Scars that we are not able to see
Robin makes the difficult choice to leave Natasha and Yelena with the other children playing in the corner.
Robin needs to find Melina and she needs to find her now. Melina’s missed five calls and hasn’t replied to the messages Robin left.
“Look after your sister,” Robin cups Natasha’s face briefly. “As soon as I find Melina, we’ll go home. I know that you are overwhelmed but right now I need you to be brave, okay?”
Natasha swallows hard, giving a curt nod of her head as she grips Yelena’s hand. Robin crouches down briefly, smiling at them.
“Everything will be alright,” Robin says, for the first time making a promise she might not be able to keep. “Look after each other. Don’t go with anybody other than me or Melina. Do not accept food or drink from people you don’t know. Do not speak with any adults you are unfamiliar with. If there is an emergency then stick with Elliot and his parents.”
With the prospect of more Red Room agents as well as Hydra ones in the mix, Robin really needed to impress the importance of staying safe.
Yelena was clueless. Robin puts that onto her growing list of problems to deal with as she pressed a quick kiss to each of their foreheads before standing and moving to find Melina.
By the time she does find Melina, she’s pressed up against a woman from the party, a shy smile on her face as she giggles when the woman caresses her cheek.
Robin knows that the woman is a target. Melina was supposed to get close to her to gain access to restricted information.
But that was her wife.
Still, Robin holds herself back from rushing in there and demanding to know what was going on. She lingers and waits to listen instead.
“I can’t believe she’d cheat on you,” The woman said softly, her fingers stroking Melina’s cheek. “I’d never do that.”
“I can’t give her what she wants. She says she has the right to go out and find her satisfaction elsewhere,” Melina replies, leaning into the touch with a smile.
Robin understands the play immediately. Melina was seducing the woman for information, claiming that Robin was cheating on her to garter sympathy and start a relationship.
Robin might hate it but she understood. She can’t be mad at Melina for doing what she was trained to do.
So Robin plays the part of the woman Melina described, bursting into the room. “What’s going on?”
The two women jump. “Robin!” Melina was clearly startled at her appearance.
“You can’t even pick up your phone when I call you and now I come across you here with some woman?” Robin demands, approaching them. The woman backs away from Melina, eyeing Robin with disgust.
“We were only speaking,” The woman tells Robin. “There’s no need to be upset.”
“Upset? I’m not upset. Melina would know I’m upset, isn’t that right, darling?” Robin purposefully uses a pet name she doesn’t call Melina to let her know that she’s not really upset.
The last thing Robin wanted Melina to do was spiral.
Melina easily falls into her role. The woman slips out while Melina and Robin bicker.
Once they’re alone, Robin immediately drops the act. Melina looks guilty at behind caught in the act. “Robin--”
“We’ll speak at home. I left the kids with the others,” Robin replies, unsure of how safe it was to speak there. Robin grabs Melina’s hand, giving it a small squeeze as she leads them back to the party.
Natasha hadn’t let go of Yelena’s hand the whole time, one hand stuck in the hand of her pocket, and Robin wonders what contraband she had in there.
Natasha tugs Yelena toward them when she spots them, immediately raising her arms as she finally lets go of Yelena’s hand. “Up.” She demands and Robin scoops her up, feeling the tension practically drain from her body as she slumps against Robin.
Melina picks Yelena up, pressing a kiss to the side of her head as Yelena rambles on about a game the other children were playing.
The four leave quickly and quietly. The car ride home is quiet, Robin turning the radio up so that Yelena can ramble along to her favorite songs.
It’s not until they’ve returned home and the children are in bed that Melina finally approaches Robin in her office.
Robin had yet to change out of her clothes from the event, writing reports for the General about the targets she had made contact with before she forgot any details.
Melina paused at Robin’s side, clearly unsure of if Robin was upset with her. She stood stiffly, watching and waiting for Robin to make the first move.
Robin finally sets her pen down and looks up at Melina. “Talk to me.”
Robin wants to gauge where Melina’s at with her thoughts.
Like a gush of water, Melina falls into a ramble of apologies and for the first time, descends from English into Russian.
Robin reaches out to grab Melina’s hand and the woman recoils so hard that she nearly topples over.
“Melina…” Robin starts slowly, not letting the woman pull away. “Sweet girl, come here.”
Melina hesitates, looking down at the hand that Robin held.
“I’m not upset with you. Come here,” Robin repeats before gently tugging Melina closer. Melina falls into Robin’s lap, stiff and still rambling out apologies in Russian.
Robin wraps her up in her arms, cupping Melina’s head to her chest. “I understand, Melina. I’m not mad.”
Melina goes silent and Robin pressed a kiss to the side of her head.
