RESURRECTION OVERTURE ▹ barnes-romanoff

twenty-one.

He looks and quickly motions to Svet to join the song once again, but she subtly shakes her head. It doesn't really feel like an appropriate time.

He doesn't seem to get the message, "Family... back together again."

"Mmm." Melina shifts a bit uncomfortably, eyes darting from each of their faces, "Seeing as our family construct was just a calculated ruse that only lasted three years, I don't think that we can use this term anymore, can we?"

Svetlana sinks a little further, disappointment like a rock in her stomach.

"Agreed." Natasha tightly says and leans forward to get to the task at hand, "So, here's what's gonna happen—,"

"Okay." Alexei cuts her off, scooping food onto his plate, "A reunion then, huh? And, uh... I want to say something right off the bat." He turns to Svetlana's grandmother, eyes drooped low and voice purring, "You haven't aged a day, huh? You're just as beautiful and as supple as the day they staged our marriage."

Yelena takes a shot while Natasha's expression curdles and Svetlana feels a little bit nauseous.

"You got fat." Melina whispers, head tilted and a small smile his way, "But still good."

Svetlana's nose scrunches, asking for permission, "Mamulya...?"

Immediately understanding, Natasha slides her a shot, "Just this once."

Together, in time with one another, mother and daughter each throw the shots of vodka back.

"I just got out of prison. I, uh..." Alexei chuckles and glances between the younger girls and Melina, lowering his voice just not quiet enough, "I have a lot of energy..."

The two oldest adults chuckle with one another, and Svet suddenly wonders if it's a good thing she's never had to endure having both parents in the same room for long. Because... gross.

"Please don't do that," Her mother chokes, looking quite ill, "So, here's what's gonna happen—,"

"Natasha, don't slouch."

She immediately straightens, "I'm not slouching."

"Look at Svetlana's posture, so straight—"

"I don't slouch."

"You're going to get a back hunch!"

"Mm," Alexei grabs her shoulder to straighten her back, "Listen to your mother."

"Oh, my God, this—,"

"Up, up!" Alexei adds, encouraging her just as he did when she was a child.

"All right, enough!" Natasha finally snaps, glancing around the table, "All of you!"

"Svetochka and I didn't say anything!" Yelena whines, "That's not fair."

Svet doesn't mind so much. She's simply enjoying the show as she eats her dinner.

"Here's what's gonna happen!" Natasha cries over all of them, trying to get everyone to listen.

Unfortunately, it's not working very well because Alexei is taking gulps of vodka and Melina is scooping food onto each of their plates, no matter how much Yelena would like her to stop.

"I don't want any food," the blonde groans and hisses, throwing back another shot.

"Eat a little something, Yelena, for God's sake. And you too, Svetlana, you're too skinny!"

Melina drops heaps of food onto the grateful girl's already very full plate.

"Mmm," Svet mumbles through a full mouth and puffed cheeks, "Spasibo, babushka."