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''You take care kiddo, got it?''
Peter’s curls bounce as he nods, face pressing firmly into Tony’s shoulder as he grips Tony’s jacket with the barest hint of his spider strength.
''I’ll text you when I can.''
''I know, bud,'' Tony murmurs against the side of his head before pressing a kiss to it.
''Alright, you two,'' May teases, though there’s the hint of tears in her voice, ''break it up now or we’ll never get out of here.''
Tony and Peter step away from each other, fingers lingering on forearms and eyes holding steady as they look at one another. There’s not that much difference in height between them now, but Tony is still just tall enough to need to tilt his head down to smile at Peter, filling the gesture with as much encouragement as he can.
''Go on, Underoos.''
With a jerky nod and a watery smile, Peter lets go. One more hug from Pepper and Morgan, a slap on the back from Happy and a tight squeeze from May and he’s gone, racing towards the departure gate where MJ and Ned are waiting for him. Their arms encircle him and steer him away, barely giving him a chance to throw one last wave over his shoulder before he’s gone.
Tony wants to stay to watch the plane take off but Pepper takes his hand and pulls him away, rolling her eyes fondly at him.
''He’ll be back before you know it,'' she kisses his cheek, ''besides, you’ve had some practice with him going off to college.''
Tony gives her a tight smile. Somehow, this feels different: Peter being at college meant at least a dozen texts and more often than not a phone call or a video chat nearly every day, or at least the promise of one if things are a bit busy. Peter hopping it across the water to horizons new means the possibility of rubbish connections (though unlikely with a Starkphone) a hectic schedule and the guarantee of having way too much fun to even think about calling home.
It means a long summer cut short, at least where Tony’s time with Peter is concerned. The selfish side of him resents the whole idea, but it’s hard to stay completely bitter in the face of the kid’s excitement.
It’s the adventure of a lifetime, something exciting and magical and just the kind of thing that Tony dreams of for both Peter and Morgan. It had actually taken a lot of encouragement to get Peter to agree to go – many late night conversations and reassurances along with Tony obsessively reading through every website possible dedicated to the subject – but ultimately it had been the promise of sharing the adventure with Ned and MJ that had been the deciding factor. Still thick as thieves despite the distances that separated them, the trio had spent a long time planning their trip. It had been a somewhat jokey suggestion by MJ who had found a flyer about a research programme, open to students from all types of colleges around America, offering the chance of exploring some of the colder climates in the world and studying the animals that live there – Tony knew really that Peter had been sold the moment he found out that he could potentially have a close encounter with a penguin.
The majority of the trip would involve visiting various parts of the Arctic before heading to Antarctica to observe several colonies of penguins that resided in a number of locations there.
There would be long flights, late nights, sailing on boats and feeling colder than cold for most of the time. Worried for Peter’s ability to deal with such low temperatures, Tony had wanted to purchase a specialist crew and take the kids himself, but a stern reprimand from both Pepper and May had left him sulking in the garage for a good twenty-four hours. After that, Tony spent a week designing a range of undersuits for Peter to wear under his thermal gear, rigging them with all the typical tricks and stuffing them into Peter’s hands with a firm instruction to wear them or there would be trouble. Willingly flying through blizzards to kick his ass kind of trouble.
Peter had clutched the suits to his chest with a smile, looking at Tony in that soft, shy manner that made Tony feel ridiculously open and exposed, but in a way that he didn’t mind.
And now here he is, walking away as Peter takes yet another step into the big wide world, one of too many lately in Tony’s opinion, but then that’s what happens when there’s five years of life, of living, to catch up on and to make up for.
The remaining flesh of Tony’s right arm, the joint between shoulder and metal, twinges in reminder and he flexes it automatically, giving Pepper a smile when she looks at him knowingly.
''He’ll be fine, Tony,'' she assures, squeezing his hand, ''he’s too much like you to be anything but.''
''Hey!''
