Early March, 2024
By the week, Maya got more excited and restless. Because it was finally happening. The Russia trip was happening this month. On the 23rd, to be exact. First, though, it was time for the day Katya had secretly looked forward to since Maya asked her to do it. Career Day.
Yes, it was a bit stupid to look forward to something like that. But she was so happy to do something so typical mom-like with her daughter. Besides, she sensed that Maya was proud of who her mom was and couldn't wait to show her classmates. So it was really cute, too.
Natasha sucked air through her teeth when she stepped into the bedroom, looking Katya up and down. ''Damn, you look sexy.'' Shamelessly, her eyes drunk in her figure, trailing up and down her pantsuit-clad body. Katya rarely wore heels, but under her mid-grey pants sat some shiny black stilettos.
Katya chuckled, fixing her hair in front of the mirror. ''Trying to look professional, but according to your reaction, I did not succeed.'' She figured that the parents had enough opinions of her, so to prove them wrong, she'd show up in her best suit and not her worn leather jacket.
''No, you look professional.'' Natasha pressed her front against her back, wrapping her arms around her waist as she smirked. ''But in a sexy way.''
Katya squinted at her in the mirror. ''Like the smart boss women are jealous of, and men want to fuck?'' The corner of her mouth pulled up in a sly smile.
''Definitely.'' Natasha hummed, sneakily sliding her hands down her stomach until her fingertips dipped under her waistband. Katya chuckled but caught them before they could get too low, kissing the back of them.
''Then I did my job well.'' She let Natasha's hands go and turned to the bed to gather her phone, wallet, and everything else she needed for this ten-minute presentation on her job. Somehow, she was nervous to disappoint Maya, though she knew she never could.
''You're gonna do great,'' Natasha encouraged her, grabbing her face with her hands to press a kiss to her lips. ''Show 'em what an incredible mom Maya has.''
A wide smile grew on Katya's lips, and she leaned forward to kiss her again. "Thank you, baby."
Natasha followed her all the way into the garage, tipping after her quietly. Her wife in that stunning, monstrous orange car did things to her stomach, especially when she reached for the pedals with her stilettos, but this was not a time to lust over her. Her support, that's what she needed right now.
"Be careful."
"Always."
With a promise to call her later, Katya took off, careful on the gravel road before speeding up as soon as the tires touched the smooth asphalt. She was very extra to show up in her supercar, and she knew she'd get more judgement for it. But she didn't care.
Besides, Natasha needed the Audi later to drive to the bank in the city center. Luckily, they had two cars. And as soon as Maya turned fifteen, there would be three. She loved cabriolets, so a cabriolet she shall get.
At the school, she was greeted by a teacher responsible for collecting the arriving parents. All the kids were still eating lunch in the cafeteria, and they'd find their parents waiting in their classroom when they got back.
Katya took a deep breath before stepping into the room. The parents were spread out, clutching their disposable paper cups with coffee, tea, or lemonade, chatting with each other.
Eyes shot towards her, sticking to her body as she strutted towards the drink table confidently, her handbag hanging off her shoulder. She hated those things, but it went with her outfit.
She wasn't sure if they stared because she was the Avenger, because she was gay, because she looked fucking great, or because they hadn't seen her for months and there were rumors all over the internet where she had been and why.
But quite honestly, she gave no fucks.
She thought she'd cringe under their stares. Had fully prepared to use any of the anxiety-weakening tactics Angelina or Eliza taught her. But to her great surprise, she found herself standing up straighter, her chin in the air.
These people knew nothing about her, about her life, what she had been through. They had no right to judge, and if they did, their judgement weighed nothing. She didn't need Natasha today, and that made her weirdly proud.
She was just pouring her lemonade when a manly voice behind her spoke her name. ''Katya.'' Slowly, she turned to come face to face with Mason's dad. Yes, that Mason. His ever-existing kind smile lay on his face. ''Sorry, can I still call you that?''
''Paul,'' she greeted him back, shaking his hand. ''Yes, you totally can. It hasn't changed.'' Her light joke was met with a chuckle. Paul wore a suit as well, classic black. She had no idea what he did, but it must be some sort of office job.
''It's nice to see you again. Not that Natasha isn't great, but I've not seen your face around as much lately.'' He wasn't that kind of dad that could ever come across as creepy. He was genuinely interested and one of those rare, good ones. So although this sounded weird, she didn't take offense.
Katya didn't let her smile falter, using her thumbnail to pick apart the edge of her paper cup. She specifically painted her nails for this day. ''Oh, yes, I've had some personal stuff to deal with.''
