Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

12 years ago 

„Do you know what you did? You stupid idiot took the wrong kid! 

You took Stark’s kid, and everyone knows he won’t pay any ransom. 

He is the merchant of death, for heaven's sake! 

And he knows a lot of very dangerous people. 

People who take care of his problems. 

So you better take care of this kid as quickly and quietly as possible. 

Or be the problem.“

Chapter Text

It was quiet in the cave. 

That surprised Tony the most.  

It was quiet and a little bit chilly, and that’s though it was summer in Afghanistan. He had a hole next to his heart and this strange thing in his chest that kept him alive. He just knew the whole thing had got to be infected with every germ known to mankind, so he should feel warm, right? Warm and sick and dying, not lying there and waiting for the other shoe to drop. 

The man next to him, Yinsen, was quiet too, but Tony got the feeling that this was natural for the guy. He had this very calm and quiet aura. Something Tony didn’t have and didn’t really understand. If you have nothing to say, alright, be quiet, but what if you are a smart person and you have nothing to say? There must be something wrong with you. At least in Tony’s opinion, and everyone who could build out of scraps what Yinsen had built to save Tony's life had to be very smart. So why was he so damn quiet? Why was the whole cave so quiet?

„You won’t like it when it’s loud again“, Yinsen had said when Tony complained about it. „Loud means the men are back, and they want something from you. Something you will not give them so they will hurt you. They’ll hurt you really bad, and then you will give them everything, and you will pray for silence.“

Tony didn’t think so. There was nothing these men could do to him that could hurt him. He was sure of that. 

A few hours later, the men were gone again. Tony was lying on his back, trying to breathe, and everything was loud around him. His pulse was pounding in his ears. The cave seemed to grind around him, and Yinsen was talking, talking as if his life depended on it. Talking and talking, and Tony was in so much pain, and he really wished it would be quiet again. 

But he hadn’t given the men what they wanted. 

He would have been very proud of himself if not everything would hurt so damn much. 

„You are a very brave man, Mr. Stark.“ Yinsen was clearly impressed by him. 

„That’s a first“, Tony said. Nobody had called him brave before. Stupid, smart, handsome, strange, funny, diabolical, sure, but never brave. 

Yinsen looked at him, watched him trying to catch his breath after the torture, and he shook his head. 

„I wouldn’t have expected this of you“, he said. 

„People underestimate me all the time.“

„No. I don’t think so. I think you just show them not the real you. They see what you want them to see.“

Tony shrugged. His chest hurt. His shoulders were sore, and even his feet felt like he had run over broken glass without shoes, raw and bloody. He didn’t know why. He hadn’t taken a step in days.

„I think the men were surprised by you, too.“

Another shrug. 

Tony didn’t give a fuck about the men who took his humvee out, killed lots of good men and put him in this cave. Not to mention the hole in his chest and that car battery that kept him alive. 

„But they won’t be surprised forever, Mr. Stark. You have to know that.“

„Then I have to think of something else to keep them on their toes.“

Yinsen looked at him regretfully. He shook his head a little. But then he patted one of Tony’s shoulders, stood up, and walked away. 

Tony could hear that he was limping, but the other man hadn’t told him if this was something the men did to him or if it was something older. He hadn’t told him anything at all, only that they were in this cave and that they were prisoner and that he didn’t know how they could escape. 

That was one of the first things they talked about when Tony came to himself again, found the thing in his chest and a strange man beside him. 

Yinsen had been captured too, but when they heard of the great Tony Stark, they wanted to get the bigger fish, and Yinsen was just the guy who couldn’t get away. 

A few moments later, Yinsen was back again. He had something in his hands. Some kind of bread and a mug with something that didn’t look edible at all. After putting a spoon in it, he tried to give it to Tony, who shook his head. 

„Oh, no! Thank you! I’m good. I just had a very large meal last year. That will hold me for quite a while.“

Yinsen shook his head again. 

„You need your strength. You have to eat something, Mr. Stark. Or you won’t survive.“

„Nope. I’m good.“ Even thinking of this… soup… made Tony's stomach crawl inside him. The smell was awful. 

„I’m wondering“, Yinsen said after a few minutes. „Why aren’t you afraid? Don’t you have someone to live for, Mr. Stark? Someone who desperately wants you back? A man like you can’t be alone, right? There has to be someone who needs you to come back and be alive.“

Torture isn’t just men who press your head under water, Tony realizes at that moment. It isn’t the feeling of something strange and mechanical in his chest. It isn’t even the rotten smell of a soup that nobody should ever have to eat. 

Torture can also be a memory. 

A memory of a small child with big brown eyes, so trusting, so sweet. Of a smile wide as his round face and giggles. It’s the memory of the feeling of a small body in his arms and just being happy. 

„That’s the one“, said Yinsen, who has looked at Tony for quite a while. „You remember, right? There is someone who needs you to stay alive and come back. I can see it in your eyes.“

„No.“ Tony’s voice sounded strange even in his ears. He tried to change his position so he didn’t have to look at Yinsen anymore. But everything hurt so damn much that he could only shift so little and Yinsen was still there. „I’m exhausted. I think I’ll have to take a little nap before our friends are back again.“ He shut his eyes and prayed for silence. 

Yinsen was all about silence. The whole time, he kept doing things, helping Tony, explaining where they were and what had happened, and he was very quiet at the same time. So maybe he could be that Yinsen again. Hopefully. 

But hope was nothing in this cave.

„For me“, Yinsen started talking. „It’s my family. My wife. I have two daughters. I will not stay here forever. I’ll do everything in my power to be with them again. Everything, Mr. Stark. You hear me?“

Tony said nothing. He just wished the men were coming back. The battery in his chest made a little sound. It wouldn’t work forever, and Tony was suddenly very glad about it. 

„My wife. She is the best thing that ever happened to me. She is beautiful and smart and kind. I’m very lucky that she even wanted to look at me, not alone marry me. And our daughters! They are like her mother. So warm and friendly. They laugh all the time and they are smart too. I don’t know what I did to get so lucky with my family.“

It hurt like hell. 

„Damnit!“ Tony looked to Yinsen. „When I start eating this… will you stop?“ He waved angrily at the mug with the soup. „Will you just be quiet again? Please!“ He tried to take the soup, but Yinsen wouldn’t let him. Instead, he looked at him surprised. Again. 

„Why?“ Yinsen asked, „Why are you like this? Don’t you want to go home? To your loved ones?“

„There is nobody!“ Tony shouted angrily and in the next moment he felt empty again. He was exhausted, and his body felt all the pain, and he just wanted to close his eyes and never wake up again. 

„But…I don’t understand.“ Yinsen was clearly confused. „You looked like you remembered someone. Only a few moments ago. I could see it. There has to be someone who is missing you. Maybe you fought before you went on this trip, but whatever has happened, there is someone for you.“

Tony shook his head, and for some reason, it felt easy to talk right now. He hadn’t talked to Rhodey or Pepper about it for months. He just couldn’t, and he wouldn’t. Talking about it meant remembering, meant hurting again. He felt the pain all the time, but talking about it made everything worse. But not with Yinsen, he thought.

„I had a woman. Like you. Smart, funny, beautiful. The best kind of woman a man can have. Silly and with a wicked sense of humor. She was perfect and she took up with me. I, too, never knew why she loved me.“

Yinsen smiled encouraging. 

„And we had a baby. A sweet, wonderful baby boy. Together, our family was everything to me. Like you, I couldn’t imagine how I got to be so lucky with them.“

„So you have someone. Someone who wants you to stay alive and come back. We have…“

Tony shook his head, and he could see that Yinsen already knew the next part. He may not have known much of Tony Stark, but he knew lots of feelings, and he could see that something wasn’t right with Tony’s story. 

„Alisa died eight months after the birth of our only child. It was a rare form of cancer. She said it was bad luck when they discovered it. Bad luck, and a few weeks later, she was dead.“

„But your son…“

„Alessandro got taken five years ago. He was two years old, and I never heard of him again.“

Usually, when Tony talked about his son and the night he got stolen, people around him would be quiet. They would look at him with empathy in their eyes, and sometimes they were curious how he would deal with it, but the one thing that ever happened was that they stopped talking about it and changed the subject. 

Tony hated it with a fierce passion. 

He wanted to talk about it. He wanted to hear everyone’s opinion about the men who took his only child so maybe there could be something new, something nobody hadn’t thought of before and maybe it could help them to finally find him. 

But the people who wanted to know about his kid wouldn’t talk about it as soon as they knew about the kidnapping. 

Yinsen wasn’t like other people.

„He got taken? You never got him back?“

Tony shook his head. He still remembered the last moments with his son. He had put him to bed, had kissed him on his little head and wished him sweet dreams, and then he had left the room. The nanny for the day was already home, and he had only a little nanny cam. It was okay. Nobody else was in the house, and the little boy was sleepy. So, Tony went to his lab and worked for quite a while. When he took a break, he made himself something to drink and went to look after Sandro. 

The bed had been empty, the window open, and no clues were left behind. 

„I’m sorry“, Yinsen said, and Tony could hear that the man was truly sorry. „I didn’t know that. I haven’t even heard of you having a son.“

„We wanted to keep it a secret. We wanted him to have a normal life. Friends, school, going out on dates.“ Tony smiled when he remembered the long talks about their life and how they wanted to keep Sandro out of the headlight. „We wanted him to grow up outside of the Stark fame.“

„But someone knew and stole him?“

„Someone knew and stole him.“ So easy. So damn easy. He had been living in a high secure home at that time, and they took his child nevertheless. As if the security system was a joke. Which it was, but Tony had discovered it too late to save his kid. It was one of the reasons he put JARVIS in every one of his homes. He had nothing important someone could steal from him anymore, but he still wanted to feel safe where he slept. 

A few moments Yinsen stayed quiet. Tony could still smell the soup and heard the buzzing sound in his chest. It was not very loud, but he heard and felt it. He wondered if dying would be quick. He only had to get this thing out of his chest, and then the shrapnel would take care of everything. But that wouldn’t be fair to Yinsen. Yinsen, who had tried to save his life. He wouldn’t deserve to be left alone in the cave. He deserved to be with his wife and daughters. 

„You found him then? Later, I mean.“ Yinsen looked sad, as if he remembered something similar. Tony wondered shortly about it. Yinsen had said he had two daughters, but maybe he also had a son once or someone equally important to him. 

Tony shook his head.

„I don’t understand. You said he got taken.“

„When he was two years old.“

„And…“

„That was five years ago, and I haven’t heard a single word about it.“

„You paid the ransom?“

„There was never a demand. Nothing. Just a missing kid. Some people even thought I was the one who did it. Who killed his own kid and buried him somewhere in the desert.“

„That’s awful!“ Quiet words, but spoken with so much passion behind them that Tony knew Yinsen wasn’t one of the people who thought he could kill his son. Not even as an accident. „I’m sorry. Really sorry for your loss.“

„Thank you.“ 

Tony eyed the soup. It was green and watery, and every so often, a dark spot would come up. It looked like nothing he had ever seen before. 

„But…“

This time it was Tony who got a surprise. 

„If you haven’t heard of him again. If there wasn’t a body found. Why are you so sure that he isn’t around anymore?“

„I’m not.“ Rhodey would hate everything of this talk, Tony thought. Rhodey had loved Sandro like his own child and had searched and cried like Tony had for days and weeks. But you can’t only fight as long as you have hope, and Rhodey had lost his hope after nearly a year. Now, he hated it when something came up and reminded Tony of his son. As if he ever could forget him. 

„I don’t understand.“

„There wasn’t ever a ransom demand. Nobody ever tried to get anything from me. Nobody even saw anything. 

At that time, I had connections. People all around the world. Not every one of them was… you could say… a good guy? But they worked for money and I have money. So I got word around that I looked for this child. I put his picture out there, and more eyes were looking for Sandro than for every other missing child. Everywhere. Around the world. So many people were looking, searching. Nothing.“

„There can’t be nothing.“ Yinsen shook his head. „I can’t believe it. You said he was stolen out of his bedroom. That had to be with intention. That wasn’t an accident.“

Tony looked at Yinsen as if he was asking the man to tell him something he hadn’t thought of in the last five years. 

„But why didn’t they demand a ransom? That made no sense. Or was it her family? Your wife’s? Did they take him?“

„Alisa had no family left. We were her family.“

Yinsen started to make circles with the spoon in the soup, and the awful smell was suddenly everywhere. 

„But why take a child and just vanish with it? If you found no body, it has to mean he is still alive, right?“

Tony felt metal under his fingers. One of his hands laid suddenly on his chest, and he felt the metal and the buzzing electric underneath his fingertips. It would be so easy to just end it.

But that’s not how Stark men lived  - or died. 

He nodded.

„So you still have someone who needs you. Who needs you to be alive and find them.“

And with such few words, Yinsen gave Tony more reason to live than every other person in the world before. 

Tony looked at the other man, saw his kindness and trust in Tony in his eyes, and then he saw the drawing of a bomb on the ground near him. These men who captured and tortured him wanted him to build this weapon. 

Maybe he should do it. 

Chapter Text

„I really don’t think this is a good idea, Ben“, Peter whispered. He threw another uneasy look at their surroundings. 

They were right in front of one of the most famous buildings in New York City. Ok, not really in front of it, but even standing next to a mostly forgotten (hopefully!) side entrance to the Avengers Tower made him nervous. 

It was dark. From where he stood, he could see lights from the surrounding buildings, the street lamps, and cars driving by, but they were standing in the shadow of a dead lamp and the very high building. 

Usually, he wouldn’t be nervous, but this was the Avengers Tower or the Stark Tower, as some New Yorker still called it, and he didn’t like the whole plan. 

„Pete…“ Ben hushed him with a quick hand motion. „It’s alright. I promise.“ Ben sounded confident, and for a few moments, that was all it took to calm Peter's nerves. 

His uncle was one of the few people Peter trusted with his whole heart. He was a retired police officer, and though they had had some very bad times over the last few years, he was always there for Peter and May. Everything he did, he only did for their little family. 

Even the bad things he did were only for them. 

Peter had to respect that, and he was very glad when Ben asked him for help because Peter was dying to help his family. That was before he knew what the plan was.

So now they were standing next to the side entrance, together with Curtis, Joe and Hank. They weren’t friends or colleagues, but this night, they were partners, and that was kind of the whole reason Peter kept looking around. 

He was anxious. 

His whole body was shivering and trembling, and he was really, really sure that this could only end badly for them. 

Ben and the others waited for their sixth men. 

Peter rolled his eyes as he remembered how proud he was when Ben told him they needed him as a fifth man. He was just 14 years old, and Ben often called him child or kid in front of the other men, but tonight was the night where he could join them. He had been so proud, and now all he was was scared and nervous. He wanted to be everywhere else but not there. 

„But Ben…“ he tried again in a small voice. 

Ben moved, but it was Curtis who spoke.

„Shut him up, Cop, or I’ll do it. If he is so scared, he won’t be any big help after all.“ 

Curtis was the one Peter hated the most in the group. Big and bulky, he was known to throw a mean punch, and even kids and women weren’t safe with him. 

„Quiet, Peter!“ Ben’s voice sounded harsh. Peter hadn’t heard his uncle talk to him in that voice before. „I mean it!“ Ben moved around and stood suddenly next to Curtis. His voice next was even quieter than before, but everyone around him could hear him. „If you try to hurt my kid, Curtis, I’ll end you. I swear. You won’t even see me coming. It won’t be quick, and it won’t be nice, but I’ll end you. Count on it.“ 

For a moment, Peter was surprised, and then he saw how every one of the men they were with changed their posture. Ben took a risk saying things like that right in front of the others. A big risk that could end badly. 

„Ben, it’s okay. I’ll be quiet. I’ll…“

„Shut up, Kid!“

This time, Ben sounded angry. So angry that Peter just nodded while he still watched the other men being cautious. 

„Are we clear?“ Ben asked Curtis, who hadn’t said a word but now looked angry. Oh, so very angry. Ben and Curtis weren’t friends before but now? Ben had made a big mistake and only because Peter couldn’t shut his mouth. 

Curtis was second in line right after the big Boss. Some even saw him already as boss. Messing with him was never a good idea, and provoking him? It was straight-up crazy. 

But Ben stood his ground and eyed Curtis angrily. 

Curtis looked as if he wanted to start a fight right now. As if it wasn’t important that they had a job to do and as if it wasn’t important where they were. 

They all got saved by the sound of an opening door. A small yellow stripe of light felt through the door gap from the building within on the street, and everyone spun around. 

Leo’s face appeared in the space between the door and the frame. 

„You coming?“ He whispered and everyone nodded. 

Silently, they slipped through the door, and then they were inside. Leo closed the door again, and for some moments, everyone was just standing there, waiting for something to happen. They were deathly quiet. Not even their breathing made sounds.  

Peter didn’t know what he thought what could happen, but when it stayed quiet, he was kind of disappointed. 

This was the Avengers Tower. 

Starks baby. 

No security was some kind of a bummer right now. 

„Everything good?“ Leo asked and looked irritated. He wasn’t the brightest of the group, but he still got the job in the Avengers tower so he could be proud of himself.  

„Yes, everything is good.“ Curtis nodded, but Peter saw him throwing a dark look at Ben. „The kid got nervous, but now everything is as it should be.“

Now, Leo looked to Peter, and Peter really tried to look calm and maybe even chill, but he still felt off. So he tried to move a little bit and took a look around as if nothing could bother him. 

„Ok. So, just so you know. Everything is clear.“ Leo was proud of himself, and it showed. „I made sure the other guards are where we wanted them to be. You can go right up, and if you aren’t stupid, nobody should notice you are even there.“

„Good work, Leo.“ Curtis nodded. 

Hank gave him a thumbs up, and Joe started to grin. 

„I wouldn’t have thought breaking into Stark Tower would be so easy. Man must have really left it.“

Peter felt as if everything in him wanted to shake, and he had to press his teeth together to not say another word. 

Breaking into Stark Tower couldn’t be easy. Even if Iron Man himself had left the whole planet. 

No, Peter just knew that something would go very wrong, but Ben didn’t want to hear him say it again, so he couldn’t do anything about it. 

„So that means this will be an even easier job than expected“, Curtis was clearly happy about it. He nodded. „Okay, let’s start. As soon as we have everything, we can leave, and little Pete here can get home to get his diapers changed…“

„Curtis.“ Ben looked still angry. 

„What? I’m just saying.“ Curtis faked a friendly smile, and then he clapped his hands together. „Everyone knows where they should be? Okay. Let’s go!“

And everyone except Peter and Ben were on their ways. 

Leo would lead Curtis through another door to the stairway down to the garage, where they would try to get into the basement.

Hank and Joe would use the same stairway to get to the second floor for the things they wanted to steal there, and Ben and Peter would move to another stairway to get to the fourth floor. They knew which room they should break into, and after that, finding the merch would be easy. It sounded easy when Peter heard about the plan but that was when he didn’t know it was the freaking Stark Tower they were breaking in. 

A few seconds later Ben and him were on the stairs up. 

„It’s too easy, Uncle Ben“, Peter tried again to reason with him. „This is the Stark Tower. The safest building in the world.“ They could still turn around and leave, and he wanted desperately to do so. 

At first Peter thought his Uncle hadn’t heard him, but after a few more steps Ben stopped and turned around. 

„I know, Peter. I know.“ He looked regretful. 

„Then why are we here?“

„We have to. You know, May isn’t right at the moment and she needs help. Help I can’t provide. I work so much, but it’s still not enough money and…“

„I can help too! I can work for Mr. Delmar. He is always looking for help. I can…“

„It wouldn’t be enough, Pete. It wouldn’t be, and the big boss offered me money if I do this one job.“

„That was nearly a year ago!“ 

They were still in the staircase between two floors, but Peter was so angry that he forgot to whisper. Ben made another shushing motion, and Peter pressed his lips together. 

„I know, but she still isn’t any better, and we need the money. You know that.“

Peter knew that. He also knew that May wasn’t sick as Ben everyone told but an addict. Since she had been in an accident two years ago, she took medicine for the chronic pain, and after Ben lost his job as a police officer, they couldn’t afford the good stuff. From that moment on, everything went downhill. 

„I still can help. This here is…“ Peter looked around the staircase. It was a simple one. Because it was in the Stark Tower, which belonged to one of the greatest mechanics alive, he didn’t think the staircase would be often used, but it was clean and spacious. „It’s dangerous. Who would be dumb enough to think it wouldn’t be protected?“

„Leo told us. When Stark left the building to live upstate, he sold the first ten floors to companies in the city, and after that, they reduced the security. So it isn’t as dangerous as you think.“

Peter shook his head. He, like everybody else, had heard of the big fight between the Avengers in Germany. He didn’t know why they had fought or who had won, but in the end, Stark moved out of the city, and for a short time the Avengers had moved back into the Tower just to leave it as quickly as they came, and now nobody except for a few firms should be here. He couldn’t believe it. Besides that, he’d heard that Stark was back in the city again. Where would the guy live if not in his own building?

„Come on, Peter. Let’s hurry up. As soon as we have the data, we can leave, and everything will be all alright. Okay?“ Ben put one of his big hands on Peter's shoulder and squeezed it shortly. 

Peter nodded but he still wasn’t convinced. 

They climbed the stairs again. When they got to the fourth floor, they stopped next to the door for the floor. It was locked. Which was the first surprise. 

„Shouldn’t it be open?“ Peter asked and took a look around. The staircase was still empty and the light, so damn bright, was burning in his eyes. He could hear his heart beating. 

Ben tried again to open the door again. 

„It should be.“

„Maybe the security isn’t so down as Leo thought?“

Peter could see that Ben wasn’t happy with this, but his uncle didn’t say anything. Instead, he grabbed his Jacket and took out a…

„Is that a lock pick set?“ Peter couldn’t believe it. This was his uncle. The man who worked as a police officer for nearly 20 years. That couldn’t be right! „Ben, why do you have…?“

„Quiet!“ 

Ben made quick work with the lock. Way too quick for a first-timer. 

Peter couldn’t believe his eyes. 

The door went open, and Ben shoved Peter inside. Then, he closed the door carefully. Peter couldn’t see what he did next, but he knew it had to be something so they could leave through the door again. 

At first, the floor was dark, and only a small light above the door was burning, but soon the light in the ceiling got brighter. Peter knew Stark was big in green energy and saving energy, and this was kind of nice. He wouldn’t have any problems with walking around on a darkened floor, but a little light was also nice. 

While Ben looked for the room they needed, Peter got sidetracked and looked around. 

They were on some kind of lab floor. He could see, through transparent doors, expensive equipment and test tubes. He was always curious about these things, which had gotten him in enough trouble already, so he went slower and slower to look in each room. 

„Peter!“ Ben was already way ahead of him and waved with his hands. „Come here! I need you!“

Quickly, he caught up with his uncle to see that he found the right room, but unfortunately, it was also locked. 

Peter saw that his uncle had already tried to pick the lock but had no luck. 

„It’s electronic“, Peter said and looked around. He found some kind of dashboard right next to the door and started working on it. 

„Can you open it?“ Ben knew that Peter loved playing with everything electric, and he was good at it. He even built his own PC when he was younger. This door shouldn’t be a problem. 

Apart from being an electric door in the Stark Tower. 

Peter swore silently. He couldn’t open it because he could see that there was some kind of failsafe. Something like a security line for the security line. It made no sense, but it was still there, and he just knew that opening the lock this way would lead to lots of trouble. 

„Peter?“

„I can’t…“ Peter looked around again. There was no safe way for him to open the electric lock of the door, but what if they didn’t need the door to get into the lab? 

He left the dashboard and went to the wall opposite the door, and above it, he saw an air vent. He remembered hearing of the Avenger Hawkeye, who loved to spy on people in these vents. He also heard that Stark, after getting to know Hawkeye, made most of these vents small enough so only the cleaning robots could move through them, but not the adult man. It was a funny story when Peter heard it, but maybe it was more than that. And Peter was way smaller than the adult Avenger. 

The vent was way too high for him to get there without help. He could jump that high, but his uncle didn’t know that, so that would be a problem. 

„What are you doing?“ Ben came to stand next to him. „We need to get in the room like right now. I don’t want to be here any longer than absolutely necessary.“

„I’m working on it.“ Peter pointed to the vent. „Can you help me up?“

Ben looked at him as if he was crazy. 

„The vent? What..?“

„We can’t go through the door because the lock is very safe. So we need to find another way, and this could work.“

Ben looked to the vent again, then he stepped back to the lab door with the clear glass in it and looked in the room. Another air vent was nearly in the middle of the room, right above a big table. But it was still very high. 

„You can’t climb…“

„I can if you help me. Please?“

Ben couldn’t believe it, but it was their only chance, and so he stood under the vent, put his hands as a ladder, and let Peter climbed over him like he was still a little kid. 

Peter had no problems opening the vent, and with some kind of his extra strength, he got in it. 

It was a small space, dark and full of dust and dead spiders. 

Which wasn’t really promising. 

„Everything alright there?“

„Yes, just peachy.“ Peter tried to ignore the dead spiders and started to crawl. Soon, he saw the light coming through the small vent, and when he opened it, he was in the right lab room. He felt his uncle watching him when he jumped on the table and then he started to search. 

Their job was to steal a hard drive with data on it. As soon as he found the right one, he took it. In the next moment, he was on the table again, and a few seconds later, he was crawling back to his uncle, who was waiting for him. 

„That was good thinking, Peter“, his uncle smiled proudly when Peter gave him the hard drive. 

„Thank you. Can we leave now?“ Crawling around in a small place with lots of dead spiders had given him the creeps and Peter really wanted to leave the tower right fucking now. 

His uncle nodded. 

„Yes, we can. You did…“

They turned around to go back to the staircase when they heard a loud voice: „Freeze!“ And then they saw two security men coming around the corner right at the end of the floor. 

„Peter, run!“ His uncle showed him forward and Peter started running. He heard the men behind him, shouting something, and his uncle was running too. 

They couldn’t reach the entrance they used to get onto this floor, but they could run another aisle and get an advantage.  They were quicker than the security guards, and maybe there was another door or some room in which they could hide. 

„Freeze!“

Peter heard another guard coming down their way. 

They sprinted in another corridor, found a staircase they hadn’t known would be there, and started running down the stairs. Behind them, their follower were still there. 

„We must hide somewhere“, Ben said. He sounded out of breath. Peter knew that Ben wasn’t young anymore. He tried to take care of his body, but running around like this mustn’t have been easy for him. 

On the next floor, Ben stopped Peter and opened the door. He took a look around, and then they were running again. Ben tried to open every door, and when one wasn’t locked, he pushed Peter inside. Both men hide away behind another lab table for a few breathless minutes. 

They could hear the guards running around. One even opened the door to their room, but he didn’t came inside. 

Peter looked to Ben, who was listening carefully. He was breathing hard. Then Ben nodded.

„I think it’s clear. They left the floor.“

Peter hasn’t heard something, and his hearing was better than Ben’s, so he believed him. 

They were both still cautious when they left the room. With nearly no sound, they went to the staircase again, and just when they started their way down, they could hear a small sound. Like a weapon unlocked. 

Peter spun around. He was right behind his uncle, and so he was the first to see the guard with his gun aimed at them.

„ I said: Freeze, dumpass!“ The guard sounded angry. 

And Peter did just that. 

He froze. 

He looked at the gun that was aiming straight at him. Though he wasn’t even the first time in such a position, for some reason, he felt that this would be it. 

This would be the moment he got shot. 

„Peter, run!“ 

Suddenly Ben was jumping right in front of him. 

A shot was fired, and then Ben fell backward. Peter tried to catch him but everything happened so fast. They were falling down the stairs to the next stop, and then Ben was lying in Peters's arm. And there was blood. So much blood. 

„Ben!“  

Way too much blood. 

He pressed his hands on Ben’s chest, but he couldn’t stop the bleeding.

„Ben, no!“

Peter heard the guard coming to them and nothing more. 

„ I said freeze you stupid asshole!“

Peter wanted to say something, but all he could think was that Ben had been shot. Ben had been shot, and now he had to save him. Save him. Save him. Sa…

Another shot was fired. 

Peter winced and tried to duck, but this time, it wasn’t the guard shooting. 

The guard fell down the stairs and landed right next to them. His eyes were wide open. His face a look of surprise. 

Peter looked at Ben again, who was still lying there. The gun fell out of his hand while he smiled at Peter. 

„Ben, what…“

A mechanical sound filled the staircase, loud and from above but quickly coming near. 

Peter ignored it. He felt Ben’s blood in his hands. He could hear the heartbeat of his uncle, getting slower and uneven. He heard him breathing much louder than usual. 

„Ben, please…“ 

„Are you hurt? Did he get you?“

Peter shook his head. He felt tears in his eyes, and that was just not right. Ben would be okay. He couldn’t die here. That wasn’t possible. That…

„Ben, please, don’t leave me!“ 

Ben smiled a little. He looked at Peter and just smiled gently. 

Peter saw Ben’s hand going lax and he couldn’t hear anything else except for this strange sound that got louder and louder and he wanted to scream that this other person should be quiet because he needed to hear Ben’s heart and… 

„It’s okay, Petey.“ Ben’s voice sounded rough. „It’s okay. Don’t be… Take care of May for me, can you do that? Petey?“

„You can do that yourself! Please! You…“

The loud sound was suddenly quiet, and he felt tears running from his eyes. He still had his hands on Ben’s chest, and that’s why he could feel the heartbeat slowing down. He could hear it and feel it and he couldn’t do a damn thing against it. 

„No. No. No!“ Trying to stop the bleeding didn’t work, and so he tried to shake Ben. Ben couldn’t die here. He just couldn’t. 

But then everything was quiet.

No heart, not breathing. 

„Ben!“ Peter heard himself pleading, but it was for nothing. „Ben!“

For a few moments, he was just sitting there, holding his uncle and hoping that something would change. He couldn’t be dead. The words got stuck in his head. Again and again, he said them to himself, and then suddenly, he raised his eyes. 

Iron Man was standing on the stairs above him. Just where the guard had stood before he… 

Peter felt tears on his face. 

Iron Man was standing there in front of him. Just like he had said to Ben right before they left the car to break into the Tower. All the other men kept telling them that Iron Man or Tony Stark wasn’t even in the city anymore. He sold most of the Tower and had left everything of his city life behind to enjoy living somewhere else.  That didn’t sound like something someone like Tony Stark would do, but he was only a 14-year-old boy, and nobody wanted to hear his opinion. 

And now Iron Man was standing there, and Peter wanted to scream that he had been right all along. Breaking into the safest building of New York wasn’t the best idea, and it was… 

„Stay down, Kid.“ Iron Mans voice sounded strange through the mic. 

For a moment, Peter didn’t get what the other man could mean, then he felt something cold between his fingers. Ben’s gun. 

Surprised he let it fall. 

Whatever happened to him now, he wouldn’t ever use a gun. That was something that he couldn’t do. 

The gun fell down and Peter looked up again. 

„That’s good. A good choice. Now…“ 

Peter didn’t know what Iron Man wanted to say next because he could hear steps coming from above them. Men running down the stairs. More guards. 

They would take him, he realized. He was a minor, and he would still go to jail because they caught him breaking into the Tower. He would go to jail for a very long time. And nobody would be there to take care of May. 

From the corner of his eyes, he saw the dead guard next to him. He had the gun in his hand and he knew suddenly that everyone would think he killed the man. 

He would go to jail and never come back out again. 

May would be alone. 

His heart started to race. 

He was small for his age, and he could run. He could climb. The guards were still one or two floors above them, and he heard nothing from the other way. And Iron Man was way too big and way too immobile in the small staircase.

„Don’t…“ Iron Man seemed to know what Peter was thinking. „Kid, you can’t get out of here. There are guards on every floor. It will be better for you if you just…“

Peter didn’t hear what Iron Man had to say next. With caution, he put Ben down and stood up. He felt Ben’s blood at his fingers, and without thinking, he wiped it off at his jeans. He cast one last look at his uncle, then he spun around and ran down the stairs. 

Behind him, he could hear Iron Man swearing than the sound of his repulsers and the guards running. 

But Peter was quicker, and he knew exactly where to go. 

He jumped the last step, opened the door, and was on the next floor. He hoped that the layout on this floor would be similar to the one above, and there it was, the air vent he was looking for. 

He needed not even one minute, and then he was in the small shaft. It seemed smaller than the other one and it was also cleaner. No dead spiders, which he felt was some kind of good omen. 

Peter didn’t know which way he should crawl, but he started as soon as he heard the guards running underneath him. He even could hear Iron Mans voice somewhere. 

As quick as possible, he crawled, around one corner than the next. He got the feeling he was hours on the way, which he knew couldn’t be, but it still felt forever, and then suddenly, just when he started to get frustrated, he felt air on his face. Clean and cool. 

That was some kind of air conditioning, he thought. He couldn’t remember on which floor he would be, still the fourth? Maybe fifth? It wasn’t important to him. Fresh and cool air could mean an open window or a door to a balcony.

It could be a trap, but he would risk it. 

He couldn’t be caught tonight. He just couldn’t. 

Then suddenly he was at the end of the vent and he felt a small grid in front of him. Not big enough for an adult male, but he could make it fit. He could make him fit through it… if he could open it. 

He tried feeling for screws but when he found them he couldn’t move them. He tried it again and again, and then suddenly, he heard a noise in the vent. Someone else was there. They had found him. 

He spun around and kicked the grid. It was loud, and a man called out that he could hear him. The noise of his pursuer got louder. 

Peter kicked again. 

The grid fell.

Peter spun around again and shoved himself through the small opening. The air was cold. It was windy, and when he looked outside, he found himself above the street, maybe on the fifth floor. Way too high to jump.

But not to high for climbing. 

Smiling to himself, he left the vent. His fingers found their way to small nooks and crannies, and then he was out of the building, hanging on the side of the tower. 

He knew he still wasn’t safe. 

They couldn’t follow him, but Iron Man could fly, and as soon as he heard about his little stunt, he would be there, so Peter had to be quick. Hopefully, Stark didn’t want to damage his building and needed to look for a big enough door to leave it. 

Peter made his way down the side of the building when he saw the perfect place to jump. 

He jumped when he arrived where he wanted to be. He had his webshooters already on and aimed for a point, then he would be gone. 

In the dark, not even Iron Man could follow a spider. 

But he couldn’t shoot his web. 

He felt falling. He felt the cold air and the wind, and then suddenly, he heard something else. His spider sense started to tingle, loud and urgent. Not Iron Man and his repulsers, but something. He tried to be quicker, to be safe, and in the next moment, it was like waking up from a dream. In his dream, he was flying and falling, and in reality, something like a suit was there, surrounding him, catching him.

„NO!!!!“ Peter shouted, and then it was dark. 

He felt metal under his fingers. His face was pressed against metal, and metal was all around him. 

He was in a suit.

Iron Man got him nevertheless.

Chapter Text

Rhodey didn’t know why they always used a coffee shop to meet. He couldn’t even remember when it started. Just that they were always in one and always surrounded by strange people, by music and the smell of coffee. 

Maybe someone would say it was Tony’s need for comfort on this day, but Rhodey didn’t think so. 

It would have been Alessandros's 14^th birthday, and nothing could bring comfort to a father who grieved his child. 

The first few birthdays without his son Tony were spent totally drunk in his penthouse. Rhodey was more than once tempted to bring him into the ER because he was afraid for Tony but then, after a very bad fight with Pepper in which she had left him alone for nearly one month, Tony decided that instead of lots of alcohol he could spent the day somewhere else, somewhere where nothing would remind him of Sandro and Rhodey joint him gladly. Neither of the men tried to forget that day or that the boy wasn’t there to celebrate it with them but it was like they could only ignore the pain or live with it when they went somewhere nothing reminded them of him. 

„So he just jumped?“ Rhodey couldn’t believe Tony's words. Hearing that some people tried to break into the Tower with his top-of-the-line security system was strange enough, but hearing that a kid tried to jump from the fifth floor and hoping to survive such a jump was crazy.

Tony nodded. 

„Are you sure? Wasn’t he maybe climbing? Or looking for a balcony? Or another window in which he could go?“

Tony shook his head. He looked grim and exhausted. 

„I thought so too, but then I watched FRIDAYS video feed. He just jumped. With open eyes and his arms… as if he wanted to hug the earth.“

„That’s…“ Rhodey didn’t know what to say. „… crazy. Maybe he thought he wasn’t so high? I mean, you said he was a kid, right? 16 or so? With everything that happened, he could be totally wrong with the floor and…“

„He could be, but I don’t think he was. He knew exactly where to go. He was so damn quick. I had no chance of leaving the suit and following him, and then I couldn’t use the suit to catch him.“ Tony shook himself when he remembered the feeling when FRIDAY told him that there was no safe exit for the vent. There was only one way to leave it, and Tony really hoped the kid would see it before it was too late. 

„You got him with a RESCUE?“ 

„Yes. Just in time. It was pure luck otherwise, the kid would be dead.“

For a short moment, Rhodey just sat there. Tony took another sip of his coffee and looked around as if he was waiting for someone. But nobody knew where they were. Even Pepper was clueless. 

„What did they want to steal?“ Rhodey asked slowly.

Tony shrugged.

„I think they got the wrong floor or something. The man…“

„…who got shot?“

„Yes. The guy had a hard drive with him. He got it out of one of the older labs. I’m not even sure the data is still valid.“

„Are you sure that was the thing they wanted?“

„I watched FRIDAYS feed. It was the boy who got in the lab through the vent…“

„Like Clint? I thought you put something in every vent to prevent that!“

„I thought so, too.“ Tony was angry at himself for forgetting this floor. „The boy found the way, and he got the hard drive. They were already on their way back when the guard showed up.“

„And he tried to kill them? Why? I didn’t know that your guards would be so trigger-happy.“

„Me neither. He was a new guy. Only in his first weeks. I don’t know why he did what he did. We can’t ask him now, can we?“

Rhodey saw how Tony looked around again. Like he saw the coffee shop for the first time, and Rhodey wouldn’t be surprised if that were true. When he met his friend a few hours earlier, he was shocked to see how exhausted he looked. At first, he thought Sandro’s birthday would be the reason, then maybe too many hours in the lab, but then he heard of the B & E, and he could understand the effect the jump of the kid had on Tony. Especially on days like this.

„It was the older guy that shot the guard, right? Not the boy?“

„ FRI confirmed it.“ Even thinking of the boy who just jumped out of his building made Tony clearly anxious. 

„At least that is something. Where is he now? In custody with the police or…“

„I really don’t know. I didn’t wanna ask yesterday. It was all... he is a kid, Rhodey. A kid. A kid who would have jumped straight to death if it wasn’t for pure luck.“

„And a RESCUE. Don’t forget your work.“

„He jumped because of me. That’s nothing I can easily forget.“

Rhodey thought so, too. Tony was his oldest friend. The one who had always said that he wasn’t aggressive or into the whole war machine and then he built the best weapons nevertheless, and he still was someone who longed for peace and who did everything he could to save everyone. 

Tony's mobile started to ring, and Tony looked quickly at the display. Then he frowned and looked irritated. 

„What?“ Rhodey asked. He tried to see who was calling but Tony had already answered. Rhodey was surprised how angry he sounded. 

„What do you want? I already gave a statement, and I don’t know anything…“

Whatever the other one said made Tony shut up. For a short moment. 

„I can do that. Tomorrow. No. Not today. I have…“ 

Tony looked as if he wanted to throttle the other person, and now Rhodey got curious. It wasn’t often that Tony was so easy to rill up. Even Saint Rogers always needed a few more sentences. 

„Ok. Can I finish my coffee or…“ He rolled his eyes, took a look at his nearly empty cup, and pressed his lips together. The look he gave Rhodey made the other man stand up and walk to the Barista again. Whatever was happening right now, it seemed like Tony would need another coffee, but this time to go. 

Rhodey wondered if he could try to give him Decaf. 

When he came back to the table, Tony was quiet. The mobile was still in his hand but he looked as if he didn’t even remember it.

„Everything okay, Tones?“

No reaction. 

Strange.

„Tony? What has happened? Who was on the call?“ Rhodey shook Tony's shoulder a little bit, and Tony looked up. 

„The police. They need me to come to the station right now.“

Rhodey cursed silently. Of all the days, today would be the worst day for a visit to a police station. 

„Do we really have to go? You said you already gave a statement. What do they want more? You are the victim here, not the perpetrator.“

Tony looked confused, but he nevertheless stood up.

„I really don’t know. Let’s go and find out, and after that, we can…“ He stopped mid-sentence when a woman with a little kid came in the shop. The boy was running around and laughing while she tried to order something for herself. 

Rhodes could see how Tony looked at the kid. A stranger would think that Tony smiled about the little Iron Man shirt the kid wore, but Rhodey knew it was the brown hair and the bright smile that took Tony in. 

Sandro would have looked like that once. 

„Come on, Tones“, Rhodey grabbed Tony's arm and pulled him out of the shop. 

They took Rhodes car to the station and had no problem finding a parking space right in front of it. They left the car and walked next to each other in the precinct. 

Rhodey thanked every god that wanted to listen and take credit that this police station looked nothing like the one they were in 12 years before. 

It was busy and loud. Phones were ringing, chairs were scratching over the floor, and people were talking, so many people, so much talking. 

Nobody looked up when they entered, so it took someone a minute to see them standing there. But then, everything was even weirder than before.

They got lead in a room in the back of the station. 

At first, Rhodey thought it would be an interrogation room, but then he saw that they could look through the mirror. They weren’t to be interrogated but to witness one. 

„What’s happening?“ Tony asked and looked curiously around. When he saw the empty room on the other side of the mirror, he turned around and glanced at Rhodey. „Is it your work?“

„Me? No! Definitely not.“ Rhodey shook his head. „Can you tell us why we are here?“ He addressed the police officer who came with them into the room. 

The officer was unsure at first, but when Tony explained that Rhodey was family and he could talk, the other man nodded. 

„We have something to discuss…“ The officer started talking. 

„No, really? And here I thought you invited us to a nice long walk on the beach.“ 

The officer swallowed nervously. 

„We have something to discuss about the break into the Tower.“

Again, Tony wanted to say something, but one touch of Rhodey's hand on his arm made him go silent. Rhodes got the feeling that everything would be over a lot faster if they let the man tell what he wanted to tell. 

„You know there was a kid there...“

„No way!“ Tony couldn’t be stopped. „Really? I thought I caught a really old guy in strange clothes.“

„Tony, this would be much easier if you let us tell everything in one piece.“ Another voice in the room. 

Both Tony and Rhodes got caught by surprise, and after they spun around, they found a familiar face nearly hidden in the shadow of another entry to the room. 

„Jack!“ Tony's voice didn’t give away if he was happy or sad to see the man who was once leading Detective in Sandros' case. „Haven’t seen you in a while.“

Jack and Tony shook hands while Jack only nodded at Rhodes.

Usually, Rhodes was the more polite man when Tony was around, but this whole scene made him nervous. Something was going on, and he was very much afraid he wouldn’t like it. 

„How is the wife? And the kids?“ Tony asked as if they had met Jack during an outing somewhere. 

„Divorced. She took the kids and left me the cat.“

„Ouch.“

„Yes, not sure, I got the bad deal. My oldest started dating recently…“

„Ouch.“ Tony nodded in sympathy. Rhodes remembered that Jack's oldest was only one or two years older than Sandro would have been. He couldn’t imagine Tony being the dad to a teenager in love. 

He couldn’t even remember Tony being a dad anymore. 

The thought made Rhodey feel bad. 

„So, what gives? I thought you were still in California. Why are you here? Vacation? In a New Yorker Police Station?“

„No, not really, Tony. I’m not sure how to tell you this, but as you so kindly remembered, you caught a kid two days ago.“

Tony didn’t say anything, but the way he held himself told Rhodey everything. He wished Jack would just say what he wanted to say, and then they could leave and do something… better for this godforsaken day. And even drowning themself in a bottle of scotch sounded better right now. 

„When they brought the kid to the station, they took his prints. A standard procedure.“

„I’m aware.“ Again, Tony didn’t give away what he was thinking. He was way too calm. But Rhodey remembered that Tony, too, was in more than one police station when he had been still a minor. 

„You know that the guy who got killed had been the kid's uncle?“

Tony nodded. When he told Rhodey about the scene he stumbled into, he sounded sad for the kid and angry at the uncle who had no right to take a kid to a break in. 

„So we got his name and his prints, and everything looked pretty normal. His uncle was listed as his guardian, together with his wife. So we tried to contact his wife but had no luck reaching her. The boy got sent to juvenile.“

Tony shrugged. 

Rhodes remembered how hard it was for Tony to even say that the kid jumped straight out of the vent. He would be dead if not for the RESCUE suit. 

„Tough luck for the kid. Maybe it’s what he needs to change his ways.“

That didn’t sound like Tony, Rhodey thought. 

Jack nodded.

„Usually, I would say the same. Especially if the kid of an officer was involved.“

„The guy was police?“ This time, Tony was clearly surprised. 

„Yes. Retired one year ago. His wife had an accident, and he wanted to take care of her. He was a good man before that. A good police officer. His file is clear.“

At that moment, the door to the room next to them opened, and a Police woman let a boy into the room. 

Rhodes and Tony turned to look at him. 

Tony had seen him before, but he hadn’t seen him in the orange jump suit they made him wear in juvenile or under the harsh light in the room. Tony gasped for air slightly.

When Rhodey looked to Tony, he could see that he was horrified. 

„The black eye is new“, Tony said calmly.

Rhodes turned around again and saw what Tony meant. 

The kid looked beaten. One of his eyes was swollen shut from a dark bruise, and he had a few cuts on his face. He moved carefully like someone who got hurt when he sat himself in one of the three chairs at the table. 

„He got in trouble with a few other kids“, Jack explained, and he looked as if it was his fault. 

Rhodes looked at him critically.  He still had the feeling something bad would happen, but this was something more. 

„As I was saying“, Jack didn’t say more about the kid and his black eye. „He had his prints taken. They were fed into the system… and there was a match.“

Both man took a deep breath. 

That could mean anything, Rhodes tried to tell himself, and when he looked at Tony, he just knew that his best friend was saying the same to himself right now. Like a silent mantra. 

It could mean anything and nothing at all. 

„A match?“ Rhodes asked when Tony stayed quiet. He just watched the kid, who sat at the small table. The police woman left the room, and he was alone. 

He looked angry, exhausted and so very young. 

Jack pointed at two folders that were lying on the small table right in front of the mirror. When neither Tony nor Rhodes moved, he went and opened one folder. 

Both men could see the mug shot of the kid's face. They could read a few of his important informations and they could see his prints. 

„I’m not sure you should let us see this“, Rhodes said. The kid's name was Peter. Such a normal name. A granddad's name. Very old and simple. 

Jack opened the other folder. 

Alessandro, just 2 years old, looked them straight in the eyes.

Rhodes could hear Tony stop breathing, and then a sound came from his friend. A sound he hadn’t heard in a long time. Something hurt and painful. 

„I don’t understand“, Tony whispered. His eyes were glued to Alessandro’s picture as if he hadn’t seen it before. 

„The kid's prints were nearly a perfect match for Alessandros.“

Rhodes felt like he got kicked in the guts. 

For a moment, he couldn’t breathe, and everything felt off. He couldn’t even imagine how Tony must feel. But when he looked to his oldest friend who had lost so much, Tony's face was stone cold. He didn’t show any emotion at all. 

„He jumped right out of the vent. He would have been dead if I hadn’t had a RESCUE suit on standby already, Rhodey. A kid. He jumped without hesitation.“ Rhodey remembered how broken Tony sounded just a few hours ago when he told Rhodey everything. 

„There has to be a mistake“, Rhodey found himself saying. 

Jack nodded.

„That’s what the police believed too. They took his prints again in Juvenile. When it was still a match, I got a call and flew in.“

„But that makes no sense at all. Sandro was just 2 years old. A little boy. I think you couldn’t even take good prints because there was nothing that he only used. Everything was mixed with Tony’s, right? 

How could there be a match to… this boy?“

Oh, God, just thinking of it made everything in him go haywire. Again, he couldn’t imagine how it must be for Tony. Without thinking, Rhodey took a step next to Tony.

„Everything good?“ He asked quietly.

Tony just looked at the boy in the room. So damn quiet.  

„Yes, that’s a problem. With only the prints, the match could be a mistake. Prints change a little when we get older, so we need a DNA test to verify everything.“

„And what did it say?“

Jack made a face. 

„He is a minor, and we couldn’t take hold of his guardian. When I got the call, I immediately took the case, and while on the flight to NY, I contacted CPS. They’ll send someone to cover his case for the time being. Without CPS, we can’t take a DNA sample. Without CPS, we can’t even talk to the kid.“

That made perfect sense. Still..

„But why did you contact us now? If it’s not a proven match?“ There had to be something more. Rhodey knew that Tony trusted this guy when Sandro got taken. Tony was always on board with everything the man wanted to do, and though it didn’t get them Sandro back, he trusted him. So there had to be something, and Rhodey wanted to know what.

Jack was silent for a few heartbeats. Then he looked at Tony, who would only look to that quiet child in the next room without letting on what he was thinking.  

Jack shared a look with Rhodes. 

„I saw his picture, and I read his file. There was nothing there that screamed „Alessandro“ to me, and maybe it was all my wishful thinking of solving this special case before I retire. Maybe I’m totally wrong, but still…Tony, I saw his picture, and I got this feeling that this could be right. It could be it. Maybe it’s not, but I… This is the first time we even had something, and I didn’t want to leave you out of it.

If it had been my child that got taken, I would have wanted to know everything, and I would have wanted to be there for every little test. 

So I let them call and bring you in.

I’m sorry if it was the wrong choice.“ Jack sounded sincere. That was the reason Tony trusted this man. They were thinking similarly. 

Rhodes nodded, and he cursed him silently.

„So when can…“

The door in the room opened again. This time, to reveal an older man in Jeans and a Jacket. He looked like someone who got sent by his wife to buy milk from the grocery store in the middle of the night. It was 4 pm. 

Rhodes didn’t like this guy very much. 

„That must be the guy from CPS“, Jack told them. „They had no one available when I called and said they would send someone as soon as they could.“

The CPS guy came into the room and closed the door behind him. 

The kid looked up, suddenly warily. 

„My name is Clark“, the guy said. „I’m from CPS. You know what that means?“

„I’m in trouble.“ 

It was the first time Rhodes heard the kid talk, and he didn’t know what he expected. Maybe not the snark and the cynicism in his voice? He looked so young and lost in this room, but he sounded like he didn’t care at all. 

„Yes, that’s right.“ Clark, the CPS guy, went to the table, took a chair, and sat himself right in front of Peter. He put a similar folder on the table the men in the next room had. „Can you tell me what happened?“

Peter shrugged. 

„We tried to break into Stark Tower. It got wrong. I got caught. End of story.“

CPS guy nodded.

„You left quite a few things out. Want to tell me, or should I tell you? So we know we are on the same page here.“

Peter shrugged again. He played the cool guy very convincingly, but the men could see that he never stopped moving. His fingers drummed on the table or his legs. He scratched his neck, and when he felt it, he tried to be still only to move his feet the next moment. 

„Kid’s nervous“, Rhodes said. He saw Jack nodding. 

„That’s expected. As long as we know this is his first time with the police.“

Rhodey looked at Tony, who hadn’t said anything since he saw Alessandro’s picture. He wanted to help his friend but he didn’t know what he could do. Maybe Jack's decision to involve Tony so early had been wrong, but that’s water under the bridge, and now Rhodey had to do everything to prevent Tony from drowning. 

„Ok. Then I’ll tell you what I know“, the CPS guy started. „I got a call from the police because you got caught in an attempted burglary. A man got shot. Your uncle and guardian. You went to Juvenile.“

Peter nodded. 

Clark looked at Peter as if he wanted him to add something, but as the boy stayed silent, Clark put one hand on the folder in front of him. He started to drum with his fingers. As Jack had done. As the boy did.

„Did you guys go to the same drama club?“ Rhodey nodded quietly. Usually, Tony would grin and make a snarky comment, but he stayed silent. So damn silent. It made Rhodes worried about him.

„Ok. So now to the big question: WHY is CPS involved? Can you think of a reason?“

Rhodes could see that Peter opened his mouth, and Rhodey knew that whatever the kid wanted to say, it wouldn’t  be something nice and friendly. To his surprise, Peter didn’t say anything. He didn’t even look to the folder or the drumming fingers of the man in front of him. 

„I’m here because it was your Uncle who got shot right in front of you.“ The CPS guy tried to break through Peter's walls. 

Rhodey didn’t know if he would be successful with that, but he could hear Tony took a sharp breath. 

„Is that the way to talk with a kid?“ Tony asked so quietly Rhodey wasn’t sure Jack would understand him.

„Sometimes you have to confront kids with the ugly truth“, Jack answered. „He wasn’t very forthcoming when the police put him in Juvenile. He didn’t want to tell them anything, not his name, not where he lives, or anything else. One of the other guys we got that night told us a few things about himself. Without him, we would maybe only have his prints and a fake name.“

„Does he protect someone?“ Rhodes asked. He got that the kid was scared and tried to fly under the radar, but not revealing who he was, sounded like there was a different story behind everything. 

Jack grimaced. 

„We don’t know. Yet.“

„What have you told him? About his prints and the possible match?“ Rhodey looked to Tony, but his friend showed him nothing. Not even the question seemed to get through to him. 

„Nothing. We wanted to spring it on him to see how he would react. Obviously, he is a tough cookie because his reaction isn’t what we expected.“ Jack nodded at some other guy who was still standing in the shadow of the entry. „I think you should go in there, too.“

They heard the man leave, and while they were watching how Peter tried to ignore Clark and Clark tried to say something that got an answer from Peter, the door to the room opened again, and the man walked in the room. 

That got Peters attention. 

The man just took the last chair and sat down. He looked at Peter with a stern face. 

„My name is Detective Monroe. I’m here to talk to you a little bit.“ He waited for the kid to say something, but Peter stayed quiet. He looked guarded. 

„What can you tell me about your parents?“

„My parents?“ Peter echoed, surprised, and turned to Clark again and then back to the Detective. „Don’t know what to tell you. They were people. They had a kid. They died. I’m not sure what…“

„They died when you were seven years old?“

„Five.“

Monroe didn’t show if that different age was something new to him. 

„And then? What happened after?“

„My uncle came and took me in. He was my father’s brother.“

„Your uncle?“ Clark interrupted both. „Not your aunt?“

„My uncle. My aunt. Where is the difference? What does it matter?“ Peter looked as if he didn’t knew the importance of this answer.

„It means if your uncle is your only guardian, then you are now under CPS protection, and your aunt has nothing to say.“

„As I’m in prison, I think that’s irrelevant. My aunt can’t ground me here, right?“

„That’s right. But your aunt could provide you with an attorney that wouldn’t be the newbie the state gives you. Maybe if she has any money, she even could buy you a good one.“ Monroe started to look through the folder as if he hadn’t seen it before. Then he started to drum with his fingers too, and Rhodey wanted nothing more than to go in that room and break the fingers of both men. They didn’t make the kid nervous, but he could feel how Tony reacted. 

