One summer morning, as golden sunlight streamed through the curtains, Tony awoken to the sound of chirping birds harmonizing with the blue skies outside. The temperature was just right, a gentle caress of freshness embracing the world.
Tony rose from his bed and made his way into the common room, where the aroma of breakfast wafted from the kitchen. His personal chef was already at work, arranging dishes on the table. His eyes fell upon Steve, already in his morning ritual, flipping a page of the newspaper, brow furrowed in concentration as he tackled a crossword puzzle with determination.
Tony couldn't help but comment on it,
"Guess they still print newspapers, huh?" he said with a smile as he settled into his seat.
Steve glanced up, his expression softening into a smile, "Good morning, Tony." The lines of the puzzle momentarily forgotten in the company of his friend.
Tony savoured the rich aroma of his freshly brewed coffee, the steam swirling up to meet his nostrils when Sam breezed into the room answering his question with a jibe,
"They print it specifically for this relic."
The unexpected remark caught Tony off guard, nearly causing him to spew his precious brew across the room.
Steve raised an eyebrow at the jab, "That's a bit harsh."
Tony, unable to contain himself any longer, finally let out a laugh.
Sam settled comfortably into a chair, unabashedly continuing, "What? Natasha can say it, but I can't?" His eyes then brightened with appreciation as they swept over the sumptuous dishes adorning the table, "Dang, another excellent breakfast." His gaze flickered momentarily to Tony's personal chef.
Turning to Tony with a grin, Sam asked, "Can you father and son stay here forever?" he said, appreciation evident in both his words and the sparkle in his eyes, "We're deprived of personal chefs without you two around."
"Sam," Bucky admonished as if scolding Sam for the audacity, settling into the seat beside them.
"What? It's worth a shot. Can't believe I'm getting scolded by a pair of fossils this early," Sam said, pushing up from his chair, "I need a stronger cup that can match my boldness."
Tony chuckled, shaking his head in amusement. He then observed Bucky, also grabbing a newspaper, flipping through the comics section and crossword puzzle,
"You know there's already an app specific for crossword puzzles, right?"
A nostalgic gleam crossed Steve's eyes, "Yeah, Peter showed us but there's something about the tactile experience of paper, you know."
Bucky added, "The feeling of the pen gliding across the page, the satisfaction of filling in the correct answers."
Steve's finger jutted forward like a gun, punctuating his point with a sharp click of his tongue, as if to drive home the agreement, "Exactly."
"Well, color me impressed, you two old poets," Tony said, tone laden with sarcasm as he took a nonchalant bite of his waffle.
Natasha and Wanda soon joined them, followed closely by Peter.
"Ready for your diving test later, Peter?" Sam's voice cut through the air.
Since Peter arrived at the compound this summer, he has devoted himself to two hours of daily practice sessions with Tony by his side. Natasha, Steve, and Bucky sometimes join in, further honing his driving skills. With dedication, he has achieved fluidity and confidence in navigating the streets. However, the highways still unsettle him, and mastering parking, especially parallel parking, occasionally overwhelm him with panic.
Peter's hand absently brushed against his face, his heart fluttering erratically, almost causing him to lose his appetite,
"Everyone, can we please finish our breakfast first before diving into pressing questions?"
"Alright," Sam said, fluttering his eyelids as if not expecting Peter's tension.
Tony and Steve shared a knowing look.
"Relax, Spidey," Wanda chimed in, attempting to lighten the mood.
"It'll be a breeze, doll," Bucky reassured him.
Peter closed his eyes, allowing the cool air to fill his lungs before releasing it slowly, attempting to steady his nerves.
"Let's just enjoy our meal, guys," Natasha said, her eyes meeting Peter's with understanding as she reached out to rub his arm gently. In response, Peter offered her a grateful smile.
They stood before the DMV in upstate New York, nestled near the secluded Avengers compound. Tony had chosen this location over the bustling one near the Tower in the city. Here, the crowds were sparse, the lines were short, and there was less chance of unwanted interruptions while they wait later for Peter.
"Feeling nervous?" Steve asked, his voice a calming presence as they waited for the test examiner.
Peter managed a faint smile, but his shallow breaths betrayed him, "No, I'm not."
Steve's reassuring gaze met Peter's, "There's nothing to be nervous about."
Tony chimed in, "Yeah, it's going to be fine, Pete. You learned from the best, the most badass drivers in the world." giving Peter's shoulder a supportive squeeze.
