The Balance Between

The Dysfunctional Family Known As The Avengers

"Am not," he defended.

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not!"

"Are too--Oh hey baby!" Sam shook his head and leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. A bright smile formed on Clint's face. "Everyone here thinks we can't out couple them." A moment of silence was followed by Clint laughing. "I know right? It's cute." More laughing. Tony's brow furrowed as he glanced to Loki. She shrugged, equally as confused. "Alright. Alright. . . Okay. . . Yes. . . Love you too. We'll pick you up. . . Okay. . . Yeah, yeah. . . Love you; see you Friday." Clint hung up, a small smile on his face and the hint of a laugh still on his tongue. He slid his phone back into his pocket before looking up at everyone's anxious faces. "He said y'all are crazy, we'd definitely out-couple you guys, and he'd be here Friday. Wanda and I are picking him up from the airport Friday afternoon."

"Why do I have to pick him up?" she asked.

"Finally! We get to meet the 'Misses'!" Tony exclaimed.

Clint laughed before first turning to Wanda. "Trust me, Wanda, you'll want to come." She narrowed her eyes at him, her lips pursed, but nodded. He gave her a reassuring smile while Natasha squeezed her thigh. Wanda looked away and started eating her dinner. Clint then turned to Tony. "Oh you've met him before."

Steve raised an eyebrow. "We have?" he asked. Clint nodded.

"Oh yeah." Everyone glanced around the table as if looking for clues. Clint laughed. "You just won't figure it out until Friday." Smirking, Clint picked his fork up and dug into the pasta on his plate. "Just wait and see." He started maniacally laughing to himself. Bruce nudged his leg from where he sat beside him. Clint glanced to him before clearing his throat. "Sorry." He earned a few laughs from that.

Now that the conversation appeared to be over with, everyone eagerly dug into their meal. Everyone complimented the meal as they shoved more food into their mouths. Wanda smiled proudly while Natasha smiled at her girlfriend. They both knew (Wanda more-so than Natasha) that if Wanda's parents were still alive and there to experience the meal, Wanda would've made them proud. Wanda just wished that, even though her parents couldn't be, Pietro could be there to enjoy the meal with her. After all, their parents only made it for their birthdays. Natasha, sensing the dampened mood of her girlfriend, started stroking Wanda's thigh under the table. Wanda offered her a small, sad smile.

However, the peaceful silence could not remain with a household this large.

"So, Pete," Sam began, looking up from his plate. Peter respectfully looked up from his plate as well, slowly and gently placing his fork down. His eyebrows shot up slightly and his gaze darted from Tony to Sam. "Things got pretty heated earlier." Peter's cheeks turned a bright pink as he looked back to his plate. "Is there something we should know?"

"Sam," Tony warned. Peter looked up slightly and over at his father.

"No, no," he muttered. "It's fine." Tony continued to stare at Sam but leaned back in his seat. Peter looked up from his plate for a moment. "What did you hear?"

"Not much. Just want to make sure we don't have to kick Tony's ass." He gestured to Clint and Thor who both nodded slightly. Peter started laughing, knowing Sam was only joking. Sam cracked a smile. "But if you don't want to tell us, that's fine too. Your news to share."

"Well--" Everyone set their forks down, eager to hear the news. "--Mister Stark and Miss Loki are going to adopt me," he stated. Tony and Loki shared a look as everyone else laughed and cheered. Peter smiled as he looked around at everyone. "But--" Everyone stopped cheering immediately. "--Mister Stark doesn't have to adopt me. I'm already legally his." This earned some confused stares and raised eyebrows. Peter glanced at Tony for some help. Tony just offered him a warm smile and a wink. Peter took in a deep breath before saying, "Mister Stark told me today that I'm. . ." Peter looked around at everyone's concerned faces. Steve and Natasha were glaring at Tony. Bucky's metal hand was balled in a fist. Wanda, Sam, and Bruce waited for Peter to continue before rushing to any harsh decisions. Thor was waiting for Loki to say something, his gaze bouncing between his sister and Peter. Clint's eyes were narrowed but Peter couldn't tell at who. With another deep breath. Peter started his sentence over again, "Today Mister Stark told me that I'm his son."

The whole room went silent. So silent you could hear a fork drop (which some did).

All eyes landed on Tony.

He laughed and rubbed the back of his neck. "C'mon, guys. Is it really that hard to believe it?" Everyone stared at him for a moment. He wrapped an arm tightly around Peter's shoulders, pulling him close to his face. "Isn't the resemblance uncanny?" A few people laughed at that which slowly turned into everyone laughing. "Mary never told me she was pregnant and I had no reason to believe she was." He shrugged.

"When did you find out?" Bruce asked.

Tony tossed his head in Peter's direction. "When the kid went in for surgery." Bruce, along with a few others at the table, nodded in understanding. Tony shrugged. "Doesn't matter. What matters now is that I'll always be there for him." Peter smiled brightly. Tony looked from Loki to Peter, a warm smile back on his face. "Damn. Never thought I'd get this far."

Loki raised an eyebrow and looped her arm through Tony's. "Whatever do you mean?"

Tony laughed, unlooping his arm with Loki to wrap it around her waist and wrapping the other around Peter's, pulling them both close to him. Loki and Peter laughed as their chairs were tugged in Tony's direction. Loki placed her head on his shoulder while Peter rested his head against Tony's chest.

"Never thought I'd get the chance at a proper family," he muttered. Loki smiled softly before kissing his temple. Tony kissed them both before looking up at the rest of his family scattered around the table. "A family that protects and loves each other, no matter what life throws at them." Natasha and Wanda looked to each other, sharing a smile, and grabbed each other's hands. "A family that, even when making fun of each other, still makes it known they are loved." Sam flicked a forkful of his pasta at Bucky, who was talking to Steve. It hit his cheek before slowly sliding down. Bucky slowly looked over to Sam before grabbing his half-eaten garlic bread and chucking it at him. Sam quickly ducked, laughing underneath the table. "A family that we're all comfortable to be ourselves with." Thor glanced to Loki who was brushing her fingers through her hair, listening to Tony ramble on. He smiled, a soft look in his eyes, as he watched his sister. In all his years of being at her side, Thor has never seen her as peaceful as when she's at Tony's side. "So thank you." Loki leaned up and kissed his cheek.

"We love you too, Anthony."