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//The stars belong in the deep night sky and the moon belongs there too, and the winds belong in each place they blow by and I belong here with you. //
"Dad?"
A quiet voice awoke Tony Stark, who had accidentally fallen asleep in his lab again. He blinked rapidly, trying to get rid of the black dots in the corners of his vision. Once he spotted a small figure in the doorway, he yawned. "Hey, kiddo. What're you doing up?"
A sleepy, four-year-old Peter stood with his big doe eyes drooping and one hand clutching a blue blanket. His chubby cheeks glistened from the tears he had previously cried. His little feet padded across the floor once his father opened his arms. "I can't sleep."
Tony frowned at his son's words and hoisted Peter to sit comfortably in his lap. Peter cuddled into his shoulder, wrapping his arms around Tony's neck. "Awe, bud. Was it another nightmare?"
Peter made a noise of discomfort, confirming Tony's thoughts. The inventor stood up slowly, tightening his grip around Peter before exiting his lab. "JARVIS, hold the plans for invention thirty six dash four until tomorrow and lock up everything, will ya?"
"Will do, sir."
Tony walked through the tower and took the elevator to one of the upper floors. "Hey, kiddo, I know what will make you feel better."
Peter adjusted his body to see where his dad was taking him. His nose scrunched up. "Where we going, Dad?"
"A secret hideout," he whispered, widening Peter's eyes.
"Really?"
"Really," Tony confirmed with a smile, and it grew when the elevator dinged. "I've been meaning to bring you up here, buddy. This is my observatory."
"What's an ob-swerv-obsert—"
"Observatory," Tony pronounced for his son gently and smiled again. "And it's a place to study the stars. JARVIS?"
On command, the ceiling above the two opened. For once, the night sky, usually covered by skyscrapers, was visible. Bright stars sparkled against a black sheet, and if it was possible, Peter's eyes went rounder in awe.
The haunting memories of his nightmare faded, replaced by Tony lying on a couch with Peter curled on his side and a blanket draped over them. The older man happily pointed out the constellations he recognized, and Peter squealed when he could make out the Big Dipper.
Tony kept the little boy occupied until he dozed off, Peter's thumb stuck under the roof of his mouth. "JARVIS, please close the roof. I don't want Peter to catch a cold," he tiredly whispered, wanting to sleep.
"Of course, sir," the AI replied quietly, doing as it was told and even turning on the heat in the enormous area.
Before Tony knew it, he also fell asleep, and when Pepper found her husband the following day, her face softened. Seeing her son clinging to Tony with everything he had just proved Peter belonged right by his father's side.
//The whales and the fishes belong in the sea and the waves belong by the shore, and the dune's where the grasses belong to be because grasses are what dunes are for.//
"Mommy, look at this one!" an excited seven-year-old Peter yelled. His curly brown hair was pushed back from swimming in the ocean, and his skinny body was clad in an old T-shirt and swim shorts.
Pepper smiled at her son as he bounced over, not caring how his toes squished in the sand. "Look at it," he repeated, opening his hand to reveal a small white shell. "It's a coffee bean trivia!"
"I see that," Pepper acknowledged with a laugh. He had spent the entire flight to Hawaii memorizing the different types of shells in a book Happy had gotten for him. "Do you want to put it with the others?"
Peter nodded happily and carefully placed it into the pale Pepper held out to him. "I'm going to try to find more of those," he told her with a toothy grin. "Then I can show them to Dad! He drinks coffee a lot, so he'll like those the best."
Pepper laughed again at Peter's deduction and watched him as he waded a few feet into the water. The truth was, any shell Peter brought to Tony would be the man's new favorite. He loved anything Peter gave him.
When the pale filled up and Peter was satisfied with every shell he discovered, he grabbed his mom's hand. Together, they returned to the cabana, where their stuff was lying on a towel.
Tony was sprawled out in a lounge chair with sunglasses over his brown eyes. He had dozed off from the sunlight beams providing a comforting warmth, hearing Peter laughing happily whenever a fish swam around his feet.
