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Tony smiled as he got Peter into his floats. He was going to have a fun day at the pool with his son after almost losing his life again. He was glad Fury didn’t try to recruit him for the Avengers. He wouldn’t have time to care for his son that he was already trying to keep out of the media and the Avengers. He barely had time to save the day and work for his company. Well, own a company technically. He wasn’t a CEO anymore so that gave him some more time to spend with his son when he could. Now Peter was with him for the summer while Mary was away at some conference with Richard. Peter was talking about all the fun he had with them when he went to Washington DC.
“Mom even took me to a science museum,” Peter explained to him as they walked this pull. Happy was already relaxing as was Pepper who had the day off for once. Peter continued talking as he looked at the pool smiling. Tony looked at the water and seemed to test it with his toe but something about the water seemed to make him uneasy. Which was weird since he took a shower fine. He let Peter get into the water and stayed by the edge as Pepper sat by him chatting with him when Peter splashed him with water. Tony felt his lungs tighten and he felt his breath go shallow but he just got up and said he needed a second. Pepper was concerned but she got in the pool to distract Peter. Tony walked into the other room and felt his breath still not where he should be as he saw black dots in his vision. He didn’t even really know where he was.
“Tony,” Happy asked. He knew it was Tony but he couldn’t talk as he worked on getting his breathing back but it wasn’t working.
“Breathe in,” Happy said. Tony did as he was told and Happy told him to breathe out and he followed suit. He continued following Happy’s directions until he was back in focus. Tony felt a towel around him as he looked at Happy surprised.
“The kid sent me to make sure his dad was okay,” Happy explained. Tony nodded as he walked back out only to be stopped by Happy.
“Give yourself a bit then you can go back out for a bit. Peter doesn’t need to see his dad like this yet. He doesn’t need to be grown up yet,” Happy said. Tony knew that but he also knew if Happy was sent in by Peter that Peter was already worried about him.
“I know,” Tony said. Before he could go out though, Peter and Pepper were coming in. Peter seemed concerned.
“Daddy, are you okay?” Peter asked. Tony just looked at his kid and pulled him into a hug.
“I’m fine, I just needed a moment to collect myself,” Tony said.
“We don’t have to go swimming,” Peter said. “I would rather work in the lab or build legos.” Tony knew his kid was taking him into consideration.
“I don’t want you to miss out,” Tony said.
“I want to spend time with my dad, not at the pool,” Peter told him. Tony felt his heart swell. He knew Mary had started giving Peter the option to come or not but now that he said what Tony already knew was that Peter wanted to be with his dad because he enjoyed spending time with him not because of his money or the gifts he bought his son. He enjoyed having his father in his life.
“Come here,” Tony said, pulling his kid into his arms and holding him close. Peter held him as well and hugged him and never wanted to let him go. He had to though because he felt his kid shivering from still being wet in the house.
“Go grab a shower, Roo,” Tony said. “Then we can cuddle with a blanket, some popcorn, and a movie.”
“Star Wars?” Peter asked. Tony paused before deciding to nod. He would let his kid watch Star Wars every night just for some cuddles with him. He loved his son and was proud of the young boy. Peter nodded and hurried up to get a shower as Pepper sent Tony to do so as well. Tony went to argue but Pepper wasn’t letting him play that so he did what he was told. Pepper and Rhodey were probably the only two that Tony would listen to. Tony came back out to Peter cuddled in a blanket. He joined his kid as they cuddled up to each other and he had FRIDAY turn on the movie. Peter read along with the words as they rose on the screen. He quoted most of the movie and Tony knew he could as well but he just used his son’s voice as a way to stay in the world and not fall back to that time when he was torn from his son and torn from the family he had found. Obbie had betrayed him and let him not trust anyone but with Peter he had every trust in the world. The kid was his future. He didn’t always think he would be a good father but Peter always proved him wrong and showed him that he knew what he was doing better than his own father.
Starks are made of Iron.
Something he grew up with was true. He was made of Iron. He grew from his experience in the desert and yet today a little water on his face had lead him into a memory of terror. Tony kissed Peter’s forehead as his kid made a noise and said he was too old for that.
“Oh so ten year olds are too old to be kissed on the head by their dads?” Tony teased.
“Yep,” Peter said before shhhing his dad and continuing to quote along with Luke Skywalker. Tony just smiled. Yeah he was still having panic attacks from the time he was lost but now he had the life he wanted and a family that understood him. Specifically a son who wanted him in his life. If Pepper later found the two asleep after the movie was over. She never said anything but she did have FRIDAY get a picture of Tony and Peter. For a day when Tony would be down so he always knew he had his little boy to think about.