June 21, 2024
23 days post-accident
Katya had heard some stumbling in the bedroom and around the house, but hadn't paid any mind to it. Her empty bed was way too comfortable. She badly wanted to turn to her stomach, press her cheek into the pillow tightly and let the soft cotton swallow her alive, but that stupid cast prevented her from doing that. It got on her nerves a lot.
Something smelled absolutely amazing downstairs, the hood above the stove failing at its task to contain it. Eggs, bacon, and toast. Or something that smelled like that. It made Katya's stomach grumble, water running into her mouth. But she didn't move from the bed, instead snuggling more into it when she remembered it was a Saturday. Maya's soccer competition had reached the summer break, which meant no more rushing out at eight in the morning for games.
She tried not to think about what almost happened yesterday, the proof being the bag in the corner of the bedroom filled with clothes. That's not how Katya wanted to remember the day - if she ever wanted to remember it at all. The most important part was the result and getting Natasha to see the light. Even if the road there was very messy.
It felt different already. Hopeful? Lighter? It was difficult to describe. But imagine hearing your daughter giggle downstairs, followed by your wife's playful scolding while lying in the most comfortable bed ever, knowing it was a nicely warm temperature outside and the day would be spent with family.
Today would be a good one, she'd make sure of that. They all deserved it, Maya deserved it. The poor girl must have lost some trust in her parents yesterday, which made Katya feel worse than yelling at Natasha.
After a long while of pondering, the door cracked open softly, followed by an even softer voice. ''Kat? You awake?''
A smile curled on her lips, blinking her eyes open to the ceiling. ''Have been for a while.''
Sleepily, she pushed herself up on her elbows, her eyebrows shooting up at Natasha's attire when the door swung completely open. Denim shorts with a light pink airy blouse on top, tucked in. Her hair was draped loosely over her shoulders, and a wide smile lay on her lips, one which lit up her face in a way that made it seem like she was a completely different person.
If the outside represented the change on the inside - the behavioral one - then the day started promisingly.
''What's with the dreamy outfit?''
Natasha's smile widened as she glanced down at herself, ''Glad you think it's dreamy, because that's the vibe we're going for.''
Her words caused Katya to narrow her eyes in suspicion. ''We?''
Natasha just nodded mysteriously, a beautiful half-smirk on her lips that made Katya's heart skip a beat. ''Get ready and meet us downstairs. You need help in the bathroom?''
''No, I got it,'' Katya answered cautiously, very wary of what was going on here. But according to the excited twinkle in the redhead's eyes, it wasn't something to be scared of. In fact, she felt curiosity creeping up on her.
''Alright.'' With a quiet chuckle at Katya's confused expression, Natasha closed the bedroom door behind her and disappeared down the stairs.
It took the brunette another minute to shake her disorientation and get out of bed, dragging her feet into the bathroom. Now that her body had mostly healed and barely hurt anymore, she could shower herself. So after tying a plastic bag around her cast with the help of her teeth, she washed herself and blow-dried her hair afterwards, clenching her jaw to bear her aching arm.
But speaking of injuries, she was happy with her reflection in the mirror, considering that the bruise on her jaw had almost faded. It was only slightly yellow and green, easily able to be covered up if she wanted to. That alone made her feel less like a wounded animal.
After applying sunscreen and brushing her teeth, Katya patted into the bedroom, stopping dead in her tracks when she saw the white maxi summer dress laid out for her on the bed. It didn't have a note or anything, but it was clear that Natasha wanted her to wear this.
She could not remember buying this or getting it as a gift. It may as well be something Natasha bought her yesterday, because it was a stainless, pure white, cotton fabric. Quite flowy, with small straps. Perfect for this weather.
Usually, she'd have done something nice with her hair to compliment it, but this would have to do. The dress only heightened her curiosity. Where were they going, or what were they going to do, that required such nice outfits?
Barefoot, she descended the stairs, only to have Natasha materialize in front of her once she reached the bottom. The twenty minutes it took to get ready didn't lessen her smile, and once again, Katya found her heart skipping a beat.
''I see you found the dress.''
''Was a bit hard to miss it,'' she fired back teasingly, only fueling Natasha's amused expression.
Slowly, the redhead looked her up and down. Not in a flirty kind of way, but just to see how she looked. And according to the way her eyes softened, it pleased her. ''You look beautiful.''
Katya desperately attempted to hide her blush by looking down at herself, smoothing out the dress with her palm. Something about the way Natasha's words sounded, combined with that admiring shimmer in her eyes, had her all giddy. ''Thanks. The cast kinda ruins it though.''
