The Silent Shadow || marvel

02- promises

2008

The Asset and Svetlana were asleep together on the single cot that resided in the corner of the room.

He held her close to his chest to ensure her shivering would cease sometime throughout the night. The majority of the single blanket he had was mostly covering his daughter. She had fallen asleep quickly last night before he had gotten a chance to bathe her so while she slept he gently tried to get knots out of her hair. She surprisingly slept through the light tugging of her mane and stayed still and quiet for the entirety of the night.

The Soldier abruptly woke up upon hearing the slot that items were pushed through open. He groggily bent his body halfway to confirm the food had arrived before he checked on his daughter who still was sleeping soundly against his chest.

This is the most Svetlana's slept without waking up her whole life. She was always woken up every few hours by guards or from the pain of her injuries. To the Asset, she was just a heavy sleeper. The thought amused him, she could probably sleep through an earthquake. After he carefully removed her head from his chest he lightly placed it on the cot and walked over to the door where his tray of food sat.

His meal consisted of porridge, a full roll of bread, eggs, and a single sausage patty. The soldier was often fed well with two hardy meals daily to keep him strong.

Svetlana on the other hand was given whatever food had gone bad in the kitchen every few days if she was lucky. To them, she wasn't important enough to be fed regularly.

After he set down the tray his eyes wandered to his daughter. He questioned whether it was wise to wake her to eat or not considering she clearly needed her rest. The soldier stared at her chest as it peacefully rose and fell with every breath, her shirt was so big he could hardly see her small form within it.

With a sigh, he began to walk over to wake her up. He didn't want to scare her by shaking her but didn't see another way to awaken the small girl.

With gentle hands he began to wipe the stray hairs off her forehead and moved his fingers in small circles on her scalp.

"Svetlana" He began softly, "Svet, prosnut'sya." (Svet, wake up.)

He softly took hold of her shoulder and started to gingerly rub it quickly in a way that was not exactly shaking her. Svetlana's eyebrows furrowed upon feeling her shoulder being shaken and her name being called. She mumbled a random code of Russian letters that made no word in particular as her eyes started to flutter.

When they opened they immediately widened upon seeing the Asset in front of her. She let out a small yelp before she attempted to scramble backward into the corner of the wall. Upon seeing her surprise the Soldier's hands quickly flew off the frightened girl to avoid her feeling threatened.

"Net boli," The Soldier said with his arms up in surrender. " Eto papa." (No hurt.) (It's dad.)

Svetlana, who was already backed away in her corner scanned his body before she relaxed. She knew this man, he was Papa and she was Svetlana. He saved her from her being in her cell yesterday. Her frown of fear flipped upside down into a smile of comfort.

She giggled at the realization that it was only her father who stood before her, not a man who wanted to hurt her.

Svetlana emerged from her corner in a groggy state. Her feet hit the ground with a soft slap before she looked up at her father for instructions.

"My yedim," He told her while he pointed to the food tray that sat on the small table. (we eat)

At the word eat, Svetlana's face immediately lit up. She hadn't eaten in days and her stomach was so empty it felt full. She excitedly walked over to the table and sloppily climbed up onto a chair by herself.