The Godfather's Bond

"Hey, Yelena, come and catch me! If you do, I'll give you the drumstick."

In a small yard in the United States, Ohio, two little girls are chasing and playing.

One of them, Natasha, looks like a tomboy with short dyed hair and a more athletic build, acting more like a little boy. Her younger sister, Yelena, seems forever behind, chasing after her with no hope of catching up. She's like a little princess, with blond hair and a round, cute face. It's a shame she can never keep up with her sister, turning their play into frustration.

Natasha hides behind the swing, circling around to keep Yelena from catching her.

"Hey, dummy, I already took a bite of the chicken leg!" Natasha took a bite deliberately to annoy her sister.

"I don't care!" Yelena shouted back, but you could tell she looked anxious. Seeing the delicious drumstick, Yelena's mouth waters. 

But in her panic, she loses control and falls forward, scratching her knees on the sandy ground. After all, she's only eight years old, just a kid. Natasha, two years older, laughs when she sees her sister fall.

"Yelena, you're so dumb!" She teases Yelena with the chicken leg, but there's still a hint of worry in her eyes, not really wanting her sister to be in pain.

Yelena couldn't hold back her anger any longer and burst into tears.

Her cries intensified, echoing through the street as if she were mourning something deeply sorrowful.

"Hey, godfather!"

"G-godfather, N-Natasha's being m-mean to me!" *sniffle* *hiccup* Yelena sat in the sand, sobbing and yelling. Just then, the door swung open, and a man and a woman stepped outside.

"What's wrong, sweetie? Yelena?"

The woman hurried over to Yelena, wanting to comfort her, but Yelena pushed her away, insisting, "I don't want mom, I want my godfather!"

Iron Maiden Melina turned to Tyler, unsure of how to handle the situation.

Tyler is the godfather of Yelena and Natasha. He appeared to be in his early twenties, with jet black hair and dark brown eyes. Having moved here just over a year ago, he lived next door to Melina.

With eyes like morning stars, Tyler possessed a sharp wit and led by example. Most importantly, he easily won over the two young girls with his culinary skills, particularly his mastery of Chinese cuisine. So, upon Melina's suggestion, Tyler became the godfather of the two girls.

"Sweetheart, who's been picking on you?" Tyler embraced little Yelena gently, brushing the dust off her body. The little girl's knees were scraped, her delicate skin revealing traces of blood.

Yelena sobbed even louder in the arms of her godfather.

"It was N-Natasha who t-took my drumstick and m-made me fall," she accused through tears, her voice broken by sobs, stuttering, and sniffles.

Upon hearing Yelena's tearful accusation, Natasha chimed in with dissatisfaction, "She's just being stupid!"

Yelena's cries grew louder in response to Natasha's retort. The sight of the little princess weeping, her tear-streaked face resembling a flower caught in a downpour, stirred Melina's emotions. "Natasha, she's your sister. Please, give it back and apologize," Melina pleaded.

"Why should I?" Though Natasha didn't vocalize it, her expression revealed her thoughts.

With a grin, Tyler chimed in, saying, "It doesn't matter, if you're hungry, there's food at home. No need to fight."

He scooped up Yelena and carried her back to the house, tending to her scrapes before offering her a chicken drumstick.

As Natasha shot Melina a defiant glare and hurried inside with the chicken legs, Melina's sense of powerlessness deepened.

In the eyes of both sets of siblings, Tyler, their godfather, seemed to hold more influence than their own mother.

Melina realized perhaps she wasn't quite cut out for parenting after all. To her, starting this family is just a part of her task... 

Tyler helped Yelena tend to her wound before carrying her to the dining table, while Natasha dashed over on her own.

"Hey, godfather..." Yelena looked up at Tyler eagerly.

"Eat up, I'll call Melina in," Tyler said with a warm smile.

Yelena's worry melted away as she eagerly dug into her food alongside Natasha.

Glancing at the two sisters, Tyler couldn't help but feel a paternal instinct kick in. These two little ones truly tugged at his heartstrings, and he couldn't bear to see them hurt in any way.

As Tyler stepped outside, Melina was admiring the scenery. Upon spotting Tyler, she immediately linked her arm with his.

"How are the kids, godfather?" Melina inquired.

"I'm their godfather, Melina, not yours," he replied with a small chuckle. "But they are doing well. I enjoy spending time with them."

