"Seriously?"
Tony shrugged, looking at Stephen's image on the display in his workroom. He'd been working out a new thruster when Pepper had called and advised him that the tattoo artist had promised to be at the tower by 11 o'clock and she'd mentioned that if he brought Pete out at the appointed time, she'd buy them lunch before sending them home.
Stark had been all for a free meal, and he knew Pete wasn't doing anything that was so important that he'd decline the tattoo, so he'd agreed, immediately. Rather than drive, though (and not because he was too lazy to do so) he'd called up Strange in the hope of some instant transportation.
Not surprisingly, Stephen had rolled his eyes when he heard why they were going.
"Yes. But this one's on Pepper. I didn't say yes."
"And she couldn't say no."
Strange was definitely more amused than not, and Tony smirked.
"Nope."
"I'm not surprised."
"Neither am I," he admitted. "So…?"
"Yes, Tony. I'll come to the compound at 10:45."
"We'll buy you lunch," Stark offered. "Pepper will, anyway. And you can see the design before they ink it into Pete's skin."
"Sounds like a plan." He hesitated. "Speaking of plans…"
"Were we?"
"Don't make any with Pete this evening. Or, hopefully, forever."
"You figured it out?"
"Wong wants to look up a couple of more things – just to be certain – but we're pretty sure, yes."
"Is it weird that I'm almost sorry?"
The other man smiled.
"Not at all. Just remember, though, as you start to feel clingy; Pete has May waiting for him and he's not the sad guy that Peter was before you took over raising him. You're not condoning him to returning to heartbreak. He's going back to someone who loves him. Maybe several someones, even."
"Think your other you loves him?"
The sorcerer supreme snorted.
"I don't know. But he must like him, or there's no way in hell he'd have asked him to be his apprentice."
"True. I'll go tell him Pep has things laid out, and we'll see you at 10:45."
"I'll meet you in the lounge."
"Sounds good."
Tony ended the call and went to find Pete.
OOOOOOOOOOOOO
By the time Strange walked into the lounge at the prescribed time, Pete was practically vibrating with excitement. He and Tony had been playing chess; Stark's way of trying to make him stay focused on something other than the tattoo that he was going to get, but it wasn't working completely. This Peter Parker was just as good at chess as Tony's Peter was, but the billionaire still found himself winning more games than he lost.
He jumped to his feet when Stephen walked into the room and only a quick grab by Tony kept the pieces on the board where they belonged. Stephen smiled, pleased at how excited the boy was – especially since he wasn't going to have to deal with the fallout of him being allowed to have a tattoo. That was something for his other self to worry about.
"Pete," he said by way of greeting. "I understand you're joining the inked crowd."
"Yeah." Pete grinned. "Thanks for making the portal for us."
"You're welcome." He looked at Stark, who hadn't gotten to his feet nearly as quickly. "Tony."
"Stephen. Pepper said to let her know so she can make sure they're out of the way – and alone."
No sense freaking out Pepper's PAs, or anyone else who might be in her office at the time the portal was made. This was hardly the first time they'd hitched a free ride from Stephen to the tower, after all.
"I'm ready when you are."
Tony turned to Pete.
"Tech on, buddy."
The boy grinned and activated the SHIELD technology that would keep the people at the tower who might see him from knowing that he was Peter. A moment later it was Benjamin standing next to them.
He was still excited, though, and no SHIELD tech was going to be able to hide it.
"Ready."
"Got everything you need?"
Pete nodded, moving to the side, and watching Stephen, expectantly. Tony made a comment into his watch, and then nodded a moment later.
"The usual place, please."
Strange moved his hands, and a moment later they were walking from the lounge and stepping into Pepper's office.
She was the only one there, at the moment; she smiled when they arrived, and the portal vanished.
"Thank you, Stephen."
"My pleasure, Pepper," he assured her. "Where's Peter?"
"Helping Elena bring up her equipment."
Elena was the tattoo artist, and it had been a convenient way to keep her from witnessing their arrival by magic.
"Did you show her my design?" Pete asked, eagerly.
Pepper nodded.
"She wants to go over it with you, before she does anything permanent."
"She did that with the others, too," Tony said, walking over and leaning his hip against Peter's desk. "To make sure it's exactly what you want and where you want it to be."
"May I see the design?" Strange asked curiously.
Pepper went to her desk and picked up the folded paper, handing it over to the magician, who looked at it with interest. And a slight smile when he saw what it was.
"That's pretty clever," he approved.
"I'm not an Avenger," Pete said. "And I will be a sorcerer, so we thought it might be appropriate."
"You could have a little Spider-man instead of a regular spider swinging from the web…"
"It looked like a stick figure when we tried it," the boy told him, smiling. "Besides, I like the spider like that; it's simpler."
"True."
Simpler was definitely going to be the kicker when getting May's approval when he returned home.
"What-"
Whatever Tony was going to ask was cut off by the arrival of Peter, who grinned, cheerfully, when he saw them in the office, and the tattoo artist, who also smiled. She was much more relaxed with the Avengers – even Tony – than she might have been, since she'd spent the weekend at the compound applying so many tattoos to so many famous people – and some that weren't. including Stephen Strange. Peter was loaded down with the case that she needed to carry all of the supplies that she would need.
"Hey guys." If he was surprised by the SHIELD tech, it didn't show. He turned back to the tattoo artist. "Where do you want this?"
She looked around the office, and pointed to the leather sofa that ran along the far wall, under a display that Pepper used when she was having remote meetings – usually with people in other countries.
"That'll be fine."
She turned her attention to Pete, and Pepper stepped forward to introduce them.
"Are you going to stick around?" Pepper asked the others, as Pete pulled off his t-shirt and walked over to the sofa with Elena.
"I am," Strange said.
He'd want to work with Elena and make certain that the final product was worthy of a future sorcerer. Or at least an apprentice one, for now.
Tony shook his head, though, and put his hand on Peter's shoulder.
"We're going to go take care of a few errands I want to run," he said, surprising not only Pepper, but Peter, as well.
"We are?"
Tony smiled.
"Yeah. Are you good here?" he asked his wife, who nodded.
"We're fine."
"We won't be long. Don't let him get a skull, or anything," he added, winking at Elena, who was startled into a smile.
"It'll be tasteful," she promised, already reaching for the folded piece of paper that Stephen offered her.
The billionaire nodded and steered his son out of the door.
"Where are we going?" he asked, curiously.
"Stephen told me that he and Wong are almost ready to try and send Pete back," Tony told him as they headed for the elevator.
"Really? When?"
"As early as tonight if Wong doesn't find anything that stops them."
"Oh." He felt a little surge of worry, but felt Alec's presence as well; filled with confidence even though he didn't say anything to the boy, just then. "They're sure?"
"Stephen wouldn't do it if he weren't certain where he'll end up. You know that."
"Yeah. So what are we doing, then?"
"We need to go get a few things," Tony replied. "And we need to go to the bank."
"Oh." That didn't explain anything, of course, but Peter didn't ask, since Tony was looking smug and he didn't want to spoil whatever surprise he had in mind. He just walked with him into the elevator and hit the button for the parking garage. "We're going to be back in time to get lunch, though, right?"
"Of course." Tony smirked. "Mom's buying."