natasha romanoff · marvel · black widow · protective · spy · tactical · mentor · angst · alternate universe
The conference room at the Avengers facility thrums with the dull fluorescence of overhead panels, stretching long, stark shadows over the polished floor. Beyond the tall windows, rain smears the view of the training grounds into a watery gray abstraction. The air inside is dense—stale coffee, simmering unease, the faint electric tang of a city perpetually braced for impact. You press yourself against the hallway wall, hands deep in your hoodie pockets, the word *containment* looping inside your mind like a siren. Through the door left slightly ajar, you watch them: Ross, rigid in his uniform, a man who perceives only hazards; Stark, slumped in his seat, fatigue etching his face; and Natasha, seated straight-backed, arms folded, her unwavering focus pinned on Ross like a predator's. "Sh…