Work Text:
Peter shivered in the cold wrapping his red coat more firmly around himself. He had been out Christmas shopping for hours now and the bag he held was filled with wrapped packages.
May had to work Christmas week which was driving Peter up the wall. Quite literally, when May had told him, he had sat on the wall of their building for hours (sulking?! Of course he wasn't sulking!?)
But he had to admit, once he had pushed his sadness aside, he realised spending christmas at Stark Tower would be a treat. So he had bought each of the Avengers a separate gift. As it turned out, getting Christmas presents for the Avengers was a mission in itself. When he didn’t know what to get people he had to design and build them himself which had led to several sleepless nights.There was a problem though. Peter didn’t know what to get for Tony.
Since the events involving Vulture, Peter and Tony had grown closer and Peter had begun to live at Stark Tower almost as much as he lived at his own home, the Avengers themselves had become part of Peter’s family and he had become a part of there’s. But despite all that Peter had no idea what Tony would want. What would you buy for the man who has everything? Especially on Peter’s meager budget.
Peter sighed blissfully as he entered the warmth of Stark Tower. Shaking the snow off and onto the welcome mat, Peter walked confidently to Tony’s private elevator. Said elevator appeared out of the wall to the astonishment of the people nearby who hadn’t seen it before. Peter walked in and FRIDAY began to take him up to the Avengers levels which Tony had kept at the top of the tower for when they didn’t want to go upstate to the compound. Peter sneakily went past a sleeping Scott on the couch and went to his room. Casually he walked up the wall and slid into a secret tunnel Tony had put there. It lead to a room only he could access with his spider powers, this was going to be useful in hiding the presents from the curious Avengers.
Jumping back down Peter shrugged off his jacket and tossed it onto a chair.
“Hi Pete.” Said a voice behind him. Peter immediately jumped back onto the wall in surprise. Clint burst into laughter behind him.
“That is never getting old.” Clint sighed wiping away an imaginary tear. Peter glared at him, jumping back onto the ground.
“Hi Clint.” Whispered a calm voice into Clint’s ear. Clint jumped with a scream as Natasha smirked and continued down the hallway waving hello to Peter.
“You’re right, that never will get old.” Grinned Peter at a still jumpy Clint.
“Whatever Spider-Kid, anyway” Clint straightened up and with flourish announced. “Captain Steve Rogers begs from you an answer for how you would like to dine this evening.” Peter snorted at Clint’s dramatic question.
“I’m fine with anything.”
“That’s what I told him you would say but apparently my word isn’t trustworthy.” Clint sighed with a smirk. “Anyway, I have to go and train with Tasha or she will murder me in my sleep.”
Peter waved goodbye to Clint and flopped onto his bed.
“FRIDAY? Where’s Tony?”
“Boss is currently talking to Ms Potts in her office. Would you like me to notify him?”
“No thanks Fri, just curious.” He was quiet for several seconds. “What do you think I should get Tony for Christmas?”
“I’m not sure. Boss doesn’t really talk to me about wanting things often. Present wise I mean.”
“Okay. Thanks FRIDAY.”
-o-
Peter entered the main common area later to find most everyone there. He observed the room before going to sit on the couch where Scott, Sam, and Clint were playing Mario Kart.
“Are you kidding me?” Scott groaned as a red shell sent his cart spinning.
“Sorry Tic Tac but I’m going to win this thing.” Sam grinned at him, taking his eyes off the screen and completely missing the banana that sent him back to 5th place. “Oh Come on!”
Peter chuckled as he looked around the room. The only missing people were Tony, Natasha and Bruce. Sighing slightly as his thoughts drifted back to Tony’s present, Peter stood back up making his way to the kitchen. As he sat down on a barstool by the counter Steve smiled at him.
“Hey Peter, how was your day?”
“Cold.” Peter answered with a smile making Steve laugh. Vision turned around from whatever he was stirring on the stove.
“These are the times I am thankful I don’t feel temperature.” He stated. Peter was confused for a second considering the Android was still wearing a jumper.
“Can I ask your advice on something?” Peter questioned suddenly. Steve nodded, eager as always to give his advice.
“What would Tony want for a Christmas present?” Peter looked at Steve who furrowed his eyebrow in thought,Vision spoke up.
“Well. Tony is always hard to shop for. Especially considering his obvious wealth. I would think you should get him something that was less economically valuable and more sentimentally valuable.” Peter nodded, his mind whirring.
