Kintsugi

It shouldn’t be a surprise that after what happened with Thanos people went crazy. Yes, the giant grape had been defeated, but his arrival brought enough destruction to make them reevaluate their current hero situation. In other words, they wanted the Avengers back and they wanted them fast. As a result, Tony had no other choice but to announce that he was assembling a team while a new version of the Sokovia Accords was on the making. Today, almost eight months after what was starting to be known as the “Infinity War”, he was finally presenting this so called team or, at least, most of it. Peter was among the members who were not going to show up (although he was officially an Avenger, thank you very much). It was decided that he would only participate on certain missions and so, instead of being there at the ceremony in his Spiderman suit, he was watching it on TV in his living room along with Ned and MJ.

“Oh, they fucking,” murmured MJ when they saw Tony introducing Doctor Strange, high fiving him when the doctor offered his hand to shake it.

“What? They’re just saying ‘hi’ to each other,” pointed Peter, remembering how those two bickered. At that time, he didn’t notice that his reaction sounded a little too certain coming from someone who supposedly was only doing a Stark internship, and he would realize his mistake a little too late. Not even her smirk could have warned him about what he had gotten himself into.

***

The next thing he knew, there was a robbery close to their school and he was ready to get into his suit when MJ and a very out of breath Ned approached him. Apparently, his friend hadn’t been able to stop her, so instead he had to send a quick message to Tony and let him send someone else to handle the situation. However, that didn’t stop them from getting closer to the area once the heroes arrived and saved the day.

“Come on…” Tony was saying, holding his hand up in a clear sign of what he was expecting.

“I told you I would never do that again,” replied Stephen crossing his arms over his chest, looking towards the opposite direction in order to avoid facing him.

“You can do it,” encouraged Tony, not giving up even after a couple of minutes passed without an answer.

With a snort of disgust, Stephen ended up yielding and high-fiving the eccentric billionaire.

“Awesome facial hair bros!” exclaimed Tony smiling as the cameras took pictures of them while several journalists tried to get closer to get an interview.

“I hate you,” muttered Stephen, low enough so that only Tony would hear him… but then again, Peter had heightened senses.

“Oh, they fucking,” he almost jumped at Ned’s comment.

He stared at him incredulous.

“Look at them… sparks!” MJ added with a wave of her hand and a satisfied smile.

“They’re just talking to each other,” he was no longer surprised of hearing that from MJ, as she had not stopped commenting on that every chance she got because she was convinced that it bothered him (which it didn’t… it was just weird, considering he knew both men), but knowing that Ned was now on board too felt a little like treason.

***

“For the last time, you can’t sleep on the floor!” he was woken up by Stephen’s irritated voice. It still took him some time to realize he was at the compound where he was spending the night after a particularly draining mission. Although sometimes he took the liberty of coming to study there, as he was slowly realizing that Tony, contrary to what he might claim, actually appreciated the company.

“I’m not sleeping… I’m just… meditating!” was Tony’s groggy response, which clearly indicated the contrary.

“Oh, really? I’m fairly certain I know what meditation is and that’s not it!” and now that he thought about it, why didn’t Strange go back to the Sanctum? “Come on, let’s get you to bed.”

“Oh, doctor! At least buy me dinner first,” it was easy to imagine Tony saying something like that. He had gone to dinner with him before and knew exactly how he sounded when he was flirting, but that was also the reason why he knew this wasn’t quite it.

“No can do… considering how heavy you already are,” was Stephen’s answer. However, by the sound of it, he was helping him to stand up anyway.

“I’m not heavy, it’s you who is weak,” Tony protested.

“As if you were that strong.”

“Wanna bet, Glinda?”

He could only imagine what MJ would say if she was present during those kind of moments. Or heard the conversations they had, like that one time he overheard them talking about the rogue Avengers. They were staying in Wakanda and it wasn’t certain what was going to be done about them. However, Tony was already sure they were going to be pardoned eventually.

“So? They still will have to agree to the new accords if they want to join,” had remembered Stephen without taking his eyes from the book he was reading. He did that a lot, apparently he was too busy with his wizard stuff to stop working even when meeting with them at the compound.

