3 hours of playing later
2:32 pm
Matteo was sitting at a small coloring table with Lila, they both had become friends after Lila finally got Matteo to play with her and Cooper. Cooper was more to himself while he did his own thing, but Matteo thought he was cool. Now Lila to him she reminded him of Grace back in Sokovia, she is full of light and happiness. So her and Matteo both Clicked after they played many games outside.
Matteo was confused on the whole 'coloring' idea but as soon as Lila taught him how to be creative Matteo just went to town on drawing and coloring. The little Maximoff didn't remember coloring or arts in crafts but it seemed familiar to him. As he was drawing stick figures of a blue, red, and yellow people he smiled before he looked down at it. Lila looked over from drawing a butterfly. "Mattie who are those people you drew?" She asked as she looked at him with a curious look. Matteo looked down at his drawing again before he smiled, he then started to point out the figures he drew. "This blue one is my older b-bro-broth- Bubby! This red one is my older S-Sis-sist-Sissy! And this gold oh- well y-yewo one is me!" He said as he looked at Lila with a smile. Lila giggled at Matteo a bit "I think you mean Brother, sister and Yellow! Not yewo!" She said to correct him.
Matteo felt his face burn up from embarrassment, he then grabbed a black crayon and started to try to write names on his paper. "S-sorry.. I'm still not good on my E-English." He said sadly before he tried write. Lila felt a bit bad for him, she then watched as he tried to write. She was a bit confused before she stopped him "hey what are you trying to write? Maybe I can help you so you don't mess up!" She said before she gave Matteo a smile. Matteo looked at her before he then beamed up with joy "please?.. I want to give this to my Bubba and Sissy when I see them again." He said with a little smile. "Yeah here let me help!" She said as she got up and walked over to try to help Matteo write down names.
Laura and Nat watched then from the dinning table, they both stopped their talking when Matteo brought up his brother and sister. As they listened in on them they both looked at each other with sad smiles. "He still wants to give them drawings after what they put them through." Laura said with a hit of sadness in her voice. Nat sighed before she watched as Matteo and Lila now started to now draw different other things. "Yeah. I feel bad for him. After everything his Brother and Sister put him through he still loves them and wants to be with them regardless." Nat said as she then looked down at the coffee in her mug.
Laura put a hand on Nat's before she gave her a reassuring squeeze. "Well every family has their ups and downs. And right now Matteo's is going through a big down. And you and the others are here to help him up. Just like Lila, even though she may not No she is helping him. When she is by having him be a kid again." She said before she then looked over back at the 2 kids that where now talking and drawing. Nat smiled a bit before she looked back at them "yeah I guess your right." She said before they just watched the kids be kids.
As Matteo started to finish up on his drawing of Black Widow he smiled before he looked outside again. Lila looked up and noticed Matteo looking outside, she then looked outside to see Steve cutting up wood. "You scared of Steve still?" She asked as she put down her crayon. Matteo looked at her before he nodded a bit "yeah..Even though he d-didn't mean to hurt me..he did..h-he still scares me..but I'm t-twying to talk to him..but I can't.." he said sadly before he looked down at his drawing and decided to color the background.
Lila watched him color his drawing of her auntie, she then had an idea. "Hey! You should draw a picture for Steve! Then that could help you build up your talking!" She said happily as she then grabbed another sheet of paper for Matteo. "W-what?" He looked at her shocked before Lila put the paper infront of him. "Yeah! He will love it! Everyone loves pictures!" She said before she grabbed another sheet of paper for her. Matteo looked down at the blank paper before he looked back outside at Steve. He then watched as Lila started to draw another butterfly "ok I will draw t-the best p-p-pic-(picture!)" he said excitedly. Lila smiled at him, she knew what he said by the why he was trying to say picture in English. Matteo then went to town on drawing Steve with his red white and blue shield with the classic white star.
After about 10 minutes of the kids drawing and coloring some more Lila and Matteo decided to go and bring their pictures to everyone. Lila and Matteo first went to Clint, Laura and Tony. Then after that they went to Bruce. Lila had stopped tagging along with Matteo after she had to go do something with her mother and Cooper. So Matteo had to deliver his last two drawings to Nat and Steve by himself. As Matteo walked to Nat who was sitting outside on the porch he sat down next to her. "Oh hey bug. How's your little playing time with Lila going?" She asked before she looked over at Matteo. "It's going g-good. I uh..made you dis.." he said shyly before he handed her his drawing of her that he drew earlier.
