Author's Note: Hello, my lovely readers! And welcome back to Raise Me Up! We are finally on Chapter 8! We get to see what Rhodey and Tony talk about and a little bonding time for Peter and Vision! I hope you all enjoy it! But before we get to that…REVIEW REPLIES!
P34n6t: Thank you so much! I hope you continue to like it! :D
Peacockgirl: Yeah, I think Tony is in serious need of a pep talk, and who better than his best buddy? As for the kidnapping scenario, that will be in my oneshot series The Many Adventures of Iron Dad and Spider Son, which is in need of updating as well! It doesn't affect the plot in this other than being the event that made May see Tony would be fit for being named as a backup guardian.
Poohbear123: (Chapter 2) Yes, he is!
Nerdywriter07: Push it as long as you can, friend! I love doing review replies on the chapter! And thank you so much for your kind and encouraging words! It means a lot! And don't worry, I don't want to reveal too much, but one thing I can tell you is that Tony will absolutely be fine in this universe/Canon divergence!
CaptainMarvel123875: I'm so happy you reviewed! You're so welcome! I'm really glad you're enjoying it!
xSapphirexRosesxFanx: Lol, we'll have to see what happens!
Konoewpl: You're welcome! Thank you for reading! And as mentioned above, there's no IW and EG in this! Both Tony and Peter are safe from that! I haven't fully decided yet if there will be SOME version of it. It depends, but don't worry, they're both saf from that!
Disclaimer: I do NOT own anything related to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Chapter 8
From the minute Tony told Peter that he needed to talk to Rhodey, the latter knew that something was amiss. He had only seen Peter a few times around the holidays or whenever Peter stayed over at the tower, and based on those few times, Peter and Tony were almost always in the lab together…even when Rhodey had Tony look at his leg braces. The colonel and the billionaire had known each other for a long time, and it didn't take long for Rhodey to sense that something was up. However, for about fifteen minutes after getting down to the lab, Tony still wasn't saying anything. All he did was mumble to himself as he removed Rhodey's braces from his legs, so Rhodey took it as a cue to say something.
"So…uh…you have something you want to tell me?" the colonel finally asked.
"Why would you think I have something to tell you?" Tony retorted. Rhodey was right. There was something he wanted to tell his best friend…something about a will and how he was now in charge of a certain teenager, but he wasn't sure how to bring it up. His only course of action was to tinker with his leg braces…blaming himself more and more for allowing this to happen in Germany.
"Because you're doing that thing where you look like you're about to explode," Rhodey replied, "and you just told your junior lab partner that you wanted to come down here alone."
Tony closed his eyes. He should've known that Rhodey would instantly pick up on the fact that something was up when he told Peter not t join him. The billionaire sighed after a moment. "Where do I even begin?" he asked.
"From the beginning…"
Tony chuckled and rolled his eyes. "Okay…well…uh…" he turned to where Rhodey was sitting and sat down across from him, "it's about the kid."
"What about him?" Rhodey asked.
"Ummm…" Tony ran a hand through his hair, "he…and his aunt…May…ummm…they were driving home last night and…got in a car accident." He wasn't looking directly at his best friend, but he could feel the colonel's eyes on him and the wheels turning in his head. Peter was here, but where was May? "The other driver ran through his red light…and…crashed into them, and May…didn't…she didn't make it."
"Aw…shit…" Rhodey said. He exhaled. "How's he doing?"
"Not great," Tony replied. "I mean…he's fine now, but last night…Rhodey, he was so drained…and…sad…" he exhaled, "I-I had never seen him like that before, you know?"
"Well, you know better than anyone what it's like…the grief," Rhodey added after a moment.
"Yeah," Tony replied staring at his hands, "but I didn't handle it well at all. Not to mention, I was 21. Peter is going to be 16 in a couple months, and he lost his living relative."
Rhodey nodded. He remembered all too well what the following days were like after Howard and Maria died that night for Tony. He was a mess, and he tried his hardest to hide it. However, no matter how Tony tried to avoid his grief and hide it from others, Rhodey was always able to see it. "So…not that I'm trying to steer away from how Peter is handling this," he began, "but…how do you fit into all this?" He had a feeling that he knew the answer, but he needed to hear it from Tony.
