And Then There Is You

When Maria makes her way upstairs, she slowly approaches the bedroom, walking into the room and leaning over the bed to look at her grandson. 

He’s sleeping on his side with his arms and legs stretched out in front of him and the blankets kicked to the side of the bed. 

He doesn’t seem to be having a nightmare but she doesn’t exactly know what to look for anyways. 

Sitting down on the bed, Maria reaches a hand out to swipe the curls off his face but stops. The last thing she wants to do is wake him up but it’s been so long since she’s taken care of a child and she misses feeding needed like that. 

Hoping she doesn’t ruin Peter’s nap, she gets herself comfortable on the bed, leaning against the bed frame and pats the boy's boney back, shaking him a bit. 

Peter turns his head the other way, rolling onto his back and let’s out a big, content sigh. Maria then swipes more curls off his forehead, cooing. “Hi, baby. Grandmas here.” 

Peter turns onto his stomach and sits up in bed in an instant, looking half asleep still. She holds her arms out for him, encouraging him to cuddle with her but not knowing if she just ruined the boys sleep. 

Then, Peter crawls towards her and accepts her cuddles, lying down on her with his head resting on her chest and in seconds, he’s out like a light again. 

Feeling her heart bubble with love, Maria sits there, simply rubbing her grandsons back up and down, kissing his baby soft hair and never wanting this moment to end. 

She has always wanted more children after Tony, but Howard didn’t want anymore, claiming they had a son to inherit their company and didn’t need anymore. So after years of trying to convince him, she finally accepted that Tony was going to be her only baby. 

And he grew up way too fast, thanks to his father, and now, here she was, getting to hold her baby’s precious baby in her arms and she never wants the moment to end. 

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Tony sat at the seat next to the head of the table where his father sat. 

After his mother left, the silence was thick. 

Now, Tony sits there, attempting to not fight with his father. 

Granted, they never had the best relationship, but Tony simply doesn’t care anymore. It’s nothing that can be fixed now. He’s 43 years old and has a son. He doesn’t need his father’s support for anything. 

But that doesn’t mean he wants to fight with the man when he’s here. 

“Your mother really enjoys having Peter and you here. We don’t get visitors often. Usually we go out to see friends and of course the only family we have left are you. And now Peter. And your great aunt but she’s lost her mind.” 

Tony chuckles. His aunt, who is his mothers step sister, refused to see any of them when Tony turned 18. And then she hears that Tony has a son and she all of the sudden wants pictures and to see the boy. As if. 

“She’s been alone for way too long, it’s made her crazy.” The laughing dies down and it becomes awkward again for a few moments. “I’m glad I could bring Pete here to meet his grandparents. I wish you guys would come visit us in New York, dad.” 

“You’re still living in Stark Tower?” 

“Yes. You know we are.” 

“Hmm.” He hums, taking a sip of his beer. “You know, your mother doesn’t like New York anymore.” 

“I know, but once Peter starts school, I can’t be pulling him out every other month to fly him down here so you guys can see him.” Tony says. A routine will be very important for them to get into, not that they ever had one to begin with. Life is pretty crazy. 

Everyday is something new. 

“Well… we will have to work something out then. I don’t suppose I’d be against the idea to check out your tower again. I think your mother wants you to settle down with Peter and find a house. Some place gated and safe.” 

“Stark Tower is arguably the safest place in the world for him. Plus my workshops are there. I can’t just move everything and pray no one finds out where we live, dad.” When they announced the adoption, everyone wanted to know who Tony Stark adopted, paparazzi were literally everywhere that they couldn’t even leave the tower for weeks. Not that Peter even wanted to. 

So Tony eventually had to let the public know who he adopted and introduce the world to Peter Stark. He released a few pictures of himself and Peter and then, thankfully, the paparazzi died down. 

“But everyone knows that you live in Stark Tower with your son.” 

“Yeah, but no one can get in. Even if someone did, we live in the penthouse and the only people who have access to that floor besides Peter and I are Pepper, Rhodey and Happy.” He reassures his father. “Don’t worry. We’re safe there.” 

“You have to be sure no one’s crazy enough to kidnap Peter for ransom. Or worse. There’s sick people out there, Tony.” His father tells him and it make’s something in Tony’s chest tighten. 

