Clinging tight
Tony loved Peter. He really did. But right now all Tony wanted to do was go to the bathroom without hearing the boy breakdown in tears thinking he'd left. He just wanted a break. He couldn't leave Peter in his crib anymore, he always managed to climb out and into his bed.
So that's why when he cracked his eyes open he came face to face with a sleeping toddler instead of his fiancé he didn't react. He just stretched over the kid and tapped the women on the nose. She snorted and huffed. "Again?" She mumbles, sitting up on her elbows and rubbing her eyes. "I thought we put the crib cover on last night?" She asks and Tony grunts tiredly.
"We did. He broke it open" He mutters, flinching as the boy squirmed and landed a kick in his stomach. "This is getting too much Pep. It's been 2 days and he's still not stopping." He mutters, rubbing his face. "I need to get dressed." He mutters sliding out of the bed to grab his jeans and shirt before starting to dress. Peter let out a small whimper in his sleep that Pepper was quick to sooth.
"I know Tony. But you know he gets like this, if he's five or fifteen he's going to be clingy. That's the fun of separation anxiety." She mumbles, watching the man dress.
"I know Pep, I know" He pauses as he pulls the shirt over his head. "I love the kid, I really do but the only reason I was able to come back so quickly was because I promised to work from home. I can't do that with Peter crying anytime I take out my phone or turn on my laptop." He shimmies his boxers off and pulls on a clean pair, balling up the old pair and throwing them into the waste basket like a basketball. "Could you not take him and Bucky out somewhere? Toy store or something just so I can get this shit done for the all mighty Nicky Fury" He grunts, pulling his jeans up. Pepper just looks at him, a small smile on her lips and she spoke with a clear attempt not to be condescending.
"And what happens when he realises you aren't coming with him? We have to deal with a crying baby all over again. Bucky's getting jealous. He might deny it but I've seen him staring Peter out when you're holding him, it's cute but soon there'll be a fight and then what? You just let them at it?" She questions and Tony snorts a bit in amusement.
"No, what we're going to do is this. You and Steve are taking Peter out for the day, take him around shops and such, get him toys and anything your hearts desire. I'm going to stay here, work and spend time with the jealous Winter Snowflake." He grunts a bit as the boy starts to shift to awareness, Pepper pulls the boy into her lap as he blinks tiredly. His gaze locked onto Tony and his arms immediately sprung forward.
"Oh wow I'm so loved." She comments with a sour face. Pepper brushes the boys hair back a bit and he whines a bit. "Baby boy, Daddy's got to get ready for the day." She comments, Peter turns the biggest pair of puppy dog eyes onto Pepper and sniffs loudly.
"Da'de" He comments and Pepper tries not to sigh.
"He's going to stay here, don't worry about that. But me, you and Steve are going toy shopping! Isn't that exciting?" Pepper tries to make the boy enthusiastic but Peter just lets out a pitiful sniffle. "Wow. Great. Glad to see you so happy." She says sarcastically as she lifts the boy up and onto her hip to get him ready for the day. During his and Pepper's talk Tony had sneaked out the room to inform Steve of the plan so they where alone right now. "Can you tell me why you're being so clingy lately baby?" She asks and sighs when she just gets a stubborn head shake. "Ok, fine we won't talk right now" She mumbles, getting the boy changed and dressed into a cute pair of jeans and a t-shirt. She glanced over to the door to see Steve looking in, already dressed to blend in with people. Pepper snorts and hands the whimpering child off to Steve so she can do the same.
"Da'de." Peter mumbles as she walks away, Steve sighs finding it hard not to feel a little heart broken for the boy.
"He'll be here when we get back. We won't be in town long, promise" He grins at the boy who just looks sullen. It took about an hour after that to eat breakfast and pry the sniffling little boy out of the door.
****************
Tony stretched out on the sofa after the three left, he was finally able to relax and get work down. Well....He would if he didn't notice the grey eyes staring intently at him. Tony grinned a bit. "Hey Buck. What's goin-" Bucky interrupted him.
"Arm." He demands and Tony blinks.
"Wha-"
"Arm. I wan' ma arm." Bucky's squeak voice demanded and Tony blinked in surprise.
