Chapter 1
Natasha’s eyes narrowed at the scene playing out in front of her, her face remaining steadfastly impassive but a myriad of emotions underneath its veil. Fear, doubt, confusion. Fear. She shook her head, trying to shut out the traitorous thoughts of her mind. This wasn't the Red Room.
She ignored the slight cramping of her leg from her position in the vents. She dared not move lest she make a sound and alert them to her presence. She was getting too old for this part. But never too old to protect Yelena.
Her eyes wandered back over as she heard Yelena’s bubbly laugh and Natasha raised an eyebrow. The younger blond agent was hunched over a computer with Director Fury at her side, who was clearly teaching her some high-tech gadget trick that Natasha herself would have no interest in.
She took in their posture, the calm yet slightly guarded posture of Yelena, clearly trusting Fury a little more than the other men she regularly came into contact with, whilst keeping herself ready for any unexpected attack. Natasha’s eyes shifted and she took in Fury’s position, who was close yet creating a respectable boundary of space.
Natasha knew she shouldn't spy on them, but she couldn’t help it. She worried about her baby sister, especially when it came to men in power. And she was especially worried about this newfound relationship and what it meant, because truthfully? It had come out of nowhere.
For the majority of Natasha’s experience with Yelena on board, the younger blonde hadn’t hesitated to show her distaste for Fury. Natasha can still remember the first time she’d come back from an especially hard mission briefing, during the first week of Yelena’s tenure at SHEILD.
Natasha hurried, fist-clenching at the large bruise that was sure to be a deep purple by now that she could feel forming on her inner thigh. It had been a lucky kick by one of the cartel leaders when her mind had drifted just for an instance at the sight of dark black hair kicking ass and taking names. She rubbed at the stop, wincing, it hurt like a bitch.
Fury had not been happy with the aftermath of the mission. He was angry that the leader of the cartel had been killed and not captured as he’d requested. But honestly, Natasha could care less. The guy had a knife to Maria’s throat, of course she killed him. Still, it didn't make grinning and bearing it as a man in power shouted at her any easier. Good thing she had the world’s best poker face, which unfortunately did nothing to prevent the pounding headache she could feel coming on.
She’s got her fingers so tightly pressed to her temples that she doesn’t notice the small blonde in the corner perched on her bed waiting for her. It comes as a surprise but not a big one, Yelena has been clinging to Natasha’s every move since she got here. Natasha understands though, it's a strange place with strange people, she’d done the same with Clint when she first got here.
Yelena is wordless as she gets up off the bed and slinks over to Natasha. Natasha can tell she wants to talk about their days but Natasha is tired, too tired so she softly smiles at Yelena and mouths ‘later’.
She swiftly movies over to the dresser and pulls out a tank top and a pair of shorts before changing. Natasha’s mind is filled with thoughts of ice cream and movies and maybe a hint of her supervisor.
Until she hears a gasp.
Her eyes snap to Yelena and she watches as Yelenas’ eyes lock on to the bruise on her inner thigh and the handprint on her wrist. She can see the wheels beginning to turn in Yelena’s mind, no doubt remnants of her time with Dreykov, and before she can stop her, Yelena is up and heading for the door.
And then she remembers, Yelena didn’t know about this mission, all she knows is that her big sister and Maria went somewhere and then came back and had individual meetings with Director Fury. Natasha knows how bad this looks.
She manages to catch Yelena in the stairwell, pinning her in her arms and forcing her to stop moving. Natasha cant understand the rapid stream of unintelligible Russian but she is still shocked to see the slight glisten of tears in her eyes.
“He did this?” Yelena spits out. “I will kill him for you.”
“No, babe, no,” Natasha whispers into her ear. “He didn’t hurt me.” she tacks on, but she can tell Yelena doesn’t believe her.
She also knows that Yelena won't question her though. 4
“Say the word Natashka, and I will kill him.”
Natasha believes her.
Natasha believes her. Natasha would do the same. That’s why she’s here in these vents because she has to keep Yelena safe.
In a sense, Natasha can feel her hypocrisy. She’s calmed Yelena’s fears about Fury a thousand times after Natasha has had briefings that have maybe lasted a bit too long or she came back quiet and withdrawn. Fury has high standards for his best agents and wants them to always complete the mission as he orders, anything fewer warrants a dressing down.
Natasha has told her time and time again that Fury doesn’t seem to be that type of man, but when it comes to Yelena, Natasha can’t seem to give him that same level of confidence.
But that’s because this new affinity has seemingly come from out of nowhere.
Yelena’s always disliked men in authority and Fury was no different. She sneered when he came around, left the room when he was yelling and barking orders, and never hesitated to protectively question Natasha when she came back from a mission briefing with Fury. All signs pointed to a deep mistrust for the man.
And then everything changed, one day Yelena couldn't stand to be in the same room with him and then there she was, visiting his office and playing around on the computer and….laughing. Natasha didn’t know what to make of it.
But what bothered her the most was when she asked Yelena what they got up to and Yelena said it was a secret.
Secret. Natasha hates that word, and she knows what it means, especially involving younger girls and older men. She has half a mind to drag Yelena away right now, lock them in her room and question them until Yelena finally gives it up. But Natasha knows her sister and knows that doing that will only make her bottle up more.
She begins to chew on her sleeves, a habit the Red Room has mostly broken her out of but sometimes returns when she’s anxious about someone she truly loves. And Natasha loves Yelena more than anyone else in the world. That’s why she’ll stay up here in these vents and keep watch out because she’d never be able to forgive herself if something happened to Yelena under her watch.
She’s so lost in her thoughts that she doesn't hear the person sidling up next to her.