custody
The first time that Natasha is welcome to walk outside of her cell during the day, Yelena insists on being the one to take her for a tour. Natasha has to wear a monitor on her ankle and they won’t let her be alone with Yelena but Yelena is too happy to be able to spend time with her sister to be bothered.
Natasha holds her hand, letting Yelena tug her all over the helicarrier.
Maria is firm about not letting Natasha into their bunk. Yelena only wanted to show Natasha her things but Maria wouldn’t let Yelena show Natasha where she slept.
Natasha was displeased to learn that Maria and Yelena shared a room and even more upset to discover that they shared a bed most nights. But Yelena only had to tell Natasha that it was like sharing a bed with her and that nothing bad ever happens.
Yelena is enjoying catching up with her sister but notices that her mama is pulling away again. In turn, Yelena spends more time with Natasha as Maria works more and misses meals.
Maria always took a break to ensure that Yelena got to bed on time and tucked her in. Except the first time she missed it finally happened. Yelena put herself to bed and waited and waited for her mama.
Maria didn’t show up and Yelena felt kinda lonely. The room was too big and too dark and too quiet. Yelena can’t help but wonder if she’s been bad somehow and was in trouble. Being tucked in at night was the one time of day when Maria’s attention was only on Yelena and nobody else, and Yelena got kisses and backrubs.
Yelena had gotten so used to their usual routine that she can’t settle down to sleep. She doesn’t want to be even more bad by getting out of bed but forcing herself to be independent and self-sufficient again is lonely.
She finally gets out of bed and slips out of their bunk and down the hallway. She runs her fingers along the wall and counts the doors as she goes, exhausted but unable to sleep.
She jumps when hands scoop her up but she relaxes when she sees that it’s only her big brother. “Hi.”
“Hi.” Clint replies. “You should be in bed. Where are you going?”
Yelena shrugs, unsure of where she was really going. She just didn’t wanna be lonely anymore. She wraps her arms around his neck, yawning. “Can I sleep with you?”
“I’m flattered but I think your mama would miss you too much,” Clint said, rubbing her back. “She let you leave to wander?”
“I dunno where she is,” Yelena mumbles, resting her cheek on his shoulder. “She didn’t show up for bedtime. I went to bed by myself.”
“Let’s go find her then,” Clint says, carrying Yelena down the hallway and toward Maria’s office. Yelena’s eyes slip closed as she relaxes against his warm body, content now that she wasn’t alone anymore.
“Hey Clint?” Yelena murmurs as Clint carries her. “How did you know that she was my Nattie?” Yelena was grateful that he brought her back but didn’t know how he knew.
Clint shrugs the shoulder Yelena’s head wasn’t on. “You told me about your Nattie when I told you about my brother. I made a guess. I’m glad I chose right.”
“Thanks for bringing my sister back to me,” Yelena smiles, feeling Clint kiss the top of her head.
“Anything for you, little sister,” He replies and they continue on down the hallway.
Clint slows down and Yelena can hear heated arguing from Maria’s office as they approach. She sits up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes as her body tenses up at the prospect of a fight. Clint approached the door and knocked with his foot. The arguing died down immediately. Clint balanced Yelena on his hip and entered.
“What?” Maria snaps at him. Yelena flinches at the bark, confused to find Maria and Natasha staring at each other with anger.
“It’s almost midnight, Maria,” Clint tells her calmly, rubbing Yelena’s back. “You missed bedtime.”
“Clint, I’m busy,” Maria said to him. “Can you tuck her in?”
“Maria, your kid.” Clint said firmly and Maria’s head finally jerked away from Natasha’s face to look at him, finally spotting Yelena. Yelena can see her frustration grow as she reaches up to rub her face.
Yelena curls her fingers into Clint’s shirt. She didn’t want to make her mama upset. She was obviously busy and Yelena was intruding. “I can go to bed by myself.” She tells Clint softly. “It’s okay.”
Clint approaches Maria’s desk, peels Yelena off of him, and sets her down right on top of the paperwork spread out. He always did that to get Maria’s attention.
“C’mon Nat. This can wait,” Clint tells Natasha, ushering her up. “Say goodnight.”
Yelena turns toward Natasha. “G’night Nattie.”
“Goodnight, little one,” Natasha replies in Russian, letting Clint usher her out of the room.
Yelena finally peers up at Maria. “I can go to bed by myself. I didn’t mean to get in the way.”