It had been something that Tony has already thought of and worries about. “I know, dad. Happy is with him when I’m not.” 

He takes a sip of his ice tea and he suddenly gets an urge to check on his son. So he stands up from the table. “I’ll be right back. Moms been gone for awhile anyways.” 

Walking upstairs, Tony pushes open the door and sees his mom sitting on the bed, holding Peter in his arms as he sleeps against her. He coos at the sight. He knows that Peter loves to be held when he’s sleeping. 

Tony can’t count the amount of times he’s been peed on whenever Peter falls asleep on him during movie nights, when Tony’s carrying him from the car to their floor, from the couch to the bed, but he wouldn’t change it for the world. 

He sits on the bed, looking at the two of them. “You know, you should be grateful I put a pull-up on him before he fell asleep. Otherwise you’d be soaked.” 

The comment makes her smile anyways. “I wouldn’t mind. He’s worth it for these kinds of cuddles.” 

Tony smiles too, reaching out to touch Peter’s back. “Did he wake up?” 

“Briefly.” 

“How did you get him back to sleep?” 

His mother leans her head against Peter’s. “I’m a mother, Antonio, I have my instincts. And now, I have grandma instincts.” 

It feels good to know that Peter has so many people in his corner now. “Well… don’t get too comfortable because in thirty minutes he has to wake up.” 

“Let the poor baby sleep, Antonio. And don’t take this away from me.” 

Tony laughs softly. “Mamma, he’s been sleeping for an hour and a half already, two hours is his max because then he’ll never go to bed tonight.” 

“Alright. Then shoo. Don’t spoil my last thirty minutes cuddling with my baby.” 

Tony gets up and taps on his watch, silently telling his mom that he will be back soon. As he leaves the room, he can’t help but smile. It feels so good to have extra help like this even. Peter’s such a good napper and is more than willing to go down for a nap during the day if he needs one but bedtimes, Tony has no idea why the boy resists them so much and cries. 

Maybe his mom would have more luck with bedtimes. She seems to be pretty good with him. 

But then again, she was a good mother growing up, she just always sided with Howard but she was always there whenever Tony went to her for comfort as a young boy. 

As he gathers the plates from outside and brings them inside to place in the dishwasher, he thinks about how different life would have been if it was just him and his mother growing up. 

Being a single parent is hard. He knows from short experience. 

To have no one to take turns with when your child is screaming at nights or when they’re refusing to sleep. He sighs. He knows that part of the reason he’s so tough is because of the way his father raised him and that’s one of the reasons for being Iron Man. 

Besides getting kidnapped and held hostage in a cave in Afghanistan, being Iron Man is supposed to be something good, Tony wants to help keep the world a better place and thankfully he’s doing a pretty good job so far. 

He finishes putting the dishes away and gets Peter’s ready, filling up some juice into one of his favourite cups and screwing the lid on then Tony takes it upstairs with him to wake Peter up, a bit scared of waking up a grizzly bear instead. 

“Oh no. Is it time already?” 

Tony smiles. “Afraid so.” He sits on the bed. “Let’s just hope two hours was enough.” 

“He’s just so cuddly. It’s been so long since I held a baby, Antonio.” Maria says, not letting go of Peter yet. 

“Mom. He’s not actually a baby.” He laughs. Sure Peter is his baby. But he’s not actually a baby. No matter how bad Tony wants him to be sometimes when he feels like he’s missed out on too much… 

He sets the juice cup on the bed, not afraid of it spilling, then holds his arms out to take him from his mother but Maria doesn’t move. 

“Does he nap everyday?” 

He laughs. “No. Maybe every three days or so. It’s not often, just when he’s had a bad night before or just had a busy day.” 

“I’ll wake him up.” She says then pulls away a bit, looking down at Peter from the awkward angle they’re at. She smiles down at the boy, despite him still being asleep and not seeing her. “Hi, honey. It’s time to wake up.” 

Peter doesn’t move so Tony reaches over to gently but still with a bit of force, shake the boy. He’s done this enough to know that Peter will stay asleep if he isn’t a bit rough with him. “Peter, naps times over. Wake up, buddy.” 

Lifting his head up and squinting his eyes open, Peter looks at Maria then turns around until his eyes land on his father so he moves back to crawl into his arms, trying to find a comfortable position on him but Tony doesn’t let him. 