The thought of Peter and Pepper enjoying time in Hawaii made him smile. He had called the sudden vacation when the workload at SI started to overwhelm him. He had been forced to spend less time with Peter and more time in business meetings, and this vacation was to make it up to him. It was also to give Pepper a break; he knew she was stressed from being the CEO.
"Dad, Dad!" his son's voice woke him up instantly, but he didn't open his eyes, so he chose to play a game. "Awe, man, he's asleep," he heard him pout, and he almost cracked his lips into a smile. Almost.
Tony felt a finger poke his cheek. "Dad," Peter loudly whispered and poked his father's dimple again. "Dad, are you dead?"
"Who's Dad?" Tony lowered his voice to sound scarier and could imagine the amusement on Pepper's face when he heard her chuckle. "I'm the zombie president—here to eat your brains!"
His arms sprung out, making Peter jump. A squeal escaped the child as Tony playfully wrestled with him, locking him in a tight hug. "Dad," Peter complained, but there was a grin on his face that resembled his mother's. He squirmed, "Let me go! I wanna show you what I got!"
Tony dramatically sighed, loosening his arms so Peter could break free. "I guess, kiddo. What'd ya get?"
"Mom helped me find some shells on the beach!" he gushed and stood up with sand on his knees to access the bucket Pepper held out to him. Tony sat up to pay close attention when Peter dumped them out and started to ramble about each one. "I got these for you," he picked up five smaller shells. "I'm pretty sure they're Coffee Bean Trivia—even though they're usually native to Southwest Florida. Their official name is Niveria pediculus, but I like calling them coffee beans because you like coffee..."
Tony smiled to himself at his son's intelligence and thoughtfulness. Peter had a heartfelt reason behind every decision, which made pride swell in Tony's chest. His kid was a good kid.
"Do you like them?" Peter asked hopefully, his eyes shining.
"Peter, I absolutely love them."
//And the trees belong in the wild wood and the deer belong in their shade, and the birds belong so safe and good and warm in the nests that they've made.//
"Peter, slow down!"
An eleven-year-old Peter couldn't help but laugh at the worry in his dad's tone, standing on a big, grey rock.
After the weary Battle of New York, and Tony safely arrived at a frantic Pepper and a scared Peter, Tony promised to take Peter away for a weekend to catch up.
Letting the boy choose the locations wasn't the best idea, Tony thought, until he saw Peter admiring the view of the Smokey Mountains. Peter had chosen to go camping in Tennessee, wanting to feel true fresh air away from the city.
"What, Iron Man can't keep up?" Peter teased, watching his dad shoot him a glare from the walking trail. Truthfully, Peter was nothing but proud of his father's actions as Iron Man. Ever since he could remember, Tony was always his hero—and finally, the world was seeing him in that light as well.
"You're gonna give Iron Man a heart attack," Tony grumbled, making Peter chuckle again. "Get down before you hurt yourself! The last thing I need is a trip to the hospital. Your mom will kill me."
"Oh come on, Dad, nothing will beat her reaction from when you built me a mini-suit," Peter replied but listened and climbed down while Tony shuddered.
"Yeah, I learned my lesson on that one," Tony agreed, remembering the rage in Pepper's eyes as she ranted about the potential hazards.
"But still, let's try to keep you in one piece, yeah?"
Peter nodded, a smile still on his face, before the two started to walk along the trail again. The sun shone between the tall green trees, and a creek trickled along stones below. It was a newfound peace Peter never felt, and he made a mental note to make this a yearly tradition. Time away from the city was good for the soul.
"Peter, look," Tony suddenly whispered, and the boy paused mid stride.
"What's wrong?"
"No, no, keep your voice down," Tony shushed him and pointed to a bundle of bushes off the past. "Look behind that tree, but don't make a sound."