“And what if they do? What comes next? We’ll all go together to celebrate Roger and Barnes’ wedding?”

“You could call sick,” Tony had scoffed.

“Yeah, right. And what would be your excuse?”

“Am I even invited? I barely know those men,” Stephen had reminded him.

“Please, Stephen. They don’t know that much people… and you fought together!” Tony had illustrated, “and anyways, if I have to go, then you certainly will come with me even if I have to drag your sorry butt,” Tony had explained as if it were the most logical thing to do.

“But I’m busy… can’t you just ask Pepper?”

“I’m sure she will get her own invitation, and anyways, she’s a very busy woman.”

“That I cannot deny,” had agreed Stephen earning a little smile.

Peter had decided to leave.

***

Still, realization took longer. A couple of classmates were discussing the new commercial for a wedding planning service. He remembered watching it, how his mind had drifted, remembering a certain princess, but then, as the woman on the screen was showing a couple of tuxedos, he had ended up thinking about Tony and Stephen. It made sense. The way the looked at each other, their eyes never leaving the other’s gaze. It was funny considering how if one of them had to leave, the other would follow their back with their eyes and would end staring at the door for a couple of minutes after they had left. Kind of like a puppy, now that he thought about it. They also stood very close to each other when talking, and they had only had been shifting closer and closer… but well, they were mostly bickering so he thought it was supposed to be in an intimidating way… And as he was thinking about it during his chemistry class, it all clicked. Of course.

“Oh, they fucking,” he mused in a barely audible whisper.

However, it was loud enough for MJ and Ned to hear, who unexpectantly exclaimed: “Oh, they fucking!”

They were sent to detention.

And yes, they weren’t really fucking, but that didn’t mean they did not want to.

***

There was a moment in every teenager’s life where the adult, once respected and admired, became… well, for lack of a better word, human. Of course, Peter knew that Tony Stark was human, but still, the situation was getting ridiculous. So yes, it took him a while to realize what was going on, but the clues were right under their noses and now that he knew, their pining was beginning to become annoying.

“You need to have breakfast with us! I mean, look at those cheekbones. I could cut myself slapping that face!” dramatized Tony.

“I would like to see you try,” was Stephen’s response, unfazed as he continued with his morning meditation.

“Maybe later, but now you have to move your butt here and eat something! Breakfast is family time, the kid said so himself!”

“I didn’t say that,” he protested. He might be young but he wasn’t that young! However, by the look Tony gave him, he decided to reconsider… “I mean… yeah, family time!” He exclaimed, deciding his cereal had suddenly become the most interesting thing to watch.

This was really too much for him.

“How can’t they notice? Are they really that blind?” Peter silently thanked Loki’s words. It was good to know he was not alone in this.

“That’s what I have been wondering,” he muttered.

“I mean, look at them… it couldn’t be more obvious!” once again, Loki was right.

“I know right!” he said turning towards the deity, only to notice they weren’t talking to him. Instead, they are sitting next to Brunnhilde watching from afar how Thor and Bruce were discussing excitedly about the “New Asgard” project, an artificial island for the Asgardians which was being designed by Bruce and Tony while being financed by the latter.

“Well, we could say we are both dealing with a couple of idiots,” smiled Brunnhilde towards his direction.

“Don’t know if I would describe Barnes that way, but Rogers, definitely,” commented Tony turning his attention towards them, apparently believing they were following what was currently being presented by the local news: the return of the “Rogue Avengers”, as they had started calling them.

“I think you had enough coffee,” intervened Stephen taking Tony’s mug from his hands.

“Please, we are about to reunite with them to discuss the new accords… they are not like Scott Lang and the Pyms,” was Tony’s response as he recovered his mug, “What if they didn’t like them? What if they make a scene? I’m too old to start another fight…” Stephen rolled his eyes.

“If you are expecting me to deny the ‘old’ part, then you’re going to have to wait for a while”.

“I wouldn’t worry so much, Tony,” smiled Bruce turning towards them from the sofa, “I’ve been talking with Nat and she sounded pretty pleased with the new accords… Which reminds me, shouldn’t we be heading to the airport to welcome them?”

