Chapter Text
Peter was overreacting.
He had a cousin, he should be happy after always wanting a sibling!
Okay, well, maybe it was just a little justified, given he had been gone for 5 whole years, and come back to find his aunt with a family of her own.
But Penny was so adorable. She was the sweetest little thing he'd ever met. He loved her, too. Afterall, it had been 3 months since he came back, and ge had really grown to her.
Speaking of 3 months...
Mr. Stark hadn't once tried reaching out to him during these months. But hey, he was recovering, he'd literally saved the world—he deserved time.
Doesn't mean it doesn't hurt, though.
Those 2 years after Germany were some of the best years of his life—all because of Mr. Stark. Sure, there had been a few scratches (read: stabbed), and a few head bumps (read: concussions), but that was part of the whole deal with Spider-Man! Besides, he loved protecting Queens! (And sometimes out if Queens too, though Mr. Stark didn't have to know that.)
Anyways, point is, he really, really, 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 those lab days that turned into movie nights. He missed the rare occasions when Miss Potts (Mrs. Stark now?) cooked something, and called him to taste it. He missed falling asleep on Tony, and waking up in his designated room in the tower. He missed Mr. Stark.
But he guessed that Mr. Stark didn't want to see him as much as he wanted to see Mr. Stark.
But maybe, Mr. Stark was busy with dealing with the Avengers, healing, 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦, and he was taking it personally.
Waiting for some more time was probably fine, right?
—————
"Uh, Peter, honey?" May poked her head inside his room, and asked while holding a phone in her hand, covering the microphone.
"Yeah, May?"
"It's Pepper on the phone, she was asking if it would be alright with you if she called us for dinner." May said, not understanding the weight of the bomb she just dropped.
Peter's heart skipped a beat. Maybe the Starks did want to see him, after all.
"Oh, uh, of course! I mean- if it's fine with you, obviously, but it's okay with me. Better than okay, really." He said, trying not to ramble.
May turned away, closing the door, but not restricting Peter's hearing. He heard her say, "It's just fine with Peter, Pep. Just drop me the location, and we'll be there tonight."
So were May and Pepper friends now? Mr. Stark had mentioned getting them to meet a few times, but it never became reality.
Well, that's what happens when you're dead for 5 years.
—————
Peter was both nervous and excited when he sat down in the backseat of Happy's car. He was finally going to see Mr. Stark!
—————
May had mentioned the fact Tony and Pepper had moved away, but she had never said anything about a literal lakehouse. Tony Stark living a domestic life in the middle of the woods? He would've never thought.
But, well, who was he to complain? This place did look peaceful after all.
"Dad, we'll see Morgie, right?" Penny asked Happy from where she sat beside him in the backseat.
Who was this "Morgie" now? Why did he know nothing? This was getting frustrating.
"Yeah, kiddo, I'm sure Morgan is just as excited to see you as you are." Happy replied.
So this Morgie is actually Morgan. Huh.
(Not like he knew who Morgan was, but still.)
Penny giggled in her seat, and it was such a cute little sound. It was impossible to dislike her, with her brown curls flying wildly in the wind, and her huge eyes that sparkled in the sun.
Doesn't mean this situation didn't suck, though.
"Peter, we're here. Can you help Penny get out of the car?" May called from the front seat. "Oh, yeah, yeah." He said. He'd totally unbuckled kids before. Totally.
"Pull this." Penny said, when Peter seemed to be stuck on how to do this. His face turned red. A 5-year-old child was teaching him how to unbuckle a seatbelt. He swallowed and did as she asked—which, unsurprisingly, worked.
May got out from her seat and opened the back door, getting Penny out. Peter took a deep breath and exited the car himself.
"Mama, my Jeebie!" He heard Penny exclaim. He saw a stuffed toy laying on the floor of the car, and thought that this was probably Penny's "Jeebie."
He went to pick it up, just as Happy snatched it from the car. "Jeez, kid, just give her the toy." Happy muttered. Happy immediately turned around and handed Penny her stuffed toy. She squealed in happiness.
Peter closed the car door—or rather banged it. He startled himself with the bang, he really hadn't meant to! All heads instantly turned towards him. "Everything okay, Pete?" May asked, a frown etched into her features. "Everything's fine." He quickly said. "I hadn't meant to close the door so hard, it just-" "It's alright, come on." May said, cutting him off.
Why was he messing everything up? Why couldn't he just be normal, for God's sake?
He trailed silently behind May, Happy and Penny. The perfect family. One that didn't include him.
But it was okay, Mr. Stark would probably still be the same. After all, that hug on the battlefield was so feirce, and so genuine, he had forgotten all about the war going on around them, and let himself drown in the waves of comfort that this hug brought. And then Mr. Stark had pulled back, patted him on the shoulders, and told him to stay safe. That he'd missed him. He still smiled at the memory—not of the war with Thanos, no, that was awful—but at the memory of his mentor (father figure) looking at him so fondly and lovingly.
So, yeah, he was excited to see Mr. Stark again after the war(s?).
—————
Pepper opened the door. She smiled warmly at May and Happy, ruffled Penny's hair, and pulled Peter into a tight hug. He wasn't as close to her as he was with Mr. Stark, but they had gotten considerably closer since the Vulture incident.
He still remembered the taste of those butterscotch cookies she'd baked for his birthday.
"Hi, Mrs. Stark." He said, his voice muffled. Pepper laughed. "It's Pepper for you, honey." She said. He smiled against her shoulder, having missed the familiarity of these moments.
Pepper pulled back, gazed at his face for a while, and eventually saying, "We missed you alot." Peter ducked his head and let out a breathy laugh. "Missed you too, Pepper." He said.
"MORGIE!" Penny suddenly yelled, running into the house like she owned the place. "Who's Morgie?" Peter asked Pepper. She looked a little surprised, but quickly composed herself as she smiled at him again. As a reply, Pepper moved out of the way, letting Peter's gaze fall on two little girls, seemingly deep into conversation. His eyes went wide; again. Deja vu, huh.
"Morgan H. Stark—our daughter." Pepper said, still holding onto Peter's bicep. "You- you have a daughter?" He stuttered. Pepper nodded.
Oh. 𝘖𝘩.
So Tony and Pepper had a kid too.
This was going to be interesting.