“Uh Uh. Buddy.” Tony gives him a kiss, totally oblivious to the annoyed yet all knowing expression on his mothers face. He stands up, lifting Peter up with him but only until Peter is standing up on the bed, leaning heavily against his father. Now, Peter is taller than Tony by about a foot, looking down at him as he stands on the bed. “Want to eat some lunch?” 

Rubbing his still tired eyes, Peter let’s out a yawn. Tony is still trying to determine if he’s in a good mood or not but then Peter grins, sitting down on his knees. “Yeah.” He spots his blue cup on the bed and takes it into his hands, drinking from the silicone straw and sliding off the bed. “Is it still today?” 

“It is. You slept for two hours.” He tells him, understanding that feeling of waking up from a nap feeling confused and having no idea what day or time it is. 

Peter hums, walking outside the bedroom but stopping to see if his father is coming. “I’m hungry.” 

Scooping him up, Tony places a kiss on his cheek, doing it again when Peter giggles at the action. “I know. I’m going to heat up your lunch then we can bring it down to the beach to eat in the shade.” 

Maria tickles the bottom of Peter’s foot, getting the perfect angle from the way he’s in his fathers arms and the head snap to look at her then the giggle is enough to make her try to persuade Tony into staying for longer than just two weeks. 

“Dad. Put me down.” Listening to his request, he lets go of Peter, letting him slide onto the floor so he can heat up the food easier. When he sets the timer on the microwave, he turns to see Peter still in his pull-up. 

“Can you go put pants or a bathing suit on, bud? Sorry, I forgot.” 

Peter places the cup on the counter and skips back upstairs without saying anything. 

“And don’t put it over your pull-up!” He calls out to him, knowing Peter heard him. While he’s getting his lunch ready, Tony fills up his cup with more juice and screws the lid back on, sensing his mom staring at him. “What?” 

“It’s really nice to see you in the fatherly role. It suits you.” She admits, giving him a warm smile that he looks away from. “I want you to consider staying here longer with him.” 

Tony did expect this conversation, especially after practically having to persuade his mom into letting him wake Peter up from his nap. 

He continues what he’s doing, only pausing to take in what she said. “If the summer was longer, we would. But he starts school two weeks after we get back and we need to get into a routine.” 

“You’re sending him to school?” 

“Of course I am.” 

“Are you sure that’s even safe?” 

Tony leans against the counter, looking conflicted. “Of course it’s safe. I don’t want to take him away from his friends and the teachers that he’s already comfortable with. Plus it’s an amazing school.” 

“You don’t think the public is going to find out about where he attends school the second he shows up there?” 

Tony doesn’t have time to answer since Peter is walking back downstairs, leaning against the entryway between the hallway and the kitchen, looking a mixture of annoyed and worried. Although his mom doesn’t know that Peter heard them talking, Tony does. 

Judging by the look of his kids face and the fact that Tony knows how good Peter’s ears are… he sighs. “Buddy.” 

Maria doesn’t seem worried though and approaches Peter. “Want to bring your lunch down to the beach?” 

Nodding, Peter steps forward to take his juice off the counter but Tony stops him from walking away. “Peter. Let’s talk about that.” 

“I don’t want to.” He takes the cup and leaves so Tony takes a few moments to himself to think about how he is going to go about this future conversation. 

It was a difficult decision for Tony to make for Peter. The whole aspect about his safety was a huge factor in the decision making but Tony wants Peter close to his friends where he can get himself out of the house for a few hours a day, and the fact that school would be a good routine for them. 

It all came down to what was best for his son. And going back to school is the best thing for him. 

Although Peter voiced his concerns to Tony, saying that he didn’t want everyone finding out where he went to school as he is scared of the paparazzi. It’s understandable, Peter wasn’t born in the spotlight, he’s only ever been exposed to it when he hung out with Tony in public those few times before he became Tony’s son and although by law they had to blur Peter’s face since he’s a minor, Tony still hates the fact that random people have pictures of his son on their phones and cameras. 

He fills up a glass of cold water and chugs it then goes to join his son and mother outside. He finds them at the beach sitting in the shade on the bed swing that Tony and Peter had slept in the first night. 

He sits down next to his son, silently patting his back then moves to lay down behind him, just being there in the moment and not to start that conversation with Peter now. 

