Omg. It's been two months. I am so sorry it took this long, it's been pretty crazy these few weeks.
I'd like to say I've grown these past few months and looking back on this it really isn't as great as I thought it was lmao. I'm working on a new fic right now and I think I can really step it up. For anyone who wanted to see where this goes, here ya go!
DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of these characters, Marvel does! I only own the plot!
"Pete?" Tony whispers.
"Hey old man. Welcome back to the land of the living." Peter chokes out.
"Miss me?" Tony says, laying his head back.
Peter scoffs. "You wish. I was about to have a party. You just dashed my dreams."
Tony chuckles and grips Peter's hand gently. "That's my job."
"Yeah?" Peter asks.
"Yup. When can I get up?" Tony asks, looking at Pepper.
"If it were up to me...never. You need to rest Tony." Pepper says, sitting next to Peter on the bed.
Tony huffs. "I'm bored!"
"You've been awake for 5 seconds ." Peter says, raising an eyebrow.
"5 seconds too long of staying still." Tony points out. Peter snorts and Pepper shakes her head.
Her phone rings suddenly and she looks at it, sighing.
"These idiots won't let me go. Peter keep an eye on him please." Pepper says, walking out of the room.
"Don't need a babysitter!" Tony calls after her.
"Yes you do!" Pepper responds.
Tony chuckles and turns his attention back on Peter who was looking at him with tears in his eyes.
"You getting all choked up?" Tony says jokingly. Peter just shakes his head.
"You were out for so long Tony." Peter whispers.
Tony nods, not knowing what to say. He takes a big breath and pretty much sums up their whole experience over the past week and a half.
"That fucking sucked."
"No kidding." Peter scoffs. "I'll tell Pepper you cussed in front of me."
Tony rolls his eyes. "Aw sorry baby. Let's go find your pacifier to make you feel better."
"While we're at it I'll go get your cane and dentures. You'll definitely need them." Peter smirks.
They both crack up and lean against each other. Both just physically and mentally exhausted.
"You know we have to talk about it right?" Tony asks gently. Peter flinches a bit and buries his head closer into Tony's chest.
"Do we though?"
"Yup."
"Agh."
"Stop it with your angsty teenager crap." Tony smirks.
"I reserve the right to be an angsty teenager. I'm a teenager." Peter says, sticking his tongue out.
"Real mature." Tony deadpans.
Peter smirks.
"Boss?" Friday calls.
"Yeah? What's up Fri?" Tony asks groggily. He smiles at his son on his chest.
"The Avengers are requesting to see you. They are all very worried." Friday informs.
"Yeah yeah. Bring them down." Tony smirks.
A couple minutes later Steve, Natasha, and Rhodey as well as everyone else comes rushing in.
They immediately relax when they see the huge smirk on Tony's face.
"Hey guys. You wanna get some shawarma?" Tony asks. Everyone except Wanda and Sam snickers, leaving the two super confused.
"You ok IronMan?" Rhodey asks, sitting next to him.
"Since when were you so mother hen platypus?" Tony grins. Rhodey shakes his head.
"Is he good?" Clint asks, gesturing to the sleeping Peter on his chest.
"Yeah. Babies need their sleep." Tony smiles, gently curling his hand in Peter's hair.
Everyone smiles softly. Their bond was remarkable.
Pepper comes back in and smiles at the Avengers.
"Hey Pepper." Steve smiles.
"Hey Steve. Hey guys." Pepper greets. She walks over to Tony and hands him a glass of water which he takes gratefully.
"Get well Stark. We need someone to annoy the crap out of us. Been too long." Natasha smirks.
"Hey! I thought that was Peter's job?" Tony says giving them a mock frown.
"Nah. He's too adorable." Wanda grins.
Tony shakes his head and they're suddenly all bursting out laughing.
"Wha's goin on?" Peter asks groggily.
The Avengers nod to Tony and walk out of the room quietly.
"Hey baby." Pepper says, ruffling Peter's hair.
Peter smiles his dopey grin. He was so happy to be home. "Hi Pepper." Peter mumbles into Tony's chest.
"Do you need anything honey? You've been asleep for a long time." Pepper says gently.
Peter frowns. "What time is it?"
"12:30." Pepper tells him.
"Oh. Wow I actually slept. That's surprising." Peter says sleepily.
Pepper laughs and looks up at Tony who was just looking at Peter with fond eyes.
"I'm gonna go get you guys some brunch. Don't blow the house up when I'm gone." Pepper says looking at Tony.
"We would be able to if you let us go to my lab." Tony points out.
"Exactly my point." Pepper says as she walks out the door.
"Buzzkill." Tony mutters, smiling.
"You ok bud?" Tony asks quietly.
"I don't think we can be Tony." Peter says, looking up to his mentor's eyes.
