Behind the foggy mirror

Chapter 8

Tony sent the boy a mischievous smile, but stopped tickling him. He was glad Peter spoke to him by name, because it had taken him long enough.

He looked around the barely lit room and ordered FRIDAY to open the curtains. With misty eyes, Tony looked at Peter's laughing face and thought he wished he could be woken up by a boy every day. Well, maybe not so brutally, but he certainly wants Peter to stay permanently.

"All right young sir," Tony said grabbing Peter upside down and lifting him with one hand. "Now when we're both up, it's time for breakfast. Can there be waffles?"

"Yeah" Peter giggled while being carried up the stairs upside down.

"In that case, let's get to work," said Tony planting Peter on the counter and reaching for the flour himself.

***

Tony was exhausted. Last night he had slept three hours. He was currently sitting on one of the blue couches in the Avengers common room sipping his 5th coffee of the day.

Peter was running around playing with the Avengers, and Tony was trying to fight off an impending migraine.

"Tony, look!" screamed Peter once again getting tossed to the ceiling by Steve.

"Watch out Steve," growled Tony warningly, although he wasn't angry at all. He was more concerned. "Just let him slip to you, and I swear I'll..."

"Relax Tony," chuckled Clint as he walked in the room with a mug of coffee in his hands.

"Oh, you are my salvation," muttered Tony trying to snatch the coffee out of Clint's hands.

"That's for me," snorted the archer moving away from the billionaire.

Tony made an exasperated face and muttered something under his breath about ingratitude.

"Ah!" squealed Peter when Steve suddenly put him on the couch and blew on his belly causing him to be tickled.

Tony smiled affectionately this time. He knew that the moment he brought Peter here the Avengers loved the boy. No wonder, no one could resist that adorable face and sweet eyes.

Half an hour later, when Tony was more awake and aware of his surroundings Peter sat on his lap and played a PlayStation game with Clint, Steve and Bucky, while the others watched them.

Peter was winning, although everyone was clearly giving him the win. The game Peter was almost at the finish line moved restlessly and put the pad down next to Tony's thigh.

"What are you doing, kiddo? You almost won," Tony asked in a soft voice meant only for Peter.

Tony was curious about what the boy would do, so he watched him carefully.

"Tony, I have to poop."

At that moment everyone laughed. Everyone except the boy and Tony, who turned red with embarrassment. He couldn't help it that society made it taboo!

"Good luck Tony," sneered Clint, at which Tony rolled his eyes and took the boy's hand.

"Come on Petey, we'll take you to the restroom," Tony again used an oversweetened tone.

As soon as they turned in the corridor Tony looked at the boy, who was squirming, but otherwise rather calm.

"Good job Pete, I'm glad you told me about it earlier" Tony felt the need to praise the child. "Good thing you didn't wait until the last minute. Well, here you have the bathroom," he pointed to the door to the right.

He walked in with the boy, lifted the toilet flap, made sure the boy had the paper and said:

"You can handle yourself, right?" his hope must have been audible in his voice, because Peter giggled and said:

"Yes, Tony."

Tony breathed a sigh of relief and left the bathroom as quickly as possible. After 5 minutes, Peter came out of the bathroom, and Tony looked at him suspiciously.

"Did you wash your hands, young mister?"

"Yes."

"Did you wipe yourself well?"

"Yes, Tony" now Peter rolled his eyes.

"FRIDAY?"

"Indeed, young Peter did the job well."

Tony breathed a sigh of relief and took the boy's hand back.

"You know you don't have to check it Tony, just trust me."

"I trust you bud, I just want the best for you."

Peter mused. Aunt May and Tony were completely different from each other. Aunt May didn't care about such little things. In fact, she didn't care at all.

"Are you with me kiddo?" asked an amused Tony.

"Sure," Peter smiled and went back to playing PlayStation.

***

All good things unfortunately come to an end one day. In the evening Peter had to go home.

"I don't want to!" cried Peter as Tony tried to lift him to put him in the car.

The requests were already there, the bribery attempts too. Tony didn't know what to do. For some reason Peter didn't want to go home.

"Petey, your aunt misses you. You have to go home."

At these words Pete wept even more. Tony felt like screwing it all up and keeping the kid forever, but he knew the kid's aunt wouldn't like it.

"I would love for you to stay, but you can't. You have to go back to your aunt."

"I don't want to!" Peter flew into a rage. He rolled around on the cold garage floor waving his limbs desperately in all directions.

Tony had to make a great effort not to raise his voice and frighten the child. He had to show tremendous self-control.

"What's wrong, buddy? Why don't you want to go home? I promise that you will still come back here. You will come here on Monday, remember?"

Peter wept even harder at these words. Tony just stood awkwardly for a moment until Peter got tired and stopped kicking and punching in all directions. Tony quickly seized the moment by lifting Peter, putting him in the car seat and pinning him down.

"No!" Peter felt betrayed, but Tony quickly closed the door with a child lock, so Peter couldn't do anything anymore.

Tony's heart ached just from watching the child's despair. At that moment he felt like a monster, but he knew it had to be done.

As he climbed into the car he ignored Peter's screams and cries from the back seat, although his heart was breaking with sadness.

After the 10-minute drive, when Peter calmed down, Tony decided that now they could talk, so he began calmly explaining to the child why he had to return and made many promises that he would make it up to him when he came to the tower on Monday.

Only this caused Peter to agree to go home. As Tony led Peter to his apartment this time in agreement, he didn't even realize that the boy was getting closer to his tormentor with every step.