League of Avengers

The next morning

Peter stared intently at his cereal, as if the colorful loops might spell out the perfect response. It was weird being at their small kitchen table after yesterday's chaos at the tower. The familiar clinking of May's coffee mug against the counter felt surreal compared to Thor's lightning strikes and anti-gravity incidents.

"So," May said, sliding into her chair with that too-calm voice that meant she was still processing everything. "Let's talk about ground rules."

Peter's spoon froze halfway to his mouth. "Um..."

"First - homework still comes first."

"What if aliens are—"

"Homework first," May repeated firmly, though her lips twitched. "Unless aliens are actively invading Queens. And I mean actively, Peter. Not 'there might be aliens three boroughs over.'

Peter nodded quickly, relief flooding through him. If May was making alien invasion exceptions to homework rules, maybe this wouldn't be as bad as he'd feared.

"Second," she continued, "you text me if you're going to be late. I don't care if you're fighting robots or... what was it? Noxians?"

"That's actually not—" Peter began, then caught her raised eyebrow. "I'll text. Promise."

"Good! And about the training sessions..." May took a deliberate sip of coffee. "I want a proper tour of those facilities Mr. Stark mentioned. And to meet everyone. Properly this time, not just me yelling at superheroes in a conference room."

Peter choked on his cereal. "Everyone?"

"Everyone," May confirmed. "If these people are training you, I should know who they are. Even the..." she consulted a notepad next to her coffee that Peter hadn't noticed before, "...the Freljordian with the war boar?"

"Sejuani," Peter mumbled. "Um, about that tour... there might be some repairs needed first. There was this thing with the gravity turning off..."

May's eyebrow climbed higher.

"It was totally controlled! Mostly. Kind of." Peter suddenly found his cereal fascinating again. "Thor got excited about the lightning timing and—"

"Which brings me to the next point," May cut in. "No getting electrocuted."

"That's not really something I can control if—"

"Peter."

"No getting electrocuted," he agreed quickly. "Though technically Thor's lightning doesn't really hurt since the new suit upgrades—" He snapped his mouth shut at May's expression.

May pinched the bridge of her nose. "We're going to circle back to those 'suit upgrades' later. Along with exactly how long Tony Stark has been designing technology for my teenage nephew."

Peter shifted uncomfortably. There was something in her tone that reminded him this wasn't just about superhero rules.

"May... I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. About any of it. I just—"

"Wanted to protect me?" May's expression softened. "Honey, that's my job. And yes, I know you can lift a bus now—"

"Actually it's closer to—"

"Not the point, Peter." But she was almost smiling now. "The point is, no more secrets. Not about Spider-Man, not about the Avengers, not about interdimensional warriors teaching you... whatever it is they're teaching you."

"Tactical combat awareness and enhanced sensory integration," Peter supplied automatically, then wilted slightly under her stare. "Which... sounds worse out loud than it is?"

May reached across the table and squeezed his hand. "Just... be careful. And if you can't be careful, be smart. And if you can't be smart—"

"Call for backup?"

"I was going to say 'don't let me find out about it on the news,' but backup works too." She stood up, ruffling his hair as she passed. "Now go get ready for school. Being an Avenger doesn't get you out of first period chemistry.

Peter groaned, but there was relief behind it. This was... normal. Almost. If you ignored the part where his permission slip for next week's field trip needed to be signed by Iron Man because he might be fighting crime that day.

"Oh, and Peter?" May called as he headed for his room. "We're having dinner with Mr. Stark and Captain Rogers this weekend. I have some additional... suggestions about your training program."

Peter froze. "Please don't threaten to web them to the ceiling again."

"Of course not," May smiled sweetly. "I have much better ideas now that I know what you can actually do."

Peter made a mental note to warn Tony. And maybe suggest installing additional gravity controls in the training room. Just in case.

—————————

The weekend dinner with May, Tony, and Steve started exactly as awkwardly as Peter had feared.

"So," May said, carefully cutting her pasta, "about those gravity controls in the training room."

Tony choked on his wine. "Ah, you heard about that?"

"Peter texts me updates now. Including videos." May's smile was sweet but dangerous. "I particularly enjoyed the one where Thor tried teaching proper hammer technique."