Peter started to laugh. Then he stopped and shook his head.

„May has no money. That’s the reason for this whole mess. No. I think I’ll take the attorney of the state, and hopefully, I’ll be out again when I’m allowed to drink.“

Chapter Text

Both men looked at him as if they expected him to sprout another head. 

Maybe they did. 

Maybe they were just stupid. Or they thought he was.

It was his first time in a situation like this, but he wasn’t dumb. He knew that he was in trouble. He knew it when they brought him to Juvenile as Peter Parker and not as Led Zeppelin, which was the name he had given them when they took his prints. He hadn’t told anybody how old he was, and, nevertheless, he did not spend the usual two nights in the police station and a nice long talk with a judge. No, they sent him straight to Juvi, and they knew his name real quick. So someone had talked, and that meant this whole thing was a big set-up. 

A set up that had Ben killed. 

Peter tried not to think of it. He tried not to see the blood on his hands when he closed his eyes, and he tried really hard not to hear the breathing of his dying uncle as it got slower and slower and then without rhythm and then nothing. 

But everything was in his mind the whole time. 

When the other boys came to him the first night, he knew what would happen because he recognized one of them. He wasn’t even a minor anymore, but he was still where Peter was, and he was angry, and he threw the first punch with so much purpose that Peter asked himself again if this would be the day he died. 

But he didn’t die, and now he was sitting here, and something wasn’t right. 

He understands the CPS guy. He was a tough one. He didn’t look as if he liked his job very much, and to him, Peter was just another kid who would be in Juvenile till he could leave the system. Nothing extraordinary.  

No, the CPS guy was not the one who made him nervous. 

It was the other one. The one who tried to look as if he was just a police man but he wasn’t. The Detective.

Peter couldn’t point it out, but he knew there was more to it than they told him. Maybe another setup. One in which he finally got killed. 

But why?

„So let’s try this…“ The Detective suddenly took the folder on which he was drumming some song Peter had heard before but couldn’t name the title. The man opened the folder and took a photo out of it. He put it on the table straight in front of Peter. 

It was a picture of a little boy, blue jeans, and a red shirt with a bus on it. The boy is laughing in the picture, and you can see that he is somewhere where the sun is shining. 

Peter looked at the kid and didn’t know what they expected of him. Should he say something? But he didn’t know what. 

Another look at the kid showed him brown hair, brown eyes, and a scratch on his cheek. Nothing extraordinary. 

„Cute kid“, he said when nothing happened. He still didn’t know why they showed him this photo. 

„When we took your prints we got a match“, the police man told him as if the picture of the boy wasn’t on the table. 

Clark didn’t look at him. Instead, his eyes were on the picture, and he seemed pensive. 

„A match?“ It had to be a lie. He hadn’t got his prints taken before. There couldn’t be a match. 

That had been Peter’s first reaction, but then suddenly, he remembered something else, and he started to feel cold. He could breathe, but he didn’t want to. He could think, but there was nothing to think about. 

„There can’t be a match with my prints“, was the only thing he could say when his brain started to work again. He saw millions of times in front of his eyes in which he had put his stupid fingers on things, on weapons, on victims, on everything.

Damnit! Why had he never thought of wearing gloves?

The Police man pointed to the picture of the kid. 

„Kid went missing.“

Everything that was ice cold a few seconds before was suddenly hot in Peter. Even his breath felt as if he were standing right in front of a fire. 

His hands were up, and he shook his head so hard that it hurt.

„I’ve got nothing to do with it! I swear! I haven’t seen him! I swear! Really!“

A missing kid was something he couldn’t just ignore. If they found his prints at a crime scene with a missing kid, it was more than just a set-up. It was…

„Ho, ho!“ The Police man made a shooing noise. He made a move with one of his hands as if he wanted to placate Peter. „Calm down, kid. We haven’t said anything that you have something to do with it.“

„No? Then why am I here? Why do I have to look at this picture of a missing kid?“ Peter was still upset, and he felt his heart pounding like he was still running the stairs with Ben behind him. „This is a set-up!“ Not for the first time, his eyes flew to the door. He calculated the steps he would need to get there and he asked himself what he was willing to do when he could open the damn door. 

„A set up? Why would we make this up?“ This time, it was Clark who spoke to Peter, not seeing that he would be the first obstacle on Peter's way out of this room. 

„Why not? You know my name though I haven’t said it. You know how old I am! And now you want to frame me for a missing kid? I don’t know anything about it! I wasn’t even there!“ He couldn’t be sure. He came around a lot and was in a lot of places, and if this was a way to get rid of him, there was nothing he could do against it. 

„We got a few of your friends from the break-in. They were very forthcoming. That’s where we got your name.“ The Officer said. He pointed again at the picture. „Kid went missing 12 years ago.“

Peter still wasn’t convinced that this wasn’t a setup. He didn’t know why but someone wanted to get rid of him and Ben and this someone knew how to do it. 

Peter frowned. 

„12 years ago? I was a kid myself then! What do you think I did when this kid went missing? Distracting the nanny? Driving the getaway bobbycar?“ He shook his head. As if someone would ever believe this story!

But both men just looked at him, very calmly. It was like they were waiting for him to get it. 

Peter shook his head. They couldn’t believe this. That was absurd!

„You are crazy!“ He said when they stayed silent. He looked at the photo again. The kid didn’t look cute anymore. In fact, Peter wouldn’t be surprised if the kid's head would sprout horns suddenly. „I didn’t do anything! I have nothing to do with this. NOTHING!“

„We didn’t say you do.“ The Detective started his finger drumming again, and it drove Peter crazy. „But there is this match, and we have to take a look at this. You understand that, right? There is a family out there who is missing this kid, and even one little hint would be a beacon of hope for them.“

He could understand that. Though he hadn’t lost someone like these parents had lost their boy, he could empathize with them. It must be the worst feeling a parent could have, and he really wanted to help them. But he didn’t know how. 

Then, something in the detective’s words made him quiet. 

„My prints are a match to his case?“ He asked, confused. They had asked about his parents, he thought. They knew that Ben was his uncle and his guardian. They knew he was an orphan. 

Monroe nodded slowly. 

Peter looked at the kid again. 12 years ago, he was in a similar age. He even remembered that he had a book with a bus in it. Or was it a train? He hadn’t thought of it for years. 

So they had things in common. Maybe they could have been on the same playground. That had to be the reason. They were at the same time and the same place, and therefore, the Police had his prints. 

That made sense. 

But…

„I’m not from New York. We moved here when I was six or so?“ If this kid went missing in New York, they couldn’t have his prints. He was oddly relieved. 

„Where were you living before?“

„California. We moved to Texas when my Dad got another job and then after they died I came to live with my Uncle and Aunt in New York.“ He couldn’t even remember Texas or Cali. In his eyes, he was a born New Yorker, and he was proud of it. 

„So you were what? 2? 3? When you moved to Texas?“

Peter shrugged. He couldn’t remember.

„Don’t know. I was little.“

„Kid went missing in California.“ The detective stopped his drumming and took another page out of the folder. He pushed it in front of Peter. 

It was a copy of his fingerprints compared to other prints. 

Peter had no idea what to look for, but even to him, they looked similar. But the other prints weren’t as even as his and slightly smaller. 

„You are kidding, right? You have to be crazy to even think of this! This is stupid! A joke! This is…“ Peter looked from the prints to the photo again. They both had brown hair and brown eyes, and at this moment, they even had the same scratch on their face, but Peter doubted that the kid got his from a prison brawl. 

„Crazy to even think of this? Of what? Do tell!“

„You want me to believe that I’m this kid?“ Peter told them with a hard laugh. Both men only looked at him. At least Clark looked a little bit uncomfortable. „Really? But I’m not missing. I’m not lost. I know who my parents were and how they died and… I’m not missing. So whatever you wanna say to me, it’s just a joke. It’s bullshit.“ Now he got angry. 

„Are you sure? Absolutely sure?“ Clark pointed at the picture. „From where I’m sitting, he looks a lot like you. Really.“

„It’s a kid with brown hair and brown eyes. I’m not sure how the statistics are, but I think this fits a lot of people, even you. You have brown hair. Are you maybe missing? You fit the description.“ 

„But I’m too old. You are not.“

Peter sighed. 

„That’s the important point? I’m the right age and have the right hair color? Really? How desperate are these people to get a child back? Not their child, but just someone that age?“ He felt a little bit guilty for saying these things, but he couldn’t help himself. 

„And the match of your fingerprints. Don’t forget them. They are really meaningful.“ The detective smiled slightly. 

„Really? Do you think I’m dumb? This kid went missing 12 years ago, and you had his prints from… what? His bottle? Am I wrong, or can prints change over the years? His look really small. Nothing like mine.“ Peter made a show as if he wanted to think of it. Then he shook his head. „I think nobody will believe you with this.“

„That’s right. It could be hard to prove if there wasn’t another way, but fortunately, there is an easy way to solve this riddle.“ 

That’s when Clark took a page out of his folder. A signed statement which only needed Peters signature. 

Peter looked at it, confused. Then he took the page and read it. 

„A DNA test? You want to take a sample of me and…“ Suddenly, it didn’t sound like a setup anymore. It sounded real.

His anger flew right out of the window, and he felt suddenly sad for this unknown family who had lost their kid. He looked happy in the picture, even loved. Peter had no pictures of himself in which he looked nearly as content as this child. 

„We could take a paternity test, yes. It would be a 98% result.“ The CPS guy seemed to be very happy about it. 

Peter, who could understand that the Detective wanted to solve a 12-year-old case, didn’t understand the CPS guy and why he even was in this room. 

„Think about it“, Clark told Peter. „If you aren’t this kid, then we don’t have to involve his family. They won’t know anything. But if you are, then their long wait is over. They missed their kid desperately. And all it would take for them to stop hurting so much is one little test. Easy for you. This would be something you could do for them. This would be something good.“

„I’m not this kid.“ Peter shook his head. „I’m not missing. I know exactly who my parents were. Whatever this is, it’s…“ He stopped when both men pointed at the DNA page.

„Then you won’t have any problems to sign this, Peter“, Monroe said. 

But he had a problem with it. He couldn’t give them his blood. No way. 

„My signature under this means nothing. I know that.“ Another hint of a setup. Peter didn’t know if he should be frustrated because he couldn’t understand why they tried something so dumb with him or if he should feel hurt about it. 

„That’s the reason why I’m here. As your only guardian died two days ago, you are now under our protection. My signature is already there.“ Clark pointed at the scribble Peter had seen but not questioned. 

For a moment, Peter was silent. His eyes roamed over the picture, the page that didn’t really need his signature, and both men in front of him. 

It would be easy for him to agree to this. 

But he couldn’t. This all was a play from someone. A way to get rid of him. He was sure of it. He just had to figure out why. 

„Think of it“, Clark said suddenly. „There is a family out there who is waiting for their kid. If that’s you, you wouldn’t be alone anymore. Maybe you wouldn’t even be here anymore. It’s a great opportunity for you, Peter.“

„An opportunity? Did you hurt your head recently? I’m not that kid!“

„Then sign this document, and we’ll get over it.“ 

„It’s only a small swap with cotton, Peter, nothing to freak out about.“ Monroe added. 

The pen was shown in front of him, and Peter took it. It felt cool in his hand. If they didn’t need his blood, it would be easy to sign this thing. They would take his sample and compare it to some unknown people. It wouldn’t be a fit. It couldn’t be, but he couldn’t understand what they hoped to get from this. 

„ Mr. Parker?“ The detective watched him closely. „What is your problem? Do you have any questions left?“

„I don’t understand why my prints should match this kid.“ Peter sounded young and unsure. He heard it, and he hated it, but that’s how he felt, and he was too exhausted to care anymore. 

„That’s what we try to understand too. Maybe it’s just an error in our system. Maybe the right prints were switched. You know that can happen over the years, so the DNA test will help us. It would help the family of this kid. Maybe it will even help the kid. Imagine he could be already in the system, and we just couldn’t find him because of swapped prints. Imagine this!“

He looked at the kid again. 

„You could help someone here.“

If this was right, then maybe he could help a family find each other again. He could help. 

And if this wasn’t right? If this was a set up to get rid of him? 

He couldn’t change it. His thoughts drifted back to the first night in Juvi. The fight with the other boys and how he felt like it would be his last day on earth. 

There was nothing he could do, and even Clark had said that they didn’t need his consent.

He closed his eyes as he took the pen and put his signature on the form. 

As soon as he put the pen away, the door to the room opened again, and an older woman came in. She wore some kind of nurse uniform and had a little bag with her. 

She took his sample with a cotton ball in his mouth and promised him to have the results very quickly. 

Till then, he had nothing else to do than wait. 

The detective left the room, and only Clark stayed with him. He took more folders out of his bag and started to work on things while Peter just sat there, waiting and so incredibly sleepy suddenly. He hadn’t slept for more than 3 hours the last night, and sitting here wasn’t helping him. 

„The people. Of the kid.“ Peter said because that picture was still on the table. Mocking him. 

„Hm?“ Clark didn’t even look up. 

„What are his parents? Why did they lose him? How?“

Clark stopped what he was doing and seemed to think of it. 

„I can’t tell you. I don’t know more of this, but even if I knew something, I wouldn’t say before we have the results. Sorry.“

„But you have to know how they lost him!“ Peter shook his head. „Aren’t you responsible for such things? How did he get lost?“

Clark shook his head. 

„I don’t know.“

„So what do you know? What did they tell you when you got the call to come here today? I’m with the police for two days, and I haven’t seen anyone from CPS, so something is fishy here. You have to see that.“

It was quiet in the room after Peter’s words, and Peter started to think he wouldn’t get an answer, but then suddenly, Clark sighed. 

„All I know is that the father of this kid is someone important. Someone with money. You just don’t stand in his way, and if he hears we had a kid here with matching prints and didn’t do something…“ He grimaced. 

„Important?“ Peter asked curiously. „Like a politician? And you think I could be his kid? That’s even crazier than before!“

Clark shook his head. 

„That’s nothing to think of in the moment. We have to wait, and then we’ll see. Don’t worry about it.“ He ignored Peter again and concentrated on his folders. 

Peter sat for a while calmly. Even his feet stopped hopping, but therefor his mind started a race against everything, the time, the past, the future. 

He felt silly for just sitting there and waiting for some test result. He knew the result. He couldn’t be that kid. They aren’t similar. The kid's hair was more curly and longer than his. His face was more round, his eyes big and bright. 

Peter took the picture in one hand and looked at it curiously. 

His dad would be someone important. Someone you didn’t want to make mad. But weren’t politicians always old? They didn’t have so little kids, right? Except from a little side peace. That could even be the reason why this kid went missing. Maybe the first wife heard of the new woman in his life and this kid and she… 

He pulled a face. 

That was a picture right out of the movies. All he had to do was pick some beautiful actress to play the loving and devastated mom and one action hero as the detective who does everything to save the kid. 

He put the picture down and stood up. 

Sitting here in the quiet made him even more sleepy. He wondered if he should say something to Clark about a soda and a sandwich. The police got him right after breakfast (which was very difficult because after the fight the night before, the friends of the boys wanted to get revenge). Peter had to duck each one of them while trying to eat something. He had just one toast when he got called away, and now he felt thirsty and hungry. His stomach growled. 

„You should sit down, Peter“, Clark said after he watched Peter walk through the room for a while. 

„I’m hungry.“ Peter looked to Clark. „Isn’t it time for something to eat? I’m here for hours already.“

Clark didn’t want to give him something. Peter could see it. If Clark had something to say, Peter would have to be quiet till the results came back, and after that, he would walk straight to Juvenile to never be seen again. 

„I see what I can get you.“ 

To Peter's surprise, Clark stood up, took his folders, and left the room. 

Suddenly Peter was all alone. 

His eyes watched the door. Then he looked up to the air vent in the ceiling. 

Going through the door would be easier, but he didn’t know who else was out there. It was a police station, so it was safe to assume that there would be lots of police people. But the vent? He could be up and in the ceiling long before Clark came back. And after that? He could just crawl in the between till he found a good vent to leave, and then he would be on his way. 

Yepp, the vent sounded like a good plan. 

He was standing right under the vent, ready to jump up, when a voice boomed through a loudspeaker. 

„Don’t even think of it, kid!“ 

He twitched violently, and there was even a high scream, but he would kill everyone who told on him. 

With one glare at the mirror, which wasn’t clearly only a mirror, he swore. 

„It’s creepy to watch someone without telling them. Like a stalker!“

He should have known that this mirror was two-sided. He had watched enough police shows with his uncle when Ben was still working as a cop. Ben used to make fun of everything wrong in them, and he still loved seeing them. 

Stupid Peter, for not thinking of it. 

He walked back to the table when the door opened again, and Clark came back, a soda and a sandwich in his hands. 

Chapter Text

„Do you really think he would have tried to…?“ Jack looked skeptical to Tony. 

Tony, who had remained silent the whole time and only moved when the boy started looking at the ceiling. 

Rhodey didn’t know if he should be relieved or worried. 

A quiet and calm Tony wasn’t something he hadn’t seen in years. He couldn’t remember a time in which his friend had no bitter remark on his lips or at least some kind of sarcasm. This quietness had something unnerving. 

But now, Tony didn’t look calm anymore. He looked like he was thinking about something. His eyes fixated on the boy, and Rhodey could see his mind racing. 

„He would have“, Tony said with a stern voice. Even Jack looked surprised. „He did it in the tower, and he was quick. Really, really quick.“ 

„Huh. That would be a first here, I think.“ Jack sounded impressed. 

The three men watched as the boy started to eat the most boring sandwich the CPS guy could have found. It didn’t even look as if he got it out of a vending machine. Maybe someone had left this on his desk? 

Rhodey made a face. He knew Tony wouldn’t put something like that in his mouth even if he would be starving and watching the boy eating it with a face that told everyone how he felt about the sandwich, it was like seeing a younger Tony. 

The boy burped loudly, and as he did so, he didn’t look at the man in the room. But they knew he just did it to rill him up. 

Rhodey had to suppress a chuckle. 

Tony ignored him. 

The boy finished the sandwich. While he drank the soda, he looked at the man in the room. He wanted to ask something. Maybe for another sandwich? Or what would happen next. But though they could see that he had questions, he never said something. 

„He didn’t even ask more about the parents“, Tony wondered suddenly. „He had to be sure of himself not to ask, I think.“

„Maybe he knows? Sandros picture had been all over the news.“ Rhodey remembered how hard it was to even get refuel at the gas station with all the newspapers. In the beginning, it was as if Alessandro's picture was everywhere, and even today, he had seen a paper with his picture on it. No wonder. It was Alessandro's birthday, after all. 

„He was a kid then. Not sure he would remember a picture.“ Jack wasn’t convinced. „Maybe he is right, and he isn’t our kid. Maybe I shouldn’t have called so early. I’m sorry about this, Tony. I really am. I just thought this could be it, and I wanted it to be it.“ He looked guilty. 

Tony nodded. 

„It’s okay.“

No, it wasn’t. On every other day, it would have been a dumb idea, but on this special day? Rhodey would have loved to rip Jack a new one. The guy had to know which day today was. 

Rhodey felt himself getting angrier with each minute, and Tony stayed so damn quiet. 

Just when Rhodey wanted to ask his friend about it, he suddenly understood. 

These minutes, this hour, were maybe the first moments in 12 years in which Tony didn’t was without his child. In this small moment, he could hope that this boy in the next room would be his. As crazy as it was. For a short time, he wasn’t a father who lost his kid, but he was a father who could see his boy and hear him, and the boy was safe. 

That was the reason Tony hadn’t said something when Jack told them they had to wait for an hour for the result. Maybe even longer. Tony was nothing but impatient, but right now?

Rhodey had been surprised as Tony had just nodded and resolved to watch the kid, but now he got it. 

„So. What happens next?“ Again, Tony surprised Rhodey with his question. 

„It depends on the result. If it’s a match, CPS will provide him a safe family for the time…“

„A family? If it’s a match? Why? Tony is his father. The boy doesn’t need a foster family!“ Rhodey couldn’t help but raise his voice. Why on earth should a positive match lead the boy to living with a foster family when his father was right here? They all knew how difficult it was to get a foster family who didn’t just want a newborn to raise and love. A teenager with a history like this kid had, couldn’t hope for a good one. 

„It’s to provide the kid some kind of safe ground while he meets his parents“, Tony explained. 

Rhodey looked to Jack who nodded surprised. 

„Seems like you know how we work.“ Jack said without a question, but it was still there.

„When… when Sandro got missing, I read a lot. Of similar cases and how they got handled“, Tony explained. 

„There are similar cases?“ Rhodes couldn’t believe that so many children were taken by strangers and then found their way back home. 

Jack’s face told him that there weren’t so many cases, but Tony still had found them. 

„So we need a lawyer to meet the kid if it’s a match“, Rhodey shook his had. „And if it’s not?“

Jack sighed. „Then I’m really, really sorry that I called so early. Really damn sorry, Tony. It was just the first and only hint, and I wanted it to be true. I wanted this for you.“

Tony nodded again while the kid in the room kicked the empty chair, so it fell to the ground. 

This got finally Clarks reaction. 

„Stop it, punk!“

„Make me.“ The kid smiled wide. 

For a few minutes, they both looked at each other in some kind of bizarre staring contest. 

Then the kid burped again, and Clark jumped up. The table between them got moved in the direction of the kid and pushed lightly into his stomach. 

The kid jumped up, too, and moved back. For a short second, he looked scared, and then suddenly, he was all raised fists and angry snarls. 

But the man didn’t move any further. He just stood there and pressed his mouth together. 

„Maybe someone should...“ Rhodey said, just when Jack nodded. Jack moved to the door, but before he could leave, the CPS guy spoke again.

„Sit down and shut up. Behave yourself. Now.“ It didn’t sound threatening, but it worked. 

The kid looked still angry, but he didn’t say anything. He just watched the guy warily. 

„ I said, sit down. Now.“

And the boy took the chair, pushed it into one corner and put his butt in it. His eyes threw daggers at the man in the room. 

„That really is a tough cookie“, Rhodey sighed. He only knew the cadets in his work who were not always nice and easy but still better to handle than this boy. Not to mention the kids of his sister who were all sweet and smilies when he was around. 

Jack nodded.

„Sometimes you need to be the toughest kid in the block to survive“, Tony said suddenly, and Rhodey couldn’t help but stare at his friend. What should that mean? As long as Rhodey knew Tony, his friend had always been the smartest in the room and the one with the most money behind him, so nobody would talk to him like this. Or would they? But before he could ask Tony or even try to catch his eyes, the door to their room opened again, and the man from before went straight to Jack. 

Rhodey and Tony could see that he showed Jack a document and Jack took it to read it. 

A minute. And 30 seconds. 

Rhodey heard Tony breathing, so damn calm. He wanted to turn to his friend and shake him because whatever was going on in his head couldn’t be good. 

Jack raised his head and looked straight up at Tony. His face didn’t tell them what his next words would be, and Rhodey wished, prayed, hoped it would be something they could survive. 

„Congrats, Mr. Stark, it’s a boy.“ 

He held the document out for Tony to grab it, but Tony didn't move. 

Rhodey knew that Tony didn’t like it when people wanted to give him things, but this was different. While he took the paper, he saw Tony standing there. His eyes were open, wide. His face was suddenly pale. He was breathing and trembling slightly. 

But he didn’t look as if he would be there with them. 

Rhodey looked at the document. 

It was a match. 

The rugrat in the next room was Alessandro, Tony’s son. 

„Holy shit!“ Rhodey sighed and stared at the boy who was still sitting on the chair in the corner and glaring daggers at the CPS guy as if his whole life wasn’t about to change. Tony looked frozen. Rhodey wasn’t sure his friend really understood what was happening right now. 

„Ok. What now? Lawyers? When can we talk to him?“ Rhodey took his mobile phone out of his pocket, and it was no surprise for him that his fingers had already opened Peppers's account. If anyone knew how to deal with everything legal, it was Pepper. Rhodey would take care of Tony. 

Jack nodded again. 

„Lawyers. And I think I’ll go and spread the good news.“ He pointed at the kid and the CPS guy. 

„Can we stay?“ Rhodey asked. „We won’t interfere, but just to see him? Can we speak to him? Today? Now? Can we…?“ 

Jack put a hand up. 

„Let me just talk to him. Test the water, you know? We still don’t know how he fits into everything, and as long as we don’t know that, it could still be some kind of…“

„Mistake?“ Tony’s voice sounded hoarse, as if he had screamed for hours. Rhodey started to get angsty for his friend. He took a step next to Tony and put one hand on Tony’s back. He could feel how tense Tony was. „You still think it could be a mistake?“

„No.“ Jack shook his head. He was quiet for a minute and tried to find the right words for this. „I think I want to be really sure, like, really, really sure, that nobody was able to tinker with this test or with our data. I would love for you to repeat the test with him and your blood. You know? Just to be safe that there couldn’t be something going on.“

„You still think he isn’t Sandro“, Tony said. „You don’t want to let us take him home because you think this is a ruse.“

Jack didn’t look so sure about it. Rhodey could see it in the face of the other guy. Then why did he call so early? If he wasn’t hopeful for Tony? What had changed in this short time?

„I want to be sure, Tony. We have to be sure.“

Rhodey couldn’t get it, and he knew Tony wasn’t getting it either, but they couldn’t do anything about it, so they nodded slowly. 

Jack left the room, and both men turned around to watch him go talk to the boy. 

Chapter Text

„Hello, Peter, my name is Jack.“ Another man came into the room and though he looked friendlier than the other detective, Peter wasn’t convinced he would be.

Peter didn’t say anything. He wasn’t impressed with all of this, and the only thing he wanted to know was the big WHY behind everything. It was the one thing he couldn’t figure out. 

„Say something, Boy!“ Clark grumbled when Peter didn’t react. 

„No, it’s okay. I can imagine that this is all very… difficult. Am I right, Peter?“ 

Peter shrugged. 

For a moment, it was quiet in the room. Clark was getting impatient, and the other guy was calm as one could be. 

Good cop, bad cop but with different angles, Peter thought and pressed his lips together. Did they really think he would be so easy?

The detective put a folder on the table, and when he opened it, the picture of the boy was the first thing Peter could see; he thought it would be the same folder as before. 

He wondered what they wanted to get from all of this. 

„Did somebody tell you his name?“

Peter looked the detective straight in the eyes and said nothing. 

„His name is Alessandro. In this picture, he was nearly 3 years old. Like you already said, a sweet and cute kid. As I remember, he loved cars and trucks and playing at the beach. Nothing unusual.“ 

Jack put another paper on the table. Alessandro’s prints and right next to it Peter’s prints. 

Peter ignored the paper. 

The detective put another paper on the table. Without explanation, Peter could see that it was the DNA sequence of the missing kid, and when the other man put another paper right next to it, Peter had to compare the results. 

Like Clark, who took a surprised look at the result. 

„That was quick work“, Clark said, impressed. 

„We were very motivated.“ Jack answered, but his eyes never left the face of the boy in front of him. 

Peter felt himself being watched by the mysterious people behind the mirror and the new detective. 

He ignored that feeling and tried to understand what he was seeing. 

The results were a match. Like the prints. 

Someone wanted him to think he was the missing kid. 

But why? And who? What was the meaning of this?

„That’s still not me“, he heard himself say. Then he looked up and met the eyes of the detective. „This is bullshit and I’m not falling for it.“

„I see.“ The detective looked him straight in the eyes. He was very calm. Way too calm for someone who wanted to set Peter up. But that couldn’t mean anything. Maybe he was also being set up? Maybe this whole charade was for more than just one stupid kid. 

„You know what? We play a little game. You tell me something about your parents. Something only you would know. And I’ll tell you something about this little boy. What do you say?“ 

„I’m not interested.“ He didn’t want to know more of this little boy. Peter crossed his arms in front of him and tried to look bored. 

The detective nodded. He shared a look with the CPS guy, who shrugged. 

„Ok. Then I’ll start“, the detective said. He pointed at the picture. „His mom died when he was only a few months old.“

Peter stayed quiet. 

„He lived with his dad, who loved him very much. When I met his dad, after Sandro got taken, I thought at first he would be some shady rich man with lots of Nannies for his kid and no real clue who his kid really was, but I was wrong. Boy, was I wrong!“ The detective shook his head as if he still couldn’t believe how wrong he was. 

Peter tried to concentrate on something else, but then he felt something starting in the back of his neck. Some tingle. 

He said nothing but looked at the detective again. The guy was still smiling over the little story he shared, something of a plushy toy and how the dad bought so many of them just to be safe, and there it was again! 

The detective looked to the mirror and smiled as if he wanted to say something to the people behind the mirror. 

Peter felt himself getting cold. 

Behind the mirror was the father of the missing kid. He was suddenly sure of it. 

„I love that story“, the detective said just when Peter started to feel nauseous. 

„Yeah, right. It’s awesome“, Peter said with a hint of sarcasm in his voice. „I can’t wait to hear it again and again.“

„Parker!“ The CPS guy shook his head. „It’s time to change the attitude, young man. You are getting more help here than every other kid, so you could be grateful.“

„Grateful? For what? I’m sitting here for hours, and why? Because of made up shit about this kid? Who isn’t me? I would…“

„Why are you so sure about that?“ The detective interrupted Peter calmly. 

Peter was surprised. For a moment.

„I…“

„Do you know something to prove who you are? Something that would tell us right away that someone tinkered with the prints and the DNA?“

This was his chance, Peter thought. If he only could prove himself to not be this kid, then everything would be alright. 

No, not everything. 

He made a face. 

„I don’t know what you want to know!“ He said, frustrated. „I was very little when my parents died, and I remember only bits and pieces. My mom loved to sing to me, but no little kids' songs; instead, they were Musical numbers, and my dad had this big red car. He used to drive it to his work. That’s nothing that proves they were my parents or they weren’t. It’s just…“

„I get it.“ The detective nodded again. „You don’t know much about them, right? Only their names and…“

„I remember what my uncle told me about them and what my aunt knew. They were good people.“ 

„Like your uncle?“ The CPS guy interfered with a cold voice. 

Peter looked at him as if he wanted to strangle him, but he said nothing anymore. He saw how even the detective looked unhappy with the other man, but he also stayed quiet. 

„Let’s be honest, Parker“, the CPS guy talked as if he couldn’t feel the angry eyes of everyone in the room on himself. „Your uncle had been once police, maybe he was even a good one. But his last day on earth he was a thief and a bad one. Who got himself killed and put the child he was responsible for in jail. That’s not how good guys are.“

„You have no idea how good he was!“ Peter spat out, and his whole anger was in his voice. 

„Really? Then tell me. How was it good to try to break into the Avengers tower? Some of the guys we caught told us that you tried to change his mind. They said you didn’t want to break into the tower, but your uncle insisted. So. How is that a good guy?“

Peter jumped up. This time, he pushed the table away from himself and the CPS guy straight in his stomach. Only the detective’s quick action prevented Clark from getting hurt. Both men stood up too, and for a moment, it looked as if they would start to yell at Peter. 

The detective looked disappointed, the CPS guy looked annoyed, and Peter tried not to imagine what he wanted do to this man. 

„I think“, the detective started and threw a look to the other adult. „We should all take a little break. Maybe move our legs a little bit. Sound good?“ 

„Great idea“, Peter said with the sweetest smile. „I’m more than up for a nice long walk around the block.“

The CPS guy opened his mouth, but the police man interrupted again. 

„You will stay here and sit your butt in the chair. We’ll take a walk.“ And he put his hand on the shoulder of the other man to escort him out of the room. 

Peter was still angry. So damn angry and that’s though he knew they were right. Ben was the best uncle a kid could have. He was there for him when he was sick or sad or happy or just bored. He was always there for him, but over the last few months, everything changed, and though he still cared for Peter, he just wasn’t the man Peter once knew. 

The door opened again, and only the detective came back inside. He took his seat and watched Peter quietly. 

„I’m pretty sure you aren’t allowed in here with me right now.“ Peter said cooly. „As I’m still a minor, and you are police.“

The detective nodded.

„And we only have a few minutes till Clark finds his way out of the locker I put him in.“

Peter knew this had to be some other way to put him up, but still, the image did something to him. Not enough to soothe his anger, but he liked it nevertheless. 

„You haven’t asked about this kid's parents. I think most people would ask about them by now. It makes me curious, you know?“

„You already told me the mom was out of the picture.“

Again, the detective nodded. He opened the folder again and took the picture of the kid out to look at it. 

Peter remembered that he had the feeling the little kid's dad was standing right behind the mirror, and he wondered why. If he thought Peter was his missing kid that he - like the detective said - loved so much, why was he still standing behind the mirror and just watching everything? 

Watching Peter. 

„I didn’t tell you about the dad.“

„You said he was some rich guy.“

Maybe the rich guy wasn’t impressed with his unruly wannabe son? Peter could imagine that rich guys weren’t impressed with their kids when they got caught stealing and breaking into buildings. 

Maybe the dad could still say no to all of this? He just had to convince him, then.

Peter knew his thoughts were running crazy, but he didn’t know what to do. He knew this had to be false and a set-up for him. His parents were dead. His uncle was dead and his aunt was… 

Suddenly he felt cold all over his body. 

His aunt. 

Whatever the reason behind all of this was, it had to be something to do with his aunt. 

But why? 

And what’s the deal of this unknown rich guy, aka dad of a missing kid?

„You don’t want to know his name?“ 

Peter shook his head. He didn’t need to think about the answer twice. He didn’t need to. There were only two options right now. Option one is that this was all a big set up, and whoever took him in as his son knew that Peter didn’t was his son but he wanted Peter to have for his own reasons which made Peter's skin crawl. Option two was that this was all an innocent mistake. Some switch with the data. Something another test would show them. 

Maybe he should ask for another test? Right now?

„I want to do the test again“, Peter said after thinking it through.

This clearly surprised both men. 

„Why?“

„Because I’m not that kid and whatever mistake led to this matching prints…“

„I think your dad already ordered another test.“

Peter didn’t react as he heard the words he hadn’t heard in nearly a year or two. Ben had talked a lot about his brother when Peter was still little. He didn’t want Peter to forget his parents, but after a few years, it stopped. There was nothing more to tell, no more exciting or funny stories that Peter didn’t already know, and so it stopped. So hearing the words „Your dad“ did nothing to Peter. 

Except…

„So he didn’t believe the results either?“ He asked, and he hated how hopeful his voice sounded. He saw right away that the detective heard it too. 

„He is a smart guy, and he knows how mistakes can happen. Better safe than sorry, right?“ The detective smiled again at Peter but also the mirror, and Peter couldn’t take it anymore. 

„Does he know I’m here? Does he know about me?“ He had to be sure. 

Now, the man smiled brightly. He was very happy about Peter's questions right now. 

„You said he was rich“, Peter said as if he thought of something. His neck burned, and it was like he could feel the eyes of these strangers behind the mirror on him. He remembered being in a school play some years ago, and May had been so proud of him. She said he was the best actor she had ever laid eyes on. He was maybe seven then, and he still knew that she just wanted to praise him, but he felt good about it. So he knew he could act, and this time his play would be awesome. 

„Yes, very. Why do you ask? Remember something you desperately need?“ The smile got even brighter. As if it would be okay to just get money out of this unknown rich guy. 

„No, but I think a rich guy who has lost his wife and kid must have found a new woman already, right? And new kids? That happens. He had to have someone to leave his legacy behind or something like that.“

The smile vanished and instead the detective looked confused. 

„I’m not sure I understand where you are going with all of this, Peter.“

„I’m just thinking.“ Peter pointed to the folder and the picture of the kid on it. „He looks really sweet and charming. I can understand that someone wants to have this kid back. 

But I’m neither sweet nor charming. I’m not even nice. I have flaws. So many flaws. I’m cursing all the time, you know? And I’m lying. Like always. And I get in a lot of fights.“ This time, he put a finger under his swollen eye. „A lot of fights. All the time. 

I think I’m not the right kid for someone like this guy. You have to see it too, right? Just imagine me at one of those tea parties you always see on TV. I mean, I would clear the pocket of every man there and then I would get to the jewelry of the women. And even if I didn’t, there would be rumors about it. So many damn rumors!

No, I think he would be way better without me. Way better.“

The detective listened to Peter silently. He didn’t even look in the mirror, just watched Peter, and nothing showed his thoughts. 

Peter stopped shortly and rubbed his neck, which was burning so much right now it nearly hurt. 

„I think he doesn’t need me, and as soon as he gets to know me, he won’t want me, so maybe we could just skip the whole reunion part and forget everything about it?“ This time, he didn’t sound hopeful, just stated a matter of fact. He, at least, was very satisfied with his play. 

„You want me to say to him that the results were wrong and that we haven’t found his missing kid“, stated the detective. 

Peter nodded nonchalantly. 

„And you still don’t want to know his name?“

Peter nodded again. He didn’t need to know the name of this guy. 

The man in front of him looked thoughtful. Did he consider Peter's suggestion?

„I’m not some rich guy's kid“, Peter pressed again. „You have to see that! I’m just... I tried to break into the Stark Tower, for heaven’s sake! Can you imagine what people would say to that? How it could be difficult for this guy? I don’t think Stark would be very happy with him, and Stark has his fingers everywhere, so whatever this guy does to make money, he needs to be in Stark's good sight, right? So I’m really not the kid he wants to have, and I think we all could win if we agree on that right now.“ 

„You are sure of it?“

„Very sure.“ Peter felt as if he could breathe again. The detective sounded as if he would consider Peter's words, and though the thought stung a little that some wouldn’t even consider Peter as the son of a rich guy, he was still happy about it. Whatever set up they tried, maybe Peter had found the one way out of it. 

„We are talking about Tony Stark, kid.“

„Yes, I know!“  Peter gave a thumbs up. „Anyone would have to be crazy to claim the guy as his son who tried to break into Starks Tower. Like totally crazy!“

„No, I mean, the father of this missing kid is Tony Stark.“

Peter opened his mouth, but there were no words. He blinked. Every breath seemed to have left his body, and he felt like he got punched over and over again. 

„What?“ Peter squeaked. 

„This kid is Alessandro Edwin Stark. Son of Tony Stark.“

Peter stared at the picture. The sweet kid on it with the big brown eyes and the brown curls. Behind him was a bright blue sky, and the kid looked like he was laughing, like he was happy. So very happy. 

And then his mind started to work, and he understood everything. 

He started to laugh. 

„What is it?“ The detective asked, confused when Peter wouldn’t stop laughing. „Peter, you have to…“

Peter tried to stop laughing. He really did, but the whole thing was so unbelievable, and he had been nervous about everything till he got to know the name of the rich guy. 

Tony Stark.

Iron Man. 

Like he would want the kid who broke into his tower as his son!

That was no setup; it was ridiculous!

Peter was so relieved. 

„That’s a joke, right?“ He gasped when he finally stopped laughing. 

„I don’t joke about missing kids.“

Okay. That thought put Peter's smile to a rest, and it dampened his mood drastically. He took a deep breath and nodded to the kid again. 

„You want to tell me that Tony Stark, Iron Man, Avenger, has lost his kid, and nobody in the whole world knows about it? And now I’m suddenly this kid? You have to see that this has to be some kind of prank!“ Maybe Stark pulled some strings to get back at Peter for breaking into one of the labs or crawling through the vents. or… didn’t he damage the building when he tried to jump out of the vent? Yes, that had to be it!

The detective looked through the folder and put another document on the table, one Peter didn’t see before. The birth certificate of the kid clearly stated Anthony Edward Stark as the father. 

„That’s a fake“, Peter said. „And not even a good one. I could make that better.“

„It’s no fake, and please refrain from telling a detective you could fake official documents.“

Peter looked to the picture again, to the certificate. His mind was racing. His heart was beating as if he were running a marathon- no, sprinting. Sprinting and jumping and…

„I’m stupid. I’m dumb. I haven’t been in school for years now, and my grades were always really bad. I’m no way the kid of a genius. No fucking way!“

„Really? After everything, this is the way you're trying to wing it? Really?“

The door burst open again, and the CPS guy stormed back into the room. He was clearly angry, but this time, it wasn’t Peter who was his target. 

„This isn’t okay“, the CPS guy snarled at the detective. „You can’t interrogate a minor without me. I’ll file a complaint as soon as I leave this room.“ He looked at Peter. „Whatever you told him isn’t important. It happened under pressure and will have no consequences. Whatever he told you had no background. So if he tried to persuade you to say something, it has no meaning.“ He turned back to the detective. „And now I want you to leave this room. As I was made aware that you are not really in your working area, right? As you are from California? You are not in charge here, and you have to leave. Right the fuck now.“

Oh, he was mad. Really really mad. 

Maybe the locker wasn’t as nice and friendly as the detective had thought, and though Peter still didn’t like the CPS guy, he was very happy about him at the moment. 

Then he saw how unimpressed the other guy looked. As if he knew something the CPS guy didn’t know. 

Peter felt himself getting nervous again. This ruse wasn’t over yet. 

He saw the certificate again. The bright smile on the kid's face. 

„ He said Tony Stark is the kid’s father.“ Peter needed the CPS guy on his side, and he just knew the CPS guy, Clark, wouldn’t leave Peter to Tony Stark. 

Clark looked surprised. First to Peter, then to the detective. 

„Said what now?“

Peter showed him the certificate, and when Clark took it in his hands to read it, they all waited. Clark then shuffled through the other documents. The matching prints, the result of the paternity test. Then he took the picture and held it up so he could match Peter's face with this of the kid. As if he would consider it. 

„Tony Stark is your dad? The Tony Stark?“

„No!“

„Yes, it seems so.“

„This has to be some kind of fake! Damnit! Someone wants to set me up. Like with this Juvi thing. I’m a minor, but they still took me there. That is all some kind of set up!“

Both men looked to him. 

„The police can put anyone in Juvi when they think it would be more fitting. As you were caught breaking into the Avengers Tower with a gun, Juvi was the best option.“

„I had no gun!“ But he remembered he took it from Ben after he fell, and then he… Peter felt himself getting sick. He had pointed it at Iron Man, right? He had pointed a gun at Iron Man. 

„You had still traces of gunpowder on your fingers when we took the prints“, the detective had obviously heard of the story from Mr. Stark himself. Who now claims to be Peter's dad? Why on earth would he do that? 

„So you are the son of Tony Stark? Really?“ The CPS guy looked from Peter to the detective, and when he nodded, Clark cursed slightly. „Who would have thought? Peter, you have to be very excited right now and…“

„That’s not the word I would use“, the detective said.

„What? Why not? Finding a missing kid alive is so rare. Especially after such a long time. And then discovering your father is a billionaire? It’s like discovering you are secretly a prince to a long-lost kingdom. You must be ecstatic! Your whole life will be better from now on and you can get everything you want. Everything.“ It sounded like Clark would want to be found as the missing heir. 

Peter just looked at both men. He understood that there would be no way for him out of this mess. He felt suddenly helpless and exhausted. 

„You could really have everything“, Clark repeated. 

„No. Not everything. Uncle Ben is still dead.“ Peter turned, took the chair, and put it in the corner of the room. Then he sat down and waited. 

Waited for whatever would happen next. 

Chapter Text

Tony’s eyes were glued on the kid he could see through the mirror.  

It felt like he would be right there with him in the same room. 

Seeing this kid breathing, spitting fire, and clearly trying to find a way out of this mess he suddenly found himself in. 

He heard Rhodey, his best friend, his brother in all but blood, breathing next to him. They stood beside each other, their upper arms touched, and every so often, he saw out of the corner of his eyes how Rhodey opened his mouth to say something. But Tony didn’t know if he really said something or what it was. His whole attention was on the boy in the other room and on the memories he had. 

He remembered the last time he had held Sandro. His baby boy. After a long day at the beach, he had bathed the boy right after dinner, and then they snuggled into the boy's bed for a little reading. Tony loved these short moments with his son. He could hold him and smell him and just be there for him because those precious moments seemed to be the only moments where Alessandro wasn’t up and around and laughing. He was always laughing, always on his feet, and always in motion. He couldn’t even sit down to paint or play with his toys for more than a few minutes. He was always on his feet, running, exploring, and having so much fun. But when he was in his bed, he was suddenly quiet and relaxed and oh-so snuggly. 

Tony loved it, and he remembered on this night he enjoyed it a little bit extra because he had worked so much over the last few days that he felt guilty to not be there for Sandro. There was a special project that took all his time, and though he tried to be present for his kid, he felt like he could have done more with the boy. Today, he got to finish this project, and he knew the next days were only for his boy, so he snuggled him a little closer and started to plan how to spend the time with him. Going to the Aquarium was always something the kid loved. Or maybe they could try the car racing track for little kids again. Sandro loved everything with cars. In the end, everything they would do, they would do together, and that was something both Stark men loved very much. 

That was a good memory, Tony thought to himself. The one memory that kept him sane over the next ten years. Sometimes, he tried to suppress it, but even after inventing the BARF technology, he would never try to lose it. Even though it hurt like hell to remember that he couldn’t take Sandro to the Aquarium or the racetrack. He couldn’t take Sandro anywhere anymore because Sandro was gone. 

And now this boy was sitting in the next room. With matching prints and a positive paternity test. 

Who didn’t want to be there.

Who didn’t want to be Tony’s son. 

That hurt even more. 

„Tony?“

Rhodey shook him slightly, and Tony’s attention snapped back to his friend. 

„How are you? Everything alright? You are quiet right now, and it makes me nervous.“ Rhodey didn’t look nervous. He looked worried. 

As someone who had put this look on his best friend's face way too often, Tony felt guilty. 

„It’s fine“, he said and tried a small smile, but his whole face felt as if it was frozen, and even the light movement felt wrong. „Just waiting. You know?“

Rhodey nodded, but his eyes never lost the worried look. 

„It’s unbelievable, right?“ Rhodey said and tried to give his voice a lighter touch. Tony smiled at that because he remembered Rhodey doing things like that so often in the past, and it never worked, but he still tried, and Tony loved him for it. „He’s back. He really is back.“

„We should take another test“, Tony said to that. „Confirm it once and for all with his blood and mine. We could do it right away. Just need to wait for the lawyers.“

Rhodey looked at him intensely and said nothing. 

Tony turned around and watched the kid again. 

„How are you feeling, Tones?“

„I’m good.“

Silence. 

Rhodey didn’t believe him. Hell, Tony didn’t believe himself. 

The kid in the room laughed right now. So loud and so big, as if he had no problem in the world. It reminded Tony of Alessandro so much. He felt his heart beating faster, his chest getting tighter, and everything felt so… so wrong and right at the same time again. 

He wanted to go in that room, kick every other men out, and hug his kid. He wanted to hug him so hard and never let him go again. Never. He would be perfectly fine with the kid staying forever in the tower like a princess in a fairy tale. 

And he wanted to stay in the observation room forever. In this kind of limbo where he didn’t have to say something, to feel something, react to something. Where he could remember happier times and dream of a future that didn’t involve problems, where nobody got hurt and no disappointments were waiting. 

He felt like he was some kind of Schrödingers cat. As long as he was staying in this room, watching the kid through the mirror and just breathing, everything was good. He had his son back, and he had his memories of Sandro, laughing and giggling about the story Tony had told him right before bed. 

This was the perfect spot for Tony right now. He could stay forever in it. 

Then he heard the CPS guy saying something about the gun the kid had pointed at Tony, and he got kicked violently out of Schrödingers limbo. 

Instead of remembering Sandro right after the bath, smelling like the lotion he had put on his son and being so snuggly, he saw the kid when he first saw him in the staircase. 

He had sat on the ground with his dying uncle in his lap. Blood was on his hands, and his face was so very white. His eyes were even bigger than usual, and he looked so scared, and there were tears on his face. 

Tony remembered that he had been angry when FRIDAY told him of the breaking in and how the security searched the building, and some of the thieves were running while others had already been captured. He was angry, and instead of letting the security do their work, he took a suit and wanted to see for himself. He needed to see that the people in his town thought he would be out of the picture for good. After everything he had done for them!

The suit was too big for running around in the tower like he wanted to but he wanted to impress whoever got the nerve to do something stupid like breaking into his goddamn tower. So he took the staircase, and it was like driving a fast car in a small parking garage: everything was so tiny and he bumped a few times against a wall, but it was still some kind of fun and he could always tell Pepper that he wanted to renovate anyway.  It was still his own building! 

The fun went away when he heard the gunshot and a scream. And another gunshot. 

He saw the dead guard first. That wasn’t something that was allowed to happen. Not ever. This guy got killed doing his job for Tony, and Tony was getting livid. 

But a second later, he found the boy and the bleeding man in his arms. FRI confirmed that the man was already dead, and this kid right there was still trying to save him, to convince him to stay alive, and he looked so young. Then he pointed the gun at Tony. And took off running. And crawling through the vents. Through the vents, Tony had thought of being protected against crawling people. Damnit! And then he jumped, straight to his sure death. 

And now the boy was sitting in the next room and telling everyone that he was way too dumb to be the son of a genius. 

„He’s just confused, Tony“, Rhodey tried to soften the blow. 

Tony nodded. 

„It’s a lot for him to process,“ Rhodey said again. „It would be hard for everyone, and he’s still a kid.“

Tony nodded again. 

He remembered feeling scared when FRIDAY told him the boy tried to climb out of the vent, and there was nowhere to go from there. He had sent a suit, but he didn’t know if he would be fast enough, and when he heard of FRI that the suit got the boy right in time, he felt breathless. 

And now this kid, this kid that nearly died on his watch, was his kid. 

„It’s a lot to take in“, Tony confirmed quietly and watched the kid put himself in a corner. He looked angry and confused. And all alone. 

Damnit!

He saw Rhodey move, and then he heard him on the phone. Only a few sentences. Then he put his phone away and turned to Tony, who watched him intensely. 

„Pepper got it. It’s only for 48 hours at the moment, but the lawyers are working on everything.“

„Pepper’s the best.“ Tony smiled. He always knew he had a lot of good friends in his corner, but Pepper and Rhodey were the best. 

Rhodey smiled widely. Then, he pointed at the other room. 

„Wanna say hi to your kid?“

Tony just stood there for a moment. Schrödingers cat in mind. A boy right out of the bubble bath, giggling and asking for a story. And a boy jumping without fear out of a vent. 

Chapter Text

„Peter, I think you’ve got it all wrong right now“, the detective started again. 

It had been a few minutes after Peter’s outburst that had both men stop talking. He had turned his back to them - and the mirror! - and watched the paint on the wall like it would solve every riddle known to mankind. 

He thought it could be the most boring wall that ever existed, but it still was more interesting than this whole situation. They could talk as long and as much as they wanted, but he wouldn’t believe one single thing they said. If he only could understand the reason behind all of this!

„Peter, really…“ the detective sounded sad. „This…“

„…is the best that could happen to a punk like you!“ The CPS guy interrupted, annoyed. „You are an ungrateful brat, you little…“ 

„That’s not helping!“ 

„Oh, and your approach solves everything, Mr. Big-Number-from-the-West-Coast? Really? If I’m reading this page right, then you have lost the kid in the first place, so you should be very quiet right now.“

At this moment, Peter was nearly tempted to turn around. He still didn’t believe that the CPS guy was on his side, but he had a point there. A point that Peter made curious. 

He fought with himself, eyed one darker patch on the wall in front of him and was very happy he didn’t turn around because in the next moment the door was opened again. 

„Oh, I’m sorry, but no!“The CPS guy was right on the case. „This is highly inappropriate, and this is not how we work here! Leave! Now! I don’t care who you are!“

Peter threw a short glance over his shoulder, but CPS and the detective were standing in his way, and if he didn’t want to leave his favorite wall-watching spot, he had no way of knowing who was now getting kicked out of the room. 

„I’m not happy with this, but he is right. You really have to go.“ The detective stated. Which was kind of odd. Peter would have thought that whoever stood at the door would be someone the detective knew. It sounded like he knew the other one, and he still wouldn’t let him in? Oh… curiosity and cats, right?

„So funny that you think you have something to say right now.“ The new voice sounded smug and very certain of itself. 

Peter had watched a few of his interviews, some of his speeches that were online, and he even had one single moment in his life when he met the man in a staircase, so he knew right away who had entered the room. 

He took a deep breath and squared his shoulders. The dark spot on the wall looked like someone had tried to paint the outline of Australia. Which had nothing to do with the men behind him, but it was still the first thing that came to his mind. Which annoyed him so much right now! 

„ Mr. Stark, you have to understand, we have to take this situation very carefully.“ The CPS guy’s voice sounded strong. As if he really would believe he could stand his ground in front of the Billionaire - and Avenger. 

„Yes, we understand. If you both want to take a look at this?“ Another voice. One Peter hadn’t heard before, and now he was even more curious. So damn curious. Everything in him screamed at him to turn around and face the music, but he stood stiff as a board and tried to find another similar uninteresting outline on the wall. 

Behind him, he could hear footsteps in the room. Some shuffling. Paper on the table. Someone whispered, and more footsteps. This time they were getting near Peter. 

He felt himself holding his breath. 

„Hey, kid.“

The voice right next to him startled Peter so much that he nearly made a sound. His head spun around, and he stared at the man. 

Mr Stark was just standing there. His eyes were on the wall right in front of them, and he looked as if he was equally curious about the paint as Peter. He didn’t look up even as he had to knew that Peter had turned his way. 

Peter looked away again. Searched and found Australia and didn’t know what to say. How to react. Heaven! He didn’t even know how to breathe around someone like Tony Stark! It was all so crazy!

„I think this one looks like Roger's shield.“ Mr. Stark pointed at one dark patch on the wall. „And this one could be the Hulk. Really. It’s a little bit disturbing if you think of it.“

It seemed Peter’s mind had gone on a long and beautiful vacation because he couldn’t find one single word he could say. 

Mr. Stark looked at the same wall, and he found things like Peter. As if they were similar, had the same mind, or something like that. Which was… crazy!

„ Mr. Stark“, Peter again turned so quickly to the older man that he nearly stumbled and had to put a hand on the wall to steady himself, which was not cool. Really. You have to be better than this, Peter! „I’m really sorry about the…tower thing? I’m really sorry.“ 

Mr. Stark nodded and watched his Hulk patch intensely. 

„And I understand that you are angry right now. Really. I do. It was dumb and stupid and… we shouldn’t have done what we did, and I’m really sorry.“ Behind him, Peter could hear the other men quietly talking with each other. If he wanted, he could maybe understand what they were talking about, but Mr. Stark was right next to him, and that was all he could think of at the moment. 

„And I’m sorry about Ben Parker. I’m not sure why the guard used his gun, but I’m sorry that you had to witness that.“ Mr. Stark sounded strange. Like he wanted to say something else. 

Peter swallowed hard to get rid of the sudden lump in his throat. Until now, nobody had said something about his Uncle to him. Not in Juvi, not in the precinct. As if Peter didn't had lost his last living relative. 

