Steve woke one morning to muffled cries coming from the baby monitor. He looked at the screen on the nightstand to see his son beginning to wake. Peter was nine months old now and had learned to sleep through the night. Sighing, Steve sat up in the oversized bed that he and Tony shared. The morning sunrise seeped in through the curtains of the master bedroom. Steve glanced down at his husband who was still sleeping soundly with his usually styled hair all askew. At least one of the kids is awake, thought Steve.
He walked over to Peter's room and the lights turned on automatically. Peter stopped crying momentarily when he saw Steve standing beside his crib. Peter lifted his arms up and made little grabbing motions with his hands, ready to be picked up. Steve lifted Peter out of the crib. "Good morning, Peter," he greeted and the baby cooed back. Steve then proceeded to change peter's diaper. He also changed Peter out of his pajamas and selected a light blue onesie. Before buttoning up the clothing, Steve blew a raspberry on the baby's tummy earning an excited giggle.
Steve started the morning off like he usually did by going over to the kitchen to warm up a pot of coffee. He set Peter in his highchair and went to fetch some baby food out of the cupboard. "What sounds better to you, peaches or bananas?" he asked Peter, not really expecting an actual response.
"Aaahbahaabadu," Peter squealed. He often did different variations of these syllables in his own baby babble. Steve and Tony had been trying to get Peter to talk, knowing he was just about the right age to start saying his first words.
"Bananas it is then," replied Steve. He tied a bib around Peter's neck and began to spoon feed his son the yellow goop. Peter seemed to enjoy what bananas he was able to get into his mouth. The rest, Steve wiped off the baby's face and cleaned up. Steve then handed Peter a teething ring and turned the highchair to face him while he started to make his own meal of scrabbled eggs and bacon. Peter watched on while happily sucking on his toy.
"Hey, there you are, baby. And there's Peter too," Tony greeted as he walked into the kitchen.
Steve rolled his eyes. "I told you not to call me baby." Tony came over and gave Steve a kiss on the lips. "You're up early today," Steve commented.
"Well I actually went to bed at a decent time. From now on lets not start movie night at six. Maybe wait till at least nine."
"It's not my not my fault you didn't want to wait till the end of the movie," said Steve with a smile on his face.
"It most certainly is and you know it," said Tony as he gave Steve a seductive look.
Tired of being ignored, Peter let out a cry for attention. "Oh, you tired of Daddy giving Papa all the attention?" Tony walked over to his son as Peter let go of his teething ring and lifted his hands out to Tony. Tony picked him up and lifted him high into air in mock flight. Peter laughed happily. Tony brought the child to eye level. "Can you say 'Dada'?" Tony asked. Peter was still laughing after being flown around and didn't seem to here Tony's question. "Peter, say 'Dada'." Peter just smiled a goofy grin. "Oh, forget it. I need coffee."
After breakfast, Tony and Steve brought Peter over to the living room and set him down in between the two of them on the couch. Tony had projects he was working on but decided he wanted to spend the day with his husband and son. "What do you say to a movie, short stack?" Tony asked Peter, poking the boy in the belly. Peter giggled like the Pillsbury doe boy.
"Which one?" asked Steve. As if on cue, Peter stretched out his hand and pointed to a Nemo plushy that was lying nearby the coffee table. Tony picked it up and handed it to him. Peter brought the toy into a hug and nuzzled up against the soft felt.
"I think we have our answer," said Tony. "Jarvis, play Finding Nemo."
The lights dimmed and the Pixar logo appeared on the screen. A few minuets into the movie, Tony asked Steve, "So why do you think he chose this one as his favorite movie?"
"Maybe because it's about a father and his son," Steve speculated. "I'm sure Peter knows we love him just as much as Marlin loves Nemo."
"Yeah, but he's got two daddy's who would cross the ocean and take on sharks for him." Tony looked down at Peter who was fully engrossed in the movie while still hugging his Nemo plushy. "Hey, Peter," Tony said as he picked him up, drawing his attention away from the screen. "Can you say 'Dada'?"
"No, Peter. Say 'Papa'." said Steve and Peter turned to look at him.
"Peter, over here. Say Dada."
Peter looked between the two curiously. Steve and Tony were now in a struggle to see whose name Peter would say first.
"Papa, say 'Papa'."
"Aaaahahaa," Peter sounded out.
"No, Peter. "Da-da."
"Dada," said Peter and he held his hand out to reach for Tony's nose.
"Yes!" Tony shouted in victory.
"Aww," said Steve with sad eyes. "And after every thing I do for you."
"Papa," said Peter and he held his hands out, wanting to be held by Steve.
