In which Peter, an older child at an orphanage, takes on a dare to eat a whole pumpkin. The kids are going crazy.

"Hey, Tony?"

"Yeah, Pep?"

"I've been thinking... want to adopt a kid?"

Tony looked at Pepper. His face held a hint of a smile.

"Yes, I do."

He rolled over and kissed Pepper on the lips lightly. She smiled at him, happiness drowning her beautiful eyes.

"I love you, Pep," Tony said, laying down in the bed they sat on. She followed his actions.

"I love you too, Tony."

Pepper may have stayed up till the morning searching up places to adopt. She might've decided on a place to go.

When Tony woke up and noticed that Pepper wasn't there, he knew what to do. He got ready quickly and ran into the kitchen.

"Good morning, Pepper!" he exclaimed.

"Good morning," she beamed at him. They ate in silence, happy but silent. After they were both done, Pepper grabbed the keys and waved them around. "Ready?"

Tony stares at her for a moment and responded, "always."

They chatted about what they wanted the entire car ride. A young kid, maybe four or five, who was smart.

They were really going to adopt a child.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

"Kids! Breakfast! Time to wake up!" yelled Mr. Davis from the bottom floor. He was a nice old man who was a retired doctor.

He was never able to have kids though and didn't want to adopt because of his busy job. So, now, as an old man, he runs a well funded orphanage.

He had enough in his retirement fund to take care of the kids anyway, the funding is just an added bonus.

"Good morning, Mr. Davis!" exclaimed Daisy, one of the little girls there. She had been put there by her mother.

Her dad wasn't the best and the mom didn't know where else to put her. The rest of the family wasn't the best influence on her young mind.

"Good morning, Daisy," Mr. Davis smiles fondly. "Michael, get off the table! Remember what I told you?"

Micheal was a small three year old with a toothy grin and bright blue eyes.

"Mannas will get ya father than ya expet," Mike smiled at the man, a small accent and lisp popping up. After Mr. Davis ruffled his hair, he sat down properly.

Peter walked in after them. He wasn't the oldest there but he was the oldest that woke up that early.

The others worked late at night, knowing they would have to mostly fend for themselves after they turned 18.

Peter smiles and asks, "what's for breakfast today, Mr. Davis?"

"Well, if everyone would sit down I'd tell you," he says, letting out a little laugh. He helps one of the kids sit down properly. "Today's waffle Sunday!"

The kids cheered and quieted when Mr. Davis continued, "and... I have a pumpkin. There was a farmer visiting and he had an extra pumpkin. I thought you guys would like carving it."

A kid, named Scott, raised his hand and pointed out, "but it isn't Halloween!"

"It doesn't need to be Halloween to have fun with a pumpkin!"

Scott laughed at him. The kids were beaming, happy that they were here being taken care of and that they were loved.

Peter sat down at one of the seats and ate the food being served. The waffles were always really good.

When the kids finished they were allowed to go into the backyard to play. They took the pumpkin outside because, as young kids do, they wanted to play around with it.

Some girls snagged some sharpies and were drawing faces on it. Some kids were running around, playing tag.

Other kids, like Peter, were sitting in a circle. They either didn't want to be outside right now or were tired.

Peter just didn't know what they were doing. He sat down next to Daisy and asked, "what are you guys doing?"

Daisy smiled a toothy grin, "we're playing truth or dare!"

Peter laughed, "really? Well, then, I'll join."

Daisy looked at him in the eyes and crawled into his lap. Peter smiled and watched as she pointed to one of the boys, Timothy.

He's an eight year old who's really shy and nervous. He's got dark, curly hair and brown eyes that shined with love.

"Okay! Timothy! Truth or dare?" she asked. Timothy looked at her, a scared look on her face.

"Uh, dare?"

"I dare you to stomp on the pumpkin!"

"No! I can't do that! Have you ever heard of pumpkin pie! I want to make it into pumpkin pie!"

"Fine," she though for a moment. "Eat it!"

"No!" Timothy wailed. "I'm not going to eat pure pumpkin. Yuck!"

"You're no fun," Daisy cried, puffing her cheeks in anger. Her blonde hair that was pulled into a ponytail swayed as she turned her head away from Timothy.

Peter laughed a little at the interaction and Daisy immediately turned to face him.

"I dare you to do it, Peter!"

Peter paused, "w-what?"

He laughed nervously as Daisy said, "yeah, don't back down. Eat the pumpkin!"

