War was over.

The Avengers had won. Well, Thanos was defeated and now it was time to mourn the losses and go back to the world that they had known before the snap. A world that part of Natasha didn’t believe would ever come back.

Now there was hope again. Hope that she would find you home, safe and sound and things would pick up from where you’d left them before Thanos had almost destroyed everything. Hope that she would find you home and that you’d still love her. 

Hope that everything will be okay.

**

“Banner, I’m fine, let me go.” Natasha insisted, wanting to be cleared so she could make it home to her apartment - a place where she’d barely slept as it felt like a haunted museum without you in it. A museum holding the memories you two had made, a museum reminding her of how empty her life was without you.

“You will come back for more testing tomorrow, you hit your head.” 

“My head is fine but yours won’t be if you keep me here.” 

“Fine, fine. Go.” Bruce lifted his arms in defeat.

Natasha stole the keys to one of Tony’s cars and drove off, speeding towards her old apartment. She had no phone on her and the closer she got to that apartment, the more her pulse raced.

Her heart stopped completely when she pulled up in front of the apartment building and saw you emerge from the door.

“Nat..” Nat saw you whisper and ran out of the car, wrapping her bruised body around yours. She started shaking as relief flooded every cell of her body.

“Любимая…” Natasha repeated over and over again as the two of you held each other in the middle of the sidewalk. She didn’t care that her body ached from the long battle, she didn’t care that there was so much that she still needed to do. No. There was you, solid and breathing in her arms. The scent of you enveloping her, your presence finally anchoring her home after so many years of drifting.

You cupped her face gently, scanning and making sure that she was whole, that she wasn’t a dream.

“What happened?” You asked but your question was silenced with a desperate kiss which you reciprocated just as passionately.

“It was a bad time.” Nat caressed your face gently, your heart breaking when you felt her hands shaking against your skin, touching you almost with a reverence.

“I’m here. We’ll handle it.” You reassured her before leading her back into the apartment.

**

Time went on. The two of you were almost inseparable and it came as a huge relief to you when Natasha announced that she will step back from the Avengers. There would be less shadows haunting you two. 

“You’re staring.” Yelena scolded her older sister as you were making tea in the kitchen of your apartment.

“Mind your own business.” Nat bit back playfully.

“You’re so in love, I could puke.” Yelena made a gagging face.

“You’ll find your person too.” Nat winked at her and then moved her gaze back to you.

“I can’t believe that you two made it.” Yelena commented.

“Why?” You asked, looking at your future sister-in-law. The two of you had grown closer in the months after endgame, and in your new home with Natasha, Yelena had her own room, which she joked was as if she was your pet.

“Because the world tried to tear you apart yet you resisted.” 

“No, Thanos tried to tear us apart, we finished his stupid grape face.” Nat argued. 

Her comment made the three of you laugh. There was still lingering darkness from the time of the snap and the final battle, but Nat frequented therapy and you knew that it would all work out.

“So, did you set a date for the big day?” Yelena looked at you and Nat all snuggled up on the couch.

“No, we are not rushing.” 

“Are you tempting fate?” Yelena teased petting your orange cat who plopped herself on the floor next to her.

“She is the one that didn’t get away. There’s no doubt about that.” Natasha smiled and pressed a soft kiss to your temple. She’d had other relationships before meeting you but her soul knew that she’d found home with you the moment she’d laid eyes on you and getting you back was something that she would have given up everything for.

“You’re not getting rid of me that easily.” You teased, even though Natasha could see the tears shining in your eyes.

“Good.” Nat kissed you gently.

The bed was warm and the body sleeping next to her made her feel like it was all a dream. A dream that she didn't want to wake up from. 

Ethan was next to her, his arm draped around her middle, sleeping peacefully, his hair slightly messy from the sleep.

Aurora took a moment to watch him. Counting her blessings one by one. He was there, the man that with each passing second she fell more and more for. Holding her, taking care of her. 

She touched his face very gently, with the tips of her fingers, wishing she could get the courage to kiss him just as gently as to not wake him.

The grip on her tightened only slightly and he smiled sleepily.

She kept tracing his features very gently.

"Why are you up so early?" He opened one eye, squinting at the light.

"I need to go." Aurora pressed a kiss to his jaw.

"Noooooo." He pouted, looking so cute that she felt like she could implode.

"Yes, I have an appointment I need to go to. You go back to sleep." She pressed more kisses to his skin, almost like she was committing it all to memory.

"You are making it very difficult to let you go." He pulled her closer and smiled sleepily. 

"I hate that I need to go but I really have to go to that appointment." Auri pressed another kiss, this time lower on his neck.

