Summary: The spirit of Thanksgiving brings Tony and Peter closer together, helping them mend their relationship despite everything that's happened recently.

Chapter 15: Giving Thanks

Well this sucks.

Tony lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling, the soft morning light creeping in through the curtains. It was Thanksgiving morning, but instead of feeling the holiday spirit, he felt the weight of his son's silence. It had been four days since Aidan had been avoiding him after Tony spanked him and banned him from going on Spiderman patrols. Four days of cold shoulders, quick dinners, and a silence that stung more than Tony cared to admit.

Aidan was mad. Furious, even. Tony had tried to play it cool, telling himself that this was part of being a parent. You make the tough calls, even if your kid hates you for it. He could live with that—had to live with that. Keeping Addie safe was more important than being liked.

But man, did it hurt. Especially when his son had yelled that he hated him. That he wished Tony wasn't his dad.

Tony sighed quietly. He wasn't used to feeling helpless, and that's exactly what this standoff with Addie made him feel—helpless. He could handle facing world-ending threats, but his own kid shutting him out? This was just too much.

That's why Tony had been working on something, a surprise for Aidan, to try to ease the tension. Two nights ago, in a rare moment of inspiration—or desperation—he'd decided to build something for Aidan: a workspace. His own corner of the workshop designed just for him. Tony had spent hours making it perfect, pouring over every detail like it was a mission. Because in a way, it was. A mission to reconnect with his son.

He'd remembered the conversation they had last week. Aidan had been so animated, telling Tony how much he loved Star Wars. He also remembered Aidan mentioning how Workshop was one of his favorite subjects in school. It wasn't just the Spiderman stuff his kid loved—Addie had a natural knack for building things, much like Tony.

That's where the idea of the workspace came in. Tony figured if Aidan couldn't be out swinging across the city as Spiderman because of the patrol ban he had enforced, then maybe working on projects and building things could be a good alternative. It wasn't the same, but it was something. A way to channel that energy, to keep his mind and hands busy, and maybe even give the kid something to enjoy.

So he'd gone all out. The workspace was Star Wars-themed, of course. Tony had made sure of that. He decked it out with sleek black and chrome finishes, lighting that mimicked the glow of a rebel base, and even a floating holoprojector for fun. He wanted it to feel like a place Aidan could lose himself in, a corner of the tower where he could work on his own projects, experiment, and build.

The thought of it made Tony smile to himself, just for a moment. He pictured Aidan's face when he saw it—maybe, just maybe, it'd break the ice. But then the doubt crept in. What if Aidan didn't care? What if this was just another reminder of everything Tony wouldn't let him do, like patrol as Spiderman?

Tony sighed. He wasn't expecting a miracle tonight. He wasn't expecting Aidan to immediately stop being angry for the patrol ban. But if Aidan could see that Tony wasn't just shutting him down, then maybe it could start...fixing things.

Taking a deep breath, he eased himself out of bed. He still had to finish the final touches before the big Thanksgiving dinner with the Avengers. After dinner, Tony would take Aidan down to the workshop and show him what he had been working on.

Tony wandered into the living room, the familiar scent of Cinnamon Yankee candles hitting him like clockwork. Pepper always made sure the place smelled like some sort of seasonal wonderland on holidays. He smirked to himself—cinnamon wasn't exactly his first choice, but if it made her happy, he'd take it.

Pepper was in the kitchen, prepping the turkey like she was about to perform delicate surgery on it, while Aidan was sitting, cross-legged, a party sized bag of Doritos in his lap, watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV. The sight tugged at something deep in Tony's chest. It was their first real Thanksgiving together in ten years—since Aidan had come back. A simple scene, really, but for Tony, it was a reminder of how much had changed, and how much he had to be thankful for.

Aidan glanced up as Tony approached, and for the first time in days, the kid didn't immediately look away. Tony raised an eyebrow. Huh. That's new. He sat down next to Aidan, careful not to make a big deal out of it.

"Morning," Tony said, keeping his tone casual.

Aidan hesitated, then mumbled, "Morning," before holding out the Doritos bag towards Tony. "Want one?"

Tony blinked, momentarily caught off guard. After the last few days, he expected more icy silence, maybe another eye roll. Instead, he got…chips.

"Well, look at that, a peace offering," Tony said with a small grin, reaching into the bag.

Addie gave the tiniest hint of a smile—more of a twitch, really—and Tony mentally filed it as a win. They sat in a comfortable silence for a moment, the sound of the parade filling the room as they munched on the chips.

