In the shadows
Robin knows that as soon as Yelena wakes up in the middle of the night nearly inconsolable that it was going to be a bad day for the little girl. Robin holds her close and she paces the length of the nursery at one in the morning as Yelena sobs her little heart out, begging for Robin to save her from the bad man.
Robin’s heart breaks at her wails, rubbing her back as she tries to soothe her. “Let it all out, little one. It’s okay,” Robin croons softly.
“Bad man, mama!” Yelena sobs, fisting Robin’s shirt in her fingers. “Gonna hurt us!”
“There’s no bad man here. Just me, and your mommy, and your big sister,” Robin nuzzles her nose against the top of Yelena’s head, running out of ways to try and settle her down. “Mama and Mommy will protect you.”
It’s nearing four in the morning and Robin has shifted to sitting in the rocking chair in the corner. Yelena had only recently fallen asleep, dried tear tracks on her face. When she had stopped babbling on about the bad man in her dreams, she had planted her thumb firmly between her lips to soothe herself. She’s drooling on Robin’s shirt now but Robin doesn’t dare disturb her to pull her thumb out of her mouth and wipe away the drool.
Melina’s with Natasha in the master bedroom. She had originally gotten up to try and soothe Yelena but when it became apparent that Yelena wasn’t going to calm down anytime soon, she switched with Robin because she had work in the morning.
Robin rocks slowly and gently stroked Yelena’s hair as the time crawls by.
Robin’s slept for a total of three hours by the time she usually gets up. She can hear Melina and Natasha moving around as they get ready for the day before Natasha pokes her head into the room, dressed for school and ready to walk out the door. “Mama?”
She approaches Robin and Robin would love to give her a quick morning snuggle as well but Yelena is sprawled out across her chest and lap and she doesn’t want to risk waking her by moving her. She settles for kissing Natasha’s forehead, smoothing her hair back fondly before cupping her face. “Be good at school.” She instructs and Natasha nods her head.
Melina quickly ducks in to say goodbye as well, kissing Robin softly before gently running her thumb along Yelena’s cheek with a fond smile before pulling away.
Robin’s butt falls asleep an hour later but she doesn’t move because Yelena needed the sleep.
Yelena starts to stir around lunchtime and promptly throws a temper tantrum when Robin tries to set her down so she can go to the bathroom. She then cries some more when Robin makes them breakfast and gives Yelena the wrong color cup.
Robin tries to be patient with her, especially when Yelena throws the cup on the floor in frustration and then cries again when Robin scolds her.
Everybody is allowed to have bad days, even children. They’re not acting out or being bad on purpose, they just can’t control their emotions very well and they don’t understand how to properly address their negative emotions.
Yelena barely eats and asks to watch television instead. She grabs her favorite stuffed monkey, which she named Sir ‘Nanas, and her blankie and settles down to watch cartoons.
Robin cleans up from breakfast and settles down on the couch near Yelena. Yelena’s watching Scooby-Doo on the television, clutching Sir ‘Nanas to her chest.
Robin decides to spend the day in instead of taking Yelena out to the park to swing or feed the ducks. She just didn’t want to deal with Yelena having a meltdown out in public at the moment.
Yelena watches television for most of the day, eventually climbing into Robin’s lap and tucking her head against her mama’s collar. She rubs Sir ‘Nanas ears and watches the TV quietly.
When it’s time to pick up Natasha, Yelena refuses to put on her shoes and demands to take Sir ‘Nanas with her to get Natasha. Robin carries her barefoot kid out to the car and buckles her into her car seat.
Natasha’s quiet when Robin picks her up from school and Robin is reminded of when the soldier was her teacher. “How was school?”
Natasha shrugs slightly. “Fine.” She mumbles.
Yelena asks Robin to play the radio and sensing that Natasha wasn’t in a talkative mood, Robin obeys and cranks the radio up.
Yelena seems to be feeling a little better as she eats the afternoon snack that Robin prepares for the two. She then asks Robin for another movie and sprawls across her lap again.
Robin can see that Natasha is quiet but is split between the two of them when Yelena cries once again because the tape in the VHS player unravels and ruins the movie.
“Mama?” Natasha speaks up as Robin is trying to soothe Yelena.
“Just a second, sweetheart,” Robin said, snuggling Yelena close and coaxing her to take deep breaths. She then works on trying to get the VHS tape from the player to fix it.
“Mama, can I sit with you?” Natasha questions and Robin glances at her.
“In a moment. I’m going to fix this, I’ll be right back,” Robin smiles, ruffling her hair before disappearing upstairs to find a tool she could use to fix the tape.
She just finishes fixing the tape when she hears a thud and then a wail that came from Yelena. She immediately rushes downstairs and Yelena barrels into her, crying once again.
“What happened?” Robin glances at Natasha for an explanation but the girl won’t look at her, staring at a spot on the wall.
“Nattie pushed me and said-- she said--” Yelena sniffles. “She said I was a crybaby.”
Robin scoops Yelena up. “Natasha?” She prompts as Yelena wraps her arms around her neck. “Did you do that?”
Natasha scowls, which is enough of an answer. Robin’s surprised. The entire time Natasha has known Yelena, she’s never once fought with her. Robin supposed it would happen eventually but she didn’t expect Natasha to get physical. “Go stand in the corner, Natasha.” Robin lets out a soft sigh. “You do not attack your sister or insult her.”
Natasha stomps over to the corner, folding her arms and facing the wall.
