Please know that this was written simply for fluffy fun. While it's in the same universe as Trust Me, it's not to say it's an accurate future for that story.
Nevertheless, enjoy !
0000000000
It was a cold October morning- colder than usual. Natasha wiggled further under the covers, suddenly in contact with more warmth than she was expected upon waking up. That could only mean one thing.
She rolled to her back, her shoulder bumping into Steve's arm. She couldn't help the smile, feeling him next to her. He wasn't here when she went to bed, and she wasn't sure when he was going to be back, so this was certainly a surprise. A much overdue surprise.
The curtain over the large window in their bedroom was closed, but there was enough gray daylight forcing it's way in. Natasha could see him, it was real, he was real. He was flat on his stomach- one arm tucked under his pillow, the other hanging off his side of the bed, head right on the mattress (obvious that it had slipped off the pillow).
He was only in his boxer shorts, which meant his uniform was somewhere nearby. patches of skin were dirty or scabbed injuries in the process of healing. But, he was here, he was breathing, he was alright.
Natasha moved a little closer, just to smell him. She missed the smell of him, feeling someone else lay next to her, knowing that he was safe. Until next time.
Then, came the trotting of two tiny feet fro the hallway, just outside their bedroom. They were moving fast. The owner of those little feet was the one who determined if it would be a sleep in morning or not. This morning, would not be.
However, Steve was a light sleeper- another lap of the pitter patter in the hallway could easily wake him. And, by the looks of him, he went from the front door to the bed and out cold (the shield was probably somewhere in between).
Natasha quickly and quietly slid out of bed (sad to be leaving), pulled on a pair of socks, and was on the other side of the bedroom door, closing it behind her in seconds. All without any disturbance. And not a moment too late, as the very rambunctious four year old came bolting towards her.
" Mama!" she called.
Natasha bent and scooped her up mid-run, balancing her on her hip and moving away from the bedroom. Little Lydia was squirming and bouncing and wondering why her mom was gently hushing her. In fact, the girl began to mock the shushing sound.
Even in the earliest of mornings, Lydia's bright personality always, for lack of a better description made it all the better. She knew little, if not nothing, of who her parents really were, or what they've done. Nothing of the dangers of the world, only what went on in hers. Steve and Natasha were envious of that, but also grateful.
" Guess what," Natasha said, squeezing a little tighter.
Lydia pressed her forehead against hers, " what."
" Your daddy is home."
Lydia's face absolutely lit up. Rightfully so, her and Steve were best buddies, to the point where Natasha was almost jealous. This particular mission that Steve had just returned from had gone over two weeks. A four year old had minimal concept of time, so it was difficult to say exactly how long it felt to her.
" Daddy's home?!" she tensed from so much excitement, and was so delighted that she needed confirmation of such news.
" He is. He came home in the middle of the night when we were both asleep."
The little girl squirmed enough that Natasha plopped her onto the carpet again. " Where is he?" she asked, then assumed and ran off in the direction of the bedrooms. She wore one of Natasha's old shirts as a nightgown, which was down past her knees. The heads of her character slippers wobbled as she ran. One slipper was Iron Man, the other the Hulk. She had both sets, but preferred to wear one of each, as not to choose.
Natasha rushed after her, " Lydia!" she gasped, " don't go in there!"
And Lydia did obey. She stopped in the doorway, but had both opened the door and pushed it enough for her to see inside. By the time Natasha made it there, the little girl was hanging off the frame, intently watching Steve sleep, verifying her confirmation that her dad was really there.
" See, he's home," Natasha whispered, standing behind her.
Lydia looked up at her, with those large eyes that saw everything, " is Daddy okay?"
The question snuck up, and nearly stung her mother. For Lydia to suspect Steve was hurt, to know that it was even a possibility was not fair to her. She shouldn't know that anything bad could happen to either of them, but especially Steve. They tried desperately to distract her from things like that, but she always found her way.
But, Natasha smiled through it, " he has a few boo boos, but he's fine. Don't you worry."
Lydia sighed with relief (another sting), but grinned, the kind that showed all her teeth, " okay. Good."
Natasha smoothed her hand over her daughter's messy blonde hair that was still mostly in the bun she had at bedtime the night before. " How about we make breakfast?"
The little girl continued staring and swinging off the doorframe, " can we get Daddy up?"
Natasha removed Lydia away and closed the bedroom door, leading her back to the living area, " we should let him sleep. He had a long trip, and he got home ever after I went to bed."
" But he's been gone forEVER," Lydia whined, her brightness dampening drastically, " we have a LOT to catch up on."
Natasha smirked, which Lydia didn't see as grabbed her plush platypus on the couch during their walk to the kitchen. She admired Steve and Lydia's relationship since her birth, and it had only progressed over her life span. They went to baseball games, movies, playing in the park, their own little games at home. And while neither of them would admit it to her, she was fairly sure they would have late night ice cream dates and watch old television shows together.
" I know, Sweetie. But he'll be up soon, and I'm sure he's excited tok play with you."
Lydia dramatically groaned, throwing her head back as she followed her mom into the kitchen, " well, soon isn't soon enough."
That demanding trait definitely came from Natasha, who could only laugh at such a comment. " How about we make pancakes while we wait?"
" Fiiiiinnnneeee."
