Way We Go Down ｡ Natasha Romanoff

5 - BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS

The first few weeks were hard on Alec Thayer, much harder than he had expected. For many years he had grown used to the hardship of training. He much liked the dull pain in his muscles, indicating he had worked hard to get where he was. The pain reminded him that he was alive and with war, that was a key reminder that kept him going when days grew dark around him. But training with other agents alike, he found himself struggling. S.H.I.E.L.D's training was a whole different ball game, very different from his army training days. The agents around him were skilled in their training, having more time to focus on their strengths. It seemed S.H.I.E.L.D created a different type of soldier, one that was ruthless. The training produced deadly killers that were classified as the best of the best. Alec sometimes found himself wondering if this was actually what he wanted, to become a deadlier version of himself but then his fists would slam against muscle, his body working flawlessly as he took down a practise partner and he knew this was probably the only place he belonged. 

"Nice work. Mostly." A voice called out through the quiet training room. Alec was helping up his opponent, a rather chatty man that he had spent a lot of time joking around with as they stretched out their muscles and mended their bruises. Mitchell was his first real friend within S.H.I.E.L.D, an army brat himself. "I mean, your reflexes are smooth but your attacks are rusty."

Natasha smiled as she leaned up against the doorframe, her arms crossed over her chest and her blinding red hair pulled up into a slick ponytail, the curls loose and bouncy. She had been keeping an eye on Alec since he had arrived at the headquarters. He was put right into intensive training, something not all agents made it through. Nick Fury was determined that Alec was something special, although she didn't quite see that just yet. He was a good solider, something Fury admired in all of his agents. But he was used to the front lines where men had no choice but to fight and it ending with blood. Being an agent was different and patience was key. That was something she wasn't sure Alec had deep within him. 

"Hand-to-hand combat wasn't all that necessary when you had a gun in your hand." Alec breathed out, his eyes snapped over to watch her. He wiped a hand across his forehead and spotted a new bruise forming on his bicep already. Mitchell might be his only friend here but he didn't hold back with the punches. "Rusty is something I can improve on though."

Mitchell was rolling out his shoulder, watching the two of them with a keen grin. He hadn't known Alec all that long but he knew that familiar look in his eyes. "Agent Romanoff, always a pleasure." 

Natasha stepped into the room and almost missed the weak scent of powder and sweat. She had spent months in this very room once upon a time too but that was years ago, her training complete. "Agent Davenport." She gave a brief nod of her head in greeting, knowing the man before her through a handful of missions. "I see you boys are having fun."

She grinned across at Alec and handed over a towel that had been hung over a bench and threw it over at him to mop up the blood pooling around his bottom lip where Mitchell had busted open his lip. It wasn't the first time his blood had fallen to the training room floor and it would not be the last. "If you call kicking Thayer's butt fun. Your boy here is a little slow."

Alec sent him a look as he dabbed the towel to his lip. He had always been at the top of his ranks, always pushing himself further to be the best. Suddenly, he found himself at the bottom and he didn't like it. All those years in the army had proved for nothing and here, he was just another army kid with high hopes. He would turn that image of himself around though, he was determined like that. 

"It takes practice to be the best." Natasha shrugged her shoulders, letting her gaze settle back on Alec and watching him wince as he pulled away the towel from his face. That was the first time she noticed the bruises on his arms, most likely inflected from other agents, all showing him just how good they were. She couldn't help but wonder what the remaining unseen skin of his looked like, most likely yellow and purple with bruises too. "I told you it wasn't going to be easy." She added in with a tiny smile over at him. 

Mitchell just snickered quietly, turning away from them both and crossing the training room to grab his bottle of water and gear bag. They had been training for hours, all he needed was an ice bath and a nice glass of strong whiskey. "I remember telling you something along the lines of not backing down from a challenge." Alec tried his best with a smile but cringed as his ribs ached with a tiny laugh. 

He enjoyed pain but recently, it was not a welcoming feeling as he stared up at his ceiling and counted the cracks and wondered how long it would take to become great. "Well good news soldier, you've survived your first few weeks and you're not dead. That's something."

"Does that mean I can buy you a drink?" Alec grinned, hoping to break down some of her walls. For weeks he was trying to snag her attention but she was very hard to read. This was the second time he had come face-to-face with Natasha Romanoff since he had arrived and wasn't going to miss an opportunity to get to know her. 

Natasha crossed her arms over her chest again, mildly intrigued by his attempt. She usually didn't hang out at the local bar with agents after a long mission, that was something reversed for newbies that were trying to mingle. That was something she was not interested in but with a sigh, she found herself agreeing. "Why don't I buy you a drink? I think you've earned it. Despite your overwhelming rustiness." 

"How many times do I have to say it?" Alec was grinning though, thankful she had dropped her guard down, even for a second. "I can improve on rustiness. Trust me."

The redhead gave a quick frown, already backing away from him. She still needed to drop by for a briefing session on her latest mission with Fury before her night was actually over and she was free to buy Alec a drink. "You need to quit saying that, soldier. I don't trust. Ever." She sent him a little look over her shoulder on her way out, seeing him watching her. "Meet me at the bar in an hour. If you're late, you owe me a drink. Deal?"

Alec nodded, threading the towel over his shoulder. "Deal."