"I think it's time for that story," Tony said, watching as Peter shifted around in Pepper's lap, obviously looking for an exact spot to settle that he hadn't found as of yet. "He's had a long day."
"So have I," Pepper agreed. "And I still haven't had dinner."
"When he falls asleep, I'll sneak away and get us some."
"Not potatoes or carrots, though, please…"
"No worries," he assured her, standing up and picking Peter off her lap for a moment so she could as well. Then she reached for the child, once more and he smiled over at Tony, turning himself upside down in her grip. "I'm never eating either of them, again."
Pepper laughed and headed for their bed, which was large enough for them to all cuddle on The toddler bed was a little small for that.
"Bring a book."
"Preference?"
"Not War and Peace."
Stark smiled and grabbed a Dr. Seuss book from the shelf and followed. He took Peter, so Pepper could settle herself onto the bed and then handed the boy over once more. To his amusement and Pepper's surprise, Peter nestled against her, and like he had with Natasha, went rooting for her breast.
Clint had anticipated that, though, and Tony was ready – even though Pepper wasn't.
"Hey, now," Stark said, putting a careful hand between the boy's mouth and Pepper's somewhat drooled on shirt. "Those are for daddy. You're too old for them – or not old enough for them, depending on how you look at it."
"Tony…" Pepper's tone was reproving even though her expression was clearly amused.
"No worries, dear," Stark told her with a wink as Peter looked up at her, his brown eyes becoming watery once more and that adorable lower lip starting to quiver. They were both already learning that those were ready signs of an imminent bout of tears, or a tantrum. "Clint warned us that no women are going to be safe from him at this age, and suggested a substitute."
With a flourish, Stark produced a binky, and pressed it against Peter's quivering lip. The boy opened his mouth, willingly, and the disaster was averted.
"Smooth," she admitted, watching as Peter shifted just a little, pacifier working furiously, and his cheek now resting against her.
"He's a breast man," Tony said, approvingly, leaning over and kissing her – and then Peter – before handing her the book. "He went after Natasha's earlier, before you came home. Apparently, it's a comfort thing, and not a hungry thing. Hence the pacifier."
"Smart."
"I know, right?"
"Of Clint."
He grinned, and hooked his finger into his lip like a fish caught on a hook, letting her know she got him.
"Can you hold him and read? Or do you want me to help?"
"I'd hate to have to help you with the words…" she told him with a pert smile, opening the book with the hand that wasn't holding Peter.
He smirked his approval of the dig, and settled in, his head resting on her shoulder as she started reading, and watching as Peter blinked a few times and then fell asleep in her arms before Horton got his Whos to safety.
"If you put him to bed," Pepper whispered when the story was over. "I'll go find us something to eat."
"Deal."
She passed the sleeping boy over to Tony, who carried him into his room and put him into his own bed. The black teddy bear was put in the crook of Peter's arm and he shifted in his sleep to cuddle against it, while Tony watched. He bent over and kissed the child, tucked the blankets around him and turned off the light – although he did leave the door open a little.
"Friday, make sure you watch him," Tony said, walking over to the bed, and sitting down. "If he wakes up and leaves our quarters we need to know."
Especially without a GPS tracker.
Not that they were worried about sleepwalking – not as young as he was – but Clint had also warned that toddlers weren't above waking up in the middle of the night and wandering around.
"Gotcha, boss."
OOOOOOO
It wasn't a gourmet meal by any means, but they were both tired, and the sandwiches and chips Pepper brought back were devoured with very little conversation.
"I think I'll go in tomorrow," Pepper decided as they simply put the dishes to the side and cuddled together, propped up by their headboard and listening for any sound from the other room. "I'd be alright taking the day off, but it would throw a wrench in everyone else's schedules and that isn't fair to them."
"True." Tony took her hand, kissing it. "I'll watch him . We'll be fine. Really."
"Good."
"Good."
Pepper was the first to fall asleep. Not surprisingly, since she'd worked that day, and had then come home to the limitless energy of a toddler when she wasn't used to it. She scooted down in the bed beside Tony, her arm going around his hip, holding him, contentedly.
