Melancholy Hope {Spiderson&Irondad}

Chapter 18

3rd POV

Steve and Bucky had stayed the night in the tower. They're looking to be buying an apartment in Brooklyn sometime soon, but it's proving to be more difficult than expected with them already spending a lot on their wedding plans. So recently they've just been bouncing between the tower and the compound. They've got their own rooms at both so it's not like it makes a huge difference.

The four of them had watched movies together for the majority of the afternoon and later, Peter had curled up in his bed with Honey, his newfound teddy bear. Tony had finally had a peaceful rest that night. Peter didn't even have any nightmares thanks to the protection of Honey.

Tony wakes up blearily sometime just before 7. He has to start making breakfast because no matter how much he wants to keep Peter here for a day of catchup, the teenager has school to go to.

So the billionaire stumbles out of his bed towards his wardrobe, tossing on a pair of loose grey sweatpants and an old Black Sabbath t-shirt. Pepper stirs awake when Tony stumbles into the wall on his way to their shared ensuite.

"Babe? What are you doing up already?" Pepper calls out halfheartedly. She's seen the damage done to her fiance's emotional strength after everything that had happened to Peter.

Tony spins around quickly, eyes bright with hope and joy. "Peter's back! He needs breakfast before school!" he exclaims.

Pepper can't help the smile that touches her face as she sits up and lets the silk blankets pool around her waist and smooth legs. "That's fantastic, honey. I'm so proud of you both. Go brush your teeth, I'll get dressed and wake up Peter."

Even though Peter was an investment Tony made and Tony's been the one to put in the effort for the kid, Pepper has a soft spot for him. She wants Peter to be her kid as much as he is Tony's.

She pushes open the teenager's bedroom door, just across the hall from her own, now dressed in a simple white blazer over black leggings. She can't help the soft coo that escapes her at the teenager.

Peter's curled up tight in the blankets, Iron Man hoodie tucked close around his shoulders, teddy bear squeezed tight in his arms. His brown curls are splayed out across the white pillow, dark eyelashes contrasting the soft blush to his pale skin. If it weren't for the little bits of blue peeking out on his cheekbone from the remnants of the bruise, Peter could've resembled an angel.

"Peter? Time to wake up. You've got school today," Pepper calls out softly, smiling as the boy yawns widely, eyes slowly blinking away the sleep.

"Mom?" Peter murmurs, still somewhere far off in his head.

"It's Pepper, sweetie. Tony's making breakfast. Come on, kiddo," Pepper says, ignoring the warm flare of maternal instincts deep in her heart.

The thing is, Pepper never really wanted kids. It was never one of her goals in life. She doesn't hate kids per se, she just never really wanted to have to look after a toddler in diapers running around the house. But Peter's different. Peter's already a little angel, already past the days of cribs and daycare. There's no worry of raising him wrong. There's no birth to go through. He just is. And Pepper's happy with that.

Peter yawns again, arms stretching up around his shoulders as he lazily shifts his vision over to where Pepper stands in his doorway.