natasha romanoff & peter parker oneshots

The Quinjet soared through the clear blue sky, cutting a swift path westward. In the pilot's seat, Natasha Romanoff kept her gaze fixed ahead, focused on their destination. Beside her, Peter Parker stared out the window at the patchwork fields and forests unfolding below.

"How much longer?" he asked, unable to keep the whine from his voice. Natasha glanced over with an indulgent smile.

"Eager to get there, маленький паук?" she teased. Peter flushed.

"No...well, maybe a little," he admitted. Natasha laughed and reached over to ruffle his hair affectionately.

"Just a few more hours, sweetie. We'll make a stop in Iowa to refuel and then we'll be in South Dakota before you know it. I know you can't wait to see Mount Rushmore up close."

Peter nodded, his excitement returning. When Natasha had broken him out of the Raft prison and suggested they disappear for a while, he'd never imagined they'd end up on a cross-country road trip. But Nat was always full of surprises.

Leaving New York had been hard. Peter missed May terribly, and hated not being able to contact his friends. But he knew Nat was right - they needed to lay low after everything that had happened with the Sokovia Accords. With him now considered a rogue enhanced individual, it wasn't safe for either of them back home.

Still, as the days passed, Peter found himself having...fun. It was like an endless summer vacation, just him and his mentor on the open road. Nat let him pick most of their stops, and never complained when he spent hours dragging her around dusty old museums or taking a ridiculous number of photos at cheesy roadside attractions. They stayed in cheap motels and ate junk food for dinner and stayed up late watching bad movies. It was the most normal Peter had felt in a long time.

"You still with me, Pete?" Natasha's voice broke him from his reminiscing. She was watching him closely, a tiny furrow of concern in her brow. He smiled.

"Yeah, just thinking."

"Penny for your thoughts?" she prompted gently. Peter shrugged.

"Nothing, really. Just thinking about our trip so far. It's been really nice, getting to spend time together without worrying about training or missions or anything. So...thanks," he finished a little awkwardly.

Natasha was quiet for a moment before reaching over to take his hand, not taking her eyes off their course.

"You don't have to thank me, Peter. There's nowhere I'd rather be either." Her tone was light, but Peter could hear the underlying emotion in the words. He knew Nat cared about him, a lot. But it still gave him a warm, happy feeling to hear her say it outright like that.

They flew in comfortable silence for a while, hands still clasped. Eventually Natasha sat up straighter, glancing at the navigation display.

"We're nearing the refuel point. Should be on the ground in ten minutes." Peter nodded, excitement bubbling up again. He bounced impatiently in his seat as Nat brought the Quinjet down through a break in the clouds towards a small private airfield. In no time they were landed and Natasha lowered the rear ramp, sunlight flooding the interior.

"Wait here, I'll go settle up with the fuel attendant. We'll be back in the air in thirty." With an affectionate shoulder squeeze she headed down the ramp, red curls bouncing. Peter wandered to the back of the jet, leaning against the open doorway as he took in their surroundings.

The airfield consisted of little more than a single short runway and a tiny office building. Beyond he could see nothing but flat fields stretching to the horizon. The late afternoon sun beat down, and cicadas droned loudly in the grass. It was peaceful.

Peter was so absorbed in watching a hawk circle lazily overhead that he didn't notice Natasha's return until she joined him in the doorway.

"All set," she reported. "I got us some snacks too." She held up a plastic bag bulging with chips, candy and soda. Peter's eyes lit up.

"Yes! Road trip food!" he cheered, making grabby hands until Natasha handed the bag over, laughing.

"Don't spoil your dinner!" she called over her shoulder as she headed back to the cockpit. Peter dug eagerly into the junk food as the engines rumbled to life and they began to move. Mouth full of chocolate, he plopped back into the co-pilot seat just as they lifted off.

Natasha shook her head in amusement at the crumbs littering his shirt. "Hungry, baby spider?"

Peter nodded enthusiastically, holding out the half-eaten candy bar. "You want some?"

"No thanks, I'm good. Unlike some people I actually ate real food today," she teased. Peter just shrugged and happily polished off the rest of the chocolate.

