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hymn2000 · 5 years

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Chiquitita - MCU AU fanfic - C23

Story summary: Something strange is happening. Someone from space has made their way to Earth, armed with a strange weapon. Targeting teenagers, their ray gun, when fired, turns the victim into a toddler. The Avengers set out to stop this, and find a way to reverse the effects. However, they don’t all come out of the battle unscathed.

Previous chapters: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22

Part of my Frostiron and Spiderson series.

Warnings/themes: de-aging, family stuff, corporal punishment (early chapters only), mental health stuff, hurt/comfort, hospital/medical stuff

Chapter 23 - Double-Cross

After a long discussion largely considering of; “I don’t know, what do you want to do?”, they decided on the outdoor paddling pool. Tony was right about Millie’s swimwear, as Carol hunted through the drawer and found a good handful of swim costumes that fit her. Tony gave Loki a triumphant look, and Carol told them not to be stupid, and that discussing a teenage girls weight was just a little bit weird. She chose a plain navy blue bikini, deciding it was the best option for taking little Peter swimming.

Carol sat with Peter in the back of the car on the way to the park. Peter grinned and babbled away at her, happy to have the company.

“So, with you guys being famous, do you get people crowding you when you go and do stuff like this?” Carol asked as they parked up at the park.

“Well, sometimes” Tony said. “But sometimes they just leave us alone. Especially if Loki gives them his death glare”

“I only have to resort to that if they start upsetting Peter or getting stupid” Loki said. “Fortunately, it doesn’t happen too often. At least, not so much anymore”

“I see” Carol said, unstrapping Peter from his car seat and lifting him into his arms. “Don’t you think you should leave your rocket in the car, trouble? It’s not exactly waterproof”

“I wanna bring rocket with me!” Peter pouted.

“He can sit and guard the towels” Loki said, throwing his bag over his shoulder. “That’s what he generally does”

“Ok, if you say so” Carol said, shutting the car door. “Hold on, where do we get changed?”

“There’s like, changing facilities by the pool” Tony said. “You don’t have to worry about your dignity”

“Well that’s good, because you haven’t got any to speak of”

Loki laughed. “She’s got you there”

“Daddy?”

“Yes, darling?”

“Where are we going?”

“We’re going swimming, remember? There’s a paddling pool down in this park. Don’t look so worried” Tony smiled and pinched the boys cheek. “It’ll be fun”

For the most part, they did have fun. However, Tony got cross at Loki for staring at Carol in her bikini - although he found it hard not to stare as well, so Loki got cross at him in return. Carol just laughed at them and told them to remember that all three of them were off the market. Peter had no idea what they were talking about, so he just ignored him and carried on splashing.

There was a big iceberg-style platform in the middle of the paddling pool, and Peter had great fun climbing on it and pretending to be a seal, clapping his hands and barking. Carol enjoyed letting her hair down and getting to know toddler Peter. And, although she’d never admit it, Loki looked damn good in swim shorts.

Once Peter was tired out, Tony picked Peter up and took him out of the paddling pool. They all went to the changing rooms and got dried and changed and headed back to the car.

“So, garden centre?” Tony said.

“I think we need to get Peter fed first” Loki said. “He’s exerted a lot of energy this morning”

“I think we all have” Carol said. “So, back to yours?”

“Nah, let’s eat out!” Tony said. “It could be fun. Haven’t done it for ages, not since we went to Wagamama’s with some of the others a while ago”

“Wagamama’s?”

“It’s like, Japanese food” Tony said. “It’s good, but there’s loads of other options if you wanted something different. What do you two fancy?”

“I don’t mind” Carol said.

“I’ll have a think” Loki said. “But I’ll happily go for anything other than seafood”

“Well... How hungry are we? I suppose there’s always the takeaway option, but on the other hand, it’d be easier to stay out if we’re gonna go to that garden centre”

“I’ve never been to this Wagamama’s place” Carol said. “If it’s something you all like, I’m happy to go for that”

Tony looked at Loki. “I’ve only been once without May. Maybe it’d be good to increase those numbers. It’s like... moving on, a little bit”

Loki swallowed, and nodded. He looked at Peter, who looked back at him, yawning.

“What?”

“Nothing, chick” he sighed. “Put him in his car seat, Carol. Let’s go for lunch”

Carol worried that it might have been the wrong option, but after having a little look at the menu, it turned out there was a lot more that she liked than she first realised. In fact, she started to think it was going to be hard to choose.

“So, what’s good?” she said.

“Depends what kinda thing you like” Tony said. “I’m not fussy, so I like pretty much everything. I might try something new this time”

“Alright. Loki?”

