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Peter is an oddball for a fairy in more ways than one. He was born from a sunflower at the height of summer instead of from the more delicate flowers in the spring. He was also unfailingly curious, always wanting to know why and how instead of just tending his flowers per tradition. But the oddest thing about Peter was his devotion to the sun. Being a sunflower fairy, Peter personally thought it made sense, but the others never understood how he could worship the sun god Stark with such fervor while only paying minor attention to the earth or water gods that provided them succor, or the wind god who’s fickle nature played havoc with their meadows.
Regardless of their speculation and commentary, Peter rose every morning to perform a salutation to the sun, wishing the god a joyful day before going to tend his meadow. Peter’s home was farthest up the mountain compared to his fellow fairies, away from the taller trees that so often blocked the sun. It could be a bit lonely, but it was better than never getting to feel the sun’s rays on his face or dealing with half the fairies swooning over the mischievous water god Loki or the arrogant wind god Beck. At least the earth god Fury was a solid reliable source, if a bit too serious.
Not that Stark was perfect either if Peter was honest. The sun god rarely showed his face where Peter could see him, not bothering to burn away Beck's clouds most days. Peter had only seen the god himself twice, and both had left an impression. He was handsome and strong, able to burn away all that stood in his path, which made him dangerous. But Peter had seen his softer side when the god had greeted his sister the moon goddess Pepper, and when he had played with the sun dogs that spread the rays throughout the sky.
Peter wished that some day the god would take note of his devotion and grant him and his meadow a bit more of his attention. Peter had sunflowers he wished to see bloom after all, seedlings grown from the one that had birthed him, and they could only grow strong if the sun shone upon them. It would be nice to not be the only sunflower fairy in their clan.
“One day,” he whispered to his heart flowers as he gently strengthened them with his blessings. “One day, you’ll get his blessing and you’ll grow so tall and strong, it will be like a forest instead of a meadow.”
Seasons passed and Peter didn't lose hope so much as resign himself to being the only sunflower fairy. New fairies could only be born from flowers that were blessed by at least one god after all, and Peter never tried to gain the others' favor. He was a sunflower fairy, thus only Stark's blessing would do, and if the god did not see fit to grant his wishes, then it was not Peter's place to argue.
“What do you guys think?” He asked his heart flowers one day, lying among the nasturtiums and marigolds that carpeted the field. It was a rare day where the sun broke through, and all of them had turned to face the sun. “Am I crazy?”
They couldn’t talk but Peter would swear he could hear their murmuring and laughter like a faraway conversation you could just barely hear carried by the wind. He got the feeling he was being laughed at, and he smiled.
“You’re right. We’re sunflowers. Of course we’d only seek the sun,” Peter said. “I just wish he’d spend a little more time with us. His rays always feel so good but it’s not enough for you to grow properly.”
The murmuring returns, this time a little sadder.
“I know. And I promise to replant you every year, just as I always have,” Peter said, tears filling his eyes. Most fairies could keep their heart flowers alive year round, but Peter was still young, and without the blessing of a god, he didn’t have the power to sustain them. Instead, his heart flowers would go to seed each year and he would replant them with the seasons, continuing the bloodline of the flower that birthed him. It was the way of the natural world though, so Peter couldn’t complain. Even if it meant the winter months got extra lonely sometimes.
One quiet summer night though, as he gazed at the full moon, Peter whispered a quiet prayer to the moon goddess. He knew it was a long shot. She was a busy goddess and fairies typically did not fall under her domain, but maybe, just maybe, she would be willing to put a good word in with her brother. Maybe he would grant Peter the strength to keep them alive this year.
When still the sun hid behind the clouds and fall started closing in, Peter sighed sadly but continued his devotionals, basking in the little sun that broke through, and tending his sad looking sunflowers. He tried to cheer them up, but they were too closely tied to him, and his sorrow caused them to droop.
“I’m sorry, my friends,” he told them, gently petting their leaves. “Next year will be better though. I’ll work harder and we’ll have the grandest meadow.”