''We'll just ignore that.'' Natasha mumbled distractedly. When she realized her gaze was lingering, she awkwardly cleared her throat. A big change from not being able to look at Katya at all. Her feet shuffled backwards, quickly eyeing the open front door. ''Stay here a sec, I'll check if Maya is ready.''
''If Maya is ready for what?'' Katya called after her, but Natasha had already hurried off, disappearing down the porch steps. Whatever this was, it was a surprise, so the brunette did as ordered and sat down on the stairs when it took longer than a minute for her wife to return. Despite her body not hurting anymore, it was tired a lot, even with Natasha cooking the healthiest meals.
A pair of white Converse stepped into her vision moments later, and she followed them up until her gaze reached Natasha's face. ''Okay, ready?'' The redhead mused, a folded tea towel in her hands, that was meant to act as a makeshift blindfold.
Katya nodded, standing to her full height. ''Ready for my mysterious surprise.''
''Okay then, turn around.'' Natasha carefully tied the towel around her head, making sure to make it tight but not too tight. ''Just to keep it a surprise until the last possible second.'' She turned Katya around slowly by her shoulders, and then linked their arms together to lead her outside. But Katya stopped when her feet hit the wooden porch planks.
''Wait! Do I need shoes? I'm not wearing shoes.'' She smiled sheepishly, turning her head into the direction Natasha was. It was weird, because despite being blindfolded, she was as aware of her surroundings as usual, thinking she could definitely win a fight with this thing on. As if her body quickly adjusted to missing a sense but wasn't too bothered about it.
Natasha mentally slapped herself, guiding Katya to the porch bench. ''Right. Sit down, I'll do it.'' Deciding not to torture her body with heels, she crouched down and tied white high-top Converse around Katya's feet too. Otherwise, Natasha would have carried her over the gravel road, but they weren't there yet.
The brunette pushed down the urge to use her feet to give Natasha a playful shove backwards and make her fall onto her butt. Maya would laugh for sure, but it was no fun while being unable to see her wife's reaction. Maybe another time.
A hand slid into her own and gently tugged on it, bringing her to her feet. ''Okay, watch the steps.''
The familiar sound of gravel, then grass, then gravel again, told Katya exactly where they were going. She smiled, wondering what was so special about the dock all of a sudden, when Natasha stopped and unlinked their arms.
There was silence, and then Maya's voice in the distance. ''You can take off the blindfold!''
Slowly, Katya's hand raised and grabbed the fabric, tugging it off her head. The light hurt her eyes, so she had to squint and blink rapidly while they adjusted, but the sight she was met with, was all worth it.
She couldn't stop her jaw from dropping, bringing her hand to her mouth as she took in the scene before her. There, on the dock, stood their white parasol, underneath it a red checkered plaid with all kinds of amazing dishes on it. Maya stood in the middle of it all, a huge, proud smile on her face.
They had made a picnic for her. A breakfast picnic.
''Guys...'' she breathed, unsure if this was an apology thing or simply something sweet. Did it matter, though? ''This is amazing, thank you.''
Maya giggled and ran over, pulling Katya towards the plaid eagerly. ''Come look! We have bacon, and pancakes, and eggs.'' The brunette glanced at her wife before she was dragged away, seeing the same calm happiness in the green of her eyes as she felt in her heart. And that small spark of hope in her chest surged into a flame again.
As she got closer, Katya truly saw how much work they put into it. On the plaid were some pillows to sit on, all the plates had a mesh food cover to keep the flies away, cooling elements lay below fruit, and they'd even thought about the placement and spacing of things. The light breeze made it a perfect temperature, the soft ripples of the water soothing as always.
''It looks amazing. Where did you come up with all of this, and when?''
Maya had her hands behind her back, hopping up and down her toes excitingly. ''That's a secret,'' she slyly smiled, but she eyed Natasha knowingly, so that must be what they spoke about in bed yesterday.
''Et tu?'' Katya narrowed her eyes in fake annoyance, which Maya only seemed to love, judging by the way her face lit up. "Okay, let's eat. I'm starving." With an exaggerated tired groan, the brunette plopped down on one of the pillows, folding her legs underneath her. The others did the same, Natasha next to her, Maya opposite her. ''Wait, are those the croissants from the bakery on the corner?'' she asked when Natasha handed out empty plates.
''Yes.'' Maya smiled, taking one out and putting it on Katya's plate for her. ''I biked there this morning to get them.'' They had the perfect crispiness and had a delicious shine to them. Far better than any croissant they had ever tasted.
