A/T: Finally! I can FINALLY write something for Jani!

Adei, the MattxNat you've been waiting for has finally arrived.

My Birthday Treat

Prompt: Little scenes from Matt and Nat's childhood.

For Cyjanidybel (Jani)

Pairing(s): Matthew x Natalia (Chibi)

You gave MFN a cover pic, you give me super-long reviews, and you fill me with humility—need I more reasons? And I love your smileys, too! ^^

Mosaics

-First sleepover-

"N-N-Nat!"

Nat kicked Matt in his stomach. "Shut up. I'm sleeping."

Matt mewled and clung onto her hair. He always did that whenever he was scared. "Nat, please…"

Nat growled. "Net."

"Bathroom…"

"Go yourself."

"Scared…"

She turned around, and yelped when Matt's hands got trapped under her back. Matt let go of her hair, and she faced him. "You have to pee?"

He nodded quickly.

"Now."

He nodded even quicker.

Nat flung the quilt off her, and moved to the other side of the bed. "Stay here. I'll check for scary things." She walked to the bathroom quite confidently, not knowing anything that could possibly be scarier than Big Brother Ivan. She reached up, switched on the light, and opened the door. "Come on. Nothing there."

He dashed to the bathroom, and Nat closed the door, standing guard. She knew he could see her shadow from the bathroom—she hadn't closed the door the whole way—and that would reassure him. She heard him pee, then flush and finally wash his hands. She pushed the door open, and blinked when he walked up to her and gave her a hug.

He was a really small child—Nat knew from having raised three little boys herself. "Your hands are wet."

"Thank you."

"You'll get cooties."

"You're my best friend."

Out-argued, she wrapped her arms around him and held him close to her.

He was her best friend, too.

-First project-

Nat rang the doorbell. It sounded funny. She stepped back and looked at the big house. It was big. Very, very big. What was that word Matt had used? Ginormous.

"Coming!"

The door opened, and a blond, bearded man stood there, wearing an apron.

Nat remembered what sestra had told her. "Privet. I am Natalia Arlovskaya. Pleased to meet you."

Francis blinked at those serious eyes…what shade of blue where they? "Bonjour, Natalia. I am papa Francis. Come in, please."

She nodded, and entered, not quite able to hide the surprise from her face at how rich the house looked. It was all golden and yellow and cream—it was so bright…

"Nat!"

She frowned at Matt, and frowned even more when he began grinning at her. He suited this house—all golden and yellow and cream—and the combination was blinding her.

"Stop grinning, or I'll hit you, mal'chik," Nat warned, but Matt was used to her threats, and he grinned even more.

"Welcome!" he said, and took the bag from her before she could say anything. She was going to kill him, but he knew she wouldn't do it in his own house. "Papa, this is Nat. Nat, this is my papa."

"Spasibo. I like your food very much."

She said it so seriously Francis was at a loss for words. "I'll go make snacks…Matthew, you have a project you need to do, no?"

"Oui. Nat, come on!"

Francis watched as his son dragged the growling tigress into the den.

What was going to happen to his son?

-x-

"You aren't doing this right," Matt said.

"Leave me alone."

"But, Nat"—

"Leave me alone, chert voz'mi!"

Matt pulled back, and Nat watched as the enthusiasm fell away from his eyes. That's why she didn't like having friends—it meant taking care not to hurt people's feelings. Why didn't Matt understand that she hated having people tell her what to do? She looked down at the paper cutting she'd made, and looked at the one he'd prepared. His looked better than hers. It made her even angrier. He was better at everything. It wasn't fair.

With a growl she pushed the paper cutting towards him. He looked up at her with watery eyes. She sneered. "You are plaksa. You cry for everything."

"I-I'm not c-crying"—

Nat snorted, but didn't say anything. Finally, she said, "Show me how to cut that."

Matt didn't saying anything, either. He didn't boast or brag or make fun. He just picked it up and began cutting it slowly, knowing it was easier for Nat to see rather than be told how to do.

He was so considerate…It just made her want to hurt him. But Matt was different; he couldn't be hurt by anyone.

Hurting Matthew Williams only meant hurting herself.

-Nat's first rescue-

The little black ball was growing bigger and bigger. The shard of pain was growing in the centre of his bones. They were moving through his muscles, cutting towards his heart. The pain was filling his senses. His throat hurt. His ears hurt. His eyes stung. He drew the lunchbox closer to him. It was for Nat. He wasn't going to give it to them. They didn't deserve papa's food. They didn't help papa do the dishes. They didn't help mama fold the laundry. Matt closed his eyes tighter. He saw himself curling into a tiny ball. He wanted to fight all of them. He couldn't do that. He wanted to hit all of them. It was wrong. They were—

"Get away from him, tupitsa."