Each day, the sun rose and set and each day, Peter tracked Stark's journey across the sky. It wasn't as happy an existence as some of the other fairies had, but Peter made do as best as he could until one day he drew the attention of the god Beck. Peter disliked the god, as he was careless with his powers and often ruined meadows as often as his breezes tended them. The few times a fairy had said something, Beck claimed it all an accident, but those same fairies all suffered damaged meadows during the stormy season. Peter couldn't prove anything, but it seemed pretty damning when none of Beck's devotees had such issues despite having meadows near the others. Thus Peter was determined to not get involved with the capricious god.
Only the god had decided that would not do.
"Come now, little fairy, why do you ignore me in your devotions?" Beck asked one fall day as Peter tended his meadow.
"I am a sunflower fairy, sir. Like the flower I am born from, my face will always look towards the sun," Peter replied as he continued to work.
"Your sun hardly shines even here at the top of the mountain," Beck said.
"My meadow gets enough," Peter replied, still refusing to fully acknowledge the god.
"I could fix it, you know," Beck said, the arrogance in his voice grating on Peter's nerves. "It would be a simple thing to blow away the clouds for the light to shine down."
Peter didn't respond at first. Sure, the extra light would do his meadow good, but it wasn't just the rays he wanted to bask in. He wanted Stark's blessing.
"I appreciate the offer, sir, but my devotion is to the sun god, as a sunflower fairy should be," Peter said firmly.
"Have it your way, little fairy," Beck said with a scowl. "But don't come begging to me when your precious flowers don't get what they need."
Peter swallowed hard but didn't say anything as the god left. He'd weathered storms before, he could do it again. But just in case, he made sure to pull extra seeds from his heart flowers, protecting them by buying them deep at a hidden spot near the edge of his field. Then he set about trying to lay as many protections around the small meadow as he could.
The rest of fall passed quietly, and Peter thought maybe the wind god had forgotten him, though he continued to build up his protections for his field against the coming winter storms.
When winter hit, he realized he had been wrong. Beck had not forgotten him. Rather, the god had been saving up his ire and vengeance, unleashing storm after storm with Peter's meadow directly in his path.
Peter was forced to retreat into the forest, unable to even try to endure with his poor plants. As he fled, he whispered soft farewells, caressing their leaves and petals one last time. Then he hid, tucked away with a wood sprite named Ned for the winter, venturing out again only when spring had come and the storms were truly gone.
The devastation to his home and his heart flowers nearly broke him. Peter fell to the dirt and simply cried, unable to even appreciate the brilliant warm sun that shone down in his meadow that day.
He was so distraught he didn't even notice when another joined him in the meadow.
"Gotta say when Pepper said I needed to come meet the fairy here, I wasn't expecting to be on emotional comfort duty," a voice said dryly. "I'm afraid it's not my strong suit."
Peter's head whipped up in disbelief, eyes going wide at the sight of Stark standing before him. For a brief moment, Peter's heart leapt because his message had gotten through and his god was here. The elation crumbled to shame just as quickly as Peter took in his ruined meadow.
"I'm sorry, sire," Peter whispered, eyes firmly back on the ground, unable to face his god like this. "My offerings to you were destroyed."
"Offerings?" Stark asked curiously.
"I'm a sunflower fairy, and I was trying to grow more in my meadow as offerings to you," Peter explained. "Bu- but they were destroyed. My heart plants were destroyed."
Peter couldn't stop the sobs that shook his body as he knelt in the barren plot. If only his message had gotten through sooner, or if hadn't drawn the attention of Beck, then he could have finally asked for Stark's blessing. Could have finally not been the only one.
"What happened to them, little one?" Stark asked. Peter hesitated briefly before he decided he could hardly look more foolish at this point. So he told Stark about his meadow and how it never got quite enough sun and how Beck had offered to fix things.
"When winter came, my meadow didn't stand a chance," Peter said quietly. "I tried, I really did, sire, but there were too many storms."