"Well, for starters," Tony replied as he sat back in his chair, "he called me from the hospital and told me what happened, and I went to get him. A social worker was there ready to put him in the system."
Slowly but surely, the pieces of the puzzle were coming together. "And I'm guessing that's not what happened," Rhodey finally said prompting Tony to continue.
"Nope," he looked at his best friend. "Remember that thing May asked me about a few months ago?"
"Yeah, but you never really bothered to explain what that was."
Tony took a deep breath. "She…uh…she asked me if she could name me as Peter's guardian…in her will…in case…you know…" He still couldn't bring himself to say it out loud.
Rhodey widened his eyes. "You serious?"
The billionaire didn't say anything as he looked at the colonel.
"Wow…I-I mean…that's…wow…so, now, you're Peter's guardian?"
"In the eyes of the state, temporarily, but once we have a court hearing and all goes well, the judge will grant it permanently. It's not necessarily adoption, but it means that I will be able to take care of him for good. The social worker only wants to meet with Peter and me once a month to see how things are going for a while."
"No wonder you look so freaked out. This is huge…"
"Yep," Tony sighed as he ran a hand through his hair, "I'm scared out of my mind, Rhodes."
"I don't blame you, Tones. It's…going to be different…a lot different."
"No shit…and I know I've known Peter for a while and that we trust each other and are familiar with each other and that he's stayed over with me before and all that…but, Rhodey…I….I don't know how to raise a teenager. Given my history alone, I'm not someone who could be trusted to take care of another human being. I mean…w-what if I…become like Howard? Or what if…what if I screw up and the social worker says I'm not fit for this? I could lose him, Rhodey, and we would never see each other again. He would never see his friends again most likely."
"Hey, hey, Tones, take it easy," Rhodey said reaching forward trying to calm his best friend. "It's okay to be scared. In fact, I'd be concerned if you weren't scared. That already shows how much you care about Peter and that you want what's best for him, and all those upgrades you've given him…all the hours you've dedicated to spending time with him over the past year…the tough love you gave him…if that doesn't show how much you care about the kid and want to do right by him, then I don't know what is."
"But it's not raising him. All of those things I did while May was alive. I mean…we co-parented—I guess—occasionally when it was needed, but May…she handled that. I was Peter's mentor…someone who spent time with him occasionally."
Rhodey realized that Tony had a valid point. Tony might've acted like a parent or mentor to Peter, but that was quite different from actually being a parent or a guardian in May's case. "Okay, fair," he began, "but let me ask you something. How did May feel about Peter?"
"He was her entire world," Tony replied while having no idea as to why Rhodey was asking him this and where he was going with this. "She and Ben took care of him after his parents died, and they loved him like he was their own son. He was all she had after her husband died. She told me that she refused to let anything happen to Peter."
"Okay, now, think about it this way," Rhodey continued. "If May didn't trust you to be a good mentor to Peter, what do you think she would've done?"
"She probably would've put a stop to it," Tony answered simply. "She would've made sure he had nothing to do with me."
"Right," Rhodey replied, "but she never did, which means she trusted you to keep her nephew…her entire world…safe whether he was out there as Spider-Man or staying over with you for the weekend. Tony, she wouldn't have named you as a guardian if she didn't think you could handle it."
Tony stared at Rhodey before looking away again only to realize that Rhodey was indeed right. May cared about Peter. She loved him more than anything, and she did everything in her power to make sure that he had a good life and was happy. It made sense that she would've done something if she didn't think that Tony was a good mentor to Peter, and then his mind flashed back to his conversation with May a few months ago.
"He trusts you, Tony…and I know he cares about you just as you care about him…"
She was always able to see that Tony cared about her nephew, and that and all they had been through together was enough for her. With that thought, some confidence grew inside of him, but it came to a halt when one question came to mind.
"But what if I screw up with him?"
"Then you learn from it and keep going. There's going to be all kinds of bumps in the road, buddy, but knowing you, you'll get through it. And you're not going to be alone. You have Pepper, Happy, even Vision, and me. We're going to be there for you guys no matter what."
The billionaire smiled feeling his confidence growing a little more. "Thanks, Rhodes," he said.
Rhodey smiled in return. "Anytime. You would do the same for me."
"Yeah, I guess I would," Tony said as he stood up from his chair and continued to work on his best friend's braces. "So, you think of anything else I can add to these?"