''Hey, Underoos!'' Tony can barely contain his joy, his relief, at hearing the kid’s voice after what feels like forever, when really it’s not been much more than a day. ''How’s it going? Anybody needed defrosting yet?''
Peter snorts. ''Nah, it’s nice and cosy on the ship. You should see it, Mister Stark, the bunks are huge!''
Tony chuckles, feeling a surge of fondness at the kid’s use of 'Mister Stark' because it happens less and less now, tucked away in favour of Tony - yet another post-war casualty, but not one that he minds too much.
''Tony?''
''Yeah, bud?''
There’s a shuffle and then Peter’s voice comes through again, wobbly and quiet, ''I miss you.’’
Tony’s jaw aches, a tell-tale sign of his own emotions bubbling just under the surface. He sniffs and clutches the phone harder in his hand.
''Me too, kiddo.''
It’s nearly four days until Tony hears from Peter again. In that time, Tony picks up five calls from May and spends at least ten minutes during each one trying to reassure her that all is well before giving up and handing the phone to Pepper, who soothes all frazzled nerves with all her usual expertise.
A picture comes through as Tony’s brushing his teeth, resigning himself to getting an early night so he can stop thinking. He nearly knocks the phone into the toilet when he reaches for it and holds it like a lifeline, looking half mad with toothpaste in his goatee and a toothbrush poking out from between his lips.
An image of a rather large owl appears on the screen. Feathers puffed up and piercing amber eyes glare right into the screen, making the hairs on Tony’s arms stand on end. The bird looks rather disgruntled, as though unhappy with having its picture taken, and it’s an expression that almost seems oddly familiar.
Tony sees the caption then and nearly chokes on his toothpaste.
Happy in the wild?
Tony clutches the sink for support as he laughs, needing a breather before he messages back.
Stick a badge on him, kid, and it’s a dead ringer
The next picture that comes through a few days later is of a quite frankly gigantic walrus. Though its quite far in the background, the size of it is glaringly apparent. Peter is in the corner of the frame, thumb thrown back over his shoulder and mouth wide open in exaggerated (but probably not that much) amazement. Another image quickly follows, this time a close up of the beast sprawled on its belly, squinting dozily into the low sunlight.
Doctor Banner?
Tony snorts, eyeing the picture again with glee. Peaceful and zen; he can definitely see the likeness.
He forwards the picture to Bruce who declares he’s never seen a better comparison in his life.
Three days later, three notifications flash up on Tony’s phone in quick succession. He nearly topples off his chair in his haste to grab the phone, barely righting himself as he opens them.
Thor’s spirit animal?
The three pictures show what appears to be an overly large, fluffy white seal flopped on its back with its mouth wide open in a huge smile. Its eyes are squeezed shut, as though the pictures had been taking during the middle of a laughing fit.
Tony replies with I hereby dub he/she Point Break from this moment onwards and chuckles for a good ten minutes as he flicks back and forth between the pictures.
The days and weeks seem to drag, at least for Tony. Peter gets in touch as often as he can, which is never enough for either Tony or May. Pictures are his main source of communication: more hilarious comparisons between animals and the other Avengers are sent through, helping to soothe a little of the ache in Tony’s heart as he continues to miss the kid. All phone calls are a jumble of excitement and new information that Tony can barely keep up with, but he’s just so glad to hear Peter’s voice that he doesn’t mind in the slightest.
A video chat that happens to occur during a late afternoon lunch in which nearly everybody is in attendance leaves Tony and May offering gentle reassurances to a tearful Peter, both of them clutching the phone as tightly as if it were Peter himself, promising him that everybody misses him and that it’s okay to be homesick.
Tony regularly wonders if it’s actually a thing to be peoplesick, because that’s the only way he can think of to describe the gnawing sensation in the pit of his stomach that seems to grow as the days go by. He recognises the feeling immediately, even though it’s not full of bitter regret or sorrowful dread like it was before. Nor is it the same as the proud wistfulness that exists amidst the deeper kind of hurt that just comes from wishing someone didn’t have to go, even though Peter going off to college is one of the greatest moments of Tony’s life.
