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Tony and Pepper were wrapping presents Christmas Eve with the glow of the Christmas tree shimmering around them and Christmas music playing softly in the background. Tony’s phone rang with Peter Parker’s contact info, “Hi Roo.”
“Mr. Stark?” Peter was crying.
“Pete? What’s going on?”
“May had to work and I told her it was fine and I would be okay but I just feel so lonely and everyone is happy. Social media is just annoying.” Peter sniffled.
Pepper was watching him and Tony knew he was not allowed to fuck this up. He was trying to be a good mentor to the kid but this went a little outside that range. How was he supposed to help a crying teenager? “Did you try calling Ned?”
Pepper gave him a look that said he’s in big trouble.
“What?” Peter wiped at his eyes with the sleeve of his sweater, “No. I called you. Ned is out of the country with his family.”
“Oh. Right.” Tony was struggling here.
Pepper his his shoulder.
He was no longer getting lucky tonight it would seem, “Do you want me to send Happy to pick you up? Pepper and I are wrapping gifts but you can come keep us company.”
“You don’t mind?”
“No. Of course not.”
“Okay.”
~
The elevator opened a short while later and Peter Parker walked into the penthouse looking a bit unsure of himself. He hung out in the doorway.
Pepper tilted her head at Tony who just gave her a look, “Hi Peter. Do you want to come join us? Tony is hopeless at wrapping anyway. Maybe you can help him?”
“I am not hopeless.” Tony rolled his eyes, “I just don’t think it’s a competition of who can wrap the best.”
“You would not win.” Peter looked at the attempted wrapping job near Tony, “But I can help. May taught me how to wrap.”
“See. You two keep wrapping. I’m going to make us all hot cocoa.” Pepper kissed the top of Peter’s head as she walked out of the room causing the boy’s cheeks to go red.
“You didn’t want me to come over, right?” Peter asked after they worked in silence for a while.
“Why would you ask that?” Tony asked the kid, “I invited you didn’t I?”
“Yeah but you just keep looking at me like I’m a problem you need to solve.”
“I’m just not the best with people. I’m trying to be a good mentor to you but I feel like I’m always one step away from messing everything up.” Tony glanced at the bow in front of him, “How did that get three loops?”
“How about you let me wrap and you supervise?” Peter giggled.
“You think that my wrapping is something to laugh about, do you?” Tony balled up some wrapping paper and flung it at his mentee, “Laugh about that.”
“Anthony Edward Stark. That is not how we treat our guests.” Pepper scolded coming into the room.
“He started it.”
Peter rolled his eyes as he grabbed a new roll of wrapping paper, “He’s just upset because he isn’t the best at something.”
“This isn’t a contest!” Tony sputtered, “The two of you are bullies.”
“Drink your hot chocolate.” Pepper passed him a mug, “It’ll make you feel better about your lackluster skills.”
~
After Tony got back from taking Peter home he picked up some of the scraps of wrapping paper that had been leftover from wrapping. The tree had numerous presents under it. It was Christmas Eve evening and he realized he had made a error in judgement. He had not gotten Peter anything for Christmas. He wasn’t sure he could do anything about it with stores closed at this point.
“You coming to bed?” Pepper came out in her Christmas pajamas.
“I didn’t get Peter a gift.” Tony sighed, “What am I going to do?”
“As always I am one step ahead of you and I picked out presents for Peter.” Pepper reassured, “I wrapped them days ago and they are hidden in our bedroom because I wasn’t sure if he would be over to work in the lab with you.”
“How are you so good at this? I feel like I’m fumbling along.”
“You’re so worried about what your role should look like to Peter that you overthink yourself. I just let myself love him.” Pepper hugged Tony, “You have to relax. You are not going to mess him up. You’re a good man Tony Stark.”
~
Tony made his way out of bed early the next morning finding Pepper already awake and Peter Parker sitting his his living room with her, “Didn’t I take you home last night?”
Peter looked at Pepper who squeezed his hand.
“I picked him up this morning because May texted me that she got called into work and was wondering if we’d keep him company.” Pepper explained.
“I can go home—“
“—No one said that.” Tony reassured.
Peter just pulled further into himself. He felt like he was always on the edge of upsetting his mentor. Maybe coming over two days in a row was a mistake.
“Tony.” Pepper warned.
He cleared his throat, “Sorry, kid. I’m really glad you’re here. I just don’t always handle emotions well. I normally make breakfast Christmas morning if you want to come help me.”
“Not before stockings!” Pepper reminded, “Traditions are not to be broken.”
“But—“ Tony glanced at the kid. He didn’t want Peter to feel left out while they opened stockings.
Pepper gestured to the fireplace. A new stocking had been added this morning with the name Peter crocheted across it in his signature blue and red colors.
His wife was a angel and a genius.
Pepper got up and passed stockings out.
Peter held onto his for a minute just soaking this in. He was at Tony and Pepper Starks home for Christmas. He had a stocking here. This felt unreal. He cleared his throat and started pulling items out of the stocking.
~
“Um Mr. Stark?” Peter came into the lab, “You need any help?”
“Oh. I could actually. Your web shooters are annoying me.”
Peter relaxed at this. He could handle working on his web shooters. He had designed them after all, “Why are we changing them?”
“I was bored.” Tony shrugged, “And things can always be better, right?”
“Sure.” Peter took a seat next to him and glanced at the new design concept, “This won’t work.”
“Yes, it will.” Tony argued.
“Why do I need webs that act as a taser?”
“You fight bad guys.” Tony rolled his eyes.
“You told me to focus on being the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.” Peter reminded.
“When do you ever listen?”
“If Pepper talks.”
“Brat.” Tony teased.
“Maybe we fix your suit instead?” Peter suggested, “It’s a bit outdated.”
“What are you saying about my design?” Tony glanced at his mentee with his arms crossed over his chest.
“It’s just been a while since you made a new one is all.”
“Pepper won’t let me.” Tony sighed, “She thinks it was becoming unhealthy.”
“But she doesn’t mind if we make more suits for me?” Peter asked.
“Oh. No. She is all about making all sorts of things to keep you safe.” Tony reassured, “She loves you, kid. We both do.”
“Oh.” Peter smiled, “I guess we can work on mine then.”