The pool party broke up not long after that.

It had been a long day and even the boundless energy of the teenagers was taking a hit. Tony stayed by the pool until the last kid was out of the water, and the lifeguards were going to stay until 2 am – just in case – but he was definitely ready to call it a night. He waved Peter over as the others all headed for the locker rooms to shower and change.

"You going to bed?" he asked the boy.

"Yeah. I'll walk Shuri back to her rooms, first, though."

"Need anything?"

"Hug goodnight?"

Peter spread his arms, but Tony smirked and took a deliberate step away from him, avoiding his wet embrace, completely.

"Not a chance. Go ask mom."

The boy smiled, and shrugged.

"I'll be dry by then…"

"Go to bed, son," Tony told him. "I'll see you and Ned in the gym at nine, but tell the others we're leaving for brunch at ten, and if they miss the ride, they're walking."

"They're all going to be in the gym," Peter told him. "They want to see Natasha wipe the floor with Ned."

"Why do you think I'm going to be there?" Tony asked, amused. "I'll see you in the morning. Have Karen call if you need anything."

"I will. Night."

Tony watched him disappear into the locker room, waved goodbye to the lifeguards, and then went to check on his piglet before going to bed.

OOOOOOOOOO

Ned and Shuri were waiting for Peter in the corridor next to the locker rooms when he came out, now showered and changed into sweats and a t-shirt, with bare feet in his tennis shoes.

"Took you long enough," his friend complained. "Shuri was going to send me back in to get you."

"I thought you went to bed."

"I was keeping Shuri company." He grinned. "Tell Peter what you told me," he added to the girl.

"I should not. It might embarrass him."

"It won't."

"What are you two talking about?" Peter asked, curiously.

"Betty thinks you're hot."

"She did not say that," Shuri corrected with a smile, as they turned to go toward the VIP rooms. "She mentioned that you are very well proportioned, and wondered how many sit ups you do every morning."

"She was checking out your abs," Ned said, smirking. He looked down at himself. "I need better abs."

"You look good," Shuri assured him.

He'd lost a lot of weight since Peter had been adopted by Tony. Mainly because his friend was more active, now, and there was a lot more to do at the compound than there was to do at Ned's place. Video games were still the primary source of entertainment – especially when Ned came to visit – but they definitely moved a lot more than before.

"Of course I do," Ned replied. "I'm a ninja." He looked at Peter. "Need me for anything?"

"No."

"Then I'm going to bed."

"You could walk with us," Peter pointed out.

"Nope. I'm going to stop in the lounge, first, and see if there's any more birthday cake."

Swimming was hungry work, after all.

They watched him walk down the corridor away from them, and Shuri smiled at Peter.

"He was keeping me company while we waited for you."

"He's a good guy."

"Yes." They turned and started walking toward the VIP rooms that were her usual quarters when she was at the compound. "Ned told me that your friend Flash has expressed an interest in pursuing a relationship with me."

Peter shrugged.

"Don't worry; he's a spoiled jerk, but he's not stupid enough to do something inappropriate."

The princess smiled.

"What if I wanted him to do something inappropriate?"

He couldn't help the missed step; he was that surprised. Peter stumbled, but was agile enough to catch himself, and looked at her, quickly. Her amused smile made him realize that she hadn't meant it.

"That's not funny," he grumbled.

"It was," she disagreed, smirking. "You should have seen your expression."

"You can do better than a self-centered jerk."

"Of course, I can." She hesitated, and then took his hand. "Come with me."

Without another word she led him to the closest door and ducked into the small supply closet that they'd been next to. Then she closed the door behind him, even as she turned on the light.

"What are-"

Shuri cut him off with a kiss. Nothing crazy and there was no groping, or anything like that, but even Peter with his infinite lack of experience knew that it was a real kiss, and not something shared between two friends. She pressed her lips against his for a full five count before stepping back, her eyes locked onto his, her expression amused and somewhat defiant.

"You are driving me crazy, Peter Parker," she told him, firmly. "I understand that you are a clueless boy. I do. But I like you, and I think you like me, and I am not willing to deal with uncertainty, any longer. Definitely not on my birthday."

"Oh." There was a gentle tap on the door, and Peter flinched, startled, looking guilty. "We can't stay in here…"

She smiled.

"Afraid I will sully your reputation?"

"I don't have a reputation to sully," he told her, also smiling. He reached for the door handle, looking around, quickly, and also grabbing a roll of toilet paper – which he shoved at her. "Take that."

She took it, automatically, and Peter opened the door, just as Shuri's Wakandan security shadow had raised her hand to knock on the door of the closet, again. The woman was startled, taking a step back as Peter stepped out of the closet.

"She's out of TP," he explained, rolling his eyes. "I don't know how she used so much," he added, amused at the look Shuri was giving him, but forcing himself not to smile. "It's like she thinks it grows on trees, or something."

"I see."

Shuri handed the roll of toilet paper back to Peter to carry. Princesses didn't carry such items, after all.

"We are going to my quarters, now," she told her security guard. She reached for Peter's free hand and they started walking, again, while the woman allowed them to get a little ahead of her, once more. "Well?"

"Well, what?"

"Are you being obtuse on purpose?"

"You mean the kiss?"

She didn't miss the way he practically whispered the last word.

"Yes," Shuri said. "The kiss. And the rest of it – including what I said. Do you like me? As more than a friend," she added, knowing that he was going to tell her that he liked her, because she knew that he was already her friend.

He hesitated, but only because he couldn't believe they were actually having this conversation. Especially in a hallway at the compound where every security camera – and FRIDAY and KAREN could pick it up, so it certainly wasn't going to be a secret.

"Yes. I do."

His ears were red, she noticed, when she looked side-long at him, but he had a slight smile on his face even though he wasn't looking at her. Rather, he was watching where they were going. They were both silent as they walked the rest of the short distance to her quarters, and Peter opened her door for her.

"Aren't you coming in?" she asked when he stopped at the doorway.

"Can't," Peter reminded her. "No boys in the girls' rooms. Those are the rules."

"You've been in my quarters many times," she reminded him.

"I know." He handed her the toilet paper roll. "But if it applies to the others, then it has to apply to me, too. It's only fair."

She rolled her eyes at that, but didn't argue.

"Thank you for the birthday party."

Peter smiled.

"I'm glad you came. I had a good time."

Before he could say anything else, she kissed him, again, fully on the mouth and in front of her security shadow.

"We will talk more in the morning."

Then she closed the door in his face.

Peter stood rooted to the spot, staring at the wood, and jumped when he heard the sound of someone clearing their throat. He looked over at the guard, sheepishly.

"Oh. Right. Well, see you tomorrow."

Presuming T'Challa didn't hear about what happened and send assassins to murder him in his bed.

With that firmly in mind – although he knew no one could get past Natasha to get to him – he slunk away and went to his own quarters, wondering if he should tell Tony and Pepper what happened.