A Bit Different

Chapter 20

***Time skip (1 month)***

Training was going excellently. Persia was pushing them very hard, but the Avengers were determined not to break.

Their love for the bright-eyed girl had also prevented them from cursing her or even complaining too much. She was just so easy to like. Even after brutal training and lots of scolding, she still managed to win their hearts. 

***flashback***

Natasha was in her room, bandaging her knuckles. She'd had a very intense fight with Clint and she left feeling devastated. And worst part was that she didn't remember what the argument was about.

All she knew was that they had a petty squabble and their pent-up emotions decided to show themselves. She considered it a side-effect of being a spy. they never showed any emotions and so they got bottled up so much that they sometimes burst like a volcano.

She regretted it so much, but her pride kept her from running after him and apologizing. It was mental torture for her to recall the way her fists hit him and the way his foot felt against her stomach, but she could not stop thinking about it as she lay on her bed, tears streaming down her face.

She would have never done something like this, cry on her bed, but the intensity of her caged emotions forced her. She desperately wanted to forget it happened, but it never left her mind. Clint was like a part of her, and she felt as if she had lost that part of herself.

These thoughts kept repeating themselves in her head as she curled up on the corner of her bed and buried herself under the quilts. She lay there for who know how long, trying to gain her composure, but then she broke down again.

Just then, the door banged open. Instinctively, she threw the knife under her pillow, guessing where the intruder would stand. She never got visitors in her bedroom. 

She expected to hear an exclamation of pain or a few curses, but she did not expect the dull thud of the dagger hitting the carpeted floor.

She finally looked up, now curious. She must have looked like quite the image with her usual impeccable appearance looking untidy, with her hair in a messy bun and in sweatpants, but it did not seem to face her trainer, who was simply looking at her, leaning on the door frame.

"What do you want?" She tried snapping, but her voice came out as weak and unsteady.

"I heard" Persia muttered and moved gracefully and sat on her bed. What she next did completely caught her off guard. She carefully moving in closer and gathered Natasha into her arms.

Percy was just 18, but the warm and comfort Natasha found in her hug, almost made her cry. She had experience quick, friendly hugs, but none so comforting, so meaningful.

They stayed in the same position, with Persia hugging the sobbing assassin, until she had calmed down. once Percy was satisfied, she moved back to her original seat and whispered two little words. "I understand." she said.

"I don't know what to do..." Natasha said, mostly talking to herself. She knew Percy did not understand what was going on in her head, but a little gleam in her eyes made her think if maybe she did know.

"Talk to him." Again she gave her a simple advice, but so much weight on the tiny sentence. There she decided that yes, she was going to talk to him. She was going to make things right again.

She hurriedly wiped her eyes and  splashed water on her face. as was was about to leave, she turned back to see the slim girl smirk at her.

"Thank you" Natasha whispered, her eyes conveying the genuine thankfulness. In return Percy's own eyes took on a look of fondness.

"Your welcome, but hurry, Clint is going to finish all the ice-cream." She said, her lips still set in the mischievous smirk. Her own lips stretched into a smile as she got to know that she wasn't the only one miserable for a whole day.

From then on, Percy had developed a bond with the assassin, just like she had one with all of them.