Heart of stone

The farm

Nat was so happy to be going to the farm. Although she was worried she would slip around Clint and his family she tried to push it to the back of her mind, just wanting to enjoy the trip.

Wanda was beyond happy to be going to the farm with her baby girl. She couldn't wait to see Nat with all the animals and take loads of photos. She also was so excited to catch up with Laura. They hadn't seen each other for a while but at the farm it was so calming and comforting that you couldn't feel out of place, ever. That's why it was first suggested to wanda when she came to the tower.

As they arrived at the farm both women couldn't help but feel excited and weirdly at home. They saw Laura and the kids outside playing as they walked over. "Did you bring auntie Nat?" Lila asked, Wanda noted that she was much bigger than last time she was here. "Why don't you hug her and find out?" Nat responded, smiling widely as Lila ran to her and was lifted into auntie Nats arms.

Wanda quickly snuck a picture before saying hello to Laura and the kids.

After a few hours everyone was settled and inside the house. Laura and Nat were preparing the dinner while Lila and Cooper talked, drew and watched their mom and aunt talk while cooking. Wanda and Clint ended up in the lounge, talking. They had become really good friends since Sokovia, not as close as Clint and Nat were but Wanda liked to think she was getting better friends with him everyday.

"I just wanted to say thank you, for helping Nat. She's been through a lot and..." he pauses, thinking. "Although she won't admit it, she's been needing this for a long time. She was in a really dark place, she still is in a pretty dark place, but you can tell when she's little it's like flipping a switch. She is much happier and you make her happier day by day. And as her best friend I need to thank you for doing what nobody else could."

Wanda smiled and teared up. She knew Clint and Nat were close, they were best friends, closer than anyone else on the team friendship wise. "I would do it a million times again just to see her smile." She responded hugging Clint. "How long so you think until she slips?" Clint asked, wanting to know more about little Nat.

"She's putting it off, I can tell. After a few days I would assume but then again she's gone weeks at a time without going little so... I guess until it becomes unbearable for her." Wanda responded.

She wished that Nat felt comfortable to slip infront of others. It would help her relationships with everyone and Wanda knows that little Nat would love having aunts and uncles to play with her and chase her around. But she wasn't ready for that and Wanda wasn't going to push her.

"That can't be good for her though, right? Can't it like cause brain damage or something if littles don't slip?" Clint asks, worried for his friend. Wanda chuckles as she remembers reading the article Clint was on about. "No that was a hoax, but it isn't good for their mental health. At all. I'm going to try and help her slip at night so she feels more comfortable, maybe then she will wake up little... I don't know." Wanda replies rambling.

Both friends didn't want Nat to fall into a depression again, not when they worked so hard for her to get out of it. Although, without wanting to admit it, Wanda knew that this was inevitable. Her baby was already falling. She was having nightmares and being more clingy and closed off, she didn't want to make it any worse and needed to bring her out of it before she hits rock bottom again.

"Daddy! Daddy!" Lila ran in and jumped into her dads arms. Wanda smiled at the interaction and watched as they talked for a second. "Mommy said dinner is ready." She finished with before leaving the room.

Wanda followed Clint out of the room and through to the kitchen/dining room area and sat right next to Nat. "Hey are you okay?" Wanda asked quietly and Nat nodded and smiled, taking Wanda's hand in her own.

Nat really wanted to slip, but she also wanted to spend time with Laura and Clint and the kids, and she didn't want to embarrass herself by being little infront of them. She couldn't tell Wanda this though, or she might get mad that she doesn't want to be little. Wanda was her caregiver after all, she might want her to be little and she's not. It was all confusing for Nat so she just stopped thinking and ate dinner instead.

After dinner Clint and Laura excused themselves to get the kids ready for bed. Nat and Wanda made their way to the lounge and sat together on the couch. "You wanna tell me what's wrong?" Wanda asked quietly, as she very softly ran her thumb across the back of Nat's hand.

Nats eyes widened slightly, how did she know? Was she reading her mind? She better not be, that's an invasion of privacy! "Nat? You don't have to, but I can tell somethings wrong. Talk to me babygirl..." Wanda said, bringing Nat out of her trance.

She whined slightly and curled into wanda. "You just wanna be mamas baby, huh?" She said and Nat nodded, her cheeks flushing red from embarrassment. "Why don't you slip baby? Your allowed to slip whenever you want, even here." Wanda ran her fingers up and down Nat's back soothingly, trying to help calm her.

"Embarrassing..." Nat whispered. Wanda knew Nat wasn't getting much better with being little infront of others. It did make her slightly sad sometimes because she knew that once she realises her aunts and uncles love her and dont care about her being little infront of them she will love playing with them. She just nods in understanding before talking again.

"Why don't you try it? I promise I will take you upstairs if you want to leave and we can nurse and go to bed." She said and Nat heard the word nurse and started to pull on Wanda's shirt. "You wanna nurse now baby or later?"

Nat thought before letting go of Wanda's top and snuggling into her. "Mama 'tay wif me?" She asked quietly and Wanda nodded and kissed the side of her head.

"Always."