Chapter Text
Thunder rumbled constantly outside the apartment. Lightning bolts and lightning ignited in the night sky, while the deafening sound breaks the tranquility of the night. The television was off, the room almost dark, only the dim light of the lamp on the bedside table illuminated the place.
After laying Vanya on the bed and cuddling her with the stuffed unicorn. Maria chose to read her favorite book while drinking a big cup of hot chocolate. She could easily save her reading for tomorrow and sleep, but no. Maria decided to wait for Natasha to arrive. Today she returns after two days of absence.
Her eyes land on the clock on the nightstand.
It was quite late, around 11pm. Outside the window Maria can see the sky adorned with a beautiful dark gray as the raindrops fell quite hard against the glass. Faint flashes here and there.
Maria loved the rain, there is something special about the patter of the raindrops through the glass, they compose a relaxing melody. There was one thing in everyone that she loved more than the melody of rain and that is her family. Vanya and Nat make her feel less empty, less broken.
Even with the combination of sounds, this had to be one of the most peaceful nights for Maria. Since she became a mother, her home is not without silence, her daughter's happy laughter always fills the emptiness. The days have been happier for her since Vanya born. Maria personally never saw herself as the type of woman who would enjoy motherhood. But here she is now, raising a child in this new world was spectacular. Everything was perfect with Natasha by her side.
A deafening lighting struck the top of Avenger’s tower, vibrating the crystals.
Not everyone seems to enjoy rainy nights.
Mommy!!" Vanya's anguished scream traveled down the hall. The noise of the lightning caused her daughter to wake up and start crying. Vanya's peaceful dream was ruined by the strong storm.
"Baby." In alert state. Maria tossed the book aside and ran to find her daughter.
Mommy!!!" Barely getting out of bed, the shaky two-year-old threw herself into her arms. Maria instinctively hugged Vanya and gently rocked her.
"Shhh. Hey, calm down my love. " Maria gave her daughter a protective hug. She tossed the covers aside and laid Vanya on the bed. "Calm down, don't cry. Mommy is here."
"I don't like lightning." Vanya rubbed her watery eyes.
"I know my little angel." Maria felt her heart clench, the thumbs wiping the unshed tears from Vanya's eyes. "Next time I promise to speak with Uncle Thor."
“Uh huh. " Vanya with those big blue eyes looked carefully at her mother. "Where is mom." She asked, hugging the little unicorn against her chest with little hands.
"Mommy is coming home soon, baby." Maria stroked the red curls between her fingers. God, their little daughter is a perfect fusion of she and Natasha. Curly red hair and big blue eyes. "Go to sleep my Love. I'm here."
"Nooo! ..." Vanya shook her head as hugged Maria's body like a koala.
“You need to sleep Vanya. " Maria said, craning her neck to then lie down next to Vanya. Lying on her side, Maria lulled Vanya, placing her hand on the little red head.
The little red-haired girl was going to answer but another lighting fell interrupting her answer, instead the little girl let out a cry of fear, clenched the little fists in Maria's hoodie.
“Shhh. " Maria hugged Vanya's trembling body.
"Tell me a story, mommy." the girl pouted. "Nattie the fox."
"Nattie the fox good choice, baby." Maria laughed while hugged and kissed her baby's cheeks. Erasing the sad pout from that angelic face. "Let me think ... uh."
As you know my little angel. Nattie the fox is the most intelligent animal in the animal kingdom, well known for her clever green eyes, capable of discovering the slightest deception and for having a fur red like the flames of fire. That little creature was the best thief in the kingdom. But she was not always a thief. There is a story that happened a long time ago, in a land where spring never came and instead, just the white blanket of snow covered all territories.
"Like Queen Elsa, mommy." The baby started rubbing her face.
"Almost like Elsa, my little angel." Maria sighed, stroking her baby's hand.
In the midst of that eternal winter landscape, was the lonely Lady of the Cold, pensive and sad inside her crystal palace.