It’s something different; wider and bigger somehow, and as much as he wants Peter to enjoy himself, to see all the excitement that the new world has to offer in a way that it didn’t before, Tony selfishly can’t wait until it’s all over and he gets to hold his kid close again.
The morning before Peter’s due to come home, Tony wakes up to find a notification for a video message blinking on his phone. Fumbling for his glasses, he shoves them on and presses play. Peter’s laughter, along with that of whoever he’s with, instantly fills the room, curling around Tony’s heart and squeezing a surprised gasp out of him. The video is shaky and shows a small, beady eyed penguin running along, arms out and wobbling in a rapid toddle. It’s running in the direction of the camera, like it’s chasing something.
''Mister Stark!'' Peter’s joyful voice, high and shrill, rushes over the audio, making Tony grin. ''Tony! Lo - look at him! He’s so funny he’s – whoa!''
Everything goes white for a second and then Tony is treated to the sight of Peter trying to fend off an over enthusiastic penguin nipping and tugging at his jacket. Its wings flap furiously and it makes the oddest of sounds as it manages to get a hold of Peter’s hat before storming off with an undeniably sassy waddle.
''You know,'' Peter chuckles breathlessly into the camera, looking directly through it into Tony’s eyes, ''he kinda reminds me of you.''
Tony bounces on the balls of his feet, craning his neck as far as it will go to look over the heads of the many people walking around him. With May at work, Pepper collecting Morgan from school and Rhodey meeting with the Secretary of Defence (for reasons Tony plans to irritate out of him later) it’s just him and Happy to greet Peter. May had warned Peter of her schedule ahead of time and Tony hopes that it’s enough to keep the kid from being too disappointed that his aunt isn’t there to celebrate his return.
''Is he not here yet?''
Tony whirls around with a yelp, clutching his chest and jabbering nonsense at the sight of Steve Rogers standing next to him. Steve quirks an eyebrow at him in amusement before nodding towards the gate.
''Peter. Has he not come through yet?''
Tony is barely paying any attention to him now, because coming up behind Steve is Thor, Bruce and a squabbling Nat and Clint. Thor is clutching a stuffed snowy white seal and waving it at Bruce who shoves it away with a laugh.
''What are you all doing here?''
Clint pauses in his argument with Nat to quirk an eyebrow at him. ''What, you think you’re the only one who missed the little pipsqueak? Kid goes off to college one minute, on vacation the next, and suddenly we don’t get to care?''
He’s teasing, Tony can tell from the snarky smile on his face, but there’s a truth to his words too. It wasn’t just Tony who had fallen into some sort of odd grief when Peter moved away; the rest of their odd mismatched family had noticed his absence too. Not in the gaping, cavernous way that Tony does, but in a consistent, niggling rhythm that makes itself known in the quietness of a moment, in the spaces where a sassy comment should slot in, where a cheerful grin should make itself known along with a ridiculous pop culture reference or two.
Tony had even seen Strange’s cloak moping, drooping glumly in Peter’s usual chair at the dining table in the rebuilt compound, something which the sorcerer had acknowledged with a roll of his eyes and a fond pat to its collar.
Tony turns back to Steve, looking at him suspiciously. ''My house is full of people right now, isn’t it.''
Steve shrugs innocently but the twinkle in his blue eyes gives it away. Tony groans as he pictures the absolute insanity they’ll come home to.
''I’m telling you now, Cap, if I walk through that door and find Build-a-Bear digging underneath my floorboards again, I’m gonna – ''
''Mister Stark!''
The familiar voice has Tony whirling on the spot, heart zooming right into the fast lane of beating.