Peter followed his father's gaze and squinted to see what could be so exciting. Then his eyes widened. Calmly munching on some leaves, were three deer. One male, Peter observed the long antlers sprouting from by its ears, a female and a little baby.
"That is so cool," Peter reacted quietly and Tony chuckled under his breath. "They're a cute little family."
"Are you watching the fawn?" Tony asked, eyes locked on the smallest deer. "It's acting like you."
"You know, normally I'd be offended," Peter said first, seeing the baby energetically pouncing on some grass, "but you're right, so I can't really argue."
Tony laughed and straightened his back. "Do you wanna keep going, kiddo?"
"Depends," Peter stated, turning away from the deer with his face breaking out into a mischievous grin. "Can you handle the rest of the hike, old man?"
Tony narrowed his eyes. "I'll have you know your old man defeated an alien invasion."
"Whatever helps you sleep at night, Dad."
//And you belong where you love to be and after each day is through, you will always belong right next to me and I'll belong next to you.//
Tony couldn't believe the sight before him.
Peter—his fifteen-year-old son— stood with pale cheeks and sweat dripping from his forehead. But nothing could hide the mask scrunched in Peter's hand or the familiar red and blue suit Tony had spotted swinging by on the news channels clothing his body.
"Dad, I," Peter started weakly, seeing the stunned expression on Tony's face and the panic settling in. "I-I messed up."
At once, Tony forgot about Spider-Man. He didn't care that Peter lied about being the vigilante or how his previous interactions with the webslinger were part of a huge fraud. Right now, his son looked completely terrified—tears gathering in his usually shining brown eyes. And Tony needed to make sure he was okay.
Tony rushed over, pulling Peter into his embrace as he finally broke down. He held the back of his head against his chest, Peter sobbing into his shoulder. His body shook, even in Tony's arms, and his vision completely blurred.
"You're okay, kiddo," he soothed in his son's ear, and they both slowly sat on the ground in the middle of Peter's bedroom. "You're okay, you're safe now."
His mind was buzzing from the situation, especially because he just discovered his child had freaking superpowers that rivaled those of Captain America. But most of all, Tony was scared of what rattled Peter so badly. He hated seeing his son upset, much less this completely broken.
But he didn't pester him with questions or yell at the dangers of being a hero. He just held Peter, letting him cry until only small hiccups escaped his mouth. He ran a hand of comfort through the boy's curls, only pausing when Peter whimpered.
"Why aren't you mad at me?"
The words pierced the air, and a million thoughts sprang to Tony's mind. But all he asked was, "Do I have a reason to be?"
"I lied," Peter confessed, adjusting his body in his father's hug so his voice wasn't muffled. Tony moves his hand so he was rubbing Peter's back. "I never should have kept Spider-Man from you or Mom. I...I was just scared you wouldn't allow me to continue being him if you found out."
"Peter, I've always known you were going to change the world," Tony spoke truthfully, "and your mother and I would never keep you from doing something that brings goodness to the world and happiness to you. Would we be worried sick and set limits? Hell yeah. But you're a hero, kid. I'm proud of you."
Peter's grip tightened on his dad but he didn't say anything. One of his fears was never living up to the world's expectations—I mean, his parents were an iconic and very powerful couple in the business world. Not to mention that his dad was a freaking superhero. Peter just never wanted to let them down, and their approval meant the world to him.
"And tomorrow you can explain everything to your mom and I," Tony continued. "I just wanted to make sure you are alright."
Memories of the night flashed through Peter's head and he frowned. "I'm okay, I promise," Peter swore but Tony knew there was more to the story as Peter sighed. "It's just...I was too late. It was a simple mugging— something I've stopped over a hundred times."
"You don't have to talk yet if you're not ready," Tony assured him but Peter shook his head.
"No, I'm okay now—it's just when I got home it was still so...raw," Peter tried to explain and Tony nodded in understanding. He had undergone much hardship that scarred him too. "Karen, the AI I created for my suit, told me about three suspicious figures. When I swung over, I saw they were harassing a girl—one I know actually. Her name is Michelle—" Peter cut himself off and shakily let out a breath. His eyes filled with tears again and Tony wrapped an arm around his shoulder so he could rest his head.