"When will I see you?"

"Hm, later today?" 

"Good, I am really getting used to falling asleep next to you."

"I am getting used to that too." She kissed his cheek.

"You covered me in kisses." The sleepy smile did not leave his face.

"Yes, and now you can sleep for both of us." She pressed another one, this time to his shoulder.

"I will. But you need rest too."

"So I keep hearing." Auri chuckled and rolled out of bed.

"Text me when you can." Ethan mumbled, sleep taking over once again.

"I will." 

**

Therapy was exhausting but Aurora knew it was worth it. It was worth it because she deserved to heal and move on in her life, she deserved to get better and have a better life than the one she’d left behind.

“You look better than you did last week, Aurora.” Lucia commented.

“Thank you. I slept really well last night.” 

“That’s positive news. So, what would you like to talk about today?” 

Auri took a deep breath, trying to sift through the thoughts that had been in the back of her mind for the past week.

“My birthday is coming up and I am terrified.” 

“What makes you feel that way?

“It was only the past two years that I got my birthday to be about me and not about other people’s feelings and wishes. Now that I got the courage to start over and be here, I am scared that old feelings of unease and anxiety, and quite frankly pain, might resurface and ruin the day.”

“How did you get it to be about you only two years ago when it was about you all along?” 

“Rationally I know it was all about me, but I always went along with whatever relatives wanted. The last two years I preferred to spend the day with my closest people instead and do what makes me happy.”

“Were you happy?”

“Yes, but there were always consequences.” 

Lucia took a moment, wanting to phrase her words well.

“That is part of your past and the fact that you made it here means that you were strong enough to fight for yourself. Strong enough to make a better life for yourself. The fact that you acknowledge the past struggles and you are worried about patterns repeating speaks volumes already.” 

One of the corners of Aurora’s mouth lifted.

“I haven’t told my boyfriend about my birthday anxiety.”

“From what I’ve heard about him from you, I am sure he will support you to the best of his abilities.”

“I know he will. I am just scared that the mess that I might turn in might push him away.”

“You shouldn’t make the choice for him. Give him the space to see you for who you are and go from there.” Lucia suggested.

Auri swallowed hard.

“Allow people to celebrate you.” 

She unlocked her phone after therapy and saw the notifications on it, only to lock it again. Her mind was full of Lucia’s words. Things were different now, better. There wasn’t anything to be worried about. Worry still ate away at her. 

She walked through the busy Roman streets, not rushing, trying to clear her head enough so she could maybe work for a little bit once at home.

Her phone buzzed again.

“Are you okay? How was therapy?” It was a text from Ethan that brought a smile to her face.

“I think I am okay, just deep in thought. I have something to tell you (nothing bad, I promise) as soon as we meet up.” 

“I am glad it went well. Do you want me to pick you up?” 

“I am almost at the apartment.” 

“Oh. Okay. Did you eat?”

“I had a chocolate cornetto on the way to therapy but I am too nauseous to eat right now.”

“I could bring you some soup.”

“No, I just need some time to calm down really. It will be fine.” 

“Okay, I am one text away if you need me.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I think I’ll go to the gym for an hour and then meet with Thomas for coffee and then go see my mum.”

“Sounds like a good plan. Have a good day, tesoro.” 

“You too, cara. Text me if you need me.”

Auri caught herself before she could send “i always need you.”  It was too early for that and she didn’t want to push too hard.

“I will.” 

“Don’t drink too much coffee.” 

“I can’t make any promises.” 

**

Ethan showed up with a bag full of snacks to Thomas’ apartment. He’d freshened up after the gym, gotten snacks and then gone straight to Thomas’ apartment.

“Edgar!” Thomas threw his arms open and hugged him tightly.

Ethan chuckled and hugged his friend.

“You act like we haven’t seen each other in a decade.”

“What’s wrong with me showing you affection?” Thomas chuckled and kissed Ethan’s cheek.

“You’re very perky.”

“I am, life is amazing, how could I not be perky?” Thomas grinned and took the bag.

“I am glad life is treating you well. Does that mean you and Tom are doing well?”

“They are but I am not willing to disclose more at this moment.” Thomas grinned despite using his most formal tone.

“How formal of you.” Ethan chuckled.

“Tom is just…special. I feel like everything is just as it was always meant to be.” Thomas explained as he ripped into a bag of chips.

Ethan looked at him curiously.

“You’re thinking of settling down?”

“And you’re not?” Thomas raised a brow.

Ethan didn’t respond so Thomas pushed on.

“I’ve seen the way you look at Auri.”

Ethan flushed.

“You and Tom are so new.” 

