I know you all are expecting the date, which was the original plan, but I got to 7000 words before the date even started, so I decided to split it up into two parts. Part one (this part) you get today, and part two you get this Friday as a bonus chapter ;)

June 23, 2024

Whoever invented alarm clocks... Why? They always interrupt the best of sleep and make a woman want to suffocate themselves with their pillow before even opening their eyes. If lucky, said woman had a wife who smacked the alarm after the first tone. Katya was one of those lucky women, blindly snuggling into whatever part of Natasha faced her when it went silent, a content smile on her sleepy face.

''Good morning,'' she mumbled, sighing when two arms wrapped around her tightly to pull her even closer, into - what she felt now - a very warm chest. The cast around her underarm annoyed her to the point where it grew into hatred, and she did everything with it that she shouldn't, simply out of spite. For example, letting the woman holding her crush it between their bodies. Because morning cuddles were much more important.

''Morning, gorgeous,'' Natasha muttered back in her raspy morning voice, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. Katya latching onto her body like a koala would a tree, never got old, their legs tangled together to the point where they were unsure what foot belonged to whom. ''I missed morning cuddles.''

Katya hummed, too drowsy from sleep to properly think or talk. Natasha's scent completely smothered her, and the hand on her lower back, thumb brushing up and down her bare skin, had her sinking further into the cuddles. ''I know you did.'' Morning cuddles were holy to Natasha. If she didn't get them, she was grumpy the whole day.

With Katya's breath fanning over her collarbone like old times sake, a small smile grew on Natasha's face. Her love language was physical touch, so she had been starving for this. ''You sleep okay?''

Another hum. ''No dreams.''

How could she have had them anyway? The places their bodies touched created a warmth so safe, that it wrapped around her soul and numbed all the potentially dangerous thoughts in her mind. Natasha took the sharp edges off, as if she'd beaten the horrors in her head into silence with a simple touch. Maybe fuzzy was the right way to describe the feeling in her brain, subdued.

The peaceful silence of the early morning helped for sure, an orange hue from the sunrise managing to peek through the blinds and curtains, deeming the nightlight unnecessary. The air felt still inside this room, the songs of the birds outside muffled as if the walls were made of pillows. Or maybe that was just Natasha's hair and shirt which blocked her ears.

Before Katya could ask the same thing in return, a sad meow came from somewhere around her feet. Her brows furrowed, sleep disorientation not allowing her to immediately remember they adopted a cat yesterday, one she had baptized as 'her baby'. But when the meow came again, and the covers started to dip around her calves, her head shot up from Natasha's chest.

A blurry dot of ginger slowly walked up her body, literally, over her thigh and hip until it sat down on the side of her waist. Even then, he held a perfect balance, the lack of a leg affecting him in no way. Mimosa simply stared at her expectantly with those yellow eyes of his, waiting for affection.

Right, that happened yesterday.

''Oh, hey. Did we wake you, buddy?'' She whispered with a smile, carefully scooting backwards to make room between hers and Natasha's body, which he gratefully inhabited with a thankful meow. She didn't notice her wife's slight pout at the interruption of morning cuddles, too busy making heart eyes at the new addition to the family as Mimosa got comfortable.

He truly looked like a baby as he rolled onto his back with his paws in the air, exposing his stomach for the thing he was out for: pets. The purring started instantly; the second Katya brushed her fingertips through the short fur of his belly. Between the content squeezing of his eyes - as if he fought sleep - he stared her straight in the eyes like the love was mutual.

Shaking off her own sleep and heavy limbs, Katya smiled wider, recognizing that look from somewhere. ''Is there something about me that makes gingers think: 'yes, that one'? Because there are three of them living in my house now.'' Her eyebrow raised, looking up at Natasha expectantly.

The woman had propped her head up on her elbow, a grin pulling on her lips as her free hand gently toyed with Mimosa's front paw. That expression could not mean much good, especially combined with the sly twinkle in the green of her groggy eyes. ''You know how they say gingers share one brain cell?''

Suspiciously, the brunette squinted, even more so when Natasha didn't finish the rest of that rhetorical question and it stayed silent. ''If that thought is going to lead to me also having only one brain cell, you're dead,'' she threatened. But that smug grin on her lover's face only widened and she knew Natasha tried hard to suppress a laugh. ''It was?!''

''We recognize an equal in you.'' The redhead smirked, keeping her gaze strictly on the cat to annoy her wife further.

Katya's jaw dropped as she watched her proud expression, her hand frozen in Mimosa's fur because of the shock. She scoffed at the audacity, not letting this slide. ''Maybe it's the opposite. Maybe you realize that I have all the brain cells you're desperately missing,'' she sassed, challengingly raising her eyebrows.

