Chapter 8
It was the final day of the school year and Nick and Stiles had once again snuck into the gym together after eating their lunch.
Nick had started taking basic defense lessons at the local YMCA and they would get together and spar; Stiles would teach Nick a few things that Steve had taught him. They were both getting pretty good, although Stiles couldn’t let go with Nick like as he could do with Cap.
They put their protective gears on and stretched before they grinned at each other and started landing kicks and punches before Stiles managed to flip Nick onto his back and threw himself down to try to jam his elbow onto Nick’s chest.
Nick managed to roll away from the strike, coming back to his feet quickly and ramming Stiles low, arms around his torso trying to bring him to the ground, but Stiles braced for it and managed to hook one of his legs and throw Nick to the ground, landing on top of him.
They grappled rolling around trying to get ahold of each other until a voice echoed through the gym. “What, exactly, is going on here?”
Both boys froze, quickly separating from each other and getting to their feet, when Stiles spoke up. “We were practicing martial arts. We’re both taking lessons and it helps us grasp what we’ve learned to practice. I know we’re not supposed to be in here, but we just don’t have anywhere else to practice.”
The teacher frowned before eyeing their protective gear. “Although I understand, you should not be using the gym without approval, and you should definitely not be practicing martial arts without a teacher or someone with first aid training near, should anything happen. Seeing as this is the last day of school, I can overlook this. Be sure that you speak to the director about having rights to the gym for practice for next year, alright?”
Both boys nodded and she shooed them out.
They quickly stripped their gloves and accessories off and grabbed their bags, exiting the gym and beating a hasty retreat to the lockers.
Nick chuckled lightly. “That could have gone so much worse.”
Stiles huffed, squaring his shoulders, which were much wider since he had started self-defense lessons with Steve. “The worst they would do is call our parents or give us detention, but it’s the last day of school, so one detention wouldn’t have been the end of the world. If they tried calling home about it, I highly doubt uncle Phil or your mom would care, since they already know we’re taking self-defense lessons.”
Nick fake swooned. “I just love it when you get all rough and confident like that, it just does something to me. Want to try making out for a bit?”
Stiles laughed, shoving Nick’s face away as he pursed his lips with eyes closed and making kissing noises. They ended up scuffling while laughing and giggling like lunatics until the same teacher showed up to break them up once more.
They managed to stay out of trouble for the rest of the day and parted ways at the end of the school day with a big hug, promising to hang out at least twice a week.
Tony was there to pick him up for his final day of internship and he quickly hopped into the car, noticing that Tony was acting shiftier than normal, almost buzzing with excitement. “Hey, kid, ready for your last day at the Tower?”
Stiles raised a brow. “Are you that excited to get rid of me?”
The billionaire chuckled. “I doubt we would be able to keep you away even if we wanted to.”
Stiles grinned pleased. “Damn straight. You’re the one who said you adopted me, now take responsibility.”
Tony snorted. “When do I ever take responsibility for anything?”
Stiles laughed and shook his head. “You will, for me. You love me, even if you won’t admit it.”
He smirked, keeping quiet as they drove the rest of the way to Stark Tower with Stiles chattering about his day and with Tony commenting when he had something snarky to say.
When they arrived, Tony ushered him quickly to Pepper’s office.
When she spotted him, she grinned and glided over to give him a tight hug. “Congratulations on passing another school year! I’m so sad this is going to be the last day of your internship.”
Stiles hugged her back, smiling. “Thank you, Pepper, although it won’t be the last time you see me, I promise. You’re both stuck with me from now on.”
Pepper chuckled, pulling away. “So, Tony and I got you a present for both doing such a good job on your work term and getting such good grades at school. Don’t even ask about how we know your grades, Tony looked it up before Phil could even share.”
Stiles perked up. “What did you get me? I’m curious as to what a present that’s been brainstormed by the both of you could be.”
Tony piped in behind him. “It’s outside, so you’ll have to follow me if you want to see it.”
Stiles was even more curious now, as he knew for a fact his uncle would never let Tony buy him a car.
