Bend The Definition Of Fate

Peter was having so much fun at the park that Tony didn’t want them to leave.

He loved hearing Peter’s voice happily explain something even if Tony had no idea what the kid was actually saying, he nodded along anyways and pretended to understand.

Peter was loving it although Tony could tell that he was getting pretty tired and that they should start packing up and heading back to the tower now so Peter could have a bath and be put to bed.

“I’m gonna start packing everything up while you go get him” Pepper told Tony as she began to fold the blankets up. Tony walked over to her to hand her Peter’s jeans that he kept taking off and refused to wear.

Now that Peter had some taste of what life at the park was like without pants on, he never wanted to go back.

Tony walked back over to Peter as the kid attempted to climb the slide from the bottom. Tony didn’t like how Peter was putting his face all over the dirty slide and licking it but no matter how many times Tony told him ‘no’ the kid did not listen so Tony let it go.

“One more time then we’re gonna go” Tony told Peter. He lifted him up by the underarms and placed him on the steps so Peter could walk to the top and slide down instead of spending the whole night attempting and failing to climb to the top.

Tony was tempted to say you’ll be able to climb the slide when you’re older but he stopped himself. Tony knew, he assumed that this whole de-aging thing that happened to Peter was temporary and that they will figure out a way to turn Peter back into a teenager. Making the whole you’ll be able to climb the slide when you’re older turn into Peter climbing it when he’s fifteen and Tony’s knows for a fact that Peter would be able to do that and without any help.

“Daddy watch me!” Peter yelled to get Tony’s attention from the top of the slide.

“I’m watching you, baby. Slide down” Tony said back. He watched as Peter sat on his butt and slid down the slide but cringed because his diaper was really full and looked like it was about to fall off. Thankfully it didn’t as Tony didn’t have any more. He over packed everything but the most important thing that a baby needs. Diapers.

“Daddy ‘gin!” Peter clapped his hands together excitedly and Tony couldn’t help himself but pull his phone out and take a picture of his baby.

“Look at me, Peter. Look here” Tony hit record and waited for Peter to look at him. Peter turned his big brown eyes towards Tony and reached out for him “Look at me, Pete”

“Uh daddy! Wan’ go ‘gin!” Peter tried to stand up and reach for Tony so he picked him up while he held the phone with his other hand and carried him to the steps then walked back over to film Peter going down the slide again.

Tony ended the video after Peter got to the bottom of the slide and was giggling like crazy. He put his phone in his pocket so he could lift his toddler up with both hands and press kisses to his forehead and cheeks.

“Dada no! Daddy” Peter giggled out.

Tony carries Peter back over to where Pepper was just finishing up packing everything. She looked over at the twos boys and smiled “I was thinking after we put everything in the car we could go feed the ducks over there?”

Tony looked to where Pepper was pointing and saw a pond. He doesn’t ever remember feeding the ducks when he was younger but he would love to give Peter that memory. If he remembers any of this.

“What do you say, Pete?” Tony asked the baby in his arms “Wanna go say hi to the ducks and give them some dinner?”

“Yeah! Yeah! ‘Uckies! Daddy!” Peter slapped Tony’s chest in excitement. Tony laughed then put Peter on the ground so he could walk and carry the blanket.

They put everything in the car with the help from Peter carrying the blanket. Tony thought that the kid looked adorable wearing nothing but a top, shoes and a diaper. He was about to put pants on his kid but he knew Peter wouldn’t want that and neither did Tony so he let Peter walk freely.

After everything was placed in the car, Tony leaned down so he could pick Peter up and set him on his hip. Peter placed his thumb in his mouth and began sucking on it as they locked the car and went to go walk to the pond where all the ducks were.

Pepper linked her hand in Tony’s hand so they were walking hand in hand. Butterflies filled Tony’s stomach because he was holding Pepper hand with his and in his other hand sat Peter on his hip sucking on his thumb. The whole feeling felt so natural like it was meant to always be like this forever.

Whenever Tony got those thoughts it was a mix of feelings. Part of him felt happy because he loved the whole idea of having a family with Pepper and having Peter as his kid. He already thought of Peter as his kid but having him as a son like this was something else, having to care for Peter because he depended on him 100%. Tony liked the idea of Peter needing him for everything because it made Tony feel needed and loved.

