Chapter Text
“Dad? Can I ask you something?”
Tony peered at Peter over top of his glasses. “What’s up?”
Peter shifted in his chair, putting his pencil down in the crease of his calculus textbook. “Well, it’s to do with a girl…”
Tony kept his face neutral, even though he was excited. His son was in junior year and had never even mentioned having a crush on anyone. Ever. When Tony had been that age, he’d already had several girlfriends and boyfriends. No time to waste. Peter had no idea that he’d come to the right person with his question. Tony had been eagerly awaiting his time to shine as a father helping his son in the dating department.
“Sure, go ahead,” Tony encouraged. He put his stylus down beside his tablet to show Peter that he was interested and not only half listening while he did his work.
Peter nodded, giving Tony a quick smile. It was even more endearing than usual since it was bracketed by two blushing cheeks.
“So, you know Liz, right? From decathlon? Well, MJ told me that she still doesn’t have a date for Homecoming,” he said in a rush, “and I thought, you know, that’s really weird. Right? ‘Cause she’s like the most popular girl in school, and I know tons of guys asked her, but she told everyone no. But, she never said it was because she wasn’t going. So, I’m thinking that means she doesn’t want to go with them. And she’s always really nice to me at practice and stuff, and I’ve liked her for a while, but I never ever thought I had a chance, and anyways, this is the most important part. Apparently, she asked Betty if she knew if I had a date.”
“So?” Peter prompted. “What do you think?”
“I didn’t realize you asked me a question.”
“Dad.”
Tony smirked at Peter’s chiding tone. “I think you should ask her.”
“Really?” Peter leaned forward, thrusting his chin into his hand. “Because that’s what I was thinking, but I didn’t want to get too ahead of myself. If I read the situation wrong, or whatever. You know? But I mean, it seems like she sort of wants me to ask her.”
“I’d bet any money she does.”
“I just…I know I logically don’t have anything to be scared of, but I don’t know. I’m nervous to ask. She’s so pretty and popular, and smart…”
Tony deliberated for a moment. “Well, do you like her?”
“Yeah, of course. Everyone does.”
“Then it’s gotta be worth the risk of you feeling a bit uncomfortable. If she’s as nice as you say, she won’t be mean about it even if she did say no. Looks like you got nothing to lose.”
“Imagine?” Peter said wistfully. “Going to the dance with Liz Toomes? A senior? Me? That would be…I don’t even know. It would be amazing.”
“Ask her, then,” Tony suggested.
“Yeah, but how?”
“You know how to speak English, don’t you?”
Peter rolled his eyes. “You’re no help.”
“Just pretend you’re talking to someone who doesn’t intimidate you. Ask her flat out. ‘Liz. Do you want to go to the dance with me?’ Simple.”
“Easy for you to say.”
“Trust me, Pete. She’ll say yes if you’re the one asking. She’d have to be an idiot not to, and if she’s an idiot, she’s no good for you anyway.”
“You think so?”
Tony raised his eyebrows at Peter’s doe-eyed expression. Did he honestly think Liz was too good for him? “Think of how few people I like,” Tony started.
“Okay…”
“Then think about how you’re top of the list. I imagine Liz is a lot easier to please than I am.”
Peter’s uncertain expression brightened up immediately. “Thanks, Dad. I’ll think about it. Maybe tomorrow.”
“Keep me posted.”
Peter nodded and picked his pencil back up to continue his homework.
Tony regarded him for a moment longer, a fond smile on his face. He couldn’t believe how fast his boy was growing up. Before he knew it, he’d be starting his senior year, and then it would be college, and then—Tony stopped himself before he could think too far ahead. He’d promised himself he wasn’t going to fret about Peter leaving until the very moment it was happening. Otherwise, he’d be a mess for the next two years.
Tony wasn’t sure if Peter had actually followed through on asking Liz out to the dance until he whipped open the door of his office the next day, a huge grin on his face as he tossed his backpack onto the floor,
Natasha walked in after him, her expression smug as it often was when Peter accomplished something.
“Let me guess,” Tony said. “She said yes.”
