It was a bad week. One of the first in a while. Because, for a while they'd managed to stay afloat on a sea of debt. Yes they were living paycheck to paycheck, but they were good.
Then Aunt May lost a job, one of the many jobs she juggled daily. Unfortunately it meant they lost a source of income. And as such the small family's financial stability was shaken. So May had devised a budget to make sure they had enough for rent, bills, and food until she found another job. They were currently down to two small meals at home, that barely filled May up, much less Peter with his super metabolism.
Peter protested his Aunt having so many jobs, but he himself already had one after school job which limited his Spider-Man time as much as he dared to. And it went without saying that vigilantism didn't pay in anything besides bruises and broken bones.
If the unpaid Stark internship wasn't as for Spider-Man, Peter would have quit long before now and gotten another job to support their small family. Of course May didn't know what it was actually for but she had made sure he kept it. When things started getting worse she knew exactly what was going on in his self-sacrificing mind and threatened that she'd call Mr. Stark and demand Peter take back the internship if Peter dared quit.
The two meals they had at home were breakfast and dinner, and if Peter had any money left he could buy lunch at school. Peter rarely had any money.
To their credit, his friends, Ned and MJ, had quickly noticed when he'd started skipping lunch. The two began sharing their lunches with him. Peter even had a hunch they had started packing more for him when these 'bad times' happened. Which occurred more often than Peter wanted to admit as May was becoming older and the jobs becoming harder. Not to mention the bare minimum pay, so his poor Aunt was working too many.
It was also when Flash's harassing entered an all time high. "This just in, Puny Parker uses friends for food since he can't help his dear, old Aunt due to his 'internship'," he yelled out in his 'announcer' voice, using quotation marks on 'internship'. Then the laughing would start. Peter could handle being mocked. But it when they brought in May and Mr. Stark, his only family and who he somewhat considered family. It made him want to start a fight. Powers or no. And Peter did try to ignore it. He really did.
The first time the small family went under in debt was shortly after Ben's death and Peter started being Spider-Man. The rumors around Peter's suddenly poverty became so bad it reached the teachers, a few actually began suspecting abuse. He knew his Aunt would never hurt him, he was offended they would jump to that. And instead of simply asking the teen they called a meeting with Peter and May (made her stop in the middle of her shift and drive all the way to the school). They'd almost discovered some less than beautiful bruises decorating his sternum thanks to a crowbar from a robber the night prior. Which would not have been fun to explain.
The teachers, realizing the family was simply going through a hard time dismissed them. Peter, of course, had apologized profusely to his Aunt at the fact they'd dragged her away from work due to some stupid rumors he should have controlled and put to a stop to.
In the end May stopped him by changing the subject and revealing she had a few hours before her next shift started. So, after signing Peter out for the day, the two left his school. They went home and Peter made popcorn and they watched 101 Dalmatians until May's next shift began.
Peter shook off the memory and turned his attention back to his two coddling friends. Who were making a scene. Well, at least in Peter's eyes they were.
"Guys, you didn't have to do this," he said as they pushed several food items onto his tray. He felt embarrassed that this was happening in the first place. Ned had split his sandwich in half, MJ handed him a Granny Smith apple she'd brought for a snack during decathalon. It was far from enough and Peter knew it wouldn't last more than an hour if that. But his ravenous stomach was about to eat itself.
"Hey, dummy, you can't just not eat," MJ said monotone when he tried to refuse.
Peter stuck his tongue out like the (im)mature fifteen year-old he was and took a bite of his- Ned's- sandwich, realizing just how hungry he was.
MJ didn't retaliate, knowing full and well Peter did not like being forced to eat some of their lunch. And instead raised a pointed eyebrow that said 'Told you so' when his stomach growled, demanding more food. Peter finished his apple shortly before the bell rang, signaling that lunch was over.
It's Friday, I hope I can just make it through the day, Peter thought helplessly as he followed the others out to their next classes.
.•.•.
Ned and MJ were probably the only reason he made it through that day. Though MJ hated being called his friend he had long since claimed her as one.
He'd nearly walked into a wall at one point when his vision became hazy. He lost concentration in class and started falling asleep and when the teacher woke him up, he snapped at the man.
