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Tony shivered from where he was working in the lab and Peter glanced over, “I’m fine.”
“Maybe you should go get a sweater? You have goosebumps all up your arms.” Peter observed from where he was working on his homework.
Tony cleared his throat. He felt like he was dehydrated but he had been drinking a lot of fluids, “You know what? Let’s shut it down for the night. It’s getting late.”
“It’s 6:30pm.” Peter frowned, “Who have you become?”
Tony sighed, “Fine. We can keep working.”
“No.” Peter shook his head closing his book, “It’s fine. Honestly. I’m starving anyway.”
“Oh good.” Tony nodded, “We can order something.”
“Maybe soup for your sore throat.” Peter pointed out.
“I don’t…”
“You keep clearing your throat.”
“I do not.” Tony argued.
“You’re impossible.” Peter rolled his eyes, “Just admit you’re not feeling 100%.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m fine.” Tony snapped.
Peter rolled his eyes, “Friday?”
“Boss has a fever. I believe he’s experiencing signs of the common cold or flu.”
“Traitor.” Tony coughed into his arm. No need to hide it now, “Fine. The more the day has gone on the worse I have felt. I don’t know what it is. I have to be coming down with something but we don’t have time for that. Christmas is around the corner.
“We have plenty of time before Christmas and besides that it’s not like you can help when you get sick.” Peter rolled his eyes, “Let’s go upstairs and you can rest.”
“Yeah. Whatever, Kid.” Tony followed Peter upstairs.
~
Peter brought Tony a bottle of water and left it on his nightstand next to where the genius lay in bed asleep. He then went out to the living room and settled on the couch to watch the whole Prep and Landing series.
During the second episode he heard the elevator ping and he glanced behind him, “Hi Pepper.”
“Hi honey. Where’s Tony?” Pepper smiled as she took off her winter gear.
“He’s asleep. He’s not feeling well.” Peter explained as he paused his movies.
“I knew he wasn’t feeling well this morning but he kept telling me he was just tired because he hadn’t slept well.” Pepper walked over and ruffled Peter’s hair, “Thanks for always looking out for him.”
“It’s not big deal.” Peter hid a soft smile by looking down at his phone.
“Did you eat dinner?”
“No offense but there isn’t a lot of food here and I didn’t want to just order food without asking and I didn’t want to wake Mr. Stark.” Peter shrugged, “But I’m fine.”
Pepper frowned, “I doubt that. I know how much you can eat in a day. We have groceries being delivered tomorrow but for now how about I order us some pizza?”
Peter didn’t hide his grin at this, “I would love that.”
“Friday? Can you order our usual for pizza? Oh and soup for Tony.” Pepper asked the AI.
“On it.” Friday confirmed.
“I’m going to shower and get in comfy clothes and then I’ll come watch Christmas movies with you.”
~
Pepper kissed Tony’s forehead waking him up gently, “Hi baby. You need to get up to eat something and drink some fluids.”
Tony groaned and rolled over, “Ten more minutes.”
Pepper smiled, “Fine, but I’m coming back after my shower.”
“Fine.” Tony mumbled already half asleep again.
~
Tony and Pepper made their way to the living room as Peter was carrying the pizza into the penthouse from where it had been delivered.
“Oh hi guys.” Peter smiled, “Friday told me the pizza was in the lobby so I went and signed for it.”
“Thanks Bubba.” Tony told the teenager, “Sorry I left you alone all day.”
“Oh, I was fine.” Peter waved off his mentor’s concern, “You feeling any better?”
“Not really but Pepper made me get up to eat something.” Tony rolled his eyes.
“He has to eat.” Pepper defended herself.
“I survived being sick alone by myself for years.” Tony argued, “Without anyone waking me up to eat or drink fluids.”
“No. I was still there those years.” Pepper laughed.
Peter listened to them bicker with a smile. It was all in good nature and no one really had any heat to their words.
Tony’s phone rang as they were still going on about if Pepper had always taken care of Tony Stark or not, “Hi May.”
“Tony. Hi. I just got to your place in California but I can’t get in. You said Friday would let me in but I don’t think she’s working.” May sounded stressed, “I could go to a hotel but it’s almost Christmas and I’m sure they are all booked.”
“Hang on.” Tony pulled out his phone, “I’m opening the garage now. I’ll check on Friday when I get back to the lab but for the time being their should be keys on the hook in the garage you can use or just grab the garage opener from one of the cars there.”
“Okay. Sorry.” May exhaled slowly, “I don’t know why I’m freaking out.”
“Me neither. You’re going to be fine.”
“I hate working in hospitals I don’t know but they were short staffed and it was good money.” May sighed, “I hate leaving Peter though.”
“We’re fine. You’re fine. Everyone is fine.” Tony betrayed his words by coughing into his sleeve.
“Are you fine?” May asked.
“Just a bit of a cold. Pepper has it under control.” Tony teased.
“Drink fluids—“
“—And rest.” Tony finished.
“Hug Peter from me and tell him I’ll call him before bed. I’ll be home for Christmas too. I promise.” May said before disconnecting the call.
“May said to hug you.” Tony told Peter.
“Don’t touch me with your germs.” Peter stuck his tongue out at his mentor.
“You see what I put up with?” Tony asked Pepper.
