Here's a little drabble I wrote after seeing endgame. This is an AU so no spoilers. Needed a little lightheartedness. Let me know what you think of Rebecca!
Natasha sat at the kitchen table typing up a report for the most recent mission on her laptop. It had been a simple recon mission, but the report was taking much longer to finish than she would prefer. James' friend Rebecca had come over for a playdate today so she didn't make much progress until they had both fallen asleep about an hour ago. All you could hear was the tedious tap of the keyboard and the distant hum of a tractor (Clint was working on a garden for her in the back yard) until quiet little footsteps coming down the stairs and around the corner. Rebecca climbed into the chair next to Natasha and rubbed her eyes.
"Good morning, sleeping beauty, " Natasha smiled. Rebecca sat quietly, still not completely awake yet. Rebecca looked around and noticed the papers Natasha had next to her laptop.
"Can I color?" she asked, voice still a bit raspy.
"Sure." Natasha got up and walked over to the kitchen. She pulled open a drawer with some miscellaneous items and grabbed a box or crayons. She gave these to Rebecca with some paper and returned to her seat.
They sat in silence for a few minutes; Natasha continued with her report and Rebecca focused intently on her drawing, scrunching her face up just a bit.
When Rebecca was pleased with her work, she put her crayons back in the box and picked up the drawing to show Natasha.
"That's beautiful, sweetheart," Natasha proclaimed with a sincere grin. "Your mama is gonna love it!"
Rebecca smiled and placed the paper back on the table.
"Mrs. Barton?" she asked, now looking around the room.
"Oh, honey, you can call me Natasha," she said, turning to the girl.
"Okay, " Rebecca replied. "Mrs. Natasha?"
"Yes?" Natasha chuckled at the girls logic.
"How come James ears doesn't work?" she asked, scrunching up her face again. Natasha was a bit taken aback by the question. First, not sure how she could explain it to a five-year-old. Second, that Rebecca was just now asking after having been friends with James for over a year. But kids could be funny that way.
"Well, " she began, "when James was born he was Deaf." Natasha paused to allow Rebecca to react.
"s'that why he never says anything?" Rebecca asked. She began to wiggle about in the chair but stayed anyway.
"Yes, it is. James doesn't talk because he's never heard anyone talk to him before."
Rebecca giggled. "That's silly."
Natasha smiled and watched the girl wiggle around for a moment. She was by far Natasha's favorite of James' friends. Rebecca easily spoke her mind and didn't have any trouble commanding a room. When Natasha first met her, the little girl walked straight up to her, put her hand out, and said: "My name is Rebecca Thalia Caruso." Natasha just shook her small hand and laughed. This girl would go places.
"I talk to him sometimes. He can't hear me though, " Rebecca said. She put her hands on the table and began to stand up in the chair.
"Sit on your bottom please, " Natasha said gently and the girl sat back down. "You know that James' dad and I talk to him too. Do you know how?"
Rebecca became excited and began to squirm again. "With your hands!" she said. "That's silly, " she giggled again, making Natasha smile.
"I can show you if you like."
"Can you show me how to say, 'best friends' with my hands?!?" Rebecca became so excited she jumped straight up on her chair and clapped her hands together. Natasha laughed.
"Of course! But you have to sit down first, " she said, guiding her back down into the chair again.