"So, have you played any board games before, Nadia?" Steve asked, trying to keep his tone light and casual as he focused on drying the dishes after Nadia's attempt at cooking dinner. They'd decided to make it a group effort and it had ended in a huge mess, mushy rice, and steak that was cooked surprisingly well despite the fact it had enough salt in it to kill a small horse.
Was it pushing his luck to try something again so soon? Maybe. But it was worth a try. He and Natasha had privately discussed trying to be more engaging and interacting now that she had settled properly. A better schedule would be coming but for now just doing things with her would be the order of the day.
Nadia continued washing the dishes as he dried and Natasha put them away, "I've played chess before, sir." Her inside out shirt sleeves were rolled up to the elbow, suds clinging to her skin. Despite the water and soap, standing right next to her made the lack of showering a definite. No possibly about it. This kid stank worse than he had in the trenches.
"Any others?" Natasha asked, setting a cup on its shelf. She knew it was unlikely but it was more conversation.
"No, ma'am." She was still in the clothes that Steve had given her the first day and despite the fact that he'd given her two pairs of clothing she had yet to change since her first day here.
"Do you have any interest in learning some others?"
--
Three was silent a moment, elbow deep in bubbles. Why did they ask when there was no option? Choice was an illusion. Saying no would result in… what? These people had yet to show any form of back bone it took to order a soldier. But, then again, they didn't see her as a soldier and she didn't want them to see her as such. She was an abused, kicked puppy who doesn't know how to do anything outside of orders. Not a soldier who needed a firm grip and a mission to thrive. At least she had half of what she needed in that particular formula.
Either way, saying no wasn't a good strategy. Whether it was a real choice or not. "I would not be opposed to learning, sir." It wasn't that she didn't want to experience a board game but it was the refusal she craved. But they weren't at that stage yet. She had to stick to the plan.
"Great!" Push-ups, no that wasn't a good one either, said as he dried the last dish. "All the games are in the common room. So how about you go take a shower and get changed, then we'll find a game to play?"
Finally! While it hadn't been the longest she had gone without a shower it was not optimal to go that long without cleansing herself. Maybe they just didn't care about the strong scent she gave off…
"And Nadia," The Widow called out as she reached her door, "You don't have to wait for us to tell you to take a shower or a bath."
Oh.
--
"And here it is." Steve blew off the dust from the tops of the boxes. The games were rarely used as most of the team had lives of their own. But once in a blue moon Sam was able to convince them to do 'team building' and play either a board game or a video game. Thus, an oversized stack of boxes lived in the closet.
"We got Risk, Apples to Apples, Ticket to Ride," He continued with the list, turning to see a blank look on Nadia's freshly washed face as she sat in Steve's second set of clothes he had given her on the couch. Right. She didn't know what any of these were.
"Mmmm," He thought, chess was a great strategy game. Risk was too. But it was long. Something different might be good."How about Dutch blitz?" Risk for another day. Something fun and fast could be good. It was competitive too. She seemed to enjoy competitions.
Natasha gave that half smile of hers, "Sounds good to me."
Nadia merely nodded. After the push-up contest, she had gone back to her usual ways. But he wasn't about to give up on her.
The rules were explained, the game set up, and they began. After a mock round to make sure she understood they were off.
Hands flew, a couple Russian swears escaped Nat, and there was a ghost of a grin on Nadia's face. The round ended and Steve laughed as he looked around, "It looks like I've got a contender." Most of Nadia's cards were gone.
That hint of a smile was still on her lips as she ducked her head but didn't say anything. While she had kept quiet a lot, just her change in demeanor was enough to give some hope.
"A contender for what?" Vision phased through the wall beside them.
Nadia looked to him, "For Dutch blitz, sir." They had warned her about Vision and had introduced her to everyone but Wanda. It had been decided that it'd be best not to let the two meet for a while yet.
"Would you mind another player?" He came up to the table. It was rare that Vision would play as he often had an advantage over everyone with most games.
The girl seemed surprised when they looked to her. This was all for her so why wouldn't they run it by her?
"There's availability for another player."
She laughed. She had actually laughed. Natasha had to work hard not to cry. Sweet, sweet progress.
After Nadia had successfully taken four different places that Steve and Vision had wanted (Not to mention the much greater amount that all of them had snagged before Natasha could even get a card in) Steve had muttered a curse under his breath. Both Vision and Natasha had said at once, "Language!" Then came the short lived, magical sound of Nadia's laugh.
Vision had proved to be efficient at the card game but still behind Nadia and Steve. The two with their enhanced reflexes seemed to be blurs against the table. Next time, it would be Clue or Risk. That way there would at least be time to talk. Though, this game was proving to be a good one as well.