That suppressed laugh finally escaped Natasha's throat, shaking the bed once when her body did. ''Darling, you once waited ten minutes for the toast to be ready, only for me to have to tell you that you never put the bread in the toaster.''

Katya hated the embarrassed red tint that crawled up her cheeks, hated how it made Natasha more smug and think that she had won. Quickly, she masked it with a scowl. ''I was busy, okay?'', was her weak excuse, which they both knew was far from the truth. She'd been in the kitchen all by herself while attempting to make that toast, in no rush whatsoever.

Another laugh rocked Natasha's body, her eyes twinkling with amusement and playfulness, wide awake now. ''You were staring at the toaster. When there's bread in it, you can see it sticking out.'' She was stepping onto very dangerous grounds. One more comment and Katya would probably snap, but she couldn't help herself. It felt so natural.

''Don't blame that on me. That's my forgetful anxiety brain,'' Katya argued back with an angry scowl, grateful for Mimosa's presence so she could better fight the urge to kick Natasha out of bed. The cat had no idea of the light arguing happening over his head, simply purring between their bodies like an engine.

Natasha hummed skeptically, pressing her lips tight. ''Right. My apologies, ma'am.''

''Alright, that's it.'' Katya managed to get out of bed without disturbing Mimosa too much, planting her feet firmly on the ground in a 'don't mess with me'-way. Natasha watched with amusement as she placed her hands on her hips. Her stern expression held frustration and annoyance as she gestured for her wife to follow her example. ''Get up. We're taking a shower.''

The dominance in her voice and the sheer lack of room for a refusal had a shiver running down Natasha's spine. The woman's grin faded quickly, nearly trembling at the knowledge of what was to come next. Nevertheless, she tried to appear nonchalant and kept her voice even and moved slowly. ''Are you finishing what you started last night?'' She joked, throwing the covers off.

''Oh, is someone needy?'' Katya mocked, rounding the bed with big steps and grabbing the collar of Natasha's shirt to drag her into the bathroom, not missing how her wife's breath hitched in the process. She could feel her heart pounding underneath her hand, the anticipation driving her wild already. As if the wide eyes and slightly parted lips weren't giving her away to begin with.

The door lock turned at the same moment Natasha was pushed against the wood, the wind knocked out of her lungs in a ridiculous gasp. It was a good thing the door provided support, because her knees were already so weak by this display of power that they felt like jelly. Nevertheless, she was proud of how long her voice managed to clasp onto sanity. ''I don't think I slept.''

Katya flattened her hand against her chest to press her further into the door, their hips meeting and sensing how Natasha's slightly twitched when they did. Before the trapped woman knew it, lips and teeth had latched onto the weakest spot on her neck. ''You could have woken me up,'' Katya muttered, smiling when Natasha provided her with more skin to mark by tipping her head back.

''I couldn't, you slept so cutely,'' Natasha managed to say, mentally cursing herself when her voice faltered at the end. A breath fanned over her neck as Katya let out a dark chuckle, smug with her victory of breaking her with a simple touch. Usually, Natasha would be embarrassed. But in the moment, all she wanted was to let Katya have her way with her.

The weight suddenly disappeared off her front, and for a second, fear ran through her at the thought of Katya leaving her like that. It had happened before, after all. But instead, her eyes widened when they locked onto the brunette in front of her, now bare-chested. Katya had pulled her shirt off in the blink of an eye, the garment lying in a heap at their feet.

For the first time in a month, Natasha got a good look at her. The need to avert her gaze had been rendered unnecessary, so she took in the stunning woman in front of her shamelessly, admiring what was only hers to see and touch. Katya didn't even blink when green eyes raked her body, confident as ever with her shoulders back. In fact, she also reached to slide her shorts down, smirking when the stone-faced Black Widow nearly whimpered at the sight of it.

''Can I touch?'' Natasha pleaded, knowing damn well that she'd not have much to say about that this morning.

The evil grin Katya provided her with was enough of an answer, but she couldn't resist answering verbally as she reached for the hem of Natasha's shirt. ''Oh honey, absolutely not. Not until I tell you.''

In case it wasn't clear yet, Katya topped the sleep - and built-up neediness - out of her wife, letting the falling shower water muffle the quiet noises pouring from her throat. She did have to cover Natasha's mouth at one point - to her own disappointment - hoping to avoid a horrifying conversation with her daughter who asked what the noises were. Katya would bury herself six feet under if Maya ever heard them.

Half an hour later, Natasha stepped out of the shower more exhausted than she got in, legs slightly trembling as she looked for some clothes. Her body had never felt lighter though, relaxed, all the tension gone. She had not yet fully come down from the clouds and stars Katya showed her, even with one hand. And she heard her wife chuckling at the dumb grin on her face, but she couldn't care less.

