Whumptober 2021

Day 14 - Under Pressure

Title: Must Comply
Theme: Beaten
Rating: PG13
Characters: Bucky Barnes, Natasha Romanoff
Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Natasha Romanoff
Words: 666
Warnings: implied violence, implied sex

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The Red Room.

It was home, practically the only thing Natasha knew, outside of the few years she spent in America part of a facade. There was no doubt that she was Dreykov's favorite widow the second she entered into the program again back in 1995. He granted her special one-on-one training. The hours of training became an escape from the mental torture she endured from the teachers, but that was only because she enjoyed her sparring partner.

The Soldier.

Rumor was that he was a ghost story, but anyone who was tied to Dreykov and the KGB knew he wasn't. Even though he had over twenty assassination under his belt, there was something about him that drew Natasha to him. His ice blue eyes seemed that he was just as tormented as she was, and at sixteen, she cared for and respected him as much as her fellow widows. At first the training was supervised, starting months after she was reintroduced back into the Red Room, the prior years a fever dream practically. The Soldier was given a directive, one unknown to her, and she had to better him. The first handful of rounds she was almost broken, his strength out matching her agility: broken bones, bruised ribs, dislocated joints, and one time, knocked out cold.

Two years later they were constant sparring partners, and the occasional partners out in the field. Natasha had graduated from the program, getting the surgery that will keep her from aborting a mission, but it did nothing for the feelings that were slowly building for the dark haired assassin...and she made sure to hide it from everyone, including him.

Then he started to show up in her room, late at night, eyes full of confusion and regret. He didn't know why he was there, but he knew he had to. It started off as talking that led to a kiss, and from there...

"Where are you going?" Natasha asked, sitting up in her bed, the sheet falling away from her naked frame. She lifted her arms up to stretch, her head looking over at the wind-up clock. Two in the morning.

"I didn't mean to wake you," the soldier replied, slipping on his vest before bending to grab his belt.

Natasha frowned, her arms coming down to fold her hands in her lap. "We could just escape, live a life that we want," she offered softly. It was a child's dream...to think that Dreykov would just let her go.

"Rybka," he sighed, kneeling onto the bed, his metal hand coming up to cup her cheek. "If they found out, Siberia would look like heaven. I'll come back, I promise."

"Alright milyy, but please, use the back window. Dreykov has eyes everywhere. Be safe." She turned to kiss the smooth palm, longing in her eyes as she watched him leave.

"I'll see you at training, rybka," he smiled, waving his hand as he disappeared.

When she arrived at the training room, he wasn't there. She was always punctual, he was always early, so seeing the room full of widows and not seeing him had the hairs on the back of her neck standing up.

"Natasha."

The deep rumble made her skin crawl, but she maintained her composure.

"Dreykov," she replied evenly, submissively.

"You disappoint me, Natasha," the mustached man replied, appearing from behind the lined up widows. She could see her main instructor, Varya, look at her coldly. "We have one rule," Dreykov stated, pacing as he held up one of his fingers. "No attachments, not even to each other."

Natasha cursed to herself.

He knew.

Dreykov knew about them.

And if he knew...

"Oh don't worry your pretty little head, he's being taken care of right as I speak." He looked up at her with a cold smile, nodding his head. Several widows stepped forward, making Natasha step one foot back. "Your sisters will help you remind you what your purpose is. Varya, make sure they don't kill her."