"You've got to be joking…"

Peter allowed his eyes to become big and hopeful – not something he was good at doing on purpose, but it didn't matter, because it worked.

"He's not that big. He probably wouldn't take up too much space. Valkyrie could tell us what it needs to eat – and mom had a horse, right? She could help."

"You're allergic to horses."

"Not magical ones."

Tony looked over at Pepper, clearly wanting some help. She was carefully schooling her features, however; every skill she'd ever used to negotiate multi-billion dollar deals now keeping her from showing anything more than casual interest – and just the smallest amount of concern. It silently told Stark that he was on his own, this time. She had already played the bad guy – and it was her birthday.

"What would you do with him?"

"Well… at the moment I'm not allowed to drive," he reminded him. "I need some way to get from point A to point B."

"And you don't think a flying horse would stand out?"

"Maybe a little," Peter conceded, leaning against the pristine white hide of the Pegasus's shoulder.

He was trying to keep his expression hopeful, but was having a little more trouble keeping from smiling at the look Tony was giving him. A look that alternated between the boy and the horse several times.

"Maybe a lot," Tony corrected.

Valkyrie smirked, not at all annoyed at the scene playing out in front of her. She was very much aware that the boy didn't truly want to keep the Pegasus. And that even if he did, the animal wouldn't stay on Earth. Despite the way it seemed to be enthralled with the boy in a manner that she'd never witnessed, before.

Peter smiled, finally unable to keep a straight face any longer, and Tony rolled his eyes, realizing, then, that the boy was playing him. He reached out and lovingly cuffed him on the back of the head, and Peter laughed. He could have avoided the blow; he'd seen it coming a mile away, after all, but it hadn't hurt, and he stepped into it, and felt Tony put his arms around him, roughly – although he was careful with that injured hand.

"A lot," he agreed. "And much more responsibility than I want to take on."

"Pepper could have helped, I suppose." Tony hugged Peter close for just a moment, and gave his wife – and Stephen – both a look. A look that was answered by twin expressions of innocence. Both had to know that he had probably not been too far from actually debating the whole ridiculous idea. Maybe letting the thing stay in a makeshift barn for a week or two, until Peter was better, and realized how little time he had to own a horse. Flying or otherwise. "She put you up to this? Or was it Stephen? Who am I going to have to thank for the newest gray hair that will almost certainly show up any moment?"

"What…?" Peter's expression was innocence personified as he stepped away. "I would never reveal my collaborators."

"Uh-huh." He shook his head, pleased at the good mood prevailing over the compound. The birthday barbeque had been a great idea – if he did say so himself. "Thor? You guys need anything?"

The god of Thunder smirked at the question. He and the Asgard had been around long before Tony Stark and the avengers, hadn't they? He shook his head, though, taking the question for what it had meant. A casual reminder of their friendship and the fact that they were, indeed, allies.

"We have all we need," he assured him, before turning to Pepper and pulling her into a hug. "Unless your wife wants to come grace our halls with her presence?"

Pepper laughed and hugged him, close.

"Not right now," she replied. "We still have things to do, here. And I have to work, tomorrow. Since you don't know how to forecast a business model into a billion-dollar company, I'm going to have to do it, myself. Thank you for coming, though. It was amazing. Your people are amazing."

He smiled as he let her go. He was proud of the people of his world, and liked it when they were complimented. Especially when it was by someone he respected so much.

"You are welcome."

Most of the Asgardians had already returned home. The earth was a nice place, and the food had been good (plain, really, but the good company had seasoned it enough to make it palatable) but they had things to do, themselves. Things that didn't have anything to do with Pepper's birthday. That had been more for Peter, really, in celebration of what he had done.

"Let me get the polymorph," Tony said, looking at Peter to make sure he didn't look too tired to deal with another one of the infinity stones. He looked fine. A little tired, of course, but that wasn't because of the day's events. "I'll be right back."

Strange looked at Thor.

"Do you have something to transport it in?"

The god frowned. He hadn't really thought of that, had he? He could touch the thing and survive – most likely – but he didn't really feel like dealing with the pain that it would still put him through.

"If you return me to Asgard I will bring a device."

"Here," Wong said, holding out his hand. "This will work."

It was a small chunk of vibranium with a hollowed center.

"Is that a polymorph?" Peter asked, curiously, stepping away from the Pegasus to look – much to the animal's disappointment.

"Similar. I haven't studied yours long enough to recreate it." The magician shrugged. "It will do to get the space stone back where it belongs"

"Thank you," Thor told him, taking it. He looked at Peter. "Is there anything that you need?" he asked, taking a page out of Stark's book, but certain he already knew the answer.

"I'm set," the boy replied. "Thank you, though." He looked at Valkyrie. "And thank you for letting me ride your flying horse."

The woman smiled, charmed by the boy – and allowing it to show.

"I did not allow it," she told him, truthfully. "If he didn't want to bear you, nothing I could say would make him. But you're welcome. When you come visit Asgard, next, send word and I will make sure to be available so you can have another ride."

Peter's eyes lit up at that.

"Thanks."

"Provided Loki is elsewhere," Wong added.

Thor nodded, noticing that Tony was returning.

"True."

No sense putting the boy too close to his brother, after all.

Vision had been sitting at a table talking to Natasha, Bruce and Wanda, as well as the guardians, but now all of them walked over to see the Asgardians off. Peter took off the brace that covered his hand, and then took the Wakandan creation from his father.

"Ready?" he asked Thor.

"Yes."

A moment later the polymorph shifted, and the space stone made an appearance. Thor moved the smaller container into position and the stone was dropped into the hollowed center.

"What will you do with the others?" Valkyrie asked, curiously.

"We're not sure, yet," Tony admitted, as Peter closed the polymorph once more and tucked it under his arm so Stephen could help him with his brace. "Get them off the planet as soon as possible."

"If you need anything, let us know," Thor told him, looking at Strange, to let him know they were ready.

He wasn't big on goodbyes, after all.

The sorcerer supreme stepped up and made sure everyone was clear, then moved his hand in a circle in the air. A moment later a large portal was formed and waiting to send them home.

Peter slapped the pristine white neck of the Pegasus, and then went to stand between Pepper and Tony. The horse whinnied a low noise as it left, following Valkyrie and Thor turned and looked around at the assembled Avengers before turning to Tony and Pepper and their son.

"Next time, we'll have the party in Asgard."

Then he left, and the portal closed behind him.

"That was fun," Tony said, slapping Peter's shoulder and taking the polymorph back. "I'm going to take this back where it belongs and I'll meet you guys inside."

"Yeah."

"What are we doing?" Pepper asked, curiously.

She had thought the day was done.

"We still have to have cake," Peter pointed out.

Among other things.