AN: You can pry the bio trope out of my cold, dead hands.
Huge thank you to Supersidekick/MegalegU for your magical beta-reading skills. You complete me :3
Also special thanks to YellowDistress for making sure my kid!Peter sounds his age. You're an angel!
This story is also available on Ao3 under the same username :)
The Curveball
Part I
Tony didn't know what to expect when he answered the door that late afternoon. Maybe it would be some parts he ordered, or Rhodey with that pizza he promised to get two weeks ago, or, more likely, it was the early-release copy of Popular Mechanics containing a feature article on his work that the magazine had promised to send by courier. But Tony certainly wasn't anticipating the six-year-old boy with wire-rimmed glasses and a red backpack perched atop his minute shoulders with a claim that he's-
"What?" Tony asked, mouth agape.
"Your son," the little squirt said with assurance. "Listen, I travelled a long way and had to bribe the bus driver an extra five bucks, so would you mind letting me in? It's getting a little chilly."
The evening was approaching and the summer breeze had cooled, sending bumps along Tony's bare arms. Before he could say anything, the boy walked past him into the house. Tony, in too much shock to stop the boy, closed the door. He laughed disbelievingly.
Over the years, many women he had had entanglements with had come back with claims that they were carrying his child. The first time it happened, Tony panicked and scrambled to remember the night before the paternity test disproved her claims. It turned out that Tony had spent the evening with her sister, Petra, and she told her about the night in great detail. His team had urged him to sue her for almost slandering his name, and a part of him almost selfishly gave in just for the satisfaction. But Tony shook his head and looked at her with a little more understanding. She was desperate, scared and penniless. Tony didn't know where the generosity came from, but he had signed her a cheque and sent her on her way with a good luck. She apologised and thanked him.
After that, the rest of the similar cases had been dealt with quicker and with less panic on Tony's part.
But this? This was new.
Tony, having caught himself up with the current event, chased down the kid as he welcomed himself to the kitchen. "Whoa, whoa, hey." He stood in front of the boy, halting the kid in his steps. Now that the initial shock had faded, he found this more unsettling than amusing. "Look, kid. I don't know what your parents taught you, but you don't just walk into a stranger's house."
The kid, still trying to duck his way around Tony's legs to the open bag of Oreos on the kitchen island, paused in his pursuit and proclaimed, "But you're not a stranger, you're my dad."
"And who told you that?"
"My mom. Well, my mom told my aunt and uncle and then they told me."
"Well, why don't we go back to your mom and she can explain everything." Tony did not look forward to sitting down with this boy's mother, a person that he had already convinced himself was a pathological liar. However, commencing the beginnings of a lawsuit with said pathological liar in front of her child was far preferable to being labelled as a kidnapper in the press once the frazzled mother found her son missing and filed a police report.
The kid blinked at him. "We can't."
Tony sighed, rubbing his forehead. "And why not?"
"She's dead."
The kid made this statement in such a blasé manner that Tony had to take a moment to process the information. That was not the response he had been expecting. "Oh. I'm, uh, I'm sorry to hear that."
"It's okay; she died four years ago."
Tony cleared his throat. "Who...takes care of you?"
"My aunt and uncle." The kid, seizing the opportunity to get past the older, larger (perplexed) man, walked past him and climbed up on the bar stool opposite the kitchen island. Victorious, he plunged his hand in the Oreo package. His small hand clutched three cookies. He moved to shove the collection into his mouth but Tony, with enough sense to do so, grabbed two from the boy's hand.
Tony said to him, "You don't look like you need any sugar."
Glaring, the boy nibbled at the remaining cookie and enviously eyed the captured confections in the inventor's hand. He lunged for the Oreo package but Tony deftly slid it out of his reach.
Much to Tony's amusement, the kid actually looked up at him with the most doey-eyes. Tony could tell that the he had perfected down it to a T. Furrowed eyebrows, pouty bottom lip, glassy eyes. He used to pull that same look on his parents until one day his father roughly pulled him aside and reprimanded him, "Knock it off. You're not a baby anymore, Anthony."