"What might all of you be playing?"
Before Natasha could even register whose voice it was, a rapid chain reaction went off. Nadia shunted herself away from the table, knocking her chair over, and back away while everyone else was still jumping to their feet.
Wanda's voice. It had been Wanda who asked the question.
Shit.
The room was deathly silent as the two stared at each other, neither moving. Nadia was angled to run away, every muscle tensed, yet there was a fury in her eyes that could have burst Wanda into flames. Yes, she was afraid but that look in her eye said she would sooner kill the woman than run.
Shit.
Steve watched Nadia, ready to pounce if need be. She may be his daughter but he wasn't about to let her do anything to his team. While Wanda had been there the longest she was still a member and his friend.
That's when he saw the knife. It was up her sleeve in the arm poised away to run - or to throw - the end only barely able to be seen. She must have snagged it while they were doing dishes. How had he not even noticed? How could he have been so stupid as to give trust that easily? What was the best way to go about this?
"Встань." Came the low, Russian words from Natasha, her face that dark, serious one she only gave to a threat. Whatever it was that she said, he hoped it worked. There was no knowing what the fighting skill set Nadia had, especially when she was in this state. He didn't know why but it seemed like a gamble that Natasha had taken. It better pay out.
Nadia flinched at the words, glaring at her mother, a light German accent coloring her words, "I speak English, Widow!" Tremors went through every muscle as she looked back at Wanda, her teeth bared, "Why shouldn't I kill you?"
Wanda had her hands raised slightly, her face revealing nothing of what she felt, "Because I won't do it again." She put her hands down, "It was a task that needed to be done and now it no longer does." The words 'get over it' seemed to all be said in her face.
The girl continued to give that piercing stare, seeming to calculate how to kill the woman before she dropped her stance, "You're right. I would have done the same if I was in your place." Her accent was gone now, the control back in her face, "I won't kill you for that." She paused, such a dead eyed look that there was no doubting her words. "But if you ever touch me again, I will make you wish I had killed you."
The passing glance of disgust at Natasha before the impassive soldier's face was back felt like the knife had been stabbed into his gut and twisted. It was like they took one step forward and five back.
Nadia looked straight ahead at the wall, her shaking mostly subdued, "Requesting permission to leave."
"Yes, you -" Before he could even finish she was gone down the hall.
--
Natasha indulged in a moment of rubbing the tension from her forehead before picking up the scattered cards. Telling Nadia to stand down in Russian had been a risk and she wasn't sure if it would turn out to be a good idea yet. All she had been hoping for would be to catch her attention and shake her out of the trance they seemed to be stuck in. Nothing more. That flinch revealed that it was probably taken as more.
This wasn't Wanda's fault. This wasn't Wanda's fault. This wasn't-
"I'm so sorry, Natasha." Wanda stepped forward, "I hadn't realized she was here. I wasn't paying attention."
"It was bound to happen." She put the box in the closet and started towards the elevator. Time to find her daughter. Hopefully, this wasn't something that made the girl want to leave.
"Friday, please tell me where Steve and Nadia are." Steve had run after her, obviously not expecting her to take off at a run as soon as he dismissed her.
--
Three threaded her way through the gym, her father calling after her with the name she had been given. Her heart beat going at a rate that was far too fast for the rate that she was running at. Panic. That's what it was. Her body was following the state her mind was starting to go into. It wasn't supposed to go like this. She had a plan. This was not part of the plan. They could only see what she wanted them to see. That was not this.
"Nadia! Wait!"
The man was fast. Too fast to give him the slip in a building he knew better than her. Time for a better strategy. Adapt or die. Thrive in the environment given. Take advantage of every moment. Every word the Soldier had told her drove through her mind. Take advantage.
She ran herself into the bathrooms and showers. Effectively cornered. Lowering herself into a fighting stance, she put on a glare but kept silent. Mind games. They were like a strategy. At least, that's what she told herself to keep this going. A mission was a mission and Three wasn't about to fail this one if she could help it.
Captain America skidded in, "Nadia!" Again with the hands out as if that would do anything. Much like saying the name she was given repeatedly would do anything. He was silent for a second, before he dropped his hands, the tension leaving his body, "I know you're upset and I can understand why. Wanda did the same thing to me before she joined the team. I'm sorry she did that to you."
What was his game? What did he want? Three let her guard down some, seeming to relax but refused to say anything. In the words of the Snake, words were useless unless you used your body to communicate their meaning. Words would only get in the way now.
"Believe me, she won't do it to you again." He took a breath, "But I'm going to need that knife and whatever else you might have." There it was. Time to have some fun.
