Eleven year old Yelena watches with her bottom lip trapped between her teeth as Natasha makes it to the bottom step of the pool before turning around to face her. She was wearing a soft smile on her lips, but despite that, her tummy ached with fear. She didn't know if she could do this.
"C'mon detka," Natasha encourages as she holds out her hands, "I've got you. We'll go at your speed." She promises.
Yelena shakes her head as she takes a small step backwards. She didn't want to. What if she sunk and drowned?
"Okay," Natasha says as she side steps the set of stairs and comes to stand by the edge of the pool, "Come sit down here. Just put your legs into the water."
Complying, Yelena eases herself down and tentatively places her legs into the water. Natasha comes to stand in front of her, placing her hands either side of her thighs. Yelena liked that, knowing mommy was there if she fell.
"There we go. That's not so bad huh?" Natasha soothes, and Yelena shakes her head in hesitant agreement. She guesses it wasn't.
"When you're ready, I'm going to lift you into the water, and I'll hold you until you're ready to go further, okay?"
Although her heart hammers at the thought, Yelena finds herself nodding. She didn't want to get into the water at all, but she supposes if mommy holds her then it wouldn't be so bad.
To help keep her at ease, Natasha scoops up some water into her hands and let's it fall onto the child's legs. The blonde startles slightly at the feeling, but soon recovers and even finds herself leaning forward to scoop some water into her own hands. Natasha grins and takes the water from Yelena, letting it fall back into the pool.
They repeat this step for a little over five minutes before Yelena suddenly holds out her arms.
"You ready?" Natasha asks.
"Yes mommy." Yelena murmurs, and the red head grasps Yelena by the underarms and eases her into the pool. Like promised, she doesn't put her down yet, and instead situates the smaller girl onto her front with a supporting arm beneath her behind.
Yelena's eyes were wide as she all but clings to Natasha, her legs tightly hooked around her waist. She didn't need to do that. Not really. Natasha could hold her just fine but if it made her feel better than that was that.
"You're okay, I've got you," Natasha reassures, wrapping her other arm around the small of Yelena's back. "Just let me know when you're ready for the next step, okay?"
Yelena clutches tightly to the top of Natasha's bikini top, the backs of her fingers resting on the swell of her breast, "What's the next step?" She asks warily.
"We're going to walk around and let you get a feel of the water." Natasha tells her, "and then after that, you'll let go of me with your legs so I can put you down so you know that it's safe and you won't sink."
The thought of sinking alone was enough for Yelena's eyes to fill with tears, and Natasha immediately shushes her as she pulls her close and presses a kiss to the side of her head, "I've got you sweet girl. You're safe, I promise."
Yelena nods as she swallows heavily, "Ready." She murmurs after a few quiet minutes, and Natasha gives her a soothing squeeze as she begins to slowly walk around the shallow end of the pool. At first, Yelena's heart hammers heavily, but when she realises that mommy was staying true to her word by not letting her sink, she allows her legs to unhook from her waist.
Mommy's arm remains underneath her, but her legs wade through the water in an almost calming way further easing her nerves.
"Good girl." Natasha praises as she slowly comes to a stop next to the end of the pool again, "are you ready for the next step?"
Yelena hesitantly nods, "Don't let me go?" She pleads as her hands tighten around Natasha's bikini top.
Natasha shakes her head, "Of course not baby."
"Okay." She whispers.
Bringing both hands up to rest underneath Yelena's armpits, Natasha carefully lowers her so her feet touch the floor for a second before bringing her back up. Yelena blinks in surprise at the ease of the action, and she nods her head, allowing Natasha to do it again.
This was repeated several times, so much so that Yelena begins to find the action a little fun.
"I'm going to place you down now, but I won't let you go, okay?" Natasha murmurs as she brings her arm back up to momentarily support her, reaching her other hand up to brush away a loose strand of hair away from Yelena's face.
"Okay." Yelena whispers hoarsely, and Natasha places a kiss to her forehead before easing her down properly onto the floor of the pool. Yelena goes rigid with fear, the hands around Natasha's bathing suit shirt turning white.
"You're okay sweet girl. Look at mommy." The red head instructs softly, and Yelena's eyes immediately flicker up to her own. They were wide and full of tears, and it makes Natasha want to scoop her up and take her out of the pool. She doesn't, however, because she knew Yelena needed to get used to the water before she started her actual swimming lessons in the fall.
"Mommy." Yelena pleads, and Natasha shakes her head.
"You're okay baby. I've got you. Nothings going to happen." She reassures, and Yelena let's out a quiet whimper as she nods her head.
"Good girl," Natasha praises, bringing Yelena into her body and wrapping her arms tightly around her. That way, she was still in the water, but she was getting the comfort she needed.
