Chapter 25- Alone in a crowded room

POV- Jessica LaCroix

I'd been at school when my phone buzzed, notifying me I had a text from Iron Guy. "Hey team," 'Oh god, it's a group chat.' "Just spreading around the highly valuable info that Nate and Peter are turning 16 this week. Since neither wants an actual party and they're both underage, we're having a small team thing for both of them on the 7th. And don't tell them I was involved."

'16, huh? So, he's younger than me.' I'd turned 16 back in February, and I knew Kate was only 15, but with the training she was being put through, she looked like a gymnast. 'She takes training almost as seriously as Nathan after all.' The team hadn't really spent a lot of time together outside of our times on missions or training, partly because all of us had school, and Kate and I both lived on the other side of the city. We'd considered living here as Nathan does, but he suggested we stay where we are and spend time with our families and friends as much as possible. 'He's always acting like an older brother so I never figured he'd be younger than me. But now I have to get them both gifts. Peter is easy, I can just get him a decent Lego set and he'd be stoked, but Nathan seems…apathetic to most things.' He watched films and laughed and smiled, but there was a disconnect that bugged me. He's hot, so of course, I wanted to get closer to him, but besides that, he was the opposite of what I expected my first mutant exposure to be like. He wasn't scared, or disgusted, but intrigued and excited. And he made sure to stand up for me during any mission report or lecture from Clint or Steve. He made me feel wanted and warm, even if he was just being casual and friendly. 'Why was this so damn hard?'

POV- Peter Parker

Nathan had a wicked grin this morning as he looked at his phone. He'd actually stayed overnight at May's because he planned to go out tomorrow for his own birthday. Absolute rest, he called it, but I'd seen him with a scary-looking older woman a few days ago, so I wasn't sure how much rest he'd be getting. "Hey Pete, seeing as I'm not going to see you until after your own school friends' party, I figured I'd just give you my gift today…that cool?"

"Sure. As long as you didn't try to get me anything ridiculous that I can't use or takes up an obscene amount of space. I'm a little worried Mr Stark might try and give me my first car."

"Well, I'm giving you two gifts actually, but one's kind of just to make myself feel better for leaving you to work on the vulture for so long alone. The first," Nate said, dragging me to the garage that held May's car and a small collection of junk yesterday. Stepping inside I notice the junk is gone.

"You cleaned the garage?"

"What? No, well yes. But look behind the car." Stepping around the car, my jaw drops.

"A fucking motorbike?" A sleek and angular design with red-gloss paintwork. It looked awesome. I was never a huge fan of more traditional designs, as interested in sci-fi as Nathan was in fantasy and classic literature. "What is it?"

"Sex on two wheels," he responds, and I can hear the smirk behind me. "A 420-RR by MTT. 420 horsepower, providing a top speed of 273 miles per hour." I was awestruck.

"You gave me this for my first bike?" I'd done a little driving with May but in a carpark. I was terrified of the IDEA of moving that quickly, let alone crashing at that speed.

"Well, you can practise with some of Tony's, plus I figured with your peter-tingle you could avoid a serious crash at least. Though, I guess at that speed any crash is serious. Just don't crash. The second gift is hidden in a riddle, but don't try and solve it til after your own party, promise?"

"Sure."

POV- Nathan Cross

I wasn't sure how to tell him his girlfriend's dad was responsible for the alien tech, but I knew I wanted it to be fun. I couldn't decide between a poem or a riddle, so I went for both.

"I am a bird, who circles its prey.

A scavenging prick makes money all day.

Hidden by a mask, from ALL but my wake.

Tombs are made for my family's sake.

Who am I?

This is the only hint I'm giving you, everything you need is in there. And if you don't capture him by the 18th, I'll just go kill the guy."

'Shouldn't take him more than a day or two, realistically.'