A pair of arms slid around her waist from behind, a chin resting on her shoulder as she stood in front of their closet. ''What are we doing today? When are we leaving?'' Katya asked, pressing a sweet kiss underneath her ear.

Natasha let the closet doors go and placed her hands over the ones on her stomach, ignoring the backflips the butterflies in her body did. ''After breakfast. Maya can either stay home by herself, or we drop her off at Peter's.''

The lips on her neck vibrated with a hum, the feeling running straight down her spine. Katya was really curious as to what this date was that Natasha promised her, looking at this part of the closet to hopefully get a hint. ''You ignored my first question.''

''Because it's a surprise.'' Natasha chuckled, leaning her head against Katya's. Despite her hair lying in its usual braid, some strands tickled Katya's cheek and nose, causing her to scrunch up her face. ''Just wear something comfortable. No need to get fancy.''

''And if I want to?'' Katya teased lightly.

Another chuckle. ''Then you do that, love. I won't stop you.''

Natasha pulled on her usual jeans and t-shirt attire and plugged her phone into the charger on her nightstand, checking her email for the confirmation of today's reservation. Behind her, Katya got dressed as well, not paying any attention to her or what she was doing.

Which was a good thing. Because standing there, placing her phone down on the hardwood top of her nightstand, reminded Natasha of what sat inside the little drawer underneath it. It had slipped her mind completely, too busy with other things, but now it made her nervous as if she'd be caught at any moment, body stiffening slightly.

On a whim, she pulled the drawer open and picked up the small box from its hidden corner in the back, briefly checking to make sure if the contents were there like they had walked away. Her bottom lip slid between her teeth as she admired it, not sure if she wanted to give it now or choose a special moment for it.

But before consciously deciding to, she had already turned around.

''Kat? I got you something,'' she said, timidly glancing down at the small box in her hands. For some reason, she felt nervous and unsure. Katya looked up when her name was called, brows furrowed in confusion as Natasha came closer. ''I thought, since we're kinda engaged again, and the last time we didn't get a chance to do it traditionally, it should come with a ring this time.'' She took it out of the box and presented it between thumb and pointer finger, holding it in the small space between them.

To say Katya was shocked was an understatement. Her lips parted, gaping at the beautiful diamond ring wide-eyed. One stone in the middle, two small ones on either side. Subtle, not flashy or tacky, exactly as she liked it. ''You got me an engagement ring?'' she breathed with disbelief, peering up into Natasha's uncertain expression, lip between her teeth.

''Kinda? It's not specially designed or anything, but I did force them to resize it on the spot because I wanted this specific one,'' she explained with a sheepish smile, remembering how she watched them size it down with her intense stare. To her defense, she did tip heavily.

Gently, she took Katya's left hand to slip the ring on, getting some intense déjà vu to a certain small church in Russia. But before she melted into a puddle of nostalgia, the limb got jerked away.

''Wait!''

The outburst had Natasha furrowing her brows, confused as to what was happening as her hands froze in the air. Fear shot through her too, almost too afraid to look up and see possible rejection on Katya's face. But then she spotted the excited twinkle in her blue eyes, expectantly looking at her, and it clicked.

''Do you want me to...?''

Katya nodded adorably, her stomach soaring with excitement as she nearly bounced on her toes. ''Yes, please.''

Natasha chuckled at her cuteness, slowly sinking to one knee as their eyes gazed into each other intensely. Hearts started to beat faster, and the redhead got all warm and fuzzy inside when her wife's face lit up brighter than she'd seen lately, simply because of one special movement.

Carefully, she took Katya's hand in her own, the ring in the other. It was only fair this happened the official way. ''Kat, my already gorgeous, gorgeous wife, will you marry me again so I can kiss you in front of all of our friends this time?''

A huge smile had curled on Katya's lips, making heart eyes at the woman before her as her heart beat out of her chest. Natasha on one knee, despite being married already, made the little girl inside of her who always dreamed of this moment, all giddy. ''A thousand times yes, always.'' She squealed.

Again, Natasha chuckled and slowly slipped the ring on top of Katya's already-there wedding ring, the combination of silver and diamonds working perfectly. In case anyone still doubted their bond, they could now forever stay silent.

Before Natasha knew it, two arms were thrown around her neck, pulling her body up from the floor and into the one before her with a deep kiss. She poured all her love into it, gripping Katya's waist tightly as their bodies pressed together. Though soon, they were both smiling too much to properly move their lips together, laughing softly.

''You're so adorable when you're shy.'' Katya chuckled, pressing a kiss to her blushing cheek as her face absolutely beamed with happiness. This is what Natasha lived for. ''I love you.''

''I love you more.'' Natasha smiled, tightening her arms around her waist as if their bodies could be pressed together more. She gazed deeply into Katya's eyes, taking in everything she saw like her world spun around them. Her heart was warm and so full. ''I should have gotten you one last time.''

