Because He Loves Me

Surprises at Dinner 2

Peter threw the door to his bedroom open angrily, throwing his face into pillows to stifle his crying. He was sure Kassidy was doing the same thing in the room down the hall, but she actually wasn't crying at all. She was doing what any teenage girl might do if she wasn't able to scream - she was writing it. She broke the tip of her mechanical pencil three times, so she switched to a pen and scribbled many things she would never be able to say down, but she was so angry her writing was illegible anyway. Both children could hear the sound of their mother's footsteps in the hall, and each of them let out a sigh of relief. Neither wanted to face their father just yet, he would be far angrier than Pepper. 

When Pepper went to Peter's room, he rolled onto his stomach so that she couldn't see him. 

"Hey Petey, do you want to talk about what happened out there?" Pepper asked. She sat on the edge of his bed and tapped his back. He rolled over to face her and Pepper's heart broke a little. His eyes were red and so was his nose. She knew Peter could never be comfortable lying down unless he had a pillow underneath his head, and since he had cast his pillow across the room, she lifted his head to rest on her lap and ran her fingers through his hair soothingly. 

"I was angry, I'm sorry. I shouldn't be in trouble for that, it isn't my fault." Peter said, his voice cracking as he started crying again. 

"Shhh, Peter, it's okay baby. You aren't in trouble for being angry. You don't have to like him but you have to be polite, he's staying here for a least a few weeks, they all are." Pepper said. 

"I hate him, Mom." Peter said defiantly. 

"You don't hate him, Petey, that's a strong word." Pepper said. 

"I hate him Mom, I don't care if Dad spanks me, I'm not changing my mind." Peter said. Pepper sighed. She knew he was as stubborn as Tony when he decided not to like something. 

"Okay Peter, you're not in trouble for your feelings, but your language is unacceptable and you know it." Pepper said. 

"But...but Kassidy isn't getting in trouble!" Peter tried. 

"I'll get to her next Peter. And Kassidy didn't swear, you did." Pepper said. Peter folded his arms and pouted, which made him look much younger than he was. 

"You know your language was unacceptable, don't you?" Pepper asked. Peter nodded angrily. "Verbal response, Peter." 

"Yes Mom, I know." Peter said, irritated. 

"Good. then I want you in the bathroom, take a seat." pepper said. Peter realized what was happening as soon as the words left Pepper's lips. 

"No mom, please! I don't want my mouth washed out, I'll be good! I'll be good!" Peter said, his voice cracking into cries again.  

"Peter, you know the consequences for bad language. Do you really think I should let this slide?" Pepper asked, knowing Peter would not be able to bring himself to say he didn't need it. Peter was too sweet, too young, and too much of a daddy's boy to think that. And Pepper was right.

"I'm sorry Mom, I know I deserve it." Peter said, getting up from her lap and heading to the bathroom. However stern Pepper was to Peter's face, she smiled at her son as he walked to the bathroom. Peter was dreading the punishment ahead, he had only had his mouth washed out once before and remembering it made him sick. Pepper rubbed a new bar of soap against a clean washcloth until bubbles covered it.

"Peter, open your mouth." Pepper said, holding the washcloth in front of him. Peter's eyes were already watering from the strong scent and he didn't even have it in his mouth. Finally, he opened his mouth and pepper wasted no time in coating his mouth in suds. Peter gagged, then closed his mouth and started drumming his fingers on his leg in effort to distract himself. Pepper started to rinse the washcloth, feeling awful for punishing her son, even if he did deserve it. She twisted around to look at him and her heart broke a little. He had closed his hands into fists and his eyes were shut. Pepper couldn't tell if that was an attempt to distract himself, too, or if it was to try to stop the tears leaking down his cheeks. Pepper leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to his forehead, any anger she had melting away.

"It's okay Peter, just one more minute." she said. Peter took the kiss as an invitation to cry without trying to hold it in. It was just his mom now, no Avengers to see him cry in the lounge, even though he thought he had run out faster than they could see the tears...but now he was wondering if he had been fast enough...praying he was fast enough....and that no one heard him now. His mom would never laugh at him, she would never be mean and call him a baby, not in a bad way at least, she kissed him, it was her sign, she loved him and he knew it. Pepper tapped his shoulder and he looked at her with overflowing eyes.

"You can spit now, baby." she said. Peter went to the sink so quickly Pepper was shocked he didn't fall. Peter tried to get as much out as possible, but a few minutes later Pepper put her hand on his shoulder and pulled him from the bathroom.

"I'm sorry for swearing mom, I didn't think, I was mad." Peter said. Pepper blinked in surprise. She had never been there when Tony punished Peter, but Tony said Peter always apologized quickly, and that he always knew what he had done wrong.

"Thank you, Peter. Now I want you to stay here until I finish with your sister, I'm not going to take your electronics, but if you go on them I swear you will regret it, understood?" Pepper said.

"Yes mom." Peter replied. Pepper nodded and then made her way out. "Um, mom?" Peter asked before she got out of the doorway.

"Yes, Peter?" Pepper turned around.

"Uh...never mind. It's stupid." Peter mumbled.

"Peter, what do you need?" Pepper asked, half asking half demanding. 

"Well, uh...." Peter shifted uncomfortably. "Dad always hugs me after my punishment." Pepper smiled. Then she walked over and hugged him for a while. She could hear him sniffling to himself. 

"It's okay to cry baby, its' just you and me, you're okay." Pepper said, then broke the hug apart. Peter's eyes were red and tear streaks marked his cheeks. Pepper smiled at her little boy. "I have to go deal with your sister, but Tony will be up soon to talk to you. Don't leave unless he says so." Pepper said. Peter nodded, and Pepper slipped from the room and closed his door. Wondering if he would say something rude, she listened for a minute, but all she heard was the sniffling and crying of her baby boy, and it broke her heart.