Yeah, new story again. This one is a Childhood Sweetheart AU
Disclaimer: All right to Marvel.
Filled a request of sleeplessinbudapest
1 : Right From the Start
Well, it was right there from the start. Liked really right there from the start. They were neighbor, living next door, knew each other since they were infants, growing up together.
They knew each other like they were one.
Their parents even knew one another before they were born.
Steve Rogers and Natasha Romanoff were best friends since they could remember.
To make it easier to understand, Joseph Rogers and Sarah Rogers were living in the suburb together. Then Ivan and Yelena Petrovich moved to the house next to him. They were born in Russia but moved here for work. The two families became a really good friend to each other.
Then Sarah pregnant with Steve and Joseph was sent to war. He died because of the explosion and leaving Sarah heartbroken. Yelena and Ivan helped her through the rough time and took really good care of her. Sarah was a Pediatrician at the local hospital while Yelena and Ivan ran some local store related to imported Russian good.
Steve was born and raised by his mother. His mom had to struggle a lot to provide him with the best thing she could find for him. But lucky for them, his father, Joseph left a lot of money so that Sarah didn't have to worry about it for some time.
Five months after Steve was born, Yelena and Ivan received a bad news from their motherland. Yelena's sister and her husband died in the car accident leaving her infant child. They were the only relatives left for little Natasha so they moved her to live with them properly, raised her as their own child.
The two were raised together. When Steve was 1 years old, it was the first time he could remember meeting seven months old Natasha.
Sarah made her famous cookie for the Petrovich as a part of their Sunday. Yelena and Sarah could exchange their tips while Ivan helping Steve walking around and maybe watch how Steve interacted with Natasha. Steve was very focusing on starring at her and reached his hand to her. Natasha looked up at him and smiled from where she was laying and reached her hand to grab his hand.
Steve actually leaned down and gave his little sister a kiss on her cheek and the moment was so cute that the parents needed to take the photo.
It was a very good start of their beautiful friendship.
When Sarah had a long shift at the hospital, Yelena will be the one who took care of him. Steve was really a sweet boy. He acted as he was Nat's older brother. He loved her as if she was his real sister.
They grew up together. Steve was with Nat in every step of her life. Her first word, he first walked, her first time of everything. The two kids played together, spent their time together.
Their bond was stronger than anything.
The First day of school
"Mom, I don't want to go." Steve looked like he was about to cry "I want you there with me."
"Steve, mommy had to go to work earlier."
"What if someone…"
"No one going to bully you, Steve." Sarah ensured and knelt down to her son and adjusting his shirt. "You will be fine. Nat will be there with you and you have to do what?"
"I have to protect her because she's my friend."
"That's it" Sarah praised and kissed his cheek "Good boy."
Sarah took his little hand and led the boy outside of the house where Ivan, Yelena, and little Natasha were waiting for them. Steve's face lighted up when he saw Nat. He let go of his mom and ran to her, holding her hand.
"Natty" He called her affectionately.
"Stevie" She replied and smiled brightly at him.
The three adults only smiled at the pure love they showed for one another. Sarah knelt down in front of her son again.
"I will pick you up when the school's done, okay?"
"Kay" Steve replied and hugged Sarah.
"Take good care of Nat."
"Of course"
"Mommy loves you."
"Love you too"
The two kids got in Ivan's minivan and they headed to school. It was their first day of school and the parents could see that their kids were very nervous and held each other hand all the time. When they reached the school, Steve put on his brave face and led her out of the car.
"Okay, kids. Sarah will pick you guys up when the school's done, okay?"
Steve mocked a salute, "Yes, sir.", while Nat just simply replied, "Yes, daddy."
Yelena knelt down and hugged and kissed the two kids, "Alright, have fun and don't forget to make new friends."
"I have Natty. I don't need new friend." Steve said
The two parents only smiled at their kids before they left Steve and Natasha with the teacher. Ivan and Yelena watched as the kids walked away and holding each other hand all the time.
The school finished earlier than expected on the first day. Steve and Nat were waiting for Sarah to pick them up.
"Ice cream truck!" Steve exclaimed and got up from the bench "Do you want one, Natty?"
"I don't have money left."
"I think I have money to buy two ice cream."
Steve headed to the ice cream truck and ordered ice cream, but his money was enough for only one cone of ice cream. He was a little disappoint, but he gave his ice cream to Natasha anyway.
"Natty, I got you ice cream!" Steve eagerly said and handed the cone of ice cream to her.
"What about you?"
"I'm full" He lied
Nat smiled brightly and it only made Steve happier than he already was. He loved his best friend very much that he only wanted her to be happy. Nat quickly ate it all and continued to flip through the storybook.