Surprised, Katya's eyebrow shot up, wondering how early they started preparing this, and wondering since when Maya did that sort of stuff on her own. ''Nice job, big girl.''
Maya blushed, shaking her hair into her face to try and hide it. From the corner of her eye, Katya saw a smile curl up on Natasha's lips too.
''Do you want anything on that?''
Katya hummed, scanning the plaid for a spread. ''Maybe some jam?''
''I can do it for you?'' Maya offered, holding out her hand for Katya's plate. Whoever would manage to steal this girl's heart in the future was one lucky person. Her kindness and consideration for and towards others was beyond admirable.
Gladly, Katya handed her what she asked for, since cutting open a croissant and smearing a spread on it was incredibly difficult with one hand. ''Thank you.'' Maya nodded, dismissing her thanks.
And one amazing thing had barely passed, before another presented itself. Natasha had picked up a glass bottle and shook it, the contents sloshing around and attracting Katya's attention. ''Orange juice?'' She asked with a smirk.
''Guys, you're spoiling me,'' Katya exclaimed with a whine. Fresh orange juice was one of her favorites, as she found to learn. ''Yes, of course I want orange juice.'' Natasha chuckled and poured it into a glass for her. Sleep must have reset her brain, because nothing from the distant and cold wife from yesterday was left.
Only when they all got their first round of food ready to eat on their plates, did Katya start eating, enjoying the light breeze in her hair and the quiet company of her family. Unlike before yesterday, it was no longer awkward. Maya had a twinkle in her eye as she ate, and Natasha sported a lazy smile, displaying the internal happiness and content they felt.
They could have sat in silence for hours, listening to the quiet sloshing of the water or the birds, but they'd been quiet with each other for weeks.
''So,'' Katya started, sucking some jam from her fingers, ''Anyone got something new to tell? Some gossip, some life-changing news, future plans?''
Quickly, Natasha hummed, signaling that she wanted to be the first to talk after swallowing the bite of her croissant. ''You know our neighbors five houses down?'' She spoke, covering her mouth with her hand as she chewed the last bits. ''Black and white dog, young couple, baby is like a year old.'' She took a sip of her juice to wash away the food.
''Oh, yeah, the Millers, right?''
Natasha nodded with the straw in her mouth, releasing it to answer. ''Yes.'' A sly smirk tugged on those red lips as she used the straw to stir and build suspense. Katya hadn't forgotten how it felt to kiss them. ''Gossip is that he has an affair.''
A disbelieving sound fell from the brunette's lips, an indecent type of interest growing in her blue eyes. Gossip like this was bad, but so fun. ''No way,'' she breathed. Of course, she didn't remember the Millers, but any gossip like this about a close neighbor was very groundbreaking.
''Does that mean he is with another woman besides his wife?'' Maya asked, brows furrowed as she wasn't completely sure on the meaning of 'affair' in this case. But she got confirming nods and hums in return, causing similar shock to appear on her features.
''Where did you hear this?'' Katya asked impatiently.
''Ran into the neighbor three doors down on my run yesterday,'' the redhead clarified, stealing a couple blueberries from the plate with fruit and tossing them in her mouth, one by one. She appeared very smug with herself and the fact that people hung onto every word she said.
''Well, does his wife know?''
Natasha's smirk only grew. ''That's the thing, she doesn't. Everyone knows but her.''
Another surprised sound tumbled from Katya's lips, stuffing the last of her croissant in her mouth and chewing slowly to process this news. Even Maya blinked blankly, doing the same thing but with a piece of pancake. An affair... And with a baby that young. What a shame of a promising young family.
''We should put a note in their mailbox,'' Maya decided, until Katya suddenly perked up with a thought and completely overshadowed that suggestion, snapping her fingers and turning to Natasha.
''Wait, is she the one with the long black hair who looked at us so nasty the other day?''
Natasha nodded, remembering their run-in with the woman during their walk around the neighborhood a couple days ago. ''Jennifer.''
Katya scoffed, her body relaxing and reaching for a boiled egg in one of the bowls. ''Well, then I am not surprised her partner looked for fun elsewhere.'' Her egg had time to fall onto her plate and crack before the two mouths around her gaped open and exclaimed their disbelief.
''Kat!''
''Mom!''
''What?'' she feigned innocence, peeling her egg one-handed as her eyebrows rose in question. Jennifer had had such a moody and judgy and negative aura around her, that it shouldn't come as a surprise that her husband looked for nicer company in the arms of another. Sorry not sorry.
''You can't say that!'' Maya scolded her. ''You're supposed to stay loyal to your partner until you both decide otherwise, together.''
