Peter laughed at the snapchat Ned sent, showing off his new game as he promised to come by that afternoon so they could play it.
"Why am I seeing a selfie of you and Ned all over the news?"
Peter turned at Tony's voice, seeing the news story roll on like it had all morning. "They thought Spider-Man died and they offered a reward to prove I wasn't."
Tony's eyebrow went up. "So, Ned sent a selfie in?"
Peter held up his phone, Neds happy face and new game on the screen. "Yeah, we split the money for the new red dead redemption game! Cool, right?"
Tony sighed, closing his eyes for a moment before opening them and smiling. "Peter. I'm a billionaire. If you wanted a game you could have just asked me instead of risking your secret identity for it."
Well, he hadn't considered that. The teenager sagged, frowning. "Oh. I didn't think of that."
Tony bent to pick up the remote and unmuted the tv. "Doesn't matter, I made sure they couldn't trace it back to you and I've made sure Ned's name isn't released. But there's something else."
He pointed to the TV and Peter stood, walking over to watch the grainy security camera footage playing. It was him, Spider-Man, being knocked down in a fight. Peter didn't remember any of it which meant it had to be the cause of his head injury. He laid on the ground, unmoving as other Avengers gathered around him, Steve protecting him from any threat while Natasha looked him over.
The news presenter spoke over the footage. "This video was just leaked to the public by the owner of the store this security camera belonged to and it clearly shows Spider-Man being injured in battle. Many have wondered where our city's web-slinging hero has gone and this may be the answer."
The footage cut to later when Spider-Man was waking up and getting up off the ground. He looked shaky and slow and Peter was kind of amazed he'd managed to get up at all. He'd hit the ground hard. No wonder he didn't remember it.
"It appears that Spider-Man did not escape without injury. While our sources confirm he is alive and well we suspect that he has been taking this time to recover. We can only hope that he isn't gone for good. Get well soon, Spider-Man. We need you."
Tony turned it off and turned to Peter as he waved a hand. "That footage was leaked last night and since then, people have been sending you stuff non-stop."
Peter didn't think he'd heard right and his words came as a squeak as he followed Tony to the elevator. "What?"
Tony couldn't help but smile as he pushed the button for the lobby. "Apparently the public have missed their hero and when they found out you were hurt they were...concerned. They sent you some things."
The elevator dinged, the doors opened and...Peter's eyes grew wide. There was a pile of letters and packages by the entrance, poor Happy still lugging in more. "These are for me?"
Tony watched the kid with pride as he tried to look bored. "Well, for Spider-Man. But yes."
Peter wanted to get his hands on all of them all at once but- "Wait. How did they know where to send it all?"
Tony crossed his arms and looked away. "I may have...set up something with the postal service so that people could just write 'to Spider-man' and it would be sent to a warehouse of mine." Peter smiled wide and smug as if he were SpongeBob catching Squidward eating Krabby Patties.
Tony rolled his eyes and pushed the kid towards his pile of letters. "No one knows our address, they can't track you. Just go open all your shit, will you? And don't make a mess."
Peter squealed, hopping towards his pile excitedly. "Thank you, Mr Stark!"
There were so many to choose from Peter almost didn't know what to open first until one caught his eye. It was covered in stickers and patches of glitter and Peter plucked it from the pile, inspecting the writing scrawled across the paper.
The teenager sat, smiling at the wobbly letters, obviously written by a kid just learning to write. He pulled the superhero sticker from the paper, opening the envelope and tugging the card free.
It was covered in glitter, the front a mess of colour and blobs of glue but Peter loved it. The inside was decorated with the wobbly writing of a kid, glitter pens smearing the letters but Peter sat on the floor and read it eagerly.
"Deer Spidormans my name is Emrys and I'm seven. The news sayd you got hurt and have to stay home to get better. I miss you a lot and I hope you get better soon. Love from Emrys."
Peter grinned from ear to ear and pressed the letter to his chest. "I love you too, Emrys."
