Chapter 16
After breakfast, they all agreed to do decorations first.
Tony put on some of his favourite music, adding in some Halloween songs, and they set off decorating the whole house.
Tony was especially glad when Peter cheered up. He was relieved, because their morning talk seemed to have cleared the air. And there was just an air about Peter, he was more relaxed around them. No longer worried about asking to do something in his own house, or fearing to show his emotions or thoughts around them. It made Tony so happy.
Before they knew it the whole house was decked out all festive for Halloween.
Tony even hid some of his fake hands and spiders around the house for Peter and Pepper to find. Of course he suspected Peter would find them easy. But it was fun nonetheless.
However, when he went to get some snacks for all of them, especially Peter, he was in for a shock himself. Even though Tony makes sure to give him full meals at breakfast, lunch and dinner, Peter also needed to have snacks in between to keep up with his super fast metabolism. Tony was going to make sure that his kid was well fed, he wasn't going to let him go hungry. As he opened the cupboard for the Oreo cookies, there was a loud recorded fake scream which along with a large fake ghoul head placed inside the cupboard, had him immediately jumping out of his skin, raising his hand so his gauntlet formed. He was this close to blowing a hole in his kitchen, but managed to stop himself as it finally clicked what he was looking at.
"What the...?"
The sound of laughter had Tony whipping around. Finding Peter bent over clutching his stomach as he was laughing his head off. And Pepper was beside him chuckling.
Once his heart stopped racing he glared at them both, angry, but couldn't help but feel amused, loving the sound of their laughter; "You shouldn't do stuff like that to a man with a heart condition."
Pepper pulled a fake hand from behind her back, and waved it at him with a raised eyebrow; "I did say I wasn't forgetting you scaring me at the pumpkin patch honey."
"That was the funniest thing ever!" Peter breathed smiling so much his cheeks hurt as he looked at his dad still chuckling.
"Oh you think so huh buddy?" Tony murmured walking dangerously towards him, raising his hands and wiggling his fingers grinning wickedly at him.
"No!" Peter stilled raising his hand his face becoming a little scared, but he was still smiling, unable to stop; "No tickle monster!"
"Sorry bud you made him mad. Now he wants revenge. I'm trying to hold him back but..." He lunged after them both.
Peter stumbled back giggling; "No!"
"Run Peter!" Pepper said fake gasping, and they immediately took off running.
Tony grinned counting to five in his head before he took off after them.
It didn't take long to catch up to Pepper, she wasn't running fast, and he managed to cut her off as she reached the living room. Grabbing her around the waist. She let out a yelp laughing loudly as he tickled her.
They stumbled and fell onto the couch. He continued to tickle her until she was begging him to stop.
Then he leant down and kissed her deeply. She instantly stopped laughing, cupping his face. When he pulled back leaning over her he grinned, watching her flushed face mock glare at him.
"You cheated." Pepper said chuckling; "Not fair."
"Tickle monsters don't play fair." Tony taunted wiggling his fingers at her again.
"No Tony!" She said laughing batting him away, but instead he kissed her again.
They both sat up laughing and smiling.
Then Tony paused, tilting his head as he looked around finding the house eerily silent.
"Now where did spider baby go?"
Tony considered asking FRIDAY for help but that wasn't fair, and he was looking forward to tracking Peter down.
He slowly checked the rest of the downstairs, but there was no sign of Peter. He was about to head upstairs, but told Pepper to stay downstairs. Not wanting her to warn Peter he was coming. She happily agreed to stay out of it, continuing with the decorating.
Slowly tip toeing up the stairs, Tony paused craning his head to listen. It was too quiet.
"Peeetteerrr?" Tony called out grinning; "Come out come out wherever you are."
He waited hoping for some crashing sound or movement as Peter tried to move again, but there was silence.
So this was going to be the hard way.
He moved to check Peter's room first, but found it surprisingly empty. He was just checking under the bed, when he thought of something and instantly snapped his head up at the ceiling. Realising he was going about this the wrong way. Peter could instantly crawl past him without him knowing. Sneaky. Smart.
Making sure to check the ceilings, Tony moved on to the bathroom and blanket fort, and other rooms but no Peter.
Where was that kid?
0o0o0oSPIDERMAN00o0o0oo0o
Peter sat in his hiding place, grinning broadly and breathing heavily. He listened with his spider senses for his dad searching for him. He was having so much fun, he hadn't played hide and seek since he was a kid and played it with Ned at his house. Playing with his dad was especially fun.
He stilled as he detected his dad's heartbeat, and heard his footsteps getting closer and closer. He had to wait for the right time to flee.
0o0o0o0SPIDERMAN0o0o0o0o0
Tony was just about ready to give up when his eyes fell on his and Pepper's bedroom.
Too obvious...
Grinning, Tony slowly grabbed the handle and silently pushed the door open. Thankful when it didn't make a sound. He looked around the room and at the ceiling but all empty. He was just about to go to the en suite bathroom when he saw the sliding glass door of his walk in wardrobe wasn't quite closed all the way.
Strolling over, Tony slid it open and jumped in ready to grab Peter. But no Peter.
Frowning disappointed, Tony wondered for a second if Peter had actually escaped out the house.
But then he saw it.
Movement in his shirt section of hi closet, just very subtly.
Grinning, Tony pretended to be checking another area of the closet, and Peter acted just how Tony planned. He bolted.
"Not so fast spider baby!" Tony called rushing after Peter. Grabbing him round the waist before he run to the door.
