"Lady Natasha, I was wondering if you would like to spar in the gym." The god of Thunder spoke up as he entered the living area of the Avengers Tower. The Avengers had been living there since the fall of S.H.I.E.L.D, when their apartments and safe houses had been compromised and Stark had offered each of them a room or a floor of the Tower to call their own.
Natasha had only recently taken the offer, once she got lonely travelling the world trying to discover herself. So in her spare time at the tower, she spent lounging on the couch thinking about how she had accepted her past and move on as Natasha Romanoff, The Black Widow.
"Of course, if the almighty Thor is prepared to be beaten by a woman." Natasha was up and next to Thor in seconds, already in her gym clothes consisting of: a long sleeve top and jogging bottoms. Thor only laughed at Natasha quip and walked, with the spy in tow, towards the elevator.
Hours later, Natasha and Thor were exhausted; the Norse god only winning the odd match against Natasha.
However, in the last match, Thor managed to catch Natasha's sleeve which ripped off with a resounding tare. It was only then, he realised that the spy was permanently marked around the wrist. Natasha noticed Thor staring at her wrists intently, making her feel very uncomfortable; but before she could do anything the god had spoken.
"Lady Natasha, how did these marks come about?" Genuine concern for her laced in his voice, as he stepped towards her.
"Don't worry about it Thor, its nothing." The redhead tried to deter the god with little success.
Suddenly, Thor's stature changed from the light-heartedness that usually followed him, to the angry thunder that most feared in battle. "Was this Lord Steven? Did he hurt you?"
Nat was shocked; more shocked than when they were first faced with Loki. "Wha…What? No it wasn't Steve. These, Thor, are old. Almost 70 years old now."
This seemed to relax the god for a moment before the confusion of what the spy had said took hold. "You said, 'almost 70 years', how is that possible?"
With a sigh the redhead sat down, followed by Thor, and told the story of how the scars had happened.
"In this world of the impossible, I was taken from my parents when I was no older than 5. The destruction of a person that I can never be again. I watched as the house, I called home, burn down. I heard my mother and father scream for me, their 'little Natalia', as they burnt to death. I can still smell the smoke that flooded the air, suffocating everything and I can feel the heat burn my skin even now.
"I was rescued by a man called Ivan that worked for the KGB and I was then recruited for the Black Widow project. It was there I learned all I know today. However each night, from the very first day, all subjects were chained to the bed by the wrists. So when you moved – when you tossed or turned – the chains would cut into you skin and make you bleed. You learnt to not move in your sleep because one move for some and they met their demise. These marks are the creation of me. These marks are the beginning."
The two heroes sat in silence, before Thor moved to kiss Natasha on the cheek. The move startled the spy, however she didn't let it show nor did she react.
"You are protected now Tasha. We won't let this happen again." He spoke softly as he retreated off the floor.
"Thank you Thor." A smile graced the redhead's face, which sparked a grin from the god. "How about another round, winner takes all?"
"Deal!" Thor bellowed before being flipped onto the ground with a giggle slipping out of Nat's mouth.