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Chapter Text

When Peter told Dr Strange to re-cast the original spell, the one that would make everyone forget Peter, he thought people would forget him and that would be just that. He'd be an 18-year-old braving life on his own, nothing special.

Instead, he woke up at the police station, tear tracks on his face. His parents had just died and he hadn't met anyone he cared about yet. Everyone forgot Peter because they hadn't lived it yet, or this version of them didn't (was it time travel or dimensional travel?).

What about Aunt May? You might ask. Well, you see... Peter had been an asthmatic, almost legally blind, sickly, blond child. His hair had gotten brown on its own, Peter had no memories of having blond hair, actually, but he had seen the pictures.  This  Peter was, however, a healthy brunette nine-year-old. In time/dimensional travel Peter didn't keep his age, but he kept his powers and memories. So when he had woken up and an officer explained to him his situation (they thought he had forgotten because of trauma. He couldn't really correct them) Aunt May arrived, took one glance at Peter and said 'That's not my nephew!'

Peter could have stayed, he could have explained to Aunt May everything that should have happened to this time's Peter or even explained everything from his actual past, but Peter knows what is happening right now. He remembers watching the news with Auntie May on the same day he moved to her one-room apartment. Mister Stark was kidnapped and Peter, already knowing who was behind it, would start gathering evidence now.

It's a long way from New York to California, but Peter will find a way. He always does.

Chapter Text

Stark Industries had a huge flaw in its security system, the flaw being: Friday doesn't oversee the building's security, meaning that if someone (like, say, Peter) who shouldn't but knows all of its security protocols and whatnots then they can enter the building whenever they want, with everyone being none the wiser. Child's play, really (heh). Tony's mansion on the other hand? With Jarvis taking care of it? Peter has some tinkering to do.

Tony Stark was held in captivity for three months. Peter thought about waiting until Iron Man's first appearance before showing Mister Stark the evidence Peter gathered, but... Peter  has  a choice, to either let life take its course, the same one it did last time except no Spider-Man this time around, or risk his life trying to save the world before it even knows it needs saving. Peter would give Mister Stark a choice, even if he never gets to have Iron Man as a mentor, maybe Tony Stark would live a longer life.

So, when Tony, Pepper, Happy and Colonel Rhodes walked into the living room Peter waited just long enough for them to sit down and dropped from the ceiling, landing on his feet and raising his hands open in a sign of 'I surrender'

Peter felt physical pain when he stopped himself from laughing at the adults' screams

"Uh... Jarvis? Why is there a child in the house?"

"Where, sir?"

Peter smiled his 'troublemaker' smile. Natasha had been right, he should work on keeping a poker face, it would have been useful...

"Right in front of me, Jarv, two meters between us, maybe a little more"

"My cameras and sensors only read you, Miss Potts, Mister Hogan and Colonel Rhodes"

"Sorry, Mister Stark," Peter noticed Colonel Rhodes's hand resting on his gun, Pepper's cellphone had 911 already dialed and she had her thumb over the call button and Happy tense body language. Tony was worried, but his curiosity was much bigger. Maybe that was why they got along so well "If-- If my math was right, and I kinda hope it is, really, then Mister Jarvis can't see or  hear  me. I had thought about hacking him and making an entry on myself as all-access authorised personnel, but with no one to check my work after I was done, I was afraid I would make a 'back door' for other people to copy me. So, if I can't make Jarvis recognize and accept me then I have to make it so he doesn't notice me, right? So I made this little device, it's really cool, really, but I won't share, not even with you, Mister Stark. The device works like an 'invisibility cloak' but it only affects electronic devices. It might be my greatest invention so far, but the only way to keep something a secret is if only one person knows it. I have no issues with people knowing I have this device, but I don't want anyone else to be able to make it. There are many bad people in the world, some  very close  to us--"

"Woah, woah, woah, kid! You almost lost me there. Listen, as much as I want to hear you talk about your invention I also want to rest. It's been a long three months for me, kiddo, but do you know what I would like  the most  right now?" Peter shook his head, afraid he might cut Tony off if he tried to answer verbally (If Tony could  never stop  talking that would be heaven) "I would like for you to explain  why  you are in my house, instead of how, especially since it might convince my oldest friend that  shooting a  child  is  not  a viable option"

"Oh, yeah, right! The whole reason I'm here!" Peter put his hand in his pocket and fished out a pen drive, he made the movement excruciatingly slow for himself (maybe not that bad for normal humans) "I came to give you this" Peter put the pen drive on the coffee table between him and Tony and pushed it towards Tony, walking away from the table and back into his original position before he started talking again "You don't like to be handed things, so..." Peter shrugged "Anyway, I gathered as many evidence as I could, I hoped it might help you, although I don't know how much it would. It depends on what you choose to do, I guess. If you choose to hand it over to the authorities you can go back to living a normal-ish, safe-ish life you've lived so far. If you chose to deal with it on your own you'd have two other choices: Do it now, you'd only deal with him, but wouldn't make an enemy of the people he works with, or wait until he starts working on his 'master plan' and end up taking care of him and many people he works with"

"Okay, now you lost me. Evidence of what? And who's this 'he' you keep talking about?"

Peter cringed, sometimes, especially after his passing, Peter thinks of Tony like everyone else does, like someone who knows everything.

How does one explain you've been betrayed by the man who watched you grow up?

"Well... Uh... You see... It's that... 'He' is... It's..." Peter sighed, time to do what he always does when he can't think of what to say. Talk without thinking and hope it comes out alright "The traitor, the one who ordered your death but got you captured instead"

Happy got red with anger, Pepper looked horrified, Colonel Rhodes went through all the stages of grief in seconds and Tony? Tony looked resigned. He knew it was coming, but now he'll know who it is and have to deal with it somehow. Peter's heart hurt. Why did people have to suffer? Tony wasn't a good person  yet , but that doesn't mean that he deserves it.