Tony sighed. He walked towards the massive sub-zero refrigerator, keeping his eyes on the cookies while he located what he was searching for. After a moment, he placed the most kid-friendly glass he could find in his cabinet, filled with milk. He slid the cold drink towards the boy and watched, raising an eyebrow.
The kid, after a moment, picked up the discarded cookie and eagerly dunked it into the glass.
Once the boy gestured, palm up, for the remaining cookies that Tony was still holding, the older man relented and slid them over on a porcelain saucer.
"Do your aunt and uncle know that you're here?" Tony asked, once the boy seemed satisfied.
The boy drained the remainder of his glass and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, looking sheepish. "Ummm...define 'know'?"
"Come on, pal. You're six, not stupid."
"I'm eight!" he said, indignantly.
Tony almost rolled his eyes. As if there was a difference. "Whatever. Look, kid-"
"It's Peter. My name is Peter."
"Peter. I don't know what possessed you to come all the way out here but I'm sure your aunt and uncle are very worried about you." The boy avoided his gaze. Tony sat on the stool beside him and adopted a gentler tone. "So why don't you just give me their cell numbers and I'll call them for you. Is that alright?"
Peter didn't say anything for a while. Then, with guilty, downcast eyes, he confessed, "They don't know I'm here."
He figured.
"And...they didn't exactly tell me that you're my dad. My real one, I mean."
Tony blinked, but allowed the boy to continue.
"I kinda overheard them talking last year."
"Uh-huh…"
"And...and I just wanted to meet you."
He said it so earnestly Tony had to fight a smile. He was a sweet kid, even if he did believe whatever fairytale his mom fed him.
Peter continued, "My uncle works as security and got tickets for your expo this year. I thought maybe I could meet you then." All of the sudden the kid bounced in his seat. "You were so cool fighting those robots and then you swooped down behind me and blasted the robot. You told me, 'nice work'. It was the greatest day of my life."
The memories came flooding in. It had been a few weeks since the incident and it had been sheer luck that nobody was killed. But he did vaguely recall some kid in Iron Man merchandise bravely standing up to a machine, even if it was foolish and he had been mere seconds from being shot before Tony swooped in.
Tony said, "That was you, huh?"
Peter nodded. "Yup!" Then he gasped, almost startling Tony. "I could be your sidekick! That would be so awesome. I could have my own suit and it could shoot laser beams-"
Before he knew it, Tony was listening to a kid rambling on about taking down bad guys alongside him. "Whoa, slow your roll. How about we start by giving me your uncle's number, huh? What do you say?"
"I'd say that you think I'm pretty stupid. You're just going to call him and then he'd get mad."
Tony led out a frustrated sigh, resisting the urge to strangle something. Then he recalled something that Peter had said earlier. "Wait, you said your uncle worked in security?" Peter nodded. "And that he got tickets for the expo in New York." Peter nodded again. "Where exactly do you live, kid?"
"Queens."
Tony's eyes almost bulged out of his skull. His jaw worked upwards and down for several seconds before calmly asking, "You're telling me...that you came all the way here from Queens on a bus?"
Peter grinned. "No, silly. I took the plane."
Tony blinked. "On your own."
Peter rolled his eyes, as if speaking to a child smaller than him. "Of course not. I convinced Aunt May and Uncle Ben to go on summer vacation in Malibu, since I remembered that you lived here. They said yes! I think it's because they still feel kinda bad about the expo."
Finally, Tony was getting somewhere. "Okay, so you're staying at a hotel. That, I can work with."
Peter immediately closed his mouth, realising his mistake.
"Any chance you're going to give me the name of the hotel?"
As he expected, Peter avoided looking at him and stayed mute.
"No matter. JARVIS?"
"Yes, sir?" his AI responded, startling Peter. Tony almost laughed at his curiosity and wonderment aimed at the ceiling.
