Chapter 13
2008
4 days, 3 weeks, 0 months, 0 years
“And remember, Peter,” Tony repeated for what felt like the hundredth time.
Peter must have the words memorised from how frequently Tony had said them that morning alone, but at this point he was saying it more for his own sake than the kid’s. Unlike Tony, Peter didn’t seem worried at all; he just seemed excited in anticipation of seeing Pepper again.
“If you say something and I don’t respond or react, it’s not that I don’t care, it’s that people might think I’m crazy if I look like I’m talking to myself.”
With a roll of his eyes, Peter kicked lazily at the floor.
Tony was wearing a suit, complete with a blazer and tie. He had said he had to drop off some files at Pepper’s office, that it was for business – ‘work stuff, very boring’ – and that Peter could wait in the penthouse and play with his toys while Tony quickly ran the errand. However, with a little begging and a rather convincing set of puppy eyes, he was easily persuaded to take the kid with him.
“You have to wear your red trainers.”
Tony had been reaching for his fancy Oxfords, ready to perfect his complete meeting attire for his first trip down to the tower. He looked up at Peter.
Peter was wearing his own red trainers along with his Snow-white pyjamas, the actual matching set this time, and –
God, Tony needed to get the kid some actual clothes. No one can live in pyjamas indefinitely.
“How is Pepper supposed to know you’re being serious about us all matching if you aren’t wearing yours? She can’t see that I’m wearing mine!” he exclaimed.
“Good point,” Tony replied. “I hadn’t thought about that, Kid. You’re a little genius.”
Peter rolled his eyes again.
Tony grabbed his red trainers, slipping them on and picking up the pile by the elevator doors. It was mostly files: documents he’d needed to sign, memos he’d needed to approve and press releases he’d needed to check over before they got sent out. At the bottom of the pile was the shoe box for Pepper.
“Let’s go.”
There was no hesitation in Peter’s movements as he followed Tony into the elevator. He seemed to be almost buzzing with excitement. Tony couldn’t bring himself to cast any kind of judgement; anyone would be excited to go somewhere else after being cooped up in a self-imposed quarantine for as long as the kid had.
“When we get to Pepper’s office, will you ask her if she wants to watch a movie with us this weekend?” Peter asked. “You said we could watch The Sound of Music but she can choose something else if she doesn’t like that one.”
A smile crawled its way onto Tony’s face as the elevator descended through the building.
That was something else he could hardly judge Peter for. He was sure that Pepper had wrapped him just as tightly around her fingers back when they had first met too. She was just such a likable person you couldn’t help but feel drawn to her, even when she reprimanding you for almost blowing up your lab, again.
“Of course. I’m sure she’d love to watch The Sound of Music with us.”
When the elevator doors finally opened, the nerves must have hit Peter all at once. He reached over and subtly fisted his hand in the fabric of the bottom of Tony’s shirt. The blazer fell over where his fingers were curled, hiding the scrunched ball of material from any wandering gazes. The older man was grateful for that as he was sure it would have looked strange to anyone unable to see the kid’s hand and he was really trying his best to avoid rumours starting about his mental state crumbing.
“This way.”
Tony turned left down the corridor upon exiting the elevator. He didn’t really know his way around the floors of offices and conferences, definitely not as well as he should considering his position in the company, but he could navigate the route to Pepper’s office with his eyes closed.
Neither of them spoke again until they reached the door to Pepper’s office a few minutes later. Tony was the one to knock, despite Peter’s earlier eagerness to.
“Come in,” Pepper called out.
Tony pushed the door open with his free hand, gently guiding Peter through the doorway and shutting it firmly behind them.
“What can I do for you, Tones?”
Peter seemed unsure, but he let go of Tony’s shirt. Stepping away he let himself look around.
The wall opposite the door was almost entirely glass, from the floor to the ceiling just like in Tony’s living room. These windows, unlike those in Tony’s living room, were covered by a set of cream blinds that were adjusted to half-cover the windows and somewhat shield the room from the early afternoon sun.
Directly in front of the windows, precisely centred between the walls either side but closer to the windows that the wall with the door, was Pepper’s desk. It was sleek, somehow both modern and traditional in it’s simple wooden design and finish.
The wall to the right was painted a greenish grey, a contrast to the other walls that were all a pure white and the large wooden shelving units that lined the wall to their left.
Peter turned slightly and spotted the large notice board by the door positioned above a soft grey couch. He took a step closer when he saw it, immediately recognising the crayon woman pinned practically in the centre amongst a collection of various ‘thank you’ cards.
“Mr. Stark!” He exclaimed excitedly.
He brandished one hand dramatically, pointing towards where his drawing was on display.
Tony smiled fondly and relayed the sight to Pepper, “Peter just spotted his drawing. He’s very happy about it.”
“It’s my favourite drawing,” she stated confidently.
This caught Peter’s attention immediately and he swung back around to stare at her. His mouth was hanging open slightly and his eyes were full of pure awe.
“And Morgan’s on the shelf over there where she can keep an eye on me while I’m working,” Pepper continued.
Sure enough, when he turned to look, there she was, a little paper dragon carefully angled to face Pepper’s desk from her vantage point on the sixth shelf.
“Well, anyway, I brought down the files JARVIS said you wanted,” Tony said, bring the conversation back onto the reason for their visit. “And Peter and I got you a little present.”
He handed everything over to Pepper who was still sat at her desk.
Curiously, she moved the stack of files off to the side and pulled the box closer. They hadn’t bothered wrapping it but Peter had used his best colouring pens to draw a couple of flowers on the brown cardboard and carefully copy out what Tony had written on a sheet of paper for him, spelling out ‘For Pepper, so we can all match. Love Peter’.
She smiled at the drawing for a moment before opening the shoe box and pulling out one of the red trainers.
“I love them,” she said with a firm little nod. “The colour is perfect, it’ll match the Iron Man suit too! Thank you very much, Peter.”
A few minutes later, Tony decided it was best he take Peter back up to the penthouse so they’d stop distracting Pepper and let her get on with her work.
When they left, there was a pep in Peter’s step that the nerves had sucked away on the walk down these corridors the first time. Tony was glad.