All The Stars Align

Nothing about parenting was easy. 

Tony learned that early on. 

Being a parent when your child was sick was next level difficulty. 

Tony saw the warning signs earlier on. He first saw the signs when Peter woke up crying and then refused to eat anything the next day. He was incredibly irritable and only wanted Tony’s attention on him, nothing else. 

Tony didn’t particularly mind. He loved giving Peter his full attention but that also meant he caused Peter to cry even if he went to the bathroom. 

It was hard work and extremely stressful for Tony. 

He poured juice into Peter’s water bottle and got the medicine syringe filled up with the medicine. So far Peter had a fever, a running nose and a cough so he wanted to prevent him from getting any worse. He’s done the vomit thing before and he really didn’t want to have to go through that again. 

Although he knew it was his responsibility as a parent to go through it again and again and again. 

He walked back into the living room, hating that he had to disturb Peter from his rest but it was time to give him his medicine again so he sat on the couch next to Peter’s hips and put the back of his hand to feel his forehead. “You’re burning up still, bud. I’m gonna have to get you a cold cloth-”

Peter turned onto his back and forced out a cry so Tony held the syringe up. “You need to take this now. I have juice after so you can drink it to get the taste out.” 

“Mm.” Peter weakly pushed it away from his face. “No. It’s yuckie.” 

“You need it.” Tony lifted Peter up so he could shove a pillow behind him. “Open your mouth.” 

Peter turned away from the medicine poking at his lips, hiding his head on the couch and trying to cover the blankets over his head but Tony held them down so he couldn’t. He wasn’t doing this to hurt Peter but he wanted him to get better. 

The sooner he took the medicine, the sooner he could get better. 

“Please, Peter. It’ll be quick. Less than a minute.” Tony tried to force Peter’s mouth open but Peter was turning away and trying to bury his face in the couch. Tony didn't know what else to do. Having a sick kid was one thing but having a sick kid that refused to take medicine was even harder. “Peter, if you don’t take this medicine then you’re gonna have to take medicine that goes up your butt.” Tony half joked. “You need to get this in your system to feel better.” 

Peter shook his head at him and Tony felt bad. His baby was sick and was hurting and he was trying to make him feel better. He placed the syringe down and placed his hands under Peter’s armpits to pick him up. Peter immediately accepted him and snuggled his head against his chest, whimpering sadly. 

Tony could hear his congested chest with each breath that he struggled to take. He rubbed at his back, feeling the intense heat radiating off of him. “Take this and you’ll start to feel better.” 

Peter pushed his head away so Tony grabbed his cheeks to force his mouth open then placed the syringe inside and pushed some of the medicine out. “Swallow. Swallow, Peter- oh no. Okay, let’s try again.” 

Peter had spit the medicine out so Tony lifted the bottom of Peter’s shirt up to wipe his chin off, knowing he was already going to have to change his shirt. “Noo.” Peter choked on a sob so Tony lifted him up more so his airway was free. 

“Shhh, you’ll feel better.” Tony tried again but Peter grabbed the syringe out of his hand and threw it. Tony stood up, turning Peter so he could hold him with one hand. “FRIDAY, order a suppository.” 

He walked into the kitchen and grabbed a face cloth, running it under cold water then squeezing the excess water out and patting it on Peter’s face and neck but that caused Peter to throw his head back with a scream. 

Tony quickly pulled him back up and sat him on the counter. “It’s okay, Pete. You’re sick but you’re not gonna feel better if you don’t let me give you your medicine.” He gently caressed Peter’s sweaty face. “How do you want me to give it to you?” 

Peter cried even harder and buried his face into Tony’s neck so Tony grabbed another syringe and filled it up with medicine then pulled Peter away from him so he could give him the medicine, hoping that Peter made this easy for him. 

“Open. I’ll be quick.” Tony poked Peter’s lips with it but Peter turned his head away. Tony tried again and this time Peter went crossed eyed trying to look at it. He tried grabbing it from Tony again to throw it but Tony was quicker and held it out of arm's reach from him. 

Peter leaned back but accidentally went too far and smacked his head on the marble counter, letting out a loud wail. 

Tony was out of patience and he didn’t know what to do. 

He picked Peter back up and rubbed the back of his head as Peter cried but it was more of a scream into his shoulder. Tony gave up with the medicine right now. He walked back into the living room and tried to feel for a bump on the back of Peter’s head but there was nothing there. 

“You’re okay, Pete.” Tony tried to reassure him but he knew Peter didn’t do well with being sick. The spider DNA in him made Peter get sick faster and harder than what was normal. Although someone usually would get sick for around a week, he got sick for around two days of complete hell. Sometimes longer so Tony was prepared for no sleep for the next few nights. 

