"i'll keep you safe, i swear it."
The Quinjet soared through the clouds as the Avengers headed towards their latest mission. Peter Parker, also known as Spider-Man, bounced his leg excitedly in his seat. This was his first big mission with the Avengers since Mr. Stark had recruited him, and he was eager to prove himself.
"Alright team, here's the situation," Steve Rogers, also known as Captain America, addressed the group. "There have been reports of what appears to be a sorcerer wrecking havoc downtown. Our mission is to contain the threat and protect civilians."
The other Avengers nodded, faces set in determination. Natasha Romanoff, also known as Black Widow, gave Peter an encouraging smile.
"You've got this, Spider-Man," she said. "Just stay focused."
Peter nodded, trying to contain his nerves. As the Quinjet landed, the rear bay door opened. The Avengers leapt into action.
Chaos greeted them on the streets below. Cars were overturned, glass littered the pavement. The sorcerer stood in the center of it all, hands glowing with eldritch energy. He wore a hood that obscured his face.
"Villain!" Thor bellowed. "Cease this destruction!"
The sorcerer turned, energy crackling at his fingertips. "You cannot stop me!" he cried. "I will have my revenge!"
He thrust his hands forward, shooting beams of light at the heroes. They scattered, taking cover behind overturned vehicles and chunks of concrete debris. Captain America's shield ricocheted off a nearby building, striking the sorcerer in the back of the head. He stumbled but quickly regained his footing.
"We need to contain him before he can hurt anyone else!" Tony Stark, also known as Iron Man, called out. His repulsor beams had little effect on the magical shields surrounding the sorcerer.
Natasha peered around the chunk of wall she was using for cover. She watched as Peter swung in, webbing the sorcerer's hands together.
"Not so tough now, are you?" Spider-Man quipped.
The sorcerer growled, the web fluid sizzling and disintegrating from his hands. "Insolent child!" He aimed a blast towards Spider-Man.
"Look out!" Natasha cried.
Peter tried to dodge, but the size of the blast caught him off guard. It struck him directly in the chest, sending him flying backwards.
"Kid!" Tony exclaimed. The Avengers rushed towards where Peter had fallen, crumpled against a taxi cab.
As they approached, however, something strange happened. Peter's suit started to look...baggy. Before their eyes, his form shrank, the suit practically swallowing him whole.
When they reached him, the Avengers stared down in disbelief. Instead of the teenage Peter, a small child lay there, staring up at them with wide eyes. He looked no older than four years old.
"What...what happened?" Steve asked in shock.
Thor crouched down, helping the child to his feet. Peter seemed unsteady, still trying to get his bearings. The oversized Spider-Man mask engulfed the upper half of his tiny face.
"It appears our young friend has encountered some powerful magic," Thor said grimly. "The sorcerer has deaged him."
"Will you look at that, he's pint-sized now!" exclaimed Clint Barton, also known as Hawkeye.
Tony stepped forward, examining the small child. "Peter? Can you hear me?"
Peter looked up at Tony, eyes confused. "Where Mommy and Daddy?" he asked in a toddler's high-pitched voice.
The Avengers all exchanged dismayed glances. Not only was Peter now a child, but he seemed to have lost his memories of being Spider-Man and an Avenger.
Meanwhile, the sorcerer had taken advantage of the distraction to open a glowing portal. "You may have foiled me this time, but I will be back!" he shouted. Before the heroes could stop him, he stepped through the portal and vanished.
"Drat! He has escaped," said Thor angrily.
"We'll deal with him later. Right now we need to focus on Peter," said Natasha. She turned to the small boy who was clutching onto Tony's leg anxiously. "Everything's alright, sweetie. We're going to take care of you."
Tony looked mildly distressed at having a toddler clinging to his metal suit but gave what he hoped was a comforting pat on Peter's head. "Don't worry, kid. We'll get you back to normal in no time." But his voice lacked conviction.
Clint scratched his head. "So what do we do now? We can't just leave him here, he's just a tyke!"
"We should get him back to the compound where Bruce and the others can take a look at him," said Steve. The team leader knelt down to Peter's height. "Hey there, son. We're going to take you someplace safe, okay?"
Peter shyly buried his face in Tony's leg. Natasha bent down as well, her voice gentle. "It's alright, malysh. We're all friends here. No one will hurt you."
At her soft tone, Peter peered up at her. Natasha held out her arms invitingly. "Come here, Peter."
After a moment's hesitation, Peter detached himself from Tony and went to Natasha. She picked him up, cuddling him close. The oversized Spider-Man mask still covered half his face, making him look absolutely adorable.