„We shouldn’t have done it“, Peter said. In his mind, he could still hear himself begging Uncle Ben to turn around and walk away from this job. He would be alive right now. They would be together, and they would have found another way. He was sure of it. Uncle Ben was always the strong one, and he would have found another solution. Everything would be better. 

Mr. Stark watched the wall and said nothing. 

Why didn’t he say anything? What was he waiting for? What was he thinking?

„You can’t believe it, right?“ Peter said and turned to the wall again. It was as if Mr. Stark had waited for him to look away because now he tilted his head, and Peter could feel his eyes on him. „What they are saying, I mean. You can’t believe it.“ 

„I can’t?“ A question. Or a statement? Peter wasn’t sure. But it was something he could work with. 

„No, you can’t.“ Peter nodded firmly. „There are so many reasons you couldn’t believe it. So many reasons, really. It’s quite obvious if you think about it.“ 

„Really?“

„Yes! Even just imagining it sounds funny. Like something the Daily Bugle would come up with.“

Mr. Stark stayed quiet again. Peter could feel the eyes of the man on himself, and he could hear the CPS guy talking, but not with the other men in the room but with someone on the phone. He could even hear the one on the other end of the line, but then he heard Mr. Stark chuckle, and his attention was back to the man next to him. 

„Tell me then: Why can’t I believe it?“

Peter didn’t know what to say. The Billionaire couldn’t really believe this whole setup. That was just…He sighed. On the other hand, Peter couldn’t remember a reason why this had to be a set up. Just being next to the genius and Avenger made him nervous. He felt a little bit starstruck and his mind was on his long vacation anyway. 

Mr. Stark chuckled again. 

„I haven’t heard a reason, kid“, he said, and Peter could nearly feel him smile. „Come on, kid. You are smart and clever. You can come up with perfectly good reasons.“

It was like he wanted Peter to find reasons so they could laugh about the whole thing and part ways. Finally, someone who was on the same page as Peter! 

He felt relieved. 

Now he just had to come up with the one thing to say that would convince everyone else in the room that they had the wrong kid, and Mr. Stark’s words were just what he needed. 

„See, I’m not smart, Mr. Stark. I’m really not. I haven’t been in school for two or three years now, and when I went, my grades were really bad. They wanted me to repeat the class, and that’s when I stopped going.“

Mr. Stark nodded.

„Yes, you are right. No son of mine would be too dumb to go to school. Or have bad grades.“ Mr. Stark seemed to agree with Peter. 

It hurt a little bit. Like Peter wouldn’t be good enough for someone like Mr. Stark. The thought was crazy, and Peter didn’t want anything to do with Mr. Stark, but he was still a good kid. There was no reason someone couldn’t want him as his kid. At least that was something he thought of himself. Uncle Ben had loved him. He knew that. And Aunt May still loved him. He hadn’t seen her in a while, but he just knew it. She would be so happy to see him right now. They could grieve together and after that they could plan their life together. She was his family, and he knew she loved him with all her heart. 

„On the other hand…“ Now, Mr. Stark sounded regretful. „Rhodey there, had to save a few of my grades back in MIT  because I was so bored I was nearly out of my mind a few times. And before that, in school, I couldn’t sit and hear this stupid teacher say another word, and so I skipped a few days, sometimes weeks. They also wanted me to repeat classes. But my father wasn’t having it. He pulled a few strings and sent me to MIT before I was even 16 years old. Turned out he didn’t know me at all, but he knew that I was simply bored. He was right, and I did very well there.

But even if MIT had saved my mind, I still met a few of the wrong people there and so Rhodey,“ again he nodded to the other man in the room. „Had to save a few of my grades. It’s really funny how smart people can sometimes be so dumb, right?“ And Mr. Stark smiled. 

Peter was speechless. 

That sounded as if Mr. Stark was considering it. But that couldn’t be, right?

Mr. Stark couldn’t mean what he said right now. He couldn’t believe Peter was his long-lost son.

„Do you even have a son?“ Peter asked, surprised. A birth certificate could mean nothing. He looked closely at Mr. Stark, and that was good because otherwise, he wouldn’t have seen the hurt in Mr. Stark's eyes, raw and clear, for everyone to see. 

Peter felt immediately sorry for the man. 

„I’m sorry that was…“ he said but stopped when Mr. Stark made a face. Then he smiled as if nothing was wrong, but his eyes weren’t smiling. They still looked sad.

„I have a son, and I lost him when he was very little“, Mr. Stark said in a small voice. 

Peter didn’t know what to say to this information. He was a fanboy of everything Mr. Stark had done, and he watched nearly every documentary on the man, but strangely, he hadn’t heard of a missing son. Still, he saw the truth in Mr. Stark’s eyes, and he knew that this had to be hard for the man. 

„I’m sorry“, Peter said as quietly as Mr. Stark had spoken before. „Really. I am, and if I could do something I would… but…“

„You still don’t think that this is the truth.“ Mr. Stark looked over his shoulder, and when Peter followed his gaze, he found both of them in the center of the attention of three men, the detective, the CPS guy, and another man. 

Peter blinked when he recognized the pilot of War Machine. 

Holy shit!

They all watched them curiously. 

Peter wondered why he hadn’t felt it. Usually, he was good at things like that. When someone watched him, he always felt it immediately, but not so this time. 

He looked to Mr. Stark again. 

„I’m really sorry, Mr. Stark, but I’m not your kid. I really don’t.“

Mr. Stark watched him for a short moment as if he would judge him. Peter remembered how Clark had held the picture of the kid right next to Peters's face, and he asked himself if Mr. Stark did something similar with his memories. 

Mr. Stark nodded. 

„I get it“, he said. He took another look over his shoulder, his eyes searching for something. Peter didn’t know what it was, but he saw another smaller nod of Mr. Stark, this time as if he wanted someone to know he understood something, and then Mr. Stark looked to Peter again. 

„Let’s see what we got here“, Mr. Stark started. „At the moment, you are a perfect match to my son, in prints and test results. Even if you have your doubts, at the moment, there is nothing you or I can do to change the reality. Do you understand that?“

„There has to be something…“

„Yes, this something is another test. We let someone take our blood, yours  and mine, and we compare the results. Really easy.“

Peter shook his head before he could think of it. It was a reaction like an instinct. He would never let anyone get his blood. No way. 

„NO FUCKING WAY!“  

He took a step back. Back from the wall and back from Mr. Stark, who looked startled. He couldn’t breathe, and he felt himself getting ready to fight everyone on this. Even the Avenger in front of him. 

Especially the Avenger in front of him. 

„What? I don’t understand.“ 

„Nobody takes my blood. Nobody.“ Peter didn’t know how he should prevent something like that but he would find a way. He had to. „NOBODY!“ 

„Peter, that’s nothing you can decide.“ The detective said behind him in a voice that clearly should be calming and firm at the same time while the CPS guy just snarled: „You are a minor, and we, the CPS, will decide what’s best for you.“

After that, Peter’s mind, still on vacation it seemed, just went blank. He acted all instinctively. Another step back. His eyes darted up to the vent. He saw Mr. Stark squinting his eyes and watching him intensely. 

The vent was right above Mr. Stark. Peter could jump on him, use him as support, and climb up like he had done with Ben just two nights ago, and that thought made him turn around again. 

The three men were standing beside the table, and the path to the door was clear. They could get in his way, but he doubted they would be quick enough, and then he would be out of the room. There would still be police officers around as they were in a precinct, but he would deal with them, and then he would be gone and…

Just when he started to move two things happened. 

The pilot of War Machine also took a step back and now stood in front of the door. His face said clearly that he wouldn’t let Peter leave. 

And Mr. Stark put his hand on Peter’s shoulder. 

„Hey, come on, kid“, Mr. Stark's voice was low and right behind him. Not threatening but like the grumble of a bear before an attack. „We take it slow, okay? There is nothing anybody wants to do to hurt you. And even if they will, I won’t let them. All you have to do is trust me. Trust me that I’ll help you. Can you do that?“

Mr. Stark was not only a billionaire or a genius, he was also Iron Man, and there was not much he couldn’t do if he wanted. 

Peter knew that, and he knew that everyone in the room knew that also. And he knew something more. He wasn’t as dumb as he told them. He could be smart and tough, and he could be someone they wanted him to be, and then when they weren’t paying attention, he would be gone. 

He just had to play their game for a while. 

With a plan in mind, he felt himself getting calmer again. His heart stopped beating so fast, and he even felt his shoulders loosen up a bit. But Mr. Stark's hand was still on him, comforting and firm. 

„I’m really not your kid“, Peter whispered and let his head hang. „I’m really not.“

„We’ll see.“ Mr. Stark's voice sounded warm, and the hand on Peter’s shoulder felt nice. 

Peter hated that he would have to hurt the man. 

But he would still do it. 

Chapter Text

„All you have to do is trust me.“

Trust. What an unbelievably easy word. What a hard task. 

Rhodey was looking at his best friend and tried to imagine how he had to feel right now. Having his son right beside him and having to say such things. Having to say to him that he believed him. Having to say to him that he would help him prove every one of the tests wrong. 

And on the other hand, Tony must pray to every god that the results are true. 

Trust. 

While they waited for the boy to change back into his own clothes, Rhodey looked and saw how the detective signed the paper that put this kid, this Peter Parker, in their care for the next 48 hours. He saw how the CPS guy signed the paper. Then both men looked to Peter as if he should sign something too but that wasn’t needed. Even Tony’s signature wasn’t important right now because Pepper, the amazing stunning woman his friend Tony had managed to snag for himself, had everything finalized already. So now all they had to do was bring the kid home. 

Home. 

Another word that was easy and hard at the same time. 

Rhodey saw how tense Tony was when the detective said something about his home and Rhodey shook slightly his head. This was not the time for daydreaming, he decided and stepped to both men. 

„I’m sorry, I haven’t gotten that“, he said and hoped the detective would repeat his words because one look at Tony and Rhodey knew his friend's attention was on someone else and not on the detective. 

Jack smiled understandingly. 

„I said you have to secure the tower if that’s where you are headed with Peter.“

„And why? Do you think he is in danger?“ 

The dead uncle hadn’t been alone when he broke into the tower. Tony had told Rhodey there had been more than just the two of them and though they captured some they didn’t know if they got them all. But even if some of the thieves were still not caught why would that put Peter in danger?

„No, you have to secure it so he can’t escape“, the detective nodded to Peter who seemed to be in some kind of shut down modus since Tony had spoken to him. While Rodney looked the kids eyes grew heavier and heavier. It looked as if he would fall asleep just there, standing in a police station. 

„Escape?“ 

But before Jack could answer, Tony nodded. 

„I’ll put the Tower on Lockdown. Nobody gets in and nobody gets out. You can trust me on this.“

Again this word. 

Rhodey threw a glance at his friend and saw how determined he looked and he could totally understand him. Nobody would get in and steal his son again. Nobody. 

„Ok. Tony. Then I think you are good to go. Remember to repeat the test as quickly as possible.“

„Will do.“ Tony turned but instead of just leading everyone out of the precinct he stopped and looked at Peter. „Everything alright? Do you need anything from here?“

It seemed as if Peter came out of his foggy dream land and for a moment he looked lost and confused, then he shook his head. 

„I’m…“ Rhodey and everyone in the room knew what he wanted to say and Rhodey could see how Tony braced himself. „I’m good. Thank you.“

Tony blinked a few times surprised. Then he smiled. 

„Then let’s blow this popsicle stand, kid. It’s getting boring looking for pictures on the wall.“  Tony raised one hand as if to put it on Peter's shoulders but then he stopped himself - and scratched his neck. 

While Peter walked in front of him out of the room. 

Tony right behind him. 

Rhodeys eyes met Jack's and the other guy looked as Rhodey watched how they both left the room. Jack made a face but he nodded. 

„Tough cookie“, Jack said and Rhodey rolled his eyes. 

„Are you rooted there, Platypus? We are not getting any younger here.“ 

And Rhodey quickly ran after Tony and the kid. 

Happy was standing outside the police station, which was a nice surprise. But it made sense. Rhodey’s small car wouldn’t be the best option to bring Tony’s kid home. 

But neither was the big limousine Happy had driven to the police because it attracted lots of journalists and curious eyes. 

They hurried and were already in the car before someone could ask them questions. Though they could hear that lots of pictures were taken. Pepper would have her hands full with the media over the next few days. 

Happy started the car and they were on their way. 

„Kid, this is Happy. My driver slash bodyguard slash head of security but most importantly he is my friend since nearly as long as Rhodey here so if you ever have something you need and I’m not there you can ask him, right? Happy, this is Peter. He is…“ and Tony stopped, lost for the right words. 

The back of the limousine was big enough to have place for six grown up men and the kid had been the first to jump in the car so when he decided for the row that turned his back to the driver, Rhodey had taken a seat opposite of him. And Tony? Hadn’t brought himself to sit next to Rhodey but instead chose the place next to the kid but with a little bit of space between them. 

Rhodey’s eyes met Happy’s shortly in the mirror and he could see that Happy knew whom they would take home. But he didn’t know why Tony didn’t run around and celebrated the son he finally found. 

„As long as nothing is finalized, he is a very dear friend, right, kid?“ Tony smiled at the kid who was just sitting there, right next to Tony in the big limousine. He didn’t say a word nor acknowledge Happy or Tony’s explanation. His attention was on the outside if at all. He seemed out of it. 

Rhodey took a deep breath while Tony went quiet and Happy gave one of his few nearly silent grunts. This would be a very long drive home. 

And the drive got even longer when two cars in front of them collided with a garbage truck and the accident closed the street immediately.  

Happy’s reaction time had been amazing and so nothing happened to them but they had to wait for some time till everything got sorted out. 

„Just our luck“, Tony said. Tony wasn’t someone who did Smalltalk. He was snarky and sarcastic but not someone who wanted to talk about the weather and the last game. But Tony tried and while he did his attention was the whole time on the kid. 

The tough cookie was quiet. His eyes were half closed and he looked pale. Was he sick? The black eye didn’t look so bad in the car but he still had been in a fight and maybe the police had overlooked something?

Rhodey had his phone in his hands before he even knew he wanted to keep this talk quiet. At the police, the kid had reacted badly when a doctor had been mentioned. 

„Medbay? The kid looks sick. Don’t you think?“ He texted Tony. 

Tony seemed to watch the truck and one of the cars. 

„No. Kid seems scared of doctors. We take him to the penthouse and asked Helen to come by for a friendly, no-doctor visit.“ It looked as if Tony just scratched his thigh. Rhodey was curious how he could text without even showing his phone. 

It was silent in the car. Then Rhodey heard a slight klick. The doors of the car were suddenly locked. His eyes met Happy’s again and Happy nodded to the kid and he was right. When Rhodey turned he saw, that the little troublemaker had one hand on the opening of the car. He still locked sleepy and in some kind of daze but that was all a ruse. Every muscle in him was strained and he was ready to jump out of the car. 

His whole easy demur was nothing more than an act. 

Rhodey cursed silently. 

He had to do something. While Happy did what he could do, turning the car suddenly around and driving over the pedestrians lane, missing a few lamps and trees before he got back on the street again, Rhodey had to do something to ease the atmosphere in the car. 

„So, Peter, do you want to tell us something about you?“

Tony gave him a dark look and at the same time scooted a little closer to the kid. 

„No.“

Okay, not helpful. 

The kid stared out of the window. 

„What are your hobbies? You said you aren’t in school anymore so you have to have lots of free time.“ A shocking thought came to Rhodey. „Or do you work?“ He hoped the kid wouldn’t be already working somewhere. Tony would freak out if his kid had to leave school way too early to work and earn money but maybe that had been Peter’s life? They really had to get all the information about his life till now. 

He shot a look to Tony who was just sitting there and watching the traffic as if he wanted to call a suit to get rid of everything that was in their way. Tony was always a step ahead in those things. Did he have a file about Peter already? Rhodey had to ask him. 

But before he could the kid shrugged his shoulders and Rhodey remembered his last question. 

„What? How should I interpret this? No hobbies? No work?“

Another shrug. 

„But what do you do? You can’t tell me that there is nothing you love to do.“

„I don’t have to tell you anything.“ 

Still not the answer Rhodey was hoping for. He made a face. 

„Hey, try to be not so hostile, right? I’m not your enemy here. I just want to make Smalltalk while we are sitting in a car driving home and…“

„That’s not my home.“

„Yes. We all know that. But it’s better than Juvi, right?“ Rhodey had lots of experience with Tony’s moods, the excited crazy ones and the bad moody ones, and he had nieces, who wouldn’t shut up and even talked in their sleep sometimes, and he knew the younger cadets in the Air Force, always eager and always thinking they knew everything. But this angry kid in the car with them was something new for him. 

Peter didn’t want to be with them. Even a blind man could see that. But Rhodey had been right when he told him that they weren’t his enemies. Until the next test result would prove the other two wrong they would be together and that would be way easier if they could talk with each other. Even a fourteen-year-old grumpy teenager had to understand that. 

„So, tell me one thing you enjoy. One little thing. It could be everything. Something to eat, something to hear, something to watch or to read or…“

Tony made the thing with his face where he wanted to tell Rhodey something and Tony was always sure everyone would understand him but unfortunately nobody ever did. So Tony’s brows keep wiggling and his mouth moved in very strange ways. 

Rhodey made a „what?“ move with his hands. 

Tony rolled his eyes. 

„Tony loves cheeseburgers“, Happy called from the front and Rhodey thought he was in for a raise. „But only the greasy ones. Pepper had forbidden that he eat them but sometimes he sneaks away and eats them in secret.“

„Happy!“ Tony scolded friendly. „You don’t have to tell that! Now Honeybear has more blackmail against me.“

„As if I needed more…“ Rhodey smiled and nodded his thanks to Happy. „I clearly remember the one time where you…“

„STOP!“ Tony shouted and held a hand up. 

Rhodey laughed. 

„That time will give me blackmail for an eternity. So I’m good.“

„That hurts!“ Tony put one hand on his heart and sighed. „Really. After all this time and everything I did for you, you still hold a grudge about that little thing? After all the time? Really?“

„Or Vegas. Let’s talk about Vegas“, Rhodey grinned. Happy laughed out loud. Usually, he wasn’t one for the big emotions, Rhodey knew that, but the thing in Vegas? Could definitely not stay in Vegas. 

But the kid looked out of the window and Rhodey wasn’t sure if he paid attention to their friendly banter. His hand was still on the doorknob and his whole body was tense. As if he was just waiting for the perfect moment to make a run for it and each time the car got slower because of a traffic light or another car Rhodey had to hold his breath. 

Damnit! The way to the tower felt as if it would be longer and longer. 

„Okay, we still got nothing of Peter. What do you like to eat? Do we have another runner for a cheeseburger? Or something more sophisticated?“

It was quiet while they waited for Peter’s answer and so they could hear the kid’s stomach growling. He just had this awful sandwich in the precinct but he was obviously still hungry and Tony was on his case. 

Tony took his phone out and already opened an app. 

„That’s my cue, I think. What should we order? With luck, it’s in the tower when we get there. I’m feeling Pizza. What do you think, kid?“

To nobody's surprise, Peter just shrugged. 

„Or Chinese? We discovered a new restaurant last week, Rhodey, it was amazing.“

„I could go for it“, Rhodey nodded. 

„Kid?“

Nothing. Not even the signature move with his shoulders. This kid was really a tough cookie. With a stomach that growled even louder. 

Peter put his arms around his middle as if trying to quiet the noise. 

At least one reaction, Rhodey thought. 

„Ok. If there is nothing you want to eat, kid, then we have to eat what Pepper orders, and I swear this woman drives me nuts with her understanding of food. That’s not funny, Happy! You didn’t have to drink her kale smoothie yesterday!

„Please, say something, kid. What do you want to eat?“ Tony’s voice sounded suddenly quieter than before. He had turned to the boy. Their shoulders met each other though the seat on which they were sitting was large enough to have space for another person but Tony had secretly slid nearer to the kid and he didn’t seem to mind. „Maybe Thai? We’ve got a few very good Thai restaurants near the tower.“

Peter stayed quiet. Then he took a breath, a breath so deep as if he hadn’t been able to for a long time. His voice sounded rough when he spoke. 

„Pizza.“

Tony looked as if he had won the lottery. He smiled brightly and started to order. 

„Which one? Just plain or for meat lovers? With fish on it or lots of vegetables?“

And the shoulders got another movement. 

„I’ll just order one of everything and then we have leftover pizza for breakfast. It’ll be awesome.“ 

After that, it was quiet again and the tower was nowhere in sight. Happy had to drive all around New York City to get from this damn precinct to the tower, Rhodey thought. They would have been faster on foot. Rhodey tried to come up with more questions, maybe some that didn’t get him another shrug but after a few attempts he stopped. At this point, he was tempted to just ask about the weather! 

The atmosphere became more tense with every second.

Then they were finally in the tower. 

Happy drove the car into the parking garage and while he drove to the usual spot for the limousine, Rhodey still had to do something. If this kid was Alessandro, Tony would remember this car drive forever and Rhodey just couldn’t let it end like this. 

„Ok. Peter, last question, I swear.“ Even Tony looked annoyed at Rhodey’s repeated attempts to kill the silence in the car. „What is the one thing we need to know about you? The one thing. I swear I won’t ask another question if you answer that.“

Happy stopped the car just when Peter turned his attention from the outside to the inside. He looked Rhodey dead in the eyes and said with a voice that was calm and strong at the same time. 

„The one thing about me? The one thing?“ Peter blinked shortly. His face was stone. „I don’t want to be here.“

Chapter Text

„I didn’t want to be here.“

Peter’s words felt like a kick to Tony’s guts. 

It felt like Obie who drugged him and stole his heart. 

No, it was worse. 

It felt like the day in California when Alisa came home with two ultrasound pictures, one of their baby boy, still inside her, and one of the cancer, both growing and both changing his life forever. 

No, even worse than that. 

Like the night in California when he was on his way to bed and just wanted to take one last look at his sleeping son to find the window open and the bed empty. 

No. Nothing came similar to what he was feeling when he heard these words spoken in such a soft voice. He wouldn’t  have taken them seriously if Peter had shouted them and growled or something like that. That would have been the heat of the moment and everyone said things he later regretted if he was angry. 

No, Peter’s words were spoken in a calm and steady voice. He wasn’t angry, hurt or afraid. He just didn’t want to be there. In the tower. With Tony. 

He was just stating a fact. 

And that hurt like nothing else. 

For one small single moment, one second, Tony hoped that this all would be a mistake. Somehow Alessandro’s DNA had been swapped with Peter’s in the system and when they would take the final test they would discover it and everything would change. Maybe Sandro was already in the system, living with some sweet and loving foster parents and now he could finally reunite with him. The whole waiting for 12 years would be over and everything would be perfect. 

It was maybe a second where he thought like this. Maybe two. In which he hoped and prayed that everything would be different. 

He imagined meeting another boy, one with similar brown curls and brown eyes, who was smiling and very excited to meet the great Tony Stark, a kid who loved science as much as he did and told him all about his projects. They could talk about everything and the kid would be so happy to finally meet his Dad. They wouldn’t let Peter behind, no, never. They would take care of the kid, too, but he wouldn’t have to stay with them. He wouldn’t have to answer Rhodey’s question and he wouldn’t have to be all alone like he had to feel right now. 

These thoughts were on Tony’s mind and then Happy opened the door and stepped out of the car. 

The backdoors were still locked, Happy’s way to show Tony that he still was his driver and that he at least took his job seriously. When Happy stepped around the car and opened the door the kid nearly jumped outside. 

The door was shut again. 

„What the…?“ Tony said, at first thinking the troublemaker had closed it but then he saw Happy standing right in front of the kid and Happy looked even angrier than usual. 

Next to him, he felt Rhodey slide forward. 

„What is he doing?“ Rhodey asked bewildered. 

„I have no clue. But as long as Happy isn’t satisfied we are closed in.“ Tony wore the emergency suit he built in his watch so he could break out of the car but for the moment he was content to watch boy and man through the window. 

„I think Happy gives Peter the shovel talk.“ Rhodey grinned amused. 

„The shovel talk? He does know that I’m not wooing Peter, right?“ But his friend was right. Tony could see that Happy was angry and the way he waved his arms screamed annoyed. Usually, this kind of movement was reserved for Tony and his antics but obviously, the kid deserved the same treatment. 

Tony wondered if Happy hadn’t heard the whole story. Didn’t he know that the kid was convinced he wasn’t Tony’s son? And that they had to take another test? That everything was still unclear? He thought Rhodey had told Happy and Pepper everything that happened when they were waiting for Peter to change his clothes.

„Do you think he looks like me?“ Tony asked quietly. Since he had seen Peter in the police station he was asking himself that question. When Peter was still the kid from the tower, the one who had pointed a gun at him and then taken off running, he hadn’t asked himself because there was no reason, but now? Everyone had always said that Alessandro looked more like Alisa but also a little like Tony. 

„Not sure“, Rhodey answered honestly. „He has Sandro’s hair and the eyes but otherwise I can only see similarities. He is too quiet to be your son, I think, but he is also as stubborn as you are.“

„I’m not stubborn“, Tony bantered. „I’m strong-minded.“

„You tell yourself that but everyone else knows I’m right.“

Both men watched how the kid reacted to Happy’s words. At first, he seemed surprised, then ashamed, and then suddenly… Yepp, stubborn was the right word to describe the look on the face of the kid, and Happy opened the door. 

„Thank you for your patience“, Happy nodded at Tony without an explanation. 

„No problem. Rhodey wanted to take a nap anyway.“ Tony went to Peter who was just standing there and waiting for them. His eyes flew through the garage and Tony knew right away that the kid tried to find an easy escape. But before he could spot the little door behind the Mercedes or the open window right above the Ferrari, Tony led him to his lift, the one nobody else was allowed to use, and after Rhodey stepped in the cabin with them, the door closed. Happy stayed behind. 

„What did he say?“ Tony asked quietly. 

„Nothing.“ Peter shrugged. 

„We saw him saying something, Kid.“

„I didn’t listen.“ Peter looked defensive and challenging as if he wanted Tony to say something about it but to Tony, it looked like an act. He didn’t understand it. Why was the kid so adamant about being a brat? What did he expect if he behaved like that?

Was this some kind of usual teenager behavior or was it something extra special for him? 

Thankfully he didn’t have to ask Happy about the scene because FRIDAY was everywhere and in the garage too. He would just watch the feed when he was alone and maybe say something to Happy about it. Or maybe not. He was curious to know what Happy thought would be an appropriate shovel talk for a wanna-be-son of Tony Stark. 

„Change of topic“, Tony said and rubbed his hands together. „The last time you were in the tower, you couldn’t interact with it.“

That got a reaction from the boy in front of him. 

Peter looked up, instead of just watching the tiles on the ground, he was surprised by Tony's words and forgot that he wasn’t interested in anything. 

„What?“

„Peter meet FRIDAY, my AI. FRIDAY meet Peter Parker.“ 

„Hello Mr. Parker.“

The woman’s voice from the ceiling made Peter jump. He startled so clearly that it was kind of funny and then not. One moment, his eyes shone bright and excited and amazed, and the next, it was like he was remembering something. The light went out, his smile vanished as quickly as it happened, and he looked hurt. 

„An AI only for the lift?“ Peter asked but Tony could see that he already guessed the answer.

„No, FRI is everywhere. In the building, the garage, in every one of my cars, in my watch, or on my tablet. Here in the tower, in the compound, and in every apartment I own.“

Peter met his eyes, then he looked away. 

„So you didn’t need any security because the AI sees everything?“

He thought of the break into the tower, Tony realized, and that was the reason Peter felt hurt. 

„Yes, she was the one who notified me, but the security is still important for the leg work.“

Peter said nothing. He didn’t even ask questions about it and that was something everyone who got to meet his AI did - even Steve Rogers, with no clue about anything technical, had asked questions over questions, and this kid? Nothing. Nada. 

Tony didn’t know what to think of that. 

The lift arrived on the 98^th floor and the door opened to the entrance of Tony's penthouse. 

Tony hadn’t paid attention to the time but he knew he had been in the coffee shop with Rhodey over lunch time, then a few hours in the police station and now it had to be dinner time. No wonder the kid was hungry!

When the three of them left the lift he heard someone, presumably Pepper, in the kitchen and so he led his companions straight there. On the way, he noticed that Peter, though still trying to act uninterested, looked around curiously. 

„I’ll show you around once we all had something to eat and drink“, Tony said to the boy. Caught, Peter looked down again. Like the ground floor was the most interesting thing in his penthouse. Maybe he should try to put some paintings on it instead of on the walls? 

„Pep? Sweatheart? I brought Food and Rhodey“, Tony said when he entered the kitchen in which his girlfriend was sitting and reading something on a tablet. 

She looked up and smiled. 

„You ordered pizza, Tony“, she said and stood up to greet him with a short kiss. „That’s not the same.“ Then she went and hugged his friend. „Rhodey, so good to see you. It’s been a while.“ 

„Yes, sorry about that. Been very busy and Tony doesn’t share well.“ 

And then she brought her attention to the quiet boy behind both men. 

Tony held his breath. It was important for him how the boy would react to Pepper because though he knew she was as tough as one could be in the corporate world Tony didn’t want her to be hurt if Peter acted like he did and Tony hadn’t thought to prepare her before she could meet him. 

„You must be Peter“, Pepper said and took a step in front of the boy. 

Peter looked up in surprise, and then he gave a startled cry because Pepper hugged him like she knew him forever. Which she did but the boy didn’t know that. Only Tony remembered how she had hugged him and cried with him in the days and nights that followed Sandro’s disappearance. 

„It’s nice to meet you!“ She said warmly and took a step back before the boy could react. She put one hand on his face and inspected the swollen eye. „That had to hurt. Do you have trouble seeing with it? Has anyone taken a look at the eye yet?“

Peter wanted to put his walls back up, Tony saw it clearly, but he couldn’t because Pepper was already onto the next thing. 

„You say something if it’s bothering you, right? Tony had so many accidents that I know my way around most of the things so we don’t even need a doctor if you don’t want one. 

You look sleepy. I heard you were in Juvi for two nights? Then you want to eat something, have a shower, and go straight to bed? Or something else?“

Peter just looked at her, surprised and clearly overrun. Whatever his plan had been, Pepper had stomped right over it.  

Tony remembered his first meeting with Pepper when she was still Virginia to everyone who worked with her. She had found an error in one of his documents and instead of making a notice and hoping everything would go the right way - over her superior and the next  - to him, she went straight to him and on the way she threatened Happy with her Pepper spray. 

She didn’t take  a NO for an answer and she bullied him ever so often that he had no other way as to fall in love with her. She was beautiful, smart, and tough and when she met Sandro for the first time, his one-year-old baby boy who already talked more than every one-year-old should be able to and tried to walk, she was delighted and so very warm. 

He hadn’t wanted to fall in love so quickly after Alisa’s death but he had no way to prevent it. A woman who loved his kid just as Pepper did right from the start? Nothing could stop it. 

„I’m…“ Peter started to say after Pepper finished everything she wanted to say and now just smiled at him. He sounded unsure and confused. „I’m good. Thank you, Ms. Potts.“

Pepper smiled and pulled him in her arms again. Just for a moment and then she was already on her way to the counter on which too many boxes of pizza were standing. Even for Tony, it was way too many. 

She threw him a watery glance and smiled as he nodded. 

„So, I think we have everything one could want on pizza and then some things people shouldn’t even put on pizza“, she said and gave Peter a plate. „Take what you want and then we all sit down. What do you like to drink? Soda? Milk? Water?“

„Pep! No one wants water with their pizza!“ Tony objected and watched how the kid looked at the different pizza toppings and the many boxes. Then he threw a look around as if to spot any guests he hadn’t seen before. Way too many boxes, Tony sighed inwardly. He had known it. But it wasn’t like they couldn’t eat them for breakfast the next day or bringing them a few floors down to the labs where always people were working late. Not to mention that he was a freaking Billionaire and if he wanted to spend his money on too much pizza it was no big deal.  

He didn’t need Pepper’s or Rhodey’s amused look to know he had been nervous when he ordered the food and a nervous Tony resulted always in way too much of everything. 

„I’d like water, please.“ Peter answered as if he hadn’t heard Tony talk. „Tab water is alright. Thank you.“

Rhodey and Tony shared a look. The kid was surprisingly polite to Pepper. Was that some kind of quiet before the storm or something else?

Peter took one slice of pizza, a plain one, Tony was disappointed, then he followed Pepper to the table and sat down. 

„You can take more, Peter“, Pepper said when she saw the slice Peter chose. „We have more than enough.“

„It’s okay. Thank you.“

„Don’t you like Pizza?“ She wrinkled her nose. „Tony, didn’t you ask Peter what he wanted to eat?“

„Naturally I asked!“

„It’s really fine, Ms. Potts. I’m not that hungry.“

He wasn’t hungry? Then why did his stomach in the car sound like he wanted to eat the whole pizzeria? Seats and cooks included?

Again Tony shared a surprised look with Rhodey who just took three slices of pizza and then went to take a seat next to Pepper. 

„Ok. First thing first. I’m Pepper, Peter, and I would love for you to call me that. Really.“ Tony couldn’t see her face because he tried to remember which pizza topping was his favorite right now but he could hear her smiling. 

He couldn’t hear Peter’s answer so he just took a few slices and stepped to the table and in front of a problem. 

Like always he wanted to sit right next to Pepper. He loved sitting there, enjoying the little touches and just feeling at home next to her but Peter had chosen the chair on the other side of the table and as Rhodey already sat on one side of Pepper it would look as if the three adults would team up against Peter. 

Which was clearly not the thing here but to Peter it had to look that way. 

Also he wanted to sit next to the boy. 

But wouldn’t that be too much? Too soon?

Before Tony could decide the not-so-hungry Peter had finished his small meal and looked up. 

„I’m…“ He stopped when he found the attention of all three of the adults on him. 

„What is it, Peter?“ Pepper asked sweetly. 

„More pizza?“ Tony put his plate in front of the kid and hoped he would take another slice. 

„Something else like water?“ Pepper pointed at the glass which was still full. “It’s no problem. We have everything here and…“

„No, I’m really good. Thank you. I’m just… very sleepy? If that’s okay? I would…“

Tony tried very hard not to feel disappointed. He wanted to talk with the kid a little more. He wanted him to start telling him about his life and he got the feeling that this would be better if Pepper would be the one asking the questions. 

He shrugged uncomfortably when he remembered the questions Rhodey had asked in the car, especially the last answer. 

„Oh, yes, of course. You have to be exhausted. We’ll have your room right…“ Pepper tried to stand up and Tony knew where she would take him. She wanted to show him the room they had in every one of their homes. The one that was always reserved for Alessandro. She always decided which room it would be and it was her way of showing that she - like Tony - hadn’t given up and he loved her for it and most days he couldn’t even stand looking at the closed door. 

It was always the best room in the whole house, the one with the best view, the best light, the biggest tree with lots of birds and squirrels in it, always the warmest or the coolest, and every little thing in it was placed there with lots of love. There were family photos on the wall and sweet little toys on the bed. Every one of them held a special memory. The whole room screamed WE MISS YOU and WE LOVE YOU. 

Tony knew Peter would be overwhelmed by it. He would hate it. 

But Pepper didn’t knew that. 

„Let me, Pep“, Tony said and put his hands on her shoulder to prevent her from getting up. „I’m still standing and I can show Peter to his room. No problem, love.“ 

She looked hurt and confused but nodded and then Tony led Peter out of the kitchen. They were a few steps away when he could hear Rhodey starting to explain things to Pepper in his quiet voice. 

„So, that’s Pepper“, Tony said while walking. He smiled at Peter and hoped for some reaction but the kid looked to the ground again. Tony rolled his eyes. Then he remembered that he had wanted to show him around after dinner. „I could still show you around? If you are curious? And not too sleepy?“

„No, it’s okay. I’m really sleepy and there is time tomorrow, right?“

That didn’t sound like the angry kid from the station. Nothing at all. 

It confused Tony very much but there was nothing he could do against it. Maybe the kid needed to sleep and then in the morning, everyone would feel better. 

„Ok. Then…“ He went straight to one guest room and opened the door. „FRI, give us some light, please.“

The light went up and he could see that he picked one of the smaller rooms. It still had a nice touch with a beautiful creme and red color theme, a nice comfy bed, and a big chair right in front of the window that invited everyone to read there or just enjoy the view. Over the desk was a painting from some unknown artist Pepper had seen during a gallery opening. It wasn’t spectacular but Pepper loved how he captured the light in the painting. She even had it in her office for some time and then Tony went and bought her her favorite Monet and now the painting was in this room.

Pepper would be confused that he didn’t give Peter Sandro’s room but she would love that he could see the picture she liked so much. 

Peter stood still in the hall and peeked into the room, unsure if he was allowed to enter. 

„We are this way, the bathroom is right next to it and the way to the kitchen…“

„I know the way.“

„Yes, right. So… if you need something. Anything. If you want something to eat later or something to drink that didn’t sound as boring as water, there is soda in the fridge and…“

„I’m good, Mr. Stark. Thank you.“

Tony sighed. He would love for the boy to call him Tony but he had the feeling that wouldn’t be as easy for him as it seemed to be for Pepper though… when he remembered it right she had told him to use her name but he hadn’t done so till now. Maybe there was still hope?

Tony smiled and felt himself being watched by a confused teenager.

„Sorry. Just remembered something. You can go in if you want. If not I can still show you around. You haven’t seen the living room yet. Or the game room. Or the…“

„Balcony?“ Peter asked. 

Tony nodded relieved that the boy showed finally some interest in something, and then he stopped. He squinted his eyes and looked at the kid. Didn’t he jump out of the vent just two days earlier? 

He didn’t want to think something like that of a just fourteen-year-old kid but could he be suicidal? He just had lost his uncle, right? And he had his whole life turned upside down so he had to feel lost and strange. It wouldn’t be so absurd, right?

Even the thought of Peter trying to jump from the balcony made Tony’s skin crawl. It had nothing to do with Peter who may or may not be his son but all with Peter who was still a kid and they were on the 98^th floor. 

He felt scared and nervous and for a brief moment, he was tempted to tell the kid that he wasn’t allowed to go anywhere alone. He wanted to put him in this room and lock it tight. 

Peter looked at him and with each passing moment in which Tony's thought grew even darker, he seemed to close himself off again. 

„No, no balcony. Sorry.“ Tony said in a rush. 

„You live right above the city and you have no balcony to enjoy it?“ Peter sounded skeptically. 

„Yes! No! There is a balcony. Naturally. But it’s under construction and therefore closed off. There was some kind of damage, you know? And now it’s closed. So no balcony. But the living room. And the kitchen. And we have a super cool game room, I think. Very funny. Kids love it.“ At least he hoped so. There had never been a kid in that room but Barton and Thor which equals kids in some way, right?

Peter’s face grew even tighter. He looked at Tony defiantly. 

„So I can go in now?“ He asked grumpy. 

Tony was taken aback. He had thought the boy and he had come to an understanding in the precinct. They were on the same side - at least until they could repeat the test and that meant convincing Peter to let his blood taken. So why did he feel so hostile?

Hopefully he really was just tired. 

„Yes. It’s your room.“ Tony made a move as if to invite the boy into the room. 

Peter took a few steps and looked around himself. When he didn’t see anything to object he looked to the ceiling. 

Air vents, Tony remembered at once. The boy had obviously a thing for air vents. If he wasn’t really Tony’s kid maybe they should try to match Barton’s blood?

Thankfully the room Tony had chosen had no air vents so the kid’s weird obsession with crawling in tight spaces would be no problem in the moment. 

„What’s with… the AI? Is it here too?“

It hurt and confused Tony how unimpressed and rejecting Peter sounded. He was maybe the only person who didn’t try to interact with FRIDAY and who wasn’t curious about Tony’s creation. Tony wondered if there would be a reason for this and how he could change it. 

„FRI is everywhere“, he said nonchalantly as if it wasn’t something to be impressed about. „She has eyes and ears in every room but the bathrooms. There she only has ears in case someone needs help.“

„So I’m under observation in here?“

„What? No!“ Tony shook his head. Why would the kid think something like that? Then he remembered that the boy had spent two nights in prison. „No, she doesn’t watch like … watching… you know? She is just there in case someone needs something. You can ask her anything. For example, if you want to hear a special song you just ask FRI to play it. Or if you want to know how late it is in Takamaka you just have to ask her. It’s really for your convenience.“

„Why would I want to know the time in Africa?“ Peter asked silently but then he turned around and walked to the bed. 

Just as Tony remembered that he had nothing for the boy to sleep in, the boy stepped out of his very worn sneakers and climbed onto the bed just like he was, in jeans and the shirt he wore to the break-into the tower. 

The blood stains were still on it.  

Chapter Text

When Tony returned to Pepper and Rhodey, they sat at the table, nibbling Pizza and whispering. Pepper opened one red wine bottle, and Rhodey had a beer before him. It smelled of Pizza and fun, and Tony felt exhausted. 

„Oh, Tony!“ Pepper jumped up when she saw him and pulled him in her arms. It was short and light when she greeted him earlier, but this hug? It felt like coming back from war. 

She got to hug Peter twice already, and he wasn’t even allowed to put his hand on the boy’s shoulders. 

He sighed and closed his eyes for a minute. 

„Come sit, “she said after a while, pulling him to a chair. She put a glass in front of him, in case he wanted wine too, and he saw another bottle of beer but didn’t feel like it. He smiled thankfully when she went to the counter and took his favorite mug to fill with hot coffee.

„Thank you.“ He said and enjoyed his favorite drink. „I need it right now.“

„I understand. It must have been such an amazing day but also exhausting. How do you feel?“

He nodded. 

.

„Like you said. Exhausted. Tired.“ He took a sip. It was still too hot. She must have brewed it while he was taking Peter to his room. „Unreal.“

„I believe that. I mean… I always thought that someday, this call would come. I really thought so! But not like this. Not today of all days, and then…“ She stopped and just hugged him again. It felt good to be hugged right now. 

He discovered he was shaking. 

„Rhodey told me he doesn’t believe it?“

„He is very sure there has to be a mistake or a setup.“ Tony didn’t know what to do with the plate Rhodey shoved before him. There was pizza on it, two slices of his favorites, and one that could only be Pepper's choice. He looked at the plate and didn’t know what to do.

„Eat something, Tones, “Rhodey said. „You’ll feel better.“

Not only was he shaking, but he also felt sick. Eating wouldn’t help with that. Nothing would. 

He still took one slice in his hand and nibbled at it. 

„Is it possible? Rhodey said Jack was really sorry about everything, but both tests were a match, so…“

„We promised him another test, “Tony said, finishing the first slice and grabbing the next. He wasn’t feeling nauseous anymore but very hungry, and he couldn’t remember the last time he had eaten something. Or why it would matter. 

He felt confused and as if his time was running out, which he couldn’t explain. He had to do something, but he didn’t know what. He wanted to stand up and run somewhere, but why?

Confused wasn’t the right word to describe his feelings. Crazy was way better. 

Pepper nodded. She still had one hand on his back, and he felt its warmth. 

„Did you  bring him to his room?“

„No.“ She looked sad then but she nodded again. 

„He wouldn’t understand it. He would think I lied to him when I promised to help him.“ Tony hoped she would understand it. 

She had taken so much time to make this room unique, and now neither Tony nor the boy in the guest room wanted to be in it. It had to be hard for her too, he thought, but she was the adult, and the boy was still a kid who needed someone in his corner. 

He started eating the next slice and drinking his coffee. 

Rhodey told Pepper more of the situation in the police station, and every so often, Tony felt her warm hand rubbing over his back. He didn’t know whom she wanted to calm, him or herself. 

„What now?“ Pepper asked once Rhodey stopped his description of the events in the car. 

„He needs clothes, “Tony said, the blood on the shirt still in front of his eyes. „And shoes.“ 

„We’ll get to it first thing in the morning. What do we do about this second test? Rhodey said he didn’t want his blood to be taken?“ 

„We have other options. We could try to get his DNA out of his hair or try another test with our spit. Maybe even another fingerprint. FRI has Sandros print still in store.“

„That’s good. Really good. I would have hated it if there had been only the test with blood. Especially if he is so against it.“

Yes, Tony would have hated it too, but he couldn’t be any longer in this kind of limbo they were right now. He could understand that Peter wanted to be who he thought he was. He didn’t want to be some missing kid with a dad and a life he wasn’t part of for 12 years. Just thinking of it must be scary for the boy.

Tony could understand that, but he also wanted to believe it desperately.  It didn’t even have to be Peter, but he wanted to have his son back. He had lived so long without him that he just couldn’t anymore. He wanted, no, he needed this whole situation to end. Right the fuck now!

For a while, they were all silent. They each looked at the empty pizza plates in front of them; Tony’s still only half-eaten. They had many leftovers for the next day, but that was okay. The thought reminded Tony.

„ FRI, can you tell Peter that Pizza is still left for him? If he wakes up hungry? And can you look after him if he needs something else? I don’t think he’ll ask us.“ But Peter wouldn’t ask FRIDAY either because he didn’t seem to like the thought of the AI. He had to take a look at his grades. Peter said he was too dumb to be the son of a genius, but that wasn’t right. Maybe he just hadn’t had the best upbringing and the right schools, and everyone knew how important that could be. 

„Will do, Boss.“ 

„We need to show him around in the morning, “Pepper said thoughtfully. „He shouldn’t feel as if he can only stay in his room.“

„That has to be pretty boring. The kid has no mobile.“ Rhodey nodded. 

Tony blinked. He hadn’t even thought of something like that. He was already standing when Pepper caught his hand and prevented him from running to the office next to the living room, where they stored everything they did not need but could still be helpful. A new Stark phone would be there, and a tablet, too. 

„Not now, Tony. Let him sleep.“

„Right.“ Still. Tony looked pensive. „FRI, is Peter already asleep?“

„I don’t think so, Boss.“ FRIDAY answered after a few seconds. 

He frowned. What should that mean? Why couldn’t FRIDAY decide if the boy was sleeping?

„He is on his back, his eyes closed, but his breathing pattern isn’t a normal sleeping pattern.“ FRIDAY explained when he asked about it. 

This made even fewer sense. 

„Maybe he meditates?“ Rhodey tried to reason. „Bruce does that when he is too anxious to sleep or when he is stressed.“

Tony was still standing, ready to run to the kid at the slightest hint, but he could do nothing without it. He could stand there and feel awful while the kid a few rooms down the floor was too stressed to sleep.

He hated it. 

Chapter Text

Peter waited almost an eternity until it finally became quiet in the penthouse. 

He didn’t mind it. He was good at waiting, and it gave him time to devise a plan. On the other hand, it was hard because he felt exhausted, and the lack of sleep over the last two nights caught up with him. The comfy bed with a mattress so soft and not worn down made him want to turn on his side, snuggle in the comforter, and sleep for hours. 

Thankfully, he hadn’t eaten enough, and his stomach was growling so loud that he couldn’t fall asleep even if the three adults seemed to take their sweet time in the kitchen. 

When they finally left the kitchen, he could hear them whisper on the floor. Ms. Potts was laughing silently about something, and he heard Mr. Rhodes's soft baritone, then Mr. Stark chuckling, and then nothing. 

He still waited another 30 minutes and fought against the sleep that wanted to take him down, and then it was time to go. 

Silently, he left the bed, walked through the room, and opened the door even wider. He had done this a few hours earlier when Mr. Stark had shown him the room. At first, he had gone straight to bed, but as soon as Mr. Stark had closed the door, he was up again and opened it ever so slightly. This way, he could hear everything and stay awake while trying not to alert the AI that he wasn’t sleeping. 

He peered out of the room into the hallway. 

It was dark. At the end, he could spot a little light from one of the kitchen clocks, but otherwise, the whole penthouse was plunged into darkness. 

He listened if he would hear something. Nothing. 

After a few breaths, Peter left the room. He sneaked through the dark floor to the kitchen. Though hungry, he didn’t want to eat anything, so he just wanted to test the AI and see what would happen. Mr. Stark had told him they wouldn’t be observed, but that had to be a lie. He was sure of it. 

He got his proof as his foot stepped into the kitchen, and a small light over the counter turned up. Not enough to read something in the room but still very bright for Peter’s eyes. 

„Can I be of assistance, Mr. Parker?“ The woman's gentle voice in the ceiling would have surprised him if he had not expected it. 

Secretly he smiled. 

„No, thank you. I only wanted to…“ He looked around as if searching for something. „Am I allowed to have another glass of water?“

„Yes, certainly. Glasses are in the cupboard next to the freezer. Boss also told me to tell you that the leftover Pizza is also in the freezer. In case you are hungry. I could help you with heating it.“

„No, thank you. I only wanted something to drink.“ He went and took a glass, filled it with tap water, and took a few sips. With his back to the freezer, he looked around the kitchen.

He saw the door to the floor and another door to some storage room, he would guess. A storage room meant access to the air vent system. 

He smiled again and stored this information for another time in case he would still need it. Then he emptied the glass, cleaned it, and put it back in its place. On the way out of the kitchen, he stopped, seemingly in thought. 

„Do you know if I’m allowed to take a look around?“ 

„Boss and Ms. Boss wanted to show you around once you are up again. I could alert them if you like?“

„No!“ He shook his head. „That’s not… I wouldn’t want to disturb them. Let them sleep. I can go back to the room. It’s all good.“ He smiled at the ceiling, knowing the AI cameras could be everywhere. „Thank you.“

He left the kitchen and paid attention to whether and when the light in the kitchen would be turned off. It took him three steps, and then it was dark behind him. A little light on the floor right in front of him turned up. 

He tried not to let his annoyance show. 

The AI led him straight back to his room, it seemed. 

But Peter didn’t go in. He even walked a few steps further and stopped. He waited a few seconds. His eyes were on the small light on the ground right before him. It was a clear sign that the AI was waiting, too.

He took a step back. The light went with him. He turned to one of the walls and saw the light on the ground right underneath him. He waited again. One breath. Another one. His hands were on the wall behind him. He could feel the smooth surface under his fingertips. Another careful breath. His hands stuck to the wall, and slowly, very slowly, he pushed himself up. When his feet left the ground, and only his sticky hands held him upright, he waited. 

How would the AI react?

Nothing. The light was still on but nothing changed. 

He pushed himself a little higher. One shoulder touched the frame of a picture. Peter changed his way a little bit, and when he was right next to the picture, clearly way above the ground floor, he held his breath. Everything in him went perfectly still, like a spider waiting for their target. 

The light went out beneath him, and the floor was suddenly very dark. 

As if the AI had forgotten that he was up and around. Or maybe it couldn’t detect him any longer? That was helpful information, Peter thought and smiled, satisfied.  

Slowly he lowered himself to the ground again. 

The light startet to flicker immediately. 

Another satisfied smile of him. 

Then he took a few steps away from the room he was staying in, clearly picturing a boy still on his way. If Mr. Stark would have watched all of this footage, he might have found a glitch, some few undocumented seconds, but he wouldn’t have thought more about it. A glitch in a system. Nothing more. 

„Are you lost, Mr. Parker?“ 

He stopped as if he was surprised. Then, he turned around and walked to the door of his room. 

„ Mr. Parker, is there anything I can help you with?“

„No. It’s okay. I thought… I thought Mr. Stark had said I could walk around, but maybe I misunderstood. I’ll go back to sleep. Thank you.“ He waited for the AI. Waited for processes to be made and decisions to be taken. 

„ Mr. Parker, if you want, I could show you around?“

„Oh, I don’t want to bother you!“

„I’m an AI, Mr. Parker. You don’t bother me if I can be of assistance.“

Again, he waited to make the appearance of thinking about it. Then he nodded. 

„Can you show me around then?“

„Certainly. Please follow the lights on the ground.“

She led him through the penthouse when he followed the lights. The floor his room was on was the sleeping area, as Mr. Stark seemed to call it. There were guest rooms, and at the end of the floor was the main bedroom where Mr. Stark and Ms. Potts slept. Peter didn’t even go near, afraid the AI would alert them even if he protested. 

Right at the other end of the floor was the lift, but Peter knew he couldn’t just step into it and leave the tower this way. That would be way too easy. 

The kitchen and the living room were on this floor, as well as some office and storage rooms. Another floor led to Mr. Starks personal lab, which was closed off with a big sturdy door, and after that, another storage room with cleaning supplies, as the AI friendly mentioned.

Peter had to smile back while he tried to imagine why the cleaning supplies were next to Mr. Starks lab. He lingered a few seconds longer in front of the sturdy door, tempted to try to open it and take a look. Just a little look. That wouldn’t hurt anyone. And he was curious, so damn curious, because just taking a peek inside Mr. Stark’s personal lab would be like peeking inside the brain of the genius and so very tempting. But he resisted. With a weighty heart. 

At the end of this floor was the big, no, enormous living room with two sides of  windows. 

When Peter stepped in, he felt he was standing on top of everything. Although the penthouse was higher than any other building Peter had ever stood on, it still felt as if he could see the streets and houses and the life of the city beneath him. 

Without even thinking of looking around in the living room, he went straight to one window and  looked down. 

It was awesome. 

He could see everything. Cars, streetlights, lamps on the bridge over the river, and lights in homes where he knew people would sit there, maybe eating something, watching TV, having their life- all while he stood there and watched. 

„It’s breathtaking, “he whispered, the ever-watchful AI forgotten. 

„Boss thinks so too, “the AI answered. „He often stands where you are standing and just watches the city. It calms him.“

The words of the AI reminded Peter of the scene in the precinct where Mr. Stark also watched dark splotches on the wall and tried to give them meaning. It was as if he and Peter had so many things in common.

Peter walked to the other side of the room and looked out of that window. 

He saw a big balcony with a garden and a nice place to sit and enjoy the outside. It was too dark to see more but as it was a night without clouds he saw some stars reflected in something on the ground, maybe a small lake? A pond? 

Only rich people could have their own pond on the roof of their homes, he thought with a frown. He found the door to the balcony and tried to open it. It was locked. 

„Boss had put the tower on lockdown, Mr. Parker.“

Peter had heard something like this in the police station. The detective had told Mr. Stark to do this to prevent Peter from escaping. It hadn’t bothered Peter very much at that moment because he was sure he would find a way, and he was still sure of it, but he got annoyed nevertheless. 

„But the balcony too? Is there a way for someone to get into the penthouse over the balcony?“ He made his voice sound small, not afraid but a little worried. 

„No, Mr. Parker. The only way to the garden is through this door and out of Boss’ lab.“

„Then nothing could happen if I take a look?“ Peter asked innocently. „To get some fresh air?“

„I’m sorry, Mr. Parker. Boss was apparent on that. You are not allowed to leave the penthouse and you are not allowed to be on the balcony alone. I think it has something to do with your last visit to the tower and your way out of it?“ She sounded it like a question, but Peter knew it wasn’t one. 

This time, he let the annoyance be clear on his face. He grumbled slightly and turned his back to the garden. 