As Tony settled back into the couch, savoring the moment, the elevator dinged open. Rhodey, Wanda, and Vision stepped into the penthouse looking a little too prepared for what they'd signed up for. Pepper had enlisted them to handle the Thanksgiving cooking this year, hoping that their lack of involvement in last year's catastrophe would give them a shot at producing something edible.

Last Thanksgiving had been nothing short of apocalyptic. Thor had tried to "infuse" the turkey with thunder, an idea that left the bird as crispy as a piece of charcoal. Then Tony himself, in a moment of misguided brilliance, had experimented with a high-tech stuffing method that turned the kitchen into something resembling a science experiment gone wrong. Steve had somehow managed to "enhance" the cranberry sauce with way too much salt, claiming he'd seen his mom do it once. And then there was Clint, who had taken it upon himself to teach Natasha how to shoot arrows… using mashed potatoes as ammunition.

By the end of it, nothing was edible, and Pepper had FRIDAY order pizza, which arrived just as the smoke detectors were going off. This year, everyone who participated in last year's cooking was strictly banned from the kitchen.

Rhodey, Wanda, and Vision were Pepper's last hope. None of them had participated in last year's chaos, so she was counting on them to keep things under control and actually deliver a Thanksgiving meal.

Rhodey shot Tony a look as he walked in, one eyebrow raised. "So, let me get this straight—you guys messed up so badly last year that you had to order pizza?"

Tony grinned, leaning back. "Let's call it improvisation. When life gives you inedible turkey, you order pizza."

Rhodey laughed. "And that's why you're not cooking this year."

"Exactly," Tony replied. "This year, I'm on the couch, Doritos in hand, and that's where I plan to stay." He grabbed another chip from Aidan's bag. "Besides, I've got... other things to finish up today." He shot his son a brief glance, though the kid didn't seem to catch on.

Wanda glanced around the kitchen and gave Pepper a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, we've got this. I even brought a recipe for the stuffing."

Vision nodded eagerly. "Pepper, I assure you, this Thanksgiving will go according to plan." There was this determination in Vision's eyes, like he was preparing for the most efficient meal prep of his synthezoid life.

Pepper's eyes sparkled with hope. "Thank you, Wanda, Vision, Rhodey—seriously, thank you. I just want one normal holiday meal without a minor explosion."

As they began to move into the kitchen, Aidan perked up from the couch. "Can I help?" he asked, his eyes flicking between Pepper and the TV.

Pepper turned to him with a gentle smile, clearly touched by his offer. "Maybe later, okay? If I need more help, I'll let you know. But for now, why don't you enjoy the parade? You've been looking forward to it."

Aidan nodded shyly, his eyes returning to the TV.

About an hour into the parade, the elevator dinged again, and Happy, Nat, and Steve walked in. Aidan glanced up as they entered, his attention temporarily pulled from the massive Snoopy balloon on TV.

Nat strode over to Addie, a knowing smirk on her face. She casually leaned over the back of the couch, gave Aidan's hair a playful ruffle, and said, "Hey, Spiderman."

Addie's face immediately turned a deep shade of pink. "How… how did you find out?"

Just like that, the room went silent, and Tony immediately spotted the surprise and confusion washing over Rhodey, Vision, Happy, and Steve's faces. Tony held back a grin as he watched them process what they just heard, each person looking more confused than the last.

Rhodey finally broke the silence, eyebrows raised. "Hold up. Nat wasn't joking?! You're Spiderman? You—fourteen-year-old you—with the baby face?"

Steve looked downright baffled, his gaze moving between Tony and Aidan as if waiting for one of them to deny it. "Wait… Tony, this kid's been out there fighting crime? In New York City?"

Aidan squirmed under the scrutiny, looking like he wanted to sink through the couch. "It's not… I didn't… I mean, yeah, but…" He glanced at Tony with an almost pleading look, but Tony just smirked and raised his eyebrows with a look that said, You're on your own, kid.

Vision tilted his head, staring at Aidan as if he were examining some rare artifact. "You are barely older than a youngling," he stated, his voice tinged with awe and confusion. "And yet, you've been engaging in independent vigilante activities? Astonishing."

Natasha just leaned back, folding her arms as she enjoyed the chaos she'd just set off. Aidan, thoroughly flustered, looked at her in bewilderment. "How did you even find out?" he asked.

