watching the spiderling
Natasha Romanoff let out an exasperated sigh as she sank into the plush leather sofa in the common area of the Avengers Tower. She had just returned from a week-long undercover mission and was looking forward to some peace and quiet. But of course, that was too much to ask for.
"Hey Nat, got a favor to ask," Tony Stark said as he strode into the room. He was dressed in an impeccable suit and had his sunglasses perched on top of his head.
Natasha arched an eyebrow. "Let me guess. You want me to watch the kid while you go jet setting across the globe."
Tony flashed her a charming grin. "You know me so well. Come on, it'll just be for the evening. The spiderling is a good kid. You'll barely notice he's here."
"Somehow I doubt that," Natasha muttered under her breath. Ever since Tony had recruited young Peter Parker and brought him into the fold, there was a seemingly endless amount of energy and excitement in the tower. Natasha preferred things to be calm and orderly.
"Please Nat? I already promised the little guy we'd hang out tonight but this meeting came up last minute. Don't make me break the kid's heart," Tony pleaded, clapping his hands together.
Natasha held his gaze for a moment before letting out a defeated sigh. She could never say no to those puppy dog eyes. "Fine. But you owe me, Stark."
"Yes! Knew I could count on you. I'll just go grab the kid and then I'm out of here. Thank you, thank you!" Tony said excitedly, rushing out of the room.
Natasha leaned her head back and closed her eyes. A few moments of quiet passed before a young voice piped up.
"Um, hi Miss Black Widow. I'm Peter."
Natasha opened her eyes to see none other than Spider-Man himself standing awkwardly in the doorway. He was dressed in jeans and an oversized science pun t-shirt, looking far more like a normal teenager than a superhero.
"Hey kid. Looks like it's you and me tonight," Natasha said evenly.
"Yeah, Mr. Stark said you'd be babysi- I mean, hanging out with me," Peter said, catching himself mid-sentence. A faint blush appeared on his cheeks.
Natasha suppressed a smirk. The kid was cute, she'd give him that much. "That's right. I hope that's okay with you."
"Oh yeah, that's awesome!" Peter said enthusiastically. "I mean, you're the Black Widow. You're one of the most badass superheroes ever. Not as cool as Mr. Stark of course, but definitely up there."
Natasha raised an eyebrow at the non-stop chatter, not used to someone speaking so freely around her. Most people were intimidated by the infamous Black Widow. "Glad I meet your standards, Spider-Man. Now come on, let's figure out some dinner. I don't know about you but I'm starving."
Peter's eyes lit up. "Yeah I could definitely eat. Do you know how to cook, Miss Black Widow?"
"Call me Natasha. And as a matter of fact, I do know how to cook. Is pasta okay with you?"
"Pasta sounds awesome!"
Natasha led the way to the large, state-of-the-art kitchen. She began gathering ingredients for a simple tomato pasta dish, grateful that the kitchen was always stocked with the essentials.
As she worked, Peter perched himself on a barstool and began chatting away. He told her all about school, his friends Ned and MJ, and how he had just aced his Spanish test. Natasha listened with one ear, occasionally humming in response. She was used to tuning people out, having mastered that skill a long time ago.
Once the pasta was cooking, Natasha leaned against the counter opposite of Peter. "So, Spider-Man, tell me...how did a kid like you get mixed up in all this?" She waved her hand, gesturing around the room but meaning the Avengers compound in general.
Peter's face lit up, excited that the Black Widow was taking an interest in him. "Oh man, it's kind of a long story. But basically, I got bit by this radioactive spider on a school field trip. And overnight I developed these powers! I got super strong and could stick to walls and stuff. It was crazy."
"Hmm a radioactive spider bite, that's a new one," Natasha said.
"Yeah I guess it sounds kinda far-fetched when you say it out loud," Peter said with a laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. "Anyway, after I realized I had these powers I knew I had to do something good with them. With great power comes great responsibility, and all that. So I made myself a suit and started going out as Spider-Man! And then Mr. Stark found me and brought me here. It's been amazing. I still kinda can't believe I get to hang out with the Avengers now."