„I could open a small window if you like some fresh air?“ The AI tried to reassure him. 

A small window, just wide enough to throw a broom out, opened right at the corner of the ceiling.

It wouldn’t be a problem for Peter to reach it, but even with his thin figure, he couldn’t fit himself through it. 

This time, he didn’t say anything to the AI and just walked straight across the room, through the floor, and into his room. He shut the door quietly and went to bed without saying or doing something else. As soon as he lay down, he rolled on his side, put an arm under his head (though the pillow was heavenly), and closed his eyes. 

He was angry. Mad. Furious. 

He wanted to scream and shout and throw things. 

And he wanted to leave the damn penthouse. 

His own words, spoken just a few hours earlier, came back to him: I don’t want to be here. 

When he said them, he did not know how true they were and how he had to fight to escape. But he would get away. He was sure of it. 

He had to. 

More than one life depended on it. 

Chapter Text

I found my strength in silence

Until I met the violence

(Livingston, Home)

Tony had always trouble sleeping. 

Most of the time, it was his fault. He skipped every reasonable time to go to bed to tinker with his projects, and even the boring ones seemed more interesting than lying there, closing his eyes and trying to breathe evenly. When he finally fell asleep, it was mainly after a too long time without sleep, resulting in sleeping like death and waking up like roadkill. He hated it, which led to more attempts of trying not to go to sleep. 

The first night Peter slept in the penthouse, Tony’s sleep was, as expected, bad. 

He went to bed with Pepper. Both felt forever contempt for the first time. They talked about it, about Peter, about everything they wanted to do and ask about, and just about everything. 

He had to tell Pepper again how he found him two nights earlier on the staircase, with all the blood and the gun and the dying man in his arms. It was awful. 

After that, he had to tell her everything from when Jack called him to his first view of Peter in the police station. From the matching prints and how Peter looked as if he wanted to escape through the vents again. 

Pepper laughed a little about his antics, and she cried when he told her that the kid believed he couldn’t be smart enough to be Tony’s son. 

He held her when she drifted off to sleep, and he even felt himself getting sleepy too, but only for an hour, maybe 90 minutes, and then he was wide awake again.

„Is he still there, FRI?“ He whispered as silently as he could. 

„He is in bed in the guest room, Boss.“ FRIDAY was equally silent. 

Tony nodded. 

He would love to look at the boy—just a peek. But Pepper had made him promise her that he wouldn’t spy on the kid. She wanted Peter to feel safe in the penthouse and around them, and he knew she was right with this, but still… He would love to see him sleeping, safe and sound in the home Tony built for him. 

He sighed quietly. 

„Did he sleep the whole time?“ At least, that was something they didn’t have in common. He couldn’t remember a single night in which he slept through the night without being sleep deprived. 

„He was up and around 30 minutes ago.“

„What?“ Tony tried to climb out of bed, but Pepper always seemed to know what was on his mind, and just at that moment, one of her arms came out of the duvet and hugged him sweetly. He rolled his eyes. „Why didn’t you wake me?“

„There was no need. Mr. Parker wanted something to drink, so I showed him the way to the kitchen. After that, he took a look around the penthouse. He seemed to like the balcony very much, and he expressed his discomfort when I did not allow him to open the door to the outside.“

Tony cursed silently. 

„You should have woken me up, FRI. Next time the kid moves even a finger, you’ll tell me right away.“

„Will do, Boss.“

Pepper stirred more. She must have heard him, and even if she weren’t a light sleeper, she would rise if he wasn’t careful now. He gently stroked her back and waited while she slipped back under. A few moments later, he was up and left their bedroom. 

He padded down the hallway until he stood right out of Peter’s room. The door was closed. Tony turned his back to the wall opposite the door and slowly slid down to sit directly in front of the kid’s room. He knew he couldn’t go back to sleep, so just sitting there made him feel better. 

„Did he say why he wanted to go on the balcony?“ He wouldn’t have tried to jump again, right? That would be crazy. On the other hand, maybe he didn’t know on which floor the penthouse was, and he had already expressed some suicidal behavior. 

Tony made an angry face. 

He should talk with the kid about therapy. Even if he wasn’t Alessandro, he could use one after the latest events in his life. He could search for a good therapist right now, Tony thought, but then he would have to get up and look for his tablet, and he didn’t want to do that right now. 

„FRI, look for therapists who are specialized in working with kids, maybe even one who worked with missing kids. Especially trauma therapists. Make me a list, and I’ll look over it in the morning.“

„Starting right away, Boss.“

„And get me his file from the police, will you? And his school files. And CPS. Just everything that has something to do with the kid.“

„That’s highly illegal, Boss.“ But FRI didn’t sound like she had problems with it.

„Than be creative, babygirl. I know you can do it.“ He smiled when he remembered another time he encouraged someone to do something. It was with Sandro. He was 10 months old and trying to walk for the first time, and Tony loved every moment of it, even though he knew that once his son could walk properly, nothing would be safe from his curious hands. 

And he was so curious!

Suddenly, Tony remembered more moments with his kid that he hadn’t thought of for years, but as he sat quietly in front of the closed door, it all came back. Moments so sweet and full of love that he wanted to cry, and moments with so much fun and happiness that he smiled just remembering them. 

He didn’t even notice when he drifted off to sleep. 

A few hours later, he woke up with cold feet and a nearly stiff neck, but before he could be mad about himself, he felt eyes on him. He knew right away that it wasn’t  Pepper  but who was it? Rhodey? Or the kid?

Rhodey would have laughed about him and maybe thrown a pillow at his head. So that left the kid. 

He tried to peak through his lashes, but he could only see the door to the guest room, which was now slightly open, and nothing more. 

„It’s still creepy to watch me while I don’t know it.“ The kid's voice came from inside his room. 

Tony opened his eyes and blinked when the new day's light was too bright. He changed his posture a little and sighed when every bone in his back tried to move in another direction. 

„I’m too old for this, “he said, suffering. Then he spotted the kid sitting on the bed, wide awake and unhappy. Definitely not happy. „I’m sorry, kid. I didn’t want to be the creepy stalker here.“ He moved one of his hands as if to explain why he was sitting on a penthouse floor instead of lying next to his woman in bed. „This happened somehow by accident. Really.“

The boy snorted and shook his head.

„By accident? Did your girlfriend throw you out of your bedroom or what?“

„What? No! Pepper would never…“ Just thinking of something like that was unbelievable. Tony had done many things that Pepper didn’t like, but she would never have been that kind of woman. She would be mad at him, and there would be words and consequences, but nothing like that. Nothing ever like that. „No. Really. I didn’t want to sleep here. FRI just told me that you wanted to look around, and I thought I could help you with it, and then… Obviously, I was more sleepy than I knew.“ He smiled sheepishly as if that would explain everything, but he could sense the kid's anxiety and wished he could do something about it. 

Groaning, Tony stood up and tried to relax his stiff muscles. Then he looked at the kid, who didn’t move at all. 

„What do you say? Breakfast? After that, a sightseeing tour of the penthouse?“

The kid waited a moment. Did he have to think about it? 

Before Tony could say anything more, the kid jumped out of the bed and walked straight to him. He looked like he hadn’t slept with dark bags and unruly brown curls under his eyes. 

The urge to hug the kid was a surprise for Tony, and he had to fight with himself not to give in because he knew the kid would hate it. Because for the kid, Tony was a stranger, perhaps a celebrity, but still someone he didn’t know.

As for Tony… 

Nevertheless, what he told Peter a few hours earlier, he didn’t think that the test result would be any different, and he thought Peter was Sandro, but still. The kid was a stranger. Tony didn’t want him to be a stranger, but they didn’t know each other for the moment. Tony wanted to change that feeling. He wanted the boy to feel safe with Tony, and he wanted them to have memories together, a life. 

Tony remembered so much of Sandro. How he loved his cacao in the morning (with just a hint of cinnamon) or how he enjoyed combing his hair with Tony’s fingers. Or how he hated it when he got water in his face (which made bath time quite tricky) or how easily he was annoyed when he couldn’t do the things he wanted to do, like building blocks or drawing pictures.

This kid was something different. He is not really his little boy anymore, but he is not an adult either. Someone new, and he couldn’t wait to get to know him. 

Tony smiled to himself and led Peter to the kitchen. 

He could smell the freshly brewed coffee and knew another adult was already up. A few seconds later, he saw Pepper sitting on her favorite chair in her spot and reading something on her tablet. When she heard their footsteps, she looked up. 

She smiled warm and sweet at him like every other morning. It reminded him why he loved her. Then she discovered Peter behind him, and her smile grew even sweeter. Her eyes light up. 

„Peter! I didn’t know you were up already! Did you sleep well?“ She stood up and came to hug the kid. Just because. At the same time, Tony was standing dumbfounded next to the kid. But before he could say something about it, he saw that the kid was also surprised. Peter looked nearly scared for a moment and then started to smile a little. When Pepper let him go, the kid couldn’t meet her eyes. 

„I… yeah, thank you.“ Peter seemed to be unsure how to react around Pepper. He even blushed a little. It was adorable. 

„Good. Was your bed comfortable? Is the duvet not too thin? Or too thick? Do you need more pillows? Maybe we should put a blanket in your room. Just in case.“ She turned around and went straight to the oven. Tony could smell something sweet in the air. Pancakes. He couldn’t remember the last pancakes he ate. 

No. That wasn’t true. 

The last pancakes were made by Steve Rogers, who always made them when he invited the team. For Rogers, pancakes were a comfort food because when he was a child, they couldn’t afford them very often. So now he makes them often and with lots of different toppings. 

Pepper’s pancakes were plain, but she put syrup, cream, and fruits on the table. Tony would drown his in syrup, but Alessandro had loved whipped cream and strawberries. Tony couldn’t wait to see what Peter would choose. 

„Do you drink tea in the morning?“ Pepper asked, motioning for Peter to find his seat. „Or cacao?“ She filled Tony’s cup with his favorite drink in the world and put it in front of the chair next to Peter. 

Tony wanted to kiss her - for the coffee and for taking his choice away where to park his ass. Tony smiled at her gratefully. The first coffee was always the best. It was still too hot but perfect, and…something felt off. He couldn’t place it, but it was there. 

Rhodey was missing. 

„Is Rhodey…“ he started to ask just when Peter said: „Coffee, please. Black. Thank you.“

Tony’s head turned, looking at the kid in surprise. He wouldn’t have pecked the kid as an early coffee addict, but maybe like father-like son? Was this something he should address? It wasn’t like alcohol, so it was maybe alright, and he read somewhere that a little bit of caffeine in the morning wasn’t wrong and could be, in fact, good for some people, but still… he was confused. 

And his confusion was rising even more when Pepper silently took another cup, filled it with coffee, and put it in front of Peter. Next came milk and sugar, which Peter could choose between, even though he had made it clear that he didn’t want either. 

She went back to the counter again. 

„Tony, can you get the orange juice, please?“ She pointed at the fridge and turned to another batch of pancakes. 

„Sure, love.“ Quickly, he took a few glasses and a juice container. When he returned to the table, he saw that Peter still hadn’t taken the cup with coffee in his hands. „Too hot?“ 

Peter looked up startled. Then he shook his head, grabbed the cup, and took a long sip of coffee. 

Tony observed the kid curiously, but Peter’s face showed nothing. 

„What?“ Peter was annoyed when he put the cup down and returned Tony’s gaze. 

„Nothing.“ Tony smiled friendly. „Do you want vodka with your OJ?“

„Tony!“ Pepper sounded accusing. 

Peter looked at Tony and took another sip of coffee. As if to prove something. 

„I’m just asking, Pep, “Tony said and earned himself a smack on his bottom when Pepper returned to the table—this time, she brought a plate full of delicious-looking pancakes with her, and Tony hurried to pour the juice. After that, he sat down and waited for Pepper to sit. „This looks awesome, honey. Thank you.“ Tony leaned over to her and gave her a short kiss. For a second, his eyes hold hers. 

„You’re welcome.“ She smiled warmly. Her hand found the way to his face, and she stroked over a few of the hard lines that he kept getting when he hadn’t had enough sleep or worried too much about everything. She was worried about him. 

Another kiss and a reassuring smile from him made her watch Peter again. 

„Is everything alright, sweetie?“ She asked when the teen didn’t eat or drink but just sat there watching them. Did he wait for something? Maybe a prayer? 

Tony cursed himself for sleeping last night. He should have read everything there was to read about the Parker family so he knew what the kid would expect from them or what they could expect of him. But no, for the first time in nearly 12 years, he had slept like a Baby, at least for a few hours. He didn’t think it necessary to mention that these few hours were spent sitting on a floor before a closed door. 

„I’m not much for breakfast, " Peter said, leaning back in the chair. He made a strange face as if he wasn’t even tempted to try the pancakes. 

Tony, sitting next to him, could hear his stomach growl, loud and angry. Before Pepper could say anything to the kid, Tony remembered that he hadn’t eaten much a few hours earlier. Was something wrong? Maybe the fight in prison did something to him? Maybe he was sick? Or…

„I’ll understand, “Pepper, the goddess she clearly was, because who else would react like she did when she had got up early to prepare a special breakfast for a child she hadn’t seen in years, even though she had her entire workday as CEO of SI ahead of her. „It’s okay, Peter, Honey. I understand if you are too nervous now, but you have to promise me that if you get hungry later, you’ll return to the kitchen and find what you want to eat, right? There is still pizza from yesterday, and there will also be a few pancakes left. You can take everything you want, okay?“

Again, Tony could hear the kid’s stomach growling loud and clear.  

„I’m…okay. Thank you.“ 

„You know how to work a microwave? Or an oven? If not, FRIDAY can help you with everything, ok?“

Another sip of coffee. 

They waited for a few minutes, and when the kid didn’t say anything more, Tony looked questioningly at Pepper. She pointed at his stack of pancakes. 

„You can eat, Tony, I know you have to be hungry.“ She even took the syrup and gave it to him. 

After that, it was a quiet breakfast. Not even Pepper could bring herself to talk about things or ask questions, and although Tony had hated Rhodey’s questions the night before, he would have loved it if someone would say something now. 

The silence in the room made him nervous, and watching the kid every so often take a sip out of his cup - which he clearly didn’t like! He couldn’t convince Tony for a second! - was not helping. 

When he cup was empty the kid looked up. 

„Am I allowed to leave the table?“ 

So polite. 

Tony didn’t think his son would ever be so polite. He wouldn’t be rude either, but this politeness still surprised Tony. 

„Do you really don’t want to eat something, honey?“ Pepper wasn’t surprised. She looked like she would have expected this behavior but still nodded at the pancakes. „You can take one or two with you to your room? If you like?“

Peter’s eyes wandered over the pancakes, then shook his head. 

„Ok, good. Just remember, you can eat any time you like, right? And anything you’ll find here. Or if there is something you want to eat and we don’t have it, tell FRIDAY. She’ll order it right away. Do you know who FRIDAY is? Does he know?“ For the last bit, she looked at Tony as if Tony had forgotten to tell the kid about the omnipresent AI  

„He knows. He met her in the lift yesterday.“

„Good. Isn’t she amazing?“ Pepper smiled at Peter, and this time, she got her surprise.

„I wouldn’t say being watched and spied on all the time is amazing.“ 

„What? No, that’s not… Tony!“ 

„I didn’t do anything! I swear. I told him FRI was only there for support and surveillance. He just didn’t like it.“

Pepper looked as if she couldn’t believe it. Every visitor who walks through the tower doors always asks first about the AI that everyone has heard of and loves to interact with FRI. Even small children, though maybe frightened at first because they couldn’t understand how an invisible woman was talking to them, loved her and enjoyed playing with her. 

Peter was the first one who didn’t like the AI. 

Tony saw how she thought about it, and he knew that would be something she would try to change soon. Or get behind the reason for the kid's aversion. For now, she nodded. Her smile was warm and friendly, and she even ruffled the kid’s hair a little, which he allowed. 

„Do you want to watch TV? Or play a game? We have a console in the living room, and you are free to check everything out if you like?“

„I would love to go back to the room I’m staying in.“

She looked thoughtful for a moment, then she nodded. 

„I won’t be in the penthouse for a few hours, “she said after the kid nearly jumped up and was already leaving the kitchen. The kid stopped and waited if she wanted to say anything more. „But Tony will be here, and if you need something, food or something to drink or even company, he’ll be there for you, okay?“

The kid nodded and flew out of the room. 

They heard him run on silent feet to the room, opening and closing the door, and then they were alone. 

For a moment neither of them said something. 

Pepper took a deep breath. She rolled her shoulders and moved her head slightly as if she had slept right on the floor next to Tony. 

„That was painful, “Tony said and sighed. He hadn’t even noticed he was holding his breath or for how long. 

Pepper shook his head. Then she nodded and took another deep breath. He could see her trying to resolve her calm with this strange yoga breathing technique that Bruce so loved, and when he saw how her tense shoulders went down and how she felt better, he was annoyed at himself for not giving the thing a try when he had the chance to learn it. 

At the moment, he felt stiff, and every muscle in him was strung tight, and it had nothing to do with his sleeping position. 

„It was, “Pepper agreed with him. „For all of us. But it was to be expected. He was gone for a long time and had a different life then. Now everything is new, and we all have to adapt.“

That sounded reasonable.

He hated it.

This was his son. The son he has been looking for for 12 years, and now he should adapt? That didn’t sound right in his ears!

„I just want to…“ He stopped. He knew what he wanted. To return the time and be in that room when the guy came to steal his kid. He wanted to be there and… no, a little bit earlier. He did not want to take Sandro to his room to sleep there but to take him to his lab. Sandro had loved the lab with all the lights and the bots. He could have slept there on the spare couch, and he would have been happy and safe. Yes. That was the moment where he wanted to be. He wanted to see his boy grow up. He wanted to be there for the first of everything, the first day at school, the first good (or bad) grade, the first crush. 

„Oh, Tony.“ Pepper stood suddenly and hugged him tightly, and he only then realized that he had said everything out loud. „It will be alright, I promise. It will be alright, and you will be there for many other firsts. They won’t be the ones you were thinking of, but some will be even better. I promise, Tony, I promise.“ And she hugged him, and after everything that happened in the last few hours, this was the only thing that kept him together. 

Chapter Text

Peter lay on his bed again. His back seemed to melt into the soft mattress, and he had his eyes closed, not because he wanted to catch up on missing sleep, but this way, he wouldn’t see the ceiling, and he wouldn’t have to think of the omnipresent AI that was watching every one of his moves.

He hated it. 

It made him feel trapped, caged and helpless. 

He hasn’t even felt that way the nights he spent in prison where he was very much afraid some of the other boys would kill him. 

It was ridiculous, but he had felt safer than he was now in Tony Stark’s tower. 

The thought alone was something he couldn’t understand. He was in Tony freaking Stark’s tower. He had just had breakfast with Iron Man, who had slept in front of his closed bedroom door. After discovering that Peter could be his son. 

Peter sucked in a startled breath. 

Everything came back to this one point: Mr. Stark had lost his son, and now Peter’s prints matched his kid’s prints, and his DNA was a match too, which could not be possible! There was no way! Never ever!

Peter was so sure that he didn’t have to think twice, but simultaneously, he was confused. Why should there be a setup? Who would get something out of this, and how was this possible? There had to be a meaning behind everything, and Peter couldn’t see it now. 

He had to be very smart about everything to get to the ground of it. 

For a moment, he contemplated if everything was made of by Mr. Stark. 

The man was smart enough to make something like this happen, but why should he? He had the birth certificate that proved him to be the father of a boy who went missing someday. Maybe he hadn’t been kidnapped at all but had had an accident and was already dead? And Mr. Stark knew about it? 

Peter shook his head silently. 

No. Mr. Stark didn’t look like someone who killed his kid and tried to hide it. He was a hero, goddammit!

So the kid really vanished. And someone wants Mr. Stark to believe that Peter is this kid. But why? And who? 

His thoughts were going in circles, and everything returned to that point, driving him crazy. He didn’t know what to do about it. How should he solve that riddle and everything else? For the first time in a long  time, he felt small and helpless, like the child everyone wanted him to be. But he was no child anymore! He hadn’t been since the spider bite and May’s accident, and if Mr. Stark believed he would turn into one just because he served him pancakes and tried to make small talk, he would be in for a surprise. 

But… Peter made a face. Mr. Stark hadn’t even tried small talk. It was all Ms. Potts was doing. She prepared the heavenly-smelling breakfast that made his mouth water and asked him things while Mr. Stark sipped his coffee and tried to crack a joke. 

Coffee. 

Peter could still feel the hot liquid in his belly, and his belly wasn’t happy. He would have loved the pancakes with lots of cream and fruits and maybe chocolate, but instead, Peter tried not to be the kid they wanted to have. He tried to act mature, and all he got was a stomach that grumbled unhappy with him and the taste of some dark roasted beans in his mouth. Without sugar and milk. 

He considered standing up again and going to the bathroom. Brushing his teeth and taking a big sip of water seemed like a great idea. 

But then he heard a knock on the door to his room. 

Or not? Has he misheard it? 

He stayed very still and listened. 

Another knock. 

Peter knew right away it had to be Mr. Stark in front of his door. 

„Come in, “he told the man and turned his head a little to see what the man wanted of him. 

The door opened, and Mr. Stark came inside. He looked surprised seeing Peter on his bed as if he hadn’t asked his AI what Peter was doing. 

Maybe he hasn’t, a quiet voice in Peter’s mind tried to reason, but Peter didn’t want to listen. Until he wasn’t convinced otherwise, he would think the AI was spying on him. 

Mr. Stark carried a few things with him. Peter spotted two different cans of soda and a few chocolate bars. Peter had to suppress a grin when he also spotted an apple. 

Mr. Stark put everything on the small table at the side and quietly walked to the window to look outside. The window wasn’t as big as the ones in the living room, but it was still breathtaking waking up in a room where you could see the heaven right beside you. 

„I thought we could take some time to talk, “Mr. Stark said, but he didn’t turn around and just watched something underneath the window. 

„Yeah, sure. Let’s do that.“ Peter was about to leave the bed when Mr. Stark shook his head. 

„You can stay there if you like. I can…“ He looked around, spotted the big chair beside him, and pointed to it. „I can sit there, and then we could talk.“ 

Peter didn’t like the thought of Mr. Stark in his room. He didn’t know why, but he would have preferred to have some neutral space for the conversations they needed to have. It was silly because this penthouse had nothing neutral, but he couldn’t shake the feeling. 

„Can we go outside?“ Peter asked and looked to the door. 

„Outside?“ Mr. Stark seemed surprised, but then he shook his head. „You heard the policeman, kiddo. At the moment, you are under house arrest and…“

„I meant out of this room, Mr. Stark. I know that I’m still a prisoner.“ 

„You are no prisoner!“ Mr. Stark seemed persistent about it. As if Peter would believe his words and trust him in this. But Peter had done so in the precinct, right? 

Peter thought he hadn’t, but he had wanted to. He had wanted to have the man on his side, and for a second, he really believed the man would help him clear everything up. That moment passed when Mr. Stark introduced him to his driver as a dear friend. As if Peter really would believe that!

Mr. Stark led Peter into the living room, and it was even more impressive in the daylight than the night before. 

The light shone through the big windows, and the blue sky seemed endless. Peter could spot birds in the roof garden and two planes in the sky. It didn’t look like any place Peter had seen before, but rather like some magical place in the middle of the city. Strange and marvelous. 

„Come, let’s sit.“ Mr. Stark sat down on one of the large white sofas, which looked comfortable and immaculate simultaneously. He smiled at Peter, and Peter knew the man wanted nothing more than to have Peter right beside him. He even made space for him on the couch as if that thing wasn’t big enough to have a place for 5 - 7 adults. Like everything else in the penthouse, it was enormous. 

Peter decided on an armchair. He turned his back to the view and looked at Mr. Stark instead. 

„Tell me what we can do to prove them wrong!“

Mr. Stark looked surprised by Peter’s words. Did he think Peter would have forgotten that Mr. Stark had told him he would help him?

But before Peter could say something about it, Mr. Stark shook his head. 

„We’re going there, kid. Have a little patience, will you?“ He looked confused and lost, but he found his footing quickly. „Do you want something to drink? You only had one cup of coffee, and I know it wasn’t something you like to drink, so…“

„What? No! I love coffee! I drink it every time!“

Tony raised an eyebrow skeptically. 

„Kid, you looked as if we gave you poison! Really! So stop the crap and tell me what you really want to drink. Hydration is essential, you know? After that, we can start and…“

„I love coffee, and if you offer, I would get another cup of it. Make it large.“ He had loved his mornings with May when she didn’t have to leave for work so early. They would sit in their small kitchen, trying to save burned toast or nibbling on cornflakes, and she would always make him her special cacao while she drank her coffee, as if she loved her man: dark and handsome. 

She always laughed when she told it like that, and Peter laughed too because Uncle Ben was not dark but had light brown hair and a crooked grin that made him look not handsome but warm and friendly. He had the perfect face to help crime scene victims feel safe, and May loved him for it. 

She still drank her coffee black, with no sugar or milk in it, and sometimes, when she didn’t expect company, she even used the hottest water to make her coffee, making it even more bitter that way. Then she smiled, and Peter knew that wasn’t one of her many accidents in the kitchen. It reminded her of how her family used to drink coffee. 

Peter could get that. Like Ben and Peter, May had no family left, so such little things to remember had to  be something nice. He wanted to have that with her, but after a sip of her coffee, he decided he could join her these mornings with cacao because coffee? Needed lots of milk and sugar and maybe some syrups with caramel or hazelnut or something like that. 

He didn’t know why he told Mr. Stark that he loved his coffee black. He didn’t know, but he was glad when Mr. Stark just shook his head, went to the little bar at the side of the room, and took two bottles of water out. He put one in front of Peter and one on the table beside his seat. After that, he sat on the couch again, a little closer, and looked at Peter. 

Peter waited patiently. 

Mr. Stark waited patiently. 

Peter cursed loudly, took the bottle, opened it, and downed it in minutes. After that, he put it back on the table, and looked at Mr. Stark, he really wanted to burp as he did with the CPS guy, but maybe that wouldn’t help his case. He didn’t know, so he did nothing instead of waiting for Mr. Stark to start talking. 

„ So, kid, “Mr. Stark rolled his eyes as he watched Peter empty the bottle. „I think it would be nice to…“

„What do you do to clear everything up?“ Peter interrupted him because there was no way the talk they needed to have could start with, „It would be nice. “ 

Again, Mr. Stark was visibly surprised. 

„We’re coming to that, Peter. Really. I promise! But first I would like to hear something about yourself. What do you…“

„Oh, come on! Again? I thought we were over this in the car! I’m not your son, Mr. Stark. I’m really not, and there is no point in getting to know each other because as soon as you find your real son, you will forget all about me, so cut the crap and tell me what I can do to help!“ 

As soon as Peter had finished, Mr. Stark looked hurt. Not hurt like someone had thrown a punch at him or attacked him verbally, but still hurt enough so Peter felt guilty for being so hard on him. 

The man had lost his son, Peter tried to remember, and maybe this was the first time he had to have some hope to get him back, and just getting defiance from Peter was bound to hurt him. 

But Peter still wasn’t his son, and Mr. Stark would be wise to get that hint as soon as possible. 

„I get it, “Mr. Stark started again. „You don’t believe it, and that’s okay. That’s…“

„What do you mean? I don’t believe it? I thought you didn’t believe it either! You said so!!“ 

„ I said nothing like this, kid. I said I would help you, and I still want to…“

„But how could you? If you don’t believe me?“ Peter knew it! He had known it right from the start! All everyone wanted to do was set him up, even Mr. Stark. Maybe especially Mr. Stark. 

But why?

Why would someone want Peter to believe something like that? That he was a missing child of a wealthy and important person? Of an Avenger? 

Why should someone like Peter be that kid? 

There was nothing special about him. Nothing that could make him important or… 

He froze. 

That wasn’t right. There was something very special about him and something that could be very important. 

Spiderman. 

„Fuck!“ Peter said from the bottom of his heart, and then again. Just to prove a point. „Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!“

Uncle Ben wouldn’t have been happy about Peter swearing like that, not in front of himself, not to Aunt May, and especially not to a stranger like Mr. Stark. Uncle Ben wouldn’t even allow it around people like Curtis or Hank, and just thinking of the guys made Peter’s mind stop racing. He didn’t know who of the crew from the break-in got caught or who could have gone away, and he didn’t know if Leo, the guy who got the job as security guard in the tower, was still around here somewhere. That could be helpful, Peter thought, or dangerous. 

Another point is to rely on himself and nobody else. 

„Fuck!“

„Are you finished?“ Mr. Stark didn’t sound as disapproving as Ben did when Peter swore, but he didn’t sound happy either. „Can we now start talking?“

„For fuck’s sake! Why? Why do you wanna talk, and about what? This all is some game for you, right? Some play to get me and…“

Mr. Stark looked as if he wanted to curse himself a few times. 

„No! Damnit, Peter!“ He stopped, pressed his lips together, and looked to the window for a few seconds. „You can’t believe that this is some setup! That makes no sense!“ He turned around again and looked Peter straight in the eyes. „I know it’s hard even to imagine you could be the boy I think you are. You must feel so…“

„How? How should I feel right now?“ Peter asked sarcastically as Mr. Stark stopped talking and just looked at him. He felt the eyes of the older man, not gentle or warm as Ben’s or May’s had been, but instead, Mr. Stark’s eyes looked desperate and frustrated. „Tell me how I should feel. It’s nothing big, right? You want me to believe I’m your son, and now you want me to feel something that you want your son to feel, and I really would love to know my part in this. You know? To play the part, I must know my role and motivation. Like every good actor.“ Peter felt very frustrated and hurt, too. Because he had believed Mr. Stark in the precinct. He had believed the hero would be there to help him, and now he felt just as alone as he had in the cell when the other boys showed up to hurt him. 

Mr. Stark closed his eyes, only for a breath or two. Then he jumped up and walked to the big window. The one, as the AI had told Peter the night before, he always preferred standing in front of so he could watch the city below him. 

Peter didn’t know what to do. 

He could see that Mr. Stark fought with himself. As he stood there, looking at the sky, the birds, or some airplanes, he didn’t seem relaxed or confident but angry, hurt, and torn. It had to be frustrating for Mr. Stark that Peter didn’t want to believe in this ruse. 

„I think you must feel betrayed, “Mr. Stark said while watching something outside the window. „I would feel betrayed. Heaven, I felt betrayed when something like this happened to me!“

„Oh, it has?“ Peter snorted. „You got once kidnapped and found your real family after years and years? I wonder why I haven’t heard of this story ever before. It must have been lost to the press.“ May had always wondered where the little bits of bitter sarcasm came from, which Peter sometimes displayed. She said nobody in Ben’s family had ever been so cold when getting angry. Ben and his brother had been known to be calm and always in control, but they always exploded for a second or two when they got mad at something or someone. There would be shouting and raised fists, and they were calm again. On the other hand, Peter always seemed quiet, but his words betrayed his true feelings. 

Like they did right now. 

Mr. Stark tried to tell him he had been in the same position once? To get Peter and himself on the same level? What a joke! Peter thought grimly to himself. 

„No, I wasn’t kidnapped. I mean, I was. More times than I would love to count, but that wasn’t what I meant. 

I know the feeling of trusting someone. Someone I thought was family. And when I found out that he was only there to get my money and my position, I felt betrayed. And angry. So damn angry. But also hurt and confused. So I think I can relate to you in that kind of way.“ Mr. Stark turned again and looked at Peter, still sitting in the armchair. He looked thoughtful, which also seemed to surprise Mr. Stark. „I had luck when that happened because I had friends in my corner, Pepper and Rhodey. They were there for me when I needed them most. That helped. That helped a lot. 

I want to be that kind of help for you, Peter.“

He sounded sincere, so Peter really wanted to believe him. Like every living person, the man had been hurt before, and he tried to tell Peter that he could empathize with him, which was nice. 

But it was also fake. 

Because the one man who hurt Peter at the moment? 

Was Mr. Stark. 

„I’m not your son, Mr. Stark, and you won’t be a big help for me or him if you don’t start believing me. As long as you try to change me into someone I’m not, I won’t need help from you.“ Just like that, Peter suddenly felt empty and hollow. He was used to being alone and fighting a fight nobody wanted him to fight, but this was something different. He felt different. 

This time he truly felt alone. 

„Then let’s do it. Right now. Come on! We have a MedBay a few floors down, and the whole thing will only take a few minutes, and after that…“ Mr. Stark left his favorite spot at the window and strutted through the room. He made a gesture with his hands for Peter to get up and follow him, and Peter gladly jumped up, excited that the man finally would see the reason behind everything. He wondered which of his words had made sense to the man, then paused. 

Did any of his words make sense to Mr. Stark? 

Or did Peter misunderstand the man?

„Wait!“ Peter said suspiciously. „The MedBay? Why? I don’t understand.“ But he did, didn’t he? He had known it right from the start. 

Mr. Stark repeated his gesture with his hand. 

„To the MedBay, Kid. To get this goddamn blood test started.“ The man seemed angry for some reason. Frustrated. Peter didn’t need to be told that Mr. Stark felt all of that because Peter refused to believe him. 

Or was this also a show? Something to make Peter believe that this was all they were looking for while everyone silently worked on a different angle of the setup?

Peter didn’t move. He just stood there, waiting for Mr. Stark to get the hint. 

Mr. Stark stood right in front of the entrance to the living room and moved his hand again, and his face told Peter very clearly that he should hurry up. It reminded Peter of a short interview with Mr. Stark that he had once seen. In it, Mr. Stark was questioned about his invention. It had been spectacular but also outside his usual scope of work, and the reporter wanted to know how and why Mr. Stark had done what he had done. Mr. Stark had smiled slightly and told the world that he had always been very impatient, and when he wanted something and nobody else had done it before him, he invented it himself. 

Impatient. 

One of the main characters treats the man had. 

And smart. A genius who believed that he could play everyone. 

Especially a dumb kid like Peter Parker. 

„No.“ Peter said quietly. He walked through the room, and when Mr. Stark frowned, confused, Peter changed his direction and went to the floor, leading him to a guest room and a very soft bed. „I won’t let you take my blood. This talk is over.“ 

Without turning around, he walked to his room. He opened the door and closed it behind him. He was already lying on his bed when the light in the room became too bright. There were suddenly sunshine and clear skies where there had previously been a few clouds. It was a beautiful day for everyone who could walk around - outside. 

Peter grumbled slightly. 

„Lady?“ He hated to ask.

„Yes, Mr. Parker?“

„Can you close the blinds, please?“

„Certainly.“ 

The blinds slowly went down, and for the first time, Peter thought that maybe the AI wasn’t so bad after all. 

„Thank you.“

„You’re welcome, Mr. Parker.“

Peter bit his lip and then shook his head. Aunt May hadn’t raised him to be rude. Even if it was only to an AI.

„Lady?“

„Yes, Mr. Parker?“

„Could you please call me Peter? Mr. Parker was my uncle, and he is…“ Peter took a deep breath. Suddenly, his eyes were burning. 

„I understand.“ The woman’s voice from the ceiling sounded sincere and compassionate. „I’m sorry for your loss, Peter.“ 

The lady in the ceiling was a hell of an AI, Peter thought, just when he felt the first tears roll over his cheeks. 

Chapter Text

The next two days went precisely like the first day. 

Tony could hardly fall asleep. Whenever he closed his eyes, he was afraid the kid would be gone again once he woke up, so he just tried not to fall asleep, which didn’t go well with Pepper. She even threatened him to mix sleeping pills in his coffee (which was wrong on so many levels!).  

So he went to bed, and as soon as he woke up again, he asked FRI for an update on Peter, and that’s when the trouble started. 

„Okay, Tones, that can’t be true!“

Tony was talking to Rhodey over the phone. When Rhodey was called away during Peter’s arrival at the penthouse, this was the first time they could talk about everything. 

„Not true? Platypus! I swear it all happened just like I told you!“

„Then you have to overstate the whole thing. I can’t believe…“

„It happened just as I told you!“ 

Tony used his lab and work as an excuse to escape from uncomfortable situations forever. The first time was with his dad, who always thought of Tony as some disappointment, and so Tony went to his room and pretended to have to do work for a school or something like that. 

After his parents died, he holed himself in his lab for weeks because that was the only place where he didn’t have to pretend everything was good or he was okay. 

Then Alisa died, and even then, he tried to hide in his lab, but this time, he had a little sleeping boy right beside him. 

So, going to his lab to work always made him feel safe. Maybe nobody could understand that, but it was the best place for Tony for a long time. 

At the moment, it also was the perfect place to let loose. 

Living with the kid wasn’t what he expected it to be. Sure, it was like Pepper had said that first morning after this awful silent breakfast; it wasn’t easy for all of them. They didn’t know each other, and now, suddenly, they tried to play family, which would not be easy for everyday people. It was even more challenging for Tony because he tended to hide himself and his true thoughts from everyone. Sadly, the kid seemed to have inherited this extraordinary threat because he wouldn’t talk with them. He wouldn’t even spend time with them. At least, not happy and content. Whenever Pepper got him out of his room, he sat with them quietly, moody, and didn’t even expect him to eat or drink something other than water or very plain things like toast that drove Tony up the wall. Pepper tried sneaking him treats like leaving them in his room when he wasn’t there, but he didn’t touch them. 

Tony felt helpless, frustrated, and annoyed, and he would love to shake some sense in this kid, but he didn’t know how. So he usually did the one thing that helped him. 

He called Rhodey. 

„So you wanna tell me that your kid tried to climb out of a window in your penthouse, which happens to be on the 98^th floor of a huge tower? And then, after you managed to stop him at the right moment and explained how high it was, he tried it again but through a different window? And he tried to jump from the balcony?“ Rhodey asked, not believing Tony’s story. 

Tony wouldn’t have believed it either, but he had been there all three times the kid tried to get out of his damn building. Four times, if you count the first meeting that night, too. 

„Don’t forget the one time he tried to get in the freight elevator or when he could sneak out of the penthouse and nearly got himself killed on the Avengers floor. Now, that would have been fun!“ When FRI told him where the kid went, Tony nearly got a heart attack. Sure, after the accords, the fight in Germany, and the real fight in Siberia, after the so-called rogues had run away and then T’Challa fought for them and got them pardoned, they were back in New York again. The government let them live where they could be no threat, which meant they put them back in Tony’s hands. As if he would be responsible for everything they did or that happened before. 

Initially, SHIELD didn’t even tell him what the Avengers would be doing. Fury every so often tried to tell him he was only a consultant, and now, after everything went downhill, he suddenly was some nanny for a bunch of superheroes? Not to mention that he, too, was no real doctor, and he didn’t know why the government thought it would be a good idea for him to be responsible for Barnes’s recovery. 

So they lived with Tony again. 

Mostly, they stayed in the Compound, which was fine with Tony, but for some reason, they had to stay at the Tower too, and that was something he couldn’t understand, and he liked it even less. 

He declined their privileges to his private floors and even moved their floors deeper than before. Between their living space and his were now two empty floors, bare of everything, and nothing reminded anyone of the days and nights they all had lived together. 

They were friends once, maybe even something like a family. And now? They didn’t even talk if it wasn’t in an official meeting, and Tony did anything not to meet them per accident. If it weren’t for FRIDAY, he wouldn’t know if some of them were in the Compound or the Tower.

So it was an unpleasant surprise when the kid managed to sneak out of the super secure penthouse - again! - and Tony found him on the Avengers floor. 

Thankfully, nobody else was present at the moment, though FRIDAY told him that Mr. Rogers and Mr. Barnes were currently staying in the city. 

„Rogers wouldn’t have killed the kid, Tones. You know that.“

„I wasn’t talking about Rogers.“ He still got the chills when he remembered FRIDAY’s words and her confirmation that both Oldtimers were in the city right now. 

„Tony.“ Rhodey didn’t say anything more. He knew what had happened in Siberia and especially what had happened that one night in December years ago so he could understand that Tony wouldn’t take any risks now. „Barnes isn’t the same guy anymore. You know that. Didn’t the princess show you his progress? He wouldn’t be allowed to roam free through New York if she or the countless psychiatrists would classify him as dangerous.“

„Yeah, sure. Count him harmless, honey bear. Count him healed or changed. I’m not convinced, and I don’t care. I won’t take any risks with Peter. If he so comes near him, I’ll…“

„Understandable, Tony, I get it. Really. You don’t have to convince me. I even would do the same if I were in your position, and you can believe me, I told Ross more than once that this wasn’t the best time to get back to you with everything, but…“

Tony cursed. It was his damn luck that he managed to anger the one guy in the military who could pull something like this off. He always thought he had friends everywhere, but after the big fights and the hearing, he was some persona non grata. He could maybe win a few points if he would think of building weapons again, but he didn’t want to do that - till now. 

But he had to think of Peter. 

„But how did he get out of the penthouse? Or out of the windows? Didn’t you put FRIDAY on guard duty?“ 

Tony sighed again.

„I have no clue. FRIDAY said she had him under surveillance, and then he was gone. Even the video feed showed me nothing more. I think I underestimated him, but he is like a mini Barton with the vents, and before I even knew it, he was gone. Again and again. It is crazy!“

Rhodey laughed silently. 

„It seems so. Did he say why he wanted to jump out of the window? Do you think he…“ Rhodey stopped. He knew just saying what came to his mind would drive Tony crazy. 

„No. No! I don’t think so. He just… he wanted gone. He said so when we brought him home, right? And that didn’t change, and now I have him under 100 % observation by FRIDAY, and I feel like a prison guard.“

„Tony.“ One word and many things didn’t need to be said, but Tony got them. Rhodey thought he shouldn’t be afraid and he should have patience. He should even try to understand the kid and maybe help him understand Tony himself. Everything was good and reasonable, but there was no change in the end. 

The kid still didn’t want to be in the penthouse. 

„Did you have success with the DNA test yet?“ 

Another wound, and Rhodey put his finger straight on it. 

„No. The kid didn’t want his blood taken, and Cho said nothing is as trustworthy as blood, so we try to convince him.“

„We? You mean Pepper?“

„Hm.“ He didn’t need to tell Rhodey he was frustrated with the situation. He liked the kid and wanted to believe the tests already taken by the police. He was delighted with the result, but he also understood that Peter still thought it was some setup and that he couldn’t be his kid. So they needed this damn test, but the kid was absolutely against it. 

„He still didn’t tell you why he is so against it? Maybe you could bait him with this spray that numbs everything. I remember when my little niece got her last vaccination, she was also scared of the needle and the doc…“

„I know what you mean, and Cho recommended the same thing and some cream, but he is really against it. And boy! - the kid has a mouth on him if he is against something! You wouldn’t believe it!“

Rhodey chuckled as if this would be a funny joke, but it wasn’t one, and Tony felt helpless.

„But otherwise, he behaves himself?“

„Oh, Rhodey, honey bear, you hit all the buttons today, “Tony sighed. Another point that made him feel like the worst man on earth was 

„What does that mean?“

Tony waited. Talking about these things wasn’t easy for him, not before everything with Sandro happened, especially not after Siberia and getting the kid back. He wanted to hold his feelings for himself and neither think nor talk about them, but Rhodey was Rhodey. 

„He is nice and friendly…“

„That’s good, right?“

„…with Pepper.“

„Oh.“ Rhodey stilled. „And with you?“

„Like I said. You wouldn’t believe what a mouth this kid has.“

„Oh, Tony.“ 

„Yes. I don’t think he likes me very much and hates everything I do or don’t do. Especially everything that has to do with FRI or the lockdown. He is against everything. Everything, Rhodey. Everything I do. Even if I asked him to join me in the living room, I asked him if he wanted to watch a movie with me, and he was so damn straight against it as if I wanted him to learn the semantics of Chinese poetry. Heaven forbid I want to get to know him!“

„Did you tell him that? That you want to get to know him? In these words?“

Tony nodded, but as they were talking on the phone, he had to say something, but he didn’t want to. He didn’t want to say something because then it would be true. 

„Tones?“

„ I told him I would help him prove all this is wrong when we were in the police station. I asked him to trust me, and he did. Now? I don’t know what I did, but he wants nothing to do with me and leaves the room as soon as possible. Not even Pepper can prevent him from leaving, and she tried.“ 

For a moment, it was quiet. Tony could hear Rhodey breathing on the other side of the line, and he knew that his friend had tried to come up with a solution to this problem, but Tony was smart. He knew there was no way to help him if the kid didn’t want to work with him. And he didn’t want to. 

„Is his behavior something new?“ Rhodey asked suddenly. „I know you, Tones. At this time, you were already in his files and had access to everything known of this kid, like his first painting in kindergarten and his grades in school. Is this behavior known? Or maybe it’s his way of grieving? He just had lost his uncle, so I think…“

„That’s what Pepper said. We tried to talk with him about it. We even arranged the funeral of this guy…“ Tony couldn’t bring himself to say „Uncle“ to the man who got himself killed in his tower. He was a good man even before something bad happened to his family. For some reason, he had Tony’s kid, and that was something Tony couldn’t forgive. 

„That was nice of you. Very kind. What did the kid say to that?“

„He was surprised about it and grateful. He wanted to pay me back and tried to come up with some payment plan…“

„Really? That’s…“

„Ridiculous, Colonel Rhodes. Ridiculous. I’m a billionaire. A little funeral for a stranger won’t put me out of money.“

„But it is something nice you did for the man the kid believes is his uncle. The kid will see that, and he…“

„ He said I can’t buy him, and after that, he returned to his room and didn’t come out again. Not even Pepper could get him out.

No, Rhodey, the kid hates me, and he hates being in the tower with me. 

Nothing changed, and nothing will ever change.“

He heard a noise on the other end of the line, some shuffling, and he imagined Rhodey sitting down after hearing Tony’s words and contemplating how to help him. But there was no way. At least, there was no way Tony had found it, and he thought of everything now. He even devised putting a tracker in the kid and then lifting the lockdown. Naturally, he would observe every move the kid would make, but when he told Pepper about this plan, she was very much against it. She also could have some shocking mouth on her if she were annoyed and putting a tracker in his kid? Oh, oh…

„I’m sure this is only just the beginning. It is a difficult time for the kid - and for you. It will change over time.“

„Did you read that in a woman’s magazine? Platypus, I’ve told you, you have to take your testosterone otherwise…“

„Shut the fuck up, Tones! I’m more man than you in your red and golden outfit!“ Snapped Rhodey, but Tony could hear him smiling. „I’m also not insecure about things like that.“

„And you also had time while standing in the line of the grocery store?“

„Yes, that too.“ The smile got bigger. At least one of them had fun at the moment. „What I mean is, in these files. Did you read anything more about him? Did he have problems with other people or… I can’t believe I’m saying this, but maybe he told us the truth? Did he have comprehension problems? He told us that he is dumb and his grades were always bad, perhaps that’s…“

„It was a lie, “Tony managed to interrupt his friend again. 

„What?“

„That he was dumb. He wasn’t. His grades were okay, not especially good or bad, but in the norm. Nothing to think about.“

„But he said he was dumb? Why did he do that? Oh… you mean, he said it so you wouldn’t take him home?“

„Maybe?“

„But he trusted you in the precinct!“

„I thought so, too!“

Both got quiet after that. Usually, talking with Rhodey helped Tony with every problem, but this time? It made him feel worse. Maybe there was nothing someone could do to help him?

Another sound came through the line. He heard Rhodey talking with someone, then a door closing. 

„Tones, I have to go. They need me again.“

Tony closed his eyes for a second. After this talk with Rhodey, he had nothing to do but try to talk to Peter again. He wanted to. He really did, but it was so damn hard, and he couldn’t find a way to the kid. 

„Where is the kid right now?“ It was as if Rhodey could read Tony’s mind. 

Tony shook his head fondly.

„In his room.“

„Oh. What is he doing there?“

„That’s the big question! I think he has spent hours there already, and he does nothing. He can do nothing.“

„Maybe he is on the phone with friends? People tend to do that, I hear.“ 

„Ha, ha. People without a phone have problems with that, I hear.“

„He has no phone, and he is the whole time alone in his room? Tones, even I would get bored, and at the moment, I think being alone in a room sounds heavenly.“ Tony remembered that Rhodey’s current job was on a base where they did not have enough quarters for everyone, so even the higher-ups, such as Rhodey, had to share rooms. Rhodey had complained at the beginning of their talk that he hadn’t shared a room since MIT, and he liked it even less now. 

„Then go to him, Tony. Find a way to spend time with him. Maybe convince him to visit your lab. Did you try that?“

„I did. Right on the first day. He wasn’t even tempted.“

„Try again. Or a movie. Find out what the most anticipated movie at the moment is. For the young guys, not for people like us! And then get it so he can watch it before his friends. Or try to find out about his friends and invite them to the tower. Or is that a bad idea? Do you know if all of his friends are thieves or…“

„I don’t know anything, Mr. Women’s Magazine! He won’t talk to me!“

„Then try again. Harder. I know you can be very annoying, and everyone eventually breaks up after dealing with you. Try again. I believe in you!“ The last words were spoken with a loud laughter, and though Tony wanted to be annoyed of Rhodey, he too had to smile.

„Go back to your unimportant work, Colonel.“

„Go back to painting the nails on your suit.“ 

They hung up, and Tony felt better. Not much, but a little bit. He felt like he could breathe again. Like he could do this and this time it would be different. 

„Is the kid still in his room, baby girl?“

Silence. 

He knew that wasn’t a good sign. He still waited and held his breath.

„Peter isn’t in his room, Boss.“ FRIDAY sounded as confused as he felt.

He jumped up and made his way through his hiding space, his lab, to the door to the penthouse. 

„Where is he? Why didn’t you say something? Didn’t I order you to tell me as soon as Peter moves? Damnit!“

„I don’t know, Boss. He was in his room, and now he isn’t.“

„Then find him! Try the balcony. Or the windows. The lift. The goddamn Avengers floor.“

He left the lab and ran straight to the kid’s room as if FRIDAY would be blind and not see the kid still lying on his bed, maybe sleeping or contemplating how to drive Tony crazy - which he was excellent at. 

„He just left the staircase on the 80^th floor.“ 

Tony stopped like he had run against an invisible wall. 

„He did what? How? How did he manage to get into the damn staircase - again?“ Tony turned around and sprinted to the lift. The door opened as soon as he arrived, and he felt the cabin move. „Show me the life feed!“ He would deal with this escape after he had caught the kid. And then he would put more than just one tracker in the kid’s body. If Pepper had a problem with that, she could call Rhodey and ask for his magazines. 

He grumbled angrily. 

On the wall of the lift, the live feed of one of the cameras on the 80^th floor came up. 

Tony didn’t know what area or working group of SI was on that floor, but he saw that it was some open-plan office with many smaller cubicles. Many people were around, some men in suits, some women in outfits like Pepper wore to work. At the end of the floor was a closed-up office of one of the superiors.

At first, he didn’t spot the kid, and he just opened his mouth to tell FRI that she did something wrong and maybe the kid was still in the penthouse, but then he saw his small figure perfectly standing next to a big plant. 

Peter was standing there and watching the people around him, and Tony knew nobody of his employees saw him. 

„Damn, this kid is good!“ A sigh escaped Tony, and he rubbed his neck with one hand. „What is on this floor, FRI?“

„Administration for the smaller companies, Boss. Mostly payroll and personal management.“

The boring kind of work in Tony’s eyes. 

A few people were leaving a cubicle, and while walking to another part of the floor, they passed Peter and didn’t seem to notice him. All the time, the kid was standing there looking small and unobtrusive. 

Tony shook his head again. At least his AI wasn’t the only one who got fooled by the kid. 

Then Peter started to move again. He walked calmly between the walls and cubicles and avoided meeting everyone else on the floor. When he walked by someone smart enough to see a kid walking by, Peter smiled politely, and nobody said a word. 

„I didn’t know we let children in the offices, “Tony said, surprised because that had to be the reason nobody questioned Peter’s presence on the floor. 

„We don’t, “FRIDAY confirmed. „Visitors are only allowed till the 40^th floor. On every other floor, the work they are doing there is considered too important and confidential.“

„And nobody is surprised seeing a kid there?“ He would talk with Pepper about this. Not to be a snitch, but it was still something they had to address. They did hard work on SI, important work, and they could expect their people to know what… „Who is that?“

Peter had stopped as surprised as Tony when he spotted another Teenager sitting in some tea kitchen at a table. He had a mug on the table standing next to him and was playing with some kids’ toys. 

„FRI, why is there a kid in the no-visitor area of SI?“ Tony put his hand up and enlarged the picture of the other kid. He looked like he could be Peter’s age, a little bit on the bigger side, and very engrossed with his toy. 

He really could be Peter’s age, Tony thought, and for a moment, a tiny moment, he thought this kid could be a friend of Peter. A friend, Peter, managed to smuggle in one of the most secure buildings in the world. Like he tried to break into the most secure building in the world. So it wouldn’t be something new to him, right? 

Tony expected Peter to greet his friend, maybe with a hug? Some smiles, at least. He would love to see the kid smile as he hadn’t seen it before. Tony sighed when he thought of the brooding teenager he always got to meet when they pulled the kid out of his room. It was like Peter had no muscles in his face other than the one for an annoyed and bored look. 

The moment was over when Peter didn’t walk any further and just stood there and observed the other kid. It was clear that they didn’t know each other.

„The boy is Ned Leeds, 15 years old, son of Elenor Leeds. She has been working at administration on the 80^th floor for 10 years in January.“

The kid of an employee also. No secret best friend of Peter. Tony felt strangely disappointed. He didn’t know why, but he would have loved to meet Peter's friend to get some insights into him. Perhaps a friend of Peter would reveal to Tony a way to get to know Peter. But if Peter didn’t know this kid, it wouldn’t be helpful for Tony.

Just when he had that thought something unexpected happened. 

Peter jumped a little because some other guys in the cubicle Peter stood in front of talked louder than before, and then a woman came his way. She looked as if she wanted to ask Peter something, and before Tony could see him move, Peter went straight to the kitchen table where the other boy sat. The woman passed without questioning their presence, and the Leeds boy looked startled. 

„Do we have sound, FRI?“

The next second, he heard the most obscure noise of a working area: lots of people talking, phones ringing, printer, someone laughing, someone shouting, doors closing. Tony hated it. 

„Please only the kitchen, baby girl.“

It took his AI another second to filter out all the background noise, but then…

Chapter Text

„Is that from the new Star Wars model?“ Peter asked curiously. He had seen it in a shop window a few weeks ago, and though he knew he wouldn’t have the money for it or the place to build it, he had looked at it closely. The original had nearly 5000 pieces and would need hours to work on, but it looked awesome. He loved how they worked so many details into it. Details you couldn’t even spot in the films, but that made sense once you thought about it. 

The other teenager looked up, clearly surprised by Peter’s presence and a little wary, but then he smiled wide and honestly. 

