I have absolutely nothing to say in an author's note today, so enjoy the chapter I guess and I don't own Marvel. That'll do... (Thanks Nova, for saving me from my terrible grammar choises!)

TapTap

Natasha always clicked it on first. Five or six am, normally, then Bucky would help himself to some and Steve would refill as he got back from his run. By the time Claire started the coffee for Tony around ten or eleven, as many as a full dozen cups might have already have been had throughout just the private levels of the tower.

Still, clicking it back on as she descended for breakfast, after spending the morning sleeping just a bit longer than many of the tower's inhabitants, and then reading anything from medical texts and technical engineering magazines to silly romance books, that was her small, daily act of protectiveness. And considering how well she took everyone else's protective tendencies - as often as not aimed directly at her - they could just not... not take it from her.

So, it remained a fixed little ritual, running on without interruption from months before little baby Maria was born until the baby was almost a year old, and Bruce Wayne in no way understood why Bruce Banner, Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes all gave him the proverbial look of death for turning on the coffee machine, of all things, while he waited for Claire to come down to the kitchen.

He got even more puzzled as she did come down, just a few minutes later. She was clearly awake and showed no need for caffeine, but that didn't explain her scowl at the machine and the accusatory glare she proptly sent to the men across the kitchen table. She hadn't even noticed him.

Puzzled as he was, he had to laugh as all three gave near idential gestures of innocence, more intimidated than a team of superheroes should be by fifty kilograms of blond engineer. He found it adorable that they held her in such awe. That was his girl. Well, in his head, anyway. She'd made it very clear in his office just last week how they were nowhere near that yet, and they'd only been on one date since then.

He was less amused when they then immediately ratted him out, all three just pointing simultaneously without a word being spoken.

"I, press the button. I start the coffee. I have been doing so since my first day, when I bumped into Bucky in here and then had to save him from dad's yelling." Claire didn't seem outright angry, instead she levelled him with more like a sort of, "Once, I'll forgive you. Do it again and you'll be sorry," kind of look.

He did the only thing he could reasonably do and apologised profusely for this grave oversight. Claire mentally gave him points for keeping a straight face, but she didn't tell him so until several years later, when it was a bit of a moot point anyway.

He waited for a few moments to see if he was forgiven yet, for now, when Tony arrived in his usual state of unkemptness, and of course made a beeline for the coffee pot. He poured some without a word, before greeting anybody, took one sip and promptly grimaced. "Blergh. Claire," he complained. "This isn't your coffee. It's bad."

"Wayne pressed the button," The Winter Soldier and Doctor Banner immediately squealed on him, while Captain America only somewhat successfully tried to keep a straight face. Banner had (wisely) given that up and was grinning over the rim of his cup.

"Wayne!" Tony looked like he only now admitted to the other man's presence, no telling if he'd actually known he was there or not. "First you try to challenge my markets, then my clean energy, then you attempt to seduce my daughter, and now you ruin my coffee? That's over the line! I should hit you again!"

Trying to not be distracted by the clear, delighted giggles of Claire, Bruce Wayne smirked. "Really?! Out of all the things I could do that you might consider unforgivable!" He gave a slight, kind and soft laugh.

"Okay, that's enough, children." Pepper Potts had a folder in one hand, balanced against her hip, and held her girlfriend's hand in her free one. Natasha had baby Natalia Maria on her other hip.

"Need any help?" Claire hadn't quite stopped laughing, but she was popping a pop tart into the toaster. Quite a few of the Avengers assumed she had picked up the habit from Thor, nevermind that no one could recall a moment when the two had actually met.

Pepper shook her head, with a fond smile. "No, thank you. We're fine. However..." Her eyes moved over the assembled men and she smirked, making Tony frown in what could only be described as suspicion. "Since you've gathered them here so conveniently, I do want to borrow both of the billionaire geniuses..." Pepper smirked. "There are papers to sign."

Tony whined, as he might be expected to do, but Wayne merely laughed. "Well, we're here, so maybe it'd be prudent. Let's go." Pepper looked impressed with how easy he was to round up, which only made Tony less happy. He didn't stop complaining until Natasha pointed out she wanted the mother of her baby back so they'd better not delay her. They didn't.

Bravery in all honour - it takes way more stupidity than even assembled geniuses are capable of to defy the Black Widow. Or Pepper, for that matter.