Her wisdom once more came as a surprise, even when it should no longer be. Katya stopped, her eyebrows further nearing her hairline. ''Sometimes, I wonder if you're a forty-year-old in the body of an eleven-year-old.'' In response to that, Maya's nose scrunched up.
''But then I'm old, like you.''
Natasha snickered, which earned her a warning glare before it landed on the smug girl. ''Maya, where do you sit right now? Very close to the dock's edge. I'd watch it, if I were you,'' Katya threatened, squinting dangerously.
Playfully, the girl's eyes widened, aware of how close her butt was to the water. One good shove and she'd be in. ''You wouldn't.''
''Oh, I would.'' The threat was not entirely unfounded, considering Maya's sense of humor would allow her to laugh at a dunk in the lake. Eventually. At first, she'd probably get really mad. But did Katya want to do that to her after she prepared such a sweet picnic? Definitely not.
Natasha chuckled at their silent stare down, reaching for some berries. ''Wouldn't it be nice if it was a warm sea instead of an old, dirty lake?'' she mentioned casually, causing the other two to unfreeze. This picnic had another goal than simply gifting Katya something nice, even though neither knew that.
The egg on her plate now found the brunette's attention again, peeling the last of the shell away. A breathy laugh left her throat, as if Natasha had suggested something impossible but incredible. ''Oh, that would be great.''
''Good, because we had already planned on getting a holiday house in Europe. So, as the first step of not living our lives at a standstill, we are going to start making a list of demands for this house and maybe even go through the list our estate agent made us,'' she stated in one go, pulling a notepad from somewhere behind her, whipping out a pen and flipping to an empty page, awaiting the first demand like a waitress waiting for an order.
Now that, that was complete news for Katya, whose jaw dropped at the thought of owning a sunny holiday house. In the past month, that had not come up once. But considering time ticked away and summer was clearly fast approaching, steps had to be taken sooner rather than later. ''Oh my god, really?''
''Yep. And if we want to be able to use it this holiday, we kind of have to get a move on.'' The notebook leaned on her knee, her thumb pressing the top of the pen repeatedly, ready to write. ''So, Maya.''
The sudden attention and anticipation put on her, caused the girl to blush and shift uneasily. She was about to ask for a moment, fighting the blackout happening in her brain, until it started to function again. ''A kitchen island with a bar.''
''Kitchen island... with bar,'' Natasha muttered, writing it down after creating a small dot at the beginning of the line. Her long red hair blew into her face, and neither distractedly shaking it away nor blowing at it seemed to help, annoying her to no end. The usual braid she sported was not without function.
But suddenly, all her locks were pushed over her shoulder delicately, fingertips brushing lightly over her neck as the figurative curtain disappeared. One slightly bruised hand retreated to the white-clad woman next to her, betraying who had helped her out so kindly.
Flustered, the redhead cleared her throat, strictly staring at the notepad. ''Kat?''
The brunette hummed in thought, pretending Natasha's reddening cheeks didn't exist. So that's how easy it was to make her flustered. Noted. ''Definitely a view on the beach. Preferably a beach house like the one we rented for our honeymoon,'' she said, dipping her egg in some salt. The tip of the pen on the notepad abruptly stopped moving, the blood draining from Natasha's face. ''I saw pictures.'' Katya shrugged.
Slowly, the redhead's head turned her way. ''We didn't take any pictures.'' They didn't even take their phones, simply ordering Tony to pick them up with his jet at a certain time and place.
''Huh.'' Katya's eyebrows shot up, at this point not even surprised anymore. These flashes truly came and went at such random times that the unexpected was no longer unexpected.
But dazed, Natasha blinked a couple times, returning her gaze to the notepad. Unlike her wife, she did still get affected by these memory flashes, since they came without a big announcement and in the middle of a sentence, like just now. Her hope, it ran much deeper than Katya's. ''Anyway, I'm gonna say jacuzzi.''
''A balcony,'' Maya added, who had quietly observed her moms' affection towards each other while munching on a pancake, the syrup dripping down onto her plate.
The pen moved on the paper again, Natasha's elegant handwriting flowing out. ''Noted.''
''Big doors that open onto that balcony, so it feels like the wall doesn't exist,'' Katya continued on Maya's wish. These were some pretty high standards already, the price of said house going up with every one of them. Natasha said they were rich, but the precise meaning of that was left up in the air.
Natasha dotted it all down, humming as she did so. ''Big bathroom with marble.''
''Swimming pool.'' Maya. A surprising wish, considering the sea close by, but Natasha penned it down anyway.