"Scan for names May and Ben…" He looked down at the kid, hoping he would give him a surname. Predictably, he continued in his silent protest. Tony's eyes sought his backpack and a tag wrapped around the strap. He quickly dived for it, ignoring Peter's feeble attempts to protect it. Tony read, "Parker. May and Ben Parker through every hotel database within a fifty-mile radius."
Peter looked like he was betrayed in the worst way possible. Tony squashed down any glimpse of guilt he felt. The kid'll live. More than live, he'll be reunited safely within the arms of his family.
Tony gently squeezed his shoulder. "Come on, buddy. Why don't I get you something to eat while we wait that doesn't rot your teeth?"
Peter looked down, his round glasses almost falling forward, and crossed his arms.
"You must still be hungry, right?"
Still nothing from the boy.
Tony sighed and stood up anyway. He walked over to his fridge and raided for anything kid-friendly. "I have...some cheese, some toast. How about I make you grilled cheese?"
Peter uncrossed his arms and shrugged. He smudged the counter with his right finger and pushed the rim of his glasses up with his left.
Tony took that as a yes. He grabbed the ingredients from the bridge and started up the cooker. Peter didn't say a word to him the entire time.
Once Tony finished cutting up two sandwiches in half (he made one for himself after he got hungry halfway through making them), he placed it in front of the kid. "Want some more milk?"
To his surprise the kid finally spoke. "Yes, please," he mumbled, and after Tony handed him the glass, he said, "Thanks."
"You're welcome." Silently, they across each other and ate. He watched the boy silently take small bits from his sandwich.
Peter's mood seemed to have lifted once his stomach was satisfied as he apologetically said to the man, "I'm sorry for walking in."
Tony grabbed the empty plates and placed them in the sink, leaving them to clean up later. He leaned up against the counter and crossed his arms, facing the kid. "That's okay."
"I just wanted to-"
"Meet me, I know." Tony sighed. "Why don't you tell me what you heard from your aunt and uncle?"
Peter looked up, motivated by the man's curiosity. "Well, the night before I turned seven, I couldn't sleep. So I went to try the cake my aunt bought, which I know I shouldn't have, but I was really hungry, and she may not cook all that good but she can buy tasty cakes. Like the cupcakes from Delmar's one time-"
Tony waved his hand. "The point, Peter."
"Right. So I went to go outside my room and then I saw them sitting and talking. They started talking about you and how they kinda hate you because you sent lawyers at my mom, and how you throw money at everything."
Tony shook his head. "Hold on there, reel it back. I sent lawyers to your mom?"
"Yeah."
"Who is-I mean, was your mom?"
"Mary."
"Mary Parker?"
"Mmhm."
Tony scratched his head, searching for a face to the name within his mind. But it was of no use, he could barely remember what he had for breakfast, let alone a woman he slept with amongst a parade of women nine years ago. "JARVIS, can you recall a Mary Parker somewhere in your database? Maybe in legal?"
"Scanning." Again, Peter looked up in amazement.
Tony smiled and explained, "That's my AI."
"AI?"
"A computer that thinks for itself."
"Awesome!"
JARVIS interrupted. "Scan complete. No trace of Mary Parker within Stark Database."
Tony shrugged. "Well, kid, we gave it a shot."
"Although," JARVIS continued, "I have found traces of a Mary Allen, Mary B Johnson, Mary Davis and a Mary Fitzpatrick."
"That's her!" Peter yelled excitedly.
"Mary Fitzpatrick?"
"Yeah, before she married my dad. I remember because I read her name behind one of her pictures. I asked my uncle why my mom had two names and he told me sometimes girls change their last name when they get married." Peter's head veered to the left in thought, fidgeting his upper weight onto the counter. "I still don't really get why. I mean, I like my name. Maybe my mom didn't like hers."
Occupied with his own thoughts, Tony let Peter's ramblings go over his head and replied to his AI, "JARVIS, what came up with her file? Was she a former employee?"
"No, sir. She was a scientist that worked for an independent research company. Her work was praised by a Stark Industries manager at the time and regarded her for consulting. She worked on molecular-"
"Engineering," Tony said. "I remember now. She wrote a killer paper on the mechanical properties of vibranium. How she got a hold of enough vibranium metal to research on, I'll never know. She was blonde, right? Glasses, no-bullshit radar."
