Tightrope

Some Nights

With Alexei busy in his office, Natasha has time to search her new room.

She's semi glad to see the maid return her bag earlier despite a huff and a lack of interest in conversing. Regardless, outside of the weapons and coms Alexei and Ivan have given Natasha back most everything else.

The spy has moves on from the room, walking the hallways next in search of 'Riley'. In addition to asking the girl every detail about herself in order to find incriminating evidence on Alexei, Natasha sees her younger self in the foster child.

As long as she doesn't leave the mansion and avoids the rooms Ivan has told her to, she shouldn't set off any alarms. There's enough to explore outside of those spaces anyway.

She takes her time down the staircase and analyzes every detail of the handrail. Its swirls are identical to ones she grew up with in the Red Room. Even the furniture looks the same.

Natasha finds her head spinning over the sound of a little girl crying. Peering behind a wall confirms the voice is not just Natasha's unwelcomed moment of PTSD.

The child is much smaller than Riley, curled up in a small ball on the bottom of the bunk bed.

"Privyet ?" Natasha tests with a soft knock on her half open door.

The girl sits up and wipes her nose, crawling back up against the wall in fear, "What?"

"It's okay, I won't hurt you,' she steps closer once the girl exhales, as soft as she is with the hulk mid mission, 'My name is Natasha. What is yours?"

"Violet?"

Natasha reaches for a tissue from the box left on her plain nightstand, "Are you sure? That sounds more like a question."

The girl nods quietly, her eyes on Natasha's. She sits up while Natasha sits on the ground in front of her;

"Are you okay Miss Violet?"

She nods and accepts the tissue with her breath still a hitching mess, "Yes."

The girl has a large brown bandaid over her finger, caught on the tissue. Natasha huffs through a chuckle and adjusts the sleeves of her own sweater, "Let me help you there. Should I get Miss Olga for you?"

"No," Violet states with a rapid head shake over the mention of the maid supposedly fostering kids- or at least, according to Alexei.

"Why were you crying, sweetheart?" Natasha adjusts the end of her own short braid.

"I hurt my finger," the girl lifts it up to show.

"Oh no! How did that happen?"

"That's none of your business. Don't talk to her, Violet."

Natasha turns to see the pitch black and cold eyes of Riley as she enters aggressively;

"My name is Natasha-."

"I know who you are. I've been listening outside the door."

The spy is aware, "You don't seem to trust me-."

Riley's jaw twists, her eyes narrowing, "Because you came in with Alexei, duh."

"I see. And why don't you like Alexei?"

"I don't have to answer you! Come on Violet!"

The girl has too much fire and Natasha loves it, "If we work together, maybe we can find you both a better home?"

Violet freezes as she's tugged along by Riley who whispers, "Don't listen to her, she's lying."

Violet sniffles, "Are you a foster Miss Natasha?"