"Hey, sexy, what are you wearing…?"

Tony rolled his eyes, exchanging a look with Pepper, who snorted in amusement and had to reach for a napkin. Peter ignored them both – although his smile made it clear that the reactions hadn't gone unnoticed. Shuri smiled, too.

"A new t-shirt," she said, stepping back from the camera so he could see it. "My superhero boyfriend sent it to me. Do you like it?"

It was a green t-shirt with the Hulk on it. Peter had seen it while hanging out with Ned and MJ the other day at a comic store, and had purchased it, thinking that Bruce might want to have it. Then he'd picked up another – smaller one – for Shuri, and had packaged it and sent it to her rather than just take it with him the next time he went to Wakanda.

It was fun to receive packages in the mail, after all. Even for a princess.

"It looks great. What else did he send you?"

She smirked, and reached out of the view of the camera. A moment later she was holding up a small action figure. An even better find, as far as Peter was concerned, and from the same comic store. It was a Spiderman action figure – and the first Peter had seen. MJ had brought it over to them, smiling, and Peter had been shocked. Ned had instantly bought the entire supply before Peter could do more than register that there was really a Spiderman following – even though it wasn't as big as Tony and Ironman by any means. His friend had given Peter two of them; one for him to keep and one to send to Shuri.

"Too bad there isn't a Shuri action figure," he'd said, later, when they were walking to the bus from MJ's. "You could have a lot of fun posing the two in naughty positions and leaving them around for Pepper and Tony to find."

"They'd kill me," Peter had replied, amused. "Besides, Nutmeg would probably carry them off and hide them before anyone else had a chance to see.

"True."

The budding relationship was going well, though, and Peter was enjoying it. Not only because everyone seemed to approve of it, but because there weren't any real expectations involved. Shuri was busy being a princess, and learning everything that she needed to know in that capacity that she didn't already know. She was also busy working in her lab, and conceiving, building and maintaining any and all tech in her country. Peter was busy with school, academic decathlon practices and tournaments, maintaining his family and friends life balance as well as he could – and being a part-time superhero.

They spent time with each other on the phone – usually video calling – and they sent texts and pictures throughout the day, but it was low-key and easy to do, and there wasn't any strain. Even the evening before when Peter had returned from a couple of hours swinging through the city just to make sure everything was going well.

Shuri hadn't complained about him looking for trouble – literally; she'd simply looked excited and asked if he'd found anything that had needed his attention. Since the most serious thing that afternoon had been Peter helping a guy in an ice cream truck change his flat tire (he'd held the end of the vehicle up while the tire had been taken off and replace) the briefing had been pretty boring – but he'd been snacking on a choco taco (a box of them had been his reward, and he'd accepted, cheerfully) as he'd told her, and that was never a bad thing, really.

"Spiderman, huh?" he said, smiling at the image. "Who'd want to make an action figure out of that weirdo?"

Tony smiled at the comment, and once more exchanged a look with Pepper. Peter wasn't being disparaging and it was amusing. As well as something of a relief. The boy was caught up with his schooling and ready to rejoin classes in the building when the next semester started in only a couple of weeks, his grades were fine, nightmares were minimal and he hadn't done any sleepwalking in a while.

There were things that still needed addressed, yes, but things were going well, and the billionaire was sure that part of that success was the fact that Shuri was a very grounding presence in their son's life. Had already been, even before they started dating, but more so, now. She was supportive and cheerful, and that built up Peter's confidence even more than it was, already.

Even better, he didn't have to remember what he could and couldn't tell her. She didn't know every secret in his life, but she knew more than most.

The girl smiled, too.

"It is very handsome."

"He's wearing a mask," Tony said, unable to keep quiet. Not surprisingly. "How handsome can it be?"

"Look at the muscles," the princess told Peter's father, holding it up. "It is very lifelike."

Tony frowned and reached into his pocket, pulling out another one of the Spiderman figures. He turned to Pepper.