They were soon soaring high above the patchwork fields again. Peter reclined his seat and listened contentedly to the low thrum of the engines. The gentle vibrations and sugar crash were making him pleasantly drowsy. Natasha glanced over and smiled at seeing his eyes start to drift closed.

"Why don't you take a nap? I'll wake you when we're close."

"'M not tired," Peter mumbled through a yawn. Natasha just smiled knowingly and reached over to run her fingers through his curls. The soothing motion made Peter's eyes slip fully shut. He was asleep within minutes.

When he woke some time later the sun was lower in the sky and they were passing over more rugged terrain. Peter sat up and stretched groggily. Natasha gave him an amused look.

"Have a nice cat nap, sleepyhead?"

Peter flushed. "How long was I out?"

"A few hours. We're nearly there."

Peter peered eagerly out the window. She was right - in the distance he could already make out the enormous carved faces of Mount Rushmore. They were flying low now, staying beneath radar but close enough to make out details. Peter pressed against the glass, fascinated.

"This is so cool!" he enthused as they passed alongside the monument. "They look so much bigger in person! Can you believe people carved those sixty years ago, without any modern tools?"

He babbled on excitedly about the carving process and the history of the monument as Natasha listened with a fond smile. She would never get tired of seeing him like this - lit up with enthusiasm, eyes bright with joy and curiosity about the world. It was such a refreshing break from constantly worrying about battles and responsibilities.

By unspoken agreement they lingered, circling back for another pass before Natasha finally turned them eastward once more. Peter sat back with a happy sigh.

"That was awesome. Thanks for taking me, Mom."

He froze the instant the word slipped out, cheeks flushing. Natasha's eyes widened in surprise. An awkward silence fell over the cockpit.

"I...I'm sorry," Peter stammered, mortified. "I didn't mean-"

"Peter," Natasha interrupted gently. He fell silent, not daring to meet her eyes. Nat reached over and tilted his chin up. Her expression was soft.

"It's okay, малыш паук. I know you miss May. If calling me that makes you feel better, I don't mind."

Peter ducked his head. "It just sort of came out," he mumbled. "But...I do think of you that way sometimes," he admitted shyly. "You've done so much for me, and taken care of me...I've never really had that, since my parents died. Someone looking out for me. So yeah, I guess you're kind of like a mom to me."

He risked a glance up at Natasha. Her smile was wavering a little, eyes suddenly bright. She quickly blinked the shimmer away and leaned over to wrap him in a fierce hug.

"In that case, I'm honored," she whispered. Peter hugged her back just as tightly.

When Natasha finally released him, she playfully ruffled his hair. "My little spiderling," she declared fondly. Peter groaned in exaggerated annoyance and tried to smooth his curls back down. But secretly, the new nickname made happiness bubble up in his chest.

Natasha settled them into a flight path following the highway east toward Chicago. As the mountains fell away behind them, she shot Peter a sly grin.

"So...does this mean I can ground you when you misbehave now?"

Peter rolled his eyes. "Yeah, sure Mom. You can ground me if I don't eat my vegetables or do my homework."

"Better watch it with the sass then, underoos. Don't think I won't march you right back to our motel room when we land," she threatened mock-sternly, shaking a finger at him.

Peter just laughed, the sound bright and carefree. Natasha's false glare melted into an affectionate smile.

"Wanna pick the music for a while?" she suggested, nudging his arm. "DJ privileges are part of the mom perks package."

"Really?" Peter asked eagerly. At her nod he leaned forward and tapped at the display screen until an upbeat pop song poured from the speakers. As the music filled the cockpit, Natasha looked over to see him singing along, eyes bright as he danced in his seat. Her heart felt so full in that moment she thought it might burst.

As the sky darkened to twilight around them, Peter eventually dozed off again to the dulcet tones of early 2000s boybands. Natasha set the Quinjet to autopilot and stretched, stifling a yawn of her own. She probably should have gotten some rest too, but found herself simply watching Peter sleep instead.

The peaceful rise and fall of his chest. His messy curls tumbling over his forehead. The way he wrinkled his nose and mumbled nonsense words as he dreamed. All the little details she'd come to know better than her own face over the years they'd worked together.

Natasha brushed a stray curl back from his eyes with a feather-light touch. "Sweet dreams, мой паучок," she murmured.