When Peter turns around to look at him, Tony offers him a smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. 

Peter then pushes his plate toward him, turning so he’s sitting with his back to the ocean with Tony on one side and his grandma on the other. When Tony doesn’t take any of his food, Peter picks up some chicken with his fingers and holds it up to Tony’s mouth. “Eat.” 

“No, thank you, Peter. I already ate when you were sleeping. You eat.” 

Peter puts it back on his plate and picks up a piece of broccoli, holding that up to his fathers lips. “Eat.” 

“Peter, you eat. I already ate. And use your fork, please.” 

“I want to eat it in the ocean.” 

That is a strange request but it doesn’t surprise Tony. He’s heard way weirder things come out of Peter’s mouth. He reaches his hand up to swipe the curls out of his eyes, thinking he needs a haircut soon. “No, you can eat it here or take it back up to the house to eat. The ocean isn’t an option.” 

Peter doesn’t say anything and instead, he picks up his juice, taking a few sips then he tosses it and shows his dad his sticky fingers. “Can I go wash them in the ocean?” 

“Yeah. Don’t go too deep. Not past your knees.” He watches Peter run off, feeling his mother looking at him. “I can see you looking at me out of the corner of my eye, mom. What?” 

“It wouldn’t hurt to let him eat in the ocean. When will he ever get the chance to do that again.” 

Tony sighs. “Because he wouldn’t eat in the ocean. He would throw the food in in the hopes that a fish will swim up to him. I know him.” 

Maria laughs. “Oh, Tony. Sometimes you have to let kids do stuff like that. He’s not going to eat his lunch anyways. Even I know that.” 

Tony watches Peter walk into the ocean, bending down to pick up some sand and let it fall out of his hands before reaching in to do it again. 

“He’s skin and bones. He needs to eat more. What does his pediatrician say? You did get a pediatrician for him, didn’t you?” 

The question annoys Tony. Sure, Pepper was the one who told him that Peter couldn’t have the same doctor as him and so Tony had to do some research to find a qualified and trustworthy doctor good enough for his son, but still, he’s a good father. He doesn’t need criticism from his mother of all people. 

“Of course I did. Her name is Dr. Robins and she’s amazing with Peter.” Tony doesn’t tell his mom about the fact that she had to sign a non-disclosure document, stating that she wouldn’t expose to anyone that Peter was Spider-Man and therefore needed a different kind of care. 

“I’m glad. What does she say about his weight? It’s obvious he’s small for his age, but he’s also skinny and I can’t help but think it’s because he’s a picky eater.” 

Tony can sense the judgment. He also doesn’t want to discuss this so he gives a bit of information instead. “He’s healthy. That’s all that matters. He is small for his age, he was born six weeks premature, so that plays a part in it too. And I’m working on his picky eating. I’ll get him to eat something after he’s done in the ocean. But he doesn’t want this.” 

“I can help make a meal plan with you, honey. I’d love to do that. Just tell me what he won’t eat and-” 

Tony stops listening. 

He sees Peter sitting down in the ocean and then a wave comes and crashes over him and suddenly he doesn’t see Peter anymore so he gets up and runs down the beach, seeing Peter struggling to get up as the water keeps tossing him around. 

A few seconds later, Tony’s grabbing him by his arms and lifts him out of the water, brushing the water out of his eyes and waiting for him to catch his breath then as expected, Peter begins to cry, reaching up for him. 

Without thinking, Tony lifts him into his arms, careful not to hold him too tightly so he could still catch his breath. 

“You’re okay. That was scary, huh?” Tony’s heart is beating so fast that his hands are shaking. He can’t even imagine how scared Peter must be. So he does his best to calm him down. “Just breathe, you’re okay.” He reassures him and goes back to stand by the bed swing, looking at his mothers worried look. 

“T-that was scary!” Peter cries, wrapping his arms around his dad’s neck but he is starting to calm down a bit more now at least. 

Tony pulls back to wipe the never ending flow of tears from his little boy's cheek, reassuring him once more. “I know. But you’re safe now.” 

When Peter eventually calms down enough, Tony sits down on the bed swing and repositions Peter until he’s sitting on his thighs, facing his grandma. “That’s why I told you not to go past your knees. Do you see how powerful the ocean can be? Especially for someone who doesn’t know how to swim.” 