''No need to explain.'' He waved his hands around. ''None of my business. Hope all is well now.'' See, that's exactly what she meant.
''Getting there,'' she smiled, sipping her insanely sweet drink. She could almost feel the holes in her teeth form while she drank it. This is the reason Maya got water bottles in her lunch bag.
''I also saw that insane car you arrived in.'' He nodded to the windows, and Katya realized they looked out on the parking lot. Her bright colored car stuck out like a hickey on pale skin, like the one on her thigh right now. ''It's mad.''
Katya started to beam at the mention of her car. ''My wife got it for me. I had one years ago but it was destroyed when our house collapsed on it.'' She chuckled. ''And she knew how much I loved it. It was kinda like my baby before I had Maya, so she got it for me for my birthday.''
''Well, I am officially jealous,'' he laughed, drinking his coffee. They still hadn't moved away from the drink table. ''So everybody here will be overshadowed by the presence of an Avenger today. I am not mad about that.''
Katya couldn't help but think he was right. She was a superhero, for god's sake. These kids would not remember a painter or architect at the end of the day. Especially with the presentation she had prepared with Maya.
''Are you flirting with me?'' She squinted at him, amusement dancing in her eyes.
''It does sound like that, doesn't it?'' He laughed again, both the sound and the way they talked to each other, drawing other people's attention. ''But I promise I'm not. Just a fan. Don't care if that makes me a little kid.''
Katya chuckled, throwing the last of her lemonade back. ''Not to be rude, but what do you do for a job? I don't think I ever caught that.''
''I sell furniture.'' He stuffed his free hand in his pocket and shrugged. ''I know, really lame compared to you, but I got my own department store just outside the city center.''
She pursed her lips and cocked her head. ''So you're a business owner and an interior designer.''
''Yeah, try making it sound better than it is.'' He scoffed playfully. But she could see he wasn't ashamed of his job. It just looked bleak next to hers. Though she'd agree if he asked.
Katya chuckled and shook her head. ''Actually, I bought a really expensive couch about a year ago, but my family complains how ugly and uncomfortable it is all the time, so maybe I'll come and get one at your store soon.''
That caused his eyes to light up. ''It would be my honor. I'm there every day. Nine till five. If you bring pictures of your living room, I can help choose a correct couch.''
Katya was not given a chance to answer when a stream of kids walked into the room, their mix of voices immediately transferring the calm atmosphere to a restless and excited one. It was easy to pick her kid out of it. Despite her height, Maya's red hair stood out against all the dark and blonde heads.
As if on instinct, Maya's eyes found hers. Her entire face lit up, and she blindly pushed past her classmates to wrap her arms around her waist. ''Mom. You made it.''
A huge smile grew on Katya's face while she looked down at her daughter, smoothing her curly hair back with her free hand. Did Maya think she wouldn't make it? ''Of course. I said I'd be here, didn't I?'' Her hand cupped her cheek, rubbing it with her thumb. ''Go find your seat. I'll be right here until it's my turn.''
But Maya made no move to walk off yet, staring up at her with big eyes. ''Did you bring everything?'' She whispered.
Katya tapped her bag, smiling secretly. ''You bet I did.'' They had worked on this presentation for a week, thinking how they were gonna impress her classmates.
They were all sat in their usual seats, behind their tables, facing the front of the class in neat rows. The parents stood along the walls, only leaving the front open for the person presenting.
Probably to keep the kids' attention until the very last presentation, Katya was last. Save the best for last, right? A smart move, and she didn't mind waiting and watching the other parents.
Paul was nice, natural, and made bad dad jokes which the kids groaned at. There were some parents who were boring and the kids didn't really pay attention to. And others put a lot of effort in their presentation, or had truly interesting jobs. There was a stewardess, for example, who told about all the places in the world that she had seen.
Katya shot some parents glares when they judged the other parents. They were the adults, for fuck's sake. Give your kid a good example. But no, they gossiped with each other, pointed, and rolled their eyes. Was this how high school worked?
After a hairdresser retreated to the others, gathering her professional scissors in her leather pouch, the teacher stepped in front of the class with her list of names, trailing her finger all the way towards the bottom.
''And the last parent we have today, is Maya's mom. If you'd like to come up here, Mrs Romanoff-Petrova?''
She smirked inwardly when all kinds of different gazes landed on her. Jealous ones, nasty ones, impressed ones. Ignoring all of them, she placed her empty paper cup on the table behind her and pushed away from it. ''Absolutely.''
