Warnings: none
Hi, so this is the part two in the request made by @jayjayromanoff
I hope you enjoy because I may or may not have gotten carried away when writing this and it ended up being over four thousand words.
Anyways, I have a choice to make. I can end the Little Sister short series here, or I can write a part three where we get big sister Kate fluff. I'm fine with either way, so I'll leave it up to you guys.
Please comment, let me know what you'd like :)
Kate sat in the front passenger seat, her hands playing with the hem of her sweatshirt as Yelena drove through the streets of New York, taking the path to the apartment her and Natasha shared. After the whole ordeal with Thanos and the Infinity Stones, Yelena and Natasha wanted to be as close as possible to make up for lost time from the Blip. Needless to say, the two sisters were chaotic roommates.
Yelena and Natasha had been taking care of y/n for a few days, helping her acclimate to the world of freewill. While Yelena wanted to tell Kate about y/n immediately, Natasha thought it best to give the eleven year old a few days to adjust. Both knew how overwhelming the world can be once you get out of that place. And it was proving to be the correct decision.
"Kate, before we get there, there's something you need to understand." Yelena started in an oddly serious and soft tone, one that took Kate by surprise.
"Like what?" Kate asked, feeling a little antsy about seeing her little sister. Lucky perked up in the backseat of the car as the two women started speaking after a long silence.
"The Red Room...it changes you. Chances are she's not the same as you last remember her. She grew up in that place, having to do terrible things that no one should ever have to do, let alone an eleven year old." Yelena started, saying it as seriously as she could because Kate needed to understand what the Red Room does to someone.
"God, I can't imagine going through all that. That place must be hell." Kate whispered, her eyes glued to the road in front of her.
"It's worse." Yelena muttered, gripping the steering wheel a bit harder. "We told her about you, that you're her sister, but just be patient with her. Give her space. It'll take her time to build trust in you because just about everyone in her life has tried to hurt her."
"I know, the last thing I wanna do is make her uncomfortable." Kate admitted, turning to look at the blonde.
"Kate...I highly doubt she even remembers you. We told her about you and who you are to her, but the last time she saw you was when she was one year old. I don't know about you but I don't remember being one. Just don't set your expectations too high. I don't want you to be disappointed. I know how hard families can be, so I know this is tough for the both of you." Yelena stated bluntly, not exactly knowing how to be delicate about this.
Kate however, just sat in silence, processing the words the blonde had just said. Kate had been so excited and nervous to see her baby sister again that she failed to realize that y/n wouldn't even remember her. And this made Kate's heart ache.
*****
Yelena and Kate stood before the apartment door, the prior fishing out her keys so they could enter while the latter held onto the dog's leash. Yelena eventually found the right key in her vast array of pockets, sliding it into the lock and turning the tumblers.
"Natasha, I'm back. Kate's with me." the blonde called out, stepping into the apartment and kicking off her shoes. Kate quickly followed suit.
The fiery redhead that was Natasha Romanoff appeared out of the kitchen, drying her hands with a dish towel. Kate figured that she must have been washing dishes just a moment ago.
"Hey Kate. It's good to see you again." Natasha smiled, pulling Kate into a tight hug.
Kate and Natasha had gotten to know each other pretty well over the last year, what with their mutual relations with Clint and Yelena. When Kate started living at the compound several days out of the week, the red head took it upon herself to become like a secondary mentor to the girl since Clint was usually away with his family. She had helped teach and improve Kate in hand-to-hand combat, helping the brunette build on her lifetime of martial arts. In reality, Kate viewed Natasha very highly, appreciating the protective role that the widow had taken over Kate.
"It's good to see you too. Thanks for helping out and looking after...her." Kate's voice trailed off slightly at the end, her nerves suddenly building up at the obvious impending reunion between her and her little sister.
"No need to thank us, she's been a total sweetheart. We both know how important family can be. Yelena introduced her to mac-n-cheese." Natasha smiled, cocking an eyebrow at her younger sister.
"She needs to know about the most important things in life." Yelena scoffed, waving the two of them off.
Kate just laughed at the blonde, feeling extremely grateful to have these two people in her life. Kate knew Natasha cared for her in an almost sisterly way, and while Yelena would never admit it, Kate knew that the blonde cared for her as well. But the events unfolding right now, cemented this belief in Kate.
"So...where is she?" Kate asked, glancing around nervously.
