- Only about three more months until the Black Widow movie is released and I'm really looking forward to it. The next MCU film after that is the Eternals...I'm not sure if I should see that one when it comes out in November.
Anyways, take your time reading and enjoy.
…
"Be careful on your way home."
Spider-Man nodded. "Don't worry, I'll return next Sunday."
Brunnhilde smiled before she grabbed Peter by the chin and kissed him hard. "You better...or else I'll head to New York myself and drag your amazing tight ass back here."
He and the others were heading back to the Avengers Compound today. The quinjet was already prepped for departure. They were now just saying their goodbyes to their Asgardian friends and loved ones. Valkyrie went to go speak with Jane and Darcy while Spidey turned to Lorelei and Amora. Though their human friends came back every other week, the two sisters were always a little saddened to see them leave...Peter especially.
"You two take care of each other. Help your mother around the house when she needs it, okay?"
Lorelei quickly embraced Peter. "We will. Please come back soon."
"I'll be here again next week. I promise." He whispered.
Once her younger sister pulled back, Amora wrapped her arms around Peter for a hug too. "New Asgard is your home too, don't forget that."
Spider-Man nodded with a smile before something touched his leg. He looked to the ground and saw Fenris nudging her nose against his right leg with a sad look on her face. Hela stepped forward and patted her wolf on the head.
"She'll miss you."
He scratched the Asgardian Wolf behind the ears. "I'll miss you too, girl...I'm guessing Thor's passed out drunk again. That's why he isn't here."
"You're unfortunately right." The Goddess of Death said with a sigh. "I'll scold my brother when I visit his house later."
"Yikes. Just go easy on Thor."
"I shall try."
Spidey felt a little sorry for the God of Thunder...being reprimanded while hung over was not going to be fun. It would probably take nothing less than a firm hand to snap him out of his depression though.
"Safe journeys." Hela said, pressing her lips against Peter's cheek.
Peter embraced the Goddess of Death and kissed her on the forehead, surprising her for a moment. He wasn't so blind as to not notice how differently Hela treated him from the rest of her friends. He suspected something for a while but it was Darcy and Valkyrie who confirmed Hela's feelings. In turn, Peter really liked her too and he was more than happy to develop their friendship into something more.
He reached for both of her hands and gently held on. "I love being with you too, Hela. If you really want this...then so do I."
Her surprised expression changed into one of pure childlike joy as she smiled lovingly and nodded. It was perhaps the happiest Peter's ever seen Hela to be...and she'd never looked more beautiful.
…
Back in upstate New York...
Natasha sighed out of frustration as she read over a news article about a recent mass killing of criminals. This time, it happened in Hong Kong. Several high profile rapists and drug dealers disguised as legitimate business owners were found dead in the streets of the city. Some were shot in the head while the rest had their throats slit.
The Black Widow knew right away it was Barton's handiwork. She wasn't exactly saddened by the deaths of these criminals and it was doubtful the rest of the world would mourn them either. These people were better off dead. Natasha couldn't figure out what her old friend was trying to accomplish though. It didn't seem like Clint had a specific goal but the only way to know for certain was to find him...and that was impossible for the moment.
As a highly trained spy/assassin, Hawkeye knew how to maintain a low profile and cover his tracks well. Neither she or Jessica have made much progress in locating him. At the very least, they knew he was alive...though Natasha very much wished the same could be said for Laura and their kids.
She turned the holographic screen off and rubbed her tired eyes. It was time for her to take a break...her ass had been sitting in this chair for almost three hours. As Natasha stood up, a pair of muscular arms suddenly wrapped around her waist from behind.
"Still hard at work, I see."
Her lips curved into a warm smile as she relaxed herself in Peter's arms. "Welcome home, моя любовь. How was New Asgard?"
"It was great." He murmured. "Valkyrie and Hela send their regards."
Natasha turned around and held him close by the waist. "That's kind of them. Is Thor any better?"
"He's still the same, unfortunately. Jane did manage to get him to drink a little less this week."
"Well, a little progress is better than none. Where are Jane and Darcy anyways?"
"They were feeling a big jet-lagged so both of them went to go take a nap...and it looks like you need one too."
The skin beneath her green eyes were a little dark...she hadn't been sleeping much in the last couple of days.
"A nap sounds nice. I was just about to take a break anyways."
Peter leaned in to give her a quick kiss. "My room or yours?"
"Yours." She whispered against his lips. "Your bed is a lot more comfortable than mine."