Once she stepped in front of the kids, she decided to tune the parents out. This day was about the kids. And she liked to make them enthusiastic about her job. Maybe there'd be some future agents here.
''Hello, everyone. I'm Katya and I'm one of Maya's moms.''
As soon as they saw her face, a collective gasp traveled through the room. All the kids were wide awake now, shooting up in their seat as their eyes widened. They stood face to face with a real-life superhero. Even though Katya never saw herself as one. She was just a lost, Russian spy who somehow ended up in that circus.
''You're the Avenger!'' A blond boy had called out without raising his hand.
''You're right, I am.'' She smiled kindly, pulling her items out of her bag and displaying them on the teacher's desk, which was pushed against the first row of the kids' desks. ''Or, I was.''
''You brought my brother back!'' One called out. And soon another yelled, ''My dad!''
She chuckled and used her hands to gesture them back in their seats. ''Okay, guys, settle down. How about I show you something first and you can ask all your questions afterwards. And raise your hands, please." She winked to Maya, who beamed proudly that this was her mom.
Easily, the kids listened to her, too in trance to disobey. Satisfied with that, Katya pulled the last of her items out and dropped her bag to the ground. Officially, she had only ten minutes for this, but she'd take her time for sure. Nobody would try to stop her.
To heighten the suspense, Katya started to shake the small, iron balls in her closed fist to make the same sound dice did. With a mysterious smirk, she kept eye contact with the class while reaching for the lights next to the door.
Because it was a dark, rainy day, it immediately turned dim inside. If possible, the kids got more excited, whispering among each other. But that abruptly stopped when Katya tossed the three beads onto the teacher's desk.
They stopped by themselves, forming a perfect triangle. Not a second later, a hologram shot up in the air. And not a small one either. It filled the entire room, wall to wall.
They were in the middle of Wakanda.
T'Challa owed Katya a favor.
Once more, the class moved as one and let out a collective 'wow'. Their eyes were about to fall out of their eye sockets as they reached out their hands to touch something, anything. But it was just a projection.
''Do you like it?'' They all turned to look back to her, nodding quickly. She got them wrapped around her fingers so tightly. ''Someone very special gifted these beads to me. The king of Wakanda. They're called Kimoyo Beads and can be used for navigation, communication, as a computer, or for projections like these. You in the yellow shirt,'' she pointed towards a girl who looked like she was about to faint, ''What's your name?''
''Desteney.''
''Desteney, what would you like to see?'' She smiled kindly.
Desteney didn't take long to think about it, her cheeks red. ''The inside of the Avengers Compound.'' Other kids nodded along with her enthusiastically. No visitors had ever been inside the Compound. That was for Avengers and trainees only. So it made sense she wanted to see it.
Katya swallowed thickly at the idea of seeing the home where she suffered for five years, but didn't let it show on her face. With a snap of her fingers, the hologram turned to exactly that, taking the kids into the lobby of the Compound, the thing they'd see if they stepped through the front door.
They absolutely loved it. So, she asked a couple more and decided to end it at the ocean, mostly because the scene pressed on her chest, and she knew this would turn into a panic attack if she didn't stop it soon. She loved to be near water, but never again would she go into it again.
After she turned the lights back on, drawing some disappointed sighs, she unfolded the black piece of fabric on the table. The one she asked Natasha to get from the attic. ''I also brought my suit.'' She held it up next to her body. ''I've had a lot of suits, but this is the last version Tony made for me. It looks very similar to Natasha's.'' She didn't hear anything from the class, so she looked up to see them all taking it in in silence. And one boy with his hand raised. ''Go ahead.''
''Is Black Widow your wife?''
A huge grin wanted to settle on her face, but she contained it to a bright smile. ''Yes, she is.''
''How long has she been with you?'' Another boy asked. And Katya inwardly smirked, knowing this was her chance to do the last thing on her list; brag about her wife. And Maya knew it too, sharing an amused look with her mom.
Katya momentarily dropped the suit on the table, leaning her palms on it. ''I met Natasha when I was eleven. So as old as some of you. And besides a ten-year period between 1999 and 2009 where I lost track of her, we have always been together. So...'' she squinted in thought, ''nineteen years?''
The boy nodded in wonder, another question on his tongue. This one was obsessed with Nat, for sure. ''Is she really badass?''
''I would have to leave that up to you, since I am obviously biased, but I think she's the most badass person ever. A fight with her is a bad idea.'' She smirked. ''Talking about fights, let's get back to the suit. I can answer all your questions later if you'd like.''
