The next morning came around and Peter was first to wake up with the light shaking of his shoulder. Pepper was leaning over the two teens with a soft smile and a quirked brow.

"Merry Christmas, Peter." Pepper says.

"Uh, yeah, Merry Christmas Miss Potts." Peter whispers, his eyes glancing down to Ajax who was sound asleep, her head on his chest and his wrapped tightly around her.

"I'll give you a minute and we'll get you home." Pepper sends a kind smile with her soft words before leaving him to wake Ajax himself.

Peter's mouth is held in a soft and gentle smile as he notices Ajax's hand still clutched to his hoodie. She was so peaceful and calm, just like the first time she'd fallen asleep on him. This was...so different and comforting though, for Peter. It was her choice, her deliberate choice to lay on his chest and allow herself to sleep with him. Despite the drama and the bits of heartache she's put Peter through, he'd do it all over again if it meant he got to have moments like this, on Christmas day no less.

"Hey..." Peter whispers, his heart rate picking up with the quick thought that she still might freak out and burn him. "AJ." He says with the light shake, a groan escaping her lips with the movement while she shakes her head into his chest. Peter's cheeks shoot red and his heart flutters in his chest. "Hey, I-I gotta get up."

"No..." Ajax mumbles.

Peter chuckles. "AJ."

"P." Ajax says, opening her eyes and looking up to him, her heart the happiest it's ever been.

His eyes seem lighter, brighter than any other day and there's this elegance within the look he's giving her. There's a familiarity to it but she can't quite pinpoint his exact thought. She can feel his adornment for her, sure, but it's different. The soft and loving expression isn't completely transparent for once. As much as she loves knowing everything, there's something calming not knowing exactly what's going through Peer's head.

"Merry Christmas." Peter says.

"Merry Christmas." Ajax says. "You gotta get to May."

"Yeah," Peter nods. "She'll, uh, we have this tradition every year so yeah."

"You wanna tell me about it later?" Ajax asks with genuine curiosity to insight into his life.

Peter nods softly. "If-if you want, yeah."

Ajax sits up and stretches. "Yeah, ya know, after everything."

Peter's mood drops lightly and his brows furrow as he moves to sit up, careful not to push Ajax off the edge of the couch. "Y-you sure about all this?"

Ajax looks away, placing her feet on the floor. "Yeah."

Peter nods. "Okay. I trust you." He takes a need breath and gives Ajax and close-mouthed smile when she turns to look at him.

Ajax pats Peter's shoulder. "Excellent choice. But, hate to break this to you though, uh, we aren't friends outside of this tower until-"

"It's all over." Peter finishes. "Y-yeah, yeah. I figured." He nods quickly with understanding.

Ajax just shakes her head, the smile glued to her face. "C'mon, I wanna give you something." Ajax jerks her head as she stands up and offers her hand to Peter. "It's in my room." She says as she starts leading Peter to her bedroom, her fingers interlocked with his.

Who knew? Who knew Ajax could be soft and sweet? Even in the morning hours? Definitely not Peter and now he's so fucking attached to her. One night and he's so much more attached to her than he ever was before. The events of the night before replay and he remembers kissing her to shut her up and her kissing him to do the same. It all feels like a bliss-filled dream but it wasn't. Ajax woke up on his chest and he'd love with everything in him to have nights like that and mornings like this instead of going in circles with her. Just have the two of them joking and laughing with honest conversation and each others warmth. And he hoped Ajax felt the same.

And she did, oh did she.

Ajax digs through her drawer and pulls out her blue sketchbook flipping to one of the pages in the back. "It's not quite done." She squints an eye as Peter looks around her room, able to get a better view of the small details now that there's light inside the room. "But, uh, I drew you something when I was waiting for you last night, ya know, Christmas and stuff and I know I owe you a major apology after everything and then, uh, I was hoping for extra brownie points." Ajax rambles as she tears the paper from the book alone the perforation.

She extends it to Peter as her heart starts to thud in her ears with anticipation. She knows it's good but this was something she drew for Peter. This was something she actually drew for him and not something that simply reminded her of him. It's different than what she normally draws but Peter doesn't fit destruction or natural disasters.

Peter's brows knit together as he looks over the artwork. Planets, an entire galaxy on a small piece of paper. There's even color despite most of Ajax's artwork being done in black and grey. She went out of her way to add purples and blues with colored pencil to this one. To make it have life, make it happy and full of wonder, similar to how she sees Peter.