Natasha nodded thoughtfully. She had read the kid's file of course but hearing it from him directly helped paint a clearer picture. "And your aunt is okay with you spending so much time here?"
Peter nodded eagerly. "Yeah May is great! I mean she definitely freaked out at first when she found out. But she's seen that I can handle it and she trusts Mr. Stark to look out for me."
"Look out for you, hmm?" Natasha said with a quirk of her eyebrow. "Is that what he's doing by foisting you off on me for the night?"
"Oh he's not foisting me!" Peter said quickly. "I'm sure whatever Mr. Stark is doing is really important. And I'm happy to be hanging with you!"
Natasha noticed the hint of sadness in the kid's eyes before he covered it with a smile. So he was disappointed Stark had brushed him off for the night. She felt an unexpected twinge of protectiveness.
"Hey," she said, placing a hand on his arm. "I didn't mean it like that. We're going to have fun tonight, okay? Girl's night, or guy's night, or...superhero night. Whatever you want to call it."
Peter grinned. "Superhero night! Yeah, that sounds awesome."
Natasha returned his smile before turning back to the stove. She drained the pasta then tossed it in her simple sauce made from fresh tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and basil.
After dishing up two generous portions, she carried the plates over to the dining table where Peter was already seated.
The teenager wasted no time digging in, twirling huge bites of pasta onto his fork. "Mmm this is so good!" he said through a mouthful.
"Don't talk with your mouth full, young man," Natasha scolded without thinking.
Peter's eyes went wide and he quickly swallowed his food. "S-sorry, Natasha."
Natasha paused, fork halfway to her mouth. Where had that come from? She wasn't used to being around kids. There was just something about Peter that brought out her motherly instincts. Not that she had much experience with mothers either, having been raised entirely by her father.
She cleared her throat. "It's fine, Peter. I'm glad you're enjoying the food."
They ate in silence for a few minutes before Peter spoke up again. "Thanks for making dinner, Natasha. You're a really good cook."
Natasha tilted her head. "Even better than your Aunt May?" she asked wryly.
"Well..." Peter hemmed. "Don't tell her I said this, but yeah, I think this is better than May's cooking. But shh, that's a secret!" He pressed a finger to his lips.
Natasha let out a genuine laugh. She already felt herself softening towards the kid. He was impossible not to like. "Your secret is safe with me."
After dinner, Natasha introduced Peter to the expansive movie collection. They argued playfully for a few minutes before finally settling on watching an action comedy. Natasha wasn't normally one for comedies, but she supposed she could make an exception for the kid.
Peter curled up comfortably on the couch while Natasha sat nearby in an armchair. As the movie played, she studied Peter out of the corner of her eye. His mouth hung open and his eyes were glued to the screen. He laughed loudly at every joke like it was the funniest thing ever. Natasha found herself smiling along too. The kid's enthusiasm was infectious.
When the credits rolled, Peter jumped up and stretched. "That was awesome! Good pick, Nat."
Nat raised an eyebrow. "Nat, hmm?"
"Oh, uh, is it okay if I call you that?" Peter asked, suddenly shy.
Natasha pretended to think about it for a moment. "I suppose Nat is fine," she finally allowed.
Peter beamed. "Cool!" He glanced out the window at the night sky. "Whoa, it got late. What should we do now? Ooh I know, you can show me some of your cool spy moves! Like how to sneak around without making a sound, or secret handshake codes, or—"
"Or," Natasha interrupted, "we could take it easy. It's getting late, маленький паук." The Russian term of endearment slipped out without thought.
"Whoa, what does that mean?" Peter asked eagerly.
"It means 'little spider'," Nat explained with a soft smile.
Peter's grin threatened to split his face in two. "That's awesome! You'll have to teach me more Russian, Nat."
"All in good time," Nat replied. "For now, let's find a quiet activity. How about a card game?"
"Oooh do you know how to play Crazy Eights?" Peter asked excitedly.
Amused by his enthusiasm for such a simple game, Natasha agreed. She retrieved a deck of cards and dealt them out.