Peter pointed at him, "Swear word!"
Tony put up his hands in surrender. "That's my bad."
"Correct, sir," JARVIS input.
He huffed in disbelief, uncrossing his arms and holding on to the counter for support. "I'll be damned. I did meet her." More than once, he recollected. Almost three times one night, actually.
"Told you!" Peter said, rather smugly.
"Okay, Harry Potter, you got me there. But I don't remember lawyering up against her." In fact, he didn't remember ever seeing her again after that night. He left his number and the words, call me next time you're in town, on a sticky note while she was still asleep and that was it. It was his trademark move and, admittedly, he wasn't proud of it. He was young, stupid and avoided all possible attachments. Now knowing that she had passed made him feel worse. She deserved more than the actions of a reckless playboy.
JARVIS answered, "According to the legal department, she was asked to sign a release."
Confusion raided his mind. "Release? Of what? What're you talking about?"
"It is stated that she had, in fact, been pregnant and claimed that the child she was carrying was yours."
Tony's eyes widened, he didn't remember any of this. He looked at the kid in front of him, who just stared at him like he was a piece of a puzzle. Tony felt something unpleasant settling in his stomach. Suddenly, he wasn't comfortable with the kid listening in. "Hey, kid. Why don't I show you the big TV?"
Peter's eyes widened at the prospect. "How big?"
"Almost as big as the ones you see in theatres." Tony didn't bat an eye at his exaggeration. With a kid that small he figured anything would be big to him.
"Whoa, really?!"
Tony watched him step off the stool and grab his bag. He then guided the kid to the living where a seventy-five inch TV sat against the wall. "Here, take a seat." He placed the remote in Peter's hands. "Watch any cartoons you want. Stay right here and I'll be back, okay?"
Peter nodded, his attention already on an episode of The Simpsons airing.
Tony marched his way to one of his study rooms and closed the door behind him, making sure to keep the rest of the conversation from reaching Peter's ears.
"Sir, I should inform you that I have received results regarding May and Ben Parker."
Tony paused. "Just give me a minute here. About Mary - you were saying that she had been pregnant, and what? She thought it had been mine?"
"That's right."
"Was she wrong?"
"There had also been an undisclosed DNA test."
"And?" Tony snapped, feeling his patience slowly wearing thin.
"It was a match, sir. The child is 99.999% your son."
Tony let out a startled breath, the shock firing through his system and almost rendering his legs incapacitated. He leaned against his desk and rubbed at his eyes vigorously. "H-how's that possible?"
"Well, sir, the act of sex-"
"That's not what I meant, JARVIS!" Tony snapped, releasing his hands from his eyes and shooting straight up from his desk. After a few seconds of contemplating whether to pace or sit, he turned to face his desk and place his hands for the sturdy support. "How did I not know about this? Who had her sign this release?"
"According to the database, Obadiah Stane."
The name had brought everything around him to a full stop. It was as if the air had seized and Tony had been engulfed by the vacuum, only the sound of his soaring heartbeat reaching his senses. It had been almost a year since the man's betrayal and still the name crawled under his skin like an infection and left a raw, vicious bite of anger and treachery.
That god. Damn. Bastard.
"Sir, your heart seemed to have elevat-"
Tony didn't hear the rest because the blood within him erupted, and before allowing any rationality to take over, his hands gripped at the desk and in one swoop of pure rage he tipped it over, sending every paper, file and abandoned mugs flying towards the ground. The force of the impact sent an ear-shattering crash outside the room.
JARVIS dutifully chose to remain silent.
"That bastard. That bastard," Tony yelled. "Even beyond his grave he's still screwing me over!" He paced maniacally. His gripped at his hair to look for something to do. "If he were still alive, I would kill him all over again. I swear to God."
After a few moments, JARVIS spoke up, "Sir, I should inform you that May and Ben Parker's names have shown up in the Samesun Venice Beach hotel database. There has also been an ATL on Peter's name. The police have been informed of his disappearance and they are actively looking for him."