Steve took him into his arms and kissed his forehead. "Yeah, that's right. I'm your Papa."
"He still said my name first," Tony pointed out.
"He probably just wanted to spare your ego," said Steve.
"Yeah. You keep telling yourself that," said Tony with a triumphant smirk on his face.
"Oh grow up," said Steve. He, Tony and Peter sat through the rest of the movie as they savored Peter's first words.
Peter's first birthday finally arrived and Steve and Tony were throwing a party to celebrate. It was going to be a small get together of the Avengers for an evening of cake and presents.
They dressed Peter for the occasion with a blue-and white-stripped shirt and a gray cardigan on top, a pair of little blue jeans and baby vans completed the outfit. Tony even gelled Peter's hair up so that it looked strikingly similar to his.
"You all ready for your big day Sport?" Tony asked Peter as he was finishing getting him dressed.
"Dada," said Peter as he reached up and patted Tony's chest.
Tony smiled. That never got old. "Yeah that's me. Do you wanna go see if Papa is done icing the cake?"
"Papa?" Peter said as he started looking around for Steve.
"He's out there, bud," said Tony and he picked up his son and headed for the living room.
"Sir, Agent Romanova, Agent Barton, Dr. Banner, and Thor have arrived," informed Jarvis.
"Wow the whole gang all at once," commented Tony. Peter was busy playing with Tony's goatee, a certain fascination of his that never got old. "Alright, send them up."
"Already done, sir," replied Jarvis.
The elevator dinged and four Avengers came pouring out. Peter squealed happily at the sight of them and squirmed around in his father's arms. Tony set him down and watched as Peter did a waddle like run over to his aunt and uncles. Peter was new to walking and he ran a little too fast for his chubby little legs. He would have toppled over had Natasha not caught him and lifted him up.
"Hey there, Peter. Are you gonna say hi to your Aunt Natasha?" she asked.
"Hi," he said quickly and giggled. Peter's vocabulary currently consisted of about eight words including Dada, Papa, up, hi, no, uh-oh, yay, and yummy. Every now and then a new word would be added.
Steve came out of the kitchen to great the rest of the team.
"Hey Steve, where do you want the presents?" asked Bruce.
"Pet them over on the coffee table, we'll have dinner first and then let Peter open his presents."
The dinning room was decorated with multicolored streamers and balloons. The avengers enjoyed a nice meal of lasagna while Peter snacked on Cheerios. Steve came out with a blue and white frosted birthday cake that read 'happy birthday Peter' and had a large candle in the shape of a number one. Peter enjoyed his cake so much that he was soon covered in it. Steve had to change him into new cloths after the meal. All the while, Tony snapped pictures of the messy toddler.
When it came time for presents, the Avengers sat on the couches and chairs in the living room while placing Peter in the middle. Tony and Steve helped Peter unwrap his presents seeing how the toddler was having some difficulty not being distracted by the pretty wrapping paper and bows.
"This one's from Daddy, Peter," said Tony as he unwrapped a shiny globe like object. Peter looked at it curiously. "Jarvis lights." Jarvis dimmed the lights and Tony turned on the machine. Projected images of the Avengers slowly rotated across the room along with stars and a crescent moon. Peter looked up in awe and smiled while trying to touch the pretty lights. "Now you won't be scared of the dark anymore, buddy."
"My turn," said Steve and he unwrapped a Bucky bear and handed it to Peter. Peter took it instantly and hugged it close, feeling its fuzzy fur.
"You know those bears look nothing like your old friend," commented Natasha.
"They sold like crazy after the war though," countered Clint.
Natasha gave Peter an Avengers storybook and Clint gave him a farm animal set complete with a little plastic barn. Bruce gave Peter a wooden puzzle block set that teaches shapes.
"You had to get him something educational, didn't you," commented Clint.
Thor gave him a present that he said was from Asgard while assuring the other Avengers that it was nothing dangerous. Peter opened the wrappings to reveal a toy that looked like a cross between a dragon, a wolf, and a moose. It should have looked terrifying but with the short, stitched limbs and shiny big eyes it looked rather cute.
"What's that supposed to be?" asked Tony.
"Tis a stuffed bilgesnipe. Though I assure you the real things are far more repulsive," said Thor.
"Why would you give a kid a stuffed bilgesnipe? Aren't they like monsters or something?" asked Clint.
"You Midardians give children stuffed bears. Are bears not fierce beasts in this realm just as a bilgesnipe would be in Asgard?"
"He's got a point," commented Tony.
Peter seemed very content with the strange toy and began chewing happily on the bilgesnipe's antlers.