Katya shrugged, admiring her ring over her wife's shoulder. It shone beautifully in the light, the diamonds no doubt real. ''I didn't miss it back then.'' It was only meant as a way of taking away her guilt, which Natasha knew, but obviously, she tried to make it dramatic.

''Well then, let me return this one and get the money back.'' She made a move to grab her hand.

''No!'' Katya laughed, quickly clasping her other hand over it in a protective way. This ring was never coming off again. Hers. ''That is not what I meant.'' She nudged their noses together lovingly. ''It's very sweet, it's absolutely gorgeous, thank you.''

''Hm, you're welcome, I guess,'' Natasha mumbled bitterly, turning her head away. She was a damn good actress, pretending to be hurt. If it weren't for years of knowing her, Katya would have thought her pout was real.

''Don't be petty.'' Katya nudged her teasingly, smiling when the woman's expression didn't falter one moment.

''Hm.''

''Nat.'' She laughed at her grumpiness, hoping that would break the theatrics. But when that didn't work, stronger tactics were brought into the game.

From the corner of her eye, Natasha saw her sad pout taking form. She was an absolute sucker for those puppy eyes and a prodded lip, which Katya knew, of course. When the sad pout came out in favor of something, Natasha could simply not resist.

And she tried her absolute best to ignore it. Oh, yes, she did. But it drilled into the side of her face relentlessly, her resolve crumbling rapidly underneath the weight of it.

Unfair, truly.

''You can't use that face on me,'' she whined eventually, dropping her shoulders in defeat when it held on. Her fingers dug into Katya's waist warningly. ''What do you want?''

Immediately, Katya's pout disappeared like snow underneath the hot sun, showing Natasha that she had indeed been tricked. ''Breakfast.'' She smiled brightly, even when the redhead sighed and playfully rolled her eyes.

''What do you want for breakfast?''

''Surprise me.''

This time, it was Natasha's moment to smile. ''It won't be a surprise if you sit at the counter and watch me make it,'' she teased, wrecking her brain for a special breakfast for her special girl. Expecting a witty response, she was then surprised when Katya's joyful expression fell, and she chewed the inside of her cheek.

''I actually wanted to stay here for a bit and call our friends,'' the brunette told her nervously. They had not yet spoken about telling anyone the good news. For all their friends knew, she was still memory-less. Yesterday, Katya hadn't been in the headspace to talk to anyone, let alone deal with all those emotions her friends would undoubtedly throw on her once she did give them a call - understandably so.

But today, she felt like she should. It had been more than a day, and it started to feel like lying. Her friends would understand, but if the roles were reversed, wouldn't she like to know as soon as possible?

''You gonna tell them that you're back?'' Natasha asked softly, no judgement in her tone as she tried to gauge Katya's mood. Of course, telling their friends had shot through her mind too. But in the end, it wasn't her news to tell.

Katya nodded, still unsure. She needed reassurance from her wife sometimes. ''I think leaving them in the dark for thirty-six hours is long enough.''

''I think they would love to hear it, yes.'' Natasha nodded with a smile, moving a hand towards her cheek to stop her from chewing on it. With a sheepish smile, Katya did so, unaware of her tic in the first place. ''I'll come get you when breakfast is ready.''

''I'll be quick so we can go on our date,'' the brunette promised, but Natasha shook her head.

''Don't rush, it can wait.''

Katya nodded and gave her a quick kiss, then another one for being so sweet. It drew a chuckle from Natasha, who almost tripped over the cat when he decided that food was a good idea and bolted as soon as she opened the bedroom door. Some Russian curse words were thrown after him, but he couldn't care less, halfway down the stairs already in search of breakfast himself.

When the door closed, Katya turned and threw herself stomach-first on the bed with a grunt, pain shooting through her casted underarm. Her phone lay on the bedside table as usual, only charged halfway, but it would do for now. She grabbed it and tapped her nails on the back in thought. Who to call first? Clint would make the most sense, but when the contacts showed up, her thumb clicked on the name of a certain witch first.

The line rang so many times that Katya smiled subconsciously, knowing exactly what kept Wanda busy. She missed those cute babies and couldn't wait to see them again sometime soon. They should have an Avengers gathering every half year and not every year, but with all their busy lives, that was hard.

''Hello?''

Wanda's rushed and out-of-breath answer made Katya chuckle, plucking at a loose thread on the covers. ''Is this a bad time? I can lose my memories again and get them back later, if it'll suit you better?'' She was evil for joking about it, but also stayed true to herself, her ankles crossed in the air.

A gasp came from everyone's favorite witch. ''Kat! No, no, this is not a bad time at all! Let me just... put you on speaker,'' she mumbled. Multitasking clearly, with how long it took. ''There we go. Hi! I missed you! Are you back completely?''

