Bartoned

Chapter 32

Kari being away on her honeymoon with Wanda was almost worse for you than when Steve and Bucky were away because it meant you were being sent out on every mission.   Also, because the Avengers had lost their heaviest hitter, the rule about not being sent out at the same time was ignored twice to make up for her not being there. You'd put Doreen on full-time for that period, thankfully it was something she was able to do because even with Doreen being a constant, Nattie was not coping at all with the fact that her parents were taking turns to be gone for days at a time.

You weren't coping that well either. You were only seeing Clint for brief periods and with Nattie so distraught you were only getting a few hours of sleep a night. By the time Kari and Wanda returned looking tanned and relaxed, you could have kissed them both on the mouth, you were so happy to see them.

"Am I boring you?" Kari asked as your eyes fell closed while she was telling you all about their little lakeside chalet in the Swiss Alps. Nattie was sitting in her lap playing with the cowbell they'd bought back for her.

Your eyes snapped open and you blinked at her. "I'm so sorry. I was listening. You just have no idea how busy it's been since you've been gone."

"I mean, I think I have some idea, you were on maternity leave for a long ass time," Kari said, pushing you.

"Yeah, but you didn't have a baby and Wanda was still working so they didn't need to have five extra people there just to make up for her not being there," you complained. "I've seen Clint for maybe five hours in the past two weeks and that's more than the average hours I've been sleeping in a day."

"Aww, you poor baby," Kari said and you weren't sure if she was being sarcastic or not.

"She was being sarcastic," Wanda confirmed. You turned and looked at Kari, in an attempt at giving her a rather sleepy death glare but she just broke down laughing.

"I'm really glad you both had a nice time though. And I'm extra really glad you're home because I need to sleep for a week," you said.

Nattie wriggled off Kari's lap and used the couch and then the coffee table to move over to Wanda, ringing her bell loudly as she moved. "I hope you got one of those for Natasha," you joked as Nattie climbed up into Wanda's lap.

Wanda started giggling. "Natasha moves like a cat. The bell wouldn't even ring."

"Yeah, she'd just use it to clock Clint on the back of the head," Kari laughed. "Just 'hey, bird -' Clang!!"

You started laughing too and Nattie joined in, bouncing on Wanda's lap and giggling though she had no idea what anyone else was laughing at.

"Oh my god, she's so cute," Wanda said, picking her up and raising her above her head. "Aren't you the cutest baby?"

Nattie giggled and started babbling as she swung her bell around.

"You look pretty good with her, Wanda," you said, playfully.

"Don't go giving her ideas. She's already super clucky," Kari scolded.

"Aww come on, I don't wanna be the only one in the group with kids," you whined.

"So go bother Bucky and Steve," Kari said. "We've said we're going to take time to just be a couple alone for a while."

"Lucky for some," you teased.

"Oh no," Wanda said, covering Nattie's ears. "Don't listen to her, little one."

You rolled your eyes and stuck out your tongue. "She knows I love her more than anyone else on the planet."

Wanda giggled and kissed Nattie's chubby cheek. "Well, I've been looking into adoption anyway. I think I want to try and adopt from Sokovia."

"Wanda?" Kari yelped. "What?"