Chapter 2
The chair is comically large behind her, built for the likes of people three times her size. Her hands fold in her lap.
Stark walks in.
“You brought your little friend here?”
“America here brought her, actually.”
“That’s right, America here.” Y/N echoes. “Stop avoiding eye contact, Romanoff. What did you tell them about me? Why is Captain Patriot acting like I’m a war criminal?”
Rogers wants to ask: Are you a war criminal? But settles on the more diplomatic option.
“Are you a Widow?”
Y/N laughs.
“Do I look like a Widow?”
“Well, not exactly, but you’re Natasha’s old associate…”
“And I’m, what, female?”
“And pretty.”
“(In Russian) The nerve of this one, Natasha (In English, to Steve) You think I’m pretty?”
Romanoff, (in Russian): “Hes spoken for.”
Rogers follows the exchange with his eyes.
“But you’re also Asian, so…”
Y/N glances at Natasha again.
“You really told them absolutely nothing.”
Natasha’s mind wanders, she knows that if Weili – no, its Y/N now – wasn’t wearing that oversized hoodie, Steve would be able to tell right away she wasn’t a Widow. She appraises how the woman’s posture breaks once in a while, a miniscule slip from poised but relaxed into to a weak slouch, knows that little has changed.
“Tony probably put your face through every database he has access to the second you walked in here. Maybe a few he can’t access too.”
“That’s a comforting idea. Relax, America. I’m not a soldier or an assasin. Not even a very good spy.” She looks pointedly at Natasha.
Stark shrugs.
“This one is on you, Romanoff, I got nothing.”
Y/N, visibly frustrated. Her voice, still smooth and melodic despite her clipped answers, barely increases in volume.
“That’s right, I’m a nobody. I don’t know what you people want with me. I barely even break the law.”
From Rogers: “Barely?”
Natasha speaks slowly, like shes only just decided on a line of questioning.
“I need to ask you about Komodo.”
“Komodo? How many lifetimes ago was that?
What is this?”
“All our other possible contacts are dead.”
“You’re joking. I can’t believe this.”
She rakes her bottom lip with her teeth.
“– Accidental? Suspicious? Natural?”
Romanoff takes a seat on the conference table, blocking Stark’s view.
“To me, suspicious.”
“Do you think…”
“Like you said, a long time ago. Maybe you’re not on the radar anymore.”
“I just walked into Stark Tower with you and the Captain!”
“You don’t know that. We just have some questions about Komodo’s work.”
“I can’t believe you, Romanoff.”
She looks around, pulls the sleeves of her hoodie tight around herself.
“Where is the bathroom?”
Natasha holds the door open for her.