"She's in the guest room. I'll go get her," Natasha announced, tossing the dish towel she had used somewhere in the kitchen while walking off to the bedrooms.
Kate just awkwardly moved further into the apartment to the living room, Lucky trailing behind her, waiting for the moment she had always dreamed of, but never expected it to have happened. Yelena had walked off into the kitchen, fishing around for something to either eat or drink.
Natasha walked down the hall, finding the third bedroom that had been turned into y/n's temporary room. The door to the room was open as the red head approached, taking in the view of y/n sitting at the desk and drawing with a set of markers that Yelena had bought for her. Natasha smiled at the sight of the eleven year old being a regular kid. Y/n had been through too much, and she deserved to live out the remainder of her childhood as happy as she can be. She deserved to be a child.
The redhead knocked softly on the doorframe, catching y/n's attention, who looked up from her drawing.
"Honey, do you remember the talk Yelena and I had with you last night." Natasha asked with a smile, coming over to the girl and threading a hand through her hair.
Y/n nodded, setting down the marker she was holding. Since her rescue from the Red Room, y/n had grown to like Natasha and Yelena. They were nice, kind, and provided a safe place that wasn't that hellhole.
"You said that I have a sister and that she was going to take me home." y/n replied nonchalantly, like it was no big deal that she had an older sister.
Yelena and Natasha had explained to the little girl the night before about Kate and that she was going to come by. While this was probably not the approach some would take, the two thought it would be best to be up front and direct with the eleven year old. She had taken the news surprisingly well, but it was probably because she was used to receiving orders or news in the Red Room and not being allowed to react.
"Kate is here, if you'd like to come meet her." Natasha announced softly, smiling at the little girl.
Y/n just nodded and got up from the desk, and trailed behind Natasha as they walked out of the bedroom. Kate glanced up when the two of them appeared from the hallway and she had to do everything to keep from crying when she saw her baby sister standing there. She still had the same features that Kate could remember from when y/n was one, only now she was older, taller, her face fuller and losing the natural cubbiness that accompanied every baby.
Kate honestly wanted to pull her baby sister into a tight hug and promise to never let go again, but she knew that she was a stranger to y/n and didn't want to make the girl uncomfortable.
For ten years, Kate had blamed herself for her sister's disappearance and kidnapping. If she had just not gotten distracted by Armond at that stupid party, she could have kept an eye on y/n and prevented her from wandering off and getting taken by the Red Room. For so long, she had beaten herself up over what had happened, blaming no one but herself. It was partially why she had gotten so involved in martial arts and archery, so she could distract herself from her guilt, but also to protect what was left of her family. She had already lost her father to aliens, and lost her baby sister to the Red Room. All she had left was her mother, and while the two often clashed and were hard headed, Kate still wanted to protect her mother. That however, went down the drain when she exposed her mom's dealings with Kingpin and got her arrested.
Anxiety quickly filled Kate as all this flashed before her mind, and she began to wonder if y/n would even want anything to do with her. Y/n was obviously going to find out what Kate had done to their mother, and maybe y/n would even blame Kate for her kidnapping. Y/n could view every bad thing that happened in her life as Kate's fault, and honestly, the archer wouldn't blame her. She blamed herself and would never forgive herself for letting her family down.
"Y/n, this is Kate." Natasha introduced, walking the kid closer to the brunette.
Kate knelt down to y/n's eye level with a smile. The eleven year old just watched with a calculated look, like she was processing or thinking.
"Hi, y/n." Kate greeted, smiling wider as she took in the face of her baby sister. She looked like a little version of Kate, but still looked so much like what Kate remembered from when y/n was one.
Y/n just stared at the older girl, taking in her face. She looked familiar, like she had held this woman so close to her heart at one point. Y/n felt like she had seen wisps of her everywhere, in the other girls at the Red Room, in the mirror when she looked at her reflection.
Natasha and Yelena had told y/n about Kate being her older sister, that Kate was her family. She had always heard that word in the Red Room, but her education and years of field work had failed to teach her what that word actually meant. Dreykov had used that word in a negative sense, claiming that "family" was a poison, deserving to be cut out from the inside. When y/n saw the little kids with their parents or siblings, she could not understand how family was a bad thing. All those kids seemed happy, the parents seemed happy. But if Dreykov declared families as a terrible thing, then it must be true, right?
But the woman in front of her didn't seem bad, in fact she was staring right at y/n with nothing but love and adoration. It was a look that the little girl was not used to seeing, a look that y/n wasn't even sure if it was positive or how to process it.