Peter has galaxies in his eyes and his voice is beautiful like a distance meteor shower. Questions lie within the Spider-Boy, but he'll willingly answer them and, as pessimistic as Ajax can be, she believes in galaxies answering the deep seeded questions everyone is too afraid to ask. And Peter, his beautiful from a distance and beautiful up close. There's beauty in his words and beauty in his heart. No matter where you look, Peter Parker is a wonder just like a galaxy.

"Uh...th-this is...wow." Peter says, looking to Ajax but his eyes go back to the artwork.

"You like it?" Ajax bites her lip, waiting for him to criticize it.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Peer rushes. "It's amazing." He beams as he looks back to her. "Thank you, but you didn't have to."

"Yeah, I wanted to." Ajax feels heat rush to her cheeks as she pushes a stray hair behind her ear.

"Well, Merry Christmas, Underoos and Antifreeze." Tony chimes, Peter and Ajax jump with Tony's sudden appearance in Ajax's doorway.

"Do you have to come out of nowhere like that?" Ajax questions with a racing heart.

"It is more fun, yes." Tony chortles. "Are you ready Mr. Parker?"

"Happy taking him home?" Ajax asks.

"Thanks to your master plan, yes." Tony says.

"Fair." Ajax says. "Uh, I'll, uh, yeah ya know. I'll contact you and stuff." Ajax says, chewing her lip.

"O-okay, yeah." Peter furrows his brows. "For sure. B-be careful."

"Always." Ajax chuckles. "Uh, can you tell your aunt I'm sorry and Merry Christmas?"

Peter nods. "Of course." He slowly closes the distance, the two teens looking back to Tony who was watching them with crossed arms. "Uh, right. Bye." He says, sticking out his hand to shake Ajax's.

"Bye, Peter." Ajax shakes his hand and as he lets go to leave her room, she finishes her statement. "Parker."

Peter stops, him fighting back the widespread smile with Tony in front of him. He looked over his shoulder and his cheeks are the softest shade of pink, Ajax can nearly feel the happiness radiating from him. "AJ."

"Goodbye, Mr. Parker and be sure to tell that lovely aunt of yours I said Merry Christmas." Tony teases and all Peter can do is shake his head, fully exiting the room.

"Gross." Ajax mumbles.

"Says the kid caught kissing the spider." Tony quips.

Ajax opens her mouth to fire back but soon shuts her mouth and nods. "That's fair."

Tony uncrosses his arms and jerks his head towards the door. "We've got breakfast and quite the day ahead of us. So, come on."

"It's a holiday." Ajax states with the roll her eyes, following Tony to the kitchen. "What do we have to do?"

"Eat your food and you'll find out."

Ajax simply sighs in response. She takes her seat on the barstool, pancakes being put in front of her by Pepper. Sure, Tony wouldn't know a break if it slapped him across the face but he does understand holidays and that other people in the world do need breaks. So, Ajax's curiosity was revving. Her bones itched wanting to know what Tony was up to, what he had planned. The thought that he really did pull through with a suit and maybe it was already done poked at the back of her mind but she quickly pushed that aside as to not get her hopes up. It was truly a mystery and Ajax couldn't finish her food fast enough to find out. Then again, it didn't help that Tony had to start asking questions the second Pepper went off to shower.

"Before you choke on your food," Tony says, quirked brow on display. "You and Mr. Parker. What was last night?"

"Are you going to lecture me? Because it's a waste of breath and today of all days. You should know, I'm too fond of holidays given my circumstances."

Tony shakes his head and reaches for his coffee. "No, I think you got my point last night. I'm asking where the two of you stand."

"If I tell you honestly, will you leave it alone?"

"I'm fond of the spiderling so we'll see."

Ajax finishes her pancakes and leans back in her chair. "I like him a lot and I think he's really great, like really really great. And last night, yeah, that's a thing and I kind of...ugh." Ajax scrunches her face. "I just really like him." Tony chuckles but it quickly subsides as he purses his lips. "I promise, no more fucking around with his feelings."

"Alright." Tony nods.

"Now, can we get on with whatever you've got planned."

"Do I need to set up some ground rules before we go into the lab?"

Ajax's eyes widen as she buries her face in her hands. "No, no you don't."

"Let's go then." Tony moves from the counter with his words.

Ajax hops down from her chair with full excited, following Tony right on his heels, certain he was going to show her the suit or at least some aspect of it. There was no other reason for Tony to need her in the lab. It had to be about her suit. It had to be about her plan. Was she nervous? Without a doubt. But was she thrilled and excited as hell? Definitely.

