Familiar music was blasting through the speakers, it wasn't AC/DC. I love my nephew, but I just can't stand his music choices. Instead, Big Band reverberated throughout the room. Since I had reunited with my family, I had been spending time figuring out the world.
As much as I can.
I spend a lot of time with my family, because Tony insists I take his fancy private jet to visit them. Steve usually comes with. Tony doesn't usually come with. They offered for me to stay in the family villa that Tony bought, but I decided to stay in the Avengers facility to help Steve.
I might not be what they would consider a superhero, but I could still design some pretty nifty things. And make improvements to older outdated models. Like Tony's suits. I was presently glaring at the suit he made, and trying to figure out how to make it better.
By making it better, I mean making it so it could fit me, because I enjoy a challenge.
"You've been busy," a voice said and I turned to see Natasha standing in the door.
"Well, I accidentally blew up one of Tony's suits. So, I decided to start on another one," I said brightly.
"What are you doing to them?" Natasha asked curiously.
"Improving them," I said brightly as I pulled up a design. "I figured if ever Pepper needed one, or maybe-"
"If you needed one?" Natasha asked.
I shrugged, "you never know. Plus, I do enjoy keeping busy. It's not the same work that I used to do, but it's similar. I used to work on cars, but that was always with Howard."
"You miss him," Natasha stated as she sat down on a table.
"We were very close, and I do very much miss him," I said honestly. "But working with Tony, it's almost like working with Howard. Except Tony is less of a womanizer."
"He used to be," Natasha said.
"That's what Pepper told me," I said smiling. "But he changed his life around apparently. Still flirts up a storm."
"So what are you hoping to do with the suit?" Natasha asked.
"Well, I wanted to make it faster," I said. "Which will naturally happen since I'm smaller than Tony. Women do tend to weigh less than men. I'm also taking out some of the weapons, I can handle a gun easily, but I don't know how I feel about some of the weapons in the suit."
"You sound like you have a lot of ideas," Natasha mused.
I shrugged, "I have ideas, and solutions. Like, if you need more weapons, but don't want to carry them around. I'm sure I could come up with some sort of magnetized weapon system that will follow the suit, and just act like another system."
"I see why the files on you describe you as the smarter Stark," Natasha smirked.
"Question is, is that still true?"
"You bet your ass it is."
"Language," Steve said as he walked in.
"This is why you'll never live that down," Natasha said.
~*~
"I always hoped you were still alive," Peggy Carter told me as we spoke over tea. As soon as I was able, I started visiting her. Tony did not begrudge me taking the private jet, he did tell me that I should get out more though. "Rosemary always believed you were, we just couldn't find you."
"Not surprising," I told her honestly. "And when I did show up, it was in the weirdest way possible. Tony couldn't believe I had never heard of him, I'm still surprised he didn't just shoot me."
"How are you settling in?" Peggy questioned.
"It's a strange world," I told her honestly. "The politics alone drive me crazy! Technology is easy, it doesn't really have a mind of its own. That is until now, but the things people do."
"What about things with Steve?" Peggy asked, and I rolled my eyes. "I might have some days where I don't remember very well, but whenever he comes to visit me with you, he's always looking at you. I might be old, but I'm not blind."
"Things are different," I said. "I don't know exactly where we stand, I care about him so much."
"He loves you," Peggy said bluntly. "And you love him, you need to bloody do something about it."
"Tell me how you really feel," I said sarcastically.
"You're not denying it," Peggy said triumphantly.
"I'm sorry, what are you trying to prove?" I asked with fake sweetness.
Peggy scoffed, "you two would have the most adorable babies."
I coughed, "why are we talking about this?"
"Because I enjoy making you uncomfortable," Peggy said as she sipped her tea.
"I feel like your children didn't like that very much," I mused.
"They adore me," Peggy said with fake offense.
"Now," I reminded.
"You are trying to distract me," Peggy said as she pointed a finger at me. "That won't work."
I rolled my eyes, "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Steve has been visiting me since he got back, after he helped save New York of course," Peggy began. "He brought you back to me, and even when we thought you were dead, he couldn't stop talking about you and what could have been. You both lost so much time, don't let more slip through your fingers."
"We aren't," I told her with a gentle smile. "Time won't slip through our fingers, because we've decided to not waste time."
Peggy's eyes widened comically, and I was worried she might send herself into a fit. "You two are already-"
"The term I'm familiar with is going steady," I replied cheekily.
Peggy swatted my arm playfully, "you're not supposed to be cheeky to your elders."
I gave her a look, "you don't look a day over seventy."
"And you still look like you're too young to have had a child," Peggy responded with a wink.
~*~
"How did it go?" Steve asked as I walked back towards the main door to the Avengers Facility.
"Peggy was being her normal charming self," I said with a sarcastic smile.
"That bad?" Steve asked, but I just laughed. "So, it went well?"
"Exceedingly, except I spilled the beans," I said.
"So, we should expect paparazzi to show up soon?" Steve asked.
"The what?" I asked confused as he put an arm around my shoulder.
"They're like journalists," Steve explained. "But more invasive, they'll follow you around."
"I don't want them to show up," I muttered.
"Well, you are dating Captain America," Steve said smugly, and I rolled my eyes.
"Pride is a Stark thing, Rogers," I told him as I slid from under his arm and walked inside.
"I thought girls liked confidence," Steve said as he hurried after me.
"Those aren't the boys you bring home," Natasha said as she walked in with a smirk. "So, you two are-"
"Yes."
"No."
Steve and I said at the same time, me confirming, and him denying. We both looked at each other with confusion, before answering...
"No."
"Yes."
"You two sound like you need to get your stories straight," Natasha said as we both blushed.
"We're going steady," I blurted out.
"Dating?" Natasha asked, and Steve nodded while looking at me with concern. "Well, it's about time. You two have been making googly eyes at each other since Ultron. Though, I need to remind Clint that he so owes me twenty bucks."
"You bet on us?" Steve asked.
"Tony bet a hundred that you wouldn't start dating until he gave his permission," Natasha said, and I rolled my eyes.
"You ask the father for permission," I said moodily. "And what on earth are googly eyes?"
~*~