As if being thrown back into reality, Tony exhaled a few breaths and eventually loosened the grip on his hair. Feeling his heartbeat dropping to an acceptable pace, he finally looked up. "Shit. Do you have a number for me, JARVIS?"
"A number has been listed next to Ben Parker's name."
Tony's phone pinged. "Thanks, J."
"Any time, sir."
Tony took one final breath, looking at the chaos he caused within the room, and cooled his mind to prep himself to face the kid.
No, his son.
Fuck, what was he going to do?
Tony grabbed the knob and whipped open the door, only to find himself facing the kid. His mouth dropped in surprise. Tony's wild eyes and crazy hair his hands rummaged through was leaving a disconcerting impression for Peter, who looked up at him with wide eyes.
Tony inwardly cursed. Just how much of his mad ravings had he heard?
Searching his brain to assemble some form of words, he asked, "I thought I told you to stay where you were?"
Peter visibly gulped. In a small voice, he said, "I-I was, but then I heard a-a crash. I just wanted to see if you were okay."
Tony closed his eyes tightly, the guilt of letting his anger run amok hitting him with full force. This was exactly why he didn't want kids. Tony had barely met the boy and he was already screwing up.
He closed the door behind him, hiding the mess he created from Peter's prying eyes. He led the boy back to the living room and sat him down on the couch, the TV still blaring on. Tony took a place beside the boy and spoke in a manner so tender he even surprised himself. "I got your uncle's number. They're really worried about you."
Peter sighed and looked down guiltily. "I know."
"I'm going to call them and bring them here, okay?"
Peter nodded, avoiding his eyes and willing to comply a lot easier than before. "Okay."
Tony's guilt swelled into unimaginable proportions. His stormy episode had startled the kid and now Peter was afraid to be caught in his hurricane. And Tony never hated himself more. Contrary to popular belief, he didn't hate kids. He just didn't know how to talk to human beings that small and not after his bank account. Itching to make some form of amends, he asked, "You alright, Peter?"
Peter nodded.
"Do you need anything? A drink, more food? I could get that for you, if you want?"
"I'm fine, Mr Stark."
Tony sighed, this wasn't working. "Listen, kid. I'm sorry if you heard anything. I can assure you, none of that was because of you."
Peter finally looked at him, pushing his glasses up with his small finger. "If you say so."
"I mean it. I'm not mad at you. Okay?" Hesitantly, he added, "I had this...friend and he lied to me."
"Sounds like he wasn't a very good friend."
Tony stared. It took him years to see what this boy saw in seconds. He then smiled at him. "No, he wasn't."
Not long after leaving the kid to watch mindless television Tony dialled the number JARVIS had given him. This time he stayed within close proximity to keep an eye on Peter in case he decided to run off elsewhere into the house.
A few seconds later, a tired voice from the other line picked up. "Hello?"
"Mr Parker?"
"Yes. Who's this?"
"This is Tony Stark."
Silence. Then: "O-kay, what can I do for you?"
"I just wanted to let you know that your nephew is here. With me."
"What?"
"I don't know how but he hopped on a bus and he came here."
"He hopped on a-" he paused. Tony heard a few murmurs and presumed Ben was letting his wife know. "Can you text us the address?"
"Of course." He sent the directions to his home to Peter's uncle. "If you want, I can have my driver come get you?"
"That's alright. We'll be there soon."
"And just so you know, Peter's okay. He's been fed, watered, entertained by a flat-inch. I'll make sure he doesn't go anywhere else until you get here."
"Thanks, we appreciate it." Tony heard a car door slam on the other line, indicating that they were already on their way. "Can you please put him on the phone?"
"Will do." He walked towards the boy, who was now watching an episode of Spongebob. Handing over the phone he said, "Your uncle."
Peter reached for the handset and hesitantly put it towards his ear. "Hey, Uncle Ben."
Tony could hear the man's voice on the other end. "Peter! Oh my God, kid, are you okay?"