Peter plopped into one of the chairs across from Tony’s desk and held up his hand for a high-five.
Tony gave it to him.
“Good for you,” Tony said. “I knew it.”
“Me too,” Natasha said. “I totally called it.”
Tony wondered when exactly Peter had dished about his date to Natasha. Why didn’t he know first?
“Yeah,” Peter sighed, a dreamy expression on his face. “So I guess Happy will pick me up, and take me—”
“My only son’s first date? No, no, no. That’s not Happy’s jurisdiction. I’ll drive you.”
“Really?” Peter’s smile grew even bigger. “Awesome. That would be awesome.”
“I mean, I probably should meet her officially anyways, give her the shotgun talk.”
“Oh,” Peter hesitated. “Well, she said her dad was going to drive us to the actual dance, so I mean, you can just drop me off at her house if that’s okay.”
Tony frowned. Her dad? Mr. Toomes? He wasn’t over the moon about relinquishing Peter into the car of some weird undertaker.
“Lighten up, Tony,” Natasha said. “What is it, a five-minute ride?”
Tony ignored her.
“Well like, just because I don’t want to make a big deal out of it,” Peter explained. “You know, if she meets you and then like thinks I told you she was my girlfriend, and then it’s too serious and awkward. I don’t know.”
“All right,” Tony agreed, “but—”
“You know he’ll totally do a background check on their entire family,” Natasha joked, nudging Peter.
“That’s absurd,” Tony replied. “I already did it.”
Natasha laughed.
“You didn’t,” Peter protested.
“Well, you can never be too careful.” Tony refrained from telling him that he’d done a background check on everyone on the decathlon team the first time they’d had an away competition. Nothing much came up considering they were all minors, but there was always potential for something to be found where the teachers and parent chaperones were concerned.
He didn’t like the look of the girl’s dad, but there was nothing on his record, so Tony couldn’t justify being too worried about it. He would have to reassess the situation if Liz and Peter actually started dating, though. With any luck, it would be a one-dance affair, and then there would be no problem. No potential “Liz Stark.” Or any little baby Starks running around if Peter wasn’t careful…
Tony shuddered internally. He was not ready to be a grandfather at 46.
“What’re you gonna wear?” Natasha prompted, breaking the awkward silence.
“Oh yeah, that’s right,” Tony mused. “You can’t wear rags to Homecoming.”
“I do not wear rags,” Peter argued. “They’re called t-shirts.”
Tony grinned, delighted at the sight of Peter’s annoyed expression. The way his scowl made his lower lip jut out ever so slightly was always the sign of a joke well done on Tony’s part.
“I’ll have to take you out to get a suit,” Tony suggested. “Tomorrow?”
“Yeah,” Peter sighed. “Okay.” He was smiling though. He always did love shopping and having money spent on him.
“You’ll look great,” Natasha assured, getting up and ruffling Peter’s hair before she walked out. “Oh, by the way, Tony. You have a meeting in two minutes.”
“You’re just telling me now?”
Natasha shrugged. “Better than not telling you at all.”
“Sorry, bud. Duty calls.” Tony got up from his chair and re-buttoned his suit jacket.
“No worries. I’ll wait here,” Peter said. “I have homework anyway.”
“Cool. You can sit in my chair if you want.”
Peter didn’t waste a minute switching seats.
“See you in a bit,” Tony said. “We’ll pick up some takeout on the way home. Yeah? Then you can give me a play by play of how you popped the question.”
“Awesome.” Peter gave him a thumbs up. “Have a good meeting.”
Tony smiled, taking a moment to look back over his shoulder at Peter sitting at the helm. He was a bit small for the chair, but Tony hoped that one day he’d grow into it and work for the company alongside him. Maybe even run it when he retired.
“He’s so cute,” Natasha said with a fondness in her voice that Tony could relate to.
“Yeah,” Tony agreed. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”
Natasha frowned. “What do you mean?”
“This girl’s a senior,” Tony explained. “She might want things from Peter. Hell, whichever girl comes after this one might too.”
