Marvel What If?- An Autism Story

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Steve starts to wake on a familiar couch in the main room of the avenger tower. It had become a habit over the last couple of nights so he could stay with Mary, despite the others telling him she's fine. His body could take it better than others so it made sense if he was downstairs more than others... is what he told himself.

He thought he had started to wake because of the sunlight streaming in through the huge window, but then something hit him in the side of the face. It made him flinch as he decided if it was real or if he was somehow stuck half in a dream.

And then something hit him in the nose and his eyes flew open. It was so much brighter than he originally thought and he hadn't woken since the early hours.

"Mary, no throwing", Wanda said from somewhere.

Steve looked up to see the little girl standing in the middle of the room with her arm back, ready to throw another block. He looked at her, unsure on what to say as he was still rubbing the sleep out his eyes.

And then she suddenly launched it forward and it flew through the air. He flung his head to the side and it bounced into the back of the couch where his head had just been. A chorus of stifled laughter came from the doorway as Tony and Nat watch the scene.

Wanda walks over and gently take's Mary's hand to divert her attention to something else.

"What time is it?" Steve croaks out.

"Eleven forty".

"What!" He sits up now, on high alert. "As in almost lunchtime?"

"Yea, Cap", Tony laughs. "You were out for the count".

"Why didn't anyone wake me? How long has Mary been awake? Does she need to be changed?"

"Relax", Nat says and walks over to sit next to him. "Wanda was watching her when you fell asleep and she slept for roughly three hours. Then i took over this morning and Tony helped sometimes... sort of".

"Hey! I put three of those pull-ups on her!" He exclaimed defensively.

"Why did she need three?" Steve questioned.

"She kept taking them off and shoving them under the tv".

"Oh..." Steve said as he looked over even though he knew they had already been picked up. "We should probably figure something out. We can't keep doing this every night. She needs more. I just don't know what. When is Bruce coming back?"

"He said possibly two more days. Just in time for your birthday", Tony grinned.

He didn't care so much about Steve's birthday but rather the party that came with it. Held in the fancy lounge at the top of the building. It was the most popular event of the year.

"Maybe we shouldn't do a party this year?" Steve tried to get out of it (as usual). "With Mary and all?"

"Capsicle, we have to have a party", he replied before looking at Nat and tapping the side of his nose. "Remember Morgan and Pepper will be here soon", he says and hands Steve a coffee.

He sips it slowly and watches Mary wonder around as Wanda offers her more goldfish. They need to work on that too. She can't keep eating goldfish and introducing new foods could take a while. Steve has some notes, he'll look over them soon, but he needs to shower and pick up these toys and get Mary dressed.

"They'll be here in ten!"

'Oh god' he thinks. He can't look like this when they arrive, Pepper will get seriously worried if he looks this rugged.

"I'll be back in five?" He asks and Wanda gives a thumbs up.

A quick shower and shave will have to do. He doesn't even wait for the water to warm up before stepping under it and wiping everywhere. He rubs his wet hair furiously before slicking it back and hoping it dries okay before running back down. Thankfully it seems the others have picked up all the toys and crackers.