“That is, if he even shows up this year.” Wanda put in, sitting down next to Peter holding a mug of tea.
“What d’ya mean?” Peter curiously. Wanda glanced at Steve and Vision who all looked at each other.
“Well,” Steve began somewhat awkwardly. “Over the years we haven’t really seen Tony on Christmas Day. Most of the time he just leaves a large pile of presents for us out and locks himself in the lab. Not seeing anyone.” Peter immediately was concerned.
“Why?” He asked, the worry etching lines into his face.
“We don’t really know. He doesn’t actually communicate with us at all about the subject.” Steve revealed hesitantly.
“Pepper just said bad memories, whatever that means.” Wanda added, taking a long sip of her drink.
Peter was quiet. This new information made him want to go and get the rest of the story out of Tony but also run and hide for the rest of his stay here. Steve glared at the couch as a string of increasingly inappropriate words came from the gamers.
“Rogers, where’s the food.” Tony wailed, entering the room.
“Good evening to you too sunshine.” Steve replied calmly. Tony grumbled,
“Sarcasm doesn’t suit you.”
“The food is almost ready.” Informed Vision, picking up some plates.
“Pepper will not be joining us over Christmas, emergency SI business.” Tony said as he sat down next to Peter.
“That sucks.” Peter sighed.
“Exactly what I said Pete.” Tony groaned rubbing his hand in his hair tiredly.
“Do you want some help?” Peter addressed Wanda who was carrying a heavy looking stack of plates she smiled at Peter.
“I got it.” Her eyes turned red as the plates layed themselves on the table.
“Do we have any plans for the actual day.” Vision asked, beginning to dish out food.
“Probably some cheesy ass movie accompanied by too much food.” Sam suggested, sitting down.
“Our families are coming down.” Clint gestured to Scott and himself.
“Cool.” Smiled Peter, he always loved playing with the young kids.
“That’s pretty great guys but I haven’t eaten for like 17 hours or something so…” Tony dramatically pointed at the food.
“That really isn’t healthy Tony.” Bruce muttered, entering the room.
“Sorry,” Tony waved a finger at Peter. “As Mentor it is my duty to inform you that you must always eat three healthy meals per day that include all the food groups.”
“You got it.” Snickered Peter.
“Steve why don’t you give your PSA?” Natasha suggested appearing from seemingly nowhere. Steve groaned.
“That was like 10 years ago guys!”
-o-
Peter woke with a start. He shuddered, wrapping his arms around himself as FRIDAY obiediently brightened the room. He’d had another dream that he was trapped underneath a crumbling building. Granted it had been almost a year ago but Peter’s damn memory had no trouble thinking about the pressure on his body and the smell of cement dust and leaking water.
Peter jumped out of bed. These thoughts definitely weren’t helping him get back to sleep. Peter pulled on his red jacket and suit, grabbing the Spiderman mask from the corner of the room.
“FRIDAY?” Peter looked up.
“Yes Peter?”
“If anyone asks, I’m still asleep. Unless KAREN says i’m dying or something.” There was a silence.
“Of course.” She finally replied. Peter muttered a quick thank you before slipping out the window.
Despite his mask, coat, and warm pyjamas the cold hit Peter like a slap in the face. Standing up on the side of the building, Peter rubbed his arms, gulping slightly as he looked down several dozen floors to the lit streets of New York beneath him. He pulled come gloves out of his pocket along with spare web shooters. Pulling both on, Peter began to crawl the building. Several floors down he shot out a price of webbing to the skyscraper opposite. Making sure his side was secure, Peter walked out across the tightrope he’d created. After doing several tricks Peter shot out a couple more strings of webbing before lying down. Peter watched the snow fall down onto him. Watching with his perfect vision as the white specks would hit the masks white eyes before immediately evaporating from the heat of the machinery.
“Hey KAREN?” Peter asked suddenly, his trustworthy companion instantly answered.
“Yes Peter?”
“What do you think I should get Tony?”
“You seem to be asking that question a lot.” Peter rolled his eyes fondly at the humour in her voice.
“Something that shows how much you care about him.” She finally offered. Peter sighed.
“I just don’t know what that wo…” Peter trailed off. He had that feeling. Not the Spidey-Sense-look-out-there’s-a-guy-with-a-machine-gun-behind-you kind of feeling but something was definitely different about tonight. Peter sat up, looking down at the tower. Something was off. Two windows, side by side, were lit up. Which was odd as Peter knew that most everyone who worked at SI was already home for Christmas and the Avengers were all asleep.
