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lumelleTitle: Safe and Sound (Or, Where Tony Stark Earns Himself Pink Hair)
Fandom: Avengers/Young Avengers
Pairings: Teddy Altman/Billy Kaplan (Hulkling/Wiccan)
Rating: PG
Summary: Not every superheroic deed is as glamorous and dramatic as saving the world. However, when Wiccan concerns himself with the safety of a little girl in a fire, some of the Avengers are less than convinced it's for the best.
A/N: For Cassie, without whom I couldn't get anything done, it seems. <3
Sure, sometimes superheroes got to do glamorous things, like fighting supervillains and saving the whole city or quite possibly the world, depending on the threat level of the enemy involved. However, talking down an alien invasion or facing Doctor Doom couldn't happen every day, and frankly, Teddy was quite happy about that. Sometimes it was stressful enough to be responsible for the smaller heroics every now and then, the ones that wouldn't save the world or even the entire block but just might make all the difference for one life.
The fire was spreading fast, faster than the firefighters could keep up with. This was bad enough news for the neighboring buildings, with people already pouring out in fear the fire would spread. For the people still trapped on the upper floors of the burning building, though, this was a matter of life and death.
It wasn't an official mission, of course, the actual Avengers weren't called just for a fire, just the two of them passing by when they heard the sirens. It was just as well, though; every minute spent waiting for someone to show up meant risking another life or ten, and at least both of them could get the trapped people to safety. For a moment Teddy paused to worry about Billy, who had no other protection from the smoke and flames than his ability to get away from them, then brushed such concerns aside. Not because they weren't valid, of course, and not even because he trusted Billy not to take stupid risks because he knew his husband better than that, but simply because it would have been utterly useless to try to keep him away when there were people in need of saving.
Oh, the horrors of being married to a superhero.
It reminded him of the old days, almost, when they were still new enough that the press made up their own names for them, when all Billy could do was rain lightning and not even Teddy himself knew why he could turn big and bulky and green. And the most important part of it still hadn't changed, really, not even if the reporters knew exactly who the two heroes carrying people to safety were. There was still that same look of desperation turned into relief on a mother's face when he carried a child down to her arms, the same heartfelt thanks, the same beautiful determination in Billy's eyes as he flashed out of sight once again. Every now and then, it was nice to remember their job didn't necessarily have to involve hurting anyone or causing any collateral damage.
It was funny, the things people considered heroic sometimes.
They worked quickly between the two of them, and soon enough there were no more cries of help, just the heat of extending flames scorching the surface of his leather wings as he flew up to Billy, still floating beside the building. He looked tired, Teddy noticed as he got closer. No wonder. He'd been teleporting people out the whole time to get them out faster, and that was obviously going to take its toll.
"You okay?" As he got a wordless nod in response, he flew closer. "Come on, let's get down. You need some rest."
"No." Billy's eyes were still fixed on the building, where the flames were starting to reach the highest floors. "I think there's someone still in there."
"What?" Teddy blinked. "I don't hear anyone calling."
"That's the problem, Teddy. They're not calling for us." Billy reached one hand out, touching Teddy's shoulder, the one coming up to his forehead for focus. "I want to find that person. I want to find that person —"
One moment they were outside, the next they were inside the building. Teddy was about ready to panic for his husband's sake, but while there was some smoke, the room they were in seemed still safe from the fire. They could already feel the heat, though; it wouldn't be long until this place wasn't safe anymore, either.
Teddy glanced around. If Billy's spell had brought them here, someone had to still be in here. The sooner they found the person, the better.
His eyes spotted movement, just out of the corner of his eye. There. Something was peeking out from underneath the table. Something furry that moved.
"A cat?" He raised his eyebrows, crouching down to look under the table. "Billy, your spell brought us to a —"
He didn't finish his sentence, staring. There was no cat hiding from them. Instead, the very furry, very lively tail was attached to a little girl, probably not older than three or four.
For a moment, the two of them stared at each other. Then, the child started crying.
"What?" Billy crouched down beside him. "Oh! Hey there, little one. We've come to get you out of here."
The girl seemed a bit less scared now that she saw someone not big and green and vaguely alien, but she still didn't say anything. Instead, she shook her head, inching away from them.
"Come on, kid." Okay, Teddy, be as nonthreatening as possible. "We have to get you out. There's a fire in the house, your parents must be worried sick —"
"I can't." Her voice was so tiny, it almost drowned in the background roar of the fire elsewhere in the house. "Daddy will get mad."
"I'm sure he won't." Billy reached her arms out to her. "Now come on, let's go find him. Where is he?"
"He — he went out, when there was noise." Again, she moved further away. "He said I shouldn't… shouldn't go without hat…"
Teddy's stomach twisted itself into an elaborate knot. "Your daddy told you not to go out?" In a fire?
"Not without hat." She seemed very determined about this.
"Look, kid, I'm sorry about this, but we really, really do need to get out." There was a flash of blue from Billy's out-stretched hand, then another around the child. The next moment, she appeared right in front of Teddy, who grabbed her by instinct more than anything.
"No!" The girl tried to struggle, obviously frantic. "I need my hat!"
"Sorry, kid, not going to happen." Billy touched his arm, then was gone. All the better, too; he needed to be resting, not risking his hide in the burning building. Teddy himself rushed toward the window, the girl clutched to his chest. "We're going out now."
Something brushed against his cheek as he threw himself out of the window, his body shielding the girl from shards of glass. Looking to his side as his wings unfurled once again, he realized with a startle that the source of this sensation was one of a pair of big cat ears perched on top of her head.
Well. That would explain the obsession about a hat.
"Okay. Is your mommy here?" When in doubt, go for moms.
She shook her head minutely. "Mom's gone." Her voice was muffled by his chest, but the words were deep enough to stab right into his heart.
"Right." He swallowed, heading down toward the gathered crowd. It was easy enough to spot Billy; even dirtied and sooty as it was right now, the bright red cape was a dead giveaway. "Let's just find your daddy, then."
"Daddy will be so mad." Another barely audible murmur. "Shouldn't go out without hat…"
He could have said something, said there was no way her dad could be mad at her for leaving a fire, that any parent would only be relieved that their child was safe. However, even as he opened his mouth, he couldn't force the words out.
The one thing that hadn't remained from the old days was their naivete.
He touched ground next to Billy, setting the girl down even as his wings faded out. Almost immediately, a man stepped forward from the crowd, calling out with a sharp voice. "Sarah!"
