You're breathing down my neck but it'll only make me win

[redinmyledger]

Characters: Natasha Romanoff and OTA (tag typicalsoldier)
When: Following this exchange
Where: Near the hospital, up on a roof.
What: A first meeting
Open or Closed? Open
Rating/Warnings PG-13, no warnings at present

Comments

[betrayedblade]

So many rooftop dwellers in the city already. Giovanni was, if anything, amused by this fact. Back home it had been sparse to find a fellow on the rooftops. A thief would use them to their advantage here or there, a guard patrol might be placed up high in certain occasions and/or at strategic places, but mostly the rooftops belonged to the Assassins. And in Florence at least that had mostly meant him and him alone. Venice was another story altogether and Rome...well, let's not dwell there.

Here there were plenty of people finding solace in the rooftops it seemed. Possibly even more than there had back in Discedo.

Either way, it then came as little surprise to him when he ran across someone on the rooftops while on his normal patrol. Or, rather, that someone came upon his current rooftop on their way across the city. His reaction was automatic; he took a step back into the shadows as she passed, simply watching and waiting for her to move on, having no intention of being noticed as was his way.

[redinmyledger]

Natasha was unaware at that moment of how many others in the city found solace on the rooftops, though she would have found some irony in it. Hard to find solace if every man and their dog had the same idea. She had built up a quick rhythm, the rooftops providing not as many challenges as the ones back in New York, but she did pause just as she was ready to move onto the next one.

A slight cock of her head and she found herself backtracking to peer into shadow as she turned to face away from her path. One hand snaked out quickly and she grabbed onto someone's shirt front as she pulled them forward. "Who are you?"

[betrayedblade]

It was an ill-conceived move on her part to manhandle the elder Assassin but luck was on her side today--Giovanni was not looking for a fight, and especially not one with a lady. He raised his hands to eye level, showing her his palms in a gesture of peace. (The best thing about that was it also put them closer to her hand if and when he needed to apply the right maneuver to break her hold.) He offered an almost smile.

"You may call me Giovanni, belladonna. May I have my shirt back if you would please?" His voice was awfully level, calm under the circumstances.

[redinmyledger]

Her lips quirked into an apologetic smile before Natasha released her hold. "I'm sorry, Giovanni. I am still not used to this place. Where I'm from most who lurk in the shadow are not allies. Or fellow hostages..." She took a step back so that he would understand she didn't mean any harm and ran her fingers through red hair as she let out a quiet sigh. Perhaps her restlessness would actually be her downfall in this place after all.

"I'm Natasha. And again, I apologise for the interruption to your lurking."

[typicalsoldier]

He was up on the roof, looking out beyond the bounds. There was a whole city out there and it was killing him they were trapped. Sure the park had opened up, but at what cost. He hadn't been one to go near the tree, but he was interested in it. He'd have to talk to Steve later about it. About the whole thing.

There were a decent amount of people here with skills that could be useful. Whatever Steve was planning on making, it would certainly be helpful here.

[redinmyledger]

It probably spoke volumes that the ones that preferred rooftops were either assassins or military types. Those used to solitary, or needing the quiet just to turn their minds off from everything they saw and did. Natasha's boots made little noise on the rooftop as she approached the man she believed to be Bucky, the flat heals designed for stealth. The tiniest of nods to her old life apparently. No guns, but she could still have her boots.

She came up beside him and stared at the spot he was looking at. "Bucky."

[typicalsoldier]

He heard her when she came in, heels on black asphalt was a give away. Bucky continued to look out though, beyond the bounds the city had given them. There was more out there, and honestly, that was worrying. Not just because it was the unknown, but given what happened when the park opened up, what else could happen?

Bucky turned lightly and looked at her. Damn. "Tasha."

[redinmyledger]

She found herself giving him a look of appreciation now that she was seeing him in the flesh and not just through a video. Her smile grew but then she caught his expression. "Is something the matter, Bucky?"