the forgotten enhanced - natasha romanoff

the pancakes

'Morning Delia. Come on, we're making pancakes!' Nat called from outside Cordelia's door.
Delia groaned and rolled onto the other side of the bed. 'Five more minutes.'
'No more minutes. Up. When you live here you have to be ready to wake up and get moving when a mission calls.'
'This isn't a mission Natasha, this is making breakfast.' she shouts from under her duvet.
'Getting you out of bed is becoming a mission. Now up and at it. I'm waiting.' Nat commanded.
Cordelia stumbled out of her bed and opened the door. Nat stood there, all ready for the day, her hair and makeup was precise. Unlike Delia, who was still wearing the only clothes she owned, and her hair was a mess.
'Come on, let me brush your hair for you first, your not going to be able to measure the flour underneath that birds nest.' Nat smirked.
She led Delia to her room next door and sat her down at the dressing room table. She began to brush her hair, making sure to not tug too hard on any especially knotted parts.

'Let me get you another change of clothes as well, I've got a spare sweatshirt you can borrow and I'll find you some sweatpants and underwear.'
Nat finished off brushing Delia's hair and started to braid it.
'What are you doing?' Delia asked, she had never have someone plait her hair.
'Two dutch braids, it will keep your hair out your face for training later.'
Nat swiftly puts together two braids and fastens them with hair ties.
'Perfect. Now don't move a muscle, I'm just going to grab you your clothes.' Nat strolled off to another room, supposedly her wardrobe.

Delia had never got her hair done before. Back when she was with Him, they would just shave it off. But it grew fast, hence why it was at chest length despite only leaving them over a year ago.
Nat came back into the room with a pile of clothes.
'Here are your sweats and underwear, I also got you some socks and a sports bra.' Nat lay them out for her on the bed.
'Here's the sweatshirt, it's a little oversized for you I apologise but it's better than some plain old Stark-issued shirt right?'
Natasha held up the sweatshirt, it was dark green with the adidas logo stitched onto the front in gold.
'You can keep it. I think I'm getting a little old to be wearing sports brands now.' She laughs.
'Thanks Nat. Are you sure you want me to keep it? Adidas is like, expensive right?'
Nat smiled, 'It's just a sweatshirt babe. It's fine honestly, now go get ready, I'll be waiting in the kitchen.'

Nat closed the door and Delia got changed, looking at herself in the bathroom mirror she felt like a whole new person. Like a normal teenager. Even though she knew she couldn't ever be, it was nice to look like one.
She splashed some water and soap onto her face and patted her face dry with a towel, taking a deep breath she walked out the door and went to the kitchen.
'Well look at you! I just know that when you get to go to school all the girls will be so jealous of you, you have such a nice complexion.' Nat complimented Delia as she got out the ingredients from the cupboard.
'Why are you being so nice? I was a bitch to you when I first came here.' Delia asked. 'You don't have to be nice, I know Tony is making you babysit me.'

Nat sighs and looks down at her feet, she doesn't want to lie to Delia, she's a clever girl.
'Look, you didn't like me when you first showed up on our radar and we picked you up, and I didn't like you either.' Nat turns around to look at Delia in the eyes. 'And I know you haven't told me much yet about what's happened, but I can tell you need a friend. I'm not doing it out of pity, I'm not just doing this because Tony made me, I'm doing this because I want you to have a good life. I don't want you to feel suspicious of everyone around you, I don't want you to feel like how I did for years.'
'For real?' Delia asked.

'Yes. I'm russian too Cordelia, did you know that? I was in the KGB.' Natasha confides, 'I was trained to kill and lie. I'm not saying that is what you were told to do, but I don't think I'm far from the truth, am I?'
Delia took a deep breath, this was against everything she was taught. Never disclose information, never tell others what they did.
'Yeah. I guess. It's such a long story Nat. Can we make some pancakes?'
Nat smiles sadly, 'Sure kid. Get that flour from over there will you?'

Nat pours out the measurements and Delia mixes the batter, the spoon stirring itself while she goes and looks outside the huge glass window overlooking the city.
'There's so many buildings. It's so different from where I used to live.'
'It's a big shock when you first come to a big city. I felt the same, so many damn streets you can't remember how to get back to your own hotel.' she laughs. 'The batter is ready, you can stop mixing now.'
Delia points her hand towards the spoon and it drops onto the table, splashing Natashas face with pancake batter.
'Oops.' Delia starts to crack up. 'That was an accident- I- I swear.' she says between laughs.
Nat shakes her head and looks disapproving but she's also laughing. 'Thanks a lot for that.'

'Well you two are cheerful today. Good morning Nat, morning Delia.' Clint walks in. 'Oh- Nat... You have a little something on your face- just there.' Clint smirks.
'Blame her and her telekinesis. These enhanced always get so cocky.' Nat says sarcastically while she rubs the mixture off her face.
'Now come on Delia, we need to start cooking this batter before everyone else gets up.'

• • • • •

'Exceptional cooking Delia.' Bruce says while he bites into a pancake. 'Firsts time making pancakes?'
'First time cooking actually. Thanks Bruce.' Delia sits and admires her stack of pancakes in the middle of the table, Nat let her put chocolate chips in hers but she's still not taking a bite just yet.
Tony looks over at Delia, he decided he was a little too harsh on the kid last night, not that he's ready to apologise just yet.
'Kid you going to eat any of that pancake?' He asks.
'I'm no-' Delia starts to speak but Nat kicks her leg. 'You need to eat, Tony will get mad.' she whispers into her ear. 'Just a couple of bites. For me?'
Delia starts to cut up her food and takes a bite. She's nervous to eat in front of everyone else though, and she didn't want to have food for once reason only.
She just didn't want to give any more energy to her powers, just in case she lost her shit again and Wanda couldn't get her back into that cell.
But she doesn't want the others to know that, of course.

'Well I must say for someone who has never flipped a pancake in their life, this is gourmet level shit.' Delia announces.
Tony cracks a smile and the rest of the team laugh.
Tony gives a side eye to Steve. 'You not going to reprimand that poor language Captain Rogers?'
Steve rolls his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose, 'Once. I said it once. It was a slip of the tongue!'
'I've heard you whisper it a couple times underneath your breath sir-' Peter says.
'Snitches end up in....What was it again Vision?!' Steve interrupts.
'Snitches end up in ditches I believe is the term you are looking for.'
'That's it! Mr Parker you better watch it!' Steve fake threatens.

The whole team start laughing once again and end up breaking into their own little conversations. Nat leans over to Delia and whispers into her ear.
'Your pancakes put everyone in a damn good mood this morning. Tony's going to be getting you to make him a stack at 8am every morning.'
Delia smiles and looks over at Peter, who is pretending he's not been staring at the girl for the last two minutes.
'Only been a here a few days and your already getting admirers. It's the russian accent Delia, it drives boys and girls crazy- I know.' The pair of them smirk and start to laugh amongst themselves.