It was pouring outside and the sound of raindrops against the windowpanes a gentle background noise in the Rogers household. Steve sat in front of the fireplace; sketching the New York City skyline from a vague memory during the time Tony had taken the team out on his helicopter to view the night time sky. It was turning out as he'd hoped it would. Max, their family dog, was lying next to the fire, sleeping contently next to the warmth. Steve looked up from the sketch pad on his lap, standing up and stretching after being seated in the same position for almost two hours. He made his way to the kitchen to get a drink. The entire place smelled of honey, the product of Natasha's baking endevours. She had made an 8-layer Russian honey cake or Medovik, something she'd experimented just a few weeks prior. Even so, it was undeniably delicious. It was a good thing his metabolism rate was insanely high, otherwise he'd be an overweight beast by now thanks to his wife. It seemed that on her days off, the thing she liked to do best besides reading for hours on end, was baking. She'd make strawberry flavoured macaroons, chocolate cakes with chocolate frosting and red velvet cheesecakes, an invention she'd whipped up on a whim. The entire house always smelled lovely, much to the delight of their 8 month old son, James. Half a year after they'd gotten married, they'd bought a house in the New York outskirts, it was pricey but worth it. Steve was estatic when they closed the deal, Natasha would finally have that big house with the white picket fences she had always wanted. What she's always dreamt of as a little girl before she was taken to the Red Room. But Natasha just smiled and told him a house was just an empty building if he wasn't there with her. It was insanely cheesy and she'd hit him a moment after for 'making her mellow' and 'what would people say if they heard her' but he'd just kissed her.
"You're turning me mellow Rogers." Natasha grumbled as she stood outside their new home, she had a box in her hands and her long fiery red hair in a ponytail. He opened the front door for her, balancing another box in his left hand and revealing a cozy looking home with a large stone fireplace. It was nothing spectacular compared to what they left behind in the Avengers Tower, with Jarvis, Tony and their endless amount of high-tech gizmos and whats its but it was theirs.
"Looks like we have a lot of work to get done." Steve said, setting the box down beside the worn fading blue couch. "It's not that bad. A fresh coat of paint will do just fine." Natasha commented, running a hand over the dusty yellow paint on the walls. Steve smiled at his wife, it was a dream come true was what he thought. He had a home and a family now. Pulling her into his arms, he rested his chin on the top of her head, "I love you can be as mellow as you want, I promised I would love you no matter what. So being mellow isn't an issue at all."
"Sheesh Rogers... Do you know what our agents would say if they heard me?" She muttered. "Of course, our Black Widow has a reputation to protect." He grinned, turning her around and kissing her, "No matter how terrified people are of you, I promise I'll always be here for you."
"Я тебя люблю*."
"I love you too Nat."
It was a wonderful memory for Steve, even though he thought that Natasha wouldn't remember such a thing. Returning back to his workspace, he heard James cry for his mum. Last time he'd checked, Natasha had collapsed into bed, exhausted after just getting back yesterday from a particularly long mission in Scandinavia. Getting up again, he went up the stairs to the room opposite their bedroom.
"Shh... It's okay James. Mummy's got you."
The familiar lull of Natasha's voice stopped him, and Steve retraced his steps, choosing to settle down on their bed instead. James was definitely a miracle baby, the biggest blessing that God had ever given him. On the night Steve had proposed to Natasha, she had hesitated. After two years of being together, she was still afraid.
"Natasha Alianovna Romanoff, it's been two years since we've been together. It's been two crazy insane years of bickering on missions, having breakfast at 3 am, driving the other Avengers mad with our constant worrying about each other, and just plainly wanting to be together. For me, I've known you for more than two measly years, I feel like I've known you my entire life. After the Battle of New York, we became partners; we built up trust and an unbreakable bond. Then we started dating, I know you hate the word, but I swear there's no other way to describe it. And now, after all the things we've been through, I just want to ask you, will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?" Steve asked, down on one knee, in his hand a single diamond on a platinum band. He was as nervous as the day he first signed up to enlist in the army almost 75 years ago. Natasha looked at him for a moment and all was silent for those few milliseconds on that cold winter day in Washington. As the snowflakes fell down upon them, all was quiet, considering it was three am on a Wednesday night.