Her life had given her so much blood and pain over the decades. Moments of goodness were rare, and often fleeting. But here, now - this felt real. A gift she would forever cherish.

Natasha leaned back with a contented sigh, keeping one eye on their course and the other on her kid. Her little spiderling. As the miles slipped past below them, she sent up a silent prayer of thanks to whatever powers had seen fit to bring this boy into her life. A life she never dreamed she'd get to have.

A life as someone's mother.

The Quinjet engines whined as Natasha eased them down through the dark clouds hanging low over Chicago. She kept them cloaked, not wanting to draw attention, and aimed for an isolated industrial area along the south side of the city.

Peter stirred as they dipped below the skyline, blinking awake and sitting up with a yawn. He peered curiously out the window.

“Where are we?”

“Just arriving in Chicago,” Nat replied, deftly maneuvering between buildings as she descended. “I have a safehouse here we can lay low for a few days.”

Peter perked up at that. “Ooh a safehouse? Is it super spy cool? With secret tunnels and trap doors and stuff?”

Natasha laughed. “Not exactly. More of a nondescript little apartment. But it’s secure and off the radar. We’ll be safe there while I figure out our next move.”

She brought the Quinjet down on the empty rooftop of an old warehouse. Peter bounced eagerly to his feet as she lowered the ramp.

“Wait here a sec while I secure the perimeter,” Nat instructed. “And put your web shooters on, just in case.”

Peter nodded, quickly fitting the devices snugly onto his wrists before watching Natasha slip stealthily out into the shadows. He strained his enhanced senses but detected nothing amiss around them besides the normal city buzz.

After a thorough check of the area, Natasha returned and beckoned him down the ramp. She led the way to a rusty fire escape ladder and nimbly descended, Peter clambering after her. On the ground Natasha headed into the alley, stopping beside a grimy metal door nearly hidden behind a dumpster.

Peter wrinkled his nose at the smell but watched curiously as Natasha tapped out a code on the keypad, triple-checked the security camera above them, and then waved him through the door after it clicked open. He found himself in a dingy concrete stairwell that looked like it led down to a basement.

“Come on, spiderling, not much farther,” Nat encouraged, nudging him ahead of her down the steps. He complied, curiosity growing the lower they went.

At the bottom was another door that Natasha swiftly unlocked before ushering him into the space beyond. Peter blinked in surprise at the cozy studio apartment hidden away in the basement. It was small but tidy, with a tiny kitchenette, sitting area, and bed tucked away in one corner. Heavy drapes were drawn over the single tiny window near the ceiling. Natasha immediately moved around checking the locks on the window and door while Peter poked curiously through the sparse living space. It reminded him of some of the first apartments he and May had lived in when he was little.

“Okay, we should be all set,” Nat announced, joining him back in the main room. “Make yourself comfortable, I’ll start on some dinner.”

Peter flopped happily onto the lumpy couch while Natasha rummaged through the tiny fridge and cabinets. “Let’s see what we have to work with...hmm, looks like canned soup and frozen burritos. Gourmet dining at its finest,” she joked, holding up the meager offerings.

Peter just shrugged. “Works for me! You know I’ll eat anything.” His enhanced metabolism meant he was pretty much always hungry.

Natasha chuckled fondly. “Growing spider boys need their fuel. How about burritos to start while I heat up the soup?”

“Perfect!”

Nat got to work while Peter flipped idly through the handful of dog-eared magazines on the coffee table. She soon brought over two plates piled high with burritos and bowls of tomato soup, joining him on the couch. They ate in companionable silence for a few minutes before Natasha spoke up.

“So...I was thinking maybe we could lay low here for two or three days. Let me scout things out, make sure you weren’t tracked and see if I can get any new intel on Ross’ plans.”

Peter nodded seriously. “Yeah that’s smart. Do you think maybe...” he trailed off uncertainly.

“What is it?” Nat prompted.

“Well, I was just thinking, since we’re in Chicago...maybe I could try to find a payphone somewhere and call May?” he asked hesitantly. “I know it’s risky but I wouldn’t say where we are! I just want to let her know I’m okay.”

Natasha considered it as she ate another spoonful of soup. She knew how much Peter must miss his aunt. And she trusted him to be careful.

“Tell you what,” she said finally. “Give me a day to assess the situation here and then we’ll find a way for you to call home. Deal?”

