Natasha was curled up on the sofa enjoying a good book. The weather outside was downright miserable so she was smothered in blankets and cradling a mug of steaming cocoa. She could hear the foul weather raging outside, the wind causing the rain to lash against the window panes. Her cat leapt up onto the cushions next to her and proceeded to nuzzle his head into her side. She put down her mug and scratching him behind the ears. She was rewarded with content purring.
A knock at the door interrupted them and Natasha stared curiously at Liho. "I wonder who that could be." Who would go out in such weather. She folded the corner of her page and set the book on the coffee table. Her blankets fell from around her shoulders as she rose and made her way over. Liho wasted no time in claiming the warm spot where she'd just been.
Peeping through the spy hole, she frowned as she recognised the familiar face. Her good mood vanishing as she unlocked the door and swung it open. "What do you want?" She stood arms crossed with an unamused look on her face. The man towered over her tiny frame yet she remained impatient rather than afraid.
"I want you to come back." She shook her head and held her hand up to silence him.
"No." He narrowed his eyes at her whilst she turned to shut the door. He grabbed her arm and ignored her indignant cry.
"I didn't say you got a choice in that." Liho leapt up hissing, his back arched and his claws unsheathed. Natasha stared up at him.
"Let me go. Now." She said coldly. She tried tugging her arm free but he pulled her in closer.
"No. You're mine." She smelt the alcohol on his breath and fear reared up. Sober he wasn't a problem, drunk? He became irrational and dangerous. She became a little more frantic as she tried to escape his grip.
"You're drunk Alexei." He pushed her backwards into the apartment and she stumbled, knocking the picture frames off of the side table as she tried to regain balance. He slammed the door shut and stalked towards her. She held her hands up placatingly whilst Liho rushed to her defence. Alexei kicked him to the side and Liho yowled in pain, having been slammed into the wall.
"Stupid cat. Should of drowned him when I had the chance." His boots broke the glass in the frame as he stomped over it. He eyed Natasha sharply whilst he swooped down and snatched it up, shards of glass scattering. "Who's this?" He looked at the picture of Natasha and some man laughing in the park. He had an arm wrapped around her waist and she had hers looped around his neck. Both were oblivious to the camera next to them as they were too caught up in each other. Both of their eyes were twinkling in happiness even as they were frozen in time.
Alexei waved the image accusingly at her. She'd slunk towards the wall, her hands reaching behind her for something she could throw. His eyes flashed dangerously as he strode towards her and grabbed her by the scruff of her hoodie. "WHO IS THIS?!" He roared, shaking her whilst brandishing the accursed photo in her face. He had a fistful of her jumper and slammed her against the wall. She scratched her nails down his face and drew blood. When he dropped her, howling in pain, she scrambled towards her phone. He yelled in anger and grabbed her by the hood, lifting her up and strangling her.
She twisted wildly, kicking and punching but always missing. He shook her again and held her firmly against the wall. "Who is he." He hissed. Spittle flew from his mouth as he seethed in rage. She cried out in desperation. She called for help from her neighbours but was silenced by Alexei's hand. It was huge and calloused, like a bear paw, and muffled her cries.
"What is going on here?" A man stood in the doorframe, an umbrella in one hand and a brief case in the other. He set the case on the floor and took in the scene. He sized up Alexei and spotted Natasha hidden behind his huge form. His features went from concerned to angry.
"Stay out of this." Alexei turned back towards Natasha but was stopped by the stranger.
"Let her go." Alexei snarled at the audacity of this man and compared him to the photo. They were the same person.
"You stole my girlfriend." He tossed Natasha to the floor where she rubbed her bruised throat. "You'll pay for that you bastard." He lunged forwards but was halted by someone tugging his arm.
"ALEXEI NO!" Natasha tried holding him back but he backhanded the red haired wench so hard she hit the coffee table and smashed the mug. Hot liquid pooled from the broken shards and scolded her skin. She rolled off of it, her cheek already swelling and little bits of pottery embedded in her palms. A gash had opened up dangerously close to her eye and blood mingled with the brown cocoa.
The other man growled angrily and swung his umbrella like a staff, sweeping Alexei off of his feet and making the whole floor shudder when he hit the ground. Alexei jumped right back up and knocked the umbrella away. They both starting swinging fists and the man drew first blood, breaking Alexei's nose. "JAMES!" Alexei picked up the briefcase and cracked it over his head. James hit the floor and Alexei leapt on top of him, pounding him over and over again.
His face became a bloody mess as Alexei drove his fist down again and again. Something hit the back off his head and he turned around to glare at Natasha. Her book lay to the side where it had bounced of Alexei's head. He got back to his feet and charged towards her. She dodged his attack and ran for the kitchen, vaulting over the sofa in the process. He barrelled after her but was intercepted by James. He was tackled to the ground and they exchanged blows again. They were rolling around on the floor kicking, punching and biting. Each trying to get the advantage over the other.
Alexei managed to pin James down once again and reached for a wicked shard of glass from one of the broken frames. James bucked beneath him, trying to throw him off. Alexei grinned nastily as he pressed the jagged edge to James's jugular. James stopped moving as the sharp glass drew a shallow cut. His eyes darted around for something, anything he could use as either a distraction or a weapon. His breathing became harsher as Alexei pressed deeper.
A gunshot went off.
Alexei fell forward.
Natasha stood, leaning heavily on the counter with a gun held in her hand, the barrel still smoking lightly. James pushed Alexei's body off of him, for a body it only was, the bullet having ripped through his heart. He ran a hand across his face, smearing the blood rather than cleaning it. Natasha dropped the gun and sunk to the floor, resting her head back against the counter. James lay breathing heavily and Liho mewled pitifully in the corner. Their apartment was trashed.
"We can't stay here." Natasha chuckled as she shook her head.
"No we can't." She agreed.
"So where to?"
"Wherever the authorities won't find us." She closed her eyes, exhausted. James coughed slightly.
"You owe me 20 bucks." She groaned. "Don't be like that Nat, two more days and you would've won." She groaned again.
"Only two more days until we beat New York?" He chuckled.
"We could go back you know." She rolled her head to the side and frowned at him.
"What?"
"We could go back. Steve could set us up." She shook her head. "What about Washington? Wilson wouldn't mind. Or Malibu? Even Stark is willing to help." She kept shaking her head.
"We can't go back."
"And we can't keep running." He sat up and stared at her.
"I know."
"So what do we do?"
She sighed wearily. "We go north."
