'What do you mean she doesn't want a birthday party?' Peggy stared at him.

Astrid had spent the day with her, while Tony worked. It had been nothing but inescapable meetings and the Monday nanny was on holiday- Astrid would have been bored with the unproductive droning of business. There was far too little interesting to occupy her in that. So Peggy volunteered. She didn't tell her darling godson that Astrid had joined her at SHIELD, spending the day winding agents around her little fingers.
Honestly, she would make a fabulous agent even now. Peggy could have her on her hip and waltz into a room and with a flicker of the long lashes around those big eyes, a suspect would spill their guts. Metaphorically. She wasn't going to expose her sweet little goddaughter to any excessive violence.

'What I said, Peg' he shrugged 'I asked if she wanted to pick a colour or theme for her birthday and it was an emphatic NO from her. Crossed arms and all. She wants a cake, and "family dinner", and I'm going to respect that'

'Well…' she was consistently baffled by the strong willed child, who just didn't seem to behave like any child she'd ever known 'yes, of course you should. I'm glad she knows what she wants'

'Family dinner means you, of course Aunt Peg' he added, smiling at her fondly. 75 and still a total ass kicker 'and Jarvis. Rhodey'

'What about her little playgroup friends? Maybe some little fairy cakes to take to playgroup to share with them?'

'You think a bunch of health conscious LA moms are going to let their little preciouses eat cake? Unscheduled?'

'Mmmm' she narrowed her eyes in thought 'I suppose you're right. I worry she's not getting enough interaction with other children. Early days though really, isn't it'

'I can't give her much more than she's getting' Tony scrubbed her hand over his face in exasperation 'she can't do many more activities than she already does, I think it just seems off because she's ahead of her peers. She's close to full grammatically correct sentences and that's not expected till she's 3. Jesus Peg, she's helping me with things in the workshop that I invent and she just understands instinctively, her brain is unfathomable!'

'You're doing amazing Anthony, you know that right?' She rest a gentle hand on his arm 'I can't imagine a better father to Astrid. You're wonderful with her, and for her'

He seemed to both relax and tense in the same movement. The praise hit him unexpectedly and he had to fight the sudden tears 'thanks, Aunt Peg'

'Perhaps we don't verbalise enough how well you've done taking on fatherhood' she said quietly 'but you must know- you are leading by example and I couldn't be prouder of you. Jarvis and… and Ana too. Parenting isn't easy'

'She makes it easy. She's such a good kid'

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'Sweetheart?' They were sitting down to read a book before bed 'why don't you want a birthday party?'

She looked at him for a little while, her shoulders raising in a little shrug 'people' she pulled a face

'You don't like people?'

'I like people' she nodded 'I want family. No party'

'Are you sure?' He felt like there was some deeper reason she wasn't able to articulate. He wished he could just see into her mind 'Is there anyone you want to come to dinner instead? Friends from playgroup, or gymnastics?'

'No' a very firm shake of her head 'I want cake, carrots, broccoli' she ticked things off on her fingers the same way Jarvis did 'Unkaja, unka eddie, Aunty, Dum-e. Dinner. Cake' she repeated cake, the most important feature of a birthday to her.

'What about a present? Is there something you want?' Did people normally have discussions with their almost two year olds about their birthday plans? Was this what he should do? Didn't people just look at what their kid liked and organise without input? He was comparing stars to dinosaurs though. There was no point- she was so unlike any other kid.

Astrid's eyes widened and she wriggled to kneel on the padded arm of the rocking chair 'daddy' she said it to garner his full attention, and held his gaze seriously 'I want build robot with daddy' she said it slowly, clearly, making sure he understood.

'You want to build a robot with me? As a present?' This kid. God he was going to be a fucking wreck after this birthday too. 'What kind of Robot? Like Dum-E?'

'Flying robot!' She grinned. One of her favourite things to watch lately had been a little Steven Spielberg movie from 1987.

'ohhh you mean like Wheems? And Flotsam & Jetsom?' He hoped he was guessing right. Otherwise she meant a Star Wars robot and he wasn't sure he could pull off one of those AND make it fly. Safely anyway- one of the little robots he could bring to a hover though. He reminded himself to call Steven and let him know his kid was into one of his lesser known films. He'd be pleased to hear it.

'yes! Wheems' she was so excited she almost bounced herself from the chair 'please daddy!'

'We can try make Wheems together my little Sassy' he kissed her brow 'anything else?'

'Cake' she nodded seriously.