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Natasha hovers. It’s sort of a thing she does when it comes to the people she cares about. It’s not excessive or clingy but still she hovers. She’s a spy she knows how to be discreet so you never really notice it’s hovering until she’s not around as much. When she feels you’re safe then she lets go of the metaphorical reins to give you space. She’s a natural protector and she wants everyone around her to be happy. It’s one of the things you love about your wife. So when you notice her standing outside of the locked bedroom door you know she’s worried. She’s standing there with a serious look on her face clearly deep in thought. You can tell she’s wondering if she should knock. Her hand raises but she decides against it.
“Is she still not out yet?” You ask quietly. The occupant on the other side of the door most likely can hear you and you don’t want it to seem as if you’re eavesdropping. You extend your hand for Natasha to take. Natasha reluctantly lowers her arms from their folded position to grab onto your hand. She allows you to lead her out of the hallway and into the kitchen. You don’t hesitate to pull her into your arms. Her brows furrow just slightly. You bring your fingers up to smooth the lines on her forehead before caressing her face. “We have to give her time,”
“I know,” She lets out a shaky breath.
You can feel she’s anxious about the entire situation. There’s not much that makes her nervous but this is an entirely different ball game. Fostering a child. You both decided on it over a year ago after you retired from field work. Having a family of your own, however it came about, was something you two discussed in depth. The adoption process was expensive and lengthy. Not that you couldn’t afford it. After hearing about how many children ended up in foster care in the U.S. you both knew this was the right way to go about things.There was just one small feat to hurdle through. Your jobs. Having such high profile people as parents wouldn’t be easy on a child. Let alone Avengers. Anyone would look at your profile and immediately deny you. Not wanting Natasha to give up her job that she loved so much you compromised. She could continue her work while you retired as an active field agent.You remained on the team working for Stark Industries alongside Maria Hill and Pepper Stark. There’s a lot of paperwork that goes into the job but you enjoyed it just the same. In the meantime, you found a house just outside of NYC that you both adored. It had a white picket fence, a decent sized backyard, and a garage. Everything you could ask for in a home was right here.
It didn't take long for you both to be approved for a foster care license. With your newly appointed position it was easy for them to see both of you as excellent candidates. Sure there were bumps along the way, mainly about you being a former Avenger and Natasha being an active one, but it all worked out in the end. All of the classes, the group activities, and the home studies were worth it. You would be giving a child a home. Only it wasn’t so easy. During your first application with the local foster care agency you and Natasha agreed on fostering younger children. Not that you were opposed to older ones but neither of you thought a teen would enjoy their time with you there. You figured your first go round should be with someone who would need you just a bit more. It’s a common misconception that you both would quickly learn was untrue. This notion proved difficult as months went by and you didn’t receive any calls about a placement. Not until yesterday morning when your social worker, Ava Murray, called you asking you to take in a fifteen year old girl that had been displaced from her mother only hours before.
It didn’t take much for Natasha to say yes. How could you say no to a child in need of a warm bed? The extra bedroom you both decorated for a younger child would need immediate work. Which Natasha didn’t waste time getting into. She stripped the bed and the walls from any child-like decorations. She figured the teen would want to include her own touches in the room once she got there. So you both waited patiently for Ava to arrive with your new placement. You were nervous but excited. Natasha busied herself in the meantime with ordering pizza and wings. A safe food choice. When the girl arrived at your front door you could feel your heart breaking into a thousand pieces at realizing she only had one bag to house all of her belongings. Ava introduced you to Genevieve with great praises to the two of you. She informed the girl just how much of a good time she would have. Genevieve remained silent as she tucked her jet black hair behind her ears. She fidgeted with the bag around her shoulder nervously as her eyes flitted around the walls of the foyer lined with pictures of yours and Natasha’s life together. She was focusing on a particular picture of you and Natasha on your wedding day. She glances over to see you looking at her and her gaze immediately falls to her feet. Suddenly her white scuffed Converse shoes were more than interesting.
