Sifting through the sand
To both Robin and Melina’s surprise, General Dreykov doesn’t show up. Either the double-agent wanted to spook Melina or hadn’t realized how untouchable Robin was.
Robin was General Dreykov’s favorite. She got away with a lot more than any other soldier but when she did catch his temper then she caught it worse than anyone else.
It also meant that Coulson was very suspicious of Melina. Melina told Robin she was pretty sure Coulson looked for bruises when she showed up at work the next day.
Natasha had not been happy being picked up from school by Rosalie. Rosalie had to call Robin because Natasha refused to get into the car no matter what Rosalie said.
When Robin eventually picked the girls up, Natasha refused to talk to her. She was making a point of how upset she was with Robin without doing anything to earn herself swats.
Robin lets her be upset. Natasha had her routine interrupted and thought that something had happened to Robin and Melina. So Natasha gives her and Melina the silent treatment.
It’s so incredibly childish that it makes Robin happy that Natasha was expressing herself that way. Natasha doesn’t even attempt to ask one of them to help her tie her shoe, determined to continue her silent streak and try it herself.
Robin witnesses Natasha try and retry to tie her shoe six times. She doesn’t interrupt Natasha, observing as the girl gets more and more frustrated.
Natasha finally just tucks the laces into her shoes so she doesn’t trip on them.
Robin tucks Natasha into bed that night while Melina settles Yelena down. Robin pulls the blanket up over Natasha, leaning down to smooth Natasha’s hair back like she did every night.
This night, Natasha’s head leans away from her touch and Robin pulls her hand away. “Goodnight, sweetheart,” Robin tells Natasha. “I love you.” She doesn’t usually tell her that she loves her but she thinks it’s important for Natasha to know that no matter how she acts that Robin’s love wasn’t fading.
Natasha’s brows draw together in concentration as she thinks and Robin leaves her, ducking into Yelena’s room right next door.
Yelena grins when she sees Robin. “Mama!” She squirms happily as Robin leans down to smooth her hair back and press a kiss to her forehead. Yelena reaches up to wrap her arms around Robin’s neck briefly before letting go.
“Goodnight, baby,” Robin tells Yelena warmly.
“Goodnight mama,” Yelena said and Robin remembers when Yelena would just say ‘night’ because she had trouble pronouncing some words.
Robin wakes up much later that night when there’s a shuffling in the hallway and she pulls away from Melina to go check it out.
Yelena is standing outside of Natasha’s door, sniffling quietly with her thumb in her mouth and stuffed monkey clutched in her hand. She heads Robin, tilting her head up to look at her before her face crumples and she reaches her arms up. “Mama…”
“Oh my baby,” Robin scoops her up, feeling Yelena’s face press against her neck. “Did you have a bad dream?”
“Scary man, mama,” Yelena sniffles, clinging to Robin.
“The scary man isn’t here, love,” Robin rubs Yelena’s back, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “You’re safe, baby.”
Yelena lets out a soft sob and Robin walks into Yelena’s bedroom, taking a seat in the rocking chair and cuddling Yelena close. Yelena seemed more upset that Natasha wouldn’t let her into her room than the scary man in her dream, or so Yelena said. She tried to climb into Natasha’s bed but Natasha wouldn’t let her in her bedroom and Yelena got scared.
It doesn’t take long to get her calmed down and back to sleep. Robin eventually settles her back into bed, retucking her in and kissing the top of her head.
She then moves to poke her head into Natasha’s room only to find her bed empty. Robin thoroughly checked the room including in the closet and under the bed.
Nothing.
Robin checks the master bedroom in case Natasha made her way in there to snuggle with Melina. Then she checks the bathroom and the kitchen.
She then checks her office and there is a head of copper hair sifting through her files. “Natalia Romanova.” Robin speaks up and Natasha jumps at the sound of her birth name. She doesn’t bother trying to hide the evidence once she was caught. “You know my office is off-limits. What are you doing in here?”
Natasha’s quiet, seemingly still determined to give Robin the silent treatment. Robin moves forward, taking the file that Natasha had in her hand and turning it over to see what it was.
It was the mission reports she had been sending to General Dreykov and the replies he sent in turn. “Why are you looking at this?” Robin shakes the file, looking down at Natasha. Upon further silence, Robin reached out to grip Natasha’s chin. “Look at me.” She said firmly.
Natasha’s jaw clenches but she tilts her head up to peer at Robin.