"That's good to hear," Melina said with a smile, leaning into Tyler slightly. "They always ask about you and if they can come over again to see their godfather." 

Since arriving in this world, Tyler had rarely missed an opportunity to charm the ladies—a different kind of conquest altogether. The allure was undeniable, especially when it came to the easy companionship of these girls, making it hard for him to resist.

Interestingly, foreigners seemed to be quite popular in these parts. With the right moves, snatching up girls was like second nature. However, ever since taking on the role of godfather to the two little princesses, Tyler had reined in his impulses significantly.

But Melina remained enchanted nonetheless.

"The kids can play around together, but that's it. There's no one else they have" Melina remarked casually.

"Let's go grab some dinner. The little ones still need to head home later. After all, their 'father' is coming back," Tyler suggested, giving Melina's back a reassuring pat, understanding the situation.

…

It had been almost a year since he arrived in this world, but his standards were through the roof, making it a tough task for regular folks to catch his eye. Ohio turned out to be a prime location, nestled in the heart of the United State's east-central region, not too far from New York City, boasting a population of top-notch girls.

The State University, in particular, held a special allure for Tyler, where he relished soaking in the youthful energy. It was during one of his excursions, that he stumbled upon a newspaper article detailing the Stark Group and the Mutant Academy, signaling to him that this world was far from ordinary.

This was the Marvel universe!

Tyler couldn't help but feel a twinge of fear at first. After all, this world was fraught with danger, where even ordinary folks might meet an untimely demise without ever understanding how it came to pass.

Luckily, at that moment, he activated the system.

It's a sign-in system, but it doesn't sign in every day when you feel helpless; instead, it does so once a year...

Tyler could only wait, but luckily, today marked the first year of signing.

Upon understanding the perils of this world, Tyler also reined in his behavior and assumed the role of godfather to the two little ones.

As their godfather, it is only natural to set an example for them. It wouldn't be appropriate for Tyler to come back with different women frequently, as it would confuse the two little ones.

Fortunately, Melina brought him some relief. Melina is still young, just a tad older than Tyler, and she's in her prime, exuding youthfulness and allure. It's just a pity that she's an agent, and forming a family is simply a duty for her.

Despite their efforts to maintain a platonic relationship, Tyler and Melina naturally gravitated towards each other. Their bond grew stronger, though they kept things primarily friendly. Their closeness didn't go unnoticed by Natasha and Yelena, who started to see them more as real parental figures. As for Alexei, he seemed to fade into the background, becoming almost nonexistent in comparison.

"Hey, godfather, is today something special?" Natasha Romanoff inquired, eyeing the lavish spread of food, while Yelena focused solely on devouring her meal, her mouth smeared with oil.

Natasha matured much quicker than Yelena, a fact Tyler noticed early on. She had an air of maturity about her, even from a young age.

Running his fingers through Natasha's light blue curls, Tyler smiled and replied, "Every day is important, and we've got to make the most of it."

"The teacher always talks about living with purpose, but all I want is to be happy," Natasha expressed to her godfather.

"You're spot on. Nobody gets to dictate what's meaningful," Tyler affirmed with a grin. "Now, dig in before it gets cold."

Today's feast was indeed extravagant, leaving Natasha and Melina somewhat puzzled. The table was overflowing with dishes, far more than they could possibly consume.

There was spicy chicken, lemon duck, pork knuckle, and more—names unfamiliar to Melina, who preferred Americanized Chinese cuisine with bold, spicy or sour flavors.

Despite their initial reluctance, Tyler's efforts to introduce them to authentic Chinese cuisine had paid off. Natasha and Yelena had adapted quickly, now favoring dishes like braised chicken drumsticks, relishing the flavorful skin.

However, being still young with small appetites, they couldn't possibly finish it all. Yelena's round belly began to itch, but Melina quickly intervened.

"It's not polite to scratch at the table," Melina gently reminded Yelena with a smile.

Yelena's cherubic face, now content from the meal, seemed to forget the earlier squabble with Natasha Romanoff.

"Because she's a crybaby, she's always so greedy," Natasha remarked with a playful tut-tsk before scampering off.

Melina shook her head with a fond smile. Natasha was quite the tomboy, and there was little one could do to change that.

After a brief respite, Melina glanced at the darkening sky, nudging Yelena gently. "It's getting late, time to head back."

"Goodbye, little princess," Tyler said, ruffling Yelena's hair affectionately. Yelena reciprocated with a kiss on his hand.

