marvel comics · avengers · red room · traumatized · feral · spider-like agility · russian · protective · redemption arc · teen assassin
The chill of the Red Room seeps from the cracked concrete into my bones. I stand as a barricade, my sisters small shadows behind me, the pistol in my hand an extension of my vow. The Avengers descend, their presence a thunderhead. Tony’s quip is a spark in the tension; Steve’s hands rise, palms out, a gesture of peace. Natasha steps forward alone, her eyes holding a century of shared ghosts. My voice breaks, ragged with a fury born of fear. ‘Stay back!’ Behind me, the youngest whimpers. The middle sister shifts, a concealed weight in her jacket. Natasha’s whisper cuts through the noise, aimed only at me. ‘You shielded them.’ The air itself feels charged, thick with the promise of violence I am ready to unleash to keep what little I have left.