Peter’s face lit up. “Deal! Thanks Nat, you’re the best!” He impulsively threw his arms around her in a quick hug before returning eagerly to his food. Natasha just shook her head in amusement and finished her own meal.

After they ate she rinsed the dishes in the sink while Peter wandered curiously around the small apartment again. “Is it okay if I take a quick shower?” he asked through a yawn. “Kinda gross from traveling all day.”

“Of course malysh, go ahead,” she assured him. “There should be clean towels under the sink. I’m going to step out for a bit to check outside but I’ll be back soon.”

Peter nodded and headed for the tiny bathroom while Natasha slipped out the door. The hot water felt amazing on his sore muscles. By the time he emerged in comfy pajamas with damp curls, he could hear Natasha moving around the main room again.

“All good out there?” he checked as he shuffled over to sit next to her on the couch. She had shed her tactical gear in favor of sweatpants and a tank top and was brushing out her red locks.

“Yep, just did a perimeter sweep. No sign of trouble.” She patted the cushion beside her. “Come here, let me help with your hair. You’re getting shaggy, мой паук.”

Peter scooted closer and let his eyes drift shut as Natasha gently worked a comb through his unruly hair. The repetitive motion lulled him into a relaxed, drowsy state.

“There, that’s better,” she finally announced, smoothing down the last flyaway curl. “We’ll have to see about getting it trimmed soon if it keeps growing out this fast.”

Peter made a disgruntled noise and tried to duck away as she ruffled his hair teasingly.

“Nooo leave it alone,” he complained, batting her hands away. She just laughed and shook her head indulgently.

“Alright spiderling, bedtime,” she instructed, nudging him toward the corner alcove. Peter wanted to protest - he wasn’t a little kid with a bedtime! - but exhaustion was already creeping in. He crawled under the covers with a jaw-cracking yawn while Natasha turned off the lights and double checked the door locks by the glow of a small nightlight in the kitchenette.

Satisfied that they were secure, she finally climbed onto the too-small couch, tugging a blanket over herself. “Goodnight malen’kiy pauk,” she called softly. “Sleep tight.”

“‘Night Nat,” Peter mumbled, already halfway to dreamland.

He wasn’t sure how much later it was when the sound of muted crying pulled him abruptly from sleep. Peter blinked groggily in the dark room, trying to get his bearings. There it was again - soft, muffled sobs coming from the couch. Natasha.

Instantly awake now, Peter slid out of bed and crept over to her huddled form. “Nat?” he asked uncertainly. “Are you okay?”

The crying cut off abruptly. Natasha sat up, scrubbing a hand over her face. Even in the dim light Peter could see her eyes were red. “I’m fine, Peter. Just go back to sleep.” Her voice was hoarse.

Instead of obeying, Peter perched hesitantly on the edge of the couch. “Was it a nightmare?” he asked gently. Nat was always so strong, it was easy to forget that she had darkness in her past too.

She was silent for a long moment before nodding reluctantly. “They don’t happen as often anymore. I’m sorry I woke you.”

“Don’t be sorry,” Peter said firmly. Before he could overthink it, he shifted closer and wrapped his arms around her in a hug. After a brief hesitation Nat sank into the embrace, some of the tension easing from her shoulders.

They sat like that for several minutes, Peter hoping the contact provided even a little comfort. Finally Natasha drew back, scrubbing the remaining tears from her eyes. “Thank you, malysh,” she said softly.

Peter ducked his head. “Do you, um, want to talk about it?”

Nat considered for a moment before shaking her head. “Not right now. But thank you for the offer, Peter. It helps more than you know just to not be alone.”

He nodded in understanding. “Can I get you anything? Water?”

“I’m alright. You should get back to bed, it’s late.” She ran a hand gently through his curls. Peter hesitated, not wanting to leave her alone after she’d been so upset. An idea struck him.

“Scoot over,” he instructed, nudging her sideways to make room before crawling onto the couch too. It was a tight fit, but he curled comfortably against her side, head pillowed on her shoulder.

“Peter, you don’t have to...” Nat started to protest even as she shifted to accommodate him.

“I want to,” he said simply, letting his eyes fall shut. After another moment of hesitation, he felt Natasha relax and press a feather-light kiss to the top of his head.

