Work Text:
Peter looked down at the text again. How was it his life that he had Mr. Stark's number?
Mr. Stark:
Hey, kid. Do you like pizza?
His morning had started off with that simple text and somehow ended with Peter telling May he was going to Ned's and then him getting a ride from Happy to the Tower...to eat pizza with Tony Stark of all people. He was going to have to stop thinking that way. Mr. Stark still had idol status, but that had to go if they were going to work on the father-son thing. 'He's just a normal dude.' Peter tried to tell himself. 'A normal dude who likes pizza and music and...can build super suits in a cave with scraps and who also happens to be a multi-billionaire, world-saving hero.' Somewhere along the line, Peter's thoughts got off the rails. Peter shrugged and got out of the car. He thanked Happy and stepped into the Tower.
FRIDAY let him go up the special elevator, the one used only by those with the highest clearance. Peter always tried to keep his head ducked as he went, because some of the employees looked at him funny the first few times. Until Peter'd spent a whole day in a lower-level lab working with some techs on a new battery for the Starkphones. They didn't look at him so weird now, not when his badge said Personal Intern to Tony Stark. That cleared things up a little bit, but a few of them still glanced sideways as he walked by.
Peter'd rather avoid that. It made him feel weird, but at least his spider sense didn't kick back at him in the Tower, even when they were watching him, that was nice.
"Mr. Stark is waiting in the penthouse, shall I take you straight there?"
"Yeah, thanks, FRIDAY." He didn't fail to notice that the elevator lights darkened the second he stepped onto them. He loved FRIDAY for it, but he had a sneaking suspicion that it was Tony who'd programmed her to do that. Whenever he entered a room, the lights dimmed to be easier on his eyes.
"You're welcome, Mr. Parker."
Peter could smell the food before the doors opened and his mouth watered. 'Extra cheese.' He thought happily. The doors parted and he stepped forward. 'He's a normal person. He's your father. How do you treat a father?' Peter couldn't answer that last question. The closest he could think of was Ben, but he'd always been 'Uncle.' How did kids treat their dads? Peter only had movies and books for reference, really. 'Eh, I'll wing it.' "That smells fantastic."
"Good, I hope you're hungry, because there's a lot of it. I figured...you know, teenager...you probably eat a lot."
Peter shrugged. "I think it's actually the super-metabolism that makes me want to eat everything in sight, to be honest."
"Well, how about we get some food in you, underoos. Now, what's your favorite movie?"
"Huh?"
"That's a normal thing right? Dinner and a movie?"
Peter beamed. "Yeah. Um...what kind of movies do you like?"
"I was asking you, kid." Tony shook his head.
"But we should both enjoy it right? That's kinda the point. Unless you want to watch a really bad movie. That can be fun. Uncle Ben..." Peter took a breath. "Uncle Ben and I used to watch bad movies so we could laugh at how bad they were."
"How about we pick a good one? I like most things, just nothing too...violent."
"List some genres, that was really broad."
"Fine, sci-fi, fantasy, animated movies, comedies, thrillers, horror movies...basically anything that doesn't have an R in front of it. I see enough blood and gore out in the field."
"Okay. Animated movies?"
"Yes, who doesn't like Disney or Pixar...or anime?" Tony wondered.
Peter beamed. "Okay, we're going to revisit the anime talk, because fuck yes-"
"Language, kid." Tony teased.
"Sorry." Peter laughed. "Have you seen Cloud Atlas? It's newer, and it's based off a book. It's really weird when you first watch it, but the more you see it, the more you understand. It's like, mind blowing."
"Let's try it out. Help yourself to anything you want." Tony gestured to the kitchen.
"Um..." Peter always hated it, going into someone else's home. He always felt like he was lost and like an inconvenience.
Tony, thankfully, got up. "Come here, I'll give you a tour. I forgot you hadn't actually been up here yet. Pepper would scold me for my poor manners." He walked Peter down the hall first. "Oh! And I don't care, but shoes off, kid, Pep wouldn't kill you, but she might wring my neck or put me in the dog house."
"Oh, sorry." Peter slipped his shoes off, regretting his choice of Iron Man socks instantly.
Tony smiled though. "You know, I know a guy who would be flattered by those."
Peter blushed, but followed after Tony.
"Bathroom," Tony pointed to the first door. He pushed open the second. "Me and Pep's room. Little messy, but that's my fault. Don't tell Pep I let you see it when it was messy."
But it wasn't really messy, Peter thought. May was much less organized. Her room had so many clothes laying around. Mr. Stark's room was clean in comparison.