The two Spiders held each other's hands as they headed for his quarters. Natasha gently kicked the door closed once they got inside and locked it. Spidey removed most of his clothes except for his boxers and fell backwards onto his bed. The coolness of the soft fabric felt so comfortable. He turned to look at the Black Widow...who was stripping down to her underwear. Peter's eyes stayed glued to Natasha as he admired all of her features, from her smooth pale skin to the gorgeous curves of her body.
"Enjoying the show, Peter?" She teasingly asked, having noticed his unblinking gaze.
His cheeks blushed a twinge of red. "I'd be lying if I said no. Sorry, I didn't mean to stare."
'It's fine. You're the only man I want looking at me anyways."
Natasha slipped beneath the large blanket and snuggled into Peter's side. His fingers ran through her soft hair. The colour was her natural red once again but the ends of her locks were still dyed blonde.
"Where did Jessica go? I didn't see her when we got back."
"Jessica went to the memorial in Central Park." She said, placing her hand on his chest. "She'll be back in time for dinner."
Knowing her, the private detective probably also took an unopened bottle of whiskey too so she could give a toast to her fallen friends. He had gone with her before to pay his respects to the other Defenders and they always shared a drink in their honour.
Spidey moved to lay down on his side and looked into her eyes. "Any luck finding Hawkeye yet?"
A weary sigh escaped her lips. "No. Clint killed some criminals in Hong Kong recently but he quickly disappeared again."
"...You know you're not obligated to find him, right?"
He didn't say that because of any disdain for the archer on his part. The man may have always treated him like a pesky annoyance in the past but Spidey didn't harbor any dislike for Hawkeye. He just thought it would be wise to bring up all her options on what to do with Mr. Barton...especially the ones that were the most uncomfortable to consider.
"That's true but Hawkeye's my oldest friend. He's the one who gave me a chance to be more than just a murderous tool of my government. It's only right that I return the favor...and find Clint before he loses himself completely."
Peter caressed the left cheek of her face. "I understand. If there's any way that I can help, let me know."
"I will. Thank you, Peter." Natasha said before she tilted her head up and kissed him.
Their lips stayed locked together for a long minute. When they finally parted, she laid her head down on his chest. Spidey glanced at the clock on the wall...there was still a few hours until dinner. Plenty of time for them to take a long nap.
"...Carol called earlier. She said she was coming back later this week."
"Really? That's great."
It's been almost a month since they've last seen the intergalactic heroine. Even with Nebula and Rocket helping her out in space, there was still a lot of ground Captain Marvel had to cover on her own. Thankfully, the crime rate on Earth has significantly lessened due to the Decimation and Carol was able to take the time to rest before she had to resume her heroic duties again.
The Black Widow smiled. "It'll be good to see her again. She works harder than most of us."
"Yeah...Jane and I are planning to go visit Mr. Stark tomorrow. Would you like to come too?" He asked.
"Sure. It'll be nice to get out of the Compound for a while. You know, I never thought Tony would want to live outside the city."
"Neither did I." Peter said. "But I'm guessing it was for Morgan's sake. He and Pepper wanted to be able to raise her without having to worry about the press or media hounding them."
The Black Widow nodded in agreement. "That's probably why Tony retired from being Ironman as well. The less attention he can attract, the better chance they have of living a normal life...or at least as close as they can get."
"I still laugh sometimes whenever I see Mr. Stark washing dishes or cooking. Him being domestic just seems so weird."
"I half expected him to invent something that can handle all of the cleaning and cooking in their cabin."
"What? Like a robot butler or something?"
"Exactly."
The two Spiders laughed softly at the idea. It was funny because the genius inventor would probably build something like that...if not for Pepper's strong objections. She didn't want to risk Morgan growing up to be a spoiled individual. Pepper was determined to teach her daughter the value of hard work and the best way to start that was to assign her some household chores when she was a little older.
Natasha let out a yawn before she closed her eyes. "We should bring Morgan something."
"A teddy bear seems good." Peter muttered, pecking a light kiss on her forehead. "We'll think about it later. Let's just get some rest first."
…
The next day...
Spidey watched the forest scenery go by as the Black Widow drove them to Mr. Stark's cabin. Jane was in the backseat, holding their present for Morgan in her arms...which was a huge Spider-Man plush. Darcy was the one who came up with the idea for it. She remembered that Morgan's favourite superhero was the webslinger himself and so instead of a teddy bear, they should get her a Spider-Man stuffed doll.
