Tony and his Kids

Ice Skates

Tony Stark was not often nervous. He was usually the person hyping others up or helping them through their nervousness by cracking jokes and sometimes even patting their shoulder. Contrary to popular belief, he could help others out of the Ironman armor and on a personal level - even if he wasn't good with emotions. He tended to bottle those things up because no one needed to see that mess from him. Either way, he helped others with their nervousness as he usually wasn't the one nervous.

But that was not the case today. The genius's hands wouldn't quit shaking or sweating as he held a wrapped box in his hands where he stood outside of the door to May and Peter Parker's apartment. He hadn't knocked yet, trying to get himself under control. Why was he so nervous? He started to squeeze the box, but stopped, fearing he would tear the paper that he had carefully wrapped around the box. His hands wanted to fiddle with something, anything, but he held the gift like fine china despite knowing what was inside wasn't exactly fragile.

He could hear sounds of happy conversation and laughter just beyond the door, drawing him toward it like a moth to a flame, but he couldn't bring his hand to knock quite yet. It was nearing ten in the morning on Christmas day and he wondered if Peter had liked his other presents that he sent (all of his friends and fiancee had teased him about being Santa Claus when it came to Peter and Harley) and judging by the excited ramblings about Lego sets, he guessed he had. But the gift in his hand was different, something that he had been nervous about getting him ever since he thought about it.

This gift was not an impulsive one. He may have bought a lot of things for Peter on impulse, even if the kid didn't want him to, but this was entirely different. He got everything else from things Peter talked about absentmindedly or just glanced at with interest, but Peter had never shown interest in what was inside the box in his hands. He had talked to May about it and she had encouraged the idea, but he was still nervous and worried about it. This wasn't just a gift; it was Tony trying to continue a tradition with a kid he thought of as a son.

Finally, he pulled in a deep breath, and knocked on the door. He checked to make sure his sunglasses were still perched firmly on his nose despite being inside and widened his smile, squaring his shoulders as he tried to still his shaking hands. The sound of conversation stopped, followed by the pitter pattering of feet. His smile went from press grin to genuine when Peter opened the door, the sixteen year old boy dressed in elf pajamas and a santa hat on his head, a bell attached to the end of it. What he could see of the boy's hair was a mess and pieces of wrapping paper and tape clung to his outfit.

"Mr. Stark!" Peter said, startled, yanking the hat off his head and patting his hair down into some semblance of organized. Tony did his best not to chuckle, his anxieties temporarily dissipating. He felt slightly over dressed in his crisp dark blue suit and gelled hair. Maybe he should have worn his t-shirt and jeans. Oh well, nothing he could do about it now. "What- what are you doing here? I didn't know you were coming today."

Tony heard May chuckling from somewhere inside the apartment, the smell of pancakes or waffles filling the air. It was surprising considering how potent the woman's dishes could become, but he knew better than to talk about that. Mainly because he wasn't an idiot and didn't want to get hit with a rolling pin, or, worse, hurt May's feelings. They may have gotten off on the wrong foot, but they were closer to friendship than he would like to admit. Feelings were not exactly his style.

"Surprise, kiddo," he grinned. "I thought I'd drop by and see how you liked the presents I sent you? May and I had a tough time hiding them from you," he said with a small laugh. He may have gone a little overboard by most people's standards, but Peter deserved the world more than it deserved him. He'd been put through so much and Tony had hoped to bring as much light as possible to Christmas.