He didn't take much longer, but he was alert enough to at least make sure they were both comfortable. He moved the pillows a little and brought up the blankets over them without moving her or waking her. A verbal command turned off all but a nightlight in the bathroom, and he closed his eyes and went to sleep, too. If their afternoon/evening was any indication, the next day was going to be a long one, and he needed some sleep.
OOOOOOOO
The sound of the toilet flushing woke him from a dream about fishing on a boat with Pepper and Peter. Tony ignored the noise – it was a pretty common occurrence, after all – and tightened his hold just a little on Pepper, who was snoring softly beside him. He was almost to sleep again when he heard the toilet flush, once more, and the distinctive sound of water splashing coming from the bathroom and muted giggles.
He opened his eyes, realizing that it wasn't Pepper getting up in the night. She was right beside him in the bed.
"Oh, no…"
With a soft groan, he slid carefully out of bed and padded on bare feet toward the bathroom and turned on the light. And stopped in the doorway.
"You've got to be kidding me…"
Peter looked over at him, grinning. The boy was sitting in the toilet, splashing the water around him, and even as he watched, the toddler reached up and pulled the flushing lever, chortling softly to himself when the water came cascading into the bowl once more. The hand that wasn't flushing was holding a rubber duck that he must have taken from the edge of the tub and he appeared to be having the time of his life.
"Are you supposed to be out of bed?" he asked, walking over and immediately noticing that there was a lot of water on the bathroom floor.
"What's going on, Tony?" Pepper asked, sleepily, from the doorway. Then she got her own look at what Peter was doing, and stared. "Oh, no…"
"Don't worry, Pepper," he said, reaching down and picking Peter out of the toilet, his soggy pull-up falling off his bottom. His pajamas were nowhere to be seen. "I'll take care of it. Go back to sleep."
"Are you sure?" she asked, pulling a couple of towels from the shelf they normally rested on. "I don't mind."
"No. I'm sure. Close the door so we don't keep you awake. He probably should have a bath."
Again.
"I'll bring something for him to sleep in," she offered, leaving the two of them alone for a moment.
With Peter in one arm mumbling happily to himself, Tony leaned over and started water in the tub He wasn't dirty, this time, so he had no intention of taking a bath, but hanging out in the toilet was almost certainly a prerequisite for Peter needing one.
Pepper returned with a set of Thor pajamas and a new pull up, kissed Tony and Peter, and then closed the door behind her.
"You know what would have happened if you'd flushed yourself?" Tony asked the toddler, who turned in his arm to look up at him, brown eyes happy. "You'd be out swimming in the sea, right now. I've seen you swim, Peter," he added, turning off the water. "It's not sea-worthy."
"Swim!"
Stark smiled, reaching for the child soap and a sponge.
"Yeah… swim…" He started lathering the little body, tickling him every time he got the opportunity, awake enough, now, to find the humor in the situation. "Maybe we'll play in the pool tomorrow."
He couldn't remember if there had been any arm floaties in the prodigious amount of children's things, but if not, they could get some. He certainly wasn't going to let Peter into the water without them. Toilet and bathtubs being the exception, of course.
OOOOOO
Pepper roused when he joined her in their bed once more, and smiled sleepily when she realized that he wasn't alone.
"You don't mind?" he whispered as he settled a sleeping Peter against her side before sliding in next to her and then tucking him into the space between them.
"Of course not," she said, sleepily, turning on her side to face them, but closing her eyes. "He's okay?"
"He had a bath, got put into his new Thor pajamas and then proved to me that he's potty trained, so that's one less thing we need to worry about."
"That's good."
And one less indignity for the boy to have to suffer.
Peter shifted onto his side, as well, his face pressed into Tony's shirt and Stark waited to see if he was going to wake. He didn't, though, and he sighed a silent sigh of relief and reached out to take Pepper's hand.
"Good night…"
She didn't answer. She'd already gone back to sleep.
It didn't take him long to follow suit.