It's been few weeks since the funeral, and everything seems to be back to normal. The world misses Iron Man, no surprise, but it will remember him like the hero he was. The man who saved the universe. With him, it's like the Avengers disappeared. Well, the old Avengers at least. Mr Wilson took up the mantle of Captain America and he's now fighting crime with Mr Barnes, the glowing woman (Captain Marvel, Peter learned later) alternates herself between Earth and space and if that's not cool, Peter doesn't know what it is, Doctor Strange keeps protecting this reality, closed in the Sanctum, and Peter himself is still fighting crime, trying not to worry May too much. When she's in the area, Riri joins too.
Since when he came back, Peter finds some time to spend with Pepper and Morgan between school and crime fighting. He really likes the kid, reminds him a little too much of Tony, especially in some expressions the late hero had too.
That's why, when Pepper called him this morning to babysit Morgan, he couldn't say no.
Peter doesn't have time to knock on the door that it opens to reveal the little girl.
«Peter!» she shrieks and hugs his legs.
«Hey, Trouble» he says, scooping her up and walking inside, closing the door with his foot.
«Did you bring it?» she whispers conspiratorially.
Peter raises one finger to his lips, the nanotech forming on the digit, and Morgan giggles in delight. «Don't tell your mom» he says and the little girl nods, still giggling. He puts her down and sees her run out of the room, screaming, «Mommy! Peter is here!»
A moment later, Pepper appears, dressed in business attire, «Hello, Peter, thank you for coming on such short notice» she says.
«No worries, Mrs Potts»
Pepper smiles, one hand on the doorknob, «Hopefully it won't take long» she turns to Morgan, «and you, young lady, be gentle with Peter and don't turn this house into a circus»
Morgan looks at Peter, who raises his eyebrows as to say she's serious, then back to her mom, «Yes, mommy»
Peter puts one hand on Morgan's shoulder, who smiles. Pepper looks between the two of them.
«I'll be back in a couple of hours» she says and walks out the door.
The moment the rumble of the car fades away, Morgan jumps, «Race you to the lake!» she says and runs outside. Peter chuckles and follows her, the nanotech suit forming around his body. The spider legs grab Morgan before she reaches the stretch of water.
«That's cheating!» she laughs.
Just then, they hear a voice from above, «Oh no, Lady Stark is being kidnapped by an awful looking spider!»
«Hey!» Peter says, the mask retracting. He looks up at Riri in her Ironheart suit.
«N.A.T.A.L.I.E. charge the cannons and aim them at the spider's head»
«Cannons ready» Riri's ai replies.
«And... Fire!»
A water spray erupts from Riri's raised arm directly on Peter's head, who stumbles back freeing Morgan from the spider legs. The little girl falls on the grass laughing.
«That was uncalled for!» Peter yells. Riri lands next to him.
«Hey, you were kidnapping her, Pepper would have killed me» she says when her face plate opens. She offers one hand to Peter, helping him to stand up. They look down at Morgan, who's smiling up at them both, her laughter slowly subsiding.
---
«How did you know I was here?» Peter asks, toweling his hair.
«Your aunt told me» Riri replies, «I have to speak with you about something»
«Is this adult talk?» Morgan pipes up, «Do I have to go to my room?»
«No, Trouble, you can stay here and color your book» Peter says on his way to the couch, ruffling her hair.
He sits next to Riri, «So, what is it?»
«Word says that an inhuman girl is teaming up a bunch of superkids to fight crime, kinda like the Avengers but not really»
«Ok...? What does it have to do with me?»
Riri shrugs, «Do you wanna join?»
«You know I'm already an Avenger, I can't» Peter looks away.
There's silence, the only sound in the room is Morgan's pencil on the paper. Then Riri says, «Is it because of...?» she trails off but Peter knows what she means. Tony.
«He made me an Avenger» Peter says, without looking up. It's been weeks, but it hurt just the same. And he knows Riri feels it too, he's been her mentor for Peter doesn't know how long, the reason she's here now with an iron suit. The reason why she's a superhero.
«I know, you know...» she says softly, «I just thought that maybe you'd want to join the Champions, stay with kids your own age» she shakes her head, smiles, «It's ok, no worries» she looks down at Morgan, sitting cross-legged on the carpet, coloring her book on the coffee table. Peter looks at the child too for a little while when an idea pops in his head.
«You know,» he says, «there's someone who maybe would want to join» when Riri looks at him with a raised eyebrow, he elaborates, «he lives in Brooklyn, name's Miles Morales,» he smirks, «if you need a Spiderman»
«And how did you find him, may I ask?»
Peter shrugs, «Stumbled upon him once, he has a killer costume»
Riri smirks, «I'll tell Kamala about him then»
Silence falls in the room once again. At some point, Morgan stands up and walks to the couch, sitting between them, her face long. Riri and Peter exchange a look.
«What is it, Morgan?» Riri asks some moments later, caressing Morgan's hair.
«I miss my daddy» the kid says, voice broken.
«We miss him too» Peter says softly, «very much»
Morgan sniffles and Peter's heart breaks for her. He was much younger than her when his parents died, too young to comprehend that mom and dad weren't coming home and, on some extent, he thinks he's been luckier. Morgan is only five years old and she already dealt with death, and of her hero nonetheless. Peter taps her shoulder to get her attention, a smile slowly spreading on his face.
«Did your dad ever tell you when he went to space?»
Morgan's eyes widen imperceptibly, «He did?»
«Oh yes» Peter nods, «there was also a wizard»
«A wizard?» Morgan repeats, her eyes sparkling again with excitement, the sadness of before forgotten, «tell me, tell me, tell me» she pleads, shaking Peter's arm.
Peter laughs as Morgan makes herself comfortable between Riri's legs, back on her chest.
«So, there was this giant metal alien donut in the skies of New York...»