“I’m not mad at you, sweet girl. Look at me, do I look upset,” Robin guides Melina’s head up to look at her. Melina takes a few moments before her eyes obediently flicker to peer up at Robin.
“No…” Melina breathes out before shaking her head. “I don’t understand.”
“Don’t understand what?” Robin coaxed, her hand moving to cup Melina’s cheek, her thumb stroking Melina’s jaw.
Melina leans into the touch, blowing out the air in her lungs. “Why aren’t you mad?” She questioned. “I got very upset with you when Rosalie kissed you. You caught me with her--”
“Shh,” Robin understands and quickly quiets Melina before she spirals. Melina falls silent at Robin’s shush. “You were completing your mission the way you were trained to do. I cannot be upset with you for that.”
Melina squeezed her eyes shut. “I’m sorry.”
Robin pressed a kiss to Melina’s forehead. “I forgive you. Look at me, I want to talk about tonight.”
Melina opens her eyes and peers up at Robin.
“When I call you, I expect you to answer within the first three calls,” Robin tells her. “I also want you to know that seducing is not the only way you can get close with your targets.”
“It’s the easiest way,” Melina replies, finally switching back to English.
“Easy for you or them?” Robin questioned. “I know that you do not enjoy using yourself to sexually coerce others.”
Melina glances away from Robin and the taller woman knew she hit her mark.
“You left Natasha alone after the events that happened this week,” Robin said quietly.
“She’s a Widow,” Melina snaps and it surprises Robin with the callousness of her tone. “She’ll have to get used to it. You wouldn’t understand.”
Robin arched an eyebrow. “Where is this coming from? Don’t get an attitude with me.”
“Or what?” Melina pulls herself away from Robin, standing. “You are my handler, you don’t understand!”
“I don’t understand what?” Robin demands, drawing herself up.
“You don’t understand what’s happening with Natasha. It will happen plenty more just like it happened to me!” Melina grabs at her chest. “I didn’t have my own Robin! You don’t understand!”
“You think I don’t understand what Widow’s go through? The sexual assault and seduction?” Robin asked to make sure she was understanding.
“Yes!” Melina tilts her head up stubbornly, staring at Robin.
Robin stares at Melina before her pants move to the belt around her waist. Melina immediately tenses up, coiled like a spring as she watches Robin warily.
Robin undoes the belt on her pants and then undoes the button and zipper, her pants pooling around her ankles. Robin grabs the fabric of the right leg of her boxers and hitched the fabric up, spreading her legs to flash her inner thigh. “Look.”
Melina takes a moment before her eyes flicker to look down at Melina’s thigh.
“What is this?” Robin taps the scar exposed. “Tell me what it is.”
Melina stares at the scar exposed. Robin waits before repeating her prompt.
“Melina, tell me what this is,” Robin said firmly.
“It’s a bitemark.” Melina finally spoke, her voice quiet as her eyes are glued to the faded scar that stood out against Robin’s skin. Melina never stared much whenever they bathed or showered together.
“Do you know who made this?” Robin asked rhetorically and Melina shakes her head. “The General made it. Do you think that I asked the General to bite me? How do you think he got to the exposed skin on my thigh?”
“I…” Melina’s brow is furrowed.
“Do you know why he calls me his pretty songbird?” Robin questioned, dropping the fabric of her boxers until her scar is covered again. “Because he likes the noises I make when I cry.”
“Robin--” Melina scrambles for words but she doesn’t know what to say.
“Whenever you get upset with me, you start hurling accusations at me,” Robin said quietly. “You always assume the worst. I know that you have horrible experiences with handlers and that you have a right to be angry but… I would have thought that you knew me better than that.”
Melina swallows hard, quiet for a few moments before she finally spoke up. “It’s easy to be angry.”
“I know, sweet girl,” Robin lets out a sigh. “I know.”
Melina shakes her head. “I’m sorry--” Her voice cracks.
Robin opens her arms and Melina hesitates before shuffling forward and into Robin’s hold.
“I’m sorry,” She repeats, her arms moving up to curl into Robin’s top. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”
“I know,” Robin wraps her arms around her, kissing the top of her head. “I’ve got you.”
Robin knows that Melina uses her hurt and despair and channels it into anger. It’s easy to be angry because she has to much to be angry at.
Still, Robin still felt hurt each time Melina automatically jumped to the worse possibility.
But Robin loved Melina dearly. She understood why she did it. Even though Melina jumps to the worst conclusion and she and Robin end up bickering, the duo always worked it out in the end, even if it ended up with Robin having to shut Melina down and make her listen.
No matter what happens or what she does, Robin will still love Melina.