How'd You Get This Number? // mamaspider

25 - monster

Scratch that. I smile softly to myself.

"Um, where's Loki?" I ask curiously as Nat starts boiling a pot of water for some spaghetti. Everyone in the room tenses at the name. I've noticed that happens a lot.

"Probably off somewhere trying to destroy the world." Mr. Stark sneers oddly playfully, moving to the elevator to go down to his lab. "If any of you want anything or whatever-" He starts as he turns to look at the group, "Go get it yourself." Mr. Stark turns on his heel and presses a button inside the elevator.

The doors start to shut, however he sticks his foot in the door at the last second, "Except for the kid."

A small smile tugs at the corners of my mouth as all the Avengers turn back to whatever they were doing before, which was generally nothing. My heart feels a little warmer knowing that I'm the exception for Mr. Stark. He's still my boss, I guess, and his opinion means the world to me.

The delicate sound of ceramic on the marble countertop fills the empty silence as Nat sets a plate of spaghetti in front me. How on earth did she boil that water that fast?

Well, this is Tony Stark's home, so it's best not to underestimate it.

"Eat up, kiddo." She scruffs my hair with a soft smile playing on her lips. I smile right back at her and dig into the meal, grateful for something to finally ease my aching hunger. With some food in me, hopefully my healing factor can work quicker to stitch up my wound.

"Nat?" I ask after a while. Nat had gotten her own plate and had sat down to eat with me.

"Yeah, kid?" She looks up from her dish.

"Do you have a family?" She immediately freezes as soon as the words hit her.

Maybe I shouldn't have asked...

"Um," She thinks about her answer. "I have parents, and a sister."

I remain silent for another moment, puzzling my next question together piece by piece. "Can I meet them?"

Another dangerously fragile silence. "I don't know, bud." She sets her fork on her plate. "I haven't seen them in god knows how long."

I nod disappointedly. "Could we go see them together?"

I have absolutely no clue as to how, but somehow the tension in the room gets even thicker. Nat seems on edge, about ready to snap. I would almost be afraid, if I didn't trust Nat as much as I did.

Her eyes trail up to meet mine, a storm of anxiety brewing within her features. I could only image what thoughts must be going through her head. "I'm sorry." I interrupt the silence, "I know you don't like to talk about your past, or anything like that—I just, I just want to know more about you. I mean you're, like, my mom now! I wanna know what's important to you..." A hand is rested on my shoulder.

I look up again to find sympathetic emerald green eyes staring back at me. "You're what's important to me, kid." She thinks for another moment, "But lemme think about it, Pete. I don't want you getting hurt."

"Why would I get hurt? They're just your family-"

"No, Pete." She stops me. "They're my mother, father, sister, and that's it." Her fists clench slightly. "Your blood doesn't define your family." Her hand relaxes and brushes through my curly brown hair delicately.

"Are they dangerous?"

She seems to tiptoe around the answer, "Well I definitely wouldn't classify them as trustworthy."

I nod as I look down at my empty bowl. "So you'll think about it?" I ask after a moment.

She chuckles exhaustedly and runs a hand down her face. "Yeah, I'll think about it."