Allegro

Elektra Natchios was a sneaky bitch. Everything she did was to hurt Natasha. She didn’t understand how you could dedicate that much time of your life to someone else: someone else you didn’t even like, at that. When Natasha came into the company for class the morning after auditions, Elektra and Bucky were dancing the balcony pas de deux from Romeo and Juliet. Natasha couldn’t believe her eyes. Since when did Bucky and Elektra even get along? And why would Bucky even agree to that, Natasha was his best friend. Not wanting to cause a scene, Natasha walked into her dressing room and ignored the situation.

Natasha turned the lights on around her vanity and started to put her hair up into a bun. She was rushed to get to class this morning, so she didn’t have time to do it at home. Once she got to the company, she realized she had more time than she had thought. After about a can’s worth of hairspray, she was ready to go. There was still time before class started, so Natasha decided to warm up at her barre a little bit.

As she was doing some simple tendus, Natasha could hear someone come into her dressing room. She was praying it was Tony, or really anyone other than Elektra or Bucky. Sadly, it was Bucky.

“Good morning,” Bucky said, leaning against the door frame.

“Hey,” Natasha responded, hoping her voice sounded annoyed.

Bucky raised an eyebrow. “What’s wrong?”

“I think you know,” Natasha stated harshly.

“If I did, I wouldn’t be asking,” Bucky said.

“Elektra,” Natasha said bluntly.

Bucky’s face flushed. “Oh, that.”

“Yeah.”

It wasn’t like Elektra and Natasha just didn’t get along, Elektra was terrible to her. She went out of her way to be rude. Bucky was Natasha’s best friend. They even spent holidays together, with each other’s families. For Bucky to become friendly to Elektra was a massive betrayal. It showed that he didn’t care about the way Elektra treated her. It was a slap in the face.

“Listen, Elektra and I aren’t friends or anything close to that,” Bucky reasoned.

“Then why were you dancing together?” Natasha asked.

“I got here early so I could work on some of my jumps. I want big roles this year, you know? Jumps are pretty essential for that. Next thing I know, Elektra is in the studio. And she wanted to dance, too. So, we did some pa de deuxs, it really was not a big deal. We barely even spoke,” Bucky explained.

Natasha scoffed, “I can’t believe you’d do that to me.”

“I didn’t do anything to you. She practically forced me. I hate her as much as you do, Nat,” Bucky said.

“You could’ve said no,” Natasha said.

Bucky sighed. “You know what, I’m not going to fight with you over this. I honestly don’t like her. I don’t know how to convince you of that.”

Natasha and Bucky didn’t really speak the rest of the day. They tried a little, but Natasha was too annoyed with him to make it work. They only had one class that day, since Nutcracker audition results hadn’t even been posted yet. It was just a basic technique class, mostly at the barre and flat. It was fine, but Natasha was too focused on Elektra and Bucky to really get anything out of it.

Natasha got home to find Matt sitting on the couch. Normally he wouldn’t be home until at least five. This was definitely abnormal.

“You’re home early,” Natasha said, carefully slipping her shoes off at the door.

“I couldn’t focus at work: I came home,” Matt responded. 

“I’m sorry I’m home now. I’m sure I won’t help you focus,” Natasha said, leaning down and kissing Matt’s cheek.

“I don’t mind. It isn’t a huge deal. We just have a hearing next week but other clients kept coming in and it just… wasn’t working,” Matt said. 

“I’m sorry, baby,” Natasha sympathized. “A much less important and more petty thing happened to me today.”

“Tell me all about it,” Matt invited.

Natasha sat down next to him on the couch and leaned against him. “Well, when I got to the studio, I saw Elektra and Bucky dancing together. Not just dancing, dancing a pas de deux. Which is weird because Elektra is rude to Bucky, so why would he dance with her.”

“That is weird,” Matt echoed.

“And then Bucky came in and told me that he didn’t even want to dance with her and she forced him. But how would that even work? You literally can’t force someone to dance with you. He could’ve said no,” Natasha vented.

“But didn’t you just say she’s mean to him?” Matt asked. “Maybe he danced with her because he knew she would be even more mean to him if he refused.”

Nat shrugged. “Yeah, I guess that’s possible.”