„No, not from the new one. My mom couldn’t afford to buy that.“ He looked sad about it for a moment, but then he smiled again. „This is from an older one. I got it for my birthday last month. Nearly 2000 pieces. It’s crazy, man! Absolutely crazy!“

„It looks like it could be part of the imperial fighter.“ Peter took another step to the table. He knew he shouldn’t have. His time was already running out because Mr. Stark had to know already that he was a goner again. But this boy and the little stones on the table? He couldn’t resist just taking another look. Just a few seconds. That couldn’t hurt, right?

„I thought so too! I thought I could try to build it without the original pack. Like the kids in the beginning. They didn’t even have packs, and they still built their things. I want to do it that way, too. It’s like a challenge, you know?“ The teenager smiled as if he really thought this would be an amazing idea, and maybe it was, but for Peter, it was clear that this other boy also did not have enough money to buy the costly original pack. And, like Peter, he didn’t let that hold him back. 

Without thought, Peter sat down on the next chair. He looked at the thing the other one had already assembled. Then, at the pieces on the table and the printed paper that lay in front of the kid. 

„I’m Ned, by the way. My mom works here.“ 

„Peter.“ He didn’t say anything more and hoped Ned wouldn’t ask. „This looks wrong.“ He pointed at a few pieces. „If you want it to fit in the fighter, you must turn them around. Here, let me show you.“

And so it started. 

They were sitting for maybe 30 minutes and just building this little thing with all the pieces Ned had brought with him. Not enough to build the whole fighter but enough to last them for the time, and while they were sitting there and trying to come up with solutions for problems Ned hadn’t thought of before, they had fun. 

Peter couldn’t remember the last time he had fun with another kid. At least not since he wasn’t in school anymore. After May’s accident, they had to move, and so he even lost the few kids in his block. Their new apartment wasn’t in a place where people with kids lived, so Peter had his uncle and the other adults but no real friends and especially no kids. 

He hadn’t thought he missed talking with another boy, but after Ned told him about this movie he wanted to see, Peter found he missed it quite a bit and would love to go to the movies with Ned. Or hang out with him, talking about everything no adult would ever understand and building things just because they could, and they didn’t need the expensive sets.

Then Ned started to tell him of his school, and though Peter tried not to let it get to him, it hurt. He loved being in school. He loved hearing of all the new things and discovering new methods. He could do all of that in a library, too, but it was different. He loved being around other boys and girls, hearing them chatter, seeing them laughing. It had always made him happy, even if he wasn’t always included. He even loved sports, though he was very, very bad at it, and then, after the spider bite, when he discovered what he could do, it was even more fun for him because he just knew he couldn’t let it show. He couldn’t let anyone know how fast he could run, how high he could climb the ropes, or that it would have been easy to dodge that ball that someone threw at him. It was like playing hide and seek with everyone without them knowing. Silly? Maybe. He still liked it and had missed it over the last few months. 

The boys had long finished the little model and were sitting there, talking and laughing when a woman came to them. When she spotted Peter, she looked confused for a second, but she nodded a greeting at Peter and told Ned to pack his things real quick. The next moment, she was gone again, running to a cubicle a few steps down the hall. 

„That was my mom, “Ned told Peter. „Obviously. I have to go now.“

Peter nodded and helped Ned find all the little pieces they had missed while finishing their work. He even crawled around on the floor to find pieces, and when he looked up, he saw another man in an expensive suit walking to the cubicle that Ned’s mom had run to. Ned couldn’t hear anything from the kitchen, but Peter could hear the man angry at the woman. He wasn’t shouting, but he was addressing some things she did wrong, and the most important one was that she brought her son with her to work. The man had to be her superior, and obviously, children weren’t allowed on this floor. 

Peter felt bad when he heard that she tried to excuse herself. She tried to tell him that it would only be for a few days because they had a fire in their apartment and were now living with some friends, but their own home should be ready in one or two weeks, and for so long, she needed a place for Ned to stay after school. Her superior didn’t have it, and when he started to say something about letting the woman go, Peter saw movement at the end of the floor. A lift opened up, and Mr. Stark was suddenly there and looked around as if he was searching for something. Or someone.  

„Damnit!“ Peter cursed. Ned looked up, surprised. „ I have to go. Take care, Ned!“ With that, he jumped up and started to run between the cubicles. He just needed the door next to the staircase, and when he found it, he slipped through and started to run down the stairs. 

Chapter Text

The kid had vanished again. 

Tony cursed silently. 

He could still see the other boy in the kitchenette, but Peter was nowhere to be seen. 

This boy was indeed an escape artist like no other!

While he looked around, still hoping to spot his kid somewhere, he saw the other boy standing there, his bag on his shoulder, waiting for someone. His mom was working somewhere on this floor. 

Silently, Tony asked FRIDAY in which cubicle he could find her. When FRI told him the way, he walked straight into that cubicle as if this was the whole reason for him being on the floor in the first place. 

In the cubicle, he found Mrs. Leeds, clearly in distress, and Mr. Daniels, the supervisor on this floor. Without having heard their talk, Tony knew immediately that something was very wrong. 

„ Mr. Stark!“ Edward Daniels was surprised to see his boss and the owner of SI. „What an honor, Sir.“ 

Tony didn’t like the man. He didn’t know why, but he immediately felt that he would do anything not to see this man again. However, for the moment, he could be useful. 

„Daniels, good to see you.“ Tony nodded, but his attention was on the woman. She looked as if she was nearly in tears, and usually, this would be the perfect time for him to retreat. Quickly. But for some reason, and because he didn’t like Daniels, he didn’t. „What’s wrong?“ He asked and looked between the man and the woman. 

„Nothing, Sir. Nothing to worry about. How can I help you?“ Daniels didn’t even acknowledge the woman in the cubicle or try to introduce her to Tony. 

„Yeah, not buying it. Mrs. Leeds, I assume?“ He turned to her and smiled friendly. 

The woman looked up, clearly surprised that the firm owner she had been working for for 10 years now knew her name and face. 

„Mr. Stark?“ 

„Can you tell me what is happening here?“

She looked to Daniels, then back to Tony again, and he could see that she was fighting with herself. Something had happened, and though he didn’t want to participate in this, it also made him curious. Usually, he didn’t find his employees with tears in their eyes. 

„She brought her son to work again. But I took care of it, Sir. Nothing to bother you.“

Tony didn’t like it when people spoke without being asked, and he especially didn’t like it when he asked someone else. 

„ Ms. Leeds?“ He asked her again and tried to ignore the man next to him. 

She nodded slowly and swallowed hard. 

„Yes. I’m sorry, Sir. I know it’s against the rules, but I had no other choice, and I thought it would be okay. Ned wasn’t anywhere except for the kitchen and only for a few hours each day. I really thought it wouldn’t be a big deal.“ 

„No big deal? Elenor, you know, with SI, we are working with critical secrets and…“ Daniels started to praise the tune, and Tony shook his head. When he held a hand up, Daniels closed his mouth and looked surprised. „Sir? Is everything alright?“ 

Tony turned around again, went to Daniels, and put one arm on his shoulders as if they were friends. Then, he led the other man out of the cubicle. He smiled when they came to a hold outside the cubicle. He could still see the other kid standing in the kitchen, but this time, the kid saw him, and his eyes grew bigger with each moment. Tony could nearly hear him saying something like, „OMG!“ This kid was clearly impressed by his presence. Why couldn’t Peter be like this kid? Everything would be so much easier!

„Sir, I…“

„You stay outside, understood? I want to talk with Mrs. Leeds, and I felt you wouldn’t be helpful. So, out with you. And now go and be somewhere else important.“ He turned again and returned to Mrs. Leeds, who had started to pack her things. 

Tony understood immediately what had happened. 

„You got fired because you brought your son to work?“ He asked nevertheless. He knew the rules. Pepper and he had talked about every little one of them. They were to prevent thieves and to secure their workspace. They were beneficial. He hadn’t known they would be used to punish his people. 

Mrs. Leeds stopped shortly and nodded. She started to look through a glass with pens on her table and sorted them into two groups. 

„It was my fault, Sir, “she said while she put one group back into the glass. „I knew it was against the rules, but I thought… Ned is a good boy. A smart boy. He is in one of the best schools in town, a STEM school, and he knows how to behave himself. I really thought it wouldn’t be as bad as Mr. Daniels told you.“ She put a few pens in her purse. „I don’t steal them. They were a gift from Ned, and I won’t let them here.“

„I didn’t say anything.“ He was a Billionaire. Even if she wanted to steal a few pens, he thought he could afford it. „And Daniels didn’t say anything either. I haven’t spoken to him.“

She looked up, clearly surprised. 

„Then why are you here?“

That was a great question, he thought. That is an amazing question. 

He would have loved to have the answer, but all he had was this woman right before him and the boy he knew would still be in the kitchen, getting bored already. Maybe the boy wished Peter would return to laugh and talk more, and Tony wished the same. 

„See, “he started and walked a few steps into her small cubicle. He stopped when he reached the wall next to her working space. It was decorated with pictures she hadn’t started taking down. For a few seconds, he studied them. Quite a few of her sons were taken on some summer vacation. The boy looked reddish, and the sunburn that would have followed would have hurt, but he didn’t seem to care because he was smiling brightly. In another picture, the boy was standing on top of a stage next to a girl holding some trophy, and again, her boy smiled as wide as he could. In another picture, the boy is riding a horse, and though Tony can see that he isn’t pleased about it, he is still smiling. Smiling all the damn time!

„Your son is always smiling, “Tony said, letting his eyes roam over every picture. It was true. He couldn’t see one picture that didn’t show a happy boy. 

„Why wouldn’t he? And why should I put up a picture of my son when he looked sad in it? Or angry?“

„I don’t know. I just thought it’s amazing how happy and content he seems to be.“

„Why shouldn’t he be? Do you think I’m a bad mom? It wasn’t my fault that our wiring was defective, and even if I knew about it, I couldn’t have prevented the fire from starting. I’m not…“

„No, no!“ Tony shook his head quickly. He turned away from the pictures because seeing the difference in Peter’s face hurt. While her son seemed always happy, Peter looked like a prisoner. He was living in one of the best homes in the world, and he could order everything he wanted, but he still looked sad and alone. „That’s not what I meant. Really.“ He stopped when he saw how angry this little woman looked at him. She was one of his employees and not a very important one, but still. The way she looked at him made him think she wouldn’t back down in this. 

„I also have  a son.“ Just saying it out loud made him breathless. It had been a long time since he let himself believe in this truth, that he still had a son, living and breathing and enjoying life like this always smiling boy in the pictures did. 

Mrs. Leeds looked surprised. 

„Really? I didn’t know that.“ One of her hands brushed over the desk in front of her. He saw that she had already put together a few little figurines standing next to her monitor. They looked like the things the boys had used to spend their time on. „Is it a recent thing? I mean, how old is your son?“

„He is 14 years old, and no, not a recent thing.“ He made a face. „Or yes, you could say that.“

She said nothing, but he saw what she thought of him. Tony Stark, Playboy, had a son with some strange woman, which he didn’t know of, and now he wanted to tell her what she should do with her son. 

She couldn’t be more wrong!

„He got taken when he was two years old, and I didn’t find him again till… a few days ago.“ 

The one hand that brushed over the little scraps on her desk flew up, and she covered her open mouth with it. Nevertheless, he could hear her silent „Oh, my god!“

He didn’t know what to think of it. 

He hated it when he felt the pity of other people. Even when he was little, he couldn’t stand the compassionate looks on some people when they saw him, and now, as an adult and her boss, he hadn’t changed a bit. 

But maybe it was time for it, and he should?

„He is living with me in the penthouse at the moment, and… it isn’t easy.“ He hated feeling helpless even more. 

„I believe that. It must be hard for the boy. Do you know who took him? Were they good people or…“

Tony sighed. 

„It’s complicated.“ That was the truth, wasn’t it? The guy who got killed, the man Peter believed to be his uncle, had been a police officer and a very good and respected one. Right after the incident in the tower, Tony had asked FRIDAY to get him everything about this man, and he read through it right on the first evening when Peter was still in jail and got his black eye. Tony was surprised. The man had been on the right side of everything. A good cop and a well-loved man and friend, and then suddenly everything changed. No, not everything. Peter still loved the man, and Tony could see that the man had done an excellent job raising Peter. Maybe an even better job than Tony would have done. 

„I see.“ Mrs. Leeds sat down in her chair and started to empty her desk. Again, many things in the drawers had nothing to do with work and everything to do with family and good memories. And with her sweet tooth. 

„Peter… he doesn’t want to be here with me. He even believed everything was some scheme or setup and he couldn’t be my son. He tries everything to convince me to let him go and…“

She nodded even when Tony stopped talking. This kid pushed every one of his buttons. He was all alone, and Tony wanted to be there for him. He was angry, and Tony wanted to make him laugh. And then he was closed up and didn’t say a word, and Tony remembered the single moment in the police station where they both stood and watched the paint on the wall. It was a less exciting thing, but it felt like finally winning a race for Tony. He could still feel his heart pounding in his chest, and he wanted to smile, but he couldn’t believe this was happening. 

„He tries to run away.“

„No!“ She looked startled and shocked. Then she shook her head. „Teenager, right? They are the worst, really! What is he trying to do when he runs away? Going where he had lived before?“

„The man, the one he thought was his uncle, is dead, so there is no one for him left except me, and I don’t think he likes me very much.“

„Welcome to fatherhood then, “she smiled at him while opening a big box of chocolates and holding it out for him to choose one. This was something he didn’t do ever. Everyone knows that he didn’t like to get handed things and choose a wrapped chocolate piece out of a box that was in her desk for an unknown time? No way Tony Stark would do that.

He took a red one, which turned out to be too sweet but very creamy, and he liked it a lot. 

Mrs. Leeds chose a blue one for herself and celebrated the unpacking like a Christmas gift. After that, she took her time to enjoy the melting of chocolate in her mouth. 

„So, what brings you here now? I don’t think I’m the only one with kids, you know.“ 

„He ran away again.“

„Oh, no!“ Her face showed clearly her sympathy for him. Or his boy. „Did you catch him? Before he could… like, get in trouble? Teenage boys tend to do that a lot. Seriously. Even if they mean well, they can get in so much trouble!“

„Like jumping out of a window? Or running around in enemy territory?“ Tony snorted. He wouldn’t think her boy did something like that but for his boy? This seemed to be a usual Tuesday. 

Her eyes grew big. 

„He did that? Oh, he really didn’t like you at all, right?“

That stung. 

For a moment, he thought he had it all wrong, and Peter’s behavior was just normal teenage behavior. What had he been thinking? That her chubby kid jumped out of every window on a daily basis? Or try to get into the freight elevator? Or is he already on his way down the tower, and only FRIDAY is there to stop him from escaping?

It still stung. 

He knew he hadn’t been a good man when he invented and sold weapons. He wasn’t the one who killed all the people with it, but without his guns, nobody could have killed them, so it was also his fault. It was his kind of red on his ledge like Natasha used to say about her own story. He did everything after that not to get rid of the red but to make amends for all of it. He knew his work with weapons wouldn’t be something someone could ever forgive him. 

But he still thought he had changed and was now a better man. 

For heaven’s sake! He saved New York from the Chitauri! He saved the whole world that day!

She looked at him closely. He didn’t know what she wanted him to say. 

„I think he doesn’t know me.“

„Understandable if you have lost him so long ago. He only knows what he can read in the papers, and that’s mostly a not-so-nice picture of you, Mr. Stark.“

So she had also read the papers and knew most of his sins. It figures, he thought. He didn’t peck her as a woman who would work for someone so long as she did and didn’t know this man. 

„You don’t like me also?“ He asked not to make a joke but was seriously curious. 

Mrs. Leeds, who had been nearly under the desk, and he wanted to know what she was searching there, stopped what she was doing and came back up again. The look she threw him was serious.

„I didn’t like the stories I read of you when you were younger, and I wouldn’t have worked for you then, but the man you are today? I can respect him, and I’m thankful he exists.“

Her words made him speechless. 

He didn’t know how to react to her words, so he did the only thing he could: He looked at her stunned. 

For a moment, neither of them said anything, then she started to smile. 

„I made you speechless? Oh, I can’t wait to tell Ned about it! He won’t believe me!“ 

„I’m not speechless.“ He tried to save at least some of his reputation. „I was just thinking…“

„Yes? About what?“

„How you could help me.“ As soon as he spoke the words, he knew they were right. She wasn’t the only one with kids he knew, but her kid had been the one who made Peter smile, and that was something he could give his kid. Something that he wouldn’t get thrown in his face like all the other things he tried to give Peter in the last few days. And hadn’t he told Peter how much Pepper and Rhodey had helped him after Afghanistan and the discovery of Stane’s betrayal? Peter needed friends like them. Peter needed friends overall. 

„How can I help you? How… Mr. Stark, as Mr. Daniels so nicely explained to me just before you came here, I’m fired. Immediately. I have to leave the building, and I have to go through security so they can make sure I’m not stealing something from SI. 

I have to let security search my son!

So you can understand I’m not very fond of the idea of helping you right now.“

He had guessed that Daniels had fired her for bringing her son to work, but he didn’t know the rest. Shortly, he wondered if this was how they handled things at SI. He would ask Pepper about it; maybe she could explain why this was necessary. Or maybe Daniels would be the one who had to go through security. 

„I’ll take care of it, “he promised her without further thought. „You can start unpacking all your things as soon as we come to an understanding.“

She had stopped looking for her things when he asked her for help, but after his last words, her whole posture changed. 

Before, she was just a woman who worked on SI, someone who thought she made a mistake but couldn’t change it, and she was confused about why he, of all people, took his time to talk with her when he didn’t know her before. 

She wasn’t this nice and calm woman anymore. She had mistrust and rejection on her face. 

This seemed to be the theme for him right now. 

He took a deep breath. 

„I won’t sleep with you!“

He nearly choked right then. 

„What?“

„That’s the understanding you mean, right? Seriously! You have such a fine and amazing woman like Ms. Potts at your side, and you try it this way? Is this something that gets you rolling? Really? I…“

He stopped her right there because he couldn’t let her speak another word. 

With one hand up, he stood taller, just like he stood in the Suit. He wasn’t Tony Stark at the moment; he was Iron Man, and he was disgusted that she even could think of something like this.

„I was asking for your help for my son and nothing else, Mrs. Leeds, but if you so against helping a young confused kid and instead try to make me a…“ Nope, he wouldn’t even say the word. Nope. „I was clearly mistaken. I’m sorry that I took your time. Please take everything you want; you don’t need to go to security. Sorry to bother you.“ 

He turned right then. Inwardly, he was fuming. He wanted to shout at her, to tell her how much he had changed over the last few years, but he couldn’t. If that was something she believed of him, then maybe it was for the better; they had to let go of her. Perhaps she shouldn’t get fired because of the son on the wrong level but for her mistrusting him. 

„I’m sorry, Mr. Stark. Please.“ 

He stopped and turned around again.

She looked white as a sheet and swayed a little bit.

„I don’t know why I said that. It was a long day, and the talk with Mr. Daniels got to me, and I shouldn’t have said that. I’m sorry. Really.“

He said nothing. 

Mrs. Leeds was nothing compared to Pepper, and he would have been crazy to go after her when he had Pepper at his side, but he knew that such things happened everywhere in the world. So it wasn’t absolutely out of the world to think that, but still. He hadn’t gone after a woman in SI for nearly 20 years. As soon as he inherited the firm, he stopped even looking at all the women who worked for him and tried to persuade him. That was the whole reason he took so long to even see Pepper as something else other than his assistant. 

„Please. You have to believe me. I’m sorry.“

„It’s okay.“ No, it wasn’t, but maybe it was just another part of the red on his ledger. Something he couldn’t ever change. 

„No, it’s not, and I’m sorry.“ She wrung her hands and looked devastated. She shook her head about herself, and he knew that was nothing she would tell her son. Then she shrugged and looked up. „So, how can I help you with your son, Mr. Stark?“

He hesitated. 

He hadn’t thought about it when he went to her cubicle, and now he didn’t know if it was a good idea. He already could hear Rhodey joking about it, but at the moment, it sounded as if it was his best shot. 

„When Peter ran away just now, he met your son.“

„He did?“ She was surprised. „I didn’t know… Ned is still in the kitchen and was there the whole time. He promised. He couldn’t…“

„Peter left the lift on the wrong floor. “Tony didn’t want to tell her that he put a lockdown on the penthouse and that Peter didn’t even use the lift to escape him—some things she didn’t need to know. „And when I found him, he was in the kitchen with your son. They were playing, I think.“ FRIDAY had told him that the boys worked on LEGO, and he knew what that was. He even liked the little pieces and how versatile they were, but he still thought of them as toys, and that was just something kids did, right? Playing with things? Having fun?

„Ned wants to build a Death Star, “she explained.

Suddenly, that didn’t sound like playing anymore. 

He didn't know whether to be intrigued or worried.

„Yes, right.“ He scraped his neck. „They were talking and having fun, and I think that is something that Peter is missing at the moment, so I thought…“

„You thought you could buy your kid a friend? Is that what you thought?“ Her stern face told him she wouldn’t like this idea. 

„Believe me. As someone who had his fair share of bought friends when growing up, I wouldn’t do that to Peter.“ And he really had. Most of the few people he remembered from his childhood or teenage years were people who wanted something of him. Some were really on his dad’s payroll to keep Tony in line, and some wanted to get through Tony to his Dad or his money or both. 

„Then what do you want with my son?“

„He should be just there. Here. Available for Peter. When he needs someone to talk to or to have fun. A little bit of normal in this crazy day at the moment. You know? It’s like you said. It is tough for him right now. One moment, he was living with his uncle and the next, he got told he was my missing son, and nothing he believed was right was true at all. Now he fights all the time to get his life back, but he can’t be that boy anymore because his so-called uncle is dead, and he has no one left except for me and…“ Tony took a deep breath. He couldn't imagine how Peter must feel even just talking about all of this hurt. No wonder he was so angry all the time. No wonder everything Tony got from him was rejection. 

Mrs. Leeds stood in front of her desk, still one hand on the next figurine she had taken somewhere and her eyes on Tony. He didn’t know if she could understand him, and maybe this was a dumb idea, but it was the best he had right now. 

„ Mr. Stark, I understand where you are coming from, and I think you are on the right track with this, but… Mr. Daniels fired me today for bringing Ned to work with me.“

„As I already said. I’ll take care of it. You won’t have to leave, and I think you need a raise just for all the hustle.“ That was secure territory for him. Throwing money at people. It always made his life easier. 

She shook her head, and her face was stern.

„No. That’s not what I mean, and it’s not helping your case here.“

„It’s not?“ That would be the first time. He wondered if he should talk with Pepper about it. Ask her if this was some new development in the world. 

„No, it’s not. You can’t buy your son a friend, and you can’t change the rules around here to make your son love you.“

Even thinking of the prospect of Peter suddenly loving him and loving spending time with him or talking or just being near him… Tony would love to prove her wrong.

If changing rules for this, he was the right man for it. 

„Try me.“ 

Again, she shook her head.

„I won’t. It’s just…“

„As I recall, this is still my firm, “Tony said. „And as I own it, I can change everything I want here. Every little rule. It’s done. FRI, send a note to every superior: As of today, kids are allowed everywhere in the tower.“

„NO!“ 

„No?“ He couldn’t believe she tried to prevent him from showing her how he worked. „It’s still my firm and…“

„First, I think you made Ms. Potts CEO, and so you have to talk with her about things like that.“ She could have a point there, but he was sure Pepper would understand him. Or maybe not. 

„Second, it’s still something you can’t do because I don’t think it will work the way you want it to. 

Imagine how your son will react if he talks with Ned again! 

Imagine what he will think when Ned tells him he is only allowed in the building so he can be Peter’s emotional support buddy.“

Okay. That didn’t sound great. 

He remembered one time as a kid when he went to school, and everyone hated him, and then suddenly, a bunch of kids wanted to spend time with him. He was surprised and so delighted- and then someone told him they got money for it, and one dad even managed to get a better position at SI. 

He felt hurt then. And alone. 

He swallowed hard. 

He didn’t want Peter ever to feel the same. 

„Then what do you suggest? What should I do here? You are the one who could watch your son grow up and know everything about him, and I’m… I just…“

„Want to be his dad. I get it.“ She really did as she came to him and petted his shoulder for a small moment. Then she stepped back again, turned to her desk, and seemed to look for something. Or maybe she just wanted to give him time to get himself together. 

He swallowed again and tried to breathe more evenly. He hadn’t even noticed how much he stiffened while talking about everything. Slowly, he tried to roll his shoulders and get rid of the stiffness. 

„What should I do? What would you do?“

Suddenly, she went to her desk again. She grabbed one thing and turned around to present it to him. 

It was some test result. A big 95% on the front and some remarks underneath it. 

„Do you know what this is?“

He shook his head. It looked like something other people put on their fridge as long as their kids were in the room and lost it in the next cleaning spree. 

„When Ned wanted to go to Midtown, he had to take a test to get in, and he nailed it.“ She wiggled the paper. It was still only 95%, so Tony wouldn’t call it „nailed it, “ but he got her point. 

„I’m still not sure…“

„Do you know what Midtown is? It’s a STEM school. A school for the very smart kids, the elite. Kids who go there will be successful. They can choose their favorite collage. Every kid there is brilliant.“

Now 95% sounded more interesting. He hadn’t known that there were schools like that, but he hadn’t been the normal school kid. 

„Ask me what his favorite subjects are.“

He looked at her. He hated being told what to say as much as he hated people giving things to him. 

She snorted in disappointment. 

„He is in robotics and all kinds of electronics. When he heard he could spend his days in the tea kitchen of SI, he nearly hyperventilated, so excited he got.“

„So he is in my kind of work, but I still don’t know…“

„Stark Industries has Interns all the time. I see them when I have to leave my space to get on another floor or be in a meeting. They are everywhere, even in administration.“

„They are in College, not High School kids.“

She nodded, and her smile got so bright it was a bit scary. And it reminded him of the silent ways of Pepper.

„I wonder who could change that rule, “she said while looking at him. 

His eyes wandered to the paper again. He saw the 95% on it. The acceptance of someone written on it. Her son had to be a smart boy. He could be happy for her and understand that this would be her price for everything. Getting an internship at SI would mean a big step in the right direction for her son if this was the kind of work he wanted to do someday. Tony knew that all their Interns were often offered jobs everywhere as soon as they finished their education. Most of them stayed with SI because they liked working with the best, and SI loved hiring only the best. So, if this kid were as bright as his mom thought, it wouldn’t be entirely out of the world. He would just be slightly younger than the usual Interns, but Tony could make that work. If that would be her price for letting her kid stay in the tower every so often. 

It was a price he was more than willing to pay. 

„Done.“ He said, and while he was still standing in front of this small but brilliant woman, his mind was already racing about how he could make that work for Peter. 

„Really? I mean…“ She seemed surprised as if she hadn’t expected that. 

„Yes. Expect the formal contract for… what is his name?“

„Ned. Ned Leeds. Do you really mean it? Like… it’s not a joke?“

„ FRI, inform PR. They need to set up the contract for Ned Leeds's internship with us, starting immediately.“

„Done, boss.“

Mrs. Leeds still looked at him, a little bit like a deer in the headlights of a huge car. 

„You can’t do that, “she stumbled. 

„I just did. So...“

„What if I had lied to you? What if he isn’t as smart as I told you? If…“

„Did you lie to me?“

„No, I would never!“ She shook her head vehemently. 

„Then we are all good, right? So what I need to know…“

„Yes?“ There was some hope in her voice and eyes as if she had expected him to say something that would make her feel righteous. 

„How do we make it work? 

As long as I know Peter isn’t into science and smart stuff, and he just had left the floor again, and now he won’t see your kid again and…“ He was lost. He had thought everything would be easy now, but he still seemed unsure. 

„I can’t believe a son of you wouldn’t be smart.“ 

Flattery. He couldn’t stand it usually, but at that moment, it felt good. 

No, he wouldn’t have believed it, too. He even had dreams once when Alessandro was still a baby of them working and building things together. He had been smart as a baby, speaking his first words at only 10 months old and starting to explore his world soon after. 

Rhodey had laughed when he told him about every little thing Sandro had done and told him that his son would be a genius like his dad. Rhodey had called it fatherly pride, but Tony knew his son had been smart. 

„Well, at least he isn’t convinced of it.“ Or he had wanted Tony to believe it so he wouldn’t take Peter with him.  

„Oh, you got a modest one? That’s usually the dangerous ones because you never know when they will try something foolish.“ She smiled, and it was clear even to Tony that she was talking about her son. Clearly, she thought they had something in common. He wondered how she reacted when her son tried to climb out of the window on the 97^th floor. 

„Been there, done that. Not a fan.“ He sighed. 

She laughed a little, then turned around again, and Tony was happy to see her putting the pens back in the glass. While she started to unpack everything again, he checked his watch to see if FRIDAY had any news about Peter. 

It seemed like the boy was still in the building but walking around the staircases. 

What’s it with his kid and the staircases? Did he believe FRIDAY was only in the lift? He had to talk about it with him again. 

„You should tell him that there are other minors in the tower.“ Mrs. Leeds put the test results on the wall again. If Tony remembered correctly, it hadn’t been there in the first place but in one of the drawers, but obviously, it was now something to show off. „Oh, and tell him he shouldn’t be mingling with them. Tell him it is strictly forbidden to get in their space.“

Tony didn’t have to ask why he should do something like that. He was, after all, also a clever cookie, and telling him to leave a space alone was the safest bet to get him there as soon as possible. Each son of his, smart or dumb, would be the same. That he was sure of. 

He smiled and nodded. 

But just when he wanted to walk off to capture his wayward kid again, he stopped and turned around. 

Mrs. Leeds was already sitting in her chair again and put her things away. 

„Mrs. Leeds?“

She looked up. 

„You can expect the new contract for your son but also an NDA for you. I don’t want the news spreading around that I have a son living with me who hates me. You know?“ He didn’t question why this was important to him. It had nothing to do with Peter and his feelings for being Tony’s son, living in the tower, and trying to escape, but it was all about keeping the boy safe. For that, he needed the boy to be a secret as long as possible. Not even the Rogue Avengers living in his compound or sometimes in the tower knew about him, and he would do everything in his power to keep it that way as long as possible. 

„I wouldn’t tell anybody about your son. Not ever.“ She was offended that he thought so of her. Which was good for her, but he wanted to be safe. He had to be safe. 

„Then we understand each other, but just to be very, very clear.“ Pepper would say he channeled his old merchant of death character when he talked like that. He hated that, but at the moment? He was that guy again and would burn the world if someone crossed him. „If you say something to your son or someone else about this whole talk, I won’t only fire you. I’ll end your professional life. You won’t find any work in this or any other town ever again, and the same goes for your son. If you ever let somebody know about Peter or things, he’ll maybe say to your son, I’ll make it so that nobody wants to breathe the same air as you and your son ever again. Are we clear?“ 

He threatened her. 

For the first time in his whole life, he had threatened someone willingly, and he couldn’t care less. Even if she was only a small woman, someone unimportant and without contact, he wasn’t feeling guilty about it. 

He wouldn’t care about it. 

She looked at him for a moment. 

Then she stood up, looked him straight in the eyes, and nodded. 

„I won’t tell anyone about this talk or your son or his problems. 

But, believe me, Mr. Stark, if I get the feeling that whatever happened with this kid of yours will be something I condemn, then I’ll do something. I talk with everyone worldwide, give statements in the news, or talk to the police, and I will end it. I will not let a kid suffer on my watch just so my kid could maybe make his dreams come true. I will not let that happen. Are we clear about this?“

She was a fighter, this small woman. And she was in Peter’s corner. 

Tony thought a raise and a better position would be justified. 

He nodded, and for a moment, their eyes met, and they understood each other clearly. 

Then, FRIDAY notified him where Peter had left the stairs, and Tony cursed. 

Chapter Text

All the doors to the floor were locked. 

Not that he had expected something different, but it still sucked. All he wanted, all he needed, was one open window, only one, and he would be gone, but no - Mr. Stark seemed to have locked him out of everything. It was pure luck that he got out of the penthouse again, and it was only a matter of time til that goddamn awful AI would discover his secret and after that? 

He didn’t want to know what would happen next. 

So he ran down the stairs, stayed very still when he heard footsteps or people talking, and then he tried the next door. He couldn’t understand why every door seemed to be locked. Wasn’t that something against every safety protocol? How should people use the staircase if there is a fire? You aren’t allowed to take the lift, so how should they escape?

He heard more footsteps, but this time, it was a single person, and he was right on the stairs beneath Peter when he stopped. 

Peter holds his breath. He had been careful so the other person couldn’t know that he was there, but still. 

„Don’t make me use the lift, Bud!“ An angry voice was to be heard. A man. His voice sounded rough and strained, as if he hadn’t used it for some time or if he was sick. Maybe both. 

Peter plastered himself against the wall behind him and tried to merge with it. 

„Yeah, no. Won’t do. I’m already up, and I…“ The man had to be on the phone with someone. At least he was all alone. That would be good if he discovered Peter. 

The steps stopped, but Peter couldn’t hear any door opening. He heard nothing. 

He frowned. 

The guy had to be still there, but he made no sound, meaning he had already discovered Peter. And now? What should he do now? Playing the son of the boss and being all self-confident or something else. Who even knows who Peter was?

„Are you lost?“

The voice was suddenly in front of him and startled Peter, who nearly jumped on the wall. He even gave a little shout and took a few steps back until he felt the other wall behind him. 

When he looked up, he saw a big, bulky man looking up at him on the first steps. Clearly, he knew the whole time that Peter tried to be invisible, but Peter couldn’t see what he thought of it. 

„No, I’m...“ He started when the frown on the man's face got bigger. „I’m Peter.“ As if that would answer any question. Way to go, Pete!

The man looked at him questioningly, and while he did that, he just stood on the steps. As if he hadn’t climbed all the 90^th somewhat floors up. Maybe he hadn’t? Yes, that would be more believable. He had to work on one of the floors and just took one or two floors to climb up. Some cardio training. That sounded reasonable. 

„Are you lost?“ The man asked again as if Peter’s answer hadn’t made any sense to him. Which Peter would understand. 

He shook his head.

„No, I’m on my way down.“ He pointed the way, but he didn’t move because he had to walk around the man for some reason that didn’t feel like a smart idea. His other sense started to warn him. 

He watched the man intensely. Did he know him? 

The man was big and bulky with long dark hair. He wore sweatpants and a sweatshirt, which looked like he had been training something. He had put one of his hands in his pants pocket, and his face was even a little bit red. Peter could spot a few sweat drops on it. 

„Normal people take the lift.“ The man sounded annoyed. 

Peter made a face. 

„That’s not really my thing, you know?“ 

The man looked at him as if he wanted to decide if Peter was crazy or the only sensible person in the building. Then he nodded and took the last step up. 

Peter saw at once that the other one had been hurt. He favored one leg, and one of his hands rubbed over the hip. When the man felt Peter’s gaze, he stopped it and threw him a dark look. 

„Go on then. I won’t stop you.“ He motioned for Peter to walk down the stairs and stepped aside. 

„It’s okay, “Peter said, just because he couldn’t stop himself. „Do you need help? It looks as if you had hurt yourself, and I’m…“

Now, the man stared at him. He stared like he wanted to throw daggers any moment. Which made Peter’s neck tingle again. 

„Really, I only want to help. It’s okay if you say I should leave, though. I’m not mad.“ To show this, he even took a step towards the stairs. 

The man said nothing, just watched him with this intense stare that sent shivers down Peter’s back. 

„I’m Peter, by the way, “he said nervously, remembering that he had already told the man. „Which you already know. Okay. You have to think I’m dumb or something like that because of that, but I swear I’m not, okay? I was just worried because that looks like it’s hurting you, and walking on it or climbing stairs doesn’t seem like such a good idea. But again. It’s okay. I get it, and I’m…“

„Peter. I know.“ But the annoyed look on the man’s face had vanished, and instead, Peter could see a slight smile. Not enough, but he took what he could get. 

„No! I wanted to say I’m on my way and won’t bother you.“ He shook his head, but he smiled too. 

The man stood there and watched Peter take the first step down. He said nothing, and for some reason, Peter wanted him to say something. 

„Is that your floor?“ Peter asked and stopped walking down. „I mean, if not, I could help you get up?“ Why would he do that? All he wanted to do was get down and leave and not help some stranger up the stairs again. Peter, why?

It was clear that the man didn’t know what to think of Peter. He stood on the place between steps and watched him intensely, but he said nothing. 

Peter could get a hint even if he didn’t like it. 

He nodded friendly. 

„Ok, then I’m gone. Sorry to bother you.“ He turned and took the stairs down. 

It took maybe five seconds, and he was already on the next floor when he heard the man again. 

„I went one floor too high, “the man said. „I went here because I could hear you trying to be silent, and that made me curious.“

Peter stopped and turned around. 

„Oh, you only came up for me? That wasn’t your stop?“ He felt bad for making the other man climb another set of steps, though he was clearly hurt. And everything only because he tried to be stealthy. „I’m so sorry! Do you need help?“

The man looked offended. As if he were the only man on earth who didn’t ever need help. 

„No, I don’t need any…“ The man stopped right there and took a breath. „You know what? Any help would be appreciated right now.“

And Peter was up the stairs again before the man stopped speaking. Peter’s smile was bright and honest. If there was something Peter loved most in the world, it was being helpful. It was his whole reason to be, and he wouldn’t let this moment pass by to get away. 

„Ok, here, let me… You can lean on me. I’m not as small as I look.“ He put himself under the stranger’s arm and held him up. Which earned him a startled shout from the guy. 

„Boy, you really are nothing like you look!“ But the guy still tried to take his weight. 

Peter could understand that. Most people thought of him only as a kid and underestimated him. He was not mad about it. He needed to know what he could do, and then he did it. Like helping a strange man down the stairs to his floor. 

After that, he waited next to the man while he opened the door with his key card. Together, they walked through the door, and Peter looked curiously around. 

„What?“ The man asked while Peter helped him down the floor to a living room with a big couch and two or three even bigger loveseats. A few tables were standing in front of the seats, and every little table was full of books and empty cups of to-go bags. It looked used and lived in and was not always as clean as the penthouse. 

„I think I was already on this floor. Once.“ It was the first day he was in the penthouse and managed to escape. Tony had found him on the floor before Peter could look around, and the way Tony seemed afraid or scared made Peter’s sightseeing tour unimportant. Also, Tony was mad because of his escape. 

„You were?“ The man was surprised by this news. „I didn’t think it was open for everyone.“ 

Peter shook his head and helped the man to a chair beside the couch. With caution, he let him sit down and looked at him closely. 

The guy sighed in relief. 

„I don’t think it was open for everyone. I’m just resourceful?“ He looked around again. He compared that picture in his mind with what he saw right now. „But it wasn’t like this then. It looked… cleaner?“  He threw the man an apologetic look. „I mean…“

„I know what you mean.“ The man didn’t look hurt by his words. He smiled a little. „We are slobs sometimes. If we are stressed. You know? It’s not something we usually prefer, but sometimes it’s just easier not to do something.“ He got quiet again and looked around the living area. For Peter, it was clear he felt ashamed of how it looked. He was right, though. Sometimes, other things were more important than cleaning up after themself immediately. 

„I could help. If you want? I mean, you have to stay put for some time with your hip, and I have time, so I could…“ Peter, what on earth are you doing? You want to escape, not play housemaid for some stranger who lives in Stark Tower. Who on Earth even lives in Stark Tower, except for Tony Stark?

The Avengers. 

Peter felt his mouth falling open and took one step back. Surprised. 

„You are…“

The man just looked at him curiously. His blue eyes were wide and open. And maybe prepared for something. 

„You aren’t an Avenger, “Peter finished his thoughts. Like all sensible people, he knew every Avenger by heart. He had loved them when he was a little kid, and now he looked up to them; he knew every one of them, and this guy in front of him? Wasn’t one of them. 

But he was still living on this floor. He was feeling safe and secure in the Tower, as much as Peter could say, so. 

The man didn’t say anything. 

And Peter got it. 

„You are the Winter Soldier.“ He was standing in a confined place with one deadly assassin. One which could survive a fight with the Iron Man suit. He had been the bad guy for years and was suddenly some Prisoner of War. Peter had read everything about him and knew that Captain America had started a war to help his friend and that Peter could understand how he had felt. He would have done the same if he had any friends left. The guy in front of him was dangerous. Very, very dangerous. 

And he just sat there and watched Peter processing everything. 

„I was, “he said after a while when it was clear that Peter didn’t run screaming. „Name is James Barnes.“

Peter blinked. He knew that name from the stories of Captain America. James „Bucky“ Barnes had been his best friend since childhood. No wonder he started a war for him. This guy was more than just a friend; he was a connection to a long-gone past, and he was family. 

„Why are you here?“ It wasn’t his most pressing question, but the first one he thought wouldn’t be intrusive. He may be a dumb kid from Queens, but he knew his way around older people. 

Peter couldn’t tame his mouth not to start a grin. 

This man in front of him, who didn’t look more than 30 years old, had to be the oldest person he had ever met. 

It was crazy!

„We had a meeting in town.“ Mr. Barnes answered and looked at Peter closely. „What’s going on in your head?“

„What? Nothing!“ Caught, Peter looked around again. Now everything looks even more strange. Or maybe not? He didn’t know how assassins usually lived and worked, but he would have pegged them as neat freaks because of the stealthy thing they had going, but obviously, he would have been wrong. 

„You want to smile but fight it. So. What’s going on? Happy to be the one who caught the Soldier injured? Sorry, but I’m still capable of fighting and killing you in 10 seconds, and I won’t even have to move.“

Peter’s eyes nearly dodged out of his head. He looked at the man again, and though he tried to feel offended, he was curious. 

„How… Why would you do that? I didn’t do anything except try to help!“ Story of my life, Peter thought. 

„I’m just saying. Why did you smile?“

„I didn’t!“ Oh, he really wanted to know how he would have killed him in 10 seconds, not because he wanted to be dead, clearly, but because it was always better to be prepared for things like that. Peter would have thought the man was without any weapon, but maybe that was his first mistake. Maybe someone like him wasn’t ever without a weapon. Or he would use the things that were lying around. Peter wanted to know how he would kill Peter with an empty paper cup (coffee to go from one of the expensive coffee shops), an also empty take-out container (Chinese, if the picture on the front was a hint for the meal), and two journals about motorbikes and drawing. He knew what someone could do with a rug or a pillow but with these things?

Mr. Barnes just looked at him quietly. 

Peter blushed. 

„I thought you didn’t look older than 30 or so, yet you are still the oldest person I’ve ever met. Sorry.“ 

Mr. Barnes tilted his head slightly. 

„That’s the thing that makes you smile? When you are around someone like me? You are a strange kid.“ 

And he nodded as if this was something you could say to someone like Peter. 

„Hey! I’m not a kid!“

„You are a toddler compared to me. No, not even that. You are…“ This time, he smiled a little. „I think even your dad is just a toddler compared to me.“

For a second, Peter asked himself if Mr. Barnes knew who his dad was, and that thought made everything in Peter go cold. He stopped breathing for a second, stood before the man, and tried to process his thoughts. 

Did he just think that Mr. Stark could be his dad?

No way. 

No freaking way. 

Mr. Stark was looking for his lost son, true, and he thought Peter was this kid and he did everything to convince Peter to be this kid (and be nice and easy to handle and all that shit), but Peter didn’t believe it, and it all had to be some set up which he hadn’t understood the meaning of everything behind it right now, and he still had to try to get away and…

„Kid? Are you even in there at the moment?“

„What?“ Mr. Barnes’ words startled him. He had spaced out. Totally spaced out. Wow, that doesn’t happen very often to him. „I’m sorry. I…“ He should leave. „I really should leave now. I’m sorry for bothering you and…“

Mr. Barnes grabbed one of his arms and stopped him from leaving. He also pushed him onto the couch next to the chair he was sitting on and just looked at him closely.

„You are scared and confused, “he told Peter as if Peter wouldn’t know how he felt.

„No, I’m not scared and confused.“

Mr. Barnes waited patiently. 

„I just remembered something, and therefore, I have to leave.“

The man shook his head. He looked very confident that he wouldn’t let Peter leave right now. Very calm and steady. Not like some old crazy assassin guy out of WWII. 

„Really. I shouldn’t even be here.“ Damn! He had forgotten that the AI was everywhere in the building (except maybe for the stairs, which didn’t make any sense, but in his experience, it looked like it). Now he got nervous. He tried to stand up again and found that he couldn’t. Not without giving away his secret. „Let me go!“

Mr. Barnes shook his head. 

„You got me curious now, kid. You didn’t want to take the awesome lift Mr. Stark put in this tower. You were taking the stairs when I met you, and you know who I am, but you shouldn’t be here? On this floor? In this tower? There are a few questions I want an answer for, and before I don’t get them, I won’t let you run away.“ He looked like he meant it. 

Peter tried to stand up again, but the arm pressed against him was substantial and hard, and… it was not an accurate arm. He was sure of it, and just then, he remembered the few things he had heard about the Soldier, and he saw a few pictures that fit. 

„You have a metal arm, “he stated, and he couldn’t hide how fascinating that was for him. Without thinking, he looked down at the hand that held him and saw a glove. Why hadn’t he seen it before? The guy wore sweatpants, a shirt, and gloves? 

„Duh.“ Mr. Barnes didn’t move. „Still got questions, kid.“

Peter shrugged. 

„Quid pro quo?“

The man wasn’t impressed, and he didn’t say anything. Maybe he didn’t know what Peter asked. But hadn’t Latin been around when the guy grew up? Or was he even older than they all thought? Maybe he was some crazy old living vampire who had missed all the glory of the old Latin culture? Maybe he had been asleep then?

„Still here, kid.“

Damnit! It had happened again. He had gotten lost in his head, and that’s only because he got overwhelmed. 

And because he felt safe for the first time in a very long time. 

Which made no sense. No sense at all. 

„I didn’t like taking the lift because of the AI, “Peter said.

„You don’t like it?“

„It spies on me. I don’t like people watching my every move.“

Mr. Barnes nodded. 

„That’s something I get. You are safe here. When we moved back in, I had a few not-so-nice moments, and when FRIDAY snitched about me, I also had some not-so-nice talks with Steve and Stark. After that, we found a compromise. FRIDAY can’t see or hear anything that happens on this floor. She only monitors the biometrics. So all she could say right now is that we two are in the same room and content. Maybe she could tell you are nervous, but I don’t think you are. Which makes me wanna ask again: Why aren’t you nervous?“

„Why should I be nervous? Are you planning to do something to me?“

„No. I don’t do that anymore.“ The answer had come quickly as if Mr. Barnes was used to questions like this. 

The thought hurt Peter for some reason. The guy had been a prisoner of some super spy agency if he remembered the news he read maybe a year or two ago correctly. But at that time, May had her accident and was in hospital, and Ben had quit his job to help May, and nothing else had been on his mind so that he could be wrong about Mr. Barnes. Or he could be right. Or he could be lost in his head again. 

Damnit!

„I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.“ Peter smiled a little sheepishly. „I’m just not nervous because… I think I can’t get any more nervous right now. There is so much that is happening around me, and I feel like a little red ball, and everyone around me tries to get this ball and play with it, and I’m just confused all the time.“ He sighed. When he talked about it like he just did, it made sense to him. Everything made sense now. It was like sometimes with his powers when he got overwhelmed by everything. „I feel like…“

„You haven’t got any control at all.“

Peter nodded. 

They both looked at each other, and it was unbelievable and silly, but Peter felt as if they had lots in common. Which was a crazy thought. 

„Do you need help?“ 

Hadn’t he just said that he didn’t do that anymore? But he offered something, right? For Peter? Who was already confused and in his head again. 

„Peter?“

Oh, yes. He had told Mr. Barnes his name when they first met. It was awesome. He said an older person who had lived his whole life as a dangerous assassin his name. Oh, and who was BFF with Captain America.

Peter desperately needed friends his age to gush about the things that happened in his life. 

„No, thank you. I’m good. I’m just… confused? And I don’t know what to do. I…“

„You want a safe place to sort through your thoughts?“

Peter nodded. As unbelievable as it could be, he felt that this stranger in front of him understood him, as if the same had happened to him at one point in his life. 

„I get it.“ Mr. Barnes nodded, too, as if this whole talk wouldn’t be something crazy. „Do you want to talk about it?“

Peter shook his head but stopped trying to get out from under this awesome arm. He threw a last look at it. 

„Do you want to see it?“ Mr. Barnes sounded a little bit resigned, but he still offered. At least Peter hoped so. 

„If I can? I don’t want to bother you, but…“ He smiled a little. „I haven’t seen it before. Just heard about it.“ His smile vanished as he understood he had just asked another person to show him something personal, which was really, really rude. „I’m sorry, you don’t have to. I mean. I get it. It’s your arm and…I’m sorry for asking.“

Mr. Barnes just shook his head and smiled. Then he moved, and before Peter could understand what was happening, Mr. Barnes had pulled his sweatshirt over his head. After that, he sat in front of Peter in a sleeveless shirt that exposed a dark black arm. 

Peter felt his eyes growing wide and his mouth opening, but he couldn’t say anything. He couldn’t even look away, though he knew it would be polite, but he couldn’t. All he could was holding his hands straight at his side and not touching, inspecting, poking… everything. 

It was a hard fight for him, but he won. 

But his fingers were itching to touch badly.

Mr. Barnes started to laugh, at first silently and then very dark and clearly amused. 

„I remember a time when I was maybe a little bit older than you right now, and I wanted to show off for the girls, “he wiggled with his brows. „I tried to be extra strong or impressive, but I still didn’t get that look that you have right now on your face.“ 

Peter blushed again. Very dark and very annoying. Thank you very much. 

„I’m not. I’m not… I mean, I’m not…“ He stuttered. If Mr. Barnes thought his arm or body would attract him… „I’m not into that!“ And Mr. Barnes laughed even louder. His whole body shook for a moment. „I’m not, I swear! But your arm looks so…“

The sound that Mr. Barnes made was much like a snort and a laugh and everything else, and suddenly Peter felt that this was something Mr. Barnes needed right now. As if he had no reason to laugh about something for a very long time. 

Peter loved being helpful. 

Even in moments like this. 

„You can touch if you want.“ Mr. Barnes said while trying to get rid of the tears of laughter still in his eyes. His smile was easy, and the offer was genuine. 

„Really? You don’t have to. I mean. I get it. It’s your arm, and I was really intrusive right now, which I’m sorry for, but…“

„Touch it, Peter. It won’t bite.“ Mr. Barnes still smiled. „I won’t bite.“ 

Peter looked at the arm. He just looked, and he saw everything. Every groove, furrow, and edge. He knew prosthetics. He had seen them on people on the streets when he met veterans or people who had had accidents. He even saw a few on little kids. So he knew how they looked when they tried to blend as real person extremities. 

Mr. Barnes’s arm didn’t try to blend or hide himself as something else. It was black and awesome, and nobody could misunderstand it as it was. 

It was an exceptional work of art. 

When Peter slowly put his fingers on it to get a feeling for the smooth metal, he could have sworn he felt a shiver up the arm. 

His eyes grew even bigger as before. 

„Do you… Do you have feelings in it?“ He asked breathlessly.

Mr. Barnes nodded. 

Peter took his fingers away. Immediately. 

He had been touching another man’s arm to feel it, and he was fascinated by it, which felt very wrong. That felt… dirty. Somehow. 

Mr. Barnes snorted.

„You don’t have to be ashamed, Peter. I know it’s an amazing thing. You should have seen the other one! I always thought it was stunning, but this one here? Is breathtaking.“

„It is.“ Though he no longer touched it, he still couldn’t take his eyes off it. „Did Mr. Stark make this?“

The smile vanished from Mr. Barnes’ face quickly. So quickly, Peter wouldn’t have known it was there in the first place if he hadn’t looked up at the moment. There was something with Mr. Barnes and Mr. Stark he understood immediately. Something not so good. 

„No. The first one was…“ Mr. Barnes shook his head. „I don’t talk about it. But this one here? It’s from the princess.“

„The princess?“ That had to be a nickname for someone extra special for Mr. Barnes. It sounded nice.

„Yes. Princess Suri of Wakanda.“

„Holy shit!“ No nickname. A real-life princess. Of a foreign country which Peter had heard of. Everyone had thought it would be a third-world country with lots of poor people and nothing special there. Then suddenly, after the death of their kind and the whole war thing with the Avengers, they opened up, and everyone was shocked to see that they weren’t anything as poor but vibrant and healthy and willing to help. 

Mr. Barnes laughed again when he could see that Peter was impressed. 

„Yes, the princess is as smart as Stark. I even think she could be smarter, but I have nothing to compare these two.“ Mr. Barnes nodded to his arm again. „When Steve and I went with the king to Wakanda, she took one look at that sorry excuse for an arm I had before and told me she could do better. She didn’t even ask if I wanted a new one. One day, I was sitting around and talking to the goats, and the next, I got a new arm, and she wanted me to throw something with it. She isn’t someone you can say NO to. A force of nature.“

„Goats? You were talking to goats?“

And Mr. Barnes started to laugh again. Very hard and very loud. 

That was exactly when the door to the floor opened with a loud bang, and hurried steps ran towards them. 

Peter just had time to look up, and Mr. Barnes was quiet again when Mr. Stark suddenly appeared and looked at them. He had one hand up and pointed at Mr. Barnes. On it was a little bit of his suit, and the light was bright. 

„Step away from him!“ Mr. Stark snarled. „Right the fuck now!“

Peter felt Mr. Barnes freeze beside him. He even stopped breathing, Peter thought. He got that feeling because of Mr. Stark? Looked downright terrifying at the moment. 

He took his arms up and away from Mr. Barnes, and Mr. Barnes did the same, but otherwise, he didn’t move. Peter remembered Mr. Barnes’ hip and knew that the man didn’t want Mr. Stark to know about it. So he jumped up and took a step away from him. 

„I’m sorry, Mr. Stark, “he said. 

„Come here, Peter.“ Mr. Stark’s eyes didn’t leave Mr. Barnes for a single second. He looked angry. He was way angrier than he had seen him before, and Peter tried to rill Mr. Stark up to make him let him go. But this? He was some furious man, and Peter didn’t know for a moment what to do. 

He took a step back. Not anymore next to Mr. Barnes, but neither near Mr. Stark. 

„Peter, come here. Right now!“ 

„Peter, you don’t have to. Just say the word.“ Mr. Barnes’ voice sounded pressed again, as they had initially. There was no warmth in it, no laughter, nothing. 

When Peter looked at him, Mr. Barnes didn’t let his eyes off Mr. Stark. He seemed to be waiting for something. He had said he didn’t do that anymore, but he still offered some help to Peter, and now Peter was afraid he knew exactly which kind of help the ex-assassin had offered. 

„Peter!“ Mr. Stark’s voice sounded equally rough right now. A tremor in it made Peter’s heart skip a beat. He didn’t know what had happened between these two men. Again, he felt like a dog toy and two very dangerous rottweilers wanted to have it. There would be a fight. Any minute now. And he would be the reason. 

