A/N: Is anyone still out there? I can not apologize enough for not posting an update for so long. I guess that life just got in the way. I have been extremely busy with sports and school, and I've also been uninspired to write. However, I hope that I will be able to update more frequently now that things are winding down. I hope that everyone enjoys this (fluffy) chapter and thank you for reading!

"I'm sooo bored," Lucy Rogers moaned. She was currently lying—if that's what you wanted to call it—on the couch. Her head was hanging off the edge of the cushion; a pile of strawberry blond locks sweeping the floor. "You guys don't let me do anything around here."

"Sorry kid, we could do a lot of stuff if your mom stops threatening me," Tony Stark replied. The two were sitting in the living room of the Avengers tower, watching TV mindlessly. Natasha was away on a mission, and Steve took James to a Yankees game for some father-son bonding time.

"Can I dye my hair purple?"

"Sure, if you're up to planning my funeral. Seriously though, purple?"
Lucy shrugged nonchalantly, "I think it's cool."

"It's not. Anyway, do you want to watch Frozen or something?"

"No, I watched it yesterday with Mama and Aunt Pepper," the eight-year old sighed as Tony internally cursed Pepper and Natasha.

"All right then. I have an idea, why don't we go shopping? This is New York City after all," Tony said cautiously, not too keen on shopping. He usually hated when Pepper dragged him along to various boutiques and high-end stores.

Lucy's green eyes lit up as she shot upright, a smile on her face. "Can we Uncle Tony, please? I'll be really good I promise!"

"Alright Luce, calm down. If you can get yourself dressed in the next ten minutes, we can go shopping." At that, Lucy bolted down the hallway to her room at the Tower. "You better hurry, I'm timing you!" Tony shouted after the young girl as her laughter filled the halls.

Exactly eight minutes later, Lucy emerged wearing a long gray long-sleeve shirt with white leggings with polka dots on them. Tony felt a surge of pride knowing that Lucy dressed herself—the kid really looked adorable. How did Steve and Natasha ever say no to her? "Uncle Tony?" Lucy's voice pulled the billionaire from his thoughts. "Can you braid my hair please?" she asked innocently and held out a hairbrush to her uncle.

"Uh sorry kiddo, but I don't know how to braid hair," he responded sheepishly. The small girl's face immediately fell.

"But Daddy knows how to braid," she cocked an eyebrow and crossed her arms. She looked exactly like her mother in that moment.

"Well I guess that your Daddy is just more talented than I am."

"I'll tell him you said that," Lucy retorted with a sly smile.

"All right, all right. Do you want to go shopping or not?" Tony replied, placing his hands up in defeat.

"Yes please," Lucy said politely as she fastened a pink bow into her curly hair. "Can I sit in the front seat?"

"That depends, are you going to tell your parents?"

"I won't I promise," she replied happily.

"Okay, come on kiddo let's get a move on."

"You know, the first time that your parents made out was on an escalator like this," Tony told Lucy as they made their way up the mall elevator.

"Ew that's gross Uncle Tony."

"I'm sure you won't think so in a few years," Tony gave Lucy a wink and a nudge as they stepped off the escalator. "Anywho, where do you want to shop first?"

"Can we go to Justice?" Lucy asked excitedly, her blue-green eyes lighting up.

"Whatever you want. You're in charge today. Your parents aren't around, so we might as well have some fun right?" Tony questioned.

"Oh definitely," Lucy replied as a devilish smirk found it's way across her face.

"Can we go to Claire's for jewelry?" Lucy asked happily.

"Yes, but this is our last stop. Your parents will be back at the tower soon to pick you up and besides, my arms are about to fall off from all these bags." The duo had been shopping for the last four hours and, naturally, Tony bought everything that Lucy wanted. He even bought her some things that she didn't even like. The two then walked into the jewelry and accessories store. They would definitely be spending a lot of money in this story. Tony couldn't wait to get his next credit card bill.

"Hello welcome to Claire's!" a peppy saleswoman greeted Lucy and Tony. "Can I help you with something? We have a huge selection of jewelry and hair accessories. Also, we offer a free pair of earrings when you get your ears pierced here."

At that, Lucy eyed Tony. She wanted something bad; he just didn't know what until his niece spoke up. "Can I get my ears pierced Uncle Tony?"

"No. Absolutely not, your mother will shoot me through the head," Tony said firmly.

"Pretty pretty please? All my friends at school have them pierced, and I'm the only one that doesn't. It makes me feel so left out. I don't want them to make fun of me," Lucy pleaded giving Tony her best puppy-dog face.

Tony was being played—and he knew it. However, he couldn't say no to her. He needed to maintain his status as her favorite uncle. "Your mother is going to kill me," he said looking to Lucy.

"So is that a yes?"

"I guess it's alright. It's not like it'll do any real damage," Tony proceeded cautiously.

"Yay! Thank you so much Uncle Tony! Don't tell Uncle Clint, but you're my favorite uncle." Five minutes later, Lucy was all cleaned up and seated in a chair, ready for the saleswoman to stick a needle through her ears.

