… = Passage of time within the same day or two days

XXX = Longer passage of time

Moving Forward

Chapter 11

Pietro was training in the gym alongside Steve. Neither of them said much to each other, both preferring silence.

Pietro let go of the pull-up bar and wiped the back of his neck with a towel. His silver hair was matted against his head, the sweat dripping down his chest and back. Steve took the opportunity to approach the elder Maximoff under the guise of wanting to use the pull-up bar.

"So…" Steve did a pull-up with one arm, his eyes on Pietro.

"So?" Pietro cocked an eyebrow. He had a feeling he knew what Steve wanted to talk about.

"You and Rani, huh?" Steve grinned at him over the bar.

Pietro gave him a blank stare and said nothing.

"I'm happy for you two," Steve continued, unfazed. "You two make a good couple."

"We are not a couple," Pietro responded. Not yet.

"It's alright, there's no rush!"

Steve jumped down from the bar and rubbed his hands. "Have you taken her out yet?"

"Out?" Pietro tilted his head and frowned.

"You know, a night on the town," Steve lifted a brow expectantly.

"…like…a date?"

"Yes, a date! Have you taken Rani on a date?"

Pietro shook his head.

"Come on, Maximoff, what are you waiting for?"

Pietro rubbed the back of his head thoughtfully. "We're trying to take it slow."

"A date doesn't mean you have to go any faster," Steve explained. "Take her out to the city, show her a good time. Let her know how special you think she is by going a little above and beyond."

"Oh, I see. So, where should I take her?" Pietro asked. He did want Rani to know how special he thought she was. He supposed that a date would give him a chance to spoil her some.

"You'll have to figure that out on your own, bud," Steve chuckled as he grabbed his towel and walked out of the gym.

Pietro frowned. "Nosy, unhelpful, arrogant…"he muttered in Sokovian.

A night on the town, huh? Pietro was sure that he could think of something.

...

Rani proficiently changed Purnima's diaper. The baby girl was now a little more than four months old. Her milky skin contrasted against her dark brown hair and light brown eyes. Her tiny lips were a pale pink color, almost always in a perpetual smile.

Natasha sat beside Purnima, waving a rattle above her.

"So, I noticed that you and Maximoff have been spending a lot of time together this past week," Natasha lightly commented.

Rani knew that she was not speaking of Wanda.

"Yes, Pietro and I have been…bonding."

Rani could not keep the smile from blossoming on her face.

The past week had been wonderful. Every night since they had confessed their feelings to each other and Rani had told the Avengers about her past, Pietro and Rani had stayed up late talking about any and everything. During the day, they ate every meal together, either with the other Avengers or just the two of them.

"So you two are a thing now?" Natasha smirked.

"I'm not sure what you mean…"

"Are you dating? Is he your boyfriend?"

"No, he's not my boyfriend." Not yet.

Natasha nodded knowingly. "Has he at least taken you out on a date yet?"

Rani shook her head, her brows furrowing. "No…is he supposed to?"

Natasha laughed, shaking her head. "Don't worry. He will soon."

At that moment, a knock sounded at Rani's door. It slid open, revealing Pietro. He was dressed in a simple t-shirt and jeans; his hair was neatly combed over, indicating that he had just taken a shower.

Natasha glanced between them and hastily stood up. "I'm going to go visit Bruce. I'll talk to you later, Rani." She nodded at Pietro encouragingly before brushing past him.

"Hey," he murmured, smiling softly at her as he neared her.

"Hey," she whispered back.

Pietro kneeled on the ground beside her and tickled Purnima's tummy. The baby grabbed his fingers and tried to put them in her mouth.

"No, Purni! You can't do that," Rani scolded.

Pietro chuckled as he gently pulled his fingers away. "How was your day?"

"It was good. I was able to move Steve for a little longer without taking his energy," Rani informed excitedly.

"That is great news! It is a good reason to celebrate."

"Celebrate?"

Pietro nodded and smiled at her. He hoped he looked more confident than he felt.

"Yes, celebrate. Let's go out tomorrow, to the city."

"Out? Like…a date?" Rani inquired, a smile growing on her lips.

"Like a date," Pietro affirmed, chuckling.

Rani smiled, biting her lip as she nodded at him. "Okay. Let's go on a date. Do you have something planned?"

"Just a stroll on the streets. Perhaps we could go to a restaurant," Pietro suggested, grinning back at her. He fought the urge to yelp with joy.

"Well, I'll leave it to you then. How about 7, tomorrow night?"

