Inheritance of ash

hijack

Then, the elevator chimed again.

Vicky stepped in, hair wild, hoodie oversized, socks mismatched. Still rubbing sleep out of her eyes. She shuffled into the kitchen and beelined for the fridge.

"Morning," she mumbled.

"Morning," a few voices echoed back.

She opened the fridge, then paused.

"Oh. Dad, we're out of orange juice."

The room froze.

Tony turned slowly. The grin that spread across his face wasn't dramatic — it was quiet, warm, solid. He didn't even try to hide it.

"Noted," he said. "I'll stock up."

Steve blinked. Slowly. Then smiled into his mug, deeply, fondly.

Clint looked up from his cereal. "Did she just—?"

"She did," Natasha murmured.

Bucky's fork clattered to his plate. Sam nudged him, nodding like he was so here for this.

Pietro leaned back in his chair, grinning. "So you are adopting strays now."

Tony just shrugged. "Only the ones worth it."

Vicky turned around, realized everyone had heard, and immediately pulled her hoodie hood up and over her head like a turtle retreating.

Kate finally found her voice. It came out in a strangled, croaky wheeze.

"Did this morning just one-up last night?"

Yelena, sipping her coffee, raised an eyebrow. "Welcome to your new normal."

⸻

The kitchen hummed softly with the low chatter of those still lingering after the party, the clink of dishes, and the occasional happy "mmm" directed at Thor's surprisingly perfect pancakes. Bucky and Sam were cautiously digging in, and to everyone's bafflement, they weren't complaining. In fact, Steve and Natasha were quietly enjoying their plates like this was just any other morning.

Vicky shuffled around the kitchen, still rubbing sleep from her eyes, occasionally stealing glances at Tony, who was now confidently jotting "orange juice" at the top of his grocery list with a small, satisfied smile.

The door chimed again.

Peter stepped in, still in his suit but without the mask this time, hair a bit tousled as if he'd just rolled out of bed. He gave a shy wave and a small, awkward smile to the group.

Vicky's eyes widened for a moment, then softened. She gave a small nod, her smile hesitant but genuine.

"Morning," Peter said, voice low.

"Morning," Vicky replied, eyes flicking briefly toward Tony before returning to Peter.

They fell into an easy silence, standing close but not quite touching — still wrapped in that gentle awkwardness of "we kissed, but what now?"

Yelena's voice cut through the quiet like a sharp breeze.

"So, Kate," she said, voice light but with unmistakable teasing edge.

Kate immediately froze mid-sip of her tea, eyes wide like she was trying to vanish through the floorboards.

Vicky shot a look at Yelena, who just grinned mischievously and leaned against the counter, not even finishing her sentence.

Peter, glancing at Kate's sudden freeze, raised an eyebrow in amused confusion.

Before anyone could say anything, the kitchen door opened again.