''Big terrace to sit on.'' Katya again. ''With like a table we can eat dinner at.''
''Okay.'' The redhead shifted slightly, perching the notepad further up her leg. ''Any demands for the location? Kat said preferably on the beach.'' She popped another berry in her mouth while looking at the other two expectantly. Honestly, her own demands for this beach house were a lot lower, fine with even a wooden cabin. But if they had the money, then why not?
''Wouldn't it be nicer to have it a bit higher on the hill?'' Maya proposed carefully, going all shy when they both turned to her with interest. ''So at night, when it's dark, you can see the lights of the city. But not too far, so you're at the beach in five minutes.''
''You mean those houses built on the hill sides like in Italy and Greece and stuff?'' Natasha helped her, brows furrowed while she tried to figure out what Maya was getting at. Anyone who had seen those pictures knew exactly what the girl meant though. The perfect images of a dream holiday.
When Maya nodded, Natasha turned to her wife. After all, this was a group decision. And not a cheap one, at that. ''Kat?''
Katya shrugged, taking a sip of her orange juice. As long as her senses would be able to smell, see and hear the sea, it was all good. ''I'm fine with that. Had we picked a country yet?'' They shook their heads no. ''Then what are your thoughts on the Amalfi Coast?''
''The what?''
A laugh burst from Katya's throat at Maya's confused exclamation. ''Do you have your phone?'' she asked Natasha with a chuckle, deciding that googling a picture was much faster than trying to explain.
It got pressed into her hand without hesitation, the text that coincidentally popped up from Clint making her smile. 'How are things with her today?' Part of her wanted to text back and say Natasha was a literal angel this morning and she was perfectly content, but what her wife discussed with her best friend was none of her business. Though it was reassuring that Natasha had been open about this to someone instead of stuffing it away and dealing with it on her own.
Quickly, Katya pulled up a picture and a map of Italy, bending over the bowls and plates of food to shove the phone in her daughter's face. ''Look. And it's at the bottom of Italy. Very close to Pompeii and Naples and not too far from Rome either.'' At this point, they practically made the decision already. A pro? Both Russians spoke Italian. Or, Katya thought she did, since she could read the text under the photos.
''That's beautiful!'' Maya gasped, scrolling through the photos which looked like they came straight out of a summer vacation advert. Blue sea, light colored houses, white beaches. ''Definitely put that on top of the list.''
''Noted.'' Natasha smiled, scribbling the pen over the paper before flipping the notepad closed. ''I'll send these demands to our agent and she'll find us some options. But we are flying out to check a lot of houses before we buy one, so a trip to Italy is coming soon.'' Their estate agent had enough information with this, hopefully. The number of bedrooms did not matter too much. Three was enough already, but more were always nice of course, especially if Maya was to use the house with her friends later.
''We need so many cool things like floaties for the pool or the sea,'' Maya started daydreaming, her eyes hazy as she was pulled into thoughts of warm summers at the beach. ''And more summer clothes, of course. I can't wear the same thing every day.''
''Don't forget your life vest,'' Natasha added with that annoying half smirk, innocently reaching for a pastry and leaning back on her free hand to munch on it. Within seconds, a tight glare gathered on the girl's face, offended by her mom's mocking of her swimming skills. ''I'm kidding.''
''That was not funny,'' Maya deadpanned, choosing to ignore the smug smiles on her moms' faces. ''I can swim.''
Natasha chuckled, letting it slip. ''What about a huge hat? A hat for Kat.'' A stupid grin sat on her lips, the true Natasha coming out to play now.
Right when the brunette went to respond with some clever quip, a phone started to ring. More specifically, the only phone present between them. Maya didn't get one until middle school, and since Katya didn't know any of the people in her phone, it lay unused on her nightstand.
''Don't you have to take that?'' She frowned when Natasha simply swiped the call away, successfully stopping the annoying ringtone. The call had sucked the playfulness out of the conversation and the secludedness out of their small picnic, but with the rarity of which Natasha received calls, it could be important.
''It's just Yelena's annoying ass,'' she explained, rapidly tapping her thumbs on the screen. ''Texting her now to say I'll call her back tonight because I'm having a family day.''
Katya's heart warmed at the effort her wife put in. Yesterday, she'd have jumped at an opportunity to get away, but now, she actively put away the distraction. It was as if a switch had flipped, so sudden and without any traces of the 'before' left. As if Natasha had been replaced by an android version of herself overnight.
''So, what were we talking about?'' Natasha brought the conversation back on track, literally tossing her phone aside carelessly and picking up her pastry again. ''Oh, right, summer vacation.'' That teasing smirk curled on her lips again like it had never left. ''So Kat, a hat?''
