Lives We've Lived

Epilogue

James put the last tag on the package, then sat back and watched as Tony tied a double-knotted bow. "Last one?"

"Last one. Did you make that one from us or from Santa?"

James looked back over the tag. "Santa. I tried to make it an even split."

Tony looked around the lab, where piles and piles of presents were stacked on and around the tables. Tony had gone all out - anything for Natasha was wrapped in red, Steve's were in blue, Bruce's was in green, and so forth. Peter's had special robot paper, and James had picked up Santa-patterned paper for all the Santa gifts.

"We have an entire workshop in here," James said with a laugh.

"I know you're making a joke about Santa's elves, but this is a literal workshop." Tony started gathering gifts into his arms. The billionaire could barely peek over the top of the mountain in his arms, so James took pity on him and moved some to his own arms.

"Let me help," he said softly.

The two slowly but surely got every last gift to the tree on the common floor, laying them out beautifully. When they were done, James took a step back and immediately burst into laughter. "It looks like a madhouse in here."

"I know, I know," Tony sighed, adjusting an ornament on the tree. "I went a little overboard, but it's the kid's first Christmas with family and you're home, so I just thought..."

"It's perfect. Now, I don't know about you, but I am going to catch a couple hours sleep before the kids wake up."

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Peter's shrieking woke James with a start. One glance at the clock made James roll right back into his covers and groan loudly. It was barely 7 in the morning - he and Tony had gotten less than 2 hours of sleep.

"Next year, Stevie is on Santa duty."

A banging on the door was the only warning James got before Tony was pushing the door open and yanking back the blankets. "If I'm up at this hour, you're going to be up, too. Besides. Peter is making coffee."

"That kid doesn't make coffee, he makes rocket fuel."

"It's a lingering HYDRA thing, I suspect."

James rolled himself to the edge of the bed and onto his feet, stumbling a little to get a sweatshirt over his head. "Okay, I'm ready."

The two made their way out to the kitchen, where they could see Peter in the living room with the team already shaking packages. Tony poured himself a mug of coffee, then one for James, and grabbed a chocolate bar out of the stocking on the counter.

"Hey," James scolded, smacking Tony's hand. "No stockings until after presents."

Tony just shrugged a little.

Peter was already starting to tear at the paper on his first package when Tony and James settled onto the couch. Tony gave Peter a raised eyebrow, but couldn't say anything before Peter launched into "I didn't open it" and "the corner was already ripped!".

Presents didn't last long. Once Peter had torn through his presents, he'd started working on some of the Santa gifts. The rest of the team was slowly working their way through their own presents. 

Finally, Peter was done and he collapsed backwards into couch. "I am so tired!"

"Is that because you woke up at the crack of dawn?" Tony asked, peering over at the teen.

"Not at all," Peter said. "I'm just tired from all this opening!"

James laughed a little, then looked over at Ton y with a smirking smile. "Then you're too tired for your last gift?"

The team had never seen Peter sit up so quickly. Tony laughed and pulled Peter to his feet. "This is to make up for all the Christmases I missed. That both of us missed."

Tony handed over a simple package - it was a thin box wrapped in red and blue and gold. The tag said it was from both James and Tony, but Peter knew both of them well enough to know it wasn't something small, despite what the box looked like. It may have been thin, but it was probably going to be car keys or a new phone or some crazy gadget worth more than Peter's whole apartment space.

The teen tore through the paper carefully, almost as though he was stalling, but under the bright colors was...

A plain, cardboard box.

And under the lid of that box was a manila envelope.

Peter slip the stack of papers out of the folder with trembling hands. What was this, the deed to the Tower? A scholarship? What had those two crazy, insufferable, amazing men done?

"What?" Peter whispered when he finally read the title at the top of the first page. "What is-"

"We wanted you to know..." Tony took a breath and started again. "You know I am always around for you because you are my son. Мой паучок. And I know you have always wanted a family, and I can be that for you, but I also know that Winter was a big part of- sorry, James was a big part of your life. Kids, no matter how old they are, should have two parents, Peter."

Peter was clutching the papers in his hands so hard they were creasing.

"Only if you want, Peter." James stepped forward, suddenly worried that he and Tony had overstepped. "I would never make you accept me into your life, especially when you already have such an amazing dad."

Peter snarled a little, but both Tony and James had heard him do it enough to know it wasn't in anger, but rather in frustration.

"What'd I say?" James asked dryly. Peter responded by launching himself into James' arms. "Oof."

"I don't need to accept you into my life," Peter said fiercely. "You already belong in it. Just like Dad."

James' smile was blindly bright, and Tony was there, laughing and wrapping his own arms around the teen. Natasha took a sly picture when the three weren't looking, but Peter heard the shutter go off. He didn't care.

He had his two favorite people wrapped up in his arms, hugging him like he was the only thing in the world that mattered.

And it all started with a secret.

**A/N: And there's the end!! The next Christmas Binge Book is coming on the 10th. Fun fact about the author that I feel is a good lead up to the next book, my family was so into Santa stuff and so thorough in setting up the house, I legitimately believed in Santa until I was... wait for it... 17. Enjoy!**