Maria lets out a soft sigh, sinking back into her seat and reaching out to hoist Yelena up off her desk into her lap. “I’m sorry, baby. I can see you got ready all on your own.” Maria smooths down Yelena’s pajama top, straightening out the collar.
Yelena tucks her lower lip into her mouth to chew on it anxiously before speaking. “I waited for you.” She finally said quietly. “You didn’t come.”
Maria wraps Yelena up in her arms. “I’m so sorry.” She said, kissing the top of Yelena’s head. “I got so caught up in everything. I didn’t mean to forget about you.”
“It’s okay. Your work is important,” Yelena says, frowning when Maria pulls away.
“Look at me, Yelena,” Maria gently cups the girl’s face in her hands, tilting Yelena’s head up to look at her. “You are more important than my work. Always.”
“You’ve been working so much, lately,” Yelena points out quietly, afraid of saying something wrong.
Maria settles Yelena in her lap, reaching out and picking up one of the pieces of paper. “Do you see what this is?”
Yelena reaches for the paper, peering down at it. Reading English still wasn’t her strong suit and there was a lot of fancy jargon and big words on the page. “Custody?” Yelena repeats, frowning at the unfamiliar word. “What is this?”
“Natasha wants part-time custody of you.” Maria says. “She wants to have you for half of the week.”
“Have me? What about you?” Yelena frowns in confusion.
“I’d get you the other half,” Maria replies, pointing out a bunch of scribbled-out lines. “We’ve been trying to decide how to split time up.”
Yelena looks over the words on the page. “I don’t want this.” Yelena says, fear in her tone.
“You don’t?” Maria asked, taking the paper from Yelena.
“No. I want everybody. I don’t want to be split up. I wanna be all together,” Yelena tells Maria. “I don’t just wanna see you half of the week.”
“We’ve basically been trying it out recently,” Maria points out. “You’ve seemed okay with Natasha.”
Yelena’s frown deepens. “But I’ve missed you, mama.” Maria was pulling away because of these silly papers? Yelena’s frustration grows and she grabs the paper from Maria’s hand quickly, ripping it down the middle.
“Yelena!” Maria quickly snatched the ripped paper from her hands. “What was that for?”
“I need you, mama! Not just half of the week,” Yelena attempts to grab the papers to tear them up but Maria holds them out of her reach. “I thought you were mad at me! I need you both all the time!” She shoves at Maria’s chest. “I was trying to be good for you!”
Maria gently grabs at her wrists. “Oh, my baby…” She breathes out and Yelena sniffles. “I didn’t realize--”
“Because you weren’t there!” Yelena finally bursts into tears, exhausted and tired. “Mama--”
Maria quickly pulls Yelena against her again and Yelena falls against her. “I’m so sorry,” Maria whispers out, guilt in her tone. “I really messed up, baby.”
Yelena sobs against Maria, just wanting her mama. She doesn’t want everyone to be separate, she wants them all together and she wants them happy.
Maria hoists Yelena up as she stands and Yelena wraps her limbs around Maria so that she wouldn’t put her down. Maria carries Yelena to the door and steps out into the hallway. Yelena was embarrassed to have anybody see her crying but she was relieved that Maria had left her office.
Maria carries her down the hallway, humming quietly to Yelena as she cups the back of her head against her shoulder. They reach their bunk and Maria carries Yelena inside. She paused at the sight of the room. Yelena had put her dirty clothes away in the hamper, tidied up her things, brushed her teeth, and did everything she always did before bed, this time unprompted.
Maria approached Yelena’s bed, taking a seat on the edge and settles Yelena in her lap. “I’m so proud of you.” She said softly, kissing the top of Yelena’s head. “And I’m sorry.”
“I need you, mama. I’m always gonna need you,” Yelena tells Maria. “Even when I have Clint and Nattie.”
Maria wipes the tears from Yelena’s face. “I see that now. I was being kinda silly, wasn’t I. I love you, Yelena.”
“I love you too, mama,” Yelena curls against Maria. “Are you gonna leave after you tuck me in?”
“No, baby. I’m right here,” Maria reassures her.
“Then will you rub my back?” Yelena asked shyly and Maria smiles at her.
“Of course,” Maria says and Yelena gets settled down, tucked in and comfy before Maria reaches out and gently rubs her back.
Yelena is exhausted and finally having her mama right there next to her is such a relief. Maria hums one of Yelena’s favorite songs and it’s not too long before Yelena falls asleep, the last thing she was aware of was Maria kissing the top of her head and softly telling her how much she was loved.