Owing a Life | Natasha Romanoff [2]

05|Dead Man Walking

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05|Dead Man Walking
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Sung exited the bus when the first rays of sunshine peaked out on the horizon. She stuffed her hands into the pockets of her thin jacket, the cold winter breeze chilling her bones. With a backpack on her shoulders, Sung walked away from the bus station and into town. The streets were empty, courtesy of the early hour.

Sung glanced back, ensuring the road was empty before she hopped off the sidewalk and ventured out into the middle of the road. Illuminated by the yellow streetlights, Sung tilted her head backwards and towards the fading starry night sky. Her dark braid cascaded down her back and a few snowflakes drifted down and kissed Sung's pale face.

With a shudder, red hair came to life in Sung's mind. Back in the Red Room, one of the girls' daily activities was to run two laps around the mansion before breakfast, even when they'd sink into the snow up to their waists. The cold never bothered the Russian girl however, no, she had someone beside her who made the endurance training worth it.

Sung Dae Lee was never a religious woman, but she'd be damned if Natasha in winter wasn't her goddess. Not that any goddess could be as enchanting as Natasha. Natasha's firey hair would catch the snow and she would smirk at Sung despite their daily horrors, Nat's braids would be covered and Natasha would laugh and melt the cold away. And when they had to do ten-minute planks opposite of one another, Natasha's gaze would find Sung's and blink silly little messages in Morse code. Then when they ventured back into the mansion, Natasha's nose would blaze red and run and when she took off her beanie her hair would get messy and Natasha would pout and make an offhanded comment that would earn a chuckle from Sung.

Slowly Sung's eyes flickered close and she inhaled sharply, then she hung her head low and released the breath. The Widow stood in the middle of the road with no one around to see her, for the first time in a long long time. Hastily Sung wiped at her nose and cheeks before continuing.

A neon sign of a small 24/7 shop caught Sung's attention and she headed inside. A polite nod to the cashier was spared as Sung looked around the products on sale. She grabbed some easy food, instant noodles and protein bars, food that her father would have a heart attack over. The TL lights flickered as Sung looked around the two aisles. Her eye landed on a small corner of Asian spices and foods, there she spotted a packet of kimchi. Not thinking twice, Sung grabbed the packet and a bag of vegetables before heading over to the register.

With a small plastic bag in hand, Sung ventured back out into the cold. She stalked through the streets, shadows kissing her frame around every corner. The Widow headed up a small, narrow staircase in between two shopfronts. The tiles on the steps were cracked and completely missing in some spots, but Sung continued to trail up. At the top there were two doors opposite of one another, one led to a safehouse and the other to a sleeping room that mostly housed run-down souls who had little money to spare.