Natasha eagerly showed her around the house as you conversed with Ava on Genevieve’s situation. Her mother was a chronic drug abuser who was simply unable to care for Genevieve. Your heart felt for both Genevieve and her mother as her file was passed along to you. Soon, Ava was saying goodbye and wishing you the best of luck. You feel a little lost but hopeful as you tuck the file away in your office to join Natasha and Genevieve in what would be the girl’s bedroom. Natasha sports the same hopeful look on her face as you step over to hold her hand. You both wait for Genevieve to say something as stands in the middle of the room taking it all in.
“We have pizza in the kitchen if you’d like to eat,” You offer.
Genevieve’s brown eyes look at yours before she speaks. “I’d like to go to bed if that’s okay with you?” She’s just as unsure of herself as you are.
“It’s perfectly fine,” Natasha steps in. “Please let us know if you need anything.” Natasha assured her as you both left the room softly closing the door behind you. The sound of the lock meets your ears as you both go into the kitchen to eat dinner together.
That was fifteen hours ago. She's been coming out of the bedroom since then but only to use the bathroom and eat the meals you’ve made. She hasn’t really spoken as she played with the sleeve of her thin black sweater. Liho, your three year old Bombay cat, scratches at her bedroom door and she lets him in without question. At least someone is getting somewhere with her. You figure she will warm up to you eventually and give her the space she needs. Natasha hovers.
Which brings you to now with you holding Natasha in your arms in the quiet of your kitchen. She’s worried about Genevieve and if you both are the right decision for her.
“I just want her to feel safe and loved here with us,” Natasha mutters as you bring your lips to rest on her forehead.
“I know and she will,” There’s not much you can offer her as you feel just as worried. “Come on, let’s watch something.” You both know you won’t be able to pay attention but she follows your lead. You sit down first on the plush grey sectional and Natasha waits for you to settle before she climbs into your lap. She turns so she’s sideways with her head lying on your shoulder. Her feet push under the cushion for warmth as your arms circle her waist. You reach over to turn the tv on and find something as background noise as you cuddle. It’s been an hour and you’re not quite sure what’s playing now as you kiss along Natasha’s bare shoulder soothingly. She hums at the contact entirely comfortable and safe in your arms. She’s more perceptive as she stiffens only for a second before relaxing again. She raises her eyes in the direction of the entryway to find Genevieve standing there with Liho in her arms. Liho squirms to be put down before walking over to jump up on the couch. He takes his place next to you both as you loosen your grip on Natasha.
“You said I could ask when I needed something,” Her voice is barely above a whisper but you can see she’s working up the courage.
“Anything,” You reply as Natasha stands.
“I kind of need tampons,” She says awkwardly. Oh. You completely forgot to get those in your haste to buy things to get ready for her. You stand from the couch to head for the master bathroom. Hopefully there’s a couple left in your bathroom until you head to the store. You scramble through the cabinet under the sink before finding a box at the very back. It’s nearly empty and you’re definitely going to need to go to the store soon.You grab it quickly returning back to the living room.
“Here you go,” You hand it over to her. Leaning down to pet Liho you allow Natasha to do the talking.
“We were thinking about going to the store later today to get you some things you might need,” Natasha begins. “Decorations for your room. Clothes. A few snacks if you like. You don’t have to come but we’d like a list.” Natasha’s voice doesn’t waver as she lets the girl know it’s okay to ask for what she wants.
“I want to come,” She fiddles the box awkwardly in her hand. “I don’t have much money though.”
“That’s not for you to worry about,” You say. “Whatever you need we will get for you.”
She nods before looking down at the box. “Can we go in twenty?”
“Of course,” Natasha replies. Genevieve gives you one last nod before returning to her bedroom. Natasha looks over to you. Progress.