“Feels like just yesterday he was a toddler,” Tony continued. “I don’t know where the time goes.”
“It’ll be okay. Pete’s a good boy. I doubt he’ll be doing anything with that girl apart from getting her punch and mooning over her while she recites flashcards from memory.”
Tony snorted. That did sound like Peter.
“And besides, they’ve stayed at hotels together before, right? Lots of opportunity there, and he’s obviously never capitalized, otherwise asking someone out wouldn’t have him so worked up.”
“Right?” Natasha pressed.
“I guess,” Tony sighed, stopping right in front of the door to the board room. He wasn’t in the mood for a meeting anymore, but then again, he never was.
“This had to happen one day, Tony. Him growing up,” Natasha said. “You’ll get over it. Every parent does.”
Tony nodded and patted her on the shoulder once. “Good talk.”
“That’s what you pay me the big bucks for.”
“So did you find anything in your background check?” Peter asked, fidgeting with the corsage box on his lap. “You never said.”
If Tony didn’t know better, it looked like Peter was trying to find a reason to back out.
“No, but still. I don’t know if I like the guy.”
“You’ve never even met him.”
“His last name is Toomes, Pete. That just sounds creepy.”
Tony was satisfied when Peter laughed and shook his head as he often did.
“Anyways, you didn’t have to come all the way home just to take me,” Peter said. “Happy could’ve done it.”
“I have to put my license to good use sometimes,” Tony said. “Plus, you know, I am your dad. I’m allowed to take you places.”
“Obviously. I meant that you’re busy. With work.”
Tony rolled his eyes. “Well then, it’s a good thing my name is on the building. Means I can leave to play chauffeur for my son anytime I want.”
“True, plus it’s my name too…so I guess it’s all kosher.”
“Exactly.” Tony reached over and patted Peter on the knee. “Now you’re talkin’.”
Peter got more and more quiet as they got closer to arriving at the Toomes’, and Tony could tell he was nervous. When they pulled up, Tony could’ve sworn Peter was going to ask him to forget it, to turn around and take him back home.
Tony sort of wanted to. Peter had been to a few dances before, but he’d always gone with Ned and MJ. This was the first time he had a date, and it was a big step for him as a father to hand his only child off to some little minx. Not that Liz was a bad girl—he’d seen her around a few times with Peter when he had decathlon practice, and she was always polite, addressing him by sir and shaking his hand. There was nothing wrong with her, in fact, there was everything right about her, and she obviously had good taste if she chose Peter.
He could just imagine how Peter had looked asking her out. According to him, he’d been fairly smooth, but Tony knew that was code for being a blushing, stuttering mess. He wondered if it was feasible to hack the school’s security cameras so he could see it for himself. But, it couldn’t have been that bad since she said yes. Maybe she’d found his shyness endearing. That was likely, considering it was. Tony knew from experience since he could barely say no to the kid when he got out his puppy dog eyes. It was awful.
Just like now, seeing Peter picking at his slacks and adjusting his tie, opening and closing the corsage box. Tony had to have mercy on him and give him some sort of encouragement.
“She seems like a nice girl, Pete. Hell, a senior too. Have fun.” He reached over to ruffle Peter’s hair before catching himself. He’d spent half an hour perfecting the gel in it. Best not fuck it up and suffer a teenager’s wrath.
“What are you gonna do with me out of the house? You’ll have the place to yourself.”
“I don’t think you wanna know.”
“Ew, Dad. Gross.”
He had only meant that what he was about to get up to was boring and nothing worth mentioning, but if Peter wanted to interpret it as dirty, that was his prerogative. Really, now that he thought about it, he was tempted. It had been a few days since he’d last jerked off. Maybe he would just go back to work though. God knew he had a lot of that to do.
Tony laughed and waved him goodbye, once again sympathizing with the worried look on Peter’s face. It only occurred to him after Peter left the car that he should tell him that Liz should be the nervous one, maybe say something a little more encouraging than have fun, but the moment was gone. He stayed a moment to watch Peter make his way up to the front door and assure he was welcomed before he drove away. At the end of the street, he intended to make a right and head back home just like he said he was going to, but the thought of actually going back to an empty house didn’t seem that appealing, so he flicked his turn signal on and made a left instead. Back to work.