Pietro nodded. "Great." He stood up from the ground, grinning ear to tear. "I'll come get you tomorrow night."

Rani smiled and nodded. He left the room with a wave goodbye. Once Rani was certain that he had left, she jumped up and began twirling around the room with Purnima. Their peals of laughter bounced off of the walls, eliciting Natasha's return.

"Well? What did he say?" Natasha questioned.

"He asked me out on a date!"

...

Pietro knocked on Rani's door, expectantly waiting for her. His attire was different from what he usually wore; he had been ready to go in a regular t-shirt and track pants with a pair of his signature running shoes. Steve had stopped him and insisted that he find something "a little less casual". So, there he was, dressed in a thin, navy sweater over a white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. The dress shirt lapels peeked out from under the sweater, smoothed against his collarbones. He had matched the sweater with a pair of khaki pants and a pair of simple faux leather shoes.

Rani's door slid open and Pietro's jaw dropped.

She had wanted to be courageous and take a step out of her comfort zone; Wanda had helped her to select a fuchsia sheath dress with butterfly sleeves and a sweetheart neckline, displaying her slender arms and shapely neck. Still, Rani wanted to maintain a certain level of modesty hence, despite the hem of the dress ending at her knees, she wore black tights. Her hair, rather than her usual braid or bun, was parted to the side, curled and let loose, the ringlets reaching mid-back. She added an inch or two to her height with a pair of taupe, suede wedges. Her jasmine scented perfume wafted over to him, enticing him.

Rani was nervous. She had never worn such an exposing outfit before, though Natasha and Wanda repeatedly insisted that her outfit was nothing short of modest. She also had not worn any form of make up since her escape—make up tended to remind her of that time. However, something within her wanted her to do these things for Pietro; she wanted to look nice because it wasn't just for any man—it was for Pietro. She didn't care about impressing anyone else. All the same, she kept her make up simple and natural.

Pietro merely gaped, eliciting a giggle from Rani. "Hi, Pietro."

His mouth clamped shut and he chuckled nervously. "Hi. Oh, I brought you some flowers."

He pulled a bouquet of peonies out from behind him and handed them to her. Rani beamed as she sniffed them.

"Thank you. They're really beautiful." She placed them in the vase that the Avengers had gifted her with when Purnima was sick.

"Is Purnima with Evelyn?"

Rani shook her head as she arranged the flowers within the vase. "No, I dropped her off at Natasha's."

Pietro nodded. Once she was done, he gestured toward the door with a smirk.

"Ready?"

...

They walked through the city park, the lamps casting a lemon glow upon them.

Pietro was a little dismayed—the date hadn't been going as planned. The restaurant that he had made a reservation with had pushed their time too far back. They ended up getting hot dogs from a food cart, standing as they ate. Rani hadn't been upset in the least, stating that she had wanted to try hot dogs for some time now.

Furthermore, while trying to find the park, Pietro had gotten them lost, causing them to walk around for an extra half hour. Rani had only laughed, finding the whole situation rather funny. Also, because they had been so late to the park, a man who sold ice cream from a cart had left long ago, further ruining Pietro's plans.

To make matters completely worse, it began to rain. They ran for cover inside of a small gazebo. They sat down on a bench within the gazebo to wait out the rain.

"I'm sorry, Rani," Pietro apologized. "This date has been a disaster. Nothing is going according to plan."

Rani smiled at him. "Don't be sorry. I'm having so much fun, even if it's not planned. Besides," she whispered shyly, "I really just wanted to spend some time with you."

He smirked at her. "Oh, really? I suppose that is understandable, since I'm so amazing."

Rani rolled her eyes. "Now, now, let's not get ahead of ourselves."

They shared a laugh. For a moment, they listened to the rain pattering against the roof of the gazebo and the cement sidewalks. Thunder rolled in the distance.

"I don't really care what we do, either," Pietro murmured. "As long as I'm doing it with you."

Rani blushed as she smiled at him. She glanced down at his hand and tentatively placed her hand on his. He smiled as he twisted his hand around her, lacing their fingers.

They held hands in silence as the rain fell and continued to hold hands all the way back to Stark Towers.

XXX

Since Purnima was a little more than five months old, she was learning to sleep through the night. Given this development, Rani was able to spend more time with Pietro every night. Though she enjoyed when they went out on dates for the past month, she preferred the nights that her and Pietro would stay up talking on the living room couch.

It was casual and comfortable; Pietro was very easy to talk to and their conversation flowed naturally.

