Chapter 7
“So my dad definitely thinks Peter and I are getting it on every chance we get.” You say to Betty as you sit down for lunch.
“Do we really have to talk about this again? Last night was embarrassing as is.” Peter mumbles from beside you.
“What? It’s funny.” Peter’s eyes tell you he doesn’t find it as funny as you do.
“You mean having to tell your mentor that you’re not being inappropriate with his daughter? That’s funny? Cuz I found it humiliating.”
“Relax Peter. My dad could care less-”
“Your dad threatened to blast me with his gauntlets. If that’s his carefree version, I’d hate to see what he does when he really cares.” Peter’s ears start to get the pink tinge to them again.
“Babe, he’s being a dad. Nothing more.” You place a hand over his. “I promise, if he tries to hurt you I’ll be the first to defend you. He’d never hurt me.” You know this is true, which is why you know he wouldn’t hurt Peter. Hurting Peter would hurt you.
“I know he wouldn’t. It just was an embarrassing conversation.” Peter looks down at the chicken nuggets and mashed potatoes in front of him. “One I’d rather not live through again right now,” he tacks on.
“Ok, we don’t have to talk about it.” You make a face at Betty letting her know you’d text her about it later.
“Have you asked about the trip?” Betty asks, changing the subject.
“What trip?” Peter asks.
“There’s a trip to Europe this summer. And no I haven’t asked yet. I’m pretty sure my dad will say no. He barely lets me leave the house for school. Letting me go across the ocean seems like something he’s going to flat out say no to.”
“So ask your mom.” Ned throws out. “You can’t miss out on the trip.” He turns to look at Peter. “And you need to pay more attention. Mr. Harrington told us about the trip last period. Starting in Italy, going to Paris, and then ending in London. At least that’s the tentative itinerary.”
“Mr. Dell told us about it yesterday and I thought you would have jumped on asking to go.” Betty says looking at you.
“I’m pretty sure Dad is going to shut it down. So what’s the point of asking?”
“Your dad isn’t that mean. If it means a lot to you, he’ll take it in consideration.” Peter points out.
“Are you going to ask May?” You ask.
“Sure. I’ve never been overseas besides that intern retreat your dad took me on last year,” Germany right. “I’d like to go for something that’s not work related. How about you ask Pepper tonight and I’ll ask May?”
“I swear the answer is going to be no. Or that I have to bring Happy.”
“Would bringing Happy be the end of the world if you got to visit one of your dream cities?” Peter points out. You toss that around your mind for a moment before you shrug.
“I guess not.”
“So ask Pepper tonight and I’ll ask May. Hopefully we both come back to school with signed intention sheets tomorrow.”
“Mom can I talk to you about something?” You ask as Morgan runs back into the living room to go cuddle with your dad.
“Of course. Something big happen at school?”
“Sort of. Um, so there’s this uh, trip, over the summer.” You start.
“And you want to go?” Pepper asks before you can even get the words out. You nod your head. “Where’s it to?”
“Europe? Venice, then Paris, and then London.”
“And you're asking me because you think Dad will say no?” she guesses and you have to nod again. “Ah. Well this is a big decision. You’d be gone for what a couple weeks at least?”
“I think so. My intention form has the tentative dates on it.”
“So I think your dad needs to be a part of the decision too.” The answer is an honest one and you know she’s right, but you had been hoping for a simple yes or no.
“But he never really lets me go anywhere. He’s going to say no.” You say, a bit of a whine slipping into your voice without meaning for it too.
“Why don’t you talk to him before you count on anything? He might surprise you.”
“Talk to whom about what? Who might surprise you?” Your dad’s voice comes from behind you. You and your mom both look at him. “Our alpha female decided she wanted juice after all.” He explains. “I figured I could come grab some and see my other favorite daughter too.” Tony pulls the apple juice container out of the fridge. “So what’s the drama that I missed?”
“Not drama. I was asking Mom something and she said I needed to ask you too.”
“Ah, is it time for a date with Peter already?”
“No. Or well that’s not what the question was about.” Your dad looks up at you as he unscrews the juice before grabbing a cup for Morgan.
“So what’s up that you need my answer?” Tony asks as he starts to pour the juice for your sister.
“Can I go to Europe this summer?” You blurt out. The juice stops pouring as Tony looks up to look at you, confusion lacing his face.
“You want to go to Europe this summer? For any particular reason?”
