The start of a long week
The moment Rhodey arrived Tony ushered him, Peter and Pepper upstairs.
That was two hours ago.
Rhodey was ignoring Tony completely as he and Pepper chatted away, Peter had his head rested on Tony's lap as he pouted from his seat on the sofa, his hand running through Peter's hair making the boy ready to doze off. "Rhodey come on, I'll introduce you now! I tried calling you but you had meetings all month" He complained and Rhodey glanced at him then at the exhausted boy in his lip. His lips quirked upwards in a small smirk as he took the boy in.
"All right, fine you've twisted my arm" He says with a wink at the sleepy boy who just gives a soft chuckle in response. Pepper glances over and smiles at him.
"Pete, can you sit up so it's a proper introduction?" She asks gently, Rhodey waves his hand a little.
"Nah it's fine, I met Tony like this." The engineers face flushed a little and huffed, Rhodey moved towards Peter, the braces on his legs helping with movement as he bent in front of him.
"Hey kid, names Rhodey. That's uncle Rhodey to you." He says with a chuckle and slipped his hand out for a hand shake. Peter's hand gingerly took it, his eyes glazed over with exhaustion and admiration at the man in front of him.
"So....you two might have already met?" Tony says cautiously and Rhodey glances at Tony with a raised eye brow as he releases Peter's hand. The boy was almost completely asleep now. "Kid with the spiders. Kinda....stole caps shield." Tony grinned sheepishly at Rhodey. Rhodey stared at him for a moment before taking a deep breath and smacking Tony over the head. "Ow!"
"You dumb ass" He mutters, standing up. "Pepper, I hope you got him for that." Pepper's cheeky grin spread across her face telling him everything he needed to know. "Good, Now...I need to sleep so I'll go find a-"
"Nope. Spare room on the left." Tony waved his hand at Rhodey trying to argue. "Go. I'd show you but I'm pinned" He says with a chuckle as his hand tangles in Peter's hair a bit. The boy gives a soft grunt. "Sorry Pete" He mumbles. Rhodey rolls his eyes a little and follows Pepper to the bedroom.
**********
The next day Peter woke up to talking above him, he kept his breathing even and eyes closed as he listened. "So that invite for next weekend you sent out 2 months ago was to introduce us?" Rhodey's voice mumbles next to him, he realised Tony's hand was back to running through his hair again.
"Yeah, you gotta trust me on this Rhodes. Some seriously crazy shit went on in the last few months of Peter coming here." Tony mumbles, a sigh escaping him. "First, he ends up on my door in tears. Found out he's my son. Then he gets regressed for a few weeks to a toddler, that was cute. Pepper almost hid the antidote from him just to keep him tiny. Then we had to deal with bullies that got seriously out of hand. Now we have the media finding out when he didn't want them to thanks to that dumb ass aunt of his." He mutters, hand running through his hair. "All that along with his patrol just drains the guy big time" Rhodey chuckled a little.
"Sounds like hell of a few months" He mutters, Pepper is heard snorting from the back round. "I would not have kept him that small for long.....Only for maybe a year" She teases and Tony rolls his eyes.
"She had Bruce keep the chemical that shrunk him down and made him remake it. Along with the antidote. Keep's threatening to shrink my butt down to size and send me to nursery for a day for misbehaving" Peter could imagine Tony sticking his tongue out at her as she laughs a bit. "Keep it down. I don't want him to wake up just yet" Tony warns, Pepper huffs a bit.
"It's 9am Tony, you haven't moved all night and I'm sure he'll wake up soon because of his natu..." Peter just grunted a bit and opened his eyes lazily glancing at her. She gave him a sheepish grin. "Sorry Pete."
"S'ok. Tony's stink woke me up" Peter mumbles, squeaking when Tony swatted his butt. "See this bullying. I get up and he's already swatting at me" Peter mumbles sitting up from his lap with a huff. Tony glares at him for a moment before playfully pulling the boy back over his lap.
"Oh? that's bullying huh? Maybe a few on that little butt of yours will teach you to call me dad" He teased, landing a few playful swats on Peter's covered butt. He squeaked at each one.
"Mom! help!" He complains, Pepper just laughs a little and snaps a photo. "That's not helping!" He complains. Rhodey's chuckle follows behind hers and Peter's face goes even redder.