“That is odd.” Peter murmured stating the obvious thoughts already running through his head.
“Those window’s lead to Mr Stark’s personal lab.” KAREN supplied helpfully. Peter nodded thinking about how he had personally seen Tony enter his bedroom.
“Let’s go check it out.” Peter stood up, jumping off his tightrope and stealthily swinging to the building. He crawled down to the lit window and gently wiped away the frost with his gloved hand.
Inside was Tony but he was not alone. Tony himself had a hand over his face and was leaning on a workbench watching an argument between… Peter blinked unsure if he was seeing things. Tony was watching an argument between Howard Stark and young Tony? That was weird. Then Peter saw the equipment surrounding Tony and nearly hit himself for missing the obvious. The BARF electronics were set up around the room, forming the argument between Howard and young Tony. Peter hesitated, knowing this was an invasion of privacy.
“Mr Stark has proofed the entire tower to any lip reading equipment of any kind, even his own.” KAREN quietly informed Peter sighed slightly, although he was relieved that he isn't going to be tempted to listen in.
Young Tony seemed to be about 7, guessed Peter.He was also wearing a Santa hat that he held secure with his hands as he listened to Howard, tears clear on his face. Howard himself, Peter had to admit, looked rather drunk and kept on pointing at a Christmas tree, simulated by BARF. What Howard did next however, almost made Peter fall of the side of the building in shock.
Howard had stormed to the tree, pulling it down so it crashed to the floor next to young Tony, making him yell out as the sharp pine needles attacked his skin. Howard continued by crushing the decorations on the tree into piles of broken glass and ceramic. He finished by tearing the hat off young Tony’s head and…
Peter had seen enough. Is he was unsure about the invasion of privacy before, he knew that he should definitely not seen that now. Shaking slightly he made his way back to his room. How had he never known? Well he knew how he hadn’t, because Tony was an extremely good liar (something that came with being famous) he had a good idea why Tony didn’t normally celebrate Christmas now though. Peter thought over what he had just learned, and what advice he had gotten from the other Avengers, and he knew exactly what to do.
-o-
On Christmas morning, before anyone had woken up, Tony Stark made his way to the common area, like he did every year, and laid out his presents to everyone. Just before he headed to the door, Tony hesitated, thinking of Peter. Guilt about not staying out today kept him at the door for a second longer. Tony swept his eyes over the room, decorations were filling the room and plastered on the walls. But Tony’s sues came to rest on the large tree in the corner. Immediately nauseas Tony turned back to the door, his features hardening as he took a deep breath and wen to his lab.
It was past midday when Tony paused in his working binge and noticed the neatly wrapped parcel on one of his many tables. Tony almost snorted at seeing the ribbon wrapping the gift was in fact spiderweb. No doubting who that was from then.
Walking over he picked it up. Calloused hands unravelling the surprisingly not sticky webbing. The white sting fell away and a card underneath the gift caught Tony’s eye. He picked it up.
Dear Tony,
Thank you so much for everything you’ve done for me and Spiderman.
Merry Christmas :)
Peter
Tony couldn’t help smiling slightly. That kid was too good for this world. Laying the card (which had a picture of Iron Man and Spiderman having a snowball fight on it) on the table, Tony slowly began opening the parcel. Letting the wrapping fall onto the ground, Tony turned over the golden (titanium alloy) rectangle and he beamed.
It was a picture of all of the Avengers, taken on Peter’s birthday. They were all making ridicoulous faces at the camera and in the center was Tony and Peter. Tony with an arm around a, very embarrassed, Peter’s shoulder. Under the photo, engraved onto the frame in hot rod red, was the words
For The Man Who Started The Avengers
Tony continued smiling, more than he had on any Christmas Day in decades, Tony placed the frame on his main desk. He admired it for a second before calling out to FRIDAY.
“What’s going on up there?”
“Everyone is currently eating Christmas lunch. Thor just threw some potato at Mr Barton and they are currently chasing each other around the room.”
Tony nodded. Hesitantly, he stood up. He would be fine right? After all, a decade of therapy and BARF treatment had to have done something.
With that hopeful thought in mind Tony walked upstairs, entering the common room to be greeted by a hug from Peter and a fateful of potato from Clint.
Needless to say, It was the best Christmas Tony Stark had ever had.