“I’d rather see them as little as possible while I can,” Tony answered pointing towards the TV: “Now it’s their return and when they announce their wedding… Oh, I swear I’d join Stephen in Hogwarts so I don’t have to listen to…”

“It’s not Hogwarts…” Stephen started complaining while making Tony’s mug disappear.

“…but it will do,” finished Tony with an amused smile.

Bruce cleared his throat.

“So… yeah, I’ll get going then, I promised Nat that I would help her look for a new apartment,” said Bruce standing up. “Guess none of you are coming?” He asked looking around.

“You know my answer,” said Tony, a little childishly in Peter’s opinion.

“I don’t know them,” shrugged Stephen.

“I fear for my safety if I tried,” dramatized Loki.

“Not only I don’t know them, but also I only woke up to eat these eggs and now that they are gone, I’m going back to bed,” said Brunnhilde, Loki laughed.

“Someone’s a sore loser,” sang Loki, gaining a stink-eye.

 “Not everyone can change their appearance to appease their partner according to their preferences… If earthlings weren’t so fixated with genders I would have won”.

“Wait, what?” Asked Peter before Tony could stop him.

“They went to a bar last night and made a bet of who could get more people to…”

Tony coughed.

“…play with them?” Thor looked towards Tony and Stephen’s direction to check if they approved while Peter grimaced. He was a teenager, not a baby!

“Yeah, bars are great, you just go there and boom! You can play with...!”

“Okay! Weren’t you going to bed?” Interrupted Tony in an intentionally high voice just to bother the hungover Asgardians.

“And I should better leave if I want to get there before their plane arrives,” remembered Bruce a little too used to their antics. Well, they all were. After months living together at the compound, they had become a kind of chaotic family whose weekend activities included saving the world… or at least, that is how Peter liked to think of them. Bruce turned towards the only one who had not yet answered. “Thor?”

 “Oh, no, you just go ahead and have fun!” He answered doing an exaggerated wink while his voiced cracked.

“For Mother’s mercy, I can’t watch this,” muttered Loki, low enough so that only Brunnhilde could hear him, and Peter’s sharp ears by default.

“You are having fun,” retorted Brunnhilde.

“A lot, actually,” they admitted without the slightest hint of guilt. Brunnhilde rolled her eyes.

“Um… okay. See you later, guys!” Bruce waved.

As soon as he left, all eyes were on Thor.

“What?”

“I believe they are wondering why you left Doctor Banner leave to meet with his ex given your obvious affection towards him,” answered FRIDAY’s voice helpfully.

“I don’t know what you– I mean…” Thor quickly stood up, bumping the sofa on the process and then the coffee table. “I should probably… Uh…” He ended-up muttering something quickly as he hurried towards his room.

“He’s so pathetic sometimes…,” lamented Loki deciding to follow after his brother.

“Takes one to know one,” commented Brunnhilde joining them too.

“Hey,” despite his short time knowing the deity, he was able to recognize how even though they intended to sound offended, they were actually trying to hold a smile. This was just like what that woman said on the wedding commercial, “love is in the air”… and apparently, not even the god-like Asgardians were safe.

“Okay, that’s our cue. Come on Peter, I promised May I’d take you to school on my way to the meeting,” decided Tony looking his watch.

“Can’t I go with you guys, I mean, shouldn’t Spiderman be present during the signing of the new accords?”

“Look, if I were in your place, I’d be thrilled of not being obliged to go.”

“Which reminds me, why am I going again?” commented Stephen.

“Because Pepper was busy, Rhodey is still on his super-secret mission with Captain Marvel, and they both want you to be my emotional support during these tedious times.”

“More like they want me to babysit you.”

“You make it sound like it’s a bad thing.”

“You know what? I feel ready to go to class,” interrupted Peter. That was another thing they were doing a lot lately: just staring silently at one other’s… eyes? Lips? Goatees? He wasn’t sure if he wanted to know.