Everyone thought it was a good idea, although Peter was understandably a little embarrassed about it. Darcy was still feeling a little jet-lagged so she stayed behind at the Compound to hang out with Jessica.
"Jane? " Natasha called out. "Wake up. We're here."
She stirred awake from her nap. Jane had fallen asleep during the long drive here and used the plush as a comfy pillow. Peter got out of the car and took a look at the surrounding area. Mr. Stark and Pepper had certainly picked a beautiful place to live in. Their home was located far enough away from the city so they could live in peace and quiet. There was a gorgeous lake just in front of their cabin that seemed perfect for swimming in warmer weather.
Pepper exited the cabin while carrying her four year old daughter. "Hello, everyone."
"Auntie Nat!" Morgan excitedly reached out for the Black Widow.
Natasha laughed as she took the four year old girl into her arms. "My goodness, you've grown so much! What's your Mommy been feeding you?"
"A lot of veggies. They don't taste very good but Mommy says eating them will help me grow big and strong."
"And she's right. Keep eating your vegetables and it won't be long till you're taller than me."
Jane handed the Spidey plushie to Peter before she walked up to them. There was a stray piece of hair on Morgan's face and she quickly moved it away from her eyes.
"Hello, sweetheart. Do you remember me?"
Morgan nodded happily. "Of course I do, Aunt Jane!"
While Natasha and Jane played around with Morgan, the mother of the four year old girl approached Peter and gave him a warm hug. The two of them had grown more closer over the years. She wasn't trying to take the place of his aunt May but Pepper sometimes couldn't help but think of him as the son she and Tony always wanted. Peter was an excellent older brother figure to Morgan and her daughter pretty much idolized him.
"It's nice to see you again." Pepper said before she glanced at the Spider-Man plushie. "...I presume that's a present for Morgan?"
Peter's lips curved into a sheepish smirk. "Yeah. We thought it'd be nice to bring Morgan something since we haven't visited for a while."
"She'll love it. After all, you are her favourite superhero...a fact that bugs Tony to no end."
"Heh, I know. Where is Mr. Stark anyways?"
Pepper looked back to the cabin. "Tony's inside, making some chicken fettucine alfredo for everyone for lunch."
"So Mr. Stark is cooking...never thought I'd ever see the day."
"Neither did I. Before I married him, Tony only ate take-out food or at exquisite restaurants. The only appliance he ever used in his massive kitchen was the microwave."
Her daughter suddenly came running over and gave Spidey a big hug around his waist. "Hi, Peter!"
"What's up, Morgan?" He said, picking her up. "Wow! Natasha was right. You have grown a lot."
The four year old giggled. "Where have you been? I've missed you."
"I'm sorry. We've been a little busy with work lately. We have a present for you though."
"Really? What is it?"
Peter pulled out the Spider-Man plush from behind his back in a dramatic fashion before he put it into Morgan's hands. "Ta-dah! I know Spider-Man's your favourite superhero so we got your very own Spidey doll!"
Her eyes lit up in joy as she hugged the Spider-Man plushie. Jane cooed at how adorable Morgan looked cuddling with the Spider-Man doll and discretely took a photo with her phone. Natasha noticed and made a mental note to ask her for a copy later.
Morgan pecked a cute little kiss on his face. "Thank you, Peter! I love it!"
"You're very welcome, Morgan."
"Thank you all for the kind gift." Pepper said before she gathered Morgan back into her arms and nodded for them to follow her. "Tony should have lunch cooked and ready by now. Come inside."
The three of them followed her and removed their shoes before they entered the cabin. Their home may appear to be a little small from the outside but the inside was actually quite spacious. There was a distinct scent of boiled fettuccine noodles and pan-fried chicken coming from the kitchen.
"Well, it smells good so far. Let's just hope it's actually edible." Natasha muttered. Peter just quietly laughed.
"I heard that. Let me just tell you that this will be the greatest chicken fettuccine alfredo that you've ever tasted, Romanoff." Tony said, setting down two plates filled with the dish in front of the two Spiders. "Bon Appetit."
While he went to serve up a third plate for Jane, Spidey and the Black Widow began to eat. Natasha was a little surprised by how good it tasted...it seemed like Tony's cooking did improve after all. The last time he tried to make something was a simple breakfast consisting of eggs and bacon. His attempt ended up in a grease fire that nearly torched their kitchen.
She had never seen Pepper so angry before and Tony was rightfully scared for his life that day.