Following Tony and Pepper, he got more and more curious, sensing Pepper and Tony’s excitement at showing him his gift.
They exited the building and moved towards the parking area, where Happy was waiting next to a huge sleek black box that was situated right next to Tony’s parking spot and was dwarfing his car.
He felt his steps slow the closer he got to it, staring disbelievingly at it. There was only one thing that could be under a box so big, but at the same time he KNEW that his uncle had told Tony he was not under any circumstances allowed to buy him a car.
Tony chuckled and waved him over. “Come on, kid, come open your present.”
He finally walked forward to stand in front of the box and Tony finally spoke. “Are you ready?”
Stiles nodded quietly while Happy pulled on something and the sides and top of the box fell away.
What it revealed had tears welling in his eyes and breath hitching.
There stood his beloved blue Jeep, gleaming like she was fresh off of the assembly line. The cracked windshield had been replaced, there were new tires and rims, she had a new paint job, and was waxed and polished so much she was practically blinding. He could even see what looked like new upholstery on the inside.
Tony preened from beside him. “He told me I couldn’t buy you a new car, but he never said anything about giving your old one an overhaul. I saw all the photos of you with her on Facebook. She seemed like your baby, and you’re a growing boy, so you need your own wheels. I might as well bring the wheels to you.”
Stiles stood rooted in place, with his emotions welling up until he felt Pepper’s hand on his shoulder as she spoke gently. “Stiles? Do you like your present?”
He felt the tears start to fall and wrapped his arms around her, pulling Tony in too, trying to make sense over his crying. “Thank you both, I love it, it’s perfect. Betsy was my mom’s and it’s the only thing I have left of her.”
It took him a minute to get his control back and once he was better, Tony excitedly showed him all the new features he had put into his car, like the brand new engine, the automatic locks, a new state of the art sound system, a screen that showed him what was happening behind him, GPS, Wi-Fi, and his biggest surprise, he had wired it so that Jarvis was patched to the Jeep. “Say something happened and you lost control or passed out, Jarvis could actually take control and drive you to a safe location. Or, you know, you could be bored and just have conversations with him. He seems to like you, so I figured it would be mutually beneficial to you both.”
Stiles grinned. “Jarvis, you excited to go on the road with me?”
Jarvis piped in. “Quite, sir. I’m sure your driving is much safer than Mr. Stark’s.”
Stiles finally pulled himself away from the jeep, grinning at Tony, who rolled his eyes before speaking again. “Happy said that he’d be willing to teach you how to drive in the city as well; the guy’s an awesome defensive driver, so if anyone can teach you, it’s him. There’s also one more part to your present. This one is all Pepper’s.”
Pepper pointed to the shiny new plaque hanging on the brick wall in front of the jeep and Stiles moved closer to read it with a smile on his face. “Reserved for Stiles Stilinski. That’s awesome, guys. I have my own parking spot at Stark Tower!”
Tony shrugged, looking slightly smug. “Well, we figured if we were going to offer you a job, you’d need a parking spot.”
Stiles stilled. “A job?”
Tony nodded. “Phil wouldn’t let me give you an allowance; he says I’m not officially family, plus you need to learn to earn your money and learn proper values, and yadda yadda yadda. So we figured we could hire you at Stark Tower if you’re interested. Pepper’s last assistant quit again, since they can’t seem to stand me.”
Pepper chimed in. “It would be full time in the summer, though the hours are flexible; I know you’re a teenager and you might want to enjoy your summer. And if you still want to, you could work part time when school is back in.”
Stiles nodded, quickly agreeing. “I’d love to!”
Pepper smiled brightly. “Alright, well, that’s settled then; we’ll discuss wages, hours and get the paperwork done later.”
They all made their way back up to Pepper’s office to finish his last official day as an intern.
It went by just as fast as he expected and then he was walking to his parking spot and putting the key into the ignition of his beloved jeep. He waited just a moment before turning her on, feeling the anticipation. When he did, it was worth it. She purred to life and he couldn’t help but smile, stroking the console. “I missed you, baby.”
