A Surprise?!
The next day was the same as the one before, except all therapists were women or non-binary. At the end of the meetings, around 1 pm, they had a list of five names with which to have a second meeting with. Peter and Bucky were exhausted, and honestly, Tony and Steve were tired as well. There is something about asking the same questions over and over again and getting similar answers that will make you weary. They all settled in for lunch opting to have a nap afterward. Lunch was Thai food and conversation on what Steve thought of Star Wars.
The soldier didn’t get it fully, but to be fair it was a futuristic movie trilogy being shown to a man born over seventy years in the past. Still, he loved how happy it made Peter and in turn did the same for Bucky. When he looked over at the two, during the movies, he often saw Bucky watching Peter, who was entranced in the film, even though he had already seen them before. Bucky was staring at the boy like he was memorizing the spark in his eyes and the smile on his face, willing that expression and that happiness to never go away just with his protective gaze. He knows Bucky didn’t see that expression on the kid’s face much, or really at all, during their latest captivity.
So, naturally, Steve told Peter he loved it. And it’s true, he loved the way it brought Peter back to life which then put a smile on his boyfriend’s face. A smile he hadn’t seen much since they got back. A smile that the man just fully got back after meeting Peter. A smile that he wished he could see every second of every day.
Peter was ecstatic and went off on a rant about how many things in the movie are either not that far off from being invented or are already out there. Steve and Bucky looked on with wonder and delight, whilst Tony looked on with pride and joy.
Hearing Peter talk about inventions and science made Tony smile wide, not just because he loved hearing his kid this happy and passionate, but because he had a surprise he was working on. A surprise that is guaranteed to make the kid smile. A smile he just got to see fully formed on the kid’s face, with no fear attached, right before he was taken from his grasp. A smile that was ripped away from Peter and replaced with anxiety and distrust once again. A smile Tony has only seen a few times since he has been back. A smile that he would give all his money away, which is a whole damn lot, to keep on his kid’s face forever.
Steve and Tony only wanted one thing, their boys to be happy.
____
Bucky, Peter, and even Steve fell asleep after lunch. Steve wasn’t going to, but then he remembered what Sam said. Give yourself a break and take care of yourself. So he did. They rearranged themselves so Steve could also sit on the couch. He sat at the end, back against the arm rest. Bucky leaned into Steve so his back was against his boyfriend’s chest and his head on his shoulder. Peter curled up on his side pressed against Bucky, head on his chest. And that’s how they slept. All but Tony.
Tony had work to do. But, he did grab his phone first and snap a couple of pictures of the adorable scene in front of him. After saving them to his favorites album, he left down the hall as silently as he could, basically tiptoeing away. All three that are sleeping have superheating and it was a feat not to wake them up, but somehow he managed.
______
He made it down to his lab where one of his surprises for Peter was set up. Since Peter has been back Tony has secretly been working on both the lab on the Penthouse floor as well as his lab. In the one upstairs he has created the perfect space for Peter. A sanctuary of science. In his own, he made a station for Peter in case he didn’t want to work alone. In both are also some gadgets for the boy. Mostly to help with his senses. For example ear plugs that will work even with his enhancements. A weighted blanket for panic attacks that he made looks exactly like Peter’s favorite red and blue throw blanket. Sunglasses that will not only make lights dimmer but can also block out any light if need be. He just wanted to put some finishing touches in before he showed the kid.
He had been working on the personal lab and the lab station for a bit before the kidnapping, but after Peter was gone, scratch that, Taken, he broke down. He locked the door to Peter’s lab and wrecked everything at the boy’s station in his own lab. After the first day of no leads, he had a tantrum. He swiped all the new tools he bought Peter off the table, overturned the table itself, and threw the boy’s brand-new work stool at a wall, denting it. He completely broke down, sitting on the floor for hours, silent tears falling from his eyes, and a silent scream left his mouth open in agony.