A thousand things were fired at Katya at once, as predicted, but she still smiled at the impact her situation had had on her friends. If they were so happy she was back, then they must have been really sad she was gone in the first place. ''I missed you too. Well, I didn't know I did, but looking back, I did.'' Katya rambled dumbly, cringing at herself. ''But everything is back, yes. Thank you for trying to help.''

''I failed, though,'' Wanda sighed, her words followed up by a baby's crackling cooing and her soft reassurances towards them.

Katya's heart clenched painfully at the disappointment Wanda held towards herself. If only she could ever tell her friend how thankful she was for abandoning her newborn babies and flying over. ''It's the trying that matters to me. You have two babies at home, and yet you dropped everything to help me. Again.''

''Hey, that's what family does.'' Her words were interrupted by sounds of protest from either Tommy or Billy, on the edge of crying. Katya smiled as she listened to her friend soothing them to silence like the amazing mom she knew Wanda was. ''Besides, while you were gone, there was an awfully small amount of people I could call and ramble my mom frustrations to.''

Katya stopped and quirked an eyebrow, smirking to herself at Wanda's teasing tone. ''Oh? So it was a selfish move?''

''Partly.'' Wanda laughed softly.

A door closed somewhere in the house, close by, causing Katya to look over her shoulder despite knowing damn well she wouldn't see anything. Probably Maya getting out of bed. The girl made the most of sleeping in, now that her summer break had started. ''Well, I really appreciate what you did. Even though you almost yanked my brain out.''

''Oh, don't be dramatic. It couldn't have been that bad.''

Despite hearing the humor in her voice, Katya's jaw dropped, and she gasped. ''I hate you.'' She laughed, Wanda's light laughs music to her ears, knowing how stressed the new mother had been lately. ''How are the boys?''

''Still can't sleep through the night, still cry a lot, but other than that... perfect.''

Katya could imagine the adoring smile on her lips towards the end, Wanda longingly watching her best creations. She should be really proud of herself, of how far she'd come. From an orphaned HYDRA test subject to a wonderful mother. ''I promise we'll visit soon. Maybe babysit so you and Vis can enjoy a date night.''

''Can you babysit so I can sleep?''

Katya laughed, her whole body shaking with it. ''Whatever you need.''

They talked some more until Wanda was unable to get Billy quiet and Katya took that as her que to leave. Not before promising to visit and another catch-up call later, though. Wanda said she had some gossip and also needed to out a couple frustrations. And if there was something Katya loved, it was gossip.

Next up was Tony, who only answered with, ''About time'' when he understood why she called, to which she rolled her eyes in amusement. She had turned onto her back at this point, the phone on speaker as it lay next to her head. The conversation with him was full of teasing and joking comments, which meant that it felt like normal. She did hear and feel that he was incredibly happy, though, even when those words weren't literally spoken.

Clint was his usual sweet self, saying how happy he was for her and her small family that things were back to normal. Carefully, he also asked how she was handling it, which was very much appreciated. Katya kept her answer vague, something among the lines of, ''some nightmares, but I'm handling it''. Laura was ecstatic too, telling her to take it easy and take her time to heal, something Katya had long thrown out the window. She was ready to move on.

After these three conversations, thirty minutes had passed. And despite Natasha telling her to take her time, it felt like an awfully long time to leave her family waiting. So some others, Katya sent a text. May, for example. She wasn't even sure who knew and who didn't. Gossip traveled fast in the Avengers group.

She scrolled through the people in her phone, checking to make sure she hadn't missed anyone important, when her eye fell on a certain blonde's name. Her thumb hovered above the call button, not entirely sure where the urge came from.

Had Natasha told her sister what was going on, or was their trust too broken for it? Katya knew her wife held a grudge for what Yelena caused, but this was kind of a big thing not to tell.

She could either take the risk and simply call her sister-in-law in the hopes she knew, or risk causing more distrust between the sisters. Because the fact was, she did want to call Yelena. They had clicked so well before everything happened. So maybe reaching out wasn't a bad idea?

The decision still hung in the air when a knock came on the door, startling her out of her head. ''Breakfast is ready.''

''I'll be there in a bit!'' Katya called back, eyes locked strictly on Yelena's name. She waited for the footsteps to fade, but they never did, and that was probably the consequence of her distracted answer.

''Everything okay?''

''Yeah, just wrapping up this text!''

''Okay.'' The footsteps hesitantly faded away this time, going down the stairs until Katya was left alone with her decision.

Eventually, she settled on a text. Just a text which read, ''Hey, can we talk soon?''.

It didn't immediately gain an answer, which wasn't odd because Yelena barely used her phone, but something in Katya said that the answer would be yes. Life was too short to hold grudges over something that the other didn't do on purpose.