"There now, that's better isn't it?" she murmured, carrying him towards the Quinjet. The rest of the Avengers followed, smiles tugging at their lips as they watched the normally reserved Black Widow fuss over mini Spider-Man.
Once aboard, Natasha settled into a seat with Peter on her lap. He seemed perfectly content there, snuggling against her chest. She stroked his soft brown curls peeking out from under the mask.
"Don't worry malysh, we'll fix this," she assured him. Peter just sighed, relaxing in her embrace.
Tony shook his head in amusement. "Well this is a side of you we don't see everyday, Romanoff."
Natasha just shrugged, a smile playing on her lips as she continued to soothe the toddler.
When they arrived at the compound, Bruce Banner was already waiting in the lab. His eyes went wide at the sight of mini Spider-Man.
"What in the world happened?" he exclaimed.
"Magic," Steve explained wryly. "Any ideas on how to reverse it?"
Bruce approached Natasha and the now-sleeping Peter. "Hmm, I'll have to run some tests, try and analyze what exactly he was hit with. In the meantime, we should get him settled."
Natasha nodded. "I can look after him." Ignoring the surprised looks from her teammates, she carried Peter off to find him some more appropriately sized clothes.
Peter woke later in an unfamiliar bedroom, wearing only an oversized t-shirt like a nightgown. He sat up, looking around in confusion. Where were his parents? And why was he in this strange place?
Frightened, he crawled out of the imposing bed, feet padding softly across the floor. Slipping out into the hall, he wandered until he heard voices coming from a nearby room.
Peering around the corner, he saw the red-haired lady who had held him so gently before. Natasha looked up, concern creasing her brow.
"Peter? What are you doing out of bed, malysh?"
She knelt down, holding out her arms, and Peter rushed into them. Lifting him up, she hugged him close.
"Bad dream," Peter mumbled, clenching his little hands in her shirt.
"Shh, you're safe now," Natasha soothed, carrying him into the communal living area.
Some of the other Avengers were there as well - Clint, Bruce and Steve. They looked up in bemusement as Natasha sat down on the couch, the toddler curled up in her lap.
She smiled ruefully. "Looks like I have a shadow."
"Aww, look at little Petey! He's taken quite a liking to you," teased Clint.
Natasha just rolled her eyes, cuddling the boy close as he quickly drifted back to sleep.
Over the next few days, Natasha found herself spending more and more time caring for mini Spider-Man. She didn't mind; there was something about his sweet nature and innocence that brought out a protective instinct in her.
The other Avengers pitched in as well. Tony jury-rigged some web shooters to fit Peter's tiny wrists. "Can't have Spider-Man without webs!" he declared.
Peter was delighted, scampering up and down the walls and ceilings, webbing up anything in reach. Steve would toss him in the air, eliciting shrieks of laughter as he used his sticky hands and feet to cling to the broad shoulders of the super soldier.
One time, Peter wandered into the lab where Bruce was working. The scientist looked up to see an adorable toddler peering at him curiously.
"Well hello there, Peter," Bruce said kindly. "Did you come to see what I'm working on?"
Peter nodded. "Play?" he asked hopefully.
"Oh, um, I don't really play much," Bruce said awkwardly. "I'm more of a science guy."
Peter pouted. Then his face lit up. "Hulk play!" he cried excitedly.
Bruce's eyes widened. "You...you want the Hulk to play with you?"
The boy bounced eagerly. "Yeah, yeah! Hulk come out?"
"Oh boy," Bruce muttered under his breath. He knew Hulk had a soft spot for "Little Bug-Baby" as he called Spider-Man. There was no way the big green guy would refuse a play date with a pint-sized Spidey.
Reluctantly, Bruce allowed the transformation. As soon as the enormous Hulk emerged, Peter clapped his hands in delight.
"Hulk! Hulk! Play now!"
Hulk carefully scooped up the tiny child in one giant hand. "Hulk be gentle," he rumbled seriously. Peter just laughed as Hulk lumbered off down the hall to find room for their game.
From the kitchen, the other Avengers watched in bemusement as the seven-foot-tall Hulk was put through his paces by a determined two-and-a-half foot toddler. It was an adorable scene.
That night after Peter was put to bed, Natasha sat chatting with Steve, Clint and Bruce.
"Any progress on reversing the spell?" she asked hopefully. As much as she was growing fond of little Peter, they needed to return him to his true age.
Bruce shook his head regretfully. "Nothing definitive yet. Magic isn't exactly my area of expertise. We may need to track down someone more knowledgeable about sorcery to undo it."
Natasha sighed but nodded in understanding.
Just then, a small voice piped up from the doorway. "Mama?"