Peter nods, wrapping his arms around his neck once more, not wanting to let go. “I-I don’t like the ocean, dad. I think I just want to-to swim in the pool, dad.” 

Tony wants that too, at least for now. 

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.

.

Tony is probably the most shaken up out of everyone. Of course his father doesn’t seem to care all that much, his mother stays close to Peter but Tony thinks that she would have done that whether or not Peter didn’t get thrown around by the waves. 

But Tony is still affected by it, knowing that it is his responsibility to keep Peter safe and after practically watching Peter drown in front of him, okay, Tony knows that Peter didn’t drown and is in fact still okay because he had been right there… but what if he wasn’t? That thought scares him. 

So Tony decides to swim with Peter in the pool for the first time since arriving instead of just watching him. 

He walks in and grabs Peter’s life jacket, pulling him towards himself and turning him around. The action caused Peter to yelp, but once he realizes that it was his dad, he smiles at the man. 

“Hi, dad.” 

“Are you having fun?” 

Peter nods, wrapping an arm around him. “Uh huh. I can hold my breath underwater. Watch.” 

Without giving Tony any sort of warning, Peter plugs his nose and leans forward, keeping his head under the water for fifteen seconds then he lifts it back up, smiling proudly. “Did you see?” 

“I did. Good job, bubs.” 

Grinning, Peter floats in front of Tony. Tony was up to his chest in the water, standing there and holding onto Peter’s hands under the water. Whereas he can touch, Peter can’t so he simply lets his life jacket keep his head above the water. “Can I take this off so I can touch the bottom?” 

Tony wants to say no. He should say no. But this is a good sign right? Peter’s not afraid of the water even after getting thrown around by the ocean waves. He hesitates. “You can. But you have to stay in the shallow end. Deal?” 

“Yes! Deal.” He lets Tony pull him onto the stairs where Peter climbs up and unbuckles himself from his life jacket, immediately jumping into the water and touching the ground, lifting his head up so he can still breathe. 

“You’re about to go under if you walk any further.” Tony warns him but judging by the smile on the boy's face, it’s exactly what Peter wants. Peter walks in further and then he goes under, struggling for a bit and when Tony sees that he can’t swim back up, he grabs his upper arm, pulling him back up. “I told you.” 

“I want to swim to the deep end. Grandma!” 

Maria is using a pool noodle to rest on, simply enjoying the sun and also the splashing and noise coming from the other end. Usually, it’s quiet. And the silence had started to become suffocating. So she’s enjoying the childish noises and laughter coming from her grand baby. “Yes, honey?” 

“I-I want to swim to you.” 

She turns around to see Tony holding him up by one arm and laughs. “Oh, honey, I think you better stay with your father. I’ll come to you.” 

But then Peter does something that neither adult was expecting. 

Peter screams, trashing in Tony’s arms and shaking his head violently. 

Tony has to lift Peter into his arms to get him to stop, or at least get a better grip on him. “Hey. Hey! Stop it. Peter, enough. What do you want?” 

Stopping just enough to speak, Peter tries to squeeze out of his fathers arms. “I said I want to swim to the deep end. Not grandma coming to the swallow end. Urggggggg!” 

Tony hoists him up higher. “Can you swi-hey! Stop squirming. Can you swim?” 

Peter stops, looking at him with a blank expression. “… no.” 

“No. Exactly. So that means that you can’t swim to the deep end. If I let you go, you’ll go nowhere but underneath the water.” 

“No I won’t. Let me go.” 

After some thought, Tony let’s him go and as he said, Peter falls into the water and thrashes around but doesn’t come up to the surface so after a few seconds, Tony grabs him again and lifts him up, letting him catch his breath. “My point is proven. Put your life jacket back on or you can say goodbye to the pool today.” 

“No. No!” 

Tony walks over to the stairs and sets the boy on the third step so they’re at eye level, only now Peter is slightly taller than him. “You’ve got two options,” He lifts up one finger. “you can continue swimming with a life jacket on, or,” He lifts up another finger. “you can stop swimming and we can do something else. It’s your decision.” 

Peter grabs Tony’s hand and tries to pry open another finger. 

“What’re you doing?” 

