Spiderbaby

Not the Expected Reaction

"Peter are you hungry? Do you want me to make you something to eat?" Pepper asked but Peter shook his head before hiding his face in the crook of Tony's neck.

Pepper and Tony looked at each other with concern. The doctor said Peter probably won't have much of an appetite for a few days and he advised the couple not to push him too much saying Peter will slowly start eating regular meals again. However, the doctor didn't know that Peter is Spider-man and his metabolism is way way faster than other kids his age. Peter not eating was a big deal because he was supposed to be eating double or more the amount of calories kids his age are recommended. 

The couple was worried, but it was a problem with a set solution if it got to that point, they weren't as worried about it as they were about other things. Things like Peter's reaction to Tony being his new dad, his reaction to moving into Stark Tower, his reaction to meeting the rest of the team and his reaction to his Aunt May being dead. They knew Peter hasn't fully grasped the concept of May never coming back and it definitely concerned them.

Pepper and Tony made coffee for themselves and Pepper refilled Peter's juice. Now that everyone had their drinks they made their way to the couch, Peter sitting in-between Tony and Pepper. They knew they had to make this conversation seem somewhat normal or else Peter would think he did something wrong or he will shut down because he senses bad news. They decided to talk to Peter in a more casual almost nonchalant way.

Pepper and Tony honestly had no idea how Peter was going to react. Every time Tony thought Peter was going to have a meltdown today he was proven wrong by Peter's mature responses. Yet yesterday in the hospital, Peter was inconsolable for many hours. Honestly it could go either way. 

"So Peter, Me and Pepper wanted to have a conversation with you, would that be okay?" Tony asked as he looked down at the small boy next to him.

Peter looked up at Tony, thumb still in his mouth, and nodded his head slowly. He looked up at Pepper on the other side of him feeling really nervous now. Within seconds, Peter's anxieties were starting to kick in and his breathing picked up.

Tony realized what was happening and he mentally cursed himself for asking Peter such a vague question, of course Peter was going to react like this because the man gave no context. Peter's mind automatically jumped to the worst case scenarios about what the conversation was going to be about.

"Pete it isn't necessarily a bad conversation. It all depends on how you feel about what we tell you, but I promise you this isn't a conversation about sending you away or getting you in trouble." Tony was pretty sure it's what Peter was thinking the conversation was gonna be about.

Tony seemed to be some sort of mind reader because he watched Peter visibly relax when he told him they weren't sending him away, which might even be a good sign.

"But listen Peter, the things we are going to tell you are really important and you need to be a big boy when we are speaking because you need to understand exactly what we are telling you, okay? Can you be a big boy for us?" Tony asked in an encouraging tone as he ran his fingers through Peter's perfect curls. Peter took his thumb out of his mouth and whispered, "yes I can."

The couple both felt their hearts speed up a little, that had to be the cutest response on planet Earth.

"Good boy Pete, I am so proud of you."

"Peter honey, if you aren't understanding us at any point, I want you to stop us and ask us to explain or repeat something. We won't be upset at all we will actually be happy because it shows us you are being a big boy, okay?" Pepper said with a warm smile.

"okay" Peter said quietly. 

Tony took a breath and began, "Peter, When I first met you and your Aunt May a few years ago, I instantly fell in love with both of you. Not love like a relationship, like me and Pepper, but love like I knew you were special and I wanted to do everything I could to help you and to help your Aunt May support you. Do you remember when I first met you? It was when you had just gotten your Spidey-powers." Tony looked at Peter for some type of acknowledgement.