A Slice of Life
“Mistiff!”
Alya smiled when Mischief entered her room and used the bars of her crib to stand up. This was their morning routine. When either Natasha or Bucky would get up in the morning, they’d go into Alya’s room to check on her before leaving the door cracked.
Mischief would take advantage of the opening and slink into the baby’s bedroom to greet her. Through the baby monitor, her parents could hear her delighted babbles and squeals as she held a conversation with the feline.
Mischief meowed and licked at her paw, grooming herself, not even pretending to listen.
Since she was no longer paying attention to her, Alya huffed and toddled over to the end of her crib, closest to the door.
“Mama!” She screamed at the top of her lungs. “Mama!”
She had already figured out that if she screamed loud enough and long enough, whoever she was calling would eventually come and break her out.
After what felt like forever, which was only about a minute, Natasha walked into the room and made her way over to her.
“Hi.” The smile planted itself right back on Alya’s face once she saw the familiar face.
She always had smiles for her mama in the morning.
“Good morning, sweet girl.” Natasha gave her a kiss. “Hungry?”
“Yeah.” Alya nodded. “Food.”
“We’ll get you some food, but first, you have to get changed.” She lifted the child out of her crib and set her down on her changing table by the wall while Mischief followed, watching curiously as she got to work. “I heard you and Mischief in here earlier, what kind of secrets are you hiding from Mama, hm?”
At the tone of her mother’s voice, Alya giggled and kicked her feet, making it a little more difficult for Natasha to get her situated, but that was her own fault for making her laugh.
“Alright. All set.” Natasha clapped her hands together before looking through Alya’s closet to find her something to wear.
Alya didn’t even pay her any mind. She was too busy kicking her feet up in the air and slapping her hands on her tummy while blowing raspberries.
“You’re a busy bee today.” Natasha grinned, finding the perfect outfit. A pale yellow t-shirt to go under a pair of yellow overalls with a little bee on the front pocket. “Sit up, please.”
Alya did as she was told and allowed her mother to pull the shirt over her head without incident, this time, occupying herself by making a series of sounds.
“What are your plans today?” Natasha made conversation the way she always did.
“Food.” Alya nodded seriously as the overalls were pulled over her head and she was set on her mother’s hip. “I eat.”
“You’re going to eat?” Natasha relayed, bringing her to the bathroom, making a quick show of brushing her teeth before carrying her downstairs.
“Yeah.” Alya nodded, leaning forward and giving her mother Eskimo kisses.
She was obsessed with giving everyone Eskimo kisses.
“Look who decided to show up.”
“Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!” Alya lit up when she saw her father at the breakfast table.
“Hi, Babydoll.” Bucky kissed her cheek in greeting. “Sleep well?”
The toddler was actually a pretty decent sleeper. When she fell out, she was out for the night except on the rare occasion where she'd have a bad dream.
Bucky and Natasha got lucky in that department.
“Yeah.” The near two year old nodded, reaching for him.
“Here. Take her.” Natasha passed her off to greet Wanda, who had been sitting quietly, eating her food. “Hi, Honey. Are you enjoying yourself?”
Wanda smiled and gave her a thumb’s up, still chewing on her pancakes.
She was their quiet child. Even at the tender age of five, she preferred to sit down and read a book or relax in the garden instead of running around the house, screaming.
So the two adults always made sure they set aside some time where they could do that together.
And it was usually during Alya's nap time, because she would never be able to sit still.
“I sit wif Sissy.” Alya announced. “Okay?”
“Is that how you ask?” Bucky bounced her on his arm, using his left to carry her high chair to the table.
“I sit here.” She placed both hands on either side of his cheeks and smushed his face, giggling at how silly he looked.
“Alya, you have to say ‘please’.” Wanda helped her out the way she always did.
“Peas?” Alya smiled sweetly.
And who could say no to that?
“You can sit next to your sister, but you have to eat until your tummy is full, alright?”
“I eat.” She promised. “Cake.”
“Pancakes.” Natasha corrected her, setting her down in her highchair while Bucky moved to make a plate for the both of them.
She was glad that so far, Alya's high chair hadn't really been an issue. Laura had told her stories about how Cooper fought tooth and nail not to sit in his, but Alya was pretty easy going about it.
It was probably because it made her feel tall.
“Patty-cake.” Alya slapped her hands down on the tray with a squeal of delight. "Patty-cake, yummy."
“I walk.” Alya spoke confidently, pulling herself out of her mother’s grip as they made their way around the shopping mall.
“Oh no, you don’t.” Natasha snatched the little tyke up off the ground and put her in her stroller.
