July 28, 2024

Something tickled Katya's leg, lightly brushing over the outside of her thigh. It barely registered in her brain, but it pulled her out of the depths of unconsciousness, her active mind kicking awake. Squeezing her eyes further shut, she grumbled and shook her leg once. The tickling feeling disappeared.

Satisfied, she sighed and relaxed into the mattress again, trying to go back to sleep. She didn't care that a bright light burned behind her closed eyelids, clearly indicating the day had started; her body still felt too heavy to get up. And if her alarm hadn't rung, there was nothing important she had to get up for.

But right before sleep consumed her once more, something else invaded her senses. One of her favorite sounds in the world, only findable in certain corners of the world.

The unmistakable sound of waves rushing up on the beach.

A blissful smile curled on her lips, serotonin shooting through her veins as her heart started to beat faster. Sleep suddenly felt like a sin to cling onto. She wanted to see and experience every possible second of this.

The light wasn't as overwhelming as Katya expected it to be when her eyes opened, but the whole bedroom was compiled with such light fabrics and materials that it looked like literal heaven – white curtains, beige lounge chair, light wooden furniture. A look out the balcony doors could confirm that theory, because all she saw from the bed was the brightening sky, momentarily more orange than blue.

But nothing would ever compare to the sight she had been waking up to for twenty years now. Because next to her, on the white sheets, lay her absolute favorite person, her vibrant hair spread out around her head. It was the only pop of color in this room, yet it felt completely right as the center of attention.

Somewhere in the middle of the night, Natasha had turned to her back, facing away from her wife just slightly. But Katya forgave her for that, because she melted at the sight of her, at the soft breaths falling from her parted lips, the complete relaxation in her face, the fluttering of her eyelids as she dreamed. There was no worry on her features, no tension, only Natasha in her purest, most vulnerable state.

Katya didn't mean to, but her hand reached out to caress her cheek, praying it wouldn't wake her up. She held her breath when Natasha mumbled something unintelligible, the muscles in her face twitching as Katya's thumb brushed over her cheekbone, but luckily, her eyes stayed closed.

Katya could have watched her sleep for hours, but the prospect of watching the sky turn blue and the town wake up made her get out of bed. This was only their fourth day here, but she'd already picked up on the rituals of this town as it prepared for a new day. The beach cafés opened the parasols on their terraces, morning people took their jog or walk along the shore, the wind carried up the smell of freshly baked bread from the bakery down the street, and everywhere, window covers were rolled up to let in the first rays of sunshine.

Every day, she woke up in a painting or a scene straight out of a movie, and she never wanted to leave.

As quietly as possible, she got out of bed and slipped on the black, silk, rich-wife robe with feathered trims she got for herself a week ago. Natasha had laughed when she first saw her wear it, shaking her head and muttering something about being ''extra''. But she didn't laugh the next day, when Katya had let it slip off her shoulders to reveal a very daring outfit underneath. Now, she loved it.

The morning breeze already felt warm on her skin when Katya stepped through the double doors and onto their balcony, tightening the string of her robe. No fresh New York City winds. Summer here didn't stop once the sun had set. Their balcony doors had been open the whole night, too, allowing fresh air into the bedroom since they fairly quickly figured out that keeping the shutters closed during the day kept most of the heat out.

With a deep inhale, Katya leaned her underarms on the elegantly shaped iron railing and let her lungs suck in that salty sea air greedily. Simply the smell relaxed her to the point where her eyes closed on their own, and four days of it had turned her into a brand-new person. Her whole family could see it. How the pressure had been taken off her, how her laughs were lighter, and that she moved without a rush.

Her connection to the sea and water was one that continued to puzzle her. Maybe Wanda knew more about it, being a witch and all. Or maybe it was time to finally call that medium whose number she saved in her phone a couple weeks ago. Having a picture and diaries of her mom was more than she'd ever hoped for, but if there was a chance to hear what Irina thought of her now, Katya would not let it slide. Maybe her mom had an explanation for her connection to water. It couldn't hurt to try.

Her eyes drifted down towards the beach, and she smiled at a young woman and her golden retriever running through the sand together, taking advantage of the hours dogs were allowed on the beach – between ten PM and seven AM. Not on the Romanoffs' small piece of private beach, though. Well, not entirely private, they shared it with four other houses around them. But half of their neighbors weren't home, and the other two households hadn't shown themselves yet. So it felt private.

They mostly switched between the beach and their infinity pool, depending on if they wanted to take the trip down to the beach on the small set of stone stairs leading there. Their house was the last on this hill, with steep rocky and grass terrain reaching those last twenty feet or so down to the beach. It made for a short trip and an unobscured view of the sea, without passersby getting too close to their house. Also, they had a large fence around their house with insane security, so nobody would be getting in unnoticed.

Katya usually followed her family wherever they chose to spend their time, but she also loved the garden swing on the large terrace that ran around the entire back of the house. That swing was perfect for reading a book as the sun set in the sea, lightly rocking back and forth and letting it soothe her into a deeper state of relaxation. Sometimes, Maya would join her, sit next to her in silence while her red curls dried up from the shower she'd taken. The girl would simply rest her head on her mom's shoulder and stare ahead, content with the silence.

