I won't let you give up

Ch. 10

The day crept up on them slowly, rain clouds hanging low in the sky, and droplets beating their rhythm against the ground.

Peter's eyes fluttered, then opened.

Everyone was still asleep, except for Steve, who was gone, presumably on watch.

Dim light filtered through the dusty windows, faintly illuminating the shapes of the other sleeping bodies.

Tony was asleep beside him, back ram-rod straight against the wall, and head tipped back.

Slipping out from under the blanket, Peter stepped silently through the room, darting through the half-open door.

Unnoticed by the teenager, Natasha opened her eyes to watch him leave.

He crept past Steve, which was no easy feat, and headed toward the city.

Sunrise found him sitting on the tallest building in the city.

If you didn't take into account the ruins of said city, the view was beautiful.

His eyes scanned the streets, watching for any signs of movement.

Here and there he could see groups of the dead, bodies littering the sidewalks.

Dragging his gaze away, he stared up at the multicolored sky.

"Hey May. Mom, Dad." He let out a breath. "I love you guys. So much. I'm never going to stop missing you. I'll never forget, I promise. I think I'm going with this group of people to a safe place. Remember Mr Stark? He's there. He's really great. I'm not replacing you guys... but he's trying to take care of me the best he can. I hope you're happy, wherever you are."

Letting his words trail off, he dangled his feet over the edge. "They don't know I'm here, so I'd better get back before they start worrying. I just wanted to say bye."

With that he swung his feet back over the edge, rolling gracefully to his feet.

"Bye."

"Hello Peter."

The voice startled him, so much that he jerked back, nearly stumbling over the edge.

A hand caught his wrist, pulling him back to safety, and he glared up at Natasha. "Really?"

She shrugged, smiling wryly. "That wasn't my intention."

"Why are you following me?" He dusted his pants off, still watching her warily.

"Making sure you're all right. Tony would kill us if he knew that you snuck off by yourself."

"I don't need a babysitter," he said sharply.

Her eyebrow raised. "Oops."

"Seriously, Tasha." Peter gave her a halfhearted glare. "I needed time alone, to say bye to my family, and to process things."

"Tony's your family too," Natasha shrugged lightly. "And I'm sure he would be panicking if I hadn't told Steve that I'd keep an eye on you."

"Well thanks, but I'm fine. I was about to head back anyway."

"Peter."

The solemnness of her voice brought him to a stop. "What."

"We care about you, malen'kiy. We just want you to be safe."

Peter nodded slowly. "I get that. But I used to taking care of myself. I don't need someone following me twenty-four/seven like I'm a kid."

His voice lowered. "Despite how young I look, I have killed more people than the average mass murderer. I have been shooting guns for years, and I took survival classes for the same amount of time. I have been alone, and I was fine without this group. Everyone sees me as a kid. I haven't been a kid in years."

Natasha schooled her face into blankness. "I know. You were forced to grow up too fast. That wasn't fair."

"Life isn't fair, Tasha."

"I am more aware of that than many. My point is that you aren't alone anymore. We want to take care of you. We want to be family. If that's what you want too."

Peter straightened, flashing her a tiny smile. "In that case, I accept. The others, though, need to be made aware of our agreement."

The hint if laughter made Natasha's eyes crinkle around the edges. "Agreed."

"Right." Peter let out a breath. "Suppose we should get back now."