Stark Crossed Lovers

Chapter Forty-Two

Peter was stiff and anxious as dinner went underway. Pepper had decided that the easiest way to do this was to pass trays around, so everyone got a chance to get the food. Everyone was silent until Peter got the tray with the carrots on it. “So Peter, how was school?” Tony asked trying to make light conversation. Peter was so nervous he dropped a tiny carrot onto his lap, then stuttered out, “I-It was good.” Tony smiled at Peter in a comedic way. “Peter,” he started off “you have no reason to be nervous, it's not like you're dating my only child or anything like that...” Tony's tone was sarcastic, it made Peter even more anxious than he already was, but before Tony could finish Pepper interrupted him. “TONY,” she yelled sharply, catching him mid sentence, not allowing him to countuine. “He is just protective Peter, don't worry about him,” Pepper said, reassuring Peter. Pepper figured that the comment might put him at ease. Tony realized he was being a bit hard on him and decided to back off. Peter looked next to him to see if Sam was just as nervous. To his horror Sam appeared to be cringing, and it only got worse as the dinner continued. Pepper realized that Tony had made everyone feel a little awkward, so she tried to change the subject to a little bit of a more lighthearted conversation. “You know Peter, when Sam was little she wouldn't even touch a vegetable,” Sam's eyes grew big in terror, she knew where Pepper was going with her comment. “No please don't,” Sam said softly hoping that Pepper would stop. To her delight she did and began to struggle to find something else to talk about. But unfortunately, Tony wasn't going to let a perfectly good embarrassing childhood story go to waste, “Oh yeah, she hated veggies, so much that she would spend some nights sitting at the dinner table until she ate at least ONE carrot.” Sam's face began to grow red, both with anger and embarrassment. “I DOUBT Peter wants to here about my bad eating habits from when I was three,” Sam said, glaring at him from across the table. Peter looked between the two of them, he grinned a little, and decided that he did want to hear the story just out of pure spite, and maybe a little bit of curiosity. “No you know what Sam,” Peter said looking to her, “I think I do want to hear the rest of this story, it seems like a pretty funny one.” She glared at Peter, “Trust me when I say you don't,” Sam said, the attitude in her voice thick. But it was too late, Tony took the invitation and ran with it. “I could usually get Sam to eventually eat most vegetables, whether I had to bribe her, or threaten to not play dolls with her, or make her sit at the table until she did...” Tony trailed of his words reminiscing about when Sam was little. “I could eventually get her to eat every vegetable except for one,” Tony said, before picking back up with his story, “she hated celery.” Peter snapped his head around to look at Sam, who at this point, was staring at Tony with fire in her eyes. “Celery? Really? why?” Peter said, with glee and interest in his voice. Sam went to open her mouth and answer Peters question. Most likely with a smart remark to shut the situation down, but Tony didn't give her time to speak. “Who knows, Peter. She wouldn't even eat ants on a log,” Peter and Tony both erupted in laughter. “I really don't see what's so funny about me not liking celery, it's gross,” Sam said, becoming defensive especially over the fact that Peter was now laughing at her. “Aw, come on Sam, it's kind of funny,” Pepper said offering her a sweet smile that she hoped would calm Sam down, but it didn't. “HOW? Yah know, lots of people don't like celery,” Tony realized that Sam was getting very embarrassed, and so did Peter. Peter put his hand on Sams leg to offer her support, but Sam just ignored him and moved her leg away. “You know Peter she's right,” Tony said, looking to Peter. Sam slightly smiled, thinking that maybe this dinner could get back on track. She went to go take a bite of her potatoes when Tony started talking again, “That's not even the best part.” Sam's eyes grew big again, as she had almost choked on her piece of potato that she was attempting to eat. She looked over to see Peter completely doe eyed, intrigued to hear the rest of the story. This of course made her upset all over again, maybe even more than before. “Samantha hated celery so much, and loved that her dad was a superhero so much, that she decided to combine the two,” he continued. Sam started to stare Tony down again then said, “I am begging you, please don't.” But, no surprise to her, Tony just kept going. “So, in an attempt to convince me why celery was evil, she made her own super villain, Mr. Celery-Man.” Peter almost spit his water out upon hearing this, struggling to swallow it. “Mr. Celery-Man?” Peter asked chuckling to himself, looking at Tony who shook his head, laughing. “What were his evil powers, Sammy?” Peter said looking at a very red faced Sam as she took a bite of her roast. Sam attempted to act as if she didn't hear him. But Tony wouldn't let that happen, “Oh come on munchkin, you've got to tell Peter what his powers were.” Sam pointed to her mouth, trying to play off the the reason she wasn't telling him was that her mouth was full, but Tony wasn't buying it. “Samantha, if you don't tell Peter what Mr. Celery-Man's powers were, I will tell him, and I will drag it out.” Sam quickly swallowed the tiny bite of roast in her mouth and quickly said, “Fine I'll tell you.” Her tone of voice made it clear that it was the last thing on Earth she wanted to do. “His evil powers were sucking the fun out of everything, and making other foods taste just as bland as him.” Sam said, struggling and cringing with every word. The room was silent for