Steve's smile faded, a flicker of concern crossing his face at the reminder that the four of them, with Tony, Natasha, and Bucky weren't exactly the safest drivers to be around.
"And hey, even if things don't go perfectly the first time, you've got another shot," Tony added optimistically.
"Another shot in six months," Peter said with a hint of frustration, "But that's six more months of agony and itching to hit the road in my Spidermobile."
"Spidermobile huh?" Tony's expression twisted in surprise, while Steve suppressed a laugh.
"Yeah, it's quicker to have a car when there are no buildings to swing from," Peter explained.
As they stood there, a test examiner strode past, his presence commanding attention. He was a middle-aged man, with lines etched across his weathered face, and a DMV ID bearing the name Mr. Johnson,
"Mr. Stark?" he asked, his voice carrying a tone of authority.
"Yeah, not me," Tony replied casually, "That's you, baby," giving Peter a reassuring tap on the chest.
The examiner turned his sharp gaze towards Peter, "Where's yours?"
In response, Steve gestured towards a sleek Audi Spyder parked nearby, its deep red exterior accentuated by one elegant blue stripe running along the sides. Engaging Mr. Johnson in light conversation, they admired the car's design.
"I'm gonna throw up," Peter said, his nerves betraying him, his stomach doing somersaults.
"You're not, Pete. Here's what you're gonna do," Tony said, his gaze a lifeline in the storm of Peter's anxiety, "You're gonna slide into your Spidermobile, fasten your seatbelt, take three deep breaths, and just relax. You got this." lifting Peter's chin.
"Yo, let's move it, I don't have all day," Mr. Johnson impatiently said from the passenger seat.
"Yeah, I got this. Okay," Peter said, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. He bounced lightly on his feet, trying to shake off the nerves, but as he approached his car, his breaths became ragged.
"That's more than three breaths, baby," Tony called out in concern, standing beside Steve who offered a supportive nod.
Steve and Tony waved as the car pulled away. They then lounged comfortably in a seat beneath a sprawling towering tree, its lush green canopy offering shade from the afternoon sun as they waited for Peter.
"Should I build an Ironmobile?" Tony's voice carried with a playful lilt as he turned to Steve, "Or maybe Captainmobile?"
Steve's laughter rang out, blending with the gentle rustle of leaves in the breeze.
"Why not," Steve said after catching his breath, "Then make it transform into a suit, towering to the same height as Scott when he goes big."
Tony's jaw dropped in mock astonishment, "Well, well, Mr. Rogers," he exclaimed, "Never cease to surprise huh. That's quite the creative suggestion."
"I swear, those Transformers movies are starting to rub off on me," Steve said, a grin tugging at the corners of his lips, "So, how's the new suit coming along?"
Tony leaned back, a glint of excitement in his eyes, "Well, I incorporated vibranium nanotech with the help of Shuri, blending it with my nanotech design. I'm testing it with Vision. Considering the most powerful thing on this planet right now is that stone in his forehead. We're trying to break it with it's power."
"And?"
"So far, so good, it's holding up" Tony replied, a note of satisfaction in his voice. "But you know Thor mentioned there were more stones, right?"
"Yes, he did," Steve said, his brow creasing in concern, "Yet here we are and still no sign of our intergalactic friend and green guy."
Tony let out a resigned sigh, "Guess I'll have to figure out how to send a wedding invitation to Asgard then."
Steve chuckled at the thought.
After a fleeting moment, Steve's expression turned serious, "New York and Sokovia... they were both linked to the Infinity Stones. I know Thor's finding it out for us but we can't rely solely on him."
Tony's gaze grew solemn, "Yeah, you're right. We got plans?"
Steve's tone remained steady despite the weight of their conversation, "T'Challa, Natasha, and I, we're strategizing contingency plans."
"Good," Tony responded with a firm nod, "Can't afford any more blindsides."
A thought spontaneously popped into Steve's mind, prompting a chuckle that lifted the mood, "Speaking of Blindside, that one really struck a chord last night. Even had Buck reaching for tissues."
Tony joined in, his head shaking in amused disbelief, "Peter's mission to get you two caught up on pop culture has been quite the success, huh. We've practically turned every night into a mini film festival. I haven't binged this many movies in ages."
Just then the Spidermobile zoomed past their front, Tony and Steve rose to their seat,
"Dads, I passed!" Peter said, his grin stretching from cheek to cheek as he waved the paper triumphantly.
Tony and Steve's faces mirrored Peter's joy, their own smiles wide with pride,
"We knew you could do it," Steve said, breaking into applause.
