Pointe Shoes and Spider Webs

57. Pancakes

"F.R.I.D.A.Y.?" Daphne whispers from underneath the sheets. She's been awake for hours now. She's honestly not even sure if she slept at all. Her mind raced to everything the silver mist told her yesterday. She can't voice what he said to her, but she knows it. And it confuses her. Why not explain what she really is? Why just tell her the name of what she is, when she has no clue what that name means? It frustrates her. Incredibly. To Daphne's surprise, the AI heard her and replies:
"Yes, Daph?"
"Can I leave the room yet?"
"Yes, it is late enough for you to leave your room."
"What time is it?"
"Just after eight."

...

Peter is startled by three soft knocks on his door. He hadn't slept much that night. Two, three hours tops.
"Come in." His voice is hoarse and he hides his body under the blankets. When the door opens, he senses her immediately. He throws the sheets away from him and leaps off the bed towards her. He's wearing a white T-shirt and checkered pants.

Peter urges Daphne inside and closes the door with his bare foot, holding her face in both his hands.
"Daph," he whispers. Daphne closes her eyes for a few seconds, grateful to be near him again, and places her hands on top of his.
"You look tired," she mumbles.
"Barely slept."
"Me neither," she says softly.

Peter can't help himself and presses a soft kiss on her lips. Daphne parts her lips, inviting Peter in. Their foreheads connect and they breathe into each other's mouths. Both of them suddenly shiver in disgust and open their eyes. They immediately let go of and step away from each other.
"Blagh!" Peter exclaims.
"Fuck, Pete, you got horrible morning breath!"
"So do you!"
"Dis-GUS-ting!" Daphne yelps. Peter can't help but laugh and Daphne joins in. "Note to self: brush teeth first thing." She chortles and grabs his hands again to pull him in for a hug. She rests her head against his chest and sighs happily. "Much better."
"Mmm..." Peter makes a content noise and breathes in her scent as he places his head on hers, embracing her.

Peter frowns into Daphne's hair. Stark doesn't have pomegranate shampoo, so she doesn't smell the way she usually does. They stand there for a while, too tired to move. Peter gently plays with her tangled hair until he hears her stomach rumble quietly. Peter mumbles.
"How about we go make some pancakes?"
"You know how to make pancakes?" Daphne chuckles.
"Well, someone in the Parker household needs to know how to cook."

Peter smiles and softly pulls at one of the tangles in her hair until it's straightened out. Daphne makes a muffled scoff into his chest.
"But are your pancakes any good?"
"The best in Avengers Tower."
"Are you saying no one in this building knows how to cook?" She snorts.
"Hey, ouch! Mean!" He pushes himself away from her to look at her with a wide grin as he holds her shoulders. She pouts, but there's a mischievous gleam in her eyes.
"Food?" She says simply. Peter has to hold in his laugh at her tone. It was almost seductive.
"Food."

...

The main living quarters of Avengers Tower are still empty. The morning runners probably already had their breakfast and everyone else would be sleeping in. It is Saturday after all. Peter and Daphne make their way to the open kitchen. It's super high tech and Daphne's rather intimidated by all the possibilities. Peter seems to know his way around the kitchen as he immediately opens all the right cupboards to get the needed appliances. Daphne leans against the kitchen island and Peter opens the fridge.

"Do we got the eeeggs~" Daphne sings, referencing a vine and hoping Peter catches on.
"Yeah, we got the eeeggs~" He grins as he grabs the eggs out of the fridge and placing them on the counter.
"Do we got the miiilk~" Daphne continues with a wide smile on her face. Peter grabs the milk from the fridge and closes it before putting it onto the counter as well.
"Yeah, we got the miiilk~"
"Please, don't wreck my fridge." Daphne and Peter turn to look at Tony Stark, who's entering the large open room. They both stare at him amused. Did... Did he get that reference?  "Morning, by the way."
"Morning, Mr. Stark," Daphne says politely. She glances at Peter, who's still collecting ingredients.
"Hey, Mr. Stark."

"So," Tony starts. He walks by Daphne and drops himself onto one of the bar stools at the kitchen island. "What's for breakfast?"
"Pancakes," Daphne says with a grin. She moves towards Peter to help him mix the ingredients in the bowl.
"Good stuff," Stark grins. He leans forward onto the kitchen island, resting his chin in his hand and pointing at the mixing bowl with his other hand. "Is there enough batter in there for three?"
"My pancake batter is like when I cook spaghetti," Peter replies with pursed lips. "I always somehow end up with too much." Both Daphne and Tony snort at the comment and Daphne shakes her head with a smile.

Peter looks around the counter and spots the egg carton right next to Daphne.
"Could you pass me another egg? It's still too flour-y." Peter stretches out his hand to Daphne, who takes an egg and hands it to him carefully. He cracks it, but Daphne notices a little bit of egg shell falling into the batter.
"You better take that out," Daphne comments. Peter laughs as he looks at the little bit of shell, floating in the egg that rests on top of the batter.
"Why? I like the extra cronch." Daphne butts into him and starts poking at the shell in the mixing bowl.
"Pete, not all of us have Spider-Acid in our stomachs." Peter and Daphne suck in their breath and freeze.

"'Scuse me?" Stark raises his eyebrows. "What did you just say?" Daphne slowly looks up at Tony, her own eyebrows also raised.
"I think you know what I said," she says quickly.
"So, you know?" Daphne nods slowly, but then abruptly shakes her head. She raises her hands in front of both her and Peter – who was still frozen in place – in defense.
"He didn't tell me," she rambles. "I found out myself." Tony's serious look turns into a grin.
"Figured you would at some point. Kid's not great at lying."
"Hey!" Peter finally joins the conversation again, sounding slightly offended.

"I personally think it was just me not being bright enough to catch onto it sooner," Daphne laughs sheepishly.
"Hey!" Peter exclaims again as he turns to Daphne.
"I'm sorry if you didn't want me to find out, Mr. Stark." Daphne looks down into the pancake batter bowl, but she didn't expect Tony to start laughing.
"I'm Iron Man," he says simply. "I care the least about secret identities in this entire building. The only reason I didn't tell you, was because Peter needs it to be a secret so he can at least try and live a normal life out there."
"And to keep everyone I care about safe," Peter adds.
"Exactly." Tony nods at Peter and turns his attention back to Daphne. "Just don't blurt that stuff out anywhere else."
"I won't, I promise," Daphne says with her hands together.

They probably shouldn't mention Madame Touha. Tony might lose his mind if he finds out a random director of a ballet school knows about Peter being Spider-Man. It's quiet for a second as they all collect their thoughts.
"Alright!" Tony claps his hands not much later. He rolls up his sleeves and stands up from the stool. "Let me help you with those pancakes."