The girl was visibly startled, then turned toward the man. Teddy didn't need to look to see her eyes were wide with fright. Slowly, very slowly, she started walking towards him.
"She says her mom's gone," he murmured to Billy. "I seriously don't like this."
"Neither do I." Billy's brows furrowed as he watched the girl drawing nearer to the man, who almost immediately started berating her, far enough that they couldn't make out individual words over the roar of the fire and the humming crowd but the intent of the words clear enough in his enraged expression. "I just… want her to be safe."
Teddy blinked. "Billy?" He knew his husband well enough by now to recognize that tone.
"I want her to be safe. I want her to be safe I want her to be safe -"
He reached his arms around Billy, wishing there was something he could do, something to make this less painful. All he could offer at the moment, however, was his silent support, drawing Billy against his chest.
The man raised his hand as though to strike the girl. All Teddy could do was watch as though hypnotized. Surely he wouldn't dare, surely nobody could be stupid enough to do that in front of a crowd.
"I want her to be safe."
And suddenly, everything shifted.
*
Billy smoothed the covers over the sleeping child, hand sliding up to brush against her cheek, then caressing the edge of one furry ear. The ear twitched in response, though its owner was oblivious of the touch by now.
Sighing, he walked away from the bed, casting one last glance in her direction before turning off the lights. She didn't seem to notice, deep in slumber. Billy closed the door behind him, then leaned against it, drained. He felt as though he had used every last ounce of his magic.
"Yo." Tommy was suddenly standing next to him, hands stuffed deep into his pockets. "How's the kid?"
"Asleep at last." Billy folded his arms over his chest. "She kept asking me if I was sure she wouldn't have to go back to her dad."
"And what'd you tell her?"
"I promised she won't have to. Sure hope I won't be made a liar." Though then, he wasn't entirely sure it was in his hands anymore, if it had ever been.
"So. Care to tell me what exactly happened? I got home and everyone's up in arms, and when I tried to ask what's going on Teddy asked me to check up on you and some kid."
"Right." Of course everyone would be talking. "I think I may have gained a child."
"And how's that work?" Tommy raised a silver eyebrow.
"Oh, you know. Picked her out of a burning building, as you do."
"As you do." Tommy nodded. "So how did your little charge end up here, and why did the jolly green giant look like the world's about to end?"
"Uh, well." He hugged himself. He was so damn tired, but he couldn't go to sleep yet. Not until he had Teddy. "She said some things about her father that worried Teddy and me, and when we got her down to the ground, he started yelling at her. Looked like he was about to hit her, too. I… cast a spell."
"You didn't kill the guy, did you?" He's not sure if Tommy sounds more shocked or admiring. He's not very surprised either way.
"Don't be an idiot. No, I just… wanted her to be safe." He closed his eyes. "Next thing I knew, Teddy and I and the kid were back at the Tower, with a stack of adoption papers on the desk."
Tommy whistled. "I've got to say, that's pretty damn impressive. So what's all the fuss?"
"My guess? They're trying to decide whether they should lock me up or just kill me in my sleep." He couldn't even summon the energy to sound anything but tired.
"Uh, what? Why?" Okay, now it's definitely shock. "I'd think a trick like that's the opposite of going out of control!"
"Maybe so. Regardless, they are concerned. And frankly, I'm not sure I can blame them."
"Not sure you can blame them? Billy, you saved a kid! Why would anyone get at your case for that, even if it was a bit unconventional?"
"Because that's not all this is about, Tommy." He opened his eyes again, giving his brother a tired glance. "Say, when's the last time you know of that someone cast a spell and ended up a parent because of it?"
"But that was completely different!" At least he seemed to remember that much. Joy and delight. "They can't hold that against you!"
"They've been keeping an eye on me since we were sixteen, Tommy. Believe me, there are people out there who'd be delighted to have an excuse to get rid of the threat that is Billy Kaplan, and not all of them are villains."
"Well, they'd better be damn good then, because they'll have to come through me." Tommy was unexpectedly fierce, too. "Between Teddy and me, we're not going to let anyone get at you."
"I know you aren't." And strangely, with those protectors, he wasn't really that afraid, regardless of the very real threat looming in the background. "Nevertheless, they're going to have to reach some conclusion as to what to do about me. Which is why all the arguing right now."
"Right." Tommy was quiet for a moment. "You all right, Billy?"
"I'll be fine. I'm just exhausted. Apparently creating notarized legal papers is very high on the scale of magical things that wring you out."
"I wouldn't know about that."
"Not exactly my area of expertise, either." Billy sighed. "I just want Teddy to show up so I can get to sleep."
"Too bad he's not going to give up the argument until he's sure nobody's going to try and get rid of you."
"I know. He's such a wonderful husband like that."
"You know, just this once, I won't even pretend to gag at your sappiness." Tommy nudged his shoulder. "I suppose my assignment to check up on you includes making sure you're still in one piece by the time he's done dealing with the idiots."
"Teddy would probably appreciate that, yes." That, and even though Tommy probably didn't want to hear something so sentimental, he needed to have someone close right now. Someone he could trust.
Of course, he was probably more shaken than he'd thought if he was actually considering trusting his brother, but then, this hadn't exactly been an average day.
*
Despite the noise level of everyone offering their opinion at once, one hit of his fist on the table was enough to draw everyone's attention. The crack running down the length of the table as a result might have had something to do with it, too.
"So." Teddy glanced around the room. "What I'm getting from you all talking over each other is, you're worried about the threat Billy poses once again. What I'd like to know, though, is why."
"You're asking us why?" Tony Stark gave him a sarcastic look. "The kid upstairs isn't enough of an explanation?"
"Actually, no, it's not. Unless tucking a kid in is a terrorist activity now, in which case I'd say a lot more of you should be locked up."
"It's not that simple, Teddy." Captain America sighed, actually looking worried. "Billy's not just putting her to sleep and you know it. He also materialized some very legal-looking paper work out of nowhere."
"Far as I can tell, it's authentic," Tony added. "Problem is, I certainly cannot track down anyone who might have created it."
"Believe me, Billy was the most shocked of all. Especially since he has absolutely no idea what kind of paperwork would be involved in an adoption."
"It's not the paperwork that's the problem, not that we're generally big fans of it around here." Of course, Spiderman just had to be hanging upside down even now. Good to know everyone took the matter seriously and all. "There's also the teeny tiny issue of 'using magic to steal a child.'"
