The End Game | MCU FanFiction

Chapter 30

Ned was coming over that afternoon, and, honestly? Tony couldn't handle any more kids. MJ had been thanking him the entire morning, even though she knew they couldn't go that day. It was a highly secured base, which was obvious due to the fact that they'd had no idea it existed till Tony found those papers last week.

Tony was on the couch, reading a book on his phone, Dingo on his lap, when the doorbell rang. Peter raced to the door, yelling "I'll get it!" even though no one had been making an attempt to open the door in the first place.

When he came back a few minutes later, he was accompanied by a bigger boy, looking around with an open mouth while Peter guided him to the room where all the Avengers were seated. When he saw them, his mouth opened even wider, and he dropped his bags.

"You-you're the Avengers!" he exclaimed, amazement written across his face. Tony couldn't help but snort.

"Yeah, what did you expect to find in the Avengers compound." he said sarcastically, but unfriendly. He stood up, the pup immediately jumping up and running with him. Tony smiled, holding out his hand which Ned slowly shook, looking at him with open mouth.

"So, I take it you're Ned?" Tony said, even though he'd already seen him couple times before. "Peter's told me all about you." He said, giving him a warm smile. Ned turned to his friend, giving him a 'you did?' look, causing Peter to laugh.

"Well, you want to see the compound or what?"

---

"Michelle, listen to me," Michelle roled her eyes at her now overprotective guardian, with whom she had been arguing for the last 30 minutes. "They're still out there, and I can't sleep knowing they're in the same city, nevermind that they're in the same facility as you."

"Neither can I, but they are, and it drives me insane knowing that there are girls out there that might be their next victim. I can't let what happened to me, happen to other people. You know that." Michelle turned around on the couch, looking out the window.

Moments of silence fell between the two, before the battle inside Pepper's had was finally over.

"Okay. I'll let you go back. But promise me," Pepper knelt down in front of Michelle, looking her right in her bright blue eyes, before continuing. "You'll come back, safe and sound. If they hurt you, you hurt them back. If they come after you, you go after them. If they try to break you again," Pepper gained all her mental strength to finish  the last part, tears filling her eyes. "You break them first."

---
Peter and Ned were dog-sitting Chubby, as Peter got a text from Michelle:

--

"Tony?"

Harley carefully approached the man on the couch. Tony looked up, his dog on his lap looking up with him. He smiled a the kid.

"What's up, kiddo?"

"Well," Harley nervously started. "I know it's vacation now and all, and I know it won't start again for a couple weeks, but- uh, could I- would I be able to, um, you know, go to school again?" he said finally, looking  at Tony with hopeful eyes. Tony stared back for a moment. His hand had stopped petting Dingo as he stared at the teen with a blank expression.

Harley began getting uncomfortable under Tony's heavy gaze. He knew it wasn't just something he could simply say 'yes' to, it required a lot of paperwork because Harley wasn't Tony's, and he'd undoubtedly get a lot of questions. And if that was was all secured, he'd still need transport and stuff. All in all, it was a lot to ask of a busy man. Harley opened his mouth, trying to find the words to apologize for even thinking about it in the first place.

Tony's reaction shouldn't have surprised him, though.

"Sure, kid. Fry, remind me to call the school soon."

"Of course, sir." the AI responded.

"Cool. Anything else?" he asked the baffled kid.

"Uh, er- No. No, thanks Tony!"

"Sure thing, kid." Tony said, already looking back at his phone and petting his dog, who lay his head back on Tony's lap, closing his eyes in delight as his owner scratched his ear.

When Harley turned around, he certainly didn't do it with a happy squeal. And he definitely didn't hop out of the room.

--

"So," Ned started. Peter looked up from where he was petting Chubby on his bed to look at his friend seated at his desk. "How is it? You know, living with the Avengers?" Ned asked, eyes sparkling. Peter grinned.

"It's awesome. Although, I don't really live here. I still live with May, of course. I just stay here a couple nights a week."  Ned nodded slowly, rocking in the comfortable desk chair.

"Oh, and Michelle is going back to school by the way." Peter said, turning back to the pupper on his bed.

"She is?!" Ned almost let out a squeal, and jumped around Peter's room.

"Hold up, not so fast," Peter put his hands on Ned's shoulders, trying to keep him in one place so he would listen. "She's only doing half-days first, we'll see how it goes. So don't freak out."

Ned nodded violently, before calming down, and sat back down on Peter's desk chair.

"Oh, and," Peter sat back down as well, Chubby resting his head on Peter's lap. "I forgot to tell you, but we're a couple now."

"You're what!?" The smile on Ned's face got bigger and bigger every second. "I told you you had a crush on her! I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!"

Peter let out a slight chuckle, before turning his vision back to Chubby.

"I am just as suprised."

They stayed in a comfortable silence for a while, Ned practically glowing. After a moment, Ned stood up to sit down next to his friend on the bed. He leaned in closer, and whispered;

"Did you kiss?"

"Dude!" Peter looked up at his beaming friend with a shocked look. "Duh!"

Ned's smile only grew.

"Keep going," he pushed. Peter looked back down at the now sleeping pup on the bed.

"Under the mistletoe." he said softly, a sparkling smile on his lips.

Ned couldn't stop freaking out the rest of the day.

--

Sorry, this is a bit of a filler chapter, the more exciting things will happen in the upcoming chapters.