"Shit did I not give you...of course not, come here." He waits for the small boy to walk...well waddle over to him before gently lifting him up. Bucky let out a small gasp as Tony carried him to his and Pepper's room.
"Arm?" Bucky asks again and Tony chuckles a little at the sound as he sets Bucky on the bed and heads to the closet where his suitcase sat. "Arm." Bucky starts to demand and Tony glances at him.
"Keep talking and I'm not giving it to you." He warns and Bucky goes quiet. Tony would obviously never withhold the arm from the toddler but right now he needed the boy to be quiet. "Thank you." He says and carries a small brief case over to the bed. "So this arm was made not just by me but some really smart kid called Leo Fitz. Guy's developed a kinda....fake skin that looks and feels real. It's really cool and covers the hand really well." He explains pulling out an arm that looked identical to a real arm. Bucky gaped at it. "I'm gonna need you to sit still and relax ok?" He says sternly and Bucky nodded, big grey eyes captivated by the arm in Tony's hand. It took twenty minutes of Tony fiddling with the arm for it to fit in place and then Bucky was finally free to move it. Bucky grinned and for the first time he willingly sprung himself into Tony's arms and wrapped his two arms around his neck.
"Thank you Stark" He says earnestly and holds onto him tightly. Tony smiles and holds him close.
"No problem Snowflake. Now come on, I have work to do and you need a change." As always Tony knew just what to say to make people groan in annoyance.
****************
Pepper and Steve were stuck, they were worried and overall stressed. They scanned isle after Isle on the look for something in specific.
That something being Peter fucking Parker.
The kid had taken the chance to slip away whilst Pepper was looking at a few lego's for the boys and Steve was looking at some new craft items. That was twenty minutes ago, both where breathing heavily and running through every scenario in their heads about
A) How badly Tony was going to kill them
B) How scared Peter must be
and
C) They where going to murder him.
Pepper called out to Peter, doing everything not to attract attention from onlookers until she spotted a small brown mop of curls. In the Avengers section of the store, she sighed and signalled Steve down. The two moved together and stopped behind Peter, the boy was staring intently at a few Ironman toys, specifically one that Tony had voiced him self, it was a small plush of Ironman that repeated the phrase 'Good job kid' and 'Don't worry I'm here to help'. Pepper pauses as she watches Peter gingerly lift the toy up and squeeze it's hand, the phrase shouting out and making him giggle. Pepper looks at Steve with big eyes and he sighs. "We'll get it for him." He mutters. Peter startles at the sound and drops the toy.
"S...S'ev?" He asks and looks up at the man, Steve picks him and the toy up.
"You scared us Peter." He mumbles, brushing the boys hair back. He blushes and looks to the ground.
"Though' I 'eard da'de." He mumbles and Pepper coo's.
"Oh sweetpea." She mumbles and steals the boy from Steve to cuddle him. "Your daddy's at home right now, but you can have the toy...as long as you promise not to run off like that again?" The boy nodded enthusiastically. Pepper glanced at the cart filled with toys and grinned at Steve. "At least they won't be bored?" She says and Steve snorts.
*****************
Tony stared at Peter intently as the boy flat out ignored him for his toy. Peter hadn't even glanced at Tony since he got in, too infatuated with a toy version of him instead. Tony was not pouting, no matter what the adults said. "Peettteerrrr" He tried calling out from his spot on the sofa, Bucky was sleeping on Steve's chest whilst Tony tried to get attention from Peter.
"I see a jealous old man on the sofa." Pepper mumbles to Steve and Tony glared at her. Peter continued to ignore Tony who groaned from his spot.
"My child. The one from my loins, you ignore my callings. Please oh tiny Petey Pie Parker respond to my cries. Come to me" Tony said over dramatically, Pepper and Steve both snorted at chuckled at the reaction. "Why must thou ignore my callin-" Peter turned to him with a steady gaze.
"'Cause you 'tink of B.O. 'ake a sho'er an' den we 'alk." He turns back to his toy and Tony gapes.
"YOU LITTLE SHI-"
It was safe to say Peter was not safe for the rest of the night from Tony's tickling hands.