Peter covered his hands over his face and cried into them so Tony sat down and laid Peter back down so he could figure out how to get the medicine into Peter but as soon as Peter was off of him, he began crying harder and climbed back onto Tony’s lap. 

Tony’s shoulder was soaked from the tears, snot and spit and if were anyone else, Tony would have thrown up from the wetness on him but it was his kid so he didn’t mind. “Shh. Shhh. You’re okay.” Tony whispered, patting his butt with one hand and going onto his phone with the other hand. 

He searched up ways to trick your kids into taking medicine and from the first option, he already knew what he was going to do. 

“I’m gonna go get you a juice box from the kitchen, I’ll be right back.” Tony laid Peter back down but that was a mistake since Peter only wanted to be held by him but Tony had to have two hands available so he had to listen to the crying for a bit. “No, I’ll be right back.” 

His heart ached as he listened to the cries from Peter so he tried to move as fast as he could. He cut a corner of a juice box and poured it out into a cup then cut a square out in the back. Next, he poured the medicine into the measuring cup and put the straw in it to trick Peter. 

He walked into the living room and sat back down. “I brought you juice. Take a sip.” 

Peter eagerly sat up and opened his mouth for the straw so Tony held it up to his lips to let him drink it, hoping Peter fell for it. Peter pulled away after two sips and scrunched his face up. “Mm.” 

“Drink some more.” Tony insisted, holding it out for Peter again and tried so hard not to smile when it worked. He placed it on the table and grabbed his water bottle to let him wash the taste out although Peter seemed to have no problem with it when he didn’t know it was medicine. 

It made Tony wonder just how good of an actor Peter really was. 

He obviously didn’t comment on it as he grabbed a thin blanket and laid it over him. “Do you want me to bring you upstairs to my bed or do you wanna stay here?” 

Peter aggressively rubbed at his eyes. “Mm. Where you goin’?” 

“I’ll go wherever you go.” 

“Then here.” Peter said which was followed by a loud and painful coughing fit. Tony placed the water bottle back at his lips for him to drink but Peter pushed it away. “Mmhmm. You.” 

Tony didn’t know exactly what Peter wanted. He leaned down to press his lips to his forehead and felt the heat radiating off of him. “Okay. You rest. I’ll be here.” 

And Tony did stay. He wasn’t going anywhere. Peter fell asleep pretty quickly so Tony slowly pulled the blankets off of him so he didn’t over heat. He sat on the other couch and stared at Peter for a few minutes, watching his chest rise and fall with each breath he took. 

It did little to calm Tony’s own racing heart. He was so worried about Peter even for the littlest things. He wondered if that worry ever went away or if it was with a parent for a lifetime. 

He tried to answer some emails but he couldn't get himself to focus so he forwarded them all to Pepper for her to get caught up on. It’s a never ending cycle of emails to answer and Tony briefly wondered if he should hire someone to do that for him so he didn’t have to. 

It certainly would free up a lot of his time. 

He picked up the package of wipes on the couch and tossed them onto the ground. He was definitely bored without Peter awake to entertain him and it really made him realize just how much his life now revolves around Peter. 

Everything he does is for Peter but he wouldn’t want to have it any other way. 

The elevator doors opened up and Tony knew it could only be one of a few people so he turned his head and saw Rhodey walking in. He honestly forgot about his friend still being there and thought that he left a while ago. Tony had completely lost track of the days. Maybe he already left then came back and Tony didn’t know. 

“Hey.” 

Rhodey looked over Peter and sat on the sofa, opposite Tony. “What’s up, man? Baby napping?” 

Tony rolled his eyes and looked over at his best friend. “He’s sick. And when he gets sick, it’s really bad.” 

“To be honest I thought I was coming up here to lots of crying so I’m kinda glad he’s sleeping.” Rhodey picked up the cut out juice box and raised his eyebrows at Tony. “What’s this?” 

“Don’t break it.” Tony warned. “I’ll need it later. I don’t know, he refuses to take medicine so I had to make that little device.” 

Rhodey placed it back down and sat back. “What’s new up in daddy daycare?” 

Tony rolled his eyes at the comment but he didn't question it, knowing Rhodey genuinely cared about Peter. He saw it in his eyes when the man looked at his kid. “Well… he was fine yesterday and even went to his friends house for a few hours but then he came home and was really whiny so I kinda saw it coming.” 

“What did you do while he was gone?” Rhodey asked, digging behind him to pull an old water bottle out of the couch and place it on the table. 

“Uh,” Tony tried to remember. He didn’t do much. “I just had me time. I never thought I’d say something like that until Peter came along and took all my me time.” He didn’t mind it though although he did have certain needs that needed taken care of. 

“You used to have me time like three times a day. Now what’s it down to?” Rhodey asked, clearly laughing at Tony. 

