Missing Moments (Starting Over Universe)

Fruit roll ups, Friendships, and other F words

Set between "the beginning of the end" and "the end" in Starting Over.

"Auntie Lena?" Lia asks tugging on the older blondes shirt
"Yes, Malysh?"
"Snack?"
"Ask your Mama if it's okay." Yelena adds
"Mama, can I?" Lia asks climbing up the stool to sit beside her aunt.
"Of course you can, Milaya, just a small one though because I'll make you mac and cheese for lunch soon." Natasha nods
Yelena walks to the pantry searching through the girls assortment of snacks before grabbing a pack of fruit snacks and handing them to her niece.
"Here you go."
"Yummy!" Lia cheers taking the bag, eating one herself before feeding Yelena one.
"These aren't as good as fruit roll ups." Yelena mumbles after chewing the fruit snack.
" what's 'roll up?" Lia ask sticking another fruit snack in her mouth
"You've got to be kidding me, Natasha, you seriously have never let my niece try fruit roll ups!" Yelena says exasperated at the idea. Lia laughs at her aunts antics, to which she tickles Lia's side from her spot on a stool at the counter. The 4 year old giggling and squirming away from her fingers. "We'll just have to fix that huh? Auntie Lena will buy all the fruit roll ups for my girl to try, how's that sound?" Natasha watches from her spot at the sink doing the dishes. Wanda was currently off at school. Steve was training and Luna was currently sleeping snug in the baby wrap against her chest, the 1, almost 2, year old being clingier than usual.
"Hey, be careful 'Lena, don't make her fall." Natasha says
"I won't let her fall, I promise." Yelena replies pulling the girl to sit in her lap. Yelena didn't like kids very much and she's not quite sure if she'd ever want any of her own, not that that's an option for her, but she absolutely adores her sister's children. Her nieces whom she can snuggle and love and still send back to her sister before the tantrums happen. Lena's phone lights up on the counter, "James" flashing across the screen. Lena gives an expression that only a trained spy would be able to read.
"Is there something going on between you two?" Natasha asks as she places the last dish back into the cabinet.
"No! I..." Yelena starts "I don't know exactly, we just spend a lot of time together and I'm not even sure if I like him like that... we're friends?and isn't there a girl code or something about dating your sister's ex boyfriend anyways..."
"That was a long time ago 'Lena, and what James and I had it wasn't... it wasn't love, not real love." Natasha replies " if you like him then there's nothing stopping you alright, there's no "code" you have to follow. I want you to be happy."
"I don't know what will make me happy." Yelena admits her fingers twirling Lia's hair
"And that's perfectly okay, you'll figure it out eventually." Natasha says coming over to join them at the counter. "And I'll be here when you do."
"And what if he... wants all this?" Yelena says gesturing around the room. "Tasha, I can't give him this. I don't want all of this, I love being auntie 'lena but that's it... I don't want anymore."
"That's perfectly okay. This life isn't for everyone." Natasha replies hand running over Luna's head when she stirs for a moment. " but I want you to know something, you play such an important role in this family and you always have a place in it, okay? No matter what."
Yelena gives her a watery smile "Talk to James, see where things go, if they go somewhere great and if they don't no harm done."

"Do you think there's something going on between James and Lena?" Natasha asks Steve as she climbs into bed that night.
"He hasn't said anything but Buck's been pretty private about things since Hydra." He replies opening his arms for her, and pulling her closer into his embrace. "Did Lena say something?"
"She said that they're friends, maybe more, potentially, I don't know." Natasha adds, as he runs a comforting hand up and down her back, almost instantly falling asleep.
"Friends like we were?" Steve asks and Natasha can see the grin on his face with her eyes closed.
"Were we ever just friends?" She asks, opening her eyes to look at him this time
"Nope." Steve smiles. "I was hopelessly in love with you, have been ever since."
"I love you too, you dork." Natasha playfully rolls her eyes "but seriously I'm just worried about Lena getting hurt, she doesn't want this kind of life, and if James does then..."
"He doesn't." Steve replies "they're both still getting used to normal life, plus I think Buck likes being the cool uncle way better than the idea of having his own kids running around. You want me to give him the big brother talk?"
"No it's okay, I've got it." She smiles
"Take it easy on him, will you?" Steve adds placing a kiss to her cheek.
"Whatever you say..."
"Hey, Nat?" He asks a moment later.
"Hmm?"
"I love you." He smiles
"Yeah, yeah, I'm pretty fond of you too." She replies, tilting her head up to place a kiss to his jaw. "Let's go to sleep, I'm exhausted."
"Goodnight, love."