"Obviously it's not stealing if all the paperwork is in order." Which was a weak defense and he knew it. "Her father didn't want her anyway."
"If your account of the events holds water, and despite everything else I don't doubt your word, that might be true," Captain admitted. "However, his motivations are what concern us."
"It's because of me." This was the first time that Wanda had spoken that Teddy had noticed, standing in a corner, apart from others. "You still think he's going to do what I did."
"The thought has crossed our minds, yes." Tony glanced at her. "The first time around, we worried because he couldn't control his powers. This time, it seems he has all too much control."
"As I recall, my sanity didn't slip until I lost my boys." Somehow, Wanda managed to face Tony's gaze without wavering even as she spoke. Teddy had to admire that. He knew all too well just how sensitive the issue was, even now. "Therefore, I cannot help but wonder just what you're hoping to accomplish."
"We're not trying to accomplish anything, Wanda. We'd just like to know if we have to fear another catastrophe." Captain shook his head. "Billy's grown to be a responsible man since we first met him, which is exactly why this misuse of magic is so worrying."
"Misuse?" Teddy echoed. "What exactly is so terrible about what he did?"
"Uh, Teddy, I hate to say this, but the whole 'stealing a child' is usually frowned upon, even if he did believe her father was less than ideal." And even Kate. Great.
"You're all talking like he wanted to snatch her away."
"Well, we can only see the results of his actions." Tony spread his hands with another sarcastic look. "You're the one who was there. Why don't you tell us what he was trying to do that required redoing the world?"
"He just wanted her to be safe." His voice was quiet, but then everyone else was hushed, too. "His exact words. 'I want her to be safe.' I'll admit, there would have been other ways to accomplish that, but frankly, I'd think creating some legal papers from thin air would be the least intrusive manner. Rewriting her father's personality and possibly his memories would not exactly be good guy material, and while it is possible his attitude simply stemmed from her mutation, I don't think anyone here would say that Billy stripping away her mutation would have been preferable."
"Yeah, no, of course not. But that doesn't change the fact that whatever his motivations might have been, this sets a bad precedent." And he'd thought the Avengers were all about precedent. "Now he knows what he's capable of. Who's to say that next time he won't decide it's not worth the trouble finding a kid who'd actually be better off with you two?"
"There won't be a next time."
"You can't know that." Right now Tony was very lucky that Teddy considered it bad form to punch teammates. "Not to be prejudicial or anything, but I think the general experience has been that when a Maximoff is really desperate for children, bad things happen."
Wanda made a small sound, looking away. Okay, that was about all of Tony's asshole quota done for the rest of the year.
"I told you, there won't be a next time. He is not going to get that desperate."
"Oh, do forgive me. I seem to have missed the day you gained precognition."
"No need for precognition, no." He forced himself to relax. Attacking teammates would really not help him plead their case. "I just happen to know there'll never be a situation where he'd be desperate enough to use magic to get kids. He does have his mother's abilities, yes, but not her situation."
Kate looked skeptical. "Sorry to ruin the argument, Teddy, but as far as procreating goes, two guys isn't that different from a woman and a robot. Unless there's something one of you needs to tell us."
"Nothing to tell, no. Just seems you have forgotten what you're already supposed to know." He was starting to get a headache. Why did he even have to explain this? "Half-Skrull standing right here, Kate. Shapeshifter. Any of that ring a bell?"
That raised just about every pair of eyebrows around the table. He was pretty sure even Spiderman managed it, and he was wearing his mask.
"You mean… you could be a girl?" Hey, there was no reason to sound so amused about it.
"Not like I've tried, but Xavin seems to do well enough, and I can do any other shifting about as well as any Skrull." He shrugged. "Not saying I'd do it for fun, but if we do want kids some day, I can handle it. Billy won't ever be desperate enough to start chopping up Mephisto." Okay, now he was the one being cruel to Wanda, but then, the situation was somewhat high-strung.
"That's still not —"
"That's still not what?" He stood up, now, well aware that he was even taller than his usual Hulkling form. Things like that happened when he was angry. "Do tell me, what legitimate fears do you have, things being what they are? Was Billy dangerously selfish to cast a spell for the sole purpose of keeping a small, persecuted, abused child safe? With his background, with everything he's gone through, do you really think he would ever take a child from a loving family? With everything he's capable of and has already done, and more importantly hasn't done, do you really think this is what's going to turn him dangerous?"
"Hulkling, this really isn't —"
"Oh, yes. This is the right time, and right place, and exact right situation. Just a little while ago most of you seemed to be convinced that my husband should be put under observation, or locked up, or just downright disposed of because of this mess. So, if my questions are too difficult, just answer this — how hard are you going to keep looking for an excuse?"
This time, there was no answer from anyone. He sincerely hoped that meant they were ashamed of themselves.
"You've all chosen to trust Billy time and time again, with your lives, with other people's lives." His voice was quiet again in the otherwise silent room. "Yet every time he does anything someone can somehow spin into a scary story, you're all up in arms without so much as a pause. Perhaps it's about time you all either decide to actually trust him and stop treating him like a time bomb… or let me know you'd rather not take the risk, so I can find someplace else to take my family." Family. Not even just Billy and him.
So complicated.
"Teddy, you don't have to do this." Oh, and now Kate decided to speak up?
"Seems to me I really, really do have to." He turned and walked to the door. "Far as I understand, I am now responsible for the safety of a very young and very scared child. The last thing she needs is thinking that one of her new fathers might be dangerous." He paused, hand on the door handle. "The last thing Billy needs is his friends doubting him."
With that, he stepped out of the room, not waiting to listen to any responses.
*
Tommy disappeared the moment the door started to move, Billy taking the cue and vanishing from sight as well. However, as only Teddy came out, he returned back to visibility almost immediately. "…So?"
"I'd imagine you heard the most important bits." Teddy didn't even seem surprised to see him.
"I think so, yeah." Billy grasped his hand as they started to walk away. "…Thank you."
"Nothing to thank me for." Teddy squeezed his hand. "Pretty sure it's my responsibility to keep you alive and free."
"You make it sound like it's a terrible chore." Nevertheless, he managed a smile as he leaned closer to Teddy.
"If they start acting like idiots, I could always blow up a couple of them." And Tommy was back.
"And somehow people still think I'm the dangerous twin." Billy somehow found his lips curving into a smile, though. "But thanks for the offer."
"Any time, baby brother." Tommy clasped his hands behind his head. "So what are you two going to do if they fail to get their heads out of their collective asses?"