"Oh don't worry Pete. Did either of them tell you about the time they both ended up over Mama Rhodes knee?" He asks as Peter is sat up. Both adults go bright red at that. "I guess not. Well you see your mom and Dad where at my house for the holiday, my mama was doing the cleaning when she found them stealing her cookies. She got them so good neither of them could sit for weeks" He laughs, Peter joins in.
"I thought they didn't meet till they where adults?" He asks between chuckles. Rhodey grins.
"This was last year" Peter burst out laughing at that and Tony groans in annoyance.
"That's it. You're no longer my best friend" He said seriously and Rhodey just loops his arm around Peter.
"Good I traded you in for a younger and better looking model" He says smirking.
That's how the morning goes.
The two friends bullying each other and telling stories about their 'younger years'
**************
Peter sat with Rhodey as Pepper and Tony packed up some bags. "We literally met yesterday Tony" Rhodey says rubbing his forehead as Tony packed things away.
"I know-I know but please. The others all have missions, these are really important board meetings. Originally it would of been Bruce baby sitting but he's got some big Science talk thing. Just one week. Please" Tony begs, Peter sighs leaning on the sofa with a raised eyebrow.
"I don't need a baby sitter. I'm 15 and the building is alive." He mutters, Tony settles him with a glare.
"It's Rhodey or you come with me and Pepper for a week long board meeting about stocks" He says simply and Rhodey winces.
"Owch that's boring. I'll watch the kid, you guys argue about stocks" Rhodey said sweetly, a grin spreading across his face. "I'll corrupt your kid whilst making sure he goes to school and such. Go be weird and work" Tony splutters and almost immediately unpacks his clothes to stay until Pepper drags him by the ear and grabs the bags.
"Have fun. He needs to be in bed by 10. No phone or anything-Oh and no girlfriend!" She yells as the doors close and Peter rolls his eyes.
"She is not my girlfriend" He mutters, ignoring the look from Rhodey.
"Parents?" He chuckles a bit and elbows Peter. "Come on Spider boy, lets get your stuff ready for tomorrow. Maybe I can teach you what real cooking is. Tony can't cook for shit and Pepper's nothing compared to me!" Rhodey grins as Peter agrees.
That was the biggest mistake he ever made as not five minutes later they where putting out a fire. Rhodey had somehow set fire to water.
*********
Rhodey looked over the rules they'd left in place for Peter as the boy sat on the sofa doing his home work, a eye roll at the punishments to go with it.
Bedtime - 10pm weekdays. 11pm weekends - Remove electronics if he disobeys.
Curfew - 9pm weekdays. 10pm weekends - Valid reasons for missing curfew include
- A fight that lasted longer than expected.
- He was on his way and took longer than expected (Phone call must be made)
- He was given an extension.
If he misses curfew by -
- 30 minutes - 5 swats
- 1 hour - 10 swats
- 2 hour - 15 swats
- 3 hours - 20 swats.
Any more please call.
He is not allowed to swear. At all. (Tony will kill him) If he does swear wash his mouth out and put in time out room.
Go to decathalon practice - Make sure he does go and doesn't go on patrol - if he lies about it 20 swats and time out room.
No lying.
No TV or patrol until homework is done.
Rhodey chuckles a bit and glances at Peter. "So you still get spankings?" He calls, Peter squeaks loudly and blushes looking at him.
"N-Not very often....only when I'm bad" He mutters and Rhodey smirks walking over.
"Oh? And how bad's bad huh? From what Tony told me you're very behaved. What you swing in at 2am or something?" Peter winces.
"4 am." He mutters and Rhodey whistles.
"Lets see....your curfew is 9 so....20 plus 10...you got 30 swats? From who, Tony? nah...not Tony....Captain America?" He asks, grinning when he see's the boy go ruby red. "Owch, getting your butt warmed by Captain America him self? Poor little boy" He teased and Peter groans.
"Oh god you're another Tony" He mutters in annoyance.
"That I am, just stricter. If that homework isn't done in the next hour I'm making sure all the channels are blocked apart from Sesame street" Rhodey threats walking away. Peter gapes at him in shock.
This was going to be a long Week.