"What's the matter, Rudolph? The other reindeer won't let you play their games?"

Tony looked up from his tablet and smiled. May and Pepper were standing beside the sofa he was sitting on, and he hadn't even noticed that they'd arrived. He stood up, and shook his head, looking over at the poker game going on at the table close by.

"They don't want me to play. I'd win."

He actually didn't mind not playing; instead he'd been content to sit nearby, listening to the sound of the people on his team enjoying themselves as they teased Peter for being so bad at cards, and teased each other for other things.

"I can't believe you're still letting him play cards," May said, shaking her head, but obviously relieved to see her nephew upright and looking much better than he had the last time she'd seen him. "How much does he owe, now?"

Stark motioned for them to sit down on the sofa, and when they did he settled beside Pepper, taking her hand absently but looking over at the game to make sure the boy wasn't looking worse for wear for having been out of bed for so long.

"They're playing for candy, not money."

"How's he doing?"

"I've been to the vending machine three times."

She smiled at that, and waved to Peter who was looking over at her, but motioned for him to keep his spot. She wanted to run over and hug him, relieved that he looked so much better, but she knew that would embarrass him and she'd save that for another time.

"He looks better."

"He's doing better. Doctor Strange has him in the pool twice a day, getting his stamina back. Other than that he says he just needs to eat and rest."

"Peter can't swim."

"We know. He's just walking in the shallow end. It's good for him, trust me."

May nodded, but the conversation did make him wonder if some of Peter's inhibition about water came from her. She looked over at the game again and smiled.

"Ned's going to be so upset that he missed a chance to play poker with Captain America."

"He was invited," Tony said.

"It's a school night. His mother wouldn't care if it was something to help get Peter better, but this is just a social call so it wasn't going to happen."

"He'll be invited next time."

"I did get Peter's homework," she told him. "He's already pretty far behind, I didn't want it to get worse."

"He'll be fine."

If nothing else, he'd help him with it later.

OOOOOOOOO

"You know if you eat all those you're going to get fat."

Clint smirked at Natasha as he raked in his newest pile of winnings.

"You're just jealous."

"No. I want to fit into my clothes in the morning."

"Shouldn't have gone all in with a pair of threes," Steve told her, amused.

"I didn't think he'd call my bluff."

"You should have known better," Barton said. "You have an amazing poker face, Nat, but they don't call me Hawkeye for no reason."

"What does that mean?"

"You have a tell."

"No I don't."

Clint nodded.

"You do."

"I don't."

"Yes, you do."

"You do," Steve agreed.

"What?" she scowled at both men, and then looked at Peter, who was watching with a slight smile, still somewhat amazed at the company he was keeping, although he was enjoying himself immensely. "I don't have a tell. Don't listen to them."

"They're right," Peter told her. "You tap your left pinky against the cards when you're-"

Clint reached over and wrapped his arm around Peter's head, his hand covering the boy's mouth.

"Don't tell her! I want to win next time, too."

Natasha looked surprised.

"I have a tell?"

All the people around the table nodded.

"Damn."

Barton let Peter go, grinning at the boy and impressed that he'd been observant enough to notice.

"You know her tell and you still manage to lose?"

"She never bluffed me."

Steve smiled and looked at his watch.

"Time to call it, guys. I need to get some things done – and Peter's aunt probably wants a chance to talk to him."

The others didn't even argue, they just started gathering up their winnings. Peter didn't have many M&Ms to pick up, but he didn't mind. He'd really had a good time, even losing.

"Do you need me to help you back to your room?" Natasha asked him, stealing some candy from Clint's pile to add to the bag she already had.

"No, thanks." He pushed his paltry stack of candy to her. "Thank you for the game. I had fun."

"You're good company." Her sincerity made him blush and that made her smile. "I'll see you later?"

"Yeah."

They left him sitting at the table, but he wasn't alone for long. May had seen the game breaking up and she went over to spend some time with him and make sure he was really doing as well as Tony told her he was.

OOOOOOOOOOO

"How is he really doing?" Pepper asked once May had left them to go sit with Peter. They watched as she hugged him, and then ran her hand along his forehead, clearly checking for fever.

Tony shrugged.

"He's better than before."

"Natasha told me he was having weird dreams?"

"They're being taken care of."

She frowned at the way he'd phrased that.

"What do you mean?"

"Stephen is working on finding the cause."

"It's neurological?"

"No. I'll explain it all to you later, though."

He didn't want May to overhear anything that might make her worry. Pepper nodded, and simply sat next to Tony, enjoying a little time with him while she could. They didn't actually plan it out, but the two of them were giving Peter and his aunt a chance to spend time together as well.