"Anyway, this way." Tony led Peter back into the hall and walked to the next door. "Workspace for Pepper." It seemed to be a simple office. He pointed to the end of the hall. "Guest room for Rhodey." Then Tony started back to the living room, pausing at a door across from his and Pepper's. It was the last door in the hallway to be opened. Tony seemed nervous, but he opened it anyway.
Peter looked inside...and his heart jumped into his throat. There was only one room this could be. There was a large bed in the room, with red and blue covers. There was a Star Wars poster. There was a a door that led to a bathroom, Peter could see the shower from where he stood and damn it was huge. The furniture was simple, but nice and obviously expensive, even if it wasn't heavily ornamented. It wasn't over-the-top or over-decorated. It looked like it was a room waiting for someone to move in.
"Um...look, I'm not... I don't know how to say this without sounding weird. So I guess I'll just say it. If you um, ever want to stay over, this, this is yours. No questions. You're always welcome here."
"I..." Peter didn't know what to say, so he hugged Tony. It took a few seconds, but Tony hugged him back and gently dropped a kiss on Peter's curls.
"I know we're probably not there yet, but I want you to know you will always be welcome here...it's your home too as far as I'm concerned."
"Thank you...but um...what about Ms. Potts?" Peter wondered.
Tony pulled back and his face scrunched in confusion. "Pepper? What about her?"
"Wouldn't she be upset...you know, with me? Because I'm...well..."
Tony gripped Peter's shoulders and pushed him back, looking at him seriously. "No. Trust me, she's been itching to meet you. She's been the biggest cheerleader for us to spend time together. She's cool. I think you'll like her a lot. And she'll love you, I think she already does. Don't ever worry about that, at all, okay?" Tony pulled him into one more hug. "Come on, I'll show you the kitchen, then you can walk around like you own the place. We should get some pizza before it gets cold."
"And a movie." Peter smiled. It felt weird, thinking about the fact that Mr. Stark, the Tony Stark, had a room in his house for Peter...but they were related, after all. Peter followed Tony into the kitchen and made a note of where to get plates and cups and utensils. They both got on the couch as Tony started up the movie. Peter smiled as it started. It was a good movie, that was true, but it was also a long movie, a very long movie. Three hours. Peter liked his time with Mr. Stark. He'd had fun with the internship, but this would be different, less pretense, more just them together. He wanted to stay as long as he could. If Tony was going to offer time, he'd take it, even if it was a little selfish.
Tony Stark was a very busy man, Peter knew that, but he also wanted to know him better. He was brilliant and a hero, but there was more. Peter had caught glimps of more in the lab. The way Tony smiled so softly at him and DUM-E. The way he laughed. The way he sang absentmindedly while he worked. Peter wanted to learn more about him...and maybe it was a bit selfish...but he was his dad and he just wanted to know him a little better. They had a lot of time to catch up on, after all.
Somewhere near the middle of the movie, Tony sat forward in the sofa. "Oh, this is a thinking movie, isn't it? I'm starting to notice it...all the threads of all the stories."
"Yeah, they said no one could ever bring the book to life, but I think they did pretty good." Peter said.
Mr. Stark's forehead wrinkled the same way Peter's did when he was curious and focused. "You get enough to eat, kid?" He asked after a second.
Peter blushed. He'd eaten two whole pizza's. He hadn't known he was that hungry. "I'm good, Mr. Stark."
Tony winced, but then relaxed again. "Don't be embarrassed. You at least have table manners. You should see Thor. He eats twice as much as you and has a bad habit of breaking my glasses. Cap eats quite a bit too, but he's nowhere near as messy as Thor." Tony laughed. "Super kid's gotta eat, don't worry about it." He smiled kindly.
"You wince...when I call you Mr. Stark." Peter noted. "Why?"
"I called my dad that, and let's just say our relationship was a piss-poor one. I just...never mind. It's deserved and I get it."
Peter thought for a moment. "Can I call you Tony? I don't mean to call you Mr. Stark in a bad way, it's just how I was raised...but I could call you Tony...for now?"
"Yeah, kid, that sounds nice. Thank you."
Peter smiled shyly and slouched down into the couch. He didn't stretch out, but he curled up on the sofa, until Tony gently lifted his legs and set them on his lap. Peter froze for a minute, but Tony just let his legs rest there, idly running a thumb over an ankle. It was nice, calming, and before the movie was remotely close to done, Peter fell asleep.
-
Tony stopped watching the movie right around when Peter fell asleep. He was just so cute when he was sleepy, so relaxed. For a little while, then Peter began to move. It was obvious that he was still asleep, but he still began to move around. "Hey, bud, shifty much." Tony laughed when the kid nearly kicked him.
