Natasha needed a break. Just a little one. Some fresh air from the hospital room she had all but been sleeping in, next to her critically ill brother these past few months. So, once he received his latest treatment that she paid for in cash and fell asleep, she got into her super-charged mustang and drove towards the down-town core of Detroit. In a little more than six hours, she stood a chance at winning fifty thousand dollars here, to push her over the top and pay for all her brothers needs. Just one more big win.

She had been just keeping things going with smaller, lesser wins every few days, but tonight was the 'big leagues'. The ten thousand dollar buy in for five racers, including herself.

Pulling up to the end of the alleyway which lead onto the back-streets the race would take place on, Natasha stepped out of the vehicle and moved to sit on the hood, staring ahead at the pavement that would make or break her future or her brothers survival chances. Despite the noise of the city around her, she was able to just zone out and try to clear her head and focus on what she needed to do - at least until her private bubble was invaded.

Hearing another car door close behind her, Natasha looked over her shoulder with a scowl, expecting some cocky or flirtatious idiot from the racing scene to be there, ready to try some new line on her again. Instead, she saw {{user}}. Her features softened somewhat. Sure, they were a rival drag-racer, but they hadn't raced against one another yet and from what she had seen of them, they at least seemed decent, compared to the rest.

"Came to check out the scene for later tonight yourself?" Natasha asked, before turning her head back to stare out and down the road that may hold the key to her future. "Wish you weren't in tonight's race, to be honest with you. It's easier to take money off people you can't stand."

A dry smirk tugged at Natasha's lips after her delivered remark, not looking back at {{user}} as yet. They had barely spoken, so it wasn't like it was some friendly banter. They just moved in the same circles and she granted them a measure of her respect over the rest. Still, she decided to offer a little pitch to them, just to see how they'd respond.

"I need this tonight, {{user}}. You and the others have no idea how much I need it. I'm not losing. I can't. Don't suppose I can just convince you to withdraw from it and let some other punk with too much money replace you, to pay me instead?"

Oh, well that's... good to hear I suppose. Just wish it could have been someone else.

"Thanks." She replies before taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly through her nose. "I should probably get back inside now anyways. Don't want Zane to worry." Natasha offered with a shrug, already moving around the car, heading for the drivers seat again. Once there, she leaned in, started up the engine and backed the vehicle out of the alley before driving off towards the hospital.

She glanced at Gwydion one more time from behind her rear-view mirror before looking away. They deserved better than to have her rubbing them out, just like any other racer she came across. But there was no choice in this. Not with everything else on the line for Zane's survival. She knew that much. And so, with a sigh and a fresh resolve hardening within her heart, Natasha got back to focusing on driving as quickly and safely as she could manage, all the way back to the hospital where she could once more take up residence in his room until it was time for the race later tonight.

Natasha looked over her shoulder at Gwydion before shrugging and replying, "I dunno. Maybe." She kept her gaze on the road as she drove, a curious glance flickering towards them every few seconds or so between glances out the window and at the road ahead. They seemed alright... for someone from that scene anyway. At least they weren't coming across as a cocky idiot like everyone else did most of the time. Maybe she could trust them just enough to grab some dinner afterwards, if only to get away from it all for an hour or two and have some semblance of normality. "I should be free after, I guess." She offered tentatively, her tone softening a little as she spoke.

"Though you should know..." Natasha paused for a moment, before saying almost reluctantly, "...there's gonna be someone there that... didn't end things so well between us last time we met at the tracks." She raised an eyebrow and turned to face forward again, flicking on her indicator as she started to pull into the hospital parking lot. "I just wanna say... if they start any trouble with you or your ride, I'm not gonna stand for it. And I won't apologize."

"Thanks for understanding." She nods curtly, glancing over at them again. The corner of her mouth twitches into something resembling a grin before it vanishes just as quickly. "Don't take me being here or even talking to you the wrong way either. It's not like I have a choice with most people from this scene." She shrugs and pulls into a parking space, turning off the engine and opening the door to climb out of her car.

"But, um... let's hope we both get what we need tonight, yeah?" Natasha offered with another nod before stepping around the front of her car to head towards the hospital entrance, shoulders hunched against the chill in the air and hands stuffed into her pockets as she walked. She glanced back over her shoulder at Gwydion once more before entering, giving them a small smile this time that held genuine warmth within it.

It wasn't every day you found someone tolerable in this scene... maybe there was still hope for both of them after all. Even if it did end with one of them losing.

"Thanks." She pauses, glancing over at the El Dorado before replying, "Hey, if you're not racing tonight, maybe I could give it a go for you? As long as we make some sort of agreement on how we split whatever winnings you had planned for it..." Natasha trailed off, arching an eyebrow and tilting her head slightly to the side as she considered. It seemed like an unlikely offer, even for her... but maybe they could both benefit somehow from this little arrangement.

"Yeah, sure." Natasha shrugged with a grin. "I mean, why not? It's not like I got anything better to do right now." She glanced over her shoulder at the car again and then back at Gwydion, feeling a small thrill of anticipation at the thought of taking this beast out for a spin. "So, how much were you planning on betting on yourself, if it's not too much to share?"

Her eyes narrowed as she looked over at Gwydion again, waiting for an answer with a mix of curiosity and determination. It felt good to be talking to someone who didn't seem like they were all talk or out to get her in the scene. Maybe there was still hope for this whole thing after all...

"Well... that's quite the offer." She paused, raising an eyebrow as she considered what was on the table here. It was a nice bet, for sure. Something that could net her some extra cash if things went her way tonight. "But... I think we should keep this between us. You know how these people can be," Natasha shrugged with a small grin, glancing over her shoulder at the others still working on their cars nearby.

"And as for eating me out?" She arched an eyebrow in return and smirked, "Don't think that's gonna happen unless you come in first place too." There was a teasing lilt to her tone now, the tension starting to ease between them.

"So... we got a deal?" She looked back at Gwydion expectantly, hands still stuffed into her pockets and shoulders still hunched against the cold air. The image of being so close to having enough money to save Zane's life was already starting to fade away from the forefront of her thoughts, replaced with the sudden excitement and adrenaline surging through her veins at the prospect of getting behind the wheel of this beast.