Assuming that Peter might be feeling a little (maybe a lot) overwhelmed by the morning's activities, conversations and decisions, Tony carried the boy over to the sofa and settled himself there, with Peter still in his arms on his lap. He was feeling overwhelmed, too – and he wasn't eight. Peter went willingly, feeling drained and happy and a million other emotions that he didn't even recognize.

When Tony sat down, the boy shifted just enough so that his ear was close to the man's chest and he lay still, listening to his heart beating, and feeling the thrumming against his cheek.

"Are you okay?" Tony asked him, softly, after twenty minutes or so of them just sitting, watching the fire.

"Yeah." Peter tilted his head up, but didn't move it from where it was resting. "I just don't believe it, is all."

"Which part?"

"That you want to keep me."

"I do," Tony assured him. "It actually makes my insides hurt when I think about someone else getting to raise you."

"Wow."

"Yeah, wow…" Tony echoed. "Besides," he added. "You can stick to walls and lift a million pounds. I certainly can't trust anyone else to be your dad. They might turn you into a super villain, or something."

"All the super villains are doctors," Peter pointed out. "If I don't be a doctor, then I won't be a villain, right?"

It was hard to argue with the logic of an eight-year-old, Tony knew.

"Well, I'll feel better if I'm near at hand, to keep you out of trouble," Stark told him, not bothering to correct the grammar, either. "Are you okay sitting with me? If you want to get up, you can. I know you have a ton of new toys to try out – and that model isn't going to build itself."

"I like it here…" Peter told him, contentedly. "When are you going to call Pepper and tell her?"

"Pretty soon. I'm pretty comfortable, right now, and it's still early, yet."

"Yeah."

"Yeah. Besides, we kept her up pretty late, last night, so she might have slept in."

"Oh."

"I was thinking that we should do something to celebrate," Tony said. "Once it's official. The adoption, I mean."

"Have a cake?"

"Right. Something like that," he agreed. "Only bigger."

"A bigger cake?"

Tony rolled his eyes, amused.

"A bigger celebration. Maybe a trip?"

"To the zoo?"

He smiled, even though Peter couldn't see it.

"You're not thinking big enough, buddy," he chided, gently. Of course, Peter wasn't used to the idea of having anything he wanted – any time that he wanted it. He would, though, if Tony had his way. "I was thinking someplace warm. And fun. Someplace you'd enjoy – even more than the zoo."

"Where?"

"Disneyland? Disneyworld? Something like that?"

Peter sat up a little, and shifted, his bony knee digging into the muscle of Tony's thigh. His eyes were wide, though.

"Really?"

"Why not? Have you ever been?"

"No."

"Well, we'll talk about it a little more once the dust settles."

"Okay."

"Which doesn't mean we have to go there," Tony added, shifting to move Peter's knee from his leg. He didn't weigh much but that was the pointiest knee he'd ever felt. "You get to make decisions, too. I don't expect you to just go along with everything I tell you – unless it's something you like, too. Yeah?"

Peter nodded.

"Yeah. Okay."

"Good."

The boy flopped back against Tony's chest, again, resuming the spot that he definitely preferred, and closed his eyes when he felt the billionaire put his arms around him to hold him there. They were silent, again, for another short while, and Peter relaxed so much that he was almost asleep when he spoke, next.

"Tony…?"

"Hmmm?"

"Can I be Peter Stark?"

Tony smiled, even though Peter didn't see it, but the boy felt the fingers sifting through his hair.

"I'd like that, Peter."

"Peter Stark…"

"Peter Benjamin Stark," Tony added.

"You know my middle name?" Peter asked, sleepily surprised.

"Of course, I do."

"Wow."

OOOOOOO

Peter dozed in Tony's arms for the better part of an hour.

Stark didn't mind; he was comfortable, and wanted to spend some quiet time with the child. It was fine to have the avengers over spending time with himself and Peter – they were a team, after all, and it was important that they didn't only spend time together when there was a crisis – and Pepper was always good company (when she wasn't annoyed with him) but he wanted some down time with Peter, alone, just then. The boy needed time to allow what was happening to sink in, and really, Tony did, too.

A little peace and quiet was a good way to start things. And a fine way to pass Christmas morning, as far as he was concerned. Better than nursing a hangover, for certain, and he'd done that on more than one occasion.

Eventually, Peter roused, and with a cheerful tousling of his hair, Tony sent him off to his room to get dressed. They had a couple of gifts to take over to the Tatro's, after all, and Tony thought that maybe he and Peter could go find something for lunch. Breakfast had been eaten, quickly, after all.

To tide himself over, he grabbed a couple of granola bars, and left a banana and one of the granola bars on the island for Peter. Then he went to take a shower. When he came out of his room dressed, now, in jeans and a sweatshirt, Peter was in the kitchen at the island, playing with the Lego DC characters and the Hot Wheels.

The banana peel and granola bar wrapper were proof that the boy had found his snack.

"Ready?" Tony asked, walking over and picking up a racecar and then rolling it across the countertop to crash with a satisfying thump against the wrapped gift basket that they were going to take to Eric and his wife. It had several packages of candies, crackers, cheeses, and meats, but Tony had also interspersed these mundane items with several gift cards to grocery stores, electronic stores, and the mall. Totaling several thousand dollars, it was a way for Tony to thank the man and his wife for being so kind to Peter – and also to assist them with taking care of the next boys that would inevitably come into their home and need love and support. "I don't want to be out too late. Especially if it gets busy."

Peter nodded, tucking Batman into his pocket and hopping down off his chair.

"Yeah."

Tony noticed, of course, but he didn't say anything. He wasn't going to let it slide, though. Peter was – of course – going to be allowed to play with Lego Batman, but Tony had no intention of letting Bruce Wayne be Peter's go-to superhero. The Lego Ironman was in Peter's backpack, now, in a place of honor, but Tony rather liked the idea of Peter putting it in his pocket to carry around if he needed to.

"Let's go, then. I'll call Pepper on the way."

"Okay."

They grabbed up their gifts, their coats and Tony settled a warm hat on Peter's head and then they left.