#widowfam

Family Reunion Featurette Marvel Studios’ Black Widow | dir. Cate Shortland

Natasha: punch him in the stomach. When he doubles over in pain, kiss him.

Antonia: tackle him!

Dreykov: dump him.

Yelena: kick him in the shin.

When they had received the news that Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow had died, Alexei Shostakov and Melina Vostokoff were torn apart. They knew her very well, from when she was just a little thing. To them, Natasha wasn't just Black Widow, world famous Avenger. No. To them, she was Natasha Romanoff. Their daughter. Though they weren't related by blood, they were still very close. A family.

So it was only natural that they were crushed at the news. Natasha, their Natasha, was gone.

It hit Melina worst of all. She was very fond of Natasha, just as much as she was of Yelena, her other "daughter". She thought of Natasha as her prized pupil...and Natasha had thought of her as her mother. Sure, it took a whole crazy mission where they almost died. Several times mind you. But it was a notion that Natasha was happy to live with.

As for Alexei, he too was distraught at hearing the news. Like Melina, Natasha was a marvel to be loved. He was most proud of her in more ways than one. Not on how she had become a skilled spy/assassin, but also that fact that she was an Avenger. It had brought him many a proud smiles when he was in prison, as it would any father.

And yet with all that love and pride, it hurt for them to have to plan a funeral for Natasha. But it was also from that love that they did, because they knew it was right. They knew she deserved it.

And that brings them to there they are now. In a small cemetery in Ohio, a tombstone was set. On it was a name in big letters, and below it, three smaller words.

                                         'NATASHA ROMANOFF'

                                                          ⧗

                                      'Daughter - Sister - Avenger'

And in front of that grave stood the parents of Natasha. Her Mama and Dad, Alexei and Melina. Yelena was currently on a mission but would be back by tomorrow. For now it was just them.

They walked up to the stone, holding hands and on the verge of tears as they did.

Alexei kindly let Melina go first, but it wasn't so easy. It's never easy with things like this, especially with the loss of a parent's child. But Melina took a deep breath and stepped forward before kneeling down before the gravestone. As she did, a soft wind came through, blowing against her cheeks and fluttering her hair lightly. It was almost as if Natasha herself was there greeting her. This gave Melina a bit of smile to go along with her tears.

'Oh, Natasha.'

Finally, she took one more breath and began.

"Hey....it's me. It's Mama. I....I miss you, Natasha....We miss you. Me, your Daddy back there, Yelena....we all do.........."

Another moment of silence passed as she once again struggled to find the right words to says, but it was so hard to get past the pain. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for everything I did wrong to you. But you turned out much, much better than I could have ever imagined. And I-......I'm so proud of you, milaya.... Mama loves you......my Natalia."

Though her words were few, they carried a good and worthy weight. And though she wished she could've said more, Melina was satisfied with what little she could manage to get out. Before she stood, she placed a kiss on her fingertips and placed those fingers on the top of the stone, holding them there for a little.

More tears and sniffles came from her as she pulled her hand back, stood up and stepped back from it, lowering her head and trying to recompose herself.

Fortunately, Alexei was there to comfort Melina by pulling her into a big hug, one she returned immediately. He held her tightly and kissed the top of her head. It took a few minutes, but she nodded against his chest, signaling that she was alright for now. With one more gesture of care towards her, Alexei kissed her forehead and smiled at his wife.

Now it was his turn. Taking a deep breath and working up the nerve, he stepped forward and knelt down at the foot of the grave.

"Hey kiddo. It's your Daddy here....I..I-I..." He too struggled to find the right words to say, but it wasn't easy. Yet just as he had done for her earlier, a comforting hand from Melina came to his shoulder and Alexei put his hand over hers and squeezed it as he did his best to find words. Finally, some words came to mind. "I haven't done much in my life to be proud of...leaving you and Yelena like that, that was the biggest mistake I ever made. And not intervening or helping you...it landed me into a cell, where I spent many years...rotting, regretting... It was a hell, but it's one that my girls saved me from. You and your sister..."

A tearful smile came to him as he lightly chuckled at the memory of his girls breaking him out of that place. Those girls, they and Melina....they were his life. "The only good thing I ever did was help you take down the Red Room. And I have you to thank for that, Natasha."

Melina's hand on his shoulder tightened and tears came even more at hearing his words. It made her heart burst.

Still, Alexei continued. "I told you when you got me out that I was so proud of you....I still am..." His words became strained whispers as tears were once again overflowing from his eyes. "Very proud!...we love you Natasha. Always have always will."

"Да." Melina agreed with just a whisper and a nod.

After a few minutes of silence, Alexei stood from his knees and let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding. But once again, the loving hands from his wife came to the rescue and cupped his cheeks before gently pulling his head down for their foreheads to meet, a position they held for a moment. When they pulled apart, Melina lovingly wiped away the remains of tears from Alexei's cheeks.

This earned a still tearful but grateful smile from the large super soldier. "Spasibo, milaya," he thanked her.

To which she smiled back sweetly, tears still somewhat there in her eyes. "Konechno, moya lyubov'."

And that was that. Before walking away, the two shared one more look to the gravestone, making a silent promise that they'd be back soon. Why?

Because they were Alexei and Melina, parents of Natasha Romanoff. And this was their daughter, Natasha.

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Here’s a moodboard I made to help with inspiration! (it didn’t really help tho)

After over a year and... a lot of things happening... I am finally overjoyed to say that my longest fic so far is finished!

Fandom: Marvel, Black Widow (2021)

Rating: K

Pairing: Alexei/Melina, platonic widowfam

Summary: “Still trying to stay up for Santa, girls?” she asks, and both Natasha and Yelena nod, taking their mugs and cupping their tiny fingers around the warmth. Alexei instinctively puts his hand under Yelena’s, the just-turned-five year old not always conscious of her liquids, and Melina feels a stab of arousal at the way he’d finally settled into the parenting aspect of their cover.

“He is gonna come down the chimney, Mama,” Yelena tells her seriously, but even as she puts her cocoa to her mouth again, she’s stopped by a long yawn. Melina softens, settling on the young girl’s other side and stroking her tangled blonde from her eyes.