Chapter 7-First steps
By: MysticFantasy
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"Come on James." Clint encouraged helping James stand on his feet. "Do this for Uncle Clint. Walk to daddy or mommy."
James merely ignored Clint as he happily clapped his hands.
"I don't think he wants to put any effort today Clint." Natasha said with a bit of a frown on her face. She was just as eager to see her son take his first steps as Clint but she feared that James was still too young to try walking.
"Steve, do you know how old you were when you started walking?" Clint asked as he continued to hold James.
"My mother had told me that I was just before a year old." Steve answered. "James is only eleven months."
"Close enough." Clint said. "Come on James. Help me out here."
The archer dared to release his grip on his godson but kept his hands only inches away from James. The three adults smiled when they saw James was standing on his own but not making a move to attempt to walk.
"Well, he's halfway there." Clint mused.
"Come on honey. Walk." Natasha encouraged.
"He needs motivation." Tony declared as he and Thor walked into the room.
"What kind of motivation would that be?" Bruce asked having been sitting on the couch quietly.
"Other than walking across the room to his parent's, he needs further motivation. Something like this." Tony answered as he pulled out a teddy bear that had taken on the colors of the Iron Man suit and even had a light up circle in its chest similar to Tony's arc reactor.
James looked excited at the new toy that was placed on his father's lap.
"See." Tony exclaimed. "Good motivation."
"You just couldn't help but make it of yourself. Couldn't you?" Bruce asked.
"What better motivation is there?" Tony asked with a smirk as he sat on the opposite end of the couch.
"His parent's." Natasha answered removing the bear from her husband and hiding it behind him. "Come on honey. Show your arrogant Uncle Tony that you don't need toys to learn to walk."
"If he does, you have to admit that I am a genius." Tony stated.
"You should also take up babysitting." Clint added. "In case your Iron Man career ever gets boring."
"Only for this little guy." Tony declared.
"Is it normal for Earth infants to walk at such an early age?" Thor asked as he seated himself on the floor.
"It's about this age that they start learning the basic of learning to walk." Bruce answered.
"Quite early compared to Asgardian children." Thor said.
"How long did it take for you?" Tony asked.
"Well, Asgardians stay as infants for longer periods than Midgardian children. I learned walking after about sixty or so years." Thor answered. "My father held a large feast in honor of my achievment."
"Sixty years? How long do you stay a baby in magic land?" Tony exclaimed.
"Only seventy years or so." Thor answered.
"Wow. Can you imagine being in diapers that long?" Bruce said.
"Not really." Tony answered.
"Back to the matter at hand." Clint said holding James again. "Come on little guy. The faster you start walking the faster you can join us in kicking bad guy butt."
"Clint, I already nearly killed Tony for that idea." Natasha warned. "Don't try to make the same mistake he almost made."
"Right. Let me rephrase that then. The faster you learn to walk the faster you can become a track star."
"Much better."
"Try the bear again." Tony suggested.
"No. He can do it." Clint said. "Look who his parent's are."
"Flattered but he has to learn at his own pace." Natasha said. "We can't make him do anything at a fast pace."
"Got to admit that he is a quick learner." Bruce said. "He's only eleven months and he's already standing on his own."
"He'll beat Steve by a whole month if he starts walking." Tony said. "Come on kid. Shame your old man."
"Well, how old were you when you first started walking?" Steve asked.
"A year." Tony slightly muttered. Obviously embarrassed that Steve beat him.
"I guess James is going to shame us all." Clint said and allowed the child to stand on his own again. The child wobbleda little but eventually found his balance before just standing there with all eyes on him.
"Motivation." Tony urged.
"James, show Uncle Tony that you can walk without a stuffed bear." Natasha urged. "Show him that you can do it on pure skill and talent."
James cooed happily before setting his eyes on his parents. Smiles appeared on everyone's face when they saw the small boy lift his foot.
"Jarvis! Are you recording this?" Tony asked with excitment.
"I have been recording for the past thirty minutes, sir." Jarvis answered.
"Good."
"Go on James." Clint encouraged. "Go to mommy and daddy."
As if to listen to his godfather, James placed his foot fowardand then repeated the action with the other.
Clint smiled greatly as he watched James continue to place one foot in front of the other and slowly made his way across the floor toward his parent's are.
Natasha and Steve felt their eyes water and their hearts become heavy with joy and love as they watched their son take his first steps toward them.
"He walks proudly." Thor exclaimed as James came within reach of his mother's arms.
Natasha scooped James into her arms and hugged him close as she fought to keep her tears from spilling.
"See. He's already acting like his father and putting us to shame. Over achiever!" Tony exclaimed as Steve now hugged his son.
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A/N: Don't know anything about Asgardian babies or how long it takes them to walk and everything else of that nature. Just guesstimating on that part. Please, no flames.