"Uncle Tony..."
"What is it Munchkin?"
"Why do you call me Munchkin?"
"Because you're short"
"Am not!"
"You are compared to everyone else, Munchkin"
"Oh..."
The young girl contemplated the thought seriously, tilting her head to the side and looking very serious. Tony stifled his laughter as the four year old considered the information.
"Do you have another name for Oliver?"
"It's not 'another name', its a nickname"
"Whats a nickname?"
"It's something that the people that love you call you instead of your real name"
"Okay. What's Oliver's nickname?"
"I call him Bubba"
"Why Bubba?"
"Because he's my baby"
"What about Jacob?"
"He's called Junior"
"Why?"
"Because your Aunt Pepper wouldn't let me call him Tony"
"Do you have a nickname for Lexie?"
"You all have nicknames munchkin. I call Lex Firecracker"
"Firecracker? Why?"
"Because of her red curly hair"
"But me and mommy have red curly hair too"
"Yeah but your mom has a different nickname and Lexie is older than you; she got the nickname first"
"What about Elijah and Henry?"
"Scooby and Scrappy"
"Which is which?"
"What do you think?"
"Is Henry Scrappy?"
"You got it munchkin"
"Why do you call them that?"
"Your mom wouldn't let me call them 'Tweedledum' and 'Tweedledee'"
Cecelia smiled up at her uncle, stopping her coloring and walking over to where he sat on the couch.
"What do you call Evie?"
"Spiderling"
"What's that mean?"
"Baby spider"
"Why do you call her that?"
"That's what your mom and dad call her"
"No it isn't"
"Yes it is"
"Is not!"
"Is too!"
"Not!"
"Too!"
"They call her Лингпаука"
"They mean the same thing 'Tonia"
"Uncle Tony, why do you sometimes call me Antonia?"
"Your dad lost a bet"
"But my name is Cecelia"
"Not really"
"Yes it is. Ask my mom"
"Your mom is wrong"
Cecelia gasped; "But my mommy is never wrong"
"Munchkin, your name is secretly Antonia, okay?"
The little red headed girl contemplated that for a moment and then nodded. "But I like Cecelia"
"Its okay, other people are still going to call you that"
"Like a nickname?"
"Exactly! But don't tell your mom I told you okay?"
"Why not?"
"You know you ask a lot of questions kid. Don't tell her because she hits me every time I called you that"
The child giggled, climbing onto Tony's knee. Her curly hair in pigtails tickled Tony's cheek as she hugged her godfather. Cecelia was the baby of the tower and used to getting her own way; she had everyone, but mostly Tony, wrapped around her little finger.
"No seriously, don't tell your mom!"
"Don't tell me what?"
Natasha appeared behind them, startling Tony; "Jesus Widow! Give me some warning before you do that!"
Cecelia climbed over the back of the couch and into her mothers arms
"Mommy! Uncle Tony told me a secret!"
"Oh he did, did he?" Natasha asked, raising her eyebrow at Tony, as he shot a warning glare to his niece
"Yeah, but I can't tell you because it's a secret"
"Listen ребенок девушка (baby girl); you shouldn't believe everything your Uncle Tony tells you. You should always ask me or daddy or Aunty Pepper"
Tony rolled his eyes
"Okay мумия!" (Mommy)
At that moment Pepper entered the room
"Aunty Pepper what's my real name?"
"Cecelia... Why?" Pepper looked expectantly at Tony
"Uncle Tony told me that's not my real name"
"Did Uncle Tony tell you your name was Antonia?"
Cecelia nodded, her curls bouncing as she did
"Well Uncle Tony is just pretending, aren't you Uncle Tony?" Pepper said, hitting him over the head from behind the couch.
"Her name should have been Antonia"
"Come on Tony, you made that bet with Clint before Evie was born! It was 13 years ago! Let it go already!" Pepper said exasperated
Cecelia wiggled down from her mothers grasp and walked to where Tony was still sat
"Don't you like my name Uncle Tony?" she asked sadly
"Of course I like your name Munchkin"
"Because you can call me Antonia if you want too..." she said; wide eyed and head down
Tony caught the eyes of Pepper and Natasha, they both stood silently; watching the interaction
"Why would I call you that when your name's Cecelia" Tony asked; hopeful the child would stop pouting her bottom lip and looking so sadly at him
Cecelia finally smiled and jumped happily; throwing herself into her uncles arms
Natasha and Pepper smiled and left the room.
"I love you Uncle Tony"
"I love you too Cecelia"