remain unconnected for political reasons. Here she was introduced to a tall, broad shouldered man. He seemed ill suited for a pilot, as she was told he was, due to his size. He was introduced as Alexi Shostakov, code Named Red Guardian, a pride of Red Room and unquestioned success. There was more to him than met the eye, Winter Soldier's training had become her own continuous thoughts, she watched him, studied him and how others acted around him.
She was expected to be impressed by the man, so she played her part. When all she wanted was to return to her room, the group bade her and Alexi stay on for dinner and drinks. She could not refuse and forced a smile and the appearance of interest at their tedious discussions. Inside she wanted to scream, tear her red hair from her head, but outwardly she projected the calm soft smile they expected to see. They could not know how she sized each of them up, running through her mind scenarios on how she could dispatch the room and how quickly with dinner utensils. These thoughts would condemn her to exile or more likely death were they known, but no one knew. No one but her. It was late, past midnight before she was excused, having to accept their hospitality as long as it was offered, but when it was appropriate she left them.
Keeping her gait to a smooth walk was torture. Once her eyes even veered to where she knew his room was. But to go there would be too bold, too risky. He was a valuable asset, she was just starting her career. He had just returned from a mission and who knew how long he would be under observation. She could ill afford to let her eagerness get either of them in trouble now. She could almost hear him in her head, treat it like a training exercise. She did, she pushed her feelings down until she had control over herself. She walked calmly to her quarters, showered and sat on her bed wrapped in a towel while she brushed her damp hair over one shoulder. Focus, manage your heart rate, keep your breathing even, do not betray the slightest excitement. She obeyed the voice, the echo of him that had kept her company while he was away, that part of him she'd kept hidden in her hear-- mind.
She had done well tonight, more so than those who praised her could ever know. She had surpassed all their expectations and hidden something so profound that she had been fundamentally changed by it. Natalia understood herself better now, she understood her reactions to the man she called James. She studied and worked it out over long hours. The evidence was so obvious as to be unmistakable and despite all common sense, warnings or mandates against it, she was in love.
no subject
She woke early, eyes snapping open even before the alarm sounded. She stretched and eased from the bed, wide awake in moments. Just as she’d been trained, she was alert and taking in her surroundings, something was out of place. Eyes caught sight of the paper on the sill and it took less than a heartbeat to know who would have left it.
Natalia dashed for the note and read it’s single word. It said so much, her mentor had returned as promised. The weeks of his absence were over, a smile that had no right to be, blossomed across her lips. She ran through her morning rituals faster than she ever had and arrived early to training. She did not see him however. James..no Winter Soldier, she must only think of him by his given name when they were alone, something in her warned of being too casual, had not looked on this morning.
Still she excelled, Natalia ran her exercises with a grace and exuberance that showed every inch of her nerve and natural physicality. She shone like a star because she had something worth preforming for. Her observers praised her, the General took notice personally and Natalia, already earmarked for larger things, was catching all the wrong attention. Oblivious to the notes being made of her she glowed, even daring to best the field trainer in her exercise by downing the man with a kick hard enough to double him, disarm him and leave hims sprawled and panting for breath. She stood a bit proud over the mock setting of a generic town and her fallen foes, yes, the Black Widow had earned her title today.
Still through it at she looked for him, showed off her skills and what she'd learned for him and when she was praised, like a good soldier she demurred it to the greatness of her teachers, her program and of course her country. By the end of the day Natalia's name was on the lips of many, but she only cared for one. She was sent out to meet important but nameless figures within Red Room, those whose influence reached high in the government but whose identities were to remain unconnected for political reasons. Here she was introduced to a tall, broad shouldered man. He seemed ill suited for a pilot, as she was told he was, due to his size. He was introduced as Alexi Shostakov, code Named Red Guardian, a pride of Red Room and unquestioned success. There was more to him than met the eye, Winter Soldier's training had become her own continuous thoughts, she watched him, studied him and how others acted around him.
She was expected to be impressed by the man, so she played her part. When all she wanted was to return to her room, the group bade her and Alexi stay on for dinner and drinks. She could not refuse and forced a smile and the appearance of interest at their tedious discussions. Inside she wanted to scream, tear her red hair from her head, but outwardly she projected the calm soft smile they expected to see. They could not know how she sized each of them up, running through her mind scenarios on how she could dispatch the room and how quickly with dinner utensils. These thoughts would condemn her to exile or more likely death were they known, but no one knew. No one but her. It was late, past midnight before she was excused, having to accept their hospitality as long as it was offered, but when it was appropriate she left them.
Keeping her gait to a smooth walk was torture. Once her eyes even veered to where she knew his room was. But to go there would be too bold, too risky. He was a valuable asset, she was just starting her career. He had just returned from a mission and who knew how long he would be under observation. She could ill afford to let her eagerness get either of them in trouble now. She could almost hear him in her head, treat it like a training exercise. She did, she pushed her feelings down until she had control over herself. She walked calmly to her quarters, showered and sat on her bed wrapped in a towel while she brushed her damp hair over one shoulder. Focus, manage your heart rate, keep your breathing even, do not betray the slightest excitement. She obeyed the voice, the echo of him that had kept her company while he was away, that part of him she'd kept hidden in her hear-- mind.
She had done well tonight, more so than those who praised her could ever know. She had surpassed all their expectations and hidden something so profound that she had been fundamentally changed by it. Natalia understood herself better now, she understood her reactions to the man she called James. She studied and worked it out over long hours. The evidence was so obvious as to be unmistakable and despite all common sense, warnings or mandates against it, she was in love.