Peter woke up and took a few moments to work out where he was. He knew he wasn't in his own bed but it wasn't until he felt his daddy's arm holding him in place he realised he was in his parent's bed and also realised he needed to get out of it. He began wriggling trying to slip out from his daddy's grip without waking him up.
"Pet'r? What do you want? St'p wriggling?" Tony grumbled still half asleep as he pulled the boy tighter against him to stop him moving.
Peter ignored his words and continued moving around, "daddy I need out" he whined trying to keep his voice down so as not to wake his mummy up.
"Petey mummy's still asleep and she makes the rules remember, go back to sleep its not morning yet." Tony said opening an eye to look at his son.
"Daddy. I need out." Peter repeated slightly more forcefully as he began to put more effort into his wriggling. "I need out."
Tony groaned loudly, it was too early for this. "Why?"
"I need to go."
"Yeah you've said baby, go where?" The boy groaned and continued wriggling in his arms. "Peter stop it use your words."
"I need to go daddy." Peter practically wailed in his ear. What was daddy's problem? He couldn't help but reach down and grip himself he was not going to have an accident in mummy and daddy's bed just because daddy was being stupid!
Tony saw the movement and cursed under his breath, he should have realised, he was such an idiot. Suddenly wide awake he lifted the boy up and almost ran to the bathroom both of them letting out a breath of relief as the boy made it. "Sorry baby. I didn't know that's what you meant."
Peter just shrugged eyes drooping once again now his bladder wasn't almost bursting. He reached his hands up once he had washed them so his daddy would pick him up. "Night night daddy." He murmured into the man's ear and was asleep before they even left the bathroom.
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Tony woke up to the smell of food and his eyes shot open. Waking up to food was a rarity usually he made breakfast for himself if he was to have any so why the change? His question was answered moments later when Peter ran into the room. "Daddy it's breakfast get up!" He shouted as he jumped up onto the bed and immediately began pulling him up.
"Woah, calm down Underoos. What's the rush?"
"Mummy said we can go to the park after lunch."
Tony internally winced, he hated going out in public and there was always a high chance of being mobbed, going out with Peter seemed risky. He didn't want to subject him to that, especially as a three-year-old. He dragged himself out of bed and grabbed a t-shirt before following his son to the kitchen. He made eye contact with Pep as soon as he walked in and raised an eyebrow in question.
Pepper put a plate of pancakes down in front of Peter then turned to face her fiancé, "it's not healthy, having him stay inside all the time, I spoke to May this morning and she told me there's a park near their apartment that's out of the way and quiet we won't run into any press. There's a duck pond as well, I'm sure he'll have a great time."
Tony simply shrugged, there was nothing he could do about it anyway, Peter had already been told and seemed so excited, he was sure the boy would be devastated if the plans were changed.
"Plus if we are busy all day today hopefully he will be too tired to kick up a fuss tomorrow." Pepper murmured.
Tony sighed at her words, they both had to go into work tomorrow for a few hours and didn't know how to tell Peter. Would it be better to spring it on him or tell him in advance? Both had advantages, but both also probably contained tears. He took his own plate of pancakes from Pepper and sat down digging in immediately, he had to admit a huge bonus of Pete turning into a toddler was pancakes for breakfast every day. Usually he was stuck with just cereal, maybe a cooked breakfast at the weekend, he could certainly get used to this. He looked up at his son and blinked, he didn't think he'd ever seen anyone eat as quickly as Peter was…it was slightly unnerving.
"Woah, Pete slow down, you don't need to rush the park isn't going anywhere." He said when the boy looked like he was going to choke he had put so much food in his mouth. "We still need to make a picnic anyway." He let out a sigh of relief when Peter slowed down and began to eat a slightly more human pace.
As soon as Peter left the room after his face and hands were wiped clean Pepper whipped round to speak to her fiancé. "Why did you tell him we were going to have a picnic? It's January Tony! People don't have picnics in January, what are we going to do? He's expecting one now."
Tony blushed not having thought about that himself. "Sorry, it just sort of slipped out, okay…well he's staying with Nat and Bruce tomorrow, how about we take him downstairs and have a picnic in their lounge, we can take a blanket and everything. Then he can get more used them as a toddler and they can know a little of what to expect." He grinned when Pepper nodded which quickly turned to a frown when she asked what they would do until then.
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Twenty minutes later they were all dressed and Peter sat on the floor in front of the TV playing with his action figures once again. His daddy said they couldn't go to the park straightaway, they were going downstairs to see Bruce and Nat first.
Tony had asked FRIDAY to tell Nat and Bruce they were coming down for a few hours until they could go to the park, Peter was excited to be going anywhere so keeping him in the penthouse all morning probably wouldn't end well. Even going a floor down was an adventure to the toddler. He knew they would have already made it toddler proof, he had told them the day before Peter would be spending at least a day with them after all.
