From the Multiverse with Mild Annoyance

Life on the Cob

"I know you can lift more than that, little man," Alexei was in Yelena and Kate's gym helping Scott load weight plates onto a curved barbell. He insisted it was his responsibility to lead the team to figure out whatever was going on with Natasha while his daughter enjoyed her well deserved honeymoon. They laid out a pretty solid plan before he joined the conversation the previous evening but he insisted that he could figure this out. "Do you think Jen and Clint are sleuthing behind our backs?" He asked as he added a couple of 45s to the barbell.

"Are you loading this thing up for you?" Scott just stood back and watched and the barbell accumulated almost 200lbs of weight, "this thing would crush me. I mean I'm totally athletic and a stud that goes without saying but that just might be a little too much weight for me."

"Do not be wimp. We lift then we wrestle. This is Russian tradition."

Scott looked for anybody in the distance and breathed a sigh of relief when his daughter and Peter joined them in the barn gym, "oh sweetie, perfect timing. Tell Alexei here how you don't want your father to die on Boxing Day."

"Oh," Peter looked at Scott and then Alexei, "can I try?"

"Be my guest," Scott moved out of the way, not quite sure that this boy would fare any better than him at benching over 200lbs. "Hold on, we need some lifting music."

"Dad," Cassie stopped him, "please don't put on any more of your old man music."

"It's not old man music. How dare you accuse your father of such things. And plus, Yelena loves my music choices."

Cassie just shrugged, "yeah because Yelena likes old man music. She likes everything. She is what the kids would call polyjamorous."

"Well that's total me. I have a bunch of great playlists."

"Dad," Cassie just shook her head, "not today."

"I was just trying to find the perfect motivational song for your boyfriend but that's fine I guess. Go on, Peter, show us what you got."

"Oh my god," Cassie whispered under her breath trying not to turn many shades of pink.

Peter cleared his throat also looking a little flushed, "okay. Here I go." He looked over his shoulder and Alexei gave him the thumbs up. He laid down under the bar and easily lifted it off the rack.

"Bested by a spider," Scott watched as the boy was able to do rep after rep with the heavy weights. "Hold on a minute," he walked over closer to Peter when the boy reracked the barbell, "I thought we only got the super strength when we wore our suits. This seems totally unfair."

"Oh well Mr. Lang, sir, I work out," they both looked when Cassie laughed. "The whole bitten by a spider thing gave me a little boost on strength without Mr. Stark's suit. Don't feel too bad, I'm sure you could lift it."

Scott looked at Alexei who just shrugged, "I can lift it,' he rolled up the sleeves of his quarter zip.

"Very athletic," Cassie laughed again.

"I'll have you know this jacket is very in right now. I have a dry wick under here but it's chilly and I don't want to get sick before we go on this mission," he gave his daughter a look, "not that I owe you an explanation."

"I think it looks great sir," Peter got up from the bench and rubbed Scott's sleeve, "very soft and warm. Quality material, honestly. I should get myself one."

"He's a kiss ass," Scott pointed to Peter, "but at least he knows how to flatter. You could learn a lesson or two from him, Cassie."  He clapped his hands together, "okay," laying down prone on the weight bench, he shook his arms out and grabbed the barbell, "I got this."