In the melee of people coming out of the gate, he catches a glimpse of a mop of curly hair and a bright smile and it’s enough to have him running. He weaves his way through the crowd, a desperate need rising up with him. Even catching a glancing blow to his left shoulder does nothing to halt him as he moves even faster, and Peter’s hurrying towards him, lips pressed thin in the way that Tony knows means he’s trying not to cry. He pauses then and opens his arms wide.
Peter collides with him heavily, knocking Tony back onto his heels, and it’s only by throwing their arms around each other that they prevent themselves from toppling to the floor.
Tony buries one hand into Peter’s curls and quickly kisses him on the cheek, squeezing him round the shoulders with his mechanical arm as Peter holds onto him, face pressed into his chest and arms hugging him tightly round the middle. Peter lets out a short, muffled gasp that’s a cross between a laugh and a sob and Tony feels tears spring to his own eyes at the sound, at the feeling of having the kid back in his arms, warm and safe.
''I missed you so much,'' Peter whispers, fingers scrabbling at the back of Tony’s jacket for an even tighter grip.
Tony doesn’t trust himself to speak so simply rocks Peter back and forth in his arms, pivoting gently at the waist in a slow rhythm. It’s not like they aren’t used to being apart, to the distance between them, but somehow this sort of homecoming feels all the more meaningful. He can’t quite explain why, but he doesn’t have to because he knows Peter feels it too.
''Like, it was the best time, the greatest,'' Peter says, leaning back to reveal his face and the tears glistening on his long eyelashes, ''and I loved every second but,'' he sniffs before laughing weakly, ''I missed you.''
Tony cups one of his cheeks and gives him another kiss on the forehead. ''No shame in it, bud,'' he says as he pulls away, ''I make everything fantastic.''
Peter laughs again and gives him a shove that only has Tony strengthening his grip. Then he groans as two impossibly huge arms encircle the pair of them and squeeze tight, plucking them off the floor in the mother of all bear hugs.
''It is so good to see you back home safe, young Peter!'' Thor booms happily, whirling them round like mere rag dolls. ''We have all missed you heartily! There has been much complaining and - ''
''Can’t – breathe – '' Peter gasps, twitching his hands weakly, unable to use his strength to resist Thor’s powerful hold. Tony swears he sees the beginnings of his life flash in front of his eyes before Thor releases them, keeping a steadying on their backs as they suck in a grateful lungful of air.
''Good to see you, kid,'' Happy claps Peter on the shoulder as he approaches, earning a warm smile and a pleased ''Happy!'' in return.
Peter’s face flushes with further delight as he spots the others. He burbles out flustered greetings and exchanges firm hugs and hearty back slaps with them, giggles when Thor excitedly shoves the stuffed seal at him and rolls his eyes happily when they start in with the inevitable teasing. Steve shoves Clint away when he asks about conserving body heat and Bruce gets his phone out to proudly show off the walrus picture, chuckling when Peter drops his face into his palms with an embarrassed laugh.
Tony watches from the edge of the gathering, smiling softly, feeling all the prickly thorns of worry fall away and all the holes of melancholy within his spirit fill back in with warmth and relief, with that fuzzy thrill of love that comes just from being near Peter, of seeing his face and knowing that he’s here, he’s real, he’s okay -
''Tony!''
A happy cheer breaks through Tony’s thoughts and he chuckles as Peter tackles him again, shoving his way into Tony’s arms without preamble, ducking down just a little so he can tuck his head under Tony’s chin. He almost seems to have lost even more of that typical teenage gawkiness on his trip, which is a realisation that makes Tony’s heart pang just a little too harshly inside his chest.
But he’s still Peter, still his kid, Tony thinks as he wraps his arms around the boy, pressing his face into Peter’s curls with a contended sigh.
''It’s so good to be back,'' Peter says into Tony’s chest, shoulders hunching as he gives Tony another squeeze.
Tony reciprocates with a kiss to Peter’s forehead.
''Welcome home, kiddo.''