"You know, I still can't believe you used to be Mr. Stark's AI," Peter said as he set up the gaming system at the TV as Vision sat on the couch behind him.
"Ah, yes, I remember my time as JARVIS quite fondly," Vision replied with a small smile. "Although, he hardly ever listened to my suggestions to test his new inventions and upgrades."
Peter couldn't help but chuckle at Vision's comment. "He barely listens to FRIDAY," he replied earning a chuckle from Vision. "Don't tell him I said that, by the way."
"Your secret is safe with me," Vision replied. "Are you spending the weekend with Tony again?"
Peter felt his blood run cold at the question. He knew Vision meant well, but it also became clear that Tony didn't inform the remaining Avengers as to what happened to him and May. He supposed that that made sense. Given everything that happened within the span of 24 hours, there was no time to do that…between the accident and their conversation from that morning. "Uhh…" Peter said as he finally finished setting up the gaming system and the game, "well, actually, Vision, I'm living with him…My…aunt and I," he moved to sit on the couch next to Vision, "we got in a car accident, and she…didn't make it."
"Oh dear, I'm so terribly sorry, Peter," Vision replied. "Rhodey and I had no idea."
"No, no, it's okay," Peter said as he held up his hands. "I didn't expect you to. The only people who know are Mr. Stark, Ms. Potts, Happy, and my best friend."
"I see," Vision replied.
"And my aunt apparently named Mr. Stark as my guardian," Peter continued, "so now, once a judge approves, he can take care of me permanently."
"Well, given how close you and Stark had gotten over time, it would seem that May Parker saw that and deemed Stark as someone who is capable of caring for you."
"Yeah, I mean…he's done a lot for me, and so far, he's trying his best. He doesn't want to see me go into a foster home." He knew that Vision was right. May was always an amazing person like that. She always seemed to recognize if something was good or bad. Sure, she expressed her doubts about the "Stark Internship," but once she realized what was going on and that Peter was Spider-Man, she never tried to get him to stop. She respected it and tried her best to support him in any way. There were even times when she and Tony teamed up and co-parented a few times.
"Well, I'm sure you two will adjust," Vision replied. "Tony cares a lot about you, and if I'm correct, you care about him, too."
Peter smiled at Vision. Oddly enough hearing Tony's former AI offer his support made him feel a little better…more hopeful. He knew he cared about Tony, and he knew that Tony cared about him as well. May said so herself.
"They both care deeply about you." She of course referred to Ben as well, but she showed how much she recognized how important Tony and Peter were to each other as well. Now, hearing someone else…one of the remaining Avengers express that thought as well made him smile and somewhat more confident.
Not long after Peter's conversation with Vision, Tony and Rhodey returned from the lab, and from what Peter could see, Tony seemed like he was in a good mood. He didn't seem upset or angry, which could only mean that whatever he talked about with Rhodey helped him feel better. The rookie superhero made a mental note to ask him about it later on the way back to the tower. For now, he just needed to enjoy the day with Vision and Rhodey, and he could tell that the billionaire needed that too. As soon as the two best friends returned, they were ready to start the videogame, which was usual Mario Kart.
Eventually, Peter ended up winning with Rhodey coming in a very close second and with Tony and Vision behind them. So far, the day was a good distraction for Peter. However, every once in a while, Peter found himself remembering his circumstances…May was gone…dead, and while he also remembered that Tony was his new legal guardian…the pain in his heart…the grief was still there. The whole time he wished she was there enjoying this day with them…not dead, but he pushed through the grief trying not to burst out crying.
However, it wasn't until the pizza they ordered for lunch came. He thought about all the pizza nights they used to have together…used to…and that was enough for the tears to form in his eyes again. He tried to make it look like he was only yawning, but when that didn't work, he quickly excused himself and left the common room leaving Tony, Rhodey, and Vision in a state of confusion. Although, Tony had an idea as to what was going on, but he was once again caught in the dilemma as to whether or not he should check on his…charge…or kid… The terminology was still a little fuzzy.
The billionaire looked at the colonel and his former AI, who were looking at him clearly trying to see what he would do. He wasn't sure what happened, but he suddenly stood up forgetting about his pizza and walked out of the room.