"Nooo!" Peter wailed struggling weakly. Tony knew if Peter really wanted to get away he could, he was certainly strong enough.
Tony immediately tickled his side, and Peter crumbled to the floor laughing.
"Daadddd!"
"The tickle monster has you now Underoos!" Tony said chuckling smugly.
"Nooo please.." Peter chuckled, surprised his face hadn't broken yet from all the smiling.
Finally, Tony stopped tickling him and collapsed down beside Peter laughing; "Got you!"
A final chuckle escaped Peter as he tried to calm down again after all that laughing.
Both of them lay back on the floor and stared at the ceiling smiling.
"Sorry I scared you." Peter murmured turning to face his dad; "I just couldn't help it. It was so funny."
"It was." Tony agreed turning to face Peter smiling proudly; "And I have to say rather genius. How did you rig the scream to play when I opened the cupboard door?"
"FRIDAY." Peter said sheepishly; "Mom and I asked her to play it as soon as you did."
Tony gasped glaring at the ceiling; "Betrayed by own creation. How could you?"
"Sorry boss." If Tony didn't know better he thought FRIDAY didn't sound very sorry, more amused; "I was following the orders of your wife and son. It was not my idea."
"Hey!" Peter said turning to the ceiling, but then rolled his head back to his dad sheepishly; "Still sorry."
Tony just maneuverered his arm to wrap around Peter and tugged him closer, ruffling his hair; "Don't worry about it bud. I'll get you back. When you least suspect it."
Peter stilled instantly terrified, and then relaxed rolling his eyes. He elbowed him; "Dad." He whined.
Tony just chuckled, kissing the top of his head.
"So have you two finished killing each other?" Pepper bemused voice echoed around the room.
"Yeah I won." Tony quipped, chuckling when Peter voiced his outrage.
Peter paused when he heard crunching and tipped his head back and to the side, eyes widening when he saw mom standing in the doorway eating from the packet of Oreo's. His stomach instantly grumbled. And he reached his arms up using his hands for grabbing motions for the cookie's.
"Please mom."
Tony just burst out laughing as he watched the encounter. But he had to admit the puppy dog eyes and childish grabbing motion with his hands was utterly adorable. It was then he forgot during the whole scare and chasing encounter he forgot he had gone to that cupboard for a snack for Peter.
Softening immediately at Peter's face, because how can you not cave to that face?, Pepper handed him the packet as she walked over; "Aww here sweetie."
"Thanks mom." Grinning immediately, Peter tried to shove three cookies into his mouth at once.
"Ah ah ah." Tony said quick to grab his wrist before he could; "Not laying down. You'll choke."
"Yes dad." Peter moaned, shifting to sit up but secretly smiled, touched at the thought.
As soon as he sat up she was munching away happily.
Pepper flopped down beside Tony, holding out another packet to him. He just grinned gratefully, they had come to expect to have lots of extra food when it came to Peter.
Taking a cookie from her, he then moved to wrap an arm around her waist pulling her into a side hug, before eating it.
Peter practically inhaled the packet of cookies within a few minutes. When he was done, Tony whistled still on his second cookie. It still amazed him how much Peter could eat and still remain so thin.
"You enjoy those bud?"
Peter paused sheepishly as he was licking his fingers. He blushed; "Sorry."
"Oh don't apologise sweetie." Pepper said holding out the other packet of cookies to him; "We know you need to eat more, we're very happy to feed you. Go on."
He hesitated and then grinned, taking the packet from her.
"Just don't get used to eating cookies all the time." Tony reminded him; "We'll make you a proper lunch and dinner later."
Pepper leant into Tony's side, reaching over a hand to lay on Tony's thigh. She smiled in his embrace, and Tony rested his cheek on her head.
"So what do you want to do now?" Pepper asked smiling kindly at Peter.
"M'need to f'nish dec'rating." Peter mumbled with his mouth full, Tony sent him a look but rolled his eyes.
"We're finished Peter." Pepper said waving her hand around the room; "It's all done."
Peter paused as he swallowed, and looked around his mouth forming an O.
All the Halloween decorations were everywhere. Bits of webbing on the ceiling and walls. Fake spiders, bats perched high. The odd fake leaf, confetti all around. And that was just their bedroom.
"Oh." Peter grinned excited to see the rest of the house, and he rushed off.
"How does he have so much energy?" Tony said flopping back down on the floor stretching his arms out dramatically.
"He is a kid." Pepper said cheerfully; "And he eats a lot of sugar. Come on honey." Pepper stood holding out her hand.
Sighing, Tony sat up and stood, taking her hand as they headed downstairs.
They found Peter twirling in the living room in awe; "This. Is. Awesome!" He laughed; "I love it." There were pumpkin, bats, spider lanterns, and buntings having down from the ceiling. Decorating webbing and confetti. Fake leaves everywhere. It was like something from a catalogue.
Just seeing the pure joy on Peter's face, it warmed Tony's heart.
"Wait until we do the outside Underoos." Tony said clapping and rubbing his hands together.
Peter turned to him excitedly, practically bouncing on the spot; "Can we do the pumpkins now?"
"You bet. I set aside an area down in the lab for us." He thought it might be better than in the kitchen considering how messy it was going to be, and may take a while; "Go put on some old clothes you don't mind getting pumpkin guts on."
Bobbing his head, Peter rushed back upstairs to change. Tony and Pepper didn't bother changing. Their clothes were just for laying around the house anyway, and they had plenty more. They didn't care, but Tony didn't want to ruin some of Peter's clothes that he may care for.