“I’m basic. I don’t go for all the exciting weird and wonderful stuff” Loki said.

“I want the beans!” Peter said. “Beans, beans, beans! Green beans, green beans, green beans, green be-”

“Peter, shush” Loki said.

“What are the beans?”

“Edamame. They’re pretty good” Tony said. He looked back at his menu, trying to decide. “It’s easy for Peter; the kids menu only has about four options”

“It’s more than four!” Peter said, pouting at him.

Tony just laughed and ruffled his hair. “Better decide what you’re having”

“I want the same as mumma!”

“That’s probably not the best idea” Carol said. “I like spicy stuff. I’m thinking of either this chilli ramen or the firecracker curry. I doubt that’s on the kids menu, and I also doubt you’d like them even if they were: they’d blow your poor little head off”

Peter pouted, looking back at his menu. “I had the same as uncle Steve when we were here before”

“You can have the same again if you want, kiddo” Tony said, looking over his shoulder. “Hey, how about having one of those little cococino things? It’s basically hot frothy milk, like you have before bed sometimes”

“Ok!” Peter grinned. “Are you having that yucky stuff again?”

“Green tea isn’t yucky!” he looked at Carol. “You get it for free here. Peter wasn’t a fan”

“It is yucky!”

“It’s a grown up drink. You’ll probably like it when you’re big” Tony said. “So, what are you having to eat?”

Peter shrugged.

“You can have what you had last time, then” Loki said. “I think I’ll have the same. Chicken ramen, wasn’t it?”

Peter nodded. He smiled up at the waitress who stopped at their table.

“Hi!”

“Hello, little one!” the waitress smiled at him. “Are we ready to order?”

The weather had turned considerably by the time they’d finished lunch.

“Maybe we should have brought a raincoat for the kid” Tony said, looking out the window at the downpour.

“Oh, ye of little faith” Loki said, pulling Peter’s little red raincoat out of his shoulder bag.

“You’re a gem” Tony said. “Peter, come here. Let’s get you into your coat”

Peter whined, but let Tony put the raincoat on him.

“So, garden centre?” Carol said.

Tony nodded. “Sure thing. Let’s go”

Carol looked down at Peter, who was sat on the rug building a tower out of his wooden blocks.

“I’ve been watching the two of you today” she said. “He’s a good kid. He’s quiet though, isn’t he?”

Tony nodded. “Yeah, he is. Regular Peter never stops talking. Well, at home, anyway”

“You’re both so natural with him though” Carol said. “You’ve got things all worked out here, haven’t you?”

“I like to think so” Loki said. “We’ve settled quite nicely, wouldn’t you say, Tony?”

“Well” Tony said. “As well as can be expected, given the circumstances”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Loki said accusingly.

“What do you think it means?! It’s not as though we deliberately had a toddler. We adopted a teenager, remember? A teenager came into our life, our son is a teenager, remember? Sure, we’re getting on ok, but he’s still a victim of Kindsprengen’s gun”

Before Loki could reply, there was a clatter of wood as Peter’s tower fell down.

“Oh! Stupid bloody bricks!” Peter squeaked.

Carol and Loki spluttered, but Tony wasn’t quite so amused.

“Peter! You can’t say things like that!” he said.

Peter looked up. “Why?”

“Because it’s unpleasant and rude and naughty” Tony said. “Do you understand?”

Peter nodded. “My tower fell over”

“So I see. Are you gonna build another one?”

Peter shook his head.

“Put your bricks away then”

Peter found the tub and started throwing his bricks in one by one.

“He’s really good, generally” Tony said, sitting back. “But he does pick up on Loki’s sailor mouth a bit”

“Swearing in front of kids now, are we?”

Loki raised an eyebrow at her. “A few things slip out every so often, that’s all”

“Well, you swear a lot less than you always have around big Peter” Tony said. “I’ll give you that”

“Big Peter could come out with a right mouthful way before he was our son” Loki said. “Before he even lived with us, actually”

“Maybe so, but he definitely learnt a lot more from you” Tony said. “Loki Sailor-Mouth Stark”

“Hilarious”

“He is kinda funny when he wants to be” Carol said in Tony’s defence.

Peter padded over and climbed up onto the sofa between Tony and Carol.

“Hey there, trouble” Carol said. “What’s up?”

“I wanna cuddle”

“Aww, cute!” Tony smiled. “Come here then, baby”

Peter clambered onto Tony’s lap, and Tony shifted closer to Carol, pulling her into the hug too. He held a hand out to Loki.

“Come on you; let’s make it a group hug”

Loki hauled himself up from the armchair and joined them, settling under Tony’s free arm. Peter snuggled down on Tony’s lap, hugging his rocket against his chest and sighing happily.

