"Fellowship of the Ring again?" Peter sighed, dropping unceremoniously on to the couch regardless. "Really, Stark?"

"Anderson-Stark," Blaine corrected, his eyes not leaving the screen.

"Whatever."

"Besides, Parker, if you're so sick of Fellowship, why do you always end up watching it with me?" Blaine countered, raising an eyebrow.

"'Cause Hobbits, man," Peter nudged him with his shoulder. "Where's Tony?"

"In the lab with Bruce, I think," Blaine shrugged. "Well, they were earlier anyway. There were explosions. You're welcome to risk going down there if you want to."

"And leave my best friend to watch Lord of the Rings all on his own?"

"Best friend? I'm your only friend."

"Details, details," Peter scoffed. Blaine shook his head in dismissal, declining to comment. For a short while there was nothing but the sound of Elijah Wood's voice and Peter muttering along under his breath.

Blaine opened his mouth, ready to dismiss his earlier assumption regarding the whereabouts of his father, only to be cut off by a muted crashing sound. Peter and Blaine exchanged a glance, the floor shaking underneath them.

"Jarvis?" Blaine asked tentatively.

"Yes, Master Blaine?"

"Are they… is everything okay?"

"We're fine! Everything's fine, it's all good," Tony Stark yelled from several floors below them. "Do me a favour, kid; don't mention this to your mom when she calls."

"I'm gonna go science" Peter decided suddenly, "Let me know if they decide to skip the build-up and make it to Mordor by the end of the movie this time around."

"Don't let them blow you up, Spidey."

"Later, Stark."

"Anderson-Stark."

"Give up, Blainers, it's not going to happen." Blaine rolled his eyes. Peter smirked, unconsciously running a hand through his hair and disappearing into the corridor.

"Hey, Jarvis?"

"Yes, Master Blaine?"

"They are okay, aren't they? Everything's fine?"

"Neither Sir nor Doctor Banner appear wounded in the slightest, young Master."

"Awesome. Thanks, Jarvis."

"And if I may, might I suggest you follow Sir's advice and neglect to mention these failed experimentations to your mother?"

"Well, it's not like she needs to know, is it?" Blaine mused, "It's not like anything's on fire. Not yet, anyway. What she doesn't know won't hurt her, right?"

"I agree, young Sir."

Blaine stood in the doorway of the research lab on Stark Tower's nineteenth floor. Well, in reality, Blaine stood in the doorway of what remained of the research lab of Stark Tower's nineteenth floor. Tony watched him, somewhat sheepishly. Bruce absently shook dust and minute fragments of debris from his hair. Peter had pulled on his mask, coughing sullenly into the crook of his elbow.

"Don't tell Pepper," Tony said, pointing a warning finger at his son.

"I think she's going to notice, dad," Blaine commented, his eyes flickering to where Dum-E was spraying a fire extinguisher on a flame that had been quenched a good ten minutes ago.

"But you won't tell her?" Blaine gaped in response, shook his head and sighed.

"I'm going to see Kurt," Blaine said tiredly, "If I'm not here when Pepper gets back, I can't be held accountable for any part of this."

"So you aren't going to tell her?"

Blaine rolled his eyes and turned on his heel. "Bye."

"Thanks, kid."

Blaine grinned.