„I’m good, Mr. Stark, “he said quickly and stepped to the man who thought himself to be his father. „Really. I got lost, and Mr. Barnes was nice to me. Everything is good.“

He didn’t know what he would have thought would happen when he stepped next to Mr. Stark, but he was surprised when Mr. Stark grabbed and pulled him behind him. The whole time, he had one arm up and pointed it at Mr. Barnes. 

„We are leaving now.“ Mr. Stark stepped back, and Peter had to hurry to avoid being in his way. 

Mr. Barnes was sitting on his chair, all the while doing nothing. His eyes never left Mr. Stark. 

Walking backward in a strange room was not easy; after a few steps, Mr. Stark seemed to come to the same conclusion. He stopped, turned around, and put his arm down. With his other hand, he grabbed Peter’s shoulder and just held him. 

„Everything alright?“ He asked quietly. Peter could still hear the anger in his voice, but it was not so prominent anymore. 

„Yes, nothing happened, really. He was just helping me and…“

„No. He was not. And I don’t want him anywhere near you ever again. Do you hear me? If you see this man, you run. You don’t wait, and you don’t hesitate. You run. Do you understand me?“

Peter didn’t answer him for a moment. Then he opened his mouth because what the hell did Mr. Stark think would happen? And who on earth did he think he was that he believed he could give such a command to Peter? 

His dad. 

The thought was there again and still confusing. 

Mr. Stark believed he was Peter’s dad, and he had been afraid for Peter because he didn’t trust Mr. Barnes. But hadn’t he been friends with Captain America, who also was BFF with Mr. Barnes? 

Everything got even more confusing, but when he saw how important his safety was for Mr. Stark, he felt himself nodding. 

„It was nothing, Mr. Stark. Nothing. I got lost on the wrong floor. Nothing more. It won’t happen again.“

Mr. Stark looked him over. The hand on Peter’s shoulder pressed down a little bit, not to hurt but to feel him, and Peter understood. He nodded reassuringly. 

„Ok. Then let’s go. I think Pepper has dinner ready, and we don’t want to let her wait, right?“ Mr. Stark breathed a sigh of relief. 

Peter nodded. He got turned around by Mr. Stark and felt a light push to walk to the lift. Behind him, he could hear Mr. Stark standing still for a single second. When Peter turned to look over his shoulder, he saw that Mr. Stark had done the same, and his eyes had found Mr. Barnes again. 

„I’ll end you if I ever see you near him again. No questions asked. Nothing will stop me. Are we clear?“

„ Mr. Stark!“ Peter was shocked to hear something like this. His uncle Ben had worked with many criminals over the last year, and he had to hold his ground and be the tough dog sometimes, but he hadn’t said something like this ever. 

No, that was not right. He had said something like this that evening while waiting in front of the tower. He said it to keep Peter safe, and he had meant it. A few hours later, he was dead, and Peter was all alone. 

The thought made Peter go quiet. 

Did Mr. Stark mean it, too? 

„Barnes!“ Mr. Stark wanted an answer. 

Mr. Barnes stayed quiet but must have done something because Mr. Stark turned around again and walked behind Peter to the lift. 

The door opened, and they stepped inside. 

Chapter Text

When the lift door closed, Tony felt the cabin immediately move. He knew FRIDAY would bring them to the penthouse without waiting for Tony’s command, and that was great. That was maybe the most brilliant thing his baby girl had ever done because Tony? Was done. So, so done. 

He couldn’t even breathe properly, and his heart was racing—no, not racing. It was running, stumbling, and starting again, but he couldn’t get enough air into his lungs, and he felt lightheaded and swaying…

„Boss? You need to breathe.“ FRIDAY told him via the speakers of the lift. 

As if he didn’t know that. 

„And to calm yourself.“

So damn helpful, his baby girl. So damn helpful. 

„Boss, if your heart rate doesn’t slow down, I have to alert Ms. Potts.“

Helpful. Helpful! 

Damnit.

He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t…

And then suddenly, another voice was there. 

„…Mr. Stark? Mr. Stark, common! You are scaring me here! Please!“

Peter’s voice. Peter, who was with him in the lift. Peter, who he had found not only on the Avengers floor but in the company of Barnes. 

And he hadn’t even made sure that Peter wasn’t hurt. 

He could be bleeding to death right now while Tony took his sweet time to get a panic attack!

His eyes snapped open, and he found himself sitting on the ground of the lift, his back pressed firmly into the wall, and one of his hands still wore a piece of gauntlet. 

Peter kneeled beside him, and he looked anxious. But not hurt. Tony’s eyes flew over the kid, and he could see nothing that hadn’t been there before. Blue jeans, a grey shirt with a cartoon, and sneakers on his feet. Nothing red or cut open. 

He was not hurt and was safe in the cabin with Tony. 

But he hadn’t been. 

Tony’s breath stocked again when he remembered how he felt when he read where the kid had left the staircase and that Barnes had been with him. He would have gone through every ceiling between him and the kid if he had his suit. He wouldn’t have needed to run down the stairs, and he wouldn’t have…

„Mr. Stark, please!“ Peter begged as FRIDAY spoke another „Boss, I’m alerting Ms. Potts now.“

„No, stop!“ Tony’s voice sounded strange, but not breathing properly would have done that to you. „No, need, FRI, everything’s good.“ 

He waited for her to confirm and took a deep breath. 

„But stop the cabin, please.“

The lift stopped at once. 

Peter looked up to the control panel and frowned. 

„We are not in the penthouse, “he said quietly as if not to spook Tony. 

Tony nodded and held up a hand. 

„Give me a minute, yes?“

When Peter nodded, Tony let his head fall against the wall behind him and tried to breathe a few more times. Everything felt constricted. His lungs wouldn’t work like they should, and his chest wouldn’t move. But his heart was still beating, and he could feel sweat on his back, plastering his shirt on his skin. 

He needed a few minutes, and all the while, Peter just kneeled there and looked at him as if he could help him in some way as if he would help him however he could. 

Tony’s heart started to race again, but it was for a good reason this time. 

Peter had wanted to help him. You didn’t do that if you hate someone, right? So whatever Peter thought of him, he must not hate him, and that was so much more than Tony would have expected right now. That was the best news he could have hoped for. 

He smiled when he looked at Peter, but Peter wasn’t convinced. 

„Is everything okay?“ 

Tony nodded. He didn’t trust his voice at the moment. He could still feel his dry throat and how much strength he needed to breathe. 

The kind looked unsure. One of his hands was up in the air, and Tony could see that he had wanted to touch Tony, maybe shake him. However, Tony had come out of his panic attack before he could do that, so he had robbed himself of the one freely given touch of the kid. 

Which sucked even more than the panic attack. 

And Tony wouldn’t accept that. Even Pepper had gotten her hug from the boy, and now it was his turn, and he needed, he needed! to feel his boy alive and safe. 

Tony grabbed Peter and pulled him towards him. He couldn’t prevent it because Peter had been kneeling and was surprised by Tony. The next moment, the kid was in Tony’s arms, and together, they huddled on the lift floor. 

Tony felt the kid stiffen, but only for a short moment. Then, he went with the hug, and Tony breathed a sigh of relief. His head nodded against the wall behind him again, and he could feel tears in his eyes, but that was unimportant. 

He had Alessandro in his arms again. 

For the first time in 12 years, he could feel his boy breathing at his side and the warmth of the kid under his hands. 

They stayed like that for a while. Neither of them said anything, but the silence didn’t feel strained. 

Tony heard his heart, loud and not in sync, but that was nothing new. Ever since he got this shiny little helper in his chest, his heart did what it wanted to do, and Tony just went with it. However, when sitting there and feeling his kid, he asked himself what Peter thought of this. And suddenly he discovered that he hadn’t talked with Peter properly before. Sure, they had stood in the precinct, and Tony had asked him for his trust, but after that? Not much. Except for Tony’s „Don’t leave the penthouse“-rules. Or don’t jump out of windows—or balconies. 

„Your heart sounds strange,“ Peter said suddenly. 

Before Tony could say anything, he felt a little movement. Then Peter’s head lay on his chest, and the kid seemed to listen to Tony’s heart. 

It felt nice. 

„Nothing to worry about, “Tony said when he realized that his heart palpations could be something Peter was worried about. That’s another nice thought. He smiled lightly. „It happened a long time ago, and I’m good now. You can be sure of that.“

„You were afraid right now, weren’t you?“

His heart skipped a beat as if it wanted to answer Peter’s question. He felt the boy’s hand on his chest, a soft touch. 

„I was… surprised.“ He didn’t want to scare the kid, and then he realized he had already done that with his words earlier. He had to explain it so the kid would know he wasn’t in danger. He would never be in danger again.  „Barnes…“ He didn’t know what to say. How to say the right thing without scaring the kid even more. „Barnes is…“

„The Winter Soldier.“ 

„So you know of him?“ Tony would have loved it when Peter hadn’t heard of Barnes and the Soldier. It would mean Peter had lived a life where there was no danger from cold-blooded murderers. 

„I heard about him, but not much.“

„Good. That’s good.“ Peter moved again, and Tony felt himself being watched for a few seconds. Then Peter’s head was back on Tony’s chest. As if he liked the way Tony hugged him. 

Tony smiled again. 

„Why were you scared? I thought Iron Man and Captain America were on the same side. You are both Avengers, right?“ He didn’t need to say anything more. Tony could hear the same awe in Peter’s voice he had heard from thousands of other kids over the years. They all loved the Avengers and the heroes and the heroic deeds. Nobody talked about the people they left behind or the things they did wrong. 

„It’s a long story.“

„I’ve got time.“

Tony breathed a laugh. So he was curious, his kid. Nothing he wouldn’t have expected, but he still wished they had another topic to talk about. 

„Please?“

When Sandro was little, he didn’t need his words to get what he wanted. He just opened his big brown eyes, and he looked like the deer in the Disney movies, and everyone gave him what he wanted. 

Tony had then thought that it would be nearly impossible to say NO to his son when he had that look in his eyes, but now, He didn’t even see the kid’s eyes; he only heard this small plea, and he was done. 

„We had a misunderstanding. Rogers and me.“

„In Germany? I heard about that, too.“

It would be so easy to say „Yes, in Germany, “ and they didn’t need to talk about anything more, but that wouldn’t be right because Barnes was still in the Tower, and Peter had found another way to leave the Penthouse, and Tony couldn’t prevent it because he still didn’t know how the kid does it, every single time. 

„After Germany. We fought again, and we did some things that weren’t nice to each other.“ That is the understatement of the century. 

Peter waited for more. When it was clear that Tony wanted to stay quiet, Peter grumbled and sighed. 

„You know I’m not 3 years old, right? I know you guys didn’t throw plushies at each other. You were fighting, and War Machine got hurt.“

Rhodey’s „War Machine“ suit had been lying motionless on the ground when Tony could get to him, and that had scared Tony shitless. He remembered it clearly when Peter spoke of it, but Peter’s words and Tony’s emotions weren’t a match. This was different, really, really different. 

„What had happened and why were you so scared right now?“ Peter asked again and then after a short, surprised breath. „Did Mr. Barnes hurt War Machine with his metal arm?“ 

„No. No, it wasn’t Barnes. The thing with Barnes happened later - or earlier.  I just didn’t know it then.“ Tony opened his eyes again and wondered slightly when he had closed them. It had to be right after his attack and when he hugged Peter. He must have done it to bring his whole attention to this moment with his kid in his arms. 

For a second, he hugged the kid even tighter. He expected the kid to protest, but as nothing came, he smiled. 

„I met Barnes and Rogers after the fight again, and we…“ How do you tell your long-lost kid that the guy he had just met had killed his grandparents one day? Tony thought this would be devastating news for every kid but for Peter? Who still didn’t believe him to be his son? Tony imagined Peter being neutral when he heard about it and or maybe with this false pity Tony had felt often enough in his days. He couldn’t stand it then and wouldn’t have it now from the boy he believed to be his son. 

„Barnes had been a prisoner of Hydra. For decades. They did something to his brain so he couldn’t be himself and followed their orders without questions.“

„Like hypnosis?“

„Yes, a little bit like that, but for a long time, and during that, he did something… he did something and hurt me with it.“ Tony sighed. He should tell Peter the truth. It had happened long ago to people Peter hadn’t even met or didn’t know about. It shouldn’t hurt the kid. 

But Peter’s reaction would hurt Tony, and that scared him. 

„When I discovered you were with him, I was afraid he…“

„…would hurt me too?“ Peter hugged him so hard that it felt like he was trying to break Tony’s rips. He hugged him so hard, as if he never wanted to let him go again. „I’m fine, Mr. Stark. Really. Nothing happened. We only talked a little bit.“

„Yeah, I can see that.“ And he had seen it when he entered the apartment. He saw it when Barnes put his hands up and away from Peter and when he didn’t move at all. Not even when Tony told him that he would kill him the next time he saw him near Peter. Tony was just too scared to think at that moment. 

„Is he okay now?“ After a few quiet moments, Peter asked, which was maybe the most surprising thing the boy could have asked. 

Or maybe not. Maybe Tony had scared him after all with all of this. Perhaps he was already praying again that he wasn’t Tony’s son and that they would soon discover it. 

„Mr. Stark? Is Mr. Barnes okay now?“ Peter asked again when Tony, lost in his thoughts and prayers, hadn’t answered. 

„I don’t know, Peter. I really don’t know.“

„Why don’t you know it? And why is he in the tower if you aren’t sure? Why isn’t he locked up if he is dangerous and not himself?“

„That’s the big question.“ Tony sighed. Though the topic of Barnes and his dead parents wasn’t his favorite one, he liked that it got Peter in his arms, and as nobody moved or attempted to leave the cuddle huddle, he felt himself getting calm, maybe even a little bit sleepy. 

His back would kill him when he tried to stand up again, but he was okay with it because he knew it would be over as soon as he asked the kid to move all of this to the penthouse and the couch. They would maybe stay in one room for a short time again, but they wouldn’t be so near, and they wouldn’t just talk. He simply knew it. So he didn’t say anything. 

„But you are a genius, Mr. Stark. Everybody says so! So you have to know the answer to my questions!“

That sounded so childish. Tony had to laugh a little, and with his laugh, the boy started to giggle, and Tony could feel him move on his chest. This brought back a whole set of warmth in Tony, and he hugged the kid again tighter to himself. 

„So why don’t you know it, Mr. Stark?“

„I…“ Another heartfelt sigh of Tony. „I didn’t ask. I didn’t want to. If someone had asked me if I wanted Barnes to be here, I would have said NO. I would be thrilled if the guy still lived in Wakanda or maybe in the Raff, and I wouldn’t have to hear from him again. Hell, if it’s for me, he could take Rogers with him, and I wouldn’t bat an eye.“

The kid got quiet. 

At first, Tony didn’t think about it. He had him in his arms, feeling warm, cozy, and perfect. They talked a little bit, and nothing else mattered. So they were hogging the only lift to the penthouse? Who cares? There are still stairs in the tower (as Peter had proved more than once!). 

Then Tony stopped feeling calm and perfect because the kid was quiet and didn’t seem like him. 

„Peter? What do you think?“

Peter moved a little bit on Tony’s chest, and shortly afterward, Tony thought he would get up and leave his arms, but then he went still again. 

„You are a genius, Mr. Stark. You have even more doctor titles than Dr. Banner, and you invented the Arc Reactor and the Green Energy modules and… the AI here.“ It was as if Peter remembered the ever-present FRIDAY just this moment. He knew the AI had to be monitoring them in the lift, and Tony knew he didn’t like that. But the boy said nothing to it. „So you are a genius.“

„Thanks for the flattery, kid.“ Tony’s smile was in his voice. „But what is your point?“

„I can’t understand why you don’t know the answer to my questions. Is Mr. Barnes still in hypnosis, or is he healed of it? Is there even a cure? I always thought hypnosis needed some hand movement or words or something like that, so when nobody uses these things, why is he still dangerous? Or why isn’t he locked up somewhere where he can get help and not be hazardous to everybody else? There had to be somewhere safe for people like him, right? You said he had been with Hydra, so…“

„Kid, breathe!“ Tony smiled when he remembered Rhodey or Pepper saying the same thing when he got excited about a shiny new idea. 

Peter breathed a shaky laugh.

„Sorry, “he said. „I know, I get way too excited, and people don’t like that.  Ben always tells me it’s alright and he loves…“ And the kid stopped. Just like every other talk they had before, he stopped. The walls came up again, and he was lying quietly in Tony’s arms.

Tony knew that if they weren’t in the lift and weren’t hugging each other, the kid would already be back in his room. That had to be it. The kid didn’t go to his room to not be with Tony (as Tony had thought all the time). No, he went to his room to flee. He tried to escape from the situation but didn’t know any other way. 

They had never discussed Ben Parker before, and Peter had not coped with his loss, as his words just now proved. 

Tony was startled by this revelation. 

Why hadn’t they talked about him? How could he not ask the kid about his life before and how his so-called uncle had treated him? How was he only ever interested in Peter being Sandro but not being Peter? 

How could he have been so dumb?

„What…“ His voice sounded rough. His throat felt tight. But he had to say something. He had to be better than before. „What did Ben love?“ And he sure hoped it was something nice and sweet, and it made Peter smile again. 

Peter was quiet for a moment, and Tony waited. He always hated waiting for someone, but not now. Now, he would wait forever if that’s what Peter needed. 

„He loved it when I got so excited about things. He always smiled then and told me to breathe, but he still wanted to know what I wanted to say. He didn’t always understand me because, you know? He was old like you, and old people don’t understand everything about us kids and…“

„Hey, I’m not that old, and I’m perfectly fine with understanding everything you tell me. I’m a genius, after all. You just said so!“

Peter giggled again. 

And Tony’s smile got even brighter. He hadn’t heard this giggle in years except in his dreams, and he came to love and hate those dreams because when he woke up from them, he was all alone again, and sometimes he didn’t know how long he could take that. Hearing Peter know made those years feel somehow lighter. He couldn’t understand it. He knew he wanted to hear more of this smiling and giggling Peter. 

Before Peter could stop, Tony remembered a spot where Sandro had been ticklish—oh, so ticklish—and Sandro had loved it to laugh out loud. So Tony moved one hand that held Peter on his back and let it glide to his side, right above his hip point, while his other hand cradled Peter’s head. He could feel the muscle tension underneath his fingers when he found the spot, and Peter tried to say something, but Tony was quicker. 

He tickled him. 

Peter squirmed and burst out laughing, and Tony loved it.

Peter felt like an eel in Tony’s arms. He tried to get away but laughed and failed, and Tony still held him with one hand. Peter gasped for air and laughed again. 

After a while, Tony stopped and waited for the kid to catch his breath again. All the time, he was smiling, and he really couldn’t remember when he had smiled so much as he did now. 

„I’m Tiklisch, Mr. Stark.“ Peter tried to sound annoyed, but he had the same smile and happiness in his voice Tony could hear in his.

„I know that.“

„That wasn’t fair.“ Peter pouted. Tony couldn’t see his face, but he just knew it. 

„You deserved it for trying to run away again, kiddo. You scared me nearly half to death. I have a heart condition, you know? Old people like me are very fragile.“ He hated being called old but with Peter? He would be Methusalem if that would keep Peter safe and happy. 

Peter moved again. For a second, he felt stiff as a wall, and Tony knew that reminding him of his plan to escape had been the wrong thing to say. But instead of jumping up and running away again (and he knew not even a closed lift would stop Peter from trying!), the kid took a deep breath and became pliant again. 

He stayed in Tony’s arms like he liked it, too. 

„Your heart sounds fine,“ Peter said suddenly. 

He didn’t stay in his arms because he liked it but because he wanted to ensure Tony was alright. That was even better!

„You still have to treat me carefully,“ Tony whispered on Peter’s head.  He felt Peter’s curls underneath his fingers and remembered playing with them when he wanted the kid to fall asleep. Would this work on Sandro’s grown-up version, like his much younger version? He was tempted to try. 

„There is something…“ Peter started and yawned a little bit. „A slight hiccup, I think? Every so often, it makes a jump.“

„What? You mean, my heart? You can hear that?“ That sounded unusual or not? Tony wasn’t sure of that. Pepper hadn’t even mentioned it; she loved laying her head on his chest when they were together. She told him once that she loved hearing his heart because it meant he was still alive after everything. 

Peter shrugged. 

„I’ve got good hearing.“ 

But there was something more. Tony couldn’t name it, but he felt Peter’s body under his hands and knew the kid was waiting carefully for something. 

„Ben always had this very loud alarm clock in their room. He didn’t use it often because May always said it would wake the whole city, but he set the alarm when he had to leave early, and May was at work. I could hear it ticking in my room the entire night, and it drove me crazy.“ 

Another little snippet out of his life, and Peter shared it freely. 

Tony wanted to hear everything. 

„He was a Cop, right? Before, I mean?“

Peter nodded and then stopped. Like Tony, he must have remembered that Ben had not died a Cop and that they had not talked about it. 

„It should have been one job,“ Peter whispered. He rubbed his face in Tony’s shirt, then pressed himself even more at Tony. „We needed the money after May’s accident. Her treatment had been costly, and then the insurance stopped paying for it. Ben had to quit his work to take care of her, and we still needed the money, so he took the job. One job.“ He sounded so hurt right now. It nearly killed Tony to hear him. 

„That must have been hard.“ He couldn’t imagine how someone would feel in such a situation. All he ever had was money. Even as a kid, money wasn’t ever something you talked about in his family. It was too much there for every little thing you wanted to have. So much that there weren’t any things left you could wish to buy, but instead, there were so many things that you wanted to have and couldn’t buy. 

Imagine now that Peter had to grow up completely different, and it felt strange. How easy could his life have been if Tony had found him sooner. Without all the things he had to think about, all the sorrows. He could have lived a carefree life, Alisa and he had imagined Sandro to have, but Peter had to grow up without everything. 

„It was. He had hated it. He never said it, but I could see it. He had loved being a cop and helping others or catching the bad guys, and then suddenly? He was driving stolen goods from Queens to New Jersey and got money for it.“ 

„The break into the tower wasn’t his first job?“ Tony didn’t know that. He had a whole folder about Ben Parker. Still, it was surprisingly thick with his years as a cop (way too many commendations and quick promotions to be just a simple cop). Then suddenly only a few things got added: Accident of the wife, expensive treatment for her, money problems, quitting his job and losing his pension, moving apartments and then nothing. Nothing till his death in the Tower. 

„No, his first one was the drive to New Jersey. He was so nervous about it because he knew all his old partners were looking for the things he would have in his trunk. But everything went smoothly, and for a short time, the money helped.“

„And then what?“

„We found another treatment for May.“ Peter sounded wrong when he said this. Tony didn’t know how he knew, but there was more behind the story Peter told him. Hopefully, it wasn’t as big as Tony was afraid of. „It was something new and costly, and we couldn’t afford it, but it sounded so good…“

„He took another job for it?“

Peter nodded. 

„He drove the getaway car from another heist. After that, he got drunk. Really, really drunk. And Ben never drunk more than one beer and never the hard stuff.“

Tony closed his eyes for a second. Peter had told him that he had been a fan of Iron Man or Tony Stark once, so he had to know that Tony himself had a problem with alcohol and how many stupid things he had done while totally wasted. They had been all in the news, and he never had felt guilty about them till now. 

„I got a job after that. In a deli I like. Only a few hours, but I thought it could help, you know?“

His 14-year-old son worked in a deli to help and support his family. 

That was a picture he didn’t want to have. 

„What did Ben say to it?“ Tony asked and tried not to let his feelings show. „He must have been proud of you.“

Peter shook his head, and his curls brushed over Tony’s hand, reminding him to scratch Peter again. Peter sighed when Tony did so. 

„Ben hated it. He forbid it. He even went to Mr. Delmar and shouted at him because he never wanted me to work there. He was so mad about it.“ 

Another picture of this mysterious man called Ben Parker. 

„He would have lost it if he ever found out I left school for good that year.“

And another one. 

Tony regretted never meeting Ben Parker. 

„He never knew you didn’t go to school anymore?“ That couldn’t be right. „How could he not know you aren’t going to school? That’s something you can’t…not know. I think.“ With that, he was unsure. He had been a kid with tutors for homeschooling because his old man wasn’t a fan of the public school system and the private schools. Had way too many snobby kids (and parents) in them. No, Howard Stark decided his son was too bright for everything else and hired tutors, but when they couldn’t teach him new things anymore (Tony had started writing articles for science magazines when he was 12), Howard sent him to college. So he didn’t know how a kid could leave school and no parent or adult would notice it—especially no trained cop. 

„I was hiding it. After Ben had got me to quit my job, I didn’t want him to know that I was… working somewhere else.“

„You were working somewhere else?“ And Ben Parker, the cop, didn’t know it? How the hell couldn’t he know it? How could he not see that his kid, Peter, worked as a 13-year-old as… „What did you do?“

And Peter got quiet again. Which never was a good sign. Even if Tony hadn’t seen his son grow up, he knew that silence after a question like this was never ever a good sign. 

„Work.“ A vague answer was an even worse answer. 

„Peter, there are few things a 13-year-old can do to earn money. You know that, right?“ The picture Tony had suddenly in his mind made his skin crawl. He felt himself hugging Peter more tightly. He had never been religious, and not even losing Peter could bring himself to hope (and believe) for more than a few weeks, but right now? He was tempted to pray to someone. 

„What?“ Peter sounded confused. Then… „Eew. I wrote school assignments for other kids for money. Mr. Stark, really! My life isn’t some Oliver Twist story! Nothing terrible ever happened to me, so please, chill.“

Except for the kidnapping and hiding away with strange people, Tony wanted to say, but he stayed quiet.

That was the Peter he had watched in the precinct. Tony felt relieved. 

Then, another thought came to his mind. 

„How could you write school assignments for other kids if you weren’t in school? Didn’t you tell me you weren’t smart? That sounds like a thing only a clever person could do.“

Peter didn’t answer that. 

Like before, Tony felt that this wasn’t a good sign, but it wasn’t a bad sign either. There was just another thing Peter tried to keep for himself, a secret that he didn’t want to share with Tony and one Tony really wanted to find out. 

It’s funny how you can not know someone but also know someone so well. 

„I wrote only for the younger kids. You know? Their homework and stuff like that.“ 

A lie, and a bad one. 

Interesting. 

„And Ben really didn’t know?“

Peter shook his head. 

„I was always leaving very early, so he believed I went to school.“ 

„Where did you go?“

„Somewhere.“ 

There are so many secrets Tony needs to discover. He couldn’t say he didn’t like it. 

Tony smiled. 

For a moment, they were content just sitting on the cabin’s ground, holding each other, breathing the same air, and being together. 

Tony would have loved to stay forever in this happy bubble (though his back started to make himself known). 

„What happened with Ben?“ Peter’s voice was small and quiet, as if he wasn’t sure the question would be appreciated. „I know you already told me, but…“ He broke up when he started to sound unsure.

Another one of Tony’s faults. 

„I’m sorry I haven’t talked with you about it anymore. As I said before, we arranged for his funeral. It will be held in a few days, and he’ll be buried in Woodland Cemetery.“

„In the Bronx? Why in the Bronx?“ There was a bit of hidden anger in Peter’s voice, and Tony could understand it. Pepper said they should have asked Peter for his opinion, but everything was too raw. He didn’t want to ask his kid where they should bury the man who had him for all the years he was missing. The man might or may not have stolen him out of Tony’s home. So it was his decision alone where to bury the man; he wanted to have it as quickly as possible to be over with it. 

„It was… available“, Tony answered quietly. 

It took Peter a minute, and then he nodded as if he would understand. He couldn’t because he didn’t know Tony’s reason, but he still did it - for heaven’s sake! - his kid really was strange and complicated!

„Am I allowed to be there?“ Peter sounded unsure. Suddenly, Tony could feel something wet on his chest. It had been soaking for some time already, and Tony just noticed it now. 

Peter had been crying silently. 

„Oh, Pete, baby!“ How could he miss his kid crying in his arms? He was the worst father in the whole world! „Of course, you can be there! Of course! There would be no funeral without you. He was…“ It pained Tony to admit it, but feeling Peter’s silent tears was more hurtful. „He was your uncle, after all.“ 

Peter’s silent cries stopped, and then he suddenly sobbed. Tony discovered another new thing: Nobody had helped Peter with his grieving until now. Nobody had even talked with him about the death of his uncle and about everything that happened since then. Nobody had been there for him. Not even his father.

„Pete, I’m so so sorry!“ He hugged him harder. He had never wanted to be like his own dad, cold and estranged, but obviously, he had been it. Maybe that was part of why Peter didn’t want to talk with him or didn’t want to be his son. It had nothing to do with Peter’s aversion to blood work, but it had everything to do with his being the worst dad ever. 

„You know you can talk to me, right? If you need something, you can always come to me, and if you want to… tell me about Ben or your life or everything else, you just have to say it. You don’t have to think; I wouldn’t want to hear it. Never. You know that, right?“

Peter cried and sobbed, and when Tony thought his kid wouldn’t ever stop, it was over, and Peter was motionless again. 

Tony scratched the kid’s head and rubbed his back soothingly. He even kissed him on the head once, and when he didn’t get a reaction, he did it again, smiling sadly, all the while holding his grieving child. 

After a while, he started humming a melody and felt Peter getting heavier at his side. When Peter’s hand fell to the side, and he began to snore slightly, Tony sighed with relief. 

His back would kill him after this, but he would never regret this moment in the lift. 

Chapter Text

When Peter woke up, he needed a few seconds to get himself together, and after that, he felt… embarrassed, mortified, and gross but also warm and safe. This made absolutely no sense to him until he remembered. 

He had tried to sneak out of the Penthouse. He had met this other boy, and when Mr. Stark found him, he had run again. Then he had met Mr. Barnes, the Winter Soldier, and Mr. Stark found him again. After that, they were in the lift, and Mr. Stark had a panic attack. 

Peter knew it immediately. He had seen several attacks as Spiderman, but nothing so quiet and nevertheless scary as the one Mr. Stark had suffered. Peter knew he had to help the man somehow, so they got to talk. When Mr. Stark hugged him, Peter remembered the teddy bears a few police officers carried around in their car to help victims cope. He could be such a Teddybear too!  So he went with the hug and hoped he would help Mr. Stark, but then they talked a little more, and he felt tears in his own eyes. 

Though talking about Ben had felt so so good!

Mr. Stark was so friendly and even asked a few things. 

It made Peter remember the short talk in the police station and Mr. Stark’s plea to trust him. After that, when Mr. Stark brought Peter to the Tower, Peter really wanted to trust the man. He was only looking for his lost son, and Peter could really, really understand that the man wanted to find his kid so badly. So he wanted to trust the man, but then the man tried to hold him as some prisoner in his noble prison, but it was still a prison, and he still needed to find a way to leave. 

Mr. Stark and his damn AI didn’t make leaving the tower manageable, and so instead of trusting the man, he felt aversive against him. The few times they talked, it was about nothing significant. 

One time, Mr. Stark asked about his favorite cereals over breakfast and wanted to talk about different kinds, for heaven’s sake!

The other time, over lunch, he thought, Mr. Stark asked him if he loved Cheeseburgers too, and Ms Potts had laughed about it. Peter didn’t get it, and he couldn’t finish the burger he had on his plate. He was hungry, oh, so damn hungry, but he was hungry all the time because his metabolism had changed after the spider bite. Usually, when he was still living with Ben, who didn’t know a thing about this change, Peter would manage to eat a few snacks between meals so Ben wouldn’t notice anything strange, but he couldn’t do that in the tower. So he was hungry. It’s no big deal, but it’s annoying and another reason to leave the tower as quickly as possible. 

They only talked about unimportant things. 

Ms. Potts asked him sometime which kind of movie he loved. Mr. Stark wanted to know his favorite ice cream. When Mr. Rhodes was still there, he had asked Peter who his favorite Avenger was, but the way he shot a grin at Mr. Stark, it was clear he didn’t want to have Peter’s honest opinion but something to make fun of the fellow Avenger. So Peter told him he didn’t like any Avengers. Both men were surprised by his answer and asked for his reasons. Peter thought this would be their first real talk, and he hated that he had to lie to them. Since he was a little boy, he loved the Avengers, especially Iron Man. In times when everything else seemed only dark and scary for him, they were a symbol of hope. He still lied. He told them he thought they were only glorified marionettes of the state who only helped the rich people and didn’t think of the poor and the destruction in their wake. Mr. Stark and Mr. Rhodes were quiet after that, and Peter had felt guilty and ran out of the room. 

After that, there had been no real talk between Peter and Mr. Stark. Peter was relieved about this because then he didn’t need to consider hurting Mr. Stark. He could still leave the tower, and so he tried it over and over again without feeling guilty. 

The damn AI was nearly everywhere. 

He cursed the smartass Mr. Stark and his genius. 

Trying to leave the tower started to feel like a fight against the man—like a tug of war. Peter tried to devise a way, and Mr. Stark tried to find a way to prevent it. 

Peter hated it. 

He got angry about it, and he hated feeling angry. 

He started to feel desperate because he was so worried about May, and he hated that Mr. Stark was the reason he couldn’t get to his aunt. 

He felt lonely because the only people he could talk to were Mr. Stark and Ms. Potts, and he didn’t want to talk with them. He hated feeling lonely, too. 

He hated feeling like he hated everything, which wasn’t like him usually. 

He felt lost, lonely, and confused. He just wanted to get away from everything, but there was no way. So he kept trying and trying, and Mr. Stark got him all the time. 

And he hated that too!

Meeting Ned and having a few short minutes of being a teenager had been awesome. He had always loved Legos and liked how the other boy talked about his idea of building something without having a designer kid. So he allowed himself a short break from everything and enjoyed being there in this small kitchen, building something and talking about movies. 

But Mr. Stark had come and destroyed this for him. 

Running again and then finding Mr. Barnes and helping him had been another thing. Peter gave a break, a small moment to catch his breath. Not to mention that the metal arm was awesome. 

He knew he shouldn’t have stayed there. Even after Mr. Barnes had told him that the AI couldn’t watch them on his floor, he should have left. This had to be his best option, but before he could even think of it, Mr. Stark had found him there too. 

This time, it had been different. 

Mr. Stark had been angry. Peter could see it right away. Obviously, Peter’s endless attempts to escape from the tower had been getting through to the man, and he was furious now, scary angry. He even had one piece of the Iron Man suit with him, and when he pointed it at Peter, Peter finally thought this had to be it. The whole set-up would come to an end, and Mr. Stark would… 

He didn’t even know what the man would do, and he didn’t know what he could do to prevent it. Sure, he was way quicker than the older man, but there was Mr. Barnes, who was hurt and who might take a hit while Peter was running away, which he couldn’t let happen. 

Before Peter could solve everything, he discovered that Mr. Stark wasn’t angry. 

He had been scared. 

Scared for Peter. 

And his weapon wasn’t aimed at Peter but instead at Mr. Barnes. 

Now, he knew how he could help. He went to Mr. Stark and let him lead him in the lift, and after that, he turned into the pliant Teddybear Mr. Stark needed in his arms, and while he still thought he did it only to help Mr. Stark, it had felt nice. 

He couldn’t remember the last time someone had hugged him. It must have been May because Ben had never been one for big emotional moments. When did he see May last? He had no clue, and that made him feel bad. Just thinking about her was hard. He didn’t know if they had told her about Ben already or if she knew where he was. He didn’t know if she even asked about them. She loved Ben so much that losing him would be devastating for her. Ben and Peter were her only family; now she must feel she had lost him too. 

He had a lump in his throat just thinking about it. 

But being in Mr. Stark’s arms helped. He didn’t understand it or like it, but he knew deep down in himself that he didn’t let himself be a teddy bear just for Mr. Stark. He did it for himself, too. 

And when Mr. Stark told him about Ben and the funeral?

All damps broke. 

He couldn’t stop crying and hated feeling so small and lost over the whole place. Mr. Stark had been his lifesaving Bear this time, and he clung to him. 

So when he woke up again, he didn’t know where he was at first. 

He felt empty but in a good and calm way. 

He could breathe again, but sadly only in his mind because his nose felt gross. Like his face and his hands. And after that? He felt his whole body had been warm and mellow. The ground under his knees was hard, and it hurt after he had slept on it so long, but when he tried to change his position, he felt strong arms around himself, grounding him and holding him. 

He remembered. 

And felt so so embarrassed. 

„You back again?“ Mr. Stark’s voice was right above his ear. It sounded darker than usual and a lot quieter. As if he didn’t want to wake Peter up. 

For a second, Peter contemplated acting as if he was still sleeping, but he knew that wouldn’t be the solution. He still had to wake up sometimes and face the music. 

Mr. Stark stroked his back again, soft and warm, and the other hand scratched over Peter’s head; it felt so good. Why did it have to feel so good? Everything would be way easier without this!

Peter grumbled and heard Mr. Stark laughing silently. 

„I take it, not a morning person, right?“

„It’s not morning, Mr. Stark.“ Peter sat slowly up and wiped his face with one sleeve, keeping his eyes down and watching the dull grey ground underneath him.

He could feel Mr. Stark’s eyes on him, but the man didn’t say anything. He just watched Peter, and Peter felt the need to hide somewhere. Just like the spider he named himself after, he wanted to crawl somewhere out of sight and be gone. It didn’t have to be outside the Tower; it was just not near the man. 

Peter sighed a little. 

They were still in the lift, and the damn AI wouldn’t even let a spider escape right now. And he had cried all over Mr. Stark! 

„Feeling better?“ 

Why did Mr. Stark have to ask that? Couldn’t he see that Peter would love to talk about everything else? Couldn’t he imagine that…

„I feel better.“ Mr. Stark said, and Peter couldn’t stop throwing him a look. 

Mr. Stark looked as if he had cried, too. While Peter could feel his face was splotchy and with tear strains, the other man looked pale and somehow hurt, but he also had a slight smile on his lips. Nothing made sense. 

„You had a panic attack, “Peter remembered. 

„Sure did.“ Mr. Stark made a face that showed clearly how much he had enjoyed that episode, but then he smiled again. „And you helped me through it like a Pro. I have to say, that was impressive.“

The compliment made Peter blush a little bit. Again, he looked down to the ground. He couldn’t imagine that he had helped the Genius, but it felt nice to hear him say that. 

„How did you know what to do? I can imagine seeing something like that must be scary.“

„My aunt was a nurse.“ Suddenly, Peter remembered some of Ben’s favorite phrases: Don’t you ever start lying because you won’t know when to stop. Peter didn’t lie to Ben or May often; when he did, he did it only to prevent them from feeling bad. For example, when there was an expensive school trip, everyone was going on except for Peter because they couldn’t afford it. He always told them that he didn’t like going on school trips, or sometimes he even managed to lose the permitting slip, and they didn’t know about it all the way. Though he mainly lied about his time as Spiderman. 

But now? In the Tower? With Mr. Stark? It felt as if every word of his was a lie, and he couldn’t find a way to make it stop. 

He felt awful about it. 

„A nurse? Did she take you under her wings and show you a few things?“

Peter nodded. May had worked in the Hospital’s Emergency Room so that she couldn’t have taken him with her, but she still told him quite a few things. Things that had helped him more than a few times when he got hurt as Spiderman. 

„Is that something that interests you? Being a nurse or a doctor?“ Mr. Stark sounded curious about it. 

May had asked the same question when he was a little kid and showed his interest in science. She smiled when he asked her about her job, how they treated patients, and what she had to learn to do the job she loved so much. She was the first person who had told him about anatomy and biochemistry long before he heard anything about it in school. He loved it immediately, but the thought of working in a hospital did not appeal to him. Still, everything she told him had been helpful in one way or another. 

„No, that was just talking…“ Peter said when Mr. Stark looked at him questioningly. 

Mr. Stark didn’t seem to be convinced. He frowned at Peter. 

„Is it because of the needles?“

„What?“ For a moment, Peter felt attacked. Why would Mr. Stark think he wouldn’t enjoy working as a nurse, doctor, or whatever else working in a hospital just because of a few needles? „No. I’m not afraid of needles. I’m not a baby, Mr. Stark!“

The smile was back on Mr. Stark’s face, petite but genuine. He raised a hand and ruffled through Peter’s hair, and Peter was perplexed because he didn’t even feel like avoiding the touch. 

„Then why are you so against the bloodwork for the test? I thought that was the only reason you had against it. You know we need the results to verify your…“ Mr. Stark stopped shortly.  „…opinion.“ Another short, nearly impossible-to-spot brake, but Peter saw it and frowned. „Otherwise, the police will close the case of Alessandro.“ 

Peter knew what that would mean for Mr. Stark. Nobody would ever again look for his son, and the chance he would ever find him was nearly impossible. 

But Peter couldn’t let anybody take his blood and analyze it. Even looking at a few markers would reveal other things in his blood. He couldn’t let that happen!

And he couldn’t let the police close the case and hurt Mr. Stark this way. 

He felt like he was caught between a rock and a hard place. He didn’t know what to do. 

His conflict seemed to show on his face because he could feel Mr. Stark moving a little. His hand was back again, not on Peter’s head but on his back. He rubbed Peter slowly, reassuringly. 

„I won’t be thinking bad of you, kid, you know that, right? We all have our fears, and that’s nothing to be ashamed of.“

„I’m not afraid of needles, Mr. Stark. I’m a grown-up, so please stop cuddling me like a baby.“ And he jumped up. When he stood again, he stepped to the closed lift door. As usual, he couldn’t find a switch to open the door or change the floor. „Could we please leave now? I think your crisis is over, and I have to use the restroom.“ He didn’t look back to Mr. Stark, who hadn’t moved as far as he could hear. 

It was quiet for a few minutes. So silent that Peter started to feel very nervous. Mr. Stark seemed to watch him the whole time, and his eyes burned holes in Peter’s back. 

He still didn’t turn around. 

Finally, he could hear movement behind him—a shuffling, some scrape over the ground. Mr. Stark moaned and groaned, and it was so silent that Peter knew. The man tried to prevent Peter from knowing how he felt. 

Curious, Peter turned around again and spotted Mr. Stark slowly coming back up again. Way too slowly. He looked stiff. 

Without thinking, Peter stepped up to him and helped him up. It was as if Mr. Stark was among the older people he often helped on the street. Even older than Mr. Barnes. In the next moment, he took a step back, sure that Mr. Stark would be embarrassed over Peter’s help. But Mr. Stark didn’t look embarrassed. He smiled. 

„So you like helping people, “he stated calmly. 

Peter shrugged. That was nothing too bad, right? A lot of people liked helping other people. 

„That was why your aunt told you about her work, right? You made her talk about it because you wanted to help her? And I’m sure you also helped your uncle when he came home from work. He must have told you lots of things he saw during his shifts.“

Again, Peter nodded. He couldn’t see where Mr. Stark wanted to go with this, but he was right. Peter knew that talking about the things they saw during their work helped his aunt and his uncle, so he did everything to make them talk. 

„I like helping people. So what?“ It felt like some confession for Peter. Something he should be ashamed of, but that wasn’t true. 

„I see that.“ Mr. Stark smiled a little again. He nodded to the ceiling above them, and Peter immediately felt the lift movement. Obviously, the AI didn’t even need a voice command to bring them somewhere. No wonder he had no luck escaping from the Penthouse. 

Frustrated and angry, Peter turned and stepped back in front of the soon-opening door. 

„I still don’t know why you don’t want to help me. What have I done to deserve this?“ Mr. Stark’s voice cut like a knife. 

Everything in Peter revolted against the idea that he wouldn’t help someone who desperately needed help. He didn’t even want to think of Mr. Stark’s son, who was still missing. Maybe he wasn’t even alive, and perhaps he was living with people who didn’t treat him right. Maybe he was hurt and scared and afraid of everything. 

Peter couldn’t not help him. 

But he couldn’t let his blood taken either. 

„Peter, I swear, it won’t hurt. It won’t be scary. We can…“

„No!“ Peter shouted, frustrated and then angrily. „NO!“

He heard the lift stopping, and he knew they would be on a floor where Mr. Stark wanted them to be, which probably meant the penthouse. He took another step to the door and tried to open it with his hands, ignoring how much of his strength he would show. „Open the damn door already!“

He knew Mr. Stark had to do something, maybe a nod, maybe one of his silent comments, and then the door opened. 

They were, in fact, on the penthouse floor, and Ms. Potts was standing right in front of the lift. She looked confused and worried. 

„Tony, what… Peter, how…“

Peter pushed her slightly to the side and started to run. He could already hear her asking Mr. Stark questions again, and then Peter was in front of the guest room where they had put him. He opened the door and closed it behind him. He locked it, even if he knew that Stark would find a way to open it if he wanted. 

In the room, he stood for a second. Silently fuming. Angry about everything and hurting inside. 

He wanted to help. He needed to help. But he couldn’t. He couldn’t risk it. 

He stood in the middle of the big room and started to scream. 

Chapter Text

„What happened?“ Pepper asked as soon as Tony had stepped out of the lift. After Peter’s push, she stumbled to the side, but she didn’t fall, and now she seemed not hurt or surprised but angry. 

Naturally, Tony was her target. 

„Everything alright?“ He asked her, worried, and looked at her upper arm where he could see an angry red mark already forming. Before he could investigate further, she stepped out of his reach, pointed after Peter, and repeated herself.

„What happened, Tony?“

„That’s a big bruise you got there, „ he said, shaking his head. „I’m sorry for this. He was angry at me, and he shouldn’t have taken it out on you.“ He wanted to follow the kid immediately, and he wanted to hide himself in his lab. He knew he had to talk with the kid about this behavior, but there were so many other things they had to discuss that he didn’t know how to address everything. 

„Tony?“ 

He sighed. 

„I think I’m the worst dad ever.“ Until now, he had always thought his father had been the holder of the title, but after the last few days? Maybe Howard was cold and different, but he wasn’t a failure like Tony. 

„No, you are not.“ Pepper stopped her questions and just hugged him. 

For a moment, everything calmed down, and he could breathe again. 

Pepper was perfect. He always felt that around her. She was the one thing in his life that made him not feel awkward. With her, he wasn’t too clever, too sarcastic, or too loaded. With her, he was just Tony. The man behind the genius. And he loved her for it. 

He wondered silently if he had ever told her that. 

„Tony?“

„Hm?“

„Why is your shirt wet?“

They were still standing in front of the lift and holding each other. Nevertheless, the few moments in the lift felt like years had passed—or like a dream. 

„Peter cried on me.“ Maybe not a dream. He made a face because when Pepper took a step back to look at him, he could feel the drying tears on the shirt, and yes, this had been Peter in his arms, but no, it still felt weird. 

„He cried on you? In the lift? Is that why FRI wouldn’t let me use it?“ Her hand flew to her mouth, but he could see her beautiful and warm smile. Her eyes sparkled. „He cried on you? Oh, Tony, that’s…“ 

He knew she would consider it a success, but it didn’t feel like one. It felt like he was a total disappointment as a father. 

„He cried because nobody had the common sense to talk with him about his so-called uncle who got shot in this tower just a few days ago. Nobody had spoken with him about it, Pep.“ He couldn’t believe that he had been so dumb. All he had thought about was keeping Peter in the tower, safe and secure, and how Peter felt? It wasn’t even on his radar. He hadn’t thought about it. Not one minute. 

„Tony!“ Pepper shook her head. She looked shortly to Peter’s room, but when the door stayed closed, she took Tony’s hand and led him to the kitchen where she had been cooking. 

Tony remembered that he had said something like this to Peter when he found him with Barnes, but he hadn’t known that she really had started preparing their lunch. Another thing he hasn’t thought of in a long time. She was always there. Always helpful, always understanding, and he? He was just the brain, nothing more. 

„Tony, stop it!“ 

„I don’t know what you mean.“ He went to the counter and looked at what she had put on it. Vegetables and a chopping board. He could help. He was good at working with his hands. When he tried to take the knife, she gave him a small clap on his hand and showed him away. „I can help!“

„Yeah, not happening right now. Let’s sit for a moment.“ She pushed him on one of the kitchen chairs and looked him straight in the eyes. She made him nervous.  „What happened?“

He tried to tell her about Peter’s success in getting out of the penthouse and where he found him, his talk with Mrs. Leeds, and after that of Barnes. He just started talking about the lift scene when Pepper stopped him. 

„FRI? Is Peter okay?“ She asked, clearly worried about him as Tony had been. 

They both had to wait a few seconds for FRIDAY’s response, which was expected. The AI was programmed to look through a lot of data when asked such a question, and she always needed 10 seconds to answer it. But after all that time, Peter managed to escape without hinting how he could do it; 10 seconds of waiting made Tony feel anxious. 

„He is in his room, Lady Boss.“

„But is he okay?“

„He is getting calm again.“ 

Tony frowned. 

„What does that mean, Babygirl?“

„When he got to his room, he started to scream. I couldn’t detect any reason, and his values showed only a normal stress reaction, so I would say it had been a coping mechanism. After screaming, he went to take a shower and was in bed. His heart rate is getting slower. It appears he’s trying to sleep.“

Tony looked to Pepper for advice. He knew he wasn’t the best person to judge another human being’s need for sleep, but in his eyes, the kid slept an awful lot. 

„What do you think?“ He asked her when she stayed quiet. 

„What happened in the lift?“

„Nothing.“ He knew it was wrong of him when he did not want to discuss it. It wasn’t that he wanted to keep their talk in the lift a secret, no. He tried to tell Pepper all about it and hear her thoughts on everything because she always was right about things like this, but the beginning and the reason for everything? It was not something he wanted to tell her.

„You had a panic attack, “she understood immediately. 

„What? No! I mean…“ Why did she always know everything? It was like she could read his mind or something like that. He made a face. „It was a small one. Not important.“

„If I ask FRI about it, will she say the same?“

„Sure.“ He had to take another look at her programming because, at the moment? His baby girl was way too open to Pepper. „Probably.“ He looked down at the table, found a few lost seeds, and started playing with them. „It was alright. I had been okay. Nothing to worry about.“

„I baked some bread earlier, “Pepper said, and for a moment, Tony didn’t know what she wanted to tell him. Then her hands came on him, and he felt the seeds under his fingers. „Can you imagine that? Me baking bread on a weekday? I was in my office. The last appointment got canceled, and I thought I had lots of time for paperwork, and then suddenly, I felt I could do it here instead of a few floors down. And then I came up, and you both were not here and now we have fresh bread.“ 

She smiled as if baking bread on a weekday was the best thing that ever could happen to her. 

„You want him to eat it, “Tony concluded. „You wanted to bake a bread for him.“ And he smiled, too, because she may not be Alessandro’s real mom, but she felt like she was, and Tony loved it. 

Pepper smiled and blushed. 

„It’s crazy, right? We’ve got lots of bread in the kitchen, and I still wanted to… he is so skinny! And he barely eats something! I wonder if we…“ She stopped herself. 

They asked Helen about it when she was up the first day Peter was with them. As Tony had said in the car on the drive to the tower, he invited her to the penthouse and told her not to come as a doctor. Seeing her in a colorful dress and hair without a braid was strange. 

They had lured Peter out of his room for lunch, and Helen had watched him silently. She had asked him a few questions, which he had answered politely, and then he fled from the room. 

She said he was healthy but slightly underweight. Without examination, she couldn’t tell if the fight in the precinct had been a bad one, but as his black eye had already faded, she told them not to worry and to feed him regularly. 

Pepper made feeding Peter her mission, and Tony felt her frustration grow each time the kid politely declined. They both couldn’t understand why he didn’t want to eat anything with or without them. It was like he was afraid they would poison him. 

„Maybe you should bring him to Helen in the MedBay, “Pepper said suddenly. „He isn’t eating enough, and he is always sleepy. He has nothing in his room to spend his time, and he must be bored out of his mind, but he…“

„I caught him playing with a boy.“ Tony interrupted her because maybe that was the part she hadn’t gotten out of his explanation. 

„You did?“ She smiled a little. „When?“

„When he escaped again. He was on his way down and met the boy. He is the son of one of our employees. By the way, Pep, I have promoted her, and her son is now our intern. So, Peter was playing with this boy, and then…“

„What?“

„What did he play? I don’t know. With Lego, I think? It sounded dangerous but in the not hazardous kind of way.“

„Why is the kid of our employee suddenly one of our interns? How old is he? When did you see his application?“

Tony found another seed. A black one. He thought it could be sesame. He liked sesame. 

„Tony, did the boy even send an application?“

„Sure. I mean. He’s a smart one, Pep. He is smart and the kid of our employee, so we couldn’t not take him, right? It wouldn’t be nice of us. Did you know that we fire people for bringing their kids with them to work? I sure didn’t.“

„Oh, Tony, what did you do?“ She sighed, and he wondered if now would be the best time to tell her about his threat to the old-timer living beneath them. He knew how divided she felt about Rogers, angry about the fight in Siberia and, at the same time, confused because Rogers had always been her friend. She loved walking with him through the Met, and she blushed whenever he was extra polite to her. But she had also seen Tony right after the battle, and Rhodey had told Tony how badly she had wanted to hunt Rogers down. 

Barnes, on the other hand, was something different. 

She felt sorry for him. As soon as Tony was up again and starting to work, she made him give her every piece of information that he had on Barnes, and she read it silently. After that, she told Tony she would only allow him in the tower if he put him under extra surveillance. She said she didn’t feel safe with him around, and when he promised to throw him in a cage, she shook her head. 

„You have to help him, Tony, “she said. „You are the only one who can, and he deserves it.“ 

„Ha! Not the only one!“ Tony had spit angrily. „This little kid in Wakanda seems to be sure of herself and her method and…“

„But you are Tony Stark, and I trust only you to do this job. Help him so I can feel safe in my own home again, Tony. Help. Him.“ And what could he say to that? 

So he allowed the old-timers back in his tower again and even thought of some help for Barnes, but he didn’t have to like it. He didn’t have to like Barnes. 

„Did Barnes hurt Peter?“ It was really like she could read Tony’s mind. It’s quite a bit scary. 

„No, I don’t think so. They were talking.“ And he sure as hell would have nightmares for weeks with these two together in one room. But then he remembered something. Something he had seen when he came into the room, ready to blast Barnes out of the universe. „Barnes let Peter take a look at his arm.“

Pepper looked as surprised as Tony when he remembered the scene. 

„Are you sure?“ 

He nodded. 

„Peter was bent slightly over the arm, and he was watching it like he was fascinated by it.“

„Maybe he knows someone who could use a prosthetic?“ 

„Maybe.“ But the kid had also played with the lego pieces, and from what Tony had seen, it looked like both boys had no instructions they followed. Maybe the kid tried to play dumb but was secretly smart enough to be fascinated by all things techy, which Tony could understand. 