Peter babbled on as they played, telling her random stories and jokes. After her week of solitude on her mission, Natasha found she didn't mind the constant chatter. It was sort of...comforting. The kid's presence was like a soothing balm on her weary soul.
After several rounds of Crazy Eights, Peter tried and failed to suppress a yawn. Natasha glanced at her watch—nearly 11pm.
"I think it's time for little spiders to get to bed," she said in a gentle but firm tone.
"What? No, I'm not tired," Peter protested around another yawn.
Natasha just gave him a knowing look as she stood up from the couch.
Peter pouted briefly but followed her lead. "Fiiine, bedtime it is."
Natasha led him down the hall to the private rooms set aside for each Avenger. Peter had his own room for nights when he stayed over late.
When they reached his room, Peter turned and surprised Natasha by wrapping his arms around her in a quick hug.
"Thanks for hanging out with me tonight, Nat. You're really fun!" he said happily.
Natasha tensed for a split second before slowly returning the embrace. "You're not so bad yourself, Spider-Man."
Peter finally released her and shuffled over to collapse onto his bed. He was asleep within minutes.
Natasha stepped closer and adjusted the blankets over him. On impulse, she reached down to brush his hair back and place a feather-light kiss on his forehead.
"Сладких снов, little spider," she whispered.
With one last fond look at the sleeping boy, Natasha slipped silently from the room.
Back in the kitchen, she tidied up their dinner dishes and got ready to head to her own quarters for some much needed rest. But she found herself reluctant to leave the common area just yet. Instead she curled up on the couch with a book, deciding she would wait up for Stark to return.
About an hour later, she finally heard the telltale sounds of Tony arriving home. She appeared in the entryway just as he walked in.
"Oh hey Nat, you're still up," Tony greeted. "How was mini-me tonight?"
"Peter was great," Nat replied evenly. "We had dinner, watched a movie, played cards. I just got him settled into bed."
Tony smirked. "Look at you getting all domestic. The kid worked his magic on you, didn't he? Don't even try to deny it."
Natasha crossed her arms. As much as she hated to admit it, Stark had a point. She had a soft spot for Peter. "He's a good kid," she acknowledged simply.
"The best," Tony said proudly. "Well, thanks again for watching him. I know you specialize more in the kicking ass and taking names kinda stuff. This was probably out of your comfort zone."
"A little," Nat conceded. "But it was...nice. He's very sweet."
"Sweet? Did you just call someone sweet?" Tony placed a hand to his chest in mock astonishment. "Be still my heart! The Black Widow going soft, who would've thought?"
Nat rolled her eyes. "Keep it up, Stark. I can still kick your ass."
Tony held his hands up in surrender, though his eyes still sparkled with mirth. "Duly noted. I'm gonna peek in on the kid, then I'll leave you be."
He made his way down the hall to Peter's room, Natasha following behind. They entered quietly together and found Peter still fast asleep in the same position Nat had left him.
Tony's expression melted into one of pure affection. He crossed over to the bed, unable to resist brushing a hand over the kid's hair.
Peter must have sensed his presence even while sleeping, because he immediately rolled over and threw an arm across Tony's waist.
"Mm...Dad..." he mumbled against Tony's side.
Tony's eyes blew wide. He looked down at Peter in shock before whipping his head toward Natasha. She was watching the scene with a soft, knowing smile.
"Did he just...did he call me..." Tony trailed off, seemingly at a loss for words; a rare state for the notorious motormouth.
"He did," Nat confirmed. "Seems you're more of a father figure than you realized." Her tone held no judgment, only gentle understanding.
Tony looked back down at Peter still snuggled against him. His face took on an expression Nat had never seen before—pure, unguarded vulnerability.
"Yeah, I...I guess I am," Tony rasped. He carefully extracted himself from Peter's hold, pulling the blankets snugly around the boy once more.
Together, he and Natasha crept from the room. Tony kept casting glances back until Natasha finally closed the door behind them.
"Tony."
He met Nat's gaze, eyes still swimming with emotion.
Natasha placed a hand on his shoulder. "You're good for him. And...he's good for you."
Tony placed his hand over hers and squeezed once. "Thank you, Natasha."
She gave him a small smile before heading for her room.