Even If I Could

Chapter Nine

BUZZ BUZZ BUZZZZZ
A groan fills the air and a hand swings out to land on the annoying alarm clock. Fingers fumbling until they land on the off button, Peter raises his head lazily. Another day of school. Ugh.
Swinging out of bed, Peter opens his bedroom door and stumbles down the stairs, rubbing his eyes awake. Expecting to see Steve in the kitchen, he frowns when when he finds it bare.
"Pop? Dad?" Peter calls out, pouring himself a glass of water. When no one replies, the worry inside him builds. Trying not to panic, Peter goes back upstairs to get his phone. Scrolling to Wade's number and calling it, he takes a long sip of water.
"Hey, Petey. What's up?" Peter sighs when he hears a familiar voice. Wade sounds like he just woke up.
"Wade! You've got to help me. My family have disappeared!" The younger whines.
"Woah woah woah. Are you sure no one's home?" Peterson's almost hear him roll his eyes.
"Yes! And they didn't leave a note either." Panic gnaws away at the ten year old.
"O...kay. Well, check the news? They're pretty famous." Wade suggests. Peter runs downstairs quickly and snatches the remote. Clicking it on, the news pops up.
"...Earth's Mightiest Heroes defeat the world's most defective robot, Ultron, with assistance from an unknown young sorcerer. The organisation SHIELD refuse to disclose any information about-"
"Phew! False alarm, Wadey." Peter breathes a sigh of relief, flopping on the sofa.
"Saving the world, right?" Wade asks with a notable yawn.
"Uh huh." Peter sighs sadly, curling up on the sofa. He doesn't like how their jobs involve the possibility of death.
"So you woke me up because you didn't check the news?" Wade tuts down the phone.
"I'm sorry. You can go back to sleep now." He pours, secretly not wanting him to leave.
"Nah. I'm awake now." Peter beams, glancing out the window.
"When do you think they'll be home?" The younger asks, hugging a cushion to himself.
"Any moment now?" Wade guesses, just as Peter hears the key turn in the front door.
"Ohmygod you're right!" Peter leaps to his feet, a wide smile on his face. "Bye, Wade!"
"Petey, we're home." Steve calls out, smiling when his son wraps him in a big hug. "Hey, little soldier." He ruffles his hair. Tony, Natasha and Suede follow Steve through the door to greet Peter.
"Auntie Nat! Dad! Suede!" Peter beams, not noticing how everyone flinched when he says 'Suede'.
"Hey there, Petey." Natasha smiles, scooping the child up in her arms. "God, you've grown so much!"
Suede tries to sneak past everyone to go upstairs but Tony catches his arm quickly.
"You're staying here, young man." He shoots Suede a look.
"But-"
"Banner will be here any minute. He's just finishing up some work." Tony sighs.
"I'm not a lab rat, Dad." Suede spits bitterly.
"Watch your tone with me, Suede." The older man warns, leading him into the living room where everyone was sitting. Tony's phone rings and he answers it.
"Hello?...Ah, Bruce! How's it-...yeah sure. We're just chilling after the early start this morning...no, he's here...sure thing. See you in five."
"Is Bruce on his way?" Steve asks, playing with Peter on the floor.
"Yeah. Be here in a minute." Tony put away his phone. Suede hovers near the doorway and can't help but feel like an unwanted gift.
A few minutes later, a key is heard scraping the front door lock and Tony smiles.
"That's Banner." He announces.
"Bruce has a key?" Steve frowns at his husband.
"Yes. Is there a problem?" Tony asks.
"Is this how you guys got in this morning?" The super soldier looks surprised.
"Didn't you know?" Nat shrugs from where she's laying on the floor, playing 'Spies' with Peter.
"Why does Bruce have a-"
"Hi guys. Sorry to be a bit late." Banner appears in the doorway, making Suede move at least two feet across the room away from him.
"Banner! Just in time." Tony smiles, shaking his friend's hand.
"Are you ready to go, Suede?" Banner asks, smiling nervously.
"What?" Suede frowns, confused.
"You're off with Banner to run tests on your magic." Tony says sternly.
"And you didn't think to tell me?" Suede smirks icily.
"Watch it." Stark warns lowly, flashing a glare.
"Um, guys? Are we off or..." Bruce asks nervously, trying to ease the tension.
"Whatever. Not like they'll miss me." Suede laughs humourlessly before swiftly leaving.
"Suede-" Steve gets up before Nat lays a hand on his arm, stopping him. Banner gives a court nod before leaving as well; the room awkwardly silent, apart from Peter still playing.

"So let's try again."
"I can't do it, Bruce."
"Yes you can, Loki. Let's-"
"My name's not-"
"Let's go again? Please?"
"I CAN'T DO IT!"
Bruce slaps a palm to his face. They'd been trying for almost an hour to just produce a ball of green magic in Suede's palm, to no avail.
"Just...stay calm and focus." Banner sighs tiredly.
"Do you want to try?" Suede shouts in his face.
"Suede, I don't have your gift." The scientist looks at him hopelessly, sipping his third cup of coffee.
"Precisely. So you don't know how hard this is. So shut the fuck up!"
Trying yet again again, only a couple of sparks appear and Suede groans in frustration.
"Suede, please. Stay ca-"
"I CAN'T DO IT!" Suede yells, pointing a hand at Banner. The scientist launches backwards and hits the wall, paperwork flying everywhere.
"Shit! Bruce, are you alright? I didn't mean to." Suede races to his side. Banner is smiling, holding his head and rubbing it.
"You can do it, Suede. Try again. Quick." He mumbles. Nodding, the teen takes a deep breath and opens his hand.
A small ball of magic hovers there and they both gasp. Then it shifts, twisting into the shape of a small cube and turning a light shade of blue.
"What is it?" Suede asks, marvelling at the beauty of what his magic has made. Was it trying to tell him something? From his past?
"Oh god. That's the Tesseract." Bruce stares in wonder.
"The what?" Suede frowns.
'Oh god.' Banner thinks. 'He doesn't know.'.
Suede's eyes widen. He's heard his thought crystal clear. What is happening to him?