"It's Batty Natty."

"Rescuing Ratty Matty."

"Batty and Ratty!"

Their laughter hurt his ears even more. He couldn't…it just…

"Matt."

His eyes flew open at her soft, harsh, accented voice.

"You can't look out for me with your eyes closed, comrade."

He looked at her. She was…smiling…at him…

"Get her!"

That smile stayed, but her eyes turned blank as she turned towards them. She was used to this. She did this all the time.

Natalia Arlovskaya loved this.

-x-

"Nat!"

"Don't scream." Nat got to her feet, rubbed her thumb over her bleeding lip. "Chert," she muttered, and turned to Matt. "I'm not badly hurt."

"Your cheek…"

"You will not cry. I shall call you names. Bad names." She saw the lunchbox in his hand. "Is that for me?"

He nodded.

She took his hand, and led him away from the fallen bullies. They considered themselves the rulers of the playground, but Nat could bring down the dons of the street. His hand was so cold…he must've been really scared. She held his hand tighter. "You didn't give them the lunchbox."

"P-Papa made it for you…not them…"

Nat found herself smiling. Her best friend was weird. "Matt."

"Yes."

"You are brave."

-Matt's first rescue-

Nat resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She had heard this lecture so many times she could say it along with them. But this was different.

They had called his parents, and Big Brother Ivan.

Something purplish-blackish-red was growing behind her—that was the colour of Big Brother Ivan's…aura. She couldn't feel it on her, but the pressure was on her mind, holding her back, keeping her quiet, with her head bowed down. She couldn't even curl her hands into fists—Big Brother Ivan would see it. And if there was anyone as similar to Big Brother Ivan in hiding emotions from the keenest eyes, it was Nat. And she wasn't going to do anything stupid.

She sneaked a glance at the parents. But they, it seemed, were ready to.

She looked at the boy. That satisfying crack she felt more than heard was his nose. She broke one cheekbone, and cracked his chin—the entire area around and below one half of his mouth was swollen. He kept moaning—he couldn't speak. She wanted to break his jaw, too, but her knuckles had begun bleeding profusely.

"You stupid girl! How dare you hurt my son?" his mother yelled. She kept her eyes down to hide the lack of regret she felt. "Look at me, dammit"—

"Elise"—

"Shut up, Henry! She can't hurt my baby like that and—you look at me right now, missy"-

She sensed Big Brother Ivan shift, and her blood turned into ice. A chill shook through her. She—

The door flew open. "He did it!"

Nat spun around, and her blood left her entire system. Go away…ukhodi…chert by tebya pobral, go away!

"Who're you?"

Matt marched to the principal's table, his too-long hair falling over his glasses, and looked up. "He hit her first!"

"Matt"—

"Tell them, Nat! He threw my books in the playground that day, a-and you told h-him to stop, but he didn't listen. Nat! Tell them!"

Nat blinked at Matt. Why was he so upset?

"He k-kept tripping you, and stealing your stuff, and"—

"My son would never do that!"

"He did it!"

Nat sensed by instinct what was going to happen, and threw herself at Matt, knocking them both down. Her split knees sent bolts of pain right to her brain, shocking her, but both of them missed the swinging open-palmed slap.

"I understand…"

She heard his voice through the pain, but the pain was greater than her fear for Big Brother Ivan. "I understand that your son has been injured, but this is clearly a case of retaliation to his bullying."

Ivan looked from his bleeding sister being cared for that slip of a boy, to the fat woman's red face. "Your failures in parenting is not my business, but," he said, over the gasp of the woman, "if that blow had so much as connected, with either my little sister or the boy, then rest assured, madam, that I wouldn't fail as her sibling and guardian."

With a smile that could freeze Dante's Hell over, he took one last look at his sister, and left, chuckling at what the little boy had done.

That malen'kiy mal'chik had rescued his sister.

-Matt's first crush-

Nat didn't know what to do. So she started laughing.

Matt glared at her, and that made her laugh even more. And Matt's endearing blush made her clutch her sides and laugh so hard she began gasping for air.

"D-Don't laugh!"

Nat began groaning at the stitches in her side, still laughing. She straightened, still shaking with laughter, and turned to Matt. He was still blushing, but she knew he'd be truly mad if she laughed anymore. Still, restrained laughter wasn't good for her health, so she held a hand to her mouth, shaking suddenly with mirth that seemed to hit her at odd times.

"Y-You like Tanya? Our class Tanya?"

He nodded. "Don't make me say it again."

Oh, she was enjoying herself. "Why? You like her."

"Nat!"

She had the gall to look surprised. "What? You do like her. Hmm. Tanya. Does she even know your name? Do you know what she likes, who her friends are, when's her birthday? Wait, are you serious about this?"

