Chapter Text
Pippa stood next to the couch and watched her Poppy as he held her Daddy. She thought they both looked asleep so she slipped out of their apartment and got into the elevator and rode up to the floor where her Uncle Tony was probably tinkering with something. Standing outside his garage she watched him and Uncle Bruce looking at a computer screen.
"Miss Pippa, would you like to go in?" J.A.R.V.I.S. asked.
"They look busy," Pippa said.
"Why don't you check," J.A.R.V.I.S. said, opening the door for Pippa.
"Hey, munchkin," Tony said as he turned toward the sound of the door opening. "You okay?"
"Daddy and Poppy are asleep on our couch," Pippa said.
"Are you bored?" Tony asked.
"I'm hungry," Pippa said, "and I don't want cold cereal or a peanut butter sandwich."
"I bet if you ask Uncle Bruce he'll make us something good for dinner," Tony said.
"I don't know which one of you is more precocious," Bruce said.
"Does that mean we're bad?" Pippa asked.
"You're not bad," Bruce said, "but the jury is still out on your Uncle Tony."
"That's mean, Uncle Bruce," Pippa said.
"And that's why I'm her favorite," Tony said.
"If she's your favorite, Tony, then you should be the one to fill-up her belly," Bruce said.
"You wouldn't let us starve would you, Bruce?" Tony asked, pouting.
"That would be very sad," Pippa said, rubbing her bare arms.
"Are you cold, Pip?" Tony asked.
"A little," Pippa said.
Tony snagged the little girl's Grinch cardigan off the back of the chair next to his work table and helped her slide it on.
:"Thanks, Uncle Tony," Pippa said.
"My pleasure," Tony said, "and now, your Uncle Bruce is going to feed us.
"I'll remember that when I need something," Bruce said.
"That's only fair," Tony said, scooping Pippa up into his arms and putting her on his hip.
"So do you have a request?" Bruce asked.
"Cheese burger," Pippa said, leaning back and high- fiving her Uncle Tony.
"As long as you eat a proper vegetable," Bruce said
"French fries," Pippa and Tony said simultaneously.
:"French fries are not a vegetable," Bruce said.
"Aren't they made out of potatoes, Uncle Tony," Pippa asked.
"You're not wrong, munchkin," Tony said.
"You two are incorrigible," Bruce said.
"Poppy tells me that," Pippa said. "It sounds worse than the other word."
"There is nothing wrong with being smart," Tony said. "You should never be ashamed of that. That goes for you, too, Bruce."
"I know," Bruce said. "My father was an ass. I need to remember not to make Pippa feel bad about her intelligence. Now, I'll make you both a deal. If you'll eat some of the vegetarian chili from last night on your fries and let me put your cheese burgers on a whole wheat bun, I think we can sell that as a balanced dinner to your Poppy."
Pippa leaned toward her Uncle Bruce and held out her hand to shake his.