"This was a wonderful opportunity."
Tony gave the chaperones that were gathered around him a polite smile – careful that it was his polite one and not the sarcastic one that came far more easily.
"It was our pleasure," he assured the man who had spoken up, automatically looking for Peter in the crowded lounge and finding him standing near the bar chatting with Deena.
She and a couple of assistants were serving drinks to the decathlon participants as they gathered in the lounge for some last-minute socializing with the Avengers before they returned to their hotel. Secure in the knowledge that the boy was fine, he turned his attention back to the adults. Not all of the chaperones were standing with him; there was a crowd around Steve Rogers, of course, and several talking to Natasha and Clint, as well. Of course, there were also a lot of teens around all of them, as well, since this was going to be their last chance to hang out like this before the competition really started.
"It is an impressive place," one of the men from Australia said, looking around them. "But how do you handle such a long commute each day?"
"It's an easy drive," Tony said, wondering how ridiculous he'd sound if he tried to do an Australian accent. It sounded great on the man he was speaking to, - and enchanting on the woman standing beside him – but he had a feeling he couldn't pull it off without a lot of practice. "And if we don't want to drive, we can always fly out, since Stark Tower has a heli-pad."
"You take the jet we saw outside?" one of the Chinese men asked.
"Nothing so ostentatious," Stark replied with another smile. "We have a helicopter."
"That must be exciting for Peter…"
A shrug and another glance toward the boy before he replied.
"It's old hat to him."
"Why not live closer to the city?" another asked. "Where it's more convenient?"
"Because the Avengers live here," Tony said. "He was fairly clear about where he wanted to live." Before they could ask him any more questions about things that were either more personal than he wanted to share – or security issues that were better left unvoiced – Tony shrugged, slightly. "If you'll excuse me," he said. "I need to go speak with some of the security folks. Please, enjoy yourselves."
He didn't wait for them to say their farewells, instead breaking from the group and going over to stand near Nick, who was talking to Barnes.
"How's it going, Tony?" Fury asked as he approached.
"I was going to ask you that same question," Stark said. "Anything we need to worry about?"
"Looks clear," Barnes replied before Nick could hand the question over to him. "A few kids where they probably shouldn't be, but mistakes that are probably just a wrong turn looking for a bathroom, or something."
"We're sure?"
"We're not going to waterboard them to find out," Nick said, good-naturedly. Tony decided that he was in a good mood because the day tour was almost over. "But we're keeping an eye on things."
"Thanks."
Nick knew he meant more than just giving him an update. He nodded.
"You're welcome. Are you seeing anything troubling?"
"I'm seeing my son trying to juggle limes," Tony said, making all three men look back over toward the bar.
Peter wasn't the only one trying to juggle fruit; Ned and one of the British boys were all holding limes – probably given to them by one of the bartenders, but you never knew. Several of the others were watching and laughing when a fruit would go the wrong direction and pose a threat to hitting someone, or falling on the floor, but it looked like they were having a good time.
A good enough time that Tony didn't even consider going over and making them stop. It was fruit, after all. Not knives, or chainsaws.
"We miss having him around here," Nick said.
"You're just tired of wrangling his cat."
"That, too." A quick glance showed that the Flerkin was sitting on his cat tree, watching everything going on from his lofty perch, but clearly not willing or interested in joining so many young people. He liked being cuddled but had quickly escaped the clutches of the girl Ned had handed him to, earlier, and had retreated to his tree to stay out of reach. "I'm just hoping he doesn't decide someone is annoying and eats them."
Barnes snorted, amused, and Tony smirked because no one had yet told the Winter Soldier about Nutmeg's true nature. What to him was a ludicrous threat was more a possibility than he knew – although none of them were too concerned. This wasn't the same as if there was a real danger to Peter or the compound, after all.
"I think we're alright." Tony looked at his nearly full glass of tea (not alcohol) and shrugged.
"I'm going to go freshen my drink."
Meaning he wanted to go chat with Peter – and maybe Ned.
"You do that."
Nick wasn't fooled.
OOOOOOOOO
The drive back to the hotel was noisier than the trip to the compound had been, but now the kids weren't asking Peter and the others about the compound. Instead they were sharing stories about their time at the compound – although all of them had been there and they'd all done pretty much the exact same things. They were also sorting through all the photos that they'd taken and were already beginning tp post them to their social media, bragging to their friends and families back home about spending the day hanging out with the Avengers – and tagging the photos that they had to prove it.
"That was pretty fun," Ned said, turning in the seat to look back at Peter, who was beside MJ in the suburban. "We should do it, again, sometime."
"Have total strangers out to the compound once a week, or something?" Peter asked, grinning. "I think you know what Nick would say to that."
"Yeah." Ned smiled, too. "It definitely gives us a lot of street cred…"
"True." Not something either of them had had a lot of, before, really. Not even two years ago. "It'd be interesting to find out how many of the pictures they post are going to survive Friday's scans…"
"Probably more than you think," MJ said. "I know they weren't going anywhere they shouldn't be."
"Too bad the Hulk didn't show up…"
Peter rolled his eyes.
"I'm thinking it's just as well that he didn't."
Bruce had actually been around, but his green alter ego had been carefully kept away from things. Not for fear that something would go wrong – Bruce had total control, still, and it looked as if he would forever – but because it would just be too much for some of the kids (or adults) who were fainter at heart to handle.
"It's too bad Tony wouldn't let you drive us back in your car," MJ said, smirking.
"True."
"When are you giving Nico the letter?" Ned asked, a little quieter, even though none of the Japanese kids were in the car with them to overhear.
"I don't know. Maybe when things are done. That way it's not a distraction."
"Good idea."
OOOOOOOOOOOO
"So they're heading back?"
Tony nodded, although that was a little tricky when he was wearing the Ironman helmet – which he was just then since he was flying back to the tower. He could have just driven, but since it would have been a solo drive there wasn't really a reason to do that. Instead, he'd waited until the small caravan of black SUVs had turned off the service road and onto the highway, and had then gone Ironman and launched himself into the air. Then he'd had FRIDAY call Pepper.
"They are. They had a good time and were properly impressed, but Nick was ready to send them on their way, so I didn't suggest inviting them all too dinner."
"Did Peter have a good time?"
"He did. He told me to tell you that he'll call, tonight, and check in on you."
That made Pepper smile.
"They start their competition, tomorrow," she reminded him. "We won't make an appearance in the preliminaries, but if they make the finals we should go."
"And we will," he approved. "They'll make the finals," he added, dodging a flock of geese that were coming at him before they lost a game of chicken they didn't know they were playing. "They're the home team, right? They have the advantage."
"I don't think that it works that way in intellectual competitions," she told him. "How long until you get here?"
"Seven minutes, or so."
"Good. We have a meeting at three."
"What?" he made a garbling noise with his lips and tongue. "I'm sorry, I can't hear you. You must be cutting out…"
That earned him a smirk.
"Friday? Make sure he makes his meeting, please."
"Will do."
Tony rolled his eyes, but he didn't argue.
"I'll see you, soon."
"Fly safe."