He was about to put the letter down when a thought occurred to him. They sent him letters, why shouldn't he return the favour?
Grabbing one of the mail bags on the floor, Peter shoved as many letters and parcels in as he could and swung them over his shoulder, hurrying up to his room.
Tony dodged him on his way past, confused as he watched the boy hurry off with his luggage. "Pete, what are you doing?"
Peter barely turned his head to reply, excited and loud. "I'm gonna write some letters!"
He disappeared around the corner, only to pop his head back around a second later. "Um, is it okay if I reply to all of these? The postage is probably going to cost a lot."
Tony smiled and waved a hand. "Go nuts."
Peter beamed and ran off once more. "Thanks!"
There were a lot of letters and packages to sort through but it wasn't like Peter had anywhere else to be. Some letters were from kids, some from teenagers, even some parents wrote in telling him their kids missed them and that they hoped he was okay.
Peters favourites were the ones from people he saved. "Hi, Spider-Man! My names Harrison, you probably don't remember but you saved me once. The breaks failed on my motorbike and I thought I was going to die or kill someone else. But you swung across the highway and saved me. I just wanted to let you know that my daughter is turning one today and it's because of you that I was here to see it. Get better soon, man. We need you out there."
Peter almost cried when he pulled out the photo that had been sent with it. Harrison and his husband were sitting at a table, smiles lighting their faces as their daughter sat between them, Spider-Man cake squished beneath her fingers.
All afternoon Peter pulled letter after letter out of envelopes, treasuring the messages and stories inside. And he wrote back to every single one.
:::::::
Tony hadn't heard from the kid in a few hours and decided to check in on him, unaware of the decorating Peter had done.
The door opened, sweeping envelopes across the floor and the first thing Tony noticed was the two distinct piles.
One messy, shredded pile was just empty envelopes and packages and the other was made from towers of neatly stacked letters, all written carefully and addressed.
The next thing he noticed was the teenager himself, slumped on his desk and sound asleep. Ink was smudged across his fingers, with streaks of blue across his cheeks where he must have been rubbing his eyes. He looked happy even in sleep and Tony smiled, creeping up carefully and trying not to make a sound.
"Petey, it's Tony. I'm just gonna get you into bed."
The kid didn't show any signs that he'd heard until Tony picked him up and lifted him from the chair.
"Hmm 'm not finished."
Tony held the boy in his arms and walked to the cushy king bed as he laughed. "Yes, you are. You can finish tomorrow."
Peter sighed against his mentor's chest, giving in and falling back to sleep in an instant.
He looked so young as Tony lowered him onto the mattress, curling on his side and grabbing his pillow to bury his face in it.
"Goodnight Spider-baby."
He tucked him in and ruffled those curls, turning and going to leave the room only to pause when he finally saw the fruits of Peters hard work. He'd decorated his entire wall with the letters and gifts he'd received. There were pictures and drawings, photos and letters, as well as more than one get well soon teddy sitting on his desk and smiling with fluffy faces.
The whole wall was covered with well wishes and stories and thank yous from people Peter had helped, saved or inspired. The kid deserved it all and more and Tony couldn't help but feel proud of his little spider.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::
The next morning when Peter woke, the first thing he saw was the letters he'd pinned up. He smiled, chest full of pride and joy and a heaping dose of determination. He jumped from his bed and got dressed, heading out to the kitchen before his alarm had even gone off.
The Avengers were scattered around the kitchen and dining room, Clint and Rhodey lounging on couches in front of the TV, but Peter headed straight for Tony.
"Hey, there's the arachnid I was looking for. Here, I have your breakfast all ready with your meds."
Peter took a seat and dug into his breakfast, taking his pills from Tony without a fuss. It was a nice change from the past couple of days and it didn't go unnoticed by the other occupants of the room.
He shovelled his breakfast down with gulps of water between each mouthful until he'd finished it all. Tony raised an eyebrow at him which went unseen as Peter ran from the room.
