“Why did you stop practising the flute?”

Natasha asked me as she grabbed the flute I hadn’t used in years from the box I stored it in.

I smiled as I walked and sat beside her as I watched her trying to play the flute. “I picked up the flute as a way to train and improve my lung capacity. After reaching the adequate level and getting enhanced I never bothered unless someone asked me to play it.”

Nat looked at me curiously. “How young did you start training?”

I smiled as I gave her my reply. “Six.”

Her eyes widened as I carried on explaining. “Everything I did was for training while living normally to other people’s eyes. Learning flute was to improve my lung capacity, swimming and canoeing were for physical exercise, archery for aiming, and finally martial arts for fighting. I also worked out secretly until I was in high school at that point I openly started exercising alongside reading lots and lots of books for knowledge. I didn’t waste a single moment of my time.”

As I looked at her shocked face I leaned forward and kissed her forehead. “Now you know why I hardly had any time to find a girlfriend.”

She smiled as she held the silver flute in her hand with a sad look. “I thought I had it hard.”

I shook my head as I touched her abdomen. “You did.”

She looked down sadly too. I grabbed both her hands in mine. “Compared to me you were put through hell. I did what I did willingly out of my own choice. You didn’t have the same choice as I did.”

Nat looked up at me with a smile as she shifted the sad look on her face away. “But I am glad for it.”

She grabbed my hands and brought them to her lips and kissed them. “I finally met you and my life is nothing short of heaven now.”

I smiled as I grabbed her face and caressed her cheeks. “Same.”

We both leaned our heads onto each other with our eyes closed, quietly inside the room. After a while, I opened my eyes and asked her. “Do you want to go see my old school and neighbourhood?”

She opened her eyes and peered through the window to my soul. “Will there be any childhood photos or videos of you as well?”

I chuckled as we both got up. Nat held the flute in her hand as we walked out. I didn’t question her decision to take the flute as I just walked down with her.

I called out to my parents who were in the kitchen just as we came down. “Mum, dad we are going for a walk.”

My dad popped his head out of the kitchen in worry and suspicion. “Is this a job or are you two going out for a simple walk?”

My eyebrows twitched at his question. “In shorts? Who goes to their job wearing shorts?”

This earned a chuckled from both my mum and Nat. My dad motioned me out after being irked by my response. Both of us left the house just as my mum called out. “Come back before dinner.”

I shouted back in response to her request. “Sure.”

Both of us left the house. Nat grabbed my arm with her left arm while her right hand held onto my silver flute.

We walked around quietly just enjoying the nice change of scenery until we arrived beside the small neighborhood park. “Can we sit there?”

Nat pointed at the large oak tree in the park. I smiled as I nodded. We went beside the tree and sat down next to each other leaning on the tree. Nat passed me my flute. “Can you play for me?”

I smiled as I looked at her. “Is that why you brought it with you?”

She bobbed her head with a smile. “I never even heard you hum a song before let alone hear you play anything.”

I chuckled as I grabbed the flute. Placing the flute near my lips, I ordered my watch to play the rest of the instrument. Just as the drumbeat started Natasha lifted her head from my shoulder and look at me in amusement. “Haha funny.”

She stated sarcastically as I began playing the mission impossible theme, to the beat to the rhythm. I smiled as I carried on playing as she listened to me playing the flute with my watch providing the rest of the background instruments.

Just as I finished I bowed towards Natasha who began clapping in amusement. *Clap**Clap* I chuckled as I looked at her smiling face. “Did you like that my cute spy?”

She nodded. “I did.”

I chuckled as I heard that. “Do you want me to play another piece for you?”

She smiled. “Sure but proper music.”

She leaned back on my shoulder as I began playing another piece. This time I played a proper piece of the flute as my watch displayed a hologram of the Mozart: Flute Concerto No. 2. My watch provided the background for the rest of the instruments as I began playing.

As I finished playing I looked at Nat to see she was smiling as she gazed into my eyes. “Can you always play the flute for me like this?”

I leaned forward and kissed her forehead. “Not just the flute I will learn any instrument in the world for you.”

As I was about to pull back she wrapped her hands around my neck and held my lips close to her forehead. “You are still bad at romantic compliments.”

I smiled as I heard that. “But I still like it.”

I wrapped my arms around her as we both listened to the quiet chirping of insects and birds.

I moved my hands away from Nat. “Let’s go.”

We both got up and walked back home.

We came back just before supper with everyone. After supper, Jack retired to bed as we all went to sit in the conservatory around the small table.

Mum sat by dad as she looked at Nat and me with a smile. “So, you never finished telling us the reason why you told us all this now.”

