Backup, Breakfast, and Iron Dad
The first light of dawn crept through the cracks of Peter’s bedroom window, casting faint golden rays across his cluttered desk and stacks of textbooks. He hadn’t had much time for sleep, but then again, sleep always took a backseat when you were balancing the life of a high school student, part-time intern at Stark Industries, and, of course, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.
Today was different, though. Peter bolted awake, more alert than usual, thanks to a text from Tony that had buzzed him awake: “Breakfast. Stark Tower. Bring your appetite.”
It was rare for Tony to make such a request—usually, he was either too busy or too preoccupied with a new project.
Peter stepped into the lobby, where he was immediately greeted by Happy, who looked a bit less than happy to be dragged out of bed so early.
"Tony’s in the kitchen," he grumbled, barely awake. "You know, you’re the only intern he’d do this for, right?"
Peter grinned and shrugged. “Lucky me?”
By the time he reached the penthouse, Peter could already smell coffee and something sweet. He was met with the sight of Tony Stark in front of an overly elaborate spread of breakfast food. Tony, of course, was leaning against the counter, coffee in one hand, watching Peter’s reaction with a satisfied smirk.
"Morning, kid," Tony said with just a hint of smugness. “Brought you in for the most important meal of the day. You’re welcome.”
Peter’s eyes widened as he took in the sight. There were pancakes stacked high, waffles dusted with powdered sugar, an assortment of fruit, and at least three different types of juice. And, of course, a pot of fresh coffee that Tony was clearly treating like the only thing keeping him from a complete meltdown.
“Wow,” Peter managed, staring at the spread. “Are we feeding the Avengers, or just me?”
Tony shrugged. “Eh, they’ll probably show up. I might’ve left a few casual hints about free food. You know, like, ‘Hey, there’s free food. Don’t touch it unless you’re Peter.’ That kind of subtle.”
Almost on cue, Natasha wandered in, looking both surprised and amused at the setup. "Seriously, Stark?” She raised an eyebrow at Tony, who just held up his coffee cup in a mock salute.
“Just a little breakfast bonding,” he replied, smirking. “Kid here deserves a proper start to his day. Besides, it’s good for morale.”
“Morale,” Natasha repeated dryly, giving Peter a knowing smile. “And what’s this about you breaking into the lab last week?”
Peter froze mid-waffle grab. “I mean, technically, I wasn’t breaking in…”
Tony raised an eyebrow, but he was grinning. “Care to explain that little stunt, Peter?”
Peter scratched the back of his head, sheepish. “Okay, so maybe I tripped an alarm in the lab. But in my defense, I didn’t know the system had been upgraded to laser motion detection!”
Natasha smirked and turned to Tony. “So, that’s why we all got the security alert at 3 a.m.?”
Tony shrugged, attempting nonchalance. “It’s the price of having a junior web-slinger hanging around. Keeps us all on our toes.”
Peter couldn’t hide his grin as he piled waffles and fruit onto his plate. Thank God Tony's just cool with the accident. Perks of having a 'Dad' like him.
Then, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed down the hall, and Thor appeared, looking delighted at the sight of the food. “Ah! Young Parker! And Stark! You’ve provided us with a feast, I see.”
Tony sighed, but there was a definite note of pride in his voice. “Yeah, well, don’t get too comfortable. It’s mostly for Peter. You guys just got lucky.”
Thor clapped a hand on Peter’s shoulder with a hearty laugh. “You are well-loved here, young Peter. Few mortals would dare disrupt Tony’s morning coffee ritual so boldly!”
Peter chuckled, though he could feel a flush creeping up his cheeks. “I, uh, guess I got special permission?”
Tony rolled his eyes, trying not to smile. “Don’t let it go to your head, kid.”
Before Peter could respond, Steve walked in, looking as calm and collected as ever. He glanced around, taking in the sight of the Avengers gathered around Tony’s breakfast spread, and raised an eyebrow. “Big family breakfast?”
Tony smirked, waving his coffee cup. “You know me, Cap. I’m just trying to teach the kid proper nutrition. Gotta make sure he grows up right, doesn’t eat just pizza and donuts.”
Peter gave Tony an indignant look. “I eat other stuff!”
Natasha snickered, nudging Peter. “Like gummy bears and that strange purple soda you keep stashed at the Tower?”
“Hey, that soda’s awesome!” Peter defended, shooting her a playful glare.
Steve, ever the straight man, glanced at Tony with a faintly amused expression. “So, you’re going all-out on mentoring, huh?”
Tony shrugged again, but this time his expression softened. “Kid’s doing good work. And it’s nice to…you know, have him around. Keeps things interesting.”
Peter pretended to focus on his waffles, but he couldn’t hide the grin that crept onto his face. Tony’s words, casual as they sounded, meant a lot to him. He’d never had this kind of support before—not from someone he admired this much.
Just as Peter was contemplating a second helping of waffles, Tony leaned over and cleared his throat. “Hey, kid, there’s actually something else I wanted to show you.”
Peter looked up, curious, as Tony held up a sleek, small earpiece, his voice turning businesslike but still with that underlying warmth.
“This is your direct line to me,” Tony explained, clicking the device open to reveal a small red-and-gold earpiece. “You’re out in the field, you’re dealing with something bigger than usual, or you just want to tell me about how you tripped over a pigeon—you press that, and I’m there.”
Peter blinked, a bit stunned. “I—really?”
Tony shrugged, slipping the earpiece into Peter’s hand. “Think of it as a backup. Just in case.” He paused, adding quietly, “And maybe call once in a while. Keeps me from worrying, alright?”
Thor clapped Peter on the back, beaming. “See, young Parker? Stark is truly invested in you. A true mentor!”
Natasha smirked. “Maybe even a dad, huh?”
Clint grinned from ear to ear, "He's not even willing to share the kid."
Tony spluttered into his coffee, trying and failing to look unaffected. “Hey, no need to get sappy. Just…keeping an eye on the kid. Can’t have him getting into trouble and giving us all heart attacks.”
Peter couldn’t resist. “So…Iron Dad?”
A grin spread across Steve’s face, and even Natasha looked entertained as Tony sighed, giving Peter anexaggerated eye roll. “One breakfast, and you’re already insufferable. Unbelievable.”
The others burst into laughter, and even Tony let out a reluctant chuckle. The whole room was filled with warmth, a sense of camaraderie that wasn’t always present in their missions. Peter looked around, feeling that familiar, thrilling sense of belonging. He was part of this family—awkward moments and all.
Finally, as the laughter settled, Tony reached over to ruffle Peter’s hair. “Alright, kid. Don’t go breaking any more labs. And remember—call if you need anything.”
Peter grinned, tucking the earpiece into his pocket. “Got it, Iron Dad.”
And for a second, Tony’s mask slipped, just enough for Peter to see the genuine fondness there before he looked away, clearing his throat. “Yeah, yeah. Now finish your waffles before Thor eats the whole tower.”
Peter laughed, and for the first time in a long while, he felt a sense of calm. He had a team behind him, people who cared. And maybe—just maybe—he’d keep using that nickname for Tony a little longer.