“Don’t change the topic.”

“I am not. I am telling the truth.”

“I lost more than enough time without Tom. I am not going to propose tomorrow but I am also not letting go of Tom anytime soon. Tom is my endgame even if there are bumps along the road.”

Ethan was surprised by his friend’s words. He was happy for him, of course, but he didn’t expect Thomas to be talking about endgames this early in a relationship.

“Are you alright?” Thomas sat down, stretching his legs. 

“I am. Of course, I am. It feels like I am in a bubble of joy.” Ethan affirmed, smiling.

“Good, you and Auri are so cute together.” 

Ethan blushed, making Thomas chuckle.

“How lucky are we, huh Edgar?” Thomas nudged his friend.

“Indeed.”

**

Aurora woke up from the nap because someone was at the door. She had fallen asleep with the laptop next to her - she had been writing ever since getting in from the appointment and she hadn’t meant to fall asleep, yet it happened.

With sleep still lingering, she made her way to the door where she found Ethan, bouquet of flowers in hand and his cutest smile on, effectively melting her immediately.

“Hi.” He leaned to give her a kiss.

“Hi.” She kissed back and stepped aside so he could come in.

“Did I just wake you up?”

“Yup, but I had to wake up anyway.” Auri went to hug him as soon as he set down the flowers. 

“You have been working a lot lately.” He put his hand on the back of her head gently.

“Not more than usual. Ideas just keep coming and it would be a shame if I let them slip.”

“It would be a shame if you work yourself to the ground.” 

Auri held him tighter.

“It’s fine. I promise, it’s nothing I am not used to.”

He kissed her again.

“I was thinking of treating my favourite to some cacio e pepe, what do you think?”

“Who is that favourite so we can have some words?” Auri teased.

“You, of course.” Ethan chuckled.

“Cacio e pepe sounds just like the thing I want right now.” 

“Chef Torchio at your service.” Ethan bowed, making Auri giggle.

“Do you want help in the kitchen?” 

“No, just company.” 

“Alright, I will clean up the bedroom and join you in a moment.”

“Were you working from bed?” Ethan asked as soon as Auri came back and put the tech and the notebooks on the desk.

“Yes.” 

“We should get you an over-the-bed desk, it would lower the chance of something getting knocked over.” 

“Thank you for thinking about this, love.” Auri spoke shyly and he smiled before going over to kiss her again, the term love just making something in his chest swell with joy.

“Of course. Now do you want to talk about what you mentioned earlier that you wanted to tell me?” 

“Oh. Yes! My birthday is coming up and I decided to throw a party!” 

“Your birthday? When?” 

“On the 5th.” Auri smiled.

“Can I do anything to help with the organising?” 

“Well, you can come with me to find a cake.”

“Absolutely. Rehearsals start later this week but I’ll make it work.” 

Auri smiled and took a picture of him at that moment, wanting to freeze the moment in time.

“I’ll light some candles and set the table.” she announced, putting the phone down.

“Amazing. Can I ask something?”

“Of course.”

“Were you scared to tell me about the birthday?”

She froze mid step and looked at him.

“Yes, but because it’s my birthday, not because of anything you did or didn’t do.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

Auri walked over to the candles and took a moment to gather her thoughts.

“My parents used to make my birthday all about them and when I started setting boundaries and actually trying to spend it the way I wanted to, the guilt trips were endless. I have been no contact with my mom for a while now and sometimes it still gets to me that she doesn’t care. And before I stopped communicating with the others, they’d still try to make it about them and said I was being disrespectful. But with time and a whole lot of effort I stopped people pleasing so much and started going after what I wanted.”

“I am proud of you and thank you for sharing with me.”

“Of course.” Auri smiled a bit. 

“You are one of the strongest people I know.” Ethan went to hug her again.

His words brought tears to her eyes. 

“We’ll make sure that your birthday is awesome and if it gets too much, please tell me and I will deal with it, okay?” He tried to reassure her but the tears were still coming. 

“Thank you.”

“I got you.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead. 

“I am glad you do. I got you too.”

**

The David household was full of music. Beautiful, lively music. He couldn’t keep the smile off his face as he worked on the dinner menu that he was preparing for the little gathering. Eli was on a call in the space the two of them had adapted as an office, Dante alternating between dancing along with the music and helping his papa (read: causing chaos) in the kitchen. 

His soul felt lighter. It was like seeing light at the end of the tunnel - a very long tunnel that had really put his mental health through things that he never thought he’d experience. But as each day passed, he felt lighter, he felt closer and closer to being able to enjoy life again, the fears that had chased him awake for so many nights, slowly fading into shadows. 