Nat grinned, leaning back with a shrug. "Last Thursday, Tony asked Steve and me to check out your school, make sure everything was safe." She raised an eyebrow at Tony. But Tony just stuffed another Dorito in his mouth, doing his best to stay out of the conversation. "So, I took a little look at your locker, and what do I find but a pair of web shooters. Not exactly your average school supplies."

Addie's jaw dropped open in realization. "Oh… those."

Nat chuckled. "Anyway, I called Tony to give him an update on the school. But he sounded totally out of it—like he'd just learned something world-shattering. He almost asked if I was free that Saturday but backed out, saying he'd handle it himself." She shot Tony a knowing glance. "I figured something was up. Then, a few days later, Tony looked like he'd just found out his coffee machine was broken forever. That's when it clicked; Stark here had found out on Saturday that his kid was Spiderman."

She turned back to Aidan with a smirk. "I confronted Tony yesterday, but Mr. Secret-Keeper over here wouldn't confirm anything. So, I figured, why not have some fun and make the Spider-Kid squirm a little?"

Tony rolled his eyes and Aidan groaned, looking as if he was calculating the quickest escape route out of the room.

Happy stared at Aidan, eyes wide. "So… you're telling me you've been doing backflips over buildings and swinging off skyscrapers after school?" He shook his head, still processing. "I already worry about Tony enough—now I've got to keep an eye on you too?"

Steve folded his arms across his chest, studying Aidan intently. "Aidan, I'll be honest—what you're able to do is impressive. But it's also unbelievably dangerous. You're fourteen. This isn't exactly the age for rooftop patrols and chasing criminals." He shot Tony a pointed look, as if to say, And you're okay with this?

Tony offered a small shrug. "We've had a talk about it, trust me. Kid's got a 'no-swing' rule now, so let's take it easy on the scolding."

Aidan's gaze dropped to his feet. "I just… wanted to help people," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.

Tony quickly noticed his son's discomfort and reached over, giving his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "I know, Ads. I know."

After a brief silence, Rhodey let out a low whistle and shook his head in amazement. "So you've been going out there, taking down bad guys on your own? Man, you've got guts, kid."

Steve let out a long sigh, but a reluctant grin crept onto his face. "Well, Aidan, I'll say this. You've definitely impressed us all. Just remember, we all got your back, whether you're Spiderman or not."

Nat then leaned in, giving Aidan a playful nudge. "Spider-Kid, now that the secret's out, you've got the whole Avengers crew on call. You'll never have to fight alone now."

Tony sighed in relief as he saw Aidan's shoulders relax, the tension slipping away, and a shy smile finally appearing on his face.

The Avengers and Happy then crowded around Aidan, questions flying left and right. How did he get his powers? What kind of powers did he have? How long had he been Spiderman? Aidan did his best to answer, flustered but still holding his own.

Taking the moment of distraction, Tony quietly slipped out of the living room and headed to the elevator, quietly directing FRIDAY to take him to the floor below.

He stepped inside his workshop, eyes settling on the nearly finished Star Wars-themed workspace he'd been building. There was still so much he wanted to get just right, and with Aidan upstairs occupied by the Avengers' barrage of questions, Tony figured he had a few hours to himself.

First, Tony adjusted the custom lighting around the workspace. The strips of LED lights he'd installed glowed in soft blues and whites, casting a shadowy ambiance like a starship cockpit. He spent nearly half an hour fine-tuning the brightness and angles, tweaking each setting until it felt just right. He even added a few touches of red light here and there, just enough to give it that slightly ominous feel you'd find in a rebel base.

After that, Tony turned his attention to the drawers and storage compartments. Each drawer had been organized meticulously, filled with tools Addie could use for whatever project he wanted. But Tony wanted to make them special. He added small labels, each one marked with Star Wars references that only die-hard fans would know.

With that done, he turned his attention to the floating holoprojector, which was the highlight of the setup. Tony had built it to display holographic projections—blueprints, schematics, or even just some fun Star Wars easter eggs he'd hidden for Aidan to find. He ran through several tests, adjusting the clarity and range of the display, so it would project perfectly above the workstation without any flickering. Just for fun, he loaded a 3D model of the Millennium Falcon, watching as it rotated slowly in mid-air. Satisfied with the image, he added a few custom controls to the interface, which would allow Aidan to change the display with a swipe of his hand.

Finally, he took a step back, admiring the setup with a sense of satisfaction. Four hours had flown by, with every tweak bringing it closer to the vision he'd had in his head. Tony looked around one last time, nodding to himself. It was everything he wanted for his son.

Just then, FRIDAY's voice came through. "Boss, dinner will be served in five minutes."