The place was pretty dead when he got there considering it was a Friday and after 7 o’clock. It didn’t bother him to be alone at work, though. And if Peter ended up calling for a ride which he said he might, Tony would be close enough to pick him up.
He went to his office and sat down at his desk, preparing to resume the work he’d been doing earlier. He stared at the screen of his tablet for a few minutes before he decided he needed an energy drink to get through the evening.
He had a fridge in his office, but he decided to take the scenic route and walk to the staff room on his floor instead. See if any lingering intern was overachieving and staying late, hoping to get offered a permanent position. Or maybe an old-timer who had nothing better to do looking for some water-cooler talk. Sort of like he was.
He wondered where Liz was planning to go to school after she graduated. She was a senior, after all. Would she and Peter start dating if the dance went well? Tony hated to think of them trying to make a long-distance thing work while Peter finished high school and she went off to college. And Peter was adamant that he was going to MIT, but Tony knew if he liked the girl enough, he would consider following her wherever she went. He was a loyal kid.
Tony cracked open his drink and finished half of it in one go. He checked his watch.
Twenty minutes? That’s all it’s been?
Tony considered texting Peter to see how it was going. In his day, he would’ve been drinking the spiked punch and gearing up to take the party back to someone’s house. Was Liz friends with people like that? Would she rope Peter into some illicit activity? A part of Tony was proud that Peter was finally getting out there and dating, making something out of his high school years. But another part of him was concerned. If Peter started acting the way he’d acted as a teenager, he didn’t know if that was something to be proud of.
He finished his drink and grabbed another. If Peter were there, he probably would’ve smacked it out of his hand. Those things are bad for your heart, Dad. Drink water instead.
Tony smiled. What Peter didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him.
“Tony? What are you doing here?”
Tony groaned internally at the sound of that voice. Figured. Quentin goddamn Beck. Dickwad extraordinaire.
“My name is on the building, you know.”
“Right, yeah, of course. I meant what are you doing here so late. It’s a Friday.”
God, he hated that brown-nosing grin. What a kiss-ass. “Came to get some extra work done,” he explained. Obviously.
“Peter must be out for the night,” Quentin remarked.
“What makes you say that?”
“I know you like to make time for him on the weekend, so if you’re here, and he’s not, it just makes sense.”
Tony frowned. “Speaking of being here when someone’s not. Why are you here anyway? Bruce is off this week, so the project’s on hold. Can’t imagine you have much to do.” He considered firing him on principle, but he wasn’t completely useless. Maybe he’d ask Bruce for a report when he came back from vacation to see if Beck was pulling his weight.
“Guilty.” Quentin held his hands up. “I’ve been consulting with the marketing department this week, and R&D, sort of floating around. I didn’t want to slack just because Bruce is gone. Actually, I—”
Don’t care. Don’t care. Don’t care.
Tony tuned out and checked his phone. Nothing. Was Peter going to call Liz’s dad and ask him for a ride?
“Sure, well great job,” Tony offered.
“Thank you, sir. That means a lot. Have a good rest of your night and tell Peter I said hi. I haven’t seen him in forever.”
Tony would definitely not be doing that. “Yep, see ya.”
After another half hour, Tony said fuck it and went home.
Tony woke up all at once, registering that he had something to do, somewhere to be. Peter. He sat up and checked his watch. It was already the middle of the night. The TV was off, and he had a blanket over him, so he deduced that Peter was home. Had he called for a ride? What time had he gotten in? Tony checked his phone, expecting to see a bunch of missed calls and angry texts from Peter asking for him to come get him. There was nothing. So then Liz’s dad, Mr. Tombs must have dropped them off. Irritating, although Tony guessed it was good since he’d been a bonehead and fallen asleep. Peter could’ve needed him.
He got up carefully, making sure he wasn’t too stiff from his couch siesta, and went upstairs.
