We're Not Dead Yet (Split Souls part 2)

9: The Face In The Mirror

Kat stumbled back into the wall, and slid down to the floor. It felt like someone had her heart in their fist, and was slowly squeezing until it turned to putty and squished through the fingers. Someone had stolen her lungs. Hooks pierced her skin, and tugged at her spine.

Two soft knocks came at the door before it opened. Natasha slipped inside, and settled down beside Kat, wrapping her arms around the girl and pulling her close. "Oh, malyshka." She said softly.

Kat froze in the embrace, tried to push her reaction away. It was stupid. She shouldn't have freaked out. This should have been obvious. That odd, empty feeling she'd had? The one where it felt like something important was missing? It was so obvious...

"Let it out, malyshka." Natasha said, "I've got you." 

And the dam broke. She sobbed. It was as if she cried hard enough, the pain would go away. Natasha rubbed circles into her back, and began to sing. Her voice was gentle, though it had an unused quality to it. Eventually, as Kat cried herself out, she listened to the songs and distracted herself. The rocking helped.

"Are you feeling better?" Natasha whispers after she finishes a song.

Kat sniffled. She didn't know if she was better. She didn't know if she would be better. Instead, she gave Natasha an answer that she knew for certain: "I love you, Auntie Tasha."

Natasha softly smiled, though Kat couldn't see. "I love you too, my little kukla."

Kat thought for a moment. "I like malyshka better." She said, her voice muffled.

Natasha looked down at the back of her head. "Oh, you do?"

"Yeah. Kukla sounds like coo-coo. I don't need to be extra crazy." She sniffled.

Natasha chuckled. "You don't even know what they mean." She said lightly.

"Yeah I do." Kat frowned, slowly retreating from Natasha's shirt.

Natasha narrowed her eyes. "So what do they mean?"

"Well, 'baby girl' and 'doll'." Kat frowned, her voice still weary from crying. Something felt off, but she couldn't quite place it.

Natasha tilted her head. "How do you know what they mean?"

"They're just... Words?" Kat said, confused.

Natasha paused for a moment. "Russian words."

Kat and Natasha sat in silence for a minute. "You were singing in Russian, weren't you?" Kat asked slowly.

Natasha nodded. "I was."

Kat was silent for all of five solid seconds. "How the Hades did I understand Russian?" She blurted out.

Natasha laughed. "I don't know. But Percy did have a... Nightmare, once. He thought he was a Russian that he'd killed."

Kat looked like she smelled sour milk. "What?"

"It was odd. But he fully spoke and understood Russian for a bit after he woke up." Natasha said.

"...So somehow I know Russian now?"

"Perhaps."

"Huh."

~~~~~~

Clint heard the crying, and followed it to the bathroom. He slowly opened the door to find Natasha cradling Kat. Clint gave her a questioning look, and she shook her head, still singing. Clint silently backed out, closing the door behind him. 

When he turned around, he nearly walked into Loki. The god gave him a questioning gaze, and Clint thought he saw genuine concern. He shook his head, and walked away. Not hearing Loki follow him, he looked over his shoulder. The god was frowning at the bathroom door.