"Couldn't get a canvas big enough?" Fury greets Aunt May as he pulls up a chair next to the two children's guardians.

Tony had thought a bit longer than he usually would have on how to best allow Elli to finger paint with the big guy. There wasn't a lot of open space at the tower where the two could spread out and make a mess. The lab was off-limits as there was too much delicate, Bruce and Pepper would kill Tony if Hulk destroyed them, machinery in there. And Tony wasn't too keen on having paint all over his living area.

So, Pepper checked SI's assets and selected one of the currently empty warehouses near New York. It was three stories with rows of shelving that Tony had taken down and a slim catwalk running against the walls. A cleaning crew swept the place for loose nails before every surface, except for the floor, was painted white. The room was left a blank, fresh canvas for three pairs of hands to blemish as they pleased.

"I could have had one made, or just gotten a large bedsheet. But," Tony gestures to where Hulk is currently slapping paint on the wall, "I figured brick and steel might hold up better than fabric against Jolly Green over there."

Fury raises an eyebrow as cracks form around one of the giant man's bright green handprints as he continues to smack the wall with paint.

"That is a fair point."

"Thank you again for inviting us, Tony." Aunt May smiles brightly. "Peter has been so excited and spent all last night trying to figure out what to paint. He has never been very interested in art, but maybe this will spark more of his creative side."

Despite having extensive access to May's paints and tools, Peter had never shown any interest in art, much to May's well-hidden disappointment. While she would love to have something in common with the boy who was her son in all but blood, to be able to teach him her craft, she was willing to accept the boy's interests did not align with her own. She made sure to help him pursue his own interests, and by doing so, she discovered a passion for Legos herself. The tiny bricks had many creative possibilities she never thought of before she began building with Peter while watching cartoons on Saturday mornings.

When May had asked Peter if he wanted to paint with Elli, he was more than willing. She was one of his best friends, anything with Elli is fun. But when she told him Hulk was going to paint with them, he had been chattering with excitement the entire weekend.

"It is no problem at all, May." Tony had conceded to calling the woman by her first name only after he had stopped calling him Mr. Stark. "Peter is welcome to join anytime. Thank you for letting him come."

"I really appreciate the invite anyways." May snaps another photo on one of the StarkPhones that Tony had insisted on giving the Parker couple. He had finally gotten them to accept on the basis of Peter and Eleanor's security, as some might try to take advantage of his daughter and her friend should the truth of Elli's existence be discovered from a security flaw. All of his technology was nearly unhackable. "Elli is a good girl, and it is easy to see where her kindness comes from. Ben and I really appreciate the extra effort you took to make Peter feel included."

The genius only hums at the continued praise and fidgets with his hands as Fury chuckles to himself. The elder Stark had never been very good at accepting kind words of thanks.

"Ms. Widow, can you make me go higher?" Peter adjusted his glasses as he looked down at the superhero belaying for the nine-year-old boy.

"Of course, ditya." Pulling on the rope, the pulley system Tony had set up the night before lifted the child to a blank spot on the wall. "Do you have enough paint?"

Peter had several small buckets with him, rather than just suspending the boy in the air like a rock climber, JARVIS and Tony had whipped up a seat with storage for brushes. Small paint cans hung on either side of the young boy.

"Can I have more blue?"

"Peter, it's may I have more blue. And don't forget to say please!" Aunt May's voice carries across the warehouse.

"Sorry, Aunt May!" Peter leans as far as the straps across his chest will let him. "May I have more blue paint, please?"

Natasha nods as Peter dips his fingers into the red paint to trace the outline of a spider on the wall.

"Zvyozdochka, can you bring some paint to Peter?" The assassin calls up to the ethereal child who was currently coating an entire corner of the wall in pink flowers.

Elli zooms over to her daddy, who oversaw distributing the paint as necessary. Her energy dissipates at the sight of Fury, bouncing over to him as though she were a non-superpowered child.

"Papa! You're here! Do you want to paint too?" The superspy smiles at the child, covered nearly head to toe in paint, her grin making him chuckle as she is currently missing her front two teeth.

"I think I'm content to just watch, for now, baby girl." Fury reaches forward and dips a single finger in the nearest bucket. "But you missed a spot."

Elli erupts into a fit of giggles as the super spy scoops her up and smears gold paint onto her nose. Wiggling to face him, Elli accepts the challenge and places her hands on both his cheeks, leaving small pastel pink handprints.

