Hyde and Seek

Chapter Ate

Barbwire cutting into your lips, you pull the chain harder, your wrists ripped to shreds by the metal cuffs that have been clamped to them over night with the sedative lacing them, so it seeped into your bloodstream steadily over time. Your foot to her lower neck, her hands grasping at your shoe – your leg, clawing at anything she could reach, and you pull the base of the chain, tightening it even further around her neck as you seethe down at her. Her life could end, right here, right now. You could walk away from this, knowing you did the right thing.

'Aw, Y/n, this is adorable, really.'

You whip around, thinking maybe the others aren't dead – you're not even sure where it came from, and when you find no one – the room is completely empty of life besides you and the one underneath you, your eyes go back to the girl fighting for her last breaths.

"You hear it, don't you?" She gasps out in realization and your expression must give away your confusion, confirming her thoughts, but your eyes widen in surprise when she carefully let's go of her grip on you, "You're not going to kill me. Definitely not today."

"The fuck I won't." You spit back, leaning to put more pressure on her neck with the heel of your foot, right below the chain, but you don't move, and a beat passes before a sick, twisted grin erupts over her face.

'I think it's about time for a little face to face, don't you?'

The voice cuts through your skull this time and you clutch the side of your head before falling back on the floor in pain. It's screeching in your head, and you can hear Brenda's surprised chuckle as she gets the chain off, rubbing at her neck as she sits up.

"What's happening to me?" You mutter to yourself, head between your knees, and your blood shot eyes glare up at the now standing Brenda as she tosses the chain aside, the clanking noise not even registering as it lands hard against the floor only meters away.

"Thing is, and I've done my research," She brags proudly, nothing but smug as the power shifts, and you can nearly see her ego being stroked as you cower on the floor helplessly, "You poke this thing festering inside you enough and it tends to poke back – it's physics, really. And, I'm guessing, it's angry with you. Because you've teased control, dangled its freedom in front of its nose a little too long, maybe?" She laughs, but it's soaked in venom, "You're so screwed."

"And you're gonna lose," You tell her, even as panic rises in your chest, because you'd die before you let this woman bring you to your knees – to have you beg for mercy, "This-"

Her biting laugh cuts you off, "Who do you think you are?"

"I'll tell you who I am," You grit out and she cocks an eyebrow, an amused smile crossing her lips before it falters, "I'm the girl you'll never wanna see again, because this thing might fuck me up, but I'll live, and next time you see me, I'll be there to kill you."

You blink away the memory, focusing back on the butterknife in your hand as you butter your toast, and then you leave it on the side before reaching over for your mug to take a sip of tea. You nearly choke on the liquid when you spot Natasha in the doorway, seemingly having been hesitant, but when she notices you noticing her, she gives up on some internal debate and walks with purpose to the fridge. It opens behind you, your eyes down cast to your now cold toast, and you hear her pouring herself something – probably orange juice, she's proper addicted.

You know when she puts it back, she'll take her glass and leave, probably to go watch some clips of a cooking competition on YouTube. Normally, you'd probably try to stop her, or at least try for a greeting like you always do, but after she walked out the other day, you don't feel like pressing for anything.

That's what makes you nearly jump out of your skin when something circles your wrist – her hand. You stay put though, your eyes sliding up from her gentle hold on you, across her arm, and finally landing on her face, but her steady gaze is already locked with yours.

"I don't hate you."

Your lips part, but your wrist is suddenly cold, and she's walking away again with the glass gripped in her hand.

You squeeze your eyes shut just as she's about to round the corner towards the hall, and you're not even sure she hears you when you blurt out a soft, "I'm sorry."

But she's Natasha Romanoff. A highly trained black widow. Of course, she hears you.

You still don't expect her to stop short, your heart in your ass as you wait for whatever reaction or nonreaction is to come, and then she spins around to storm back towards you in long strides. She is on you like a panther. She rounds the corner of the island and you kind of just slump back against it, willing to take whatever she's going to give you – praying it's a kith and not a punch to the jaw, but honestly...

No.

Stand the fuck up.

She's in your space now though, glaring into your eyes, and you can hardly breathe as her eyes flick to your lips for only a second, the air in the room completely sucked out. But then she seems to consider something from where she levels your stare.

"Are we all just wasting our time here? You know this is going to kill you. You've known since day one, haven't you?"

Dontlickhernosedontlickhernosedontlickhernose. Zont zoo it.

You use all your restraint to only give her a nod, which, was apparently the wrong answer, because her eyes narrow, and her expression twitches with building anger while her eyes dart across yours.

But then, she suddenly lets out a sharp breath, her face falling to near defeat. She takes not even a full step back, looking away with a deep frown, she knows whatever she has to say next is something she has to physically force herself to get out, and you know it's something you've heard before.

She's going to say it's too dangerous, she won't give you the serum MILF Melina crafted with those beautiful, deadly hands of hers, and then she'll go on with a lecture about your safety and others'. This is the only time you don't resent the speech though, mainly because it means she's talking to you, and you get to spend some time with her. You down bad.

"Is it trying to kill you right now?"

You barely hear the whispered question – one you hadn't expected from anyone, and you know if she had taken a couple more steps back, you would've missed it entirely, but you don't miss how the temperature drops to below freezing in an instant. It loves being addressed. Craves the attention. Relatable.

You squint, lifting your hand between you both to pinch your two fingers together, and then in a high voice, "Teeny bit."

She breathes out a low, "Fuck."

Me. Please.

Jesus Christ.

"It's kind of like playing virtual chess," You tell her, breaking the silence that had momentarily fallen between you both, and her eyes meet yours, but they look softer and it's a vulnerable side you haven't seen from the assassin until now – not that you doubted its existence, "You have to predict quite a few moves ahead to win usually, yeah? Can't leave it to luck," You give her an easy smile, trying for reassuring, but probably falling short, "I have to keep winning and I'm on my thousandth game – I'm doing my best, but in reality, it's probably only a matter of time."

She looks away, darting her eyes across the counter, "How many steps ahead?"

"It started where I could see the whole game – every single step they would take. But now, I can only see a few. And it's taking a lot to even see that many. My time's running up."

Her eyes fall closed and the chill of the room wisps around you before she opens them again. There on you now, the brilliant green eyes surrounded by a swirl of freckles lightly painted on her face like a brush went across the tops of her cheeks and nose. She's so beautiful, it makes your heart ache, and you're usually not this close to witness it. It truly is otherworldly.

She purses her lips, her gaze trained on you again, and you feel a bit warm under her scrutiny.

"I'll get you the serum."