"Her name is Michelle," Peter repeated. "Besides Ned, she's one of the few other people who I would consider a friend. And she looked so...so scared. I never thought fear was even in her blood. But the guys used my surprise as an advantage. While I was dealing with the first two, Michelle tried fighting off the third. She managed to punch him in the jaw, but didn't see the knife."
Peter paused to cry, and buried his face in his hands. "Karen sent an ambulance as soon as it happened, and the guys were all webbed up for the police. I tried to stop the bleeding before the EMTs took her to the hospital. Her parents arrived right after I left."
"So she's going to be okay?" Tony asked quietly and Peter barely nodded.
"The doctor said it could've been a lot worse," Peter replied, still ashamed. "But if I had stayed focused, she wouldn't have been hurt at all."
"Hey now," Tony recognized the signs of Peter's words. "Don't you dare blame this on yourself. It's a dangerous road, Peter, and the last thing I want is to see you go down it."
"I can't help it," Peter cried, his fingers trembling. "I'm supposed to be a hero, Dad, and I couldn't even help my friend."
"Peter, you did help your friend," Tony assured him. "Don't you see? Those muggers could've killed her, but because you were there for her, she's okay."
"But—"
"No one said the superhero gig was going to be easy," Tony told him seriously. "And one of the hardest parts is not trying to carry the world on your shoulders. You'll burn out before you can blink. I know you're worried about Michelle, but she's going to be okay—you stopped the bleeding and even said so yourself. Right now, you need to get some rest after a night like this and then tomorrow we can visit her together. How does that sound?"
Peter listened closely to his father's words before choosing to slowly nod his head.
"Good, I'll have Happy take us as soon as visiting hours are open," Tony promised and pressed a kiss to his son's forehead. "Now, I want you to clean yourself up and get some sleep. I'll come check in on you in the morning."
Tony stood up, grabbing Peter's hand to raise him as well. Peter didn't say anything at first, just sprung forward to wrap his arms around his father. Tony seemed surprised, but nonetheless hugged him back just as tightly.
"I love you, Dad," Peter muffled into his shoulder.
"I love you too, kid."
//The frogs and lilies belong in the lake where the water is silver and clear, and the turtles belong in the homes that they make in the sand where the water is near. //
"Peaceful, isn't it?"
Peter stayed silent, his eyes wandering over the silver lake. His feet dangled over the edge of the dock he sat on, and he fiddled with his fingers in his lap.
Peter felt a familiar hand on his shoulder and a voice that continued, "I'll take that as a yes, then."
Peter felt his throat close up and he cursed himself when tears started to gather in his eyes just from the mere presence of his father taking a seat beside him.
Peter couldn't look at him. Every time he did, the snap on Titan flashed through his mind.
The sudden pain aching through every one of his cells. The true fear on Tony's face when Peter collapsed in his dad's arms. Waking up alone.
"You know, I'm surprised you're not hanging out with Shuri," Tony carried on, not expecting a response. He knew Peter wasn't the same as before the war with Thanos. No one was. "I figured you two would be catching up on meme culture or whatever it's called while us old folks sat around and talked."
After everyone had time to reunite with their families, Tony decided to invite them all to the country house he had gotten with Pepper. Sat right beside a lake, it was the perfect size for the small—now up to the count of four—family.
Steve and Bucky were laughing at Sam's attempts at a game of horseshoes. Clint sat with his wife, Laura, holding her close as they chatted with Natasha, Pepper, Rhodes, Happy and May on the porch. Harley and Shuri were on a simple set of swings, laughing with the older Barton kids and Cassy Lang while Hope and Scott played cornhole. Then, there was spunky, five year-old Morgan Stark giggling in her clubhouse with Nathaniel Barton as they pretended to be superheroes like their parents.