Katya smiled to herself at the thought as she straightened up and turned back to the bedroom. Natasha hadn't moved an inch, her hands beside her body as she lay on her back, in deep rest. Her tank top had ridden up her stomach, the sheets barely covered half of her left leg, and she only wore underwear, but Katya thought she looked beautiful. In fact, she stood there for a whole minute, just admiring her as the breeze toyed with her hair.

There was something hypnotizing about watching her chest rise and fall with every breath, knowing that it fueled her favorite heart, the heart she often used the sound of to ground herself.

Her hands itched with the urge of snuggling up to her, gathering Natasha in her arms and keeping her safe forever, which would definitely wake her. She needed to get out of that bedroom but didn't want to at the same time. This moment demanded to be captured. Not with some meaningless digital picture, but with her own eyes, her feelings.

After one last look, Katya regrettably padded to the door and silently slipped out, deciding breakfast in bed would give her an excuse to come back.

The house was silent, the smooth and shiny stone floors cold on her bare feet as the feathers of her robe dragged over them. The beige marble wasn't what she would have chosen herself, but the whole house came newly renovated and refurbished, and for some reason, she didn't hate the whites and beiges and light browns. The fabrics were smartly chosen, with soft rugs and fluffy blankets everywhere that made the light house feel warm yet fresh at the same time.

Katya didn't have to flick on any lights downstairs with the amount of light the terrace doors in the west wall let in – it's one of the reasons they bought this house– but the kitchen was right below their bedroom, so she kept them closed in hopes of keeping Natasha asleep.

Quickly, she whipped up breakfast; toasting bread, baking eggs, squeezing oranges for some juice, and cutting fruit, all while humming happily. They'd already gone through a lot of watermelons, apples, pineapples, oranges and whatever else the store down the road offered. The warm weather asked for light and healthy food. Nobody truly had an appetite in this heat.

With a tray full of food, careful not to trip, Katya made it back to the bedroom. It took some maneuvering, but she also managed to get through the door without dropping the whole thing, and then found herself smiling at the new position Natasha lay in. On her side, curled in on herself.

Katya put the tray down, shrugged her robe off, and then climbed back into bed, facing Natasha on her knees. Still, the redhead did not move. There were about a million ways Katya could wake her up, but she chose to reach out to brush her fingers over her face and through her hair gently, roots to ends. Natasha loved that feeling of someone playing with her hair, so if something would wake her up with a smile, it would be this.

Her nose scrunched, her eyes squeezing shut tighter, and Katya had good hope until all Natasha did was blindly grasp onto that hand in her hair and trap it against her chest before relaxing again. Now, Katya missed a hand and Natasha wasn't awake. Great.

The brunette amusingly shook her head before bending over and placing a firm kiss on Natasha's hairline. Then another on her forehead, and one on her temple, and on her cheek and chin, brushing her nose over her cheekbone lovingly.

The hand holding hers squeezed it lightly, and when Katya pulled back this time to throw a glance at her wife's face, she swore the corners of Natasha's mouth twitched.

"Baby," she muttered lovingly, urging her to wake up. But Natasha stayed still, so another three kisses were placed on her face, and this time, Katya knew for sure that she suppressed a smile. "I know you know I know that you're not asleep." Her one available hand brushed through the redhead's curls. But Natasha was stubborn and a pain in the ass and did not want to get up. ''Natoosh.''

Natasha finally came to life, grumbling grumpily as she shifted her head to lie on Katya's bare thighs, burying her face in them. It must be better than her pillow. ''Never call me that again.''

"Good morning to you too, gorgeous." Katya grinned, continuing to run her fingers through Natasha's hair. The sun, sea, and chlorine from the pool had already damaged it a bit, despite the treatment oils she put in it every night.

The answer to her greeting was an incoherent grumble, which made her chuckle. Usually, she was the sleepy one, begging Natasha for more sleep.

''Can I get my hand back?"

"It's mine now," Natasha mumbled with effort, holding the limb even tighter to her chest. But her grip faltered quickly and her stubborn pout faded as she threatened to fall back into a slumber. The comfort of Katya's body must be sucking her in.

"Don't fall asleep again.'' Katya nudged her teasingly, smiling widely as Natasha scowled and whined dramatically, pushing her face further into her thighs.

''I'm tired.''

''No. You can't. Your toast will get cold.''

Natasha's eyes snapped open, and she slowly turned her head in Katya's lap to stare up at her. She looked so adorable that the brunette may just melt. ''Toast?'' She croaked out, squinting against the bright light.

Katya hummed, her smile softening as she wound a red curl around her finger. She knew that would make her cave. ''I made you breakfast.''

A moment followed where Natasha's green eyes lit up happily like a child's. She loved food even more than her hair getting played with, and loved Katya making her breakfast even more than breakfast itself, if that made sense. ''Should have led with that.'' With tired muscles and great effort, she pushed herself up until she sat against the headboard, lazily attempting to tame her wild hair while smothering a yawn.

Katya ignored how her heart fluttered at Natasha's beautiful morning appearance and let her face fall. ''I thought that your wife kissing you awake would be enough. But apparently, I thought wrong.'' She scoffed dramatically, turning to slide off the bed.

Natasha froze and her eyes widened. ''Oh, no, I loved that part!'' She quickly said, to which Katya playfully rolled her eyes.

