another glimpse into the Maria Natasha friendship, because one chapter in my Fireflies wasn't quite enough!

enjoy!

Maria knocked and waited patiently for Natasha to check the feed for the hidden camera she knew was in place. After a moment, she heard Nat call out, "it's open!" and she opened the door to enter the apartment. She found Natasha seated on the couch with her feet propped up on a pillow that was resting on the coffee table in front of her, and a laptop balanced on her thighs.

"Hey. This is a surprise," Nat said before frowning gently. "Or did we have something booked and I forgot?"

Maria shook her head as she toed off her shoes. "No, it was a spur of the moment thing," she said as she headed over to join Natasha on the couch.

"Needed to get away from the office?" Nat said knowingly.

"Right in one."

"Fury hovering?"

"Like a grandmother," she quipped and Nat laughed. The Council had been oddly quiet as of late, so Nick had more time on his hands than he appeared to know what to do with, which led to him popping into Maria's office far more than usual, much to her chagrin. "What are you doing?" she asked with a nod toward the laptop as she handed Natasha the coffee she'd brought along for her.

"Thanks," Natasha replied as she accepted the cup. "Running background checks."

Maria frowned, trying to remember if Nat had any outstanding reports that would have required background checks. "On who?"

"Applicants."

Her brow creased further. Sometimes Nick tasked Natasha with vetting some of the SHIELD applicants, usually when the pool was quite large or she was off active duty, but Maria was almost certain that he hadn't given her anything to do during her leave. He worked agents and techs hard, yes, but he was oddly good about time off being actual time off. Of course, major disasters that arose sometimes dictated that to be rendered moot, but on the whole, he was pretty good about people getting legitimate time away from their work. "SHIELD applicants?" she clarified.

"No. Applicants to adopt kids," Nat answered after taking a drink from her cup of coffee.

Ah. "You know, I'm pretty sure when Fury told you to take medical leave, he didn't mean sit hunched over a computer vetting applicants for parents of kids you don't know," she said dryly, shooting a pointed look to her friend.

"I'm not hunched over," she replied with a casual half-shrug and even though Maria hated to admit it, she was right. She was reclined back on her couch with an admittedly very comfortable-looking blanket draped over her lap and the laptop balanced on her thighs.

"So why exactly are you vetting these people?"

"I volunteer for—"

"You volunteer?" Maria interrupted, surprised at the admission. "Under an alias I assume?"

Nat just stared at her for a beat. "Obviously."

Yeah, okay, I deserved that one. "So you volunteer to do background checks," Maria said, getting them back to the heart of the matter.

"Yes."

"For people who have applied to adopt kids."

"Yes."

"Okay," Maria said slowly as she nodded, allowing herself a moment to wrap her head around that fact. She took a sip of her coffee to buy herself an extra moment to consider it. "Did not have that on my bingo card," she added finally.

Nat chuckled. "What can I say? I'm big on staying mysterious."

"Yeah, because you totally need more mystery surrounding you," Maria quipped and rolled her eyes. "You found any rotten apples?" she asked before taking another sip from her coffee.

"Oh yeah. Turned them over to the relevant authorities and informed the staff."

Maria relaxed back into the cushions of the couch. "What prompted the sudden urge to volunteer?"

Nat shrugged. "I know it wouldn't be as bad as what I grew up in, but the kids deserve to have a good home. These kids especially. I have a skill set that can help...sort of feels like if I can help, I should. Especially now since I have the time on my hands."

Maria shook her head and smiled. "You're the kindest-hearted assassin I know," she said, repeating the sentiment she'd already expressed many times over the years. No one would ever have guessed it, but the Black Widow was apparently an ooey-gooey softie at her core. Well, at least Natasha Romanoff was anyway.

"Yeah, don't let that get around."

Maria snorted. "As if. You hungry? I thought we could get Greek food."

"You just want to abuse my discount," Natasha said with a laugh, pointing a finger at Maria accusingly.

"I'm not saying it wouldn't be appreciated, but I was actually planning on treating."