Tony saw the corner of Peter's mouth twitch upwards and went on. "Morgan already loves you, you know? She was telling me last night she was so happy to have her big brother finally home."
Peter closed his eyes at this, a single tear rolling down his cheek. Tony squeezed his shoulder.
"Talk to me, kid," Tony said, desperate to hear his son's voice.
"Five years."
Those were the first words Peter croaked out after he swallowed the lump in his throat.
"Five years," Peter cried. "I missed the birth of my baby sister, her birthdays and all her firsts. Half of my friends are about to graduate college while I have to repeat half of junior year. Not to mention, you and Mom—"
Tony pulled his son closer, wrapping an arm around him so Peter could rest his head on his shoulder.
"I just...I could've done—no I should've done something more on Titan," Peter buried his face in his hands. "I almost had the gauntlet off, and if I had moved faster—"
"Peter, look at me," Tony said gently but the teenager didn't budge. "Peter."
Peter begrudgingly lifted his head, wiping his eyes. He forced himself to take deep breaths so he'd calm down while Tony looked at him seriously.
"Remember what I told you about the self-blame," he warned. "And you have to remember the outcome: son, we won. Thanos is gone and he isn't coming back. I know it feels like you still lost something, but look around. I'm here, your mom is here—and so is Morgan and all the others. There's going to be more birthdays, and Ned and MJ are right there with you in school. You said you have a trip coming up, right?"
"Yeah," Peter slowly nodded with a sniffle. "Mr. Harrington wanted to take a group to Europe."
Tony smiled at him in encouragement, "Well then, that's a perfect time for you to take some time off. Don't worry about Spider-Man. Don't worry about the past—it's behind you for a reason. Embrace the time you have know. And when you get back, your family will be right here waiting for you."
Peter looked up at his dad. "Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure," Tony confirmed with a chuckle. "Your mom and I love you Peter, but we know we can't hold you captive. We care too much about your mental health to make you stay when you need to clear your head."
A soft smile appeared on Peter's lips and Tony took that as a good sign. "And speaking of your mom, she noticed you didn't eat much at lunch," Tony noted, Peter sheepishly casting his gaze to the ground. "But knowing your and your freaky metabolism, I know you're starving."
Right on cue, Peter felt his stomach growl and a blush appeared on his cheeks while his dad laughed.
"You want me to fix ya a plate?" Tony asked. "That'll give you time to chat with Harley and Shuri."
Peter nodded, brightening and raising to his feet. He helped Tony stand, grabbing his hand and pulling him up. They shared a brief hug.
"Thanks, Dad," Peter said quietly. "For always being there."
Tony replied, ruffling his son's curls out of habit, "I'm always gonna be here for you, kiddo."
//The crickets belong in the old stone wall and the bees belong in the clover, just as winter belongs in its place after fall, before the new year starts over. //
"Karen, can you call my dad?" Peter requested as he swung through the city, jumping from web to web.
"Of course, Peter. Ringing him now."
"Hey, kiddo," Tony greeted a few minutes later. "Where are you? You promised Mo you'd be here by eight."
"I'm only a few minutes out," Peter swore. "There was an armed robbery that took a little longer than I thought."
Tony grew alarmed at this and clutched his phone against his ear. "But you're okay?"
"Yeah," Peter's laughter filled his ears and he sighed in relief. "They didn't get a single swing in and honestly, who wants to commit a felon on New Years Eve? It doesn't make any sense."
"You got a point there," Tony agreed. "Now, Pep left instructions on the table but we're only going to be at the compound upstate."
"Dad, you've told me the game plan a million times," Peter stated, smiling in his mask as he spotted his home. "You said Ned and MJ could come over, right?"
Peter snuck in his window, not bothering to end the phone call as he changed clothes, Karen keeping Tony on the line. "Yeah, of course; Morgan loves those two."
"Well, that's good," Peter announced his presence to Tony when he walked into the kitchen, "cause I love them too."