Pepper kept looking into the lounge to check on Peter as she made PB and J sandwiches for their picnic, she thought that would have been enough but Tony was adamant they go all out. She was pretty sure he himself had never been on a picnic so it made sense she supposed, she knew Peter would have fun regardless but seeing Tony do something as domestic as put a picnic together did warm her heart. She left Tony to finish putting a salad together and put cookies in a box to pack a bag for Peter.
She grabbed an Iron Man bag from the pile of things they had bought for the toddler and put in a change of clothes just in case as well as a hat and gloves, it was January after all she didn't want him getting cold. She grabbed a soccer ball and added that, she had considered a football but the boys hand eye coordination wasn't amazing in his younger body. Within a couple of minutes she had everything ready and went through to get Peter. She held his welly boots in her hands and picked him up, there was no point making him put them on when he would take them off as soon as they got downstairs anyway.
"Tony you ready?"
Tony came through from the kitchen carrying a picnic basket and Pepper couldn't help but gape, she had no idea they even owned one and was amazed Tony had even considered it. "I said we were having a picnic, baskets and blankets are the main part Pep." He mumbled blushing slightly.
"Go now?" Peter asked looking up at his mummy who was holding him on her hip.
"Of course honey, let's go see Nat and Bruce."
Peter grinned up at her laughing as his daddy struggled to balance everything in his hands to take downstairs, he was excited to see Nat and Bruce he hadn't seen Nar yet and Bruce had taken blood the last time he saw him...
Pepper looked down in confusion when Peter suddenly went silent and began squirming. "What's wrong baby? Are you okay?" She asked as the elevator descended.
Peter stayed silent until he finally said "No needles" to her as the doors opened. He heard a laugh from behind him and turned his head curiously to see Nat standing waiting for them a smile on her face.
"Don't worry маленький паук, I'll keep you safe." She assured him reaching out her arms to take him from Pepper.
Peter clung even tighter to his mummy for a few seconds as he stared at Nat unsure if she telling the truth, would she take him and give him needles? Was she lying? Could she keep him safe? After several seconds he reached a hand out and held out his pinky finger. "Pinky pwomise?" He grinned when she reached out and hooked her finger around his own ignoring his daddy's chuckles and the flash of a camera. "Down pwease mummy."
Pepper put her son down and smiled as he ran straight into Nat and hugged her around the legs. "Hey Nat" she said as she took the basket out of Tony's hand and placed in on a side table, it would be a while until they ate anyway. She smiled at the woman's interactions with Peter, she had already lifted him up and was nodding along as he babbled.
Bruce grinned when he entered the room, Nat looked comfortable with Peter and the boy didn't look like he was going to leave her anytime soon so he simply invited the two adults in and led them to the lounge where Nat and Peter joined them a few moments later, Peter was still babbling and seemed to be going into great detail about his adventures the last few days.
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Tony couldn't help the proud smile that spread across his face when Peter showed him the model Iron Man he had just put together. "Looks great buddy." He told the boy ruffling his hair before he ran off again to speak to Bruce. The toddler had been a little nervous when he first noticed Bruce but once he gave him a pinky promise he wouldn't use any needles on him Peter had relaxed considerably. The morning had flown by, the two had toys already for Clint's kids should they come over so they had just taken those out for Pete to use, he was glad Clint's eldest was eight though, the toddler puzzles they had were a little simple for his kid.
"Hey Petey, it's time for our picnic can you go and wash your hands for us baby?" Pepper asked, she knew she was maybe overdoing it with the pet names but the boy hadn't complained, he even seemed to enjoy it, she couldn't help but wonder if he would as a teenager as well. He had had a tough life a bit of tender, loving care could go a long way.
Peter nodded and ran through to the bathroom to wash his hands, when he returned he smiled brightly when he saw the furniture had been moved in the lounge and everyone was sitting on a blanket on the floor. He ran over and sat between his mummy and daddy unable to keep from fidgeting. He was getting a picnic and then going to the park, how lucky was he?
He smiled when Nat handed him a sandwich and ate in just a few bites giving his dad a cheeky smile when the man laughed at his jelly covered face. He reached to grab a cookie but before he could a hand came down to grab his wrist and he looked up at his mummy.
"Eat four sandwiches first Pete, cookies are for after." She told him softly smiling when he just nodded. "Good boy."
Peter ate his sandwiches before eagerly reaching for a cookie and eating a handful of carrot sticks. He sat in silence, content to just enjoy his picnic as the adults talked around him. He held his hands out towards his daddy when he was finished giggling as he tickled him while wiping his fingers and face clean.
Once everyone was finished Tony stood up and helped Bruce clear up while Pep took Peter to the bathroom and helped him put his shoes and jacket on.
Peter fidgeted as his mummy zipped his jacket up, whining under his breath as he became uncomfortably hot. "No mummy." He moaned trying to pull the zip down again but the jacket was too puffy to allow him to use his arms properly. "Too hot."
