You could say that Peter lived a pretty good life. He was good at school, probably because he had genes from his father, who was basically a genius. Flash and his friends sometimes made his life uncomfortable, as were journalists, but it was nothing that could not be managed. He had his friends MJ and Ned. A great family. So he really had nothing to complain about. Not that he ever complained about something.
"Hey kid," Happy greeted him as Peter sat in the car.
"Hi, Happy," Peter returned a greeting.
"How was your day?" he asked as they drove off the main road.
"Pretty good, but I look forward to home," he replied. Today was the day he wanted to talk to Pepper about parenting. He knew her since childhood, and he saw her almost as often as his dad. Mostly she worked, but she always found time to play with him or watch a fairytale. He had always treated her as a mother, and when she and his father get finally married, he thought he could interpret his feelings to her. He didn't have the courage to do it. But now that he was told two weeks ago that Pepper was pregnant and their family would grow, it was a perfect opportunity.
"Any special occasion?"
"Hmm, maybe. I just want to talk to Pepper about something."
"About what?" Happy asked curiously.
"Nice try, but I won't say," he grinned.
"Fine, keep it to yourself. What do you say about the news? Tony said you cried when they told you," he laughed.
"I didn't cry! Something fell in my eye..." he murmured.
"No need to deny, kid. I bet Tony was crying, too. After all, like a father, like a son, right?"
"Whatever. But I'm excited. I'm going to be a big brother!"
"Yeah, I think you'll be a great big brother."
"Thank you, Hap."
"Not worth mentioning. And we're home."
"See you tomorrow, bye!" he said good-bye and got out of the car before Happy could answer. The elevator journey seemed like an eternity to him.
"Ahh, Pete, do something for me and watch out for Pep, I have to go to a meeting," his dad blurted as he stepped out of the elevator and almost hit him.
"Always, dad."
"That's my boy," he said with a smile, kissing him in his hair before disappearing into the elevator.
Peter brought the backpack into his room, then went to find Pepper. She was only in the third month, so she was still working, but his dad tried to keep her in a penthouse. You can guess Pepper wasn't happy about that. She spent most of her time in her home office, where Peter had gone, but he heard some noise from the kitchen along the way, so he decided to change direction.
"Hi, Pepper," he greeted her as he found her in the kitchen. Strangely, it looked as if an atomic bomb had exploded in the kitchen, which was unlike her. That was usually his father's job.
"Have you seen chocolate cookies somewhere we bought this weekend?" she asked instead of greeting, and Peter frowned slightly. Usually, she greeted him with a smile on her face and with a hug.
"Yeah, I ate them this morning," he murmured, as he remembered getting up late in the morning, so he grabbed the first thing in the locker and ate it in the car on his way to school.
"You eat them?! Peter, I said clearly none of you would touch them!" she groaned.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it. I took the first thing I found."
"That's nice, but I'm still without cookies, right?"
"I can go to the store for them," he offered quietly.
"I think you've done enough. I'll go there alone," she snapped. Ouch. That hurt.
"But-"
"No! Go to your room and do your homework, okay?"
"Okay. I really didn't mean it," he murmured before going to his room.
That was probably the first time she'd snapped at him. And he really didn't like it.
A few days had passed since the incident, and he had tried to let it go. He knew that women in pregnancy were moody, and he noticed Pepper's anger on his dad several times because of the little things. But his head gave him strange thoughts. He was so excited to tell Pepper about the whole parenting thing, but what if Pepper doesn't want it at all? Peter was not a fool. He was fifteen and he knew how it was with his past.
Peter knew he was a surprise that Tony Stark didn't count on. He knew his father was considering not keeping him. Maybe if his dad knew about him before he was born, he would force his biological mom to abort him. He didn't want a family. Not then. In the end, he kept him and they had a good relationship between them.
The other thing he knew was that he wanted Pepper to be his mom. For a moment he believed she could be. But why would she want to be his mom if she had her own baby in nine months? What if Peter was just a memory of his father's past for her? The past no one wanted to remember.
"What are you doing, buddy?" his father asked him as he walked into the lab on Saturday morning.
"I'm reading Dr. Banner's work," he replied, taking a pancake plate from his father. "Did I miss breakfast?"
"No, Pep's still asleep, but Friday said you ate nothing and you were awake since five."
"Yeah, I couldn't sleep," he murmured, starting to pancake.
