Avengers Stories //Oneshots//

Decorating

"Clinton Francis Barton, don't you dare!"

"But I do dare, Nat!"

Tony stared as the Super Assasin Twins threw paint balloons at each other, infinitely glad they were wearing masks over their eyes and noses. Stepping forward, he held up his hands, mouth open to speak-

-when he got nailed in between the eyes with a small paintball. He was also glad that he'd thought to out on a mask.

"Sorry, Tony! Sorry." The engineer wiped at his face with a wet rag, chuckling.

"It's alright. Just try not to do it again, Nat."

The red head nodded, head hung. Three years ago he would've thought he'd never see that expression on her face, but after a year of working together and (at first) forced bonding time Tony grew fond of her, cared for her. It looked like Natasha did the same.

Though if he ever commented that, he would be forced to braid her hair in different styles still the end of time.

He shook his head. "You guys keep painting the Dance Studio, I'm gonna check on the others."

Tony turned on his heel and walked out, still wiping paint of his face. He climbed the old fashioned staircase to what would be Steve's floor.

He sees the blonde struggling to open a can of paint, grunting as he tries to get the correct handhold.

"How ya doing big guy?" He asked, leaning against the doorframe. The super soldier jumped accidentally crushing the paint can and letting the light blue contents splatter out onto the white floor.

"Oops. Sorry, Tony." The captain said sheepishly. Tony shook his head again and pushed himself from the doorframe, hiding a smile.

"Big guy, there's nothing to be sorry about. You're just creating a work of art."

"If you're being sarcastic-"

"I'm not." And he isn't. Instead of trying to explain his thought process, he grabbed one of the paint brushes he built for Cap as some sort of gag gifts. The blue handle was taller than Tony and it had brush sizes that could change with the click of a button he kick his shoes into the hallway and ran the brush over the paint, not caring as he walked over it, leaving footprints behind.

He continued, watching as Steve's confusion changed into joy and he grabbed his own paintbrush, kicking his shoes off beside Tony's. The next few minutes consisted of painting the entire floor of Steve's art studio with light blue paint and footprints. Tony barely realized when the others joined in the fun, kicking off their shoes and running around.

They were all out of breath by the time they were done, Thor somehow still laughing as they all doubled over. They washed off their feet in the bathroom, Tony's dryer bots working quickly and diligently on the room.

Clint perked up and not one minute after the drying was completed, he was running out the door, only stopping to grab a few small bottles of different colored paint and brushes. They hastily followed him because sometimes Clint's ideas ended up becoming explosions or risky tricks (especially if he pulled Bruce or Thor into it, but that's not the point).

Skidding into the common room, they find Clint standing by the wall behind the new couch, his foot covered in orange paint and held against the wall as another dryer bot stands at the ready for when he takes his foot away. He does a weird maneuver with only his left foot and bends to sign his name with an orange marker and careful hand, tongue out the side of his mouth.

Bruce, Natasha, Thor, and Steve catch on more quickly then Tony, leaving him by the door as they place their feet to the wall with select colors (Natasha: yellow, Thor: green, Steve: blue, Bruce: purple) and sign their names. The Hulk even showed his foot with pink. Thor grabbed his arm (gently) and pulled him forward, Tony stumbling along behind him. 

He chooses the red and paints his foot, ignoring the tickle as he felt the eyes on him. He put his foot to the wall, kept it there for a few moments, and then pulled back. Keisha made excellent work with drying and he made sure to give her a pat before signing his name by his toes. But he didn't stop there.

Tony continued, signing his nicknames for the team below each other their footprints (Clint: Katniss, Natasha: Red, Steve: capsicle, Bruce: science bro, Hulk: greenie, Thor: pointbreak). He picked up the cold paint and made use with creating a heart in the middle of the circle of feet.

Steve picked up a light pink paint and wrote "Family" under the heart. Tony felt his heart pang.

"Is the red because of Iron Man?" Thor asked, but his eyes had turned knowing and wise as he stared at Tony. The man shook his head.

"Red is commonly associated with love." He said. Bruce then picked up a golden marker, leaning down and signing something over Tony's name. When he moved away to reveal it, Tony felt his eyes sting.

Dad.

They had called him that many times, when Tony brought lunches, when he made sure everyone was okay after a hard mission, when he chased someone down to get them to medical, when he berated them for staying up too late, when he made meals, they called him that more than Tony. He just always thought they were mocking him, not that they really felt anything.

Natasha pecked him on the cheek and smiled with the others.

"Well children," he cleared his throat briefly, "welcome to our new house."

A heavy hand rested on his shoulder. Thor. "A house is only a structure. This is not a house."

Tony smiled a little. "Then let me correct myself. Welcome to our new home."

Home is where the heart is.