“That’s oddly weird that you know that. I don’t even think Pepper knows that.” He reached across the table to grab his coffee and took a sip but it was cold. He cringed and put it back down. “But it’s down to none a day. How bout that?” 

Rhodey barked out a laugh which had Peter whining and rolling onto his side. So Tony reached out to run his hand through his hair, knowing that if Peter didn’t feel him touch him, he would wake up and Tony didn’t want to struggle to put him back to sleep. 

“Sorry, man.” 

“It’s fine. If you wake him up, you’ll just have to put him back to sleep.” Tony teased him but he was only joking. That would not be fair to anyone. 

“No thanks. I’m good with just being the cool uncle that stays out of the actual parenting aspects.” Rhodey sat forward. “When do you think he’ll be better? I wanted to take him out for ice cream or something.” 

Tony shrugged and took another sip of his cold coffee, cringing at the taste. “I have no idea. It could be tomorrow or it could be a week from now.” He stood up to move Peter’s head so his neck wasn’t bent but then Peter was stretching his legs out. 

Rhodey gestured to Peter’s pull-up that was impossibly full. “Maybe you should change that. It looks uncomfortable.” 

Tony looked down and realized it had been awhile. He grabbed a clean pull-up from the box and the wipes he previously tossed then undid the sides of it and took it off, making quick progress and trying not to wake Peter up even though he knew Peter was half awake already. 

He then put a new one on him and grabbed the old one to go throw out and wash his hands. 

“You’re an expert.” Rhodey commented. 

Tony thought so too. “Practice makes perfect.” He finished washing his hands and went to go talk with Rhodey for a bit longer, grateful for his presence but then Peter was sitting up and whimpering so Tony rushed back over to him and pulled Peter into his arms before the crying started. “What’s wrong? Do you want something to drink?” 

Peter shook his head and laid it on his dad’s shoulder, taking in big breaths so he didn’t vomit like he felt he was going to. “Feel bad.” He mumbled. 

“You feel bad? Do you feel like you’re gonna throw up?” Tony wanted to be prepared for that. He wasn’t sure what Peter was feeling. 

He rubbed his back some more, wishing he could see Peter’s face so he could tell what he was feeling. He turned so Rhodey could see. “Are his eyes open?” 

“Yeah but they don’t seem focused anywhere.” Rhodey observed then Peter was lifting his head up and rubbing at his eyes with the back of his hand. 

“Mm.” He whined. 

“What’s wrong?” 

“Mm.” 

“I don’t know what you want.” 

Peter laid his head back on his shoulder so Tony rubbed at his back, hoping that helped to relax him. Peter pointed towards the kitchen, silently asking for apple juice so Tony sat him back down on the couch. “Okay. I’ll be right back.” 

Tony tried to be quick but nothing could have prepared him for what Peter was about to do. 

He was going to pour the juice into the cup when Rhodey spoke up, sounding alarmed and Tony knew his friend never sounded alarmed. “Tony, he’s throwing up.” 

Tony raced into the living room and saw vomit dripping down Peter’s chin and all over his shirt and his lap. He watched as another round of vomit happened and then the crying started. “Oh, buddy. You’re okay.” Tony was really trying to avoid the vomit aspect of Peter being sick, hoping it was a bad cold and not the flu but he was wrong. 

“Do you need help with anything, man?” Asked  Rhodey, standing up but keeping his distance from Peter. 

Tony ran his fingers through Peter’s sweaty hair, knowing he was going to have to eventually touch the vomit. “No. I’m good. I’ve done it before.” He still felt unprepared though. 

He hated seeing Peter sick, knowing he was in pain and there was very little he could do to take his pain and discomfort away. 

Tony picked Peter up, holding him so Peter’s back was against his chest so his hand and arm was the only thing touching the vomit. He wanted to get him washed off and changed as soon as possible. 

“I’m gonna go then, good luck.” 

Tony barely acknowledged Rhodey leave as he carried Peter upstairs. “Almost there. Are you gonna throw up again?” 

Peter whimpered loudly after Tony placed him on his feet in his bathroom. He looked down at himself, hating the fact that he threw up and then he started crying. 

“What? What’s wrong?” Tony asked, double checking Peter over to make sure he’s okay. “Why are you crying?” 

“I-I don’ like thr-throwing up!” Peter cried out, looking to Tony for him to fix everything and make it all better for him. 

Tony grabbed the bottom of Peter’s shirt and lifted it over his head but Peter started crying harder. “Hey, stop. Calm down. You’re okay, Peter.” Peter wiped at his eyes some more so Tony pulled a tab off the pull-up and Peter started freaking out again. “Peter. Stop. Why are you even crying.” 

Peter pointed off to nowhere in particular so Tony guessed that Peter didn’t even know why he was crying. He was so out of it and disoriented from being so sick. 

