*3RD POV*
"I don't think I want to go to college," Peter blurted.
It was a lab night and the topic had been on his mind for a while. The issue was, both the thought of leaving and not going to college left him anxious.
Tony stopped what he was doing and spun his chair around to face him. He'd expected an angry face- at best judging, but he just looked.. normal. Like this was a normal, easy conversation.
"That's alright," he said. And then, they had a conversation. They talked it through. For some reason, Peter had expected a fight. Tony had mentioned how he sounded hesitant and Peter was.
He'd always looked forward to college. He'd talked about his dream colleges with Ben when he was a kid. He'd looked forward to it every time he was bored in the classroom because he already knew the material.
But he didn't want to leave home and the family he'd built for himself over the years. He was certain everything would all go to shit without spider-man around too.
"I don't want to leave May. Or you. Or the team. I don't want to stop being Spider-man and helping people."
"You'll never stop helping people, kid. Whether you're in the suit or not. And May's tough- you know she'd be ok. She'd just be happy that you're off doing something you love."
"How do we know I'll love it?"
"We don't. We can't know- not unless you try."
Peter weaves his fingers together anxiously.
"How about this: go a semester. You've already got the scholarship and acceptance letter. See if you like it."
"And if I hate it?"
"Than you always have a home here and a job with Stark Industries."
Now, Peter was a semester in and he had to say, he freaking loved college.
It may have been hard to leave- there were definitely tears, but as much as he hates to admit it because Tony's ego does not need another boost, he was right.
He was learning things- things he hadn't known before. He felt entranced as he was fed information the same way he was intrigued with the lessons Tony would teach him in lab nights.
He'd made friends too because now, he wasn't just a nerd, but a social one. Ned was there like he always was and Peter can't be more grateful to have someone like him by his side for so long, and Harley was a sophomore there so he offered his help whenever Peter needed him. MJ was amazing as always and she seemed to thrive in the college setting- not that she didn't thrive anywhere she would have been put.
He'd made quite a few friendships in his classes and he continuously grows closer with this guy named Harry.
Now though, he was finally going home for break- and Tony didn't know when he'd be home so he got to surprise him.
Peter had already been at May's for a night. She couldn't take off work very long but she managed two days before Christmas and the day of. Since she's so busy she had recommended Peter stay with Tony for a week. He'd actually mentioned recently that they'd be staying at the cabin. It's always a nice break away from the PR and city chaos. The other avengers would be going home to their families anyway so the tower would just feel empty.
Peter sneaks around the house, peeking his head around the corner to see Morgan pulling her dad to show him her assortment of stuffed animals she'd lined up on the lawn with plastic dinner plates and silverware. He crouches down and grins at something she says.
From his backpack, Peter pulls out a spider-man toy. An early Christmas present.
He creeps up behind them and smiles,
"Looks fun. You think he can join?"
Morgan squeals and throws herself against Peter's legs, making his knees buckle for a moment.
"Peter!"
Tony seems to blink through the shock for a moment, before a breathless laugh escapes his lips.
"Kid," he says, stepping forward to wrap his arms around Peter's shoulders. "I didn't even know you were off school yet."
"Surprise," he grins.
See, there probably wouldn't have been as much excitement if he had been able to see Tony on his quick Thanksgiving break, but Nick -freaking- Fury sent them off on an 'important' mission. To say the avengers were pissed would be an understatement.
Peter had offered to go but he was told to sit this one out and stay with his aunt.
It wasn't like he hadn't seen him since he'd gone off to college though. MIT wasn't exactly the furthest thing away so he could still come home. (in fact, it was almost laughable how many times he'd come home over small things- a cold, homesick, that one time Karen sent Tony a warning that Peter had not eaten a single nutritious food item in a very long time-)
"I missed you, kiddie."
"Wasn't I just home?" He's kidding. The urge to come home every weekend is strong.
"What, a few months ago? You used to be here, like, every day cut me some slack."
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Peter loves christmas. He loves being home for the holidays and he loves sleeping in and staying over at Tony's like he used to. He's happy things didn't change as much as he had expected it to.
He hates the cold though. Absolutely despises it.
Due to the bite, he got powers, yes, but he also got cursed with the same things that spiders don't like- the main one being the cold.
The sad thing is, he used to love it; but that was when he had the ability to get warm with a few extra layers of clothing and when he had the ability to even go outside and have fun in the snow without almost passing out for the rest of the season.
When the first night rolled around that he would be staying at the cabin, Peter had made an effort to go out on patrol for a few hours since he had the heater inside the suit, but it still wasn't enough.
He'd jumped out the window, already feeling the liberating effects of adrenaline, but he'd immediately felt his limbs become stiff and his heart begin to slow. It felt like it worsened with every snowflake that dropped onto the thin suit fabric.
He hunches over, hugging himself as a the sharp wind blows against him.
"Karen do you think I can make it an hour," he asked.
"No. Your heater is on at it's highest setting and multiple news organizations have said this is the coldest night of the year. There is a very high possibility that you will die since you are currently standing on the edge of a tall building."
He pauses at her words and takes a few steps away from the edge.
"Damn." he yawned. That's not a good sign. "Can't you just lie to me and say 'do it you coward'? I bet Ned would."
"Last time I followed your orders to lie to you, Mr. Stark had to be convinced not to dismantle me."
"Oh yeah. I had to cry."
"Indeed. It was highly pitiful, Peter."
He throws his head back and groans. "You're so mean to me."
"Please go home before you decide to sleep in a dumpster again."
"You said you'd never bring that up again," he whines, starting to make his way back to the tower.