"I'm okay, Uncle Ben."
Now he heard a woman's voice. "Peter? What were you thinking?! We've been worried sick!"
Peter said, remorsefully, "I know, I'm so sorry."
Ben's voice rang through again, "Is Tony treating you well?"
"Yes, sir. He made me a grilled-cheese sandwich and has the coolest TV I've ever seen."
Ben chuckled lightly. "Glad to hear it. Just stay where you are and we'll come and get you, alright, kiddo?"
"Alright."
"We love you," the aunt said.
"I love you too."
"Stay safe till we get there." Ben instructed, "Put Tony back on the phone."
"Okay." Peter handed him the handset. "He said he wants to talk to you."
Tony took it obligingly. "This is Tony."
"We'll be there in about an hour. Can you please keep an eye on him till then?"
"Of course. He's in good hands." He suppressed the urge to scoff at his promise knowing moments ago he strickened the kid to monosyllables. Of course, he couldn't express his own concerns and send a couple of worried parents, or aunt and uncle, to the brink of panic.
When Tony hung up there was an awkward period of seconds where his legs couldn't decide whether to keep his distance or sit back next to him.
Ultimately, he gave into the exhaustion from the aftermath of his emotional outburst and he sat beside the boy. Tony glanced at Peter every few seconds, his ceaseless curiosity tugging at him. Working up the nerve, Tony asked, "So, Peter, you go to school?"
Peter turned away from the screen, pushing his glasses up. "Uh-huh."
"And you like it?"
"Yeah, we learn a lot of cool things."
"Like what?"
"Like…" Peter put a finger to his chin in thought, then grinned. "Like how there are over a hundred different kinds of atoms and they're so small we can't even see them. And did you know, Mr Stark, that you have around 7 billion, billion and I think there's another billion, atoms in your body?"
"Wow, really?"
"Yeah, and get this: you replace most of them every year!" Something akin to worry crossed Peter's face. "I'm sorry, sometimes people tell me I talk too much."
Tony's heart pulled at his chest. Growing up as the youngest, nerdy kid in all his classes, Tony fought the same battle. He was beginning to wonder maybe that was just the curse in his genes. "You know what? People used to tell me the same thing."
"Really?"
Tony nodded. "And now people pay me to talk." The kid chuckled, which brought a smile to his face. He casually placed his elbow on the back of the couch, giving Peter his undivided attention. "So I take it that science is your favourite subject?"
"Yeah!" Peter said, excitedly.
Tony smiled. That figured. "Is that what you wanna do when you grow up?"
"Yeah! I wanna be a scientist just like my parents and you."
Tony made an effort to hide the discomfort sitting in his stomach. The last thing he wanted was for some kid to turn out exactly like him. Although, he wasn't going to say that to an eight-year-old who probably still thought Santa was real. Did kids still believe in Santa Claus?
"I'm going to build stuff like Iron Man."
Recent events of Vanko and Hammer Industries flooded his mind and Tony quickly said, "Trust me, kid. You don't want to get involved in that business."
Peter's face fell. "Why not? I could be a superhero, like you."
God forbid, Tony thought. "Why don't you just focus on research, like your mom?"
Peter looked like he was thinking it over. "I guess…"
"You can still do really cool stuff with that. Make discoveries, change the world."
"But I wanna fly and help people."
"You can still help people. Safely, on the ground." He may have been absent in the past eight years of the boy's life and would no doubt continue to disappoint this kid, the least Tony could do was make sure Peter lived through his life in one piece. This child, with his whole life ahead of him, should not have to suffer the consequences of someone else's actions.
Peter's eyebrows furrowed, as if he didn't quite understand what Tony was saying. Then he turned back to the TV.
Tony clearly said something Peter didn't like because he chose not respond. Their attention then flew to the cartoon. "You like this show?"
Peter shrugged. "I don't know, I've never seen it. We don't have cable."
Tony raised his brow. "You don't have cable? What do you do all day?"
"Build stuff. My uncle buys me a lot of legos and sometimes he buys car or plane models so we can build them together."
