Irondad Oneshots

Overworked and Overwhelmed

Peter woke up and picked up his phone, seeing it was 8:57 am. He set his phone back down on the edge of his bed and groaned lightly, dropping his head back onto his pillow. It was Saturday, but Peter couldn't relax; he had tons of homework to do.

Peter continued to lay, staring at the ceiling as he thought of all the work he needed to get done that day. It was overwhelming him; he had to write a paper for history, read four chapters of To Kill A Mockingbird and do two worksheets on each chapter, write a Spanish dialogue to present in class, do math homework, and make the design for a catapult he would be building in physics class the next week.

He knew he should get up and start the work, but he was too overwhelmed to get up. Suddenly, the 15 year old heard a knock on his door. "Pete? You awake yet?"

Peter didn't have a chance to respond as Tony walked in anyway.

"What're you doing, kiddo? It's 9:30." Tony spoke as he sat down on his son's bed, leaning his back against the headboard.

"I'm stress-paralyzed." Peter sighed, rolling on his side to face his dad. Tony didn't like the defeated tone in his kid's voice.

"What's going on, Pete?" He asked, pulling his son closer to him, one hand rubbing Peter's back and the other running through his messy hair.

"Too much to do and I don't know how to get it all done. I just want to lay here all day but I have work to get done."

"Why can't the homework wait until tomorrow? Why does it all need to be done today?" Tony asked gently.

"Because then all I'll do is think about what I still have to get done. I need to just finish today." Peter paused and let out a sigh. "But there's too much and I don't know where to start."

"Well, let's make a list and cross off one thing at a time." Tony decided, reaching his arm over to the desk and grabbing a notebook and a pen. "Tell me what needs to get done."

"Spanish dialogue, read 4 chapter of To Kill A Mockingbird and do two worksheets for each chapter, history paper, math homework, and design a catapult to build next week in class." Peter listed as Tony wrote it all down.

"Okay, we can handle this." Tony assured his son, looking at the list. "Let's start, pick one thing to do while I make breakfast."

"I can do math homework." Pete decided, sitting up and leaning against his dad.

"Okay, math homework it is. You're great at math and you can knock that out no problem." Tony assured him before kissing his temple. "You want me to make pancakes?"

Peter nodded in response.

"Alright, kiddo. You start working on that math homework and I'll come back when breakfast is ready." Tony said, standing up and leaving the room.

Peter began his math homework and finished before his dad came back. "Okay, I knocked out one thing. Maybe I can start reading." He said quietly, grabbing his book and beginning to read his first assigned chapter.

When Tony walked back into the room, he saw Peter smiling as he read on the floor. "Breakfast is ready, buddy."

Peter put a bookmark in place and stood up. "I did my math homework and read a chapter."

Tony smiled proudly as he wrapped his arm around his kid's shoulders. "Atta boy. You can have this work knocked out in no time."

After the two ate breakfast, Peter finished reading and did his worksheets at the table while Tony cleaned up the kitchen.

"Done." Peter announced, setting his pencil down on top of his papers.

"Me too." Tony said, tossing the sponge in the sink. "What next? History paper, Spanish dialogue, or catapult design?"

"History paper, I guess." Peter decided. "Just three pages on World War 1. I can call Uncle Steve for information."

"He was in World War 2, bud." Tony reminded him.

"He was alive for the first one." Peter shrugged, grabbing his phone and calling Steve.

"Hey Pete." Steve answered.

"I need information on World War 1."

"I'll be right there."

Steve came and helped Peter write his paper and the pair got it done in an hour and a half.

"Thanks for helping, Uncle Steve." Peter said, printing out his paper.

"No problem, kiddo. Need anything else?" Steve asked, standing up from the table.

"Not unless you know Spanish." Peter sighed.

"That I don't." Steve laughed. "Good luck, buddy. I'll see you later."

Once Steve left, Peter began working on his Spanish as Tony sat at the table across from him.

"Want lunch, kiddie?" Tony asked when he saw Peter almost finished.

"Sure. Can you have Happy get cheeseburgers?" Peter asked, not looking up from his paper.

"Course I can." Tony smiled, texting Happy.

By the time Happy brought up the cheeseburgers, Peter was finishing his Spanish.

"Thanks Happy." Peter told him, taking the bag from him.

"Sure thing." Happy said before heading out.

"Wanna eat those in the lab while we design a catapult?" Tony asked, Peter grinning at the idea. And so the pair sat in the lab, eating cheeseburgers, and finishing up Peter's homework. When they finished, Peter smiled at his dad.

"Thanks for helping me today. And everyday."

Tony wrapped an arm around his son. "There's nothing I wouldn't do for you, kid."