"Jarvis?"

"Yes, sir?"

"Order our usual order from Burger King, okay? And double mine, you can't see the kid but he looks like he's starving"

"Right away, sir"

Peter expected many possible reactions, but that was  not  one of those

"Oh, uhm... Cool. I'll eat anything you give me, Mister Stark. In case you were worried I'm a picky eater... Also, uhm, I want to help with the... traitor stuff"

"Sorry, kiddo--"

"Rephrasing! I  will  help with the traitor stuff, I would like to be able to communicate openly with you, sir. With all of you, actually"

Tony looked surprised Peter cut him off, Colonel Rhodes looked angry and opened his mouth to, probably, scold Peter and turn his plan down, but it was Pepper who took control of the situation

"Well, sweetie, while we wait for our food to arrive why don't you tell us a little about yourself?"

"What do you want to know?"

Peter didn't mean to sound so distrusting, he does trust everyone in this room, it's just that... They don't know him, why is Tony feeding him and why does Pepper want to know more?

"What's your name? I'm Pepper, these are--"

"Colonel Rhodes, Mister Hogan and Mister Stark. I know. But to answer your question, Miss Potts, my name is Peter"

"Peter?" He knew she meant something by that question, but he didn't know what. She was using her baby voice, which isn't as annoying as other people's, but it's not helping put Peter at ease or in a better, more talkative mood like she probably meant. Peter nodded at her "That's a very pretty name"

Peter squinted his eyes at her

"And where, exactly, do you think flattery will get you?"

Thanks to his enhanced vision Peter noticed Pepper's micro tells of surprise and displeasure, but with a person's normal vision you'd only notice she's deep in thought

"Your parents' address would be the end goal, but anything other than 'strange kid' is a positive"

Pepper replied with her PR voice which got a smile out of Peter. The smile didn't go away even with his reply

"Sorry, Miss Potts, I don't have those. But my favourite colour is red!"

Tony smirked at Peter even though the others looked worried. Can you blame Peter for having Tony as his favourite?

"You don't have parents?"

"Interesting question from the head of security of an orphan. Also," Peter shrugged and smirked "Couldn't afford 'em" Tony laughed and Colonel Rhodes took a little while to follow, Pepper looked done with Peter already and Happy was looking at Peter with an indifferent face, but with the 'I'm dead inside and it's your fault' eyes. Peter smiled wilder "Legal guardians are over-extimated, anyways. Next question?"

"What's on the pen drive? Who's the traitor?"

Peter grimaced at Colonel Rhodes's question, but Tony was the one to answer

"Food first. Life-altering revelations later"

After food, everyone watched all the footage, other videos and written data Peter collected. Everyone wanted to take the evidence to the authorities, everyone but Tony and if Tony chose this Peter would follow and help him.

Tony also lent Peter a t-shirt for him to use as a pyjama and let Peter have a guest suite for an indefinite amount of time. Is Peter worried about what the adults are thinking of doing with him (foster care is hell)? Yes. Is he grateful enough for the food and safe place to sleep to not interrogate the adults just yet? Also yes.

Chapter Text

Peter dreamed (was it even a dream?) of Mysterio again. He woke up (maybe) with a start and sat on the bed. Something was squeezing his heart, it hurt. Peter had lived in the past for three months, but had he really? Wasn't it just one more of Mysterio's tricks? Peter pressed his eyes closed, he was planning to use his Spider-Sense to make sure this place was real, but he started crying, sobbing loudly, and hyperventilating. He heard Jarvis's voice but it sounded far away, and then he heard Jarvis twice in two separate and more distant places.
He heard quick footsteps towards this room. Someone was coming for him, running probably. Peter started crying harder and hid under the covers, he is tired of all the fighting, he just wants to exist. The door opened with force and Peter let out a terrified squeak, curling more into himself. The person took one step into the room and Peter started screaming
"No! Please, no! Don't come! Don't hurt me! Please! I'm tired! No more! Please no more!"
The person froze where they were and they were soon joined by someone else, this someone else heard Peter repeating his pleas, crying and hyperventilating and ignored it all. The person walked to the bed and sat on it close to Peter who only noticed he was trembling because now he froze completely
"Hey, kiddo, can you tell me what you are feeling? The sheets, for example"
"You'll hurt me! You will!"
The person took a deep breath and answered with a stern voice
"Answer my question, then"
"The sheets! The shirt, the pillow, the blanket... my heart squeezing and your body warmth close to my feet"
"Great, great. Good job, kid. What do you hear?"
"The electric buzz all over the room, your voice, your chest humming, the other person's breathing, my voice, the waves at the beach"
"Oh...'Kay. Do you think you are ready to come out of the covers and look around?" Peter didn't answer and the man didn't sigh nor sound angry when he started talking again "Okay, that's okay. Tell me what you can taste?"
"Metal-- Blood, I mean blood. And morning breath... and tears and, ew, snot"
The man laughed, but it sounded a little wrong, a little forced and weak
"Yeah, snot can be very gross, huh?" Peter didn't answer again "I want you to come out of the covers when you're ready, okay? I'll be here waiting for you and Pepper will be getting us breakfast, okay?"
Peter didn't answer again but the man stayed on the bed and the other person left the room. They both stayed quiet and unmoving for a long while, the man was taking deep, exaggerated breaths and Peter found himself copying him. As Peter calmed down he also started feeling tired, which means he still didn't recognise the man or the room where he was, but he made a sort of cocoon with the blanket (still hiding his head) and made his way to the man's lap woobily. Peter pressed his ear against the humming part of the man's chest and let out a sigh.
"I like it" Peter touched the humming and hard part of the man's chest so he knew what Peter was talking about "It sounds like safety"
Peter woke up again sometime later, as disoriented as before, but not as panicky. He yawned and looked around, he was in Tony's workshop, strapped to the man's body with blankets and his head resting on Tony's chest, ear to the arc reactor. Suddenly a protein bar appeared in front of him and he grabbed it, looking up to Tony's face.
"Hey there, kiddo. I wanted to give you breakfast but it's too late now and I think Pepper will kill me if I spoil your lunch. This will have to do, okay?"
Peter nodded and looked around again. He had never been in Tony's workshop back at his house in Malibu, but it looked too... something. Clean, maybe? No, I mean, yeah a little, but that's not it. Something was missing here. It took Peter a while to notice that there were no pieces of the Iron Man suit around being upgraded or fixed. That made sense, but at the same time, it wasn't something Peter was expecting.
"Mister Stark?"
"Yes, Peter?"
"I made a device that stops other electrical devices from noticing me..."
"Yes, you did"
"Can I help you make whatever it is you want to make to stop Obadiah? I promise to be actually helpful and not get in your way"
Tony sighed and looked at Peter tiredly before doing the pained face that usually accompanies an 'I sounded just like my dad'
"Let's see if you can keep up first, okay, kiddo?"
"Okay--! Is that a blueprint of the arc reactor?!"