Tony breaks a little on the inside. He wouldn't wish this burden on anyone, let alone his kid. He vowed to never let Peter's innocence be tarnished. And he had let that happen.
"I'm sorry kiddo. I'm sorry about all of it." Tony tells him, running a hand over his face.
Peter frowns.
"It's not your fault. I'll never stop saying that Tony. Might as well start to believe it." he chastises.
Tony nods, letting out a huff. "We gotta talk about some stuff kid."
"I know. You've told me that like a hundred times. And each time I just want to forget about it more and more." Peter groans.
"Doesn't work like that kiddo. My worst mistake when I came back from Afghanistan was shutting everyone out." Tony tells him, looking at Peter with soft eyes.
Peter flinches at the mention of Afghanistan. He sometimes forgot that Tony had been through this before so many years ago. He stood his ground for three months and Peter couldn't even get through two weeks. It showed how weak he was.
"Ok." Peter relents.
They sit in silence for a bit, neither one of them wanting to start the conversation.
"Do you remember what happened on the first day?" Peter asks, his voice quiet. Tony's eyes flash fearfully. He knows exactly where this is going.
"Yeah. Yeah I do kid."
Peter swallows the lump in his throat. "Was that true?"
"Anyway. They tortured you, but it wasn't getting anywhere. And I think I figured out why." he says triumphantly.
"Yeah? Then let's hear it then." Tony says, yawning.
"It's because you hate yourself far more than any of us could ever hate you. It doesn't matter who we are trying to avenge or how much anger we have against you, you'll always despise yourself ten times more. Because you feel guilt for every single death you cause. You think you deserve to die. You deserve to feel pain. Which is why, my friends, they can't get the reaction they want from you." he says knowingly.
Peter looks at his mentor in horror as Tony looks at the floor.
"I'm right huh?" he taunts. Tony doesn't answer. Ryan grabs a few locks of Peter's hair and tugs upward painfully. Peter's eyes water as he keeps the yelp of pain inside.
Tony thrashes at his bonds, desperately trying to get to Peter. "Yes. Congrats. You figured it out." Tony says, glaring at him with every ounce of anger within him. Ryan releases Peter and the teen slumps into his seat.
Tony sighs. He couldn't lie to his kid. "Yeah. That was-...that was true kid."
"Why?" Peter asks brokenly.
"When you're responsible for as many deaths as I am, that's how you feel buddy." Tony answers, looking away.
"Tony. Those deaths weren't your fault." Peter whispers.
Tony raises Peter's chin to look into his eyes. "You see everyone as their best selves. That's sometimes not the reality. Especially with me." Tony hesitates. "I sometimes wonder when the time would come when you would finally realize the horrible person I truly am. The day when I would lose you." Tony shudders. He hated being this honest. But he owes Peter everything he had after what he put him through.
"I would never ever leave you Tony." Peter says, leaning his head into Tony's shoulder. "You don't understand how much good you've done. How many lives you've saved. Everyone makes mistakes Tony. Not everyone tries to fix them. And you did. And you still think you're a bad person." Peter sniffs.
Tony's heart melts. No matter how he felt about himself, Peter made him feel like the purest person in the world.
"Ok kid. I'll try." He whispers.
Peter wraps his arms around Tony and Tony pulls Peter into his chest and stroking through his hair, Peter feels so content just breathing in his scent.
Warm and safe. That's how his father-figure made him feel.
"Kiddo...you know that his family dying wasn't your fault right?" Tony asks.
Peter looks down and nods half-heartedly. Tony shifts to get a better look at him.
"We can't save everyone bud. I got firefighters at the scene and you were hurt. If anything it was my fault, but if you're hurt and someone else can take the job, I'm always going to choose you Pete." Tony tells him, rubbing his forehead.
"His wife and daughter Tony. 6 years old. A-And I didn't even know." Peter says, tears leaking out of his eyes.
"We saved everyone we could Peter. We didn't even know they were there. It was an accident. And plus it was on me." Tony insists.
"It was on both of us. I just wish…" Peter trails off.
"Yeah me too." Tony sighs.
Peter eyes suddenly widen. "Tony? What happened to you when they separated us?"
Tony frowns. "I already told you. I had to wait while that asshole was putting a bunch of shit in your head for 4 fucking days." Tony seethes. Peter squeezes his hand and Tony squeezes back, letting out a puff from his nose.
Peter lets out a sigh of relief. "So they didn't hurt you."
"No but fuck a duck kid. Those were the worst days of my life." Tony says, feeling tears at the back of his eyes.
Peter snuggles a little bit closer, grounding both of them.
"Tony…. what was it like?" Peter questions.
Tony looks down. "What?"
"Afghanistan." Peter replies. Tony shudders.
"It-ah...it sucked." Tony says quietly. Peter looks down.
"Did they…" Peter trails off.
"Yup. Everyday...two or three times." Tony says, rubbing arm.