Ned managed to stop the teacher from giving Peter detention, though Peter had no clue how, as he'd dazed out again. By the end of the day Peter nearly cried. All he wanted to do was go home and sleep for a century. Ned had to catch him as he stumbled and his nose nearly met the hard tile floors. The trio made their way out, thankfully with no more instances. Ned was practically the only thing keep Peter from falling over. MJ watched with poorly disguised concern before going to support him on the opposite side.
"Dude, let me call my mom to pick us up. I don't think you can make it home by yourself," Ned said taking out his phone with his free hand.
Peter blinked dazedly once, then twice before yelping "No!" so loudly Ned nearly dropped his phone and MJ jumped. "'M fine, Ned. I can make it home."
"Peter..." MJ challenged lowly, glaring at the barely coherent boy. Who just stumbled towards the exit before his own phone chimed.
Happy: 'I'm outside. Hurry up, I don't have all day.'
Peter's eyes widened. Oh right, he had the 'internship' today. He wondered if he could just skip today... Tony would be immediately suspicious. Usually Peter was positively vibrating with excitement to go. If he didn't go Tony would certainly be wondering. And if Tony did the others wouldn't be far behind so he didn't really have a choice.
"Dude, you can't. I doubt you even heard what we've been telling you while you were staring off into space," Ned said from behind him, pulling Peter's arm gently. Ned tried to take the phone to text out that Peter wouldn't be going. Keyword: tried. Peter quickly grabbed it back while shaking his head childishly, they noticed how sickly he looked.
Ned and MJ exchanged a look that held a silent conversation. Truthfully, Peter's Aunt wouldn't be back from work for a few and if anything happened it would be better if he was being watched by adult Even if that adult was Tony Stark.
"Okay, let's just get you to the car, okay?" Ned said like he was speaking with a child. Peter was pretty sure he nodded and the other two helped him to the car.
Happy's brow furrowed when he caught sight of Peter's pale, vacant face. "What's wrong with him?"
Ned shrugged and MJ had concern written on her face. "I think his blood sugar might be low. Just give him some food and he'll be fine."
"Alright," Happy said opening the car door, "get in."
Peter dunked his head and crawled into his seat, and buckled in. Happy waved off the kid's friends and got in the front seat and started driving off towards the Compound.
Peter slept the entire ride. If Happy hadn't been concerned he would have been relieved for the silence. He would have woken the teen up but he didn't have any head injuries or Tony would have informed him. Instead, he glanced back through his mirror every now and then to check the teen's condition and let the teen sleep. Hoping it would help Peter until they reached the Compound.
He put the car in park and turned his attention to the sleep kid in his backseat. "Peter, wake up. Tony isn't the most patient person."
There was a groan and the Peter's face scrunched up in pain. Then his eyes opened immediately and he shot up with a gasp, chest heaving. Happy didn't know what to do. So before Happy could think against it he got out and went around to Peter's door and opened it. "Hey, kid?"
Peter looked up and swallowed thickly. "Yeah?"
"You okay?"
"Y-yeah. P-peach-chy," Peter said dazedly as he unbuckled and got out. Happy's eyes following, also concerned. He jogged to the door before the driver could even offer one of the sodas in the back.
Peter went inside, pausing at the door to watch Happy drive off. He had his hand on the wall in case he needed to steady himself. Truthfully he felt somewhat better after his hour nap in Happy's car. Despite the crick in his neck from the slightly awkward position he'd slept in.
He walked inside, and opened the elevator. "Hello, Mr. Parker, Sir is in his labs. Would you like me to take you there," the AI said.
"Yeah. Yes p-please," he said, trying to keep the persistent stutter away. He was having a harder time doing that.
"Mr. Parker, you appear to be in distress. Your heart beat is 148 and you have a slight fever. Would you like me to tell Sir?"
"No!" Peter yelped.
There was a pause. "Okay, Mr. Parker."
'Ding!' The elevator chimed and the doors slid open. Mr. Stark's labs never ceased to amaze the teen. Even in his hazy, dizzy state he could very much appreciate everything. Upon his arrival there was a clatter and then Tony's head popped up from behind one of the desks. The man was covered in car grease it was all over his arms, face, and hair. When his eyes landed on Peter he exclaimed, "Hey, Pete!"
Peter steeled his voice. "Hi, Mr. Stark."
"C'mere kid, I have a project I need your help with," and with that the inventor was gone back into the depths of his labs. Peter followed, though he was taking it slower than usual today and kept a hand out to steady himself if he started falling.
When he found Tony the man was sitting with a piece of Iron Man armor in his lap. "About time! Sit there Spider-kid."