What caught y/n's attention though, was the fluffy dog that was sitting right next to Kate, his tongue and tail wagging excitedly.
"That's Lucky." Kate whispered, scratching the dog's back. "Go on, pet him. He doesn't bite"
Y/n reached a timid hand out as Lucky began sniffing, licking a few of her fingers before the little girl began scratching the top of the dog's head. Lucky's tail thumped harder on the ground, liking the attention from the little girl.
Kate watched y/n as a warm feeling grew in her chest, watching her sister take a liking to the fluffy animal. A ghost of a smile had settled on the little girl's lips, and it was probably one of the first times the kid had smiled in a long time. Whether they all realized it or not, Lucky was helping to break the ice between Kate and y/n.
"Why don't Yelena and I start making some lunch while you two hang out." Natasha suggested, wrapping an arm around Yelena's shoulders, trying to pull the blonde into the kitchen to give Kate and y/n a moment alone.
"Ooo can we make mac-n-cheese?" Yelena gasped, following her sister with a goofy smile.
"We had that yesterday. I don't think y/n wants that again." Natasha laughed, shaking her head.
"What, it's not like I'm giving her vodka." Yelena whined as the two disappeared to make lunch while y/n and Kate got to know each other.
Kate watched y/n as she continued to mess with Lucky, who was now sprawled out on the ground with a little girl rubbing his belly.
"Ya know...he knows some tricks." Kate smirked, cocking an eyebrow.
Y/n looked up with a smile, intrigued by the prospect of Lucky doing tricks.
"Here...uh." Kate mumbled, moving into the kitchen for a second and looking for any kind of dog treats.
"What are you looking for?" Natasha asked, looking up from the stove and watching Kate stick her head in a cabinet.
"Can I borrow some of Fanny's treats?" Kate asked, pulling out a small bag.
"Yeah, go for it." Yelena allowed, waving Kate off.
"Thanks...where is Fanny, by the way?" Kate asked, walking back towards the living room, where y/n was still messing around with Lucky.
"At the groomers." Yelena announced, looking through the fridge.
Kate just nodded, returning to the living room. Y/n just looked at Kate, standing up and plopping down the couch. Lucky sat up, panting as he looked from y/n to Kate, then immediately noticed the bag of treats in his owner's hands. He jumped up, standing on his back legs and pressed his front legs into Kate's stomach, begging for the treats.
"Sit, Lucky." Kate ordered with a slight laugh, opening the bag of treats.
The dog barked happily, jumping slightly before sitting down on his hind legs, his tail thumping loudly on the hardwood floor.
"Good boy." Kate giggled, holding out a treat to reward the dog. "Shake, Lucky." she stuck a hand out, ordering the dog to perform his next trick.
Lucky quickly placed his front paw in Kate's outstretched hand, wanting his next treat, which Kate rewarded him with.
Kate glanced over at y/n, who was watching with a look of learning, and a goofy smile plastered over her face.
"You wanna try, y/n?" Kate offered, holding out her handful of treats for the little girl.
Y/n looked up from her spot on the couch, eyeing the handful. She stood up slowly, taking a treat from Kate's hand.
She held out her hand, mimicking the same movements and ques that Kate performed, holding out her empty hand.
"Shake." she ordered quietly, and it was the first time that Kate had heard her baby sister talk. It made Kate's heart flutter and warm at the fact that y/n was beginning to trust her enough to speak.
Lucky sniffed y/n's outstretched hand briefly, then quickly sat his paw in her hand. Y/n smiled wider, giggling while she shook the dog's paw, giving him the treat.
The sound of y/n laughing made Kate's heart feel like it was going to burst with pure joy. She had dreamed of this moment, being with her sister once again and just enjoying the little things in life.
"Good job." Kate praised y/n, placing a careful hand on y/n's shoulder and giving it a slight rub. She could feel y/n tense up, not used to this kind of positive physical affirmation and affection. But as quickly as she tensed up, she relaxed, realizing that Kate meant no harm.
Baby steps. Kate needed to take baby steps with her little sister. Y/n had been through hell and she was only eleven. It would take time to heal from everything that had happened to her. Maybe some things would never heal, but y/n needed time, and Kate needed to take baby steps to earn the girl's trust.
"Here, try this. Take the treat and go like this." Kate instructed, making a circle motion with her arm.