''Ass-kisser.''

The tray was pretty heavy as she picked it up, but it managed to make its way onto Natasha's lap pretty elegantly, balancing on her bare thighs.

''Madame,'' Katya said in a horrible French accent, even doing a little bow with a dumb smile on her lips. It made Natasha laugh, but she was too captivated by the tray in front of her to make a joke back.

An intense warmth had spread through her chest at the kind gesture, turning her into mush instantly. The tray was full of her favorite foods, and the small vase in the corner held a single rose. It came from the larger bouquet on the kitchen table and was as red as her hair. A rose, their flower.

''Спасибо (Thank you).'' She softly kissed Katya's cheek as the woman slipped back into bed. ''This looks amazing.''

Katya hummed softly, resting her cheek on top of Natasha's head when it found her shoulder. ''You're welcome.''

They sat in silence as they ate, listening to the waves and the birds through the open doors. Occasionally, Natasha would feed her a piece of fruit, and Katya marveled at the sight of an orange butterfly coming in through the balcony doors, fluttering around until it settled on the armrest of the lounge chair in the corner of the room.

All of it felt... surreal. They'd never had a holiday like this their whole lives, except for that one week of 'honeymoon' a year or so back. Their careers had never allowed for a break, not even a weekend trip to Paris. That's what happened when work was someone's life. Literally, in their case.

But that meant they had something to catch up on. Trips to plan, places to see without having to watch a target or gather information. Katya had a whole list of cities she wanted to visit again, do the dumb tourist things with a complaining Natasha who secretly loved climbing to the top of the Eifel Tower just so she could watch Katya's face light up.

Their lives were only just starting. And although it was hard to relax after going from working seven days a week to none at all, they were slowly starting to settle.

''Plans today?''

Katya blinked the gloss from her eyes, pulling herself back to reality. Her brain had zoned out so far that it had forgotten about the woman resting her head on her shoulder. ''None. Got any ideas?'' She glanced down at Natasha, who slowly sipped on the straw of her glass with orange juice. She looked so ethereal, with the morning sunlight making her skin and hair glow. Again, Katya took a mental picture of this moment, saving it for worse moments.

''I heard there's a market down by the boulevard every Saturday.'' Natasha's eyes lazily flickered up to hers as she spoke in hushed tones that suited the atmosphere. ''We could check it out?''

''That sounds lovely.'' Katya smiled, reaching up to tuck a piece of hair behind her lover's ear. ''Maybe the girls want to join.''

Natasha smiled right back at her with a soft smile that made her heart beat faster. And when Katya's hand settled on her cheek, she nuzzled into the palm of it. ''Jo hasn't left your side at all. I think she feels safe with you.'' Like I do, she finished in her head.

Katya blushed lightly at that compliment, not sure how to respond. She didn't do anything special, just be kind. ''If I suddenly found someone who understood me, I'd stick with them too.'' Her gaze dropped, as did her hand. ''She deserves the world.''

Natasha hummed softly, turning her head back to face the balcony. There was a shift in the air as she took in the blue sky and the unmistakable beach sounds. "Do you also feel like you don't deserve this?" It needed no explanation, what she meant with ''this'', or with being deserving of it.

"Yes.'' Katya breathed out deeply, following her line of sight. ''But I think the moment people start to question if they deserve good things, then those people especially deserve it.''

They finished the rest of breakfast in a comfortable silence, got dressed, and then did eventually decide to wake up the girls, as markets usually had all the good stuff in the early mornings, and the sun would be unbearable soon. Better to beat the heat and find shelter inside around lunch time.

Not that Maya would agree. She nearly threw her pillow at them when they shook her awake. Until Katya threatened to yeet her into the pool, pajamas and all, if she dared to hit her. Then Maya grumbled and said she'd get out soon, stuffing her face into her pillow until they had left the room. It never changed.

Downstairs, in the kitchen, Natasha was quiet and in deep thought as she squeezed oranges, her brows knotted as the automated machine did its work. She mulled over their conversation in bed and what Katya had answered, even when she knew she shouldn't. They deserved this, the biggest part of her knew that, but her self-esteem issues were tireless. Two houses, no money worries, no need for a job, a happy kid, a happy wife... It felt selfish sometimes.

When Katya padded into the kitchen barefoot, she didn't even have to see her face to know what was going on, as simply seeing her back muscles all tense was enough. Natasha was in such deep thought that she didn't even feel her standing behind her, and if she did, then she didn't have the energy to acknowledge her. Katya wasn't sure which one was more worrying.

''Natalia?'' She said calmly, watching her slice open another orange.

''Mhm?''

''I love you.''

All the tension flowed out of Natasha's body at once. Her shoulders slumped, her head bowed, and she dropped the knife onto the cutting board with a deep exhale. The power those words held must be illegal. Katya hadn't said anything but that to break her out of her overthinking, and yet, it worked like an absolute wonder.

Slowly, she turned, and Katya couldn't help but feel relieved that her frown had been replaced by a small but honest smile. ''I love you, too,'' Natasha sighed happily, and Katya melted when her arms opened as an invitation. ''Kiss?'' She asked adorably, tilting her head in a way that would make anyone do anything for her.