“I want another option.” Peter cries out and Tony bites his tongue to try and stop himself from laughing. Peter’s trying to create a third option by opening up another finger. He pulls his hand away from him. “Noo! I want to swim without it!” He picks up the floating device and throws it, a bit too far for a boy his size. Tony gives him a warning look, knowing he used a bit of his Spidey powers. “I want to play.” 

“You can play. But if you want to play in the pool, you need to wear a life jacket-”

“No!” 

Tony looks at him. “Do you need to go inside for quiet time?” 

“Noo I don’t.” Peter sits down on the step and looks at Tony’s hand still holding up the options so he reaches forward and grabs Tony’s hand, bring it to his mouth to bite down on both digits. 

“Ow. Peter. Don’t bite.” He didn’t think he’d ever have to say that to a human being and not a dog. “Get out of the pool.” 

“No. I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’ll put on my life jacket! I’ll put it on!” Tony grabs his arm firmly in his gasp. 

“Then I expect you to behave yourself. Do you understand me?” 

“Yes.” 

“Good. Go get it.” He instructs him and then Peter runs out of the pool and picks up the life jacket, running back over to Tony and walking into the pool, a smile on his face. 

“Play with me.” 

Tony still has no idea how Peter can bounce back so fast. He knows it’s Peter testing him, trying to see what he can get away with but it’s still a lot sometimes. He doesn’t want to show Peter that he’s still upset though so he nods. “Alright. What do you want to play?” 

Swimming to the deep end, Peter grabs onto the diving board, grabbing on and swinging his legs over it to hang upside down like a monkey, or like Spider-Man. 

Tony shakes his head fondly at his kid, loving his energy. 

Swimming underneath him with her pool noodle, Maria pats the boys back. “Look at you. You’re like a fish out of water.” 

Tony swims over as well but he pats his butt. “I think that strap is a bit too tight, kid. You’ve got a wedgie.” He laughs more when his mother laughs. “Let go and I’ll loosen it for you.” 

“It’s not tight.” Peter says then hops down, splashing both of them. He grabs onto his fathers arm, using it to pull himself forward until he’s at the edge of the pool then he lifts himself out and runs back to the swallow end, walking down the steps and sitting there. “Swim over this way, dad!” 

Tony doesn’t move. He sees his dad walk over with a beer and magazine in his hand then sits on the pool chair. “What’s his problem?” 

“Oh,” Maria turns to look at Tony’s father. “Howard, why don’t you come and join us and your grandson?” 

He takes a sip of his beer. “Want me to teach your boy to swim, Tony?” 

Tony rolls his eyes at his father then gets out himself, going to sit on the pool chair beside his dad. “We’re not going to be here forever. Just join us. I want Peter to have good memories with you. Not you scaring him so badly that he owes his pants. And you’re not teaching him how to swim.” 

Howard looks at Peter so Tony follows his gaze and sees Peter looking down between his legs so Tony gets up, walking over to him. “Do you need to pee?” 

“Yeah.” 

“How about you go water down a tree instead of peeing in the pool. I think it makes the water turn blue.” He teases him, snorting at the face Peter makes. 

“It doesn’t.” He insists as he stands up. “I’ve already tested it. I told you.” He says and walks over to the closest tree he can find, attempting to pull his bathing suit down but it gets caught on the strap still stuck between his legs, causing him to throw his head back with a groan. “I’m stuck!” 

Tony shakes his head, walking over. It's always something with this boy. “Pete. Undo the strap first.” Tony leans over Peter to do that, tugging down the tight, wet trucks just enough. “If you want them fully off, then you need to go into the bathroom inside. Okay?” He tells him, a bit scared of what Peter will do since he doesn’t seem to care about letting his emotions get the best of him in front of his grandparents anymore. 

Peter nods, tugging himself out just enough to relieve himself on the tree. “Dad. I don’t even have to wash my hands.” 

Tony already started walking away to give his son some privacy, despite him peeing in front of him, and with his grandma and grandpa in the distance. “Seems so.” He chuckles and goes back over to check the time on his phone. 

After dinner, he could get Peter ready for bed then they could have a movie night or something not too hyper. If Peter even wants to, that is. 

Tony is just happy to be here with his son and parents. Even though Peter coming out of his shell more means his parents are going to witness outbursts and lots of big emotions from Peter… and himself if he was being honest, he’s just so happy to be here.