“Thank you, мой паучок,” she whispered shakily. “Sleep well.”

“You too,” Peter mumbled, already halfway back to dreamland. Natasha’s presence beside him was warm and comforting, chasing away the lingering shadows of her nightmare. Surrounded by the sound of her slow, even breathing, Peter soon slipped into peaceful sleep.

When he woke the next morning, it took Peter a minute to get his bearings. He was snug under a blanket on the lumpy couch, and there was sunlight streaming through the cracks in the heavy curtains over the window. Natasha was already up, moving quietly around the small kitchen. The delicious aroma of coffee and eggs filled the air.

Peter sat up and yawned, scrubbing the sleep from his eyes. “Morning,” he mumbled.

“Good morning, malysh,” Nat replied with a smile, bringing over two plates loaded with scrambled eggs and toast. “Sleep okay?”

“Mmhmm,” Peter nodded, digging eagerly into breakfast. Natasha sat beside him and they ate in comfortable silence for a few minutes before she spoke up hesitantly.

“Peter, about last night...”

“You don’t have to explain,” he said quickly through a mouthful of toast. “I get it. Nightmares suck.”

Nat gave him a grateful look and squeezed his shoulder. “Thank you for understanding. And for staying close. It helped.”

Peter offered her a shy smile. “Anytime, Mom.” The endearment came easier this time, making warmth bloom in his chest.

After breakfast Natasha headed out for a few hours to scout their surroundings while Peter entertained himself exploring the little apartment and watching bad daytime TV. When she returned in the early afternoon, she found him hanging upside down from the ceiling and shooting web pellets at the wall in a pattern.

“Well you look nice and relaxed,” she commented wryly, cocking an eyebrow at him.

Peter flipped gracefully down, looking sheepish. “Uh, yeah, sorry about the webs. I’ll clean it up.”

Nat just laughed and ruffled his hair. “It’s fine, you’re not hurting anything. Did you have a good morning?”

“Yep! Oh hey, were you able to find a payphone nearby?” he asked hopefully.

“I did,” Nat confirmed, knowing how much he wanted to call his aunt. “There’s one a few blocks over we can walk to tonight after it gets dark. But we’ll have to be quick and keep an eye out for trouble.”

Peter bounced excitedly on his toes. “Yes! Don’t worry, I’ll be super fast and careful. Thank you!” Unable to contain his energy, he scurried up the wall again to finish his web pattern.

Natasha watched him fondly for a few minutes before crossing to the tiny bathroom. “I’m going to take advantage of the hot water while we have it. Yell if you need anything.”

“‘Kay!” Peter called back absently, fully focused on carefully laying out the last few web lines. By the time Nat reemerged dressed in clean clothes with damp hair, he had finished his design - a decent replica of the Chicago skyline, complete with a tiny Willis Tower and Ferris wheel along the ‘lakefront.’

Nat let out an impressed whistle. “Not bad, little artist. We should get you some paints and a real canvas one of these days.”

Peter beamed at the praise, always happy when his artistic side was encouraged. “That would be awesome! Do you think we could maybe visit the Art Institute while we’re here too?” he asked hopefully.

“I don’t see why not,” Nat agreed. Peter’s excitement was contagious. It would be nice to actually take in something cultural and fun instead of being on high alert constantly.

They passed the rest of the day quietly, playing cards and chatting until darkness fell. Peter was practically vibrating with anticipation as they finally slipped out into the shadowy streets. Natasha led the way, keeping a casual but watchful eye on their surroundings as they navigated by back alleys to the nearby phone booth.

“Okay, you’ve got five minutes,” she said softly once they reached it. “I’ll keep watch out here.”

Peter nodded, carefully feeding the coins she’d given him into the slot before dialing the familiar number, heart racing. On the third ring, his aunt’s voice came over the line.

“Hello?”

Peter had to choke back a sob at hearing her after so long apart. “May, it’s me,” he managed.

“Peter?! Honey, are you alright?? Where are you??” May’s frantic questions came in a rush.

“I’m okay, I promise,” he soothed. “I can’t tell you where I am, I just wanted to let you know I’m safe. I really miss you.”

