Chapter 11
"You might have to help me out here," Pepper said as she got out the baking supplies; "I'm not the greatest at baking. And you and your dad made some really good ones last time."
"Ok." Peter said enthusiastically, taking the blanket off his shoulder, to join her at the kitchen island to help. A big smile on his face, having a lot of fun. He was already feeling better, just being around his parents. They knew just what he needed, and he loved the spur of the moment stuff they could do. Like this.
He couldn't help wonder what his dad was doing, feeling sad that he left. But very touched that his dad was making a surprise for him.
0o0o0oSPIDERMAN0o0o0o0o0o0o
Meanwhile, upstairs, in one of the spare rooms. Tony was frantically shoving boxes to one side of the room. There were a lot of spare rooms in the house. This one he had been storing some old stuff that used to be in Peter's room before he redecorated it. It was the emptiest room, just what he needed.
He then pulled the cover off a sofa in the corner, and dragged the sofa over to the middle of the room. The back facing the door.
Frowning, he looked around thinking before exiting the room again. He grabbed the chair from Pepper's make up stand, the ottoman from the end of the bed, and another couple of chairs from the other spare rooms. He set the chairs up on top of the ottoman on the other side of the room, opposite the boxes.
He looked around pleased, and wiped a hand over his face; "FRIDAY. How are Peter and Pepper doing?"
"They appear to be having fun boss."
"Fun doing what?" Tony raised an eyebrow.
"I am not permitted to tell you boss."
"By who?" Tony balked a little stunned.
"Peter. He says and I quote, 'it's a surprise'!"
Rolling his eyes smiling, Tony nodded; "Alright then." He then crept down the stairs and down into his lab, not wanting to disturb them. He was able to subtly work out they were in the kitchen. What they were doing, he had no idea.
He grabbed his projector from the lab, and rushed back upstairs. Grabbing lots of blankets and pillows along the way.
It took another half an hour for Tony to finish what he was doing.
As he stood back, he put his hands on his hips, nodding proudly.
He changed his clothes and headed back downstairs.
"Hello?" Tony called out loudly, avoiding entering the kitchen; "Am I allowed entry?" There was the sound of hushed whispers and laughing which warmed Tony's heart.
"Wait there!" Pepper said giggling.
"Dad close your eyes!" Peter added.
"Close my eyes?" Tony raised an eyebrow; "Why?"
"Because it's a surprise." Peter sing songed.
"Ok ok." Tony said bemused closing his eyes.
"FRIDAY. Are his eyes closed?" Pepper asked suspiciously, sharing a look with Peter.
"They are closed Mrs Stark."
Tony waited, feeling a little wary now. He could hear Pepper and Peter approaching laughing, and he feared he might get hit by a slice of pie or some cream or something for a second.
"Ok. You can open them now." Pepper said cheerfully.
Slowly opening his eyes he chuckled first taking in the sight of the two of them. Covered in flour, red, yellow and black coloured icing and god knows what else. They were grinning proudly, and then he looked down at the two large plates in their hands. Covered in cupcakes. 6 on each plate.
But not just any cupcakes.
They were Spider Man and Iron Man cupcakes. Half and half.
Tony's eyes widened in pure shock. There were three spider man masks ones, and three web ones. Then the Iron Man ones were made up of two masks, two gauntlet hands, and two arc reactors. He had to admit, they were pretty amazing. He was speechless.
"What do you think?" Peter said nervously after a moment, shuffling on the spot. His heart racing nervously at his dad staring without speaking for a few moments. He sniffled, and swallowed a cough.
"I think, these are the most amazing cupcakes I have ever seen." Tony finished in wonder as he stepped closer to inspect them.
Pepper grinned, and reached over to squeeze Peter's shoulder. Whose own smile was the biggest Tony had ever seen.
"Really?"
"Absolutely spider baby. I love them." He picked up one of the spider man ones and one of the Iron Man ones and chuckled; "How did you...?"
"Google. Youtube." Peter shrugged; "You can do anything with the internet."
"He wanted to do something nice for you." Pepper said softly, and Tony looked at his son in amazement as he flushed looking away.
"Try one." Peter then insisted, rocking on his heels.
Hesitating, Tony said; "They look so good I'm almost hesitant to eat them. Did FRIDAY get pictures"?
"I have recorded the entire baking process for your enjoyment boss."