"I didn't think quite that far yet." Teddy looked at Billy. "You have any ideas?"
"Well, I did have time to imagine becoming downright fugitives, so the idea of leaving more or less peacefully is pretty nice all on its own." Billy leaned lightly closer to him. "Absolutely not the X-Men."
"Yeah, no way. Cyclops is even worse than the Avengers were at their worst. At least Cap tries to stand up for you." Tommy shrugged. "You could always just try to become regular citizens. You know, blend in."
"Yeah, because we'd get so very far without either cracking or doing some vigilante heroics." Billy snorted. "The one time we tried made Teddy crack and almost broke us apart. I'd really rather not repeat that experience."
"Besides, even if we could blend in, it'd obviously be much more difficult for Sarah." Teddy shook his head. "After what we heard about her father, I absolutely don't want to make her hide what she is again."
"The guy would have rather let her die in the fire than let anyone know he had a mutant daughter." Billy shuddered at the mere thought. "Nope, absolutely no hiding."
"Well, you could always turn to family," Tommy pointed out. "Go see what mommy dearest is up to, or grandfather. Last I heard he left somewhere without notifying the X-men, but he's yet to appear on the wanted list, so he's presumably still on the right side of the law."
"You know, that might not be a bad idea." Teddy looked at Billy. "I mean, Magneto's got a bad history, but he's been very careful not to cross the line since he found you guys and Wanda. I think with a granddaughter he'd have even more of an incentive not to become a villain."
"That might be a valid option." The exhaustion was getting even worse, causing Billy to yawn. "Wow. That spell really wore me out."
"You should get the kid to bed, o mighty green one." Tommy paused. "To sleep, that is."
"There's a four-year-old asleep in our bed, stupid. Even if Billy wasn't exhausted, we wouldn't do anything but sleep." Teddy let go of Billy's hand only to drape an arm around his shoulders. "Will you let us know if they decide something soon?"
"Well, judging by that chaos it's going to take them a bit to reach a conclusion, but sure. Don't worry, I'm not gonna let them kill you guys in your sleep."
"Knew we could count on you." Billy managed a small grin. "Try not to blow anyone up, or we'll end up having to all go on the run."
"Yeah, that'd suck. So let's all just stay put until we hear something, okay? And try not to worry too much. You know Cap likes you guys."
"At the moment, I'm too tired to worry." He yawned again. "Let's go, Teddy."
With any luck, he'd sleep too deeply to have dreams.
*
"Wow. We're really high up!"
"Yes, we are." And because that wasn't enough, Teddy picked Sarah up and set her on his shoulder. "See very far?"
"Yeah!" Sarah certainly seemed happy. At the very least, seeing the view from the roof of the Tower distracted her from any unnecessary worrying.
Now, if the adults could have stopped worrying too, things would have been splendid.
Billy was doing his best not to let his fretting show, though he knew it wasn't perfect. Teddy was doing much better, he always was the best at keeping things calm, which was a very good feature in a guy married to someone like Billy Kaplan.
He just hoped they wouldn't have to uproot Sarah right away, or at the very least would find somewhere to settle down soon. This whole mess wasn't exactly the pinnacle of responsible parenting, not that they were the ones to blame. Not directly, anyway. It wasn't like Billy had asked to be mistrusted by everyone.
Though they had been waiting to hear from the others, he was still somewhat startled as heavy feet settled on the roof behind them. Billy spun around, hearing Teddy settle Sarah down and step forward to his side.
"Thor." They had sent Thor to talk to them. Was it cruel or kind, making them get the message from the one Avenger he'd first modeled himself after? Billy wasn't entirely sure. He also didn't know how the contents of the message would affect the cruelty of kindness of it. Then again, he wasn't very good at thinking right now. Staying up half the night worrying despite his exhaustion could do that.
"Greetings, young ones." Thor's voice boomed over them, and Sarah hid behind Teddy, peeking out at the god hesitantly. Thor seemed to notice this, as when he continued, his voice was closer to normal level, meaning the only ones left terrified were Billy and Teddy. "I'm here with a message for you from the Captain and the Man of Iron."
"Right." Billy pressed his lips tight together, trying to control himself. "What is it?"
"A moment, young William. Tony Stark insisted I deliver the message exactly as he prepared it." From somewhere Thor produced a paper, presumably bearing the all-important message, and cleared his throat. The sound was akin to that of distant thunder, which, well, appropriate enough. "William Kaplan and Theodore Altman. It is the conclusion and recommendation of the Avengers that, as of today, you vacate your room in the Avengers Tower —"
Billy's heart dropped right to the bottom of his stomach, then continued its way down to the roof, shattering all over it. Yeah, definitely cruel, sending his childhood hero to tell him they were getting thrown out.
Teddy's hand reached for his, but he barely even felt it right now, any more than he registered Sarah's concerned glance.
"— because it would be appropriate for you to live next to your daughter's room, which is being prepared on another floor. And honestly, Hulkling, even if you went somewhere else you would both show up as soon as a new supervillain surfaced in good old New York, like we'd get rid of you that easily." Thor paused reading the paper, then gave them a slightly apologetic look. "I'm afraid Tony has not entirely grasped the manner of polite messages." At any other time Billy would have been amused at the thought of Thor disapproving of Tony's manners, but right now he was too busy trying not to faint.
"So… we can stay?" Teddy's hand was still holding onto Billy's, tight around his, and was probably the one thing keeping him from just keeling right over from shock and relief and plain exhaustion. "They'll stop worrying about Billy?"
"So I have been assured." Thor gave a very definite nod. "Tony tells me the new rooms should be prepared before nightfall for both yourself and your young ward."
"What's that mean?" Sarah's voice was very small and hesitant. Apparently even without the booming voice, Thor was somewhat intimidating. Not that Billy could fault her.
Now Teddy finally let go of Billy's hand in favour of picking Sarah up again. "It means you're getting your very own room."
"Really?" Her eyes went wide, ears twitching just a bit. Billy wondered if it was wrong to find that utterly adorable.
"Really." He reached out to brush his hand over her hair, lightly touching the ears as well. She tilted her head into his touch. "Because this is your home, now. Our home."
He'd never seen a smile quite as bright as the one she gave him now, one that seemed to spread right onto Teddy's and Thor's faces. Not that that was going to save Tony from waking up with pink hair one of these days.
Sometimes, superheroes got to do glamorous things. However, sometimes making a little girl smile and punishing a jerk were enough.