“You broke rules, Natasha. Cooperate with me,” Robin sets the file aside. “Why were you in here looking through my file? What were you searching for?”
Natasha’s eyes flicker to look at the file before she peers back up at Robin, silent.
“Do you want swats?” Robin questioned and Natasha stiffened. “Because I have to give you swats if you’re breaking rules for no good reason. Talk to me, Natasha.”
Natasha, stubborn little Natasha, refuses to speak.
Robin bends Natasha over one knee and delivers ten harsh swats to her bottom with her hand.
It’s not until Robin sends Natasha into the corner that Natasha stands stiffly, head bowed as she curls her fingers into fists.
With Natasha in time-out, Robin sifts through the files Natasha had been looking through. Natasha had been neat and careful about not messing up Robin’s sorting system and had Robin not caught her, she probably wouldn’t have known someone was in her office.
Natasha was searching for something and didn’t find it.
“What were you looking for?” Robin repeats her question and Natasha turns to look at her. “Nose in the corner.” Natasha snaps back into place. “Answer my question.”
Natasha tilts her head down. “I was looking for the date.”
“The date?” Robin repeats, a small frown crossing her face. “Date of what?” She asked.
Natasha lets out a huff of frustration. “The summer.” She elaborates before continuing much quieter. “When we’re leaving.”
Robin blinks a few times before she lets out a long sigh, reaching up to rub at her face before she takes a seat in her office chair. She should have expected Rosalie’s unexpected pickup from school would jerk Natasha back into the reality that they may leave Ohio that summer. “Come here.”
Natasha takes a moment before stepping away from the wall and moving toward Robin. She stands stiffly in front of her, her jaw clenched.
“Honey, I don’t have a date,” Robin tells Natasha. “I would tell you if I did. I wouldn’t let you go unprepared.”
“Do you promise?” Natasha eyes Robin, folding her arms.
“I promise. If I receive a date, you will know,” Robin said and Natasha deflates slightly. “You should have just asked. You didn’t have to break the rules.”
Natasha tilts her head down in chastisement. “I’m sorry.” She said quietly. “Is Yelena okay?”
“She got scared,” Robin knew Natasha didn’t mean to upset Yelena. “But she’s okay. What about you? How are you feeling?”
Natasha is quiet, staring down at her bare feet. “I was bad.” She said softly.
Robin can already tell what Natasha is getting at and opens her arms. Natasha shuffles forward until Robin can wrap her arms around her.
Natasha squirms until she is settled on Robin’s lap and only then does she press her face against Robin’s neck and cries.
“I know, baby girl,” Robin pressed a kiss to her head. “I’ve missed holding you.”
Natasha just starts to cry harder. “I’m sorry.”
“I know. It’s alright, sweetheart,” Robin rocks her side to side. Natasha tugs on Robin’s pajama shirt the same way Yelena did when she wanted Robin to take her shirt off. “Honey, I’m not wearing a bra.”
Robin usually didn’t mind skin to skin but she was wearing something to cover her up. Despite nothing sexual going on, it still felt wrong to bare herself like that.
She has vague memories of her mother doing it to her when she was a very young child. But Natasha was nine, not a toddler.
“Please?” Natasha whimpers.
And it reminds Robin that Natasha didn’t have a mother to do this for her. She acted younger than she was sometimes because she never got the chance. Natasha had been pulling away from affection and likely was craving every last bit she could soak up.
Robin was Natasha’s mama now. Natasha was her baby and her baby needed this.
“Okay,” Robin caves in and reaches out to help Natasha out of her pajama top first before tugging her own shirt off. Natasha doesn’t hesitate to wrap her arms around Robin’s neck and press her face against the bare skin on Robin’s shoulder.
Robin pressed a kiss to Natasha’s hair, rubbing her back as Natasha shudders as her cries slowly taper off.
Robin hums their song as Natasha slowly droops against her and for a little while she thinks Natasha had fallen asleep.
She jumps when tiny fingers brush against the scar on her back where General Drekyov had held her down and carved his name into her skin. “I don’t want you to go back.” Natasha whispers sleepily into Robin’s bare skin. “He’s gonna kill you one day.”
Robin doesn’t know how to reply. She can’t promise that he won’t because she truly doesn’t know that he won’t. She can’t promise that they won’t go back, they will.
Instead, Robin cradles Natasha closer. “I love you, sweetheart.”
Natasha squished her cheek against Robin’s shoulder. “Love you too, mama.”