"Perfect timing," he muttered, taking one last look at the space, then turning to head upstairs.

Tony made his way to the dining table, taking in the spread before him. A full Thanksgiving feast awaited him, perfectly cooked and beautifully presented—the smell alone enough to make him feel like this was some kind of dream. Every dish looked like a masterpiece, from the golden-brown turkey to the buttery rolls, and even the mashed potatoes that Aidan had proudly contributed to. He glanced over at Pepper, who looked both relieved and proud, finally letting herself relax after seeing that the meal was a complete success.

As they settled around the table, plates were quickly filled, forks clinking against plates as chatter filled the air. Tony couldn't help but watch Addie, who was sitting across from him, already halfway through a pile of mashed potatoes. The kid was practically glowing with happiness, savoring each bite with a level of joy that warmed Tony's heart. He looked like any other fourteen-year-old kid, laughing at some story Rhodey was telling and digging into his food without a care in the world. For Tony, that alone made this Thanksgiving feel like a gift.

When the pumpkin pie was finally brought out, Pepper's gaze softened as she looked around the table. "How about we go around and share what we're thankful for this year?" she suggested gently.

One by one, the Avengers began to share their gratitude: Steve talked about the peace they'd fought so hard for, how grateful he was to have found a team that felt like a family. Natasha gave a subtle nod to the friendships around the table, a small smile playing on her lips as she admitted it was nice to be somewhere she could call home. Rhodey joked about the food actually being edible this year, earning a laugh from everyone, but quickly followed up by expressing how grateful he was for the people in his life. Vision spoke of the kindness he found in his friends and how thankful he was to learn from them every day.

Finally, it was Tony's turn. He felt his throat tighten, the words he'd thought he could just breeze through now suddenly too difficult to say. He hadn't expected to feel so emotional, but sitting here, looking at Aidan and the rest of his extended family, the emotions hit harder than he'd anticipated. He cleared his throat, blinking away the sting in his eyes as he tried to find the right words.

"I'm…" he began, his voice catching just slightly as he looked over at Aidan, whose eyes met his. Tony's heart swelled, and he knew this was the moment he needed to speak honestly. "I'm thankful that I have my son back," he said softly. "After ten years—ten years of wondering, of praying we'd find him, and… of just trying to hold onto hope… I'm thankful I finally found my Spiderling."

Aidan looked at him, his doe-eyes wide, clearly taken aback by the emotion in his father's words. Slowly, a soft smile spread across his face, one that was both shy and full of warmth. Tony saw a glint of tears in his son's eyes too, and in that moment, he felt closer to Aidan than ever. They'd been through so much, and somehow, against all odds, they were here together.

Pepper reached over, placing a comforting hand on Tony's shoulder, her own eyes shimmering with unshed tears. She gave him a gentle smile, one that said more than words ever could.

Around the table, each Avenger and Happy offered Tony a nod or gentle smile, moved by his heartfelt words. They lingered over dessert, reluctant to let the night end, each of them feeling a rare sense of peace and closeness.

Long after the last slice of pie was eaten, they began to rise. One by one, they moved to the elevator, each taking a moment to give Tony a parting nod, a hand on his shoulder, or a warm smile as they said their goodbyes for the night.

Tony watched the elevator door close before turning towards his son, a small, mischievous grin spreading across his face. "Hey, Ads," he said, trying to keep the excitement out of his voice. "Follow me. Got one last thing to show you."

Aidan's brows furrowed, his eyes curious, but he followed Tony without a word as they headed down to the workshop. The anticipation built with each step, and Tony's heart thudded a little faster.

He paused before stepping inside, his hand on the door, glancing down at Aidan with a mix of pride and excitement. "All right, Spiderling," he said, pushing the door open. "Welcome to your very own space."

Tony watched as Aidan stepped into the workshop, his eyes going wide as he took in every detail. The black-and-chrome workbench, the soft, rebel-base-inspired lighting, the Star Wars-themed labels on every drawer. And, of course, the floating holoprojector, ready to display whatever crazy schematics or holograms Aidan could dream up. It was a place designed just for him, with every small detail carefully thought out.

"This is for you, Ads," Tony said, his voice softer than usual. "You can come here anytime you want. Build, create—whatever's buzzing around in that brain of yours. Just, you know, let's keep it under the 'don't get yourself killed' category."

He waited, expecting Aidan's face to light up or for the kid to start asking a million questions. But Aidan just stood there, completely still, his eyes fixed on the workspace with an unreadable expression. A small pang of worry crept into Tony's chest. Had he gotten it wrong? Was Aidan still holding onto the hurt from the weekend?