It was hard for Natasha to envision this blackmail-esque situation Matt was describing, but it was, in all honesty, more probable than him wanting to do it. Natasha and Bucky had danced pas de deuxs together for quite some time and it was amazing. They had a great connection. She couldn’t imagine that he’d want to dance with anyone else after having danced with her before. 

“Bucky would never betray you like that. Trust me,” Matt assured.

“Maybe we should have Bucky and Steve over for dinner sometime. Our little trip together was such a fun time,” Natasha stated.

“I would love that. I could cook,” Matt said.

Matt was an amazing cook, but he hardly ever did it. Most nights he got home relatively late, so he wanted takeout or food Natasha made. And Natasha was not a very good cook. Her mom had taught her all the classic Russian recipes, but Matt didn’t necessarily like them. That was fine, but it meant that Natasha had a limited portfolio of things to cook for them. Any excuse to eat Matt’s food was good in Natasha’s book.

“So, if you’re all okay with Bucky now, invite them to dinner on Saturday,” Matt suggested.

“I will later this week,” Natasha responded.

The rest of the week flew by with shortened company classes. Most days Natasha had at least six free hours to just vibe. Although she did mainly spend them working out. She had considered going into the company to help with the little kid auditions, but the mere idea of it overwhelmed her. When she was younger, she looked forward to Nutcracker season all year long. Now, she dreaded it.

On Friday, all the auditions were finally over. They’d be able to start rehearsals on the next Wednesday. The mood at the company was just a lot happier and lighter. Hell, even Elektra was a little more bearable on Friday. It was also the day Natasha was going to invite Bucky and Steve over for dinner. She knew it was short notice, but that was what she thrived on.

“Good morning, Natasha,” Maria Hill greeted as Natasha walked out of her first, and only, class of the day. A class that was not being taught by Maria.

“Oh, good morning. I didn’t expect to see you here today,” Natasha stated, a little startled by her presence. 

“Cast list,” Maria responded, holding up a piece of paper.

Holy. Fucking. Shit. It was the cast list. She could finally figure out her role. She hadn’t felt too confident in her audition, but she also knew that Tony would always stick up for her. She was expecting to see her name right next to Snow Queen.

Natasha followed Maria over to the spot on the wall where the cast lists were always put out. Everyone else was still warming down and talking in the studio, so she would be the first one to see. Natasha was excited to get the inside scoop.

As soon as Maria stuck the paper on the wall, Natasha skimmed over it, looking for her name. No, looking for Snow Queen. And she found it. Snow Queen - Elektra Natchios  Snow King - Bucky Barnes  Sugar Plum Fairy - Natasha Romanov

It didn’t come out often, but Natasha had a Karen side. The side that would complain to the manager when something was off. Today something was off. It was time to break out the Karen side and speak to the manager. In this case, the “manager” was Tony. Right after seeing the cast list, she marched down to Tony’s office. There had to have been a typo.

Tony smiled at Natasha the second she walked in. “Hi. Congrats.”

“On what?” Natasha hissed.

“Woah, what’s wrong?” Tony asked with genuine concern.

“There was a typo on the cast list,” Natasha stated.

“Wait, there was?” Tony questioned. “I could’ve sworn that I checked over that thing, like, seven times.”

“You had me as the Sugar Plum and Elektra as the Snow Queen,” Natasha answered.

Tony furrowed his brow. “I’m confused. That’s how we casted it. Is that an issue? I mean, pretty much everyone wants Sugar Plum. You did great in the audition, we thought you could handle the part.”

“Well of course I can handle the part,” Natasha explained. “I’ve danced it the past, like, five years in a row.”

“Everyone wants that part. You don’t want that part?” Tony asked. 

“No. That’s why I didn’t put it on my sheet,” Natasha said. 

“I could very easily give it to someone else,” Tony threatened.

“You won’t and you know it,” Natasha responded.

Tony sighed. “Nat, you have to accept your role. You got the role that everyone wants. You can’t be out here complaining about your part when it’s, like, the most iconic role in the show. You can’t become, like, our company diva. Your part is your part because it’s the best one for you.”

“Oh, that’s bullshit,” Natasha fought back. “Pas de deux is my thing. You can’t tell me that Elektra is going to do a better job at the snow pas de deux than I would.”

“Elektra alone, no. But Elektra and Bucky together, yes,” Tony commented.