Yelena's arms secure themselves tightly around her waist, her head hidden in her chest. Hands comb softly through her hair, and she forces herself to take deep breath. She was okay. Nothing was going to happen to her.
"Would you like to try floating?" Natasha murmurs into the top of Yelena's head, her hand tracing soothing circles on her back.
"How?" Yelena asks, looking up at her and resting her chin on Natasha's chest.
Natasha presses a kiss to her forehead, "Do you trust me?"
Yelena immediately nods. She'd never trusted anyone more.
Natasha keeps an arm around Yelena's back and uses the other one to grasp underneath her legs, lifting her into a cradled position in her arms.
"Good?" Natasha asks, and Yelena hesitantly nods.
Adjusting one of her hands to rest against the back of
Yelena's neck and the other to rest on her lower back, Natasha lowers her down into the water.
Yelena's eyes go wide with panic, and Natasha gently shushes her, "Relax your body sweet girl. You won't sink. I promise."
"Mommy, please." Yelena whispers, her body frozen in fear, and Natasha was quick to scoop her back up into her arm. Yelena's legs were immediately around her waist, her grasp around her neck tight, and Natasha decides that getting out of the water for a second would probably be the best idea.
She sits on the top step with Yelena straddling her lap, one hand placed on the back of the child's head, "Lets take a few seconds my love. You did such a good job. Im so proud of you."
Yelena nods her head with a deep sigh, "Thanks mommy," she whispers, and Natasha places a kiss to the top of her head.
"Would you like to be done for today? We can go get you an ice cream. I think you deserve it for being so brave." Natasha fills the silence as she absentmindedly rocks Yelena back and forth in her arms.
A part of Yelena immediately wants to say yes, but she was scared that if she stopped now, she'd never get back in the water. So with a small sigh, she shakes her head, and Natasha sends her a proud smile as she stands and slowly walks them back into the water.
Like before, Natasha slowly paces the perimeter of the pool to get Yelena used to it again. She then adjusts her to she was cradled and once again lowers her to the surface of the water.
Yelena doesn't freeze this time, but she does plead for mommy not to let her go. Natasha, of course, does not, and she was soon supporting Yelena as she floats around the shallow end of the pool.
"Done now mama. Please." Yelena begs after a few minutes, and Natasha agrees as she lifts her back upright again.
"You did so good," Natasha praises with a proud smile, "let's get you dry and dressed and we'll go get some ice cream, okay?" She adjusts Yelena to her hip as she climbs out of the pool.
"Mac and cheese too?" Yelena questions as her hands play with the end of Natasha's braid.
"Well of course."
*
The next day, Yelena once again finds herself standing opposite Natasha on the top step of the pool. The red head was once again holding her hands out for her, but unlike yesterday, she doesn't hesitate to let herself be lifted into the water. She does however cling to her bikini top, because whilst she didn't feel as scared as she did the day prior, she was still a little nervous.
"Okay, so just like yesterday, we're gonna walk around to get you used to the water." Natasha tells her as she situates an arm underneath Yelena's behind, already beginning to walk to the other side of the shallow end of the pool.
Yelena easily nods, knowing for sure that this part wasn't scary.
Her compliance, however, seems to fade the second she was lifted to mimic the position from yesterday, and she immediately lets out a quiet whimper as she strains to get back up into her mommy's arms.
"Ah ah, you've done this before sweet girl. You know I have you." Natasha soothes, trailing her thumb over the back of Yelena's neck. Her other hand remains placed against the girls lower back, affectively keeping her afloat.
The blonde nods, but that doesn't stop the tears of fear from burning her eyes. She knows mommy had her. She knows mommy wouldn't let her sink. But she was still scared, and she didn't know how to stop being scared. Her fear soon gets the best of eye, and she lets out a small cry as she scrambles to get into mommy's arms.
"Okay okay. It's okay." Natasha caves as she lifts Yelena back up onto her hip, trailing soothing circles with her hand against her back.
"I don't want to swim," Yelena sniffles, "please don't make me." Her voice was borderline pleading, and guilt immediately hits Natasha straight in the stomach.
She didn't want to make Yelena do anything she didn't want to do, but she had to learn how to swim for her own safety. If one day her child drowns because she'd never been taught how, then she knew she'd never forgive herself. So, as much as she didn't want to, and as much as she wanted to take Yelena away from what was scaring her, she remains standing in the centre of the large pool.
"I know baby," she murmurs in understanding before pressing a kiss to the side of Yelena's head, "but I think it's best you at least learn how to float by yourself so you're always safe around water."
Yelena knows her mommy was right, but she was just so scared.
"Let's try one last time okay?" Mommy's voice immediately brings her out of her thoughts. "And if you really don't like it, we'll try again another day."