"In our defense," Steve began, "that was actually a legitimate training exercise—"

"The part where everyone was floating upside down while fighting interdimensional warriors?" May raised an eyebrow. "That's legitimate training?"

"Technically," Peter jumped in, "it was a counter-intelligence operation. We were trying to confuse anyone analyzing our combat patterns."

"By having dance battles in zero gravity?"

"The rhythm disrupts predictive algorithms!" Tony protested. "Also, you should've seen Thor's face when he realized lightning could sync with AC/DC."

May set down her fork. "Mr. Stark, when you said you'd be training my nephew, I expected something more... traditional."

"If it helps," Steve offered, "the unconventional approaches are actually improving everyone's adaptability. Peter's spatial awareness in particular has—"

"Improved by 47% since implementing the chaos protocols," Tony finished proudly. "Plus, his integration with the team is exceptional. Even Darius admitted the web-slinger has tactical promise, and trust me, getting praise from Commander Grumpy Axe is like getting blood from a stone."

May's expression softened slightly. "And the homework situation?"

"Ask Bruce," Peter said quickly. "He's been helping me with AP Physics. Did you know gamma radiation theory applies to understanding interdimensional portal mechanics? And Ahri's been amazing with English lit – turns out vastaya perspectives on Shakespeare are really interesting."

"The boy's grades are actually up," Tony added. "Turns out having Norse gods and magical warriors interested in your schoolwork is quite motivating. Thor's surprisingly good at classical mythology, who knew?"

"Everything except the Norse myths," Steve muttered. "Apparently, the 'mortal interpretations' are hilarious."

May took a thoughtful sip of wine. "And the safety protocols?"

"Top priority," Steve assured her. "We've implemented multiple layers of—"

"JARVIS," Tony interrupted, "show May Protocol Parent Trap."

Holographic displays sprang to life around the table, showing multiple angles of the training room. Various safety systems highlighted themselves in blue, while potential escape routes glowed green.

"Every session is monitored," Tony explained. "Multiple backup systems, emergency protocols, medical response teams on standby. Plus, the kid's suit has more safety features than Air Force One."

"It's true," Peter added. "Karen won't even let me get within three blocks of a situation she deems too dangerous without calling for backup. Which is slightly embarrassing when the backup is Captain America..."

"Better embarrassed than injured," Steve said firmly.

May studied the displays, her expression unreadable. "And these interdimensional allies... you trust them?"

"With Peter's life," Tony said seriously. "Look, I know it seems crazy – Norse gods and magical warriors training a teenager from Queens. But they're not just teaching him to fight. Garen's lessons about honor and responsibility, Darius's strategic thinking, Ahri's guidance with enhanced senses... they're teaching him to be better. Smarter. Safer."

"Plus," Peter added, "they're kind of becoming family? Like, weird, occasionally gravity-defying family, but still."

May was quiet for a moment, then: "I want weekly reports. Not just training logs – I want to know what he's learning, who he's working with, everything. And I want to be able to veto anything I think is too dangerous."

"Done," Tony agreed immediately. "We can set up direct access to JARVIS for monitoring—"

"And," May continued, "I want to meet these warriors properly. All of them. Over dinner."

Peter's eyes widened. "Um, May? Remember what happened last time Thor tried to cook?"

"Who said anything about cooking? I'm thinking takeout. Lots of takeout. From everywhere. Let's see how interdimensional warriors handle New York pizza."

Tony's face lit up. "JARVIS, schedule it. And order one of everything from Joe's. And that Thai place Peter likes. And—"

"Tony," Steve warned, "remember what happened when you introduced Thor to buffalo wings?"

"Exactly why this is perfect! May, you're a genius. Nothing brings people together like food-based chaos."

Peter groaned, but he was smiling. This was his life now – superhero training, interdimensional warriors, and family dinners that might or might not end with floating pizza. Somehow, it worked.

"Oh," May added casually, "and Peter? Next time you have anti-gravity training? I want in."

Tony spat out his wine.

Steve dropped his fork.

Peter just grinned. Maybe having May involved wouldn't be so bad after all. Though he should probably warn Sejuani about New York traffic rules before letting May anywhere near that war boar...

———————————

The week that followed was a masterclass in cultural exchange, superhero training, and barely controlled chaos.