Just as he was about to ask, Aidan's shoulders began to shake, and before Tony could say anything, the kid burst into tears. Big, gasping sobs that seemed to come from a place deeper than Tony had ever seen before. Aidan pressed a hand to his face, trying to muffle the sound, his other hand clenched at his side.

"Dad… I'm so sorry," Aidan choked out, his voice raw and trembling, breaking under the weight of each word. "I… I said I hated you. I said I wished you weren't my dad, and… that I wished you'd never found me." His voice cracked, and he struggled for breath, his hands clenching at his sides. "I didn't mean any of it, I swear. I was just… I was so angry, and… I just... wanted to hurt you the way I was hurting." He let out a shaky breath, his face twisted with guilt. "God, I'm… I'm such a horrible son. I'm so, so sorry."

Aidan was gasping, his breaths coming in ragged, painful sobs as he looked up, his eyes full of anguish. "But you have to know, Dad… the truth is, I'm so thankful for you... I'm so thankful you found me." His voice softened, breaking once more. "I… I love you, Dad."

Tony's chest tightened as he crossed the distance between them and wrapped Aidan in a tight hug, pulling him close. "Addie… hey, hey, it's all right," Tony murmured, his voice barely a whisper. "You don't have to apologize for anything. You don't have to explain yourself. I know, okay? I know." He tightened his hold, his own eyes stinging as he felt his son's body shake with the force of his emotions.

Aidan buried his face in Tony's shoulder, his small frame shaking with sobs as he clung to his dad. Tony held him close, rubbing a comforting hand over his back, letting his son's emotions settle.

After a moment, Tony pulled back slightly, just enough to look Aidan in the eyes. "Listen to me, kiddo. You're allowed to feel things, okay? You're allowed to get angry, to say things you don't mean. Hell, I've said more than my fair share of things I wish I could take back. But that doesn't change a thing. You're my son, Addie. My Spiderling. I love you no matter what, and I wouldn't change a single thing about you."

Aidan sniffled, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand as he took in the workshop, his gaze lingering on every thoughtful detail Tony had put into place. "You… you did all this for me?"

"Damn right I did," Tony replied, a crooked grin breaking through his serious expression. "Look, kid… you've got a spark. A knack for creating, for building. I wanted you to have a space where you can explore what you love, where you can just… be you."

Aidan looked up at him, eyes shining with gratitude. "Thank you, Dad."

Tony felt his own tears threatening but just chuckled, pulling Aidan in for another squeeze. "You're welcome, kid. Just promise me you'll use this place well. Dream big, build whatever you want… and, uh, try not to blow anything up without a fire extinguisher nearby."

Aidan let out a small laugh, one that seemed to break the last of the tension between them. He leaned into Tony's hug, clinging just a little longer before finally pulling back, wiping a lingering tear from his cheek.

Tony gave him a soft smile, a playful glint returning to his eyes. "All right, Spiderling, before we call it a night, you've got to promise me something."

Aidan tilted his head, curious. "What's that?"

"First thing tomorrow, you show me how you make that web fluid of yours," Tony said, his tone light but genuinely interested. "I've got a million questions, and I don't plan on letting you keep all your genius tricks to yourself."

Aidan laughed quietly, nodding. "Deal. First thing tomorrow."

With a contented smile, Tony ruffled Aidan's hair, guiding him back to the elevator. They walked side by side, the warmth of the night's moments wrapping around them, both of them feeling, for the first time in a long time, complete.

Haha. You thought this was the end of Spiderman? Well, guess again.

Preview of the Next Chapter:

Peter was on his way home from school, when his Spider-Sense flared up, tingling so fiercely it nearly took his breath away. He whipped around, scanning the streets until he spotted the dark plume of smoke rising a few blocks ahead.

It was an apartment building, engulfed in flames, blazing like something out of a nightmare. And there wasn't a single firetruck in sight. Before he could even process it, Peter was sprinting toward the chaos, his instincts taking over.

I would just like to take this opportunity to apologize to Tony Stark. I'm sorry—you really tried your best to keep your son away from the crime-fighting lifestyle. But let's be real… your son's Spider Sense goes off anytime he's near people in danger. It's just inevitable. I know Tony, like why does he even have that thing? Ugh :(

Phase 1 (The Reunion and the Reveal) of this story is coming to an end. What do you think, guys? Please leave a review if you enjoyed the story so far.