''Okay, thank you." The boy rambled quickly.
Katya nodded and picked up the suit again, feeling the rough fabric with her fingertips. ''So, this material is fire resistant, breathable, but also keeps me warm in ice cold temperatures."
A girl raised her hand. ''It is not bulletproof?"
"No. To keep it easy for me to wear, light, and subtle, it can't be bulletproof. But it is harder to pierce than normal suit material. Tony has done everything possible to protect me." For sure his suit designs had saved her life a couple times.
"How many fighting styles can you do?"
Katya decided to pass along the suit to the kids so they could feel the fabric. She had taken all the weapons out before, so it was harmless. "I was not trained in one particular style, but it is a mix of almost every martial art in the world."
She sat down on the corner of the desk, rolling the Kimoyo Beats between her fingertips with a nostalgic smile on her lips. "You know, the guys had it easiest. Tony can use his suit to shoot and crash through things, Thor just swings his hammer around to break things, Hulk can simply smash. But me and Nat, we had to train really hard to be good Avengers.''
Her one foot that wasn't on the floor to hold herself on the desk, swung back and forth in the air slowly. ''We don't have any superpowers or magical weapons. We only have our self-built muscles. That meant training for at least three hours a day in all kinds of things. Weapons too.''
Reaching for the small container also on the desk, she peeled the lid off and took the contents out. ''I brought some throwing stars that used to be Nat's but I stole.'' She chuckled, twisting the things around between her fingertips like they weren't sharp as hell. Only the smallest touch would create a deep cut. ''Thought these were safest to bring here. They're in a clear container, they're very sharp. Do not open the lid. Look at it and pass it along.''
The kids absolutely loved that too. Since Katya could hardly bring her gun in here, these were the safest option. As long as the kids didn't open the container. But from the corner of her eye, she saw the teacher keeping a sharp eye on her students so they didn't.
''Is that all you need as a spy?'' A boy asked after raising his hand. He clearly meant the weapons and the fighting, so Katya shook her head.
''No. As a spy, your job is to avoid a fight. It's all about sneaking in and out unnoticed, it's about observation, it's manipulation, it's lots of talking and listening.'' Jokingly, she scrunched her nose. ''It's not all fun though. So much paperwork, many boring days inside an apartment, watching the person across the street drink his coffee every day, going through hours of security footage to find those three seconds you're looking for. And so much traveling. Hours and hours in planes, cars, choppers, boats.''
The kids hang at her lips, drinking up every little thing they told her. She guessed they had never been this quiet for the teacher's usual lessons.
''How many languages do you know?'' A girl asked.
''Honestly, I have forgotten," she joked with an adorable nose scrunch, causing the girl to giggle. "Let's see how far I get. Russian, English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, Hindi." She counted on her fingers, studying the world map on the wall. "And I'm sure I'm forgetting something.''
There were no more questions, the class had fallen silent, so she looked at Maya and remembered their talk on her bed that day, when they decided on what to say. With a sigh, she dropped her gaze to her hands.
''I didn't have a choice what I wanted to become, like your parents had. But I kept spying and fighting because I believe that if you have the power to protect others, to protect those who can't fight for themselves, that's your duty.'' Her voice rung out, even the parents quiet now.
A soft smile pulled on her lips as she looked up. ''And maybe, after today, you'll realize that it's something you want to do as well. SHIELD no longer exists, but the CIA and FBI need intelligence officers every year. You'd serve the country in a different way, but still protect it from outside or inside forces with bad intentions. It's exciting, nerve wrecking and sometimes also very hard, but so many citizens will be so thankful for your work.''
It took a second for a boy to speak up. ''Then why did you retire?''
''I retired because I was tired," she responded honestly. "Mentally and physically, my body was done. The danger gets to you, and I grew more and more afraid that one day, I wouldn't be coming home. I couldn't do that to my wife, and certainly not to my daughter. They deserved to know I was safe. Now, the most exciting thing of my day is driving Maya to school.''
The teacher decided to finally cut in there. It had been half an hour, after all. She suggested that Katya could come back another time and answer all the questions they had left, to which she agreed.
The looks on some of the parents' faces were priceless when she collected her things and returned to her spot next to Paul. But once more, she ignored all of them, grabbing a new cup of lemonade and sipping it casually.
She was proud of that, of her presentation, her honesty, and how well she handled it.
After the class was dismissed for the day, Maya immediately ran up to her and threw her arms around her waist. ''That was so cool, Mom!'' Katya chuckled at her enthusiasm and placed her cup down, squatting through her knees to come face to face with her kid.
