"That was so awesome! We need to figure out more about how to work together to swing me farther, because seriously Tony…webbing onto you and then swinging to the buildings sent me, at least…ten times farther. At the least." Peter insisted. Still in shock over the most recent successful mission, he had not stopped chattering to Tony next to him.
"It did look pretty cool." Steve admitted next to him. He considered it his personal duty to walk home Peter after their missions. Since this one had ended so late, they had no worries of changing out of their suits. Peter snorted next to him.
"Pretty cool?" he stated imploringly and Steve rolled his eyes fondly. He and Tony had each become quickly attached to the newest Avenger, both for different reasons. Tony loved Peter's ability to build random little contraptions, including the web shooters, and his ability to speak science with him. Steve appreciated Peter's sense of justice and how he always attempted to do the right thing.
That's what made it so much harder to watch their friend break down.
"Aunt May!"
Peter was the first to take off, but Tony and Steve weren't far behind. Tony was already signaling for Jarvis to alert S.H.I.E.L.D. and the fire department.
Peter's house was on fire.
"Since Aunt May was your last blood relative, you will have to be adopted by someone else unless you turn eighteen before that happens." Fury informed the collected Avengers.
"What?!" Peter blurted, turning as white as a sheet. Natasha next to him, grabbed his arm, pulling him down into a seat. Moving to stand behind him, she put her hands onto his shoulders, silent comfort.
"Director, can't S.H.I.E.L.D. just have him emancipated?" she questioned. Peter relaxed a bit, and Natasha spared him a half smile.
"Unfortunately, S.H.I.E.L.D. has no control over the social system, so Peter is going to have to be sent to an orphanage and be adopted before he can rejoin the Avengers." Fury looked frustrated by this. Peter just blanched. Natasha scowled.
"Well, we'll just adopt him then." Tony shrugged carelessly. Next to him, Steve's eyes widened in time with Peter, and well, pretty much everyone else in the room's eyes.
"Tony, can I talk to you for a moment?" he ground out through his teeth, before forcefully dragging Tony out of the room.
"Tony…we've never even prepared for a little kid, let alone a teenager!" Steve hissed.
"Steve…are you honestly going to tell me that we're going to force this sixteen year old superherointo an orphanage?" Tony questioned, crossing his arms. Steve threw his arms in the air.
"I don't know…" Steve sighed, then paused, eyes narrowing. "Wait…why are you so…cool with this? I know for a fact you hate children and never want to have them." Tony snorted.
"So? I like Peter. He's a cool kid. Besides, I never said that I dislike kids. I said that I dislike babies. They stink and cry and are horrible. Anyway, we wouldn't really be adopting him. It would just be something to avoid him being sent off to some stupid orphanage." Tony pointed out. "It's not like we'd expect him to start calling his Mom and Dad or anything." He laughed. Steve crossed his arms, obviously still unsure.
"We'd still have complete responsibility over him Tony…" Steve insisted. Tony rolled his eyes.
"Like you don't already take complete responsibility over all the Avengers, especially Peter because of how young he is." Tony pointed out. Steve reluctantly nodded, before releasing a heavy sigh.
"Okay Tony. We'll check with Peter and if he agrees then we'll…I don't know, fill out the paperwork or something." Steve shrugged, smiling slightly. Tony laughed lightly.
"He'll agree Steve. It's either that or off the Avengers and into an orphanage. Besides, I already said, it's not like we're going to make him call us Mom and Dad or anything like that."
Not that he complained two months later when Peter started calling them Dad and Pops.
R & R.