natasha romanoff & peter parker oneshots

The First Time

Natasha leaned against the wall of the alleyway, arms crossed over her chest as she waited for Peter to show up for training. They had arranged to meet here, away from the prying eyes of the other Avengers. Natasha preferred to train the newest recruit in private before subjecting him to the scrutiny of the others.

The sound of footsteps on pavement made her look up as Peter rounded the corner. He was dressed in normal clothes, backpack slung over one shoulder.

"Hey Ms. Romanoff!" he greeted cheerfully.

Natasha pushed off the wall. "You're late," she said shortly.

Peter's eyes widened. "What? No I'm not, we said 4 o'clock."

"It's 4:02," Natasha replied. "When I say 4 o'clock, I mean 4 o'clock sharp."

"Oh man, I'm really sorry about that," Peter said earnestly. "I promise I'll be on time from now on."

Natasha suppressed a smile at his flustered apology. "See that you are," she said sternly. She led him further into the alley. "Let's get started. Show me what you've been working on since our last session."

Eagerly, Peter shrugged off his backpack and kicked off his shoes. He pulled his spider suit out of the bag and wiggled into it. Once the mask was in place, he shot a web to swing up onto the rooftop.

"Good form," Natasha noted, following him up via the fire escape.

For the next hour, she ran him through various exercises - balance, agility, combinations of kicks and punches. She corrected his form here and there, adjusting his stance or grip. Peter followed every direction attentively, focused on improving.

When Natasha decided they had done enough for the day, she grabbed a couple of water bottles from her own pack and lobbed one to Peter. He collapsed against an AC unit gratefully.

"Not bad today, Parker," she said, sipping her water. She sat down next to him. "Your combat skills are coming along well. You have good instincts."

Peter perked up at the praise. "Thanks Ms. Romanoff! I've been practicing those moves you showed me."

"Call me Natasha. We're teammates now after all."

"Thanks Natasha," Peter said, smiling behind his mask as he gulped his water.

Natasha studied him thoughtfully. Beneath the suit, he was just a teenager. A talented, enthusiastic kid who had found himself on a team of heroes. She knew he had heart and determination, but she worried about his eagerness to prove himself. He wanted so badly to live up to being an Avenger that she was afraid he would rush into danger. It stirred an almost maternal protectiveness in her.

Peter finished his water and hopped up. "Well, I should probably head home. Lots of homework to do." He shouldered his backpack.

"Hold up a sec, Spiderling," Natasha said. She unzipped a pouch on her belt and withdrew a small metal disk. "I want you to keep this on you when you're out as Spider-Man."

Peter took the disc, turning it over in his hands curiously. It was about an inch in diameter, smooth and featureless. "What is it?"

"It's a tracking device," Natasha explained. "If you're ever in real trouble out there, push on the center and I'll be alerted to your location."

Peter's fingers curled around the tracker. He wasn't sure how he felt about being monitored, but he appreciated Natasha's concern. "Have you given these to the other Avengers too?"

"No, just you," Nat smiled slightly.

Peter's chest warmed at the idea that she considered him someone to protect. "Thanks, Natasha. I'll be careful with it." He slipped the tracker into a secure pocket on his suit.

"See that you're careful with yourself too," Natasha said seriously. She put a hand on his shoulder. "You've got a lot of potential, Spider-Man. But you're also young and inexperienced. No unnecessary risks, understand?"

"I understand," Peter said earnestly.

Natasha patted his shoulder. "Good man. Now get home and finish your homework. I'll see you in a couple days for our next session."

"See you then!" Peter said cheerfully. He slipped his mask back on and leaped from the roof, shooting a web to swing off into the city.

Natasha watched him go, shaking her head wryly. The kid had no idea how much he suddenly meant to her. But she would make sure he stayed safe.

The Second Time

Natasha sat on the quinjet beside Steve, features schooled into a neutral expression despite the worry gnawing at her. Peter was out on his first real Avengers mission with them, and it was a particularly dangerous one.

Reports had come in that a group of armed terrorists had taken over a nuclear research facility. They were threatening to detonate the warheads unless their demands were met. The team was on its way now to neutralize the threat.

Steve glanced over at Natasha. "You doing okay?" he asked quietly.