“I’m gonna take this off then you’ll have a super quick shower.” Tony pulled the other tab off and threw it in the garbage. He quickly turned the shower on and rinsed his arm then held his hand out for Peter to take. “Come. Let’s make this quick.” 

“No.” 

“Yes.” Tony wasn’t arguing with a sick child. He picked Peter up and stood him under the water, immediately having to listen to the crying and trying to stop Peter from squirming as if Tony were lighting him on fire. “You’re gonna fall and hit your head. Stop.” 

Peter screamed, desperately trying to get out. What Tony didn’t know was that with Peter’s heightened senses, the water droplets felt like tiny knives stabbing into his sensitive skin. 

“It hurts!” Peter cried out and Tony thought he was just being extra so he picked Peter up and held him under the water, squirting some body wash into his hands and rubbing it over Peter’s chest and arms. “S-stop.” 

“Almost done.” Tony said, trying to be as quick as possible. He felt bad since Peter was clearly distressed but he didn’t want to prolong it. 

He moved Peter back under the water again and moved to rinse him off but Peter was full on screaming and sobbing into his neck. “N-no more. Stop.” 

Tony turned the water off and walked out, grabbing a towel and laying Peter on the bed so he could wrap him in it tightly then he took off his own wet clothes in his closet quickly and changed into comfy clothes. 

Peter was still lying on the bed, wrapped up tightly with only his face visible as he cried. 

“You’re all clean now. I know that wasn’t comfortable.” Tony frowned as he looked down at Peter, knowing how miserable he felt in that moment. It wasn’t easy being sick and it especially wasn’t easy the way Peter’s body reacted to being sick. 

Peter tried to force his arms out of the towel wrap but he couldn’t get them out straight away and let out an ear piercing scream so Tony helped him and picked him up, pulling the towel down. 

“There. Is that better?” The only response he got was Peter resting his head on his shoulder so Tony walked around to grab thin pyjamas. “Do you want to wear a pull-up? Or are you gonna get up to go?” 

“Mm. Pull-up.” Peter pointed to the box on the floor so Tony grabbed one out. “But don’t leave me.” 

“I’m not. I just gotta get it on you first.” Tony placed Peter on his feet, quickly getting it on and picking him back up. He thought Peter was clingy when he wasn’t sick but being sick was on a whole other level of clinginess. 

Tony bent down awkwardly to pick up the pyjamas. “Do you want these ones?” 

Peter pushed them away without even looking at them. 

“You don’t want to wear pyjamas? How about just the top then?” Tony didn’t want Peter wrapping himself in blankets so pyjamas would have to do. “Let’s try.” 

“Nooo. Noo.” Peter whined, trying to cling onto Tony so he couldn’t let him go. 

Tony managed to lay him down and looked down at him. He felt so powerless to do anything as he watched Peter cry and try to reach up for him again but Tony didn’t pick him back up. 

He did pick up the pyjama top and got it on Peter, then moved to the pants but Peter kicked at him and tried to tell him to stop, breaking Tony’s heart so he stopped. “What do you want, baby? I don’t know.” 

“Hold me.” Peter whimpered out, making grabby hands for him again so Tony picked him back up. “Mm.” 

“Do you want to try and eat something? Your body needs some energy.” Tony wanted to give him the choice to decide but Peter was the child and he didn’t have the final say. Tony was only doing it to help Peter and not to hurt him. 

Even if Peter didn’t see it that way. 

Peter sighed against his neck. “Mmhm. Wan-want juice.” 

At least he was getting something in his body, Tony thought. 

He carried Peter downstairs, spotting the vomit still on the couch and cringing. He was going to have to clean that up but he wanted to make Peter soup for lunch and hope that he even just took a few bites. 

Tony couldn’t do it all. He knew that. It was hard to ask for help and it took him a long time to be okay with that but he was doing it for Peter, not for himself. Peter needed to sit on the couch and eat but he couldn’t clean and cook at the same time. 

So he called Steve up and was more than happy that the man showed up not even five minutes later. “Hey, Tony. Rhodey told me Peter was sick.” 

Tony walked towards him. He was so grateful that Steve enjoyed taking care of Peter when he couldn’t or when he needed help. “Yeah, he’s not in the best mood. I need to clean the couch so can you make him soup?” 

Steve held his hands out for Peter, he hadn’t seen the boy in almost three weeks and missed him. “Of course, Tony.” 

Tony didn’t expect Steve to want to take Peter but it was easier on him and gave him a break. He handed his kid over, shaking his numb arm out from not being able to put Peter down all day. 

Peter whined at the movement, turning his head to look back and see who was holding him but then he relaxed once he saw it was a familiar face and cuddled up against Steve’s extra warm body. 