"Well, when we're both awake, I was thinking about a few improvements on the suit, so we could look at it, what do you think?"
"That would be great! I feel like we haven't worked on anything forever."
"Great! Friday, let's set it in motion."
Peter ate pancakes quickly so he could work with his dad. He was looking forward to a lot, but there was one problem. When he ate the pancakes, he placed an empty plate on the table in the corner of the lab and was about to start working with his dad, but from above he heard something that didn't sound right. He considered ignoring it for a moment but was immediately ashamed of the thought. Pepper was pregnant for Christ's sake! She needed much more attention from his dad now than he did.
"Uhm, dad? I think you should go to Pepper," he said as he joined him at his desk.
"What are you talking about?" he asked, confused.
"Well, you know... Morning sickness," he murmured.
"Oh. I'll just go check on her and I'll be right there, okay? Don't start without me!" he said as he left the lab.
"Don't worry," he whispered to himself and sat back at where he was sitting before dad came and he waited.
And he waited long and steadily. Around lunch, he gave up and went to take something from the fridge and shut himself in his room.
"Are you ready, kid?"
"Do you have to ask at all? I haven't been able to wait this day since you showed me the tickets. It's a pity Ned can't be with us, but it will still be great, just you and me, dad," Peter said enthusiastically.
"Yeah, it's a shame. I don't know what's better, to watch Ned freak out because of the new Star Wars, or because he is in the company with me. One would think that over the years he would get used to his best friend's father Tony Stark," he grinned.
"As if you be bothered that he basically worshiped you," Peter laughed.
"It has something in it," he said, and finally they headed for the elevator.
"Tony? Where are you going?"
"Pep, what are you doing out of bed? We were talking about me going to the cinema with Pete. Bruce is downstairs, if you need anything, he'll be right there."
"Will you leave me here alone?" she asked, and Peter's heart tightened.
"I thought you wanted a few hours without my patrol," he joked.
"I'd rather if you stay. Peter can go alone, right?" she said, giving him a look.
"Ye-ah, no pr-oblem," he said, trying not to sound disappointed.
"What? No, no one goes to the cinema alone. Why don't we all stay home and the two of us go to the cinema another time," his dad suggested.
"It's all right, dad. I'll leave you alone," he said, heading for the elevator again.
"Have fun, honey!" Pepper called after him.
Peter said nothing and disappeared into the elevator. Happy was already waiting in the garage with his car ready when he left the elevator downstairs.
"Where's Tony?" he asked him as he got into the car.
"Changing the plan, he stays at home," he murmured.
"Is everything okay?"
"Can we go to your home?" he asked, ignoring his question.
"Kid."
"Please, I just want to spend some time with my favorite uncle. When was the last time we did something together?" he said, knowing that the favorite uncle's card would work. After all, as always.
"Anything for my nephew."
Peter smiled a little as they made their way to Happy's house. He should use those moments as long as he can. Maybe Happy will also get tired of him. He knows Pepper needs Tony, but he can't help feeling left abandoned. Pepper has no duties to him and he knows his dad loves him, but what if when Pepper's baby is born, his dad realizes that's his family. He, the woman he loves, and the child he wanted from the beginning of what he learned. Peter was old enough. Maybe he should just leave and let them live like a happy family. With a normal baby, what is not a mutant.
"What are you doing here, Peter?!" asked Happy as he opened the window and let the teenager inside his apartment.
"I have a shard in my hand and I need medical care," he murmured, removing the mask from his head.
"Jesus Christ, I'm not a doctor! You know I have to call Tony, right?"
"I know you have the basics. I called him and told him I was tired and close, so I would sleep in your home. Happy, I know you can help me, it's almost nothing. It'll be gone by morning, but it will need to be sewn."
"You know you can't do this, kid. There are rules and protocols. When your father learns, we'll both be dead!" he said, handing him some clothes so he could take off his suit.
"He won't know. There's no need to worry him, or Pepper. Her pregnancy is bad, they need to focus on the baby," he explained, and Happy sighed.
"Then show me," he said, and Peter obeyed.
It was nothing terrible, but it really needed to be sewn. Happy agreed with Peter, saying it would be gone by morning. That didn't change the fact that he didn't agree to leave Tony out of it. After all, he was an overprotective dad Tony Stark. There was no chance he wouldn't know about this and Happy knew he would have to face his rage, yet he couldn't say no to Peter.
"I'm sorry!" Peter sobbed, and Happy was next to him.