"Can I see yours?"

She nodded, reached into the bag she happened to be carrying, and handed a duplicate action figure over to him.

"Don't lose it," she cautioned, winking at Peter, who had rolled his eyes at the display of affection. Everyone had one of them, it seemed. Once Peter had shown Tony the ones he had, there had been a mad scramble for the rest of them to find one for themselves. He didn't know who had created the action figure in the first place, but there had definitely been some sales. "I don't know if I'll be able to find another."

Tony held the action figures side by side and had then held them up against Peter, making a show of comparing them to the boy who was sitting beside him. Peter realized what he was doing, and flexed, which made Pepper snicker.

"Pretty scrawny…" Tony said, despite the show of bicep.

"Do not listen to him, Peter," Shuri said, equally amused. "I think it is an excellent representation. Mother would like one."

"I'll find her one," Peter promised. "Maybe I can bring it by this weekend…?"

He looked at Tony and Pepper as he said it, letting them know that he was asking for permission from them. While Shuri would still need to get permission for him to come, Peter going to Wakanda was a lot less of a concern than the princess coming to the compound – even with its impressive security. There was very little chance of anyone making a move on the boy, there. Particularly now, since he was a citizen and treated with the consideration that the title entailed.

Tony glanced at Pepper, making sure she didn't have an objection, and then nodded. Which made Shuri smile.

"I will ask."

"Great."

"Perhaps I will take you for a ride in my car."

She'd been receiving driving lessons, now, and was considered proficient. Of course, the Wakandans didn't have a lot of roads for her to practice on, but there was a track that T'Challa had had built for her to drive on, and there had been many, many different scenarios put forth to make sure she had as much practice as possible. She hadn't driven in the compound, or the surrounding area, yet, but that was just lack of opportunity, not unwillingness.

"I'd like that."

"I will inform you later."

Peter nodded.

"Sounds good."

"The invitation will almost certainly be extended for your parents to join us," the princess added. "T'Challa reminded me, yesterday, that there is a meeting of the tribes next month and someone from your elders needs to be present. It doesn't have to be Tony and Pepper, if you choose someone else, but they are always welcomed guests."

"We accept," Tony assured her. "We can discuss the tribe meeting thing if your brother isn't doing anything this weekend and wants the company."

"That would suffice." The girl looked at Peter. "I must go. I will call you, later."

"Yeah."

The call ended and Peter smiled, watching while Tony gave Pepper her Spiderman guy back, and stuff his own into his pocket once more.

"Do you have any homework?" Tony asked him.

"Did it at the office."

"Ready to eat?"

"Yes."

"Pep?"

"I could be convinced."

"I'll go let them know we're ready."

He left the table and Pepper smiled at her son, also in a good mood. She'd driven him home and had spent all day with him at the tower – aside from whatever meeting that she had to attend – but she was still more than willing to eat dinner with him and spend even more time with him.

He was their son, after all.

"Did you think about it, yet?"

"It's been twenty minutes."

"I know. But it's a pretty good idea."

Peter smiled.

"Yeah, it is."

"He'll say he hates the idea, but he'll let us talk him into it."

"Because it'll be for his birthday?"

"Because it's us talking him into it. If you think Shuri's birthday was fun, this one should be even better, really."

"Yeah."

They quickly assumed innocent expressions when the subject of their discussion returned to the corner table, but that right there was enough to make Stark suspicious.

"What did I miss?"

"Nothing," Pepper assured him, looking at Peter. "Right, son?"

The boy smiled, both at the address and at the expression on Tony's face. Time enough to think about how best to celebrate Tony's birthday – which was still a month away. For now, he was ready to relax with his family.

"Right, mom."

THE END

A/N: So there we have it. Another story written and in the books, so to speak. There's still more happening, of course, and other tales to tell in this AU, but this one was specifically intended as a celebration of Shuri's birthday and to maybe get her and Peter together as a couple. Thanks for reading!