"Congratulations, bud," Tony added, his pride evident in every word.
"I did it! I did it! I got my license!" Peter exclaimed, bursting out of his car and practically bouncing with excitement on the pavement.
"Uh, Peter, you forgot to put the car in park," Steve said with concern.
Peter paused mid-bounce, realizing his mistake, "Oh," about to turn back towards the car. However, before he could take a step, Tony caught sight of Mr. Johnson's deadpan expression, full of disapproval.
"You better run to that counter now," Tony urged, voice sharp with urgency, directing his son into action, "Run, run! Go right now," almost pushing Peter towards the DMV entrance.
Meanwhile, Mr. Johnson struggled to navigate the unfamiliar controls of the car.
Tony intervened with calm authority, "TADASHI, handbrake."
And just like that, the car came to a jolting stop.
Mr. Jenkins cast a withering glare at both Tony and Steve.
Tony's smile faltered awkwardly, while Steve could only muster a feeble, apologetic smile.
Peter crouched like a shadow against the side of the building, his hands and feet clinging to the surface. From his vantage point above, he surveyed the scene below, Chitauri forces moving on the ground, massive Leviathans soaring through the sky, casting ominous shadows over the cityscape.
It was as though the nightmarish Battle of New York had been resurrected before his very eyes. The memories of that encounter with the Chitauri invasion are still in his memories with startling clarity. He could still feel the adrenaline coursing through his veins, still hear the destruction echoing in his ears. But unlike before, he wasn't merely a terrified child fleeing for his life with his friend Ned. No, now he was something more. He was a guardian, a protector of his city known as Spider-Man.
"Hey, Sam," Peter's voice crackled over comms, his voice tinged with apology carried on the wind, "Sorry about earlier, at breakfast. I didn't mean to snap."
Sam touched down on the rooftop, the echoes of explosions still ringing in his ears, "No worries, kid," he said, "Completely understand. And hey, even if you failed, we could still get you that license."
Peter blinked as he glanced over the edge, scanning the chaos below, "What?"
"Natasha knows a guy," Sam continued, "A real pro in licenses and passports. The kind that looks so authentic, even the toughest airport security couldn't tell the difference."
"Cool! Do you think you can introduce us, Aunt Nat? Ned's been wanting to get his hands on a license too, but he's struck out twice already," Peter said, leaping from one skyscraper to another landing atop a leviathan and injecting a web bomb in it.
"I'm gonna kill you, Sam. You're not supposed to say that," Natasha said, her words slicing through the air like a blade as she descended gracefully to the ground, executing a flawless superhero landing. Her fiery locks swirled, caught in the wind like a tempest, adding to the aura of fierce determination that framed her features.
"Whoa, smooth landing," Peter exclaimed. With a grin, he followed suit, mirroring Natasha's flawless pose after leaping from the leviathan, the bomb deployed behind him, casting a backdrop of fierce flames.
Caught amid battle, Bucky's eyes caught Peter's antics and a chuckle bubbled from him, a contrast to the chaos surrounding them as he continued dispatching the chitauri assailants with practiced ease.
"Avengers, focus." Steve's voice echoed through the comms, cutting through the chaos of the massive training room. Under Steve's guidance, the team's immersed in a hyper-realistic simulation of the Battle of New York. Thanks to Tony's inventive genius, paired with Wanda's illusionary powers, they had built a tech simulation so vivid that every detail felt tangible, yet also safe from any true harm.
Despite the directive, Peter persisted in engaging the team in conversation, "How'd you all know the guy?"
Bucky, focused on drilling bullets into Chitauri targets, replied, "Back when we were fugitives and Ross had his sights on us."
Sam, soaring overhead, added, "Yeah, when The Avengers almost divorced."
Natasha, with a smirk, interjected from her perch atop a Chitauri aerial motorcycle as she monitored the Avengers, "More like when Tony and Steve almost divorced."
"Oh… you're work wife," Wanda said to Natasha in realization, reclining on a sun chair on a rooftop after defeating every Chitauri in her path, "But they're work husbands, I get it now."
"My Dads break up? Not on my watch," Peter said with a smile, swiftly maneuvering from building to building, strategically deploying bombs on every leviathan he encountered.
"Peter, you've got to stop us from having conversations during fights. This isn't really how it goes in real life," Sam said.
"Whatever, you're still responding," Peter retorted.