In two big steps, Katya had crossed the distance and wrapped her arms around her waist. ''You don't even have to ask,'' she whispered through her grin, firmly pressing her lips against Natasha's. The taste of her coconut lip balm instantly invaded her mouth; one of her favorites. It made her smile as she kissed her, thinking how fitting that flavor currently was as the open terrace doors didn't allow them to forget just where they were.

Teasingly, she pressed Natasha against the counter, a surprised, ''umph'', successfully breaking their lips apart. Katya chuckled and opened her eyes to find her wife smiling as widely as she did, eyes shining happily as they lazily clung to each other, Natasha's arms draped over her shoulders, Katya's hands resting on her back. The slow drag of her thumbs up and down her wife's white tank top had become such a natural movement over the years that she didn't even notice doing it anymore.

''You look beautiful," Natasha stated softly, briefly glancing down at the calf-length summer dress Katya pulled out of the closet today. Soft pink, short sleeves, with an A-line tiered skirt, made of the most breathable linen fabric. Very cottage core.

Katya blushed, looking down at herself. ''Thanks. So do you.'' And she meant it. Natasha seemed to be glowing from within, and not because her tank top or shorts made her. ''I love how clear your freckles already are.'' She laughed when Natasha scrunched up her nose.

''I hate them.''

''No, they're cute," she insisted, dragging out the first word.

Those tiny spots of pigment had started to show up on Natasha's face on only the second day here. They faintly covered her nose, cheeks, and Katya had spotted a couple on her forehead too. She wanted to take her finger and trace them, connect them, insanely obsessed with the way they made Natasha look younger and so loveable. Not that the redhead herself agreed, of course.

"They make me look twelve," she said dryly, pointedly staring at Katya.

"I think you're overreacting a little bit."

"I look like freaking Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz."

Katya pressed her lips together and hummed in thought, reaching up to bring Natasha's hair to the front. Then she took her time studying the whole picture, eyes narrowed while Natasha's flashed warningly. "You know what? Now that you say it..." A loud laugh boomed through the kitchen when Natasha pushed her off with an angry glare, scoffing loudly. "I'm kidding!"

"Don't you have somewhere else to be?" Natasha snarled, turning back to the oranges.

Katya grinned widely, a familiar tune starting in her mind as she stared at the back of Natasha's head. "Somewhere over the rainbow."

Natasha's jaw set, her fingers tightening around the knife. "Get out," she ordered, dangerously calm.

But Katya didn't get out. Instead, her grin grew so big that her cheeks hurt. "Skies are blue." Quickly, her feet shuffled back when Natasha turned around, knife in hand. This just got serious. "I will be gone,'' she swiftly said, backing up. But her eyes twinkled and Natasha knew it was never that simple with her. ''Where troubles melt like lemon drops, away above the chimney tops, that's where you'll find me."

Natasha growled dangerously, and Katya was smart enough to bolt out of that kitchen fast, choosing life. Her giddy laughter followed her into the hallway, where she brushed past Jordyn, who looked after her very confused. Katya wasn't sure where she was going until she found herself outside Maya's room, knocking on the door urgently.

''I have a request,'' she panted, quickly shutting the door behind her after Maya had let her in.

Maya rolled her eyes and marched towards the bathroom. The toothbrush in her hands indicated that she was in the middle of her morning routine. ''No, I'm not helping you bully Mama.''

It was a bit alarming that she knew exactly what it was about.

''I'll give you ten dollars,'' Katya pleaded, making Maya stop dead in her tracks. The smell of opportunity hung in the air.

Slowly, she turned on her heels, toothbrush raised, and Katya instantly had flashbacks to Natasha threatening her with that knife. ''Euros. I want to spend them here,'' she negotiated straight-faced. ''With the right exchange rate.''

Katya's eyes narrowed, both impressed and annoyed. They may accidentally be turning Maya into the unfoolable spy kid who saw through their tricks and outsmarted everyone. ''I hate that you're your mother's daughter. But fine.''

A downright evil smugness took over Maya's features, one which had her mother worried for everyone who dared to double-cross her in the future. ''I'm listening.''

Ten minutes later, Katya stood at the top of the stairs, giddy excitement and slight fear running through her veins as her ears were pricked for what she knew was about to come. Maya would deliver.

She heard her wife greeting Maya so motherly that she nearly felt bad for what was about to happen, but then, before she knew it, her daughter already sang the words.

''Somewhere–''

Something slammed shut, possibly the fridge door. It wasn't loud, or hard, but to Katya, it felt like the house shook. Or maybe it was her legs.

''Katya Alena Petrova!''

All the blood drained from her face. ''Oh, fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck.'' She spun on her heels and sprinted away from the stairs, adjusting the way she ran so her bare feet weren't audible on the cold stone floor. Diving into the last room on the right was too obvious, so she chose the one before that, an empty guest bedroom.

With all her patience, she closed it as silently as possible and then dropped to the ground, rolling underneath the bed.

Yes, a spy, hiding underneath the bed.

She wouldn't last long.

Natasha didn't bother being silent. Her slow steps were intimidating, to say the least, as they climbed the stairs one at a time and made their way through the hall. Like a predator that knew it had its prey trapped.

''You can run, but you can't hide.''