“What a lovely little group of homosexuals we are” Loki said.

“Loki! You’ve completely ruined the atmosphere!” Tony snapped. “You flippin’ thing! Carol, stop laughing! You shouldn’t encourage him”

“I can’t help it! He comes out with such stupid things sometimes” Carol snickered. “I dread to think what you’re like at work”

“Oh, I’m incredible, believe me” Loki said. “I can drop the professional act while I’m at home, though”

“You really pick your moments” Tony sighed. “We’re trying to have a nice cuddle, and you just start being a feel”

“Well, I’ve got to be something”

Tony rolled his eyes. “Anyway, I was gonna ask if you’re staying again tonight, Carol?”

“I don’t know. I should probably think about making a move”

“No!” Peter whined. “No, you can’t go! You gotta stay! Mumma, you gotta stay!”

Carol couldn’t help but smile. “I can’t stay here forever, baby. I’ve got things I need to do”

“You need to stay! Please, you gotta stay!” Peter begged, tears filling his eyes. “You gotta stay!”

“Hey, don’t get so upset, kiddo” Tony said. “You know mumma has important stuff to do in space, and she’s got her own family to think about too”

“MY family, she’s MY family!” Peter whimpered. “I want mumma to stay!”

“Baby, you don’t need to cry like this!” Carol said, stroking his hair gently. “You know I need to go away at some point”

“But not yet! Not yet!”

“Peter, quiet” Loki said. “Fussing isn’t going to change anything”

Peter wriggled off Tony’s lap and stood in front of the sofa.

“You can’t go!”

“Baby-”

“YOU CAN’T GO!” Peter yelled. “YOU CAN’T GO, YOU CAN’T GO, YOU CAN’T GO!”

“Peter! Stop shouting!” Tony snapped.

“I DON’T WANT MUMMA TO GO!”

“That’s no excuse for shouting the house down” Tony looked at Carol apologetically. “Sorry about this”

“Don’t be” Carol knelt down on the floor, facing Peter. “Baby, you gotta stop shouting”

“I don’t want you to go!” Peter cried, and then started sobbing, covering his face with his hands.

Carol pulled the tiny boy into her arms. “ You know I’ll have to go at some point”

“Not yet!”

“Not yet” Carol said. “I’ll stay a little bit longer, ok? But you gotta stop crying first”

“I can’t!” Peter sobbed. “I’m too sad!”

“Don’t be sad, chick” Loki said. “Shh, there’s no need to cry so much”

“Yeah, mumma’s gonna stay a little bit longer” Tony said. “That’s what she said”

Peter looked up at his parents, still clinging to Carol. “...Mumma’s gotta stay!”

“Yeah, she’s gonna stay for a little bit” Tony said.

“I’ll stay another night” Carol said. “Now you need to calm down and be a good boy. No more crying, please”

“Yeah, come on, no more crying” Tony said, handing him his rocket. “Shh”

Peter cuddled into Carol’s chest, burying his face in his rocket. Loki rubbed the boys back firmly.

“Why and how can he have separation anxiety over someone he doesn’t even live with?” Loki sighed under his breath.

“Give the boy a break, Loki” Tony sighed. “He’s a baby, and he loves Carol. He’s allowed to be upset”

“I never said he wasn’t”

“Give it a break, you two!” Carol shook her head at them. “Just take a moment to remember what big Peter is like about being separated from you two, right?”

“Point taken” Loki sighed. “Peter, you’re being silly. Stop crying”

Peter did eventually settle down. He stayed cuddled against Carol, rubbing his nose against the soft fabric of his rocket. Carol rocked him gently. She looked at Loki and Tony.

“If it’s convenient for you, I can stay for three more nights” she said.

“That’s fine. Be nice to have the company, and Peter will love having you around” Tony said.

“That’s as long as I can stay. I really will have to leave after that” she said. “I think it will be a good few weeks before I can come back after I go. If he hasn’t already been zapped back to normal by the time I’m next able to visit, I’ll help you prepare for when he does. I know you’re gonna have a lot to sort out”

“You don’t have to do that” Tony said. “We’ll sort everything out. But hey, say it’s three weeks before you’re back again? All going to plan, Thor will be back with a reversal before then. Right, Loki?”

Loki didn’t say anything. Carol looked at him hard. She knew what he was thinking.

“He’ll be a teenager again at some point. I’ll be back to help all three of you at some point if you need it, and even if you don’t. Just keep doing what you’re doing” she said, looking at Tony. “Like you’ve always said: this isn’t forever”

#my writing #fanfiction #mcu fanfiction #marvel fanfiction #frostiron #irondad and spiderson

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