Tony jumped, but then quickly relaxed from seeing his son. He was adjusting his collared shirt, since Pepper was forcing him into a New Years Gala at SI. Peter gave him a side hug, chuckling at the surprised expression before ending the call on his phone.
"You know, you should really start attending these kind of things," Tony thought aloud, sliding his watch off the counter and on his right wrist.
"I thought you didn't want the world finding out about Spider-Man until I was twenty-one?"
Tony shook his head, Peter looking confused as he stole a pretzel from a plate on the counter. Morgan must've been snacking earlier and gotten distracted.
"I wasn't referring to the conference about your identity," Tony said. "I meant you should come as yourself—start meeting SI's partners and building a reputation."
Peter still didn't understand what his father was saying. Tony sighed. "Peter, I want you to—"
"Big brother!" an excited voice cut Tony off.
Peter brightened as Morgan came running into the kitchen, arms open wide. He scooped her up instantly, resting her on his hip while she hugged him. "Little sister," he grinned, playfully swinging her from side to side. "How was work with mom, squirt?"
"Boring," Morgan huffed. "Adults talk too much."
"I feel like I should be offended," Pepper joined the conversation as she entered the room, adjusting an earring. She looked stunning in a hazel blue gown, and Tony was instantly at her side to press a sweet kiss to her lips. "But since it's almost a new year, I'll let it slide."
Morgan grinned and looked back up at Peter. "Mommy said MJ was coming tonight. Is she?"
"She is," Peter confirmed, blushing at the thought of his girlfriend of three years. "Ned is too. They told me they're very excited to see you."
"Well feel free to order pizza when they get here if you get hungry," Pepper told her oldest and he nodded. "We're going to try and leave the party by one but go ahead and go to sleep if you want. MJ and Ned can stay in their guest rooms too if it gets too late."
"Don't worry about us," Peter assured his mom. "We'll be fine, won't we, little sister?"
Morgan nodded her head multiple times. "He's right, Mommy."
"Okay then," Pepper sighed. "Give us hugs and we'll get out of your hair then."
The small family exchanged goodbyes, Peter giving Pepper a proper hug while she kissed his cheek. When he went to his dad, Tony looked serious. "I wanna finish our conversation from earlier, kiddo. It's important."
"I know it is," Peter nodded, "but tonight just have fun with mom. Okay? And send Aunt May my love."
"Of course," Tony agreed and ruffled his son's hair. Then he hugged Morgan one last time, latched his arm to Pepper's and then left to meet Happy outside.
It wasn't hard to entertain Morgan by himself, Peter thought. For a six-year-old she was already as smart as her parents and reminded Peter of himself when he was a younger. They were talking about time travel when the doorbell rang.
"FRIDAY?" Peter asked, sitting next to Morgan at the kitchen table.
"It seems Ned Leeds and Michelle Jones have arrived," FRIDAY informed them. "Should I let them in?"
"Go right ahead."
Morgan squealed when MJ came into view, abandoning the hot chocolate Peter made for her to run over in greeting. "MJ!"
"Mo!" The usually monotonous girl replied happily. Michelle caught Morgan and lifted her up to give her a proper hug.
"What am I, chopped liver?" Ned teased the younger Stark, who quickly shook her head.
"Of course not!"
Morgan high-fived Ned and then gave him a fist bump. It was a handshake created from the second Ned met the girl and had become a tradition like his and Peter's.
Peter watched the interaction with a smile, and walked over to formally greet his best friends. "Hey guys! I'm glad you could make it."
"We'd never turn down an invitation to hang with our favorite kid," Michelle replied, tickling Morgan's stomach as she giggled. "What's the plan, squirt?"
"Peter said we could watch Frozen Two before the countdown tonight!" Morgan announced, clearly thrilled to watch her favorite princesses on screen.
Ned raised his eyebrows at his best friend from the movie choice. Peter simply shrugged.
