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Avengers Tower was rarely quiet—but for Peter Parker, it always was.
The teen moved through the sleek halls with ease, bare feet padding softly against the tile. He didn’t need the noise to navigate; Peter had long mastered the art of reading movement, vibration, and light. And it helped that Friday lit up signs for him—soft pulses of light when someone was looking for him, green flashes when it was time to eat, and red warnings when someone (Tony) had blown something up again.
Today, though, the Tower was unusually empty… or so he thought.
Peter turned the corner and almost ran straight into Natasha. She held up a finger, signaling him to stop. Then she smiled, crouched slightly, and signed:
“Want to play hide and seek?”
Peter blinked, then his whole face lit up. He nodded quickly, curls bouncing. A simple sign passed between them: “You hide. We seek.”
Tony, standing nearby with Pepper and Steve, grinned as Peter darted off—barely a blur with his speed.
“He’s getting too good at this,” Clint whispered. He didn’t bother to whisper quietly; Peter wouldn’t hear it. But everyone still instinctively lowered their voices around him, as if protecting the silence he lived in.
Peter tucked himself behind a false wall panel Tony had shown him weeks ago. He curled up like a shadow, pulling his hoodie up and biting his knuckles to keep from giggling.
Because he was giggling.
He didn’t realize it made a sound. He’d never heard it. He just felt the funny bubble in his chest, the way joy climbed up and out. He thought it was silent.
But the Avengers heard it, faint and breathy and pure. They followed it like a beacon—but stopped just shy of the panel.
Steve motioned to the others to back off.
“Let him win,” Tony said quietly. “He’s having fun.”
“Of course,” Pepper whispered, eyes soft.
Peter waited. And waited. The seconds turned to minutes. When no one came, he peeked out, hesitant. Then he stood and padded back into the room, expecting a surprise ambush—
Only to find everyone sitting on the floor, pretending to still be looking for him.
He blinked, confused. Then Tony turned, saw him, and jumped up in mock-shock. Over-the-top hand motions: “You found us! You win!”
Peter lit up, eyes sparkling as he bounded into Pepper’s arms and was scooped up effortlessly.
“Victory to the quietest Avenger,” Tony signed with a smirk, ruffling Peter’s hair.
Peter laughed again, louder this time—still unaware of the sound it made.
And the Avengers just smiled, never mentioning it.
They let him win. Not because he couldn’t hear, not because he was different—but because watching him laugh was the greatest sound in the world, even if he’d never hear it himself.