"Here's some rules," Tony states as he holds out a circle bracelet, red and silver. "You use it for this only. You don't go all rogue on me. You do as I say. If I tell you no, you don't go. If I tell you to lay low, you lay low. I know you know this is not a toy you screw around with so you are to use it for your plan and then we discuss what happens, got it?"

"Yeah," Ajax bites her tongue, holding back any and all sarcastic comments.

"Put them on."

Tony hands Ajax the bands and she slides them on, the two of them immediately forming to the shape and width of her wrists. She quirks a brow but doesn't question it. The only thing wandering through her head is how an entire suit could be in two bracelets and if not, exactly what are they for.

"Pull the top."

"Like your gauntlet?" Ajax asks. "Like, uh, you have yours come out your band." Ajax looks to Tony's wrist and he nods.

Ajax looks to the thin bands on her wrists before pulling the tops of them at the same time with opposite hands, the invisible latch coming open with ease, ironed material falling out the bands. Amusement consumes Ajax's entire face as a red and silver suit starts to form over her entire body. Her smile shined ear to ear, her eyes watching the suit with every movement. It was killing her not to start squealing in utter joy and excitement.

In seconds, she was completely covered, mask and all. The suit felt amazing. The material wasn't heavy and it wasn't too light. It wasn't constricting despite how it clung to her skin. The mask covering her face smelled like a new car and formed to her face perfectly, managing to trap her hair away from her face. Tony did some serious coding to make sure her hair wouldn't get caught around her face. It was insane. Just insane and incredible, by far the best Christmas present she could have ever asked for.

"This is the coolest day of my life." Ajax squeals.

"Wait for it." Tony says.

"Good morning, Ajax." A male voice comes into Ajax's ears, causing her to yell out in even more excited.

"You made me an AI?!"

"You don't have to scream." Tony says, squeezing the bridge of his nose.

"This is the coolest day of my life." Ajax says, trying to keep her squealing to a minimum.

Tony tries to hold back his chuckle but he can't. Ajax's head is looking up and all around the room, seeing the different information display across her eyes while her AI talks in her ears, giving her the rundown of her suit and how she doesn't have full capabilities yet. Her eyes might be shielded but similar to the spider suit, the eyepieces move with hers and they're wide as can be. Tony even questioning if they could even go any wider. Underneath the mask, Ajax's jaw was open with the biggest smile she's ever had in her entire life. It was like her dreams had just come true. She grew up with JARVIS and came to know FRIDAY. She adored the AIs almost as if they were real people so this was like taking a kid to Disney World for the first time.

"Oh!" Ajax looks back to Tony, the eyes of the mask still wide. "I'm gonna name him Karl. Is that cool suit dude?"

"That's fine, Ajax." KARL says.

"Karl?" Tony questions, his face completely contorted in confusion.

"Yeah, ya know, the computer from the Pacifist. Peter names his KAREN and ya know, that's the name of the computer from Spongebob."

Tony blinks a few times before rubbing his hand over his face. "Teenagers."

"Seriously, though. This is so fucking cool." Ajax announces and her mask uncovers her face, revealing her eyes glossed over with tears of happiness.

"Uh, KARL..." Tony starts. "Has a run down of everything your suit will allow you to do but as with Parker, you have the Training Wheels Protocol." Tony smirks.

"Normally, I'd have something witty or sarcastic but I'm too happy so okay." Ajax mirrors the smirk causing Tony to laugh.

"Know how to retract it then?" Tony asks and Ajax looks to her wrists, the bands concealed by the suit. "Emblem." Tony says and Ajax taps the emblem of a flame on her chest and the suit immediately retracts back into the bands on her wrists.

"So awesome." Ajax says in more amazement.

"Don't abuse your privilege." Tony warns.

"Promise." Ajax nods with a sincere smile.

"Alright," Tony sighs. "Now for some bad news."

"I knew it was too good to be true. Now what?" Ajax questions, moving to sit at one of the workbenches.

"They want a court date. I'm still trying to talk them out of it but they're persistent. However," Tony starts, Ajax's heart sinking with his words. "I might still be able to convince them putting you through an entire trial would be detrimental to your recovery."

Ajax quirks a brow. "What do you mean? Recovery?"

"Yeah," Tony says, him leaning his hip against the table. "I know you're still getting into a normal sleep schedule. Nightmares are still going on, albeit, fewer and far between but still there. You flinch at quick movements if it's by anyone other than us."