''You think they liked me?'' She smirked knowingly, pushing her red curls behind her ears.
A sneaky smile grew on Maya's face as she lowered her voice. ''You should have seen how Miranda smiled at me just now.'' Miranda was the girl Maya hit, months ago. After that, and after actually seeing Katya in real life today, she had smiled and waved to Maya, her behavior going from mean to insanely sweet.
It wouldn't surprise Katya if she tried to become friends with her daughter now, only because she had Avengers for moms. Because she wanted to show off and say to others that she was friends with an Avengers daughter. Luckily, Maya was smart enough to see through her tricks.
Katya narrowed her twinkling eyes at her daughter. ''Do you think I should go talk to her mom?'' Maya giggled and shook her head, knowing that wouldn't be the best idea. Although it would have been enjoyable, starting the fakest kind conversation with her, ever. Katya hummed. ''Do you want to stay for a bit, or go?''
''Go,'' Maya responded instantly, done with these kids for today. She'd see them tomorrow anyway.
''Okay.'' Katya stood and tugged her bag further up her arm. ''Let me say bye to your teacher and we'll go.''
The teacher promised to call her in the future to arrange an entire afternoon where she would visit and continue her presentation. Which was nice, because the kids barely had time to ask questions today.
With a wave to Paul and one last glance at the other parents, Katya followed her daughter out the door. Some were still staring, still judging, either in a good way or not, which was hilarious.
Maya gasped when she spotted the orange car in the parking lot and took off running. Katya chuckled at her enthusiasm and unlocked it from far away, meaning the kid was in her seat before she could open the driver's side door. ''You took your car!''
''Nat needed the other one,'' she replied casually, pulling the seatbelt across her chest. ''Besides, this fit my vibes today.'' When she started the engine, it immediately drew looks from the other parents coming out the school and into the parking lot.
''You look very professional and cool. And the presentation went so well,'' Maya started to ramble as Katya backed out of the spot smoothly. ''I know they all loved it. I've never seen them so quiet.''
Katya smiled at her enthusiasm, but it melted into a smirk when she saw a familiar looking girl walk between the rows of cars. Taking one hand off the steering wheel, she nudged Maya's shoulder and pointed in Miranda's direction. ''Look, look. Watch her.''
Slowly, the car rolled towards the exit, about to pass the girl and her mom. Exactly when it was right beside them, Katya revved the engine as loudly as she could. Which, for this car, was insanely loud.
The blonde girl let out the loudest scream, jumping in the air wide-eyed. Even her mom, with the expensive designer handbag, coat and heels, squealed out. But before she could yell at Katya angrily or stick up her middle finger if she wanted, the car turned onto the road and disappeared out of sight.
Today was one big show that was still going on.
Maya clutched her stomach from laughing so hard, doubling over in her seat. It was insanely contagious. So soon, Katya found herself laughing along, wiping the tears from her eyes.
Today was great. It was amazing. She hadn't had so much fun in a long time. Just innocently messing with others, being very dramatic and extra. She felt like herself more and more every day.
''That was hilarious! Did you see their faces?'' Maya exclaimed, gasping for air in the middle of her laughing fit. ''You're an awesome mom.''
It had slipped out, but melted Katya's heart completely. This was the whole reason she did the presentation today. To make her daughter happy, and to see her smile and laugh. Mission accomplished.
An empty house greeted them when they got home, which was a bit of a bummer, since Maya was full of stories and had no one to ramble them to.
But Natasha had an appointment at the bank, regarding quite a big investment they were looking to do. It was a spontaneous decision. Something she mentioned in the middle of winter, when Katya shivered on the couch once again and wished they were in warmer weather.
Let's just say that very soon, they would be the owners of two houses. They hadn't even started looking at them, or narrowed down the places where they would look, since Natasha thought that going to the bank first would be a better idea. Next week, after getting a green light from the bank, they had an appointment with a real estate agent. One who sold holiday homes all over the world.
Originally, Katya was supposed to join her wife at the bank, but let's be honest, she had no idea of all those numbers and documents and whatnot. On top of that, she forgot about the appointment when Maya asked if she wanted to join Career Day. And a double booking in her schedule meant that her daughter came first.
Maya had no idea they were looking for a holiday home. They would surprise her, asking for her final opinion on the house they were about to buy. Only her approval could seal the deal.
She'd go absolutely crazy.