“I think you give as good as you get.” She responded before pulling Peter in for a hug, “Now that Peter’s had a hug—Let’s eat.”
~
Peter woke up to an upset stomach. He groaned and tried to roll over but the pains in stomach were demanding attention. He got out of bed and stumbled to the bathroom across the hall.
Peter made it into the bathroom in time to retch into the toilet. He sat down on the floor as his body shook from how cold he was. He wanted May but May was out of town. He didn’t want to wake Mr. Stark who was sick too, “Friday. Can you get Pepper, please?”
Pepper was out of bed within seconds of Friday explaining the situation. She made her way down the hallway and found Peter in the bathroom, “Hi Pete. I hear Tony might have shared his germs with you?”
“I’m freezing and my stomach hurts.”
“Fri, temp?” Pepper asked quietly.
“101.4.” Friday supplied.
“You’re actually warm. You’re running a fever so you feel cold. You think you can get back into bed?” Pepper asked the teenager.
“Yeah.” Peter stood up on wobbly legs, “I’m going to be okay, right?”
Pepper hugged the teenager where they stood, “It’s just a bug. I promise you’ll be okay.”
Peter settled back into bed, “I hate being alone when I’m sick. I didn’t want to wake Mr. Stark whose already sick. I’m sorry. I know you have work in the morning.”
Pepper sat on the edge of the bed, “None of that. I’ll stay with you until you fall back asleep.”
~
Pepper woke up the next morning and knew the bug had hit her too. She was now freezing as well, “Friday? Am I running a fever?”
“Indeed.” Friday confirmed.
“Sorry, Babe.” Tony sighed, “I guess I took you down too.”
“And Peter.” She buried under the blankets again and cuddled close to Tony. No use avoiding germs now.
“He hates being sick.” Tony sighed, “He gets freaked out because when he was a kid he would struggle with his asthma and his body had a hard time fighting things off.”
“He woke up me early this morning because he was throwing up. I hope he’s still asleep.”
“I’m not.” Peter was in the doorway with a blanket wrapped around his shoulders, “Friday said you guys were awake and sick and I didn’t want to be sick alone if you were going to be sick together.”
“Get in here.” Tony and Pepper scooted over and Peter was soon laying in the middle of them.
Tony felt a Spider-Baby lay his head against his chest. He sighed in contentment. He didn’t know his life was missing something until Peter Parker walked in. Now he couldn’t imagine living any other way.
~
Tony woke up to a ringing phone, “Pep.”
“Not mine.” Pepper mumbled.
Tony grumbled as he opened his eyes. It was Peter’s. He reached out and answered it quietly, “Peter Parker is sick. Call back later.”
“OH MY GOSH. IS THIS THE IRON MAN?” Ned asked excited, “YOU ARE MY HERO, MAN.”
“Cool. Cool. I’m glad to hear that. I promise we can do lunch sometime but right now my head is pounding and you’re a lot.” Tony only had his eyes cracked open, “Ted I assume?”
“That’s not my name but you can call me whatever you want.” Ned was smiling so big his cheeks hurt.
“We’re all sick. Call us back in 3-7 business days.” Tony said.
Ned nodded before realizing he should verbally respond, “Peter’s scared of getting sick. He hates being alone because of when he was—“
“—A kid.” Tony finished, “I’m on it. I promise.”
“Of course you are, Sir. I didn’t mean to imply otherwise.” Ned’s tone was apologetic.
“You’re a good friend, Ned. You have loved Peter Parker longer than I have. You get the right to tell me when I might mess up something. But he’s currently sleep sandwiched between Pepper and I so I promise he’s not alone.”
“Okay, but tell him to call me if he needs me.” Ned told the genius.
“I will, Ted.” Tony promised, “I’m hanging up.”
~
Peter woke up to an empty bed. He started to cough and was soon wheezing. He glanced around in a panic but his inhaler was at home. He hardly ever needed it.
“I’ve alerted the boss, Peter. Just try and take deep slow breaths.” Friday told him.
Tony was in the room in seconds, “C’mon. To the MedBay with ya.”
Peter nodded as he struggled to breathe. Now was not the time to play tough.
Dr. Cho had an inhaler ready when they walked in and Peter took two deep inhales with it, “Better?”
Peter took several deep clearer breaths while nodding.
“Is everyone sick?” Dr. Cho asked Tony.
He nodded.
“At least you are all miserable together.” She teased, “Keep that inhaler. Use it every 4-6 hours as needed. If you struggle to breathe then I want you back up here.”
“Yes ma’am.” Peter agreed.
~
The Iron Family spent the rest of the day cuddled on the couch watching Christmas movies.
Peter was leaning against Tony, “Did you talk to Ned this morning? He texted me that it’s the best day of his life.”
“Yeah. I did. He’s a good one. I really like him.” Tony ruffled Peter’s hair.
“I do too.” Peter smiled, “You really think we can all get lunch sometime?”
“After Christmas and when we’re all healthy.” Tony nodded.
“Shh.” Pepper hushed them, “I like this movie.”
“Pepper?” Peter turned to her, “Thanks for taking care of me early this morning.”
“Oh sweetie—You’re welcome.” Pepper reached out to squeeze his hand.
“What about me?” Tony glared at his mentee.
“Love you, Mr. Stark.” Peter reached out to hug his mentor.
Tony hugged him back, “Love you, Roo.”