"I haven't seen many American movies but I loved watching Indian films while growing up," Rani reminisced. "Everyone would gather in the center of town and they would project a film on a bed sheet. My friends and I would talk for hours about how handsome the actors were and which ones we would marry."

Pietro pursed his lips. "How handsome were they, exactly?"

"Very," Rani giggled. Pietro pouted, inciting Rani's laughter.

Pietro chuckled with her before sobering. "Wanda and I never really got a chance to go to the movies much. We were always so busy trying to work and find somewhere to live. I did not really care for movies anyway, but I just wish that Wanda could've had more of a childhood."

"You both had to grow up too early." Rani sighed. She placed her hand on his and he grasped it eagerly. Holding hands with each other had become as natural as their conversation.

Pietro nodded. "Those days were very hard. I could never see the light at the end of the tunnel, but Wanda never gave up hope."

Rani smiled. "You two have such a remarkable relationship—you truly love one another. I really wish I had a sibling. Perhaps things could have been different in my life. I would have never felt alone."

Pietro gazed into her eyes. He reached up a hand, slowly, searching her face for any signs of uneasiness. He touched the tips of his fingers to her cheek, grazing along her skin. His fingers curled and he skimmed the back of his fingers along her prominent jawline to her chin.

Rani's heartbeat resonated in her ears, steady but loud. Her stomach began to flutter as Pietro's face inched towards hers.

When he was just a few inches away from her, he glanced from her lips to her eyes.

"Do you still feel that loneliness?" He whispered. His minty breath fanned across her face.

"No," she responded, her eyes locked on his. "I don't. Because I have all of you."

He smiled at her softly, his eyes half-lidded. "But especially me, right?"

Rani's lips stretched into an amused smile and she leaned forward to touch her nose to his. Her eyes fluttered shut as he released a sigh and trailed his sharp nose across her cheek. His lips lightly brushed against her skin, pressing a kiss to her cheekbone. His lips glided along her face to the spot below her earlobe.

Rani's free hand traveled up his other arm, coming to rest on the back of his neck. She nestled her fingers in his hair while she squeezed his hand that she was holding. Pietro sighed again, his eyes shutting.

"You don't know what you do to me," he whimpered.

Rani wanted to respond but he had moved his lips from the base of her ear to the pulse point in her neck. Her hand gripped his hair, lightly tugging. He pulled back some and she opened her eyes. They gazed at one another, the both of them moving closer to each other.

Pietro let go of her hand to wrap his arm around her waist and she moved her other hand to rest on his neck, as well.

Their lips touched, just a quick touch without any pressure. Quick and delicate.

A second touch, lingering and slow.

The hand that Pietro had placed on her chin migrated to cup the side of her head. His thumb softly rubbed her skin and their eyes closed as they immersed in one another. Pietro tilted his head to get a better angle. Rani partially opened her mouth and slid her tongue against his bottom lip.

She moved a hand to his cheek, feeling his sparse beard. The kiss grew firmer, yet still moved slowly.

They parted, panting lightly as their foreheads rested against each other. They smiled, still wrapped in each other's embrace. Pietro pressed another kiss to her lips, shorter but just as sweet.

They pulled apart but moved into a hug, Pietro's arms around her waist while Rani's arms wound around his neck.

"You don't know what you do to me," Rani breathed, her fingers playing in his hair.

Pietro smiled into her shoulder and held her tighter.

XXX

Clint took a swig of his beer as he glanced suspiciously between the Rani and Pietro. They sat beside each other, which wasn't completely unusual—the two were friends. Pietro conversed with Steve and Thor while Rani conversed with Natasha and Bruce—also very normal. But every few minutes or so, the two would look back over at each other and smile.

Clint knew the others noticed but none of them had said a thing about it. Well, Hawkeye was never one to conform.

"Is there a reason you two are making goo-goo eyes at each other?" Clint pointed between Pietro and Rani.

"Seriously, Barton? Why do you think?" Tony scoffed, taking a sip of his wine.

"I didn't want to assume anything!" Clint retorted.

"Laura's right, you're a little oblivious, Clint," Natasha laughed.

Clint huffed before turning back to the two. "Well? Are you two together or not?"

Pietro looked at Rani with a smirk and a raised eyebrow. She smiled back at him, biting her lip. She nodded once, to which Pietro grinned.

He turned back to the old man, beaming. "Yes, Rani is my girlfriend."

"About time!" Wanda exclaimed. "You two have been 'dating' for the past two months."

"Yes, for someone so devoted to speed, you certainly took your time," Vision commented.