For today, it meant that she and Katya ate dinner alone, because Natasha was still torturing the poor guy from the bank with all her questions. They would have waited for her, if Maya didn't have soccer practice at seven. And she couldn't go there without anything in her stomach. She could pass out.
Now, her daughter never had any problems with time management, but Katya found herself at the bottom of the stairs, checking her watch again. They had to leave right now, or they'd be late for training.
"Maya! Hurry up or you're going to be late!'' There was no response, which was weird. Katya furrowed her eyebrows and yelled her name again. But still, no response. That was definitely weird.
Slowly, she climbed the stairs, thinking maybe Maya had her headphones on and couldn't hear her. She liked to listen to music when drawing, so that wouldn't be too weird. But when she knocked on the bedroom door and slowly opened it, she found Maya sitting on the floor in her own clothes, not her training outfit. Her small figure was hunched together, knees to her chest. But with her back to Katya, the woman had no clue what was going on.
''Why aren't you dressed yet?'' She asked softly, slowly approaching her.
As soon as Maya lifted her head from her knees, allowing her to see the tears on her cheeks, Katya dropped to her knees in front of her. Her daughter was in pain, which meant she was too.
''Hey. What's wrong, honey?'' Maya started sobbing once more, shaking her head. Katya wanted to gather her in her arms, but it didn't appear like she wanted that. ''Whatever it is, you can tell me."
Maya was beyond embarrassed and uneasy, stuffing her face into her knees again. She must be weighing the pros and cons of keeping silent in her head. Apparently, she decided on the cons.
"I started my period," she muttered so softly that Katya had trouble hearing it. But once she was sure she heard those words correctly, her eyes widened slightly in surprise.
Of course, she knew this was bound to happen at some point. But still, it was easy to forget about it when she didn't have it herself. Never had. She suspected that one of the daily pills she was forced to take until eighteen had something to do with that. After reaching that age, an operation prevented her from ever having to worry about it again. Because of that, maybe some part of her forgot that others did still get it.
"It's okay,'' she whispered with a soft smile. ''It sucks, but you'll get used to it, I promise. I don't think I have to explain why and how and what?'' Maya finally dared to look up, her cheeks bright red. Slowly, she shook her head, wiping her tears from her face. They covered this in school. Katya smiled wider, reaching out and stroking her hair lovingly. ''Thought so, smart girl.''
Maya blushed deeper, but not because of embarrassment, but because of the compliment. Her shoulders dared to relax a bit, now that the hardest part was over. Why were these things so awkward to talk about? Even when she knew her moms would be so sweet about it?
''Thank you for telling me.'' Katya smiled, happy when Maya returned it cautiously. ''Wait here, one second.'' Quickly, she rushed out the room and into the kitchen pantry, reaching behind some boxes of pasta on the upper shelf.
With her arms full of packages of pads, she came back, struggling to hold them all. If she wasn't still really embarrassed by the whole topic, Maya would have giggled for sure.
''Lucky for you, you have a very protective mom who thinks of everything,'' Katya taunted her wife with a smirk. ''So she bought this before you even moved in. Lots of options. Just gotta try and see what you like best.''
She plopped down on the floor again and went through the differences with her, explaining how some had wings, some were shorter, others longer. She briefly skimped past the tampons, only telling her to try those if she felt comfortable with them, which would probably take a while.
Silently, Maya nodded from time to time, her body unmoving as she took it all in. Honestly, Katya didn't share her awkwardness or embarrassment at all, because nothing was a taboo for her. Especially not something so natural.
''Shall I put them in there, and you can pick yourself?'' Katya nodded her head towards the bathroom. And when Maya nodded, getting red once more, she stood and displayed them on the counter. ''Did your clothes get dirty?'' Again, the girl nodded, so Katya grabbed some clean sweatpants and underwear and placed them on the counter too. ''Why don't you get changed into something more comfortable, and I'll call your coach that you're not making it tonight.''
Carefully, Maya stood up, wiping the last tears off her face. Avoiding eye contact, she disappeared in the bathroom, locking the door. Katya plopped on the bed and pulled her phone out, trying to close her ears off to give her some privacy. After all, those damn pads made so much noise. And for what?
Maya looked a lot better when she came out of the bathroom in her comfortable sweatpants. Like she had taken a deep breath in there and composed herself. Carefully, she climbed into Katya's lap sideways, folding herself under her chin. "Thank you," she muttered, a shy smile on her lips.
Katya wrapped her arms around her small body, kissing her head. "You're welcome. Put a couple in your schoolbag, okay? Make sure you always have some and share them with your friends too. Use as many as you need. We'll buy new ones. Just be sure to write it down on the grocery list if you're almost out.''
