Work Text:
“Okay, so the banner goes right above that doorway. Maybe match the curve of the arch, if you can,” Tony says, brows furrowed in concentration.
Peter has absolutely no idea what's going on when he steps out of the elevator and onto the Avengers' Common floor. It looks like an ant's nest with so many people rushing around the giant room, arms full of red, white, and blue decorations. He blinks, stunned into silence. 'What the…'
Tony frowns and corrects someone's “mistake” with the table runners that end in a rainbow of red, white, and blue.
“Tony,” Peter says, eyes narrowing. “What is all this?” If he wasn't mistaken, no one was supposed to be on the Avengers' Common without passing security and he highly doubt that Tony would wait for security to pass this many people. AND! Why didn't he warn Peter? He knew Peter was coming. Thank fuck Peter has a job as an intern with Stark Industries, otherwise this would be really suspicious for a random teenager to just show up.
“This,” Tony smirked, turning to him, “my dear little padawan, is for America's birthday!”
Peter raised his eyebrow and gave Tony a very skeptical look. “The 4th of July? Seriously? We couldn't just go out to see the fireworks like normal people?”
Tony scoffed, “First things first, I hardly doubt any of us qualify as normal. Really? Can you see us draggin' a green faced Banner around with two highly trained SHIELD agents and a literal popsicle?”
'Popsicle?' Peter mouthed, blinking.
“Secondly, no. It's not for the 4th of July.” Tony turned his nose up, curling his lips. “I did say 'America's birthday', come on Pete, I thought you'd get it by now.”
Peter just gave him a lost look causing Tony to roll his eyes. “Seriously? We're going to have to give you a second IQ test if you can't figure it out on your own.” -Rude- “Captain America's birthday.”
'Wait, what?' Peter's mind instantly crashed with the idea that the Fourth of July, July the fourth, was Steve's birthday.
The only thing that came out of his mouth was: “No way.”
Tony chuckled. “Way. And while he's out meeting and greeting all those lovely bloodsuckers at SHIELD, we're preparing his party.”
It sounded nice. Until Peter processed the 'we're' part. “We?”
Tony grinned, an evil glint in his eyes. “Yes. We.”
Oh, shit. Peter was so screwed. He had half a mind to fight Tony on it and then.. Tony just smiled like he knew something and – Oh. Oh.
“Fuck you, Tony,” Peter bit out.
“Okay guys,” Tony called out, turning back to the mess of people. “Leave the stars. I know just the person to help me with those later.” Peter scowled. Oh, he was just the person.
He was so going to replace Dummy's fire retardant foam with sewer water. Peter grinned evilly as he assisted a decorator in carrying a box of sparklers over to a counter. 'You better watch your back, Tin Can,' he chuckled darkly.
By the time his more.. private side got the chance to hang the stars, Peter was surprised none of the other decorators stabbed Tony with any of the silverware. They had a lot of control because Peter was sorely tempted with the way Tony kept “correcting” their every little mistake and then saying it was wrong. He told Jarvis to let Pepper know to pay them extra. They deserved it.
“Hey Rust Bucket!” Peter snarked as he hung the last of the stars on the ceiling, the glimmering white stars shimmering in red, white, and blue. “I'm done!”
Tony looked up at Peter, sipping a glass of… 'Really, Tony? Alcohol? The party hasn't even begun,' he groaned.
“Great work, Sticky Fingers,” Tony cheerfully smiled up at him, the bastard. “Now for the refreshments.”
'Huh. So it's not going to be just alcohol?' Peter contemplated. 'Props to Pepper.' It was most likely her input that saved them from being pickled through Tony's love of alcohol.
When Peter was safely back on the ground, the elevator opened to reveal several carts of food and drinks. And then there was… Was that an ice sculpture of Steve? '...There are no words.'
At least Tony had remembered to get hot-dogs too. Never let it be said that Tony didn't go all out when there was a party.
The room was full of a delicious aroma that made Peter's mouth water. He side-eyed the three buffet tables with a growing hunger. 'Cap better get here soon or else I'm going to start without him.' The growling of a stomach made him amend that. 'We're going to start without him,' because that had been Tony's stomach.
“Dr. Banner, is meeting up with Captain Rogers, Mr. Barton, and Ms. Romanov in the lobby. They'll be on their way up shortly,” Jarvis reported.
“Thank God for that,” Tony mumbled with another look at the food. Peter felt the same way. He must've lost track of time, staring at the food and trying so hard to ignore his stomach from growling. He could only be thankful that it was just going to be the Avengers so that he didn't have to restrain himself.
“Holy mother--!” “-Language!”
Peter whirled around to see the four Avengers step off the elevator. Dr. Banner didn't look very surprised, so Peter assumed he had been previously informed, but had stayed away because of the mass influx of outsiders. Natasha was already evaluating the room with a piercing gaze. Clint's jaw was slack and Peter thought he might have seen some drool. Steve's expression was pure gold. His eyes were wide and his mouth slightly open.
Steve didn't seem like he could look away from a banner that hung from where the curtains usually were. -Happy birthday Capsicle!- it read.
“Wha.. What is all this, Tony?” Steve asked, still wide eyed with disbelief.
Tony snorted. “Your birthday party, duh. You better like it because I did a lot of work to fix this place up.”
Peter raised an eyebrow, arms crossed. “You did a lot of work?”
Turning around Tony, spread his arms, declaring, “Time for the party!”
'...Ehh...ignoring me..' Peter glared at Tony's back, scowling. A strong hand falls on his shoulder and squeezes it. Peter has half a mind to leap to the ceiling before he realizes it's Steve's hand.
Steve smiles at Peter, eyes flicking to Tony, who is awing Clint with the amount of food. “Thank you,” he tells Peter softly.
Peter can't help but smile back at him. There's just something about the heart of America that makes people calm down and stare at him with awe. Even now, even part-time living with them, he can't help but feel a little warm and fuzzy when Cap smiles at him like that.
“Capsicle! The food's going to get cold!” Tony yells over at them, already fixing himself a plate.
Peter raises an eyebrow at Steve, who shrugs with a grin in return. “Happy birthday, Cap.”
Steve tries to narrow his eyes at Peter, but it just ends up coming out as an amused look. “Is 'Steve' really that hard?”
Giving Steve a cheeky grin, Peter shrugs. “Could be.”
Steve just shakes his head and walks over to the buffet with Peter by his side.
The ice sculpture goes over a little less than well with Steve, but he somehow manages to not tell everyone he's not a fan of it, although the fact is well known to everyone but Tony.
Clint and Peter devour the pies and Steve can't help but enjoy the entire thing. Natasha manages to “accidentally” trip Tony into falling face first into the mashed potatoes bowl when he insults how little she's eaten. Bruce just shakes his head at the antics of everyone, but Peter doesn't miss the way he steals a slice of Clint's pie when he wasn't looking.
When the fireworks begin, they sit on the couches lined up facing outwards at the windows. Peter can't help but think that he'd stick with Tony's attitude if it meant giving Steve another birthday like this. He smiles as the sky lights up with red, white, and blue. “Happy 4th of July,” he murmurs with a smile as he sees the way his friends' eyes are wide with awe at the display in the sky. 'Yes,' he decides, 'it's been a good day.'