"The cold lady was always sad." Vanya asked in a low voice still fearful of the lightning lighting up the sky.
Maria responded, kissing her daughter's cheek, waiting for the caress to calm Vanya's frightened heart.
No, Vanny. Long ago the lady of the cold was a happy maiden. Loved by her grandmother, until her father an evil sorcerer cursed her with an evil curse. That evil man made sure that the young woman never felt the heat of love burning in her heart. Only the cold of the ice would be the only company from that day on.
"That is wrong." Vanya replied with a frown, playing with the little unicorn in her hand. " The sorcerer is an ass. "
"Language." Surprised, Maria gently chided her daughter upon hearing that peculiar vocabulary. "Where did you learn those words, Vanya."
"Mommy said those words to Uncle Tony and Uncle Clint." Little Vanya replied, as if it were the most logical thing in the world.
"No more bad words, okay." Maria rubbed her eyes in exasperation.
"Uh huh. " Vanya nodded solemnly to her mother.
“Only mommy and I use those adult words. You got it baby. " Maria needs to speak seriously with Nat. Her wife can't use that kind of language in front of Vanya. "Hmm, I promise the story will get better." Maria continued speaking, her hand caressing her daughter's plump cheek.
There was one thing the cold woman wanted more than anything. A beautiful red rose, which grew on the fringes of her frozen lands. Unfortunately, she was forbidden to go so close to the hills of spring. The balance of life was so delicate that just by exhaling the breath she could cover the spring lands with snow.
Maria narrowed the eyes and blew her breath onto the little girl's cheek.
"No mommy, you tickle me." Vanya said with a childish giggle, squirming on her mothers bed.
However, the lonely woman had seen in her dreams beautiful crimson petals, wide open and a stem shining like emeralds themselves. Since then, she couldn't stop thinking about that dreamy image. Soon she asked herself. What if that little rose that haunted her dreams was the answer to break such an evil curse.
Maria couldn't help but smile when Vanya's blue eyes looked at her expectantly. It seems to Vanna her words are very reassuring.
Where was she going to find a flower that was so red in her winter lands...
Maria asked in mock dismay as her shocked daughter slightly opened her mouth, looking absolutely adorable.
Inside her ice gardens, the lady of cold was surrounded by snow tulips, crystalline orchids made of ice, which reflected the sunlight like stained glass windows and fragiles daffodils made with snow. The thousands of flowers were her friends in difficult times. But none of those flowers compared to the one she saw at night in that dreams.
The little animal knew the feeling of being alone in the world. Nattie the traveling red fox, having heard the cold lady's dilemma in the voice of her best friend the little hawk. Went to the palace and presented herself to the lady ready to help.
"My lady, I will bring you the red rose from the distant hills." Nattie the fox announced, with a reverent bow. “But you will have to be very patient, because the journey is not easy. Mother Nature is very jealous of her treasures. However, I believe that I can slip away without being noticed. "
"Then, I will wait patiently for you to bring me that beautiful rose." replied the lady of the cold, pointing to the horizon. "If you are successful in your mission, I will grant what your heart desires most."
Maria whispered, reaching out her hand and touching Vanya's nose with her fingertips.
"But, before you start your journey, you will need help." the woman extended one of her hands and the fox's fur turned white as snow, to such a degree that it was impossible to distinguish it from the ground where it stepped. Thanks to this, the animal went unnoticed throughout its journey to the hills. Regaining its red color, Nattie the fox crouched patiently for Mother Nature to close her eyes to sleep.
Night fell and the stellar mantle predominated in the sky, the beautiful northern lights illuminated the peaceful land. Nattie the fox crept up to the lonely rose bush, the beautiful red roses blooming with their buds wide open. Carefully, Nattie cut the most beautiful rose and fled in haste through the snowy lands; the little fox hurriedly moved between the snowy hills at full speed.
