Babysitting
You scooped the giggling four year olds into your arms as they ran past, trying to balance in your work heels.
"Steve, thank you so much for offering to babysit, I promise I shouldn't be more than a couple of hours, it's just that my babysitter cancelled on me last minute and my boss really needs me to come in and - "
Steve stopped you by putting a large hand and your arm, before taking Isaac from you and throwing the giggling child over his shoulder. "Charlie, we're gonna be fine. We're gonna play some games, watch some movies, I have your number and Nat's if I need help. I have Mackenzie's inhaler and I won't let either one of them out of my sight."
You took a deep breath. "Okay. I trust you. You're good with them and they like you. You'll be fine," your phone beeped, "but I won't be if I don't leave right now." You squat down low so your kids can run into your arms. "Okay babies, Mummy's got to go to work now, but Uncle Steve is gonna stay here with you," you said as you hugged your four year olds. You pulled the hair out of your face as you stood up. "Right. I love you all, call me if you need anything, anything at all."
"We won't need anything," Steve chuckled.
Steve needed help.
"Nat? Can you hear me?" Steve said loudly into the phone, trying to hold Isaac still as the child squirmed and cried, Mackenzie continuing to tangle herself in the floor length curtains.
"Steve? What is it? Where are you?" Natasha asked.
"Nat, I need you, come to Charlie's right away. I can't handle these kids," Steve said, trying to make himself heard over the screaming children.
"I'll be right there," Natasha said.
"S'eve," Isaac screamed as he cried, before leaning over and getting sick onto the hardwood floor. "Aw, Zack, not again, come here, buddy," he said, scooping the child into his arms, wincing at the heat radiating from boy. "Kenzie, don't climb on the couch!" Steve called as there was a knock on the door. Steve hugged the sick child to his chest as he quickly crossed the room to open it.
"Nat, thank god you're here! Isaac's sick and I don't know how to take care of him, especially with Mackenzie constantly on the move! I don't know how to look after a sick kid, his temperature is really high and he's been throwing up and I haven't had to clean it up and I'm afraid one of them might slip in it and hurt themselves and - "
"Steve!" Natasha said, cutting him off. "It's okay, you give me Isaac and I'll take care of him, while you put Mackenzie in front of the TV and clean up the puke," she said as she took the whimpering boy into her arms. "N'asha" he whimpered, curling into her chest. "I know, baby, I'm here, we're gonna make you feel better."
Steve watched the exchange before quickly turning and rushing back to Mackenzie, where she was poking at her brother's vomit on the floor. "Nope, no, Kenz, don't touch that, it's dirty. Uncle Steve is gonna clean that up now. You wanna watch 'Peppa Pig'? Or 'In the Night Garden'? Yeah, okay, here, watch 'In the Night Garden'. Look, Kenzie Boo, who's that on the TV? Is that Iggle Piggle?" Steve rambled away to the small girl as she sat on the couch with a thumb in her mouth, as he grabbed the mop and quickly cleaned up the small pool of vomit on the floor.
"Where's Zack?" the small girl lisped. "Zack is with Auntie Natasha, because he's sick, remember?" Steve said, not looking up from his mopping. Steve quietly continued to clean with the quiet theme of 'In the Night Garden' playing the background. Once he was done, he placed the mop back in the closet, leaned against the counter and sighed, closing his eyes.
Steve was just about to go and check on Nat and Isaac when he heard a whine coming from the living room. "Mackenzie?" Steve said, making his way into the living room. Mackenzie was lying on the couch, looking like she was about to cry. "S'eve" she whimpered, holding her arms up, wanting to be held. "Kenzie Boo? What's wrong?" he said as he scooped the child into his arms, holding her close. Steve could feel her trembling. "Kenzie?" Steve said cautiously. There was a whimper before a small cough came from the child and Steve felt a warm trickle of vomit run down his back.
"Aw, Kenz…" Steve said sympathetically, rubbing the small girl's back. "Let's get you feeling better, baby," he murmured into her hair.
Steve gently carried the young, fidgeting child into Charlie's bedroom, where Natasha sat on the end of the bed with Isaac curled into her chest. "We've got another one…" Steve said quietly.
Natasha frowned in question, not wanting to speak too loudly for fear of disturbing the children. Steve turned around showed his back to Natasha, who winced at the stream of vomit running down his shirt.
Steve bent down and gently laid the whining child on the large bed, handing her a stuffed toy from the dresser. He quickly pulled his shirt off and threw it into the sink in the adjoining bathroom. He then quickly went to the kitchen to fill the twin's cups with water. When he returned to the bedroom, he found Natasha tucking both children into the large bed.
"I've given them some Tylenol, they should be fine for now…" she said quietly, leaving the bedroom door open. "Grab your shirt, we'll wash it in the kitchen."
Steve grabbed his shirt and quietly left the room. He sat down on the couch, eyes sliding shut as he took a deep breath and slouched against the back of the sofa.
"Leave the shirt for now, Tash. I'll clean it later…" Steve said, placing a hand on his stomach.
Natasha frowned. "Steve? Are you okay?" she said as she crossed the room towards him.
"Huh? Uh, yeah, I'm fine… Just a bit-"
Natasha put a hand on his forehead. "Steve, you're burning up…" she muttered.
"No, I'm not, I'm fine," he said defensively, "I just… I don't know. I just feel a bit off."
"I think you've caught what the kids have," Natasha hummed quietly.
"No, I haven't, I'm fine," he said, shifting slightly in his seat. "If I had then I'd be-" he stopped.
Natasha raised an eyebrow. "You gonna throw up?"
Steve froze, not daring to move in case it jarred his stomach.
"Steve?" Natasha asked cautiously.
There was a moment as they made eye contact and she saw the panic in his eyes.
"Steve, go. Now."
Steve suddenly jumped up and ran to the bathroom, gagging loudly, falling in front of the toilet just in time before the vomit forced its way up is throat. Natasha slowly followed him in and gently patted his back.
Natasha waited until he sat back against the wall and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. She held out her hand. "Come on, you're going to the couch."
Steve took her hand and pulled himself up. "Yeah, I think that's best."
He stumbled to the couch and flopped onto it. "I gotta watch the kids though…" he mumbled.
"They're asleep, and you should be too," Natasha said quietly.
Steve hummed in agreement, already asleep.
When you got home from work, you expected to hear screaming, but instead all was quiet. You walked into the kitchen and saw a note on the table.
Steve and kids asleep in living room. They're pretty sick. He took good care of them. Had to go, call you later. – Nat
You frowned, moving towards the living room to see Steve asleep on the couch, with the twins cuddled into his broad chest.
You smiled before moving towards the sofa and giving each of them a kiss.