Chapter Text
“ do you want to hold him Tony?” Pepper asked as she laid in the hospital bed, her hair glued to her forehead from the sweat but she was smiling as bright as the sun.Tony will never say it out loud but he hoped their first kid will be a girl. Tony didn’t want to end up being like his father.. and girls are different right? You raise them differently than boys. They just got Peter to calm down from all the crying a-and Tony didn’t want to wake him up! “ I dunno peps-“ Tony began but pepper lifted Peter up and Tony on instinct reached out to the tiny human. Peter despite being just a baby was heavy sorta like a chubby cat. Peter scrunched his face a little before nuzzling his face into Tony’s chest, oh my god he already loved this kid more than anything.
“ are you crying?” Pepper teased, “ no!” Tony turned to her with glassy eyes, “Pepper he’s-“ Tony choked out , “ perfect?” She raised an eyebrow but her eyes were glassy too. Tony nodded, his lips quivered a little, Tony exhaled slowly trying to compose himself, Peter was perfect, he was theirs and Tony will be ready to kill anyone that tries to hurt him. Tony planted a very gentle kiss on Peter’s head, he’ll be better than Howard. Happy walked in “ sorry I’m late!” His eyes searched the room, he first focused on pepper “ you doing okay boss?”, she nodded and leaned back “ just tired..”
Tony walked over slowly, it felt like Peter was made out of glass and any sudden movement would break him into a thousand pieces.
“ happy.” - “ yes?” Tony finally looked up, “ your first priority from now is protecting him. If anything ever happens he comes first.” , happy nodded “ of course. So.. how’s it feel to be a dad?” Tony chuckled through the tears that he will not allow to fall “ terrifying.” - “ I’m sure you two will do great” happy patted Tony’s shoulder. Tony wanted to believe that, he wanted to be better but there was this feeling… like he’ll become worse and Peter will grow to hate him. “ Tony you won’t be like him.”
——
Peter laid in his crib, he had the most tiny pajamas and socks on which of course were a challenge to get on his little feet. Tony bought one of those anti- suffocation cribs and hovered around it making sure there was nothing that could fall or tangle around Peter. “ we could put the crib in our room” pepper leaned on the doorframe watching Tony scrambling to his feet,
“ uh.. yeah. Yeah let’s do that” - “ have you showered?” Pepper squinted her eyes, “ no not yet” Tony shrugged the question off, pepper sighed and shuffled into the room “ he’ll be fine, I’ve got him. Now go shower” she picked up Peter and walked out. The water was just the perfect temperature, Tony sighed closing his eyes taking in the warm air.
He was happy to start a family but a part of him felt guilty for bringing a kid into this world. Peter is already cursed just by being his son, and not to mention the media that’ll be on his back from the moment he’ll learn to walk. It was strange to know that he created something that won’t be made to destroy. But the worst part is that Peter didn’t come with instructions, Tony was never a the type of person to like those tiny trouble makers people call kids and they always seemed so complicated. Tony will need to live through fights, lectures, tantrums and all of the above. He washed the shampoo off.
It was so good to be in his pajamas, for once he actually felt like going to sleep at a normal hour.
He wiped off the steam from the mirror, he stared at his reflection it was tired as hell. Tony sighed and finally walked out back into the bedroom. Pepper was in bed with Peter who rested his head on her collarbone. The crib was already moved into their bedroom standing next to Tony’s side of the bed. Tony’s eyes softened a little, he’s lucky. He’s so lucky to have this, to have pepper and Peter. And to have this calm moment. Tony slowly laid down and shuffled over to be as close to pepper as he could.
“ how you two doing?” Tony whispered not to wake up Peter. “ tired “ pepper mumbled out closing her eyes. Tony propped himself up on his elbows and gave pepper a kiss on her cheek. Peter sighed and shifted a little, pepper was holding him and nothing could happen but for some reason Tony just saw a thousand of possibilities of Peter falling off the bed OR-
“ he’s fine Tony” pepper cracked one eye open,
“ yeah I know, I know” Tony nodded quickly.
“ alright now you get some rest and I’ll put him to bed” Tony carefully picked up Peter who made a displeased noise and scrunched his nose. Tony gently laid Peter down in his crib.
“ Goodnight” pepper whispered as she turned off the night lamp. “ goodnight pep.” Tony whispered back, he laid down on his side keeping one hand on the edge of the crib.
He’ll be better than Howard.