"I-I'm kinda of…I don't know, afraid of water? Like I'll finch in the shower and just whenever I touch it. Drinking water was hard too. They had to put me on an IV for a long time." Peter tells him.
Tony looks down. It was basically a replica of what happened to him after he came back from captivity. PTSD, nightmares, aquaphobia.
"It gets better I promise kiddo. I'll be here with you the whole time." Tony says bringing him close. Peter smirks into Tony's chest and sighs.
"Can we stop? I'm tired."
"Ok."
"Tony?" May calls.
"Hey May." Tony says looking up from his cell.
"Is Peter asleep?" May asks. Tony looks at the teen.
"I think, but you never know with spider-kid. Fri is he asleep?" Tony asks.
"Peter is asleep boss." Friday replies.
Tony nods at May and she sits down.
"Pepper talked to me about the guardianship." May says, giving away no emotion.
Tony tenses. "Oh right...um, May it's completely your decision and I'm not trying to take your kid away or anything. I-I just you know I love Pete as a son...well God he's my kid. Not like I'm taking him away from you or anything it's just-"
"Tony." May interrupts. Tony falls silent and smiles nervously.
"Sorry." He mutters.
"I think it's a wonderful idea. This is all I've ever wanted for Peter." May smiles genuinely.
Tony's face lights up. And Pepper walks in. As soon as she sees Tony's face she knows May told him.
"Yes!" Tony says pumping his fist in the air.
Pepper raises an eyebrow in amusement. "You sure May? An 8 year old with too much money is going to be helping raise your kid." Pepper says, laughing.
"Heyyy!" Tony whines. "No takesies backsies."
"On second thought…" May jokes. They all laugh quietly.
"Thank you May." Tony says genuinely, purposefully avoiding her eyes.
"You two need each other." May says, a fond smile on her face as she and Pepper exchange glances.
Pepper nods and Tony looks at Peter.
They did, didn't they?
A few weeks later…
"Hey kid. How was school?" Tony asks, looking up from the sandwich he was fixing.
"It was ok. Me and Ned almost blew up the chem lab. We might have grabbed the wrong chemical." Peter says sheepishly.
Tony snorts and pushes the plate towards the teen as he dumps his backpack on the floor.
"Your so mean." Peter complains.
"Well what do you want me to do? Offer my sincere condolences?" Tony asks, smirking. Peter laughs and scarfs down the sandwich.
"Hey Pete. Is Tony bullying you?" Pepper asks, hugging him from behind. Peter turns around and grins at her.
"Yeah. He's being mean. I think you should yell at him." Peter says smirking as Tony gives him a betrayed look.
"How dare you. After all I've done for you. You little shrimp." Tony says coming over from behind the counter and flicking him on the forehead. Peter snickers as May comes in.
"Hey May!" Peter says, brightening at the sight of his aunt. May comes over and ruffles his hair.
"Hey baby. You guys are the cutest." May gushes over her little Peter laughs. May exchanges a look with Tony and Pepper as she silently hands him the envelope.
"Hey Pete come 'ere for a second." Tony says patting his back and heading to the living room couch. Pepper and May follow him grinning as Peter runs to catch up with them. They all sit and Peter looks at them expectedly.
"I don't really know how to put this." Tony says hesitantly. Peter frowns.
"You guys? What's going on? Tony has his serious face on. It's kinda freaking me out." Peter says looking at him with mock concern.
"You prick." Tony says, shoving him.
May and Pepper giggle as Peter shoves him back.
Tony thinks for a second before giving Peter the envelope. "Screw it. Here ya go kid."
Peter takes the envelope and stares at it for a moment. "What is this?"
"Open it." They all say at the same time.
"Ok ok jeez." Peter chuckles. He rips open the yellow paper, failing to see the anticipation on everyone's faces.
Inside there is a single document. Peter reads the header and feels a lump forming in his throat. No way. As he makes his way to the bottom of the paper, he lets out the smallest of sobs.
Eyes shining, Peter looks up to Tony's stressed expression before tackling him in the world's tightest bear hug.
"Is-" Tony laughs as he lowers the both of them to the carpet. "Is that a yes?"
Peter doesn't answer, instead just burying his face into Tony's shirt, taking in the scent of home.
Pepper and May join them on the floor and wraps their arms around the duo, May wiping a few of her own tears away.
"You ok buddy?" Pepper asks, placing a hand on his head.
Peter tries to speak but gives up after a few seconds of choking on his words. Tony chuckles softly and kisses the side of Peter's head.
"I love you bud." He whispers for only Peter to hear.
"Love you too." Peter sobs.
Maybe they won't be ok. But they'll have each other.
Thank you for sticking with this story! I love these characters so much and I'm glad you guys love them as much as I do! Stay tuned for some new fics if you liked this one!
Please leave a review! They make my day :)
See you guys later!