"I am unable to make promises as an AI, Peter."
"Fine."
He stumbles through his window and makes his way to the warmest room in the cabin.
He falls face first into the couch pillows. He was feeling a little better being inside and it felt like the heater was finally doing it's job. He still felt like his insides were freezing though.
He hadn't noticed Tony next to him and the man was now staring down at him in confusion.
"Peter, you alright? I thought you were going on patrol."
"Too cold," he mumbles, "Karen said I was gonna die or s'mthing."
"Oh. Thanks for making the right decision then."
"Yeah," he yawns, moving his head to lay on the pillow that leaned on his mentors thigh. "Didn't wanna make Christams awkward for you 'n May."
Tony barks out a laugh, dragging the hero's mask off his face. "You're so generous."
The rush of cold air to his cheeks sent a shiver down his spine. He hates this.
They're silent for a moment, and Peter can feel his concerned eyes staring at his face, still searching for any injuries. A warm hand presses against his forehead.
"You sure you're ok?"
He groans and curls into himself, "I'm just cold. The heater's on all the way too. I should've come inside sooner."
Tony hums.
Peter suddenly has the best idea ever.
He runs to his room and when he comes back, he's wearing four hoodies on top of the spider-suit, heater still on full blast. When he walks back into the living room, the mechanic raises a brow at the sight of his red gloved hands under the many articles of clothing.
He sighs in his content and flops back onto the couch.
"I'm sleeping now. Night."
Tony just laughs quietly and pats his head.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peter and Morgan click together legos on the floor all morning. The spider-man toy Peter had gotten her sits in her lap and her tongue sticks out as she rotates a small piece to fit correctly onto the bigger.
He grins at her.
"You're doing good, Morgan."
She smiles gratefully, "Thank you."
Then, as he's flipping through the instruction pages, his phone dings.
Harley: yo I sent you your gift it says delivered. Must've got there early. Merry Xmas nerd
Peter: oh?? Thank you??
Harley: yw 👍
Weird. He and his friends had already exchanged gifts before they left for break.
"C'mon," he says, holding his hand out to Morgan, "I think there's something for me outside."
He opens the door and looks around for a box, but there's nothing there. His brows furrow in confusion, but suddenly, Morgan lets go of his hand and runs. His head snaps up, but smiles at the sight of Harley with open arms.
"Surprise, it's me. You're welcome."
"Harley! I missed you."
"I missed you too, M."
Morgan launches herself forward and wraps her arms around him. He lifts her up and hugs Peter.
"Keener, is that you?"
He and Tony hug before Harley hands Morgan over to her dad. The mechanic looks him up and down.
"Why are you taller than me?"
"I was taller than you last time."
"I don't remember that."
"Huh. Maybe it's your age."
He shoves him playfully, "Come inside. I was just helping Pep make lunch."
Harley leans to whisper in Peter's ear,
"How much you wanna bet you're taller than him by next month."
Tony whips around with an accusing finger,
"You grow another inch and you're out of the will."
They laugh.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tony and Pepper lay lazily on the couch, both doing their own thing on their devices. Harley makes himself at home, watching a show laying stomach-first on the rug while Morgan continues with the many Lego sets she had started the day before.
Peter catches a glance of the domestic-looking scene from the kitchen, and he smiles softly. From what he knows, Tony met Harley when he was a little kid and the hero had been stranded, and they hadn't talked very often after he'd camped out in his shed. They'd stayed in contact but had rarely seen each other in person. Though, apparently after getting closer with Peter, Tony thought they'd get along- and he was right.
Harley made more of an effort to come to the tower since he started at MIT the year before. They'd formed a closer bond than just a friendship- the same way Peter and Morgan had. They'd been there for each other a lot. They'd rough-housed, they'd gone on trips, they'd worked late nights in the l'ab, studied an ungodly amount of hours together...
Harley means a lot to him.
"Peter."
He turns around, snack in hand.
"What?"
"C'mere."
He also knows him better than that.
"No, you're gonna hit me or something."
Harley laughs loudly and Tony gives them a mixed expression somewhere between confused and amused.
"When have I ever done that," he asks dramatically.
"Like, any emotion you ever have is met with me getting sucker-punched."
"It's out of love. Come here."
Peter groans and makes his way over, "Fine."
He'd only taken a few steps forward before he was met with recognisable spicy smell.
Fucking peppermint.
The one other negative thing that came with the bite.
He's not exactly allergic to it, but he despises the smell of it now.
A little round peppermint is chucked in his direction, bouncing off his shoulder, and he most certainly does not make a high pitched noise of disgust.
"Harley!"
He just throws his head back and cackles.
"I had to test it!"
"I'm never going near you ever again."
That was a lie. The second Tony had gotten up to be productive, the two college students followed him around and just talked. A constant stream of words that held no meaning other than the fact that they were happy to be together again in a place that felt like their second homes.
In a few days Harley would have to go home for Christmas to be with his family and May would come to the cabin for her few days off. They'd have a nice dinner and open presents and before Peter would go back to MIT, they'd all go back to the tower to see the avengers. He loves being home and he misses it whenever leaves, but he's also excited to go back and continue taking the classes he loves. He's sure he'll be back sooner than expected anyway.
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Words- 2348
Okok so I'm gonna make another one-shot book.
I haven't hit the limit of 200 chapters but Its close enough and I feel like it's time 💀 it's crazy this thing has been around 6 years but new year new book!
I hope to see you all at the next book <3
I'll make one more chapter to let y'all know it's published! Happy holidays :)