Ajax swallows hard, her mood falling in an instant. The stuff with Jared hasn't been on the backburner as much as Ajax would like to think it has been. She's simply chosen to put it in a box and push it into the depths of her head, forgetting about it but hearing Tony speak, hearing the things he's noticed, surely not all of them, she knows she can't just keep that box in the back gathering dust. It's real again.

She does flinch. They went out one day, something Tony needed to take care of and the second anyone came near her too fast, she'd flinch. It was subtle mostly and she recovered quickly but it was there. Last night was the first real night's sleep she'd gotten. Ajax was getting better sleep at the tower but last night was the night she really slept. No waking up in a cold sweat, checking the door to make sure it was locked. No nightmares. Nothing. She didn't think Tony noticed but that was just her denial. Of course Tony noticed. Of anyone in the entire world, Tony would notice.

"Honestly," Ajax sighs. "Whatever will get it over with quicker."

"Okay, are you sure?"

"Yeah," Ajax nods, holding her head up with confidence. "Do you want me to see a therapist or something?"

"Yeah, actually."

"Okay." Ajax agrees to Tony's surprise. "I, uh, I told Peter last night that I don't think my parents would like who I am today and I need to change that. I think they would like who I'm trying to be and I think they would want me to talk to someone."

Tony's face softens and his pride is evident in every single line on his face. "They would be proud. I'll call this week. And I'll go if you want or you can bring Pepps or Rhodey, Happy."

"Peter?" Ajax asks.

"You find him safe, don't you?"

Ajax bites the inside of her cheek as she shrugs. "Yeah, he's kind of like Pepper to you. Ya know? It's like this thing, this really bad thing is gonna happen and now I have to protect him and I don't know why because he's Spider-Man but I feel like I have to and I just care about him and I want to be better for me and for you and Pepper and everyone and my parents. For Peter. I want to be better, get better."

Pride radiates from Tony with Ajax announcement. "You're doing good, kid." Tony reassures. "Alright," He gestures his hand out. "What do you want to do? You got your suit, handled last night with maturity when you could have thrown a fit, you handled the court discussion with maturity and respect. Come on. What do you want to do today? Anything."

Ajax looks down to her fingers, her eyes glancing to the bands on her wrists with just the smallest bit of a smile. "I just want to watch some movies in my pajamas with some popcorn and draw...maybe...steal your phone later and call Peter. I wanna tell him about KARL."

Tony snickers but nods his head. "Let's go. You pick some movies, I'll get some popcorn and oh, here you go." Tony pulls out a small earpiece. "You gave Parker one. Here's yours and now you're connected to...KARL." tony blinks and his voice drops an octave in disbelief with the name of her AI.

"This is-"

"So cool?" Tony finishes her sentence as Ajax takes the piece and places it in her ear, KARL greeting her once more.

"The coolest." Ajax gleams as if she were the sun herself.

The two of them go back to the living room, Ajax taking a detour to retrieve some of her art supplies while Tony made popcorn. She queued up a few movies, most of which were her choice, Tony not complaining. Ajax sat on the floor with a few pillows and blankets, her sketchbook open in front of her while Tony was comfortable on the couch. By the time the second movie was playing, Pepper and Rhodey had joined and soon enough Happy was seated with them. The movies played and there was plenty of laughter, banter, and side conversations.

They say home is where the heart is. It's true. It is. A home is more than just a house in which one sleeps and eats. It's where your family is, not your blood family but the people you can call at three in the morning when you have no one. They're the people who will love you no matter what and bail you out of jail at seven in the morning on a Sunday.

A home is where the people you love and the ones that love you live. It's where making memories is a favorite past time, where the memories outweigh every terrible thing that could have ever happened because the laughter and genuine white smiles are ingrained in the back of eyelids every time you close your eyes. Home is just that, exactly where the heart is and this is Ajax's new home.

It's a genius who's a little too big headed sometimes but has a big heart, a military War Machine, a comical and protective Happy Hogan, and an intelligent and witty Pepper Potts. Ajax's heart is full with them all in one room, happy and content. No worry of what the next day will hold because it doesn't matter, not then. Only the present matters.

As the night rolled in, the movies came to an end and Ajax found herself on her balcony, wrapped in a coat and a thick blanket while a thin layer of snow started to cover the streets of New York. She had in her earpiece and asked KARL to call KAREN so she could talk to Peter. The smile never left her face all day and the second she heard Peter's voice, she knew it wouldn't be faltering at all.

"P!" Aajx chimed.

"Uh, hey, AJ." Peter smiles on the other end, his earpiece in as he excused himself from his and May's own movie night. "Is everything okay?"  