She just tried to think what she'd like if she was in her situation. It wasn't like this was a topic she ever talked about with anyone. Maybe only Wanda a couple times but that was very superficial.
Maya's body jolted in her lap, causing her to pull back to study her behavior. The hands she placed on her stomach, the pained crease between her brows. It could only mean one thing.
''Cramps?'' Katya guessed, to which Maya nodded. ''Why don't we go downstairs, get you a hot water bottle, and we'll cuddle up under a blanket with chocolate and a bad romcom. How does that sound?'' Maya bit her lip and nodded. ''Okay. Give me one second while I grab the water bottle."
She placed Maya next to her on the bed to go to her own bedroom. Whenever Natasha was away and Katya craved artificial body heat, she'd fill that thing with hot water and hug it to her chest, enjoying how the warmth spread through her body.
Today, she'd happily sacrifice it for something far more important.
"Mom?'' Maya's soft voice stopped her in the doorway. And when Katya turned back, she fiddled uneasily with her hands. ''Thank you. For helping me."
"Of course, baby.'' She smiled. ''If you have any questions, or need anything, let us know. Nothing is a taboo or too weird to talk about in this house. Nat and I have seen it all by now." When she didn't receive an answer, she left, only to come back seconds later.
Maya followed her closely as she walked into her bathroom, running the tap for some hot water while gathering Maya's dirty, stained clothes in her hands. Those needed to go into the wash as soon as possible. It caused the girl to turn red again, but blood was the last thing Katya cared about.
"Luckily, I know every trick there is to get blood out of clothes,'' Katya teased proudly. But her eyes widened when she realized how that sounded. ''Eh, my own blood, of course." But the damage was done.
Maya chuckled for the first time tonight, allowing herself to relax and smile. "Sure, Mom."
Katya narrowed her eyes at her face. "Weren't you in pain?"
"Ow," she said unconvincingly, clutching her stomach in a dramatic show.
Katya shook her head, amused. "You're just as bad as your mom. Pains in my ass, both of you." Maya giggled again, gratefully accepting the hot bottle Katya handed her.
After throwing the clothes in the wash and installing Maya on the couch, Katya went into the kitchen to make some tea and grab the chocolates. With the day, she felt more like a mom, and closer to her daughter. Every step they took, every milestone they reached, made her feel that way.
While waiting for the water to boil, she texted her wife. "Can you pick up some more of those winged pads from the store on your way home?" She may or may not have checked which pads Maya decided to choose.
Natasha must have gotten out of her meeting already, because she texted back immediately. That's also a plus with FRIDAY installed in their car. She could text without having to touch her phone at all. It read her texts to her and allowed her to answer by voice.
"Did I miss something, or did you magically grow a new organ?"
A strangled laugh left her throat. Not the message she expected at all. "It's for your daughter, dipshit."
"Who you calling dipshit?'' The message came back, and Katya could picture Natasha's smirk while she drove. Then, another message. ''I'll get them."
"You're the best.'' She typed back. Yet, she couldn't ignore the teasing. ''Dipshit." She tossed the phone on the counter, pouring the hot water into two mugs with a wide smile on her face.
"Hate you.'' The message quickly came back, and a peek at the screen made Katya laugh. But she melted at the next one. ''<3"
About forty-five minutes into the movie, keys rattled in the front door, and Natasha stepped into the living room with a plastic grocery bag. "One emergency kit for a girl in pain," she beamed, plopping down on the lounge chair with her coat still on, unloading the groceries on the coffee table.
"Mama," Maya whined, hiding her red cheeks in Katya's shoulder. Just when she thought she had survived the awkwardness, here she was, having to endure it all over again.
''What? I never got to spoil Kat like this, so now you're getting it for the both of you,'' Natasha answered unbothered, making Katya chuckle and Maya bury her face into her shoulder more. ''Got ice cream, more chocolate, more tea, more pads. Oh, and I saw this much cuter hot water bottle.'' It was pink and fluffy. Baby pink, with daisies on it.
Maya eyed all the things, still uneasy but relieved, knowing they took amazing care of her. ''Thank you, Mama,'' she said softly.
''You're welcome.'' Katya smiled up at Natasha when she stopped in front of her daughter, gently taking her face in her hands. ''I'm sure Kat told you this already, but if you ever need anything more, don't be afraid to ask for it.''
''I will,'' Maya whispered shyly.