But someone pulled it away from her hand. One boy twice the size of Steve stood in front of them. Nat got up to take her book back, but the boy forcefully shoved her to the ground. Steve shoved the big boy away from Nat with all the strength he had and took Nat's book from the boy.
"Stay away from her!"
"Protect your little girlfriend, huh?" The bigger boy taunted, "I like this book and I will keep it."
The boy shoved Steve back and immediately sent him to the ground next to Nat who was crying. Steve got up and tried to shield Nat away from the bully. Before things got out of hand, someone interrupted them.
"Leave them alone." The man in the black suit spoke up, pulling the book from the boy and scared the bully away.
The little boy with black hair and brown eyes was hiding behind the man, stepped out and came to the two of them.
"Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, thank you," Steve replied
But Nat was still crying and hugged her knees. Steve immediately wrapped his arms around her to console his friend.
"It okay, Natty. He will not hurt you again." Steve said and kissed her temple. "I will protect you."
Then Steve noticed that her hand had bruises so he immediately looked at it, blew it gently as if it will help with the pain. It didn't help so Steve turned to the man in a suit.
"Is she hurt?" The man asked
"Her hand….sir"
"I'm Howard. You don't have to call me sir."
"I'm Steve Rogers" Steve introduced himself "But mom said…."
"It's okay." Howard waved him off "You are very brave, Steve. This is my son, Tony."
The boy waved at him.
"Now I need to you remain calm, Steve. We will take…"
"Natasha but I call her Natty. She's my best friend."
"We will take Natasha to the room where someone will check her hand, okay? And everything will be fine."
"Yes, sir" Steve replied
"I will carry her. You and Tony help with the belonging, okay?"
"Yes, sir" "Yes, daddy!"
Howard gently lifted Natasha up and headed to the infirmary. Natasha didn't stop crying and her hand reached out for Steve every time. He grabbed her hand gently all the way to the infirmary. The nurse quickly checked the little girl's hand.
"It's just a bruise, little girl. It will be gone in two days."
Steve held Nat's uninjured hand as they followed Howard out of the infirmary to the pickup area. Steve held both of Nat's hand and looking down to the floor.
"I'm sorry, Natty," Steve said, looking guilty "I cannot protect you."
"Steve, you protect me from him."
"But your hand...you are hurt."
"It's okay." She tried to reassure him, "I love you, Stevie."
"I love you too, Natty. I will not let anyone hurt you again."
He hugged her tightly again. Howard could see the strong bond they shared and wished his son would have friends like this. The two kids went to him.
"Thank you, sir," Steve said again.
"It's okay, Steve," Howard replied before pushed Tony in front of him, "Do you think you can befriended with my son?"
"Of course, sir!" Steve replied and turned to Tony, "I'm Steve Rogers."
"Tony Stark. Nice to meet you."
"I'm Natasha Romanoff."
That's how the three became best friends since.
Steve always acted like he was the oldest brother of them. He always protected Tony and Natasha from everything and everyone. When his two friends scared, he will put on his brave face and led them.
Tony didn't spend time with them after school like the way Steve and Natasha did. Sometimes, if Howard was okay with it, he will join Steve and Nat for dinner and stayed late for homework.
Steve and Nat always asked him to stay for a sleepover, but Howard didn't usually allow Tony to do so because of the security reason. Tony always asked Happy to let him stay late because he didn't want to leave his two friends.
"But I want to stay…." Tony whined and didn't let go of Steve and Nat.
"Please let him stay," Nat begged.
"You father will not allow you to have dinner here ever again if you didn't return home within half an hour." Happy told
"I will put your father on the line and you can ask him yourself, Tony."
Happy dialed the phone and let Tony talked to his father. Sarah intervened and convinced Howard that she will take care of Tony and he can be sure that there is no harm will come to his son.
It ended up with Happy had to deliver Tony's clothes to him and Tony got to do a sleepover with his friends. After they finished their homework, the three kids went to Steve room to set up their camp and did a little role play.
Steve and Nat always got to play prince and princess while Tony insisted on playing the bad guy. He loved it because he felt villains are cooler than the prince.
Steve and Tony always loved the sword fighting and most of the time ended up with Steve winning. What's funny was that they could perfectly recite every line from Disney.
But that night was the first time, they did something a little different.
"You have to kiss her, dummy!" Tony said when Steve kissed Nat's cheek and she didn't wake up.
"I kissed her cheek!"
"I mean kiss on the lips."
"Fine!"
Steve kneeled down next to his bed where Nat was laying still on it. He pecked his lips on hers before pulling away. This time, she opened her eyes and giggled. Steve's face turned vermillion red.
