open arms, mcu ✓

thirty three

chapter thirty three
╰ ( endgame )

YEAR TWO

💫 ━━ PAISLEY looks at the cake placed in front of her. It's her birthday today, she turns fifteen. Fifteen. It amazes her that she's made it this far, because she never really thought she would have. She's only now started to register things fifteen year olds would; crushes and how to start doing trigonometry and things along those lines.

Tony, Pepper, Pietro, Steve, Natasha and Walker have all been working extremely hard in making sure she's where she needs to be. Tony and Nat have worked together to find the best teacher, who sits down with Paisley a few times a week and teaches her in a way she learns. Steve and Walker teach her other things that a teacher might not provide, life lessons. And Pietro, he's just doing his best being a father again.

"Happy birthday to you." The group of people sing. "Happy birthday to you." Pietro, Walker, Steve, Natasha, Tony, Pepper and even Morgan sat around the big table, all smiling at the birthday girl. "Happy birthday Paisley." The candles waited to be blown out. "Happy birthday to you."

Paisley grinned as she blew the candles out, leaving not a single one of her fifteen candles lit. She immediately pushed the candle away from her, knowing that Tony had pushed Peppers face into her cake only a few months ago — Paisley couldn't risk that happening to her.

Pietro cut the cake into slices, humming the happy birthday song. He's never really celebrated birthdays — he had to ask Tony how to decorate and what to do in regards to throwing his daughter a party. He handed them out to everyone, leaving the prettiest cut slice for Paisley. "Here you go, Pais."

"Thanks dad." Paisley smiled as she scooped a spoonful of cake onto her spoon, quickly eating the fluffy treat. She's never had anything that tasted this good. "I love it."

Pepper, who had made the cake, looked away from her own slice and towards her 'niece,' "You do?"

Paisley nodded rapidly, her cheeks slightly pink and puffy from the mouthful of cake she hadn't swallowed yet. "Yeahuh! So yummy."

The table laughed, watching as the happy birthday girl continued to eat the cake she loved so much.

💫 ━━ PAISLEY frowned as she kicked her feet back and forth. She was sitting on one of the more comfortable examination tables as she waited for her dad and the doctor to stop talking. Every few months, she met with her doctor that Tony had so graciously found and paid. She had tests done and made sure everything was going smoothly— she probably wouldn't ever have a problem but because of the drugs hydra and the red room had pumped into her vein, everyone wanted to make sure she was okay.

The door creaked as it opened, and the fifteen year old immediately stopped swinging her legs. Pietro stepped in first, then doctor Mavis followed behind him.

"What's wrong?" Paisley looked between her father and the doctor, noticing quickly that they held fallen facial expressions. "Dad?"

Doctor Mavis, who was dressed in a brightly coloured shirt and black pants. She smiled, not because it was a good thing but with hopes it would make the girl feel better. "You've stopped growing, Paisley. You'll stay the way you are for the rest of your life unless we can find a way to reverse the drugs that had been in your system."

"So I'll forever looked like a little kid. Think I'll be able to get all the kids discounts at restaurants still?" Paisley joked, her eyes quickly lightening up. Pietro frowned and Paisley noticed quickly. "Sorry dad."

"Paisley," Pietro looked at his daughter, crouching slightly so his head was level with hers. "This is just a bump in the road, okay."

"Of course, dad." Paisley nodded. She didn't mind, there was much cooler kids clothes then adult clothes anyways. "I don't mind it anyways, I look like I'm thirteen. There's much cooler clothes for my size anyways."

Doctor Mavis smiled, moving to sit in her chair. "Me and Doctor Banner are working on finding a way to reverse the affects, but it could be years, and it could never happen. Do you have any questions, Paisley?"

"I can't have kids, can I? I, uh, never got a period. And I heard the rumours in the red room." Paisley looked between her father and the doctor, who knew of her whole history. Pepper had given her the whole, monthly flow lesson when Paisley had asked what the pads under the bathroom sink were.

"I'm sorry Paisley, but you won't be able to have children."

Paisley wasn't sure if she ever wanted children, she was still only a child herself, but now she would never have the choice. Her heart hurt knowing she would never have the chance to carry a child, but it didn't mean she couldn't adopt or anything else.

"Oh, okay. That's fine, yeah."

It wasn't, but with time it would be.