"Gee, he's in a hurry, isn't he? What's he got planned?" Rhodey's words were tinged with laughter, happy to see the boy so energized.
Tony was about to tell his friend that he had no idea, when Peter ran back into the room, slowing his footsteps as he went as if he hadn't realised he'd been running. All eyes followed him across the room where he stopped in front of Natasha where she was finishing off the last bite of her breakfast.
She looked up at the kid, expression open and soft but Tony could see the slight lift of her left brow. Peter smiled and offered her his flashcards. "C-can you help me practice my words? Please."
Natasha smiled and took them "I'd love to."
It may have not seemed like much to some but every Avenger in that room knew that Peter had stopped participating in therapy almost a week ago. He'd given up, mood soured by the idea that he'd never get better and yet there he was asking for help to try again.
Tony's eyes stung with emotion and he blinked it away before he could start to cry, watching the two sit together and practice.
It was a pretty damn good morning.
::::::::::::::::::::::
Once Peter started working at his therapies again he saw changes and progress that he hadn't before. Speaking was easier and he wasn't bothered by seizures as much as he used to. Sure, he had bad days but they were always spent with pizza, movies and Ned.
He didn't feel the weight on him that he had in those first few weeks either. He saw a light at the end of the tunnel, something to work towards that was coming closer with every day. Until finally, it was there.
"Peter, can you come into the living room, please? We have something for you."
Tony looked strangely excited and Peter narrowed his eyes as he followed him out. "You know it's not my birthday right?"
Tony nodded and pressed a hand to Peters back, guiding him out to where everyone was waiting. "I know. What? I'm not allowed to give you things just because I want to?"
Peter laughed a little, nervously as they entered the living room, smiling Avengers waiting.
"Umm...what's this about? You guys are freaking me out."
May was standing there too, beaming and looking so proud. Peter didn't know what was happening. Bruce stepped forward, eyes bright behind his glasses. "You've had a really tough few months and you're working really hard so...Peter, we think it's time for you to try going to school again."
Peter's face broke out into a smile as he searched the faces around him for any sign of a joke. "You're serious? I can go?"
May brushed a hand over his hair as she reassured him. "You've been working so hard and you haven't had any big seizures for a while now. You start next week."
Peter didn't know what to say, there were so many emotions bumping up against one another in his head that he didn't even know what he was feeling. He was excited and scared and relieved all at once. It was a lot to handle.
"There's more."
All eyes went to Bucky as he pulled something from behind him. It was...a leash?
Peters' eyes followed the rope down to a beautiful blue staffy sitting obediently at the winter soldiers side. "Her names Tessa. She's a service dog and she's all yours."
Peter knelt as Bucky let go of the leash, the dog wiggling excitedly as she ran to her new owner and nuzzled against him. She smelt like a puppy and Peter rubbed his hands over her soft head as she smiled up at him. "She's mine? Really?"
Steve knelt beside the two, rubbing a hand over Tessa's rump as she wiggled. "Yeah, she's specifically trained for people with seizures so, she can take care of you at school."
Peter wrapped his arms around Tessa as she crawled onto his lap, resting her chin on his shoulder. "I love her. Thank you!"
Superhero or not, Peter Parker loved dogs and he was not ashamed to say he cried over his new friend. She was soft and warm and she whined as he cried, turning her head until she could lick Peters tears from his cheeks, making him laugh at the tickle.
"It's okay, I'm okay, Tess. Good girl."
Tessa wasn't just any good girl, Peter would go as far to say she was the goodest! They seemed to bond instantly and she stayed by his side all afternoon. He fed her treats and covered her head in kisses until she was smiling, tail wagging behind her.
She was trained to detect oncoming seizures and take care of Peter when they happened but it wasn't just seizures she'd help with, it was everything. If Peter got nervous or upset she'd whine and press against him until he patted her, helping him calm down and focus.
He loved her with all his heart and he couldn't wait to take her to school.
(Next chapter is the last chapter and it's already written so it'll be up tomorrow!)