May's "casual dinner" with the interdimensional warriors turned into what Tony gleefully dubbed "The Great Feast of Queens". The tower's common area looked like May had personally ordered from every one of Peter's and Thor's favorite spots.

"Your aunt understands feasting," Thor approved, already on his third box of what had become his standard order from Joe's Pizza. Ever since discovering New York-style pizza during their first week here, the god of thunder had become something of a connoisseur. "Though I still say we should introduce her to proper Asgardian mead."

"After what happened last time?" Bruce raised an eyebrow. "I'm still running tests on that arrow Clint shot."

"The trajectory was perfect!" Thor beamed proudly.

"We still haven't found where it landed," Clint called down from his perch on top of the refrigerator, already reaching for his usual order of extra spicy wings.

"The structural integrity of this 'pizza' remains tactically superior to Demacian field rations," Garen mused, on his fourth slice of what had become his standard order of extra cheese and pepperoni. Though he'd gotten past his initial analysis of Earth food structure weeks ago, he still occasionally lectured about the tactical advantages of portable sustenance.

"Remember when you tried to eat it crust-first?" Peter teased.

"A warrior must test all approaches," Garen replied with dignity. "Though I admit, the traditional method has... tactical advantages."

"At least you didn't stab it with your sword like someone did their first time," Natasha said, glancing pointedly at Darius.

"I maintain that was a valid response to unexpected food," Darius growled, though he was already on his fourth slice of what had become his signature order – the controversial pineapple and ham that had sparked The Great Pizza Debate of 2012, an event that had somehow evolved into a weekly tradition of culinary warfare.

Sejuani, who had long since mastered the art of eating pizza while maintaining her warrior dignity, was introducing her war boar to the concept of garlic knots. "Your Midgardian feast offerings have improved since our arrival," she noted. "Though I still say these portions are too small for proper warrior sustenance."

"That's why we order in bulk now," Tony replied, gesturing to the stacks of boxes. "After Thor's first week here, I learned to always order extra."

May watched it all from her position near the kitchen counter, sharing knowing looks with Pepper, who had arrived just in time to prevent Tony from ordering his usual excessive amount of "backup food" – a habit he'd developed after the first time Thor and Sejuani had cleared out the tower's entire food supply in one post-training feast.

"So," May said casually to Ahri, who was elegantly working her way through what had become her favorite pad thai order, "Peter mentions you've been helping him with his enhanced senses?"

"Your nephew has remarkable potential," Ahri replied. "His abilities are different from mine, but the principles are similar. Learning to filter, to focus, to trust instincts while maintaining control."

"And the combat training?"

"Is as much about restraint as power," Garen interjected, having finally been convinced to actually eat his pizza rather than analyze it. "Young Parker has strength, but more importantly, he has heart. Honor. The desire to protect."

"Sometimes too much desire," Darius added. "We're working on his tactical judgment. When to engage, when to retreat, how to read situations before charging in."

"Like that bank robbery last week," Peter jumped in. "Remember how I used that combination of Darius's battlefield awareness training and Ahri's sensory techniques? Way better than my first attempts at coordination."

"You mean when you tried to web-swing and track multiple targets at once?" Natasha smirked. "I still have that training footage saved."

"For educational purposes," Steve added diplomatically.

"For blackmail," Clint corrected.

"Speaking of footage," Tony called from where he was fiddling with a holographic display, "May, I've finished upgrading your access to the training monitoring systems. Now you can check everything from your phone – location tracking, vital signs, suit status, the works. Plus I added those new override protocols you suggested after last week's anti-gravity incident."

"Good," May said firmly. "Because after seeing that footage from the gravity malfunction..."

"Which was totally under control!" Peter protested. "We've been practicing those maneuvers for weeks!"

"You were sparring with a frost warrior while floating upside down!"

"Technically, Sejuani was teaching me advanced environmental adaptation strategies..."

"By having her war boar charge through anti-gravity fields? Again?"

"The randomized vectors improve reaction time," Bruce offered helpfully. "Plus, the data we're gathering on enhanced physics in variable gravity conditions is fascinating. The patterns we're seeing in the latest trials..."

May pinched the bridge of her nose. "Just... promise me something? All of you?"

The room quieted, even Thor pausing mid-pour of what looked suspiciously like his special reserve mead.

"Keep him safe," May said simply. "I know he's going to do this no matter what. I know he's got power and responsibility and all of that. But he's still my kid. So just... watch out for him?"