Pietro wrapped an arm around Rani's shoulders, kissing her temple.

"Anything for her," he laughed, winking at Rani.

"I'm going to be sick." Tony rolled his eyes.

"Congratulations to the both of you." Steve raised his beer bottle in their direction.

"I wish you many years of happiness," Thor grinned. "And a love as great as mine and Jane's."

"Did I tell you all about Pepper's recent development in her—" Tony began.

"Just a minute, Stark! I was just about to talk about Jane's latest award—" Thor interrupted.

The other's rolled their eyes, laughing at their display of testosterone.

Rani and Pietro smiled at each other, their hands weaving together. They met for a short kiss. Unfortunately, the kiss was not short enough.

"I saw that! Seriously, tone down the PDA!" Tony barked.

"Just for that—" Pietro snickered before deeply kissing Rani once more. Her hands traveled to his chest, fisting in his shirt. She was blushing and partially felt mortified, but Pietro did a good job of distracting her.

The others groaned and laughed as Tony got up to retrieve more alcohol, muttering about how he would need at least four more bottles to tolerate the new couple.

XXX

Pietro strode the halls, a frown on his face. Neither Rani nor Purnima had been in their room, despite the three of them planning to eat lunch together.

He headed towards the kitchen, thinking that perhaps Rani was waiting for him there.

Pietro froze in his steps as he heard laughter. Rani's laughter, as well as a few others.

He raced to the kitchen, stopping in the doorway. Rani was indeed laughing as Thor and Steve played with Purnima. Thor had raised the 6-month-old girl into the air, cooing as she giggled and waved her chubby arms.

The baby kept grabbing a hold of Thor's thick hair, yanking on it playfully.

"She is quite strong!" Thor bellowed in his deep voice. "Especially for such a tiny human!"

"She takes after her mother," Steve chuckled, nudging her with his elbow.

Rani smirked at him. Natasha had her sparring with Steve now, and she was proud to say that she had thrown Captain America to the floor more than once.

Pietro's eyes narrowed at their exchange, his gaze lingering on the way Steve's arm rested against Rani's.

"Oh, Pietro! You're here!" Rani's eyes lit up as she moved towards him. However, her face fell when Pietro took a step back.

"I, uh, need to go do something. Go ahead and eat without me." He flashed a quick smile at her, but Rani knew that something was wrong. He sped away without another word.

"Watch her for me," Rani requested. "I'll be back in a moment."

Thor and Steve nodded, turning back to Purnima.

Rani raced down the halls towards Pietro's room. She knocked on his door, which he momentarily answered with a tight smile.

"What's wrong?"

Pietro shook his head, smiling harder. "Nothing is wrong, Rani. Please, go eat lunch."

"I can tell that you're upset about something. Why won't you tell me?" Rani pouted.

"When I say nothing is wrong, I mean it."

"I'm not blind! There is obviously something bothering you—" Rani was beginning to feel a tinge of frustration. Pietro was never this difficult; they were usually so open with each other.

"Just leave me alone!" He growled. "Go on and run back to them!"

With that, he slammed the door shut. Rani heard the lock turn.

Her heart hurt as she stepped back, leaning against the wall across from Pietro's door. Tears rushed into her eyes as she turned back towards the kitchen.

"Give him some time, Rani."

She turned around to see Wanda, stepping out of her bedroom, which was, of course, next door to Pietro's.

"I heard you two shouting," Wanda admitted.

Rani said nothing. She struggled to hold back her tears.

"Trust me, I know Pietro's anger better than anyone. He needs time to cool down and rationalize, but that doesn't mean how he feels about you has changed."

Wanda placed a gentle hand on Rani's shoulder, smiling when the young woman moved into her embrace. Wanda wrapped her arms around Rani, allowing Rani to hold on to her.

"Come, let's go eat."

Rani nodded, smiling a watery smile.

…

Rani sat in bed, attempting to read a book. Purnima slumbered beside her.

She sighed, closing her book and looking over at the window. It was a full moon tonight. Moonbeams streamed into the dark room, creating a pool of light on the floor. Rani placed the book on the bedside table and turned off the light, wanting to accentuate the moon's glow.

She studied the silvery blue puddle of light as she chewed on her lip.

Rani had not seen Pietro since their argument before lunch. For all she knew, he hadn't left his room in the past twelve hours. Rani had used that time to reflect upon their fight to try and find a solution.