They ate whatever they could, stuffing their bodies full of the best fruit and bread. What they didn't finish now, they saved for lunch, the two redheads refusing to let Katya help carry the fruit and other fridge-required items inside. The hours were spent joking, laughing, and playing all sorts of games while the repeatedly shoved-around parasol ensured that they sat in the shade all day.
Time after time, Katya's cheeks hurt from laughing. First, carefully, in case Natasha fell back into old habits, but eventually carefree, feeling comfortable enough to tease back. And when the total of her Monopoly money turned out to be more than Maya's, thus winning the game, her brain forgot about her injured arm and threw it in the air mindlessly, the pain barely noticeable.
Maya did not want to sleep when dusk came, refusing to move from the dock, but the day had worn her out so much that her mouth dropped open in yawns more frequently. Eventually, Natasha threw her over her shoulder and carried her upstairs, laughs and giggling complaints following them like a trail. Her small body writhed and squirmed so much, that on the porch steps, they nearly went down together, Natasha's balance lost.
''Stop moving! You're gonna be the reason we fall down the stairs!'' Natasha exclaimed with a laugh, softly slapping Maya's leg that dangled in front of her.
''Put me down!'' The girl insisted, gently drumming on her mom's back.
''Never.''
Katya watched the scene from the dock, shaking her head in amusement. Laughs fell from her lips too. Day after day, she admired her wife's amazing skills as a mother. There was something so natural and pure about the way she interacted with Maya. It took no effort, a beautiful connection between them like they'd known each other for years.
Their arguing disappeared inside the house until only the birds and wind were left to accompany the brunette. Instead of waiting around, she decided to be useful and start cleaning up, something Natasha would scold her for in a bit. Even though the rest of her body was functioning perfectly, the one arm apparently meant she was an invalid.
And indeed, when the redhead came down after tucking Maya in, she immediately snatched the plates from her hand and sent a playful scowl for doing the hard work. Deciding not to argue, Katya gave in and climbed the stairs to wish Maya goodnight, lifting the front of her dress to avoid any tripping. But, in the two minutes between mom number one leaving and number two stepping into her room, Maya had fallen unconscious.
She looked so adorable, completely worn out from today, that Katya didn't dare risk waking her up. Instead, she smiled softly from the doorway before flipping off the fairy lights and shutting the door softly. Very soon, her body would be in the same state, exhaustion though restlessness tugging at her muscles.
It was not easy to have anxiety she didn't fully understand - still learning parts of herself since they often lacked background information - preventing her from crashing onto her soft blankets right away.
When she walked into the living room, Natasha glanced up from her book in surprise, the woman curled up into the corner of the couch. ''That was quick.'' Usually, Katya was up there for fifteen minutes, at least. But what could she say, her daughter was her best friend.
''She was out like a light before I even came in.'' She smiled, the thought of it painting a smile on the redhead's features too. It was genuine yet careful, and possibly filled with the smallest bit of guilt. Slowly, Katya sank onto the couch next to her, Natasha's eyes growing curious. ''Thank you for this fun day, Nat. This is exactly what I meant yesterday. So, thank you for listening to me.''
The book closed, thumb between the pages like a temporary bookmark as Natasha's expression softened. '''Course. I promised, didn't I? And I had a lot of fun too.'' The way in which she studied Katya's blues intently, left reason to believe that they no longer frightened her. ''You were right, this is much better than moping around, waiting.''
Once more, a warmth spread from Katya's toes to her crown, treating her well-behaved wife with a blinding smile. When Natasha was considerate, she was considerate. ''I do kinda need a breather though, so if you don't mind, I'm going to sit on the dock for like ten minutes.'' Being around people had drained her energy, and though bedtime was near, she needed a pause with fresh air now.
''Sure.'' Natasha smiled, her gaze following Katya closely when she stood. The white dress may hide some of her curves, but god, did she look amazing in it as it fell to her feet. ''It's getting fairly dark out there, by the way. So, be careful.''
''Always.''
Her world stopped turning, the next tick of the clock never coming because time froze in that instant. Those three new little words echoed in her brain, bouncing around in her skull like thousands of people whispered them in her ear at once.
Be careful.
Always.
The echoes weren't from just now. These came from lifetimes ago.