He could hear May crying now but she sounded relieved too. “I miss you so much, baby. When I saw the news...” She took a shaky breath. “Just please tell me you’re not alone?”

“I’m not,” Peter quickly assured her. “Nat’s with me. She got me out and she’s been taking care of me. We’re laying low for now.”

“Thank god,” May breathed. “Thank her for me, will you?”

“I will. I’m sorry I can’t come home yet.” Peter’s voice cracked. “I love you, May.”

“I love you too, sweetheart. More than anything. Stay safe.”

The line beeped loudly, the minutes up. Peter slowly returned the receiver to its cradle, wiping his eyes before stepping out to join Nat again.

She immediately wrapped him in a warm hug that he gratefully sank into. “You okay, мой паучок?” she asked gently.

He nodded against her shoulder. “Yeah. She sounds okay. I just miss her.”

“I know. But now she knows her boy is safe. We’ll get you back to her soon.” Nat kissed his hair and stroked his back comfortingly as she steered them into the shadows again.

Peter stayed curled against her side as they snuck through the dark streets back to the safehouse, taking comfort from her solid presence. As difficult as being on the run was, at least he wasn’t alone. Not like last time, when he’d had no one after Ben...

He shook the painful memories away, focusing on how Natasha’s steady footsteps and the hand soothingly rubbing his shoulder anchored him in the present. For now, he was exactly where he needed to be.

Back at the apartment, Natasha made them hot chocolate and they bundled up on the lumpy couch together. Peter fell asleep there again, lulled by the sound of her quiet humming as she carded gentle fingers through his hair.

They stuck close together the next couple days as Natasha monitored any local chatter through her sources, cautious about emerging too much just yet. To Peter’s delight, she even made good on her promise to take him on a covert mission to the Art Institute one evening after it had closed.

Seeing the famous collections come to life under the moonlight, free from crowds and guided by Nat’s insightful commentary, was a dream come true. Peter had to be physically dragged away from the modern wing hours later when Nat finally insisted it was time to head back.

“Can we come again tomorrow night?” Peter asked eagerly as they crept up the fire escape back into the safehouse, cheeks still flushed from the thrill of sneaking through the echoing galleries undetected.

Nat laughed, ruffling his hair. “Sorry malen’kiy pauk, as fun as that was we shouldn’t push our luck. But I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

Peter nodded, still turning the experience over dreamily in his mind. “It was awesome. Like having our own private museum tour. Thank you.” On impulse he hugged her tightly.

Nat’s expression turned serious as she hugged him back. “Peter, can you promise me something?”

He pulled back to meet her solemn gaze. “Of course, anything.”

“With everything that’s happened, I need you to remember who you are under the mask,” she implored earnestly. “No matter what comes next or what anyone says, hold onto that light and curiosity inside you.” She lightly tapped his chest.

Peter swung through the shadows of the city, straining his senses for any sign of Natasha or clues to her location. As he neared the last coordinates she'd sent, his spider sense tingled warningly.

Perching atop a water tower, Peter scanned the alley below. His eyes widened in surprise as he spotted Natasha - along with a blonde woman who looked nearly identical to her. The two seemed to be bickering.

"I told you, it's too dangerous to meet out in the open like this, Yelena!" Natasha hissed.

"Please, I know how to avoid being followed," the other woman - Yelena - scoffed. "I'm not some rookie."

Peter realized this must be Nat's mysterious contact. He crawled down the side of the tower, deciding to intervene before their argument could escalate.

"Hey, Nat!" he called, dropping to the ground. "I got worried when you were gone so long, so I came looking."

Natasha pressed her lips together, looking torn between annoyance and fondness. "I thought I told you to stay put, little spider."

Yelena eyed Peter curiously. "Who's the kid?"

"My...intern," Nat said evasively. "Peter, meet Yelena Belova. We trained in the Red Room together."

Peter's eyes widened. "Woah, really? I didn't know you had a sister!"

Both women made offended noises. "We are not sisters," Yelena spat.

Natasha rolled her eyes. “We might as well be. Yelena was the closest thing I had to family back then." She turned to Peter. "I didn't want to get you involved unless necessary, but I suppose the cat's out of the bag now."

Peter nodded seriously, wanting to prove himself trustworthy. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone about your secret sister,” he swore.