"Fine, make fun of me." He turned around huffily.

Nat shook her head, and sat behind Matt. "You can talk to me."

"You just make fun of me."

"It is funny, Matt. Besides, I get to tease you."

"I'm not talking to you."

She sighed. He was such a baby at times. "Fine. Sorry."

He wasn't appeased, and folded his arms even tighter.

"I'll help you get a score."

He snorted. He did it only with her, and it clearly showed his lack of belief in her word.

She sighed. Matt held the weirdest things against her, but she didn't want him to think she wasn't being supportive. Besides, she could tease him about it once the crush had run its course. She hugged him from behind, locking her hands in front. "Izvinite. Prostish' menya?"

He let out a loud harrumph, and Nat held back a smirk.

Best friends could be such a tease.

-Noticing changes in themselves-

Nat moved her hands underneath her breasts, and held them in her hands. Big. She looked at them in the mirror. She didn't even know when her chest had filled up—it just had. As if overnight. She needed a bra now.

She pulled on a shirt, and her hardened nipples showed through. She rolled her eyes. Great. Now she had another thing to worry about.

As she when to Katyusha's room, she thought, So, no more sleepovers?

-x-

"Al."

"Hmm."

"I need a razor."

Al dropped the console and looked at Matt. "A razor."

Matt nodded.

Al jumped to his feet in record time, and ran out of the room. "Oh my freaking god, mom, Matt's going to commit suicide! Maaaaaaaaaam! Where the hell are you—my brother's going to kill himself!"

Matt groaned and threw himself back on the sofa. All he wanted to do was shave.

-x-

"Nat!"

"Do you bleach your teeth, durak? They're blinding me."

"Nat, mama agreed for a sleepover."

"Matt, do you see something different about me?"

Matt blinked. "What happened?"

"No, just look at me and tell me."

He gave her a cursory glance, and frowned. "You're still Nat."

Nat groaned and put her hands in her head. Matt pulled a chair next to hers, looked to see if anyone was overhearing their conversation, and moved in to whisper conspiratorially, "Nat, are you having your periods?"

Head still in hands, Nat sighed. "I don't know how to tell you this, but…no more sleepovers."

"Na-at! Why not?"

"Because I have boobs now. Let's go eat lunch."

-Noticing changes in each other-

"Let's Par-tay!"

Nat turned from the clear blue water to mama Alice, who was pulling out her swimming suit. "Mama Alice, are you going to swim?"

Alice grinned. "Who do you think taught my sons to swim? My beanpole husband? Plus, it's rare that I get to show off my bo-day. You got your swimsuit, love?"

Nat nodded, and picked up her bag. She turned to her brothers, who had worn their swimming trunks underneath their clothes. "Keep your bags in one place!" she yelled, and followed mama Alice to the changing rooms.

To save time, both Alice and Nat took the same changing room—Alice didn't mind as long as it was Nat, and Nat really didn't care. Nat pulled on her one piece swimsuit which had no sleeves, a skirt that covered her bum decently and tights that covered her till her mid thighs. She had got herself a two piece and a much showy one piece, but Kat had discovered the two piece and Nat had to watch as the entire family burned it gleefully, even doing a little dance around the blazing bikini. Nat carefully hid the one piece, only to be taken out when she was at least eighteen.

Remembering her sister's advice, she put on a vest with spaghetti straps that she used to wear years ago; now it just about decently covered her breasts. Since she was wearing the swimsuit underneath, she didn't really bother.

She folded her clothes and put them in. "Mama Alice, I'm done."

"Yes, me too. Shall we go?"

"Hmm."

Alice opened the door, and Nat saw the red bikini that she wore. It should've been a two piece for the amount it covered, but if it wasn't for the criss-crossing strips on both her stomach and her back, it would've been a two piece. Nat admired Alice's toned body, and looked at the weight she'd gained on her stomach and back, thanks to puberty. And thighs. When she was as old as mama Alice, she wanted a body that awesome, too.

Alice pulled out a sarong and tied it around her hips. "You want a sarong, Nat?"

Nat held the ends of her skirt. "I have this."

Alice laughed. "You look so cute, you know that?" Without warning, she leaned down and kissed Nat on both cheeks. "Let's go!"

Blushing, Nat followed Alice to where they had left the rest of them. Francis was sitting under the umbrella, watching as Nat's brothers and Matt were playing.

"Isn't Al going to come?" Alice asked, sitting down next to him.

"His coach is making him do overtime," Francis said. "You look cute, Nat."

"She does, right? That's what I said," Alice told him, and turned to Nat. "You go on and play, darling. I'll spend some quality time with my husband here. If you need a girl partner, let me know."

