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"Oh, no you don't!"
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THREE YEARS AFTER THE SNAP
IVY IS 5 YEARS OLD
"That's amazing, petal!" Nova cheered as Ivy placed her hands on the floor in the gym, creating grass under her fingers before the green blades seeped back into her skin.
"I did it!" Ivy yelled excitedly, running towards Nova who crouched, grabbing her and picking her up, twirling them around. "I did it, Mummy!"
"Yes, you did!" Nova grinned, placing Ivy on her hip. "So proud of you."
"Thank you." Ivy smiled, leaning her head on Nova's shoulder.
"What are you two celebrating?" Natasha asked with a smile, walking into the gym and pecking Nova on the lips as Ivy made an 'ew' sound while Nova chuckled.
"Well, Ivy has learnt a new trick." Nova said, excitement evident in her voice.
"Have you really?" Natasha asked and Ivy nodded, jumping out of Nova's arms and placing her hands on the floor, repeating her earlier actions and the red head gasped. "That's so good, цветок." (Flower)
"Mummy and Daddy helped." Ivy said, bouncing on the balls of her feet.
"No, we didn't. Twas all you." Nova shook her head and Ivy bowed her head shyly at the compliment.
"C'mon, lunch." Natasha grinned, leading them out of the gym and Ivy took their hands excitedly, running out of the room and dragging her parents with her.
"Uncle Stevie!" Ivy cheered as she spotted Steve walk into the compound.
"There she is!" The blonde exclaimed as the child jumped up at him and he caught her, placing her on his hip. "How's my favourite niece?"
"I'm your only niece." Ivy huffed as they walked to the kitchen.
"You're getting sassier and sassier." Steve commented, placing her down on a stool a shes giggled. "Take after your Mum."
"Natasha's fault!"
"Nova's fault!"
"Hey!"
"You hey! You hey!"
"I'm hungry!" Ivy pouted, interrupting her parents playful squabbling as her stomach rumbled.
"There you go, one crisp sandwich." Natasha smiled, placing down the plate and sliding it towards Ivy.
"Thanks, Mama." Ivy thanked, digging into the halved sandwich as Nova did the same with hers.
They are together, chatting quietly and laughing between themselves as Ivy made vines tickle Steve's ear and then make them disappear so he wouldn't notice. Nova stared at Natasha, the red head laughing as Ivy discreetly stole some apple from Steve's plate with a vine. The tall woman grinned to herself, thinking how never in a million years would she have imagined having what she had now when she was in the Red Room.
Once they had brought Ivy back to the compound, the did their research and tracked down her parents. Turns out, they didn't want her because of her mutant abilities. They didn't tell Ivy that though, they just took her in and adopted her, making Wade her godfather and Domino her godmother, the two accepting the titles happily.
Later in the day, Nova was lying on the settee, head on a pillow as she watched Netflix, throwing and catching popcorn in her mouth. Ivy ran over to her, jumping on her chest and curling into the tall woman who wrapped an around around her, kissing her head softly as Ivy started to watch the TV as well.
"Mummy?" Ivy spoke up after a while and Nova hummed. "What are all those flowers outside for?"
"Well, three years ago, d'you remember people disappearing?" Nova asked sadly and Ivy nodded, looking up at her. "Those flowers are for all of mine and Mama's friends. Well, more family thank anything. I've gotta re-plant them though, 'cause it's December they won't last as long."
"Can I help?" Ivy asked curiously and Nova nodded. "Now?"
"If you want." Nova agreed and Ivy sprang yo, pulling on her trainers as the tattooed woman chuckled, doing the same.
"I'm gonna beat you!" Ivy yelled, running into the field.
"Oh, no you don't!" Nova said as she chased after her, purposely slowing down so Ivy could run further away before she approached her, picking her up as Ivy squealed when Nova blew a raspberry on her cheek before placing the girl on her shoulders. "Which ones d'you wanna see first?"
"Uh, those purple ones." Ivy pointed ahead.
"Ah, Gladiolus'; the flower of strength. They were for my best friend, Sam. Y'know you see those wings around home?" Nova asked and Ivy nodded. "Those were Sam's."
"What about those?" Ivy pointed at Nova's parents and brothers.
"Osiria roses for my parents and brothers." Nova answered, walking over to the Bush of white and red roses.
"They're dying." Ivy mumbled sadly.
"Yeah. I'll re-plant them after the winter." Nova smiled softly up at her daughter.
"I can help." Ivy said definitively.
The little girl reached her hand out and one of the rose stems began to extend towards Ivy, the dead rose's petal falling away. As the stem curled around Ivy's arm, Nova looked at the bush to see all of the dead flowers falling away and new, bright ones blooming, alive and beautiful. The stem returned to normal, a full red and white rose now grown on it.
"Mummy?" Ivy asked quietly as Nova stared at the bush in astonishment. "You okay?"
"Yeah. I'm great, petal. You're brilliant, you know that?" Nova asked, looking up at her with a grin and Ivy smiled back.
At around 7 that night, the family made their way upstairs, Ivy's eyes drooping slightly because of how tired she was. Nova chuckled as tendrils curled around Ivy's waist and lifted her up, saving her from walking up the stairs.
When they got into her bedroom, they tucked Ivy into bed after she'd change into her pyjamas and kissed her forehead softly before going to leave to go back downstairs and prepare all of her presents for tomorrow.
"Mama, Mummy?" Ivy called sleepily and the two turned around, humming for her to go on. "Can Daddy read me a story?"
"Yeah." Natasha smiled as Venom took over Nova's body and then sat down next to Ivy who snuggled up to the alien.
"What would you like, Nibble?" Venom asked, looking at the small array of books on a shelf across from them.
"Peter Rabbit." Ivy answered and Venom stretched a tendril to retrieve the tiny book.
"This is hard to read with such small words." Venom grumbled and Ivy giggled but he started reading non the less. "Once upon a time there were four little rabbits, and their names were — Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton-tail, and Peter..."
Natasha leant on the doorway, watching as Venom read quietly to Ivy. The small girls eyes started to droop but she'd wake herself up, wanting to get to the end of the story but she ended up falling asleep, curled against Venom's bicep and snoring quietly.
The alien put away the book and carefully moved Ivy so she was cuddled up to her teddies and she continued to sleep soundly. Venom got off the bed and sank back into Nova, the tall woman walking to the doorway and standing next to Natasha, slipping an arm around the shorter woman's waist while the red head leant against her shoulder, grinning.
"I love you two." Natasha whispered.
"I love you both, too." Nova mumbled.
"I love you two, too." Venom growled happily.
"Too-too."
"Sh, you little shit."
"Nibble is sleeping. I will eat you if you wake my Nibble."
"Our."
"Our."
{1235}