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Peter went straight to the kitchen upon entering the penthouse after school, heading straight for the chocolate Mr. Stark thinks is his secret stash. He was taking his first bite when he turned around and found Pepper Potts standing behind him. “Ms. Potts. Hi.”
“Hi Peter. I see you found the good chocolate.” She gave a soft smile, “It’s usually there for Tony’s late-night lab binges.”
“I’m so sorry.” Peter lowered the chocolate bar in his hand, “I should have asked.”
“You’re welcome to anything in the penthouse, Peter.” She ruffled his hair, “But we won’t tell Tony you found it. I find it funny when he starts driving himself crazy over whose eating his snacks.”
~
“Pep. I know I bought one of those flip yogurts I wanted to try.” Tony was staring into the fridge, “But it’s not here.”
“Maybe you forgot to put it on the order.” She flipped a page in the contract she was reading while leaning against the counter.
“Friday?” Tony asked.
“It was on your order, Boss,” Friday confirmed.
“I bet it was Rhodey when he was here the other day. He’s always helping himself to my stuff.” Tony thought out loud, “Now I have to find a different snack.”
“Your life is so difficult, dear.” Pepper never looked up from the contract.
“You sound all torn up about it.” Tony closed the fridge.
~
Peter was at the penthouse for the weekend. Mr. Stark and Ms. Potts had gone to a fundraiser and wouldn’t be back until late. He felt his stomach rumble from where he was lying on the couch, “Fri, any good snacks?”
“Might I suggest the cookies on the top shelf? They were ordered from Italy.” Friday offered.
“Sounds delicious.” Peter went to the kitchen, found the cookies, and brought them back to the living room to snack while he watched a show. He made sure to dispose of the bag on another floor so Pepper could keep having fun with this.
~
“Pepper!” Tony was slamming cabinet doors, “Where are the cookies I specially ordered from Italy? The ones that remind me of my mom’s cookies!”
Pepper came out of the bedrooms dressed in a white pantsuit, “I don’t know. Maybe you ate them.”
“I did not eat them. Just like I didn’t eat my yogurt or my chocolate.” Tony threw his hands up in the air, “I’m going to the lab.”
Pepper waited for him to disappear downstairs before giggling and sending a text to Peter, “We might have to stop. We’re driving him to the edge.”
“👍” Peter replied.
~
Peter came into the penthouse one day after school unannounced. He found Tony working at the kitchen island, “Oh. Mr. Stark.”
“Peter.” Tony put down the tablet. “What are you doing here?”
It was then that Peter looked up, and Tony saw the black eye.
Tony got up, coming up to get a better look at the wound, “What happened?”
Peter shrugged.
“So a bully.” Tony went to the kitchen to get an ice pack, wrapping it in a kitchen towel, “Here. Press this to the eye.”
“It’ll heal.” Peter still pressed the ice pack to his sore eye, “No big deal.”
“If it’s no big deal, then why’d you come here instead of home?”
“I left the sweater I like on the bad days here last weekend.” Peter lied. He really wanted the good chocolate or the good cookies. He hadn’t known Mr. Stark would be home.
“Well, don’t let me distract you.” Tony motioned to the room where Peter kept his stuff down the hall.
“Um. Mr. Stark?” Peter didn’t move.
“Yeah, kid?”
Peter hugged him, “Thanks.”
Tony couldn’t help but smile, “Alright. Go.”
Peter would find a way to sneak out for a snack later.
~
Tony got home from the most boring meeting in history, looking forward to the sandwich he had picked up from his favorite deli for today. He opened the fridge, but it wasn’t there. He started moving things around, becoming more frustrated the longer he looked. He huffed out a breath of frustration, reaching up to pinch his nose, “This is not happening. I just need one thing to go right today.”
Rhodey came out of the bathroom, “Hey, man.”
“Did you eat my sandwich?” Tony turned around with what he assumed was fire blazing in his eyes.
Rhodey held up his hands in surrender, “Maybe. In my defense, it didn’t have your name on it.”
“You ate my sandwich! MY sandwich!”
“Tones, relax. I’ll go get you a new one.” Rhodey reassured him, “Just tell me where you got it.”
“Long Island.” Tony slammed the fridge. “You want to make that trek?”
“I’m afraid to say no. You have that look in your eyes.” Rhodey slowly edged around Tony into the kitchen, “There has to be something else in here to eat.”
“All you do is eat my food,” Tony grumbled as he walked away.
“I only ATE one sandwich!” Rhodey yelled after him, “You grump! Haven’t you ever learned to share?”
~
The Avengers were sitting together for their team dinner. Peter was watching his mentor, who basically had an eye twitch at this point and appeared to be guarding his plate.
“Tony, pass the ketchup,” Clint told him.
“No.” Tony pulled it closer to him.
“Dude, what is wrong with you?” Clint asked, “It’s just ketchup.”
“It’s mine. I paid for it.” Tony grabbed the ketchup bottle standing up, “I paid for all of this! The ketchup, the cookies, the yogurt, the SANDWICH.”
Rhodey winced at the glare.
“I’ll just go get the other bottle of ketchup.” Nat went to the kitchen, bringing it back to pass to Clint, “Happy?”
“Dude needs a Xanax.” Clint poured some ketchup on his burger.
Peter just kept his eyes on his plate, trying not to blow his cover.
~
“Kid, go to bed.” Tony came up from the lab, finding Peter awake one weekend on the couch watching a movie, “It’s late. Your aunt is going to have my head if I send you home sleep-deprived.”
“Just want to finish this. I only have like thirty minutes left.”
“Fine. Then bed.” Tony headed that direction himself.
It was about ten minutes later when Peter didn’t hear Tony moving around anymore and figured he was in bed, “Yes. Time for snacks.”
That is how Rhodey wandered out of the guest room, finding Peter eating a handful of Tony’s favorite chips, “YOU!”
“You can’t say anything!” Peter pleaded, “It’s not my fault. I can’t stop.”
“He blamed me, Peter!” Rhodey crossed his arms over his chest.
“Please.” Peter gave him the look that May said could convince anyone to give Peter what they wanted, “Uncle Rhodey.”
“You shit.” Rhodey shook his head, “Pass the chips.”
Peter grinned. His secret was safe.