So Peter did, he didn't exactly have the energy to join the inventor or to protest the silly nickname. He dazed out as Mr. Stark began talking about how he could better streamline the suit for speed or what improvements could be made to upgrade the repulser beams. Peter was listening though, his throat felt dry and scratchy and his stomach hurt.
"M-mr. Stark, c-can you get me a d-drink p-please?" He wanted to crawl into a hole and die for interrupting Tony to ask for a drink, but he didn't think he could get it himself.
Tony looked at him for a second before standing. "Yeah. Sure thing, kiddo. What kind?"
"Or-orange pop," Peter stuttered. His vision blurred for a minute and then there was something in his hand. A cup. The cool glass was slippery against his sweaty palm.
Peter's vision began blacking out on the edges and he felt nauseous. He was vaguely aware of the fact his hand was now empty and then a crash! as his drink fell into the floor. His hands were shaking? No, he was shaking. That made sense.
"Kid? Hello?" Everything sounded like it was submerged in water. "You look kinda pale... And sweaty, ew." He was? He was aware of a drop of sweat as it made its way from his forehead to his collarbone.
"Hey," a hand was waved in front of the his face. There was a concerned... Scared tone in his voice. Tony's voice. Peter's heavy eyes dragged themselves to meet Tony's scared face, "You okay?" Was he okay? He didn't think so... Peter wanted to respond, but his body had other plans. He felt his senses begin shut down. The last thing he remembered was Tony's scared expression and a second later he saw nothing else.
.•.•.
Peter wasn't himself that day. Far from it, and it didn't take a genius- though it certainly helped being one- to figure it out.
The teen seemed out of it and unable to focus the entire time and kept staring off into nowhere. He hadn't expected Peter to suddenly interrupt him to ask him to ask for a drink. Peter knew where the minifridge was, and Tony almost made a joke about how he was getting lazy when he caught sight of the teen's ashen face. Peter had seemed shaky when Tony had pushed it into his hand. But the inventor hadn't expected him to drop- it didn't seem like much but Peter never dropped anything thanks to his heightened senses- the cup. Then his concern found it was time to changed to severe worry.
"Hey kid? Hello. You look kinda pale... And sweaty, ew." He was cracking a joke to lighten the situation, but Peter didn't seem to really be understanding it. "Hey," he waved a hand in front of the teens face concern showing for the first time as Peter's glazed eyes dragged themselves to meet Tony's, "You okay?"
Tony received no verbal response as the kid's eyes rolled up into his head and he crumpled to the ground from his seat. When Tony watched Peter fall, he felt like his heart stopped and time slowed down. He wondered if he had superspeed with how quickly he was at the teen's side.
His hands were shaking as he fumbled to feel for a pulse on Peter's clammy neck. When he finally found one, racing and thready, he nearly cried out in relief. It was there, but something was terribly wrong.
"FRIDAY," the panicking man yelled out, "get Bruce here now! I need help!"
"Dr. Banner has already been notified of the emergency," the AI replied calmly. And, true to her word, Bruce raced through the automatic double doors, into the lab where Tony was cradling Peter's head and keeping him out of the sticky orange pop that covered the floor.
"FRIDAY told me his symptoms and I have an idea about what's going on. But I need to check, just a second," the man took off behind him but Tony hardly cared. His focus was on Peter.
He tried not to focus on how he was trembling lightly and how pale he was. Bruce rushed back and skidded to their sides, huffing slightly. He seized Peter's limp hand and singled out his pointer finger. The genius used the device- a blood sugar monitor, Tony noted- to pierce his finger. Then he collected the blood that welled up on the strip.
After a few seconds there was only silence. Then a beep. Bruce's eyes widened, that was never good. "Crap. Oh Crap. Okay, Tony, think you can pick him up?" Bruce was already taking off and preparing syringe with something. "O-of course," the man scooped up the teen bridal style. He was aware that even with the adrenaline pumping through his veins he could probably lift a car without feeling anything, but Peter felt insanely light. It all began to fill a growing, gnawing ball of worry that was filling his stomach as he laid the teen down on the lab hospital bed.
He tried to remind himself he had a team of some of the best doctors in the country on his speed dial. Whatever was happening he could fix it. He would fix it.