So Tony had seen Elektra and Bucky dancing together, too. And he hadn’t just seen it, it had convinced him to give Elektra Natasha’s role. It was partially Bucky’s fault. He should have told her no. It would’ve prevented this whole mess of a cast list. Mayne he and Steve wouldn’t be invited over for Saturday dinner. 

“I can’t believe this, Tony,” Natasha complained.

“I’m sorry, but they’re just perfect together. It’s rare to find a pairing so perfect. I had to take advantage of that,” Tony justified.

Natasha scoffed. “Come on. There’s a Sugar Plum pas de deux, too.”

“Yes, there is. Which you said is your strong suit. So you should be happy to be dancing that. Be careful, I don’t want to have to make you a party guest,” Tony warned.

Natasha rolled her eyes and walked out. Tony could never make her a party guest. He wouldn’t waste her talent like that. Besides, if they weren’t such good friends, Natasha would never go and complain to him like that. This was just a special circumstance. He’d given her top role to her top enemy. Natasha had always tried not to fight back when it came to Elektra, but that was about to change.

“Hey, Nat,” Bucky greeted, sitting at Natasha’s vanity when she walked into her dressing room.

“Hey. Congrats on the role, by the way. That’s a great one,” Natasha said.

“I’m really really excited for it. I do wish I could be dancing it with you, though,” Bucky said.

Natasha pulled out her extra folding chair and sat down next to Bucky. “So do I. I really didn’t want to get Sugar Plum, but that’s where we are. I know I can do it, at least. I’ve still got it memorized. I just thought Snow Queen would be really fun to spice it up, you know?”

“Yeah, I know,” Bucky responded.

“Tony said he saw you and Elektra dancing together, that’s why he casted it the way he did,” Natasha informed.

“I don’t know what to say to that, Nat,” Bucky said. “I already told you what happened. She wanted me to dance with her, I did it. Tony saw it, he casted us to dance together. I didn’t choose this. I wish you could be the Snow Queen. I wish Tony didn’t have such a say in the casting process.”

“It is a little fucked. I mean, he has no experience in dance. But I guess with chemistry casting, you don’t need someone classically trained. You guys just have a better connection than you and I do, there’s nothing I can do about it,” Natasha said.

“I don’t know that that’s true, Nat,” Bucky said.

“It’s true to Tony, and that’s what matters,” Natasha said.

“Trust me, I wish it weren’t,” Bucky stated.

“Are you busy tomorrow night?” Natasha asked, gently leaning against Bucky.

“No, Steve and I never have any plans,” Bucky answered.

“Come over for dinner tomorrow night,” Natasha requested.

“There’s nothing I would like more,” Bucky said.

“So, Matt, did you already buy your Nutcracker ticket?” Steve asked, making himself a plate of lemon chicken and rice on Saturday night.

“Yes I did. I’m actually an annual ticket holder, so I have the same seat at every premier,” Matt answered.

“Sometimes I forget that’s how you guys met,” Bucky said.

“Well, he doesn’t just rely on his ticket holder status, though. He buys a ticket for every single performance. Which he already did for this show,” Natasha said.

“I don’t think I could watch the Nutcracker that many times,” Bucky said.

Steve and Bucky came over at seven on Saturday for dinner. They had no company rehearsal that day, so it was a very casual vibe. There was nothing for anyone to stress over. Well, there was nothing for anyone other than Matt to stress over. Matt was juggling an intense workload with more cases than normal, so he was actually even more stressed. 

“This looks just absolutely amazing,” Steve complimented, digging into his food.

Matt had made a lemon chicken and rice skillet with a side of green beans. It was amazing.

“It doesn’t just look it, it tastes it,” Bucky added.

“Thank you,” Matt said. “It’s a really fast meal. I’ve been too busy to cook recently, so having you guys over was a great excuse to make a meal.”

“I’m very glad for it. I don’t know how many days a week I can handle takeout,” Natasha said.

“Well Bucky can eat it three meals a day, seven days a week. And it’s not that he just can, he actually does,” Steve said.

All night was spent making jabs at each other and sharing stories. For a while, Natasha forgot completely about her casting fiasco. She was no longer mad at Bucky at all for the stuff with Elektra. Steve and Bucky were too dear of friends of hers to stay mad at. It was nice to spend time with people from the company but not talking about the company.

That peace didn’t last long.