"Steve…" Natasha said quietly. "Nat I swear to God I won't ever let you down." He promised, intending to keep to his word.
"No. God no, of course I trust you. I'd trust you with my life Steve. I'm just afraid I might let you down. I'm not going to be able to give you what you deserve Steve, stability, a home, a family..." She said the last word softly, almost inaudibly.
"Nat, I won't pretend that I know what they did to you back then, but you're safe with me. They won't ever touch you ever again. The person who wanted stability and everything that goes with it went down in the ice, and a different person came out. But, Natasha, you're my family now."
He got up as she hugged him, sobbing ever so softly as he petted her hair, "It's okay Nat. I've got you, I promise I won't ever let you go again."
"Hey James, how's my favourite boy?" Natasha cooed. Steve laid on the bed, pillow under one arm as he listened to Natasha talk to their son through the baby monitor that sat on their bedside table. Max had made his way up the stairs and settled down next to Steve, curling up into a ball. Steve petted the dog, running his fingers through Max's thick coat.
Natasha's voice was soft over the baby monitor, "Go to sleep sweetheart."
Steve could imagine Natasha walking around the room, bouncing baby James up and down in her arms, much like she always did before setting him down for bedtime. He listened for awhile more, listening to her coo and talk to James quietly. James finally stopped crying as Steve heard her sing.
Как узор на окне
Like a pattern on a window.
Снова прошлое рядом
The past is near again.
Кто-то пел песню мне
Someone sang a song to me.
В зимний вечер когда-то
One winter night sometime.
It wasn't often that Natasha choose to sing, never mind in Russian, but when she did, he remembered this to be her favourite song, Once Upon A December. It was from Anastasia, a movie about the Romanov's, Russia's royal family. Steve had always loved the sound of her voice, soothing and calm, especially when she sang.
Словно в прошлом ожило.
As if coming alive in the past.
Чьих-то бережных рук тепло.
The warmth of someone's gentle arms.
Вальс изысканных гостей.
The waltz of exquisite guests.
И бег лихих коней.
And brave horses running.
Steve closed his eyes, listening to Natasha's melodic singing. She had everything going for her, but she was still afraid sometimes. She was afraid of losing something when before this she had none. But on those nights, he made sure to hold her close, to make her realize that he was going to be with her forever, and they would take care of James together.
Вальс кружил и нёс меня.
The waltz spun and carried me.
Словно в сказку свою маня.
As if beckoning in its tale.
Первый бал и первый вальс.
The first ball and the first waltz.
Звучат во мне сейчас.
Resound in me right now.
He hoped she understood, that she wouldn't lose them. Maybe the reason she liked this song was because it reminded her of how she always wanted to find her family again. She remembers how it was like, before she was taken away, before her entire world turned to nothing but the KGB.
Зеркала в янтаре.
Mirrors in amber.
Мой восторг отражают
Reflect my delight.
Кто-то пел на заре.
Someone sang at dawnbreak.
Дом родной покидая.
Leaving her cherished home.
Будешь ты в декабре.
You will be, in December.
Вновь со мной, дорогая.
Again with me, darling.
And maybe, just maybe, a promise once made to her, in December.
James finally went back to sleep, his breathing even, sucking on his chubby little thumb. She placed him gently in his crib. He looked so adorable.
"Sweet dreams." She smiled, bending over and giving him a forehead kiss. He gurgled and shifted a little but otherwise remained asleep. She was exhausted, particularly after that Scandinavia mission with Clint. Who knew running after a drug dealer would have taken more than a couple of days? She was about to go downstairs when she heard quiet snoring from the bedroom. Poking her head inside, she saw Max first, who looked up at her but choose to lie down again, his head on his paws. Steve was fast asleep, curled up next to the dog. She realized that James was more like him than her, even the way they slept was similar. They both curled up into this foetal position, which was really cute to watch. He might be a formidable foe on the battlefield, and a good captain at work, but at home, he was nothing more than a man she loved. She smiled to herself as she closed the door and headed down the stairs. She wondered what made him want to take a nap?
A/N: Я тебя люблю - means I love you :)