"Well?" The billionaire asked with a smug look in his eyes.
"Not bad, I guess." Natasha admitted before she smirked. "I better not get food poisoning later though."
Tony rolled his eyes before he looked to the others. His beautiful daughter was enjoying her food well enough. They had barely begun eating though and already there were alfredo sauce smears on Morgan's face. Pepper grabbed a clean napkin and began to wipe the sauce off their daughter's face, which wasn't easy as Morgan tried to squirm away.
"You're the best chef here, underoos. What do you think?"
Peter swallowed the bit of food in his throat before he gave his verdict. "It's good. The sauce is a little too thick and the noodles taste a bit undercooked but everything else is okay."
"Hear that? Guess you won't have to worry about food poisoning after all."
Natasha just shrugged her shoulders. "Whatever you say. I still prefer Peter's cooking to yours."
"So do I." Pepper admitted, giving her husband a small apologetic look. "Sorry, sweetheart but Peter is a much better chef than you are."
Tony clutched at his heart dramatically. "Oh, such betrayal from my own wife...but I agree. I got a lot of catching up to do if I hope to ever get to his level."
"It just takes practice. The more you cook, the more you'll improve." Spidey encouraged.
"I'll keep that in mind. So how was New Asgard?"
"It was good. The Asgardians are doing well. A lot of them have taken to fishing as a profession."
Pepper nodded thoughtfully. "From professional soldiers to simple fishermen...that's not a bad career change. What about Thor? How's he?"
At this, Jane and Peter looked at each other with a slight frown on their faces. The astrophysicist quickly swallowed the piece of chicken in her mouth and washed it down with a sip of water.
"Thor's doing a little better." She said. "I managed to get him to drink less this week...but he's still not over what happened."
Tony and Pepper were saddened to hear this. They too wished to help their friend but if even Jane wasn't able to get him to snap out of it, there wasn't much assistance either of them could really offer. Natasha had a feeling the only way to help Thor was to make him face the reality of what happened and force him to accept it so he could move on with his life.
Morgan tugged at her mother's sleeve. "What's wrong, mommy?"
"Nothing, sweetie. We're just talking about an old friend." Pepper said, picking up her daughter. "Let's get you changed. You've got alfredo sauce all over your clothes."
Tony ruffled Morgan's hair before the two of them went upstairs. His eyes turned to the fireplace briefly and noticed the space where they stored firewood was almost empty.
"I got to go chop up some more firewood. Be back in a minute." He said, leaving the table. "Feel free to make yourselves at home."
Peter leaned in and quickly kissed Natasha. "I'm going to help him."
"Be careful. Don't cut yourself by accident."
The young Spider nodded and got up from his seat to follow Tony...who had a proud grin on his face for some reason. The billionaire just kept grinning at his intern as they exited the cabin.
…
Because they couldn't find the extra axe, Peter had to resort to splitting the firewood in half with his bare hands. Apparently, Captain America did it once during the whole mess with Ultron a few years back. It wasn't difficult due to his super strength but he still wore gloves to avoid getting any splinters. Tony used the axe to help him chop up the firewood...or at least he was supposed to.
"You're starting to creep me out, Mr. Stark."
The billionaire hadn't stopped grinning at him since they came outside. "What? I'm just really proud of you, kid."
"What do you mean?"
"You and the Black Widow together...I never thought it would actually happen when I first asked you to join the Avengers. Don't think I've forgotten the fact that you're also with the Queen of Asgard and Ms. Lewis either. You lucky dog."
Peter grabbed a log and pulled it in half. "Um, yeah. I don't know why you're so surprised. I told you about this three years ago."
"True but you having three girlfriends all at once? I knew you learned something from my playboy days."
"They mean more to me than just one-time flings, Mr. Stark...and there used to be more than just three."
Tony's heart fell as he understood what his intern was talking about. Before the Decimation, Peter was also involved with the Scarlet Witch and Maria Hill romantically. Both were amongst the many victims that got erased from existence and he knew the young Spider still mourned for them.
"I know...I'm sorry, Peter." He said, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.
Spidey just nodded with a sad smile before he tore another log into two pieces with his bare hands. He may have made peace with what happened but it wasn't something he liked to think about too often. Even now, the image of Wanda dying before him still haunted his dreams.
…
- The young actress who plays Morgan is such an adorable child. It would've been nice to see her and Peter interact a little bit.
- I'm pressed for time again due to work so updates will be a little less frequent than before. Nevertheless, I hope you all liked it.