Natasha gave a short nod. "Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"

"You just seem...tense," Steve said carefully. "I know Peter hasn't been in the field with us before."

Natasha leaned back in her seat, forcing her posture to relax. "The kid will be fine. He's got good training."

"I know," Steve said. "But it's different when it's your-"

"Protégé?" Natasha cut him off. "Partner?" She shook her head slightly. "He's not mine, Steve. He's one of us now."

Steve held up a hand apologetically. "You're right, I'm sorry. I just meant I understand your concern."

Natasha gave him a wry smile. "Your concern is showing, old man. I'm fine."

Steve chuckled. "Right. My mistake."

They lapsed into silence then, occupied with their own thoughts as the quinjet sped through the sky. Natasha tried not to dwell on worries about Peter. He had proven himself capable during training. But this was the real world now, against real weapons and enemies.

Well, fretting about it wouldn't help anyway. All she could do was have his back out there.

The quinjet landed a safe distance from the compound and the team disembarked, spreading out to surround the building covertly. As they got into position, Steve's voice came over the comms.

"Stark, take out the external defenses. Nat, find a way in through the roof. Spider-Man, go through the ventilation system to get eyes on the hostages. We'll enter simultaneously from all sides."

"On it, Cap," Tony confirmed. Natasha crept around the edge of the building, grappling onto the roof. As she waited for the others to get in place, she spotted an air duct - perfect for Peter's entrance.

"Approaching the vents," Peter's voice crackled through.

"Be alert," Natasha told him. "Make sure you have an escape route planned."

"I will," he promised. Natasha listened over the comms as Peter crawled through the ventilation system. He gave occasional whispered updates on the hostage situation as he peered through vents into the different rooms.

Finally Steve gave the signal and all hell broke loose. The team swept in, subduing the militants with their combined skills. Natasha moved smoothly through the combat, focused on eliminating threats.

Within minutes, all of the militants were down or surrendered. Natasha did a quick sweep of the facility, checking for any they had missed.

"All clear," Steve reported. "Hostages secured, no casualties. Good work, team."

The others checked in one by one. Then Natasha realized she hadn't heard from Peter in awhile. "Spider-Man, status?" she asked tensely.

No response. Natasha's heartrate spiked. "Peter, report! Now!"

"Ugh, sorry, yeah I'm here," Peter's voice finally answered, slightly strained. "Um, one of the guys kind of got in a lucky shot. I'm okay though!"

Natasha was already sprinting through the building, tracing his comm signal. "Where are you hit?" she demanded.

"Just my shoulder, it's really no big deal," Peter said hastily.

Natasha rounded a corner and spotted Peter leaning against a wall, pressing a hand to his left shoulder. The fabric of his suit was torn and stained with blood.

In seconds she was at his side, prying his hand away to inspect the injury. Peter protested, "Natasha, it's fine, seriously! The bullet just grazed me."

Natasha ignored his pleas, carefully examining the wound. It was bleeding steadily but didn't appear serious. She let out a small breath of relief.

"What happened?" Steve asked worriedly over comms.

"Spider-Man took a hit to the shoulder," Natasha reported. "Not critical." She stabilized the injury with supplies from her belt.

Peter waved off Steve's concerned questions. "I'm okay, Cap, really! Just got caught off guard."

"He'll be fine," Natasha said firmly. With Peter's shoulder wrapped securely, she squeezed his good arm. "Try to be more careful next time, Spiderling. Or I'll wrap you in so much bubble wrap you won't be able to move."

Peter chuckled. "I'll do my best." He hesitated. "And...thanks for having my back, Nat."

Her expression softened. "Anytime, kid. Now let's get you back to the quinjet." Keeping a protective hand on Peter's back, she led him outside to join the others.

As they flew home, Natasha watched Peter doze off, exhausted from the mission. She gently adjusted the blanket around his shoulders, allowing herself a small, fond smile. Maybe she was a little protective of the kid. But she'd make sure he stayed safe.

The Third Time

Natasha leapt and rolled to avoid the energy blast from the Doombot, firing her wrist stingers to take it down. All around, the rest of the team battled against the small army of robots Doctor Doom had unleashed in Central Park.