When Nattie the fox arrived at the palace, she was exhausted from the journey but true to her word the little creature handed her the delicate rose.
The smiling lady of cold took the rose in her soft hand. What happened next was amazing to the fox's eyes. The woman's hands thawed at the touch of the fragile rose. The ice and cold disappeared from her skin, the pink color began to manifest itself on her skin.
The woman cried with happiness when the warmth of love burned again in her heart. It was not the rose that was responsible for such an incredible miracle. Was the act of selfless love of that little fox responsible for breaking such an evil curse.
How promised the grateful maiden kept her promise. “Now tell me little creature, what your heart desires most.” Muttering under her breath, Maria ran a finger across Vanya's forehead.
"I want a family, I want to have a place in the world." Nattie the fox humbly replied.
The bedtime story worked. The smile spread in the face, when Maria saw Vanya's eyes close heavily with weariness.
From that moment on, Nattie was sheltered with the highest honors in the castle and life of the maiden. As time went by, they both built a home based on friendship and love. That unbreakable bond holds them together to this day. "
With her last words. Vanya fell into a deep sleep hugging her mother's hoddie.
"The end." The hoarse voice came in a faint whisper.
"Nat, you are here." Maria swept her eyes up and down. "Because you didn't say anything."
The storm played a bad joke on her wife. Standing on the side of the bed. Natasha was soaked to the bone.
"I didn't mean to interrupt you, Mia." She answered in a low voice. Natasha stood there, completely happy and soaked. Her wet red hair, rivulets of water ran down her face and her leather jacket, underneath the soaked shirt clung to every curve of her body. "Have I ever told you how much I love your stories." The redhead added and leaned in, kissing Maria's head and then Vanya's red hair, carefully keeping her wet body away from Maria and Vanya's warm bodies. The adorable image melted Natasha’s heart when saw her three-year-old angel was gently cradled in Maria's arms.
"Oh yeah." Maria asked mockingly with a soft smile.
"Oh, definitely. Ma’am." Natasha stood there with an expression of happy joy on the face. Just exchanging the gaze between Maria and her sleeping little daughter. For a second she found herself reflecting on how dramatic the change had been after years of loneliness during the Snap. However, if this was a dream, Natasha never want to wake up.
"You're a mess, Nat." Maria ran her hand through the wet red hair. "Take a shower before you catch a cold."
"I can't get sick, I'm the amazing Black Widow." said mockingly. Natasha laughed softly, kissing Maria's lips.
"The faster you shower, the faster you can join us." Laughing too, Maria responds between kisses.
"Fine." Natasha nodded and disappeared into the shower.
Moments after a hot shower and wearing her favorite pajamas. Natasha gently kissed Vanya's forehead one last time, while stroking the red curls with her fingers. “I'm sorry I wasn't here sooner. I hate missing moments like this with her. "
"There will be many moments like this in the future, Nat." Maria reassured her while wrapped her hand around Natasha's neck. "Come here."
Obeying, Natasha slipped under the covers and hugged Maria, pressing the brunette against her chest.
"She is perfect." Natasha muttered. Watching the innocent face of her little red-haired angel.
“She sooo perfect. "Maria nodded and sleepily answered. "There is only one problem."
"Mmm. " Natasha asks, burying the nose in the brown hair as her hand touches Maria's stomach.
"Vanya is three years old and had the language of a sailor."
“Oh, I'm sorry. It's my fault." Natasha chuckled. "Barton and Tony are hard to deal with."
“Uh huh, I forgive you.” With that, Maria entered the world of dreams. "I love you, little fox."
“I love you, beautiful maiden.' Natasha said in a low voice admiring the reasons for her existence.
Night falls.
Asleep, our dreams take us further than our bodies could.
We escape from reality through closed eyes and retreat to the tranquility of our minds.
For many, like Natasha. This is our only chance to be free and forget the hard times in the arms of our loved ones.
Here with Maria and Vanya, the problems of the world cannot touch her.