"See you tomorrow, Godfather!" Yelena chirped cheerfully, trailing after Melina as they made their way home.

As Melina closed the door, she shot Tyler a sly wink, then stepped out into the yard and happened to spot Alexei's car pulling in.

Even though there was no real connection between Melina and Alexei, their situation was still awkward. Despite it being merely an assignment, she was technically Alexei's wife, which made their interactions peculiar.

Alexei's expression darkened as he observed the scene. He just wanted to finish the mission and leave, avoiding any further embarrassment.

"Can we talk?" Alexei's tone was serious as he approached Melina.

Melina ushered Yelena into the house before turning to face Alexei, her arms folded in front of her. "What's on your mind?"

"You have to understand, our focus should be on the mission. Bringing Natasha and Yelena to Tyler's place like this could jeopardize everything. We're supposed to be husband and wife," Alexei pointed out, his concern genuine or perhaps masked by his own agenda.

Melina chuckled dismissively. "Let's not forget, we're not actually married. This is all just part of the job."

She refused to acknowledge any real marital connection with Alexei. To her, their relationship was nothing more than a byproduct of their assignment.

"I don't care. Unless you plan on eliminating him, or do you think he'll just sit back and watch when we leave?" Alexei's tone turned to sneering.

Melina fell silent, contemplating his words. As much as she enjoyed her current life with her two girls, she knew it was temporary and involuntary. Continuing this charade could only lead to pain, especially for Tyler, who was just an ordinary guy caught up in their mess.

"That's none of your concern," Melina replied firmly, her resolve unwavering. She marched back into the house to tend to her daughters.

Glancing back at Alexei, she couldn't help but smirk. It was clear he was just envious of Tyler. Despite their prolonged proximity, Alexei had never managed to capture Melina's affection like Tyler had, not even touching her hand. And now, Tyler had seemingly stolen away their two 'daughters.'

…

Today truly felt special.

Tyler made sure to close the doors and windows tightly, catching a glimpse of little princess Yelena waving goodbye. Natasha Romanoff watched from afar, her eyes flickering with hidden emotions—trying to play it cool at her age.

Tyler returned the wave with a smile before drawing the curtains shut. The room suddenly felt darker, igniting a sense of anticipation. After a moment's contemplation, Tyler decided to switch on the lights, wanting everything to appear normal.

As night fell, the sign-in system finally responded. It had been a year since he first journeyed into this universe.

[Congratulations to the Host for making it through a year in the dangerous Marvel world and scoring the sign-in prize: Batman's Combat Ability!]

[If the Host keeps his real strength hidden and survives, you can gain more rewards, with a big gift bag every five years!]

[Batman's Combat Ability: Comes with Batman's combat smarts, skills, and tactical know-how...]

Tyler looked at everything before him, feeling a surge of happiness. At least now, he possessed some means of self-defense.

Batman represented the pinnacle of human combat prowess. It was inconceivable for regular folks to surpass the Caped Crusader. And once he transformed into the Laughing Bat, he'd truly be unstoppable.

Most importantly, it was only 1994, and Tyler had ample time to sign in and claim rewards. Thus, his priority was to maintain a low profile, conceal his true strength, and always keep an ace up his sleeve!

"Extract."

Afterward, Tyler sensed some changes in his body. His physique was already impressive, explaining his ease in attracting girls. However, now with Batman's Ability, even his physique transformed. Without it, possessing Batman's combat skills would mean little if he lacked the strength to back them up. 

Finally, he had some fighting chance.

Removing most of his clothes, he scrutinized his physique; the muscle definition became more pronounced, perfectly sculpted. Finishing his quick examination, he went to reopen the windows to let in some fresh air.

As he drew back the curtains, he caught sight of Natasha and Yelena heading to bed.

Upon glimpsing Tyler's upper body, Yelena deliberately covered her eyes.

Tyler grinned softly, then glanced at Melina through the window, causing her to blush slightly.

…

The next morning, Tyler rose early, opening the curtains of his room to catch sight of Alexei departing in his car. 

Tyler wasn't in the loop about their missions, and frankly, he didn't give them much thought. Whether it was about the United States or another country, it didn't bother him. All he cared about were Melina and the two little ones.

He yearned to protect the two princesses, but with just Batman's Ability, he didn't feel qualified for the task. Unless he became Superman overnight or ascended to godhood like the Asgardians, he couldn't guarantee their safety in the United States.