"How many more of these things are there?" Sam complained over comms, wings folding back into his pack as he dropped down from the sky to land a crushing kick on one bot.

"No idea, but they just keep coming!" Peter answered. Natasha spotted his red and blue suited form swinging through the tree branches, webbing up bots left and right. She had to admit the kid was holding his own in the fight.

"Team, remember Doom's inside the park monument," Steve said. "Our priority is taking him down to shut these robots down."

"Easier said than done when we're surrounded by his toys," Tony pointed out, blasting through a circle of bots before landing next to Steve. "We're sitting ducks out here."

Natasha shot a widow's bite into the last bot near her, frying its circuits. "Stark's right," she said over comms. "We need to draw them together into a more concentrated area so you and Stark can get to Doom."

"If we can group them, I can do a shockwave blast to take them out all at once," Wanda offered.

Steve quickly outlined a plan, directing each of the team members into position. Natasha lured a cluster of bots towards the middle of the park, where Wanda waited to unleash her power.

As Natasha evaded attacks from the bots chasing her, she caught sight of Peter swinging up the stone monument towards the top. "Spider-Man, what are you doing?" she demanded.

"I'm gonna try to web up Doom while everyone's distracted!" Peter said. "If I can get the drop on him, this fight's as good as over."

Natasha swore under her breath. "Stand down now," she ordered. "Wait for backup."

But Peter was already out of sight, climbing up the tower. Scowling, Natasha turned her focus back to the bots while keeping one ear tuned to Peter's comm.

A few moments later, she heard the sounds of a scuffle, then Doom's angry shout. "You insolent insect! I'll crush you!"

Natasha's heart stuttered. "Peter, get out of there!" she barked.

A pained cry answered her, followed by the sound of an impact and crumbling stone. Natasha abandoned the bot herd, sprinting towards the monument. As she drew closer, Peter's battered form came into view, sprawled unconscious near the base of the tower.

Rage flooded Natasha's veins. No one hurt her kid and got away with it.

Steve and Tony met her there, instantly on alert at seeing Peter's unmoving form. "I'll stay with him," Steve said urgently. "Go!"

Natasha didn't hesitate, grappling up the side of the monument. At the top, she saw Doom reaching to reactivate his bots. She slammed into him, knocking him away from the controls.

"You like hitting kids, you bastard?" she snarled, pummeling Doom with vicious strikes. He tried to defend himself but she was running on pure fury. An iron grip around his throat cut off any excuses.

"Nat, stand down!" Tony said hastily, catching her arm. "We need him alive."

Chest heaving, Natasha reluctantly loosened her hold on Doom's neck. Tony quickly restrained the groaning man in energy cuffs. Only once he was secure did Natasha turn away, not trusting herself not to finish the job.

She hurried back down the tower to where Steve was crouched beside Peter. The teen was sitting up now, one hand pressed to his ribs.

"What were you thinking, going after Doom alone?" Natasha demanded. Peter flinched at her harsh tone.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled. "I thought I could handle it."

Natasha took a steadying breath. "That was reckless and stupid," she said sharply. "You could have been killed."

Peter hung his head. "You're right. I messed up."

The genuine regret in his voice made Natasha's anger fade. She cupped his cheek gently, turning his face towards her. "Promise me you won't take risks like that again."

"I promise," Peter said earnestly. "No more solo acts. I should have listened to you."

Natasha nodded, satisfied. She helped him to his feet. "Come on, let's get you checked out." Keeping one hand on his back, she guided him toward the quinjet, leaving the clean-up to the others. Right now her only concern was making sure her Spiderling was okay.

The Fourth Time

Natasha knelt on the rooftop overlooking the warehouse. Through the skylight, she could see the group of men gathered below. Intelligence said this was a meeting spot for a local gang trafficking illegal weapons.

"Spider-Man, what's your position?" she murmured into her comm.

"I'm on the east side," Peter's whispered voice answered. "I've got eyes on six guys so far. Looks like more inside."

"Hold your position," Natasha instructed. "We need to identify the ringleaders before we move in."

She scanned the room, marking exits and cataloging weapons. As she watched, two more men entered from a side door and moved to greet the others. Even at a distance, she could tell from their arrogant posture that these two were in charge.

