Because He Loves Me

Chapter 12: Maturity and Babying

"Peter, you're forgiven. I'm sorry I grilled you earlier. Go to bed, i'll come tuck you in in a few minutes." Tony said. Peter nodded and left. "Pep..." Tony said. Pepper looked at him.

"What is it Tony?"

"It's just that...Peter's been crying so much lately, he's been acting very sensitive, and even though we've encouraged him to share his feelings and not to keep himself from crying, I think he's been doing a lot of it. He was so happy just a few days ago, I think the whole Avengers thing is throwing him off, you and I have to work so much more, Kassidy was the only thing staying the same to him, but we're sending her to Russia, and when she gets back you and I both know she's going to be even more reserved than she is now. And Peter....Peter is fifteen, he's going to college in three years but he's still like a little kid. I love that, I love how he's still my baby, but in the next three or four weeks, Kassidy is only going to mature, become more of an adult, and Peter can't catch up. And he was so upset when he was crying and Kassidy wasn't. He doesn't like feeling like the baby, but he still acts like he is." Tony said.

"Tony, we can't make Kassidy act like a fourteen year old, she's already mostly an adult. Peter can catch up, but if he likes the way he acts now, we're not going to tell Kassidy to start crying every time Peter does. Peter can choose - be an adult and act older than Kassidy, or let Kassidy be more mature than he is, but still be able to be like the baby." Pepper said.

"He's not a baby because he cries." Tony said.

"I know he's not, but other than that one outburst she had a few days back, Kassidy has always been quiet and mature. Peter never has been. He's always so puppy like and full of life, but he can't hop around asking to be treated like he's more of an adult than Kassidy when in reality he gets in more trouble and cries more in a week than Kassidy does in a year." Pepper replied. 

"I know Pep." Tony said, running his hands threw his hair. "I promised said baby boy a visit tonight, so I'm going to go tuck him in." Pepper smiled and nodded and Tony made his way upstairs to Peter's bedroom. 

Peter was sitting on his bed, buzzing his lips together. He's wearing pajamas, evidently he knows he's going to sleep. Seeing Tony, Peter looked up and smiled. 

"Hiya Daddy." Peter said. 

"Hey baby." Tony said, then he realized what Peter had said. "Wait...what did you call me?" Peter looked confused for a second, then he went bright pink.

"I....said 'hiya daddy'." Peter said quietly, looking at the floor and going a deeper red. "But it was an accident, I didn't mean to, I know 'daddy' is for babies, I'm sorry, I-" 

"Hey, hey hey hey, Peter, 'daddy' is not for babies." Tony said, rushing over to the bed and kneeling in front of his son, taking both of Peters hands in his own.  

"I won't do it again." Peter mumbled. 

"I don't mind you calling me 'daddy', baby boy, I love you, I'll never be mad at you for saying a different form of 'dad', it's all the same." Tony said. 

"I'm not a baby." Peter mumbled. Tony smirked. 

"You're my baby, and you always will be, no matter how old you get." he said. If it were possible, Peter blushed deeper than before. 

"Now everything's just going to be awkward." Peter said. Tony chuckled. 

"No, it won't be." Tony said. "Now, tomorrow morning Pepper and I both have to be on calls, so you need to make sure the alarm goes off to wake you up. Kassidy is staying home from school to finish some things before she leaves. I'll come get you at school right after lunch and you'll come home to say bye to Kassidy and Natasha before they leave." 

"Can't I just have lunch at home?" Peter begged. 

"No Peter, we've been over this." Tony said, a little sternly. "My call doesn't end until 12:30, and your lunch period ends at 12:15, I'll be able to get you after." 

"Mom can get me." Peter said. 

"No, Pepper gets too nervous before going on trips to drive." Tony said, irritated now. 

"I thought you had self-driving cars." Peter muttered. Tony sighed. 

"I do Peter, but you need to have someone in the car still and neither of us are going to do that." Tony said. 

"I could take the subway." Peter mumbled. 

"This isn't up for debate, I'm getting you after lunch." Tony said. 

"But why can't I just-" 

"Peter! I said no!" Tony yelled. Peter immediately shut his mouth. Then he moved under his duvet and pulled it until it was up to his eyes, which were watering like so many times before. Tony hated yelling at either of his children, but at least Kassidy didn't ever start crying or make him feel too bad. It wasn't his fault, but Peter would start crying if you just say you're disappointed in him. So to have Tony yell breaks his heart a little, and then he would start crying, which always made Tony feel crappy too.  

"I-I'm sorry sir." Peter whispered from his hiding place under the sheets.

 "Peter, I-"

"It's fine, I shouldn't have kept bugging you, you said no. i deserved that." Peter said, but his eyes said "why did you yell at me? I didn't want that, I don't like it when you do that.". Tony felt like an terrible parent, he wished Peter would stop being so stinking adorable for a few seconds so Tony could properly discipline him. Tony smiled to himself a little, Peter really was stinking adorable. 

"Goodnight Peter, I love you." Tony said, standing in the doorway about to leave. He turned off the light and put his hand on the handle, about to pull the door shut. Before he did, Tony heard, 

"Good night daddy, I love you too."