It sounded so scary but so hot at the same time that Katya wasn't sure what kind of shivers ran down her spine. She squealed softly, biting hard on her lower lip to keep quiet.

The footsteps approached the door, like Natasha had a sixth sense for Katya's presence and didn't have to open the other rooms to know she wasn't there. And then, they stopped. Katya lay frozen in place, heart beating wildly, wondering what came over her to start this game. What came over her right now, was mostly regret.

Slowly, the door handle tipped, the door swinging open, and Katya knew for sure that her heart would give out at any moment.

''I know you're in here,'' Natasha said lowly. The only parts of her that Katya could see from her hiding spot were her feet, which somehow made it much worse. Now, she had to imagine the evil glint in her eyes and the malicious grin playing at her lips. ''If you come out now, I will go easy on you.''

It was a trap. Katya stayed right where she was, ignoring the urge to back up further.

The feet moved into the room, taking calculated steps over the hardwood floor. One after the other, Katya's heart pounding in her ears by now. Natasha, on the other hand, was totally at ease as she approached the closet along the right wall, gripping the handles and then yanking the doors open at once. Katya flinched. Natasha knew that's not where she truly hid, but she liked a game of intimidation every now and then.

''That was a bold move, bribing Maya and bringing her into your games.''

Agonizingly slowly, she rounded the bed, approaching the set of balcony doors every bedroom had. To make Katya squirm for a bit longer, she took a minute to appreciate the view of the other side of the house. Three bedrooms faced the sea and three faced west, towards the hill, and the view of the hill with all its pastel-colored houses stacked on top of each other was just as pretty.

''I think it's time they came to an end.''

The tension in Katya's chest reached an all-time high as she watched the feet turn until the toes pointed in her direction. She was a trained spy, she had been in enough of these tense situations, but after such a long break from them, it felt a thousand times worse. But what was also pure torture was the single thought in her head: she was royally fucked.

''Aha!''

The bed covers were lifted, and Natasha's head popped under the bed, a wide grin on her stupid face. Her green eyes locked with Katya's instantly.

Katya shrieked loudly and rolled away from under the bed, feeling that familiar itch of nearly getting caught. Maybe if she was quick, then she could beat Natasha to the door.

But that damned dress was in her way. She almost stood on the bottom of it, getting up, and nearly face-planted right there and then, definitely embarrassing herself. In the midst of all the stumbling, she heard Natasha's amused chuckle, but her brain was too out of it to notice how close the sound was until strong arms wrapped around her waist and tugged her back.

''Got you!''

Katya trashed and let out another loud shriek, careful not to accidentally smack or kick her wife. ''I'm sorry! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!''

Natasha held her tightly against her chest, a huge smile on her face. ''You won't be getting out of it that easily.''

''In my defense, you said it and I just agreed!''

''You aren't supposed to agree,'' she chuckled, containing another weak attempt from Katya to get free. She hoped the brunette felt as carelessly happy as she did at this moment, fooling around and arguing over nothing.

''So I should just lie straight to your face? Like you did when you said you liked the new tablecloth I bought,'' Katya threw out, giving up struggling. The silence from Natasha's side was more than enough of an answer. ''The stripes are the exact same shade as our wall paint!''

''They're really not, though.''

Like a pouty child, Katya crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at the door opening. ''Are you saying I'm color blind? Really? You want to add that to the list of problems that I have? I was so proud of finding that cover, but you just had to ruin it.''

Natasha's arms loosened around her, and the redhead spun her around by her hips, an apologetic frown on her face when she saw how hurt Katya was by it.

''I'm sorry. Baby, don't be mad. Kat,'' she pleaded, hating seeing her upset. But then, Katya's blue eyes flashed with smugness, and her face fell. ''Oh, I see what you did there. You manipulative–''

''Simp!''

And gone was Katya.

She had played Natasha exactly right, abusing her weak spot until she was the one apologizing. Katya was a better actress than she thought. Oscar worthy, really.

Natasha gasped loudly, needing a second to recover until she chased after her laughing wife. ''Yes, I'm a simp for you, so what?!''

They passed through the kitchen, not sparing the two girls at the kitchen island a single glance, their figures a blur as they ran out the terrace doors. Jordyn simply furrowed her brows, staring after them.

"Is this...?" Her voice faded away because of a lack of a good word. "Normal" would probably have covered it.

Totally unbothered, Maya ate her toast with jam. She had barely glanced up. "Get used to it. They act like literal children sometimes."

"Why?"

"Probably because they never actually got to be."

Dodging furniture and plants, Katya ran along the back of the house – the seaside side – over the terrace without looking over her shoulder. Her dress flowed behind her and didn't restrict her big steps as she tried to get further ahead of Natasha, who she could hear was hot on her heels.

"Does the simp need more pictures for her fan account? I took some cute selfies the other day!" Katya yelled over her shoulder, laughing at her own joke as she neared their pool.

"I was actually planning on posting the nudes you sent me last week!"

Katya laughed even louder, almost stumbling over her own feet as she took a sharp turn right before the pool. "I don't know whose nudes you got, but they weren't mine!"

Her bare feet cried out in pain as she ran down the steps towards the beach. The stones were mostly smooth, except for the occasional loose gravel stone that managed to dig into the bottom of her foot. She wasn't giving up, though, no matter how out of breath she was, and neither was Natasha.