Pulling her into reverse he drove out of the parking garage, not even worrying about Betsy grinding gears anymore. He made it to the gym in no time, grinning widely when he saw Steve waiting for him outside.
Steve returned his grin when Stiles finally stepped out of the jeep. “Tony told me you’d be driving. Nice ride.”
Stiles beamed even brighter at that. If he hadn’t already been in love with Steve, that would have clinched it right there. “Thanks, she used to be my mom’s. Dad finally let me have her when I got my license, and now she’s my baby.”
Steve nodded approvingly before finally speaking. “Alright, go get changed and we will stretch and go for a run.”
He quickly changed and they went through the now familiar motions of stretching and running around the park. Stiles was able to keep a decent speed now, but obviously never as fast as the super soldier; only fast enough that Steve was fairly impressed.
When they returned, Stiles hopped into the boxing ring and Steve followed him, now well used to the pacing.
They both strapped their protective gear on; Steve only putting gloves on, so if he were to land a punch, it wouldn’t be quite as strong.
Once they were ready, Stiles took the first swing, taking an aggressive stance, landing kicks and punches, which Steve blocked and parried easily.
They carried on like this for a long time and sweat was pouring down Stiles’ face. He felt his focus tighten, moving to strike a few more times, going for Steve’s face, causing him to shift his head to the side and stiles landed another punch towards his throat causing Steve to bend even more and his balance to shift.
Stiles felt triumph curse through him when he swept Cap’s leg from under him, causing the man to crash to the ground; Stiles managing to pin him down successfully.
Steve grinned proudly at him and Stiles returned it, excitement at finally having managed to beat Steve completely overshadowing the fact that Stiles was sprawled on top of him, straddling the man.
Clapping brought both of their attention to the entryway, where a petite redhead was leaning against the wall with a small amused smile on her lips. “Well done. You’ve taught your little protégé well, Cap.”
They separated, getting to their feet and stepping out of the ring before Steve introduced them to each other. “Stiles, meet Natasha Romanoff. Nat, meet Stiles Stilinski.”
Stiles mouth dropped open and Natasha’s eyes glittered even more, filled with humor. “So, you’re Phil’s nephew, the one that Tony has adopted and Steve has been training. It’s nice to finally meet you.”
Stiles mouth shut with a click. “Ok, so first Pepper and Tony, then Steve and now the Black Widow. My uncle and I are seriously going to have to sit down and have a talk because there is no way I’m ever going to believe he is not a spy.”
Natasha’s face split into a wide grin and looked to Steve. “I like this kid.”
Steve’s lip quirked lightly. “Not that I’m not happy to see you, Natasha, but what brings you into my gym?”
Natasha shrugged lightly. “I saw the photos on Facebook a while back and heard that you were training him, so figured I’d wait a while and then come see how he was making out. What do you think, kid? Mind giving me a shot?”
Stiles eyed her skeptically for a moment before answering. “Only if you promise not to break any of my bones.”
She smirked before grabbing Cap’s gloves from his hands and slipping them on. “You’ll have to be fast, then.”
Stiles climbed back into the ring with slight trepidation but refused to let it overwhelm him. He knew she was fast and ruthless, but Steve had trained him well. He would try his best not to disappoint him.”
When they were both settled in the ring, Steve settled at the edge, watching as Romanoff started to circle Stiles predatorily.
Stiles shifted his weight, bracing himself for when she would strike.
When she finally moved forward, Stiles just barely managed to dodge the move before she was throwing another punch.
He managed to block that move with his arm, his knee rising just in time to stop her leg, which was going for his groin, before she slammed him in the solar plexus and he fell down hard.
Steve made to jump in but Stiles shook his head, wheezing before he managed to get back to his feet.
They continued like this for fifteen minutes, Romanoff testing his mettle and Stiles taking the damage, slowly learning to dodge, move with her strikes. Most importantly she taught him how to continue on while in pain.
