THINKING OUT LOUD || Avengers

-)Nine: Stark Learns Fire Safety Again(-

Somewhere in the infamous Avengers Tower, spearing the New York skyline with a silhouetted promise of protection, a teenage girl wearing a beanie was pacing outside of a bedroom door.

She could hear voices just inside, both also female, and despite her best efforts, their words drifted through the white material.

Behind the door, Wanda Maximoff was face down into her pillow, grumbling in Sokovian under her breath.

Natasha, watching her, couldn't help the curl of her mouth into a small smile, "Who knew you were such a sore loser, Maximoff?"

"It is not my fault." The girl waved a hand absently without looking up, "I did not know the game."

Natasha pulled a face at that, shuffling the cards into two even decks before melding them together effortlessly, "I believe the words you used were 'Best in Sokovia'."

"It is a very limited country." Was the indignant response as Wanda lifted her head to narrow her eyes at Nat, "And I am not exactly a hopeless gambler."

"Neither am I." Nat replied with a smirk, "But we have to learn how to play the parts, right?"

Wanda groaned again. Sometimes Nat forgot how young she was- barely eighteen. Only three years older than Dani. And like the younger girl, she had lost so much and so many in such a short burst of life. Unlike Atteberry, Wanda had let the loss shape her into something different, more mature. An adult before her time.

"I do not think learning to be undercover requires card lessons." The girl whined.

Nat smiled slightly, "You'd be surprised how many deals take place in Casinos."

Wanda waved one hand vaguely, "I'm beginning to rethink my career choice."

"I don't blame you." Nat stretched out her legs. She had been sitting on the floor, playing with the cards on the edge of Wanda's bed, but suddenly the need to move was uncomfortably clear, "Not with everything coming out about the 'good team'."

The girl sat up, frowning, and Nat got the sudden fear that Wanda was about to give her a long lecture about how the young agents program wasn't her fault. She saw the conversation play out in the Scarlet Witch's head, saw her realise it wouldn't end well and felt and immense swell of relief as she said, "I suppose Atteberry supporting Team Evil doesn't help."

Nat choked back a snort, "That girl is about as threatening as a marshmallow surrounded by rainbows." She agreed.

The smile slipped off Wanda's face, "You think she's lying?"

"Not lying." Nat replied slowly, "But there are things she's deliberately not telling us. Innocent people don't usually have anything to hide."

At that, it was Wanda laughing darkly as she fell back against her covers once more, this time facing the ceiling, "And I thought you'd been in this job long enough to realise that wasn't true."

Nat didn't get chance to respond.

Crash!

She sat bolt upright.

Bang!

Her eyes were now focused with laser precision on the door, prickles dancing down her spine in anticipation.

Bang! Bang! B-B-Bang!

The only consolation was that the noises were becoming more and more faint as they progressed. The image that imprinted itself in her head was that of a cartoon character tripping over a small explosive and falling down the stairs.

Shaking her head to clear it, Nat dropped Wanda a short gesture to stay where she was and crept to the door.

She raised one finger to her lips, looking pointedly to the girl, who swallowed and nodded.