A/N: So the birthday story! Remember that this is happening just after Transitions and still in my own AU, so definitely don't read this without reading the others, or you'll be lost when you realize the relationships that are established. I don't necessarily have any particular plot line to follow on this one – it's just a chance to have some fun with the characters that I've developed. If trouble develops in the course of the story, well that's Montana for you!
OOOOOOOOO
He woke when they joined him in his bed, but he didn't open his eyes. If they were assassins bent on murdering him in his sleep, his spider senses would have warned him and he would have been on his feet immediately. As it was, he simply debated going back to sleep as one claimed the left side of his bed, and the other moved in on his right, flanking him.
A finger poked him in the side and he rolled away from it, cuddling up against the one on his left side, feeling an arm come around him, blankets and all and hearing a soft, familiar chuckle.
"Are you planning on sleeping all day?" Tony asked from behind him.
"No. What time is it?"
He still hadn't opened his eyes, but he knew it was Pepper who was holding him, and Tony who was poking him.
"Seven. You've been sixteen for seven hours, now. Happy birthday."
He smiled, feeling a thrill go through him. Not so much because he was sixteen, now, but because of everything that it meant. Especially today.
"Technically, I've been sixteen for 3 hours. I was born at 4 am."
Someone kissed his cheek. From the facial hair pressing against him, he assumed it was Tony. He opened his eyes, finally, and saw Pepper and Tony both watching him. Both already dressed sharply and ready for their day. He was wearing a pair of sweats and wasn't even close. But he was a teenager, and once moving, it wouldn't take him long, he knew.
"Happy birthday, sweetheart," Pepper told him, letting him go and leaning over to kiss his cheek, also, before sitting up so that he could.
She was wearing a pantsuit that did nothing to hide that she was beautiful. Peter often thought Tony was a pretty lucky guy – and not because he had a lot of money.
"Thanks."
"Happy is driving Pepper to work today. I'm driving you in. Your appointment is at 9 o'clock, so I suggest you get dressed and come have some breakfast before we go."
"Okay."
"Are you nervous?" Pepper asked.
"No." he shrugged, and then smiled. "A little. More worried about not passing and having to wait to try again."
"You're going to be great," Tony assured him, ruffling his hair before pushing himself off the bed. "You learned from the best, after all."
Pepper rolled her eyes, but also got out of his bed.
"Come eat, okay?"
"Yeah. I'll be right there."
They left and he got up. He went to the dresser to get clean clothes and then headed for his bathroom. Had to make sure he looked good, after all. If he passed, he was going to be stuck with the picture for several years. Better make sure it was a good one.
"Happy birthday, Peter."
"Thanks, Karen."
OOOOOOOO
The line at the DMV was long and moved slowly, giving Peter and Tony plenty of time to wait side by side, and Peter plenty of time to people watch. Which was something that he thoroughly enjoyed doing. No one recognized Tony, which wasn't so surprising, really. He wasn't Ironman just then, simply one more father waiting with a son to get through a lot of red tape. There were several in the waiting room just then.
"Do you feel any older?" Tony asked him, aware that the longer they waited the more the boy tended to overthink something, and maybe would allow himself to get nervous. Better to distract him, if he could.
"Not really. Do I look older?"
"Nope." Tony smiled and resisted the urge to ruffle his hair. "Same scrawny kid."
"You guys should feed me more…"
Stark rolled his eyes.
"I can barely afford to feed you, now."
They both grinned at that, and stepped up to the window when their number was called.
"Driver's test?" the bored clerk asked, redundantly.
"Yes, ma'am," Peter said.
She handed him a form on a clipboard.
"Go park in space number 9 and wait for your examiner, please."
"Thank you."
They moved away from the window and Tony handed him the keys to the car.
"You'll do fine. Really."
"Thanks."
"I'll be here, somewhere."
"Okay."
Peter left the waiting room, and Tony reclaimed his spot, pulling out his phone to distract himself now that Peter didn't need his attention.
OOOOOOOO
He waited for several minutes. Natasha had told him to make sure that he was already buckled in when the examiner joined him, so he had his seatbelt on and was ready to go, tapping a finger nervously on the steering wheel. When the examiner walked up, Peter could see the man look at the car and then look at him, and then look at the car once more. Obviously admiring it. Finally he opened the door.
"Peter Parker?"
"Yes, sir."
"A Lamborghini?"
"Yeah. Sorry. It's what I learned in, so we thought I should do the test in it."
The man got into the car, smiling despite the fact that what he was doing was important business and he took his job seriously.
"Don't apologize. This will be a first for me. My name is Stan, and I'll be conducting your driver's test today. Please ask if you have any questions, okay?"
"Yeah. Thanks."
"Nice car."
"It's not mine."
"Your dad's?"
"Yeah. I have a Pontiac."
The examiner nodded, understandingly.
"My first car was a piece of crap, too. I suppose it's always that way. Without turning on the ignition, move your foot from the accelerator to the brake a few times, will you?"
Peter did what he was told, apparently proving to Stan that he could stop quickly if needed. The examiner then told him to start the car and gestured to an area on the side of the DMV building that was clearly set up for parallel parking.
"Give it a whirl."
Peter had no trouble doing so, and Stan made a notation on the paper on the clipboard and gestured for Peter to head out onto the street.
OOOOOOO
"How's it going?"
"I'm still waiting."
"Is Peter with you?"
"No. He's out doing the driver's test. It's been almost forty minutes since they sent him out."
"That seems to be a little longer than mine took – but that was a long time ago."
"Yeah. I've seen kids leaving and come back already. It's taking longer."
"Maybe that's a good thing."
Tony wasn't so sure. He started to answer, but then caught sight of Peter coming through the door.
"He's done. We'll come see you when we're done here."
"Okay. Fingers crossed."
"Yeah. Love you. Bye."
He stood up when Peter walked over, a man who was almost certainly the person doing the exam walking with him. That seemed unusual, too.
"Everything okay?" he asked, looking at the man, but asking both of them.
Peter didn't seem upset.
"It's great, Mr. Stark," the man told him. "I just wanted to let you know that Peter just saved our lives."
Tony frowned.
"Really? What happened?"
"It's not that big a deal," Peter started to say.
"A van ran a red light going at a high rate of speed and Peter managed to not only stop in time to avoid us getting hit, he also managed to avoid the distracted driver that came through right behind him. I didn't even see that car – it's incredible that he did. He wasn't even at the right angle."
"You're okay?" Stark asked.
Peter nodded.
"Yeah. There's not even a scratch on the car."
Tony obviously wasn't worried about the car. His gaze lingered on Peter for just a moment longer, as if making sure he really was alright, and then turned to the examiner.
"So, how did he do?"
"Oh, he passed. Absolutely. He did great – even before the incident."
Peter grinned, and Tony slapped him on the arm.
"Good job."
"Thanks."
Stan handed Peter the paper from the clipboard.
"Take this to the window with you, and they'll issue you your license."
"Thank you."
The examiner nodded and left, and Tony put his arm over Peter's shoulder, pleased and maybe just a little relieved.
"I told you you'd be fine."
"Yeah."
"What happened with the van?"
"Felt it coming and had plenty of time to stop."
Which was an application for those spider senses that Tony hadn't thought of – but would definitely come in handy to make Pepper feel better about turning Peter loose on the road by himself. And maybe him, as well.
"You didn't get hurt?"
"No. I'm okay, really."
"Good. Let's get your paperwork taken care of and then mess with Pepper."
"Um. Okay."