Peter woke up the next morning from another nightmare, this time when he was dusted. Tony held him while he cried and pleaded to not be left alone, to not be killed.
Later that day, when they finished making a better version of the arc reactor Peter was the one to change the reactors under Tony's instructions (Peter gave Pepper the old arc reactor since Tony didn't want it and Peter would be too tempted to make an Iron Man suit for himself just to see if he could now that he didn't have Tony's old/future blueprints as a guide).

The next day Peter woke up feeling like he was suffocating. Concrete ceilings did that to him sometimes nowadays. His nonsensical mumblings in between gasps for air must not have been that nonsensical at all since Tony took Peter up to the rooftop and sang nursery rhymes in a language Peter didn't know (maybe Portuguese, maybe Spanish) while holding him and swaying lightly
Later they called Colonel Rhodes, but he didn't want to be involved in anything if it wasn't handing the evidence to the authorities and arresting Obadiah. So Tony and Peter started working on an Iron suit just the two of them.

Vulture throwing an aeroplane at him. Crying on Tony's chest. Tony started working on assembling the boots while Peter wrote down any ideas he had for the Iron Man suit and worked on his own project

Thanos throwing a moon at Peter and his allies. More crying. More working on Iron Man and Peter's device

Auntie May dying. Auntie May rejecting him. 'That is not my nephew!' running through his head on a loop. Peter stayed hidden in the workshop while Obadiah visited, he was quick to look into the Stark Industries database and show Tony that Obadiah was the one who had started the 'Post-traumatic Stress' injunction against Tony. They worked on the Iron Man suit with new vigour

Skip Westcott. Peter hated these nightmares, they froze him so badly that not even Jarvis was able to notice he was awake and in distress. So frozen he couldn't do anything but hear everything happening around him, including the discussion Pepper and Tony were having
"You can't just keep him, Tony! Orphan or not he must have a family to go back to! And even if he doesn't there's a whole process!"
"I know there is a process! I want you to make it faster! If his family was treating him right he wouldn't have even more nightmares than me! Me, Pepper! The one who was shot at, nearly exploded, kidnapped and tortured for months! I can't let him go back to those people! And what if he ran away from the system, huh? What if they are just letting him get hurt again and again?"
"Tony, a child isn't a project you just pick up and tinker with until you're satisfied or until you notice they aren't going to work and then trash them!"
"Pepper I know--!"
"They aren't just tools, either, you can't keep the boy downstairs making your projects with you"
"Pepper you aren't listening to me!"
"Listening to you?! Tony, you're not responsible! You aren't father material! Tell me anything you know about the boy that I don't"
Peter sat up slowly, Jarvis asked if he should warn Miss Potts and Boss but Peter shook his head. Standing up on wobbly legs and face pale like a ghost Peter made his way to Tony and Pepper stumbling every now and then.
"He's genius. Sometimes even I can't keep up with him. He has great ideas. He has a great moral compass, too, I know you don't agree because of the breaking and entering but he does. If any kid is ever going to grow up and be as perfect as Father used to say Captain America was then this kid is Peter. He is sassy and likes things other kids wouldn't, like sour or bitter candy and math. He was born to be a great man, someone like Father, who changed the world, but better. Peter would be so much better. But you know what, Pepper? I might not know his last name or if he has any living family but I know that if he never lives up to his potential, if he tells me that he doesn't want to go to the workshop with me and instead want to play videogames all day long, even if he never does anything with his life but use my money I still want to take care of him, I still want him to be my son. You don't know--"
"Parker" Both adults whipped their heads towards Peter, surprised by his sudden appearance and then his actual appearance, with the pale face and sweaty skin they probably thought he was sick. Tony didn't hesitate to go to Peter and check his temperature "My full name is Peter Parker. My parents were scientists who died in a plane crash. My aunt, my only living relative rejected me on the same day Tony was kidnapped. I want to stay and work on the workshop with Tony because Tony makes me feel safe and the 'work' is very, very fun. I have been on the system before, I'm not sure I would survive it again" Tony picked Peter up and Peter used the little pause to put both hands on Tony's face, making sure he was paying close attention to Peter's next words "Anthony Edward Stark it would be my honour and pleasure to be your son. As much as I do love my aunt and will accept her back into my life with open arms when she chooses to come back there is nothing I want more than to be your son. Please adopt me"
Tony's eyes immediately started to water and Pepper let out a sigh and sat down, covering her face with her hands but leaving just enough space that Peter could see the huge smile she had. Had she been so harsh to test Tony? Peter never had the chance to know Pepper well enough to read her as he did Tony.
"You two are going to be the death of me, you know that?" She let out another sigh "Should I tell both the lawyer and PR teams to prepare for the adoption procedure? Or will you have a more private approach this time, boss?"