It was the little heroics that mattered the most, anyway.
Fandom: Avengers/Young Avengers
Pairings: Teddy Altman/Billy Kaplan (Hulkling/Wiccan)
Rating: PG
Summary: Not every superheroic deed is as glamorous and dramatic as saving the world. However, when Wiccan concerns himself with the safety of a little girl in a fire, some of the Avengers are less than convinced it's for the best.
A/N: For Cassie, without whom I couldn't get anything done, it seems. <3
Sure, sometimes superheroes got to do glamorous things, like fighting supervillains and saving the whole city or quite possibly the world, depending on the threat level of the enemy involved. However, talking down an alien invasion or facing Doctor Doom couldn't happen every day, and frankly, Teddy was quite happy about that. Sometimes it was stressful enough to be responsible for the smaller heroics every now and then, the ones that wouldn't save the world or even the entire block but just might make all the difference for one life.
The fire was spreading fast, faster than the firefighters could keep up with. This was bad enough news for the neighboring buildings, with people already pouring out in fear the fire would spread. For the people still trapped on the upper floors of the burning building, though, this was a matter of life and death.
It wasn't an official mission, of course, the actual Avengers weren't called just for a fire, just the two of them passing by when they heard the sirens. It was just as well, though; every minute spent waiting for someone to show up meant risking another life or ten, and at least both of them could get the trapped people to safety. For a moment Teddy paused to worry about Billy, who had no other protection from the smoke and flames than his ability to get away from them, then brushed such concerns aside. Not because they weren't valid, of course, and not even because he trusted Billy not to take stupid risks because he knew his husband better than that, but simply because it would have been utterly useless to try to keep him away when there were people in need of saving.
Oh, the horrors of being married to a superhero.
It reminded him of the old days, almost, when they were still new enough that the press made up their own names for them, when all Billy could do was rain lightning and not even Teddy himself knew why he could turn big and bulky and green. And the most important part of it still hadn't changed, really, not even if the reporters knew exactly who the two heroes carrying people to safety were. There was still that same look of desperation turned into relief on a mother's face when he carried a child down to her arms, the same heartfelt thanks, the same beautiful determination in Billy's eyes as he flashed out of sight once again. Every now and then, it was nice to remember their job didn't necessarily have to involve hurting anyone or causing any collateral damage.
It was funny, the things people considered heroic sometimes.
They worked quickly between the two of them, and soon enough there were no more cries of help, just the heat of extending flames scorching the surface of his leather wings as he flew up to Billy, still floating beside the building. He looked tired, Teddy noticed as he got closer. No wonder. He'd been teleporting people out the whole time to get them out faster, and that was obviously going to take its toll.
"You okay?" As he got a wordless nod in response, he flew closer. "Come on, let's get down. You need some rest."
"No." Billy's eyes were still fixed on the building, where the flames were starting to reach the highest floors. "I think there's someone still in there."
"What?" Teddy blinked. "I don't hear anyone calling."
"That's the problem, Teddy. They're not calling for us." Billy reached one hand out, touching Teddy's shoulder, the one coming up to his forehead for focus. "I want to find that person. I want to find that person —"
One moment they were outside, the next they were inside the building. Teddy was about ready to panic for his husband's sake, but while there was some smoke, the room they were in seemed still safe from the fire. They could already feel the heat, though; it wouldn't be long until this place wasn't safe anymore, either.
Teddy glanced around. If Billy's spell had brought them here, someone had to still be in here. The sooner they found the person, the better.
His eyes spotted movement, just out of the corner of his eye. There. Something was peeking out from underneath the table. Something furry that moved.
"A cat?" He raised his eyebrows, crouching down to look under the table. "Billy, your spell brought us to a —"
He didn't finish his sentence, staring. There was no cat hiding from them. Instead, the very furry, very lively tail was attached to a little girl, probably not older than three or four.
For a moment, the two of them stared at each other. Then, the child started crying.
"What?" Billy crouched down beside him. "Oh! Hey there, little one. We've come to get you out of here."
The girl seemed a bit less scared now that she saw someone not big and green and vaguely alien, but she still didn't say anything. Instead, she shook her head, inching away from them.
"Come on, kid." Okay, Teddy, be as nonthreatening as possible. "We have to get you out. There's a fire in the house, your parents must be worried sick —"
"I can't." Her voice was so tiny, it almost drowned in the background roar of the fire elsewhere in the house. "Daddy will get mad."
"I'm sure he won't." Billy reached her arms out to her. "Now come on, let's go find him. Where is he?"
"He — he went out, when there was noise." Again, she moved further away. "He said I shouldn't… shouldn't go without hat…"
Teddy's stomach twisted itself into an elaborate knot. "Your daddy told you not to go out?" In a fire?
"Not without hat." She seemed very determined about this.
"Look, kid, I'm sorry about this, but we really, really do need to get out." There was a flash of blue from Billy's out-stretched hand, then another around the child. The next moment, she appeared right in front of Teddy, who grabbed her by instinct more than anything.
"No!" The girl tried to struggle, obviously frantic. "I need my hat!"
"Sorry, kid, not going to happen." Billy touched his arm, then was gone. All the better, too; he needed to be resting, not risking his hide in the burning building. Teddy himself rushed toward the window, the girl clutched to his chest. "We're going out now."
Something brushed against his cheek as he threw himself out of the window, his body shielding the girl from shards of glass. Looking to his side as his wings unfurled once again, he realized with a startle that the source of this sensation was one of a pair of big cat ears perched on top of her head.
Well. That would explain the obsession about a hat.
"Okay. Is your mommy here?" When in doubt, go for moms.
She shook her head minutely. "Mom's gone." Her voice was muffled by his chest, but the words were deep enough to stab right into his heart.
"Right." He swallowed, heading down toward the gathered crowd. It was easy enough to spot Billy; even dirtied and sooty as it was right now, the bright red cape was a dead giveaway. "Let's just find your daddy, then."
"Daddy will be so mad." Another barely audible murmur. "Shouldn't go out without hat…"
He could have said something, said there was no way her dad could be mad at her for leaving a fire, that any parent would only be relieved that their child was safe. However, even as he opened his mouth, he couldn't force the words out.
The one thing that hadn't remained from the old days was their naivete.
He touched ground next to Billy, setting the girl down even as his wings faded out. Almost immediately, a man stepped forward from the crowd, calling out with a sharp voice. "Sarah!"