Nat nodded. Mama Alice was a lot of fun to be with when she put her mind to it. "See you." Even as she turned, the smooching session behind her had started. Making a face, she ran to where the boys were playing. Matt was the only one without his back to her; she pressed a finger on her lips, gesturing him to be quiet, and ran towards Ravis, scooping him up in her arms and spinning him around. Ravis screamed in delight, and laughed as Nat sat him on his shoulders. "Again!"

Little kids…She turned to Matt. "Thanks, Matt…" She found herself invariably staring at his torso. His shoulders were broader. His chest, too. His arms had a dusting of hair on them, invisible due to their colour and his skin tone. His neck was thicker, too.

When had Matt gone super saiyan on her?

Matt laughed. "You're sneaky."

Nat regained her wits, and snorted. "I'm cleaver. And…Matt?"

"Yeah."

"Stop staring at my boobs."

Matt's eyes shot up, and he blushed. "I wasn't staring."

"I'm not going to bother. But you don't have to lie about it."

"You'll kill me if I was."

"You were. And you aren't dead. Yet."

Matt groaned, and ran a hand through his hair. "Do you want to swim?"

Nat set Ravis down, and told him to stay on the shallow side. "Yes. And you were staring."

Without another word, Matt dived into the water, and heard her follow him.

Girls were so hard to talk to.

-Talks with mama Alice-

"Mama Alice?"

"Yes, love."

"Some boy tried to kiss me today."

"Was he cute?"

"He was. Until I punched him in the face."

Alice snickered, and turned to Nat. "Give me a high five."

Nat happily obliged.

-x-

"Mama."

"Son."

"I have a crush on this girl."

"Do I know her?"

"She was…"

"Speak up, lad, I can't hear you."

"Nothing."

Alice turned from the laundry to her son. "You're my only son who tells me about his crushes."

"And the other one goes and dates them."

Alice grinned, fully aware of her younger son's dry sense of wit, which he usually kept hidden. "Cheeky lad. So, who is she?"

He mumbled something, and she sighed. "Son, I can't hear"—

"Nat."

Alice blinked. "Nat?"

Matt nodded, blushing hard.

Alice leaned back and thought about it. It was quite natural—he and Nat were as thick as thieves. They always had been. She was the girl he was closest to, and spent the most time with—and Nat was unconventionally beautiful. She herself loved the girl's voice after maturity—it had been soft and harsh before, but now, it was clear and profound, although she still retained the softness of her voice and her accent. She made Nat read out all the books, including the boring ones, just so that she could hear the girl speak. But this wasn't about her. It was about Matt.

"Does it feel any different now? That you have a crush on her?"

Matt nodded.

"Do you want to tell her?"

"I don't know, mama. She'll laugh at me."

Alice knew that for a fact, too. The boys who pined for her were far between, but she always sent them off with a laugh and with the words, "Look for a normal girl, mal'chik." But when it came to Matt…Nat had always been unpredictable when it came to Matt, so she didn't know how Nat would react.

Mama?" Matt's voice took her out of her thoughts. "Remember how you told me about papa? That he's the first person you see in the room, and you always keep thinking of keeping papa happy? And safe? And how his happiness is your happiness? And when he cuts his finger, your finger hurts too? It's like that. And that time when Nat came first in the running race? It was like I was standing up there."

"Son, that's"—Alice didn't finish her sentence. With a small smile, she cupped her son's cheek. "Is that how you feel?"

He nodded.

"Then take care of her. Stay by her side. Don't let her go. You don't have to tell her anything—as long as you know it, and you feel that way, that's okay. You're doing an ace job of it already. So don't worry. Take care of her, and you'll be happy."

"You think so, mama?"

Alice nodded, and kissed her son's forehead. "I do that for papa every day. And he's happy, isn't he?"

"Thank you, mama." Matt squeezed her hand, got up, and moved out of the room. Alice leaned back, and sighed. Her son didn't have some silly crush—he was in love with the girl. As she folded another shirt, she thought about how easily Nat solved her problems.

Girls were so easy to talk to.

A/T: And that, sadly, is the end of Mosaics.

Writing this was a bit hard, but a lot of fun. They're all from different timelines, but in all of them, they're below the age of twenty—the oldest Matt and Nat are would be eighteen, in the last one.

Jani, Adei, everyone reading this, I hoped you liked it. I LOVED writing this, especially once I got into the groove. Jani, sorry I couldn't do everything you said—I couldn't get those scenes in my head, and I didn't want to write something bad.

If you enjoyed it even a little, I'll be happy.

Love,

R. K. Iris.

P.S.: It's confirmed—college is starting from 13th. People, I can take another two requests—I'm working on Purestrongpoem's right now, so don't feel shy to ask—I have till the 6th to write, so don't feel shy—I'd love to know what you guys want to see. I'll be looking for those PMs from you! ^^