Holy Ground
AN: Thinking about making this a series, I’d definitely like to continue with them :) Special thanks to @sweetmissnothing for proofreading and editing 💓
Paring: Natasha Romanoff x Reader
Summary: When your babysitter cancels last minute, you have no choice but to bring you daughter with you to your college class. There, you daughter seems to catch the attention of your hot redhead professor.
“Wanna get ice cream..” Stella grumbles as you struggle to walk with her on your hip, with your book bag slung over your other shoulder.
You have to stop momentarily, squeezing your eyes together as you take one, two, three deep breaths. Today was going to require a lot of patience, more patience than you felt you could give. After a moment you open your eyes and start up again.
“Mommy” Stella tugs on the shoulder of your sweater, trying to get your attention.
“I know sweetheart.” You tell her, adjusting her on your hip as you cross the street to your college campus.
“Mommy.” Stella whines again.
You sigh, it’s not your two and a half year old daughters fault, it’s not like she wanted to come to your honors English class. It was nearly 9 am when your babysitter, Sharon, called and canceled on you, apparently having caught a particularly bad cold. None of your friends or neighbors could watch Stella on such short notice so you had no choice but to bring her.
You supposed you could have skipped class today, if it was any class other than English, you would have. Only your other classes didn’t have Ms. Romanoff teaching, she had a thing about missing class and you’d loathe to get on her bad side. Your English teacher was very well respected within her community and a good letter of recommendation from her could almost guarantee a job after college. Missing class especially this close to midterms wouldn’t be a good look for you. So after a little debate you packed up your things with Stella in tow.
“Ice cream.” Stella repeats, using one of her little hands to grab at your face, forcing you to look at her. She presses her forehead to yours and repeats herself again, this time drawn out. You laugh a little and place a kiss on her temple before telling her.
“I know sweet pea, you want ice cream, but it’s the morning and it’s not time for ice cream.”
“It’s always ice cream time.” She tells you a matter-of-factly.
You sigh, sugar tended to be a treat for her, Stella was endlessly energetic, a trait you loved about her, although her on sugar, was a dangerous combination. As you walk into the English department you decide to make a compromise with her.
“How about this, if you can sit on mommy’s lap and be quiet during mommy’s class we can have ice cream before lunch” You offer.
You giggle and lovingly squeeze the toddler in your arms. “With sprinkles.”
“Mmmhhh okay!” She cheers happily.
“Shushhhh.” You tell her “We have to use our inside voices. And when we get into class you have to be quiet. Okay?”
You stop at the open door to your English class, taking a moment to prepare yourself. Your status as a mother wasn’t something you often went around advertising. Not out of embarrassment but getting knocked up in senior year of high school had taught you how judgmental others could be. You had no desire to open yourself and your mothering abilities for that kind of criticism.
You wonder if your professor would say something, it wasn’t like she could miss the toddler attached to your side. Panic flared up in you, would if she asked you to leave because she thought Stella would be a disruption? The possible idea of that sort of humiliation almost has you walking right about of the English department, class be damned. No. You had every right to be there and if she asked you two to leave you’d kindly tell her where she could shove it.
You grimace, it’s just 90 minutes, you think to yourself, you can do this. Steeling yourself you walk into your class with deliberate steps. The class is mostly full, most of your peers chatting amongst themselves. None of them took particular notice as you walked past.
Your breath hitches as you pass Ms. Romanoff’s desk, almost bracing yourself for a possible confrontation. She notices of course, but she remains wordless and, you see a slight look of surprise in her eyes at the sight of Stella. A barely raised eyebrow is the only acknowledgment you get from her before she turns her attention back to the papers in front of her.
You sigh in relief, maybe you could get through this class without much trouble at all. As you climb up the steps to your seat you notice your daughter curling up closer to you, her head tucking into your chest more. The volume and level of people bringing out her shyer more quiet nature.
You almost moan in pleasure as you sit down, having to carry your book bag along with Stella and her toys for nearly a mile wasn’t fun. Your arms ache with relief as you settle Stella on your lap and pull out your books.
“Duffy.” Stella says, turning around in your lap to tug at your shirt. You pat her head gently before combing on her soft hair with your fingers. After a few moments of this, you awkwardly reach over to pull the lavender axolotl from your bag. She squirms in your lap happily as she squishes it against her chest.
“Wanda! Wanda!” Stella squeals, drawing the attention of the people near you, suddenly taking note of the toddler in their English class. Stella takes no notice to this, bouncing up and down in your lap excitedly. Pointing at the redhead who was walking over.
Wanda Maximoff was one of the few people that knew about Stella, you had first met her at freshman orientation, along with her brother Pietro. You quickly became fast friends and she had been nothing but kind and helpful when learning of your daughter.