I smiled as Nat grabbed my hand. I tightly held it as I replied. “Due to certain reasons, we can't reveal, we had to stay apart for the last 2 years until after the attack on New York.”

My parents listened calmly as I explained. “When we met once more, we simply realised how broken we became by staying apart. Therefore, we decided to get married a few days ago. We came here to get your permission and blessings after I introduced Natasha to you.”

My parents looked at both of us in shock. Seeing their silence worried Natasha as I could feel her pulse rising through my fingers on her hands. I looked at her to see her bite her lips. I caressed her hands which caused her to say something to my parents who were contemplating what I told them. “I know I am not the daughter-in-law you are looking for, but I promise you that I love David and will love him more than anything or anyone in the world. I won’t hurt him or let anything happen to him.”

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I couldn’t help but smile as I saw how flustered and worried she was for their approval. Seeing this both my parents sighed before my dad asked Natasha. “What about your family? Do they know?”

Just as Natasha opened her mouth to say something she stopped. “I…”

As she struggled to say anything, I shook my head towards my parents who understood what I meant.

My dad apologized as he looked at Nat. “I am sorry dear, I didn’t know.”

Natasha smiled even with the slightly upset face. “It’s ok.”

We were quiet for a while as it was very awkward before mum asked. “How long are you both here for then?”

I answered her. “For few weeks until we are called or needed.”

Mum nodded as she proceeded to ask another question. “When do you plan to get married?”

I looked at Nat for her to make this call rather than me. If it were up to me I would just marry her here and right now. But that wasn’t how she wanted it. I knew she wanted a small wedding of her dreams with me. She wanted to experience the thrill of planning the wedding, inviting guests, cards, catering, wedding dress, etc; a normal life she could never get, that which I will give her.

Nat looked up at me and just smiled as she replied to my parents. “We haven’t decided but we definitely want it this year.”

I nodded to that reply of her which let her know I was perfectly fine with her decision.

*Ahem* Both of us turned to my worried dad’s face. “Please don’t tell me you are getting married in America. I don’t want to go anywhere near that country.”

My eyebrows twitched just as Nat and mum burst out laughing. My dad grinned. Seeing everyone laughing and smiling brought a smile to my own face. ‘I just wish we could live like this forever.’ I prayed in my heart to never let this moment depart from me.

We all laughed before I replied to my dad. “It’s not as bad as the news portrays it, dad. Besides, you will be given the best protection in the world once you arrive there by me.”

His lips twitched as he heard that. “Yeah, still getting used to the father of the person who saved the world.”

I chipped in for Natasha. “You forget the future father-in-law of the person who saved the world as well.”

My parents looked at Nat in surprise as I smiled at her. My dad asked Natasha in worry. “Oh, were you fighting those aliens as well?”

Nat nodded in slight embarrassment. “Yeah, I was in charge of closing down the portal before David took over…”

From there it was one hell of a weird conversation that a normal family would not have: about aliens, missions, our life(but not too much), etc.

By the time we finished talking it was nearly 2 am. Just as we all got up, my mum jabbed at me. “Natasha dear, think really hard before you decide to marry this fool. I think you deserve much better than someone like him.”

My dad burst out laughing as I looked at my parents in annoyance. “Hahaha!”

Nat looked at my parents in confusion as she asked my mum. “Why? How come?”

My dad replied for my mum. “He lets you fight aliens in nothing but your uniform and bare hands, while he hides behind his fancy suit like a coward. You really made a mistake picking him.”

My face went red as I wished nothing but to get out of there as Natasha chuckled. She leaned on my arm with a smile. “I like my coward a lot.”

I stuck my tongue out at my parents' stunned face like a child as I heard Nat’s reply. “Let’s go Nat.”

We went up to my room. Just as we both laid down Nat grabbed my head and pulled me into her embrace as she whispered to me. “Do you know why I said I like my coward?”

I smiled as I nodded. “You want me to be perfectly fine so that I can carry you in my arms when you are injured?”

I heard her chuckle as she leaned her cheek on top of my head. “Yes.”

I frowned as I heard her. “I told you I will carry you even if you aren’t hurt my brave princess.”

“I know, but I also know you will always be there for me. My coward is always there for me.”

Smiling as I heard that we both listened to the rhythm of our breaths to lull us to sleep.

The both of us didn’t need an alarm to wake up the next day. The moment Jack began running about to go to school Nat woke up startled from her light sleep. Due to her being startled I too woke up and looked at her in concern as she calmed down. "It's alright. Just Jack running about for school"

I assured her to which she nodded as she laid back down with me.

We couldn’t go to sleep after, so we just went down to help my tired mum prepare breakfast. “Do you have to follow her like a loyal dog everywhere she goes?!”