She scrambled off the bed after that, plugged her phone in, and went to go downstairs. But one glance at her reflection in the black TV screen stopped her in her tracks. Natasha said to wear something comfortable, so Katya had pulled shorts and a t-shirt out of her closet without thinking. But now, looking at how boring it was, and how sunny of a day outside it had gotten, she backtracked towards the closet.

The short yellow sundress with puffy sleeves she'd bought on a whim in the sale a couple months ago screamed her name, hanging hidden between some thicker blazers. It still had the tag on it, but with her slightly tan skin from all the dock-sitting and walks around the neighborhood, that tag was quickly ripped off to wear the piece of clothing instead. She felt beautiful in this, and according to the way Natasha's eyes lit up when she came down the stairs, the redhead thought the same.

''Mom, I love that dress on you,'' Maya said enthusiastically, sitting at the kitchen island with her glass of milk. Her lilac pajamas had small daisies on them, her bare legs swinging back and forth in the air restlessly.

''Thank you.'' Katya smiled, stroking her hand over the cotton fabric on her stomach. She had also put on a necklace, bracelets and a bit of makeup for this date, wanting to make an effort especially for her wife. Her only problem remained her hair, impossible to do with one hand.

''I agree. You look stunning.'' Natasha winked. She had stopped to stare the second Katya set foot into the kitchen, mesmerized, but now put her spatula down to pull her close by her waist, laying a gentle kiss on her nose. ''My stunning lady.'' Katya blushed lightly and hated it, hated how Natasha's eyes sparkled with slight amusement and adoration, the woman chuckling softly.

Maya melted at the sight of them snuggling affectionately right in front of her plate. Something that would never truly bother her as she claimed it did sometimes, merely teasing that they shouldn't do this while she was eating. Because this was the type of love she hoped to find one day, everlasting and soul-deep.

Unfortunately though, she had to interrupt them, an anxious edge to her voice. ''Mama, I think the eggs are smoking.''

''Shit,'' Natasha cursed, ripping herself away from her love to take the pan off the stove. Afraid to see how black the underside of her omelets were, she turned them slowly, as if that would magically fix it. Her shoulders slumped once she saw the burned edges, sad her effort to make something nice for her wife had failed. But Katya was quick to grab the pan from her hand with a kiss to her cheek.

''We will just cut away the burned pieces and it'll be perfectly fine,'' she smiled, sliding the omelet onto a plate and taking a knife to it. With utmost focus, she cut and scraped all the black parts off, until a perfectly cooked omelet remained. ''See? Perfect. And it looks really good, babe. Thank you.''

Natasha lit up like Katya had just fixed up her favorite stuffed animal that she'd accidentally torn. Quickly, she snatched the plate from her and ordered her to sit down with the movement of a single finger. Then she proceeded to serve it to her like a waitress with a good amount of flair, Katya acting as if this was the first time she saw it.

''An omelet!'' she gasped, eyes wide. ''Exactly what I felt like. Thank you, honey.'' The hint was received when she puckered her lips, soft ones pressing a kiss to them with a hum and lingering there. They both knew they were being absolute children, so it was no surprise when a soft voice said the same thing next to them.

''Such idiots,'' Maya whispered, her head bowed and shaking slowly, smiling to herself. But if she thought they didn't hear, her hope was misplaced.

Her body jumped upon receiving a light flick onto her underarm, to which she gasped in offense. Natasha gave her a playful warning look while scraping scrambled eggs onto her plate, these not burned.

''Watch your mouth, missy.'' She smirked, chuckling lowly when the girl lovingly rolled her eyes.

They waited with eating until Natasha had put the rest of breakfast on the counter and sat down herself - with a dramatic sigh like she was an overworked maid. She had put a lot of work into it though, so even though Katya's always lingering anxiety made it difficult to eat a whole lot, she ate a bit of everything and finished her whole egg.

Afterwards, she was pretty proud of herself, leaning back and slowly sipping her tea to wash everything down. The other two were calmly talking to each other, Maya saying something about putting up a pool in the backyard and Natasha agreeing to it, so Katya listened with a smile and didn't interrupt.

The thought of having this same breakfast on the terrace of their own beach house in Italy in mere weeks, in the shade of a parasol, ignited a warm kind of excitement in her chest. Life felt brighter, simply thinking of it. If she closed her eyes, she could feel the salt air on her skin.

''Where's my kitty baby?'' She asked after her tea was gone, picking up a slice of ham as a treat. The cat hadn't shown himself since she last saw him in the bedroom, and as Katya looked around, she didn't spot his orange ass either. ''Mimosa! I have some ham for you buddy!''

A careful smirk pulled on Natasha's lips when nothing happened, her nose in her coffee mug. ''He's too busy for you.''