Alya might not have had problems with her high chair, but she couldn't stand being in her stroller. She didn't like being so restricted while everyone else got to walk around and do whatever they wanted to do.
“Noooo.” Alya whined and kicked her feet, trying her best to prevent Natasha from securing her in. “I walk.”
She was a big girl now! Why wouldn't she let her walk?
“No, I’m not chasing you around this mall, baby.”
“I walk!” Alya burst into tears at her independence being stifled.
She was heartbroken and she couldn't believe her mother of all people was doing this to her.
“I know you want to walk. I’m sorry you’re so upset.” Natasha kissed the child’s cheek.
She felt bad, but she really didn't feel like having to keep track of both a toddler and a five year old at the same time.
It was easier this way.
But Alya was upset and she didn’t want any affection from her. Her little hands pushed against her mother’s face as she continued to cry to showcase her frustration.
“Okay. Okay.” Natasha sighed, letting her have her moment.
“What’s wrong with the baby?” Yelena asked.
She just finished running her own errands and came back just in time to see her niece having a meltdown.
Yay.
“She’s mad because Mama won’t let her walk.” Wanda explained to her, holding onto one of the handles of the stroller like she was supposed to. “She’s very loud.”
She didn't see the big deal in sitting in a stroller. Alya had the best deal out of them all. She got to sit and relax while she was being pushed around.
Sometimes Wanda wished she could sit in a stroller, her feet got tired and standing on the back of it didn't cut it.
“She missed a nap.” Natasha dug through her bag before she found what she was looking for, placing a pacifier in Alya’s mouth before clipping the lanyard onto her shirt.
That lasted all of three seconds.
Alya ripped the comfort item from her mouth and screamed just to let her mother know she wasn't impressed.
That was a distraction and she knew it.
Well, it wouldn't work.
“Well, this must be why they call it the ‘terrible two’s’.” Yelena commented dryly as Steve made his way over to them, carrying a bag of his own.
“What’s the matter?” He asked.
“She’s mad.” Wanda seemed to be the designated person for explanations today. “And she doesn’t want Mama or her pacifier.”
“Come here, Princess.” Steve lifted her up onto his hip. “You’re really upset aren’t you? Why’re you making such a fuss, huh?”
Of course, Steve knew exactly what to do to diffuse a tantrum. He had a serious gift and Natasha just didn't know how he did it.
Alya responded so well to him.
“M-Mamaaaa!” Alya let out a heartbreaking whimper, leaning her head on his shoulder.
“Did Mama upset you?”
Alya just nodded her head.
“You know, she put you in your stroller because she wants to keep you safe.” He spoke softly, kissing her nose. “It’s okay that you’re upset, but Mama’s only doing it because she loves you so much. You love Mama?”
“Y-Yes.”Alya nodded despite her tears.
Of course she did.
She was just mad.
“Why don’t you give her a kiss?”
Alya nodded and leaned over to give her mother a kiss with a little sniffle, to which Natasha accepted and wiped at her cheeks.
Steve smiled and rubbed Alya's back for a moment, successfully calming her down to the point where she wasn't making all that noise anymore.
“Ready to sit in your stroller?”
“Y-Yeah.”
“Good girl.” He praised before sitting her back down, buckling her in with a wink.
The idea was to get her regulated, not give in to what she wanted and Natasha was grateful. She couldn't ever remember a time where Steve had directly undermined her or Bucky.
“I’m sorry, baby, we kept you out too long. I promise we’re almost done. You’ll get your nap soon, okay?” Natasha bent down to look at her youngest.
She could see that she was tired and mentally berated herself for not putting her down for a nap earlier.
Alya rubbed at her eyes, but allowed her mother to move some hair away from her face. Her small feet kicked and she looked at the woman with a sad face.
“I know.” Natasha frowned. “I know.”
Alya whimpered, but instead of bursting into a new set of tears, she opted to put her pacifier back in her mouth and lean back. As she allowed it to soothe her, her eyelids grew heavier.
"Ready to go, big girl?" Natasha saw how Alya's face lit up at the nickname and wondered if that was all it took to get her to cooperate. She'd have to remember that for next time. "Alright, let's go."
As the stroller began to move, Alya reached her chubby little hand out for her sister, who took only a split second to notice the gesture.
Wanda was always attuned to Alya's needs and she made sure that she got whatever it was. Their parents actually had to sit down and have a conversation with her about it to reinforce the fact that she wasn't Alya's mother and she wasn't obligated to take care of her. That was their job.
But Wanda continued.
Alya smiled when she felt her big sister's hand slip into hers and held her tight.
And before she knew it, she slipped off into a dreamless sleep.