"Right, you mentioned you liked to build things." As if wanting to make up for shutting down the kid's dreams, Tony said, "Wanna see something really cool?"
With a new sense of enthusiasm Peter followed Tony down the stairs and into his personal lab. Tony ignored any part of his mind that screamed this was a bad idea. Sharp tools and repulsors did not mix with eight-year-olds, but he shook the opposing thoughts away. As long as he was there to supervise, he wouldn't let anything happen to the boy.
He entered the code and left the door open for Peter. "So, this is my lab."
Peter's jaw dropped, following Tony behind. "This is amazing. You build things here?"
"Yup. Everything."
"Wow." Peter's awestruck eyes wandered all over the area. From the tables, to the cars, to the helpless robots, and back to him. "Correction: this is the greatest day of my life."
Tony grinned.
xXx
"Sir, May and Ben Parker are waiting by the entrance."
If anyone asked him later, Tony would deny the mild disappointment that crept up on him. But he did find himself quite surprised by how...relaxed he was. Don't get him wrong, Peter was like a race car coming at him with a speed of questions, and half the time Tony didn't even finish his sentence before the next one flew at him, but in comparison to stopping supervillains on a daily basis, this was a welcoming change of pace. He also found that Peter had an impressive head on his shoulders. He was almost as smart as he was at that age, except he didn't have a father like Howard constantly pushing him to be the best.
Tony wondered if he ever would turn out to be as overbearing and that maybe it was for the best that he didn't know about Peter.
"Certainly. Let them in." He looked at the kid, who smiled at him like he held the moon and stars. "You probably really miss your aunt and uncle."
"I do. This was really fun."
"Glad you think so." Tony moved to lift Peter from the counter and lowered him to the ground. They walked their way back up, Peter reciting everything he had done with him in the past hour, including wearing an actual Iron Man helmet and not just his plastic one at home and gleefully playing with DUM-E, who had almost fed him an oil-based smoothie. (Tony instantly grabbed it away from Peter's hands and barked at the machine.)
"Uncle Ben, Aunt May!" Tony was startled out of his thoughts when Peter ran from his side and towards the couple anxiously awaiting.
"Peter!" the aunt said, kneeling down to hug him while the uncle ruffled his curls.
Despite the nerves eating at him, Tony raised his brow. That was his aunt? Who'd run away from that? "You must be Ben and May." He shook hands with Ben, then May when she stood. "Pleasure to meet you both."
Aunt May's face stayed stoic, but she smiled briefly nonetheless. "Likewise. Peter, why don't you say your goodbyes and we'll head to the car?"
Peter sighed in disappointment. "Alright." The kid turned back to him and grinned plentifully. "Thanks for everything, Mr Stark." Before Tony could do anything the kid wrapped his arms around Tony's middle and held as tightly as his feeble strength could.
Tony could to nothing but awkwardly clear his throat, avoiding Ben and May's gaze, and tap Peter's head like he was commending a labradoodle.
Peter let go and looked up at him once more. "I hope we get to do this again soon."
As if regaining his posture for the first time, Tony replied without really thinking, "Uh, yeah. Sure."
May held Peter's hand and she walked him outside to the car. Next thing he knew, he was left alone with Ben.
Despite the man's salt-and-peppery hair, he still upheld a fairly young and handsome quality about him. His features were kind, but Tony imagined they could easily turn firm under a scolding. His posture reminded him of the way Rhodey always held himself next to his sergeant. Military man, Tony figured.
"Thank you for looking after Peter," Ben said. "I can't imagine what went through his mind when he did this. I mean, he admires you but...he also likes Doctor Who. He wouldn't exactly track down Christopher Eccleston."
"David Tennant. He's the current doctor."
Ben looked at him oddly. "Right. It's more of Peter's thing, I don't really pay attention."
Tony nodded. A heavy silence falling between them.
Then Ben said, "They're waiting, I should go."
"Of course. Just… There's something…" He hesitated, then decided he may as well go all out. Because if he didn't clear things up now, he may regret it for the rest of his life. "The kid came to me because he thought I was his father."
