It's Not Over Yet

Ch. 4

The Avengers stayed up all night playing Monopoly. They had asked one of the palace workers if they had it after arguing over what to play. They had agreed that if the palace had it, they would play it. Ten minutes later, they were all playing Monopoly. The night was spent around the board, some people in teams of two while others played as themselves. Peter had dozed off a couple of times, but each time his head dropped, he snapped back awake. No one said anything about it, though, and Peter was glad. They ended up playing two rounds before the sun had risen and they decided to leave their room.

"Mr. Stark? Are we going back to New York today?" Peter asked as they walked down the hall. Tony shrugged.

"I'd imagine we'd either go back today or tomorrow," he answered. "There's a lot of clean up that needs to be done."

"Aw man," Peter groaned. "I hate cleaning."

"I know," Tony said, smirking at him. "I've seen your room." Peter rolled his eyes and elbowed Tony. Tony laughed and slung an arm over Peter's shoulders. Two years without the kid had really made him realise how much he enjoyed his stupid little comments and general presence.

Breakfast was just as big as dinner had been. The Guardians were the last ones to arrive and once everyone had sat down, the kitchen workers brought out the food. Peter waited for a plate of the waffles to be place close enough to him he could reach himself, but he didn't have any luck. Tony was busy talking to T'Challa who was sitting across from him. Unfortunately, Tony was also the closest to the waffles and Peter was starving. Even T'Challa had managed to give his sister a waffle as he spoke!

"Can I get a waffle?" Peter asked. Tony didn't seem to hear him. "Can I please get a waffle?" Shuri nearly spewed waffle everywhere. That was enough to distract Tony and T'Challa from their conversation as they both turned to look at her. She pointed to Peter who suddenly forgot about wanting a waffle.

"Was that a vine reference?" she asked. Peter's confused expression turned into one of happiness and he grinned wildly before nodded. "Oh my god! T'Challa! I've made a new friend!"

"Good for you, Shuri," T'Challa said, sounding not that interested. "Now can you please clean up your waffle spit?" Shuri rolled her eyes and Peter asked Tony for a waffle (again). Tony grabbed him one and he happily put it on his plate before drowning it in syrup. The rest of breakfast, Shuri and Peter talked while T'Challa and Tony tried to continue their conversation. They were regularly distracted by Shuri and Peter's laughter, though, and ended up giving up part way through.

* * *

Apparently the Avengers were going back to New York that day. Much to Tony's surprise, he had a hard time tearing Peter away from Shuri. She yelled after him, handed him a Kimoyo bead bracelet, telling him it was an easy way to get ahold of her. He happily thanked her, hugging her briefly, then raced after Tony onto the quinjet. The trip back wasn't long, but Peter couldn't stop bouncing the entire time. Tony suggested he get up and walk around a couple times, but that only caused Peter to launch into a whole explanation of how walking wouldn't help.

"I'll just keep bouncing," he said excitedly. Tony nodded, one eyebrow raised as he watched Peter's knee bounce up and down. "I'm excited to see Aunt May. Do you think she's gonna kill me? I mean, I've been gone for two years and unless you told her what happened-which I highly doubt because then she would have killed you-she's going to kill me and I've already kinda died once and I'm not really excited to do it again so-"

"Alright," Tony interrupted. He hadn't missed the kid's unceasing talk (which was definitely a lie). "I think walking around actually would help. Go run eight laps." Peter nodded and shot up from his seat. He raced around the main area of the quinjet which wasn't very big. When he returned, he wasn't even breathless. Tony sent him out to run another twelve and this time he came back looking a little more tired.

"Mr. Stark?" Peter asked, sitting down beside him. His breaths were just the slightest bit uneven from all the running. "Do you think she's actually okay? Like, what if she got hurt during the battle?"

"I'm sure your aunt is fine," Tony assured him. Peter didn't look very convinced. "She's a tough woman. Do you really think she'd let you die and not get scolded?" Although the reminder that Peter had sort of died wasn't a happy one, Tony didn't know what else to say.

"Good point," Peter said, nodding and looking a little reassured. "I'm in so much trouble."