They turned in surprise to see Peter standing there in feety pajamas, his arms outstretched. Without thinking, Natasha went and scooped him up.
"What's wrong, malysh? Can't sleep?"
Peter snuggled into her embrace, one thumb sneaking towards his mouth. "Wan' Mama," he mumbled around his thumb.
The other Avengers exchanged surprised looks. Did Peter think Natasha was his mother?
But the spy didn't seem bothered. She just cradled the toddler and murmured soothingly to him in Russian until his eyes drifted shut once more.
Over the next few days, Peter became convinced Nat was his mother, and took to calling her "Mama" exclusively. When Tony teased her about it, Nat just shrugged.
"He needs comfort right now. I really don't mind."
Truth be told, she was growing rather attached to being the little boy's surrogate mother. His sweetness and affectionate nature were balms to her normally hardened heart.
So Black Widow became Spider-Mom for the time being. She was the one who rocked Peter to sleep, who kissed his scrapes when he tripped and tumbled, who threatened bloody murder on anyone who tried to harm her baby spider.
Peter flourished under her care. Even when he was causing mischief with his webs, or attempting death-defying stunts that made Natasha's heart stop, she couldn't help but melt at his cherubic smile.
Nearly two weeks after the fateful mission, Thor finally returned to Earth, bringing someone he believed could break the deaging spell - Doctor Stephen Strange.
The stoic sorcerer examined the now comfortable domestic scene before him - Black Widow on the floor playing Legos with a toddler in Avengers footie pajamas. He raised one eyebrow.
"Well this is certainly different."
Natasha stood up, shepherding Peter behind her legs shyly. "Can you return him to normal?" she asked Strange without preamble.
"I believe so," said Strange. "But magic like this requires time and intricate preparation for counter spells."
Natasha's face fell. She had hoped Peter would be back to his 17-year-old self immediately.
Seeing her crestfallen look, Strange's expression softened slightly. "I understand you've become attached to him. Don't worry, I'll work quickly."
Over the next two days, Strange prepared the counter spell while the Avengers spent as much time as they could with pint-sized Peter. Natasha especially doted on her adopted child, cherishing these last moments with her sweet boy.
Finally, Strange declared it was time. The Avengers assembled anxiously in the lab as Doctor Strange drew arcane symbols in the air, reciting ancient words of power. Mystical energy gathered around Peter making him giggle.
With a final word, the magic flashed brightly, forcing everyone to look away. When they turned back, a lanky teenage boy stood there, Peter once more aged 17.
"Whoa...trippy!" he exclaimed, patting himself down. "It worked!"
The Avengers all cheered. Natasha stepped forward, tears pricking her eyes that she quickly blinked away.
"Peter," she said warmly. Unable to resist, she pulled him into a hug.
"Uh, hi M-Ms. Romanoff," Peter stammered, surprised but hugging back.
"Welcome back, Spider-Man," she said, stepping back but keeping her hands on his shoulders. "You had us all very worried. But now you're safe."
Peter ducked his head. "Yeah, sorry about that. I, uh, don't actually remember much from when I was little." A thought seemed to occur to him and he glanced up shyly. "Did I...did I call you Mom?"
Natasha laughed. "You did, malysh. And I have to admit, I didn't really mind." She ruffled his hair affectionately.
Peter grinned. "Well in that case..." Moving quickly he pecked her on the cheek. "Thanks, Mom."
Then he bounced away before she could react, whooping excitedly about being back to normal. Natasha watched him go, shaking her head with a smile. She had a feeling "Mom" might just stick around. But looking at the bright, vibrant, hero Peter had become, she found she didn't really mind that at all.
In the weeks following Peter's magical deaging and return to normal, Natasha found the name 'Mom' sticking even more than she expected.
Peter took to calling her that whenever they were alone, the word slipping out naturally in conversation.
"Hey Mom, what's for dinner tonight?"
"Mom, can you help me study for my Spanish quiz?"
"Love you, Mom, be back before curfew!" he'd call as he thwipped off on patrol.
At first, it made Natasha freeze up each time, old instincts telling her love was dangerous. But Peter's guileless affection thawed her doubts bit by bit. Until one day she realized she no longer tensed when he called her Mom - instead it made her feel warm. Loved.
Tony noticed the change as well. One day after a mission, the Avengers were recuperating back at the compound. Peter flopped down on the couch beside Natasha, leaning his head on her shoulder.
"Man, I'm beat. That was brutal," he sighed.
Nat chuckled, running a hand through his hair. "You did well, little spider. I'm proud of you."
Peter grinned up at her happily. "Thanks, Mom!"
Tony's eyebrows shot up and he chuckled. "Geez, kid, find a new mentor and suddenly I'm chopped liver?"