He watched as Bruce shone a light in the teen's eyes and tried to get a response from the prone teen, talking to Peter as he continued working. The genius quickly used the shot and injected what the inventor was pretty sure was Glucagon into the kid's leg. Unable to do more to help, Tony had to stay on the sidelines, running her fingers through his kid's hair as Bruce worked around him. Bruce frowned when Peter continued being unresponsive to them and gave the teen a half dose.
A few seconds- which felt like decades to Tony- Peter gave a groan and the shaking began subsiding. Bruce put an IV filled with nutrients into the crook of the teen's elbow to help further stabilize him. He looked very relieved when Peter's shaking started stopping and began regaining color. Tony let out a breathe he hadn't realize he'd stopped for a few seconds. Without Peter, Tony realized, he couldn't breath.
The haggard man sat next in the chair besides Peter's bed where he wouldn't move until the teen woke up.
.•.•.
One of the first two things Peter noticed was the headache and then voices. Harsh and quiet whispering.
"Tony, something is going on with him. He's severely underweight and malnourished," the first one said.
"You don't think I noticed? I had to pick him up," the second countered a hint of panic in the voice. Then a hand was in his hair, brushing it back from his closed eyes. Peter was 90% sure it was the owner of the second voice.
"What if it's his Aunt?"
The hand paused. "May? She would never, she loves this kid to death. It's got to be something else."
Something finally clicked in his groggy mind and the memories came flooding back. He groaned internally when he remembered he had fainted in front of Tony Stark- his mentor.
Apparently he was bad at groaning internally as the two voices stopped in the debate they were in. "Hey kiddo, think you can open your eyes for me? You nearly gave me a heart attack, so you owe me that," came the second voice, Tony.
He wanted to shake his head no, but that would take more effort than opening an eye. So he steeled himself and cracked open one eye. Tony's relieved expression almost- almost- made it worth the effort. Another man with mousey brown hair and matching eyes was behind him busying himself with the IV lines. Bruce he guessed.
As Peter continued waking up he realized felt fine, normal even. Probably for the first time that week. Exhausted, but he didn't feel like his body was simply being run on pure will.
Peter wished someone would say something instead of just staring at him. But at the same time he wanted to hit himself for coming to Tony's in the first place. Peter clenched his eyes, preparing to be yelled at for being dumb enough to have let himself faint. "Why didn't you tell me kid?"
Huh, Peter thought, that was not the response I was expecting. The teen peeled his eyes open to see his mentor's concerned face. "What?" He croaked out, severely confused about... Everything that was going on.
Bruce whispered something in Tony's ear then patted the man on the shoulder and left. Tony just nodded absently, watching Peter through the corner of his eyes like the teen was going to disappear.
"Your blood sugar crashed," Tony continued, his face steely, showing none of his raging emotions.
"Oh." Peter suddenly found his bedsheet very interesting.
"'Oh' is right. Peter, use you're genius brain. Do you understand how dangerous of a situation you were in-"
"Yes," Peter interrupted, "I do."
"Nuh-uh. Adult is talking. You could have died, Pete. If Happy hadn't picked you up-... If you weren't here and were heading home you could have collapsed in an alley somewhere and fallen into coma and slipped away. Or had a stroke and choked. Or, hell, what if you were on patrol in a fight with someone as Spider-Man? Someone could easily just unmask you! You, Peter Parker, will be the reason I go grey. Not superhero-ing or work stress shit. You."
By the end of Tony's speech Peter was beginning to feel worse and worse and squeezing his eyes shut. He looked on the verge of an anxiety attack. The man glanced at Peter and felt a pang of guilt at the pinched expression. No, this could not happen again, he needed to be the adult.
Well this wouldn't have happened if I had just quit. But, nooo, Aunt May won't let me quit, Peter thought.
"Quit what, kid?"
Peter's eyes shot open to see Tony's concerned and now confused face. Had he really said that out loud? He really needed to get better at not doing that. He could imagine himself in a battle with some new super villain and unknowingly spouting off his plan. Then Tony would probably have to save him and then give him a lecture on the importance of stealth. As if Tony was one to talk.
"N-nothing," he said, his voice just above a whisper.
"Oh really?" Tony narrowed his eyes. "So why aren't you eating?"
"W-what?" Peter asked, taken aback by the sudden question.
"Why else would your blood sugar get so low? You're not on insulin and I can't think of any other reason you'd faint in my workshop with near comatose level blood-sugar and malnourishment."