"Well then that's what we'll do," Michelle laughed, and set Morgan back on the ground. "You go and get it set up while I take off my shoes."
"Okay, come on Ned!" Morgan eagerly grabbed his hand and pulled on it. Ned chuckled but followed her deeper into the Stark household.
Peter went to join them but Michelle quickly, yet gently, stopped him. He looked back with questioning eyes, but she didn't say anything. Instead, she just pulled him closer and pressed her lips against is.
Peter immediately responded, his hands moving to grip the sides of her waist. When she leaned back, Peter caught his breath while she held his face and asked, "What was that for?"
"Happy new year," Michelle answered him with a smile and brushed their noses together.
"Happy new year," Peter repeated, matching her grin as he kissed her again. Keeping his arms around her, he inquired, "Ready to end our teen years watching Frozen and singing Disney songs?"
"I'm beyond ready," Michelle nodded, cracking another smile. Peter grasped her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze before the two followed where Ned and Morgan had run off.
And that's what exactly they did, and Michelle captured tons of video and photo evidence to prove it. When Tony checked his phone early the next morning, standing next to Pepper as she chatted with a business owner, his face softened.
Michelle had sent him a picture of Peter passed out on the couch. His head rested on top of Morgan's, a protective arm around her as she snuggled up against him. Her favorite Olaf blanket covered their legs.
Couldn't even last till midnight :) the text read, and Tony smiled.
Oh yes, Tony thought to himself, Stark Industries was going to be passed down to good hands.
//And no matter what places you travel to, what wonders you choose to see, I will always belong right here with you, and you'll always belong with me.//
"Okay," a heavy sigh escaped Peter as he looked around the room that would soon be his second home. Well, third technically. He thought of the compound as his second home, right after the lake house. "I think that's everything."
"Are you sure you don't want help unpacking a bit more?" Pepper asked him, motioning at the boxes stacked on his new desk. "You know we'd love to help, honey."
"Usually I'd say yes, but Ned is almost here," Peter told his mom. "We were gonna try and rearrange the furniture before we unpack our stuff."
Pepper wished she could come up with another excuse. Anything to keep her from leaving Peter. After all, she had already lost him once.
Granted, him going away to college was no way near as painful as the Infinity War, but she still felt a tug in her heart. All she wanted to do was wrap her oldest in a hug and never let him go.
Sensing her anxiety, Peter stepped forward. He wrapped his arms around her. "I'm going to be fine, Mom," he assured when she clung to him. "You'll see me all the time—remember our deal with Saturday night dinners?"
"Twice a month," Pepper replied with a teary-eyed smile.
"Plus, I kind of have a secret job that makes me be in New York," Peter reminded, making her a chuckle.
"No, I know you're right," Pepper nodded and sighed before looking at him. "Before we leave, I wanted to give you something."
Peter shot her a confused look when she stepped back and opened her purse. "Mom, you didn't have to get me anything—"
"I didn't want you to forget it," Pepper interrupted him, pulling out a hardback book. "I kept it safe all these years, and found myself reading it after you—when you were gone."
She handed it over, Peter's eyes widening once he recognized the cover. His fingers traced the familiar title and a small smile appeared in the corner of his mouth.
You Belong Here by M.H. Clark.
"You used to read," Peter's voice broke, and he cleared his throat. "You read this to me every time I had a nightmare."
"I figured it's a good reminder for you to have," Pepper told him with a sad smile. "You've already done amazing things, Peter, and now you have a chance to do more. I just wanted you to know you always have a home to come to."
"Awe, Mom," Peter couldn't help but hug her again. He buried his head in her shoulder, inhaling her signature scent of peppermint. This automatically caused his hold to slightly tighten; the scent made him feel safe and at home. Was he ready to be three and half hours away from his mom?
"Thank you," he stated honestly, squeezing her once more before reluctantly letting her go. "I love you."
"I love you too, honey."
