A/N: So, first Marvel fic (that I've posted anyway) and I'm gonna go ahead and dedicate this to my best friend because she shares my newest obsession and it's the best thing.
Enjoy. Tell me what you think :) x
"Would you let me read the Accords?"
The question came out of nowhere, taking Tony by surprise. So much so that he looked up from the two wires he was currently connecting and his hands wound up electrocuted momentarily. He didn't even look down, though, just shook his head at Dum-E who was in the middle of engaging the fire extinguisher again.
Peter was standing in his lab, meeting his gaze head on but his hands were fidgeting, giving away just how nervous he seemed to be now that the older man was looking at him.
The billionaire stared for a little while longer, not sure how to answer the question. Eventually he sighed and put the tech down to spin fully around, resting his elbows on his knees as he leaned forward.
"They're not finalized yet and I'm not sure you have the clearance to view them before they are. I don't want to get you in trouble. Why would you want to read them?"
From the looks of it, that was not the answer Peter had expected. He let his hands fall down to his sides, eyes wide and mouth falling open.
"Woah. You'd let me read the actual Accords?", he stammered, voice skipping with wonder and excitement and something else that Tony couldn't quite identify and tried to skim over in favor of getting to the bottom of Peter's newest request.
"That's so cool, Mr. Stark but- uh", the teenager continued, going back to playing with the sleeves of his hoodie now that he wasn't so caught by surprise anymore, "I didn't mean the most recent version you're currently working on with the government and stuff. I meant the first one. The one you fought over. Could I read that one?"
Tony's frown deepened momentarily but he blinked it away and simply nodded, "That one should be fine for you to read. I have a clean copy upstairs that you can take home. No notes on it, promise."
With that he turned around to continue working on connecting the wires, though he knew that Peter didn't leave. He hadn't expected him to either, the Spiderling spent most of his time at the compound in Tony's lab and it seemed to have become almost as much of a safe haven for him as it was to Tony.
Instead he plopped down on a swivel chair next to him and started swaying back and forth, watching him work in silence, arms resting on the desk in front of him and head resting on his hands.
"You'd be cool with me reading them, right?", he asked after a while, breaking the comfortable silence, "You're not mad that I want to read them?"
"Why would I be mad?", Tony asked, looking up to meet Peter's eyes, honestly curious what was going on in the kid's mind.
"Uh- you know, I was worried you would think I don't trust you anymore", he stammered, "Or that I want to switch sides or stuff."
Sighing the older man put the tech down again, now turning his body fully so that he was facing Peter. "There are no more sides. You know that, right? We're all working together again, resolving our issues and all that", he told him, not mentioning that he hadn't fully forgiven the rogues yet. The kid didn't have to know that. Though, considering how perceptive he was, he probably already did. But that was Tony's cross to bear, he wouldn't burden him with it.
"Hell, I should've made you read them before I ever took you to Germany", he then added, running a hand through his hair. Damn, he was tired just thinking about these damn Accords and this damn team and how much work reconciliation meant. How much talking about emotions and forgiving and shit.
During most meetings he felt out of place in his own room, his own damn building, but he wouldn't let them know any of that. He wasn't in the habit of showing anyone just how not-made-of-iron he actually was. Except for a handful of people. A list that apparently had started to entail a sixteen years old kid somewhere along the way.
"No, it was okay", Peter quickly argued, "We didn't really have the time and you told me a little bit on the way."
There he went again, always finding apologies for Tony'ss mistakes like the wide-eyed kid he was. That was not fully true, though, Peter was more than some naïve teenager. He saw more, heard better, thought harder and knew way too much for his age. He reminded Tony of himself – cursed with knowledge as Thanos had put it.
"Still, I shouldn't have made you join a fight you didn't have all the facts to. You should've been able to choose your side knowing everything there was to know."
I was just scared you wouldn't choose me.
The kid was, after all, a number one Cap fan.
"I don't think you're wrong, Mr. Stark", Peter said quietly after a moment, "I'm just wondering why the others didn't agree and I thought maybe I'd find out by reading the thing you were all fighting about. With all of them here again… I don't know, I just want to understand, I guess."
