Marvel Imagines

024 - Natasha Romanoff - Budapest

Imagine: you're another of the Widows. Natasha comes to find you in Budapest in order to gain your help for a mission but you aren't the happiest to see her (doing this one in first person just to see if it flows better).

I walked through the busy street, watching the people milling around me. Normal people. Average people with average lives.

Average is something that I could never be; not after my upbringing in Russia and the events of the academy. I would forever have to watch my back and sleep with one eye open.

That's why I started to panic when I heard footsteps behind me.

After making three right turns, I came to the conclusion that they were indeed following me. I made a snap decision and decided that - because my apartment was right ahead - I could make it back, get to the weapons cache in my kitchen, and say a fond hello to my stalker.

On the next corner, I turned left - still being pursued - and climbed the set of old metal stairs that used to function as a fire escape. I was the second apartment up so I continued to climb, aware of every gentle step the person behind me took. They were light-footed and agile; most certainly a woman. In the corner of my eye, I swore that I could see a slight gleam of red hair in the sunlight before it vanished behind me again.

At my door, I took out my key and let myself in; not bothering to lock it because I'd rather not explain a kicked-in door to my landlord. I made a dash for the kitchen and quickly threw open the cupboard door under my sink. A toolbox lay on the bottom shelf; exactly what I needed.

The person behind me was becoming careless. I could clearly hear them approaching now as I hastily assembled the handgun with its components from the lid of the box. By the time I spun around - pistol in hand and ready to fire - my assailant was standing by the doorway to the living room, a photo frame in her hand and a gun raised to my chest.

Natasha.

Calm turned to confusion and confusion turned to anger. I steeled myself. "Drop the gun".

"No," she replied, equally as tense. We both had the exact same training. The only question was who had learnt more on the job. "You drop the gun".

"No".

We stared each other down, sizing each other up. It had been years since I'd last seen her. My friend. My partner. My lover...

I pushed all those thoughts away. Maybe things had changed. Maybe she was back with the Russians and she was trying to bring me back. Or worse, maybe she was trying to recruit me for those Americans she had grown so fond of. I couldn't trust the Nat I used to know.

There was a heavy pause before we lunged at each other. I took her gun just as she took mine then pulled away. I raised it higher to show that I was still making a threat.

"I just want to talk," she stated.

"What if I don't want to listen?" I asked, meeting her eyes. Those eyes. Her face. Lips...

"I need your help".

"No, Natasha. I quit that life. I'm a civilian now".

Nat scoffed and cocked her gun. "Really? A civilian who carries a toolbox full of weapons under the kitchen sink. What else have you got? Arsenic in the sugar pot?"

I considered her, watching her expose a weakness as she talked. The moment she stopped, I leapt forth and kicked at her legs, watching her skid across the laminated tiles. "What kind of monster do you take me for - the arsenic is in the pepper grinder".

She shuffled back on the ground until her back met the edge of the counter. "Just listen, hey?"

"Why should I? You left me there - I had to find my own way out. I didn't get a fancy little job with Tony Stark and some comfortable little life in New York. I got this". I gesture around me at the walls of the ancient apartment. "I got fear, and grief, and anxiety".

"Look, I know. I wouldn't ask if I wasn't desperate".

I sigh then drop the gun onto the kitchen table, kicking hers away from her as I do so. She takes my hand as I pull her up then, together, we walked into the living room.

I meet her eyes as we sit on my sofa. "So, what kind of help are we talking about?"

Her eyes light up and she smiles, seeming genuinely surprised that I'm interested. "There's a mission that I need a hand with; something that I can't go to the Avengers or SHIELD about. I like to call it: Project Budapest".

A/N : so, this one is a little short but I felt like I needed to update after my time away. thank you so much for the 1K reads! You guys are amazing :) Ngl, this was more than a little inspired by the trailer for the Black Widow film. please don't hesitate to send in requests!