A Stark of Mine || Peter Parker x Reader || Tony Stark's Daughter

CHAPTER 19 - The Nightmare

Yo, I'm back from Japan! I've almost caught up to where I've actually written (136 pages). Not too happy with this one but if I don't get it up I'll be stuck on it forever. 

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"Oh lordy..." You started to spread the butter on the charred toast. "I asked for toast, not carbon!" He snickered from behind the kitchen counter. "When you said I'll make you some toast I was expecting something that doesn't look like it died in a fire." You sat at the island of the kitchen playing with your food that your father went to the trouble of making.

"You were the one that said you were hungry." He kept his back to you as he cleaned up all the instruments he used to make toast. You hated cooking and were terrible at it but you could still make toast – who couldn't?

"You realise this is meant to be a golden brown colour, right?" You picked up the toast between your fingers and showed him as he turned around. He nodded towards it.

"Yeah, I don't see the problem...it is."

"No." You shook your head. "That's butter, which at this point is healthier than the toast. Butter shouldn't be healthier than toast!" You drop it back down to your plate, you can't help but smile even though you try to hide it.

"Then you make it, see if you can do a better." He retorted.

"I would but I think you destroyed the toaster. Plus, I've lost my appetite."

"Mission accomplished." He smirked as you pushed the plate away from you.

"You're weird."

"You're strange."

"Your insults have gotten weak."

"Says the one who thought calling me weird was a good insult." You leant back and crossed your arms with a small chuckle.

"Touché." He smiled back, the tired expression still on his face. He had been overworking like he always had but now it was more evident than ever. You found yourself absent from reality, it was as if you had slipped off into your own world – nothing specific, just fading in and out.

"(Y/N)!" He snapped his fingers in front of you causing you to sit up straight. "You went off in your own world for a minute." It was as if he knew the feeling all too well. His tone shifting to low and serious. Walking to the fridge he opened it trying to decide what he wanted. Surprisingly, there wasn't a lot in there.

"I guess I did." You sigh.

"Everything alright?" He turns back round holding a milk carton and two cups. He holds them up. "Hot chocolate?" You nodded.

"As long as it's better than your carbon toast." He didn't smile but his eyes did, that was the thing about your dad. He expressed his feelings through his eyes, not so much his face. And even if he did, if you looked close enough you'd be able to see the truth. But you were the same. A smile on the outside but pain in the eyes – just like him. "So..." You leant your elbows on the marble island as he finishes up making the drinks.

"So?" He raises an eyebrow. You stare at him waiting for him to realise what you were trying to say.

"Dad!"

"What?!" You sigh exasperated hoping that he would remember your previous conversation.

"Peter!"

"Oh." He flicks the tea towel he used to wipe down the bench over his shoulder. He pours the milk into the pot thoughtfully. You loved it when he made hot chocolate in the pot. Sure, the coffee machine did a good job but there was just something about his that made it better than the rest. He always used to make it for you when he knew something was troubling you – he never had to say anything. It was as if the hot chocolate was his way of saying 'I understand'. "Want to know more about Parker." He turned and placed his phone down in front of you. You stare at him confused. "Well, take a look." He turns back round to add the chocolate powder to the heating milk. Holding your finger down on the screen you pull it upwards until the image on the screen presents as a larger hologram.