Tony grinned and nodded; "Good. I'll watch it later." Then he picked up one of the Spider Man masks ones, winking at Peter, before taking a bite. Instantly he moaned; "Damn kid you sure as hell know how to make some delicious cupcakes. I might eat them all." He moved to snatch the plate from Peter, hungrily licking his lips.
Laughing Peter just let him take the plate; "It's ok we made more. I want May and Happy to have some, and maybe Ned." He finished in a shrug.
Tony just pulled Peter into a one armed hug; "You are the sweetest kid in the universe."
"So...do I get to know what my surprise is now?" Peter said peering at his dad with wide eyes.
Laughing Tony nodded, knowing he couldn't hold Peter back now; "Sure but first we need supplies."
"Supplies?" Pepper said suspiciously; "What kind of supplies?"
"Snacks." Tony held up the cupcakes; "Drinks. Our snuggliest clothes. Fluffy pillows." He shrugged; "Stuff like that." He murmured finishing his cupcake.
Peter and Pepper shared confused glances.
0o0oo0oSPIDERMAN0o0ooo0o0
Pepper and Peter cleaned up and changed in their comfiest clothes, and followed Tony upstairs.
Tony stopped outside the room he had been working in, and clapped his hands together grinning broadly; "Right here we are."
Peter frowned eyeing two sheets attached the doorframe of the room, a gap between the two down the middle. And he looked at his dad baffled.
"Uh Tony. What are we meant to be looking at?"
"Go in." Tony waved at them to usher them in, and Peter saw he was really excited about this. So he headed in first, Pepper and Tony not far behind.
As Peter past through the gap in the sheets and entered the room, he stopped for a moment in astonishment. Inside the room were more sheets and blankets hung up to the ceiling making a small tunnel or hallway down the left side of the room, and across the floor making it soft to walk on with socks on.
"Tony what is this?" Pepper asked turning back to look at him stunned. Tony just smiled and winked at her, urging her on.
"You'll see."
Curiously, Peter kept going, reaching the end of the tunnel/hallway, where it led into the rest of the room. His jaw dropped, his eyes widening as he looked around. A gasp followed behind him, as Pepper stepped inside with Tony.
Peter was utterly speechless. There was an extra large sheet above them, almost like a tent or cone the way it was attached to the light above them, and spanning down in slopes, where more blankets and sheets were set up as walls over what looks like chairs and stacks of boxes. A sofa was rested against the sheets and blankets lining the tunnel to the door, and it was facing the only visible large blank wall. Lots of pillows, thick blankets, and sheets were all over the floor. It would have been pitch black inside, if not for the small round small lights positioned at each corner causing a warm small glow.
"Tony..." Pepper trailed off covering her smile.
"Is this...?" Peter pointed and looked at his dad pausing to cough a little; "This is a blanket fort? Isn't it?"
"Not a blanket fort. The best blanket fort ever." Tony said dramatically walking to the middle of the fort and waved his arms dramatically; "Tada! Surprise!"
"You...you did all this for me?" Peter mumbled, slowly walking around the fort, inspecting every detail. His mind was struggling to catch up with what he was seeing.
"Well yeah." Tony shrugged looking around proudly; "Thought you would like it."
"I can't believe you did all this Tony. It's amazing." Pepper said smiling as she turned to him.
Grinning, Tony straightened up proudly, but turned to Peter, watching as he was still looking around silently. And his smile wavered; "Do you like it buddy?"
"Like it?" Peter repeated turning to him, before breaking into a huge grin that lit up his entire face; "I love it! This is the best present I've ever gotten!" He rushed forward and tackled Tony into a hug.
Stumbling backwards from the force, Tony chuckled, wrapping his arms around Peter relieved and so happy Peter liked it.
"Thanks dad!"
"Sure thing spider baby. Come on." Tony slung an arm around his shoulder and guided him over to the stacks of pillows rested against the back of the sofa, and piles of blankets on the sofa; "Now as I understand it, you are meant to lay on the floor. I just put the sofa in here because my back isn't as young or enhanced as yours." He said winking at Peter as they started to lay down on the floor, grabbing the blankets and pillows to get settled. Pepper and Tony sat either side of Peter on the floor, leaning against the back of the sofa. The drinks and food they brought with them they set aside so they wouldn't kick it over.
"This is so cool. Where did you learn how to do this?" Peter murmured still in wonder.
Wrapping an arm around Peter, Tony took a breath before replying; "My mom actually."
Peter snapped his head to his dad's stunned. He gulped unsure what to say.
Pepper reached up to cover Tony's hand draped over Peter's shoulder in support. She knew how much Tony loved his mom, and how much he missed her every day.