Katya turned to face her, quirking an eyebrow at her knowing tone. ''What does that mean?''

''He's fallen in love,'' she replied vaguely, her smirk only deepening as Katya's confused expression did. Her head nodded towards the living room. ''Look on the lounge chair.''

With eyes narrowed in suspicion, prepared for what she'd find, Katya slid off her stool and slowly stepped towards the living room. The other two looked at each other in amusement, hearing her voice behind their backs as soon as her eye fell onto the two cats, curled in on each other, fast asleep.

''Are you kidding me?! You traitor! I thought you liked me.'' Mimosa let out a sleepy meow. ''Yes, meow. I don't want to hear it. You've embarrassed me. And you can forget about your ham.''

When she came back into the kitchen with a scowl, Natasha laughed. With the force Katya glared at her empty plate, it could possibly shatter in two. ''Oof. You didn't have to go all disappointed mom on him. Love has made him blind,'' she mused teasingly, not budging when the death glare landed on her. Katya wasn't mad, she was hurt.

''I feel cheated on. Did he come with a return policy?''

''No!'' Maya exclaimed with a laugh, and that was the end of that conversation.

Though Katya was left sulking until the minute Natasha grabbed her hand in the hallway fifteen minutes later, ready to leave on their date. That's when she perked up, the feeling of her wife's fingers lacing through and clinging onto hers sending tingles all up her arm. Natasha was still a bit more clingy than normal, an aftermath of the accident, but she didn't really mind it. Soft Natasha was her favorite.

Before they stepped out the front door, the redhead turned on the doorstep, towards the girl standing behind them, for some last-minute instructions. ''Make sure Mimosa stays inside today. He needs a couple days to understand that this is his home, then he can go outside.''

Maya nodded, impatiently rolling from her heels to her toes and back. ''I know, Mama.''

''Alright, just saying.'' Natasha chuckled, not missing how Maya wished they'd leave already. Gently, she guided Katya outside, her free hand on her lower back as their Converse stepped onto the porch. ''Call me when something's up. We'll be home around five-thirty.''

Maya already had the front door in her hand and closed it halfway, her head sticking out. ''Okay! Have a good date.'' With another wave, the door closed, and the lock twisted. And the second and third lock... Her paranoid moms left nothing to chance.

Dumbfounded, Katya stared at the closed door before she let Natasha tug her towards the car in the driveway. The gravel gritted underneath her thin shoe soles as the hot sun fell onto their heads, undoubtedly already preparing for another warm day. ''Is it just me or did she want us gone,'' she said as she climbed into the passenger's seat after Natasha opened the door for her.

''I think she's happy to have the house to herself for a day, yes.'' The latter chuckled, reaching over her wife to click the seatbelt into place. A task Katya was perfectly able to perform by herself, but something that Natasha wished to do in order to treat her like a princess today. It earned her a quick kiss as she retreated and closed the door, only to round the car to the other side.

Natasha had barely backed the vehicle out of the driveway before Katya asked, ''So, where are we going?''

A laugh echoed through the car, quickly ruled out by the music as the redhead messed with the radio. ''I'm still not telling you.'' Her lips pressed together to contain her smile, eyes continuing to sparkle like they'd done all day. She was a happy woman. But if she thought Katya gave up that quickly though, she was wrong.

''Can I have a hint?'' the brunette pouted, attempting to tempt her with those puppy eyes again. It should work even better this time, now that she looked a tad cuter and like the embodiment of the sun in that dress. Emphasis on 'should', because Natasha was smart enough to briefly eye her and then never look again.

''No.'' She laughed once more, slowly driving the road along the lake and past the Millers' house, where Jennifer's husband's car had been missing for days. ''Because if I give you one, you'll figure it out, and then the surprise will be ruined.''

Katya flung her body back into her seat with a low groan, drawing more laughs. ''Ugh, fine.'' A hand patted her bare thigh jokingly, so her eyes snapped back to the grinning woman next to her and narrowed dangerously. ''Do you come with a return policy?''

Natasha smirked smugly, retreating her hand and wrapping it around the steering wheel. ''You wish it was that easy to get rid of me.''

''What if I hire someone?''

Her shoulders lifted in a shrug, briefly eyeing the raised, challenging eyebrows of her wife. ''They'll have to kill me. Because as long as I'm alive, I'll always find my way back to you.''

A gagging sound exited Katya's throat, her nose scrunching up as she gave up her mad facade. ''Ew, so cheesy.'' Natasha's laugh filled her ears as she turned her body towards the driver's side. ''But okay, humor me. If I hire someone to knock you out and drop you in the woods of Siberia to freeze to death, how long will it take you to show up on my doorstep?''

