Tony was pulled from his work by F.R.I.D.A.Y.’s mechanical voice announcing that Peter had returned home.
Good.
The rain outside was terrible, Peter had said he would come back without Happy today, and he was three hours late.
Tony assumed the kid had simply lost track of time with MJ.
When Peter did not burst into the laboratory five minutes later, soaking everything with dirty rainwater and complaining about his awful biology teacher, Tony began to have questions.
Peter did not have his pass—the one Anna never stopped reminding him about—but F.R.I.D.A.Y.
would certainly have let him through.
Peter had talked Tony’s ears off about how he and the AI were best friends.
The important thing was that Ned never discover this.
“F.R.I.D.A.Y., why isn’t Peter up here yet?” “Mr.
Parker cannot come upstairs.” Well.
That was new.
What was happening in this house now?
Tony stood, wiped oil from his hands, and prepared to go downstairs.
Before leaving, he decided to ask F.R.I.D.A.Y.
one more question.
Perhaps she knew what had entered the kid’s head this time.
“Why not?” “He said you would be displeased.” Tony was already displeased.
What had the child done now?
As the elevator descended, Tony decided that if Peter had come home with another injury he was attempting to hide, Stark would lock him in the Tower forever like Rapunzel.
Except no princess would be able to rescue this boy.
Peter was loitering in the lobby near the panoramic windows, holding his jacket tightly closed and apparently waiting for the rain to stop.
Tony saw no blood spreading across the floor around him, which was encouraging.
The instant Peter noticed him, he flinched and pulled the jacket closed more firmly.
What was he hiding in there?
“Oh, hi, Tony!
Why did you come down here?” Peter retreated slightly while Tony scanned him with a skeptical, searching stare.
“Oh, hi, Peter.
What the hell?” Tony nodded toward him and received a guilty look in response.
“Come on.
Show me, disaster.
What new problem did you bring into our house?” Peter muttered that he had no problem at all, that he honestly had not planned it, but it was raining and windy and cold outside, and the poor thing was so tiny and deserved sympathy.
While Peter babbled, Tony fought the urge to pull the jacket open and expose the mysterious ‘thing.’ Two enormous, bright green eyes stared out at him from inside the coat.
They belonged to a tiny black kitten that trembled despite Peter’s warm jacket and the fact that they were indoors.
Tony carefully lifted it out and examined it from every side.
So small.
So lost.
“Sorry.
I know you already aren’t thrilled about Charlie destroying everything.” Tony frowned.
He had never noticed Charlie causing any particular problem.
“I’ll put him back.
He lives behind the school.
It was just raining and he was cold…” Tony ignored Peter’s babbling and headed toward the elevator.
He could practically feel the kid blinking in confusion before following him.
The kitten continued to shiver, and Tony simply could not bear it.
It needed warm milk.
And sleep.
And a home.
Had he mentioned that he was incapable of walking past extremely adorable, completely lost little things?
This seemed like the appropriate moment.
It was probably Peter’s influence.
“What… what are you doing?” Peter stared in shock as Tony poured warm milk for the kitten.
“What does it look like?” Tony raised an eyebrow sarcastically, then glanced sadly at the soaked Peter and the hungry kitten.
“Go away.
Change your clothes.
Bring me my tablet.
And bring Charlie too.” Peter blinked several times, then stepped into the elevator with the beginnings of a smile.
Tony and his love for tiny, defenseless things.
Peter did not even want to consider that, in Tony’s mind, he probably qualified for the same protection program.
Tony sat in the kitchen and watched with almost childlike delight as the little cat drank the milk.
They needed to wait for Peter and Charlie so the dog could meet his new neighbor.
Tony did not care what the kid thought.
The kitten would be named Darkness.
Tony had wanted a cat for a long time, and now that she was here, he would name her whatever he pleased.
They also needed to buy her a hundred adorable things.
That would take the entire evening.
“F.R.I.D.A.Y., tell Pepper I got a cat.” Tony could practically hear the mockery in F.R.I.D.A.Y.’s voice.
Poor Pepper.
“Pepper, I got a cat.” “Pepper, I got a dog.” “Pepper, I got a child.” How had she not left him yet?
Peter returned a few minutes later, dry—thank God—with a cheerfully bounding Charlie and the tablet.
Interesting.
How long would people mock Tony if he ordered Darkness a velvet house?
So what?
He was a billionaire—trillionaire.
He was allowed.
Tony carefully lifted the now-dry kitten.
She still needed a bath.
And a veterinarian.
And vaccinations.
God, perhaps he was beginning to overdo it.
He crouched beside Charlie, hoping the animals would get along.
The puppy sniffed the unfamiliar creature suspiciously, then wagged his tail in approval.
Darkness tensed, then began to purr and allowed her new snow-white friend to remain nearby.
Tony honestly had no idea what he would have done if they had disliked each other.
He probably would have bought the kitten her own mansion and hired staff.
It would have been entirely in character.
Tony left Peter and Charlie in the room with instructions to find the most expensive online store for cat supplies before he returned, then went to bathe Darkness.
The kitten clearly had a strong personality, but she entered the water and even allowed Tony to wash her with shampoo.
Interesting.
How upset would Pepper be when she learned her shampoo had been used on a cat?
*** For three hours, Tony lay on the couch enjoying the soft purring of the cat asleep on his chest.
He systematically purchased every pet product that looked adorable, remembering to add another few dozen toys for Charlie.
He tried desperately not to let Peter—who was racing around the living room with his dog—see his satisfied smile.
He also continued ignoring his son and wife, who insisted that no one named a cat Darkness.
God, why were they harassing him?
The name suited her perfectly.
Tony had always had darkness in his life.
Now it was also a tiny bundle curled sweetly on his chest.
Besides, he was an adult.
If he said his cat’s name was Darkness, then Darkness it would be.
He needed to tell Happy.
Happy would be delighted.
And the Avengers too, so they could not accuse him of once again failing to mention the arrival of another small creature in the household.