It wasn't uncommon for Pepper to call him in the middle of her day. Sometimes it was to catch him up on something that might have happened in a meeting, other times just to check on him and see what he was doing. Tony was pretty sure that she was checking in on him – to make sure that he wasn't doing something dumb. Or dangerous.

He didn't mind, though. It showed when he smiled at her image on the display just after lunch time.

"Hello, wife," he said, cheerfully. "How fares the tower?"

She smiled, too, unable to react any other way when he looked so happy.

"Fine. What are you up to?"

The billionaire swung his phone around so she could see who he was with – and where they were. She saw a brief vision of Pete, and Ironpig, and then a little orange blob that might have been Nutmeg before he brought the phone's camera back to himself.

"We're having lunch. Ask me what we're having…"

Pepper didn't need to guess.

"Sandwiches."

"Yes." He smirked. "Ask me who requested them?"

A soft chuckle.

"Pete."

"Bingo." He grinned at someone off to the side and she knew it was the boy. "He's been trying to convince me to let him get a tattoo before he leaves. His argument being that I'm – technically – his guardian and that it would be alright if I said it was okay."

That made her smile, too.

"Let me guess; he used the fact that you let Peter have one as an argument."

"Of course."

"What did you tell him?"

"That Peter snuck out in the middle of the night and went to Diagon Alley and had it done without permission."

There was an amused snort from off camera, and she shook her head.

"You're such a nerd."

A year ago he never would have been able to make that reference – and certainly wouldn't have understood it if someone else had used it.

"Sometimes. Tell him that he can't have a tattoo."

Tony handed the phone to Pete, who set his sandwich down and let his eyes get wide and hopeful.

"Please?"

"Not a chance." It was almost impossible to say no to him, aware that he was in every sense of the word her adopted son, and loving him because of it – even if her brain knew that it wasn't really Peter asking so cheerfully. "May would not only kill you, which would deprive your world of its youngest and most adorable superhero, but then she would figure out a way to come find us, and skin us alive, most likely – depriving our world of its oldest and most annoying one."

Tony made a noise of protest, and she winked at the boy.

"You have to ask May."

"Ugh." He rolled his eyes, much more comfortable with her than he had been. "Maybe I'll wait until tonight and sneak off to Diagon Alley…"

"You'd have to sneak by Natasha," Pepper pointed out. "Good luck with that."

Tony took his phone back while Pete was trying to think of a good rejoinder to that.

"How's your day going, Pep?"

"It's been busy," she admitted. Then she hesitated. "When you get a chance, I want you to talk to your son."

"Uh-oh. He's my son?" Tony asked. "What did he do?"

"He didn't do anything," she said. "Well, no, he failed his math test, but that isn't what I'm worried about."

"He failed his math test?" Tony echoed. "How?"

Yes, the boy was taking difficult classes, but Peter always pulled good grades – even when the world was crashing down around him.

"I think he's distracted."

"He seemed fine this morning."

Tony knew; he'd had breakfast with Peter and Pepper before they'd left for the tower.

"I know." She shrugged. "Just hang out with him, this evening," she requested. "And see if he needs to talk something out. He told me that he's fine."

"Where is he, now?"

"He went to get me a coffee and a donut."

"You're having a donut for lunch?" Tony asked, feigning disbelief and shock. "What kind of an example are you setting for him?"

Which made her smile, despite her slight concern for Peter.

"We'll have lunch when I'm done with this next meeting. It's a short one, but I'm hungry and he was restless and was willing to go down to the café."

"Do you want me to come out there, now?" Tony asked, and she knew that he would suit up and fly to the tower in an instant if that's what she asked him to do.

"No. I don't think it's that serious," she admitted. "He's distracted, and a little restless, but he doesn't look worried."

They both knew that look well.

"I'll talk to him, tonight," Tony promised.

"Thank you." She smiled. "He's supposed to bake a cake for his home economic class. You can help him."

"Are you sure that's wise?"

Another smirk.

"We'll have someone hanging around with a fire extinguisher."

He nodded, cheerfully, more than willing to spend time with Peter – even at the risky task of baking or cooking.

"I'll make sure we have what we need."

"Thank you."

Tony smiled.

"You're welcome. Need anything else?"

"No. Peter should be back any minute, and then I need to get ready for my meeting. We'll see you around six, or so."

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

The call ended and he set his phone down, looking over at Pete. The boy hadn't actively been eavesdropping, but it was impossible for him not to overhear.

"Did Peter seem distracted to you?"

The boy shook his head.

"No. I didn't see him this morning, though."

He'd slept in after a night of alternating between worrying that he wouldn't get back where he belonged, and then anticipating being sent back at any minute, which left him edgy and unable to sleep well. Not surprising that he'd woken after Peter and Pepper had left, although Tony was still at the compound and more than willing to spend time with him.

"Huh."

"He might be feeling the need to go out," Pete said. "I mean, he hasn't been out much since I've been here."

Tony didn't think that was the case, but he wasn't going to rule it out. He shrugged.

"I'll sound him out, tonight."

"While you're baking a cake with him?" Pete asked, clearly bemused at the idea of Ironman doing something so mundane.

The billionaire smiled.

"Yes."

"With a fire extinguisher?"

The older man's eyes were amused.

"Yup."

"Because…?"

There was obviously a story behind that, and he was burning with curiosity.

"Because Peter and I were gifted with a certificate for a cooking class and then subsequently burned the place down."

"Seriously?"

"It was an accident."

Obviously.

"Do you want me to find something else to do, then?" the boy offered. "In case he doesn't want to have an audience?"

"Sure. You can keep Pepper company." He smiled and reached for his sandwich. "Maybe you can wear her down about the tattoo."

"If I can get her to say yes, will you allow it?"

"Yup."

Stark shrugged, again.

"Sure."

"Really?"

"Yeah." He took a bite of his sandwich. "You'll never convince her, though."

Pete looked excited, clearly already making his plans – or whatever arguments he was going to try and use on her.

"We'll see."

Tony gestured to the boy's plate.

"Eat," he told him. "Then I need to go talk to the cooks. And you can come keep me company."

He needed to make sure they had whatever was needed to make a cake.

"Okay."