"Now that you say it, their boobs were kind of big!"

Again, Katya laughed. She was perfectly comfortable with her relatively smaller chest. "Good try! You love mine for what they are!"

"Damn right, I do!"

The sun hadn't fully managed to reach over the hill yet, the shadow line lying exactly where the beach started. Warmth spread from Katya's head to her toes once she crossed it, darting towards the coastline with the sunrays on her back. Her poor feet had some serious pain to endure today, because the sand underneath them was so burning hot that they desperately needed the sea water to cool them off.

Right where the loose sand turned into that wet, muddy substance the water rushed over, Katya abruptly stopped, slowly turning around. Natasha did the same, a couple feet away, their chests rapidly rising and falling.

For some reason, they always found themselves in a stand-off, perfectly matched.

Natasha's eyes sparkled with amusement and mischief, her stance strong and calm, but also ready for anything. "Hi, dear," she mused, the corner of her mouth curling up. The sea breeze blew her hair back, but she remained completely unphased.

This was exactly the woman Katya fell in love with. Strong, smart, but also a complete idiot with a huge heart who dared to let the inner child out around her.

"Hey, honey." Katya smirked back, having to squint against the light. The sea lapped at her heels, some water rushing over her feet as the women stared at each other, unmoving.

Natasha's smile widened, her head tilting. "Now, what? You can't go further back."

"I did get myself in a bit of a pickle, didn't I?" Katya said calmly. Her whole body had tensed up the moment her feet hit water, but she ignored the anxiety completely. Because even though Natasha sounded threatening, Katya knew she would never, ever push her into the sea. Not with her trauma.

"I'd say so, yes."

"And all because I complimented your freckles." Katya slowly shook her head in disapproval, receiving a nonchalant shrug from Natasha. "Why don't we bring in an unbiased third party to settle this?" That momentarily threw Natasha off guard, but she was back to her cunning self shortly after.

"You bribed Maya, so she's not exactly unbiased."

Katya's smirk broadened, her hand slowly slipping into the pocket of her dress – yes it had pockets! – to retrieve her phone. "I wasn't talking about our precious daughter."

Natasha's gaze shot to the phone. And even though she couldn't see the screen from so far away, she still knew who Katya had on speed dial. The idea of it made her laugh. "Oh, he's gonna kill you for waking him."

Retract around seven hours from the current time in Italy, and one would end up with the time at Clint's. For reference, that meant it was around two AM back in that part of the States. Also for reference, Clint loved his sleep. Like, loved it.

Katya looked Natasha dead in the eye as she fearlessly pressed 'call'. Their friend would kill her later, yes, but anything to get out of this figurative corner she'd found herself in. Hopefully, he'd side with her. Not that he'd ever passed up an opportunity to mock his best friend.

Katya's chances were looking good.

"I swear to god, this better be really important."

It took all willpower to keep herself from bursting out in laughter at his angry grumble as Natasha's eyes started to sparkle with amusement as well. "You've seen Nat with freckles, right?" She asked calmly, not letting his outburst throw her off her game.

A moment of silence passed.

"Goddamnit, Katya–"

"Yes, or no?"

Clint sighed exasperatedly. "Yes."

"Tell me honestly, does she or does she not look like Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz with them?"

Katya stared into Natasha's eyes as they awaited his answer, not wanting to miss her reaction to it. She smirked when the redhead narrowed her eyes, not backing off from anything, and definitely not from an 'I told you so'.

After a moment, a loud laugh burst through the phone. "She totally does!"

If Katya thought she felt smug before, it was nothing compared to the feeling blossoming in her chest right now. Her shoulders pulled back, her ego growing twice in size, and her eyes twinkled brighter than ever. "Thank you, Clint," she mused, ending the call without saying anything else as she bathed in enjoyment at Natasha's hateful glare. Her wife was competitive. She didn't like losing.

"I hate his ass," Natasha muttered through clenched teeth, proving Katya's point. However, it was two against one, so she had to take her loss.

Katya chuckled lowly, sliding her phone in her pocket. "How about a truce?" She proposed, and to her surprise, Natasha raised an interested eyebrow.

"On what grounds?"

"I will forget about the fact that you hate my table cover, if you let me off about the Dorothy thing...'' Her brows pulled together in a frown. ''Which you basically started."

Natasha's eyes narrowed at her face again. But honestly, Katya couldn't see anything but Dorothy now, which meant that it wasn't intimidating in the least. "Not helping,'' she said lowly. ''But fine, truce."

"Deal, then." Katya grinned, offering her hand to shake.

Natasha nodded once, making no move to step forward. "Deal."

The brunette expectantly raised her eyebrow. "Are you coming to shake my hand?"

"No, cause you'll slingshot me into the water."

With a loud laugh, Katya dropped both her facade and her hand. "You know me so well."

Natasha turned around with an eye roll, marching back to the stairs, across the sand stroke. But as soon as her back was turned, she allowed her wide smile to take over her features. Nothing made her happier than her wife smiling, laughing, and joking. Their petty bantering? It was her favorite thing to do, kept her on her toes.

