Breakfast at the Tower
The sun peeked through the towering windows of Avengers Tower, casting a soft glow over the kitchen. It was early morning, and the tower was still waking up. Peter Parker, dressed in a worn but comfortable Midtown Science hoodie, shuffled his way into the kitchen, rubbing his eyes. He could already smell the coffee brewing, a sign that Tony Stark was awake.
"Morning, kid," Tony greeted from behind the island, his eyes still fixed on the holographic display projected from his watch. "What’s the plan for today? Saving the world or finishing that Stark Tech project you've been procrastinating on?"
Peter rolled his eyes, grabbing an apple from the fruit bowl. "A little of both, probably," he said, taking a bite. "MJ's been texting me about some Stark internship thing too. She said you owe her an interview."
Tony smirked. "MJ keeps me on my toes. I like that about her."
Before Peter could respond, a small blur of excitement stormed into the room. Morgan Stark, in her Iron Man-themed pyjamas, ran straight for Peter, tackling him with a bear hug.
"Petey!" she exclaimed, laughing. "You promised you'd help me with my science project today!"
Peter lifted her with ease and swung her around before placing her on the kitchen counter. "Of course I will, Munchkin. After breakfast, we’ll work on it. But no lasers this time, okay?"
Tony chuckled. "If she's anything like me, you'll have a hard time keeping her away from them."
Pepper Potts entered next, her presence warm and calming as always. "Tony, stop giving Morgan ideas," she chided gently, kissing him on the cheek before moving over to ruffle Peter’s hair. "Morning, sweetie. I hope Tony hasn’t roped you into anything too dangerous today."
"Only emotionally dangerous," Peter quipped with a grin. "I have to explain science to a Stark."
Pepper laughed, and as the family continued their morning routine, the familiar hum of the elevator doors opening echoed through the tower. Natasha Romanoff stepped out, her sharp eyes scanning the room with a smirk.
“Looks like a peaceful breakfast,” Natasha teased, grabbing a mug for coffee. “Surprising, considering we live in a tower full of superheroes.”
Natasha had taken on a motherly role in Peter’s life since he moved into the tower, and though she was as tough as ever, she had a soft spot for the kid. She leaned against the counter, watching Tony and Pepper bicker about what constituted an “acceptable” breakfast for Morgan.
Peter felt lucky. He’d never imagined that life would turn out this way. Living in the Avengers Tower, surrounded by his makeshift family, co-parented by Aunt May and Tony Stark—his life was a lot more chaotic than your average high schooler’s, but he wouldn’t trade it for anything.
After breakfast, Peter headed down to the lab. Stark had him working on some new web-fluid variants, which wasn’t exactly world-saving, but it was still pretty cool. Just as he was about to sit down at his workbench, his phone buzzed.
It was a message from Felicia Hardy.
Felicia: "Still pretending to be a nerd, huh? Hope you haven’t forgotten about tonight."
Peter grinned at the text, his heart skipping a beat. He and Felicia had been… something for a while now, though neither of them had put a label on it. She was unpredictable, wild, and had a way of getting under his skin like no one else. Their relationship was complicated, but Peter couldn’t deny the thrill he felt every time she texted.
He quickly replied.
Peter: "How could I? I’m counting the minutes."
Before he could dwell too much on it, the lab door slid open, and Tony sauntered in, holding two cups of coffee. "So," he said, sliding one cup over to Peter, "What's this I hear about you and the infamous Felicia Hardy?"
Peter nearly choked on his coffee. "W-what? How do you know about that?"
Tony gave him a knowing smile. "Come on, Pete. You think anything happens in this tower without me knowing about it?"
Peter groaned. "Does Aunt May know? Or Pepper?"
"Not yet, but you should probably brace yourself," Tony teased, leaning back in his chair. "Pepper will want to know everything, and you know how May can be about your 'lady friends.'"
Peter sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Great. Another Stark family interrogation. Just what I needed."
Tony raised an eyebrow. "Hey, I’m not judging. But you know, if you ever need advice—about women, relationships, or how to survive Pepper’s questioning—I’m here."
Peter couldn’t help but laugh. "Thanks, Tony, but I think I’ll manage."
"Alright," Tony said, standing up. "But remember kid: communication is key. Even if your significant other is a cat burglar."
Peter watched Tony leave, shaking his head. His life was anything but normal, but maybe that’s what made it so interesting. As much as he dreaded what his family would think about Felicia, a part of him was excited to see where things would go.
After all, being Spider-Man had taught him one thing—life is always full of surprises.