Y/n watched Kate, then followed the instructions. She took a treat in her fingers and held it above Lucky's head, making the same circle motion with her arm. Lucky stared at the hand, following it and turning in a circle. Y/n laughed, then rewarded Lucky with the promised treat.
Natasha and Yelena appeared a few moments later, carrying plates of food for all four of them to eat.
"Hope you two like sandwiches." Natasha announced, handing y/n a plate while Yelena gave Kate one.
Kate took the plate, eyeing the food as she felt her stomach growl, realizing that she forgot to eat breakfast with all of today's excitement. Y/n sat down on the couch, right next to Kate. It honestly surprised the brunette, but she wasn't going to complain.
Natasha and Yelena sat down on the other chairs in the living room and began talking, striking up conversation with everyone. Kate just sat there, the whole moment feeling surreal. She was with her little sister again, reunited after thinking she'd never see her again.
Surprisingly, hours passed. All of them talking, chatting, y/n occasionally chiming in while she messed with Lucky. Eventually, Yelena had to leave to go pick up Fanny from the groomers. Natasha ended up being called in to the Avenger's compound for some kind of meeting. Kate, however, wasn't needed for the meeting so she was free for the evening.
"Y/n, sweetie, can I talk to you for a moment before I leave?" Natasha asked y/n, who was still sitting on the couch. The girl nodded, watching the red head sit down.
"What do you think of Kate?" Natasha asked, hoping Kate would stay in the bathroom while she talked with y/n.
"I like her. She's nice." y/n smiled as Lucky trotted over to sit at the girl's feet. "Yelena said that she was taking me to my family. Does that mean I'm going to live with Kate?"
"Yes, you will." Natasha whispered, smiling.
Y/n just nodded, looking back down at the dog on the floor with a small smile.
Truth was, y/n really did like Kate. She was kind, patient, and y/n could tell that Kate really cared about her. Her whole life, it felt like she was forgetting something, or someone important, and she couldn't figure out who. But her apparent big sister Kate filled that sensation, seemingly causing the pit of loneliness that had grown in the Red Room to disappear. She had only known Kate for a day and she already liked the woman, trust growing in her. The idea and sensation of family was still very new and strange to y/n, but she was slowly beginning to grasp the concept after just spending an afternoon with Kate.
Things were happening very fast in the grand scheme of things, and y/n was trying her best not to get overwhelmed. In the last few days she had been released from the Red Room, lived with some ex-widows for a few days, and met her older sister that she apparently had, not to mention that she was going to live with her now. Maybe this is what normal life is like.
Kate emerged from the bathroom a moment later, smiling at y/n with a warm expression. Natasha stood up from the couch and pulled Kate over to the side for a moment.
"I've got to get going before Steve chews me out for being late to another meeting. Y/n has some stuff you two can pack up so she actually has some clothes at your apartment." the red head announced to Kate, crossing her arms.
"Ok, sure." Kate nodded, "And hey, thanks for all your help with this. I just can't believe she's back and okay now. I don't know how to repay the both of you for everything."
"Kate, it's ok, honestly. Yelena and I know how important family is. You don't owe us anything, but you do owe her. She's been through a lot and deserves to be a kid, live out the rest of her childhood as happy as she can be." Natasha replied softly, talking with nothing but understanding for the two freshly reunited sisters.
"I know, and I want to do everything I can to give her that." Kate smiled, nodding again. "Nat...do you think you could wait a few minutes? I think I want to take her to the compound instead."
"You sure? What about your apartment?" Natasha questioned.
"That place isn't built for two people. Plus, my place at the compound is nicer, and safer. She can have her own space and not be stuck in my one room, makeshift apartment." Kate reasoned, looking down at her feet nervously for a moment.
"Ok, I'm not sure how Tony will react to a kid living in the compound but you have a point." Natasha agreed, grateful Kate wasn't taking her eleven year old sister to her bizarre apartment.
Kate nodded with a thankful smile, then moved away from Natasha.
"Alright kiddo, let's get you packed, then we can go home." Kate said, clapping her hands and walking off down the hall.
*****
Kate and y/n stepped out of the car as Natasha grabbed y/n's bag from the trunk. The sun was beginning to set as night began, casting an orange hue to everything. Long shadows grew in the sunset, created by the trees that surrounded the back of the compound. Landing pads with quinjets surrounded another side of the building, ready for any that the Avengers would need.
Avengers. In the Red Room, y/n had learned about the team of heroes, and had been ordered to avoid them at all costs. Dreykov couldn't afford one of the big ones coming after the organization.