~~~~
"Oh, here you are!" Katya hurried into the SHIELD gym, making a beeline for her redheaded girlfriend training some rookies. Her loud voice attracted all attention, but only one person had to turn around. Or, in this case, Natasha stopped working and snapped around, frowning in concern at the suit Katya wore and the bag swung over her shoulder. She said something towards her trainees and went to greet her halfway, a sheen of sweat on her forehead. "Sudden mission," the brunette explained like it wasn't dead obvious.
A hand took Natasha's and scribbled a six letter and number code on the back of it. The mission code. She could track Katya and see the mission progress with this. Like a digital logbook. Usually, it wasn't meant for just anyone to snoop in, but Fury was well aware of his adoptive daughter's anxiety.
"Should be a short one. Expect to be home tomorrow," Katya mumbled distracted, finishing up the code and letting her girlfriend's hand go. But Natasha brought it closer to her face, the first three letters ''PER'' needing no further explanation.
"Peru?" Her frown deepened, peering up at Katya warily. She was scared.
A confirming hum sounded in Katya's throat, hoisting the bag further up her shoulder. She wished she had the time to reassure Natasha more, calm her anxiety, but time always seemed to fall short. ''I have my phone, I'll text you on the way back. Left the sweater I wore today on the bed. Dinner for tonight is in the fridge, unless you want to eat in the cafeteria with Clint. In that case, just leave it for tomorrow when I get back.''
''Call me, don't text,'' Natasha ordered, really overwhelmed by this all and mostly standing there dazed.
Katya managed a small smile, quickly wrapping her hand around Natasha's wrist and squeezing softly. "Alright. Jet's waiting for me. I love you." No kiss this time, since they were in the middle of a busy gym and her redheaded girlfriend loathed PDA.
"I love you too," she muttered vulnerably, her eyes sad as she prepared for a restless night full of worry. "Be careful."
Fully confident, Katya nodded once. "Always."
~~~~
The familiar hum of the Quinjet served as background music for the busy people inside. Not all Avengers were needed for this mission, Bruce and Thor staying behind, but the other five walked through their pre-mission rituals. Checking weapons, fixing suits, going over the lay-out of the building one last time.
But the two Russian assassins had found themselves in the center of the space, Natasha metaphorically cornering her girlfriend when she had pulled her gloves on. The redhead held her hands tightly in her own, ducking her head slightly to ensure that her eyes were looked into. Katya knew exactly what was coming. Overprotective Nat was back.
"Remember to stay with Steve-"
"Stay with Steve," Katya hummed, fighting off a huge grin by pulling her face into one of earnestness. She didn't want to mock her caring partner, but it proved impossible to do so.
"Watch the motion sensors-"
"Watch sensors."
"Get the documents-"
"Get documents."
Natasha's face fell, her back straightening. "You're mocking me."
A soft chuckle fell from Katya's lips, which only caused the hands around her own to let go in silent protest. "Baby, you're being overprotective and worried again. It's sweet, but I know what to do."
"Fine,'' Natasha grumbled, turning to snatch a knife from the seats and sliding it into her belt. ''I just wanted to repeat it to you, but if you think that's useless then don't mind little old me trying to make sure you come back alive-" she rambled under her breath in one very sarcastic go, making some dumb faces along with it.
Katya chuckled again and grabbed her face to pull her up, surprising her with a very deep kiss that cut off all the rambling at once. A surprised sound echoed somewhere in Natasha's throat, but she was quick to compose herself and tug her girlfriend closer, the guys all respectfully looking away.
"I love you," the brunette whispered when she pulled back, her hands encasing Natasha's face like something extremely precious. ''You and your worry for me.''
"I love you too," Natasha muttered back, the previous annoyance completely gone as that concerned frown had etched itself between her brows again. "Be careful, yeah?"
"Always."
A chorus of that single word came from the others at the same time it left Katya's lips. The Russians snapped their heads towards them, light glares adorning both their faces while Katya dropped her hands down.
"What? It's cute and romantic and all, but it's getting repetitive," Tony defended himself, tinkering with some settings on his suit.
Katya's eyes narrowed on him. "That's the whole point of it all, Stark. It's a ritual for good luck. Like how you wear underwear with your own face on it for missions."
The Quinjet fell completely silent, all bodies freezing and gaping at her in both shock and amused surprise. She'd been saving that information for the right moment.
Tony shifted uneasily, avoiding any eye contact with anyone. "How do you know about that?"
Her eyebrows shot up, the sweet sense of power growing her ego. "Those black G-Star jeans with the rip in the back pocket? It needs a belt."
Once more, silence, as the other men tried to comprehend the information. Until Clint burst out, "Dude, you wear underwear with your face on it?!"
"It was a gift, okay?!"