Instantly, Natasha grew focused, that adorable crease between her eyebrows as she watched the road. A bit of the spy within her surfaced, brain shot into tactical mode. ''Can I use public transport?''

''No. You have no money on you either.''

A hum fell from her lips. ''That's hard because usually I'd sneak onto a boat from Siberia to Alaska, which is only a couple miles, but it is a heavily military protected route, so I'd probably be found.'' She paused her train of thought to take a right turn. ''It also depends on where in Siberia you have me dropped, but I'd probably steal a small plane, fly to Canada and then drive the rest of the way.'' A shrug of her shoulders. ''It all truly depends, but I'd say three to four weeks, tops.''

''Впечатляющий (Impressive).'' Katya nodded genuinely, seeing how surprised Natasha was to hear a sudden Russian word roll off her tongue. She wasn't done, though. ''And what if I have taken Maya and went into hiding in the meantime?'' She liked how Natasha played along because she knew how much Katya liked to fantasize.

''You will be able to stay off the grid, but Maya isn't trained. She'll slip up eventually. Make friends, step into a camera, go online. I'll find you.'' That smirk returned. ''Besides, I know your moves.''

Katya turned back to the windshield and sunk down in her seat, defeated. ''Fuck.'' Her moves were indeed Natasha's moves. And the ones that weren't, the redhead had gotten to know over the years of working together.

Natasha watched her with amusement, biting on her bottom lip to contain her grin. ''Do you think about these things often?'' she joked, seeing as Katya theatrically shot up as if she was accused of the worst crime.

''Of course not, my love!''

But her exclamation held so much sarcasm that Natasha once again played along by letting her face fall in hurt. ''Wow,'' she whispered.

After a moment, they both let a smile break though, shaking their heads at the childish mood they were in today. Natasha's hand pressed the button to open the panoramic sunroof of the car and found it snatched into Katya's the moment her finger left the plastic. A kiss got placed onto the back of her hand before Katya started to lightly massage her palm. It felt so good that the redhead let out a sigh and rested her head against the headrest.

It continued for a few minutes until Katya simply interlocked their fingers and enjoyed the wind the open sunroof brought. A glance at the clock said it was only ten AM, but it felt like a whole day had been lived since the second her eyes opened this morning. She still couldn't believe the ring that accompanied her wedding band, the complete surprise when Natasha presented it not yet settled down.

After about forty minutes, Natasha sat up a bit straighter, a sign they were almost there. ''Close your eyes,'' she said, prodding her lip when Katya raised an eyebrow just to tease. ''Please, Kat.'' A smile curled on her lips when the brunette listened and slowly closed her eyes. ''Good girl. Keep them closed.'' A beautiful red hue spread across Katya's cheeks, scowling at the words she'd used.

Natasha chuckled and parked the car, quickly rounding it. She helped Katya out, protecting her head from bumping into the doorframe, and slowly guided her over the sidewalk to their destination. Nervous butterflies fluttered in her stomach when they came to a stop right in front of the doors, not sure what Katya would think with this new choice of date location. Their dates were always the same, and she hoped to bring some new excitement into it.

''Okay, open.'' She watched Katya's face closely when her blue eyes fluttered open, squinting against the sunlight until they could make out the sign above the door. They shot over the letters and the stuff in the window display, drawing a conclusion really quickly as to what it was. Her brown eyebrows rose in surprise, but it was impossible to pinpoint if it was the right kind of surprise.

''An art studio?'' She turned to Natasha, who bit her lip nervously and nodded slowly. ''Are we going to draw a super hot, nude model?'' Her tone was neutral, so the redhead still didn't know what to think, her nerves only growing. Until a smirk slowly started to tug at the corner of Katya's mouth, betraying her usual joking. So finally, Natasha allowed herself to relax a bit.

''Yes, you're the model,'' she teased right back, not falling into the trap of Katya attempting to make her jealous by talking about other hot naked women. That would take some more pushing.

''I'm down.'' Katya smirked, the both of them smiling stupidly at another dumb joke. Her hand reached out to link with her wife's, watching the colorful paintings in the window and the people moving behind it. A small paper on the window read, 'Paint classes every day. Experience not needed'. It looked fun and exciting and exactly the type of studio where youngsters ruled. ''Oh, I'm excited. I've never painted.''

''You don't think it's boring?''

Immediately, her head shook, looking Natasha dead in the eyes so she knew that the words about to fall off her lips were true. ''No, it sounds incredibly fun. I love trying new things. It's very original, I love it.'' She smiled when a light blush crept up on the redhead's cheeks, making it even worse by pressing a kiss to them. Natasha's nose crinkled and she opted out of the flustered moment by tugging her towards the door.

~~~~~~~~

A/N: this was part one, part two will be up this Friday! And then next Monday, I promise we're getting into the Antonia part ;) Hope you enjoyed this!