If he couldn’t deal with the pain, all of the training Steve gave him wouldn’t be able to make him react properly after he received one good punch, which was exactly what Romanoff said once she was done. “I like you, kid. You have potential. What do you think, Steve? Would you mind me butting in on his training a bit? I’m bored and could do with some entertainment.”
Steve smiled proudly at Stiles. “What do you think, Stiles? Having a different view on things would help with your training. Everyone has different styles and fighting techniques, so it could be good for you to have another perspective to stack on.”
Stiles’ whole body throbbed with bruises, but he had really enjoyed sparring with Natasha; he had learned so much in such a short time on the matt. He couldn’t imagine what he would learn from her over the summer. “I’d love that.”
Natasha grinned extending her hand and Stiles shook it. “Then we have a deal, kid. By the time Steve and I are done with you, any military or police force will be begging to have you on their team.”
Stiles grinned back. “Thanks I really appreciate it. Everyone back home always thought I was weak and clumsy. I’m glad I’ve managed to work past that. Speaking of back home, could we take a photo all three of us? I’d love to share this with my friends back home.”
Steve rolled his eyes but with a smile still firm on his lips, now used to Stiles’ new obsession of taking photos of every little thing to share with his friends and family back home. “I don’t mind if Nat doesn’t mind.”
Romanoff shook her head. “I don’t mind at all. Come here.”
She placed Stiles between herself and Steve, wrapping her arm around his shoulders so they were all close, cheeks almost touching.
When everyone was ready, Stiles snapped the photo and quickly loaded it on Facebook with a grin. “Scott will love this; he always had a huge crush on you. Don’t tell him I told you that or he will kill me.”
Natasha smiled wryly. “Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me.”
They spent the rest of the session switching from Steve’s methods to Natasha’s, with the both of them chiming in on what worked and what did not for each method, depending on the situation.
When stiles came home, his body was aching with bruises but he felt like he was floating on air; it was a feeling he had anytime one of his self-defense lessons went really well.
His uncle eyed him from top to bottom when he walked in, causing Stiles to frown. “What?”
Phil shrugged lightly. “I saw your post about Romanoff training you. I was just wondering if you had broken a limb yet.”
Stiles chuckled. “No limbs lost yet. I’m sure I have a few bruises, though, but they will heal.”
Phil looked impressed at that. “I was thinking we could order in tonight to celebrate your final day of school. You get to pick. How does that sound?”
Stiles beamed. “How about Korean tonight?”
Phil nodded. “Alright, I’ll go call it in. I’m assuming you want your usual?”
Stiles nodded and Phil pointed to the coffee table. “I also got you a present, it’s nothing as extravagant as Tony, but I figured you’d appreciate it.”
He moved to the living room and picked up the box, which was fairly heavy. It was also very large, the box covering nearly the whole of the coffee table, and left Stiles very curious.
He quickly ripped into the packaging by the time his uncle had returned. “Figured you might have gotten tired of practicing with the berretta and wanted to enlarge your arsenal.”
Stiles stared at the sleek gun safe with awe. “Thanks, uncle Phil. Now I can legally travel to the shooting range.”
Phil smiled. “That’s not all, open it.”
Stiles froze for a moment before opening up the safe and feeling his jaw go slack. “Is that what I think it is?”
The side of his lip quirked but he kept quiet.
Stiles stared at two guns; one was a gorgeous A.K 47. He had practiced with a few loaner ones at the range, but both his uncle and his father had refused to buy him one, no matter how much he asked. The second one was a handgun and Stiles reverently picked it up, turning it from side to side. “How did you know I wanted a Desert Eagle?”
“May might have mentioned that you were eyeing hers last time we were at the range.”
Stiles jumped up and gave his uncle a tight hug. “Thank you, uncle Phil, I love it.”
He sat down, gently placing his weapons back in the safe and locking it before speaking once more. “By the way, don’t think I haven’t forgotten the fact that Romanoff marks the third avenger who’s mentioned they know you personally. Still refusing to fess up that you’re a spy, uncle Phil?”
Phil snorted but as always, said nothing.