Chapter 1
"Where were you all night, Peter? I clearly told you to be home before 8. When did you come back? I called you a hundred times, and you ignored me!"
"Papa, calm down. I told you it was a movie night, and I fell asleep at Ned's. I didn’t check my phone," Peter replied.
Tony covered his ears. This had become their usual breakfast routine for the past few months. Peter, now 15, was going through the typical teenage rebellion. And Stephen, his husband, refused to accept that their little boy was growing up—he kept mothering him instead.
Their six-year-old daughter, Morgan, was giggling between bites, clearly entertained by her brother and papa’s argument.
Tony rolled his eyes at her antics.
"Now you've started lying too, haven’t you? I called Ned, and he said you left his house at six. Where did you go?" Stephen demanded.
"Can you stop overreacting?" Peter said, frustrated.
"Overreacting? I just want to know where you were! If you don’t tell me, I’m not signing the parental consent form for your field trip. And neither will Tony," Stephen declared.
"Dad already signed it," Peter said, rolling his eyes.
Stephen shot a betrayed look at Tony, who quickly looked down to avoid his gaze.
"Well, young man, your daddy’s signature alone won’t be enough. Mine is required too. And I’m not signing it," Stephen said firmly.
"For God's sake, Papa, I’m not a little kid anymore! Stop smothering me and take your mothering to Morgan instead!" Peter snapped before storming off to his room, leaving his breakfast untouched.
"Did you hear what your son just said, Tony? And you’re just going to sit there and let this happen?" Stephen said angrily before walking off to the kitchen.
But Tony had seen it—beneath the frustration, Stephen was hurt.
"Morg, you’re done with breakfast, right? Go get ready. Your school bus will be here soon," Tony said.
"Okay, Daddy!" Morgan chirped, running off to her room.
Tony followed Stephen into the kitchen and wrapped his arms around him.
"Get off, Stark," Stephen muttered.
"Stephen, what’s wrong?" Tony asked softly.
"What’s wrong? Didn’t you hear what your son just said?"
"Stephen, Peter is 15. You know how teenagers are—they’re figuring things out. They say things they don’t mean," Tony reasoned.
"He’s still my kid. How could he talk to me like that?" Stephen's voice wavered slightly, his eyes welling up.
"Steph, you and I both know this is only going to get worse if you don’t change your approach. You need to stay calm. Talk to him softly. He’ll listen—he’s our kid."
"When have I ever said no to him, Tony? I’m just worried about him lying," Stephen sighed.
"Alright, I’ll talk to him. But if you refuse to sign his field trip form, it’ll only make him more defiant. So, sign it."
"I already signed it," Stephen admitted in a small voice.
Tony chuckled. "I’ll never understand you and Peter."
"Let me go talk to him, alright?" Tony said, kissing Stephen’s cheek.
Stephen simply nodded.
Tony knocked on Peter’s door.
"Go away, Daddy. I’m not going to school if I can’t go on the field trip," Peter’s muffled voice called out.
"Okay, fine. But I need to talk to you. If you don’t open up now, you’ll lose your lab hours too," Tony warned.
He heard Peter groan before the lock clicked open.
Peter flopped back onto his bed as Tony walked in and sat beside him.
"Is my Petey Pie crying?" Tony teased, poking his side.
"Dad, please stop calling me that," Peter grumbled.
"Oh, you’re all grown up now, huh? Get up—I need to talk to you," Tony said.
Peter didn’t move.
"Come on, get up," Tony said, gently pulling him up.
"What?" Peter asked, wiping his eyes.
"The way you spoke to Papa was unacceptable, Pete," Tony said calmly.
"What about the way he talks to me? He called me a liar!" Peter shot back.
"That’s because you lied," Tony pointed out.
"Yes, I lied because Papa would never have let me go if I had asked him," Peter muttered.
"Where did you go?" Tony asked.
"I was hanging out with Harley," Peter admitted quietly.
"Who?"
"Harley, Dad. You know him—one of your new interns. I’ve been working with him."
"Oh, the Tennessee kid? What’s the deal with him?" Tony asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Nothing, Dad! He’s just a good friend. We were just hanging out, and discussing science" Peter said, exasperated.
"Good friend, huh? And only discussing Science?" Tony asked suspiciously.
"Dad, seriously? What’s wrong with you?" Peter whined.
"Alright, alright. Go talk to your Papa. He’s upset," Tony said.
"Papa doesn’t like me anymore. He’s always taking care of Morgan," Peter mumbled.
"Pete, why would you think that?" Tony asked.
"He’s always scolding me. I know it’s because he loves Morgan more than me," Peter said in a small voice.
"Nonsense. Pete, Papa is worried about you. That’s why he checks on you and scolds you—because he cares. You know our jobs are dangerous. Bad people could target you. That’s why we don’t want you roaming around alone," Tony explained.
"I’m sorry. I won’t lie to you anymore," Peter said softly.
"I know, kid. You’re my boy," Tony said, ruffling his hair.
"Now, get ready and talk to your Papa."
"Okay," Peter nodded.
Stephen was helping Morgan put on her shoes.
"Morg, have a good day at school. Your bus is here," he said, kissing her forehead.
"Pete isn’t coming?" Morgan asked.
"Papa will drop him off. You go ahead, alright?"
"Okay, Papa. Bye-bye, love you!" she said, running off.
"Love you too," Stephen called after her.
Peter hesitantly walked over.
"Papa, can you help me with my tie?" he asked sheepishly.
"Why do you need my help? You’re not a little kid anymore," Stephen said without looking at him.
"Please, Papa," Peter pleaded.
Stephen sighed and tied his tie.
"Papa, I’m sorry. I won’t talk to you like that again. And I won’t lie to you," Peter said sincerely.
Stephen sighed again, cupping his son’s face.
"Pete, I know you’re growing up and want your freedom. But the world is dangerous. I worry about you when you don’t tell us where you are."
"I’ll tell you everything from now on, Papa," Peter promised, hugging him.
Stephen hugged him back, kissing his head.
"So… can you sign the parental consent form?" Peter asked.
"I already signed it," Stephen admitted.
"Thank you, Papa!" Peter grinned.
"Now, get ready. You're late —I’ll make a portal," Stephen said.
"Okay! Two minutes!" Peter said, dashing off to grab his bag.
Stephen smiled.
Peter returned. "Papa, I’m ready."
"Alright," Stephen said, creating a portal.
"Pete, are you going to tell me where you were last night?"
"Yes, Papa—I’ll tell you when I’m back. Bye!" Peter said, stepping through.
"Bye," Stephen said, closing the portal.
Tony had been watching, smiling.
"Happy now?" he asked.
"Yes. He’s still my little boy," Stephen said, smiling.
"Yes, he is. Don’t you have to be at Kamar-Taj today?" Tony asked.
"Oh, right! I need to get ready. Will you be here when Morgan gets back?"
"Yeah, my day’s free. You go ahead."
"Okay, I’ll get ready then," Stephen said giving a peck to his husband and heading to his room.
Their lives were busy—Stephen was often at Kamar-Taj or battling in another dimension, while Tony juggled business and Avenger duties. But no matter how hectic things got, they always made time for their family. And that time was what they cherished most.