Left in the rain

ten

Friday 22nd April 2022

When Pepper wakes up this time, she's covered in sweat and her body has chills running through it. It's still light out though.

She pulls her blankets further around her.

"Fri?" She questions groggily. The artificial intelligence system replies quickly.

"Yes, how may I assist you Mrs Stark?" The robot asks, Pepper covers her eyes with the pillow.

"Where's my baby?" she asks, flicking her eyes to the clock on the wall.

she'd slept for 3 hours. Damn.

"Young Stark is playing in the common room with the avengers, should I request his presence?" Friday asks, Pepper is quick to reject the offer, opting to climb out of the bed.

She walks to the bathroom where she turns the shower on, relaxing under the cool spray. Cleaning her skin of the layer of sweat.

Once done, she changes into a nursing sports bra and a pair of shorts, chucking a sheer top over it.

As she makes her way downstairs, she feels the ache in her bones but also the warmth in her heart at the thought at getting to see her baby. And the closer she got the quicker she went.

And as she rounds the corner to the living room, she sees her little man pretending to be an aeroplane while Steve is holding his body sideways and making plane noises, his giggles bring her mood up instantly.

"You're my happy little boy aren't you?" Pepper says from the door, when Peter meets the sight of his mama, he starts wiggling in Steve's grip.

"do'n. Mama." he whines while Steve places him on the floor, Peter is running across the room as quick as his small legs will carry him and he flings himself at Pepper who is quick enough to catch him, holding him against her chest.

"Hey baby boy" she coos lightly, patting his bum. 

"Milkie mama?" he asks, slightly tugging on the top.

Pepper looks over to Bruce, who already knows her question.

"You can still breastfeed him when sick. It's actually likely to help his body build anti-bodies. And because you've likely had it multiple times, it's only going to make you ill for a couple of days and definitely not as bad as Peter was" Bruce informs Pepper, she nods gratefully while going to sit on the sofa.

Peter does a happy dance while Pepper pulls of the sheer shirt cover and undoes the breastfeeding bra.

As soon as Peter sees the sight of skin he's rooting for the nipple, letting out a little whine when he can't find it. "Shh, I'm getting it out baby, give mama a moment" she coos, he pouts and lets out a smaller whine but it's quickly silenced by the nipple touching his lip, he latches on instantly and starts to suckle, hungrily.

"Did he have any of the pumped milk while I was asleep?" Pepper questions, not taking her eyes of her babies little droopy ones.

"I tried to give him his baba, right before nap time but her refused to drink it or go down for a nap. We were attempting to tire him out and hope he just dropped without us having to wake you." Tony admits, Pepper hums, a noise to show she's listening.

"I think that I'll go lay with him. I've missed my Peter snuggles." Pepper states, watching Peter suckle slowly, jolting himself awake every so often. Pepper bounces her knee and strokes through Peters little curls. She coos at him "Go ni ni baby. Mama will still be near you when wake up. And we can even have a splash splash. How fun does that sound little man" Pepper speaks softly and Peter's last string of restraint falls out under him and his eyes finally close for the last time, his suckling coming to a slow stop.

His chest rises and falls with each breath and Pepper sticks a finger into his mouth to break the latch, Peter whines in his sleep but Pepper quickly slips his ironman paci between his lips. His takes a few suckles on the rubber before curling his body into Pepper's.

She stands up with the boy held against her front, his head resting on her shoulder.

"I'm going to take him upstairs, let me know when food is done" Pepper whispers, patting Peter's bottom as she rocks him slightly.

Everyone nods, not wanting to speak and wake the sleeping baby.

Pepper carefully carries the sleeping child up to the elevator where she presses for the penthouse. Her, Tony and Peter's home. As she get's to the bedroom she decides to change Peter into some night clothes, more comfy than the jeans and shirt are.

Pepper changes his bottom, carefully wiping down his groin before replacing the wet diaper. Then she goes to his draw in their room which holds night clothes.

Pepper pulls a onesie out of the draw with 'Mama's new man' the onesie itself is white but the writing is bold army patterned writing but the word 'new' is in bold silver. He looks adorable.

Pepper looks at the boy with mused hair, lips sucking on the pacifier slowly, chest rising and falling. 

He's perfect.

Pepper curls up beside him before pulling the quilt up over them and letting Peter cuddle into her embrace wanting the warmth of his mama. And as Peter sleeps safe in his mama's arms, Pepper feels her own eyes drooping heavily despite her earlier nap. And she lets herself sleep. Holding her baby safe in her embrace.

///

When Tony goes upstairs to inform Pepper that they are ordering take away. Chinese food to be exact. As he gets to their bedroom he is met with a heart warming sight. His little boy is curled up against Peppers body. Her arm is wrapped protectively around his small frame and in the mist of his sleep he must have spat his pacifier out because he's started to suckle on Pepper's shoulder. Always a hungry boy.

Tony takes a photo before lightly shaking his wife. Pepper groggily opens her eyes to see her husband and feel her the suckling. She looks down to Peter. Undoing the bra so she can move him to latch onto her breast. As soon as he feels the nipple touch his lip he starts to drink the milk. Sleeping while he nurses. Pepper knows she's going to have to wake him soon because he wont sleep tonight if he sleeps much longer but maybe she'll just let him lay there, in her embrace, for a couple moments more.