The girl was visibly startled, then turned toward the man. Teddy didn't need to look to see her eyes were wide with fright. Slowly, very slowly, she started walking towards him.
"She says her mom's gone," he murmured to Billy. "I seriously don't like this."
"Neither do I." Billy's brows furrowed as he watched the girl drawing nearer to the man, who almost immediately started berating her, far enough that they couldn't make out individual words over the roar of the fire and the humming crowd but the intent of the words clear enough in his enraged expression. "I just… want her to be safe."
Teddy blinked. "Billy?" He knew his husband well enough by now to recognize that tone.
"I want her to be safe. I want her to be safe I want her to be safe -"
He reached his arms around Billy, wishing there was something he could do, something to make this less painful. All he could offer at the moment, however, was his silent support, drawing Billy against his chest.
The man raised his hand as though to strike the girl. All Teddy could do was watch as though hypnotized. Surely he wouldn't dare, surely nobody could be stupid enough to do that in front of a crowd.
"I want her to be safe."
And suddenly, everything shifted.
*
Billy smoothed the covers over the sleeping child, hand sliding up to brush against her cheek, then caressing the edge of one furry ear. The ear twitched in response, though its owner was oblivious of the touch by now.
Sighing, he walked away from the bed, casting one last glance in her direction before turning off the lights. She didn't seem to notice, deep in slumber. Billy closed the door behind him, then leaned against it, drained. He felt as though he had used every last ounce of his magic.
"Yo." Tommy was suddenly standing next to him, hands stuffed deep into his pockets. "How's the kid?"
"Asleep at last." Billy folded his arms over his chest. "She kept asking me if I was sure she wouldn't have to go back to her dad."
"And what'd you tell her?"
"I promised she won't have to. Sure hope I won't be made a liar." Though then, he wasn't entirely sure it was in his hands anymore, if it had ever been.
"So. Care to tell me what exactly happened? I got home and everyone's up in arms, and when I tried to ask what's going on Teddy asked me to check up on you and some kid."
"Right." Of course everyone would be talking. "I think I may have gained a child."
"And how's that work?" Tommy raised a silver eyebrow.
"Oh, you know. Picked her out of a burning building, as you do."
"As you do." Tommy nodded. "So how did your little charge end up here, and why did the jolly green giant look like the world's about to end?"
"Uh, well." He hugged himself. He was so damn tired, but he couldn't go to sleep yet. Not until he had Teddy. "She said some things about her father that worried Teddy and me, and when we got her down to the ground, he started yelling at her. Looked like he was about to hit her, too. I… cast a spell."
"You didn't kill the guy, did you?" He's not sure if Tommy sounds more shocked or admiring. He's not very surprised either way.
"Don't be an idiot. No, I just… wanted her to be safe." He closed his eyes. "Next thing I knew, Teddy and I and the kid were back at the Tower, with a stack of adoption papers on the desk."
Tommy whistled. "I've got to say, that's pretty damn impressive. So what's all the fuss?"
"My guess? They're trying to decide whether they should lock me up or just kill me in my sleep." He couldn't even summon the energy to sound anything but tired.
"Uh, what? Why?" Okay, now it's definitely shock. "I'd think a trick like that's the opposite of going out of control!"
"Maybe so. Regardless, they are concerned. And frankly, I'm not sure I can blame them."
"Not sure you can blame them? Billy, you saved a kid! Why would anyone get at your case for that, even if it was a bit unconventional?"
"Because that's not all this is about, Tommy." He opened his eyes again, giving his brother a tired glance. "Say, when's the last time you know of that someone cast a spell and ended up a parent because of it?"
"But that was completely different!" At least he seemed to remember that much. Joy and delight. "They can't hold that against you!"
"They've been keeping an eye on me since we were sixteen, Tommy. Believe me, there are people out there who'd be delighted to have an excuse to get rid of the threat that is Billy Kaplan, and not all of them are villains."
"Well, they'd better be damn good then, because they'll have to come through me." Tommy was unexpectedly fierce, too. "Between Teddy and me, we're not going to let anyone get at you."
"I know you aren't." And strangely, with those protectors, he wasn't really that afraid, regardless of the very real threat looming in the background. "Nevertheless, they're going to have to reach some conclusion as to what to do about me. Which is why all the arguing right now."
"Right." Tommy was quiet for a moment. "You all right, Billy?"
"I'll be fine. I'm just exhausted. Apparently creating notarized legal papers is very high on the scale of magical things that wring you out."
"I wouldn't know about that."
"Not exactly my area of expertise, either." Billy sighed. "I just want Teddy to show up so I can get to sleep."
"Too bad he's not going to give up the argument until he's sure nobody's going to try and get rid of you."
"I know. He's such a wonderful husband like that."
"You know, just this once, I won't even pretend to gag at your sappiness." Tommy nudged his shoulder. "I suppose my assignment to check up on you includes making sure you're still in one piece by the time he's done dealing with the idiots."
"Teddy would probably appreciate that, yes." That, and even though Tommy probably didn't want to hear something so sentimental, he needed to have someone close right now. Someone he could trust.
Of course, he was probably more shaken than he'd thought if he was actually considering trusting his brother, but then, this hadn't exactly been an average day.
*
Despite the noise level of everyone offering their opinion at once, one hit of his fist on the table was enough to draw everyone's attention. The crack running down the length of the table as a result might have had something to do with it, too.
"So." Teddy glanced around the room. "What I'm getting from you all talking over each other is, you're worried about the threat Billy poses once again. What I'd like to know, though, is why."
"You're asking us why?" Tony Stark gave him a sarcastic look. "The kid upstairs isn't enough of an explanation?"
"Actually, no, it's not. Unless tucking a kid in is a terrorist activity now, in which case I'd say a lot more of you should be locked up."
"It's not that simple, Teddy." Captain America sighed, actually looking worried. "Billy's not just putting her to sleep and you know it. He also materialized some very legal-looking paper work out of nowhere."
"Far as I can tell, it's authentic," Tony added. "Problem is, I certainly cannot track down anyone who might have created it."
"Believe me, Billy was the most shocked of all. Especially since he has absolutely no idea what kind of paperwork would be involved in an adoption."
"It's not the paperwork that's the problem, not that we're generally big fans of it around here." Of course, Spiderman just had to be hanging upside down even now. Good to know everyone took the matter seriously and all. "There's also the teeny tiny issue of 'using magic to steal a child.'"
"Obviously it's not stealing if all the paperwork is in order." Which was a weak defense and he knew it. "Her father didn't want her anyway."