It was clear to her that he was jealous of Thor and Steve. She found it humorous that he would think that she would prefer them over him, but Rani knew that jealousy could make people irrational. She had calmed down as well, and she understood what Wanda had said: Pietro needed some space to calm down and overcome his irrationality.

Rani pouted. She had hoped that it would take less than twelve hours, though. She missed him.

She looked up when she heard knocking and nearly flew towards the door. She took a moment to compose herself before she slid the door open.

Pietro looked haggard, his hair pointing in every which way as if he had been tossing and turning in bed. In fact, he was dressed in nothing but a pair of pajama pants, so Rani was certain that he had been trying to fall asleep, as well. Rani glanced at his broad and chiseled chest, blushing. She returned her eyes to his dejected expression.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry I yelled and I'm sorry for what I said. I did not mean it, it just sort of came out because I was angry…and…I guess I was angry because I was jealous."

Pietro spoke to her feet, his head bowed in shame.

Rani said nothing, letting him continue.

"I was jealous of Steve and Thor because of how much fun you were having with them. And I felt guilty for feeling jealous because that is not doing you any justice. I was angry at myself for feeling that way and I took it out on you. For that, I am so, so sorry."

Rani had heard enough. She leapt into his embrace, standing on the tips of her toes to drape her arms around his neck. He did not hesitate to wrap his thick arms around her waist and bury his face into her shoulder.

"Do you forgive me?" Pietro's voice sounded so pained.

"Of course I do. I understand why you felt that way, as crazy as it is," Rani smiled. "Trust me, there is no one for me but you. Don't ever doubt that."

Pietro sighed, squeezing her tighter. "I'll never deserve you."

He pulled back to look her in the eyes. "I'll never deserve you," he repeated, "but I will never stop trying to be good enough for you."

Rani's eyes softened. "You are more than enough."

She leaned forward and kissed him, her eyes closing. Pietro voraciously returned her kiss, lifting her off the ground and walking towards the bed. The door slid shut behind him.

Rani parted from him to catch her breath. Pietro continued to line kisses along her jaw before he moved to her neck. She could not help the giggles that escaped from her as his beard tickled her skin. When he reached the bed, he sat her down on the edge and kneeled on the ground before her. He kissed the back of her hands, then her palms.

She beamed down at him, happiness exuding from her.

"I'll let you get some rest," Pietro whispered, standing up from the ground.

Rani held onto his hands and kept him from pulling away. "Don't leave."

Pietro raised a brow. "You want me to say here tonight?"

She nodded and immediately shifted Purnima to the other side of the bed. She moved over, providing space for Pietro to lie down beside her. Pietro hesitated before he slid under the covers next to her. Rani was grateful for the king sized bed—if it had been any smaller, the three of them would not fit comfortably.

They faced one another, smiling softly. Pietro lay his arm across her waist, pulling her close to him. She kissed him once more before nestling in his arms. Sleep came quickly for the both of them.

XXX

Rani stood beside Wanda, Vision, Bruce, and Thor. Purnima was balanced on her hip. They watched as Steve and Tony waved goodbye as they boarded the quinjet. Natasha shared a quick kiss with Bruce before entering the jet with Clint.

Pietro hugged Wanda, speaking to her in Sokovian. He was dressed in his blue and black running suit, a new pair of sneakers on his feet.

He approached her, a reassuring smile on his face. He immediately pulled her into a hug, wrapping his arms around both Rani and Purnima. He kissed the nine-month-old on the forehead before kissing her mother. Rani pressed her lips against his, savoring his touch. She would not be feeling it for at least a few days.

"Come back to me soon," she whispered to him.

Pietro smirked. "Faster than lightning." She managed to smile back.

He pulled away, walking backwards to the jet as he smirked at her playfully.

"Don't miss me too much."

She laughed, holding back tears. "Shut up."

He waved goodbye and she blew him a kiss, helping Purnima to wave her little hand at him.

The quinjet took off into the sky, carrying their friends away.

…

Rani sat on the balcony with Purnima. Wanda was spending some time with Vision—something she was able to do more freely without Pietro's comments. Of course, for the past four months, Pietro had not been paying as much attention to Wanda's relationship with Vision.

Rani sighed. It had been a week since a part of the Avengers had gone on a mission. It was the first time they had been apart from each other in the four months of their relationship.

"Ma, ma…"

Rani beamed at Purnima, who was sitting on the floor and smiling up at her.

"Oh, are you calling me? Hm?" Rani scooped Purnima up and snuggled her to her chest.

