25 Days of Frostiron

Day Seventeen: Stress

Being as it was the middle of December in New York city, it snowed for a second time Monday night going into Tuesday morning. So much so, Midtown High had to call and cancel school the day before finals. Peter (still suffering from his cold) nearly about lost his mind. He kept rambling on and on about how it had to be against school rules to cancel the day before finales and right after his sick day he couldn't afford anymore lost days. Loki started force-feeding him soup just to get him to shut up. He needed to rest--not stress.

Though obviously Tony understood why he was freaking out--he would be too if it were him in Peter's situation. He allowed Peter to stay up in his bedroom studying for a good portion of the day, coughing and sniffling as he went along. As it was his second day with the cold, Tony wasn't as worried about getting sick so he made frequent trips up there to take care of his son, bringing Loki's soup and tea along with him because if he didn't listen to her nor bring Peter food he wouldn't be attending his own wedding--it'd be a funeral instead.

Peter was sitting at his desk studying for his math finale when he heard the door open. Humming to alert the person he knew they were there, Peter kept his eyes on the review packet in front of him. There was a small thud--the tray Tony was using to transport Peter's food and a new box of tissues upstairs--over by his bed but he kept staring at the page, the equations swirling around. If he didn't truly acknowledge his father's presence, Tony would leave him alone without talking to him.

Despite his predictable behavior he developed when it came to dropping food off for his son, Tony stuck around longer than Peter was expecting.

"Peter, bambino, you have to stop stressing," Tony told him, watching as Peter ran his fingers through his hair for the millionth time that day. Peter glanced over at him upon hearing his name but his expression was blank--his gaze distant. Tony raised an eyebrow. "Hello?" No answer. "Bambino, are you there?"

"Huh? What?" he whispered, blinking a few times before his gaze came back into focus--landing on his father. "Oh. Hi dad."

Tony pressed his lips together in a form of a smile, his hand raised. "Hi Pete." Peter smiled slightly to himself before turning back to his review and sniffling. Tony rolled his eyes before approaching his son and resting a hand on his shoulder. "Kid, you have to take a break. You've been at this studying thing since six this morning." Peter made some sort of noise in the back of his throat in protest. Tony crossed his arms and glared at his son.

"Dad," Peter whined. "I have to study." Tony shook his head.

"Didn't I just say you've been doing it since six in the morning?" Peter hummed. Tony nudged his leg. "C'mon, Kid. Your mom is worried about you. She said she's been up here a couple of times but you won't talk to her?" Peter nodded as Tony pressed himself against the desk. "How come?"

He shrugged. "She just wants me to eat the stupid soup and drink the magic tea." Tony tried his hardest to stifle a laugh and hide the smile trying to break free. "Math is my first finale tomorrow and I know all the stuff-"

"So why are you stressing?"

"-but I'm sure once I sit down to take the test, I'm not gonna remember anything," Peter continued on, glaring up at Tony when he interrupted. Tony simply rolled his eyes.

"Is this test multiple choice?" Peter nodded. Tony shook his head, letting the smile slip through. "Then why are you so worried?" He placed his hand on Peter's shoulder, gripping it tightly. "I'm going to love you no matter what grade you get on some stupid test. Loki'll love you regardless of whatever grade you get on this test." Peter started smiling again. "As long as you're a good person, continue down the path of good, listen to us when you need to, and treat everyone with respect, you're already better than half the kids in your school. Your value as a human being shouldn't be dependent on if you can accurately choose the right multiple choice answer--but on where your values lie."

"Thanks, Dad," he said, placing his hand on top of Tony's. "That actually means a lot." Tony's smile grew.

"Look, Kid, I don't know if I say this enough to you or not but I love you. I love you more than the moon loves the sun-"

"They're in love?!" Peter exclaimed, eyes wide. "I knew it! That's why the moon is always up in the day time." His shoulders slumped. "Poor sun, he can never stay up to watch the moon do her job. Their relationship is actually quiet sad now that I think about it."

Both eyebrows raised, Tony stared at Peter as if he had just spewed the latest prophecy about some immortal being wanting to kill Percy Jackson and Tony was Percy. It took Peter awhile to catch the confused (and slightly concerned because how did all of that come out of such a small sick human being as fast as it did) look he was receiving from his father. He hung his head slightly before Tony started laughing.

"Kid, that might've just been the craziest thing you've ever said and it still make sense." Peter looked up, smiling once more. "Yeah, sure, the sun and the moon are a couple," he agrees. "I totally wasn't referring to Artemis and Apollo," he muttered to himself. "Anyway, I love you more than the moon loves the sun, more than Thor loves poptarts, more than the bees love flowers in springtime."

"That's a lot of love."

Nodding in agreement, Tony started laughing as well. "Yeah. That is a lot of love." His laughter slowly died down but left the smile. "But I mean every word, Pete. My father never said he loved me--never even said he liked me--and I want to break the cycle before you start staying up all night worrying about how I feel for you."

Peter smiled softly before standing up. Arms outstretched, he went in for a hug. Tony's smile grew as he met Peter halfway, wrapping his arms tightly around Peter's waist. Peter's arms wrapped themselves around Tony's chest, his ear pressed against the arc reactor as he listened to its soft thrum.

It's moments like these they both wish Tony raised Peter from a baby but they know the time they have together now is wonderful--a gift some children never receive. They wouldn't trade their time together now for anything in the world. Nothing is as important as spending time with each other.

"I love you too, Dad."