"Well, in that case, yeah, I could eat," she answered. "Hang on a sec, though. I'm just in the middle of vetting this couple, and I can't tell you why but I have a feeling that they're bad news."

"Don't let me stop you," Maria replied while making a vague 'go ahead' gesture with her hand. They sat in silence for a few minutes, with only the clicking of the keyboard's keys and Natasha's soft muttering punctuating the quiet. For her part, Maria mentally went through her to-do list of all the things she needed to get done after her workday was done.

"I knew it," Nat declared before she sighed in defeat.

"Rotten apples?"

"Yeah. Too bad too, 'cause I think the kid they had lined up for them has been in the system for a while."

"Better they don't get stuck in a shitty situation."

"Shittier," Nat corrected. "They're already in a pretty shitty one right now."

"Yeah," Maria agreed quietly, "that's true."

"Anyway, I've done what I can. Let's go get some food."

"Ah! We haven't seen you in a long time!" Nik, the owner of the Greek restaurant, exclaimed loudly when he spotted Natasha. He scurried out from behind the small podium with an excited squeak, much to the confusion of the handful of patrons eating lunch in the restaurant, to greet her properly with a chaste kiss to each cheek and a quick hug. Maria found herself just as surprised by Natasha's relaxed demeanour around the man's expressive greeting as she had been the last time she'd seen it. "My wife was worried you got injured," he continued more quietly as they broke apart from the hug.

"Your wife would be right," Maria said before Natasha could say differently. "She's on leave while she recuperates." Nat shot her a glare that told her she was seriously pissed at being ratted out, but Maria just grinned, knowing she could get away with it. Being in Natasha's inner circle had its perks, after all.

"No! Why are you up? We would have delivered to you, you know that!" he scolded while shooting a look of worry to his favourite customer.

Natasha smiled soothingly at him. "It's nothing, Nik," she said. He frowned deeply, gaze sweeping up and down as though searching for the injuries. " Honestly ," she emphasized. "I just need a couple weeks to rest. Besides, I think they're just angling to get me to use up my vacation time," she added with a wink.

"Come, come, we can give you a table in the—"

"No, no," Nat interrupted him. "We're doing takeout today if that's alright."

"Of course!" he said quickly. "Whatever you want for you and your friend. Anything at all."

"Any specials on?" she asked.

"Ah, good question. I should know this," he admitted with a guilty smile, "but my wife is the one who makes the menu. Let me get her."

"Oh, she's here?" Natasha said brightly. Maria tucked that bit of information away for later. She'd known Nat was fond of Nik, but she hadn't been aware that it extended to his wife as well.

"Yes, yes. In the kitchen with our nephew. She's teaching him how to cook some of the traditional dishes."

"Oh, leave her alone if she's busy," Nat said quickly. "We can order from the regular menu."

"No, she'll be angry if she hears you were here and I didn't get her," he said and then turned to yell something in Greek at one of his employees. Two young men appeared quickly, moving two chairs for them to sit in. "Please, just a moment. Sit, sit, sit."

He walked away to the kitchen briskly, and Maria and Natasha sat as instructed. "That man would walk through fire for you, wouldn't he?" Maria murmured as she leaned toward Natasha.

Nat chuckled. "Maybe."

It was only a moment later that he returned with a woman. "Ah! It's been too long!" she chastised as Natasha stood to be greeted warmly and effusively.

"I'm sorry," Nat apologized. "Work has been beyond busy lately. This is my friend and colleague, Maria," she said with a gesture. "Maria, this is Odessa."

"Pleasure to meet you," Maria said politely.

"The pleasure is mine," she replied with a big smile, reaching forward to shake her hand firmly and then bringing her other hand to clasp their joined hands. "Nik says you're here for some lunch?" she added with a look to Natasha as she let go of Maria's hand.

"Yes, we were wondering if there are any specials on today?"

"Anything you want, we'll make," she said. "But between you and me, our American food isn't so good," she joked.

"Only a fool goes to a Greek restaurant and doesn't order Greek food," Natasha said with a laugh. "Your food is all so good, so whatever you've got on right now is fine. No need to go to any trouble for us."

