malignant (Natasha X Reader)

part 3 |the first crack in the glass|

SONG OF THE CHAPTER: Shake it out - Florence + the machine

All the Avengers were gathered in the living room discussing what to do. Well, it was mainly Rhodey and Sam shouting at each other.

"117 countries want to sign this Sam. 117."

"How long are you going to play both sides."

Y/n laughed and said: "forever by the looks of it"

"Oh don't you even get started," Rhodey stared.

"What is that supposed to mean," she sneered getting up and getting closer to him.

"I have an equation." Vision interrupted preventing the catfight that was about to happen.

"Oh, now this will clear things up."

"In the 8 years since Mr Stark announced himself as Iron Man the number of known enhanced persons has grown exponentially and during the same period the number of potentially world-ending events has risen at a commensurate rate."

"Are you saying that these things are our fault?" Steve interrupted

"I'm saying there may be a causality. Our very strength invites challenge. Challenge incites conflict. Conflict breeds catastrophe. Oversight... oversight is not an idea that can be dismissed out of hand."

"Boom" Rhodey glares at Sam.

"Tony you are being very uncharacteristically quiet."

"That's because he's already made up his mind"

"I'm sorry, can I just reiterate the fact that some of us are seriously considering this offer? Has it not been proven in the past, especially recently, that high-end organisations are still able to be infiltrated with hydra operators? So much so that they were going to wipe out most of the world's population, using our very own technology. Surely that says a lot. What if that were to happen again? Hm? Hydra takes over the government but this time they have the Avengers under their control. That sounds like a good plan, doesn't it? Also, we are some of the most powerful and influential people in the world right now. We've all achieved, for better or for worse, things that no one else could even begin to compare to. And we're just going to go along with this plan even though it'll just end up being a disaster. I won't sit around and let that happen." Y/n stood up and spoke to the room.

"She has a point," Steve agreed.

She looked towards Natasha for support on her opinion but the redhead just quickly turned to look at the floor.

"You're really choosing to sign this, aren't you? It could get us all arrested are you kidding? Once we sign we have to be fully under their control!" Y/n raised her voice in disbelief at Natasha.

"It's what we have to do," Natasha responded finally looking at her.

"It's not. I won't have it. I will not be signing those papers under any circumstances." Y/n stated and stormed off.

-

Mind racing; heart pounding; hands trembling, y/n paced her room panicking. She was stuck in a loop. She couldn't sign it. Part of her reasoning was that she knew they would take advantage of her. They would have full control over her and imprison her. Yet, if Stygian didn't sign it she would also be imprisoned.

That is, if they caught her.

The thought of running now seemed childish but seemed like a safe bet.

When did she ever take the safe route? This is Stygian we're talking about.

Natasha was the thing keeping the killer back. She didn't want to leave her but she was choosing the opposite team.

"Fuck!" She exclaimed into her hands, torn by the decision she had to make.

Putting on her gym clothes she quickly took off to the training room.

-

An hour had passed and she was still down there. The entire time she used the punching bags.

Blood poured from her hands as she kept going blinded by anger. At this point, she had also started to taste the blood coming out of her mouth.

Kicking, punching, and repeatedly attacking the punching bag was getting Stygian nowhere.  Her anger was controlling her. Tears were now staining her face, escaping her eyes.

-

Ignoring the sound of the door open, y/n kept killing the punching bag, until a pair of soft arms wrapped around her and pulled her away.

It took her a minute to adjust her sight but she finally focused on Natasha.

"Hey, don't do this to yourself. It's not safe, it's not your fault." Natasha held y/ns cheek trying to calm her down, giving her a pitying look.

"I'm trapped." Y/n cried resting her head on Natasha's shoulder.
"I don't want to leave you but I can't stay."

"Please just sign the accords, y/n," Natasha sighed.
"Y/n you know you need to stay on the right side of the law. God knows what they could frame you for and what they'll do to you. You have to be careful. Think this through, how do you know you're in the right?"

"How do I know? I want to save everyone possible. And if that means going against the law then I will. I've done it before what's stopping me now? You know you're not doing much better."

"Y/n come on please listen I want you to make the best decision."

"No! Fuck off! Stop trying to get me to be on your side when I know what I want. Do you seriously want to be controlled by the government? I don't think that will end well." Stygian snarled.

"You can talk. All that will happen will be that you're arrested and locked away with the rest of the crew. You'll end up their slave. But i suppose you're used to that and don't care anymore. " Natasha spat back at her.

Tears well up in Y/n's eyes as she stared at Nat. This was their first proper fight and she had no idea it would get this brutal.

"Don't give me that look. You know I'm trying to help."

"Really? You're not helping in the slightest, you're making everything worse! Just fuck off!"

As soon as the killer said it she regretted it but couldn't take it back.

"I'm not becoming the government's pet. I wouldn't know how to live. I wouldn't be able to."

"Have it your way, but I'm not changing my mind" Natasha argued back walking out the room, "I was only wanting what's best but you clearly refuse to listen to others"