“Cook with Steve. I’m gonna clean up the living room.” Tony patted Peter’s back and went upstairs to get the cleaning supplies. He immediately heard Peter start crying but he didn’t go back, needing even just a fifteen minute break from Peter being so demanding and needing something from him every minute. 

“Let’s go cook.” Steve pulled Peter away from him a bit to see his face, sighing at how pale and sickly he looked. “Do you feel sick?” 

Peter nodded, rubbing at his eyes with his fists. “Want dad.” 

“He’s upstairs. He’ll be back soon.” Steve reassured the distraught child and grabbed a pot out, knowing it was going to be hard having to use only one hand. 

Peter sighed, knowing he wasn’t going to get his way and stay with his dad who was his source of comfort. He laid his head on Steve’s chest and watched him cook as he chewed on the tip of his finger, feeling extremely hungry but too scared to eat in case he threw up again. 

The movements Steve did was calming him. He took comfort from focusing on Steve’s heartbeat and closed his eyes, knowing Steve was going to hold him until his dad got back. 

Steve patted his thigh which jerked him awake. “Do you want to eat your soup in the kitchen or living room?” 

Peter looked over his shoulder and could see his dad in the living room cleaning something and even though he looked busy, Peter still wanted to go see him. “There.” 

“Alright. We’ll go there as soon as I’m done.” Steve told him, holding Peter a little tighter as he stirred the pot on the stove and looked back to see how Tony was getting on. 

Peter was getting impatient. He didn’t feel well and all he wanted to do was wrap himself in a million blankets and cuddle in his dad's arms but no one else seemed to want him to do that so he tried to get comfortable in Steve’s arms even though his stomach was starting to hurt him a lot.  

“Can I go down?” Peter whispered, scared to talk in case he threw up all the juice in his stomach. 

“Yeah,” Steve placed him on his feet but continued to watch him closely. “I’m almost done here.” 

It wasn’t that Peter didn’t like Steve. He really did like him but he was sick and preferred Tony so he walked towards the living room and tried to squeeze his way onto his lap. “I wanna stay with you. Not Steve.” 

Tony was just finishing up with the couch. He knew it would be getting messy again so he covered it with a blanket, hoping that at least kept it clean until he had to change it out again. “Okay. Come here.” He pulled Peter against his side and sat down on the couch, feeling his forehead with the back of his hand. “You’re really burning up, buddy.” 

Peter sighed. He was in pain, he felt incredibly uncomfortable and was hot and cold at the same time. His stomach hurt but not like a need to poop kinda hurt, more like I’m about to vomit kinda hurt so he tried to stop that. 

It terrified him when he threw up. He didn’t like it. 

He sighed again, hoping it prevented him from throwing up again. 

Steve walked over with a bowl of soup and Tony was so incredibly grateful for the man coming up to help. He knew Steve didn’t have to, Peter wasn’t his kid but Tony appreciated that he still came. “Thanks, Steve. I feel so overwhelmed when he’s sick.” 

“It’s no problem, Tony.” Steve handed Tony the soup and Tony saw there were ice cubes in it so it was ready for Peter to eat. “Do you need help with anything else?” 

Tony placed the bowl on the table to sit Peter up, he could see and even feel how weak Peter was. “Try a bite. Look,” He held the spoon up to Peter’s face but he pushed it away. Tony sighed. “Uh, no. I think I’m good. I’m gonna try to get him to eat this and then he’ll hopefully sleep until dinner.” 

“I can come back up if you need me.” 

Tony said thanks one more time to Steve before he left, wanting to be alone with Peter because he felt like a failure of a father when Peter cried. Like he wasn’t doing something right even though he was doing all that he could. 

He felt like a failure because Peter was crying and he wasn’t doing anything to stop it. He didn’t know how. 

Tony brought the spoon up to Peter’s lips again but Peter was pushing it away, causing Tony to spill it on the carpet, not that he cared at that moment. “Want to try yourself?” 

“No! I don’t feel good!” Peter cried out, rubbing at his eyes. 

Tony rubbed his back but Peter flinched away from him and started crying harder and Tony felt like joining Peter in that moment and crying with him. He just stared at Peter, watching him cry since he didn’t know what else to do. 

“Do you want to eat in the kitchen?” Peter shook his head, still rubbing at his eyes. “Want to eat in my room? On my bed?” Peter shook his head. Tony sighed. 

He grabbed the bowl and held the spoon to Peter’s lips, “Can you try one bite?” 

Peter looked at the spoon then opened his mouth and leaned forward. Tony couldn’t stop the smile from forming since he got Peter to eat. He was so pleased with himself. 

He opened his mouth for another bite so Tony fed him again. Peter pushed the spoon away when the bowl was half empty so Tony wasn’t going to push it again. Peter ate more than he expected anyways. 

