Peter normally would have felt utterly mortified to be carried by Steve but right now he didn't feel anything except an overwhelming grief that swallowed him whole.
"The first day is always the hardest," Steve said to the teenage bundle in his arms. "I should know," he whispered but Peter didn't hear.
Steve was bringing him to his room which was given to him after sleeping on the couch half a dozen times after passing out post fight. The residential floor was huge. Steve couldn't imagine how tony had lived here all by himself before. The living room had couches and a large TV. It was connected to a modest kitchen by a breakfast bar.
Peter's room was equipped with bean bag chairs and a huge flat screen including a Stark videogame console and any game peter could ask for. His bed was king sized. When Peter told Tony that he really didn't need a bed that large tony just winked and said "someday you will". Peter being totally disgusted dropped the subject.
Steve deposited Peter onto the bed where he then curled up. Steve had hoped that peter would take his shoes off and go to sleep but things were never that easy.
"Come on Pete, shoes off," Steve said but peter made no move to take off his converse. Steve sighed heavily.
'Guess I'm doing this by myself' Steve thought. Only when he grabbed peters leg peter retracted it and curled in further on himself.
"I will be right back," Steve said patting peters leg. He didn't think peter should be alone and wanted to arrange shifts for people to stay up next to peter. Steve was surprised when he went to move that a hand had attached itself to his jeans. He was happy peter trusted him enough to want his comfort but he wished that it was under better circumstances.
"Listen bud, I'm coming back I just need to talk to the guys for a little alright? I will be back," he reassured one more time and reluctantly the hand slowly let go of him allowing him the freedom of movement. Sure Steve could have just told Jarvis to tell the team but he had more to report, things he didn't want peter to hear.
All the avengers (minus one) had gathered in the living room and Steve had just appeared. Immediately everyone jumped up at once yelling their questions at a very overwhelmed Steve.
"Guys shut up. Pete is trying to sleep," Steve whisper yelled. It shut everyone up pretty quickly. He sighed and fell into one of the love seats.
"I don't want him to be alone tonight…" Steve started and tony looked like he was going to say something but stopped when Steve shot him a glare.
"I said that I would come back so I will be the first one to take watch. But aside from that I'm a little more than worried about him. He seems unnaturally upset." Steve said.
"Well yeah, his aunt just died," Clint pointed out.
"No, I mean more then that," Steve said.
"But think about it cap. He hasn't just lost his aunt. He's lost his parents and his uncle. Think about when you were first unfrozen. What did you feel? He's not going to bounce right back from this," Tony said taking a sip of scotch.
"Yeah you're right. I gotta get back in there. In two hours I expect you guys will work out who will swap out with me," Steve said and got up leaving the group to discus today's extreme turn of events.
"This is going to hit him hard," Natasha said with a sigh once Steve left. The rest of the team nodded in agreement.
"I can't believe this happened to him," Clint said rubbing his hand down his face.
"He's too young" said Bruce who was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.
"We have to be prepared for the worst" she added after a pause.
"What exactly do you mean by worst, friend Natasha?" Thor said.
"She means depression or anything else that will come out of this," Clint elaborated grimly.
"I don't know about you guys but I'm going to be there for him every step of the way," Bruce said.
"Me too" said tony as he stood.
"And me" said Thor who joined tony.
"And me" Clint said.
"I'm not letting the men have all the fun," Natasha said with a wink.
"I just wish it... Damnit! Why'd it have to be him!?" Tony yelled his voice getting progressively louder. He threw his glass of scotch across the room. The glass shattered against the wall as the little bit of alcohol that was left soaked into the carpet.
"Tony! Calm down!" Bruce said laying a hand on Tony's back who shook it off and rubbed a hand down his face.
"We're all worried tony! He means so much to all of us! We know how you feel but you have to rein it in! If not for yourself then for peter who need supporting adults in his life not drunkards who are mad at the world… that's how villains are made," Natasha said with her arms crossed by Clint who had his arm snaked around her waist.
Natasha's words of wisdom did seem to get to tony though as he visibly calmed down.
"You're right I'm just…" tony trailed off.
"Upset, worried and angry," finished Bruce who sat beside his best friend.
"He's like my son," tony mumbled. Everyone seemed stunned by the words that came out of Tony's mouth. No one spoke. He elaborated "I can't have kids not with being Ironman. Too many enemies, too many envious people. Peter is the closest thing I have. He comes to me when he has issues, he gets embarrassed by me, he needs me and I need him and now I have what I wanted a son but I never wished for it to come on so fast or even this way" tony explained. It was clear that peter would be living with the avengers from now on. Fury definitely wouldn't let anyone else house Spiderman.
AN~ Hey guys thanks so much for reading and favoriting and following. Shout out to Agnes who wrote me a review!