"Hulk want green." Elli floats out of her Papa's arms as the Hulk stomps over to where the buckets of paints are. Tony curses inwardly as he looks inside the paint bucket.

"How about some purple?" Elli nods, purple would look good with green.

"Hulk want green."

"Big guy, I think you used all the green." Tony tipped the bucket over causing the last of the bright green color to trickle out onto the warehouse floor.

"HULK WANT GREEN!"

"Bud, you used three eight-gallon buckets of green." Most of that was on the floor or currently on the Hulk himself. Tony wonders if he really is a genius, he should have guessed a big green monster would only go for one color. "I don't have anymore."

"GREEN!" Hulk stomps his foot as Aunt May stands up.

"Now, now. Let's not get upset. It's alright." Despite the stomping shaking the floor beneath her, May continued to walk toward the strongest Avenger. "There's a solution to most things, you just have to be calm enough to think about it."

May pats the Hulk on the back as the rage monster takes a few breaths, rubbing soothing circles before picking up a half-empty bucket of yellow paint and dumping it into blue.

Tony raises an eyebrow at May as Elli and Hulk watch. After she is done, May screws the lid on tight.

"I worked in a paint shop in high school, we might not have a machine but I think we'll be fine without it. Now, Hulk." May gestures to the bucket. "I need you to shake this back and forth for about a minute. Careful not to open it."

Hulk picks up the bucket as delicately as a raging giant can. He lifts it above his head and shakes it back and forth before May tells him to put the paint down. Popping the lid off, May smiles as the giant scoops the bucket back up.

"Green!" Hulk takes the entire bucket with him, bouncing over to the wall and leaving small splatters on the ground behind him.

"Daddy we learned that last year!" Elli takes a smaller bucket and waits for her daddy to fill it with blue paint for Peter. "Blue and yellow are primary colors! And when you mix them, you can make green!"

"That is incredible, pumpkin." Tony finishes filling the blue. "Peter's aunt is pretty smart, huh?"

"Yep!" Elli begins to glow again as she floats up to Peter.

"Thanks, May." Tony looks around at the different buckets and pulled out his phone.

"Glad we could avoid a meltdown." May chuckles as she sits down in her seat. "Not sure if I would have been ready for a Hulk-sized one."

"You handled him well. If need be, we have the Hulk buster and Natasha to handle any tantrums." Tony collapses into his chair. "But I'm still going to have Happy pick up some more paint."

A deep, throaty, honest giggle makes the three pause as the Hulk lifts the bucket and dumps it over his head. He smears the color over his already green arms before pressing his body against the wall.

"Cool!" Elli is back down by the paints in a blink of an eye, a glow lifting a bucket of paint into the air before the youngest Stark is covered in reactor-blue colored paint. Droplets land everywhere as Elli flies to where Hulk is standing and plasters herself against the wall next to him.

"Aw, Aunt May can I do that too?" Peter leans over in his seat as Natasha lowers him down. "Please!"

Reluctantly, May nods her head.

"More paint is probably a good idea." May covers her mouth as Elli lifts another bucket of red. "And maybe a hose."

"Showers are through that door." Tony runs a hand down his face as he texts Happy to double that order. "Thank god this stuff is non-toxic."

It had been expensive, but Tony made sure to get the even if you drink me, you won't die paint. If only to keep the Hulk from getting a stomachache. Peter uncovers his eyes as Natasha finishes helping Elli pour some blue paint over him as well. Giggles escape both children as the Hulk picks them up by the waist, gently pressing all three against a clean wall.

"Daddy! You should do red and gold!" Tony frowns before groaning as Peter agrees.

"Fine, fine, fine." The billionaire has barely stood up before the Hulk has thrown red paint all over him. Tony takes off his Stark Glasses before shaking the paint off his hands. "Oh, is that how you want to play, big guy?"

Tony takes a smaller bucket filling it with yellow paint, swinging it at Jolly Green but splattering Natasha by mistake.

"Oops! Sorry!" Tony pauses. "Wait, why didn't you dodge that?"

"What fun is a paint war if you don't get hit at least once?" The Black Widow picked up one of Peter's small buckets, dipping her hands into orange color, a smirk etching its way onto her features. Elli and Peter cheer before teaming up against the three superheroes.

"How about we move to higher ground?" Aunt May and Fury climb the stairs to one of the few balconies, semi-safe from the flying paint below.