"Yeah, yeah, great." Ajax says. "I, uh, I just wanted to talk to you. Are you busy?"

She didn't respond how she normally does, catching Peter off guard. He expected a 'yeah' followed by 'thanks for your concern' but that's not what happened. For the first time, Ajax didn't feel the need to say some bullshit because it was true. She was great. But Peter didn't know that yet.

Peter's heart dropped despite the happiness in her voice. He'd never heard her so happy but part of him was sure she was some form of intoxicated and that's why she sounded so happy. There had to be some horrible grey cloud looming overhead in order for her to call him out of nowhere. After saying they couldn't even be friends until after Harry is taken care of....right?

"Are you sure?" Peter asks, Ajax hearing the concern in his voice.

"For once, yeah. I had a good day. I promise, no alcohol or anything. I had a good day, Peter." Sincerity leaks through her words and Peter can hear the delicate smile on her face. Are you busy though? I don't want to intrude on your day with your aunt."

"Oh, no no." Peter says. "She was kind of nodding off already." Peter chuckles as he sits at his desk and starts spinning slowly in his chair.

"Cool." Ajax smiles, her eyes scanning over the city. "You know, I've never been a fan of snow." She states. "It's wet and cold and the roads have to be salted and if you get salt on your shoes, it ruins the colors. But, it's kind of nice watching it from the balcony."

"Yeah, for sure." Peter nods in agreement, his spinning stopped to stare out of his own window. "It's kind of, uh, peaceful."

"Like a snowglobe." Ajax giggles.

"Yeah, like a snowglobe." Peter laughs in response. "W-what, uh, what all happened to today?" Peter picks up a pen and twirls it between his fingers as he watches the snow, the same snow Ajax was watching from her own room.

"The coolest shit ever, Peter!" Ajax yells in excited and Peter bites his lip, his eyes closed for a second with the symphony that was her voice. "Tony finished my suit and so I got it, right? Have you seen his gauntlet? How it's just in a bracelet like a watch thing? Or like your webshooters? Ya know? Yeah! My entire suit is like that! And it's red and silver and so fucking cool and I have my own AI which is how I'm talking to you right now. I named him KARL."

Peter burst into laughter by the end and Ajax's smile managed to double in size. His laugh, his smile, his eyes could put the entire New York skyline to shame, hell, they could put the stars to shame.

"KARL?" Peter asks.

"Yeah!"

"Like...The Pacifist?"

"You got it!"

"I understood that reference." Peter laughs more.

"I saw the opportunity and had to take it and he's really great. I've been talking to him for like an hour. Is this what you did when you got KAREN after hacking the suit?"

"Yeah!" Peter's eyes widen with his heightened voice. "But, I was locked in a vault by myself. I just had KAREN." Peter chuckles, his cheeks turning a soft red with embarrassment.

"Smooth, Parker." Ajax jokes.

"Hey, I got out of it alright." Peter defends. "And in time to rescue the decathlon team in DC."

"Yeah, yeah, guess you did. You're a hero."

Peter's heart soars with Ajax calling him a hero. "Super cool though." Peter says.

"Seriously, coolest shit ever. I can't wait to show you."

"R-really?" Peter asks.

"Yeah...uh, ya know," Ajax shrugs. "I don't know. I wanna share with you."

Peter bites his bottom lip as he mentally high-fives himself. "I-I yeah, can't wait to see it."

"Oh, um, maybe it's the holiday and, I don't know, holidays and stuff usually suck for obvious reasons but today didn't and last night...I slept for the first time in I don't know how long. Like, really slept so thanks for coming over and everything."

"I'll always come." Peter says without a single ounce of hesitation.

"I don't believe in love but I think I might just love you, Peter Parker." Ajax whispers.

Peter's jaw goes slack and he can't believe what he just heard. Ajax not only admitted her feelings for him last night, kissed him back, slept with him comfortably, and told him everything but is now saying she loves him. She went from ten feet walls with a twenty-foot moat and dragons at the ready to opening that drawbridge with open arms and only for Peter.

It was incredible, remarkable even. She did such a one-eighty and he was proud. So proud that she did and it took some pain and forced words but she did and she just so happened to love Peter. Peter happened to be her person. This is what he wanted. This is what he secretly wanted since that first day in gym because he knew she was different. He felt a magnetic pull and now he gets it. Because she's his person, too.

"I-I, uh," Peter says. "I m-might love you...too." Peter's voice is so timid but honest, delicate like the snow melting on your exposed face.

"I was hoping you did."