The other part of him was sad whenever he thought about this being his family because he knew it couldn’t be that way. Tony knew he couldn’t have Peter as his own son. Even if they couldn’t find a way to turn Peter back into a teenager, Tony is sure that May will want to have Peter back in her care at all times. Then Tony would have no reason to pick Peter up at his apartment or from school and take him back to the tower to work in the lab.

There would be no more Peter. There would be no more family.

Pepper noticed Tony’s mood drop so she gently bumped into him “What’s wrong?”

Tony wasn’t gonna tell her but he wanted to talk about it. “I’m just really happy. With Peter. And you. This whole… family thing, I don’t know I just really like it but I know it’s not gonna last and soon Peter’s gonna be a teen or we’re not going to find a way to turn him back and he’s gonna go back to May”

Pepper’s face also fell. Tony could tell that she was thinking about the same thing over the past few days, although not as much or in as much detail as Tony was.

“We can still be a family with Peter when he’s fifteen, we already were” Pepper reassured. “And if he stays like this then I’m sure May won’t keep you from him”

Tony looked at Peter who was still sucking on his thumb and looking at all the leaves with wide eyes.

“It just won’t be the same. When Peter’s fifteen it’s not like I can give him a bath and bond with him while I change his diaper without it being a little weird” Tony said sadly. He thought about ways he could do that but it just wasn’t likely.

“Then enjoy the time we have now with him before he grows up” Pepper said trying to make Tony feel better but it actually made him feel worse.

Although she was right so Tony pushed his sad feelings and sad thoughts aside to enjoy feeding the ducks with Peter.

“Daddy, ‘uck! ‘Uck!” Peter excitedly pointed to some ducks swimming towards them. He then kicked his legs until Tony put him on the ground. Peter grabbed Tony’s hand so he could walk towards the ducks but he was still kinda scared so he wanted his dad there.

Pepper handed Peter some bread to feed the ducks but instead of throwing it he started to put it in his mouth to eat it. Tony and Pepper both laughed so Tony bent down to be more at Peter’s eye level “No, Pete, you throw this to the ducks so they can eat too”

Peter looked at Tony confused then pointed “The ‘uckies?”

“Yeah, baby”

“Daddy eat” Peter brought the piece of bread he was chewing on up to Tony’s mouth. “Daddy!”

“No, I’m not hungry but duckies are so throw it to them” Tony explained. Peter nodded his head and started throwing the bread into the water then giggling and jumping up and down when the ducks came closer and started eating it.

Peter threw more pieces and seemed to really enjoy it until the ducks started getting closer and more aggressive. Peter screamed and tried to run away from the ducks that were getting closer to him only to trip and fall and land on his hands and knees.

Peter immediately started crying but Tony was still laughing because the scene happening in front of him was really funny not to laugh at. He looked over at Pepper who was trying not to laugh as much but had her phone up and videotaping the whole thing.

Tony stepped towards Peter and bent down so he could pick his kid up. Peter latched onto Tony’s side while Tony quickly checked his kid over so any cuts or bleeding. There was nothing on him so Tony tried to get him to calm down.

“Those are some mean ducks, huh Pete?” Tony laughed. Peter nodded his head and put his thumb back in his mouth.

“Yeah, bad ‘Uck! No food ‘Uck!” Peter pointed his finger at the ducks that was wasn’t in his mouth and scolded them.

Peter felt safer now that the ducks were attacking Tony and not him. Although Tony could see how scared that would be for someone Peter’s size and have all these ducks start to attack you.

They started slowly walking back to the car, hand in hand with Peter seated on Tony’s hip again as he rested his head on Tony’s shoulder. Tony wanted to desperately get home so he could change Peter because he could feel how full his diaper was and he wanted to prevent him from getting a diaper rash.

“When we go home do you wanna go in a bubble bath, Pete?” Tony asked. He opened the back foot of the car and tried to distract Peter enough so he wouldn’t freak out once he was placed in his car seat.

“Yeah! Ba’f’, daddy!” Peter clapped his tiny hands together just as Tony placed him in his car seat and started doing up his buckles. Tony let out a breath of air that he didn’t know he was holding after he got Peter in his car seat without him crying.

The car ride back to the tower was spent in silence for the most part. Tony thought that Peter had fallen asleep a bunch of times because he was so quiet but when Tony looked in the rearview mirror, Peter was just sucking on his thumb and looking curiously out the window.