Chapter Text

Peter was there for all of the Iron Man suit's tests, the one where the suit froze up and he almost fell to death was the most scary and yet most thrilling one.

Peter was also there when Dad (not official yet, but does that really matter?) decided to go to the Stark party the lady on the news was talking about. Dad had called Happy and told him to take Peter to a mall or something and buy everything the boy needed or wanted. So here they were.

Peter didn't want to buy clothes, which made Happy look exasperated (poker face, expressive eyes). They bought 5 shirts, 3 hoodies and 2 jeans pants, Happy tried to convince Peter to buy more and to buy shoes, too, but he wasn't successful.

Peter didn't want to buy toys, which made Happy look worried (poker face, expressive eyes, as always). He didn't manage to convince Peter to buy anything.

Peter did want to buy school supplies, mainly to have somewhere to put the roughest sketch of his ideas down but studying and learning are cool, too.

Peter had heard Happy asking himself why the boy didn't try to buy the whole toy store and how worrying it was. Peter disagreed, of course, even with two scientists as parents he never had much, and then with Auntie May it was worse financially. He didn't answer Happy's question, because how does one say 'I know Dad's fame and that the chance of him successfully adopting me is slim' without worrying the other person even more?

Peter was eating an apple and working on an updated version of his web fluid when he heard Dad suiting up, probably to his first mission. Pepper was close by and Happy had been 'promoted' to Peter's babysitter when he needed one. Peter finished eating to give Dad enough time to fly out of the garage and walked up to Pepper

"Miss Potts?"

"Yes, dear?"

"Dad is going to be very difficult for a while starting now." Peter noticed both Happy's and Pepper's surprise at how he called Tony, but he ignored them "If you don't want to deal with the mess then you should leave and come back after he's back to normal"

"What? Peter, what are you talking about? Is--"

"His chest piece, the arc reactor, has a Palladium core. Palladium is toxic. Right now Dad is doing his best to drink a mixture that will help with the intoxication, but little by little the toxins will win, they will start to weaken his body, and the weaker he gets the more the toxins affect him and the more the toxins affect him the weaker he gets. The thing that is keeping him alive is also killing him. Me and Jarvis are looking for a solution, but most likely Dad will think he's a dead man walking before we manage to find something and he'll act very... bad"

"Your dad-- Tony-- Tony is dying? Is that what you're telling me?"

"Not yet, for now his blood toxicity should be near if not zero percent. This time next year, though?" Peter shrugged "I'm looking for something, I'll find it, I just don't know how yet"

"Oh my God! Tony is dying! Why didn't you tell me before?! How are you so calm?! You--" Something in his expression made Pepper stop talking. Tears quickly gathered in her eyes and she opened her arms for Peter "Oh, Pete, it's okay. You don't have to be the support, you can cry. I'm here, you can cry now"

Much later, when Peter and Pepper were finished crying, Happy walked to them, giving Pepper a glass of water and Peter a big water bottle (Peter doesn't like to drink water, but, as justified as it is, this feels dramatic). Happy sat down beside Peter and opened his mouth a few times before managing to ask his question

"Does Tony-- Did he tell you?"

Peter shook his head and took a few deep breaths to prepare himself for voicing his theory

"He didn't tell me. I think-- I think that's why he-- that's why he wants to adopt me so fast. It might be a desire to be a parent that he has always hidden, or... He could be wanting to have an heir, someone to pass on the torch before he dies. He will live long enough to see his birthday next year, but maybe not the next. It's plenty of time to teach me the ropes, especially on the speed we are going. Also, he keeps on trying to make Colonel Rhodes come over. I think Dad wants to make sure I'll have the people he trusts to take care of me when he goes, and that we'll have each other. But it's okay, I  will  find something. I will"

Peter was in his bedroom playing with Spider-Man suit designs (even  he  knows he's too young for vigilantism) when a high-pitched buzzing started and his whole body locked up. His Spider-Sense was screaming, the buzzing was too high-pitched and it hurt, it hurt so much. But Peter heard Obadiah's voice and he pushed through.

Peter was having a horrible time reaching Dad and when he did it was only to see Obadiah ripping the arc reactor out of Dad's chest. If Peter's whole body wasn't doing its best to lock up he's pretty sure he would have screamed and put himself in danger, as it was Peter waited until Obadiah left to slowly and painfully make his way to the workshop, where Dad was keeping Pepper's 'Proof that Tony Stark has a heart' montage.

Peter was able to move better than Dad, but that doesn't mean he was moving well, so rather than waste time trying to take it out gently he threw the piece on the floor, almost falling into the glass shards when he bent to pick up the arc reactor.

Happy was the one to babysit Peter while Tony went out to fight Obadiah

"Happy, why did Dad accept this 'Shield' thingy help to lie to everyone?"

