Peter finished the oatmeal, eating it slowly at Strange's suggestion, and aware that even though Pepper and Tony both had trays with breakfast in front of them, they were watching him carefully, as well. It was good. Plain, since the doctor had advised against brown sugar or even raisins just yet, wanting to take it slow and careful, but it was still good.

He finished before the others, and leaned back against his pillows, turned slightly on his side to watch them eat their breakfasts and to listen to them discuss their day. Pepper was going to be gone long enough to do a conference call with some people at the tower. Strange had warned Tony not to go to sleep when he was done eating, because the doctors would be in to give him a final check up before removing all the IVs and tubes and releasing him from his bed. He didn't know when it would happen, though, so they didn't have a real time frame for Tony's schedule.

Peter drifted off, still listening to them, but not quite up to handling an entire conversation – especially now that his stomach was full. The other two noticed right away, of course, and Pepper moved to take his tray before he managed to shift in his sleep and topple it.

"You're going to stay with him until he wakes up?" she asked once they had finished eating as well and all trays were set aside on the bedside tables and pushed out of the way.

Stark nodded.

"I don't want him to wake up alone. It's too fresh, still."

Besides, hospitals – even Avenger hospitals – can be scary places, even for budding superheroes.

"Steve tells me that Shuri's account of the attempted kidnapping is very detailed. She has an incredible memory – considering how traumatic things must have been while they were happening."

"I'll be interested in watching it."

"I don't know how long this meeting will last, but I'll be back when it's finished."

"It's still better than going into the city," he reminded her.

"I know."

She was lucky that she had the option to be able to work and still spend time with her little family and knew not everyone did. She got up and leaned over to kiss him and he held her against him for a long moment, allowing the kiss to become a sensual, lingering, one instead of a simple peck.

"Don't dawdle," he murmured when she finally pulled away.

"I won't."

Pepper turned and pulled Peter's blankets up a little, tucking them around him since the cloak had left when breakfast had arrived – probably unwilling to test the resolve of Peter's stomach. The boy mumbled something at her touch, stirring just a little in his sleep. She kissed him, too – a completely different kind of kiss, but just as tender and filled with love – and then left to make her call someplace where she wouldn't disturb them.

Stark watched her go, and then watched Peter sleep for a few minutes, just to see if he was going to wake up or if he was committed to the nap. When he didn't move, or open his eyes, the billionaire pulled out his phone and brought up the footage of Shuri's debrief. It would give him a chance to hear her side of the events of that night – something that he really hadn't had much chance to do, just yet.

OOOOOO

When he woke, next, Peter became aware almost immediately that he wasn't alone in his bed. He could feel arms around him, holding him, and if he was quiet – which he was – he could hear a heart beating near his ear that wasn't in time to his own. He sighed, softly, feeling warm and content, and the arms holding him tightened, almost imperceptibly.

"Awake?" Tony whispered.

"Yeah. I think so."

He opened his eyes and could see that Tony had simply pushed both beds together, again, because there was a lot more surface area than there had been, and he didn't feel crowded. Just loved.

"How's the stomach? Feeling sick, at all?"

"No."

Stark pressed a kiss against the top of his head, and then shifted himself back to his own bed, and Peter noticed that all the wires that had been connected to Tony were now absent, which gave him more mobility. He put his head on his pillow, laying on his side and looking at Peter, his expression tender.

"You're a remarkable guy, Peter Parker," Tony told him, his hand reaching out and cupping his cheek.

Peter was too sleepy to blush, but the compliment made him smile.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." Stark smiled. "Are you ready for lunch?"

"In a minute," Peter said. "I don't think I'm all the way awake, yet."

"Sure."

"They cleared you?"

"Yes. I am officially well enough to get out of bed and pee all by myself."

Peter smiled at that, which was Tony's intention.

"Good."

"If you pass all the tests that Stephen runs you through later today, you, too, will be allowed to be disconnected from your monitors – but you're going to be in bed a while, still. We don't want to take any chances with you. Not yet."

"Okay. Is Shuri still here? Or did they go home?"

"They're still here. T'Challa was cleared for his return home yesterday evening, but they want to see you before they leave, so they've been enjoying our hospitality while they wait for you to wake up."

"Really?"

"Yes. Stephen says it's probably just as well, though. No matter how comfortable their plane is, a long flight is going to be painful for T'Challa, so the longer he convalesces here while he waits for you, the better off he'll be."

"Oh."

"And Shuri is going crazy," Stark added with an amused smile.

"Because she wants to leave?"

"Because she came to check on you the other day and when she reached out to touch you Stephen's cloak slapped her."

"Did she get hurt?"

"No. Nothing like that. She just couldn't believe me when I told her it was magic, and as far as I know, she's been in the compound's net trying to figure out the technology behind it. Friday tells me she hasn't actually tried hacking into the system, but her explorations have been pretty intense."

"She's pretty smart."

"Yeah. I gather that. But too polite to go where she's not wanted, it would appear."

Not that Stark was worried that the girl could hack into Friday's system – but he knew Ned could get into the compound's system if he really made the attempt, and Shuri was probably an equal to Ned.

"She didn't ask Doctor Strange?"

"No. But she might ask you, so be prepared."

"Okay. What do I tell her?"

"Same thing I did, I suppose. MJ knows it moves, so no harm done if Shuri does, too. It's not like she lives next door and is going to be hanging out trying to dissect the thing to figure out how it works."

"And if she doesn't believe me?"

"Then she goes home thinking we're up to our necks in weird tech. Which we are, right?"

"Yeah."

Stark reached out and touched his forehead, brushing his hand along the boy.

"She's also trying to figure out how you saved her with just a gesture and some lights, so she might ask you that, too."

"Did I?" he asked.

"Apparently. Stephen is assuming the Mind stone at work – so you didn't really do anything. It took over and pulled your chestnuts out of the fire. Better to not tell her about the Mind stone, though, okay?"

"Yeah. She probably wouldn't believe me, anyway."

Tony smiled at that.

"It's amazing what we can get used to, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"Ready to eat?"

"Yeah."

"Preference?"

"A burger?"

That elicited another smile, and another tender caress.

"We probably should ask Stephen before we try anything so ambitious. The last thing we want is for you to have stomach issues on top of everything else."

Peter nodded. He definitely agreed.

"Okay."