Taking on too much
Natasha’s school is small and private. It mainly consisted of children of SHIELD employees along with a few rich kids that paid just the right amount to gain entry.
Robin can immediately spot the distaste on Natasha’s face at the sound of shrieking children playing on the playground. At the sound of the yelling and screams of joy, Natasha shifts her way closer and closer to Robin as they walk into the school.
The principal is a spry old man with entirely too much energy for someone who deals with children all day. He chatters on a mile a minute about how pleased he was to have Natasha in their school along with all of the benefits Natasha would receive.
The overly-enthusiastic man frightens Natasha more than someone holding a gun to her head. Robin feels Natasha play the part of the scared little girl, shying just behind Robin and gripping onto the hem of her shirt.
Natasha gives the man a disarmingly sweet smile when he asks her about how she feels to join the school. It’s the first smile that Robin has seen on Natasha’s face and she knows immediately that she wants to see more of it. Robin idly strokes Natasha’s hair as she listens to the man ramble, humming in acknowledgment in all the right places during his monologue.
The principal insists on a tour of the school grounds, something that Robin dreads because of the intense throbbing in her side that she wanted nothing more than to ice. But she plasters her best smile on her face and sucks it up.
The whole tour takes and rambling of the principal takes nearly two hours. Robin aches fiercely, the only acknowledgment was the hand brushing over where there was a sharp throbbing.
“You’re hurt,” Natasha finally comments after they’re on the road and heading back home.
“I am,” Robin doesn’t deny it. Doing so would only insult the child.
“Was it from the visit earlier?” Natasha questioned quietly, looking down at the red shoes that she found much more fascinating than meeting Robin’s gaze.
“Yes,” Robin nods her head, watching as Natasha gazes everywhere but her. “You can ask me any questions you have. No questions will get you in trouble.”
Natasha was quiet so Robin lets out a sigh and leaves the subject be for now. She instead focuses on the road.
Natasha then breaks the silence. “How will you punish me?”
Robin knew how widows were punished. She thinks back to the umbrella stand of thin bamboo sticks that was provided for her in the office on the second floor. Robin herself had punished a few unruly widows that had refused treatment from her. “Swats.”
Natasha looks down at her lap. “You didn’t give me swats on the first night for making a mess…” She comments quietly.
“Bedwetting won’t be punished by swats,” Robin stops at a red light, briefly twisting her head to look at her. “If it happens again then it is a medical issue and I don’t punish medical issues.”
Feeling bolder now that she asked a question and got an actual answer, Natasha asks another. “Will Yelena get swats?”
“No.” Yelena wasn’t a widow. She didn’t know right from wrong like Natasha did. She didn’t know how to convey her emotions in a healthy way that didn’t involve the occasional tantrum. Robin was already dreading the first time Yelena had a meltdown.
“Is your name actually Robin? Like the bird?” Natasha asked her.
“Is your name actually Natasha?” Robin retorts, remembering the printed ink and the name NATALIA penned neatly across the dotted line. “It’s not.”
Natasha wrinkles her nose. “How old are you?”
“Twenty-six. A year younger than Melina,” Robin pulls into their driveway, the other car already there and signaling that the others were already home.
“Where’s your family?” Natasha asked her final question.
Robin smiles politely as she steps out of the car. “You’re my family now.” She sidesteps the question, waving at a neighbor mowing their lawn as she sets a hand onto Natasha’s shoulder.
Melina is sitting on the living room floor with Yelena, a wicker basket filled with multi-colored wooden blocks sat between them, half of the contents strewn about the floor.
“You took a while,” Melina comments when she sees them.
“The principal insisted on a tour,” Robin kicks her boots off by the front door, inhaling sharply at the movement.
“Are you okay?” Melina is off the ground and moving toward her within seconds. “Let me see--”
Robin swats away the hand that grabs at her shirt. “Not in front of the children.” She chides. “I’m going upstairs to find some pain meds. Why don’t you think about what we’re going to do for dinner?”
Melina recognizes the dismissal and turns to head into the kitchen while Robin slowly makes her way upstairs. Robin finds the bottle of pain pills and takes two.
She takes a moment to collect herself, focusing on her breathing. When she feels the pills start to kick in, she makes her way back downstairs.
Yelena perks up when she sees her. “Mama!” She clambers to her feet and darts toward Robin to wind her arms around Robin’s legs.
“Hi, little one,” Robin carefully detangles herself from Yelena to make her way toward the couch. Yelena is determined though and struggles to clamber up onto the couch next to Robin. She eventually succeeded after a few moments and shoves a yellow block into Robin’s face.
“Mama wanna play?” Yelena questioned earnestly and Robin melts just a little as she reaches out to take the block.
“Mama’s a little tired right now, little one. Do you want to watch cartoons?” Robin asked. Yelena forgets all about the blocks and lets out a squeal of approval.
