September 24, 2019, 8:46 a.m.
Peter adored hangouts with the Avengers and always got terribly offended when they did not invite him.
Although this time, he could not even be mad at them.
He had been out with MJ when Tony texted that all the heroes had come home and were planning a hangout.
And, well, on one side of the scales there was an entire evening with the coolest heroes on Earth, and on the other, a date with Michelle.
So Peter reasoned like an adult and stayed with MJ.
After all, he saw those puppies almost every day, and he had been pining after Michelle for a long time.
Except that, two hours later, when Peter accidentally let slip that they were all hanging out without him, the girl practically forced him to go home.
There was, of course, a theory that he had simply annoyed her and MJ had decided to get rid of his unpleasant company.
But Peter was still inclined to think she shared his nerdy feelings.
At least, he really hoped so.
He reached the Tower another half hour later, so he should have been in time for at least the middle or end of the party.
He had to hope Thor had not left yet.
And though his favorite Avenger was Iron Man, because how could it be otherwise, Thor remained a cherished dream.
Anna had already gone home, so Peter breathed a sigh of relief, realizing he would not get another warning added to the collection today.
What number was it already, eighty-three?
And how had she still not lost count?
As he stepped out of the elevator, Peter tripped over… God, Thor’s hammer!
That meant Thor was still here!
Peter carefully moved it aside so no one would fall, wondering whether this time he could talk Thor into letting him do his hair.
He did not know why, but he really wanted to braid something for him.
The Avengers, noticing Peter’s arrival, tore themselves away from their activities for hugs.
Not everyone was there: the others probably had not come back yet or were sitting in their rooms, avoiding the fun.
Tony waved to him cheerfully, still enthusiastically drawing swear words all over the Captain’s shield while lying on the carpet.
Steve himself seemed to have simply decided to ignore him, focusing his attention on Thor’s stories.
Natasha and Clint had arranged a popcorn battle.
Who had won was unknown, but the couch had definitely lost.
“Hi, puppies.” Peter did not know why he liked calling them that.
Probably because they were very disobedient.
He dropped onto the floor beside Tony, looking at the shield.
“I had a date with Michelle, and she chased me off so I’d come to you.
I feel like that’s a warning sign.
Though I haven’t been dating her long enough to know for sure.
Actually, she’s probably even more obsessed with the idea of meeting Thor than I am, even though they’ve already met.
By the way, Thor, your hammer was lying by the eleva—” The Avengers, who had been listening to Peter’s chatter with interest and occasionally laughing, were surprised by the sudden silence.
Usually, shutting him up required a whole set of complicated maneuvers or tickling, so this was unusual three times over.
Tony watched in surprise as Peter abruptly got to his feet with a face like he had seen a ghost and ran back to the elevator.
A second later, he returned to the room with his eyes unnaturally round.
He wanted to say something, then changed his mind, and then ran off again.
Tony had already decided he had left for good when Peter appeared in the room once more, holding the damn hammer in his hand.
A tense silence fell over the room, in which everyone tried to process what they were seeing.
Peter most of all.
He turned the hammer around in his hands in confusion, as if he did not fully understand what exactly had just happened.
“I wanted to say it was lying there, and I decided to move it so no one would trip, and then I remembered that it can’t be moved.” Peter looked at Thor, who was stunned, while starting to babble again.
“God, tell me this is just a prank and you decided to mess with me, and this is a toy hammer.
Right?” Thor carefully approached Peter and took the hammer from his hands as if he did not believe his own eyes.
“Stark?” “I did not fake your hammer,” Tony immediately inserted, looking at Peter with disbelief and a drop of pride.
This kid!
“You said only the worthy can lift it.
Well, obviously, Pete is worthy.
For some reason, I’m not even surprised by that.” To be sure, Thor asked Clint and Steve to lift it, but neither of them could.
They both looked at Peter with genuine delight, while Peter, even fifteen minutes later, still could not come back to himself.
He stared at his hands as if seeing them for the first time.
Once Thor had confirmed that the hammer was real, he loudly declared that Peter was worthy and could even lay claim to the throne of Asgard, throwing the kid into even greater confusion.
“Cool,” Peter drawled, then quickly raised his eyes to Thor.
“I mean, I don’t need the throne, don’t think that, but there is something.
First, F.R.I.D.A.Y., I want to show Ned and MJ the video of me lifting the hammer.
And second…” Peter smiled slyly, turning a predatory look on Thor.
Tony already knew what was about to follow.
“I saw Michelle braiding your hair.
Now I want to do it too.” Thor looked at Peter in disbelief, while Peter had already made puppy eyes, and, laughing, Thor nodded.
Because no one could resist Peter.
By the end of the evening, Thor’s hair was braided, while Natasha and Clint still had not decided who had won their battle.
Then Pepper arrived.
Tony greeted her by immediately announcing that their son was worthy.
Ned nearly screamed in delight right in the middle of class the moment he saw the video of a very confused Peter clutching the hammer in his hands.
Michelle reacted no better, her eyes widening in awe as she stared at Mjolnir with disbelief and shock.
“God, looks like I was right to let you go.” Peter and Ned exchanged glances and started laughing at the same time.
“Laugh all you want, losers.
But I am literally dating Spider-Man, who can lift Mjolnir.
Now I have even more reasons to call you losers.” “MJ, I’m no expert, of course, but I think…” Ned shifted slightly away from the girl so she would not be able to hit him for what he was about to say.
“I am literally the best friend of Spider-Man, who can lift Mjolnir, and friend of girlfriend of Spider-Man, who can lift Mjolnir.” “Hey, actually, I literally am Spider-Man, who can lift Mjolnir.” Peter pouted, making MJ and Ned laugh even louder.
“I feel like I win this round.” MJ threw a napkin at him while simultaneously launching a plastic spoon at Ned.
No arguing with her here.
Everyone knew she was the coolest one anyway.
And if those losers disagreed, she still had a plastic fork and a cup in reserve.
Because this company had one strict rule, and none of them would dare break it: No one argues with MJ.