only a moment, until Peter and Tony began laughing harder than they had all night. Even Pepper couldn't help but to let a few giggles escape. Sam attempted to yell over the laughter, “Yeah, hahaha very funny.” Peter was laughing so hard he got the hiccups. Once the laughter died down, after what seemed to Sam like forever, Tony got up and walked to the kitchen and to the fridge. “She even drew him for me once,” Tony called back to the dining room, smiling at the drawing. It brought him back to a memory of a young girl with pigtails, coloring the scribbled drawing of the self made Mr. Celery-Man. He snapped back into reality as he crossed back over to the dining room table, and handed Peter the cute drawing Sam had made when she was only three. “OH MY GOD,” Peter said finding the drawing to be the icing on the cake. He began laughing along with Tony, who eventually broke up the laughter by saying, “Out of all the drawings Sam would make of me flying in the air, or me in the suit, this has gotta be my absolute favorite one she ever made.” Peters laughter slowed down to a subtle chuckle as he looked over at Sam, who was slightly crouched over her plate, holding her hand to her face in a permanent facepalm.  “Oh, come on Sam,” Peter said sarcastically, nudging her arm. “It's adorable,” Peter said, this time genuinely, he thought her self made villain was cute. Sam gently lifted her face up, looking at Peter to see his smile. A smile that sent her into a even more nervous state, but in a much happier way. She smiled back, and the two of them continued to eat their food. “I can't believe you have honestly kept that thing this long, did you put it on the fridge just for tonight?” Sam said trying to laugh through her pain, referring to the drawing that was still sitting in the middle of the table. “Well, I have kept all of your drawings Sammy,” Tony said smiling at Sam, who took another bite of her carrots. “Sam has always been quite the artist actually,” Tony said looking back at Peter who smiled back. He listened intently as Tony continued his small talk. Peter wanted to know everything. The good, the bad, and especially the funny. Tony promised to bring out some of Sam's old drawings once dinner was over, much to Sams dismay, and Peter smiled and replied with a simple, “Looking forward to it, sir.” Peter was no longer feeling nervous, he was laughing and joking around with Tony, Pepper, and even Sam when she wasn't trying to hide her face away from all the embarrassment. For the rest of dinner the four of them exchanged stories, Tony and Pepper mainly focusing on their favorite stories about Sam. Peter got to hear all about everything: from Sam's Jonas Brother obsession, to her emo stage when she insisted on dying her hair blue, and even just minor stories about how clumsy she was. Peter was loving it all, despite Sam clearly not. It gave him an insight into how the girl he loved, grew up into the wonderful person that she was. Once everyone was done eating they all retired to the living room to continue talking about Sam. Tony rushed to his bedroom and came back even quicker with a medium sized brown box. “These are all my treasures from little Sam,” Tony said setting the box on the floor. “Don't you think you've embarrassed me enough for one night?” Sam questioned, watching as he took the drawings out of the box. “Well, you want to embarrass me by going to prom so I think its fair,” Peter said, smiling at her. Sam just rolled her eyes. “This one is of me in the first red and gold suit,” Tony said, pulling the drawing out of the box to show it to Peter. “This one is of me and her playing with Barbies, one of her favorite things to do when she was little,” Tony said pulling out yet another drawing, “And this one...” Tony said trailing off, realizing that it wasn't one of Sam's at all. It was a small folded piece of white paper. He held the paper away as he unfolded it, not letting anyone else see. He began to read the red and blue words that had been written on it in sharpie. He looked over at Peter, he must've slipped the paper in while he wasn't paying attention. He read back over the note again, and smiled. Peter really was a great kid but with everything going on right now Tony didn't think it was a great idea. “Dad what is it?” Sam questioned, looking at Tony. Tony read it a third time, and it brought a tear to his eyes. He realized how much this boy had cared for her. The piece of paper had a message on it, and Peter had also included a picture of Sam and him. The picture was of Sam and Peter making goofy faces, Tony assumed that this must have been taken on one of the nights they had snuck up to the roof. He smiled and looked over at Peter, who was shaking with nerves, unsure if Tony would let him ask her what he had written out on the paper. “This one is Peters actually,” Tony said giving Peter back his piece of paper smiling brightly at him, as if to tell him it was okay with him. Peter smiled back and began to speak to Sam, whose face was scrunched up and confused. “I hate school dances,” he began. Sam went to interrupt him, to tell him that she knew already, and the he didn't need to bring it up. But Peter didn't give her a chance. “But I would honestly do anything for you, and I want to prove that to you, and you Mr. Stark,” he said, smiling over to Tony as he turned the paper around for her to see. The message was written in blue and red sharpie, "Samantha will you swing into prom with me?" And below the writing featured one of the first pictures Sam and Peter ever took together. “So what do you say Sam?” Peter asked still shaking from his nerves as he watched a surprised Sam struggle to find the words. But eventually she did, and pulled him into a tight hug and said, “I really thought you would never ask.”