"You...never mentioned your mom before." Peter said nervously, studying his dad's face in fear he overstepped a boundary.
Instead Tony turned to Peter, running a hand through his hair, and smiled broadly; "She would have loved you. Spoilt you rotten. I wish you two had gotten to meet."
"Me too." Peter whispered, he had thought many times about his grandparents, what they might have been like. Mostly fear over all the horrible things that his dad had said about his granddad. Howard Stark. He'd always wondered about his grandmother.
"What...what was she like?" Peter said shifting to face him sniffling a little; "I mean I don't want to pry...you don't have to answer..."
"No it's ok. I like to talk about her, to remember her. And well she's your family too. You deserve to know. I've certainly ranted to you enough about my dad, you should hear the good bits too." Tony looked skywards smiling nostalgically; "My mom was...my whole world really. What with my relationship with my dad being so..." He waved his hand and carried on; "Well you know. He worked a lot, so I spent a lot of time on my own. Or with Jarvis, our butler." He explained; "But he was more like a friend and father to me."
Peter nodded understanding that, knowing about how his dad's first AI had been names JARVIS. So he had to have really respected or loved him.
"My mom was a lot like you actually. Cared about everyone. Was the head of a lot of charities and foundations, wanted to make a difference in the world. She was pretty busy too, but she always made sure to spend time with me. To be there to read me bedtime stories, there when I really needed her. She played the piano too." He added as a little fact to Peter, watching as he listened with eager fascination; "I used to just sit and listen to her sometimes. She was really gifted."
"Wow." Peter murmured softly; "She sounds really special."
"Yeah she was." Tony cleared his throat as it clogged up, and he was relieved to have Pepper and Peter's contact to ground him; "Anyway I remember one time when I was sick. I was a lot younger than you, and I was stuck at home miserable. Mom and dad had gone on a business trip, left me with JARVIS. We were having fun, but it's not the same as having your parents there when you're sick. Then...I woke up the next day, still sick, and my mom was there. Came home early to be with me. We spent the day together. She made me soup, played for me, and she built me a blanket fort. With JARVIS' help of course. And we just laid in it all night talking and spending time together."
Seeing this was upsetting his dad, understanding how much it hurt to remember memories of those you lost, Peter snuggled closer to his dad and hugged him tight. Trying to offer reassurance; "You must really miss her." Peter hadn't mentioned it but he knew what happened to his grandparents. Everyone did. They were killed when he was only 21, originally thought to be in a car accident, but were actually murdered by Hydra. The whole world knew, all the secrets of Shield and Hydra came out when Shield fell, and Hydra was stopped. Peter's own parents were killed in a car accident too during a snow storm, so he understood all to well what it felt like, but Peter couldn't even imagine what it was like to learn your parents were not only killed but murdered. He tightened his hold of his dad, wishing he could take his pain away.
"Yeah sometimes more than others." Tony murmured softly, closing his eyes as he hugged Peter in return.
"I'm sure she'd be really proud of who you, and everything you've done." Peter said cautiously, hoping he wasn't crossing a line; "She wanted to change the world, that's what you've done, and are still doing. Both of you."
Tony looked over Peter's head at Pepper, seeing marvel on her face. Much like his own he bet. Peter certainly was a wonder. Sometimes, he did see glimpses of his mom in Peter. In the way he smiled, in his love of everyone and everything. It just made him love his spider baby even more.
"Yeah she probably would bud. But you know what she'd be proud of the most?"
"What?" Peter asked curiously.
"That I made you."
Peter was sure his heart skipped a beat there. A smile gracing his face, as his eyes watered.
"She'd love your fort too." He joked, and was happy when Tony chuckled.
"That she would Underoos." Then he paused; "Oh I forgot the best part. FRIDAY?"
The small round lights around the fort dimmed, and went out, and a projector screen appeared on blank wall facing them. The first Star Wars movie starting to play, surround sound playing all around the fort.
Peter gasped and sat forward grinning, looking at his dad in shock; "Really?"
"I give in bud." Tony sighed letting his head fall back dramatically; "I give in." Tony wasn't an obsessed fan like Peter was, and knew if he had offered to watch it in the past, they would watch it every day. So he normally said no. But the kid was sick, and looked so sorry for himself. He just wanted to make Peter happy.
Beaming like an excited puppy, Peter flopped back into his dad's arm, and snuggled down to watch the film.
Tony could only laugh, hugging him back. Looking over at Pepper with a broad smile.