Peter made a weird, adorable sound. "Wan' ge' comfy."
"You do that. Go ahead." Tony chuckled. How could Peter get any rest, moving around like that? He seemed out of his element, as if he wee used to a different environment, which he was. Tony narrowly missed another kick to the face as the kid tried to navigate into a comfy position. Tony's eyes widened when Peter came to a halt, resting his head on Tony's thigh. Peter seemed to deem it comfy there, because he stopped squirming and actually seemed to find rest.
Warmth flooded Tony's chest. Instead of thinking on all the time he'd missed out on this, he decided to seize the moment. He gently carded his fingers through his son's hair. Pepper played with his hair from time to time and he loved it and by the way Peter snuggled in, Tony could tell his son liked it too. How could he watch the movie when he finally had a quiet...familial moment with his son?
He could watch the movie later, for now, he just wanted to enjoy the warmth of being able to hold his son.
-
"Peter, hey, kid? I know you're sleepy and it's cute, but I have to make sure your aunt knows where you are."
"Huh?" Peter rubbed his eyes and somehow found himself in Tony's lap. He would have been very confused, except Peter knew he moved weird in his sleep. He'd even caught himself sleepwalking before, going to sleep in his room and waking up on the couch. Once he'd even managed to climb to the roof. Who knew spider-powers could make sleep-walking worse? Peter did. But it was nice, using Tony's leg for a pillow and Tony was combing his fingers through his hair and that...that felt really nice. He snuggled a bit closer, too tired to realize that he should be embarrassed. He was too sleepy to think that he quite possibly drooled on a superhero's leg or that he'd twisted around in his sleep to snuggle with the said hero.
"Does your aunt know where you are, Peter?"
"I told her I was at Ned's so it's okay." Peter waved it off sleepily.
"Ned's?" Tony asked. "Peter..." He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "What if she goes looking for you and can't find you? You'll worry her."
"Ned and I have secret codes for this stuff." Peter shrugged, more awake now. "I told him...well, I didn't tell him it was you, because he'd freak out, and I of course haven't said anything about the internship, because he'd probably die fangirling, but I told him I found my biological father. He's the only person I ever told, you know? He was with me when I found out about my blood type and all that, and he's cool covering for me. He's like a next-level bestie. But I haven't told anyone about you...you know, like that." Peter had a feeling the media would have a field day, he didn't really want to start that mess, not for him or Tony. He knew it would likely be a huge mess, especially with Tony's relationship with Pepper. Peter didn't want to make that mess and he didn't want May to feel...weird either.
"Be that as it may, I don't like that your Aunt May doesn't know where you are. I mean, I get worried when I don't know where you are, which is why I track your suit and your phone...among other things."
"Creepy." Peter teased.
"Jury's out on that one." Tony half-agreed. Then he grew serious. "Why haven't you told her?"
Peter frowned and sat up, reluctantly pulling away from that nice, soft feeling of a hand in his hair. May used to do that, he'd forgotten how nice it felt, calming. "I just...I don't want her to worry. It's hard. It's always been us, you know? Me and her. I don't want her to think that I'm...undervaluing her. I love her, more than anything, but... I want this too, you know? I don't want her thinking she isn't enough or that I'd leave her..."
"And I'd never ask you to leave her. Not ever. She may not be able to cook worth a damn, but she is sure as hell a wonderful and loving woman. I'm so glad that you got to have her in your life and I'll always be grateful to her, because she's been there for you all this time. But she should know, Pete."
Peter looked down at his hands. "I know... I just don't know how to tell her...without it being a big thing."
"I'll be there with you, kid, does that help?"
Peter thought about the pros and cons and nodded after a moment.
"Okay, we'll deal with that tomorrow, but you should get home. It appears to be a spider-kid's bedtime and I don't feel good about you staying somewhere, especially without your Aunt knowing where you really are. So I can take you home or to Ned's, which would you like, underoos?"
Peter didn't want to go home just yet. He didn't like lying to May and he'd have to face that if he went home. "Ned's."
"Okay, let's get you over there, then you can rest and tomorrow we can have a talk with your aunt, okay?" Tony smiled softly. "Thanks for the movie, kid. I'm going to have to watch it again to pick up all the details. It was a good pick."
"Yeah, it was underrated too, probably because people watched it once and didn't get it, but it gets better every time you watch it, it really does."
Tony smiled and reached out, ruffling Peter's hair one more time. "Let's go, bud. I can't believe I've become an accomplice to your lies, but don't get used to it. After tomorrow I'm only an accomplice to Spiderman, got it?"
Peter laughed, but his stomach did a flip. How in the hell would Aunt May take this? "Deal."