Robin shows Yelena that she had fixed the tape and Yelena settles down slightly but she’s clearly exhausted from how often she cried that day. Exhaustion and overwhelmed children don’t mix well.
Yelena curled up on Robin’s lap again when the movie is playing once more. When Natasha gets out of the corner, she perches on the couch near Robin quietly.
Melina arrives him and asked Robin to speak in her office for a moment. Robin’s reluctant to leave the two girls alone but she hopes Natasha had learned her lesson. She heads upstairs with Melina to her office.
“There’s a rumor going around work that you’re abusing me,” Melina rushes out in a single breath when they’re in the safety of Robin’s office.
Robin blinks a few times, rubbing at a slight ache on her side. “What? Where could they have possibly gotten that idea?”
Melina looks slightly guilty. “From the woman at the Christmas party…” She explains. “That I told you were cheating on me to seduce her.”
“Do you think we’re compromised?” Robin’s heart skips a beat at the thought that she’d have to tell the General that they were found out.
“I don’t think so,” Melina shakes her head. “But Phil Coulson keeps approaching me. The first time it was to ask if everything was alright at home but now he’s just making excuses to check on me.”
Phil Coulson, one of the men of interest on the Red Room’s radar. “We can work with this,” Robin said and Melina watches her carefully. “Mention things that would upset abusive spouses. Maybe Natasha acting out or dinner being late. Don’t mention my reaction to it and wait to see if he asks about me. Keep his attention.”
Melina nods her head. “Yes ma’am.” She replies automatically before pausing and glancing at Robin to see if she noticed.
Robin doesn’t mention it, smiling at her and leaning forward to nuzzle their noses together. Melina relaxes, leaning against Robin’s chest at the reassurance that Robin wasn’t upset at her actions. Robin pulls her closer and kisses her softly and slowly.
“Mama!” Yelena cries out and then lets out a yell. Melina and Robin break apart and head downstairs.
Natasha has Yelena pinned under her, shoving her face into the ground as Yelena flails underneath her trying to push her off.
Robin grabs Natasha and yanks her off of Yelena, Melina scooping the pinned girl up into her arms.
Robin delivers ten harsh swats to Natasha’s bottom. Natasha doesn’t fight back, going tense and stiff in Robin’s hold. Robin then marches Natasha upstairs and right into her office. “What is going on with you?” She questioned, closing the door behind her.
“Am I gonna get swats?” Natasha eyes the canes in the corner of the room that Robin hadn’t used since Belka.
Robin takes a moment to take a deep breath. “No. I just spanked you. You’re not getting swats. Now, I believe I asked you a question.”
Natasha clenches her jaw and Robin kneels in front of her, reaching out to grip her shoulders. Natasha tenses up at the touch and refuses to look at Robin. “Nothing.”
“I do not appreciate being lied to, Natasha. You’ve been acting off since I picked you up from school,” Robin points out.
Natasha is quiet for a few moments before reaching into her pocket and pulling out a crumpled-up pink piece of paper and shoving it out to Robin. Robin lets her go to take it and uncrumpled it.
It was a note home telling Robin that Natasha had misbehaved in school and was caught talking to her classmates.
“Is this why you were in a bad mood?” Robin looks up from the paper.
“I’m sorry.” Natasha murmurs. “I was supposed to give it to you right away but Yelena kept needing you and I needed you too but you wouldn’t listen.”
“I’m sorry that I didn’t realize you needed me, sweetheart,” Robin pushed the pink slip into her own pocket and reaches out to settle her hands onto Natasha's shoulders again. “But that doesn’t excuse your behavior with Yelena. Why would you do that to her? You’re much bigger than she is.”
“She-- I--” Natasha searches for the right words before huffing. “I was angry.”
“You don’t get to hurt your sister when you’re angry. That’s not nice,” Robin tells Natasha firmly.
“You were spending so much time with Yelena and not me,” Natasha glances away from Robin again. “She’s always crying and she gets snuggles and she gets hugs but if I cried when I was her age then I would get hurt.”
Natasha’s lower lip wobbles and doesn’t resist when Robin pulls her into her arms. “Oh, my baby.” Robin pressed a kiss to the side of Natasha’s head. “I’m so sorry that I wasn’t there for you when you were much younger. I’m sorry that you’re jealous that Yelena has me now and you didn’t.”
“I’m not jealous!” Natasha immediately protests.
“Okay,” Robin conceded. “But you cannot shove Yelena and you cannot pin her down when you are angry and upset. You are much bigger than she is.”
“So are the other Widows but they pin me down too,” Natasha points out and Robin lets out a small sigh.
“But it doesn’t feel very nice when they do it, does it?” Robin questions and Natasha slowly shakes her head. “And you’re Yelena’s big sister. You need to protect her and you need to love her. We don’t shove and pin down the people we love.”
Natasha’s quiet as she thinks of Robin’s words. Robin moves her hand to cup Natasha’s face and pull her head up to look at her.
“I still love you, Natasha. Even if you got a pink slip at school and even if you pinned Yelena down. I’m sorry that you needed my attention and I brushed you off. You have my attention now, what do you need from me?” Robin inquired, running her thumb along Natasha’s cheek.
“I want you to hold me,” Natasha mumbles, her cheeks flushing red with embarrassment as she admits her wants. “And to sing the song.”
“I can do that,” Robin scoops Natasha up and walks over to her office chair to take a seat and settle Natasha in her lap. Natasha almost instantly relaxes against her with a soft sigh.
Robin slides her hand over Natasha’s hair before she starts to sink.
“I hope that you like it in your little motel…”