𝐏𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐂 𝐑𝐎𝐎𝐌

𝐬𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧

- ⧗ NATASHA ROMANOFF ⧗ -

   ZARIAH'S FIRST NIGHT SLEEPING AT THE COMPOUND didn't go exactly as Natasha would have hoped. Everything started out well. After Zariah had taken perhaps the longest shower known to man, Natasha had went up to check she was alright. She found the girl sitting on her new bed, already engrossed in the second book Nat had brought her. The redhead wore the pyjamas Nat had also given her, fitting her pretty well even with their few inch height difference.

   "Book good?" Nat asked.

   Zariah nodded back, smiling. Natasha found she was happy to be getting used to that expression on the little girl's face.

   She'd asked if there was anything Zariah would like for dinner but the redhead simply shrugged her shoulders. So, Nat decided and cooked her up another one of her specialties; oven pizza. Despite it not being a spectacular meal, the redhead seemed to enjoy it all the same.

   The pair ate inside Zariah's bedroom, not quite ready to sit at the table with the rest of the team. Nat had agreed quickly to the proposition when the girl had asked, having seen the slight discomfort that she had displayed when meeting everyone earlier. There would come a time when maybe they'd eat all together, Natasha didn't expect it to be on day one. Hell, she was thankful that Zari wanted to eat dinner with her at all.

   Scared of spilling sauce on to the clean white sheets of Zariah's new bed, they sat cross-legged on the floor crouching over their plates of food.

   "You know," Nat started. "If you like this, you should try real Italian pizza. That shit is so good."

   Zariah looked back up at her. "I've been to Italy ten times but I never got to try any food. I was always just in and out."

   Natasha's ears perked up at the concept of the girl sharing new information about herself.

   "It's a beautiful place, though," Zariah finished.

   "It is." Nat tried her best to keep her voice relaxed, hoping to maybe coax more from the small redhead. "You got a favourite place you've been to?"

   The girl casually nodded, taking another bite of her pizza. "Istanbul. It's so beautiful."

   "I've actually never been."

   "I spent two weeks there when I was about six, I think," Zariah replied, tilting her head as if to try remember her story. "I was sent undercover with another widow who was supposed to be my mother." She let out a small chuckle. "She couldn't cook for shit and we spent a week eating ice cream for dinner."

   Nat breathed out a laugh. "Sounds fun."

   "It was, until I threw up everywhere one night. Then I forced her to go buy us some microwave meals to eat instead."

   As she laughed, Natasha tried to hide the surprise she felt within. Hours earlier Zariah had been so hesitant to share any information at all, now a story was flowing out of her like she had been sharing them her whole life. Deep down, Nat felt a fond sense of accomplishment and even more than that, overwhelming pride as to what the girl had already accomplished. It was heartwarming to learn even tiny bits of who she may truly be and the person she would now get to become.

   The mood had died down a little when Zariah went on to add it was the longest time she'd ever spent out of the red room. With the air feeling heavy, Natasha proposed a change of subject, asking Zariah if she'd like to watch a movie. The girl had agreed and after clearing away their plates, the pair had nestled up on the sofa and turned on the TV.