Tony brushed the curls off his face to help put Peter to sleep which didn’t take very long. He was out in just a few minutes. 

Tony watched his chest rise and fall for a bit, hoping Peter stayed asleep but it was always so hard to tell. All Tony knew was that he wasn't going to get any sleep any time soon. 

His phone was ringing so he quickly answered it just to stop the vibrations so it didn’t wake Peter up. “Hello?” 

“Hey, Tony. How’s it going over there?” Pepper said back. 

Tony rubbed a hand through his hair. “Pete’s sick. I finally just got him to sleep like fifteen minutes ago.” 

“Aww, I’m sorry. I hope he feels better soon. Is he vomiting?” 

“Yeah.” Tony looked down at Peter, moving the blankets off his body so he didn’t overheat. “I’m hoping he wakes up feeling better tomorrow. It’s so hard.” 

“I know, Tony. I can imagine.” Pepper sounded sad and Tony wished she could come help him. 

Tony stood up to go talk in the kitchen, still keeping his eyes on Peter. “Yeah. It’s just… he’s crying and I don’t know what to do. He’s so difficult sometimes.” 

“Kids cry, Tony.” Pepper insisted. “It’s completely normal. Especially if they’re sick.” 

“I know, he’s just… very demanding and it’s hard.” Tony didn’t know how he was going to do it tonight. Peter was next level difficult when he was sick or simply when he didn’t get his own way. 

Tony knew he wasn’t alone. At least a billion other parents dealt with difficult kids. 

“It’ll get easier then one day he won’t need you and you’ll miss this day. Just know it’s not forever.” 

That actually did make Tony feel a lot better. 

He obviously didn’t want Peter to grow up, what parent wanted that. He wished Peter could stay the age he was forever. Of course he did, but he also was really looking forward to watching Peter grow up and watch him grow into the most beautiful and kind little man. 

Of course he wouldn’t be able to get away with calling Peter a little man when he’s older but he probably still would. He knew he would still call him baby. 

He chatted with Pepper for a bit, grateful for their conversation but almost as soon as it ended, he had to tend to Peter. 

He sat on the couch and gently moved Peter’s arm out from under him since it was bent so awkwardly and quite painful looking. Although Tony had seen Peter willingly sit in some uncomfortable positions as if it were the most comfortable position in the world. 

Tony patted his back, hoping Peter woke up so he could give him his next dose of medicine. He already had it ready in the cut out juice box that he was probably way too proud about. 

“Open your eyes for me, bud.” Tony helped Peter sit up, despite his whimpering at the movement. “I know. But you need to take a sip of your juice.” He grabbed the juice box off the table and held it in front of Peter’s lips but Peter was jerking forward so Tony quickly grabbed the bucket and directed Peter to throw up into it, cringing a bit at what he was holding. 

He didn’t know why but it was less disgusting for him to have to clean up the vomit off Peter and the couch instead of in the bucket. Just something about watching it swirl around in there made him want to vomit. 

Of course he didn’t. 

He encouraged Peter to vomit, knowing it was good for his body to get whatever was in his system making him so sick, out. 

Peter hated throwing up so as soon as he stopped, the crying started. 

Tony wiped his face with a cold cloth and handed him water to rinse his mouth. He then pulled Peter onto his lap when Peter held his arms out for him. 

He patted his bum, wishing he could make Peter feel better. “I love you, baby. Are you in pain? What do you want me to do?” 

Peter breathed heavily against him. “Juice.” 

So Tony stood up, holding Peter with one arm so he could get Peter his juice. He struggled a bit with one arm but he did it. He was used to it by now. He poured it into Peter’s nuk water bottle and walked back into the living room, sitting Peter back in his lap. 

“No. Walk around.” Peter whined out, pushing Tony a bit so Tony was back on his feet, trying to do anything to make Peter feel better. 

He walked around the main floor, occasionally bouncing Peter a bit and patting his bum to hopefully get him to fall asleep. It wasn’t easy but of course nothing about this part of parenting was easy. 

Nothing about parenting in general was easy. Tony just hoped he was doing a good enough job. 

Peter fell asleep against him and the only reason Tony knew he was sleeping was because he had to walk to a hallway mirror to check since there was no way of knowing otherwise. 

Tony walked over to the couch and tried to decide how he was going to put Peter to sleep on it since he couldn’t hold Peter until he woke up next which would be anywhere between twenty minutes and four hours. 

He placed his arm behind Peter’s back and then laid him down, supporting his neck but as soon as Peter wasn’t on him anymore, he started waking up and whining so Tony picked him back up where Peter immediately fell asleep again. “Okay. Okay.” 