“Right, let’s go! We can get some coffee on the way,” declared Tony fetching his keys while Peter took his bag and they headed towards the door.

“Not on my watch,” mused Stephen following them resignedly, or rather, trying to disguise his amusement regarding Tony’s persistence.

***

Time really does fly when you aren’t looking forward to something such as sitting in a table with your ex-teammates… well, except for Clint, who decided that he was happy with being retired, spending time with his family and away from the superhero’s life-threatening routine, which was quite understandable.

“So, we have talked with the board of representatives and they all agreed that you are free to move outside the compound as long as you register your location,” at least Bruce was there to reduce the tension.

“Good, because I sure don’t want to be around during the honeymoon phase of these guys…,” commented Wilson looking towards Rogers and Barnes’ direction.

“Sam…” urged Steve, looking in Tony’s direction with a worried expression, something he found seriously irritating.

“Oh, no, please continue talking about these, oh, so important, matters… it’s not like this meeting was about anything relevant like your citizenship status or anything… So tell me, how’s the wedding planning going? Have you already chosen the date?” he pressed.

“Actually, we have! We decided to hire Miss Mydma,” announced Rogers pretending he didn’t notice the hostility behind his words.

“Really? That woman from TV? I wasn’t expecting that from you, I thought you were aiming for something… I don’t know, more low key,” continued Tony, and although his tone has hostile, he was actually being sincere about that. Since when did Steve want a big televised wedding?

“Yeah… We actually were going to do that, but then we saw her commercial and thought, ‘why the heck not?’ I mean, you only get married once in your life, right?”

“First of all, did you seriously just said ‘heck’? And second, there is this thing called ‘divorce’…”

“And this conversation is going sideways,” interrupted Stephen.

“Right. So, do you have any other question regarding the new accords?”

“Nope, I think I talk for everyone here when I say these are perfect,” announced Barnes with a smile, probably holding Rogers’ hand under the table.

“Great, so now you only have to…”

“Sir, sorry to interrupt but I’ve just received information of multiple bomb threats across several locations,” announced FRIDAY’s voice, changing their current screen showing the accords to a map showing said places.

“We just have to sign, right?” said Romanov, being the first one to take her eyes away from the screen in order to look right at him.

“Yes,” soon they were all signing the papers.

“Let’s go,” said Rogers, but Stephen interrupted him.

“Remember you all have to go supervised…,” he turned towards Tony. “What’s our strategy?”

“Right… FRIDAY has already contacted Thor, Vision and Hank, so they should be heading towards zone A, B, and C right now, as we speak. Stephen, you will be in charge of escorting Miss Maximoff and join the Revengers at zone A. Bruce, you go with Rogers and Barnes to zone B to meet with the Ant-team. I’ll go with Romanov and Wilson and join Vision at zone C.”

“Can’t I go to zone C too?” asked Maximoff, her intentions clear.

“You can meet with your boyfriend after all this is over,” was his answer. Pepper had convinced him that he should avoid working with her until he felt comfortable enough, and Stephen reinforced her idea and added that it would be better if he was personally in charge of her, given their magical abilities in common. However, even if Strange joined Vision instead of him, there was no way he would have those two together in a mission until he could fully trust her or, at least, Vision’s capability to keep her in line.

“Revengers? Ant-team?” repeated Wilson, noticeably confused.

“I will explain on the way,” sighed Tony. “Let’s go!”

However, even if they had defeated Thanos together, the truth was that they weren’t ready to work as a proper team and that only became more notorious when new zones in danger were announced. For Tony that meant being left with Natasha, for Steve having Bruce left in charge of him or, to be more precise, the Hulk, and for the masked group the perfect opportunity to strike.

“Wait a moment,” in the chaos of the battle, Doctor Strange was probably one of the first ones to notice that something was wrong. Their enemy seemed more focused on attacking them than their supposed targets, and that could only mean one thing, “this is a diversion!”, however, this sudden realization came a little too late. The mysterious enemies left as fast as they came, leaving behind a very angry and confused Hulk. Black Widow had to admit she shared the confusion or, at least, until she noticed that Iron Man was gone. And so was Captain America.