It was just a normal quiet night in queens. A week before Father's day with all the store's averdisting sales for Father's day items. Spiderman was pacing nervously on the roof of his apartment where he lived with aunt May.
"Come on, Karen, you have to have some idea what I can get Mr. Stark for Father's Day. What can you get a billionaire who has everything. I mean would he even want a present. Is it to soon? I love him like I did Uncle Ben. He does so much for me. I want to show him how grateful I am and how much I care for him. But what if he doesn't feel the same? What if this is all one-sided?Karen, help!" Peter rambled out so fast paced not even Karen a supercomputer AI could get a word. Peter wringing his hands together nervously the whole time, freaking out.
"Peter, deep breathe. It is going to be okay." Karen reassured. Peter followed her demand taking a deep breath in and out calming slightly down. "Good, now then Peter Mr. Stark cares for you a great deal, just as much as you care for him. Do not doubt that. As for if you should get him a present for Father's Day, I believe is a splendid idea. Many reports say a Fathers love getting things of semanint value. That would be a good idea to start looking at for gift ideas. Also asking your Aunt May for ideas can help you think of things to get him."
"Your right Karen, thank you so much. I going to ask Aunt May right now. " Peter thanked smiling brightly feeling much better than he has since he first saw the Father's day posters and started thing about it.
"You're quite welcome Peter. Goodnight." "Goodnight." Peter replied before taking his mask off, hitting the spider symbol on his chest loosening it. he grabbed his spare clothes he had left up there hurring to change. before rushing down the stairs to his apartment. He shut the door behind him, sitting down his backpack with his spider suit and school work in it on the floor by the door. His aunt may in the kitchen making dinner if the burnt smell was anything to go buy. He hopped on the stool pulled up to the counter separating the kitchen and the living room. "Hey Aunt May. Can I ask you something?"
"Of course honey, you know you can ask me anything." May put supper on simmer then turned toward her nephew. A smile on her face as she looked on her cute baby boy fidgeting on the seat.
Peter looked nervously at her then down at his fidgeting hands than back at her. "Sooo, you know how Father's Day is around the corner, right?"
"Yeah. What about it?" She watched him confused.
"Well the thing is I want to get a present for Mr. Stark this year. Karen - the AI Mr. Stark- gave me suggested something of semanint value. I was wondering if you might have some ideas? If that was okay? I mean, I know Mr. Stark and you are just now getting along and stuff." Peter looking more and more nerve racked.
"Peter, Peter! It's okay. It's alright. I think it's sweet you want to give Stark a gift for Father's Day. I may not care about him as much as you do but that is okay. And I know for a fact he is going to love anything you give him just like Ben did. As for ideas, well let me think." May smiled sweetly at Peter reasurung him that it really is okay with her that he found another father figure in his life and wanted to celebrated the moment with him. She put her finger on her chin looking up at the same time thinking about things he could do. "Well, Ben loved it when you would make him things or drew him pictures. Maybe do something like that and give it to him."
"Thanks Aunt May. You're the best." Peter hopped down beaming he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before helping set the table for dinner. After he ate he ran up stairs to brainstorm ideas. He sat in front of his desk with paper and pencil. "okay how about this. oh what about this. I can so do this. nah. nope. no. maybe." It went on like this for at least and hour with Peter softly talking out loud as he wrote things down and crossed others off. Before a light bulb went off in his head. "This is perfect. I have most of what i need here and I can get the rest tomorrow after school." With that peter went to bed with an excited smile on his face dreaming about the project he would start tomorrow. The week went by faster than he thought it would. He went to school, did homework went he got home then worked on the present he was making before going out on patrol for a couple hours. sleep. then repeat. When Friday hit he put the finishing touches on it then put it in a small box and wrapping it before school. It was his turn to spend the weekend at the Stark tower with Mr. Stark. So he carefully put it in his backpack so he would have it with him when Happy picked him up from school. Peter couldn't wait for Saturday when he gave Mr. Stark his present. When Peter got to school he took the gift out and put it in his locker until school's end. That day was the longest day of his life. it was pure agony waiting for the last bell. When the last bell rang he shot out of there like a bullet from a gun grabbing his present. He was so excited. He said goodbye to his friends Ned and Mj before running outside where happy was waiting for him. When Peter Shut the car door behind him he was surprised to see Mr. Stark in there too.
"Mr. Stark?! You're here? Happy, Mr. Stark is here." Happy actually chucked at the surprise, confusion and awe on Peter's face.
Tony watched Peter with amusement and fondness in his eyes. "Yes, yes, I'm here. I have a meeting when we get back but Rhodes will be there though. Anyway, how was school?" Peter then launched into everything that he did at school. Telling him everything that has happened since last they talked wednesday night - unsept the present of course. And Tony Stark listened and laughed with him over the antics his friends got into and just enjoyed the ride to the tower listening to his adopted son and never getting tired of his talking. Peter talked the whole way there, only stopping when they into the garage. Peter shot a Thanks Happy as he was climbing out. Tony wrapped an arm around Peter's shoulders and they walked to the elevator and up to Stark's personal floor.