Tony didn’t know where to lay Peter down but he gave up. Peter wasn’t going to sleep unless he was in his arms and Tony knew these moments were so special because they were so limited. One day Peter wouldn’t want him to pick him up and hold him. 

He would be whining to be placed down, not whining to be held by him so Tony sat down on the couch and got comfortable, making sure Peter was comfortably on him. 

.

.

.

When Peter woke up next, it was a few hours later. 

Tony sat with him the whole time, his butt was numb and his arm had needles in it from holding Peter’s head up. 

Peter rubbed at his eyes, his head falling to the side a bit as he regained his composure from being asleep for the past three hours. He whined and looked at Tony, making quick eye contact with him and then looking away. 

“Hey. Did you have a good sleep?” Peter nodded. “Are you hungry?” Peter nodded again. “Do you wanna get up so you can change and eat?” 

Peter bent his neck back to look at his dad. He buried his face against his chest and sighed. “I’m not hungry.” 

“You have to at least try. Your body needs the energy so you’re not sick anymore.” Tony stood up, despite Peter’s protests. “I want you to feel better so we can have fun, baby.” 

Peter looked towards the kitchen. He did feel a bit better but he was scared he was going to eat and vomit. “I don’t wanna eat.” 

“You have to, buddy.” 

“But what if I vomit? I don’t wanna.” 

Tony sat Peter on the island counter and grabbed his knees. “If you feel like you might throw up, just stop eating. And if you do throw up, it’ll be okay. We’ll just clean you up.” Tony was used to it. 

He was fully prepared to clean up more bodily fluids by the end of the day anyways. 

Peter looked around the kitchen, watching Tony move around. He grabbed his water bottle once his dad handed it to him and took a few sips that felt good on his throat. 

Tony watched him carefully. He noticed that Peter had a lot more colour on his face instead of that pale, sickly colour he had only a few hours ago. “You’re looking a lot better? Do you feel better?” 

Peter nodded, continuing to drink from his cup while he watched his dad move around the kitchen. 

Tony made him some simple food, just to get something in his system. He made him crackers and some chopped up orange slices that he hoped helped with vitamin C to bring down Peter’s fever. “Let’s go into the living room? Walk with me.” 

“Mm! Carry me.” Peter reached out for Tony, way too tired and lazy to jump off the counter to walk by himself. Plus his bare legs were cold from sitting on the counter and he wanted his dad to warm them up. 

Tony wrapped an arm around Peter’s waist, letting Peter do the rest by wrapping his own legs around him and staying on until they got to the couch only once they got to the couch, Peter didn’t want to get off his dad. 

“I can already tell you’re feeling better.” Tony said. He felt Peter’s forehead with the back of his hand. “Wow, buddy. You’re feeling a lot better. I think tomorrow you’re gonna be better and fully back to normal.” 

Peter didn’t want that. He didn’t like being sick but the pros were he got to have his dad at his side 24/7 and if he asked to be held, he got his wish. He didn’t want that to go away if he got better. 

“I feel sick. I’m gonna vomit, I feel like.” Peter lied. He gave his dad puppy dog eyes but Tony wasn’t looking at him so he whimpered louder. “Daddy!” 

“What? What’s wrong, baby?” Tony sat down so he could turn Peter on his lap and hopefully get him to eat. 

“I’m not better. I’m sick.” 

“Okay. I know, you’re sick.” He patted his belly as he reached onto the table for the bowls of food and held it in front of Peter. “Just try to eat, I’ll put on Craig of the creek for you. Yeah?” 

Peter liked the sound of that. He nodded and began eating once his show was on. He relaxed against his dad and was content to stay there for the rest of the day if he could. 

Soon after, he felt his dad’s hand leaving his stomach so he grabbed it to put it back. “Keep it there.” 

Tony tried not to laugh at Peter being bossy but he held it in, not wanting to make Peter angry for laughing at him. “Eat more. Is it yummy?” 

“Uh huh.” Peter pushed the bowl away since he ate everything but a few crackers and oranges. He turned on Tony’s lap so he could nuzzle against him but Tony was sitting up, preventing Peter from doing so. 

“Do you wanna try sleeping upstairs in my bed? I think that’ll be a lot more comfortable for us.” Tony asked but he already planned on taking Peter up there if Peter refused to go up. 

Peter sat there, trying to decide what to do but all he wanted to do was sleep with his dad so he didn’t really care where they slept. As long as they stayed together. “Yeah. In your bed.” 

“Yeah, let’s go.” He stood up and looked down at Peter, waiting for him to either lift his arms up to be held or get up himself but Tony already knew what Peter wanted before he even made any moves. 

“And me.” Said Peter, lifting his arms up. 

Tony grabbed him and brushed his curls off his face. “You’re just using me to get free rides upstairs. I know what you’re doing.” He teased him. He knew Peter was feeling a lot better just by the colour returning to his face and the fact that Peter was more coherent than he was just a few hours ago. 