Those were hours he could have spent looking. He berated himself for it later. But in the moment he couldn’t do anything, it was then that he finally realised what it was like to truly lose a child. Those few minutes where he couldn’t find Peter, days before when he was just reading a book in the living room, didn’t even come close to how he felt when Peter was gone, really and truly gone. He would have given anything at that moment to find Peter upstairs snuggled up on the couch with his throw blanket reading about Frodo’s adventure. But no, he had been gone. Gone from his sight, from his tower, and he thought, possibly from his life. It felt like part of him was missing, no not missing, torn from his very being. Ripped away with no remorse leaving him hollow with a shell of pure agony.
But now, the sight of the new lab and lab station did not bring distress and emptiness, but joy and hopefulness. It was proof that Peter was here, Peter was alive, Peter was safe, and Peter had a future. He made some final adjustments to the gadgets, made sure the cabinets were stocked full of everything Peter needed to make his web fluid and shooters among other things, and straightened up everything one more time before going back upstairs to do the same with Peter’s personal lab.
_______
When he was finished he decided to make some hot chocolate for when the boys woke up. He was just putting the whipped cream on top when Peter walked in. He looked out of it and was rubbing his eyes. “Morning kiddo.” Tony smiled brightly.
“It’s not morning.” Peter sounded confused on the account of him still waking up.
“True, but you did just wake up so I stand by what I said.” Peter rolled his eyes. Again, he will never get sick of that. Where most parents would reprimand the child for disrespecting them he welcomed it. Encouraged it even. “Want some hot Chocolate?”
Peter perked up at that. “Yes!” Tony chuckled, handing the kid a mug. Peter took a sip of the warm, but not too hot, liquid and melted in the flavour.
“You’ve got a whipped cream mustache, Pete,” Tony said laughing as Peter pulled away from the mug. It reminded him of the first time the kid had cereal with him. He passed over a napkin, which Peter took, but didn’t use. Instead the boy licked his top lip clean.
“Why waste it?” he shrugged. Now it was Tony’s turn to roll his eyes.
“I’ve got a surprise for you if you want to see it.” Peter was in the idle of another sip, but paused midway through.
He looked up, “A surprise?”
“Yeah, something I’ve been working on and want to show you.” Peter’s mind went wild. His last surprise was the amazing suit Tony made him. He didn’t need more. Tony had already given him so much. But at the same time, he was dying to know what it was.
Tony could see Peter thinking, but he also knew he probably wouldn’t guess it. “After your finished with your hot chocolate we can-”
He froze mid-sentence as he watched the kid chug the drink. “Done!” Peter said, licking the last bit of whipped cream off his lips.
Tony shook his head but was also smiling, “You didn’t need to do that. We weren’t in a hurry.”
“Maybe you weren’t.” Peter said as he put his mug on the kitchen island, “Let’s go!” Peter smiled widely and started walking fast, but then stopped half way to the elevator. “Wait..uh…where is it?”
Tony laughed. “Well, there are two.”
“Two?!” He didn’t mean to but his voice roused Bucky and Steve from their nap.
“What’s going on?” Bucky ran into the kitchen on alert after hearing the raised voice. His eyes scanned the room, but he relaxed when he saw only Tony and Peter.
Peter seemed to shrink into himself a bit, feeling bad for worrying Bucky. But then again, what didn’t worry Bucky these days? Steve came in and laid a comforting hand on his boyfriend's shoulder who seemed to calm even more.
As soon as everyone was relaxed again Tony spoke, “I was just going to show Peter some surprises I have for him.”
“You guys want to come?” Peter seemed even more excited now. Tony briefly wondered whether hot chocolate, which was filled with sugar, was a good idea this late in the day. Oh well, too late now.
Bucky and Steve looked to Tony who nodded with a smile. “Sure,” Bucky said giving a faint smile toward Peter.
“First stop is just down the hall,” Tony said, leading three down the hall, opposite to the one Peter had originally gone down. Tony stopped in front of one of the five doors renege the other three to a halt as well. “Ready?” Peter nodded enthusiastically.
Tony reached for the handle, turned the knob, and opened the door.
Getting through the most recent kidnapping and the aftermath of it, which is still happening, was and is a lot. It took a toll on Tony. But now, as he stared at the light in the kid’s bewildered wide eyes as he looked around his new lab, his heart swelled.
The smile that formed on his son’s face, and the warmth that bloomed within Tony as it appeared, was better than the sun itself.