Lost in thought, he got startled when Eli wrapped their arms around his middle and pressed a kiss to his shoulder.

“I am all yours now, how can I help?” Eli spoke quietly.

He leaned back and pressed a kiss to their temple. 

“Just keep me company, I’ve got this.” He reassured them, Eli sitting down immediately on one of the chairs next to the kitchen island.

“Is everyone truly coming?” Eli asked, trying to do the math of how many people would show up. 

“Yes, they promised.” 

“How will we fit fifteen people here?” Eli asked.

“It will be cosy, don’t worry.” Damiano winked at them, earning a faint blush from them.

“How much exactly did I miss while I was working?” Eli raised their brow.

“Not much, but it will be a nice surprise, I guess.” Damiano chuckled and went to give them a kiss. 

The doorbell rang and interrupted their moment. 

“Who is it this early?” Eli looked at the clock, realising that there was still more than an hour until the official gathering time.

“I got it, don’t worry.” Damiano rushed to open the door and greeted Thomas and Tom who were carrying a big box together.

“Listen, the only reason we agreed to this free labour is because you promised pasta.” Thomas said as a way of greeting.

“I am holding up my end of the bargain, don’t worry.” Damiano laughed.

“If you don’t, I am leaving him here until you make him the pasta you promised.” Tom promised. 

“You can’t leave me behind!” Thomas protested.

“Fine, we’ll both stay here and make their lives miserable until we are fed pasta.” Tom grinned. 

“Ethan is behind us with your brother, bringing the chairs.” Tom announced.

“This is going to be so much fun, I need to go cook!” Damiano clapped his hands and rushed back to the kitchen, seeing that Eli stepped up to stir the sauce.

“Ciao, we bring more things.” Ethan shouted from the door. 

“I think Vic said she is bringing booze.” Thomas mentioned as he and Tom started unpacking the table and setting it right with Tom and Ethan.

“He invited all of us and we still have to pull our weight around here, can you imagine!” Damiano heard his brother joke from the other room. 

“Go and see your brother, I know you miss him. I got this.” Damiano kissed Eli, who looked a bit sad to be asked out of the kitchen yet happy to be able to steal some time with Tom.

**

Eli did as they were bid, even though they wanted to help around with the preparations. They had seen Damiano be excited about this event, he hadn’t shared much about the reason for gathering all of them and Eli had decided not to push, knowing that he would come around when he was ready.

“Hi.” Tom pulled them in a bone crushing hug and spun them around.

“Hi.” Eli held him tightly. 

“I think it’s time for a smoke break for me.” Tom announced, looking if anyone would dare to challenge his words but they only laughed, Ethan taking over what Tom had been doing around the table.

“Are you okay?” Eli held their brother’s hand tightly as the two went to the balcony.

“More than okay.” Tom reassured them.

“I miss you.” Eli admitted.

“I miss you too but you said it yourself - things change.” Tom hugged them again after lighting a cigarette.

“I can’t believe that all my favourite people live within the same city limits yet I can’t spend as much time as I’d like with them.” Eli admitted quietly, voicing the words that had been haunting them for a little while.

“Your work requires you to, though. I know the feeling, I know the pain. Don’t think that I like that I don’t see you as often.” Tom rested his head on their shoulder and kept holding them.

“Which is why I sometimes hate my job.” Eli grumbled.

“A light goes out in your eyes when you are not being creative. Maybe in time we will find a way where you can spend more time with us without sacrificing that light to get to it.” 

“I feel like I miss so much.” 

“I know, but seeing your joy and pride in your creative accomplishments is unmatched.” 

“They won’t keep my son happy when he grows up. They won’t be here for him as he develops into a human.” Eli argued.

“Eli, you were gone for two weeks, and you still have a little bit more work to do before settling here for a longer period of time. Did you offer Damiano and Dante join you?” 

“No, because even if they did, I’d still barely see them.” 

“Offer it, it will give you a bit of peace of mind.”

“I’ll consider it.”

“If you don’t, I’ll ship them off to you.” 

Eli chuckled and held onto their brother.

“Your family loves you and we are patiently and excitedly waiting for you.” Tom reassured them.

“I love all of you more than anything.” It was all Eli managed to say.

**

“Now, the party has arrived.” Vic announced as soon as Thomas opened the door for her. She was carrying two bags with various drinks and was trailed by Auri and Angie who brought various snacks and soft drinks with them.

“Good, you can help with setting up the chairs and organising everything.” Thomas suggested helpfully.

“I will help with other things, thank you very much.” Victoria grinned and walked straight to the kitchen where Damiano was still cooking.