"Avengers, while this may not be real life, the point is learning to work together," Steve emphasized. Yet, his words seemed to fall on deaf ears as he saw Peter hurling his shield towards Bucky, who in turn sent it back like a frisbee, initiating an impromptu game. Steve let out a sigh, "And not playing together."
"Alright team, time to wrap this up. Cap's losing patience," Sam announced as he landed near Peter, Bucky, and Wanda. "And personally, I'm dying for that ice cream already."
"Has it arrived yet?" Wanda asked.
"Not yet, but it's coming," Peter replied.
Shortly after, Tony casually entered the control room where Steve was stationed. He smoothly settled into a nearby chair, sliding in beside Steve, "How's the training session going?"
Steve managed only a resigned sigh in reply.
Just then, Tony's voice boomed over the speakers, "Ice cream's here," he declared with a grin.
Instantly, the Avengers' faces in the training room lit up, their enemies momentarily forgotten. Steve reached over and powered down the simulation, knowing that nothing could compete with the allure of ice cream.
"Oh, this is my favourite, why is it on Uncle Thor's," Peter said as he savoured a spoonful of Thor's Thunderous Treat, a heavenly blend of vanilla ice cream with chunks of hammer-shaped caramel and swirls of lightning-struck caramel.
"Spider-Man's Web-Slinger Delight's not bad though," Sam said, "It's also vanilla ice cream just with red and blue raspberry, and gummy spiders."
"Dad, aren't you gonna taste some," Peter called out, his spoon clinking against the bowl.
In the cozy kitchen, only Peter, Sam, and Bucky remained, savouring the last scoops of ice cream. While Wanda and Vision head out to the city for a date.
Tony's voice echoed from the common room, "You know I've cut off dairy," he said, his words wafting from the edges of the living space, where he, Steve, and Natasha lounged comfortably, each absorbed in their own activities.
"But Iron Man's Iron Swirl's good," Peter said as he held up the almost empty container, reading from the label, "It's creamy vanilla ice cream with swirls of rich caramel and golden butterscotch." He nudged Bucky on his right, who was already lost in another spoonful of the treat, "Right Bucky?"
Bucky simply nodded, "It's delectable."
"They could've come up with a better name than that," Tony said.
Steve couldn't help but interject with a hint of sarcasm, "Well, it's not like 'Captain America's Star-Spangled Scoop's any better. A mix of red, white, and blueberry flavors with star-shaped sprinkles? Really, spangled scoop and star-shaped sprinkles?"
Tony's laughter filled the air, "That's even worse than mine."
Peter tumbled onto the sofa beside his dad within a second that when Tony turned his head, he was startled to find Peter already there, his heart skipping a beat,
"Gosh, kid. Stop sneaking up on me like that."
Peter chuckled, holding out a spoonful in front of Tony,
"Just give it a try, Dad. You don't even have lactose intolerance."
Finally, Tony gave in, "Fine."
His skepticism dissolved into surprise as he savoured the bite, his expression morphing into one of delight,
"Oh, that's good."
Passing the cup to his dad, Peter eagerly reached for the TV remote.
"Okay, everyone, let's assemble, time for movie night," Peter announced, his fingers flicking through his collection as the team settled into their chosen spots. "What'll it be tonight... ah, I know,"
Tony chuckled nostalgically, "Last time I watched this, you were just four," he said as Peter selected Back to the Future.
As soon as Marty spoke in the opening scene, Sam commented, "Peter, are you and Marty twins? You two sound so alike."
Peter furrowed his brows, "We are?"
He hadn't noticed the resemblance before.
As the movie played on, Bucky leaned toward Sam asking, "Is time travel actually possible?"
"Well, not me, ask our genius residents," Sam replied, nodding towards Tony.
"Well, from a scientific standpoint, not quantifiably possible," Tony answered, causing Peter to hit pause and turn his attention to the conversation.
Tony began, explaining the concept more to Peter than the rest of the gang,
"In the fundamental principles of physics. The second law of thermodynamics asserts irreversibility in closed systems, hindering any natural reversal of time's arrow. Einstein's general relativity allows for closed timelike curves but requires exotic matter with negative energy density, which hasn't been observed. Quantum mechanics, while fascinating, lacks the macroscopic manipulation of spacetime necessary for time travel. Paradoxes like the grandfather paradox further complicate the concept, suggesting potential breakdowns in causality."
"What?" Steve's face twisted in confusion.
Bucky cut in, summing up their frustration, "That's just a lot of words that end up making no sense."
"In simple terms, it's a no-go," Tony said as he stood, setting his empty cup down on a nearby table.
