It was late at night, and Tony was sitting in his lab, tinkering with a new invention. He was so engrossed in his work that he didn't hear the soft knock on the door.
"Mr. Stark?" came a hesitant voice.
Tony looked up to see Peter standing in the doorway, looking tired and scared.
"Hey, kiddo," Tony said, rising from his workbench. "What's up?"
Peter hesitated for a moment, biting his lip nervously. "I had a nightmare," he finally confessed.
Tony could see the fear in the boy's eyes, and he knew exactly how he felt. He had been plagued by nightmares ever since he was a child.
"Well, come here," Tony said, holding out his arms.
Peter rushed into his embrace, burying his face in Tony's shoulder.
"It's okay," Tony whispered, rubbing circles on the boy's back. "You're safe now. I won't let anything happen to you."
Peter nodded, sighing deeply as he felt Tony's warm embrace.
For a few moments, they just stood there in silence, the only sound the soft hum of the machinery in the lab.
Finally, Tony spoke up again. "You want to talk about it?"
Peter shook his head. "Not really," he murmured.
Tony nodded, not pressing. He knew that sometimes it was better to just let Peter come to him when he was ready.
"Okay, then," he said. "How about we watch a movie?"
Peter's face lit up at the suggestion. "Yeah, that sounds good," he said, smiling for the first time that night.
With a grin, Tony led Peter over to the sofa and pressed play on the movie. As they settled in, Tony couldn't help but feel grateful for the bond he had formed with his young ward. Despite all the danger and chaos that came with being Iron Dad, moments like this made it all worth it.