Maria listened as Odessa listed off some specials, everything sounding delicious. When she finished the list, Maria looked at Natasha and gestured for her to order for them. She was the expert, and Maria wasn't overly picky with food anyway. Natasha rattled off a few dishes and then looked at Maria. "You want dessert too?"

Maria arched an eyebrow. "Who are you talking to? Of course, I want dessert."

Natasha laughed and then turned to Odessa and Nik and rattled off some more fast Greek, to which they responded enthusiastically. "Should be about twenty minutes. We can wait here," Natasha translated.

"How much do we owe you?" Maria asked.

Nik and Odessa immediately shook their heads, holding up their hands as well. "No, no. No charge," Nik said quickly.

"I insist," Maria said firmly. "I sprung lunch on her as a surprise."

Nik eyed Natasha appraisingly before he reluctantly agreed. "Half price," he bargained.

"Full," Maria countered.

"Half," he maintained stubbornly.

"Full."

"Half!"

"Neither of you is very good at bargaining," Natasha noted dryly, and Odessa chuckled.

"Fine. Half," Maria sighed and then waited as he inputted their order and then slid over the bill to her. She withdrew some cash from her wallet and handed it over. He frowned when he counted it and realized it was for the total amount. "Half is for the bill, half is a tip," she explained when he glanced at her.

Natasha chuckled at the loophole she'd found. "Don't look at me. She always tips well when we go out," she offered when Nik looked to her for help.

"You two are too kind. I don't like this, but I think you are just as stubborn as your friend, hmm?"

"That is correct," Maria confirms, "so I suggest you just let this one go."

Nik shook his head and waved a finger at the two of them. "Too nice!"

"God, this is just as good as the last time," Maria said after finishing the first bite of her meal.

Natasha chuckled. "I've yet to be disappointed by their food, so I'm not surprised."

"How long have they been open? I can't believe I never knew about it before you brought me there."

"Maria, you seldom leave your office. Of course you didn't know they were there."

"Rude, Romanoff," she replied with a half-hearted glare. "Careful, or I'll reassign some of my Academy reports and analyses to you," she added when she spotted Natasha's grin.

"That's just mean, pawning off your work on me. You're the Deputy Director, not me. Don't blame me for your desire to accept a role with significantly more paperwork."

"You know, there were some people who thought Fury should've picked you."

Nat snorted. "Those people are idiots. Who in their right mind would put me in charge of anything ?!"

"Don't sell yourself short. I think you'd be a good leader."

"I don't need your pity just because I'm injured," Nat quipped.

"I'm just saying, I think you could do it. You would hate it, mind you, but I think you could do it."

"Aw shucks, Maria. I never knew you were such a motivational speaker."

"How is it, anyway?" Maria asked with a nod toward her injury, pointedly ignoring the quip.

Nat shrugged. "It's healing. Shouldn't be much longer, but if I try to do anything remotely strenuous it reminds me very quickly that I shouldn't be doing it."

"So you'll be back in no time?" Maria summarized with a cheeky grin.

Nat returned the smile. "Yeah, another week, tops."

"I'll warn Fury."

"Or..." Nat began slowly as a mischievous grin appeared on her face, "you could not. I'm scheduled for a meeting with him when I go back, and I really want to break into his office and scare him again."

Maria laughed and shook her head. "Yeah, I can get behind that. But only if I get to see footage or see it in person."

"I think that can be arranged," Nat replied with a nod before her face split into a wide grin again.

"Then you've got yourself a deal, Romanoff," Maria said with a nod as she held out a hand to shake on it.

The return of the utterly adorable Nik! Admittedly I did *not* think that Greek food would be a recurring theme in these stories, but here we are. 😅

more to come!

(P.S. if light-hearted Yelena & Natasha sisterly bickering is your thing, check out the latest oneshot I posted, "At Least Last Time You Brought Food")

(P.P.S. thanks so much to you all for your kind words. I appreciate you taking the time to leave a few words in a review!)