"S-sorry. I-I. W-well, w-we. Um," Peter was caught and now in a mess. Great job, Pete. The stare Tony gave him wasn't demanding, it was... Different. Parental almost. He couldn't lie to him.
"May lost a job. This is the first time it's happened in a while," he said with a sigh, bringing his knees up to rest his head on them so that he didn't have to see Tony's expression.
"But what's that- Oh," his voice changed to realization and sympathy which annoyed Peter. People always did this when they found out. "Oh Peter, why didn't you tell me? I could have helped. The term billionaire was coined for a reason, kid."
"I don't want your charity, Mr. Stark," Peter said, annoyance showing slightly.
"It's Tony, kid. You fainted in my lab and nearly gave me a heart attack the least you can do is call me Tony. And it's not charity. Come to think of it, I should have started paying you for working for me a long time ago, kid," Tony said sitting on Peter's bed- because it was comfier than the chair, definitely not to be closer to Peter...- which made the younger scoot over to make room.
"But I'm an intern. Interns don't get paid," Peter countered skeptically.
"True. But you aren't an intern. Not anymore. You're my new lab assistant now, kiddo." Tony hummed while wrapping an arm around the kid, his kid.
"But-"
"No. Stop trying to refuse this, Pete," Tony said pulling out his phone. "Try to get some rest. We'll get you moved into your room after Bruce gets back and makes sure you're doing okay. He'll be back in like," he checked his rolex, "an hour. With food, but you have to take it easy until then."
Peter blinked, confused at what his mentor said. "I have a room? Wait, I'm staying? For how long?"
"The whole weekend. We're keeping you, stole you from your Aunt hottie. Sorry kiddo," the man said with a smirk and ruffled the teen's hair, seriousness gone. At least on the surface.
"Careful, May will come and steal me back."
"Psh. Her and what army?"
"Ned and MJ," Peter smirked, playing along. Plus he knew MJ freaked out Tony for some reason... Definitely not because the first time they did meet it was explosive. MJ started telling Tony off and telling him what to do. Tony later said she reminded him of Pepper and that Peter should keep her. Which did not help Peter become less of a stuttering mess.
The man closed his mouth with an audible 'click', paused, then said, "Good point."
Tony turned on the TV to some mockumentary called 'The Office'. It was a rather good show.
"Take your nap Spider-baby," the man said again as he watched Peter try and stifle a yawn while glaring. Peter opened his mouth to protest with an excuse about plans to hang out with Ned over the weekend when Tony started carding through his hair. Effectively cutting the teen off. That did it for the already exhausted teen and he started drifting off to the sounds of Michael and Dwight yelling on TV.
.•.•.
The weekend eventually ended far to quickly for either of their tastes. Peter knew he didn't want to go home... Yet, at least. And Tony felt the same.
Watching Peter collapse and being unable to help hadn't done good things to his mental state. The inventor felt an almost parental protectiveness rear up inside him wherever the teen wasn't in his direct vision. He didn't know how May did it.
By the time the weekend ended Peter was back to his usual energetic self. He practically skipped to Happy's car, ready to talk the driver's head off. Which Happy would admit he'd rather have than the half concious teen he'd driven there the day before.
Before he left he waved to and yelled, "Bye, Tony. See you next weekend, hopefully under better circumstances." And with that he raced off, not even bothering to conceal the grin.
"And next time if could you keep the fainting to a minimum, that would be great. My heart would appreciate it," Tony shot back after him.
And after that weekend, if Tony snuck a few twenties, which added up to hundreds, into Peter's backpack whenever he came by, neither said anything. But the thankful look on the teen's face was acknowledgment enough.
Within a few weeks the small family was back on their feet- thanks to Peter's newly paying job- and were eating regularly again. Peter may have also received a box of Steve's old custom made protein bars to help out if he got hungry on patrols.
Tony often stopped by, when May allowed, for dinner to make sure everything was still going fine. He even told Peter the compound's kitchens were always open to the teen whenever the 'Young arachnid needs to eat'. The last part was said out of earshot from May of course.
And during this overprotective streak Peter decided that as long as he had Aunt May and Tony by his side, he'd be just fine.
.•.•.
Word: 4,700
I'm reposting this here since I did the same on Wattpad. My stuff never seems to do very well on there, at least in the beginning. I'm an angry emotion mess right now so expect some more one-shots. I'm kinda ignoring one of my friends. I'm bad at editing so all mistakes are my own.
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