"Ah, well your present is at the tower already, so you can open it there. I had it sent over because I didn't know you'd be coming here before your birthday, sorry."

~~~

Taking a cab, we both head up into the tower so he can show me the gift he got. Peter was so excited to show me the gift he made, so I figured it was a piece of tech, or maybe a weird chemical compound that could affect food so I could eat it. 'I'd be stoked with either to be honest.'

As we walked towards my room, I caught a whiff of perfume. "Kate's here," I mention to Peter, who tensed slightly behind me. I stop, hand on the door. "I take it Bucky's talk with Steve failed?"

"Steve had nothing to do with it," Peter groaned. "All you had to do was not find out for another few minutes. Uuurrrgh, I was asked to get you here since you wouldn't trust anyone else."

"Who says I trust you?" I laugh, "It's fine little bro, let's go get absolutely shit-faced."

"But you can't-"

"I can if I allow it to affect me. Voluntarily halting my immunity. Don't want to keep them waiting." 'Now the rooms are soundproofed, and Peter would need to make it seem possible, so which room are they in?' Peter with slightly less pep in his step turned towards the floor's 'office' room, which had smooth comfy couches, a couple of tvs and a serious sound system, since "any room you can't enjoy yourself in isn't worth being in," or whatever Stark said.

Pushing open the door to the 'office,' music began to play through the room's security speakers and a few people had shown up to celebrate both of our 16ths. Originally, it was meant to be a surprise for both of us, but Clint found out I was planning on just avoiding work for a few days, so he was forced to involve Peter, which probably turned out for the best since Pete hates being surprised. 'Like that time I surprised him by locking his bedroom door shut for a full day with him inside, or putting lacquer on his bike seat which left a brown mark on his pants.'

There were people missing, but then again, neither I nor Peter were super friendly with everyone on the Avengers team. Like Tony, Sam, Steve and Vision, who were each…nice, but only Peter could deal with Tony and each of them weirded me out. A room of teenagers and socially incompetent adults was unsurprisingly weird, which was amusing in itself.

"So Peter's having a party with his friends from school, but what about you, kid?"

"Steve, do you really think I fit in well with teenagers?"

"Not really, no. But you should enjoy your time with those you care about."

"A grand total of two people outside of…this," I say, gesturing to the room. "I've struggled to connect to people for a while now, and with my parents and this, it's not going to get easier. Maybe one day, right?" I'd struggled with attachments in both lives, after the 'accident,' that ruined my athletic career, and after my parent's death in this one. "Anyway, when your ancient ass gets into a long-term relationship you can nag okay?"

"Deal," he said with a determined expression. "By the way, are you really okay with that as a gift? I know you said you wanted it, but it seems-"

"Weird that I wanted a hip-flask from the 1910's? It might be, but it means I can carry some around with me and enjoy the taste of something I like wherever I am. Small comforts." Tony had offered to update my suit to better fit my new size and the size of the kagune, while Clint, had gifted me a 'get out of work free card.'

"Nat usually gives me one every year just for emergencies at home, or if I just want to spend time with my family. I figured you could use something like that."

"Is this to make up for the-"

"Interruption during your 'project,' he said, finger-quoting. "Perhaps, yeah."

"You know what, sure. I promise that unless she initiates it, I won't go on a date with your daughter, happy?"

"You have no idea."

Peter showed me the climbing gloves he made as a blueprint to incorporate into my suit, giving me the ability to climb surfaces like he does, without punching tree-trunk size holes into the walls. He and Shuri had worked on it together, which wasn't surprising, as he had been talking to her quite a bit. If he wasn't dating Liz, I think he'd have fallen for her instead.

People drank, played incredibly bad board games, and sang karaoke, if only because Peter suggested it, filming the entire thing to laugh at later.

*Brzzt*

"Uh, hey guys, I have to go."

Looking over Peter's shoulder, I scoff, "Yeah, his girlfriend's home alone."

Pete grabbed his gifts, wrapped in webbing for easier travel, denying any friskiness, "We're just watching a movie together," and left the room in a sprint.

"Well, I should probably call it a night too. Ophelia's gonna drain me, uh, tire me out. That's not much better, is it?" Kate and Wanda had wicked smirks as I tried to kick them out. Everyone knew that I was here solely because Peter dragged me there, and so Tony, Steve and Bucky left, saying a quick goodbye and warning me not to drink all the alcohol brought down here tonight. Wanda was the last person over 18 to leave, pulling out a small book and giving it to me.

"It's a photo album, of you and your team. You need somewhere you feel you belong, even temporarily. This might help you when I'm not around to talk to." She grabbed my head, pulling me down so she could kiss my forehead, and somehow her words were alone were more impactful than every other gift combined. Wanda was the first person besides May to do that since my parents died, and we were both just as lonely. Returning the kiss to the top of her head, I thank her, letting her leave, my eyes glued to her figure as she walked out the door.

"Earth to Nathan. Nathan. Oi," Jessica half-shouted, shaking my shoulder. "What's up with you, got a crush on the witch?"

"I doubt it. I'm just going to drink in my room girls, so goodnight."

"Nate, it's only 11. We're not going home, and it's far too early to sleep," Jess said.

Kate hopped off the couch, "We'll drink with you."

"In MY room?" I asked slowly.

"Why? Worried we might jump you, Nate?" 'A little actually, yes.'

Instead of the truth, I replied, "Of course not," knowing full well that Jessica was honestly a little crazy and probably going to cause a mess. 'I just hope they're aware I'm not interested in dating.'