Swallowing heavily, Yelena nods her head as she sits herself upright in Natasha's arms, "Okay." She murmurs in agreement, and the red head places a gentle kiss to her cheek once again shifting her to be cradled in her arms.
Suddenly, Natasha was hit with an idea, and she finds herself setting Yelena down onto her feet. The child looks up at her in confusion, and she sends her as gentle grin.
"Are you worried about going under the water?" She asks almost knowingly, and although that particular thought had never come to mind, Yelena finds herself nodding.
The water itself was fine, so it must be that she was scared of going under.
"Watch mommy, okay?" Natasha cups Yelena's cheeks, the pads of her thumbs giving the soft, baby skin a gentle touch.
Still confused, Yelena nods her head. Suddenly, mommy closes her eyes and lowers her whole entire body underneath the water. She was back up before Yelena could even realise what had happened.
But, she realises, mommy was fine. She didn't look scared or anything.
Natasha send the bewildered child a small grin, "I went under, and I was fine. If I hold you, do you want to try?" She questions as she bends slightly, looping an arm underneath Yelena's behind to lift her back up into her arms.
Yelena immediately hooks her legs around her waist, "You won't let go?"
"No sweet girl. I promise." Natasha soothes.
"And we'll come right back up?"
Natasha nods again.
"Okay," Yelena gives in, "but quick okay?"
"Okay baby," Natasha agrees, "when I say three, take a deep breath and close your eyes. When you hit the water, blow out through your nose."
Yelena tilts her head to side. "Why?"
Natasha couldn't help but place a soft kiss her chubby cheek, "Because otherwise water will go up your nose, and that's not a very nice feeling." She explains, and Yelena nods her head.
"Okay." Yelena nods in understanding.
"Ready?" Natasha asks.
Yelena nods.
"Okay, one, two, and three." Yelena immediately takes a deep breath and closes her eyes, letting it out through her nose just seconds before they both go under the water.
They were back up in seconds, and Yelena blinks to get the water out of her eyes before sending her mommy a grin. She really liked that.
"Again?" She asks hopefully.
Natasha raises an eyebrow in surprise, but nods her head. On the count of three, she brings them both underneath for a second before once again breaking the surface.
"Again mommy." Yelena pleads with a small laugh of glee, and Natasha couldn't help but chuckle as she brings the underneath for the third time.
Now she knew what it felt like, Yelena didn't think it would be so bad if she accidentally went under whilst learning how to float.
"Okay, are we ready to try again?" Natasha asks, and Yelena immediately knew what she meant. She takes a deep breath before unhooking her legs from around Natasha, allowing herself to be held in a cradled position. Almost immediately she lets her body go limp, and she realises, with great surprise, that even though mommy had her, she wasn't sinking.
"There we go," Natasha encourages, "you're doing such a good job sweet girl."
Yelena couldn't help but blush at the praise. She liked it when mommy was proud of her.
With great trepidation, she even releases her grasp from around mommy's bathing suit and lets her hands float on the surface of the water too.
"Good girl." Natasha praises again, "now, if I can let you go and you can float by yourself for ten seconds, we can go out and get that stuffed animal you've been wanting."
Yelena's eyes rip open, "Stitch?" She asks hopefully. She'd been wanting that for so long, ever since she saw it at the Disney store two whole months ago.
"Mhh," Natasha nods with a grin, "Do you think you can do it?" She asks.
Yelena looks between her mommy and the water for a moment before nodding, "You'll be here?"
"I'll be right next to you the whole time." Natasha promises, "if you keep your eyes open, you'll even be able to see me."
With a new stuffed animal just out of reach, Yelena knew she had to do it.
"Okay." She murmurs, taking a deep breath.
Natasha let's go of her neck first, that being the hand that was supporting Yelena the least. She then waits for a few seconds to make sure everything was okay before slowly letting Yelena go with her other hand.
Yelena goes rigid for a second before remembering that she had to relax, and suddenly, she finds herself floating all on her own. She couldn't quiet make herself open her eyes yet, but that was okay. One step at a time.
Suddenly, she was pulled upright into her mommy's arms. And she blinks in surprise. Was ten seconds over already?
"You did it! See, I knew you could. I'm so proud of you." Natasha praises as she rocks her joyfully side to side, and Yelena giggles happily as she clings to her and buries her face into her neck.
"I did it mommy." She murmurs bashfully, and Natasha nods as she pulls her away and presses a soft kiss to her for head, her nose, her cheeks and even an innocent little peck to her lips.
"You did baby. You did such a good job." Natasha cups her cheek, "now, how'd you feel about going to pick stitch up and bring him to his new home?"
Yelena grins. She'd like that very much.