Happy sighed, Peter giggled and kicked his legs from his place upside down on the sofa watching his dad on TV

"They helped Pepper and because of that helped Tony deal with Obadiah"

Peter smiled when Dad said he'd stick to the cards this time

"No, he won't"

"No, he won't"

"Happy, why can't I go to the court with Dad if he's trying to adopt me?"

"It's not how these things work, Peter"

Peter sighed as he looked at the other kids playing in the park

"I'm bored, let's eat hamburgers, please!"

Happy sighed but it was his 'I'm not laughing, shut up' sigh

"Happy?"

Peter sounded sadder than he meant to, but seeing the ballerinas leaving their class by the same time he was leaving his ballroom dance class made him very melancholic for some reason

"Hn?"

Happy sounded a little distressed but Peter was too busy trying to understand where his feelings were coming from to focus on Happy's

"Do you think Dad would let me do ballet classes? I know I said I want to do gymnastics and I still want to, but... ballet..."

"I'm sure Tony will let you take on ballet classes, kiddo. Just ask him"

"Thanks, Happy"

"Happy?"

"Hn?"

He was working on something on his computer while Peter was doing 'homework' (Dad was the one to come up with the questions and problems to be solved, Peter will most likely see the 'homework' being used in Dad's new inventions and Peter will be credited for an invention he didn't even know was being made). Tony and Pepper were out solving something that needed both of them, but they didn't want Peter near as to not show him to the press yet.

"When do you think Dad will--? When do you think Pepper will ask Dad out?"

That made Happy laugh and fight both the laugh and a smile (Happy was losing)

"Pepper is the one who will ask Tony out?"

"He has asked her out before, if I'm not wrong, but even if I am she'll be the one to 'wear the pants' on the relationship. You don't agree?" Happy laughed again but didn't reply "Dad will be the one to propose, though, he's impulsive like that. How are we going to buy Pepper a ring without her noticing? How do we get her size without giving her a hint?" Happy's answer was to fish out a ring out of his blazer pocket and show it to Peter who smiled widely "You're the coolest, Uncle Happy!"

Peter went back to his 'homework' as if he hadn't stopped working on it at all, not noticing his words and how they affected the man he just called 'uncle'. Happy took a longer while to go back to work than he'd ever admit

Chapter Text

Peter discovered why his adoption was being as complicated as it was and, surprisingly it's not that the judge didn't think Tony Stark was fit to be a father, it's that May is fighting it with all she got. Tony and Pepper tried to convince her that being adopted was the best for Peter but May was having none of it. She threatened to make the case public if she didn't get to see Peter.

This means that Peter will have to go to the court, look May in the eyes and say 'I don't want to live with you' to her face. He felt horrible for it already, but he agreed on one condition, one that made him feel even worse, but he noticed was needed

"Now, per request of Peter Parker, we will watch some footage of all the times he woke up in the mansion of Tony Stark for the first 10 days and the footage from last week, before he was informed of this hearing"

Peter, sitting at the stand and with a stone face, watched as Aunt May's face got more and more horrified and pale. In the better part of the video, by the end, she was watching through her tears.

As the video ended the judge announced that Peter had a speech prepared and was going to talk now. Peter took a deep breath, looked at the wall just above the people's heads and started in a monotonous voice

"I don't remember my parents. Nothing about them. Their voice, their personality, their appearance. Nothing. At. All. If you showed me pictures of them I would not know who they are. And thanks to Tony Stark I discovered that no matter how bad of a parent they were overall or how long ago they died I should still remember something, anything, about them, like he does remember his dad. The brain makes us forget things to protect us and I can't tell you what it's protecting me from. It might be just that I loved them dearly, or, as my nightmares would suggest, deep trauma" Peter looked at May, who was crying heavily and had an even more horrified expression and his stony facade crumbled. He started taking shaky breaths, crying and talking with a little hysterical voice "I love you, Aunt May.  I love you.  I love you.  I love you.  This is not a punishment for not noticing or helping me. They might never have hurt me. That  is  a possibility. And if you win the case I will go with you without complaint. I will never ask for toys or fancy clothes. I will use the same notebook for two, three, or four consecutive years if needed. I'll use the same backpack for even longer. I will behave and be the best  nephew I could possibly be . But you're only  one  person, Auntie. I need help, professional help. I need people around me. I need to not be allowed to be alone in my head for too long because I will hurt myself. I feel like I can't trust anyone. Anyone other than you, Tony, Pepper and Happy. You can't raise me, Auntie, I know you would do your best, I know you would work yourself to death if that meant I was okay and I admire you for that, but I can't let you. I can't let you hurt yourself to keep me alive. I trust Mister Stark. He can raise me without killing himself in the process, please let him. You can visit, and if Tony wins the case then as soon as we have the adoption certificate I will get on a plane and go visit you in New York. You aren't losing your only family if you let Tony adopt me, you're just protecting yourself, and it's okay to be selfish in this case, it's okay to protect yourself. You're my only living relative, too, Auntie, I'm not letting something like a parent stop me from seeing you, not that Tony would ever."

Peter couldn't remember the speech he had planned and didn't know how to continue talking but he didn't have to. The judge called for a 20-minute break so both parties could talk to their lawyers and themselves to possibly find a solution on their own. The judge asked Peter to stay there with him, so neither party would try to influence the boy and Happy stayed too.

That was when Peter noticed the familiar figure at the back of the room. He hadn't recognised her at first with the brown wing and thick glasses, but it was her, without a doubt. Peter turned to Happy and asked for water, which made the man a little too happy and he went out of the room. Peter slowly made his way to the woman.

"Natalia Alianova Romanov, I knew you were at my parents' funeral but I didn't expect to see you here. Are you stalking me or dad?"

