So- I got a bit bogged down and writer's block-ish with my usual stuff, and decided to give this a go. It is my first go with Marvel, so be gentle with me. I hope you all enjoy, thanks for reading.
As usual, Marvel owns these lovelies, not me. ***OH- This is totally an AU.
Tony Stark was beyond pissed.
Sure, he had found some disturbing things when he dug around in people's lives before- especially when looking at potential new Avenger recruits. Sure, he found a few that he had to put on the list to be potential threats rather than allies, and there were those he could tell that while gifted, they were not up for the hero life. But he had never had any other them shake his entire world apart quite like this.
At first, the Youtube videos were brought to his attention by F.R.I.D.A.Y., who had insisted it would be worth a watch. A small kid, obviously young but still quite talented and ridiculously strong- saving people. Catching runaway buses and stopping muggings. So Tony investigated- Clearly whoever it was had some potential.
Until the digging brought him to the household of May Parker. Tony could have vomited. He read and re-read the notes F.R.I.D.A.Y. compiled again and again. He knew the name. Hell, he knew her face.
He'd never met her, but May Parker was oh too similar to her sister. And Tony Stark did know her. Very well.
May Parker was the younger sister of Mary Fitzpatrick. She had been, well over a decade ago, a girlfriend of Tony's. Not exactly serious, but definitely not a one night deal either. And May- May had married into the Parker's when she and Tony were still... friends. She'd ask Tony to be her date to the wedding, but Tony remembered not being one for such family ordeals. He'd declined. But his mind, ever the steel trap, had not forgotten this.
So May Parker was the Aunt and Adoptive mother of Peter, formerly Fitzpatrick but now Parker due to the death of his mother just after his third birthday. And Tony could find no details of a father having ever been in the picture. But the timeline was staring him in the face. That, plus pictures of the kid.
He could see himself in him, and he was not sure if it was because he was looking or if they were real. But side by side analysis ran from his computers matched his facial structure at fifteen to this Peter kid at over eighty-six percent. And that was not nearly all.
Peter attended Midtown School of Science and Technology- another red flag itself, but it was his school record that drove that last nail in the coffin for Tony. Detentions, a few episodes of lax attendance- perfect grades. Almost effortlessly perfect. Like the kid was bored. And the published (and stolen from school data) papers Peter had written; They showed the natural gifts he had.
For a while Tony sat in silence, the documents and files and stolen pictures either projected around or scattered on the desks. Then he took a deep breath, rubbed his hands roughly over his face, and spoke up. "F.R.I.D.A.Y., Call Miss Potts in for me, please." He said quietly.
"You got it, Boss." She replied, and in the distance Tony could hear his AI call for Pepper, who was bus with something else somewhere upstairs. He sat stone still, waiting. He didn't even want to breath. He was honestly scared she'd either be mad about the whole thing or think he was insane. He didn't even turn around when he heard her bare feet padding down the staircase.
"You okay?" The redhead called gently, as she approached and lay a hand on his shoulder, looking around at the mess.
"Pep-" He started, moving his own hand up to cover hers, "You know I love you?" He ask.
"Of course I do." She replied, now a bit more worried.
"And if I-" He stopped, gently tugging at her hand, and she stepped around to be face to face with him.
"If you what?" She ask, patient but just urging him on a bit.
"If I had a kid out there, would you hate me for it?" Tony didn't meet her eyes. He was not proud of his past. She knew this only too well. There had been many nights he'd poured his heart out, crying even, about the man he'd been before he was given his second chance in that desert cave.
"Tony..." Pepper breathed, taking his face in her hand and raising his chin so he was looking at her. She kissed the tip of his nose. He said nothing, but moved his hand to a pinned projection, which enlarged itself. It showed the red-costume clad teenager snatching a gun away from a man in a ski mask attempting to mug an elderly couple. Pepper watched in silence, and when the video ended a profile took it's place. A picture of Peter in the corner, his school stats and history below.
"Well?" Tony ask after a few moments in silence as Pepper looked over his findings.
"I'd skip Maury." She tried to joke, but Tony kept his eyes on the floor. "Tony- What are you going to do?"
"I think I'm going to see May Parker." He answered. "If Mary ever told anyone about who the father was, she didn't make it too easy to find. And she sure hated me in the end."
"Whatever you decide, Tony, I'm with you." she answered tenderly. Tony gave her a small, sad smile as he drew her close and held her.
"I don't deserve you, Pep." He said into her hair as he placed a kiss on top of her head.
"You're getting there, Boss." She laughed, stepping back. "Come on, we are supposed to go see Rhodey and his new recruits this evening for dinner, remember?" She patted his cheek. "Clean up, and we'll make a plan on this tomorrow."
