i'm with you, every step of the way

Chapter 1

As a little kid, Natasha would always be the target of the bullies at her school. Her parents are both Russian who met in the United States so they made sure that their only daughter's first language would be Russian. Speaking English with a heavy Russian accent, the mean kids made it their duty to make her life a living hell.

The kids at the school playground would "play" with her but ultimately end up just making fun of her. They'd tell her to play hide-n-seek and she would count, but by the time she finished counting, her playmates aren't just hiding, they're gone. Most of the time, Natasha would shrug it out. She would think that they got called back to the room or just so good at hiding, she can't find them. Natasha had a good heart and always made sure to see the good in people. So she doesn't cry and just resumes playing by herself whenever this happens.

However, one time, it got physical. She was on the monkey bars and her chubby and short arms can't quite get her across at first. She only pouted when she jumped off and kept on trying, with her sometimes being able to reach the next bar, sometimes she not. One of the kids, Tony Stark, whose parents own the preschool along with many other businesses, decides it would be funny to grab Natasha's legs as she tries to make her way across. This surprised Natasha and her grip at the bar slipped, resulting in her face-planting on the ground.

She doesn't cry at first, blinking as she sat up, but when a crowd of little kids, undoubtedly pulled in by Tony, started to laugh at her, that's when the waterworks began. She felt her lower lip wobble and her eyes tear up, and she looked down, seeing blood seep out of her knees. She folded her knees and cuddled it close to her chest, looking down and hiding her face on the arms she folded over her scars. She cried because of the pain and because she's being directly laughed at , which has never happened before.

"Knock it off, Tony," she heard a stern but low voice rise over the laughter of kids. She peeked and saw Steve Rogers, her neighbor, staring Tony down, who is so much bigger than him.

"Oh yeah? What are you gonna do about it, Rogers?" Tony taunted back, raising his chest to tower over Steve. Tony is taller and has more weight into him, as compared to Steve who's shorter and so much skinnier.

"I'm gonna tell Uncle Howard that you got your nanny to quit and then he'll take all your toys away," Steve replied with a smirk, eyes shimmering with a serious glint.

Tony rolled his eyes but took a small gulp, admitting defeat. With a wave of his hand, all his bullying partners went off to their own business, leaving Steve and Natasha alone on the middle of the playground.

Natasha, albeit listening as to what is happening, didn't look up and was still crying. She felt a warm hand touch her shoulder and nervously peeked out, her eyes still clouded over from crying.

"Hey, are you okay?" Steve asked, his voice very soft compared to the tone he gave Tony. Natasha, afraid to speak, just shook her head and took her arms off her knees, which are covered in blood. Even her arms and shirt's sleeves got some on them. Steve gasped and blinked - he doesn't like the sight of blood - but stood up and offered her a hand.

Natasha took his hand and shakily got up, her balance unstable due to her wobbly and very painful knees. Steve took notice of this and held her in place, helping her walk to the school clinic, where they cleaned the wound. When the nurse asked how she got it, Steve was about to tell the truth, but Natasha looked at him and shook her head. She said she fell from the monkey bars by losing her grip, which isn't exactly a lie nor a truth.

Natasha was told to stay at the clinic while she waits for her parents to come pick her up - she can't stay at school because her knees were to painful to walk on for a day - she called Steve to her side.