"Peter, wake up, kid," he said, shaking him gently, but Peter was still asleep and muttering. He fell asleep about two hours ago and was all right. But now he was burning too much.
"Don't give me away, please! I will be better, just don't give me away. Mom, please..."
Happy wrote a quick message to Tony before returning to the attempt to wake Peter.
"Come on, Pete, time to wake up."
"Hap?"
"Yeah, uncle Happy is here. I got you," he whispered, pulling the sobbing teenager into his embrace.
"I don't want to bother her. Can I live with you?" he murmured into his shoulder.
"What are you talking about, kid?" he asked, but he didn't get the answer, because they were interrupted by a knock on the door.
"Happy, open the door, or I swear to God I'll kick them!"
"I'm going!" shouted Happy as he tried to peel off Peter so he could open the door, which he eventually managed.
"Where is he?"
"In the living room," he said, accompanying him. "Hey, kid, your dad is here."
"Did you call him?"
"Yes, I called him. You have a fever, you have to go home," he explained.
"Happy is right. Time to go home, buddy," Tony finally said something.
It turned out that Peter got an infection in the wound, which was the cause of the fever. Tony took him home, where Bruce took care of him and gave him painkillers.
"How is he?" Pepper asked as she walked into his room in the morning.
"The fever has fallen, and he slept all night," Tony replied, not moving a step from his son all night.
"He'll be fine, after all, he's your son," she said with a small smile and kissed his forehead.
"Please don't leave me!" Peter groaned, gaining the attention of both adults.
"I'm here, buddy," Tony said, grabbing his son's hand.
"Dad?" Peter croaked, opening his eyes.
"I'm here," he repeated.
"Dad... I want my mom," he whispered, and Tony glanced at him in surprise.
"Pete, you know you can't. Your mom died after your birth, remember?" he said gently.
"What are you talking about? She's right here," he said, confused, pointing at Pepper before returning to the dreamland.
"Tony, you heard that! He thinks of me as a mom," Pepper said with a smile on her face.
The next time Peter woke up, this time completely, he was alone with Pepper. Pepper and Tony had a chat with Happy, and after telling them everything, Pepper drove everyone out of the room and went to prepare breakfast. Now, along with the food, she waited for Peter to wake up to eat and talk to him.
"Oh, great, you're awake," she snapped as he finally woke up. She was so angry at him and broken that he thought of the things Happy had told them.
Peter was a little confused and didn't know what to say, so he kept quiet.
"You called me mom, you know that?" she asked, calmer this time.
"I'm so sorry!" he blurted, and Pepper frowned.
"But why? Tell me, Pete, why? Why are you apologizing? Why did you want to go live with Happy? Why do you think you're a burden to me?" she asked one question after another, trying to suppress the tears that accumulated in her eyes.
"Because that's true, okay?" he sobbed. He couldn't hold it anymore.
"No, it is not."
"All I ever wanted was for you to be my mom. I wanted to tell you, but I didn't find the courage, and then it was too late. You'll have your own baby, so why would you want to be my mom? I got it, okay? Dad didn't want me for the first time too, and you have no duties to me," he muttered.
"In one you are right. I have no obligations to you. I never was, but that would not prevent me from taking care of you. I was there when you had your first asthma attack. When you started wearing glasses. I went to school with you and Tony on your first day. I watched with you fairytales when you were sick. Needless to say, Tony and I were not a couple at the time. I was there when the spider bit you and you became a hero just like your father. So tell me when I gave you a sign that I didn't want you."
"That's right, Pepper, but all of this was before you got pregnant. Since then, you've been distant. Mostly it was just you and dad. And I'm not upset because I understand. You've created a perfect family and teenager with superhuman strength doesn't fit that scale."
"Peter Benjamin Stark, never say that again, okay? I'm sorry you feel that way, but I've never had the slightest intention for you to feel that way. I love you, Pete. You have to understand that you're my first child and you'll always be.
"Rea-lly?" he asked shakily.
"Of course, honey," she said with a small smile, wiping away tears from his cheeks. "Do you still want your mom?"
He just nodded, and that was enough for Pepper to sneak up to him under the blanket and pull him into a loving hug. It only took a few seconds for the door to open and Tony came in and joined the family hug.
"I love you, mom and dad," Peter murmured, smiling.
"We love you too, buddy," Tony said, warming his hair.
"And we always will, Pete," Pepper said, kissing him on the forehead.