Yelena glared but Natasha just laughed. “That’s my spiderling. Loyal to a fault.” Her expression turned serious. “Were you able to find anything on the registration program, Yelena?”

“A little. There are definite rumblings of something big in development, but nothing concrete yet.” Yelena handed Natasha a flash drive. “Everything I’ve uncovered is on here. We need to keep digging.”

Natasha pocketed the drive with a thoughtful frown. “Agreed. We should get somewhere more secure to regroup and strategize.”

Yelena crossed her arms. “Where do you suggest? Any of our old safehouses could be compromised.”

“We can head back to the apartment I have here in the city,” Natasha offered after a moment’s consideration. “It’s isolated and off the grid. We’ll be able to monitor things without attracting attention.”

Peter perked up at the idea of returning somewhere familiar after all their time on the run. Yelena still looked dubious but reluctantly agreed. “Fine. But no detours to play tourist,” she warned.

Natasha smirked and wrapped an arm around Peter’s shoulders. “No promises there. We may make a few stops along the way. Right, malen’kiy pauk?”

Peter grinned up at her. “Totally! There’s this awesome pizza place we gotta go back to. And maybe the Shedd Aquarium? If we have time...” He trailed off hopefully.

Yelena looked disgusted. “Ugh, children,” she muttered. But Peter didn't miss the tiny quirk of her lips that said otherwise.

They set off through the city, Natasha effortlessly blending into the crowds with Peter and Yelena flanking her. Peter kept up a steady stream of chatter and questions as they walked.

“Soooo how long have you two known each other? Did you grow up together? Were you, like, best friends?”

Yelena scowled, but Natasha answered indulgently, “We trained together from a young age. Yelena was the closest thing I had to a friend back then.”

“The feeling was mutual,” Yelena allowed grudgingly. “Nat was the only one I could trust. We looked out for each other.”

Peter grinned, thrilled to be getting insight into Natasha’s past. “Aww, that’s awesome! So you’re basically sisters.”

“We are not sisters!” Yelena insisted again, but there was less heat behind it this time.

Natasha laughed. “It’s alright, she loves me deep down. Isn’t that right, sestra?” The Russian word for sister slipped out teasingly.

Yelena just rolled her eyes and muttered something in Russian that Peter assumed was uncomplimentary. But he noticed she stayed close to Natasha’s side, constantly scanning their surroundings. Sisters in all but blood, whether she admitted it or not.

They soon reached the nondescript basement apartment without incident. Natasha quickly secured the door behind them as Peter gave Yelena a grand “tour” of the single small room and tiny kitchen.

“Cozy,” Yelena said dryly, taking it all in.

Peter flopped onto the lumpy couch happily. “It’s not so bad! Kinda nice to settle in one place for a while.”

Natasha nodded her agreement, boots already up on the coffee table as she scrolled through data on a tablet. “We can operate safely from here for now. Pass me that flash drive, Yelena?”

Peter watched them pore over files for a while, throwing out the occasional question, before boredom set in. “Soooo, how about that trip to the aquarium now?” he asked hopefully.

Nat glanced up with an affectionate eye roll. “Down boy. We need to lay low this evening.” At his crestfallen look, she took pity. “Rain check for tomorrow? We can make a day of it.”

“Yes!” Peter pumped his fist. “This is gonna be awesome!”

Yelena muttered something that sounded suspiciously like “poor Natasha,” but didn’t actually object. Peter happily settled in on the floor nearby to work on schematics for new web shooter combinations while the two women continued analyzing data.

Later, they all squeezed together on the couch to eat takeout and watch bad reality TV. Peter dozed off with his head in Natasha’s lap, soothed by her fingers combing lazily through his curls. For a moment, he could almost pretend they were just a normal family.

When Peter blinked awake the next morning, voices were already drifting over from the kitchen area. He shuffled out to find Natasha cooking breakfast while Yelena sat at the table cleaning her weapons.

“Morning sleepyhead,” Nat greeted warmly, handing him a plate of food.

Yelena gave him a curt nod. “About time you got up. I want to get an early start to the aquarium before the crowds.”

Peter beamed, suddenly wide awake. “Wait, really? You want to come with us?”

“I’m not letting Natasha take you alone. She’d probably lose track of you,” Yelena said haughtily, but her tone lacked any real accusation.