An hour later you’re in the middle of Walmart with the love of your life and your new foster daughter. You offered to take her to the mall to buy clothes but she didn’t want you to spend all of your money on her. The compromise was Walmart where they kept pretty cool graphic tees and other assortments of clothes. You push the cart along the aisles as Natasha helps Genevieve pick out a few t-shirts. It’s filled with things she needs from tampons, deodorant, new underwear and socks. She’s a bit apprehensive about the entire process as she confesses she doesn’t know her size. You noticed last night that her clothes were at least a size too small but didn’t want to bring it up. Leave it to Natasha for those motherly instincts as she helps her pick out a few shirts that she thinks will fit her just fine. Genevieve takes her advice gratefully as she tucks a few more shirts into the cart. The girl gets excited when you reach the aisle for books. You don’t miss the way her eyes light up at the endless options.
“Go ahead,” You say. At that age, you enjoyed reading a lot too. She grabs a few of the books from the shelves, turning them over to read the summaries. Natasha grabs a cookbook on a nearby shelf for you both to enjoy. Neither of you is a great cook and you both will benefit from being able to learn the new recipes. You can see the smirk on her face as she knows you will be the one to do all of the work. You push the cart down the aisles as you shop for another hour. Pretty soon all three of you are tired and you get home with the promise to get more if needed. Genevieve rushes to her bedroom with her new bags while you feed Liho. Natasha puts away your new items before meeting you back in the kitchen.
You quickly get started on dinner. Spaghetti. There’s no way you would ruin that. It’s fast and easy enough to make. Natasha checks her emails from her stool seated on the island. You two wonder if Genevieve will come out. Your outing was a win but there was no need to push her any further. You carry on a mindless conversation as you work around the kitchen. The food is almost done when Genevieve comes back into the room to sit on a stool two seats down from Natasha.
“She’s not a bad person,” She says randomly. You immediately know what she means. You glance over to see Natasha has set down her tablet to give the girl her full attention. “My mom. She’s not a bad person. She’s sick.” Her eyes raise to meet yours. There’s a hint of a challenge there.
“No, we would never think that,” Natasha said.
“Of course not,” You say. It’s the truth. You understand that everyone's lives take their own paths. Some have things worse than others. You have no place to judge a person especially and you never want to give Genevieve the idea that her mother is any less of a person than either of you. “We understand completely.”
Genevieve nods as if she’s needed to hear this. “Do you think she’ll be mad… if I like it here?”
Natasha’s eyebrows raise before she quickly schools her features. Your own heart soars as she continues to speak.
“I’ve only been here a day but this is the first foster home I’ve had that feels like home,” She frowns before tucking her hair behind her ear. It’s a nervous tell that you find kind of cute. “I want to stay. Until she gets better.”
“You can stay for as long as you’d like,” There’s no way you’re going to remove her from your home. Not when she’s expressing how safe she feels here.
“Okay,” Genevieve looks over to Natasha. “Thank you for the decorations. I really like them.” She’s opening up more.
“I’m glad that you do, Zaya,” The nickname slips from Natasha’s lips so easily.
“You two haven’t done this before have you?” Genevieve tilts her head.
“What gave it away?” You ask.
“You’re so fresh and so new,” She struggles to find a way to express what she means. “It’s really cool. I just can tell you’re a bit nervous to be around me.”
“We want you to feel safe here with us,” Natasha explains.
“Well I do,” She confirms it for you. You let out a breath you didn’t know you were holding.
There’s a pause where you let this sit between you. “Can I see her sometimes?” She asks suddenly.
This comes as no surprise. It’s in her file that she’s run away before to try and find her mom. There’s no sense in keeping the girl away from someone she loves so dearly.
“We can set something up,” You nod. You don’t want to get her hopes up in case things don’t work out but you want to leave the door open for her to do so. “I can call Ava and figure things out. We don’t want to keep you from your mother.”
“Okay,” She says as if she’s been expecting you to say no. “Natasha, can you show me how to braid my hair like that?” She’s referring to Natasha’s braid that runs down her back. Natasha beams as she stands from the chair. She feels needed and at that moment you could cry. She looks so natural and so caring as she gently takes a few strands of Genevieves’s hair in her fingers.
“I’d love to,” She whispers as she meets your eyes over the girl’s head. You would love and care for her as long as she was with you. There’s nothing more you’d rather do.