Spider-Son & Iron Dad one shots

The Complex Stark Family

WARNING! I'M SORRY IF I OFFEND YOU WITH AN UNREALISTIC REPRESENTATION OF AUTISM.  I DONT KNOW THAT MUCH ABOUT IT, I'M SORRY.

au·tism

/ˈôˌtizəm/noun

Define: a developmental disorder of variable severity that is characterized by difficulty in social interaction and communication and by restricted or repetitive patterns of thought and behavior.

Peter Stark woke up easy. He got out of bed and began his morning routine, checking every step off from a checklist. He combed through his hair and began to step downstairs, counting each one. He wrote that on his checklist, too.

Pepper smiled warmly at her son. "Good morning, Peter. Do you want eggs for breakfast?"

Peter frowned, thinking for a moment. Did he want eggs? Maybe today was a cereal day. "No," he says simply.

Pepper nods. She sits next to him at the table. "Okay, what would you like?" She asks. He stares at the table, not answering her question. "Peter?"

"I don't know." Peter says pointedly. "I don't know."

Pepper ruffles his hair. "That's okay, Peter. How does cut apple slices and toast sound?"

He nods and ruffles his hair in the same spot that Pepper did. "They sound good."

She gets up and walks to the kitchen as Tony comes downstairs. Pepper grabs an apple and takes off the sticker, washing it under the sink faucet. Peter hates the idea of stickiness on his apple as he eats it, so she always washes it after she takes the sticker off.

Tony comes over and ruffles Peter's hair, which Peter repeats. Tony smiles. "How are you doing, kiddo?"

"I'm doing fine," he says simply, tapping the table. "I don't like these lights, though. They hurt my eyes."

Tony nods. "Do you want me to dim them?" He asks. Peter nods. "F.R.I.D.A.Y, please dim the lights to a 'Peter Safe Zone'."

"Of course." F.R.I.D.A.Y responds. The lights dim and Peter stops tapping on the table. Tony leans back in his chair, satisfied.

"Peter, would you like butter on your toast?" Pepper asks.

"No, thank you." He responds.

Pepper returns shortly with a plate of cut apples and unbuttered toast. They're on two opposite sides of the plate to prevent them from touching each other, just the way he likes it. Peter grabs an apple slice and eats quickly, knowing that school starts soon.

He finishes breakfast and cleans his plate with soap and water before Pepper or Tony asks him too. He grabs his backpack from off of a hook and scratches off "Eat Breakfast" and "Get Your Backpack" from the checklist.

Peter smiles softly at his parents. "Goodbye, I love you, Mom." He says as he hugs her. Pepper hugs back, smiling sadly.

"If it gets to be too much again, call me. Okay, honey?" Pepper says, a twinge of worry in her voice.

"Okay, Mom." Peter says simply, looking at the floor. He turns to Tony and hugs him. "Goodbye Dad, I love you."

"I love you, too. Have a good day at school, okay kid?" Tony says, hugging Peter as tight as he allows. Peter nods and pulls away, walking out the door.

He walks down the street, thinking of last night's homework. He'd done the problems, but he reviewed each one in his head to make sure he had them down completely.