"She guarded herself like a secret." –Jodi Lynn Anderson
You head into your first day of work, exhausted but refusing to show it. Last night was fraught with nightmares about things you would like to spend the rest of your life not thinking about, leaving you jumpy and alert.
Then again, you're always alert.
The message that Natalia Romanova left you when you left the Red Room and worked as a Widow operative warned you not to trust anyone, that your handlers and the government that had trained you was hunting you down to erase any sign of the Black Widow program. And so you haven't, and like Natalia, you retreated to the United States under a new alias or three, trying to stay hidden.
You smile at the woman at the reception counter, show your badge to the guards, let them scan you and sign in. Some people complain that Wayne Enterprises' security is too intense, but to you, you can see holes in the security, places where people like you could get in and harm someone and the company.
You keep those thoughts to yourself, putting on your perfect ballerina smile as you head to your desk. The people here seem friendly, but you still keep your distance. No sense in changing what works for you, what keeps you safe.
Being stupid, after all, gets you killed.
Your dress was chosen to carefully cover the bruises and cuts you had gained on patrol so that you looked normal. So that people wouldn't pay attention to you and start asking questions. You're good at what you do, better than most anywhere in the world, but that doesn't mean you're invincible and even these lowlife Gotham thugs can still hurt you with their primitive street weapons and guns.
After Natalia warned you and the others, you tried to stay away from fighting and violence, trying to slip into normal life where most people never saw a gun or fought. It worked, for a little while, but you became restless and bored. You had been through too much, been pushed too far, to be content with suburbia life. And so you donned a mask and a costume, to protect your identity, and began fighting common criminals and protecting the innocents.
Gotham called you from your hiding place in the Midwest, to come and hide in her dark alleyways and fight there. Even with the Batman vigilante and his companions, the Robin and Batgirl, crime is still powerful and people live in fear. They need people like you, people who are not afraid and who can fight, to protect them.
And so you go.
It was easy enough to attract Wayne Enterprises' attention when you sent in your resume. The Red Room ensured you could survive in any situation you found yourself in, and your skill in electronics and technology is what they are looking for. It was just a matter of keeping their attention through the interviews, something that was second nature to you, and then you have the job.
Your first night out in costume was watching the Batman and the two protégés more than fighting the criminals. Batman's renowned detective abilities make it necessary for you to ensure your paths won't cross, so that your cover won't be blown, and so you watch their patterns. Learn where their turf is, learn their patrol routes. You simply take over the other areas they neglect and begin the fight there. Soon, your presence begins circulating in the Gotham criminal world, just a passing mention, but that's how you like it.
You are surprised when Bruce Wayne appears on your floor. The man is busy, running a company and trying to sleep with as many women as he can get his hands on, but there is something more to him. The instant you see him, you are wary. This man has a warrior's eyes, sharp and cunning, hidden under a smile and casual attitude. The others are fooled by his act, but you are not.
He's on his way to another meeting, assistant trailing after him, but he pauses when he sees you. Those eyes look into yours, but you've been trained since you could walk to deceive others. He will not uncover your secret, but you will uncover his. Why does a spoiled man, born in the lap of wealth, have the eyes of a warrior?
"You must be our new hire," he says, his voice pleasantly husky. He gives off the air of being interested in you and you're not surprised; after all, you are young and beautiful, just like all of the others he plays with. "Welcome to Wayne Enterprises. I hope you like it here." And then he's gone, leaving a whiff of cologne in the air.
You get your answer about Wayne later that night, when the Batman descends from the darkness like a dark avenger. Being in America has made you soft; had you been in Russia, or an active Widow agent, he would have never been able to find you.
You need to be more careful from now on.
"What are you doing?" He demands. His voice is harsh and angry; like the justice he wields on Gotham. Nothing like the smooth and rich voice of Bruce Wayne.
But his eyes are the same.
You do not answer; you do not give yourself a voice. You will not give this man anything he can work with to uncover the mystery you wear like armor. It is your protection against those who wish you and the other Widows death, and you do not know if the Batman is friend or foe. Instead, you leave, vanishing into the night, returning to your web of safety where he cannot find you.
But something tells you that this is not the last time you will meet.
You are one of twenty-eight ballerinas with the Bolshoi. You are one of twenty-eight Black Widows with the Red Room. Once, you fought for the glory of the Soviet Union, but now you are hunted. You are alone.
You can't tell what's true anymore.
It took me awhile to warm up to the idea, but I ended up being pretty enchanted korivnder's Black Widow AU and wanted to write something based on it. The only two Black Widows that I'm aware of are Natasha Romanov and Yelena Belova and I didn't want to use either of them for the story and I didn't want to come up with an OC so I just went with a reader-insert. Please go check out her headcanons and Black Widow AU on Tumblr; I'm also on Tumblr if you're interested in dropping by.
Hope you're having a great day!