Besides, Katya had looked so gorgeous, standing there in her summer dress with the blue sea behind her. Natasha had let go of all petty anger as soon as she'd seen that image. It wasn't her fault her wife made it hard to focus sometimes. She just hoped Katya wouldn't figure out that her beauty had let her win so easily.

Even in the heavy sand, she could hear quick footsteps running up to her, and before she knew it, Katya had flung herself onto her back. Effortlessly, Natasha gripped the back of her thighs and hoisted her up further while Katya wrapped her arms around her shoulders and kissed her cheek.

''Does this mean I'm forgiven?'' Katya muttered against her cheek.

''For what?'' Natasha smiled, letting her know she'd already put everything behind them and she'd never been mad in the first place. And Katya knowingly smiled back, burying her face in her neck as the redhead carried her back to the house. The piggyback ride wasn't only funny, it also served the purpose of saving her poor feet from another painful trip up the stone staircase, but Natasha didn't need to know that.

When they got back to the house, they had to endure some teasing comments from Maya about how weird they were sometimes, and then had to wait around endlessly for her to get dressed before they were finally ready to leave for the market. Well... almost ready.

''Hold!''

The three people in front of Katya in the hallway stopped, Natasha halfway out the front door already. Their shoes were on, sunglasses protected their eyes, and everyone had a bottle of water, but Katya wasn't content.

"Honey, we're not your TAC-Team," Natasha chuckled softly. But Katya was way more focused on Maya, who had the look on her face of someone who almost got away with something. Almost.

''Mom,'' she whined, throwing her head back in annoyance.

''The fact that you know exactly why I'm stopping you, says more than enough.'' Katya put her straw bag down and turned to the coat rack on the wall. It didn't hold many coats, but that's not what she was out for anyway.

''But the sun is barely shining!''

''I don't want to hear it." She gave her a pointed look that left no room for rebuttals and waited until Maya had put the bucket hat on her head before giving her a smile and a thumbs up, getting an eye roll in return. "Jo, very good," Katya complimented, seeing as the chuckling blonde already wore a cap. "Nat–''

"Just give me it." Natasha sighed, reluctantly slipping the baseball cap over her braid. Katya just wanted to protect her family from the sun, and these were the thanks she got. Not easy being the strict mom sometimes.

''Is everyone at least covered in sunscreen?'' She sighed as she readjusted her own sunhat, getting three nods. ''Oh, so you did remember that part. Okay, we're good to go.''

Maya was either blind or didn't know what "barely" meant, because the sun heavily burned on their heads as they walked down the quiet street. They stuck to the shadows, using the trees and houses to stay cool as they ran into the occasional civilian on their way to the boulevard. The tourist hotels were on the other side of this small town, the Romanoffs' home lay in a richer, civilian neighborhood, and those locals would rather stay inside if they could.

"Hi." Natasha had naturally fallen into step beside Katya, who slowly strolled after the girls and listened to their happy chatter. A silly smile graced the redhead's lips and her hands sat comfortably in the back pockets of her shorts as her shoulder playfully nudged Katya's.

Katya glanced to the side, an amused eyebrow raised on her forehead. "Hey." A comfortable silence fell over them, and she found her gaze drifting back to the sea, like it had a pull on her.

The calm sun-sea-beach vibes had taken over her body and brain like a drug. Not a single thing in the past couple days had stressed her out or made her tense or sad. Not a single day in this paradise did she wake up with anything else but a huge smile and an even bigger balloon of happiness in her chest. And, above all, she had peace in her head.

The closer they came to the market, the busier it got. Tourists had come out of their hotels in large groups to breathe in the culture, and locals left the scene with bags of fruit, flowers, and bulks of fabric. Katya trusted Jordyn to keep an eye on Maya, as she herself linked her arm through Natasha's, taking in everything this market had to offer.

On both sides of the wide boulevard, it was stall upon stall, with loud salesmen trying to advertise their goods to the public. Some did so with flair, others looked bored out of their mind.

Katya wasn't vulnerable to their manipulation, blocking out the guy's loud voice as she carefully picked the pears she wanted instead of the kiwis he suggested. She also made sure to pick up some walnuts and salmon for dinner tonight at another stall, enjoying the "old school" way of getting groceries. Life was so much slower here. She loved it so much.

After each stall, Natasha made sure to link their arms again, keeping her safe and close while also enjoying her touch and presence. Not that that was necessary. The market was pleasantly crowded, no bumping into people or pushing for a spot in front of the stalls. Besides, Katya always had her natural likeability to go on. Older ladies smiled at her or struck up a conversation in Italian, some charismatic salesmen called her "Bella" and tried compliments as a way of getting her to buy their stuff, and a sweet, old grandpa took his hat off to greet her with a nod and a wide, toothless smile.

She felt like the main character, like a Disney princess.

"Mom! Mama!"

They found Maya at a flower stall. A dozen of those had already come before, each with flowers more beautiful than the last, but she had found one with beautiful, color-coordinated bouquets that didn't look real.

Katya acknowledged the other customers – a woman her age and a brunette girl Maya's age – with a nod, before concerning her over her own daughter. "Which one should we get for the house?"

"I was thinking, it needs some color," Maya started to ramble her thoughts, but Katya's attention was grabbed by the woman and girl next to them. They were talking in hushed tones among themselves, the girl with a sunflower in her hands, glancing at Maya every now and then. And as soon as she listened in on their rapid Italian, Katya grew a huge smile.