For a teenager, Peter was able to get out of the compound pretty quickly. Thankfully, all Tony had to do was ask FRIDAY.
"Peter is currently in the back at the dock, boss," the AI replied.
"Thanks, Fri," Tony replied absentmindedly as he quickly made his way out of the compound.
Sure enough, he found himself in the backyard of the compound looking out over the lake, and it didn't take him long to find Peter sitting on the dock. Tony wasted no time in walking over to him. The kid had his back to him, but from the tone of his voice when he left, he had a feeling that tears weren't too far behind. That was to be expected given that May had been gone for a day…only 24 hours. The billionaire kept walking until he was right next to Peter, and he gently placed his hand on Peter's back and felt Peter jump slightly. He must've known that it was Tony because he didn't look at him.
"You want to be alone, kid?" he asked. Although, he felt like he knew what the answer was.
He was right. Peter shook his head.
Tony sat down on the bench next to him wrapping an arm around him pulling him close so that his head was on Tony's shoulder.
"I'm sorry," Peter finally said after a moment. "I don't mean to get upset. I-I just…" he took a shaky breath, "it's stupid. I-I took a look at the pizza and…" he sniffled, "it…it made me think of all the times May and I would get pizza…" Tears flowed down his cheeks. "Now…we're never…going to get to do that again…" He sobbed. "I'm…I'm sorry…I—"
"Peter…Peter, listening to me…" Tony replied wrapping his arm tighter around him, "you…don't need to apologize for grieving, okay? You hear me?"
"B-But…I shouldn't be just crying out of nowhere. I-I mean…" he sniffed, "I…I'm a teenager…a superhero, and how does that my gratitude to you…for what you're doing for me?"
"Hey, hey, that's bullshit, okay?" Tony retorted. "Maturity and gratitude have nothing to do with grief. Everyone needs to deal with it in his or her own way, and that means letting it out instead of bottling it up. So, if you ever need to cry or scream or whatever you need to do to let out the grief, you can come find me, and we can go somewhere private…like here…and just let it out. Or if you want to be by yourself or can't find me…if there's something else you want to talk to, that works, too, okay? You don't need to hide anything or bottle anything, up, okay?"
The teen slowly nodded. It reminded him of what May had said to him after Ben died…that it was okay to let it out. He didn't remember crying much after the fact, but the first few days were rough. However, becoming Spider-Man was an outlet for him, so maybe it could work again. He wasn't sure… Right now, like whenever May held him after Ben died, being here with Tony made him feel comforted, grounded, and safe, and for now, that was enough for him as he slowly lifted his right arm from his lap and reached up to grip Tony's shirt seeking more comfort…all while hoping that he wasn't overstepping boundaries.
Tony felt Peter's hand grip his shirt and couldn't help the smile that formed on his face and a warm feeling. Ever since that day Peter turned down the Avengers, he and Peter usually patted each other on the shoulder or the back and embraced each other from the side wrapping an arm around the shoulders. Hugs were few between them, especially after he joked with Peter that day in the car that they weren't there yet. However, now…without even second-guessing himself, he wrapped his other arm around Peter pulling him into a full embrace.
More tears streamed down Peter's face as he turned his body, so that his arms wrapped around Tony's middle and his face buried in Tony's shoulder. "Are you trying to tell me we're there, Mr. Star—Tony?" he asked with a small smile.
Tony chuckled as he hugged Peter just a little tighter. It had become a little inside joke between them during the few times they did share a hug. "Yeah, kid," he said quietly. "We're there. Considering that you're calling me Tony and living with me, it would be weird if we weren't."
Peter laughed. "This is nice…" he said with a small smile growing just a little wider. "I…I've liked our hugs."
"Yeah, Pete," Tony replied, "it is nice." He paused for a moment before continuing. "You ready to go back inside?"
"Can we stay out here for a few more minutes?"
"You got it, kid."
Author's Note: Annnnnnnnd that's all for that chapter, boys and girls! I hope you all enjoyed it! I did want to quickly address that IW and EG will not be canon in this! I haven't decided yet, but there MIGHT be a version of it. Just know that both Tony and Peter are safe from IW and EG canon in this! This is canon divergence, which is the most amazing thing ever! Anyway, feel free to find my on Tumblr if you wish to talk more about the story or PM me! Thanks again for all the support! See you in the next chapter!
