DAYWALKER | n.romanoff

SEVEN

CHAPTER SEVEN
' I CAN'T STOP. '

The Blade sat atop a building, her helmet and balaclava beside her and the wind blowing through her hair. Her brown curls obscured her face, the strands unruly and frizzed from the disturbance. With one of her gloved hands holding a smoking cigarette, her legs swung over the roof edge as she watched the streets below.

Her head rose at footsteps behind her, and she didn't turn around. But then again, she didn't reach for her sword either.

Romanoff lowered to sit beside her, bringing one of her knees to her chest and following the Blade's line of sight. They sat in silence for a long moment.

"You got away with telling the government to kiss your ass?"

A quiet huff of laughter left Romanoff, and she kept her gaze ahead. "I didn't say that."

"No, but you implied it."

Paper ruffling paused Romanoff's reply, and she looked down at the files under her helmet to prevent it from blowing away. Slowly, she reached forward to take them, waiting for the Blade to snap at her or do something to stop her, but still, she only took a drag of her cigarette and stared ahead.

There were several files, some duplicates in different languages and stained with blood smears, but all thick with information.

PROJECT ATROPOS

PROJECT WINTER SOLDIER

SUBJECT 47 - ELOWYN AUCLAIR (b. 1986)

Romanoff flicked through them. "Where'd you find these?"

"I found them a few years ago. I didn't- couldn't read them." She fell quiet for a moment. "Now... Now everyone else knows, I thought I should put on my big girl trousers and get around to it."

"What's Atropos?"

The Blade looked down at her hands and sighed heavily. "It's a chemical mixture. Zola tried to... cure my... cure my schizophrenia with it. It didn't work. But it did accelerate my body's production of telomerase and ATP. So my body regenerates constantly."

"You have schizophrenia?"

"Yes." Her tone was easy to read - she didn't want to dwell on it. She inhaled her smoke again.

"Guess I spent all those years trying to kill you, and I never would have succeeded anyway."

The Blade exhaled sharply. "You really tried to kill me, Princess?"

Romanoff punched her shoulder. "What did I say about that nickname?"

"I shouldn't call you it."

"Exactly."

"But you tried to kill me, so I should be allowed to. It's only fair."

The redhead scoffed and shook her head. "Me? You've stabbed me more times than I can count."

They fell into silence, the Blade finishing her cigarette and crushing the rest in her gloved hands before sprinkling it off the edge of the building.

The brunette glanced at her. "How did you do that?"

"Do what?"

"On the bridge. You... broke through it. How?"

Romanoff didn't reply immediately. "I... I don't know." Then, she shifted. "How are you holding up?"

She sighed.

"I know you said to do something more constructive with my time, but-" She took hold of her gloved hand. "Milaya, this is something constructive. You're worth my time."

The Blade didn't shrug off her touch but didn't move to return it either. "It won't change anything."

"Destroying Hydra won't change anything either. Arguably, it might make things worse."

"It feels good, though."

"Yes, but it's also prolonging your pain."

"I can't stop."

"Why?"

"Because..." The Blade exhaled heavily. "If I stop, I'll collapse, and I'm not sure I'll be able to get back up again."

"There are people who will help you get back on your feet again, milaya. You just have to let them in." Her grip tightened on her hand. "Not everyone is out to hurt you or betray you. I won't betray you, Blade."

She sat, absorbing her words, and then her hand tightened around Natasha's. "Elowyn."

The redhead smiled. "I won't betray you, Elowyn."

"I mean it, though. I can't stop. The things that Hydra put me through... they're still doing it. I... I can't live in a world where I know others are being put through that."

Natasha brought Elowyn's hand into her lap, and her other moved to cradle it. "We can do it together."

She turned to look at her, the wind still obscuring her face with her hair. "We?"

"I'll stay by your side. I promise."