Ben's eyes widened. "What? Where would he get that idea?"
Tony's face contorted into a grimace. "Probably because you accidentally told him."
The man's jaw dropped.
"He told me he overheard you talking and that I 'lawyered up' on Mary."
Something dark crossed Ben's face, but he had yet to add his input.
"I'm sorry for what happened," Tony continued. "What Mary had to go through was not right and it was unfair to Peter...and I want to let you know that-"
"That you don't want to be a part of his life. I get it."
"No! That's not what I was-" he took a breath. "Look, the truth is, I had no idea what Peter was talking about when he came to me. I had my computer scan some details on his mother till I finally got answers." Tony shook his head in dismay. "Mary tried to come to me but a team of people beat her to it."
"You're acting as if this is all new."
"This is all new! To me."
Ben's face twisted into disgust. "All Mary wanted to do was to tell you, and your work friend tried to pay her off-"
"He's not my friend!" Tony snapped. Quietly, he mumbled, "He wasn't… I didn't know that he pulled this, that he would pull this. I was naïve to think he would actually consult me. He got to Mary before I knew what was happening."
Ben stared at him with a loss of words. His scrutinising eyes searched Tony's for any dishonesty. Unsurprising, he didn't find any. "You're telling the truth."
"Yeah. I'm sorry you had been under the impression otherwise. For Peter, that I didn't..."
"Give a crap?" Ben added, though there was no snark under the comment. "With all due respect, Mr Stark, it was easy to assume."
Tony nodded in understanding. Truth be told, he wouldn't know what events would've unfolded had Mary approached him first. At the very least, he hoped he wouldn't have been as callous as Obie. Maybe he would have come to a civilised deal and offered financial support while keeping his distance. Or maybe, he would've surprised himself and decided to get involved.
Tony shook his head. It was all moot. Dwelling on it wouldn't change the fact that he was standing there trying to convince the kid's uncle that he did have some redeeming qualities. At the very least, he wouldn't sweep this under the rug and call it a day.
Unable to resist the temptation to keep things light, Tony said, "I mean, I always joked there might be kids out there that I didn't know about but I always made sure to be careful to avoid things like this." Tony's eyes widened as he realised how that might've come out. "I'm not calling Peter a mistake, I'm just saying-"
"I get it." Ben sighed. "I don't really know what else you want me to say here, Mr Stark."
"Me neither. I'm not...I'm not really sure what the right answer is."
Ben nodded, then said, "You want my opinion?"
"Sure."
"I think you should stay as far away from Peter as you can."
Tony's eyes widened at the blunt statement.
"And I don't mean that as an insult to you," Ben rectified. "As Tony Stark, you attract a lot of attention. As Iron Man, a lot of danger. And I don't want to extend that to my nephew."
Tony ignored the clench in his heart. "I see."
Ben's hard lines eased up. He offered his hand. "It was nice meeting you, Mr Stark. I'm sorry about what your...not-friend did to you."
Tony shook his hand, quietly mumbling, "I am too." A pause. "What're you going to tell Peter?"
Ben shrugged. "That he heard wrong, that you have a very busy schedule. Distract him. Put a leash on him at this rate," he chuckled lightly. "May and I will cross that bridge when we get to it." With that he turned to leave.
"Mr Parker?" Tony called out, his eyes softening. "He's a great kid. Take care of him."
Ben smiled. "I will, and he is."
"I'm willing to bet he gets a lot of that from his mother."
"He does...but I wouldn't overlook the rest." That was the closest thing to a compliment Tony was going to get from the man, and he took it. "Someday, he'll make great things happen. I just know it." Stopping just as he reached the door, Ben said, "And for the record? Mary didn't take a dime."
TBC
AN: Reviews are whipped into cake batter and served with ice cream :3
Fun fact: this was actually an idea I developed back when Iron Man first came out. Granted, I didn't have Peter Parker in mind, but I always imagined some random kid would come knocking at his door and claim Tony was his father. Now I can actually use this idea with Peter!