At the tower, Tony turned off the car and went to go get Peter who immediately reached out for him once Tony was in reachable view.

“Up! Up!” Peter demanded, making grabby hands for Tony.

“Come here, baby” Tony lifted Peter up in his arms, placing him on his hip so he could help Pepper carry everything up to their floor in the elevator.

“I’m gonna go give him a bath before he falls asleep,” Tony told Pepper as he placed all the bags down next to the couch “wanna come?”

Pepper shook her head “No. I’m gonna clean up here then I’ll come if I finish on time”

Tony nodded his head, walking towards his bathroom where all of Peter’s favourite bath toys are. Although Tony doesn’t think that Peter is going to be wanting to play with any toys right now.

He placed Peter on the floor so that he was standing up while he ran the bath. Tony decided not to put any bubbles this time since Peter was tired and wanted to go to sleep.

“I ti’ed, dada” Peter said softly as he rubbed his eyes.

Tony looked down at him. Peter has never called him ‘dada’ before but Tony loved it. It was the cutest thing ever.

“I know, baby. After your bath you can sleep,” Tony sat down so he could take Peter’s shirt off “we gotta get all the sand out of your bum bum”

“Kay daddy”

Tony got Peter’s shirt off then he pulled his saggy diaper out from between his legs and tossed it to the side so he could get his shoes off. After that, Tony lifted Peter up and placed him in the bath.

Bath time was by far Tony’s favourite time with Peter. He loves washing his hair, how Peter leans back and shut his eyes tight putting his full trust in Tony not to get soap in his eyes. Tony loves a lot of the times he has with Peter and what they do together but this was his favourite. Especially when Peter was awake and happily splashing around.

Tony uses the cup to wet Peter’s hair and then started putting soap in it so he could make it nice and clean. After that, Tony told him to lie back while he held Peter’s back with one hand so he didn’t go under and used his other arm to rinse all the soap out.

He then used a washcloth and baby soap to wash between Peter’s legs to get all the sand out.

After bath time, Tony lifted Peter out and laid him down on the towel on the ground. He wrapped Peter up so that he was tight in his towel then Tony lifted him up and carried him into his bedroom.

Tony sat on his bed and cradled Peter in his arms. He brushed back his curly wet hair wanting this moment to never end.

They sat there for a few minutes before Tony was placing Peter on the bed and opening the towel so he could get him into a diaper and some clothes.

Tony grabbed the cream from the dresser so he could put it all over Peter’s body so his skin stayed soft. Tony poured some cream on his hands, rubbing it in then putting it on Peter’s body, starting with his arms.

As Tony was doing that he wanted to ask Peter a question, hoping he was in his teenage mindset but Tony doubted it.

“Peter, when you get bigger again are you still gonna wanna see me?” Tony asked, scared of the answer.

It was a weird question to be asking while Peter laid on his bed naked while Tony put cream on him but Tony wanted to know. Tony moved onto Peter’s legs while Peter still didn’t answer.

“What if I can’t get you back to being a teenager again? Will you stay with me?” Tony didn’t know why he was asking a two year old this. He was just so scared May would take Peter away from him again.

Tony finished putting cream everywhere on Peter’s body so he sighed and gave up waiting for Peter to answer. Peter was just staring at Tony but not saying anything.

Tony grabbed the diaper rash cream and lifted Peter’s legs up so he could apply it on his butt then moved to his front part before grabbing a diaper and putting it on him.

He then began getting Peter into an Iron Man onesie just to make Tony feel better about himself.

“Am I good enough, Peter? Am I a good enough daddy to you?” Tony tried asking.

Peter reached out for him and let out a whine “Daddy”

Tony thinks that answered his question.

He lifted Peter up and cradled him to his chest, rocking him back and forth a bit. “I love you, baby”

“Love you, dada” Peter brought his thumb to his mouth and began sucking on it as Tony carried him into the living room where Pepper was finishing up cleaning.

As soon as she saw Tony she handed him a bottle of milk. He took it from her gratefully, saved him from having to make one. “Thanks, Pep”

She smiled lovingly at him so he sat down on the couch and moved Peter so that he was laying across Tony’s lap with his head cradled in Tony’s arm and his hand fisting his daddy’s shirt. Tony removed Peter’s hand from his mouth and placed the bottle there.

As Tony watched his son drift off to sleep, so did he.