“Hi, Stella” Wanda says affectionately, reaching over to hold the little outstretched hand offered to her. She looks at you, a quizzical look on her face.
“Sharon canceled on me, something about a cold. No one else could watch her so I had to bring her with me.” You shrug helplessly.
Wanda nods in understanding. “You could have skipped.”
“That wasn’t an option, especially not with midterms coming up so soon.” You say, shaking your head at the notion.
“Still you didn’t technically have to come”The Sokovian says. Suddenly, Wanda’s mouth moves into a smirk.
“What?” You ask almost defensively, not liking the look on her face.
“Nothing, never mind. Don’t worry about it, besides class is starting.” Wanda says before leaving to find her own seat. You ignore her and turn your attention to the toddler in your lap.
“Okay sweetheart, class is about to start so you have to be quiet, if you need anything you have to whisper.” You tell her gently, pulling out a few quiet activities for her and placing them on the desk.
The first half hour goes by well, aside from the pressure in your lap you almost forgot Stella was there. She stayed quiet playing with a few of her toys and when she asked you for a snack she almost whispered.
You feel a bubble of pride come up in you, proud of your daughter for being so well behaved. You were so nervous about bringing her to class and there she was being the perfect child she was.
You spoke too soon, you realize. While you were lost in your thoughts of how you could reward your daughter for her good behavior, she had squirmed out of your lap without you noticing. Fear comes first, naturally, then pure horror as you watch your daughter slip down the steps of the lecture hall.
“Stella!” You whisper-shout, not caring that those in your vicinity could hear, no point in being overly discreet now.
“Stella! Come back here right now!” You try again, this time putting in an edge on tone, you needed her to know that you meant business. Still she continued to make her way down the isle not even looking your way.
“Damn it, Stella.” You say under your breath, someone was definitely not getting any ice cream.
You felt like you were watching a horror movie, unable to move, as you watched your daughter with the confidence of a supermodel walk up to your professor.
You start packing then, hastily, throwing everything in your bag ready to scoop up Stella and high tail out of there. The first place you’d go to wouldn’t be home but the school’s registration office to switch English classes. You’re zipping up your bag when you look up and almost faint at the sight.
There was your daughter in the arms of your professor, playing with her red hair happily. Ms.Romanoff, your professor, your very hot professor was holding your daughter.
“I must be dreaming.” You mumble to yourself as you slip back into your seat. You watch almost in a trance as Ms. Romanoff continued her lecture as if she wasn’t holding a child on her hip.
For the next hour, class went on normally, people asked questions and challenged one another’s ideas, but you couldn’t focus on anything. Not when your daughter sat perched on your professors’ hip. You barely even noticed when class ended.
It was a little quick tap on the leg from Wanda that had you packing up your things.
“So that was definitely unexpected.” Wanda says as you organize your notebooks and pens.
“So do you and Stella have any plans for lunch? We could go to that new Italian place that just opened up a few blocks down.” Wanda suggests.
“Well we were going to get ice cream before lunch as a treat, but I don’t think Stella really deserves that.” You sigh regretfully, slinging your bag over your shoulder.
“Next time then?” Wanda offers as you walk down the steps.
You pinch the bridge of your nose, your patience almost non existent. You shake your head trying to clear your mind before approaching the red-headed woman.
“Ms. Romanoff, I’m so sorry, my usual babysitter canceled on me last minute and I had to bring her here and-“ You’re rambling, you know this but you can’t stop.
“It’s fine really, your daughter is very well behaved.” She compliments.
You watch as Stella lights up at the praise, her little fingers still playing with her hair. Looking completely at ease in your professor’s arms. You find yourself taking a small moment to appreciate the woman’s toned biceps, before you snap out of it, hoping the woman before you didn’t notice.
“She is for the most part, although today not so much.” You give a pointed look at Stella who keeps her eyes downcast. You’re surprised when you hear your professor laugh, low and sexy as hell. Fuck, that turns you on.
“Honestly, you can’t be surprised, asking any toddler to sit still for 90 minutes is a lot. Stella did very well.” Ms. Romanoff continues, looking over fondly at your daughter, a fondness you’d like to be looked at with from her.
“Thanks, Tasha” Stella says quietly, nuzzling her cheek onto the woman’s blouse.
“Natasha actually”, Natasha says in an even tone. Natasha, it fits her better than Ms. Romanoff ever will anyway.
“Umm, we should get going..” You say, awkwardly putting your hands out indicating you should be going.
“Of course.” Natasha hands Stella back over, giving the girl a soft smile. Stella waves enthusiastically as you leave the classroom, her smile wide as ever.