Purnima was growing so quickly. She had just hit the nine month mark and she was already speaking and beginning to walk. Albeit, she mostly spoke in gibberish and she could only take a few steps at a time. Rani had been so proud the first time her daughter had called her "Ma".

Purnima laid her head down on Rani's shoulder, her copper eyes drooping. Rani patted the tuft of brown hair on her head, lulling her to sleep.

Rani looked over at the horizon, wishing that she could see the quinjet. But there was nothing there. She hadn't felt this kind of loneliness before: though she was surrounded by others, including her daughter—who means the world to her—she still felt lonely.

Rani missed Pietro.

Before she had met him, she had been satisfied with her new life outside of the brothel. Things were not perfect but she was content with herself. However, after they started dating, she learned true happiness, a kind of happiness that could only come from a significant other. Now that she was without him, she could not feel that contentment again. She did not need him, but she wanted him.

Did…did she…lo—

Of course not! That would be insane! She liked him very much but it couldn't possibly be…love…right?

As Rani headed back inside to put Purnima to bed, she realized that she already knew the answer to that question.

…

The quinjet hovered for a moment before gently touching down to the ground.

Pietro was exhausted. The mission had been a success and he was looking forward to seeing Wanda, Rani and Purnima. Then, he was going to take a well-deserved nap.

They all exited the jet, meeting with Bruce, Thor, Vision and Wanda.

"Welcome back, brother," Wanda hugged him. "How was your mission?"

"It was successful. Long, but successful."

"That's true," Natasha wearied. "We didn't think it would take longer than five days."

Bruce embraced her. "Well, you're back now, that's all that matters."

Pietro glanced around. "Where—"

"Where's Rani?" Tony cut him off. "I really missed her and I was looking forward to seeing her."

Pietro glared at him coldly. "Not funny, Stark."

"What? Aren't I allowed to miss her?" Tony quipped in a snarky tone. Pietro glowered.

"I'm not sure Lady Potts would be very happy to hear that," Thor chuckled.

Clint threw an arm around Tony, happy to join in on teasing Pietro. "Come on, let's go visit Rani now. I'm sure she'll be happy to see us."

In a flash, Pietro had sped away, obviously towards Rani's room.

"Man, can't take a joke," Clint scoffed.

They all chuckled as a red mist enveloped Tony's and Clint's bags, causing them to spill their contents and turn inside out.

"Don't pester my brother," Wanda called over her shoulder as she left with Natasha, Vision, Bruce and Thor.

"Seriously! Can't any of you take a joke?!" Clint yelled after them, roughly picking up his things.

"Our humor is wasted on them, buddy." Tony patted his shoulder.

Clint scowled at him. "This is your fault."

In just a few seconds, Pietro had arrived at Rani's door. He smirked as he heard her humming within. He decided to play a bit of a prank as well.

Rani heard a knock on the door and stood to answer it. When the door opened, there was no one there. She frowned and shrugged, closing the door and turning around—only to face Pietro.

"Pietro!"

He grinned at her and dropped his bag on the floor, opening his arms wide. "I'm home."

She ran and jumped into his arms, sprinkling his face with kisses.

"I—missed—you—so—much!" She spoke in between kisses.

Pietro laughed, catching her lips in a passionate kiss. He pulled back, leaning his forehead against hers. "I missed you, too."

Rani burrowed into his arms, breathing in his scent.

"Not a day went by when I didn't feel your absence," she mumbled into his chest. She looked up into his eyes, her arms tight around his waist.

"And in your absence, I realized that…that I love you."

Pietro gaped at her, his eyes wide with surprise. Within moments, a wide grin spread across his face and he picked her up, spinning her around the room.

He slowed to a stop, the both of them shaking with laughter. "I love you, too. So, so much."

They kissed once more, long and sweet.

Purnima had woken from all of their noise. "Ma…ma…"

Rani moved to pick her up, but Pietro beat her to it.

"Hello, little princess! Did you miss me, too?" He cooed.

Purnima laughed, grabbing at his nose and hair. "Dada! Dada!"

Rani froze, as did Pietro. He looked at her, stunned.

"Did she just—"

"Yes, yes she did." Rani was shocked; she hadn't realized that Purnima saw Pietro as a father.

"Does…does it bother you?" She asked hesitantly.

Pietro's gaze softened. "Of course not. It makes me very happy…Does it bother you?"

"No," she shook her head, smiling at him. "It makes me happy, too."

He walked over to her, Purnima in his arms. He wrapped a free arm around her and kissed her forehead. For a while, they stood there together, enveloped in each other's embrace. Like a family.