"I-."

Daisy stared at him, a smirk on her tiny face. Peter didn't know how or why but he felt very much intimidated by the child.

"Okay, I'll do it."

Peter picked up Daisy and lightly put her on the ground. He stood up and walked over to the pumpkin.

The other kids watched as he took his foot and got ready to break it.

"What are you doing?!" screamed Maria, looking betrayed and horrified. She was a two year old with gorgeous looking hair.

"I was dared to eat the pumpkin," Peter responded. The kids screamed. Some telling him to just eat it and others yelling that if he did, they wouldn't invite him to their birthdays.

Peter raises his hands, feeling surrounded by the kids. The screaming was getting to his enhanced senses.

"Wait- wait. I won't eat it, or-," Peter started, not knowing what to say to please the children.

He almost praised god when he saw Mr. Davis step out of the house. He was being followed by two people but they were talking in the doorway so Peter couldn't tell who.

"Peter!" Mr. Davis exclaimed. "How'd you get yourself into this mess?"

Peter laughed, looking down at the kids, "I don't really know, Mr. Davis. The pumpkin started this!"

Peter looked back up and saw Tony Stark and Pepper Potts standing there, watching the scene.

Peter felt his cheeks flush. He was surrounded by children, all screaming at him, and the most powerful people in the world are watching it happen.

"Peter! Hold me!" Daisy screamed, holding her arms up. "I need to say something!"

Peter managed to hear her because she was standing right in front of him. Peter bent down a little and picked her up.

"Listen up," Daisy yelled. The other children quieted down quickly. "I dared Peter to eat this pumpkin! If he doesn't eat it, he's a chicken!"

The kids screamed for a second longer before stopping because Daisy screamed louder.

Peter looked over at Mr. Davis, trying to push the thought of Tony Stark and Pepper Potts being there away, and said, "I'm being bullied by a bunch of children."

Mr. Davis laughed and said, "you were dared to eat the pumpkin, Peter."

Peter sighed and turned around. He lifted his foot and put minimal effort in crunching the pumpkin.

Thanks to his super strength it looked like he took a sledgehammer to it but Peter ignores that fact.

Peter takes a piece off the grass and looks at it with disgust. It tasted horrible.

The kids went crazy and screamed, "Peter, Peter the pumpkin eater!"

Peter looked over at Tony and Pepper. He saw them talking quietly, sometimes taking glances at Peter and the rest of the kids.

"Alright, alright, kids. It's time to line up. Come, come over to the wall," Mr. Davis said.

Peter and the rest of the kids stepped against the wall. He was next to Daisy and Scott. The two were dead silent.

In fact, most of the kids were silent. Most didn't speak because they were scared they wouldn't be chosen otherwise.

Some were scared of being chosen in the first place, not wanting to leave the safest home they've had for a while.

Peter stayed silent because he didn't want them to die. After his parents and his aunt and uncle, Peter thought every parent he had would die.

The entire day was spent outside. Tony and Pepper decided they wanted to interview, or talk to as they said, each child individually.

The child they chose to interview was always younger than Peter was. Peter sat there, knowing he was not the target age range.

He felt a little sad not even being considered but knew it was for the better. I mean, people would probably think Peter killed them if they adopted him and then promptly died.

Peter sat down in the corner, farther from the entrance to the house and all alone. Well, almost alone. Daisy and Maria joined him.

Peter pulled out a book he was in the middle of reading as Maria and Daisy played hand games with each other.

"Whatcha reading?" Peter hears someone ask him. Peter looks up to meet eyes with the one and only Pepper.

Peter swears his heart stopped for a moment.

"Uhm- I- it's a book about different chemical experiments done recently. It was made to address claims that one of the experiments were faking results," Peter answered.

"Interesting book, kid," that time it was Tony. He was glancing over Pepper's shoulder at the book cover. "From what I remember, it was proven to be fake results after chapters of saying it could've been right."

"What?" Peter asked. He was invested in this science book and it didn't need to be spoiled by anyone. Even if it was just a science book. "Don't spoil it! I wish I could've found that out myself."

Peter jokingly puffed his cheeks. Daisy noticed and laughed at him.

"Peter, stop that!" she exclaims, squishing his cheeks. "Stop," she drags out the word.

Tony and Pepper shared a glance. They knew who they would be taking home. Peter and Daisy, the kids who already acted like siblings.

They'd be a great daughter and son, Tony and Pepper could practically feel it.