Look At Me || Natasha Romanoff

Chapter 4: An Itch

02/03/2013

It's been a month since I was last told about my "mysterious" powers. I've been trying to get my mind off this, but it's always in the back of my mind. It pops up while I'm eating dinner, training, and at night when I'm trying to rest. Though, I've been making great friends. I've been connecting more with Thor. We go out for ice cream, play video games, and sometimes just chill and keep each other company. I'd say things are going pretty well compared to a few months ago when I was going through a rough time.

———

"I figured it out! I figured it out!"

I suddenly woke up from my afternoon nap almost falling off my bed. I ran to the lab to see what was happening.

"Hey! What's happening?" I ask worriedly.

"Y/n! I figured out your mystery powers!" Bruce spoke excitedly.

I couldn't believe it. Was I still dreaming? Was I actually about to find out my mystery powers?

My eyes widened as I approached the table with all the work Bruce and Tony had done. I couldn't speak from the shock.

A few seconds later, Tony came inside the lab surprised Bruce and I were already in there looking over the research.

"You did it?!" Tony said with a smile.

Bruce nodded. His eyes filled with happiness.

"Wait, so can you tell me what they are?" I ask quietly.

"Sure. Let me bring out the scans." Bruce pulled up a hologram to show me the different scans of my brain and body.

I watched carefully, narrowing my eyes, no clue what they meant.

"Okay. Remember when I showed you the scans of your brain that were not normal? Well it turns out, it's pretty normal for you. So your brain constantly shifts from this to this, therefore, still trying to find-"

"A trigger." Tony guessed looking back at Bruce.

Bruce nodded and went back to the papers on the table.

"I was doing some research of specific powers that shift second for second, but found nothing. But there's always different mixes of powers...and this is where it gets interesting."

"You mean I have more than one power?" I ask while Tony was reading over the research.

"Right, but quite different actually. Because instead of having two different powers to control separately, you actually have two powers that work separately but the same. It might sound confusing but just think about one power already being able to trigger the second power. Like a chain. So all we have to do is find the trigger to one of them in order to find the second power." Bruce was relieved he had finished explaining as simple as possible.

"Okay. But how do we trigger the power?" I ask confused.

"Follow me."

"Do I follow to?" Tony asked, probably already catching up with the info Bruce had laid down.

Bruce chuckled.

"I need you to step into this freezing pod."

"But she'll freeze to death." Tony said with a smirk.

"Haha. Very funny." I look at him with a glare. While I make myself inside the pod feeling the numbness as soon as I place my foot inside. I had to be standing still until I had directions on what to do.

"Good. Now all I have to do is close the pod and I'll do some system work. But I'll take care of that. All you have to do is keep talking and describe what you're feeling." Bruce said as he closed the pod giving me a nod.

"Um, okay, I feel cold. Tony was right, I'm gonna freeze to death."

"No, you're not. Just focus on what every inch of your body is feeling."

"I'll try."

I closed my eyes and breathed much slower. I heard my heart beat slowing down and my body relaxing, every muscle relaxing. My eyelids, my toes, my fingers, my forehead, everything. For once, I felt relaxed, alone, nothing to worry about. No secrets. No blame. Nothing.

"Talk to me." Bruce suddenly spoke and quickly opened my eyes.

"I was having a moment."

"Sorry, I just need to know what you feel to determine the trigger."

"Right. Let's see."

3 sec later...

"Ow" I whispered to myself.

"Y/n, you okay?" He heard me.

"Yeah, I just have an itch." I try to calm myself.

But it was that kind of itch. The itch that you can't reach. The itch that hurts and you don't know the exact location but once you get it, you feel a relief. I wasn't sure how long I was going to last until I reached and ruin the examination from Bruce. It kept getting worse.

"Where do you feel the itch?"

"I don't know. Somewhere on my body."

"No shit." I heard Tony mutter behind the speaker, he was probably behind Bruce this whole time.

"Okay. Try to focus on its location." Bruce tried to be assuring.

"I don't think I can. I have to break the stance. I need to give in the itch. I can't stay like this any longer." I say as my heart started beating faster and breath louder.

"Okay. Okay. But a few more seconds. Just try to find the location, it's fine if it's not specific."

"Okay. Let me concentrate." I say as I close my eyes again trying to find the location of this itch.

"I-it's everywhere." I saw with my voice shaky.

"What do you mean everywhere?" I heard Bruce say.

"I mean I feel it everywhere! My shoulder, my arms, my hands, my legs, my feet, my cheek, my whole body, Dr!"

"Okay. I'm taking her out."

I suddenly fell out the pod scratching my entire body. A relief appeared on my face as I was breathing slower.

"That escalating quickly. Oh and call him Banner please." I looked up at Tony as he patted Bruce on his back with a smirk on his face. "Good work kid." Tony said as he walked out the lab. Like nothing had just happened.

"How are you feeling?" Bruce looked at me as he offered his hand.

"Did he just call me kid?" I look back at Bruce with a confused face taking his hand. "And I feel like a whole bunch of insects were crawling all over me. Thank you for that." I give him a sarcastic smile.

"Sorry. I just needed to find the trigger but apparently you have an unknown area. Either this power doesn't want to be found or it's playing tricks on us." He said anxiously.

"Please. I think I just found it."