He hovered outside of Peter’s bedroom for a moment, considering whether he should open the door and check on him. He had to verify he was home, but what if he wasn’t alone? Would he have sneaked Liz into his bed? That didn’t seem to be Peter’s style, but who knew anymore? A few days ago, he wouldn’t have thought dating in general was Peter’s style.
Curiosity and protectiveness got the better of him, and he cracked the door open, wincing when the light from the hallway spilled into the room and illuminated Peter’s face. He didn’t want to wake him up.
Tony let out his breath once he confirmed that Peter was alone. Good boy. His face was mashed into the pillow like he was trying to meld with it, mouth slightly parted, and Tony focused on his quiet breaths, satisfaction that only a parent could understand washing over him. His child was in his bed, safe and sound, sleeping peacefully. There was nothing more he could ask for.
He stood there in the doorway a moment longer—just enough time to see Peter smack his lips together and roll over—before heading to his own room.
Peter didn’t say anything when he walked into the kitchen and poured himself some coffee from the fresh pot Tony had just made. It was the second pot of the morning, but as always, what Peter didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him.
“So?” Tony prompted when Peter sat down at the table across from him.
“So what?”
“Spill. How was the dance?” Tony asked.
“Fine.”
“Wow, that’s riveting stuff. I never would’ve believed it if I hadn’t heard it firsthand.”
Peter didn’t even crack a smile. “How was your night?”
Hmm. Tough crowd this morning. The date was a bust then.
“It was good. Went back to work, came back here.” Tony shrugged. “Had some food.”
“That’s it?” Peter flickered his eyes to him.
“That’s it,” he confirmed.
“Cool,” Peter said, shifting in his seat. “Yeah…you were sleeping when I got in.”
“Didn’t mean to. I know I was supposed to be on standby in case you needed a ride.”
“It’s okay.”
“So you got home okay?”
“Obviously.”
“Right,” Tony said. “Hungry?”
“Yeah. What’re you gonna make?”
“Oh, I thought you were cooking.”
Peter sighed. “If you like oatmeal from a packet, then sure. Put the kettle on. I’ll mix it right up.”
The joke wasn’t delivered lightheartedly, but it was a joke nonetheless, so Peter couldn’t have been too miserable. Tony was starting to wonder, though. What was with him? This wasn’t regular attitude from being overtired or having a bad date. Peter seemed genuinely upset. Almost cold.
But he had been caring enough to turn the TV off for him and cover him in a blanket, so whatever his problem was wasn’t directed at him.
It must have been the simple answer, then. The date with Liz was a failure, and he would need to just shake it off.
Tony offered his fatherly sympathy by whipping Peter up a huge breakfast and not asking him any more questions while he did it.
A good sign was that Peter thanked him when he sat down with his plate.
“Anytime,” Tony replied.
Peter gave him a half-hearted smile and started eating.
“If you want to talk about the dance, I’m all ears,” Tony tried a few minutes later. “Anything interesting happen?”
“Um. Not really. Ned wore a fedora.”
Tony chuckled. “He’s the best.”
“Yeah.”
“Did Liz like her corsage?”
“Yeah, I guess.”
“Are you going to see her again?”
“Probably at school, but…yeah. I don’t know.”
“You know I’m not a dentist. I’m not really good at the whole pulling teeth thing.”
Peter stared at him. “Seriously?”
Tony laughed. “Come on, give me something. Anything. Did you take any photos?”
“I don’t know, Dad. It was a dance, and it was fine. That’s it. There’s no photos, nothing to say. Okay?”
For some reason, being iced out like that hurt more than when Peter was outright bitchy with him.
“Oh. Well, it’s too bad it didn’t work out.” Tony offered. “I’m sure there’s other girls you’re interested in. You can try again. No big deal.”
Peter looked up at him with an unreadable expression, opening his mouth to say something and then closing it. He finally decided on, “Sure, whatever.”
Tony had a thousand more questions, but he thought it best to leave Peter be. Honestly, he wasn’t used to having to ask questions at all. Peter was an open book who told him everything, and now he was clammed up. Tony didn’t like it, but he didn’t push. Peter would tell him everything in time.