"Okay underoos, I'm going to be in the conference room in a meeting for a few hours. Rhodey will be with you while I'm busy but if you need me have Friday alert me. Okay?" Tony angled himself towards Peter so that he looked at him while keeping his arm around Peter's young shoulders.
"Okay Mr. Stark." "Tony," Stark said interrupting."Tony, I will. I promise."Peter did his million dollar smile that was as bright and warm as the sun at Tony. As he said that the elevator stopped and the doors started to open. Tony steered Peter in front of him and into the ling room where Rhodey was sitting on the couch a board game on the coffee table before him.
"Hello Mr. Rhodey, sir" Tony looked down shaking his head. Rhodey chuckled, "Just Rhodey is fine. I got star wars life If you want to play."
Peter squealed. "No way, I get to play star wars life with the war machine. This is.. This is..!" Peter was so fanboying out. Rhodey could swear he saw literal stars shining in the boys eyes.
"Hear that Tony THE war machine." Rhodey smirked at tony.
"Yeah yeah. It's amazing. Run along now and put your things in your room. There is food in the kitchen make sure you eat something before you guys start playing." Peter did as he was told and went to his went to his room to put his backpack up and change his shoes to his spiderman slippers. "Rhodes thanks again for this. I shouldn't be to long."
"Tones. It's okay really. Peter's a great kid. It will be my pleasure to babysit him for a few hours. Go do what you need to. We will be fine." Rhodey made a shooing motion with his hand.
"I'm going. I'm going." with that tony left the room. A few minutes later Peter came back with two plates full of sandwiches and two water bottles tucked in his arms. He handed one plate to Rhodey. Then a water bottle.
"He you go sir. I thought you might be hungry too." Peter sat on a armchair across from Rhodey already taking bites out of his first sandwich.
"Thanks kid." They ate and played, and laughed, and joked. Rhodes telling Peter embarrassing things him and Tony would get into and Peter telling him the things he and Ned have done into. They played several games of star wars life. Neither noticing the time passing by.
"It sounds like you guys are having fun." Tony called out as he walked into the room his usual smirk in place.
"Tones." Rodney said greeting him. "Rhodes"
" , your done. How was your meeting?" Peter jumped up and hugged into his side.
"It was long and boring." Tony told him bringing one arm up to hug him back. "Hey Rhodes, I stealing the squirt back." He told Rhodey ruffling Peters hair as Peter went to clean up after him and Rhodes.
"Sure. No problem. I'll call in pizza and have it delivered." Rhodes got out his cellphone and was ordering as Peter and Tony went to the lab. Tony tell him about the latest projects he has been working on. They Work into the night eating pizza as the go. Until Peter starts nodding off. Tony calls it a night and they both go to bed. Peter gets up early the next morning super excited and nervous. He rushes to the bathroom to take a shower and get ready for the day. He grabs the present on his way out the door. Rhodey is already awake and making breakfast. Peter puts the gift on the table were Tony always sits.
"Good morning sir." Peter goes into the kitchen, grabs what he needs and sets the table.
"Good morning kiddo. Tony should be up soon." Rhodes lets him know as he flips another pancake before taking the bacon out of the oven.
"That's cool." Just then Tony stumbles into the kitchen going straight for the coffee machine grunting at them as way of saying good the food is done hey each grab something putting it on the table. As they are sitting down Tony notices the wrapped box beside his plate.
"What's this?" He asks picking it up. Peter startes blushing and fidgeting looking anywhere but at the people sitting at the table.
"It's a present for you. You know for Father's Day." Peters says in a shy whisper. Tony looks shocked at him before looking back at the present. He gently hesitantly started opening it. They first thing in there was a father's day card. He opened it and started reading on the front it said
To the person who is always there for me,
lifts me up when I am sad,
shares in the joys and the heartache,
I just wanted to tell you
Tony opens the card to read inside
You are the doing an amazing job
I love you dad
Tony has a lump in his through as he reads on to what Peter wrote underneath it.
Thank you for everything . I am so glad I got to meet you and to have you in my life.
Getting to spend time with you, getting to know you is the one of the best things to have happen to me
Thank you for being like a dad to me.
Love Peter
Tony sniffs trying to ignore how is eyes are suspiciously wet. He sits there a moment getting his composure back before digging the rest of the gift out of the box. It is a thermal coffee mug one you can take on the go. on the front it has #1 dad and a blank tiny screen at the bottom. Peter finally gets the never to look at him from beneath his eyelashes."It's not a normal thermal cup. It tells you the temperature of the beverage inside and it has a heater in it. It will automatically heat your coffee up again if it reaches a certain temperature." Peter said in a rush before shly asking, "Do you like it?"
Tony puts it down before yacking Peter into a hug, gently rubbing his hair. "I love it. It is the best gift I have ever gotten. I can't wait to show Pepper. You did good pete." Peter shoulders shagged in relief. He quickly hugged his surrogate father back. Rhodey watched the whole thing with pride and happiness for Tony and for Peter. He always wanted a nephew anyway. They pulled a part form the hug and Tony poured his coffee into the new cup he got. Tony used that cup as much as he possibly could from that day on.