Heads or Tails

Falling for Red

Haytham was born to the Winter Soldier and one of the many Black Widows, Natasha Romanov. He had blood red hair and different colored eyes. His left eye was green and his right eye was blue. He had his Papa's pale skin, too. In Haytham's eyes, he was a perfect mix of his Mama and Papa. Haytham walked with his friend, Jack Jeager, to the medical center to check his health. His friend had been worried this winter after Haytham had gotten sick. Haytham slowed and took his friend's rough hand. Causing the other to look at him. Haytham smiled at him and gained a smile in return. Haytham wondered if Jack was okay too. But he also knew the older would not willingly get examined. His friend was odd like that, and Haytham never judged his friend since Jack never judged him.

When they entered the medical center, Haytham gasped with glee. His Papa was here today, meaning Haytham might get the chance to see him for a few minutes. Haytham let go of Jack's hand and darted over to his Papa. Slamming into his leg with a shout of, "Papa!" Startling the bigger. Haytham's Papa looked down at him and looked him over. Papa's friend watched on quietly. "How are you. Papa? You're not sick are you?" Haytham asked with sudden worry. His Papa bent down and picked him up gently. He shook his head and motioned to his head. "Papa has a small headache, Little Red. He's getting his head checked out." His Papa answered. Haytham frowned and lifted his tiny hands to the sides of his Papa's head. He'd been told that his hands were unusually cold for his age, but it appeared to ease his Papa's headache. Haytham noted the way his Papa's eyes fluttered shut at the sudden easing of his head.

Haytham smiled a bit in triumph, giggling as he did a little happy dance in his Papa's arms. His Papa chuckled and Jack huffed. "Headaches are no match for us, Papa!" Haytham said after he let go of his Papa's head. The Soldier squeezed his son, enjoying this small bit of bonding time. He hardly ever got to see Haytham, and when he did, the boy looked older and older each time. When he was put through the chair, he hardly remembered his son. He never knew the woman who gave him, Haytham. But he was grateful to her for the small reason to fight this never ending war. "Papa?" Haytham asked as his Papa got lost in his own head. Haytham tapped his nose and his Papa blinked, going cross eyed. Haytham giggled. "Soldat, we need to check his health. Would you mind setting him down on the table there?" A nurse asked and the Soldier nodded.

Haytham tensed, that had not been long enough. They usually let him spend a few more minutes with his Papa. Haytham looked into his Papa's eyes and realized this meeting had not been planned. Haytham should not have seen his Papa today. Haytham teared up and sobbed a bit. The Soldier paused, looking at his son. Haytham wrapped his little arms around the Soldier's neck and clung tightly. Wailing into his shoulder and shaking. The nurse and Jack softly tried to soothe, Haytham. But the boy was not having it. The Soldier patted his back softly and got the boy to look at him. "What makes you so upset, Little Red?" He asked softly. Haytham sniffed and held onto his Papa. "I won't get to see you again after this. They never let me see you again after we see each other. You're always busy! You and Mama both!" Haytham wailed fresh tears in his eyes.

The Soldier did not know how to soothe his son, not with the truth. And he did not know who Haytham's mother was, so he could not excuse her, either. So he looked to his handler for help. His handler sighed softly, coming over and rubbing Haytham's little back. "You're Papa is a very busy man. But do you know what he does that keeps him so busy?" his handler asked and Haytham shook his head. "He goes out and makes the world safe. Were it not for your Papa, this world would not have been safe to have you." He said this as he tapped Haytham on his spin. Haytham let that sink in and looked at his Papa. Haytham tightened his grip on his Papa's neck. Whimpering once the knowledge that his Papa was working to keep him safe and he was complaining. "I'm sorry, Papa." He whimpered and soon loosened his grip to let his Papa sent him down.

Haytham hugged his Papa one last time. Letting him go and letting the nurse start looking him over. He watched his Papa leave the medical center. Haytham sniffled and started mumbling insults at the world around him. "Why are you cursing the world, Hayth?" Jack asked and Haytham looked at him. With a cold voice Haytham answered, "If the world wasn't so mean, Papa could spend more time with me. And if Mama wasn't so busy taking care of her sisters she could see me too." Jack nodded at the boy's words. The nurse smiled sadly at him. He huffed and picked at the cloth of his medical gown. Jack poked his nose and Haytham blinked. "If the world had not been so mean, your Papa would have never met your Mama." He said softly as the nurse injected a sedative in the boy's arm. Jack lifted the boy up as he rubbed his eyes. Soon Jack had the warm weight of Haytham leaning against him.

While Jack was walking with the boy to his little room, the Soldier followed silently. Soon the agent entered the room and laid the boy down in his bed to rest. The Soldier hid in the shadow of his son's room until Jack left. Haytham snuggled up against a pillow and slept. The Soldier counted down the minutes until the sedatives wore off. His son whining from the pain in his arms. The boy sobbed and shot up, scratching at his arms to get the pain to go away. Haytham wailed when the burning in his arms did not fade away. He hardly noticed his Papa walk over and wrap his hands around his wrists and separated them. The cold of his Papa's left hand soothed his arms, easing the boy's struggling. "Papa?" The boy mumbled as he tried to focus his eyes onto the figure in front of him. The Soldier knew the boy would be groggy for a while, so he shushed him and got him to fall into sleep again. Soon the Soldier had the boy in his arms and out of the room within two minutes.

By the time anyone noticed the two had vanished, the Soldier was miles out into the woods. They were based in the small area near Johnson City, Tennessee. As the Soldier carried his son, he kept his eyes out for somewhere he could hide him. Finding an orphanage nearby and waking his son gently. "I need you to stay here for a while, Little Red. Papa had some things he still needs to do before he joins you, okay?" The Soldier asked as he rubbed his thumbs over his son's cheeks. Haytham nodded and hugged his Papa. The Soldier knocked on the door and vanished into the shadows.

When the owner of the orphanage came out, she gasped at the state of the tiny boy before her. "Who are you, Little one? Where are your parents?" She asked softly and crouched before him. The little boy pointed towards the woods. She looked and saw no one, thinking his parents either left him or were into trouble. She guided him inside and called the police. Haytham was tired, falling asleep on the couch after the police had asked their questions. The owner, Mary Miles, decided she would take care of the boy until his parents were found or could come get him.