"If your account of the events holds water, and despite everything else I don't doubt your word, that might be true," Captain admitted. "However, his motivations are what concern us."
"It's because of me." This was the first time that Wanda had spoken that Teddy had noticed, standing in a corner, apart from others. "You still think he's going to do what I did."
"The thought has crossed our minds, yes." Tony glanced at her. "The first time around, we worried because he couldn't control his powers. This time, it seems he has all too much control."
"As I recall, my sanity didn't slip until I lost my boys." Somehow, Wanda managed to face Tony's gaze without wavering even as she spoke. Teddy had to admire that. He knew all too well just how sensitive the issue was, even now. "Therefore, I cannot help but wonder just what you're hoping to accomplish."
"We're not trying to accomplish anything, Wanda. We'd just like to know if we have to fear another catastrophe." Captain shook his head. "Billy's grown to be a responsible man since we first met him, which is exactly why this misuse of magic is so worrying."
"Misuse?" Teddy echoed. "What exactly is so terrible about what he did?"
"Uh, Teddy, I hate to say this, but the whole 'stealing a child' is usually frowned upon, even if he did believe her father was less than ideal." And even Kate. Great.
"You're all talking like he wanted to snatch her away."
"Well, we can only see the results of his actions." Tony spread his hands with another sarcastic look. "You're the one who was there. Why don't you tell us what he was trying to do that required redoing the world?"
"He just wanted her to be safe." His voice was quiet, but then everyone else was hushed, too. "His exact words. 'I want her to be safe.' I'll admit, there would have been other ways to accomplish that, but frankly, I'd think creating some legal papers from thin air would be the least intrusive manner. Rewriting her father's personality and possibly his memories would not exactly be good guy material, and while it is possible his attitude simply stemmed from her mutation, I don't think anyone here would say that Billy stripping away her mutation would have been preferable."
"Yeah, no, of course not. But that doesn't change the fact that whatever his motivations might have been, this sets a bad precedent." And he'd thought the Avengers were all about precedent. "Now he knows what he's capable of. Who's to say that next time he won't decide it's not worth the trouble finding a kid who'd actually be better off with you two?"
"There won't be a next time."
"You can't know that." Right now Tony was very lucky that Teddy considered it bad form to punch teammates. "Not to be prejudicial or anything, but I think the general experience has been that when a Maximoff is really desperate for children, bad things happen."
Wanda made a small sound, looking away. Okay, that was about all of Tony's asshole quota done for the rest of the year.
"I told you, there won't be a next time. He is not going to get that desperate."
"Oh, do forgive me. I seem to have missed the day you gained precognition."
"No need for precognition, no." He forced himself to relax. Attacking teammates would really not help him plead their case. "I just happen to know there'll never be a situation where he'd be desperate enough to use magic to get kids. He does have his mother's abilities, yes, but not her situation."
Kate looked skeptical. "Sorry to ruin the argument, Teddy, but as far as procreating goes, two guys isn't that different from a woman and a robot. Unless there's something one of you needs to tell us."
"Nothing to tell, no. Just seems you have forgotten what you're already supposed to know." He was starting to get a headache. Why did he even have to explain this? "Half-Skrull standing right here, Kate. Shapeshifter. Any of that ring a bell?"
That raised just about every pair of eyebrows around the table. He was pretty sure even Spiderman managed it, and he was wearing his mask.
"You mean… you could be a girl?" Hey, there was no reason to sound so amused about it.
"Not like I've tried, but Xavin seems to do well enough, and I can do any other shifting about as well as any Skrull." He shrugged. "Not saying I'd do it for fun, but if we do want kids some day, I can handle it. Billy won't ever be desperate enough to start chopping up Mephisto." Okay, now he was the one being cruel to Wanda, but then, the situation was somewhat high-strung.
"That's still not —"
"That's still not what?" He stood up, now, well aware that he was even taller than his usual Hulkling form. Things like that happened when he was angry. "Do tell me, what legitimate fears do you have, things being what they are? Was Billy dangerously selfish to cast a spell for the sole purpose of keeping a small, persecuted, abused child safe? With his background, with everything he's gone through, do you really think he would ever take a child from a loving family? With everything he's capable of and has already done, and more importantly hasn't done, do you really think this is what's going to turn him dangerous?"
"Hulkling, this really isn't —"
"Oh, yes. This is the right time, and right place, and exact right situation. Just a little while ago most of you seemed to be convinced that my husband should be put under observation, or locked up, or just downright disposed of because of this mess. So, if my questions are too difficult, just answer this — how hard are you going to keep looking for an excuse?"
This time, there was no answer from anyone. He sincerely hoped that meant they were ashamed of themselves.
"You've all chosen to trust Billy time and time again, with your lives, with other people's lives." His voice was quiet again in the otherwise silent room. "Yet every time he does anything someone can somehow spin into a scary story, you're all up in arms without so much as a pause. Perhaps it's about time you all either decide to actually trust him and stop treating him like a time bomb… or let me know you'd rather not take the risk, so I can find someplace else to take my family." Family. Not even just Billy and him.
So complicated.
"Teddy, you don't have to do this." Oh, and now Kate decided to speak up?
"Seems to me I really, really do have to." He turned and walked to the door. "Far as I understand, I am now responsible for the safety of a very young and very scared child. The last thing she needs is thinking that one of her new fathers might be dangerous." He paused, hand on the door handle. "The last thing Billy needs is his friends doubting him."
With that, he stepped out of the room, not waiting to listen to any responses.
*
Tommy disappeared the moment the door started to move, Billy taking the cue and vanishing from sight as well. However, as only Teddy came out, he returned back to visibility almost immediately. "…So?"
"I'd imagine you heard the most important bits." Teddy didn't even seem surprised to see him.
"I think so, yeah." Billy grasped his hand as they started to walk away. "…Thank you."
"Nothing to thank me for." Teddy squeezed his hand. "Pretty sure it's my responsibility to keep you alive and free."
"You make it sound like it's a terrible chore." Nevertheless, he managed a smile as he leaned closer to Teddy.
"If they start acting like idiots, I could always blow up a couple of them." And Tommy was back.
"And somehow people still think I'm the dangerous twin." Billy somehow found his lips curving into a smile, though. "But thanks for the offer."
"Any time, baby brother." Tommy clasped his hands behind his head. "So what are you two going to do if they fail to get their heads out of their collective asses?"