"I have the leaders in sight," she reported to Peter. "On my signal, web up the exits. We'll corner them inside."

"Copy that," Peter confirmed.

Natasha counted down from three before crashing through the skylight feet first, directly into the middle of the group. She immediately lashed out in a whirlwind of kicks and punches, using their own surprise against them.

The men swore and scrambled for their weapons, but were halted by Spider-Man's webs sealing off all the doors. Natasha swiftly disarmed and knocked out the cronies, leaving just the two bosses.

Spider-Man dropped down beside her, wisps of web fluid trailing from his wrists. "I've got these guys, Nat," he said eagerly.

Before Natasha could respond, one of the gang leaders suddenly grabbed a concealed knife and lunged at Peter's unprotected back.

Natasha saw red. With one smooth motion, she seized the man's wrist, twisting sharply until the bone snapped. As he howled in pain, she spun and delivered a brutal snap kick to his jaw, sending him crashing unconscious to the floor.

The other leader made a run for it, but Peter quickly webbed him up. He hung his head as Natasha marched over. "Guess I missed one being armed," he admitted.

Natasha clenched her fists, the image of the knife poised at Peter's back still burning in her mind. "You can't afford mistakes like that," she ground out. "Not when it's just us out here."

"You're right, I'm really sorry," Peter said remorsefully. "I should have been more thorough."

Natasha reined in her anger, knowing it came from fear rather than true upset with him. She rested a hand on his shoulder. "The responsibility is on both of us to have each other's backs and be vigilant at all times," she said seriously. "I don't want you taking unnecessary risks."

Peter met her gaze. "I understand. I'll be more careful."

Natasha squeezed his shoulder. As frustrated as she was by his lapse in judgement, she knew he was still learning. But she would do whatever it took to make sure he learned the right lessons - the ones that would keep him safe. With her guidance, he would get there.

The Fifth Time

Natasha strode down the Raft prison corridor, keeping her gaze fixed straight ahead. The only sign of her inner rage was the tightness of her fists.

Natasha had received notification a few hours ago that Spider-Man had been arrested and was being held at the Raft prison facility. She knew it had to be a mistake - Peter would never do anything to warrant actually being imprisoned in the Raft.

Fury had refused to release any details, only saying there were "concerns" about Spider-Man's activities. Natasha didn't buy it. She knew Peter; he was a good kid. And there was no way she was letting him stay locked up in that awful place.

As soon as she received clearance to visit the Raft, Natasha headed straight there. She strode down the cold metal corridor, fists clenched tightly in anger. The guards averted their eyes as she passed. They knew better than to get in the Black Widow's way when she was on a mission.

Natasha stopped outside Peter's cell. Through the bars she could see him huddled on a cot, wearing a loose prison jumpsuit. He looked so small and vulnerable. Fury would be getting a few choice words from her, that was for sure.

At the sound of her footsteps Peter's head jerked up. "Natasha!" he exclaimed, rushing over to the bars.

Natasha's expression softened. "Hey Spiderling. What's going on here?"

Peter gripped the bars anxiously. "I don't know! They just showed up at my apartment and arrested me! Said I was a security threat. But I didn't do anything wrong, I swear!"

Natasha squeezed his hand reassuringly. "I believe you. Don't worry, we'll get this sorted out." Her tone hardened. "I'm going to talk to Fury and find out why they detained you. This is unacceptable."

Peter nodded, still looking uncertain. Natasha wished she could get him out of this cell right now, but she had to handle this the right way.

"Hang in there, okay?" she encouraged. "I've got your back."

Leaving Peter reluctantly, Natasha went straight for the main control room. The guard at the door jumped nervously to let her in when she glared at him.

Inside, Natasha crossed her arms and faced Director Fury with an icy stare. "Explain. Now."

Fury met her gaze steadily. "Spider-Man is a potential security threat based on evidence found during surveillance-"

"That's garbage and you know it," Natasha cut him off. "I trained him myself. Peter Parker is an Avenger, not a criminal."

"Be that as it may, he's here for everyone's safety until we can fully assess the situation," Fury said.

Natasha's frown deepened. Time for the next phase of her plan. She pulled out her phone.