Other than a sharp inhale no one else would have been able to hear Natasha didn't give Peter any reaction, not that he was expecting any.

"How do you know? You weren't at their funeral"

Peter shrugs, it's not like she would believe him if he explained

"I have my ways. And I'm a little shit. You'll know that very well if you keep on stalking us. I didn't come here to fight, though. I came to give you an... advice, though you might take it as a warning"

"Hn?"

"Shield is corrupt, there are very few people you can trust. Armin Zola helped make Shield and he used the opportunity to re-make Hydra. You, Maria Hill, Clint Barton, Phil Coulson and Nick Fury are the only ones I am sure are clean, there are others, of course, but I don't know them. Be careful of who you trust and what information you put on your database. Hydra is always watching"

With that Peter went back to the front of the room and waited for Happy and his (dreadful) glass of water.

When the 20-minute break was over May handed Peter's guardianship over to Dad. It looked like it was both a heavy burden and a great relief, but it's okay, Peter knows how hard it was to raise him the first time around, this (both Mays, probably) May was probably very worried and scared. When the hearing ended Peter was officially Peter Parker Stark. Natasha left the room with a nod at Peter, she was probably going to investigate his claims until she found all there was to find. May and Peter hugged each other for minutes, neither wanting to let go. Peter would make sure to visit her as much as possible and she promised him she'd search for a job in California so they could be closer (Peter tried to tell her no, but May is as hardheaded as any Parker)

Peter, as happy as he was that Tony was his actual, official dad now, spent the ride back home with a heavy heart and a busy mind.

Time to fix his dad's mechanical heart.

(And if Peter smiled at random intervals it wasn't because he lied on the stand, no sir, it's because he's a Stark now. Definitely. Not his fault he really doesn't remember his parents, he really has nightmares and that no one asked what the nightmares are about)

Chapter Text

Peter liked the Stark Expo, he really did, but did he need to be there physically? There was nothing he wanted more than to be in his bedroom trying to figure out how to make a new element. Because if none of the known elements will work to save his dad's life then all Peter had to do is create a new one.

Unfortunately for Peter, after the Expo opening, he and Pepper (she was his babysitter this time because Dad needed Happy to act as security) had to get ready and travel to DC to be at his dad's Senator Hearing. Peter worked all the way there, even when Pepper was removing his make-up for them to sleep and when she was re-applying his make-up before the hearing. Peter only put his notebook down when inside the building.

The only good thing on the Senator Hearing was to see his dad make fun of and disrespect the senators, and seeing Colonel Rhodes smile at Dad's shenanigans. Maybe the colonel wasn't as bad as Peter had been thinking he was, but then again he did disappear from Dad's life almost as soon as Peter showed up

Peter grabbed a pillow and screamed into it as loud as his lungs could (which is  very  loud). He wasn't making any progress at all! His dad's life is on a timer and Peter's project is frozen.

"May I suggest a break, Master Peter?" Peter stopped his screaming and looked up at Jarvis's sensors "Boss is on 'Happy Time' now"

Peter sighed and nodded. One day he'd discover why Jarvis refused to call him just 'Peter'. 

He made his way to the gym quickly but quietly. Without anyone around Peter has no need to make a sound that wouldn't be picked up by Jarvis's mics anyway. Peter started talking before he entered the gym

"Tony, I'm--!" Natasha Romanoff was there in the gym "Surprised. I'm surprised" Peter stared at Natasha as his mind started working miles per second. She wasn't dressed up as Black Widow but she had some documents on her hand. She was here on work. But what was she doing, exactly? Is this when Fury recruits Dad? If so it's a very bad... time... If so then Fury would know about Dad's problem with the arc reactor and have a solution or something that would help Dad find the solution. Fury doesn't bet on dying dogs. And even if this isn't the case right now keeping Natasha close would make that a near-future situation. Peter has to find a way to make her stay "I know you" Natasha squinted her eyes at him but didn't react in a way the others would notice "I was six and sick and it was Hanukka and you were there..."

He let his voice die out so Natasha could continue if she wanted or just deny the lie completely

"Taking care of you because your parents were busy with their spider project"

"Yeah! Right! I don't remember my parents, like, at all, but the 'spider project' explains why I like researching spiders so much, I probably tried to do that as a way to bond with them..."

Peter and Natasha smiled at each other. Peter had to find a way to make her stay, but she probably needed a reason to stay, too. The Spider Duo working together! Nice!

"Peter, I almost didn't recognise you! What did you do to your hair? It was so nice blond"

Did Natasha do that as a way to get back at him full naming her? ... It definitely sounds like something she'd do

"It got like that on its own. One day I'm blond, and three months later it's like this! It was soo weird! Say... Auntie... I'm really embarrassed to say that but I don't know your name. I want to call you Auntie Nat but I might be getting my 'aunts' mixed up"

"Natalie. Natalie Rushman--"

"I was right! It's so nice to see you, Auntie Nat! The only other good adult I remember from back then is Auntie May!"

Natash-- Natalie furrowed her brow in worry and walked to Peter, putting the documents on the floor beside them she kneeled in front of Peter and put her hands on his shoulders

"Peter Parker, if you need anything. And I mean it.  Anything.  You ask me. I'll give you my phone number and we'll talk, okay?"

"I need a babysitter" All adults looked at him surprised and he lifted his hands in surrender "Tony isn't the chairman of Stark Industries anymore, Happy is the new Head of Security and Pepper is the new CEO. Happy won't be able to babysit me anymore and neither will Pepper. As much as I love Tony and want to spend all my time with him he still needs to do grown-up stuff I can't go with. I need a babysitter. And it has to be someone I know and trust, and Auntie May would never accept the position because she would never accept to be paid to take care of me. Natalie is perfect. I need her."