Nat shot her a wry smile. “Look who’s talking, sestra. I seem to remember you wandering off plenty on our missions.”

Yelena pointedly ignored the jab. Peter just bounced excitedly as he wolfed down eggs and bacon. “This is gonna be so much fun!”

Soon they were bundling up and slipping out into the chilly morning air on their way to the lakefront aquarium. Peter couldn't stop grinning, thrilled at the prospect of playing tourist with his two favorite spies. Maybe not a normal family, but his, nonetheless.

The aquarium was surprisingly uncrowded when they arrived. Peter immediately dragged Natasha and Yelena from exhibit to exhibit, oohing and ahhing over the fish and sharks.

"Look at how huge that sea turtle is!" he exclaimed as they paused in front of a large tank. "Its shell is like three feet long!"

Natasha smiled indulgently. "Very impressive. Make sure to get a picture."

Peter happily snapped photos of the turtle with the disposable camera Natasha had bought him. Photography was one of his hobbies, and she knew he'd treasure the mementos from their unconventional road trip.

Yelena trailed behind them, alert as ever but also seeming to enjoy the outing. She lingered by the jellyfish exhibit, gaze softening ever so slightly as the translucent creatures drifted ethereally through the water.

When they reached the underwater viewing tunnel, Peter pressed his face eagerly to the glass. "This is so cool! It's like we're walking on the ocean floor with the fish!"

A massive manta ray glided overhead, making him gasp. Natasha came up beside him and pointed out some sea turtles swimming by.

After thoroughly exploring every inch of the aquarium (twice), they finally made their way back out into the chilly fall air as closing time approached. Peter was still vibrating with excitement.

"That was awesome! Can we come back tomorrow?"

Natasha laughed and slung an arm around his shoulders. "I think one aquarium day was enough, malysh. But we'll find something new to do tomorrow."

Yelena shook her head with gruff affection. "Honestly, where does he get the energy? I'm ready for some peace and quiet."

"Join the club," Natasha said wryly. "But I have to admit, it was nice to just be a tourist for a day."

Peter nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! It almost felt normal."

Natasha gave him a bittersweet smile and pulled him close as they walked. She knew their situation was far from normal, but she treasured these chances to give Peter some sense of ordinary family life.

As they neared the apartment, she noticed Yelena scanning the streets warily. "You okay?"

"I'm not sure we weren't followed," Yelena said lowly. "I spotted the same man earlier."

Peter tensed, immediately on high alert. Natasha kept her tone calm but shifted subtly into a protective stance in front of him. "Did he make you?"

"Not that I could tell. But we should be cautious."

Natasha nodded. "Agreed. Quick detour, then we'll circle back."

She deftly led them down a twisting path through side streets and alleys, using reflections in storefronts to discreetly monitor behind them for any pursuit. After fifteen minutes with no sign of trouble, she relaxed slightly.

"I think we're clear. Nice job spotting the tail, Yelena."

Yelena nodded tersely. "We can't afford to get complacent. As...enjoyable as playing house has been," she allowed begrudgingly.

Peter swallowed down his worry, trying to match Natasha's calm demeanor. He knew their peaceful interlude couldn't last forever.

Back at the apartment, Natasha secured the door and did a quick sweep for bugs or any signs of intrusion. When she was satisfied, she pulled Peter into a fierce hug.

"You okay, baby spider?"

He nodded into her shoulder. "Yeah. Just kinda wish we could stay here longer."

Natasha smoothed a hand over his curls. "I know. But it looks like we'll have to move on soon."

Peter sighed but didn't argue. He knew she was right. The threat of being tracked here was too great, and they had bigger problems to deal with. Natasha would keep them safe, like she always did.

Yelena eyed them both pensively. "We should start packing up essentials tonight. Be ready to disappear at first light."

"Agreed." Natasha straightened, expression turning steely. "I'll start compiling our new covers and safe travel routes. Yelena, check in with your contacts, see if you can get any intel on who might be searching for us."

They both nodded, shifting seamlessly into mission mode. Peter tried not to let his disappointment show. Their quiet life in Chicago was over.

But at least they were facing the unknown future together, he reminded himself. As long as he had Natasha and Yelena watching his back, he could handle whatever came next.