Peter laughed while Natasha rolled her eyes indulgently. "Relax, Mr. Stark. You know you'll always be my number one." He sprang up and threw an arm around Tony's shoulders. "Right, Dad?"
Now it was Tony's turn to freeze up in shock while Natasha smirked.
"Yeah, don't ever call me that again," Tony finally managed.
Peter just laughed and bounced away while Tony shook his head. "Cheeky kid."
He sat down beside Natasha with a wry smile. "So, looks like you've been replaced as his favorite Avenger. How's it feel playing Mama Spider?"
Natasha shrugged, lips quirking up. "Surprisingly...nice. I never saw myself as the maternal type."
"Yeah well, the kid has a way of bringing that out in people," Tony said fondly. "Just do me a favor and leave some mentoring time for me in between all the bonding, alright?"
Nat smiled and patted his shoulder. "Don't worry, you're still his hero."
And so a unique little family formed amongst the Avengers - Tony the doting mentor/father figure, Natasha the protective mom, and Peter their kid who brought them all closer together.
It was rare quiet evenings like this that Natasha cherished most. Curled up on the sofa with Peter's head in her lap as she carded her fingers through his hair. The TV played forgotten in the background.
"How's school going, malysh?" she asked. "That quiz you studied for, did you pass?"
Peter nodded, eyes drifting shut. "Mmhmm. Got an A. Academic Decathlon team is gearing up for nationals too."
"So proud of you," Nat murmured. It amazed her sometimes, how fiercely she cared about Peter's grades, his friends, his life. Things she never thought she'd have a chance to worry about, as the Black Widow.
"M'tired, Mom," Peter mumbled, barely coherent now. Natasha's heart squeezed fondly. Her little spider, worn out from keeping New York safe.
"Then sleep, malysh," she whispered, dropping a feather-light kiss to his forehead. "I'll keep the nightmares away."
Peter gave a sleepy smile before his breaths evened out in slumber. Natasha held her son quietly as he rested.
Of course, domestic bliss couldn't last forever. Trouble came calling soon enough.
Peter raced into the compound, mask askew and clutching his side. "Mom!" he called out anxiously.
Nat appeared and guided him to a chair. "What happened?" she asked, peeling back his torn costume to reveal a nasty gash on his ribs.
"Ran into some arms dealers packing serious alien tech," Peter explained through gritted teeth as she cleaned the wound. "One of them pulled a glowing sword on me. But I got away."
Natasha's jaw tightened at the sight of the five inch laceration. "This might need stitches, little spider."
Peter nodded, face pale. Nat fetched the med kit and gently numbed the area before stitching it closed. Peter clung to her other hand, breathing harshly through the pain.
"Shhh malysh, I've got you," she soothed. Finally it was done. Bandaged tightly, the worst was over. Peter rested his forehead against her shoulder, shaking.
"You're safe now. I won't let anyone hurt you," Nat murmured fiercely, pressing kisses to his hair. She helped him to bed, heart aching at his soft whimpers.
Later, Natasha found Tony in his workshop. "Suit up," she said shortly. "We're going hunting."
Tony took one look at the icy rage in her eyes and decided not to argue.
They tracked the arms dealers to a warehouse. Natasha broke in silently, widow's bite crackling. Tony blasted away the alien tech before landing heavily beside her.
"Alright, nobody move! You hurt one of ours, now you answer to-"
He was cut off as Natasha seized the ringleader. In seconds she had him pinned to the wall, hand crushing his throat.
"If you ever come near my son again, they won't find enough of you to fill a shoebox," she hissed. "Do you understand?"
The man choked out a terrified "Yes!" Nat released him and he slumped gasping.
She regarded the other cringing criminals coldly. "Take this as your first and only warning."
Then she turned on her heel and strode out, not bothering to see if Tony followed. Her message was received loud and clear.
When she arrived home, Peter was up and waiting anxiously. Natasha's expression softened as she hugged him.
"It's done, malysh. They won't ever hurt you again."
Peter clung to her, shaking with reaction. Nat just held him until the trembling eased.
Later, curled together on the couch, Peter murmured "I know you want to keep me safe. But no unnecessary risks, okay Mom? I couldn't stand if anything happened to you because of me."
Nat smiled sadly, brushing a curl off his forehead. "Oh little spider. A mother's job is to protect her child, no matter what. But I'll try to be careful. For you."
Peter hugged her fiercely. Natasha closed her eyes, soaking in this feeling. A deadly assassin would burn the world down for this boy without a second thought, and she wasn't sure if that made her more or less human.
But Peter never seemed to doubt that his mom was a hero too. And maybe that was enough.
