"I don't understand the game…" Rocket said, frowning as well as a racoon could. "It's make believe?"

"Yep."

"I am groot?"

Tony looked at Rocket, but it was Quill who replied.

"No. you don't really fight dragons or spend any time in dungeons. It's like a choose your own adventure book."

"Do they have those in space?" Peter asked, still waking up but definitely following the conversation that he'd only just joined when he'd moved from the sofa that he'd been napping on over to the table that the guardians were sitting at with the others.

He didn't know how long he'd been asleep, but when he'd woken, Tony and the others weren't playing cards, anymore. Instead Tony was explaining D&D to the guardians (aside from Peter, who apparently already knew what it was) and Gamora, who looked disinterested. The others were listening to the explanation with varying expressions. With Nutmeg still tucked into his sling, and the cloak wrapped loosely around his shoulders, the boy had walked over to join them, sitting beside Pepper and leaning against her shoulder, sleepily.

"No, but I used to read them when I was a kid," Quill told the boy. "Drove me crazy when I'd make the wrong choice and die."

"Then they're a lot like that," Tony agreed – having never read a choose your own adventure book, himself. "You and your group decide what you want to do and how you want to handle the problems that I – as the dungeon master – bring up while you're traveling. Or hanging out in a perfectly good tavern minding your own business."

"He's pretty good at storytelling," Natasha confirmed.

"You don't have to play, though," Tony assured them. "We just didn't want you to feel left out."

"I am groot."

Tony looked at Quill for the translation.

"He wants to play. So do I."

Sirah shook her head when they looked at her, as did Gamora. Drax nodded and Mantis shrugged, always willing to try new things when invited to do so – and she could tell they were sincere in their invitation.

"We can help you make your character," Peter offered, sitting a little more upright – although he still looked tired.

"I'm going to leave you to it," Tony told them all. "If you want more than 'see Dick run… Run, Dick, run…' I'd probably better go get the campaign finished."

"What do we need?" Rocket asked, curiously.

He hadn't exactly committed to playing, yet, but it was interesting enough that he didn't say no right off the bat, either.

"First, you guys have to decide what kind of character you want to play… what race, and what their talent is – and you need to decide their alignment." He looked at Stephen, who had been watching the gathering with a mixture of amusement and maybe a little disbelief at what they were doing. Teaching aliens how to play D&D had to be something that Wong should be there to see. "We could probably find them figurines, right? I have dice enough for everyone to have a new set of their own and plenty of character sheets."

Meaning that he was hoping the sorcerer would be willing to gather the figurines magically, once they knew what they wanted. Strange nodded.

"I don't see why not."

"I wish I had brought my things…" Shuri said, excitedly. "It didn't occur to me to bring them when I came."

"Because you aren't a nerd, yet," Peter told her. "Ned would have packed his, first thing." He looked at his watch and then hopefully at Pepper. "Could we invite him out to play?" he asked, hopefully. "Just D&D, not even to spend the night, if you don't want…"

She frowned, glancing at the sorcerer supreme.

"What do you think, Stephen? Would he be too much for Peter to handle, right now?"

The boy turned his gaze to the doctor, as well, and Strange gave a purely inward groan at the hope he could see in Peter's tired expression. It was probably a bad idea; Ned wasn't very restful a visitor and Peter and he had a lot of catching up to do – catching up that Ned would almost certainly pester his friend to hear. Peter wasn't ready for a night with Ned, but the doctor wasn't willing to say no to him.

"You might call and see if his mother would let him come out – for a few hours."

Peter smiled.

"Wow. Thanks."

"He could stay the night," Natasha said. "When Peter starts flagging, the rest of us can keep him company and distracted so he doesn't get bored. And Peter won't let him keep him up all night, right?" she asked, pointedly.

"Yeah. No. I'll sleep. He'll understand."

"If his mother doesn't mind," Pepper reminded them all. "Might wait and see if she needs him for anything before you make plans."

"I'll call him right now," Peter said.

"Tell them I'll come get him, now, if he can," Romanoff offered.

"I could go," Strange told her.

Of course, he could make it happen the easy way – with a portal – but Ned's mother might wonder how they managed to get her son to the compound so quickly, or want to walk them down to the car.

Natasha smirked.

"You have to help Peter and Shuri explain all the different options these guys have for characters. Besides, it'll give me a chance to talk to Ned. I haven't had him to myself for a while."

And she could remind the other boy that he needed to be a little less animated – to keep Peter from overdoing anything during his visit.

Stephen rolled his eyes.

"Fine."

Peter got to his feet, looking happier than he had in days, really – aside from the dance.

"I'll go call him, now."

He'd left his phone in his room.

"I'll come with you," Natasha said, getting up, as well. "Then I can head out from there."

"D&D after dinner," Pepper reminded her. "So there isn't any hurry." She looked at Shuri as the other two left. "Maybe Stephen would be willing to make a portal for you, so you can get your things," she told the girl, loudly enough for Strange to hear. "If you ask, nicely."

Shuri smiled, looking at the magician.

"I would really appreciate it, Doctor Strange," she said, hopefully. "Then I would not have to roll a new character – and I can keep up with Ned and Peter's guys."

The sorcerer shook his head, ruefully, but he wasn't about to say no to the girl. He knew what she'd done to help the Avengers and the earth, as well as helping to heal Peter's injuries in those terrible first days after the snap had happened. A portal was a small way to begin paying her back for that.

"I think that could be arranged," he agreed. "If Natasha returns with Ned in time, he can help finish up with these folks, and I'll help you get your things."

"Thank you."

"You know Ned's mother will allow him to come," Pepper told Stephen. "Especially if Peter asks her."

"Yes. I'm aware." He didn't have anything to say about that; he hadn't been able to say no to the boy, either. "We'll figure it out."

"I'll go tell Tony."

OOOOOOO

"Stephen's on board with this?"

"He couldn't say no."

"And you couldn't, either?"

Pepper gave her husband a look. One he was incredibly used to, but that she saved only for special occasions, now.

"You want to go tell him that he can't have Ned come?" she asked. "Especially since his mother has already said that Ned can come, and Natasha is already leaving the compound to go get her?"

Tony held up his hands in surrender.

"Of course not. But Stephen's going to stick around, right? Just in case?"

"Nothing is going to happen," Pepper assured him. "He suggested that we keep dinner simple and filling and that you keep the campaign a little shorter and less complicated than your usual fare."

"I can do that." It worked out better for him, that way, really. "We'll figure dinner when Ned gets here, and D&D after. He's staying the night?"

"Yes. Not in Peter's room," she added, before he could suggest it.

"Right. Maybe brunch, tomorrow, if he's feeling up to it. To get him back to some normalcy."

And they'd missed a couple of Sundays, now.

"That sounds like a plan."

"Go away, woman," Tony told her, waving her out of his workroom with a faux dismissive shooing motion. "I have adventure to create."

Pepper cocked an eyebrow at him.

"I'll remind you now that if my little elf dies in your campaign, you're sleeping in here, tonight…"

"Yes, dear."