"Stark, it's Romanoff. We have a situation..."

Within the hour, Iron Man had arrived, breezing past security. The suit's faceplate flipped up, revealing Tony's annoyed expression.

"What's this I hear about you locking up Spider-Man?" he demanded, confronting Fury.

As they argued, two more visitors entered the control room - Steve and Sam. Natasha had called them both, knowing Peter would need all the support he could get.

Steve's jaw was set stubbornly. "You have no grounds to imprison an Avenger, Fury."

"Yeah, the kid's one of us," Sam added. "He should be out there helping people, not stuck in a cell."

Fury held up his hands defensively as the four heroes closed in around him. "Now hang on, we have to consider-"

"No, you don't," Natasha cut in. "He leaves. Today." She held Fury's gaze challengingly.

Finally Fury sighed. "Fine. But the kid's your responsibility."

Natasha nodded curtly. That had been her intention all along. No one was going to lock up her Spiderling if she had anything to say about it.

It took some arguing, but soon enough Peter was being released into Natasha's custody. The moment he stepped out of his cell she pulled him into a fierce hug.

"Thank you," Peter whispered, hugging her back tightly.

Natasha ran a gentle hand through his hair. "Let's get you home."

With Peter safely bundled into a quinjet, surrounded protectively by the rest of the team, Natasha finally allowed herself to relax. She should have known Fury would back down once the other Avengers united behind her. Their little spider was part of the family now. And nobody was taking him away if Natasha had anything to say about it.

One Time Peter Protected Natasha

Natasha hissed in pain as she shifted, pressing a hand tightly over the wound in her side. The mission had gone south fast, turning into an ambush. She had taken a bullet before they could retreat.

Now she was holed up in a safehouse outside the city, while the rest of the team canvassed the area for any remaining threats. She had waved off their concerns, insisting it was just a graze.

But as she sat alone, blood still oozing between her fingers, Natasha had to admit she might be in more trouble than she let on. If she didn't get proper medical attention soon, blood loss could become an issue.

Still, calling for help would only distract the others from completing the mission. She could handle this herself. Taking a deep breath, Natasha began stitching up the gash with the limited med kit.

Jaw clenched against the pain, she was halfway through when her comm crackled. "Nat? You there?"

She stifled a groan. Just what she needed right now, the kid worrying about her. "I'm here. What's your status?"

"All clear. We took down a couple stragglers but I think we got them all." Peter hesitated. "Are you okay? You don't sound so good."

"I'm fine," Natasha said firmly. "Just keep alert out there."

"Where are you? I'm coming to your location," Peter decided. Natasha could hear the sound of him web slinging through the comm.

"Stand down, Spider-Man," she ordered impatiently. "I've got the situation under control. Focus on keeping the perimeter secure."

But it was too late. A minute later she heard him land on the roof of the safehouse. Against her will, Natasha felt a spark of relief. She blinked hard against a wave of dizziness.

The door burst open and Spider-Man rushed in. He froze at the sight of the blood-soaked rag pressed to her side. "Nat!"

In seconds he was at her side, peeling away the bandage to reveal the half-stitched wound. "Oh man," he breathed in dismay. "You're really hurt!"

Natasha weakly tried to bat his hand away. "s'fine...don't fuss." But her head was spinning too much to put any force behind the protest.

Peter immediately leapt into action. He grabbed the med kit and set to cleaning and properly bandaging the injury. His hands were deft and sure as he stitched up the rest of the gash.

Natasha concentrated on staying conscious. She hated feeling weak, but she had to admit it was a relief to let Peter take over. It was nice not having to stay strong for once.

"There, all set," Peter finally declared, securing the end of the bandage. Natasha experimentally took a deep breath, relieved when the pain had dulled to an ache.

"Thank you," she said hoarsely.

Peter gently squeezed her hand. "I'll always have your back, Nat. You don't have to hide when you're hurt." He bumped her shoulder playfully. "Us spiders gotta stick together, right?"

Natasha gave a tired but genuine smile. She pulled him into a hug. "Right, Spiderling. Though I think it's time I stop thinking of you as someone who needs protecting."

Peter hugged her back. "Hey, we protect each other. Deal?"