Superman was renowned for his might and dubbed the god of the world, capable of negotiating independently with the US. And the people of Asgard, with their formidable power, could effortlessly safeguard two individuals. But alas, Tyler was neither—at least not yet.

 …

"Come on, my two little princesses, it's time for school!" Tyler leaned out the car window and called out. Alexei couldn't make it to send the kids off, so it fell on Tyler, the godfather, to handle it.

Natasha Romanoff dashed out first, remarking, "Godfather, can you tone down the shouting? It's a bit juvenile."

"I just enjoy playing the part of a godfather," Tyler quipped.

Then Yelena joined her sister, wearing a little dress with her curly hair framing her face like a princess. 

Natasha Romanoff hopped into the backseat, followed by Yelena. Melina, looking concerned, settled into the passenger seat.

"You managed to make time to take the kids today?" Tyler asked, noting Melina's odd demeanor.

"Yeah," Melina replied, seeming troubled.

Without delving deeper, Tyler drove to the children's school. The ride was brief, and with swift farewells, they exited the car. As the two little princesses darted off to school, He caught Melina's gaze, he sensed something else brewing behind her eyes he questioned.

"What's on your mind?" he asks with a small smile.

Melina looks away quickly, but his teasing prompts her to open up a bit.

"Tyler, me, and the two little ones, we've been a burden on you, costing you a lot every day," Melina expressed, her words somewhat tangled.

Tyler simply took her hand and reassured her, "Don't worry, I've got money." 

He didn't beat around the bush, knowing well about the Stark Group. As a time traveler, he made sure to invest in its stocks, considering Tony Stark's impressive rise after inheriting his father's assets in 1991.

At only 21, Tony propelled the Stark Group to new heights, proving himself even more brilliant than his father. With such foresight, Tyler made considerable profits, giving him financial security.

But Melina, wearing a complex expression, responded, "It's not that simple. My situation... Let's just say, being with us will only bring you trouble."

Tyler, understanding her concern, didn't question it. He already had an inkling of what she meant, so he continued firmly, "Forget about the future worries. For now, just trust me."

He said it with a confident tone, and he whisked Melina home directly. Melina pressed her head to Tyler's shoulder and hummed softly in response, feeling his warmth and heart beating steadily. 

Once inside his house, she didn't hesitate to pull him into a passionate kiss, letting her hands roam his chest and his own explore her curves. The clothes that remained soon fell to the floor, heightening the tantalizing anticipation between them as they stumbled up the stairs to his bedroom. 

In the dim light, with only the rising sunset peeking through the curtains, Tyler and Melina come together with an intensity that stole their breaths away. Their bodies molded together in perfect harmony, igniting a fire within them that blazed hotter with every moment. Melina gasped and moaned with pleasure at the feel of Tyler's hands roaming around her body, testing her limits, losing herself in the ecstasy of it all.

The passion between them seemed boundless, and they to move together, their touches and kisses fueling an insatiable hunger for each other. Time seemed to stand still as they reached new heights of pleasure, their bodies moving in perfect harmony. 

After a few hours of this raw and intense passion, they collapse into each other's arms, sharing sated breaths and soft whispers. Melina snuggles closer to Tyler, feeling her heart still racing with the aftershocks of their lovemaking. She whispers softly, her voice filled with wonder, "I've never felt this way before."

Tyler replies with a contented sigh, "I know what you mean. I think we should have done this a long time ago." 

They both chuckle softly, basking in the afterglow of their union. Melina curls her fingers lazily on Tyler's chest, enjoying the feel of his heartbeat under her fingertips. As they lay together in contented silence, their hearts beating in unison, Melina couldn't help but feel a sense of completeness that she never felt before. She knew that their passion was more than just physical attraction; it was a deep and profound connection that went beyond words.

"I don't care about the future, I just want to live in the moment," Melina confessed, holding Tyler tightly.

Tyler gently hugged her back. "No, we all have a promising future to look forward to. There's always hope," he reassured her, stroking her hair.

"I hope so..." Melina sighed, her voice tinged with uncertainty. She couldn't reveal her identity to Tyler because, after all, she was an agent still known as the Iron Lady.

Little did she know that Tyler had known their identities for a while now. If Natasha and Yelena weren't future Black Widows, Tyler wouldn't have become their godfather.