James
Natalie Alienova Romanova
~~~
"J-Jame-s-s," Natalie chokes clawing at his metal hand. It clenches around her neck cutting off oxygen. Black spots start to cloud her vision. She kicks her legs and reaches a hand to claw his face. Natalie and James are mostly equally matched but she was caught off guard.
"Who the hell is James!?" he growls and slams her into a wall. Natalie gasps for breath and struggles against his hold. Suddenly his grip loosens. Behind him Nova has her hands in his hair yanking his head back. Her eyes are squinted and she has her mouth screwed into a frown. Her fingers start moving quickly and James freezes.
"You are James and you are Natalie's friend, you are my friend, and most of all you are not an asset," Nova states firmly. She's braiding his hair. His metal hand unclenches and Natalie drops to the floor coughing and gasping. James arms fall to his sides and he falls to his knees. Nova doesn't stop braiding. Slowly James eyes focus and he blinks.
"I am James, No wait Bucky," James whispers. "I'm Bucky and James."
"Yes James yes," Nova murmurs to him.
"Someone used to call me Bucky," James mumbles.
"The blonde boy with blue eyes and no sense of self preservation?" Natalie asks finally catching her breath. Her throat will definitely bruise but she can't care about that now.
"His mom....her name was Sarah," Bucky adds quietly. He's calming down so Nova slowly stops braiding.
"Yes. You remember!" Natalie exclaims but ends up whimpering and holding her sore throat.
"I was in the army." James eyes suddenly roll back and slumps on the ground unconscious.
~~~
"That was horrifying," Nova mutters with a shudder. Natalie rubs her arms and cups her cheek. Neither girls touch or look at the crumpled form in the corner. A fear has settled over the room.
"I'm so sorry he scared you. He can't help it," Natalie apologizes and smiles fondly. "You were so brave sweet Nova."
"I just figured muscle memory would win over mental memory," Nova replies lightly. "He remembered my braiding."
"How could he forget. That was probably the first time someone has ever touched him kindly in years," Natalie answers. The question wasn't asked but she heard it anyway. Nova looks slightly disturbed by this and says nothing more.
~~~
James wakes up an hour later. By then Nova bravely covered him with a blanket and put a pillow under his head.
"Natalie?" he grumbles opening his eyes.
"Yes James?"
"I hurt you," James utters and looks up. He reaches a hand out to her neck and she flinches back. He recoils instantaneously. "I nearly killed you."
"It wasn't you James. It was the Asset. It was who they created. It was not you," Natalie argues and guides his hand to her neck. "You stopped him thats why I only have bruises."
"I stopped your breathing. I crushed your neck," James counters with a shudder.
"He stopped my breathing. He crushed my neck. That wasn't you James. That was him."
"How can two separate people be in the same body?" James questions harshly. He's angry but not at Natalie at himself.
"Because one is good and the other bad. The good must hide when the bad does unspeakable things and the bad must hide when the good does favors and smiles. In most the sides unite in a perfect balance but in you they can't. They can't unite because they wanted the evil to win," Natalie explains. "But the evil can't win you have too much good so the sides simply take turns I suppose." Her explanation sounds like a story but it's good enough for James.
"Therefore James is good and Asset bad," Nova concludes. "All it takes to bring James back is to braid your hair."
~~~
"Natalie there are bruises on your neck," Dana observes. Dana is above her holding her hands above her head.
"James had an episode. Also shouldn't we be concentrated on fighting in this moment?" Natalie replies quickly and flips Dana off.
"I see. Well I'd say we are equally matched," Dana observes and tackles Natalie to the ground. "Truce?" Natalie surges forward and flips then over trapping Dana beneath her.
"Truce." Natalie stands up off Dana and helps her up.
"Good fight Romanova," Dana remarks.
"Yay Natalie!" Nova cheers from her seat against the wall of the training room. The Madams allow Nova to sit in on combat time. "Brilliant job Dana!"
"Thanks Nova. Sparring is much more fun when someone is cheering you on," Dana chuckles. It is a rare day when the madams are not watching so Dana and Natalie smile genuinely.
"I'm happy to cheer. Gives me something to do," Nova says.
"She is sweet you are good to look after her," Dana praises Natalie quietly so Nova doesn't hear.
"I'd never let anything harm her. She's my sweet Nova. I believe she's given us all something to hope for."
"I think by saving her you've unintentionally started something and I'm not sure how it will end."
~~~
The thought of starting something new in the Red Room is both exciting and terrifying to Natalie.
~~~
"Natalie my eyes do they scare people?" Nova asks out of the blue. Natalie is brushing her har before bed listlessly.
"Some might be scared yes, but I think the why're enchanting," Natalie responds softly. Every action she has with Nova is soft or gentle. It must be. Natalie fears something could break her innocence.
"Enchanting? What a nice word," Nova muses.
"Nice words are the only words that should be used to describe you."
~~~
Natalie is lost in thought when night comes. Nova surprisingly falls asleep first leaving Natalie in silence.
Has she really started some sort of rebellion or something? Or is it just a time to be relaxed and genuine.
Red Room girls have never been so happy that's for sure.
Wren doesn't seem so sad anymore.
Dolly actually laughs now.
Dana is glowing with warmth.
Rena is eating her meals again.
And most of all Natalie has her compassion back.