"Deal," Natasha agreed. She held him a moment longer, letting herself take comfort in the embrace. With Peter at her side, she didn't have to be the tough one all the time. He gave her strength when she needed it most.

Finally pulling back, Natasha ruffled his hair. "Now let's finish this mission and go home."

Natasha gingerly got to her feet, one arm wrapped around her tender side. She still felt weak, but the bleeding had stopped thanks to Peter's quick aid. She gave him a grateful look.

"I know you want to wrap me in bubble wrap right now, but I can still help finish this mission," she said wryly.

Peter hesitated, shifting anxiously from foot to foot. "Are you sure you're up for it? That bullet wound looked really nasty..."

Natasha placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'll be alright, Spiderling. But I wouldn't say no to some web slinging across town," she added with a tired smile.

Relief crossed Peter's masked face. "You got it!" He scooped her into his arms, eliciting a startled yelp from Natasha.

"Kid, what are you doing?"

"Giving you a lift so you don't reopen your injury," Peter said cheekily.

Before Natasha could protest further he shot a web with one hand and they were airborne. Despite herself, Natasha felt a thrill as they sailed over the rooftops. She had to admit it was faster and easier on her side than grappling and climbing herself.

Peter brought them softly to the ground a block from the ambush site. He set Natasha down but kept an arm hovering behind her back, prepared to catch her if she faltered. She raised an eyebrow at him but didn't shrug him off.

They entered the warehouse cautiously, but it was empty now except for the signs of the earlier fight. Natasha's sharp eyes roamed over the scene, taking in details. A discarded walkie-talkie caught her eye.

"There," she said, pointing it out to Peter. "If Stark can tap into their frequency, we may be able to track down the remaining cell members."

Peter retrieved the device and patched Tony in. Within minutes, the tech genius had decoded the radio signal. "Got it," Tony reported over comms. "Transmitting locations to you now."

Natasha scanned the list, strategizing the best plan of attack. "Stark, you and Rhodey take the south group. Cap, you and Barnes take the west. Spider-Man and I will handle the ones downtown."

"You sure you're up for that?" Steve asked worriedly.

"I'll make sure she doesn't overdo it," Peter promised.

Natasha rolled her eyes but didn't argue. She knew the team meant well. "Let's move out," she instructed.

The others set off for their targets while Natasha pulled up the location for her and Peter. It was an old office building on the edge of the city. Ideal spot for a clandestine meeting.

Natasha filled Peter in on the plan as they headed across town.

"We'll go in through the roof access. I'll take point while you web up any exits. Your job is containment; leave the combat to me." She gave him a stern look. "No unnecessary risks, clear?"

"Crystal clear," Peter assured her. He patted a pocket on his suit. "And I have the tracker you gave me, just in case."

Natasha nodded, tamping down the surge of emotion. She was still getting used to having someone watch her back as closely as she did his. But she had to admit, it was reassuring.

They reached the building and stealthily made their way inside. Natasha spotted five hostiles gathered below. At her signal, Peter sealed the room while she dropped down and swiftly took out the cell members before they could react.

Within minutes, all five were unconscious and restrained with her widow's bite cords. Natasha straightened up, pressing a hand to her injured side.

Peter was at her side instantly. "That was awesome! Let's get you sat down though." He gently helped ease her into a chair.

Natasha allowed herself a moment to catch her breath. The fight had aggravated her wound, but it was worth it to take down the cell and be one step closer to finishing this mission.

She activated her comm to check in with the others. One by one, they reported success neutralizing their targets. Only a few stragglers remained at large. They were nearly done.

Steve's voice came over comms. "Widow, what's your status?"

"We're secure. Five targets neutralized," she reported.

"Good work. We're tracking down the last few and should have them soon." Steve paused. "Get some rest, both of you. We'll wrap this up."

Natasha frowned, wanting to argue, but she knew he was right. She was in no shape for further combat. "Copy that, Cap. We'll rendezvous back at the compound."

Peter helped her outside, where Natasha reluctantly allowed him to pick her up again for faster travel. She tried not to show how comforting she found it to relax in his arms as he carried her.

