Two sets of hopeful brown eyes watched Tony as he stared at them the next morning over his coffee.
"Let me get this straight…" he said, ignoring Pepper's amused smile and focusing on Peter and Ned, who had just met them for breakfast, and had started his morning with a request that he hadn't expected. "You want to sleep outside, tonight?"
"Maybe not outside," Peter hedged. "We have the tent leftover from our camping trip, though, right? We could set it up in the field and sleep in it."
"It's not like there are any bears here to come after us," Ned added. "It'd be pretty safe. But an adventure, still."
Even Peter looked over at Ned when he said that. It was Tony who spoke, though.
"I don't know, guys…"
"It'd be great," Peter said, quickly. "And Ned's right; it'd be safe. Steve said he'd dig out the tent if we needed it."
"He did, huh?"
"Yeah."
"Did he mention assigning a couple of security people to the perimeter to make sure nothing comes looking for a quick tent-teenager burrito in the middle of the night?"
Pepper snorted her amusement at that, which made Tony smile. It made Peter smile, too, because he could tell by Tony's expression that he was willing to be convinced.
"I'll push Ned out the tent, first, if anything comes," Peter promised. "While it's eating him, I'll make my getaway."
Tony turned to Ned.
"Hear that?"
"Yeah." Ned wasn't too concerned. "I'm not worried. I'm a ninja, now."
"Let me think about it," Tony told the boys, glancing at Pepper, again, to see if she had any objections. "You might go tell Steve to find the tent, though – just in case I lose my mind in the next few hours agree."
"After breakfast," Pepper added, when Ned started to get up.
"How late did you guys stay up?"
"Not too late," Ned assured them. "We turned off the game about midnight."
"And then had a snack, and went to bed," Peter confirmed.
His hand could only handle so much when it came to holding a videogame controller, after all. When it had begun to ache a little, and his character started dying, they'd called it a night.
"How's the hand?" Tony asked, as if aware that was why they'd stopped prematurely.
"It's not too bad," Peter assured him. "The swimming is a good idea, I think."
"And the ball," Ned agreed, producing it from his pocket. "I think I'll get one for myself. It's good for building a strong grip, Steve said."
"There are several of them around here," Tony told him. "Pick one up before you go."
They started eating, joined midway through by Natasha, who immediately checked on Peter before settling in between the two boys, reminding Ned that they were sparring and telling him to be in the gym an hour or so after their breakfast. Before Ned could do more than agree, Tony's phone beeped at him, and he pulled it out, knowing that it had to be important, or whoever it was wouldn't be calling on Saturday morning.
He frowned when he saw who it was.
"T'Challa?"
Everyone else looked up, too. Peter was immediately concerned that something had happened with Sirah, Ned was just interested in the fact that it was a king on the phone, and Pepper and Natasha were like Tony; if it wasn't important, T'Challa wouldn't be calling on a Saturday. Of course, it could be something good, but they knew that wasn't always – or even often – the case.
"Tony, I am sorry to call you so early."
"It's not that early. Everything alright?"
"My kingdom is secure," the young king assured him.
"That's good to hear."
"My sister, however, is driving me crazy."
"Want me to have Peter get her another puppy?" the billionaire offered. "That'll keep her out of your hair."
"I cannot afford to feed the one she has, now," T'Challa replied, amused. "He doubles in weight each week, it seems, and has chewed up several important documents – and my favorite pair of shoes."
Pepper wasn't the only one to smile at that.
"Anything we can do?" Tony asked.
"About the puppy?" T'Challa said. "No. They are telling me it is his age, and that he is teething. It will pass. About my sister? Perhaps. If Peter has some time, later."
"What do you need?"
"She is sick, and being surly about staying in bed and resting as the healers remind her she must. If he could call her – again – and remind her why she should do as she is told and stop throwing tantrums, I would appreciate it."
"Is it serious?" Pepper asked, glancing Peter's direction to make sure he wasn't getting worried.
Their morning was going well, and she wanted to keep it that way.
"It is not. She has a low grade fever, a cough, and is alternating between her head being stuffed up, and then running like a broken levy. But it will not get better if she does not do as she is told and get some sleep."
"I called her, already," he reminded them all. "She said she was going to stay in bed the rest of the day."
"And she did," T'Challa agreed. "But now she thinks that she is better, and says she does not need to be coddled."
"And she isn't?" Natasha asked.
"It will take many days. More if she does not do as she is told and rest."
"I could come talk to her," Peter offered. "Maybe she'd listen better if I was face to face with her."
"You're grounded," Ned told him.
"From the car and from my phone," Peter said, absently. "Not from Wakanda."
Tony looked over at him, seeing the concern in his son's expression. A very real concern that could carry over into worried dreams, edginess and even a panic attack.
"He's right," the billionaire agreed, surprising T'Challa and Ned – and Peter. "He's her friend, and she'd probably listen to him better than to anyone else. We'll see if Stephen is free to make a portal and send him over within the hour. If you think that'll be appropriate?"
"I would appreciate it," the King of Wakanda told him. "Call when you are ready and I will have Okoye meet you."
Which would keep it from being official and requiring the pomp and ceremony that being met by T'Challa would.
"Will do."
The call ended, and Tony put his phone away.
"We're going to Wakanda?" Ned asked, excitedly.
He loved Shuri's workroom – which was just as cool as Tony's, only more accessible to him when he was there.
"No," Tony corrected with a smirk. "You're going to spar with Agent Romanoff here – who I will remind should not beat you up too badly, since we want you in one piece, later. Peter and I are going to Wakanda – for a very short visit."
"I'll come, too," Pepper added, also not concerned, or surprised.
Not only would they stop Peter from panicking and worrying about his friend's wellbeing, it would also keep the boy from perhaps sleepwalking (or transporting) himself to Wakanda in the middle of the night. Especially if they were going to be outside and not right under Karen's nose – so to speak. That would be hard to explain, and would be a setback for their son, who was doing so well, now. Maybe they could check on Sirah, as well.
Another concern taken out of the equation.
Stark nodded, looking at Natasha.
"What is Stephen doing this morning?"
She smirked.
"I'll call him after we're done eating."
"Thank you."