As Natasha took the drawing from him she smiled down at it. "Wow! This looks so good! I will keep this forever my little bug." She said before she then hugged Matteo. Matteo smiled before he hugged back "your welcome Nat." He said. Nat smiled down at him before she looked at the other drawing in his hand. "Hey buggy. Who's that drawing for?" She asked before she looked at the young boy. Matteo looked down at the drawing then looked over at Steve who was now taking the cut up wood to the barn. "F-for Steve.." he said quietly before looking down at the drawing.
Nat gave him a smile before she ruffled his short hair. "Well I'm sure he would love your drawing as much as I do. Why don't you go give it to him." She said with a smile. Matteo looked up at her before he felt chills go down his body "c-can you come with m-me?.." he asked with a bit of fear laced in his voice. Nat did a little nod before she got up "yeah come on let's go." She said as she took ahold of Matteo's hand. Matteo stood up taking Nags hand, the two of them then walked down and over to Steve who was now done.
"Hey Nat, Hey Matteo." Steve said as he wiped his sweat away looking at them. "Hey Steve. A little someone wants to give you something." She said as she then looked down at Matteo looked to scared to talk. Steve looked down at Matteo before he crouched down to his level to make him not so intimidating. "You have something for me kid?" He asked in a soft voice as he gave him a little smile. Matteo looked up at Nat before he looked at Steve with a nod, he then gave Steve the drawing he drew of him. As Steve took the Maximoffs drawing he looked at how Matteo drew a stick figure with a shield. Steve smiled before he ruffled Matteo's head "thanks bud. I'll keep this in my pocket and hang it up when I get back home." He said while showing Matteo a sweet kind smile.
Matteo started to mello out before he then smiled at Steve, Nat smiled at their interaction before she picked up Matteo. "Well we'll let you go. I have to go get him settled down for a bit before Lila and Cooper come back." She said before she then left. Steve nodded at them before he watched them leave. Matteo did something that will forever have Steve smile for the rest of that day "bye Steve." He said with no fear or anything. It may have just been a simple little goodbye but to steve it was the precious thing Matteo ever said to him, considering the fact that he's never talked to him.
Little time skip
Matteo was sitting on the guest bed with Natasha sitting next to him. "But N-Nat..I don't need n-nap.." matteo slurred a bit before he looked at Nat with his tired eyes. Nat sighed before she looked down at matteo "really? You really think your tired eyes and voice will convince me otherwise?" She stated before she made matteo lay down with her on the bed. "N-no please d-don't..I don't wanna sleep.." he plead as he looked at Nat with tears in his eyes.
Nat looked at the upset boy before she brought him close to her. "Tell me why you don't wanna sleep bug. What has you so worked up?" She asked as she started to rub circles around Matteo's back. "N-nightmares.." he said before he trembled while remembering the thought of Wanda showing him his biggest fear/nightmare. Nat sighed before she sat up with Matteo sitting in her lap "is that why you don't want to sleep?" She asked before she looked at the boy. Matteo nodded as he sniffled, Nat made Matteo lay on her while she rocked them side to side. "Well I'll be here to protect you from your nightmares buggy. So you can rest up. Lila and Cooper will want to play with you after your nap and we'll Lila's nap as well." She said in a calm steady voice.
Matteo laid his head against Nat's chest and just listened to her talk and heartbeat. He didnt really talk all he did was listen, just hearing Nat's soothing calm voice made Matteo slowly drift asleep, but right before he was about to sleep he felt them starting to lay down again. The little Maximoff let out a small whine before he clinged onto Nat tightly. "Shhh shhh.. love bug.. relax I'm not leaving.." she said as she rubbed Matteo's back. Matteo relaxed again before he soon fell asleep, and this time he actually had a good dream and not a dark dreamless dream.
As Nat heard Matteo's breathing even out she looked down at him with a smile. She then kissed the top of Matteo's head "your safe with me bug..don't worry I'll protect you.." she said quietly before she just watched Matteo sleep peacefully. Little did she know she never knew she would ever step in as a mother figure to the young boy. She knew that his brother and sister where his parents his whole life after he lost his parents. But after the incident she stepped in that mothering spot for Matteo. She didn't mind all she wanted was for Matteo to have a good healthy loving life not the horrible childhoodless life she had. She wanted to have Matteo do better than she did and have more. So she decided from now on till they get his siblings back that she will step in as his mother figure.