"I didn't think quite that far yet." Teddy looked at Billy. "You have any ideas?"
"Well, I did have time to imagine becoming downright fugitives, so the idea of leaving more or less peacefully is pretty nice all on its own." Billy leaned lightly closer to him. "Absolutely not the X-Men."
"Yeah, no way. Cyclops is even worse than the Avengers were at their worst. At least Cap tries to stand up for you." Tommy shrugged. "You could always just try to become regular citizens. You know, blend in."
"Yeah, because we'd get so very far without either cracking or doing some vigilante heroics." Billy snorted. "The one time we tried made Teddy crack and almost broke us apart. I'd really rather not repeat that experience."
"Besides, even if we could blend in, it'd obviously be much more difficult for Sarah." Teddy shook his head. "After what we heard about her father, I absolutely don't want to make her hide what she is again."
"The guy would have rather let her die in the fire than let anyone know he had a mutant daughter." Billy shuddered at the mere thought. "Nope, absolutely no hiding."
"Well, you could always turn to family," Tommy pointed out. "Go see what mommy dearest is up to, or grandfather. Last I heard he left somewhere without notifying the X-men, but he's yet to appear on the wanted list, so he's presumably still on the right side of the law."
"You know, that might not be a bad idea." Teddy looked at Billy. "I mean, Magneto's got a bad history, but he's been very careful not to cross the line since he found you guys and Wanda. I think with a granddaughter he'd have even more of an incentive not to become a villain."
"That might be a valid option." The exhaustion was getting even worse, causing Billy to yawn. "Wow. That spell really wore me out."
"You should get the kid to bed, o mighty green one." Tommy paused. "To sleep, that is."
"There's a four-year-old asleep in our bed, stupid. Even if Billy wasn't exhausted, we wouldn't do anything but sleep." Teddy let go of Billy's hand only to drape an arm around his shoulders. "Will you let us know if they decide something soon?"
"Well, judging by that chaos it's going to take them a bit to reach a conclusion, but sure. Don't worry, I'm not gonna let them kill you guys in your sleep."
"Knew we could count on you." Billy managed a small grin. "Try not to blow anyone up, or we'll end up having to all go on the run."
"Yeah, that'd suck. So let's all just stay put until we hear something, okay? And try not to worry too much. You know Cap likes you guys."
"At the moment, I'm too tired to worry." He yawned again. "Let's go, Teddy."
With any luck, he'd sleep too deeply to have dreams.
*
"Wow. We're really high up!"
"Yes, we are." And because that wasn't enough, Teddy picked Sarah up and set her on his shoulder. "See very far?"
"Yeah!" Sarah certainly seemed happy. At the very least, seeing the view from the roof of the Tower distracted her from any unnecessary worrying.
Now, if the adults could have stopped worrying too, things would have been splendid.
Billy was doing his best not to let his fretting show, though he knew it wasn't perfect. Teddy was doing much better, he always was the best at keeping things calm, which was a very good feature in a guy married to someone like Billy Kaplan.
He just hoped they wouldn't have to uproot Sarah right away, or at the very least would find somewhere to settle down soon. This whole mess wasn't exactly the pinnacle of responsible parenting, not that they were the ones to blame. Not directly, anyway. It wasn't like Billy had asked to be mistrusted by everyone.
Though they had been waiting to hear from the others, he was still somewhat startled as heavy feet settled on the roof behind them. Billy spun around, hearing Teddy settle Sarah down and step forward to his side.
"Thor." They had sent Thor to talk to them. Was it cruel or kind, making them get the message from the one Avenger he'd first modeled himself after? Billy wasn't entirely sure. He also didn't know how the contents of the message would affect the cruelty of kindness of it. Then again, he wasn't very good at thinking right now. Staying up half the night worrying despite his exhaustion could do that.
"Greetings, young ones." Thor's voice boomed over them, and Sarah hid behind Teddy, peeking out at the god hesitantly. Thor seemed to notice this, as when he continued, his voice was closer to normal level, meaning the only ones left terrified were Billy and Teddy. "I'm here with a message for you from the Captain and the Man of Iron."
"Right." Billy pressed his lips tight together, trying to control himself. "What is it?"
"A moment, young William. Tony Stark insisted I deliver the message exactly as he prepared it." From somewhere Thor produced a paper, presumably bearing the all-important message, and cleared his throat. The sound was akin to that of distant thunder, which, well, appropriate enough. "William Kaplan and Theodore Altman. It is the conclusion and recommendation of the Avengers that, as of today, you vacate your room in the Avengers Tower —"
Billy's heart dropped right to the bottom of his stomach, then continued its way down to the roof, shattering all over it. Yeah, definitely cruel, sending his childhood hero to tell him they were getting thrown out.
Teddy's hand reached for his, but he barely even felt it right now, any more than he registered Sarah's concerned glance.
"— because it would be appropriate for you to live next to your daughter's room, which is being prepared on another floor. And honestly, Hulkling, even if you went somewhere else you would both show up as soon as a new supervillain surfaced in good old New York, like we'd get rid of you that easily." Thor paused reading the paper, then gave them a slightly apologetic look. "I'm afraid Tony has not entirely grasped the manner of polite messages." At any other time Billy would have been amused at the thought of Thor disapproving of Tony's manners, but right now he was too busy trying not to faint.
"So… we can stay?" Teddy's hand was still holding onto Billy's, tight around his, and was probably the one thing keeping him from just keeling right over from shock and relief and plain exhaustion. "They'll stop worrying about Billy?"
"So I have been assured." Thor gave a very definite nod. "Tony tells me the new rooms should be prepared before nightfall for both yourself and your young ward."
"What's that mean?" Sarah's voice was very small and hesitant. Apparently even without the booming voice, Thor was somewhat intimidating. Not that Billy could fault her.
Now Teddy finally let go of Billy's hand in favour of picking Sarah up again. "It means you're getting your very own room."
"Really?" Her eyes went wide, ears twitching just a bit. Billy wondered if it was wrong to find that utterly adorable.
"Really." He reached out to brush his hand over her hair, lightly touching the ears as well. She tilted her head into his touch. "Because this is your home, now. Our home."
He'd never seen a smile quite as bright as the one she gave him now, one that seemed to spread right onto Teddy's and Thor's faces. Not that that was going to save Tony from waking up with pink hair one of these days.
Sometimes, superheroes got to do glamorous things. However, sometimes making a little girl smile and punishing a jerk were enough.
It was the little heroics that mattered the most, anyway.