Peter grinned and shyly hid his face in Tony’s neck. “No. I’m sick and you need to carry me up.” 

“I don’t think you’re that sick anymore. Should I check your temperature when we get up?” He didn’t even know why he was asking since he already planned on checking his temperature whether Peter wanted him to or not. 

“No.” Peter lifted his head up and saw his dad grabbing his underwear so he tried to grab it out of his hands. “Noo. Not this.” 

Tony held the underwear out of Peter’s reach. “Yes, underwear.” 

“Nooo.” 

“Then do you wanna go commando? Under your pyjamas?” Tony asked him and walked around the bed. 

Peter put his legs down as Tony went to let go of him and he looked around the room to see what Tony was trying to do. 

Tony looked around for the package of wipes and spotted them on his nightstand table so he grabbed them and turned back around to look at Peter. Peter went to lay on the bed but Tony gently smacked his butt with the wipes. “No. Stand up. I’ll be quick.” 

Reluctantly, Peter stood in front of Tony so he could take his pull-up off and wipe him clean quickly. 

He then grabbed the clean underwear and handed it to Peter who pushed it out of his hands. “No. Not underwear, dad.” 

Tony grabbed Peter’s flailing wrist. “Yes underwear. You have to put it on.” 

Peter pushed his hands away from himself and the tears began falling down his face. “Noooo! Stop. I don’t w-want to.” 

With a sigh, Tony grabbed Peter and held him between his legs to try and get his feet through the holes but he felt bad for forcing Peter. “Okay. I won’t. I’m sorry. Do you want to just wear your pyjamas then? You don’t have to wear these.” He threw the underwear on the floor to pick up later. 

Peter wiped at his tears and turned around to get a hug from Tony. “I-I want, mm!” Peter turned to point at his box of pull-ups but Tony rubbed at his back instead. 

“No. You don’t need to. Let’s just try and sleep-” 

“Noooo. I need it.” Peter stomped his feet, pointing more aggressively at the box. 

Tony didn’t know why Peter wanted it but he had an idea and that was that it was a comfort item to Peter but he didn’t want to allow it. He also didn’t want to listen to the crying if he said no. 

He grabbed Peter’s hands and held them in his own. “You don’t need to wear them anymore. You did before and now you don’t.” 

Peter was so distraught. He fell forward into his dad’s arms. “I ne-need them.” 

Tony tried to pick Peter up to lay him down but Peter wasn’t having it. “Okay. Okay. Do you want to wear one then?” 

“Yeah.” Peter nodded and rubbed at his red eyes. He stopped crying once he saw Tony grab a pull-up out of the box and weakly lifted his legs up to put them through the holes. He pulled it up and rolled onto his side, content to sleep now. 

Tony couldn’t believe how fake Peter’s tears were just to get what he wanted. He shut the lamp off and laid down, pulling Peter against his side but Peter lifted his head up. “Can I have my water bottle and apple juice?” 

“We’re sleeping now.” 

Peter fully sat up but Tony pushed him back down so Peter screamed and Tony immediately stopped. “Stop. Oh my god, Peter. You can’t cry and get what you want.” 

Peter faked a cough. “Daddy, I don’t feel good. I need juice.” 

It wasn’t like Tony didn’t want to get it for Peter but he didn’t want to be a pushover and teach Peter that if he cries, he can get anything he wants. Although Peter was still sick and was throwing up only hours ago. “Okay. I’ll be right back.” 

Peter watched his dad leave the room. He pulled his feet up so he could place them on the headboard behind himself and waited until he saw his dad walk into the room and then he sat up and made grabby hands for his water bottle. 

“What do you say?” Tony held the bottle just out of reach from Peter. 

“Thank you.” Peter accepted it into his hands and started drinking it. “Mmm.” 

“It’s yummy?” Asked Tony as he laid back down. He never asked anyone if anything was yummy before but he asked Peter that about ten times a day. 

“Uh huh.” Peter nodded and laid down on Tony’s chest to finish drinking it. 

Tony was awake and he didn’t think he was going to go to sleep anytime soon. At least not until tonight. He just wasn’t tired like he could sleep but he knew if he didn’t sleep, then Peter wouldn’t so he tried to force himself to sleep. 

Peter sat up and patted his chest. “I want to sleep on you.” 

Tony loved cuddles with Peter so he accepted him into his arms. “Come here.” He let Peter get comfortable on him so that he was lying with his head pressed against Tony’s chest while he sat fully on top of him and each leg hung against Tony’s side. “Is that comfortable now?” 

With a content sigh, Peter nodded. “Yeah… don’t go anywhere.” 

Tony didn’t plan on going anywhere until they woke up next.