Soon enough, Kate and y/n were standing in the entrance of the compound, the older sister now holding the bag of clothes since Natasha had to rush off for her meeting. She had mentioned to Kate that she would talk to the team, tell them about y/n being here and to not overwhelm the kid with a bunch of questions and stuff.
"Welcome home kiddo." Kate laughed, watching y/n take in the sight that was the interior of the compound as Lucky began bounding around.
Kate ushered y/n and Lucky through the halls, up the elevator, and to a specific door. Kate unlocked it and pushed it open, allowing y/n to go in first with Lucky close behind. The room was large to say the least, able to fit a queen size bed, a desk and a dresser, with tons of space to spare. There was a large TV mounted to the wall, facing the bed, and two separate doors that led to the bathroom and a closet. Kate had decorated her room here at the compound in a similar way to her own apartment, with archery and martial arts posters plastered along the walls and a few shelves with some trophies or souvenirs she had collected on her missions.
Lucky laid down on his bed as Y/n slowly sat down on the queen sized bed, staring at the thing with pure awe. It was so large and comfortable that she couldn't imagine being allowed to sleep in it. In the Red Room, the beds that all the girls slept on were hard and small. While she never liked that place, some of the things there you just got used to. So the idea of sleeping on a bed like Kate's seemed so abstract and unlikely. Surely Kate was going to have y/n sleep on the floor. Y/n was never supposed to have luxuries.
"I hope you're ok with sharing." Kate piped up in reference to the bed, watching the little girl take it all in.
"You mean...I can sleep in it?" y/n asked, looking up at Kate with a confused expression.
"Yeah, of course you can. That is, if you don't mind sharing with your big sister." Kate smiled, half joking while she walked over to the dresser. She pulled open one of the empty drawers and began unpacking y/n's clothes into it.
"I don't mind." y/n responded, getting up from the bed and turning her attention to the walls, taking in the décor.
"How about some dinner? You like pizza?" Kate asked, catching y/n's gaze.
"What's pizza?" the girl asked, raising her eyebrows in a way that only their mother did.
Kate gasped, playfully placing a hand over her chest in exasperated fake shock.
"That's it, we're getting pizza." Kate declared dramatically, grabbing her phone to order the pizza in question.
Y/n giggled at her sister's antics. She was beginning to realize Kate had a lot of them.
A few minutes later, they found themselves curled up in bed, already in their pajamas with an open pizza box before them. Y/n was staring uncertainly at the slice of pizza she was holding. The food looked...bizarre to say the least. But it smelled good and Kate and Lucky seemed excited to be eating it.
Y/n took a timid bite of the food, feeling Kate's watchful eyes on her as she chewed. The moment the flavors landed on her tongue, she sighed happily, already loving this new food.
"Well?" Kate asked, looking like she might explode with anticipation or excitement.
"It's so good!" y/n laughed, already stuffing her face with the rest of the slice.
Kate burst out laughing at the girl's excitement and love for the food, her heart warming at the sight.
She reached over to the nightstand and grabbed the TV remote, deciding they needed to watch a movie to make the evening complete. Kate eventually settled with How to Train Your Dragon, figuring it'd be good to start showing y/n the essential movies that a kid would need to see. She had originally thought of turning on Star Wars, but decided to save it for the next time Peter would be at the compound, knowing he'd be excited to have someone new to watch the movies with.
Halfway through the movie, the girls had finished their fill of the pizza, and Kate set the box aside on her dresser, out of the reach of Lucky who had already eaten his dinner. The two sunk into the bed, hypnotized by the movie and content with the warm blankets that engulfed them.
But what happened next made Kate want to cry for about the forty fifth time that day.
Y/n had shifted over in the bed, scooting closer to Kate. She suddenly rested her head on Kate's chest, much like a small child sometimes does with their mother. Kate froze for a second, processing what was happening and wanting to make sure she made the right move. But she acted on impulse, like she normally did, and wrapped her arms around y/n, bringing the kid closer to her. A ghost of a smile settled on both of them, both happy with each other's trust in the moment.
But what made Kate feel like crying was the fact that she was once again holding her little sister, much like she would do when she was just a baby. After so many years of self blame and hatred towards herself for letting her sister get taken, Kate could finally feel herself letting go, forgiving herself. Y/n was back, safe and sound in Kate's arms, and she was never letting go, ever again.