Natasha kissed her forehead and rubbed her thumbs over her cheeks, then teasingly squinted. ''Let me get changed, and then I want to join your pity pile.'' Maya giggled and off she went, rushing to change into sweatpants to join them under the blanket.
The questions about Career Day could wait, and the conclusion from the bank visit could also wait until later. Easily, they adapted to what was most important; making their daughter feel comfortable and at ease with her body.
When Natasha settled down on Maya's other side, reaching for Katya's hair and playing with it, Maya found herself warmer than ever, between her moms, under the blanket, a hot bottle on her stomach. They were the best moms she could ever ask for. Patient, caring, thoughtful.
It would take a while before she'd get used to this monthly thing but felt a lot better knowing she could ask everything she wanted without embarrassment or judgement.
Katya used the new water bottle Natasha bought to create a fresh, hot one for Maya to sleep with, and made sure to tuck her in tightly. ''I hope you can sleep a bit. If not, come find us,'' she said softly, sitting on the edge of her bed. Maya nodded. ''Usually, the second and third day are the worst, so don't be startled if it's worse tomorrow.''
Maya shifted in her bed, staring at the stuffed animal in her arms. ''Do I have to go to school tomorrow?'' She asked, almost afraid to. Afraid they'd think she'd try to get out of school. Unsure what to expect of this new phase in her life.
Katya brushed her fingertips over her forehead. ''We'll just wake you up as usual and see how you're feeling, okay? If you think you can do it, you go. And if halfway through the day, you decide it's too bad, I'll come pick you up.''
Content, Maya nodded and muttered, ''Thank you for everything today.''
"Anything for you."
With that, Katya kissed her goodnight, leaving the lights on for Natasha, who practically said the exact same. The redhead was a bit sad to have missed such an important moment, but she was here now, and would baby Maya to death in the future if needed.
Katya let out a deep breath, falling into the couch. ''What a day.''
''What happened?'' Natasha questioned, folding a leg under her body so she could turn fully into Katya's direction. Her brows were furrowed, worry for her little girl written all over her face.
Katya sighed, lazily messing with the ruffled edges of the blanket. ''Nothing was wrong until after dinner. She went upstairs to draw, as usual, but when I called her down for practice, she didn't answer. I found her crying on the floor.'' She shook her head. ''The poor girl must have been so surprised.''
Natasha took her hand in her own, squeezing it softly. ''I'm sorry I wasn't here, but I'm sure you handled it perfectly.''
Katya sent her a tired smile. ''She was embarrassed, of course, talking about it. But I just gave her the stuff we had and made her change. I didn't have to explain the whole biology of it, since she said she knew it, but maybe she'll have questions about that later.''
''And I'll be here for it.''
Katya sensed how she regretted not being here when Maya needed her, so she squeezed her hand this time. ''Don't feel bad, my love. It's not like her body gave you an alarm on when this would happen.''
Natasha sent her a thankful smile, but Katya could see she lingered in that feeling, so she changed the mood to something more uplifting, turning her body to face her as well.
''Why don't you tell me about the bank? With the way you came home, I guess it's good news?'' She smiled slyly. Luckily, she could pull Natasha along in that mood, her frown disappearing.
''They said investment in holiday houses is always a good idea. Especially in the south of Europe. They always get sold with profit, so the bank didn't see any reason not to go ahead.'' Her hope grew with every sentence, her eyes lighting up. ''As long as we find a good realtor, which I know Lindsay is.''
Katya couldn't wait to start their search, excited to pinpoint a location and look through all those houses. With millions of dollars on the bank, the price of the house wasn't really an issue. If they liked it, and loved the location, they'd buy it. But nothing too crazy, of course.
These houses went for a million dollars, but also forty million. They'd rather stick closer to the first option. Katya wanted water and warmth; the rest didn't really matter. Continent, country, she couldn't care less. Although Italy had always had her heart.
''I'm just gonna say it.'' She smirked, running her hand up and down Natasha's arm on the back of the couch. ''We've gone crazy after retirement.''
Natasha let out a laugh. ''A bit, yes. Seems we have a midlife crisis.''
''The only thing missing is an affair and a motorcycle,'' Katya teased, knowing exactly what reaction would follow.
Natasha sent her a pointed look. ''You can get the second.''
~~~~~~~~
A/N: hope you liked this extra (very long) chapter! I kinda need your help again though. I am getting a bit stuck on the chapter where they visit Melina and Alexei in Russia (at Melina's farm), because I have no clue what they should actually do once they're there, anything they can do in the house. So any ideas are very welcome :)