"What if she doesn't want it?"

"It looks like she's very fond of flowers, so I think she'll love getting one. Go on."

Shyly, and possibly terrified, the small brunette girl shuffled towards Maya, who had just stopped her speech on why the yellow flowers were perfect. All adults watched with varying smiles as Maya was oblivious to her presence until the girl opened her mouth.

"Scusi?" Instantly, Maya whipped around, both the girls' cheeks turning red as soon as their eyes met. "Ciao."

"Ciao," Maya greeted back shyly. They'd taught her some of the basic Italian words beforehand. Good thing they did. Never know when a pretty girl tries talking to you.

A very rapid Italian question fell from the other girl's lips next, her tone as insecure as her body language as she awaited Maya's answer with anxiety, the sunflower clasped tightly in her hands. It was so pure and innocent that Katya's heart swelled.

With an awkward grimace, Maya looked up at her moms for help, obviously having understood none of it.

''She wants to know if she can give you that flower,'' Natasha translated loosely, smiling encouragingly when her daughter's cheeks grew a darker shade of pink.

Maya turned back to the brunette, nodding slowly. ''Sì," she told her, carefully taking over the sunflower and admiring it with a smile. It was a pretty one, for sure. She'd cherish it for a long time. "Grazie.''

The girl looked ecstatic that she liked it, receiving a boost of confidence. ''Come ti chiami?'' She asked, and Maya mentally thanked Katya for teaching her what that sentence meant.

''Maya." She smiled, using the sunflower to hide behind. The other girl's brown eyes were a bit too intense to meet at times, and talking to strangers wasn't her best skill. "What's yours?''

''Il vostro?'' Natasha asked the girl for her.

''Sofia.'' A beautiful, classic, Italian name, and it suited her perfectly.

Sofia hesitated, looking at her mom for reassurance, and then asked a question which almost caused Katya to squeeze off Natasha's arm with excitement. The redhead had trouble hiding her own grin as she translated it back to Maya.

''She's going to be at the beach this afternoon and asks if you would want to swim with her.''

Wide-eyed with surprise, Maya turned to Natasha. It was both comical and adorable, the wonder on her face, the hint of excitement in her eyes. ''Can I?''

''Of course, if you want to.''

Eagerly, she nodded. ''I do. How can I tell her that?'' Her body stilled in concentration as Natasha whispered the right words in her ear. It sounded nowhere near perfect as she repeated them back to Sofia, but she understood perfectly. ''Mi piacerebbe molto (I would love to).''

Sofia's whole face lit up. ''Grande! (Great!)"

After agreeing on a time and place with the girl's mother – three PM, at a beach café nearby – they went their separate ways, but it seemed like Maya couldn't wait for it to be that time. She smiled and waved excessively at her new friend when she walked away, the sunflower held closely to her chest.

''Ci vediamo dopo!'' (See you later!) Sofia called out, waving back.

"Ciao!" As soon as Maya's back was turned, she rushed out to Katya, "You need to give me a crash course Italian.''

"Sure." Katya grinned, her arm once again linked with her wife's. "I'll make sure to start with the sentences, "You're pretty", and "Are you single?"."

At this point, Maya didn't even bother getting mad anymore. She just sighed and turned to Natasha. "Mama?"

"I got you, sweetheart."

"Great." Quickly, she walked off and caught up with Jordyn in the front, who had barely said anything this morning and took it all in in silence, her cap shielding her face.

They didn't talk for a while, silently strolling over the market, side by side. But guilt consumed Maya at the thought of abandoning her friend without consulting her first.

"I hope you don't mind that I can't spend time with you."

A gentle smile broke through Jordyn's tense expression. "It's totally fine. You have no obligation to stick with me. I'm glad you made another friend." Maya nodded with relief, looking down at her flower and carefully playing with the petals. "Besides, I'm kinda tired, so I think I'll take a nap anyway."

Maya glanced up, frowning with worry. She'd heard that excuse before. "Are you having a bad day?" She asked softly, to which Jordyn's face fell and she shrugged, trying to play it off.

"I guess, a bit."

Maya didn't hesitate to offer her the flower she just got gifted. "Here."

But the blonde quickly shook her head. "No, Maya, that's yours."

"Yes, but you can hang onto it for a while. You need it more."

Realizing she wouldn't take no for an answer, Jordyn hesitantly accepted. "Thanks." To her own surprise, as soon as she held it in her hands, both gratitude and lightness managed to break through the dark cloud that had been hanging above her head the entire morning. She didn't deserve these people, yet they kept showing her kindness. "Don't worry about Sofia not liking you. There's nothing that's not to like."

Maya didn't answer, but the blood rushed back to her cheeks. She'd be lying if she said Sofia wasn't on her mind, because what sweet person gave a total stranger a flower and asked them to spend time with them? She wasn't used to such bold moves. It caught her off guard, made it all she could think about.

"Guys! Do you want to try this Italian delicacy?"

Well, all she could think about until food came into the picture.

~~~~~~~~

A/N: this is so odd to write in the middle of winter, but I hope the sunny atmosphere transfers well onto you :) If there's a cute activity you guys want to see them do during this holiday, let me know. I hope you're all doing well!