Pepper sighed as soon as those doe eyes turned to look up at her. "Fine, I'll unzip it for now but as soon as we get there you are zipping it up without complaining okay?" When the boy nodded she unzipped it and grabbed the bag full of the boy's things so they could leave. "Go and say goodbye to Nat and Bruce Peter." She told him.
Peter ran back towards Nat and Bruce who were talking to his daddy as he put his own jacket on, "bye bye Nat. Bye bye Bwuce. T'anks for lunch and toys." He told them with a grin as he hugged both of them round the legs.
"No problem маленький паук it was a pleasure having you here. Have fun at the park with mummy and daddy okay?" She grinned when the boy nodded and pressed a kiss into his hair before he ran back to Pepper and Tony.
Tony thanked them both and reminded Nat to collect Peter at eleven the following day before he grabbed the boys hand and headed to the elevator with his family.
Bruce couldn't stop smiling when he saw Tony's actions. He had never seen the man happier than he was that morning, he was made to be a dad. Or at least to be that boy's dad. "It's amazing isn't it." He said to Nat nodding in the direction the family had just left in.
"It suits them and it's good for the boy I'm sure, I know he has an Aunt but he needs the support especially being who he is." She replied as she gave him a kiss. "What are we going to do tomorrow? From what Tony said earlier he probably won't be pleased they're leaving even if only for a few hours."
Bruce just laughed. "There's no need to worry, Thor is coming tonight, I think that will be enough entertainment for the kid."
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"Pete, stop fidgeting." Tony grumbled as he tried to work out how to strap him into the car seat they had bought. He was a genius a car seat would not beat him!
Peter groaned as his dad kept poking around trying to strap him in. It was taking forever, he looked at his mummy widening his eyes so she would come and save him. He grinned when it worked, it didn't work when he was in trouble but it was a good way to get something he wanted. "T'anks mummy," he said sweetly when she saved him from his daddy's poking fingers and got him sorted in seconds.
Tony was gobsmacked. There he had been struggling with the stupid seat and Pep came and fixed it in seconds! How was that possible? Shaking his head he climbed into the driver's seat of the black Audi turning the mirror so he could still see his son sitting in the back. It wasn't far to the park but Pep had still given the boy his Thor action figure for the trip so he wouldn't get bored.
It only took them ten minutes to get to the park and as soon as Peter laid his eyes on it he was almost vibrating in his seat he was so eager to go and play. Pepper walked round the car and opened the door looking Peter in the eyes before undoing the straps holding him in place. "Peter, it's really important you do no Spidermanning here," she told him seriously. "If you do any sticking to things or climbing things you shouldn't we will come back to the car okay young man."
Peter nodded with wide eyes knowing from his mummy's tone she meant business. "Yes mummy. Pwomise." He grinned when she lifted him out the seat and zipped up his jacket, which he was thankful for, it was quite cold. As soon as she put him down he sprinted over the playpark his daddy hot on his heels. He shot up the ladder but stopped at the top of the slide looking at it unsurely. It was a tunnel and he was sure it would be dark inside, he wasn't sure he wanted to go on it after all.
"Petey, come on down the slide. I'll catch you at the bottom. Don't worry baby." Tony said as he stood at the bottom, he had seen Peter's expression as he seemed to mull over going down the slide or not.
"Pwomise daddy?"
"Always underoos."
Peter smiled softly and sat down before he came himself a tiny push and slid down the slide, he closed his eyes as soon as he started moving, not opening them again until he felt his daddy's arm wrap around him.
"See that wasn't so scary was it. Do you want to try again?" When his son nodded Tony let him go so he could run back up, he smiled at Pep when he saw she was filming their interactions on her phone.
The second time Peter came down the slide he kept his eyes opened and giggled when his daddy caught him. By the fifth time he was giving himself quite a big push so he would go faster and every time his daddy caught him with a smile on his face. He loved it.
After almost fifteen minutes on the slide Peter seemed to get bored of it so Pepper offered to push him on the swings. The boy adamantly refused the baby swings so she lifted him up and told him to hold on tight so he wouldn't fall. She smiled when Tony stood in front of the kid just in case, she started pushing him lightly smiling at his whoops. She hadn't been this relaxed in ages, it was perfect, spending an afternoon at the park with her family, no work, no press, no stress. It was amazing.
Once Peter had tried everything in the park out twice his daddy took out a soccer ball and he eagerly chased after it, giggling as his daddy tried to tackle him. He had done this with Ben as a child and it felt amazing to experience it now with Tony.
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When they finally got home after hours at the park Tony had to carry the boy from the car. He had dropped off almost immediately tired out from his full day of activity. He kissed his head lightly and smiled as the boy snuggled into him still asleep. Himself and Pep had taken hundreds of photos and videos which he couldn't wait to frame. Getting Peter to eat his dinner and take a bath was surprisingly easy that night, what with him being so tired, He put a movie on and the three sat snuggled up on the sofa, it didn't surprise either adult when Peter was asleep within the first ten minutes.