“Ciao! The party has arrived.” Vic put the bags on the kitchen island and went to hug Damiano. He chuckled and held her for a moment.

“I am glad you came.” 

“It’s not like I was given much choice.” Vic teased.

“It’s a big evening.” Damiano said ominously.

“I am not wearing waterproof makeup, don’t even think of proposing to Eli.” 

“I am not proposing.” Damiano insisted and went back to cooking.

“Is everything good between you two?” Vic asked quietly. Damiano looked at his friend surprised.

“Of course it’s good. I love Eli dearly, we are just not at the proposal yet. And even if we were, I would not put them on the spot like that. Tonight is about something else entirely. Don’t be so nosy, you’ll find out in a bit.” 

Vic grinned. 

“You’ve grown up so much lately.” She observed.

Damiano didn’t react to her words, just started taking out the plates from the shelf and started piling them on.

“And not only have you grown but you are settling in yourself, you are much calmer now than you were before. Much calmer than when everything began.” Vic kept going on.

“Thank you.” He responded after a moment.

“You’re welcome.” She kissed his cheek before going to see Dante.

**

It took him a bit longer than he would have liked to finish preparing the food but while he did, his friends set up the table and chairs and eventually, they came around to get table covers, glasses, and they all set the table and then both sets of parents arrived and he started serving the food. 

Eli put Dante in the high chair, placing him next to Vic per his own demand which everyone found adorable. 

Damiano was bursting with joy and was struggling to hide it.

“What’s going on?” Different people tried to inquire but he brushed them off, waiting for everyone to be sitting around the table so he could say the words that have been begging to be let out for a while now. Perhaps longer than he realised.

“Get around the table and you’ll find out.” Damiano only replied, patiently waiting for all fourteen of them to get around the table and sit down. 

“Are any of my children getting proposed to tonight?” Eli and Tom’s mom asked.

Damiano looked at her and shook his head smiling, Thomas following suit.

“Okay, what is going on?” Eli looked from their place next to Damiano once everyone was settled. He stood up and took his glass, raising it in the air.

“Thank you all for coming here.” He started, nerves catching up to him a little bit. 

“You called.” Ethan smiled at him.

Damiano returned the smile.

“The recent years have been very hectic and especially the last few were not only hectic but also busy and chaotic and full of the whole spectrum of emotions. Life showed me all its colours and did not wait for my decision to dive into it. That is not to say that I am complaining about any of it, because I am not.” 

There were smiles all around, and he spotted tears in his mother’s eyes.

“I might not be the smoothest person when it comes to expressing how I feel but I am working on it. I lost too long not being with the person I love.” He smiled at Eli.

“I wasted too long chasing perfectionism and not recognizing that what I have is more than perfect on its own.” 

Eli reached to hold his hand and Damiano leaned down to kiss their hand. 

“I gathered you all here because I wanted to celebrate all of you. To celebrate my love for you. To celebrate life. I sat in darkness for a long time not realising that there is more to life. You helped me chase my dreams, you helped me when I was broken, you sat by my side while I learned how to be a man and a father. You loved me, you took care of me. You opened your hearts for Dante and made sure that we both felt loved and cherished. You gave us family. I am grateful for that, I am grateful for you.” There was a smile on his face that no one had seen in a while - sincere, carefree, joyful smile.

“We love you, Dami. Of course we support you and of course we will be there for you as long as you need us.” His mom spoke up.

“I’d like to start with forever. I wouldn’t be the person I am today without all of you. I love you and I see you. I see your joys, I see your struggles, I am here for you just as you are for me. You are the most important people in my life and I will not stop saying thank you for everything you’ve done for me, for us.” 

There were tears and smiles on his favourite people’s faces. There were tears on his own face. He went around and gave them all hugs and whispered his thanks again and again.

When he got back to Eli and he kissed them gently, taking his sweet time, Tom interrupted them with the words.

“Time for a picture. We need to capture this moment.” He insisted.

Thomas chuckled and went with his boyfriend to set up the camera to take pictures. 

They all gathered, Dante in Damiano’s arms, Eli leaning their head on Damiano’s shoulder. Ethan with his arms wrapped around Aurora. Thomas and Tom together, holding hands, Vic pressing a kiss to Angie’s cheek and Damiano’s brother and Leo standing between both sets of teary-eyed parents. 

**

Hours later, Damiano shared one of the pictures that Tom had taken. He put a heart emoji over Dante’s face to protect his privacy but he wanted the moment on his feed. He wanted to scream it from the top of the world. These are the people that kept him sane, these are the people that he loved most in the world. 

He captioned it, home is where the heart is. 

--