Funny how a melody sounds like a memory.
I bumped in to you by happenstance
You probably wouldn't even know who I am
But if I whispered your name,
I bet there'd still be a spark
Back when I was gasoline and this old tattoo had brand new ink
And we didn't care what your momma would think 'bout your name on my arm
For ZuviosGemini
Cus gods only know you need some fluff and happiness, dearest.
"Kaden! Kaden, stop hitting your brother!" Steve's strident, slightly exasperated voice carried over the sounds of the communal kitchen and shrieking children. The teenager in question stuck her tongue out at him, but thankfully stopped launching her strawberries at her brother. The air above her plate shimmered white, as did a circle around her red-gold hair, but under Steve's suspicious eye, the strawberries remained un air born.
"You shouldn't bother. A little conflict helps, you know. Work out the steam, build confidence." Tony commented as he breezed in, making a B-line for the coffee pot. Beside him, Natasha rolled her eyes, bouncing her small, sleepy brown haired burden absently. The sight never failed to make Steve hide a smile; Tasha, with a little brown haired octopus-limbed five year old clinging to her like some strange hybrid of human, octopus, and marmoset. Her little Nikola had just turned five, but every morning Tasha carried him about like a baby, letting him have those few extra minutes of sleep/family bonding while she sipped her black coffee.
Sounds of war came from the dining room. Steve tore his eyes away from the maternal oddity of his teammate, and yelled a warning. Strawberries and cantaloupe returned to their proper places, and Ezekiel (reluctantly) dropped back to his seat. Steve sighed, and flipped the griddle cake, shaking his head. In theory, five teenagers, two preteens, and a three little kids should be easy for eight adults to look after. In theory.
Which of course meant it was chaos. He was saved from abandoning his post by Pepper's arrival; walking past the breakfast table, she lightly smack Kaden on the back of the head with her morning papers, pointing warningly as she headed for the breakfast bar. "Those are for eating. I see another flying strawberry, and you get to do the dishes for everyone for a week. I'm not kidding. No magic at the breakfast table."
Kaden perked up. "What about dinner?"
"Not my problem."
Steve spluttered, and Tony laughed. After the look Tasha shot him, he quickly cleared his throat, pulling a fake-serious look. "Not cool, Pepper, not cool. Clint will kill us all."
There was snorting and scoff, and the noises of a piece of cantaloupe hitting someone in the face.
"KADEN!"
Steve was collapsed on the couch, dropping back with a groan. Children. He wasn't sure what had possessed him to want them, seeing as they apparently grew into food-eating noise demons. A hand smoothed its way through his hair, and Steve hummed in appreciation.
"You can keep doing that."
Clint laughed. "Forever?"
"Forever."
The couch sank to his left, as Clint sat down, throwing his feet up over the arm of it until his head plopped into Steve's lap. He reached up to poke the crease between Steve's eyes. Despite himself, he smiled, before letting his head drop back with a tired groan.
"We should switch. You can handle mornings. I'll take dinner. How hard can feeding them before bed be?"
Clint snorted, and settled more comfortably.
"Isaac and Ezekiel will be gone next year. All grown up, leaving the nest. This is just your mommy-bird instincts speaking. Kaden will be here. You get to have a live-in child for another two years." Somehow, he managed to make it sound comforting and horrifying, at the same time. They sat (and lay, respectively) in comfortable silence, alone for now on their level of Avengers Tower. Sure, there were couches upstairs, in the communal area; hell, there were beds, and pretty much everything. Tony's two lived on the shared level, had their own rooms, and Thor's eldest, Melissa, had moved there too.
So, Kaden, Ezekiel, and Isaac on the first residential floor, (along with Steve and Clint) then communal, with Melissa, Sarah, and Howard – depressing, how five of the six would be gone, this time next year. Steve shoved the thought away.
Thor and Jane had the floor above communal, with their other two, Annie and Sylph, and their new baby Eston Thorson. Who looked like his petite mother, at the moment.
Above that, Natasha and Bruce shared their floor with Bruce's lab. Which actually led up into Tony's lab so they could be science bros without having to give up their personal space. Then, of course, Tony and Pepper lived on the top three floors (which got progressively smaller as they went up) alone, as their twins had seen fit to abandon them for the pseudo-freedom of living in a free setting while still being within parental reach at any time. Coulson's random drop ins helped, of course.
Steve sighed again, running his fingers through Clint's hair.
"It'll be weird, being without them. I... can't imagine it." He admitted. His husband patted his arm, closing his eyes as he got comfortable.
"Don't worry about it. It's part of growing up. We learn how to be kid-less again. 's easy. And it'll be like they never left; before you know it, they'll be calling us up, asking for money or to borrow the jet, to how to wash their jeans, and you'll be exasperated and it'll be wonderful."
The normal laughter that met his snark was absent this time. Frowning, the archer reached up, touching his chin. "Steve."
The supersoldier looked down at him, blue eyes pinched.
"It'll be okay."
"...Yeah."
A small smile peeked through the edges of his worry. Clint's eyes brightened, and he pulled a silly face, just to make him laugh.
It worked.
Steve relaxed back into the cushions.
"...She was magicking fruit at their heads again."
A snort. "We're so totally doomed."
As you might be able to tell, not a one shot. More of a "I'll update whenever the hell it strikes me" multi-fic. There isn't a plot, ladies and gents and those in between. And while I enjoy (loveadoreworship) reviews, harassing me in them it update reeeaaally won't help. I'll toss up a new chapter when the impulse hits. As you might notice, K+ really isn't my style. But I shall try, since I love the idea of them having super!families.
So, hope you enjoyed, feel free with the feedback, and reviews/faves/alerts make me smile even if I don't get back to you. Have a nice day.