Tony and his Kids

Three Different Halloweens

"I think she'd kill you if you split any," Peter said, "but I also think it's an awesome idea. A marshmallow dispenser, too?" He asked, sounding childlike in his hope.

Tony chuckled. "Of course. I'm not an animal. We also need to add a full stock of whip cream to it of we aren't to behave like cavemen." He pulled himself out from under the Audi, blinking at the sudden light. Peter was standing before him, dressed in an old, red hoodie and black jeans. The kid smiled and that was when the inventor noticed the shopping bag hanging from the kid's hand. He nodded toward it. "What do you got there?"

"Oh!" Peter exclaimed, holding the bag higher. Whatever was in it made a small rustling noise, but it barely had an outline. "It's my Halloween costume!"

Tony raised an eyebrow as he stood, ignoring the way his back had a small crick in it and that he'd not even realized it was the 31st yet. He rolled his shoulders and threw his wrench on the table as he asked, "aren't you a bit too old to be dressing up?"

The teenage superhero pressed a hand to his heart in mock horror, taking a step back. "Mr. Stark, you are never too old to dress up. In fact, you dress up every other day," he said in a slightly accusing tone.

Tony had to fight back a bemused smile as he crossed his arms. "What do you mean?"

"The Ironman suit is your costume," he said certainly. "And you're like sixty!"

"Watch it," he scolded playfully. "I'm nowhere near sixty. Get your math right. And the Ironman suit is not a costume. It's a high tech-"

"I know, I know," the kid cut him off with a small smile. "You've said it a million times." His smile turned a bit nervous as he shuffled on his feet. "I was wondering if.. instead of working in the lab, could you walk around New York with me?"

Peter said his request very fast and it took Tony a moment to process it and when he did, he was thrown off guard. The teen must have translated his look of surprise into something else and quickly tried to back pedal, "I mean, you don't have to. May is just being protective and said I needed adult supervision and she had to work tonight. We could stay here and-"

Tony stopped him before he could talk himself out of breath, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I'd love to, kiddo," he said with genuine honesty. "You go change and I'll get cleaned up."

The grin on Peter's face could have lit the entire world as he rattled off what sounded like a million thank yous before running off to the nearest bathroom. Tony shook his head fondly, already hearing the jokes about being such a good dad from Rhodey as he wiped his hands off with a faded rag. "Keep watch over the lab, Dum-E," he instructed his bot as he climbed in the elevator. "And I don't want to find a foam mess when I get back."

He headed to his bathroom and changed from his old AC/DC t-shirt and faded jeans into a blue long-sleeve shirt and black jeans. He didn't slick back his hair, but tucked it under a brown beanie. He wanted to be as inconspicuous as possible so the paparazzi wouldn't see him. There was a slim chance of it with the crowds that were surely gathering in the New York City streets by now, but better safe than sorry, especially when he was doing something with the kid.

'Me ten years ago wouldn't believe this,' he thought with a bit of bitterness as he straightened the hat and pulled on his signature red sunglasses. 'Walking with a kid for Halloween instead of going to a party? Wow, look at who I've become.'