You and me both, kid.
"Yeah, well", Tony stood up, dusting off his clothes before pulling Peter up with him, "You can tell me all about it once you've read them. I'm looking forward to hearing your opinion on them."
And he was. He was really curious what this genius, enhanced Spiderling would have to say about the reason his heroes broke up. He was anxious, too, that he would never look up at him with so much trust ever again when he realized how much he had messed up everything but he would never keep him from getting all the facts.
Peter needed to have his own opinion, needed to review the whole thing and let his heart – his god damned good heart – make the decision for him. And that genius brain, of course.
"But first, we need to get some food in you. I'm guessing you skipped your afternoon snack for lab time again?"
Peter took his time reading through the seemingly endless stack of paper.
Every evening over the next week he spent in his room, highlighting some sections, looking up some of the words he had never heard before and the paragraphs referenced in the document and occasionally asking Tony to clarify some parts for him.
He also found out everything he could about the Avenger's break up. Or the public knowledge thereof. Sure, he'd been there for some part but not really… The real break had happened after Siberia and he knew Tony well enough not to press for that particular topic. Something had happened there. Something that his mentor wouldn't talk about.
Rhodey knew, though, and Peter had seen how angry he had been when Captain America had showed up again, barely keeping his cool. Which had to say something because he was usually the most balanced person Peter knew, used to cancelling out Tony's constant movements.
He was hoping that, maybe, Tony would tell him the whole story someday but for now he wouldn't press the issue, content with educating himself on what had brought it all up in the first place.
"So, what did you think, Underoos? Thought about changing sides, yet?", Tony asked casually, snatching one of Peter's French Fries from his plate and popping it into his mouth while waiting for the kid's response.
Peter, though, looked as if he had been personally insulted. His face turning into an angry grimace that he usually only reserved for when he was talking about Flash and he glared at Tony. "I wouldn't do that."
"Easy, kid", he leaned back, crossing his arms in front of his chest, "I was joking. But I am curious to hear what you've got to say."
"Well, obviously –uh, I don't know everything that went on", he started, trying to search his mind for the right words to voice his thoughts, "But I read the Accords… every single line and I think if I had to have made a choice back then, I would've signed them."
"You would have?"
"Yeah", Peter nodded, meeting the older man's eyes across the table they were sitting at, "Sure, some things weren't perfect and the Raft-", he shuddered, "That seemed awful. But I think it's a good thing."
Tony looked surprised but let him go on, not interrupting him and to Peter's own surprise, the more he talked the more certain he was of what he was saying.
"I told you once that my uncle always taught me that with great power comes great responsibility", he started slowly, "And I've tried to live by those words. I'm trying to make the right decisions, the responsible choices, but I'm sixteen, you know? And even though I'm probably a little advanced for my age, I ought to make mistakes. We're all human after all… well, sort of", he frowned, not sure if Gods and aliens counted as humans too.
"I feel like it would only be just if we had to answer to someone. Because when we make mistakes… people can get hurt. If I miscalculate my strength or my webbing by just a tiny bit, people could die and that", he looked down at the table then, crossing his arms in front of him as if he was hugging himself, but when he spoke up again and met Tony's gaze, there was the fire and the good heart he knew the kid possessed.
"That's something I think about all the time and it scares me", he admitted, "If someone got hurt because of me then I think they deserve to get a trial, they deserve to know what happened. I'm not over the law. No one should be. You are right that we need to be held accountable and, if I'm being honest, the thought makes me feel a little lighter. It takes some of the responsibility from my shoulders and I feel like I can share some of that weight that I always seem to be carrying, you know?"
"Yeah, kid. I know."
"So, uhm", Peter grinned awkwardly, "Thanks for letting me read them and for letting me make my mind up about them on my own but I'd like to stay on your team, if that's okay. Not that there are teams but-"
"You are so on my team", Tony grinned.
And just like that his chest felt lighter than it had in years.