Are you Real?

Trust and Tensions

The following Monday:

The sound of papers rustling and the steady scratch of a pen fill the office. Natasha sits behind her desk, meticulously grading the new recruits assignments. With each paper, her expression tightens; disappointment etched across her features. She decides it's time for a harsher approach: no more leniency. If the next assignments are anything less than flawless, the recruits will be cut from the program.

A firm knock on her office door interrupts her thoughts. Without lifting her gaze from the papers, Natasha calls out, "Come in."

The door clicks open, and a figure steps inside. Natasha's eyes lift to meet the visitor, her gaze hardening instantly. "Agent Prince," she greets, her tone distinctly unenthusiastic.

Diana steps forward, extending a folder. "Here are the reports you requested." Natasha takes the folder, her fingers avoiding Diana's. "Thank you," she mutters curtly, her attention already returning to the stack of papers on her desk.

Diana remains standing, her jaw tensing slightly, but she inhales deeply before speaking. "Agent Romanoff," she begins, her voice firm, commanding attention. Natasha looks up, her expression one of impatience.

"I want to be part of the investigation team looking into the Red Room and Hydra," Diana declares.

Natasha raises an eyebrow, her demeanor cooling further, skepticism clear in her voice. "And why is that? So you can betray us again?"

Diana's expression remains stoic, but there's a flicker of hurt in her eyes at Natasha's accusation. "I understand your concerns," she responds evenly, her voice steady despite the tension between them. "But I've changed. My loyalties are clear, and my past mistakes while terrible—are just that, the past. I've proven myself since then, Natasha."

Natasha studies Diana for a moment, her eyes narrowing as she assesses the sincerity and resolve evident in her colleague's stance. The silence stretches, noticeably, as she weighs her decision. Finally, Natasha leans back in her chair, her posture relaxing marginally as she makes her judgment.

"You have proven yourself, to an extent," Natasha concedes, her voice tinged with caution as her gaze remains cool and displeased. "But understand this the Red Room and Hydra aren't just any threats. They're personal, and they're deadly. If I even consider putting you on this team, I need absolute certainty about your motivations." Her eyes narrow slightly, the distrust clear in her expression.

Natasha leans forward, her tone sharpening. "And let me be perfectly clear, Diana. I hope you're not doing this to impress a certain someone—someone like my wife." The mention of you is deliberate, a stark reminder of the hurt Diana has caused in the past, and the protective instincts it still triggers in Natasha.

"Y/n means more to me than anyone, and I won't let her be dragged back into your mess. You're here to stop them because it's the right thing to do," Natasha continues, her voice firm and commanding. "Not to seek redemption or approval from her or anyone else. If you're doing this for any reason other than to genuinely eliminate the threats posed by the Red Room and Hydra, then you can walk out the same way you came in."

Diana holds Natasha's gaze, the gravity of her words sinking in deeply. She speaks up, her voice firm yet careful. "I won't lie to you, Natasha," she begins, causing Natasha's jaw to clench instinctively at the introduction, wary of what might follow.

"I would be lying to myself and to you if I claimed there were no lingering feelings," Diana continues, her eyes scanning Natasha's face for any shift in expression. "Truthfully there will always be feelings. There is a past between Y/n and me." At these words, Natasha rises abruptly from her chair, which rolls back with the force of her movement. Her fists clench tightly on the desk as she stands, her posture taut with barely contained frustration.