"It's been ages since I've been here and I still know the halls like the back of my hand," the amused chuckle of Tony entered their ears, making them turn their heads.
He entered the room with a grin, his hand holding onto Morgan's. She bounced beside him. "This place is cool!" she declared, a bag of skittles in her other hand. "Dad showed me the biology labs and the candy machines!"
"Well I'll make sure I get some chocolate later," Peter laughed at his sister's energy. He then opened his arms. "You gonna give me a goodbye hug or what, squirt?"
The seven-year-old raced over, Tony taking the chance to move to his wife's side. The couple watched in adoration as Peter lifted her up, squeezing her in his arms. "You know, little sister, either you're growing too fast or I'm shrinking."
"You're definitely shrinking," Morgan wittily commented, wrapping her arms around his neck. "With our genes I'll be lucky to break five four."
"Was that a dig at us?" Tony whispered to Pepper, who looked at her children with amusement.
"I think it was," she chuckled quietly.
Morgan refused to let Peter go. "I don't want to say goodbye."
"Awe, this isn't goodbye, squirt," Peter hugged her tighter. "Just a see you later. I'll be home before you know it."
"But what if you forget about me?" Morgan frowned, her eyes glistening. She didn't want to imagine a world without her big brother—not again.
"Me? Forget you?" Peter dropped his jaw and shook his head. "That's not even possible." He gently sat her feet on the ground and kneels so he could look her in the eye. He brushed a stray tear from her cheek. "You're Morgan H. Stark for crying out loud! Aka the smartest and best, Disney-singing, popsicle-eating, bracelet-making sister on the planet."
"Forget you?" Peter echoed once more, his voice soft, aware of the smile growing on Morgan's face. "Not possible, squirt."
Morgan held up her pinky, a sign of her trust. "You promise?"
Peter grinned, locking his own pinky with hers. He swore, "I promise."
Morgan retreated back into Pepper's side, still somewhat upset about leaving Peter behind. Peter rose to his feet, looking between his parents as reality set in.
It was time for them to go home.
Pepper knew Tony wanted to say goodbye to Peter on his own, so she gave her son one last smile. "I'll give you two some space," she said softly, and nodded at Tony. "I'll be outside when you're ready, honey."
Tony waited until the door closed behind his wife, quiet filling the small space left between himself and Peter.
"Dad, are you okay?" Peter asked first, cautious from his father's silence.
Tony nodded, swallowing a lump in his throat. Inwardly he cursed; he told himself he wouldn't cry.
After the incident on Titan, Tony never thought he would see this day come. He thought he'd never see his son graduate high school, or be able to go to college. He thought Thanos took all of that away.
The day Peter chose MIT, Tony almost broke down in tears. Especially when his son said, "I wanna follow in my hero's footsteps—of course I'm going there. You went there."
"I, uh," Tony started but couldn't find the right words to say. He released a heavy sigh, and raised his head to meet Peter's worried gaze. "You know I love you, right?"
Peter tilted his head, not expecting to hear his dad get emotional. He thought Pepper would freak out the most. He replied softly, "Yeah, Dad...I know. And I love you too."
Tony continued, "And I'm proud of you—" Tony cut himself off with a scoff. That was an understatement. He corrected, "No, I am beyond proud of you. You are the best brother and the best son I could ever ask for."
Peter sniffled, trying not to cry himself from Tony's touching words.
Tony watched his son go through hell and back. From being bullied, to losing five years of his life— Peter rose to the challenge every time and put on a brave face. Every morning, he intelligently worked to help the planet. And every night, he risked his life to help others. Not because he had to, but because he wanted to. Peter was the strongest person Tony had ever met.
"Spider-Man is a national hero," Tony stated sincerely, "but you, Peter Stark...you're my hero."
Peter couldn't wait anymore. He pulled his father into a tight hug, clutching him with everything he had. "And you're mine," Peter choked out, feeling Tony run his hand through his curls. "I love you, Dad."
"I love you too, kiddo."