“There’s a school trip. Venice, Paris, and then London. And London is in my top three places I want to visit so this could be my chance to go. Plus it would be educational because it is with the school. And there will be chaperones so we’ll be safe.” Tony doesn’t say anything but instead looks towards Pepper. They have a conversation without speaking, but if you had to guess, you’re betting your dad is the one with hesitations.
“Who are the chaperones?”
“What?”
“Who are the adults going?” Tony clarifies.
“Mr. Dell who I have for Chemistry and Mr. Harrington who teaches Physics and is the Decathlon coach.”
“Mr. Harrington as in one of Peter’s science teachers?” Tony raises his eyebrow.
“Yes, one of Peter’s science teachers.”
“So you want to spend a few weeks in Europe with your boyfriend?”
“With my class and my boyfriend’s class who also happens to be going too.”
“And is your boyfriend going?”
“I don’t know. He has to ask May.” You roll your eyes. “Can I go?”
“Can I think about it for a little bit?”
“Our intention forms are due by the end of the week.” You say, hoping to get an answer out of him sooner rather than later.
“If I place guidelines in place for your safety will you follow them?”
“Like what? Making Happy come on the trip?”
“Maybe. I haven’t decided yet. But if I did?”
“If it means I get to go then yes.”
“And if Peter doesn’t get to go are you still going to want to go?” He challenges.
“I want to go to Europe whether or not Peter is going.”
“Ok, let me think about it.” Tony walks back into the living room with the cup of juice in hand.
The next two days are torture while you wait for an answer from your dad. Every day at lunch everyone looks to you to see if you have an answer and you have to tell them that Tony Stark is still thinking. Betty, Ned, MJ and Peter all have signed forms turned in already. You’re the only one still waiting. Every day you want to ask your dad for an answer, but you're more worried that asking will push him to say no. So instead, you follow your typical routine of pulling out your homework and starting on it until dinner is ready when you get home from school. Today though, you barely get started on your German worksheet when your Dad sits across from you.
“So I have a decision.” You look up at him.
“About the trip?”
“Yup, about the trip.” You set your pen down and focus on him. His face tells you absolutely nothing about what you want to know. “Now my answer and reasoning are pretty set ok?” He’s going to say no. You can feel it from that statement alone.
“Ok?”
“You can go on the trip-”
“Really?” Your eyes go wide at this. He actually said yes?
“However, both Happy and I are coming.”
“Wait what?” You had been anticipating Happy coming, but your dad? That was unexpected. “Why both of you?”
“Because you’re my kid and I’m going to make sure you’re safe. That’s why Happy is coming.”
“And you’re coming…?”
“Because I miss Europe.” Tony shrugs, trying to play it off as a joke.
“What’s the real reason?”
“Because I’m not completely ready to let you go away for weeks at a time where I don’t know where you are. I know that makes me lame, but-”
“Ok.”
“Ok?”
“Ok. You said your reasoning was set, so I guess you’re chaperoning? Did you ask about that already?”
“Mr. Dell and Mr. Harrington said they would love an extra set of eyes.”
“Wouldn’t it be two extra sets of eyes?”
“Happy is just for you.” Your face falls.
“What?”
“Where you go, Happy goes.”
“Dad…”
“Nope. I’m set on this. I lost you for five years. I’m making sure you’re safe while overseas.”
“I don’t need a babysitter though. I love Happy but wouldn’t he rather do something else? Especially if you’re there too?”
“Maybe, but I’m the one who pays him so he’ll do it nonetheless. Plus that means that two people will for sure know what to do if something happens with your blood sugar.”
“More like six.” You roll your eyes. “Peter and my friends know what to do too.”
“Ah so Mr. Parker will be going as well.”
“I already told you he was.”
“Guess I know who I specifically need to keep an eye on.”
“You’re ridiculous.”
“I’m a dad.” He explains.
“But I can go? For real?”
“For real. The paper is signed over on the counter.” You can’t help but let out an excited squeal as you wrap your arms around him.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” His arm wraps around you.
“When you text Peter to tell him that you are able to go, tell him that I need him to start coming over to help me on a project soon.”
“You have his number too.”
“But I know you’re already going to text him.”
“Fine, I guess I can tell him for you.” Tony places a kiss on your forehead.
“After you do your homework though.” You roll your eyes. German is suddenly less interesting with the excitement of Europe wanting to explode from you, but you know you can wait a little longer to tell everyone.