Blurred Bloodlines

A large metal door creaked as it was pulled open and a small figure was tossed inside. It hissed as it closed behind her.

The small shaking figure drug herself across the cold concrete floor until it reached a small, torn up mattress in the far corner. She pulled an old, crocheted blanket over her bruised and bloodied body, wrapping it tight around her, letting out a small hiss of pain as it tugged on the fresh bandages across her back.

When she was done wrapping herself in the blanket, she grabbed the little teddy bear next to her and held it close. It was the only other comfort she was allowed. The little bear was in rough condition, missing an arm and the little blue coat it was wearing was falling apart. But it was the only friend she had.

Her Buck-Buck.

Most nights she would hold it close and pretend she was somewhere else. That she was someone else.

But she never cried, she couldn't anymore. They saw to that.

HYDRA's methods of punishment were always severe.

They suffered no failure and this time was no different.
She had failed to subdue the Black Widow and retrieve the files, so on top of the usual beating, she also had to undergo a series of injections that simulated being bitten by a black widow spider. It was not designed to kill her but to teach her their newer methods of inflicting pain.
Her skin still burned and itched in certain spots, but after 3 hours, she was finally let go.
She thought back to what the older woman had said to her.
'Kid, You are too much like your father. I know him.'
'Who is my father?'
She rememebered once asking Strucker if he were her father.
"Me? Your father? Hah! I could never father an animal such as you. It takes a special breed of monster for that."
His words stung but didn't deter her from her questioning.
"Who is my father?"
She remembers the sting his hand left on her cheek.
"Your father was a dangerous animal that would sooner kill you than care for you. Now you are to no longer ask about him, that is an order. Am I clear?"
"Yes, master." Strucker patted her head at that.
"Good girl. Now I have a treat for you."
Her insides twisted.
"What is it?"
The Baron motioned to the guards at the door and when it opened, her eyes darkened.
That was when a brilliant white light outlined in blue filled her eyes.
Whoever it was had undergone Strucker's genetic enhancement procedure.
The light whirled and twisted, taking the shape of a teenage boy, maybe a year or so older than her. She could make out the shape of a long lean body and shaggy hair down to his shoulders, but when he lifted his eyes to her, she swallowed hard.
His eyes were a pure blue brilliance that sparked in the darkness of her eyes.
No one else in the facility had eyes like that.
The pale blue light that made up his lips curved and one eye closed briefly. He winked at her! Her cheeks suddenly felt too warm.
She narrowed her eyes at him, wiping the smirk from his face.
"This is one of our newest volunteers: Pietro Maximoff."
'Pietro...' It sounded Russian.
"You two are to spar with each other. I want to see you both pushing yourselves to the brink of exhaustion. Show us what you can do."
The young man finally spoke, his rich accent sending a shiver down her spine.
"I am sorry, Baron Strucker, but I cannot fight this girl. She is blind, correct? I cannot fight a blind girl, it would be far too one-sided, don't you think?"
She was scared and confused at the effect he was having on her.
'What is wrong with me?'
She was so lost in her thoughts that she almost missed Strucker's reply.
"Herr Maximoff, I think you might want to think twice about making her upset. She is far more skilled than you think."
"I don't want to hurt her."
The girl snarled and moved forward and slammed her fist right into his jaw, knocking him back a step.
"Well, that was unexpected. Alright, little girl, you're on."
She smiled widely.
'This was going to be fun.'
All of a sudden, he disappeared.
She stilled. 'What?'
Then an arm in her back hit her full force and sent her flying forward.
Luckily, she had quick reflexes to save her nose from smashing into the floor. She tucked in and used her hands to vault herself forward, flipping mid-air and landing on her feet.
"I have to admit, you have nice moves. For a little girl."
Anger coursed through her veins and she spun a foot around, only for it to hit empty air.
"Oh, that was close. Good try."
'Super speed, of course.'
That's why he was seemingly in front of her and behind her at once.
She threw open her eyes wider and let the light flood into them.
'Now try running, speedy.'
He flashed up behind her and this time she was ready. Before he could touch her, she threw a foot back and up into his chest, before spinning around and punching him square in the nose.
"No more running now."
His voice was shocked and a little muffled from his hand holding his face.
"How are you doing that?"
She huffed and sent a kick at him again, which he dodged, sending a fist into her jaw.
They traded blows like that for what seemed like hours until they both just dropped to the floor.
He smacked her on the shoulder before slumping back, gasping for breath.
"You....are...very good...at fighting."
She kicked him in the side, struggling to fight through her exhaustion, but finally she gave up and laid there, breathing heavily.
The young man turned his brilliant blue eyes to her and smiled tiredly.
"So 'malen'kaya luna,' same time tomorrow?"
Something fluttered in her chest at the nickname.
'He gave me a name.'
She smiled brightly at him.
'I have a name now.'
She smacked him one more time which caused him to laugh.

He had a nice laugh.

Notes