Robin turns the television on and flicks through the channels until she finds one that was playing cartoons. Yelena shuffles to flop into Robin’s lap.
Robin inhales sharply at the jolt in her side and shifts to pull Yelena so she’s not pressed up against her bruised ribs. Yelena is entranced with the television, wiggling happily on Robin’s lap as Robin strokes her hair.
Natasha shuffles into the room a few minutes later. “Melina says that we’re gonna eat microwave dinners for dinner.” She tells Robin.
Robin nods her head and gestures for Natasha to take a seat and join them on the couch and watch cartoons as well.
Natasha glances at Yelena curled up on Robin’s lap before taking a seat on the other end of the couch.
Robin remembers as she’s feeling sleepy that she took the pain meds on an empty stomach. She doesn’t even realize that she’s dozing on the couch until she feels someone grab her arm. “--Robin? Mama?”
Robin realizes with a jerk that she’s supposed to be those people, coming back to reality and glancing down at Natasha. “Yes?”
Natasha shuffles in place for a moment. “You should rest.” She made an awkward move as she pulls Yelena out of Robin’s lap and into her arms. Of course, Yelena is half of Natasha’s size but the girl only struggles and doesn’t drop her.
“It’s okay…” Robin mumbles, moving to sit up some so she didn’t fall back asleep again. “She’s not bothering me.”
“Go find mommy in the kitchen,” Natasha instructs Yelena who had perked up at the mention of her mommy and darted off into the kitchen as fast as her little legs can take her. “Can I… help?” Natasha then hesitantly questioned Robin.
“Fetch me a bag of frozen vegetables from the freezer?” Robin requests and Natasha scurries off to do what she had been asked.
Natasha returns a few moments later, holding out the bag of frozen peas to Robin, and watches as Robin pressed it against her side with a shiver.
“Tell Melina that I can look after Yelena,” Robin sits up slightly to keep herself awake. She hadn’t meant to fall asleep.
“I can look after her,” Natasha informs Robin earnestly before disappearing into the kitchen before Robin can protest.
Robin leans back on the couch, absolutely exhausted. She closes her eyes, feeling the cold on her stomach, and just focuses on her breathing.
She’s startled out of her thoughts by the feeling of a hand on her face, pushing up under the hair that had fallen in her face to cup her forehead. She opens her eyes to look up at Melina’s face.
“You’re feverish,” Melina comments softly, the hand on Robin’s forehead moving to cup her cheek. “Dinner is done.”
“The pain meds can do that…” Robin mumbles quietly. “Gimme a sec and I’ll join you.”
Melina’s hand doesn’t move and Robin takes a few moments to absorb the warmth and intimacy of the action before she gets Melina to help her off of the couch.
Robin sits at the open spot at the head of the table, starting to slowly eat.
“Eat,” Melina tells Natasha who was shoving the food around her plate.
“What is it?” Natasha frowns, poking at some of the food. “That’s not what we usually eat for dinner.”
“We need to get some weight on you. We’re not going to eat the same dinner as the Red Room here,” Robin says. “You’re all underweight.”
“Even Yelena?” Natasha glances at the toddler that was using her fingers to eat.
“Even Yelena,” Robin nods her head, remembering the medical charts she had skimmed over.
Natasha looks down at the plate before pushing it away from her. “May I go to bed?”
Melina speaks before Robin can. “No. Eat.” She said before taking a bite of her own food.
Natasha wrinkles her nose, staring at the plate of foreign food in front of her. “May I please go to bed?” She repeats.
Robin really isn’t in the mood to handle Natasha testing the limits and boundaries at the moment. “Eat, Natasha. You haven’t even tried it.”
“I don’t want to try it!” Natasha shoves the plate from the table and it shatters onto the ground. Robin has to lunge forward to grab Melina’s wrist before her hand makes contact with Natasha’s face.
White spots fill her vision as her side screams in pain. “Go to your room!” Robin manages to order Natasha. Natasha practically vanishes from the room and Robin leans forward, catching herself on the table as her hand cradles her side and she focuses on not losing the contents of her stomach.
“Robin--” Melina starts but Robin holds a hand up to stop her and Melina’s teeth clicked as she shut her mouth.
“You are under no circumstances to strike either of the girls with your hand,” Robin tells Melina after she’s caught her breath. “Natasha starts school and showing up with a bruise on her face would be bad for our cover.”
Melina’s face twists into dissatisfaction. “You’re going to let her act out?” Melina demands.
Robin is too tired and hurt to deal with this right now. “Who is the handler?” She snaps and Melina goes quiet. “I am. My word is law. Stay here and finish dinner with Yelena.”
Melina’s jaw clenches as she turns to comfort Yelena who had gone silent and watched with watery wide eyes as soon as the plate smashed against the ground.
Robin shoves away her irritation and stamps the pain down before she leaves the table and starts to walk upstairs to where Natasha was waiting.