"Which earrings would you like?" the salesperson asked Lucy as she held up a box of earrings. Lucy picked a pair of hot pink diamond studs.

"Okay, I'm ready!" Lucy exclaimed, squirming in the seat. Tony pulled out his phone and started video taping the experience—just in case. A minute later, the saleswoman had the piercing gun up to Lucy's ear and was pushing the needle through. Lucy barely flinched the two times the needle went through each of her ears.

"Wow, you're pretty brave," the saleswoman praised Lucy as she help up a mirror. Lucy inspected herself and smiled in accord.

"I guess I'm just like my mom then. She's pretty brave," Lucy said with a smile. That comment would have made Natasha melt, Tony thought to himself.

"Alright kiddo, let's get you home. I just got an alert that your mother is on her way back to the tower. I'm sure your dad isn't far behind her."

"Okay, I'm ready!" After receiving proper care instructions and materials, Tony packed up his car with all the shopping bags and the two drove back to the tower.

Natasha stepped off of the elevator onto the communal floor of the Avengers Tower. She was immediately greeted with a plethora of shopping bags; that could only mean one thing. "Tony? What have you been up to?" she questioned loudly and dropped her duffle bag on the ground. She was about to start sifting through the shopping bags when she was interrupted.

"Mama you're back!" Lucy shouted, running into her mother. Natasha almost fell down backwards from the impact. Well, the impact plus the fact that she was dead tired from her mission. The bruises on her sides didn't help either.

"Yeah, hey девочка. I see that you and Uncle Tony have been pretty busy," she said, looking her daughter over. Lucy had been smart enough to cover her ears with her hair. Lucky for Tony, Natasha's inspection was interrupted by the arrival of James and Steve.

"Hey Nat," Steve smiled as he embraced his wife with a quick kiss. "Hi princess, I missed you today," Steve hugged his daughter.

"I missed you too. I had a ton of fun with Uncle Tony though. We went shopping at the mall," Lucy jumped up and down excitedly.

"I can see that," Steve said with a warning look at Tony.

"And Uncle Tony told me about how the first time you made out with Mama was on an escalator in a mall."

"Eww, Daddy that's gross," James stated, scrunching up his features in disgust.

"Mama you didn't notice!" Lucy said proudly, thinking she had played her mother. Tony's eyes nearly bulged out of his head as he realized what she was about to do.

"What did I miss Lucy? Tell me," Natasha said softly, bending to her daughter's height. Lucy simply pulled her hair back behind her ears, revealing the small pink studs that were now in them. Natasha's smile immediately fell as her Black Widow face appeared. She focused in on Tony, "Ohh no. You did not take my daughter to get her ears pierced," Natasha stood up to her full height and approached Tony. Steve bent down to Lucy to inspect the damage. Steve could see that his daughter was upset, so her sent her and James off to play in another room.

"I ah may have. I didn't want to though, she begged me. She told me that kids at school tease her because she's the only one without pierced ears," Tony said quickly as his words streamed together.

"She completely played you Tony! She was lying to get what she wanted. And I'm sure she gave you her beggars face too," Natasha spat, furious with her fellow Avenger.

"I'm sorry Natasha, I just thought that I was doing her some good." Natasha was on the verge of exploding. Steve noticed this and decided that it was time to intervene. He walked in between Tony and Natasha and placed his hands on his wife's shoulders.

"Tony, we can discuss this more later. And all the things that you bought her will be returned. Nat, come with me, we'll deal with this later." Natasha didn't want to comply, but Steve all but dragged her away from the situation. Tony caught her nasty gaze as she and Steve disappeared into a different room.

"I cannot believe that he did that!" Natasha confessed to Steve once they were alone. "He had no right to do that. Lucy is our daughter, and we need to make these decisions. Not Tony."

"Listen Nat, I know that you're really upset right now, but Lucy is really happy. And in the grand scheme of things, it's not that big of a deal."

"I know, I know. And to be fair it's not completely Tony's fault. But still, I wanted to be the one to take her to get her ears pierced. I'm her mother and she's my only daughter," Natasha whispered as Steve pulled her into him.

"I know, but there are still so many things that Lucy needs you for. You're her mother and Tony can't replace that role. She loves you Natasha, and I think that we just need to let this one go. Besides, she does look adorable with those pink earrings."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Natasha said as a small smile slid across her face. "But we still need to get Tony for this."

"Agreed, we can deal with him later. And when you said that Lucy's your only daughter, were you implying that you want more kids?" Steve asked innocently. The prospect of having more children had been debated upon for years in the Rogers house. Steve pounced on every opportunity he had.

"No. That is not up for discussion," Natasha shut him down.

"Well, it was worth a shot. And do you realize that Lucy pulled a page right from your book playing Tony like that?" Steve said almost in amazement.

"Yeah I guess so," Natasha chuckled to herself. "I taught her good."

"Yes you did," Steve concluded and then leaned in to kiss her passionately on the lips.