„Maybe you could use this to get him interested in the test, “Pepper said suddenly. „If he is interested in such things…“

„He told me he helped his aunt, who had been working as a nurse.“ 

„So he is interested in medicine. You should tell him he could perform the DNA test with you as his supervisor. Maybe that would solve at least that problem.“

Tony would have lied if he said he didn’t want to take that final test. He wanted it desperately because though he felt that Peter was his son, he needed the proof for the kid. 

„That could work, “he mumbled and tried remembering everything Peter had told him in the lift about his aunt and what she showed him. It sounded as if Peter only wanted to help her as if he wanted to help Tony with his panic attack. That was also something Tony could work with. 

Helpful and interested in science. 

Hm… Tony smiled slightly, and then he saw Pepper’s face. 

It didn’t look as if she was pleased with him. 

„And this other kid? How do you think that will help you?“ She asked. „You do remember that you lock Peter up as if he is still in prison?“

She hadn’t liked his decision not to let Peter out of the penthouse. She promised him she would care for the kid when he could only walk with her a few times, but Tony was determined. He had promised Jack that he would put the Tower on lockdown, which meant Peter wouldn’t ever leave the penthouse. 

Pepper had been against it. She had told him right away that it would lead to more fighting and angry words from the kid, and he didn’t want to believe her. He tried to keep Peter safe, and everyone would be happy when the kid saw that. 

At least, that was something Tony hoped. 

„This is no prison, “he grumbled. „Or would you say a prison has its own movie theatre, its own gym, every pc game you could want to have and…“

„That’s not what I mean, Tony, and you know it. He needs to have his own space. He needs to…“

„He has his own space! Or what would you say where he is sleeping right now?“

„That’s not his space. That’s his prison cell!“ Pepper jumped up, clearly annoyed with Tony, but that was nothing new. She was annoyed with him at least once per week, maybe even once daily, but this was something different as if she wanted to give Peter a chance to escape. 

With a few steps, she returned to the counter, took the knife, and started cutting down on the carrots. But after a few seconds, she turned again, the knife still in her hand, and she looked straight at Tony. 

„You have to see that this is not working, Tony. He hates it here. Your son hates his home!“

Her words hurt—more than he wanted to acknowledge. 

Was she right?

No. 

No, never. 

Peter was just confused. He had been stolen out of his home, and he had to live with strangers who lived a different life as Tony. It was natural that Peter didn’t know what to make out of everything. 

„He is confused. He doesn’t know us. It just takes time.“ He had to be right because everything else? Was impossible. 

„Tony…“ Pepper put the knife down and came back to him. While he was sitting on the chair in front of the table, she stepped right in front of him, put her hands on his shoulders, and looked honest and empathetic. „You have to give him some room otherwise…“

„Otherwise, what, Pep? What do you think will happen? What will you do?“ He felt threatened and couldn’t believe this was his Pepper. He loved her more than nearly everything. At the moment, maybe even more than his own kid because Peter seemed strange and foreign, but he knew he would put him above everything as soon as he got to know the kid. 

But he still loved Pepper. 

„I won’t do anything, Tony, don’t be dramatic!“ She made a face as if she couldn’t believe his antics. „But you will lose him if you try to cage him in. You will lose him, and I can’t just stand there and watch it happen. I love him, too.“ She looked hurt and afraid, and Tony understood her feelings. 

But Peter wasn’t her son. He was Tony’s, and Tony knew what to do. He was a genius for a reason. 

„I’ll open a few floors, “he said and watched how her eyes lit up. „Maybe down to the 85th? This way, he could meet the kid, start a friendship, and maybe we could finally start our life together. As a family again.“

„It won’t work, Tony. You can’t just buy him a friend and expect him to be grateful.“

„I haven’t said I wanted him to be grateful. I want him to be…“ Tony sighed. „Happy. I want him out of his room and smiling. I want him interested in something, in someone, and I want…“

„Then you have to do something for it!“ 

When Pepper said it, it sounded so easy. It sounded like Tony could go to another room, sprinkle some fairy dust around, and suddenly, everyone would be happy and safe. But it wasn’t easy. Even with lots of fairy dust, Peter wouldn’t believe he was Tony’s son, and without Peter believing this, he would always try to run away. 

That was it! Pepper had been right from the start. 

Tony jumped out of his chair. 

„That’s it!“ He made a victory fist. „Pep, you are the true genius in this relationship!“ He pulled her in his arms and gave her a kiss that had nothing to do with his love for her but everything with the feeling he felt right now: Hope. 

„Tony!“ Pepper laughed out loud over the silly faces Tony always made when he solved a riddle. He wasn’t always correct with his assumptions, but he was always on the right path to finding a solution that would work for everyone. She knew that about him, but she was worried that he didn’t have the right goal in mind. „What’s going on? What do you want to do?“

„Peter doesn’t believe he is Alessandro, „ Tony said, smiling brightly and unbelievably hopeful that Pepper wanted him to be correct. She wouldn’t survive him seeing defeated again. 

„So?“

„We need to take the test right now. And after that…everything will change. He won’t have any reason to run away again, and he will want to get to know us. Pep, I’m sure. I’m really sure. You are a genius.“ Another of these loud and exaggerated kisses, but this time, she couldn’t laugh about it. Worried, she looked at him. 

„And what if…?“ She didn’t want to say it. The kid had been with them briefly, but she knew how much it meant to Tony. 

Tony stopped. He had smiled, too, and now his smile seemed to get heavier, a little bit calmer, but he tried to hold onto it with all his strength. 

„You don’t believe he is Sandro, “Tony realized. He thought Pepper was as happy as himself, and hearing her say something like that felt like a betrayal. Not like an enormous betrayal as Obie had done but still. He felt hurt by her words. 

She shook her head.

„No, that’s not what I mean, but I think we must be realistic, Tony. It could be. It really could be a mistake. What will happen then?“

Chapter Text

Peter had to leave. 

He had known it for quite some time, but after the scene in the lift with Mr. Stark and the scene in front of the lift with Ms. Potts (he pushed her! He couldn’t believe he had pushed her! What if she wasn’t okay? What if she got hurt by him?), he was sure of it. 

He felt guilty just thinking about it, and all he wanted to do was run back and help her, help her up and to a nice, comfy chair, and make sure she was alright. 

But he couldn’t do that. 

Mr. Stark was still there, and after everything that had happened in the lift, everything had changed between them. Peter couldn’t name it. He just knew that even thinking of the man felt different. 

Mr. Stark had been vulnerable in the lift, Peter realized. He hadn’t been the clever and witty genius, the inventor of many great things. He hadn’t been the hero, the Avenger, who put himself in danger to prevent everyone else from getting hurt. 

He had just been a man, afraid for someone he believed to be his child, which changed everything. 

May and Ben would have been afraid for Peter, too. He remembered years ago when he was still tiny, he wanted to walk to school all by himself because he saw all the older kids doing it, and he knew taking him to school every day was a problem for his aunt and his uncle because their work-schedule was different from school hours. So he wanted to go alone, but May wouldn’t allow it. She was adamant against it. Even if he could have persuaded his uncle, his aunt wouldn’t have it because she was afraid for him. She wasn’t afraid he would get lost on the way or something like that, but there was so much that could happen, and she had been terrified. It took him years to finally get to that point, and he still saw her worrying sometimes. 

So, it wasn’t new to him that someone wanted him to be safe, but the thing with Mr. Stark felt different, and it changed everything. 

Instead of returning to Ms. Potts and ensuring she was okay, he took a shower. To prevent himself from changing his mind. She would be OK, right? The AI would have told him if she wasn’t, or wouldn’t it? Mr. Stark would be in his room right now and screaming his lungs out for hurting his woman, right? Maybe Peter would be already on his way back to the police station!

He was already back in bed, his hair still wet and curly, when the thought came up. He didn’t know what to think of his feelings right now. He thought he would be happy if Mr. Stark would just let him go and stop this whole charade, but if that meant he had to hurt Ms. Potts for this to happen?

Peter made a face. 

He never willingly hurt someone, not even as Spider-Man. Hurting other people felt like hurting himself, and he couldn’t and wouldn’t do it. 

But he did it to Ms. Potts. 

He made another face and realized another thing. He couldn’t just hide in the room forever. If he wanted to leave - and he had to leave! - he had to make sure she was okay before that.

„Lady?“

„Yes, Peter?“

He knew the gentle voice was something Mr. Stark had given his AI. It was something made up and not something real. He still felt immediately better hearing her as calm and composed as ever. She wouldn’t talk with him like that if he had hurt Ms. Potts, would she?

„Is Ms. Potts okay?“

„I’m not sure how to answer that question, Peter. Can you specify it?“

„Did I hurt her? When I pushed her earlier?“ He holds his breath for the answer. 

„She got a small bruise on her upper arm, but otherwise nothing happened to her.“

A bruise. A bruise sounded not so bad. Before the spider bite, Peter got bruises all the time just walking around in their little apartment or when he had to play football in school. He remembered once he got a bruise on his shin just by skipping over one step on the stairs and stumbling. The bruise had been there for a month, and May was worried about it then. 

„Is she mad at me?“ He had to apologize to Ms. Potts as soon as he saw her again, and he hoped she would forgive him for being so careless. 

„No, Peter. She is currently in the kitchen, preparing dinner and talking with Boss.“

That sounded like his own family back in the day. When Ben was at home, he and Peter had already started cooking something. May would always run late because she had to stay longer and help her colleagues. It was a running joke for Ben that May and Peter were always late because they were helping someone, and it was a running joke for May that both of her men always loved to cook for her. Peter often wondered if she really didn’t know the real reason for their willingness to cook. At least this way, food would be eatable. 

Ms. Potts was talking with Boss.

The last words sounded ominous. Or not? They have been a couple for years now. Naturally, they would have many things to discuss, like SI or their life together. 

„Oh, come on, Pete, who do you want to kid? They are talking about you!“ He grumbled to himself and shook his head. The next moment, he stopped, closed his mouth firmly, and looked to the ceiling. Would the AI react to his words? Would something happen? He didn’t know what, but it was always there, always listening and spying on him, so he wouldn’t be surprised if it would do something. 

When nothing happened, he closed his eyes again and tried to make the impression of someone on his way to a nice long sleep. He breathed slowly and evenly. 

„Peter?“

Damnit!

„Yes?“

„Boss is on his way to your room. He wants to talk with you.“

Peter jumped up and was already a few steps away from the bed when he heard the knock on his door. He nearly ran straight to the door and opened it. 

In front of it was Mr. Stark. 

And he smiled very brightly. 

Behind him, a few steps down the hallway, Peter could spot Ms. Potts. She didn’t look hurt; instead, she looked like she had been shaking her head and trying to stop Mr. Stark. When their eyes met, she smiled at Peter. 

He took a relieved breath. She wasn’t mad at him! He smiled back.

„Peter!“ Mr. Stark started and stopped, suddenly seeming lost for words. He just looked at Peter, quiet and confused, and Ms. Potts rolled her eyes about him fondly. Mr. Stark shook himself. „Peter, I have the perfect solution for everything.“

This time, it was Peter who couldn’t say something. He blinked, and he felt confused, too. 

„You want to leave the tower, right?“

„More than anything in the world, “Peter confessed honestly. 

Mr. Stark stopped what he wanted to say again and stepped back. His eyes were wide, and Peter could swear he had heard the other man taking a deep breath as if someone had been punched. But then Ms. Potts was there, and her hand did something to Mr. Stark’s back, and Mr. Stark’s heart skipped only a beat before it worked like usual. 

„That’s a little bit harsh, don’t you think, kid? More than anything in the world? What if a little fairy comes flying around and grants you one wish? Instead of saving the world from hunger or bringing peace to everyone, you want to leave the tower, and that’s it? Boy, you need to get your priorities straight and…“

„Tony.“ Ms. Potts’ voice sounded as calm as the voice in the ceiling. „Don’t.“ 

Mr. Stark turned a little to look over his shoulders, and whatever he could read in her eyes made him turn around again. He cleared his throat.

„Peter, you know I can’t let you out of the tower. Right? Jack, the detective you spoke with, was very clear on it, and though Pep managed to get more than the original 48 hours for you if we make Jack angry, I’m sure he’ll do anything to put you straight back to Juvi. It wouldn’t even be important if you don’t want your blood to be taken. He’ll ask… whatever his name was… the guy with the attitude… you know who I mean! Jack will ask him, and they take your blood, and after that…“

„I won’t let them!“ Peter felt himself getting angry again. He still didn’t know what Mr. Stark wanted to talk about, but whatever it was, he wouldn’t let them take his blood. No freaking way!

„You won’t have a choice, kid!“ Mr. Stark shook his head as if he couldn’t believe how ignorant Peter acted. „You are a minor, and you are…“

„I have rights!“ Mr. Stark stood right in front of the open door, and next to him was Ms. Potts, who was still looking so damn sweet and calm. If they weren’t there, he would just run. He would find a door or window, and nothing would stop him this time. For a second, he even thought about pushing Mr. Stark out of the way, but he knew the older man wasn’t ever without his suit, and that was just history repeated. He could live without the experience. „I still have rights!“ He tried again. His eyes flickered to Ms. Potts, who nodded slowly.

„Yes, Peter, you have rights, and nobody wants to take them from you, “she said, and her other hand came to lie on Peter’s shoulder. She squeezed him slightly. „Nobody wants to do that, but we all need some closure. You’ll understand that, right? Tony had been waiting for a sign of Alessandro for years now. We have been waiting and…“

„I’m not him!“ Peter shouted and surprised himself, too. Yes, he was angry and frustrated, but there was something more to this—something foreign, and he couldn’t understand his feelings. „I’m really not. I remember my Mom and Dad. Really! There is not much, but I remember, and why would I do that if I’m not their son? Why would they sing to me when I couldn’t sleep? Why would they play with me? Teach me how to drive and…“

Pepper looked surprised, too. 

„They taught you how to drive? But I thought. I thought.“ She looked confused. „How old were you when they died?“

„He didn’t let me drive a real car. It was just… I was six, and I sat in my dad’s lab and turned the wheel. He said I was a natural. Like I was born to drive a car. I still remember it! He was so proud of me. Why would he say something like that when I wasn’t his son?“ Peter looked at Ms. Potts, so he didn’t immediately see the impression on Mr. Stark’s face. When Pepper just shrugged because she couldn’t explain why Peter’s dad would do something like that, Peter looked at Mr. Stark and immediately knew something was off. 

„Mr. Stark?“

The man looked hurt and very still. Tears were shining in his eyes. 

„Sandro had a big red car. One that was mainly for kids, maybe one or two years older than Sandro, but he looked so cute in it, so I bought it, and when I put him in it, he didn’t look unsure or surprised. He looked as if he was born to sit in this little car. He couldn’t even walk then, and I had to push him around, but he seemed so proud and happy.“

„Bobby Car. He loved that car“, remembered Pepper, and she smiled tearfully. „He couldn’t stop hitting the big button in the middle of the steering wheel. Most of the time, nothing happened, but every so often, a little sound came out of it.“

„It wasn’t a loud sound. Not even an authentic honk, but something similar, and he loved it. When he got it right, he laughed loudly and was so happy. It was the best sound in the world to him, and we loved hearing him having fun.“ 

Mr. Stark and Ms. Potts looked at each other, and for a moment, they were all alone and lost in memories that were so much better than reality. 

Later, Peter would ask himself why he hadn’t used that special moment for his great escape. But at that moment, Peter remembered a similar thing: a big car with an even bigger wheel and a button in the middle. He remembered that there had been a sun sticker on the button, but he didn’t want to hit the sun, so someone, his dad? had to remove the sticker, and after that, hitting the button was the best thing ever. 

He remembered it so clearly as if it hadn’t been years ago. 

But… a lot of kids have such cars, right? He was sure of it. Wasn’t it a big firm with lots of other things for kids? So having the same toys as Mr. Stark’s wasn’t so unusual. It was like the color of his hair. Many kids have brown hair and brown eyes, which doesn’t mean anything. 

It still made him feel something he didn’t want to feel. 

„You wanted to talk with me about a children’s car?“ He asked, and he didn’t care that his voice sounded rough.

Both adults were silent for a second. Ms. Potts swallowed silent tears, and Mr. Stark closed his eyes for one breath or two. Then he shook himself as if he wanted to let something bad fall away from him. 

„No, naturally not. That was a mistake. We wanted to tell you that we understand that you don’t want your blood to be taken.“

Peter just looked at him. They know that only right now? And everyone believes the man is a genius?

„Duh.“

Mr. Stark ignored him. 

„And you told me you aren’t afraid of needles.“

„I’m not a kid, Mr. Stark.“

„Yes, you are, but that’s not the point. You aren’t afraid of needles, and so there is only one reason for you to be so adamant against the test.“

„Now I’m really curious, “Peter grumbled loudly. 

Again, Mr. Stark ignored him. 

„You think it won’t change anything. We would take your blood, and it will be tested and whether you are or you aren’t Sandro…“ Only a slight hiccup told Peter how hard it must have been for Mr. Stark to say something like this. The man didn’t react to his words, and Ms. Potts’s smile never vanished. „So whether you are or you aren’t, you won’t trust the result - as long as you aren’t there for the whole procedure.“ He smiled brightly. „So, what do you think? Do you want to work the test with me?“

Peter blinked. 

„What?“

„The test. We could take the test together. This way, nobody could tamper with the results, and we both know right away the answer. Nothing to set up, nothing to deceive.“ 

Peter blinked again. 

That could work; his mind stumbled over the thought. They could work together, and nobody could get their hands on Peter’s blood. They would only look for special markers; after that, he could make his blood useless. A little bit of disinfection could be beneficial with that. 

It could really work.

„Tony told me that you had helped your aunt before. You talked with her and asked her about her job. That was why we thought you would be interested in taking the test yourself“, Pepper explained when Peter stayed still. 

Peter wanted to believe that this would change everything. Mr. Stark would finally see that Peter wasn’t who he thought he was. After that, he would help Peter leave the tower, and maybe Peter could help find the real Alessandro. There would be a happy end for Mr. Stark and his son, and Peter could work on his own happy end right after that. It could work. 

„When can we start?“ 

Funnily, a DNA test with your blood and that of your possible father wasn’t very complicated. You need a few things, little plates and syringes, a centrifuge and reagents and after that? A few minutes of your time. 

Peter hadn’t known that. 

And he hadn’t known how much fun it could be working with Mr. Stark in his own lab. The man wasn’t like Peter’s teacher in school. He made jokes and played music way too loud, but he was mostly nice and seemed to enjoy explaining many things to Peter. While their blood was in the centrifuge, he took Peter for a sightseeing tour through his lab. He showed him his bots and explained a few things about their history, and while Peter tried to get DUM-E to let go of a ball the bot wanted Peter to throw, Mr. Stark explained so much more, and Peter still had lots of questions. It was addictive to have someone like Mr. Stark explaining things because he didn’t give Peter the feeling he would be too dumb or not quick enough on the uptake, but in fact, he was more than once surprised by the way Peter’s thoughts went. 

It was fun. 

Peter loved every minute of it. 

When Ms. Potts came into the lab, and the AI dramatically silenced the music, Peter, who usually really liked Ms. Potts, was nearly sad that she came to disturb them. Mr. Stark looked unhappy, too. 

„And?“she asked, and nobody would have seen how nervous she was, but it was in her voice. 

Peter couldn’t believe they had forgotten the test!

Mr. Stark looked equally dumbfounded and shook his head. 

Together, the three of them went to the centrifuge. The small tubes with their blood looked perfect for the test. Mr. Stark showed Peter what would come next: only a few drops of their blood on a slide, a few drops of reagents, and then the AI would analyze the results. They had talked about these things while they had taken their blood. Peter was so nervous when Mr. Stark put the needle in Peter’s arm, but when it was his turn, and he wanted to do the same to Mr. Stark, it was even harder not to shake!

„How long will it take?“ Ms. Potts asked when the AI stopped his work and showed them the results. 

She gave a small shout when she saw it. 

Mr. Stark took a deep breath so loud and clear as if he hadn’t had air the whole day, and Peter?

Was speechless. 

He couldn’t say anything. 

He just looked at the results, and his first reaction was to repeat it. This time, he would be even more careful with everything. This time, he wouldn’t get distracted by the shiny toys in the lab. He would stay with the centrifuge, and he would see everything. Maybe he could even…

„Peter?“ Mr. Stark put one of his hands on Peter’s shoulder. „Everything alright, buddy?“ 

Peter couldn’t look away. His eyes were fixated on the test results. 

„There was a sun on the button, “he said when his heart stopped racing and he could breathe again. „In the middle of it. When I got it.“

„Yes.“ Peter heard Mr. Stark smiling. He didn’t see the man because his eyes wouldn’t leave the monitor alone. „You didn’t want to hit it. I had to remove the sticker, which ruined it, but that was okay. You didn’t want to have it anyway. After that…“

„I couldn’t stop hitting the button, but it was very heavy.“

„It wasn’t heavy, Peter.“ One hand worked its way over Peter’s shoulder to the other one. A half hearted hug, usually Peter would have shrugged the touch away but this time he couldn’t. His eyes, breath, and mind… everything was so difficult right now. So unbelievable. 

„You were just too little to push the button, baby.“ He heard Ms. Potts whisper. „Too little. The car was for older kids, a little bigger than you had been.“

Peter thought it was easy for her to say, and then another thing came to his mind. It was easy for her because she had seen Peter when he had been that little boy in the red car. 

When he had been Alessandro. 

Chapter Text

The time after they got the test result was blurry to Peter. 

He didn’t know how or when they left the lab, but he knew they did it together, with Ms. Potts right by his side, and Mr. Stark still had his arm around Peter’s shoulders. They walked, maybe, to the kitchen or the living room. Maybe they got something nice and warm to drink, coffee for Mr. Stark, cocoa for Ms. Potts and Peter, and they talked for hours afterward. Or they stayed silent. Maybe they weren’t even sitting together on the oversized, comfy couch. Perhaps they weren’t even in the same room. The same tower. The same universe.

Peter wasn’t sure about anything anymore. 

His mind was racing the whole time, and he couldn’t comprehend how the test result was what it was. Everything in his life seemed to vanish right now. He wasn’t sure who he was anymore, who raised him, or who had made him believe who he was. 

He was… like a plain white paper on a typewriter. 

Or like the white couch, they all were suddenly sitting on so very quietly. 

He could feel Mr. Stark breathing next to him. He was sitting so close to this man, this stranger, that he could feel him, and he didn’t even want to have more space between them. Just a few days earlier, when they were in this limousine of his, they were sitting on the back seat way too close for Peter’s liking, and he was keeping the space between them like it was the most important border ever, and now? He could feel the warmth of the man. He could smell his cologne. He could hear his heartbeat like in the lift, but it was surprisingly calm and steady this time. 

No panic attack, Peter’s mind helpfully added. The man had no panic attack because he had known the truth for days. He had known that Peter was his son, but Peter had been dumb enough not to believe the other tests. Or dumb enough to believe this test?

Could there still be something off? 

No. 

He had been there the whole time. He had felt the prick of the needle when Mr. Stark took his blood, and he was the one who took the blood of Mr. Stark. There was nobody else in the room with them, even Ms. Potts had left the lab after a few seconds, claiming to have something to do, but Mr. Stark told Peter quietly that she couldn’t stand seeing Mr. Stark’s blood, and she had hated it when Peter got hurt as a kid. 

It was very strange to think of Ms. Potts as someone who was there when toddler Peter had stubbed his toe and needed a „make it better“ kiss from mommy. 

Oh, god! 

She wasn’t his mom, but the little kid inside of him didn’t know that. Did he call her that?

For some strange reason, the thought made Peter lose his mind again. 

And then another one. 

Did he call Iron Man Dad?

His eyes went wide. He couldn’t imagine doing that, calling the man something other than just Mr. Stark. Everything else would feel so disrespectful. Or wouldn’t it? 

Oh, god!

Tony knew Pepper had given him decaf coffee in his favorite cup. He knew it when he smelled it, and he knew it when he saw the look she gave him, somehow comforting and scolding at the same time. He knew it, and he couldn’t care less.

Peter Parker. 

Was his son.

Really. 

Without any doubt. 

Peter Parker was his son. His Alessandro. His baby boy. 

The kid he wanted to change the world for. 

The kid he wanted to be a better man for. 

He held the cup in his hands, and he felt the warmth of the hot liquid slowly getting to him, but it was nothing compared to the slightly vibrating kid next to him. 

Peter was sitting so close next to Tony that he could feel him, and everything in him wanted Tony to turn around and pull Peter into his arms. It was like they had been sitting on the ground of the lift, only it would be so much better now because they both knew the truth. 

He could feel his breath leaving his body when he thought of this. 

Peter was his son. 

He was back. 

Finally. 

He was safe and secure in Tony’s tower, and he wasn’t hurt or crying or dying alone in some desert (like in Tony’s endless nightmares). He was here with him, and Pepper was there, and the room smelled of chocolate and coffee and a little bit of Pepper’s favorite scent. His whole world always smelled like Pepper’s favorite scent because she was everywhere, and he loved it. 

Suddenly, he remembered when everything smelled like a baby or toddler. Not the smell you would think of in the first place! But these little kids had a special smell on them. Alisa had told him that nature did this to secure their spot in the family. It was written in his DNA that he loved the smell of his baby, and when he first got to hold his baby boy, he knew she was right. Nature had been right because it was the best smell ever. 

He wondered if Peter still smelled like that and asked himself why he hadn’t thought of that before. He had the boy in his arms in the lift, and he could have smelled him then and there. 

He could turn around now and take a whiff. 

And he decided that this would be very strange. Weird. And possibly creepy. 

The kid had called him creepy on more than one occasion already. No need to add some fuel to that fire, right? 

But he still wanted to know. And he wanted to hold him. Hold him so close and never let him go again. 

He knew that would be difficult. Over the last few days, the boy had proven that he wanted to get away and would find a way to do it. Tony still didn’t know how he had done it every time and feared it wouldn’t change now. 

Or would it?

They had the test results now. Once and for all. Peter was Tony’s son, and Tony was Peter’s father. 

No need to run away again, right?

Right?

Tony threw a short glance to the silent kid by his side, who held his cup of cocoa as Tony held his cup of coffee. Tony had to smile because they had to look identical right now. 

Like father and son. 

Oh, god…

They were father and son. No more guessing.  

No more trying to get away (at least that’s what Tony hoped for!), no more silent treatment and strangers in the same room (at least that’s what Tony prayed for!), and no more „Mr. Stark“. 

Another strange thought.

Tony, who wasn’t one for formalities in the first place, was used to people calling him Tony, even if they didn’t know him. Only a few very selected people called him „Dr. Stark, “ and only slightly more called him „Mr. Stark, “ but Peter was one of them, and for some weird reason, Tony couldn’t imagine Peter calling him something else. 

Like dad.

Alessandro had called him Papa because that was the word Alisa had used, but it wasn’t very common for Americans, so Tony would assume Peter would call him dad. Or not? Was that too much? The kid was nearly an adult already, and as he said more than once, he didn’t need a dad anymore. So maybe he wouldn’t want to call him that. 

But maybe he would call him Tony? 

Or maybe he would have the same love for silly nicknames as Tony had?

Oh, Tony couldn’t wait to find out what the boy would use!

But he still would love to be called dad. 

Pepper was sitting there, watching her boys quietly. 

They were finally her boys again, she thought. 

Her eyes wandered from Tony, who was always the first one she saw in every crowd, to Peter. 

His slight figure on the oversized white couch. He looked like he was shaking a little. He couldn’t be cold, right? It was sunny outside and warm in the building, so maybe he was shaking because he was afraid. 

That was something she could imagine. 

Discovering that everything you believed to be true in your life was a lie must be scary. He must feel so alone right now, and so confused. That had to be why he was sitting so close to Tony; he didn’t want to be near him every other time.  

The same went for Tony; she smiled. 

Tony wanted to know everything about the boy and who she had to prevent from putting a tracker in the kid more than once already. They even fought about it, just a few hours earlier, and now? Everything had changed quickly, but she feared the tracker was still on the table. At least for Tony, who had to be afraid of losing his kid again. So damn afraid. No wonder he always wanted to hold him and envied her for doing it so easily. 

He hadn’t said anything about it to her, but she could see it in his eyes, and her heart broke for him every time. It wasn’t easy for him, not as easy as it was for her, which was some kind of reverse life right now. 

Before Peter, she was always the one who couldn’t take what she wanted because there were always rules and a timeline and things like that. When Tony decided he wanted to have a house in Malibu, he bought it. He didn’t even look at market prices or whether everything was okay with the building. He liked the view, so he bought it. 

And when he wanted to prevent a particular muffin shop from closing, he bought the shop, too. He did not care why the owner wanted to close the shop (he was already old and had no replacement in sight). Naturally, Tony found someone to take over, and everyone was happy, but it still took time. 

Whatever Tony wanted to have, he just took. He was impatient to wait and way too smart for his own good sometimes. So just sitting there and watching how Pepper hugged Peter was hard for him because some instinct in him knew he couldn’t do it, not right now. And he envied her for it. 

But now he was sitting so close to Peter, and the boy trembled slightly. This would be the perfect opportunity for Tony! 

But he was just sitting there, holding the damn cup of coffee like his life depended on it, and was silent, so very quiet. 

Her silly boys, she thought fondly. 

It would be so easy if they just talked with each other. Peter could tell Tony about his fear of this new life that was right in front of him, and Tony could tell Peter about his fear of losing his son again. Or of finding his son and not being wanted by him. And maybe then Peter could tell Tony that he was afraid that he wasn’t the kind of son someone like Tony wanted to have. They could talk about everything and then hug, laugh, and be a family again. 

It would be perfect. 

Like a dream that finally came true. 

But it would be too easy, right?

Chapter Text

The funny thing with everything was, it didn’t make Peter’s life any easier. 

At least, not in his opinion. 

After their very long and quiet sit-in on the couch in the living room, Ms. Potts asked if they were hungry. She even wanted Mr. Stark to order something online. As she was always the one who insisted on cooking, it was quite an exception. 

Peter knew he couldn’t eat anything right now; he only wanted to be alone and think of everything. There was so much that he didn’t understand, so many questions, and just sitting there and eating didn’t sound helpful, so he declined, very nicely and politely. 

Ms. Potts looked worried, but Mr. Stark understood him this time and nodded slightly. 

„Can I go back to my room?“ Peter asked. 

Ms. Potts looked as if she wanted to say something about it, maybe make a better suggestion, but then she nodded. 

Mr. Stark stood up when Peter jumped up. 

„Pete?“ 

Already on his way out of the room, Peter turned back again. 

„Can I…? I mean, I understand if everything is so much right now, but I still would love to…“ He broke up, obviously lost for the right words, and again, Ms. Potts saved the day. 

„Could you hug us, Peter? Both of us? We really would appreciate it.“ 

Peter saw how Mr. Stark looked at his woman, and it wasn’t clear if he was annoyed with her or thankful, but then he nodded and looked at Peter. 

Peter knew right away that this was what Mr. Stark had wanted to ask, too, which made him shiver. He didn’t think Mr. Stark liked it much when people entered his personal space, but maybe this was something different? 

He remembered the time in the precinct when he felt the ghost of a touch on his shoulders just before they left the police, and after that, the one time in the tower when Ms. Potts hugged him and he could feel Mr. Stark hovering behind him. They had hugged in the lift after Mr. Stark’s panic attack, and he had felt the arm of the man just after they got the test result, but other than that? 

Maybe this was something the older man had wanted all along.

After all, Peter was still the kid he had lost and missed so much over the years. 

Oh, god! Just thinking about it made Peter’s throat shrink, and he had to swallow. 

Mr. Stark, who had looked at him intensely, saw it and understood it wrong. 

„You don’t have to, Pete. It’s okay. You can just…“ he started to say, when Peter took a step and threw himself in Mr. Stark’s arms. 

For a second, nothing happened. 

Peter felt the man could smell his aftershave and the softener in his shirt. He felt the thump of his heart, steady but with this little delay every so often, nothing to be scared of, but like a fingerprint, something unique to Mr. Stark. 

Then he felt the other man’s arms tighten around him, and he was hugged like nobody had ever hugged him before. It was a little bit too hard, but it was nothing to Peter. The warmth and the pressure felt like something he had missed without knowing. 

He felt himself smiling. 

„It will be okay, kid“, Mr. Stark whispered silently in his ear. „Maybe not right now or how you want it to be, but it will be okay. You and me, we both will be okay.“

There were tears in Peter’s eyes, and he blinked a few times to get rid of them. 

In the background, he could hear Ms. Potts talking silently with the AI in the ceiling. She said something about taking lots of pictures and saving them in so many different folders, just to be sure, just to be sure, and she, too, sounded as if she would be crying. 

„Everything alright, kiddo?“

Peter nodded. He pressed his face deeper into Mr. Stark’s shoulder, and even the thought of pictures couldn’t prevent him from starting to cry. He didn’t want to. He bit his teeth together and tried to regain control, but the tears spilled. 

„Oh, Pete.“ The hug got a little bit tighter. One hand of Mr. Stark rubbed over his back, the other found its way on Peter’s head, and Peter felt a light scrubbing. „It will be alright. I swear. You don’t have to worry about it.“ 

Peter nodded again. He tried to breathe and calm himself. This wasn’t like he usually was, and he couldn’t understand why he couldn’t grasp himself right now. 

Mr. Stark seemed to understand, though. He held Peter and rubbed slightly over his back while whispering something sweet and calming every so often. 

It felt nice. 

Peter couldn’t remember when he felt so comforted in that moment. 

The thought scared him. 

It sounded as if Aunt May or Uncle Ben hadn’t been there for him, and that wasn’t just right. They were the best guardians a boy could have, and he knew they both loved him dearly. 

He remembered mornings with May in their small kitchen when he was sick and couldn’t attend school. She made him inhale some smelly stuff that would help his lungs. He didn’t want it because it was awful, so she came under that hand with him. Even though she wasn’t sick, she stayed with him under it the whole time, and on every other day, he would need to. 

Or Ben, who had to work five hard night shifts and still went to Peter’s school to see him trying to get into a sports team. It was before his Spider-Man days, so he had no luck getting a spot in the team, but Ben had still been there. When he was dismissed from the selection, Peter was devastated. Ben had just taken him out of school that day; they went for ice cream and to the park, which was one of Peter’s favorite memories. 

So enjoying being comforted by Mr. Stark felt wrong. It felt like he would betray his guardians. 

Mr. Stark seemed to feel the shift in Peter’s mindset, and his hug wasn’t as hard as before. Peter could feel a kiss on his head and another „Please tell me you got that“ from Ms. Potts. The AI confirmed, and Peter rolled his eyes. It was like Ms. Potts wanted to make a folder of embarrassing pictures of Peter. 

„Feel better?“ 

Peter wondered if Mr. Stark had heard his woman and the AI, but then he decided they both had been too quiet. Only Peter with his spider-ears could have heard them. 

„A little," Peter said, trying to avoid looking Mr. Stark in the eyes. He felt another brush over his hair. 

„Ok. Me too.“ With that, Peter looked up, surprised, and really! Mr. Stark’s eyes were red, and he even had tear marks on his cheeks. 

„What? You think you are the only one who felt all the dust and dirt in the air? Really dusty and dirty around here, Ms. Potts!“ Mr. Stark smiled, and Ms. Potts laughed out loud. „We should hire more cleaners because the kid and I are delicate and need it to be very clean. Right, kid?“

Peter smiled slightly, which made Mr. Stark lift his brows. But he said nothing; he just smiled. 

„Now go, kid. We’ll order some Chinese and shout when it’s here. Maybe you wanna join us then?“

Usually, he wouldn’t have joined them. He would have politely declined, and he would drown his hunger with tap water from his bathroom—everything to avoid getting in touch with the people around him. 

Peter felt himself nodding, and Mr. Stark smiled just as Ben did after Peter solved the New York Times crossword puzzle for the first time. He left Mr. Stark’s arms and went to leave the living room, but just before he could step into the hallway, Mr. Stark called after him. 

„Oh, so you know, Pete. After this final test, I can lift the lockdown a little bit. So you can go and explore the Tower. I’m not allowed to open it entirely until you hearing because of the B&E, but you can look around. Maybe find something to occupy your time.“ 

Peter turned around, a little confused. Until now, he felt Mr. Stark didn’t want him to leave the penthouse because he was scared he would vanish again, but this sounded as if he had no problems with Peter being around other people. 

„Under one condition, Pete.“

Peter stopped breathing. Things that come with conditions weren’t ever good, in his opinion. 

„No stairs. You take the lift, and the Avengers floor is off-limits for you.“ The eyes of Mr. Stark were so big and clear, and Peter remembered the moment with Mr. Barnes and Mr. Stark. Mr. Stark had been afraid for Peter’s life. 

Peter nodded quietly, then he turned away again.

„Oh, and please don’t disturb the interns you’ll meet. They have important work to do. Even the ones that are your age.“ 

If that didn’t sound like a hint to do that, Peter thought. Or some reverse psychology. Which would be funny. Peter was bored out of his mind after being in the Tower for a few days with nothing to occupy him. He was worried sick for May and still wanted to know if something had been wrong with the plan to break into the Tower. He didn’t know why, but he felt there was something off. 

It was like that one time his spider-sense went mad at him when he was standing on the street and trying to explain to this nice woman from France where she had to take the train to get to her daughter, who was studying in America. She had wanted to surprise her with an unplanned, unannounced visit and got lost in the city. Peter loved to help her when his senses went mad at him. It took him a second to see that no car was driving their way, no mugger or thief was aiming a gun at them, and nobody even took a picture of Spiderman being helpful. He found that kind of picture often enough in the newspaper, especially in the Bugle, and he didn’t like it. He didn’t help people to get the attention of the news!

This time, however, it was strange. He could feel something happening and couldn’t see a reason for it. Nevertheless, he stirred the woman away from her spot and even followed her a few steps. That’s when he heard the weird sound, and when he looked up because he knew right away that the sound came from somewhere above him, he saw some roof tiles flying through the air, coming down right where Peter and the woman had just been standing. The woman screamed and jumped further away, and Peter was glad he had his spider-sense because without it? They both could have been hurt really badly.

At that time, he didn’t see the danger, or there wasn’t even a reason to believe something was wrong, but he had known it. 

This time it was the same. 

So, having the opportunity to leave the penthouse and walk around the Tower would be very much appreciated. 

Peter smiled when he entered his room. But then he saw his jacket on the chair next to the window. He had put it there when he walked into the room and never had the energy to put it in the dresser or something like that. 

Mr. Stark or Ms. Potts assumed he was just a teenager, sloppy and lazy maybe, but there was a reason behind it. In his jacket was his wallet, and he knew everything in it. The little money he owned, the business card from a firm who hires people as bicycle couriers (he only needed a bike for that but he was working on it), the cute picture of the dog of his neighbor (the one who moved away) and the bill of last years entrance to the MET. 

At the police station where they had taken all his belongings and searched his wallet, the police man had made a face at his meager belongings, but Peter was okay with it. Because he didn’t need money to feel good, he needed his memories and the bill for last year’s entrance to the MET. It was one of his previous good memories with his aunt and uncle. Seeing his jacket lying on the chair every time he opened his eyes made him remember the wallet and the bill, and he immediately felt better. 

When he looked at the jacket, another thought came to his mind. 

Did they know?

No, he couldn’t believe it. They couldn’t have known, but what about… Mary and Richard Parker? The people whom he believed to be his parents? Did they steal him? Or did they find him somewhere? Did they buy him? 

How do you get a child if it’s not yours?

He was confused, and with each passing second, more questions came to his mind, but he could not answer them. 

Who did it? Who took Mr. Stark’s kid away and why? 

Was it for ransom? And why didn’t Mr. Stark pay the ransom? Or did he? 

Then what went wrong, and how did Peter end up as Peter Parker instead of living as Alessandro Stark?

The „How’s,„ „Who’s, “ and „Why’s“ drove him crazy, and he was very happy that he could leave the penthouse soon because he knew he wouldn’t get answers just by lying on his back and trying to prevent the AI from spying on his thoughts, or something like that. 

In the end, it was Mr. Stark who came to get him to eat something. Again, Peter could feel the arm of the other man, just hovering a little over Peter’s shoulder, but not touching. Then they were walking side by side, and Mr. Stark was telling him something about that time he and Ms. Potts ordered Chinese and got Thai instead, which wasn’t a good surprise because…

„Oh, I love Thai“, Peter said when Mr. Stark took a breath. „Where we lived before, there was a Thai restaurant, just down the road, and we went there at least once per month. Their Larb was the best larb ever!“

„Really?“ Mr. Stark looked surprised and then pleased. „You could have told us that! We could have ordered there! You know what? We still can! Let’s do it. Pep? We need to…“ 

„Oh, no!“ Peter said quickly. „No, it’s all good, Mr. Stark. Really. I love Chinese too. Very much.“ He nodded a few times, and then he stopped when he saw the face Mr. Stark was making. „What?“

But Mr. Stark said nothing. His smile had faltered a little, and Peter knew he was missing something, but he had no clue. 

„Mr. Stark? Is something wrong?“

This time, he felt Mr. Stark’s big hand on his shoulder, just a little, a push and a press, and then it was gone, and Mr. Stark smiled again. 

„Nothing wrong, Pete. Nothing wrong. We’ll do it next time.“ And he led him to the kitchen, where Ms. Potts was already waiting for them. 

It was their first time eating together that didn’t feel strained. The kid even smiled a few times and shared a funny joke about some people he had met when he had been around the city. 

Tony was impressed by how many people Peter already knew and how different they sounded to the people Tony had known when he was Peter’s age. Money seemed to make a lot of things different. While Tony only had met people with money and intelligent minds (he was at MIT in Peter’s age), Peter knew people who worked as professional dog walker (and he envied every one of them; even the one with the big, ugly dogs or the small ones with the bad temper) or window cleaner. He shared his time with an older woman who needed help with her small garden and with an old pair who couldn’t stop fighting over every little thing, even where to put the silverware or the newspaper, and after each fight, they told each other how much they loved each other. 

It sounded very strange to Tony, but he saw how Peter’s eyes lit up when talking about these people, and Tony loved hearing their stories. 

Peter laughed at Tony’s jokes and thanked Pepper for spoiling him with the last roll. Tony would have bought the whole restaurant to have Peter smiling so happily forever. 

„What do you want to do now, Peter?“ Pepper asked while Tony was still enjoying Peter’s story of the one time he found the missing dog and got lots of cuddles from its small owner. It took Tony a few seconds to understand that the missing dog was a plushy and the small owner was a neighbor’s daughter. „We could watch a movie if you want. “ 

Movie sounded like sitting in the living room, maybe Peter right next to him on the couch again. 

Movie sounded perfect. 

„Or maybe we could play a game? Something like Mario Kart? Or something different. I think we have…“ Pepper was still discussing their options for the evening when Tony’s phone started vibrating. 

He was on vacation at the moment, and after the whole fiasco with the accords, he was already thinking of leaving the entire superhero business, so he had told FRI to screen any calls. Until now, only Rhodey and a few others had been sent to him. 

This call, however, wasn’t from Rhodey. 

He looked at the caller ID, sent Pepper a small sign, and left the table while she tried to get Peter to decide what to do next. 

„What do you want?“ If he did sound angry when he picked up the call, it was not his problem. Just seeing the caller ID made him feel very, very angry. If he could turn green, this would be the perfect moment because this caller didn’t call to check if Tony was alright and having a good time. 

„Tony, we need your help with Spiderman“, said Steve Rogers. 

Chapter Text

„Tony, we need your help with Spiderman.“

Just like that, Tony’s anger was gone, vanished as quickly as it came. 

It was pretty funny how things could change, Tony thought quietly. He turned around to glance at Pepper and the kid, who walked to the living room side by side, as it should be, as it should have been for years. 

Steve Rogers needed his help?

So what? He can fucking wait! Like everyone else! Tony was on vacation and didn’t plan to end it for the next, say, 20 years? 

Really. It was funny how times could change. Or how people could change. 

Tony remembered getting a similar call a few years earlier. A man who called himself Tony’s friend in college needed money and a boost of fame, so he called Tony for help, and Tony, not even really remembering the other man, helped him. He had looked at the firm the man wanted to buy (nothing extraordinary, but Tony could see the appeal) and heard the reason behind everything. All sounded good, and so Tony helped. Just because he could. A few weeks later he saw an interview in which the guy told the whole world what a douchebag Tony was. Tony didn’t understand why the other man acted like that, but he didn’t need to understand it to do something against it. He just bought the competition firm and put the man and his firm out of the market. 

That had been easy, and since then Tony had learned to discover this kind of people before they could get to him. Pepper was a big help with that, so he felt much safer now. But Pepper couldn’t help when he met the Avengers. He didn’t ask her for help because the Avengers were the good guys, right? They were freaking heroes!

So he answered every call, took every job, and helped everyone of them with everything he had. Did they need money? He threw it at them. Did they require a brilliant mind? He was there. Did they need something flashy, something exciting? He got it for them. They needed to hide a body? Ups…

The only thing he wanted in return was their friendship. 

But friends didn’t hide the murder of your parents from you. 

When Steve left Tony in Siberia behind, he hadn’t just left a man in a damaged suit. He had left a friend and still hadn’t even tried to get him back. 

Which hurt. 

It hurt so damn much.

It hurt so much that Tony used to think every single second while lying there and waiting for help to arrive. He hated thinking of feelings, but that didn’t mean he didn’t do it ever. 

So he was lying on his back, in the cold Siberian bunker, surrounded by nothing but silence and feeling blood leaving his body, which was not a nice feeling, but it was cold, so in the end he would be alright, right? 

He used this time to think.

He asked himself all the usual questions like:  

Why me? 

Why them? 

Why not me? 

Why am I the one who gets left behind? 

Why am I always called a liar, yet I’m the one everyone lies to? 

Why am I the unreliable one? Even though I’m always there, always ready to help?

And again: Why me?

So after lying motionless for hours and feeling the cold creeping into his bones, he was glad when help arrived, but he had no answer to his many questions. 

On the way back to Germany and after that back to the US, he thought again and he found other questions like:

If I’m the only one that always gets left behind, why should I care about them?

If I’m always the one who does everything wrong, why should I help them? 

If I’m not good enough to be a friend, why should I be one?

All the unanswered questions made him silent when he was back home, with Pepper and Rhodey by his side, and he could feel their worried glances. They asked him many questions, too, and he knew they were more than just friends for him. They were his true family and loved him just for being Tony and nothing more. They would stand by him with everything they had. 

He knew that if he had talked to them about the situation in Siberia, they would have gone against Rogers and his friends. They would do everything in their power to make them pay. There was no forgiveness for them. 

But Tony knew the world would need the Avengers someday. He had seen it and was so sure that he even risked losing JARVIS to keep the world safe. Not because he wanted to be the big hero. No, he did it so the world was still a safe place for Alessandro, even if he hadn’t known where his boy was or if he was even still alive, he wanted the world to be secure, and he couldn’t do that all alone, so they needed the Avengers. 

That didn’t mean their betrayal didn’t hurt him, or that he was happy to have them back in the States, the Compound, or the Tower. 

So he told everyone that he needed a break, a vacation. Well deserved and earned. And everyone accepted his decision. Pepper was unsurprisingly very happy about it, and even Rhodes smiled relieved. 

Tony didn’t think he would stand on the sidelines forever. He wouldn’t retire. He knew the world would need him, and he wouldn’t stand back. But then they found Alessandro again, and suddenly the kid, his boy, his baby, was back, and everything else wasn’t as important as it used to be. 

So he took his break from avenging very seriously, and not even Captain America could tempt him to return. 

Especially not Captain America. 

„Why would you need my help?“he asked after a short second, silently cursing himself for taking the call. He could have been in the living room already, seated next to Pepper and Peter and deciding which movie to watch, but no, he had to take the call. 

„Capturing Spiderman is not as easy as we thought it would be.“ Rogers sounded serious. He sounded as if this call wasn’t easy for him either. 

„Shocking. You and your whole team of super spies can’t find one single vigilante?“

„Tony“, Rogers sighed. Tony knew Rogers hated asking for help. „We could have underestimated him.“

„Oh?“ Tony made a face. As if that ever had prevented Rogers from going after the thing he wanted to have!

„It seems like we didn’t know everything about the situation. We weren’t really informed about all the things related to Spiderman.“

„You weren’t informed about all the things?“ Tony turned around because the talk with Rogers made his stomach feel like the last Dim Sum had turned to stone, a very hot stone right out of lava or something like that. He glanced at Pepper and Peter sitting on the oversized couch in the living room, still side by side, and Peter was scrolling through a big list of movies and shows on the big screen. 

Tony wanted to be there!

He wanted to sit next to his kid and hear him talking about movies he had watched or shows he wanted to binge. He had missed so many things, and now he had missed another moment with his kid, all because of stupid Rogers. Who couldn’t catch an amateur vigilante in spandex?

„I know what you are thinking, Tony,” Rogers said while Tony seriously considered ending the call and putting Rogers on the not-now-not-ever list with Ross, Hammer, and a woman called Elsa. Elsa claimed to be his long-lost wife and true love. She was also 93 years old and demented, but still ever so resourceful in finding new ways to get to him. 

„You are quiet, sweetie. Everything ok?“ He heard Pepper asked and he needed to end this damn call like right now. 

„Just thinking.“ The boy answered silently. Thinking? About what? How to get away again? How to jump out of the bathroom window? How to… „There are so many movies I haven’t seen yet.  I remember when this came out and my friend and I wanted to see it, but…“ The boy talked about the film. About movies! Not planning his next great escape. 

This time, it was Tony who sighed with relief. 

„He may have hidden some things from us“, Rogers had the guts to tell Tony. 

It was like waving a red flag in front of a bull.. 

„So what you mean is, Spiderman and you are besties now, and you need me to be the bad guy in this?“ Tony whispered sharply. Pepper just put her arms around Peter, and the boy seemed to enjoy it - and Tony was still talking with Rogers!

„Tony…“ Rogers started again. It even sounded as if he wanted to say something like „I apologize “ or „I’m sorry“ or „You are right, I was wrong. I will remove me and my assassin best friend right out of your part of the world and you’ll never see us again“. 

„We really need your help with this, and I’m sure, as soon as you hear about everything the guy has done, you want to help us because it’s the right thing to do here and…“

„The right thing to do here?“ There has to be an echo somewhere in Tony’s mind because he couldn’t stop himself from repeating Rogers’ words. Was the man really talking about the right thing? Oh, yes, Rogers was.

„Yes, and I know you want to do what is right for the people of New York. You want to help them. I know you do.“ 

Tony blinked. On the screen, the kid went through every possible choice. He didn’t even stop to look at the summary of the movies or which actor played in it. He just scrolled and scrolled, and only Pepper tried to say something to a few films or ask him what he usually liked to watch. 

„Yes, you are right“, Tony said, and he could literally hear the other man’s relief. „And you know what? I’ll be right on it as soon as my vacation time is over. Until then, have fun with it!“ He ended the call, and it felt awesome!

Without another thought, he put his mobile away and went straight to the living room. He was already sitting on the couch, right next to Peter, who didn’t seem to mind, and Pepper, who was looking slightly worried, when he got another call. 

„FRI?“ He said and smiled reassuringly at Pepper. „If it’s not Rhodey, send them to voicemail.“

Pepper didn’t look like this would be her favorite solution, but she said nothing. 

„Oh, and put the penthouse on stealthy-lockdown-mode. We want to watch a movie and being interrupted by super spies who didn’t get the no-entry-meme is not on my list for tonight.“

„Done, boss.“ FRI sounded smug, and he knew she would have so much fun preventing Romanov from entering the penthouse. Especially after she lost his kid so much over the last few days, which went against her pride a little bit, and he didn’t even know he had programmed her to feel pride. 

„What was that about?“ Pepper asked 30 minutes later when Peter had excused himself to go to the bathroom. They stopped the movie for it. 

„Nothing important, Pep“, Tony answered, stealing one of the last red gummy bears out of the bowl. He didn’t even feel guilty about it because Peter seemed to prefer the green ones. 

„It was Steve, wasn’t it?“ She said when he spotted another red bear and shamelessly grabbed for it. „What did he want?“

„Nothing important, Pep.“ The kid would be back any minute now. Though Peter had taken his sweet time to decide on a movie, he now seemed invested in it. He hasn’t even said a word while watching it, but that was okay for Tony, who just enjoyed sitting beside him and fighting for gummy bears in a bowl. 

„Tony!“ Pepper sounded frustrated. „I’ll hear it soon enough. Just tell me!“

„They want my help in their search for Spiderman.“ He finally found the last red bear and smiled happily. 

„What? Why? I thought he was just a low-key vigilante? Nothing Steve and Nat couldn’t handle. Why do they need your help?“ 

„And why are they after him in the first place?“ Peter, who suddenly stood beside them, asked and sounded and looked… hurt? 

Maybe the red bears were his favorite, too, and he had tried to save them until the end? Tony felt immediately guilty for eating all of them. He could have at least saved one for Peter. At least one! But no. He had to be greedy and… 

„Oh, honey, that’s nothing for you to worry about. Come here, Peter. Your place is still warm and cozy.“ Pepper petted the place between them like Peter was a dog who needed a reminder where to put his but. But she had been right. As soon as the movie started, Peter grabbed a blanket, and once Pepper saw it, she rolled him in it like a burrito, which Tony found adorable. Everything about the kid was under the blanket until Pepper brought snacks, then he snuck one arm out and looked even more lovable. 

Tony didn’t know if the kid felt cold or if this blanket hogging was some comfort for him. He still turned the heater a little higher. 

Peter returned to his place between Pepper and Tony, but this time he didn’t grab for the blanket. Instead, he sat a little bit straighter than before. 

„I want to know why the Avengers are after Spiderman“, he said again. „He didn’t do anything wrong.“

For a second, Tony was wondering why the kid wanted to discuss this. Sure, in the precinct, he had told him that he was a big fan of Iron Man, and it was obvious that he liked the other superheroes too, but it hadn’t been part of any conversation over the last few days. Then he remembered the address that had been on Peter’s folder.

„You were living in Queens“, Tony remembered, and made a silent note to himself to look at that place. 

Peter said nothing, but his eyes told Tony clearly that he did want to have an answer. 

„What do you know about the accords?“ Tony asked because, as much as he didn’t want to have that talk with his newfound son, he knew the accords were still the beginning of everything. 

„They are the rules for superheroes. Every nation had signed them.“ 

„That’s more than some of the guys knew about it“, Tony stage whispered to Pepper and smiled. „Yes, that’s right. Every superhero who wants to do that work must sign it. People with power have to follow rules and orders. It’s to make people without power feel safe. You know?“

Peter looked annoyed that Tony explained the accords to him this way, but he still nodded. 

„Spiderman is clearly enhanced and therefore he has to sign them. He hasn’t done it till now, so the Avengers try to get him to do it. See? Nothing for you to worry about. Let’s get back to the movie. I wanna know how they prevent the sand from entering the little robot’s joints. That’s advanced technology, kid.“ He has no clue what kind of movie they were watching. He just looked at the frozen frame, saw a robot or something like that in the middle of a desert, it reminded him of Afghanistan, and suddenly Yinsen was on his mind, and their talk about the one person on earth who wanted Tony to stay alive for. 