Back at the compound, Peter got Natasha settled on the couch with a blanket and some tea. "Can I get you anything else?" he asked anxiously. At her amused head shake, he finally sat down too.

They chatted comfortably until Natasha dozed off. She woke sometime later to a gentle nudge. Blearily, she saw Peter holding a plate of food.

"You should eat," he said. "Gotta get your strength back up." He had changed out of his Spidey suit into comfy clothes.

Natasha sat up gingerly and accepted the plate with a smile. "This is really sweet of you, Peter. Thank you."

He beamed at her praise. "What are spider partners for?"

Natasha snorted at the moniker but had to admit she liked the sound of it. She ate slowly, surprised by how famished she felt. Meanwhile, Peter filled her in excitedly on how the rest of the team had completed the mission.

"...So then Mr. Stark did this huge sonic blast that knocked out the last four guys at once! You should have seen it."

Natasha shook her head in amusement. "Glad to hear it worked out. We make a good team." She covered a yawn.

"You must be wiped out," Peter said sympathetically. "Here, put your feet up."

He helped her stretch out along the couch, then brought a pillow for her head. Natasha raised an eyebrow. "If you start fluffing the pillows, I'm revoking your spider privileges."

Peter laughed. "Fine, no fluffing." He perched on the edge of the couch by her hip. "Get some sleep. I'll keep watch."

Natasha's eyes were already drifting closed, but his words made her smile softly. "Thanks, Peter."

She slept peacefully, comforted by his presence. When she woke hours later, feeling much restored, the rest of the team had returned. Peter was recounting the mission eagerly over pizza.

"...And then Natasha dropped down out of nowhere and had all five guys out like THAT." He emphasized the timing with a dramatic hand slap.

"Whoa, badass!" Sam commented, impressed.

Steve shook his head with a chuckle. "Well done, you two. We couldn't have wrapped this up so neatly without your help."

"All thanks to Natasha," Peter said sincerely. "She was amazing even injured. I just tried to keep up."

Warmth rushed through Natasha at the adoring look on Peter's face. She cleared her throat gruffly. "You sold yourself short, Spiderling. I wouldn't have made it through without you."

Peter ducked his head, pleased. Tony clapped him on the back. "Sounds like you both handled things. We're glad to have you on the team."

The others chimed in their agreement. Natasha met Peter's happy gaze, sharing a smile. She knew without doubt now that he had earned his place among them. Her brave spider partner.

Over the next week as Natasha healed up, Peter kept a constant, caring eye on her. He brought her food and entertainment, helped change her bandages, and kept her company for long talks. Natasha found she didn't mind the doting. It was...nice having someone fuss over her this way.

When her injury finally closed up and the stitches came out, Peter whooped excitedly. "Yes! No more benched spider!"

Natasha laughed, ruffling his hair. "Ready to be out kicking ass together again." Her voice softened. "But really...thank you for taking care of me, Peter. It meant a lot."

Peter shrugged, cheeks reddening. "Hey, it's my job to look out for you too." He scuffed his shoe shyly. "I, uh, I know I'm not, like, your actual kid or anything-"

"You're just as good as," Natasha said seriously, gripping his shoulder. "I told you, we spiders have to stick together."

Peter's face lit up. He impulsively threw his arms around her in a quick hug. Natasha stiffened instinctively, still not used to such open affection. But then she relaxed and hugged him back.

She should have known Peter would find his way into her heart. The kid was impossible not to love, with his sweet spirit and good heart. And Natasha had to admit, it was nice having someone to care for again. She finally understood that protective maternal instinct Laura was always talking about.

Peter drew back, looking suddenly anxious. "I'm really glad I met you, Natasha. But, um, I was wondering..." He trailed off uncertainly.

Natasha tilted her head. "What is it?"

"Could I...would it be okay if I called you Mom sometimes?" Peter asked nervously. "Only if you're comfortable with it! No pressure or anything."

Warmth flooded Natasha's chest. She cupped Peter's face in her hands. "I would be honored if you called me that," she said sincerely.

Peter's answering smile outshone the sun. "Okay, Mom. Love you."

Natasha had to blink quickly against the prickle of emotions. But she didn't fight them this time. She let herself embrace the joy of this new bond with her brave, sweet spider-son.