"Kids! It's bed time" Sarah opened the door to their room.
"Yes, mom," Steve said
"What are you guys doing?"
"Role play, Mrs. Rogers," Tony said, "Steve just kissed little Natty to wake her up from my curse!"
Sarah smiled fondly at the three of them before huddled them inside the tent they made and pulled a blanket over them.
"Good night, guys."
"Goodnight, mom " Night night, Mrs. Rogers"
At the age of seven, Steve and Natasha called themselves each other boyfriend and girlfriend as they were together all the time. They didn't know the meaning of it yet, but they just assumed that the status was suited for their kind of relationship.
Everyone loved how cute they were together. Two little kids always together, holding hands and doing adorable things together.
Steve always so proud to tell everyone that Nat is his girlfriend and the adults will just smile at them and asked him to clarify the meaning he understood.
"She's my best friend. I love her! We love each other!"
Nat always shy and blushed when Steve did that, but she secretly liked it a lot. The adults will say that they are adorable and say for them to keep their friendship like this forever.
Nat loved to spend her time on Sunday with Sarah and Steve because her parents had to be at their store. Sometimes, Tony dropped by to join them but if he didn't, Steve and Nat will play together at the backyard.
They kissed a lot, a little peck on the lips as the sign to show their love to one other. It was a common thing for them to do. They always gave each other a hug or showed another form of affection. It was their thing, but they only did to each other, not with Tony. And to be honest, Tony didn't care if Nat kissed him or not because he will gross out every time.
"I don't like people touching if not really necessary." It was his reason.
Other than play together every day, Natasha liked to spend the night doing a sleepover with Steve too. Someday he came over to her house and her parents will agree to let them sleep in the tree house they made with Ivan.
It ended up with their parents had to check up on them every hour to make sure everything is fine. All they would see, was that they snuggled each other closely under the same blanket and Steve will wrap his arms protectively around Natasha.
When the time come where they wanted to learn how to ride the bicycle, it was when Tony showed up at their door and showed off his new bicycle and his skill. Nat and Steve heckled their parents to buy them one.
Sarah and Yelena had to teach the kids, but Nat picked up faster than Steve who just looked at her sadly when she began to speed up and down the street in front of their house.
"You can do it, Stevie. You will be able to do it like me soon." Nat tried to cheer him up when Steve sat sadly on the stair with Sarah.
"I just wish that I can balance myself better than this," Steve whined.
"Don't worry, baby. Maybe we will try again tomorrow." Sarah said, "Just don't give up and keep practicing."
"Okay, mom."
They did ride their bike again the next day. This time Steve came with full determination that he will be able to ride without any help from his mother.
And he did it.
Riding the bicycle together became something that the three of them will do together usually. They went on exploring their small neighbor, but Nat's bike flipped and she fell off the bike.
Steve quickly got off his bike and went to his Natty. He lifted the bike off her leg and saw blood coming off the cut on her legs. She was hurt and began to cry.
"It's okay, Natty. I will take care of you." Steve said, "I will take you home, okay?"
Nat nodded. Steve and Tony carried her up on her feet before Steve knelt down and carried Nat back home on his back. All the while, he tried to distract her with jokes and tried to cheer her up. It was a long way home, but Steve didn't complain anything. Tony took care of their bike and brought it back home, strangely enough, safely.
"Mom! Nat's hurt. There are cuts on her legs!" Steve yelled loudly as they entered his house.
Steve sat Nat on sofa and held Nat's hand tightly. Sarah rushed in with the first aid kit and began to tend to her wound. Tony sat next to Nat, but Steve held her tightly to console her and helped her through the pain.
Ivan and Yelena almost flipped out when they saw their daughter but then they saw how guilty Steve was, just like every time Nat got hurt and he couldn't do anything to help, they just tended to forget every time.
Nat was a bit sad about her injury. Tonight was supposed to be her and Steve camp out night at his room but her parents wouldn't allow her to do so.
"Mommy, can I sleep with Stevie tonight? We camp out tonight in his room" Nat urged her mother with her big green puppy dog eyes, "Please please please."
"Okay, Tasha. Don't eat too much gummy bear, okay?"
Nat pouted but had to agree with her mother, "Okay" Because at least she got to be with her Stevie.
"Don't worry I will look after the cut." Sarah ensured Yelena and Ivan.
Well, they had every right to worry because their little girl just injured herself from riding the bike.
They did camp out a lot. Same as sleeping in the same bed, seeing each other naked and everything.
They were the biggest part of each other life.
AN
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-Thank you for reading.