Yelena does talk to Bucky and they're not exactly together but they're closer. Natasha and Steve manage to sneak away during the girls nap time to head to Sam and Bucky's floor. Yelena had gone out for the day to have a girls day with Clint's new protégé, Kate.
"Hey guys, where's the rugrats?" Sam asks as they enter their floor.
"Friday's on baby monitor and Wanda's out with Noah." Steve replies going to sit next to the man on the couch
"I never get to see the kid anymore, tell her to come visit me." Sam adds as Bucky walks in hair wet from a post workout shower.
"Hey guys, what's up?" He asks
"Can we talk to you?" Steve asks
"Yeah, of course." Bucky replies curiosity on his face.
"Is this my cue to leave?" Sam asks "I'll go visit the little gremlins."
"Sam, I swear if you wake them up after I just put them down for a nap..." Natasha starts
"I know, mom." Sam replies rolling his eyes "ya know, the teasing is just not as fun now that it's true..." he adds shaking his head
"I promise I won't wake them up." Sam makes his way to the elevator quickly, and soon Bucky, Steve, and Natasha are left alone.
"So... what did you guys want to talk about?" Bucky asks taking a seat on a chair across from them.
"I wanted to give you this." Natasha replies allowing the small golden pendent to dangle from her fingers.
"Nat..." he starts
"It's yours, James. It was your mom's, I promised myself if I ever saw you again I would give it back." Natasha adds encouraging him to take it.
"I don't know what to say... I forgot you and now I barely remember..." he mumbles
"It's okay, really. Sometimes things have to fall apart so other things can fall into place." Natasha replies and Steve gives her hand a knowing squeeze. "I hope you find everything you want James."
"Me too."
"But just so you know if that includes my sister, I won't hesitate to take appropriate measures if you hurt her." The spy adds
"Noted." Bucky replies giving her a tight-lipped smile

"James, I am back..." A voice sing songs, as the blonde spy appears outside the elevator "you'll never guess what I found! What are you two doing here?"
"Just came by for a chat." Natasha smiles "come on, you can show me what you got at the mall."
"They're both scary." Bucky sighs after both women have left the room.
"Tell me about it..." Steve sighs "and to make matters worse I'm raising 3 girls who seem to be taking on that trait."
"And I thought Rebecca was bad..." Bucky adds. It's quiet for a moment before Steve speaks again
"You know I think of you as a brother, right Buck?" Steve asks, he nods in response "just be careful with you and Lena. She's still healing and so are you."
"It's like... she makes it bearable, you know?" Bucky says
"I know exactly what you mean, just don't hurt her because I'd hate for my wife to kick your ass." Steve replies. Bucky gives him a tight lipped smile in response.

"What are you and Steve doing here?" Yelena asks as they enter her room and Natasha closes the door behind them.
"We live here remember." Natasha replies
"Yeah, two floors down." Lena adds, narrowing her eyes at her big sister. "Wait... were you threatening him?"
"No, I wasn't, I just..." Natasha starts.
"I find it sweet Natashka..." Yelena smiles "and maybe a little overprotective, but that's the mom mode coming out."
"You're my little sister, I'll always protect you." Natasha shrugs
"I know." Lena says with a knowing glance, a runway, a gun, a newly landed plane driven by an 11 year old, a photo-strip. Natasha pulls her in for a hug, that's not quite as tight as the one they shared before they were torn apart but is comforting nonetheless. She thinks little Yelena and Natasha would be happy that after everything they've reunited.

Three weeks later
"Hey, 'Lena, Mom wanted to know if you... Oh my gosh!" Wanda rapidly turns around covering her eyes as she walks in on Yelena and Bucky, sharing a kiss on the couch and the couple scrambles apart. "What the fu-"

Hello, everyone, I found this short little finished one-shot in my drafts. Also just a reminder that Bucky and Yelena were kind of, sort of together in the last chapter of "Starting Over." Here's a little glimpse into how all that went down, featuring Auntie Lena moments, over protective big sis Nat, and cute romanogers kiddos.
Also if you have any ideas for one-shots or requests, feel free to comment them. I've had major writers block for like forever now, so I may start posting again periodically if I can ever manage to write anything lol.
I hope you enjoyed it! -mae