"This wasn't your fault, little one," Stark said gently, putting a finger under Peter's chin and forcing him to look up. "Devotion cannot be forced or it is false and worth nothing. Your devotion is a pure gift that he was jealous of and I'm sorry I did not make time to come sooner. But I will make time now, little one. Replant your heart seeds, and I will make sure your sunflowers reach the very skies."
"But what about Beck, sire?" Peter couldn't help but ask nervously. However, Stark just smiled and laid a kiss on Peter's head in benediction.
"I will take care of him, my little one."
Stark disappeared in a flash of brilliant light, and Peter wondered if he had imagined the whole thing, however, he did what Stark said. He dug up his seeds and diligently replanted them.
Later, as he was gathering water for his troughs, he caught sight of his reflection. Where Stark had placed his blessing, his hair was no longer nut brown, but was instead a sunkissed gold. Peter stared in shock for a few minutes before gathering himself and getting back to work with more enthusiasm. The other fairies could say what they would when they saw the mark, but Peter was a sunflower fairy, and he belonged to Stark.
Epilogue
Peter didn't see Stark again all Spring or the beginning of summer but he saw proof of his presence and proof the god was keeping his promise. The earth under his meadow was the most fertile it had ever been and in a true act of god- specifically the earth god- Peter's meadow had even been given natural protections against the winds and storms. Windbreaks and ledges that hadn't been there before now sheltered his heart flowers without blocking their sun.
Water also bubbled up naturally in a nearby spring that Peter knew had never existed before. He encased it in stone, creating a shallow pool to draw water from as he needed. Given their gifts, Peter made sure to leave thank yous for Fury and Loki, though he had a feeling Stark had called in a favor for such a large gift to be given to such a young and obscure fairy like him.
The best part, though, was the extra sun. Stark burned the clouds away every day, showering Peter's meadow in warm sunlight. Peter felt like a cat with how much he curled up in the warm rays, basking in his god's second hand presence.
His flowers murmured happily in the back of his mind, their faces always turned towards the sun as they grew taller and taller. For once, his flowers grew taller than him, and Peter couldn’t help telling them again and again how proud he was of them. How beautiful they were.
As summer was nearing its height, Stark came to visit again. This time, Peter was proud to show off his meadow and sunflowers that reached as tall as 5 year trees.
"It's beautiful, little one," Stark said, admiring the tallest flowers.
"Peter. My name is Peter, and if I've pleased you with my offerings, perhaps you'd leave your blessings on my heart flowers as well," Peter said, his heart beating out of his chest. "So that there might be more sunflower fairies."
"Peter, huh," Tony said, giving the fairy a brilliant smile. "It would be my pleasure. Let's start with just two though. I hear you were quite the handful as a budling and I doubt anyone else will know how to handle a sunflower fairy quite so well as you."
Peter flushed but still smiled brightly back, making Tony chuckle. The fairy watched with bated breath as Tony approached the biggest of his heart flowers and placed a gentle kiss on the first.
"Take good care of him for me, little bud. He needs a good, strong friend that will understand him," Tony whispered before moving to the next.
"Bring him joy and sun when the clouds cover my rays. Like a piece of the sun itself, shine brilliantly and never be dimmed," Tony charged the second.
Then he stepped back and turned to Peter again.
"I will come visit in the spring, my Peter. I look forward to meeting the budlings then," Tony said. He cupped Peter's face gently and placed another kiss on the fairy's hair. It was tempting to leave a second mark but Pepper had scolded him enough about the first, so he behaved.
Then he lifted Peter's face until their noses touched.
"Be well, my little sun, and be happy until I see you again."
Peter flushed a bright red, looking nearly sunburnt, which Tony supposed was rather fitting. As he was about to pull back and leave, his little fairy surprised him with a soft kiss of his own.
"My face will always be turned towards you. Be happy and well, sire," Peter said.
"Tony, you can call me Tony," he said in response. Then he stole one last kiss before slipping away on the nearest ray of sun.