After saying that my mum kicked me out of the kitchen much to Natasha’s amusement. I walked towards the hall slightly annoyed only to see my dad there tiredly reading the news.

As I sat down next to him I could hear my mum talking with Nat in the kitchen about random topics and sometimes about me. “You are an embarrassment to me.”

I looked at my dad who stated that. I asked him in confusion. “What do you mean?”

He placed the tablet down and patted my shoulder. “Son you should always be the alpha in any relationship.”

My eyebrows twitched as I heard my dad. ‘Says the same guy who barks when mum orders it.’ I told myself.

My dad asked me seeing the look on my face. “What’s with that degrading look?”

I quickly looked away as I replied. “Nothing.”

I spoke to him as I pulled up the summary from my UI for the past few days I haven’t checked on it. “There is no alpha or beta between us dad. It’s just that when we started dating we didn’t get to spend much time with each other. She or I could be called out any moment for work. So, we stuck to each other like glue, whenever we could. Guess it became a habit now.”

My dad chuckled as he shook his head. Just at that moment, Jack ran past us in hurry holding the piece of toast in his hand. “Bye bro!”

I called out as he hurriedly ran out. “See ya, Jack.”

Dad looked up in slight annoyance as he pulled out his serious face. “Don’t run inside the house, Jack!”

Jack froze and quickly slowed down before going out calmly. I sighed seeing this as I turned my attention back to my watch while my dad looked at the hologram curiously. “Can I try it?”

I looked at my dad pointing at my hologram. “Sure.”

I passed him the watch much to his excitement as he played with the hologram. As I began teaching him how to use it Nat and mum came from the kitchen carrying our breakfast. “Are all agents required to learn how to cook?”

Nat looked at me with a smile to which I grinned as I still remembered our pizza-making session. “Just the bare minimum. David taught me the rest.”

Both my parents looked at me in surprise. “You can cook?”

My dad asked followed by my mum. “Since when?”

I looked at them dumbfoundedly as I asked them. “You think I would open a restaurant without learning how to cook?”

My dad nodded as if it was a matter of obviousness. “Well duh. I have never heard you say anything about food much less cook here.”

My mum nodded as she carried on. “We naturally assumed you had chefs hired to do cooking and the sorts.”

I facepalmed at the misunderstanding causing Nat to chuckle. “How did you think I survived in uni?”

My dad casually replied. “Pizza, takeout’s, noodle cup, or just frozen food.”

I looked at my dad. “Well, that’s how I survived my uni. I assumed you did the same since you didn’t ask your mum for any recipe.”

I shook my head at my dad. “I am increasingly getting worried about your health now hearing about your diet from your younger days.”

I looked at Nat for help seeing her enjoying this. She smiled as she looked at my mum. “Well, David did everything himself while Jeff… I mean Bruce helped manage the shop and accounts. I occasionally went in to help David when I was free as well.”

My mum looked at me as she asked the next question. “Bruce?”

I looked at my dad in concern as I replied to my mum’s question. “Dr Bruce Banner. I was protecting him for a while as people hunted him down for what he could do.”

My dad’s face quickly turned to worry as he suddenly asked me. “As in the big green angry monster who wrecked the aliens and buildings alike?”

I laughed as I nodded. “Yeah him. Pretty chill guy when he is not angry. But when he is angry he is pretty funny to mess around with.”

Natasha suddenly spoke up. “Only you would say that. Everyone else is afraid of him.”

I looked at her innocently as my parents nodded. Dad and I got up and walked towards the table and grabbed a plate and sat down. “Once you spend some time knowing the Hulk you realise both of them are pretty cool people to be around unlike the annoying Stark.”

This earned a nod from Natasha. “Yeah, he is one annoying person.”

My mum looked shocked by this statement. “Why? Hasn’t he stopped making weapons and started making clean energy for everyone in the world?”

Even my dad nodded to this. I shook my head at that. “That doesn’t stop him from being the jerk he is and trust me when I say that.”

My mum countered. “Seems kind of hard to believe when he does so much nice things.”

I sighed. “Doing good deeds and having a nice personality has nothing to do with each other.”

Hearing this my dad smiled as he looked at me. “And we can definitely trust you on that right?”

All of them laughed at my expense again. I asked no one in particular with a smile. “Why do I feel bullied by my own parents?”

As we all began eating my dad asked Nat and me. “So, do you know Captain America?”

We both smiled hearing that as I replied. “Yeah but not as much as Natasha. She works alongside him directly.”

My dad suddenly looked at Natasha with a serious face as he stopped eating. Seeing this mum sighed as she shook her head. “Here we go.”

My dad brought out his most polite smile which even creeped me out much less Nat as he asked her. “Can you get him to sign a few of my trading cards collection?”

“…”

The both of us stared at him without any expression.