Natalie sighed, smiled sadly and got up

"I'll have to talk to your father and--"

"You're hired--"

"--Think about it. I'm sorry?"

"You're hired. State your price and we will make it happen. You can start working tomorrow"

Natalie smiled at Tony and nodded

"I'll take this paperwork back to legal and I'll talk to you tomorrow, Mister Stark. See you soon, Peter"

As she started walking away Peter called for her

"Auntie Nat!" When she looked at him he switched to Italian  "Thank you for the flowers on my parents' grave. I didn't tell you the last time we saw each other but I appreciate the gesture. Even if I don't remember them"

"They were good at their job"

"Not good people?"

"One does not forget their whole life because of grief. I don't know what your parents did to you, Peter, but it wasn't good. They were good scientists, they were the best at their job, I'm not sure they were good people. Not anymore. Goodbye, Peter, I'll see if being your babysitter is a viable course of action and if it is I'll see you tomorrow, okay? I'll text you"

"I don't have a cellphone, I don't need one. I'll see you tomorrow, Nat"

After Natalie left Tony raised an eyebrow and spoke to Peter in perfect Italian

"Flowers at your parents' grave? Why didn't you tell us, me, you remembered someone other than May?"

"I didn't until I saw her. She was a coworker with my parents, if I'm not mistaken"  Peter shrugged and went back to talking in English "I came here because my homework is frustrating and I want to work on something cool, can we go to the workshop?"

Natalie started working the next day. She was being watched closely by Dad to make sure she wouldn't hurt Peter like his parents theoretically did but she acted perfectly. She took care of Peter in an almost motherly way. If Tony didn't know just how much his baby admires him he might get worried Natalie was going to steal Peter from him.

"Nat... I know Dad didn't like the idea when I proposed it near him, but now that he's out of the house... Teach me some fighting moves?"

"Put on lighter clothes and meet me in the gym in ten"

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Aunt Nat?"

"Yes, солнышко?" (Literal translation: little or baby sun. Meaning: (my) sunshine)

"Can you teach me how to control my face?"

"How to control your face?"

Peter did a discomfort expression before he could force his face back into the false calm he was wearing

"So I don't do  that . I can't just react to things when they happen, I'm a Stark now, I can't afford to be a child, not in public. I can't just react to things as I feel, I have to react a special way. Like Dad acts so egocentric and eccentric that people overlook everything else, like all the philanthropist work he does. I thought about how I want my image to be and I want it to be as far away from normal me as possible, so I can be normal me at school and other places. I can't react or talk the same as both Peter Parker and Peter Stark. Can you teach me?"

"Teach you how to act so well you become someone else?"

"Please"

Natasha sighed her 'I can't believe I'm making more work for myself' sigh and Peter smiled brightly

"What are you smiling for? Did I agree and didn't notice?" Peter giggled and shook his head just to stop suddenly and look confused for a second and then he started nodding. Natasha let out a chuckle and messed with his curls "Okay. Okay. I'll teach you"

"Peter?"

That sounded sad. Why did it sound sad? Did it sound sad? That sounded a little distressed, actually.

"Yes, Auntie Nat?"

"Why ballet?"

Peter hummed and tried hard to find an answer before shrugging

"It makes me melancholic. I  knew  someone who did ballet. They were  very close  to me, somehow. But I can't remember. Ballet makes me sad but... but I feel closer to them. A little bit closer to feeling whole, too, as weird as it is." Peter shrugged again "But also it's fun and I like it and that's enough, right?"

"Right"

It didn't sound 'right' at all

"Peter? May I come in?"

Peter furrowed his eyebrows, Natasha was extra early today. He quickly hid his papers and pulled out a colouring book

"Sure. I'm just colouring a little"

Natasha entered his bedroom looking at his desk with suspicion but once she saw the colouring book she shook her head. She crouched down in front of Peter and offered him a flip phone

"It's a burner phone" Natasha raised her eyebrow and Peter nodded, he knew what those were... if that was her question... "I am the only one who has this phone's number, but it has mine, Clint's, Phil's, Maria's and Nick's. Call me first and only call the others if you can't reach me. I will do my best to pick up even if I'm in the middle of a mission"

Peter nodded and let out a weak:

"Does this mean you're leaving?"

"This means that even once this mission ends I will still be there for you. You won't get rid of me so easily"

Peter smiled his 'troublemaker smile'

"You might come to regret that"

Chapter Text

They were in Monaco to watch a car race. Peter knew it was important. 'Dad's new villain' kind of important, but between his worry over the Palladium core and his frustration at being unable to help he hadn't been able to force himself to remember what happened now, if something really did.

As they entered the restaurant they would be watching the race from Peter saw Auntie May wearing a suit and low-heeled shoes, shoes she could run in. Peter smiled at her and she smiled back, she winked at him playfully but that reminded him that it wouldn't be a good idea to be too excited to see her while on his 'Tony Stark's child' get-up unless he wanted everyone trying and some succeding at stalking his aunt. Peter nodded at her and forced his face to go back to an indifferent one, looking at everyone at the restaurant as if he were above them, his attitude clear even with the sunglasses.

"Let me introduce you guys. Guys this is my new personal assistant, May Parker, May these are Pepper, Stark Industries's CEO, Happy, her Head of Security, Peter Stark, my son and Natalie Rushman, his babysitter"

And just like that Dad left everyone to talk to the other rich people, leaving May the task of securing them a table that wasn't theirs before. Natalie helped since she speaks French and May doesn't.

