All the Colors of Earth (Natasha Romanoff)

4.9

Marzda

The morning after the war council Natasha and I are walking through the courtyard when I bring up a subject I've been trying to avoid. "So," I start slowly. "Frigga is throwing a ball and I'm required to go and also to bring a date, not that it has to be a date date, but I was wondering if maybe you'd want to go with me?"

"I was wondering when you were going to ask me," she says easily.

"Wait, you know about it?" I ask her. "How?"

She laughs, "she told me. And she was especially surprised and confused that I didn't already know about it considering she thought we were married."

My face heats up slightly, "yeah sorry about that."

"Why does she think that we're married?" She asks me curiously.

"It's embarrassing," I mumble. "She kept trying to set me up on a date with Valkyrie and finally I had to tell her about you and our Bond and she just assumed we were married and I didn't correct her."

"Oh," she says softly. "I.. didn't either."

"You didn't?"

She shakes her head, "it didn't feel right to. You're Olympia's mom, I'm your Bond. Even when you weren't there I couldn't imagine being with anyone else." She gives me a soft smile, "you're it for me."

"You.. called me her mom," I say slowly, not really believing that she said it.

"I've said it before," she tells me.

"No," I correct. "You've called her our child but you've never called me her mom."

She pauses for a moment before asking, "is it ok that I did?"

"Yes, although I don't think I've earned the right to the name yet," I admit.

She puts a hand on my arm, "you have. That's why I want to tell Olympia who you are."

I stop and look at her, bitting my lip. This was what I had wanted, for us to be a family but I still hesitate. "No," I finally tell her, surprising us both.

"Why not?" She had demanded.

"Because, we don't know what's going to happen. If... I'm going to survive this war, and I don't want to destroy her by telling her that I'm her.. mom and then I die. For now I'm just a friend and if something happens it'll be easier for her to get over," I explain.

"That's bullshit," she retorts.

I shake my head, "it's not. We both know anything can happen in war, and we are at war."

"What if I die?" She counters. "She won't know about you being her mom, she'll be confused."

I give her a confused look, "you'll be safely here, in Asgard, where you have no chance of dying."

"I'm coming with you."

"No, you're not."

"YES!"

"NO!"

"You can't stop me!"

I glare at her, "we both know that I can," I tell her, deathly calm. "I will not make our child an orphan."

"AHEM!" Stark says as he appears out of nowhere. "What's all the yelling about?"

Looking over at him I finally notice that we have in fact drawn a crowd. Thankfully it was only Stark, Steve, Barton and Banner. "none of your business Stark," I tell him.

"I disagree," Natasha says. "Marzda says I'm not allowed to fight in this war."

"Why not?" Steve asks.

"Because I don't want our child to be an orphan," I answer for her.

"I can take care of myself!" She yells in exasperation.

"You're not coming!" I yell back at her. "None of you are."

"That's not your decision kid," Barton tells me.

Turning on him I say, "actually it is. This is my army, my war, my decision on who fights in it. And I say that none of you are going. I won't have your deaths on my hands."

Steve comes towards me, "it became our war when they attacked our family," he says. "And for better or for worse, you're our family."

My surprise was clearly visible as I say, "I thought you guys hated me."

"Oh we do," Stark says. "But Natasha clearly loves you and we love her, so if she can forgive you then we can to. Eventually."

I look at Natasha, "you love me?"

"Always."

Sighing heavily I turn back to them, "if you come, and that's a big if, you have to do exactly as I say. Even if I'm telling you to fall back." I say this last part to Natasha, "even if I'm telling you to leave, to not look back. Would you be able to do that?"

"We're soldiers kid, we know how to take orders," Banner says.

"I didn't ask you Doc," I say softly, my eyes still on Natasha. After an eternity she gives me a single nod. "Then get to training, we have two weeks before we leave."

Leaving them in the courtyard I go to find Valkyrie. Not surprisingly I find her in the training arena, but what was a surprise was that she was with Yelena. Who was wearing Valkyrie armor. "Come to get your ass kicked?" Valkyrie calls to me when she sees me.

Picking up a sword I head over to them, "no, I came to not think."

She grins, "we can help with that."

They both attack without warning and for the next several hours we spar, only stopping because we can't breath or see through the sweat. I have to say that I was impressed, Yelena and Valkyrie work well together, something I make sure to tell them.

"She asked me to join," Yelena admits.

"Really?" I ask, looking at Valkyrie.

She nods, "I was impressed with how she handled the Daxomites on our mission. And.. maybe it's time to rebuild."

"You definitely should, it's been too long." Turning to Yelena I ask, "are you going to?"

She shrugs, "I'm not sure. I don't want to leave Natasha, but, I also want this."

"She'll understand," I tell her. "Just talk to her."

Yelena nods, "I will, after the ball."

I groan, "don't remind me."

"Still don't have a date?" Valkyrie teases.

"Actually I do," I retort. "Natasha agreed to go with me. So it looks like you'll be going stag Val."

She gets a funny look on her face, "actually I also have a date."

"Who?" Both Yelena and I ask. She mutters something I can't hear so I say, "speak up! Who is it that brought you out of your decades long celibacy?"

"Keema," she says quietly.

"I'm sorry, it sounded like you said my little sisters name," I deadpan.

She gives me an apologetic look, "I did. I'm sorry, she asked me and I panicked."

I take a step towards her, "Val, I love ya. But if you hurt my sister," I trial off as the ground shakes slightly.

"I won't," she tells me.

"Good," I say as the shaking stops. Turning from them I head off to find my sister and prepare myself for a long awkward talk.