"You have my word," Garen said solemnly, standing to deliver what was clearly going to be an elaborate Demacian oath.

"Sit down, you oversized boy scout," Darius interrupted. "Mrs. Parker, speaking as someone who's commanded armies – your nephew has more people watching his back than most military divisions. Between Stark's technology, Rogers' leadership, Thor's power, Romanoff's training, and our various... specialties, he's as protected as we can make him while still letting him grow into his potential."

"What he said," Tony agreed. "Though with less military metaphors and more pop culture references."

"Plus," Natasha added with a slight smile, "we all know you'd hunt us down if anything happened to him. After that shovel talk you gave Steve and Tony..."

"Speaking of which," Clint called down, "is it true you threatened to web them to the ceiling?"

"I merely suggested," May said innocently, "that given Peter's abilities, certain creative consequences might occur if his mentors failed to properly prioritize his safety."

"I like her," Sejuani declared. "She understands proper motivational techniques."

The evening continued from there, somehow both exactly and nothing like their usual team dinners. Thor and Sejuani got into another animated discussion about proper battle mount care, with Thor insisting Mjolnir counted as a mount since he technically rode it through the air – an argument that had been ongoing since their first training session together.

Garen and Steve compared notes on leadership styles while Darius and Natasha had what appeared to be a disturbingly detailed conversation about optimal interrogation techniques – a topic that had evolved significantly since their first strategy sessions weeks ago.

Bruce and Tony huddled over tablets, occasionally calling Peter over to discuss the latest suit modifications or training protocols, with May asking sharp questions about safety features and backup systems. Ahri drifted between groups, offering insights and occasionally mediating when discussions got too heated (particularly during the weekly continuation of The Great Pizza Topping Debate, which had somehow become an integral part of team bonding).

"You know," Peter said quietly to May as they watched Thor demonstrate proper hammer-throwing technique to an intrigued Garen (while Tony frantically activated additional structural reinforcement protocols), "when I imagined telling you about Spider-Man, I never thought it would end up like this."

"What, with Norse gods destroying the furniture while interdimensional warriors critique his form?"

"That, and... you being so involved. I thought you'd just worry more."

"Oh, I worry," May assured him. "But now I worry with better information. And backup plans. And direct lines to several of the most powerful beings on Earth – and apparently other realms too."

"Plus override codes."

"Plus override codes," May agreed. "Speaking of which – JARVIS, what's the structural integrity status of this floor?"

"Currently at 87% and holding, Mrs. Parker. Though if Thor continues his current demonstration trajectory..."

"That's my cue," May stood up. "Thor! Before you throw that hammer again, let me tell you about these things called 'property damage claims'..."

Peter watched his aunt smoothly interrupt what was about to become a very expensive demonstration, somehow managing to redirect Thor's enthusiasm into a discussion about Asgardian construction techniques versus New York building codes.

Yeah, this wasn't how he'd imagined things would go at all. It was better.

Though he should probably warn the others about May's plans to join their next anti-gravity training session. Some things were better left as surprises.

Especially since Tony still hadn't figured out how she'd gotten into the training room controls last week to turn off the gravity just as he was showing off a new suit feature.

Peter smiled. Family dinner night had definitely evolved since their first chaotic attempts at team meals. Though maybe next time they should skip letting Thor break out the special reserve mead he'd been saving. The last time hadn't ended well – especially when Clint really did try to shoot an arrow at the moon.

The arrow still hadn't been found, though Tony swore his satellites had tracked it somewhere over Jersey.

At least they'd finally figured out how to order the right amount of food. Mostly. Thor's appetite was still occasionally surprising, even after weeks of team meals.

Though he should probably warn the others about May's plans to join their next anti-gravity training session. Some things were better left as surprises.

Especially since Tony still hadn't figured out how she'd gotten into the training room controls last week to turn off the gravity just as he was showing off a new suit feature.

Peter watched his aunt smoothly interrupt what was about to become another very expensive demonstration from Thor, somehow managing to redirect the god's enthusiasm into a discussion about the relative merits of Asgardian versus Earth construction techniques – a debate that had been ongoing since Thor's first accidental renovation of the tower's 47th floor.

Yeah, this wasn't how he'd imagined things would go at all. It was better.