It wasn't until Dad showed up on TV that Peter remembered what would happen, he turned to May to ask her to find Happy just as she turned to Pepper and told her she'd do just that, running out of the restaurant fast, since she wasn't wearing high heels.

It felt like as soon as May left everyone did too and Peter was the only one at the table, all alone in a sea of people inside the restaurant. But Peter shook off that feeling, Natasha was nearby watching everything and she would jump in to protect him if needed, cover as his babysitter or not.

His Spider-Sense hissed and Justin Hammer sat on the table beside him

"Get up and get lost. I don't have time to waste with people like you."

"People like me? Oh, C'mon Pete, no--"

"Do  not  call me Pete. My name is Peter and I shall be called that or Stark,  only ."

"Oh, I see, It's because I have a little less money than your daddy--?"

"You are rich, we are  billionaires . You have  much  less money, but that is not the point. You are someone who has, and will continue to, stolen other people's work in the past. You are a man of little morals, if you have any that is. Not only that but you fancy yourself a genius and yet nothing you make on your own ever works, hence the stealing.  I  am a man with morals.  I  am a man whose creations work.  I  am a man who has people around him that actually likes him, rather than being around him for his money.  I  am a man who is superior to  you  in every. Single. Way. Whether you accept the truth or not."

"You're a  child --"

"Also, my  'daddy' , which: gross, by the way. Never call my father that ever again. My father is  the  Tony Stark, whatever you have to offer me either I already have or I can get with a single request to my father. Now get up and get lost. I don't have time to waste with people like you"

"And what if I don't?"

Peter smirked, it was a cruel-ish smirk he didn't put on often

"Then I will have to ask my nanny to remove you forcefully"

"Is this man bothering you, my sunshine?"

If it wasn't for his enhanced hearing picking up her footsteps towards them Peter would have jumped as high as Hammer did, but as things were Peter was confused why Natasha chose to speak to him in Russian. Did she know he knew the language? Was it a test? If he answers will he have to explain how he knows it (he didn't know he knew the language until now)? Well, only one way to find out

"Yes, but I'm testing him to see if he has any brain in that head of his and he'll leave on his own. Stay close, though, please"

Natasha's heartbeat sped up, but that was her only reaction. Justin Hammer got up and left the table, both Natasha and Peter watching him closely, both filing his little smirk at Vanko's words/actions as suspicious.

Peter didn't believe he was a good actor when asked no one around him seemed to agree but it doesn't matter. Peter doesn't believe he is a good actor. 

So, after spending the entire day with his father, laughing, giggling and smiling the whole day, Peter wasn't surprised Dad gave him and May money and told them to spend the night just the two of them so they wouldn't be stuck in a boring rich people birthday party. Dad probably noticed that Peter had spent the entire day in varying degrees of frustration and annoyance. Peter acted happy and carefree for his aunt's sake anyway.

Peter was, however, surprised when he was eating breakfast with May and received a text from Natasha saying "Stark is in quarantine. You'll stay with May". Peter hit the call button before he could fully process the message

"Pe--"

"What do you mean 'quarantine'? Where is my father? And don't you dare try to keep him away from me!"

" Peter Parker Stark  do  not  talk to me like that!" Natasha's stern voice made Peter tense up instinctively. Natasha sighed and Spider-Sense buzzed uncomfortably even though she wasn't in the same room as Peter. "What you're about to hear is  strictly confidential , understand?"

"Gimme a minute, Auntie Nat!" Peter nodded at his bedroom door at Aunt May's apartment and she squinted her eyes at him but nodded. Peter entered the room, locked the door and got out by the window, crawling his way to the roof of the building "Okay, I'm somewhere no one will be able to overhear us... And I'm sorry for the way I spoke to you, Auntie Nat. Dad has me very worried right now"

"Aww, kiddo, you don't have to worry--"

"What's the percentage?"

Peter spoke more sternly than he intended to. He had no issues with Tony babytalking him, but he isn't dumb  nor  blind, he knows something is wrong and he knows what it is. 

"What?"

"What's the percentage of palladium in your blood? How close to dying are you?"

"Peter, what are you talking about?"

Peter inhaled sharply and opened his mouth to answer but Natasha beat him to it. He was on speaker, apparently

"If you keep trying to lie to your  genius  child you might lose his respect forever, Stark."

"Could you please don't do anything awful for 5 seconds?"

"Could you please stop underestimating--?"

"Could you both stop yapping like children?"

Peter smiled, which wasn't a reaction he was expecting at hearing Fury's voice after the whole 'next Iron Man' fiasco

"Director Fury, sir"

"Parker Stark. Glad to see your father's lack of manners hasn't passed onto you yet. Speaking of which, answer the boy's question, will you, Stark?"

"82% yesterday night, haven't tested today yet"

"He's in quarantine now, ok, how do you plan to go about that, exactly?"

"There will be at least one agent at the mansion at all times ensuring that your father stays inside. You'll stay with Miss Potts and Miss Parker"

"And Natasha?"

"You knew--?"

"And Natasha"

"Tony. On my desk's top drawer, there is a false bottom. I've been researching how to fix your palladium problem since the day after we met. My notes might be useful... And you better find a solution while in quarantine, you hear me?"

The last sentence was spoken with a joking tone, even though Peter didn't feel like joking it was easier than to ask, beg, really, his dad to not die

"I hear you, kiddo"

Peter closed his phone and breathed in deeply. He thought about it for about 2 seconds before he let out the loudest and longest scream he has ever screamed in both lives/timelines/dimensions.

At some point, Peter started crying and silently praying that Parker Luck™ wouldn't strike  again  and make him an  orphan  again