In the chaos that followed, Natasha tightened her grip on Katya, successfully drawing her attention back. "You're incredible." She smiled adoringly, pecking her lips once more.
~~~~
Natasha hung over the edge of the couch in their living room, watching her wife pull on a thick coat and gather the car keys. Outside, the white flocks continued to fall. Not heavily, but enough to cover the ground. "Are you sure you don't want me to drive her today?"
The worry enveloped her tone, causing Katya to stop and look at her, smiling softly at the oh so familiar creased eyebrows. "Honey, I can handle some snow and ice." She said amused, glancing at Maya pulling her shoes on by the front door.
"But I know how much you suck at driving, so I really think-" A finger to her lips cut her off, Katya having closed the distance to the couch in two big steps. If this conversation had happened in a more playful mood, Natasha would have either tried to bite that finger or suck it into her mouth. Now, she just stopped talking and waited.
"First of all; rude. Second, we will be fine.'' Katya removed her finger and replaced it with her lips, brushing them lovingly over her wife's soft ones. ''When I get home, we'll have a cozy day in, okay?"
As if entranced, the redhead nodded, though the traces of worry never left her eyes. "Okay."
"Good. Bye then." Katya smiled, kissing her quickly before turning on her heels. Maya stood by the door impatiently, backpack in her hands.
''Wait!'' Natasha called out. ''Do you want snacks? Should I make snacks?''
A warm smile grew on Katya's lips, toying mindlessly with the keys in her hand as she admired the woman on the couch. ''How about we bake a cake when I get back?''
Natasha's eyes lit up. ''Apple pie?'' She loved baking with Katya, it made her feel like a giddish child, mixing the ingredients together and snacking on the batter. Apple pie was one of her favorites.
''Sure." Katya smiled. "I'll drive past the store and get the ingredients.''
"You're the best,'' Natasha squealed, calling after her when the brunette finally decided to bring the child to school. ''Be careful, please!"
"Always!"
~~~~
The living room spun, dozens of memories screaming into her head at once as they fell into place. It disturbed her balance to the point where Katya had to grab onto the armrest of the couch to keep upright, to no avail. Natasha was just in time to catch her and lower her to the ground when she toppled over, her body slouching back against the piece of furniture.
Intense worry overtook the redhead, thinking something physical was wrong with her. She fell to her knees next to Katya's body in a panic. Frantically, her hands flailed around, eyes rapidly scanning Katya's body for any signs of injury or pain. ''Kat? Are you okay?''
Vaguely, Katya was aware of her fast breathing, the voice in her ear, her trembling hands, but the only thing she could focus on for a moment, were the dozens of beautiful and terrible images flooding her brain at once. After a month, she thought she was prepared, but nothing could have prepared her for this.
Needles getting pushed underneath her nails as a means of torture, Natasha's gentle fingertips worshipping her body, the slap of a stick when her knees gave in while doing ballet, Maya's arms wrapping around her in a warm hug after a difficult mental day, her body colliding with the floor during training in the Compound, Natasha's angelic laugh in the vastness of their bedroom.
It became a mix of all of it, time or place completely indistinguishable, both inside her head and outside. She was simply a passenger watching it all. When it seemed to slow down - or at least stop being so loud so she could think and move again - a headache had developed.
Disoriented, she slowly trailed her gaze up to meet Natasha's, pain shooting through her head when her eyeballs turned. But as her clear blues met with dark green irises, Natasha's heart skipped a beat.
A look she hadn't seen in weeks had returned. The look she would only ever be on the other end of. The one saved for her and her only.
''Natalia?'' Katya whispered, as if in confusion.
But the redhead didn't need more words than that. The tone and the look in her eyes were enough to conclude one thing:
Her wife had returned.
A sob fell from her lips, wrecking her body until it jolted and shook. ''Oh, thank god,'' she cried, throwing herself into Katya's arms and holding onto her body for dear life without care. Too often, she had managed to slip away when Natasha momentarily looked the other way. ''I missed you so much. Don't ever do that to me again.''
Of course, the key to her memories was Natasha getting back to her sweet self and saying those two words with the same worry and care as she always did. Of course, it was that. They were the common thread in Katya's life, the thing connecting most of her memories together.
The brunette let her own tears flow freely when reality set in, throwing her arm around her wife and squeezing her tightly. The familiar scent invaded her senses, feeling fully safe and warm for the first time in weeks. ''I remember it all.''
~~~~~~~~
A/N: Kat's back! I'm not the biggest fan of this chapter (and it was a huge turnaround from last week), but of course those three words would be the thing that brought her back :) Nat's and Maya's full reactions next week!