Peter settled back into school and vigilante life. The AI in his suit kept Nat updated when he was injured or in over his head. Like the time he faced off against Vulture in Times Square.
"Karen! Call Mom!" Peter cried as he struggled to avoid the villain's electrical blasts.
Within minutes, the Quinjet appeared overhead. Nat rappelled down, pistols blazing. Between Spider-Man's webs and her electric discs, Vulture soon lay unconscious in a smoking heap.
Peter sagged with relief into Natasha's arms. "Oh man, I'm glad you came. Thanks Mom."
Nat checked him over worriedly, brushing soot off his cheeks. "Of course, malysh. Like I'd leave my boy to handle that maniac alone."
Peter hugged her tightly before swinging off cheerfully. Natasha shook her head in amusement. Her spiderling was growing up, but would always be her little boy.
Tony watched Nat fussing over Peter after missions, making his favorite foods, reminding him to wear a jacket out because "you'll catch cold!"
He stood in the doorway once as she tucked a blanket around a napping Peter on the couch, smiling fondly when she caught his eye.
"What?" she asked, a little self-consciously.
"Nothing," Tony said. "Just thinking I should've made you team mom years ago. You're a natural."
Nat's lips quirked up as she brushed Peter's hair back. "I never knew I could feel like this about someone. So...fiercely protective. He makes me want to be..."
"A better person?" Tony supplied gently.
Natasha's eyes glistened. "Yes. Exactly."
Tony clapped a hand on her shoulder. "Then I'd say we picked the perfect kid. Pete brings out the best in all of us."
Nat hummed in agreement. The two Avengers gazed down at the boy who'd become the heart of their family.
"Sweet dreams, little spider," Nat murmured.
Some days were harder than others. Peter struggled under the weight of responsibility on his young shoulders.
Nat found him hunched on his bed one night, face buried in his knees. She sat beside him, rubbing his back.
"Talk to me, malysh. What's wrong?"
Peter's voice was thick with tears. "My fault...couldn't save them..."
Nat's chest constricted. She knew that haunted look. Carefully, she lifted Peter's chin.
"You can't save everyone, little spider. No matter how hard you try. Believe me, I know." She cupped his cheek gently. "But the most important thing is that you keep trying. That's what makes you a hero."
Peter took a shaky breath, leaning into her touch. "Everyone expects me to be so strong. But sometimes I just feel..."
"It's okay to not be okay, Peter," Nat whispered. "Even heroes need to fall apart sometimes. But I'll always be here to hold you together."
Peter collapsed against her with a sob. Nat just wrapped her arms around her little spider as his skinny frame shook.
"Shhh malysh, I've got you," she murmured. "You're safe. Just let it out."
She held him until the storm passed, leaving him wrung out but breathing easier. Nat cradled Peter close as he slept, keeping the demons at bay.
Of course, the biggest test came when Peter's identity was leaked to the world. As Spider-Man's face plastered the news, fear flooded Natasha.
"Mom, I'm really freaking out," Peter said shakily over the phone. "What do I do?"
"Pack a bag and get somewhere safe. I'm on my way, malysh," Nat said, already moving.
She found Peter holed up in a cheap motel outside the city, cap pulled low over his eyes. Nat swept him into fierce hug.
"Oh Peter," she murmured. "I've got you, just stay close to me."
"Everyone knows now," Peter said. "School, my friends... I don't know if I can go back. I'm scared, Mom."
Nat's gut twisted at the terror in his eyes. "Then we run. Start over somewhere new. I'll keep you safe, I swear it."
Peter's lips wobbled but he nodded, clinging to her like a lifeline. Natasha cupped his cheek. "I will burn the whole world down before I let anything happen to you," she said fiercely. "You're not alone, malysh. Not ever again."
Peter hugged her tight. With his mom beside him, maybe he really would be okay.
They slipped away quietly, leaving Spider-Man and New York behind. It was hard, but Peter settled into a new city and a new life with Nat's help. She legally changed her name and became his aunt, so things appeared normal.
At last Peter felt safe again. Curled on the couch with Nat one evening, he said softly "Thank you, for everything you've done for me." He chuckled wryly. "Hard to believe you used to just be the scary Black Widow. Now you're my superhero mom."
Nat laughed and smoothed back his hair. "I never knew I could be, before you. But I'll always protect my family. And you'll always be my little spiderling"
She tickled his ribs and Peter yelped, swatting her hands away giggling. The sound filled Nat with warmth. She had finally found what she'd never dreamed she could have - someone to love, who loved her back. A family.
Curled together, they both knew that no matter what the future held, they would face it as mother and son.