The little girl climbed up on one of the stools to the island in the kitchen (another trait from her mother) and leaned over the counter- platypus in hand. She watched intently as Natasha prepared the supplies and ingredients for pancakes.
" Mama, how long until Daddy has to leave again?"
Natasha looked up from the mixing bowl, " I'm not sure. Hopefully he'll be home for a long time."
" Will he be home for my birthday?"
" I hope so." She watched Lydia somberly drag her stuffed animal across the counter top. " Hey, Lydie," she stopped moving, those blue eyes looking up at her, " it's very important that you know that Daddy isn't want to be anywhere else except home with us. It's just that, sometimes other people need his help."
Lydia nodded, understanding more than most four year olds would, " yeah, but, I don't want them to need him anymore."
" Me, too. One day, that will happen."
Natasha continued with the batter. She opened the cabinet, looking for something that she soon realized was not there.
" Lydia," she sang, " why aren't the chocolate chips in here?"
Lydia's eyes bugged, and she curled up on her stool, " Daddy said Percy can only eat cocoa chips." She knew what angelic voice to use, and even held up the platypus to help her case.
Natasha knew that additional questions were not necessary when it came to the actions of Lydia and Steve.
" Can you please go get them from wherever they are?"
" Yup."
The little girl slid off the stool, landing with a thud. She, and Percy, took off out of the kitchen. It would take Natasha some time to realize that she wasn't going to get the chocolate.
And Lydia had every intention of retrieving the chocolate chips, per her mother's request. They were hidden in her dollhouse. But, on the way, she was reminded of who was on the other side of her parent's bedroom door once passing by again. She had terrible concentration to begin with, and thought to just take a peek once she quietly opened the door again.
She poked her head into the room. It was still a bit dark, but she was able to see her father, laying in the bed, sound asleep. She swiftly stepped inside, with the spy skills she happened to be born with. Her little feet trotted along the carpet, towards the end of the bed- slowly and sneaky.
As she got closer, she could hear her daddy's snoring (but he always claimed that he never did that). The little girl smirked, gnawing on her bottom lip, excited that she hadn't been caught by her mom, or woken up her dad.
Once she reached the foot of the bed, Lydia threw Percy onto the bed, making certain that he landed safely before beginning her climb up the bed spread that was hanging off the mattress. She had successfully pulled herself up, and had her bearing, she reached for Percy, and chucked him towards the top of the bed, where he struck the headboard and rolled on to an unused pillow. The little girl began crawling across the piles of sheets and blankets, moving alongside where her father laid sleeping.
She was very precise in her movements, tongue sticking from the corner of her mouth, carefully watching to make sure Steve remained undisturbed. She, without a doubt, had the skills of her mother and the determination of her father.
The enhanced hearing, however, was stronger with Steve.
He had heard Lydia as soon as she had opened the bedroom door. But she was such a fan of him coming home, and all their adventures that followed (as was he). Plus, he had been gone for so long, especially for the time concept of a four year old. He knew they were overdue.
But, he couldn't help the smirk when she had reached her destination. Lydia collapsed onto his back, sprawled out. Steve bean to make noises that sounded as though he was just beginning to wake up.
" Daddy," she whispered, stretching her arms as much as she could to hug him, " Daddy!"
He turned his head, smirk still in tact, " who is that?"
" It's me, Daddy!"
" I don't remember there being a big girl living here. Weren't you just a baby when I left?"
" No, silly."
Steve swiftly moved to his back without tipping his daughter. He held her against him, and she was just as content as before. But, it rarely lasted with a small child.
Lydia rolled off him, delivering a heel to his ribcage on the way.
" Daddy, Percy did a good job while you were away," she announced, retrieving the platypus and holding him in her hap as she knelt.
" He did? Great. He had a very important job to do."
Lydia laid down next to him, Steve turned on his side, and she snuggled closer to him.
" No bad guys come when you're home, and they didn't when you left Percy in charge!"
Steve smiled, eh couldn't help it. Natasha was worried that his little tale of the protective platypus would confuse or even (unintentionally) manipulate her. But, they soon saw that what Lydia believed when he was gone, made it left difficult for her. Not to mention, easier for him when he would finally return home.
" I'm glad he was here for you, Peanut."
Lydia turned over, curling her tiny body against his large frame, the platypus wedged between them.
" Don't worry, Daddy. I like you the best."
Steve squeezed his little girl, causing her to squeal in glee, " I love you the best."
" Are you home for awhile now?" she asked, her voice muffled from being held so close.
She always asked this when he would return home, just like she would ask how long he would be gone before he would leave. Each and every time, Steve didn't have an answer, and never knew what to say when she had those pleading eyes.
" Hopefully a long time," he said, smoothing the top of her hair.
" I hate when you're gone," she pouted.
Steve yanked the blanket out from under her, only to place them over her, " I don't like it either, Peanut."
Lydia grew sleepy, re-adjusting herself to cuddle close, eyes closing, " at least when you're gone, I'm happier when you're here."
0000000000
Natasha had finally given up on waiting for her daughter to return with the chocolate chips for the pancakes- assuming that something had distracted her on her journey.
Upon heading for her bedroom, Natasha noticed the bedroom door was open, and sighed thinking the whole morning was about to be turned upside down.
She pushed the bedroom door open, expecting to lightly scowl the four year old, but instead, found her husband and daughter snuggled up under the covers, both blissfully asleep.