"Ah, is it finished already?" Sam said, feigning grogginess as if just woken up from a nap, "You lost me at 'scientific'."
"Can you break it down again, in plain English this time," Steve said.
"Pete, why don't you translate what I said and explain it like they're five-year-olds," Tony said with a smirk, settling in beside his son.
Sam rolled his eyes in response.
Peter recalled his dad's explanation when he was a kid,
"Okay, just imagine time is like a big river that always flows in one direction, from the past to the future. Just like how you can't make the water in a river go backward, time also can't go backward naturally. Another problem is that if you were to go back in time and change something, like stopping your parents from meeting, you might end up changing everything else, which could create a big mess of confusion."
"That's it?" Steve asked, "Now that makes a lot more sense."
"Yeah," Peter nodded, "Closed timelike curves, require conditions that haven't been able to created or observed yet in real life, like negative energy density. Plus, there are big problems, like the famous grandfather paradox—"
"Okay we get it, we get it," Sam interrupted, stopping the father-son duo from delving too deeply into the scientific aspects of the discussion.
Natasha, seated cross-legged beside Steve, dipped her spoon into a mound of red velvet ice cream and wondered aloud,
"If you could go anywhere—or rather, anytime—where would you go?"
"Ah, easy," Sam said, his eyes alight, "I'd whisk myself back to Stark Industries' debut in the stock market and snatch up some shares. Then, I could finally indulge in my own personal chef in the future!"
Tony shook his head laughing with the rest of them.
Natasha turned to Peter,
"Hmm… I'd go back to my 5th birthday at Mickey's fun wheel where Dad squealed like a little girl," Peter said with a laugh.
Tony interjected with a playful defence, "Hey, that ride had no business being that scary."
"Or that time when we all went to Six Flags when I was 10 when Uncle Thor tricked the attendant so I could ride Kingda—"
Peter then caught sight of Natasha subtly motioning to keep quiet, her hand flailing in the outline of her neck as if to be quiet or else Tony's gonna kill them but it was too late,
"Point break did what?" Tony exclaimed.
With a sheepish grin, Peter glanced at Natasha, who attempted to steer the conversation towards Bucky.
Bucky, smiling as if lost in fond memories, chimed in, "Stark Expo, 1943," exchanging a knowing glance with Steve. "It was a good time," before the most harrowing part of his life took over.
Steve smiled as memories flooded back, it was also the time he first met Dr. Erskine and selected him to be the first Avenger that he is now.
Natasha's gaze shifted to Steve's for his turn, lingering there as if waiting for the secrets of his heart to unfold. Her lips curled into a subtle smile, a silent admission of the weight Peggy's memory carried in Steve's soul. The air around them seemed to hum with unspoken words, echoing the bittersweet melody of first loves and enduring connections,
"It's okay," Natasha's voice was gentle, coaxing, "You can say it."
Steve smiled, his hand reached, tender as a whisper, tracing the delicate curve of Natasha's cheek.
He had loved Peggy, a ghost of a love once cherished, a love that transcended time and war. It took years to bury the ache of that lost love and to reconcile the past with the present. He already moved on and at this moment, entwined with Natasha's presence over the years, he knew that here, was where he truly belonged,
"There's no place I'd rather be than here right now."
Squeals and whistles were heard all over,
Tony couldn't help but exclaim, "Rogers, such a romantic!"
Turning to Natasha with a smile, Steve asked,
"How about you, my queen?"
Natasha's smile blossomed, painting a vivid picture of nostalgia, memories of bike rides and carefree playdates, "When I was 11, with my sister, Yelena," she reminisced, her voice carrying the warmth of cherished moments, "It was a happy time away from the room for a while."
"We didn't know you have a sister," Tony said, curiosity flickering in his eyes.
"Had," Natasha corrected softly, feeling the weight of her words settle heavily in the air. Steve reached out, his grip on her hands offering silent support, "She also already got out of the Red Room, moved on, living a normal life now." She smiled, although a shimmer of sorrow danced in her eyes. She then turned to Tony as the only one left to answer.
Tony's voice softened as he spoke, "Well, I'd always want to go back to the time when Peter was born," he said, his eyes glossed with emotions as they lingered on his son, "I wish I could've been there."
A warm smile spread across all their faces.
Peter smiled, his eyes shining with their own light, grateful that his father, though absent at the start, had been there to raise him. Leaning against Tony's side, Peter felt a sense of contentment as Tony rested his head on his son's, while they all enjoyed the remainder of the movie.