„But why should he sign it? He is only helping the little people in Queens, nothing on an Avenger level. He wasn’t even around when the aliens came and was no threat. So why should he sign it?“

„It’s to make people feel safe with him being around, you know?“ Pepper tried to explain. She smiled at Peter, and then her hand was in Peter’s hair, as if she wanted to comb it with her fingers. 

„But I feel safe with him around. He is only helping people.“

„That’s nice, sweetie. That’s exactly what people with his kind of enhancement should do. Helping people. He is a nice one, isn’t he?“ Again, she smiled and combed his hair, and Tony felt so calm just watching them, the most perfect woman and his kid. „Have you seen him? When he was around? I hear he is always friendly and funny.“

„He is!“ Peter nodded enthusiastically. 

Tony got the feeling that there was something more to this. Something he couldn’t see in the moment. It was obviously something important to Peter. Maybe this vigilante was someone Peter liked, too. Which meant, maybe Tony should have a closer look at this guy. Just to see if he was the right role model for Peter. 

„And? Did you meet him?“ Pepper asked again, smiling and getting Peter to talk to them. They both wanted to know more about his life and everything that mattered to the boy. 

„I’m…“ Peter stopped. He took a handful of bears without even looking for the colors (who on earth eats bears not divided by colors???) and put them, one after the other, in his mouth. „I’ve seen him around. He is always nice. He helps people. That isn’t bad, right? In Queens, everyone loves him“, he told them after a while. 

This time, Tony touched Peter’s shoulder and pulled the boy in a one-armed hug. They settled like this, and their eyes fell back on the screen with the little robot still standing in the sand. 

„You know, Pete, that’s the reason for the accords. So that people like you can say things about him and truly mean them. He is nice. He is helpful. He hasn’t done anything wrong. He obeys the laws. He follows rules. He is one of the good guys. You understand that?“

Peter seemed to think about it briefly, then he turned to Tony. 

„Did you sign them?“

„Yes, I did. I read them, found things I wanted to change, discussed them with the council, and then, after I was sure it was the right thing to do, I signed them.“

„But you aren’t one to follow rules“, Peter asked again and frowned. „You said so yourself in one of your books and many more interviews. You said you aren’t ever gonna follow rules because rules prevent discoveries from happening. So why did you sign them?“

„Because it was the right thing to do. I saw what we did, how it affected the people, and how it could be used for the wrong reasons. I wanted to prevent that, and so I signed them.“

Peter thought about it some more, and Tony didn’t know how he felt about it. Was it some interest in his work as Iron Man, or the first interest in him being his father?

„But for Spiderman to sign the accord he has to reveal his identity, right?“ 

That was maybe the only question Tony hadn’t thought of before. It had been nothing to think of for him before he revealed his identity to the world. He had been proud of his work and he was pissed off for other reason’s so following the little cards in his hands? Was not an option for him. But a few of these so-called vigilantes preferred to stay anonymous. The council had to respect that, but the council still had to ensure everyone felt safe. 

„Yes, he had to reveal his identity, but not to everyone,” Pepper said while Tony was still deciding on the right words. 

„Not like me“, Tony grinned, and Pepper rolled her eyes. „It would be a tough guarded secret. Nobody would know.“

„But he would still need to reveal it.“ Peter looked unhappy about it, as if he wasn’t curious about Spiderman’s identity. Even Tony was now curious about it! „I don’t understand how knowing his identity would make people feel safer. He would still be enhanced. Nothing would change that.“

„And that’s why his identity would not be revealed to everyone. It would still be a secret to the world. But… and that’s a very big but… if he stops being helpful to the people and maybe if he starts using his power for his own good, then the government has his ID and he will have to take responsibility for his actions.“ Tony looked at Peter, who avoided his gaze and seemed to think about his words. „It’s just a precaution. Do you understand that?“

It took Peter a while before he answered that question. Tony could feel him sitting very still on this side. He was breathing, but his whole posture felt stiff, not as easy as before he took his short break from the movie. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that there was something more to this for him. 

„Peter, you don’t need to worry, honey“, Pepper said sweetly. „It won’t change anything for Spiderman, ok? It hasn’t changed anything for your dad, either. It’s just something so the people in Queens can feel safe and look up to their hero because he also did the right thing. Nothing for you to worry about.“

Tony’s heart skipped a beat when he heard how Pepper addressed him. They hadn’t talked about it until now, and for her, it seemed so easy to call him that, but Peter had still called him Mr. Stark, even after the test. 

And Tony couldn’t bring himself to say something. 

It was his biggest dream, and he wished to hear his son call him Dad again, but he still couldn’t say it. It would feel fake and forced when Peter called him that without his wanting it, and he would feel hurt if Peter didn’t want to call him that. Another thing they still had to talk about was Peter’s life before he was placed under the care of this uncle and aunt—his life with the people who called themselves his parents. 

There were so many essential questions, and they were still sitting on the couch, watching the frozen frame of a small robot in the desert, and talking about the vigilante of Queens. 

Chapter Text

This time, leaving the penthouse felt different. 

When Peter was standing right in front of the lift, he was nervous. It was not the nervousness he was used to. The one he had when he tried something new, like escaping from a very secure penthouse through a small bathroom window, or when, unnoticed, he climbed in a freight lift to leave the same penthouse a few days earlier. It wasn’t the kind of nervousness he had felt when Mr. Stark had gone with him a few floors down to meet an attorney to get his situation fixed, and the whole thing with the B&E, too. 

This time, he was nervous because he was allowed to leave the penthouse alone with the lift. He didn’t need to plan an escape and was trying to hide away.

He knew the lift would only take him to a certain level in the building, because he was still not allowed to leave, but that wouldn’t stop him. So this was his time. He would get away!

He was still nervous. 

There was still so much going on, many problems to solve, so many riddles. He felt hunted from every side, and he knew immediately that he would feel so much better if he could only leave the building and vanish. 

The memory of another spider came to his mind. One he observed while he was sitting in class a few years earlier. At that time, most of the school was boring. While his classmate couldn’t understand what the teacher tried to teach them, he was already a few more steps ahead, and just sitting there, feeling the sun through the windows on his back and hearing the usual whispers of everyone around him, made him sleepy. But he couldn’t fall asleep in class again. The teacher would call May or Ben, and they would be so disappointed in him. He couldn’t tell them that he wasn’t bored because he couldn’t understand the lecture, but because he was already ahead of everyone in his class, and even in the class right above him. He knew he should change schools or classes to get a proper education, but they couldn’t afford it. So he desperately tried not to fall asleep, and that’s when he spotted the little spider on the ground. It crawled around like it was searching for something, or maybe it fell off his web? 

Peter didn’t know much about spiders then, so he observed the little fella briefly. It looked funny when it crawled around. The ground wasn’t clean, and there was too much dust and dirt because the school did not have enough money for enough cleaning personnel. That’s the reason the little spider looked like she was flying over the ground, and then suddenly, Billy, right in front of Peter, had to stand up and walk to the front of the class to demonstrate something, and the little spider ran back to a nook in the wall and vanished, just like that. Peter couldn’t even spot the small hole in the wall at that moment (he needed new glasses, too!). The spider was gone, and no trace was left. 

When Peter entered the lift, that was the memory he had in mind, and some of his nervousness melted away. 

„Hello, Peter.“ The AI greeted him. 

„Hello, ähm, FRIDAY?“ He waited a short time to see if that was the right way to address her. He had heard everyone else doing it, but hadn’t been alone in the lift before. When nothing happened, he cleared his throat. „Can you take me down, please?“

„Certainly, Peter. Which floor?“ 

„To the lowest level I’m allowed on. I’ll look around there and then wander back up through the staircases. If that’s okay?“ He wouldn’t go up again, but the AI didn’t need to know. Hopefully, the AI wouldn’t say something about Mr. Stark’s law not to use the stairs.

„If you wish, you do not need to take the stairs, Peter. You can look around, come back to the lift, and I’ll take you to the next floor. Maybe I could present some options for you? Something that could be of interest?“ 

He felt something new for the first time since he was in the Tower. Something he hasn’t felt in a long time. Curiosity. 

He would love to look at the AI’s coding, learn everything the AI could do, and maybe even talk with Mr. Stark about the coding. It would be so awesome! 

He has always been interested in these things, and most of the stuff in their small apartment has been repaired by him over the last few years. Aunt May had always smiled at him when he managed to save her a few dollars by fixing something, and Ben had started speaking more about colleges instead of other job options. They had been so proud of him, and he loved helping them with everything he could do. That may be why Ben didn’t notice when Peter left school for good. He was already way ahead of the class and smart enough to get by. 

Mr. Stark didn’t know that, though. He still believed Peter was as dumb as Peter pretended to be. He didn’t even know why he said it in the precinct. No, he knew why he lied like that. He thought Mr. Stark and everyone else would find it ridiculous to believe a dumb boy could be Mr. Stark’s son and let him go. And now he had to lie in the bed he made himself, like Aunt May always told him. 

So he couldn’t go and ask Mr. Stark about the coding of the AI, look at most of Mr. Stark’s inventions, and even talk with the man like he wanted to. 

He would love to pick his brain about everything!

But if he did so, if he showed them how smart he was, he would give away his advantage, and that was something he couldn’t let happen.

„I don’t know, „ he said, sounding very unsure. „I think I’ll just take a look, and if there is something of interest to me, I can ask you? Maybe? If that’s alright?“

„It would be my pleasure to help you, Peter. Just say something wherever you are, I’m listening.“

That was precisely the thing he was afraid of. 

„You are everywhere in the building? I don’t need the fancy watch of Mr. Stark?“ 

„You could say, I am the building.“ There was something in the warm and gentle voice of the woman that reminded him of a big smile. At first, he didn’t know why he felt that way. Then he remembered the famous interview of Mr. Stark and his „I am Iron Man“speech. 

Damn! Peter thought by himself. Mr. Stark was more than just a genius if he could write a code for an AI to use humour. The voice in the ceiling sounded nearly like a real woman, like someone sitting in a chair and watching endless life videos of things that happened in the building. 

„Ok. I’ll keep it in mind.“ After that, he waited for the lift to stop so he could leave the cabin. 

The floor he was on was boring. There were many cubicles with busy people doing things on their computers or talking on the phone, and nothing seemed interesting to Peter. 

Like he said, he took the stairs up to the next level. His whole plan was to leave the Tower, but to do so, he had to lull everyone into a sense of security. So he climbed the stairs, opened the door to the floor, and found himself in a hallway with a small café, a few meeting rooms, and smaller bureaus again. The café looked like it could be a very fancy one. It smelled of roasted coffee beans and chocolate, and he could spot a few delicious-looking cakes or wraps on the counter. It was already 5 pm, so he wouldn’t have expected to see many people here, but to his surprise, nearly every table was occupied, a few by people in suits and dresses, another by people only dressed in shirts or sweats, while their white lab coats were hanging behind them. There was even a family with three little kids and two girls, only a few years older than Peter, who were sitting, drinking some red frappé, and talking about something one of them had found on their tablet. 

It looked like every other café Peter had seen before. It still surprised him. 

He left the café and walked a little bit. He went up the stairs again when he found nothing that interested him. He knew the AI would be watching him, so he decided to try the next floor. After that, he would be gone!

When he opened the door, he knew immediately that this was a big mistake—a colossal mistake. Because on this floor? Everything screamed FUN in big capital letters to him. He could hear lots of robots and other mechanical sounds. Some centrifuge, someone was hammering, and two guys were arguing over a formula while walking next to Peter for a second, until they went into a room. Peter followed them silently, and he found HEAVEN. 

It was a lab, but not like the labs he knew from science class in school. This was a next-level lab, and he wanted to walk around, take a look, and play. Oh, sweet Avenger on a cracker! He wanted to play with everything he could spot there. 

„Peter?“

The voice of the AI from the ceiling startled him and the two guys he had just followed. They both turned around and looked at him curiously, so he stepped back. 

„I’m sorry, Peter, but it’s not wise to walk into a lab unsupervised.“ 

The guys looked at each other, clearly confused about who he was and why Mr. Stark's AI would talk to him, and Peter turned around and flew off the floor. 

He was just on the staircase again when FRIDAY spoke to him. 

„I’m sorry if I startled you, Peter. It wasn’t my intention that you had to leave the floor so quickly. I just wanted to make you aware of the lab rules. If you wish, you could turn around. I could tell Miles or Chen to give you a tour, if you like. “

She was also on the staircase. 

He hadn’t known that before, but he was afraid of it. 

He tried not to let his annoyance show. 

„No, it’s okay. I’m not a big fan of chemistry. I think I’ll try my luck on the next floor.“

The AI was quiet, and Peter climbed the stairs, opened the door, and thought he would be on another boring floor. Then he heard someone muttering something about a code that didn’t work, and another one was talking on the phone, trying to get a meeting with Mr. Stark because this time his project didn’t fail, and Mr. Stark had to see it right now. 

The air felt like it was vibrating, and Peter just stood there. He could hear the printer from one room and see something blue and flashy from the next. A woman and a man were discussing the next step in a process, and two younger men were walking by, clearly in deep thought. 

This floor was awesome!

It was like everything he had ever imagined when he thought of SI, so he did the one thing he hadn’t done in days, maybe weeks. 

He just stood there and enjoyed everything. 

He did that until he spotted a person he knew walking through the hallway, a big box full of stuff in his arms. 

Ned. 

The boy he had met in the kitchenette the other day, the boy he had built LEGO with. 

At first, Peter thought he had mistaken the boy he saw right now with the other boy, but then Ned looked up, saw Peter, and smiled widely. 

„Hey!“ Ned shouted over the whole floor, and a few people turned to look curiously at Peter. „It’s you!“ Ned walked over excitedly. 

Peter liked the other boy. It felt good being with him, sitting at the small table, building, talking, and having fun. So he smiled when Ned stopped right in front of him. 

„Hi, Ned.“ Peter looked at the things in the box. It looked like the other boy had put so many different things in the box, and there was no theme behind it. He could spot something like a very small Roomba, maybe a desktop version? He hadn’t known that something like that existed, but the whole case looked like it. There was an answering machine or cassette player, too. The only thing he could recognize was a hair dryer and lots of wires with different connections. „Good to see you again.“ 

Peter smiled too, even if something in his mind started to make itself known. He remembered that children weren’t allowed on the floor, where he had found Ned the last time. Ned’s mom had a very unpleasant talk with her superior. Peter had heard it, but now Ned looked like he was working here, which made no sense!

„What’s up, Pete?“ Ned, clearly struggling with the box in his hands, grinned at Peter. „What are you doing on this floor?“

Peter shrugged his shoulders. He still eyed the things in the box. He saw something resembling a hard drive and circuit boards underneath the little Roomba.

„Left the lift on the wrong floor, I think“, he said evasively. „And you? Does your mom work on this floor too?“ She had been some secretary, if he remembered it right. When he had seen her, she had worn a skirt and a blouse, nothing that would have marked her as a scientist or something like that. 

Ned snorted loudly. 

„No way, man! My mom works in the payroll department for the staff.  She has to clear many boring numbers with some other people. She has worked there for years and loves it, but I would go mad there. No, I work here.“ He looked so proud that Peter had to bite back a chuckle. 

„You work here?“ 

Ned made a face.

„I intern here. Mom made it possible. You remember when we first met? She got nearly fired because I wasn’t allowed on that floor, but her superior understood her reasons, so now I get to intern here. Isn’t that sick? I couldn’t believe it when she told me.“ He looked at Peter expectantly. 

Peter couldn’t believe it either. 

He remembered that he had seen Mr. Stark on that floor, too. He had been hunting for Peter again, and maybe Friday had told him of Ned and his mom. So perhaps Mr. Stark had made it so that Ned was allowed to intern here. 

Or maybe Peter was seeing ghosts everywhere. 

„That’s cool, man.“ 

Somewhere on the floor, something explodes. Not enough to make people run, but enough so both boys could hear it, and Peter was immediately alerted. 

Ned only shrugged.

„Nothing to worry about, „ he said, trying to look cool. „That happens every hour or so. When I started here, I jumped every time, and now? I don’t hear it anymore.“

„When did you start here?“ Peter saw another younger person walking out of a lab at the end of the hallway and carrying something that looked…smoking. The person didn’t look much older than the boys. Maybe they were in college? So perhaps it wasn’t as unusual as Peter thought that Ned would intern at SI?

„Yesterday. So damn awesome! I couldn’t believe it when mom brought back the contract, and because the school is closed over the next few days, I’m allowed to be here three days in a row. So…“

There was another explosion, and Peter could see smoke coming out of a lab this time. A siren started to cry, and something like a sprinkler system went on. Peter heard the woman’s angry yell. The next moment, three people ran out of the lab with the smoke, all looking like drowned cats. 

Ned had turned around, too, and now his smile was wider. 

„Could you imagine working there? Being there when something goes off? It. Must. Be. Epic!“ 

The three people in front of their very wet and now only slightly smoking lab didn’t look as excited as Ned. They looked annoyed at the next person who came out of the lab. The man didn’t see his colleagues standing there and shooting him dark looks. Instead, he looked frustrated up at the ceiling. At first, Peter thought he would talk with the AI, but then he heard the man was asking the universe for some help and not to put any more stones in his way. 

Peter was curious about the man’s project but also wary of Ned’s sudden internship. So he nodded to the box in Ned’s arms. 

„What’s that? Your project that’s about to explode?“ 

Ned shrugged. 

„I’m the newbie here“, he explained. „The newbie gets only the tedious work.“

Peter couldn’t resist any longer. He took the little Roomba out of the box and looked at it. Someone had opened the metal sheet on the underside of the Roomba. Peter saw a few wires, another circuit board, and way more electronics than were usual in this kind of robot. 

When he looked questioningly at Ned, the other boy pointed down the hallway and started to walk that way. Silently, the Roomba was still in his hands, and Peter followed.

„It’s a new product line. You know Roombas, right?“

Peter shot him a look that could compete with the looks of the three people in front of the other lab. 

Ned smiled noddingly.

„Ok. So this is something like it, but not on the floor. You could put it on a desk and it will only clean there without falling. It has a very boring name, but I call it Smoomba. You get it?“ He wiggled his brows expectantly. 

Peter snorted. 

„Small Roomba. Awesome, right?“ 

Peter nodded. This boy was something else, he thought to himself, and looked at the Smoomba again. 

„But why? I mean. A desk? Can’t you wipe your desk for yourself?“

„You could also clean your ground by yourself“, Ned grinned. „But what would be the fun in it? No, this little buddy here is for different desks. Like the kitchen worktop, a lab, or a plate in a museum. He can clean it from scratches, dust, or scrapings and leave everything else be. He is voice-activated, and he can tell you when he is ready.“

„A Roomba that can tell me when the desk is clean? Is it for blind people?“

Ned looked confused at first, then he laughed. 

„You know what I mean!“

They reached Ned’s destination, and he led Peter into the small room. Curiously, Peter took a look around. He was disappointed when the room wasn’t like the other labs on the floor. It was just a big table, a chair, and many boxes full of… Peter opened one and looked inside… yep, full of small Roombas. 

„What is this place?“

„My room“, Ned answered proudly. He opened his arms wide to present the most remarkable thing of all. „I know, it’s not much at the moment“, he said when Peter stayed silent and just looked at him. „But it’s a start, right? Not everyone can write in their vita that they worked for Stark Industries at my age!“

He had a point there, and Peter wanted to know how that happened. Before he could ask, he saw one of the circuit boards in a backpack that belonged to Ned. 

„Dude, what?“ Peter pointed at the board. „Are you…?“

„No!“  Ned shook his head so vigorously that Peter feared it would roll off his shoulders. „I’m not stealing anything! I asked and they said I could take it. I even have it in writing so I can take it through security when I leave.“ He bent downwards and showed Peter the letter. „See? No stealing.“

„What do you want to do with it? It looks old.“ And still a lot newer than the one Peter found in the dumpster a few weeks earlier, and which he had used happily for the computer he built for himself. 

„It’s better than the one I have at home, and you won’t find anything like this in a dumpster.“ As if Ned had heard Peter’s thoughts. 

Peter was confused at first, then he laughed. 

„Are you a fellow dumpster diver?“ He asked.

Ned nodded. 

„Me too!“ 

„I knew there was a reason I like you!“ Ned smiled. 

„You like me because I’m better at building a Death Star without an instruction manual than you.“

„True.“ Ned smiled widely. „Oh, you have to come to my house sometime! I got another set with different stones, and I thought we could use them for the rear of the other model. It will be awesome!“

It sounded like it, and Peter would have loved to hang out with the other boy, talk about circuit boards, Lego, and have fun. But at the moment, he knew just meeting him on this floor was a lucky accident, and he still needed to get out of the tower. 

His eyes fell on the Roomba in his hands. There was something more in the robot. It looked like some launching device. He remembered a problem with one of his webshooters; this „trash“ could be helpful. He looked around the room and saw the boxes again. Every one of them seemed to have Roombas in it. 

„Why are they all here? What do you do with them?“

„There was something faulty with one piece“, Ned explained. „And now I have to change the piece in every Roomba built till now. Very dull, I know. But someone has to do it, and I’m the newbie here.“ He shrugged again. 

„That must be hundreds of them!“

Ned looked around the room as if he hadn’t seen the work waiting for him. Then he grimaced. A little sigh escaped him, and then he looked to Peter. 

„Hey, why are you here? Are you an intern, too?“

This would be the perfect time for Peter to leave the room. He wouldn’t need to answer Ned’s question, and he could finally use any open door or small window to leave the tower. This would be the moment he had been waiting for days. 

But he didn’t want to. 

For a second, he wanted to sit with Ned and help him change things in the smomba’s. He wanted to talk about the Lego set the other boy had gotten, and he wanted to be able to leave the tower and visit him. 

He didn’t think Mr. Stark, his dad!, would ever allow something like that. 

„Sort of“, he answered evasively

„Cool.“ Ned sounded impressed and curious. „Hey, wanna help me here?“

Peter would have loved to help the other boy. Every cell in his body started vibrating and jumping up and down, just by the thought of assisting Ned, but he couldn’t risk it. 

He twisted his mouth. Then he nodded.

„But only for a short moment. I’m on… a break, you know? I have to go in a few minutes.“

Again, Ned nodded. He grabbed another box, opened it, and put another Smoomba on the table. Then he pointed at the one Peter already had in his arms. 

„I got this little fellow as a gift because I found the faulty piece. Do you need something out of it? You can take it. If you want, I mean.“

Peter looked at Ned, surprised. He knew the other boy had maybe more money than Peter; he could see it in the boy’s clothes and the backpack that wasn’t cheap like Peter’s own backpack, but the offer was still very generous. 

„Are you sure?“

„Yeah, sure. Getting things for free from SI beats every dumpster I know.“ He smiled, and Peter smiled back. 

When he left nearly an hour later, he had helped repair five Smoombas, learned ten new words in Klingon, and the voice modulator in his pocket would make Spider-Man much older. Not to mention that his webshooter wouldn’t fail again. 

Now all he needed was a window to escape. 

Chapter Text

„Tony! Hey, Tony! Wait!“

Tony heard Steve’s voice loud and clear in the hallway, he was walking through on his way from one boring board meeting to a small „bureau“ that Pepper made him use during a bit of rest time, which she uses to herd another new set of wearer of suits in the conference room, again, so he would have to endure another boring meeting that didn’t really need his attendance. It wasn’t even as if he had something to say to the topic they discussed, and even if he had, Pepper had strictly forbidden it, and sometimes he could follow her rules. 

So when Tony heard Steve’s voice, it could have been a more than welcome distraction from a lot of paperwork waiting for him in the other room. It sounded urgent. Maybe Steve would call him for a critical Avengers meeting, and Pepper couldn’t argue against following Steve in such moments, right? 

But… 

Without turning around and watching Steve walk straight to Tony, Tony knew that Steve didn’t want to talk about the Avengers. He tried to plead Barnes’ case again. Maybe he wanted to complain about Tony’s visit to their floor and threaten Barnes. 

Then Tony would have to threaten Barnes again. And he would have to threaten Steve, who would have an utter look of disappointment on his face. 

Steve would tell him that he has to forgive them someday. 

Tony would tell him that today wouldn’t be that day.

Steve would then ask if he thought he could save the world alone. 

And Tony would tell him then that the world could go fuck it self because he had better things to do, and he was done being the stupid idiot who always wants to do the right thing and gets kicked in his but as reward. 

Or gets a shield to his chest. 

So Tony didn’t stop when he heard Rogers. The whole talk went through his head, and he was already done with it when he opened the door to his so-called bureau. Steve was by his side before he could take a step in it. 

Damnit!

„Rogers, what a pleasure seeing you here“, Tony grumbled. He saw the small space Pepper had put up for him. A little chair, an even smaller desk, and a laptop were already running and waiting for his notes. Thank God! There was a big cup of coffee next to the computer!

„Hey Tony, that’s a lucky chance I’m seeing you here!“ Rogers smiled brightly. Tony had to restrain himself from rolling his eyes because of seeing him here? In the tower he had built? The tower, a considerable part of his company, still owned and used? Where he lived? Yes, seeing Tony around in it must be a total surprise!

Tony took a step into the room and stopped. It smelled wrong. He sniffed. There was a hint of hot coffee in the air, but something more. He sniffed again. He even turned his head and sniffed at Rogers, who clearly smelled as always but still wasn’t the source of the smell in the room.

He took another cautious step into the room. 

„Do you have a minute to talk?“ Rogers asked, utterly unaware of Tony’s confusion. 

„No, I have essential…“ Tony stopped. His eyes fell on the laptop and the seven folders Pepper had opened on it, and he could clearly remember her words, „Work through them carefully, Tony, and sign them." Suddenly, he knew what the smell was. 

It was the smell of tedious work. Of endless hours of boring work. 

He hadn’t made Pepper CEO of his firm, so he would sit and suffer through work like this!

Abruptly, he turned around and shot Steve a small smile. 

„You know what? I’ve got time. What do you say? We’ll move this talk to another room, and then you can tell me how I shouldn’t visit your floor or threaten Barnes. Come on!“ He walked right before Steve and heard him stutter something like a question, which he ignored. He led the other man through the hallway to a small kitchenette, where he could see one of the fancy coffee makers all around the tower. He grabbed one cup, filled it, and then walked a few doors down to a slightly bigger bureau than the one he had just skipped. He stepped inside and heard Steve follow him. The door closed when Tony stepped to the massive window, ignoring the few desks in the room, and just looked outside. 

It was a beautiful day today. Not too warm, not too cold. A mild breeze. Perfect for a stroll through the park, and he wondered where this thought had come from. He hadn’t been on a walk in a park for months now. The last time it had been with Pepper to escape traffic on their way to a meeting with a business investor. 

„I’m not sure what you mean, Tony“, Steve started shortly after entering the room. „You are more than welcome on our floor. It’s your tower after all, and we are very grateful that you let us live here, when we have to be in the city.“ 

Steve went to the window too and stopped, nearly three feet away from Tony. Without looking, Tony knew that the other man looked for and found Brooklyn immediately. It was always like that. Wherever Rogers was in New York, he would always see Brooklyn first. Tony remembered the other man helping with the cleanup work after the battle of New York, and while he helped everywhere he was needed, he was always in Brooklyn first and on each break. It was like an inner compass for him. The same was with Barnes, obviously. 

Tony wondered if this would be the same with Peter someday. Would he still look for Queens? Tony didn’t know much about that part of the town. He remembered a few shops and an art gallery, which Pepper had made him visit one day, but nothing more. For Peter, Queens would hold many different memories. His first playground, maybe the place with the best ice cream or some movie theatre he visited, the place where he first saw the girl or boy he had his crush on, because which teenager boy wouldn’t have a person to crush on, right? But he hadn’t told them yet, and suddenly Tony was so curious about Queens, he couldn’t just stand there and watch the town around the tower. 

He stepped back from the window, grabbed a chair and put his but in it. 

„So, what do you want to talk about? Barnes complained about me threatening him? If so, I can tell you right away, I would do it again, and I would follow through with my words.“ Tony nodded. „Without remorse.“

Steve turned, too, but he remained standing and watching Tony, confused. 

„I don’t understand, Tony. What do you mean? Bucky didn’t say anything. You threatened him? When? When did you meet him? And why? I didn’t think you would even talk to him and…“

„Oh, he didn’t tell you such an important thing? I wonder how that must feel…“ Tony smiled, but he was also confused. He thought the whole reason for this talk was his little meeting with Barnes and his promise to end Barnes’ life if he even thought of coming near Peter ever again. 

Steve sighed. He turned his eyes away and made a face, but then he looked up again and looked apologetic.

„I don’t know how often you need to hear it, Tony, but I understand and I’m sorry. What I did was wrong. I should have told you the minute I found out. I should never have been quiet about it. It was wrong, and I’m sorry about it.“ He looked so sincere that Tony wanted to gag. 

He knew the other man meant what he said. Rogers was a lot of things Tony didn’t like, but he was nobody who couldn’t say „sorry“ and didn’t mean it. He was always the first to run into the fire without thinking, but when he realized the fire was his fault, he was also the first to apologize. 

Tony knew that, and he still couldn’t forgive him, not for the secret, not for Barnes. 

And especially not for bringing Barnes to his tower. 

„So, what do you want to talk about then?“ Tony wished for everything else from an imaginary table and waited. 

„No, stop… when did you threaten Bucky?“

Tony shrugged. 

„When didn’t I ever?“ 

This time, Steve shook his head. 

„You didn’t threaten him before. Even when the whole world thought he was behind the attack, you only wanted to capture and question him. You didn’t once threaten him, Tony. You attacked him when you found the truth, but you didn’t…“

„Yada, yada.“ Tony made a rolling motion with his hands. „Water under the bridge, capsule. What did you want to talk about?“

Steve stopped talking, but he didn’t look convinced. He narrowed his eyes and looked at Tony. After a few seconds, he nodded. 

„I understand“, he said. „But we’ll talk about it later.“

Was that a promise or a threat? Tony couldn’t decide. There are lots of threats these days.

„Then what do you want?“

„We need your help with Spiderman.“

Tony nearly rolled his eyes. 

„And I told you, I’ll help as soon…“

„As your vacation is over. I know. But Tony! Is this the best time for a vacation? We need you on board with this. The people of New York need you on board.“ 

Such an honest face, such drama. Tony wanted nothing more than to kick Rogers in his shin, then turn around and return to the stupid paperwork that Pepper wanted him to sign. Maybe afterwards, he was allowed to take a look at Peter again? They could talk a little more. He still had lots of questions and…

„Tony, please,“ Steve said pleadingly. „We really need your help with this.“

„I’m on vacation, Cap. Vacation. If you don’t know what that means, look it up!“

„Tony.“ Now Steve looked frustrated. Tony remembered days when he was the one who made Steve feel so frustrated and annoyed, and he felt guilty about it. Or annoyed. But mostly guilty. Because Steve, with his honest to god righteousness in everything he did, made him feel like a failure even if he had done nothing wrong. „You have to understand that…“

Tony nodded. 

„I understand, Steve. Really, I do. But as I said, I’m on vacation, the first in 12 years, so I think I earned it.“ He looked the other man sternly in the face and hoped the other one would finally understand and leave him the hell alone. 

„But you were just working, or am I wrong? I saw you leaving the meeting, and it didn’t look like a vacation to me.“

Steve was right, and Pepper would pay for making him attend this dumb meeting, which reminded Tony of the paperwork he needed to sign, and then the last meeting of the day. Afterwards, he was free to return to the penthouse, and maybe Peter would want to spend time together. They could watch another movie, play a game or maybe, just maybe, they could go to Tony’s lab and Tony could show him around. Peter had told them that he was a big Avengers fan, so seeing the suits right in front of him must be something Peter would love to see, Tony hoped. 

„That meeting couldn’t be postponed,“ Tony sighed. „It was too important and…“

„Spiderman is also important, Tony. Really. We need you.“ Again, Steve looked hopefully. „I’m sure you won’t need as much time as we did till now to find him, and after that, you can go and enjoy your vacation as long as you want.“ Steve smiled the smile he usually reserved for Pepper. At the beginning of everything, Tony had seen it and felt a hint of nervousness, but now he didn’t feel threatened by Rogers anymore. He was sure Pepper would maybe leave him someday, but she wouldn’t ever leave Peter. He saw her face when the boy hugged her just this morning, and when he smiled at her. Yes, she would maybe leave Tony, but never Peter. 

Tony sighed again. He got the feeling that Steve wouldn’t give up soon. 

„Really, Cap, I would help you, but I can’t. I just… can’t…“ and he wouldn’t. 

Steve looked at him. 

„If I promise, we just need you for an hour? Only one hour? And we’ll do all the legwork. You can sit here in the tower, and you just have to look at the data or something to help Nat locate Spiderman. Please?“

It sounded like a small task. He already had something in mind. He could use the search for Spiderman to test one of his new apps, and FRI would monitor everything. It wouldn’t take much of his time, and maybe he could help the Avengers and the people of New York use it as an excuse for Pepper to skip the paperwork? Or the last meeting? He couldn’t stand one of the guys who would be sitting in the meeting, and he would gladly not see him today - or ever again. 

„An hour, Steve. I can give you an hour. Nothing more.“ He said firmly, and Rogers nodded. After that, it was like he had signed his life to some training for a marathon because as soon as he told Rogers so, Rogers led him out of the bureau they were sitting in and into the lift. They left the lift on the Avengers’ floor, where he could see Nat, Clint, and Barnes sitting and trying to find a pattern in lots of data of Spiderman sightings. 

Clint shouted happily when he spotted Tony and tried to give him a High Five, which Tony ignored (as usual). 

Nat smiled at him and nodded slightly. 

And Barnes? Barnes looked at him quietly. Nothing in his face told Tony what he thought about attending this little meeting or how he felt about seeing Tony again after he had threatened him. He just sat quietly and looked Tony straight in the eyes. 

„It’s good to see you, man!“ Clint was happy about it. He pointed at the data and scrunched his face. „We can’t find anything here. You are our only hope!“

„It looks like it,“ Tony said, trying to see what they had already gotten. 

There was a map of New York with lots of red marks where someone had spotted Spiderman before, some strange circles around certain places, and a few pictures of the guy swinging around in his onesie. Most of the data didn’t appear to be from cameras, but rather was handwritten. 

„Did you collect this data?“ Tony asked, surprised. He wouldn’t have thought that someone would walk around and ask questions for the vigilante, but it sure looked like they had done so. 

Steve nodded. 

„We couldn’t get enough data from traffic cameras. We walked around and tried to find something.“

„You walked around.“ Tony couldn’t believe it. „How… old school?“ He saw Natasha hiding a smile. Obviously, walking around in the city hadn’t been her idea. He sighed again. They were really helpless without him. „Ok. Let’s see if I can get a little bit more.“ And he started to work. 

Two hours later, Clint started to talk about dinner, and Tony, who was engrossed in the data FRI had collected in only 20 minutes, flinched. He had lost track of time! How could that happen? How?

„I have to go,“ he stated and jumped up, just when Clint asked if anyone wanted to eat Chinese or something else. 

Everyone in the room looked at Tony in surprise. 

„What? Now?“ Steve pointed to the map on the screen. „But we haven’t found him yet!“

„But you got lots of data. I’m sure the Wonder Twins can work with that.“ Tony turned and started to walk quickly through the room. FRI had already ordered the lift, and the doors were open before he stood in front of it. Behind him, he could hear Rogers protesting. 

„Tony, you can’t just leave now! This is important!“

Tony stepped into the cabin. Looking back at the group, he found everyone looking straight at him. Steve was disappointed, Clint was confused, Natasha was questioning, and only Barnes looked like he knew something. Like he knew Tony would walk straight to Peter. 

Tony hated the thought that Barnes knew about Peter. 

He hated it. 

When FRI closed the lift door, his eyes were locked with Barnes, and Tony tried to tell the other man, without saying anything, what he would do with him if he ever saw him near Peter again. 

To his surprise, the other man nodded slightly. 

Then FRI informed him that Peter was missing again. 

Tony cursed the kid, himself, Rogers, everyone else in the room, and then himself again, before running straight to his lab to search for his wayward kid. 

Chapter Text

One single window was all Peter needed to get outside the Tower. It was somewhere between two floors, and Peter was climbing the staircase when he spotted it standing half open, just an invitation for him to climb through. 

He saw it, and everything else was just like he had done before. One moment he was on the stairs, and the next he was crawling, his back pressed to the wall behind him, to the window. He slid through it and could already feel the sharp wind outside when FRIDAY, installed in his new watch, sounded a confused question.

„Peter? Where are you?“ 

He smiled slightly and took the watch off. He was tempted to put it on a dove that he could spot on one balcony a little underneath him, but then he didn’t do it. Instead, he let the watch fall through the open window back in the tower, and after that? 

He was gone. 

He jumped from one small nook to the next, climbed to one of the balconies, then to another nook, and then stopped. He pulled his web shooters out of his pocket and put them on. He was still very high above the city, even more so than he was used to, but he knew he would be okay. He had trust in himself, and he was eager to be free again. 

So he jumped, fell, shot his web, and then swung again. 

It was the best feeling in the whole wide world!

It was perfect!

He shouted joyfully and smiled so brightly it hurt, and he still felt amazing. He could feel the wind on his face and his arms. It felt like flying, or being weightless, or something like that. He hadn’t thought about it before, but now, after such a long time on the inside, swinging around New York felt like freedom. It wasn’t the search for a crime scene or the way home after a long patrol, but the swinging itself that did it for Peter. 

He heard himself giggling like a madman, then shouting something and scaring a few crows that followed him curiously. He then laughed again and played with the crows. 

He was free, and he would stay free, and nobody would ever catch him!

He was laughing again and swinging through one of his favorite streets in Queens when he spotted Mr. Dellmar from above. He wanted to give the man a shout because he liked the shop owner, and the shop owner liked that Spider-Man was always around and trying to keep the neighborhood safe. But just before he could do it, he remembered that he wasn’t swinging around in his self-made Spider-Man suit. 

He was still Peter Parker, and nobody was allowed to see him at the moment. 

He cursed himself silently and stopped on the rooftop of a familiar building to hide and catch his breath. 

Everything around him felt right. The sounds of the cars driving by, the little bell of the door from Mr. Dellmar’s shop, or even the sound of a guy playing piano like he did every afternoon. And the two love birds who lived over Mr. Dellmar’s shop always open their windows and are very sweet to each other. This was the kind of sound Peter was used to, that he hadn’t known he would miss, and now, standing in the shadow on a rooftop and hearing everything, made his eyes burn. 

His smile widened when he spotted Sandra, one of Ben’s co-workers from the police. They hadn’t been partners but were still very good friends, so Sandra had started to care for May and Peter, too. 

Peter remembered better times when he got home from school and found May and Sandra sitting together in their small kitchen, chatting about everything. Sandra loved to laugh nearly as much as May did. 

For a second, he followed Sandra walking through the street with his eyes. Then she got to her car, opened it, and climbed behind the wheel. He could see her talking on the phone, and he knew if he wanted, he could hear everything, but he didn’t want to. He didn’t need to. 

She had been walking on this street, though she didn’t live nearby, and was in her civilian clothes, so she wasn’t on duty, which led him to one conclusion: She had been visiting May!

That thought stopped everything in him. 

May. 

He could see her. Finally! 

He could talk with her and hold her and…

He was running again before he even thought about it. Opening the door to the small staircase that would lead him down to the street level was something he had done hundreds of times before, so he was already jumping down the stairs when the door behind him felt close. Then he was outside. It wasn’t as late as he was used to when he finished his patrol, and people were still around, walking, talking with each other, or on their mobiles. Some threw him confused glances because he looked crazy, but he ignored them. 

„Hey, Peter!“ Mr. Dellmar winked at him, smiling and friendly, and Peter winked back. „I’ve got your special waiting for you!“ 

„Sorry, no time, Mr. Dellmar!“ He left the shop behind. 

Mrs. Martens, the woman who always looked angry but had the sweetest dog in the world, was on the steps to her home. She looked at Peter as if she wanted him to try sneaking a treat to her dog or pet him just for a second. 

Peter saw the dog and smiled because he knew she secretly loved it when people wanted to pet it. After her husband’s death, talking with strangers was the one thing that kept her from getting lonely, and though she pretended to be annoyed, she always let Peter stay for a little longer. 

„Hi, Mrs. Martens!“ He waved at her when he ran by. 

She was obviously irritated when he didn’t stop to talk with her fur baby. 

It only took him four minutes longer than he was in front of the house they were now living in. He had loved the one he grew up in, but after everything, the accident, May’s extended stay in the hospital, and Ben quitting his job, they couldn’t afford it anymore, so they moved, and when the new place wasn’t affordable either, they moved again. 

The new apartment was even smaller than the previous one: it had one larger room with a small kitchen, two smaller rooms, and a bathroom. The space between the entrance and the bigger room wasn’t a floor, just a small space to leave your jacket or shoes. 

The neighborhood wasn’t as lovely as it had been in every home before, but Ben had always said it was temporary. They would move again as soon as May felt better. Because May didn’t feel good enough even to leave the apartment, they didn’t tell her about their weird neighbors or the smell of drugs and urine in the basement, and then they didn’t talk about it at all. In their small home, everything was perfect. They were family, and the big, ugly world could stay outside. 

He stopped before he entered the old and hideous building. 

After living in the Tower for nearly a week, everything else looked even worse. The graffiti on the wall next to the entrance may have been older than Peter, and he knew that as soon as he opened the door, he would smell everything again. The mold, the drugs, the people who were sleeping in the basement because they had no other place to be. That was the worst of it. They had no money, but they still had a roof over their heads, and looking at people who had even lost everything was painful. It was like a reminder that they could lose everything, too. 

He shook himself out of the depressing thoughts, jumped up the few steps to the entrance, and opened the door. 

The smell was as awful as he remembered. He found himself at the beginning of the steps up, and his eyes flew to the small mailbox next to the door. He saw the „Parker“ sign on one of them and frowned. 

The mailbox was overflowing with letters, commercials, and other stuff that people had put in it. Ben had always been the one who emptied the mailbox. 

Peter gulped.

He hadn’t thought of it before. It wasn’t the most crucial thing Ben always did, but seeing the neglected box made Peter think of his uncle, who would never open a letter again. He would never again tell Peter what he thought of everything. 

Peter closed his eyes for a second and tried to prevent the tears from spilling. He hadn’t cried so much in years like he had in the last few days, and though he knew he had the best reason for it, he didn’t like it at all. 

He grabbed the post and turned around to climb the stairs up to their floor. 

The graffiti on their door was new. 

He first saw it when he left the stairs and looked at the door. Then he spotted the small flower someone had laid on their doorsteps, and the card that leaned against it. 

He knew right away that it was a condolence card. Someone had been here to talk with May about Ben, but whoever it was, they hadn’t been inside or talked with May. 

Had the person knocked on the door? Or ring the bell? 

Everyone they knew was aware of May and her illness. Nobody would expect her to open a door, but they would expect Peter to be there. 

For the first time in forever, Peter felt a sudden sense of fear. 

Had she been all alone? The whole time? Who had cared for her? Who had told her about Ben? About Peter? Who?

And then another thought, even scarier than the first.

What if there had been nobody and she had been all alone? She couldn’t care for herself, not when she was still so sick. She was helpless. 

„Oh, god!“ Peter whispered. He prayed like he had never done before because he couldn’t, he couldn’t think of anyone who would have been there for her, and she had to be all alone and… „Please, no!“ 

The word repeated endlessly in his head. 

Alone. Alone. Alone.

He opened the door with the spare key that was always hidden under the name plate next to their door - „Not the best place to hide something, Pete,“ his uncle’s voice in his head. „But sometimes the most obvious place is the securest.“ Then he opened the door. 

The smell was off. 

That was the first thing he thought. 

It didn’t smell like their home used to. Not like Ben’s cheap after shave, May’s bad cooking, or Peter’s old socks (like May used to laugh). It didn’t smell like the flowers May grew wherever she was or the strong coffee she loved to drink. There was no hint of sweetness in the air because Ben loved everything with sugar in it, or the disinfectant Ben used for everything to clean. 

No, the air smelled… 

Peter stopped where he was standing and thought about it for a short second because he couldn’t move any further. He wouldn’t move because he was scared. Truly scared. 

The air smelled unused. 

Like nobody had breathed in it for a long time. 

He couldn’t move. He couldn’t breathe. 

The place felt cold and empty, but May had to be there. She had no other place to go, so she had to be in the apartment. 

He felt himself starting to tremble. 

He closed the door behind him without thought. He put the flower and card on the round table they usually sat at, eating breakfast, lunch, or birthday cakes. 

He didn’t know why he had to think of birthday cakes now. 

He couldn’t even remember the last one he had. Did they even celebrate one birthday this last year? Maybe May’s? Or Peter’s?

He couldn’t remember, and his eyes suddenly clouded over. So cloudy that he couldn’t spot the dark spot on the table where he had burned it while trying to repair the toaster. The toaster still worked fine until now, but the table had had a small black hole in it forever. 

Silently, he walked through the room.

Everything seemed way too quiet. Even his steps on the colorful rug seemed muted. Each night when he went secretly on patrol, he tried to be extra sneaky and quiet, and he wasn’t as quiet as everything felt now. 

He opened his mouth to say something. And he closed it. 

Talking in the quiet space seemed wrong, and calling for May? He didn’t want to get silence as an answer.

He reached the door to his room. 

When he had first seen the apartment, he was shocked at how small everything was, and he knew right away that they were just one step away from sleeping on the streets. It didn’t feel right. Not after all the hard work Ben and May had done in the years before the accident. They didn’t have much money, but they had enough saved for the bad times, and when the bad times happened, they could manage for a while, but then everything went from bad to worse really fast. 

So he had said nothing when he saw the small room that would be his. It was so small he couldn’t even put a wardrobe in it. He used just the space under his desk for everything, and when he found the vent in the ceiling above his bed, it was the perfect place for his suit, and he was happy. 

He opened the room silently. He didn’t know what he should expect. Living here with his aunt and his uncle seemed suddenly so far away. Like it had been in another life, but seeing his room, with the still unmade bed and the chair in front of the small window, full of clothes and an open book, made his breath hitch. 

It felt as if he hadn’t been gone for more than an hour. 

He could remember the page in the book he had been reading, as well as the one graphic novel he had found discarded in the park. When he couldn’t find the owner, he didn’t want to throw it away. It felt wrong, as if he would judge the book without reading it, so he started reading it. Although it wasn’t something he would buy for himself, he had fun. 

There was dust on the pages of the book. 

He turned around because the dust meant that nobody had been in this room for a while. Nobody had missed him enough to look through his things. After leaving his room, only two rooms remained in the apartment: the bathroom with the shower and lots of May’s creations of lotions (which always smelled the same but had lots of different colors), and May and Ben’s room. 

After the accident and her extended stay as a patient in the hospital, Ben had moved all his things out to the living room so he wouldn’t disturb her sleep when May got home. After a while, he just stayed there because May didn’t seem to get any better, and it was just easier for everyone. So their room changed to her room, and Peter was standing right before it, unsure and scared.

He couldn’t hear anything from the room—no TV, no music, no talking, and especially no breathing. 

No breathing. 

„Oh, god!“ He whispered silently, and one of his hands flew to his mouth to cover it. 

He stood just in front of the door and waited for something. He didn’t knock or call for her. Instead, he just stood there for an eternity, frozen to the spot.

Then he moved. Without thinking, he opened the door and took a step into the room. He closed his eyes and hoped for the best. He held his breath and waited. He didn’t know what he was waiting for. 

Someone could ask him where he had been. Or someone to come for him and hug him like he meant the world to this someone. Or for just a movement, a quiet laugh, or a paper airplane flying around him. Or just the smell of a forgotten cup of coffee or May’s favorite lotion. 

There was nothing, so he opened his eyes. 

The room was empty. 

E. M. P. T. Y. 

He blinked, confused, and turned around as if it would be possible to put everything that had once been in this room in a corner behind him. There was no bed with this special mattress for the bedridden patient, no small board with numerous water bottles on it, and no small cassette player that May loved so much. 

He turned around and looked again. 

There was still nothing. Not even the dust bunnies that he had spotted everywhere else in the apartment. Not even May’s colorful curtains. 

The room was even emptier than the whole apartment. 

The unused smell in the room was suddenly too much. 

He stumbled backwards, turned, and flew out of the room. It took him three big steps, then he was back at the kitchen table with the dark spot, and he felt himself crying. 

She wasn’t in the apartment, which had to be good, right?

But how could she leave the apartment? And what did it mean that everything else looked the same, everything else but her room? Which was squeaky clean?

What did that mean? 

Where was she? 

He knew the answer right away, and it killed him just to stand there and see the dark spot on the table. He had repaired the toaster, and May had smiled so much (and burned every bread with it). Why had he repaired it? If nobody ever uses it again? 

She was gone. 

The thought was suddenly in his mind. Clear and loud, as if he had heard someone say it. A memory of a talk he heard somewhere. 

She was gone.

He turned around and went straight to the freezer. He didn’t know what he hoped to find in it, but he opened it, smelled rotten meat, and slammed the door closed. Behind the door, he could hear small bottles rattling.  

The smell stayed in the kitchen. 

He had to gag. Something burned in his eyes. He was sure it was the smell, so he ran to the window and opened it. When the typical smell of Queens invaded the room, Peter was standing there, looking out of the window. Everything seemed so normal. He saw the little family on the other side of the street, the husband playing with the small kid while the mom was reading something on her mobile. In the next window, there was light from the TV. Ms. Ernandez loved her daily soaps. The apartment next to her was empty… no, he could see people in it. He hadn’t seen them move in, and now there were new neighbors whom he didn’t know. 

Distracted for a moment, he leaned a little bit further and tried to look through the window. He couldn’t remember who had lived there before, but now, standing in his own strangely empty apartment, he needed to know the new neighbors like it would change everything in his world. He wanted to see if he could spot something that would tell him more about them, and then it happened. 

The window he had opened knocked one of May’s flower pots down. The one with her favorite herbs in it. She always grew them herself, and Ben and he weren’t allowed even to water them. She was always cautious with them, but Peter hadn’t been. He hadn’t even seen the flower pot. It hadn’t been standing in the kitchen when he had left the apartment on that fateful night with Ben. Like always, it had been standing in May’s room, but now it was next to the window and Peter could watch it fall, like in the movies, in slow motion. 

He saw it, and even though he was Spiderman and had superpowers, he couldn’t prevent the flower pot from breaking into pieces. Earth and flowers were suddenly everywhere, and May’s precious herbs were…

They were… 

He couldn’t see what they were or if he could save them somehow. He knew he had to save them. He just had to because they were May’s and… there was water on his hands, dripping from somewhere, and at first he didn’t know why. Then he heard himself choking. He tried to breathe, but he couldn’t, couldn’t without still smelling the rotten meat in the freezer, the earth from the broken pot, and something more, something… 

Someone whined. 

He could hear it, and it surprised him. It surprised him even more when he felt the tears falling out of his eyes. It hadn’t been water but his tears, and he was crying without realizing it. He was crying and whining, and suddenly his knees gave out, and he went down, right between the shards. 

He felt himself getting cut and bleeding, but he couldn’t care less. 

He had lost Ben while he had been with him. He couldn’t have done anything to prevent it, and now he had lost May, too, and he hadn’t even known. Someone else had cleaned her room and left the apartment as it was. 

She was gone, too. 

He just knew it, and he couldn’t do anything else, and why should anything matter anymore? 

Why should he care about something any longer?

He was breaking down in his old home, crying, bleeding, and hurting from the inside, and there was nothing there that…

Two strong arms were suddenly around him. Not hurting or caging him, but holding him, holding him so firmly that he felt safe. Safer than for a long time. 

„It’s alright, bambino.“ Mr. Stark’s voice. The smell of Mr. Stark’s aftershave and something like motor oil was suddenly everywhere. Forgotten was the rotten meat and the broken herbs under his fingers. „It’s alright. You are not alone. I’m here.“

It was the best Peter had ever heard the man say.

He cried harder and threw himself into the arms of the man. Mr. Stark stumbled backwards, landed on his behind, and didn’t care either. He just held Peter and let him cry. 

Chapter Text

After leaving the former Avengers behind, still on their search for one single vigilante, Tony ran straight to his lab. On his way, he ordered FRI to open up every video feed around the tower and a map of Peter’s last known location. 

He just came to a halt inside his lab, surrounded by everything he needed to find his boy again, when Pepper called for him. 

„Not now, Pep,“ he answered her call and contemplated for a moment to tell her what had happened - again! - After all, she had been the one to stop him from putting a tracker in the kid, so she should feel guilty, as guilty and scared as he felt right now. 

He had spent too much time searching for a certain web slinger in the company of the rogues. Time he could have used to get to know his kid any better! Time to spend with his kid, for heaven’s sake!

He couldn’t believe he let something like this happen. He couldn’t…

„Tony, what’s going on? I got a call from Natasha. You were in a meeting with them? Why? I thought when you left the meeting with Mr. Okushi, you went to sign those papers I gave to you, and after that, you wanted to go back to Peter.“

„Yes, I was…“ With his eyes, he followed Peter’s footsteps through the tower. Like he had hoped, Peter had met the Leeds-boy, and look! There was this happy smile again. A smile he wanted to see more often! 

He saw the boys walking together to a small room filled with lots of boxes. Peter seemed interested in a little Roomba he carried in his arms, and in that moment, he looked so much like Tony had envisioned him when he had been a toddler. Tony had always dreamed of working with Alessandro in his lab. As soon as Sandro would be able to hold a screwdriver, he wanted to show him everything, but it never happened. All Tony had left were his dreams of moments like this. Seeing his boy talk with another boy about a Roomba, watching them both turn the device around, open it, and work on it, was like a dream come true. 

For a second, Tony forgot why he even watched the video. 

Peter looked content. He looked happy. He even smiled again, bright and open, and Tony knew he would save this video for a very long time and watch it over and over again. 

„Tony, what happened?“

„Peter is gone.“ Suddenly, he didn’t want her to feel guilty anymore. He just wanted to have his boy back. His gaze couldn’t leave the video feed of the two boys working on the Roombas. 

„What?“ Pepper screeched. 

Oh, heaven!

She screeched like a banshee in the movies. 

He didn’t think he had ever heard her like that. Not even that one fateful night, when he had gone to Alessandro’s bedroom to find it empty. He remembered that he had called her right away because, for some unknown reason, he thought she had come and taken his child. It wouldn’t make sense, but it was the only thing he could think of, and when he told her that Sandro wasn’t in his bed, she had sounded so calm, but also very worried. A few days later, when it was getting clearer that nobody wanted to pay a ransom and neither Tony nor the police could find a clue to his whereabouts, she wasn’t calm anymore. She was grieving, and every word that left her mouth felt like a shard in everyone’s heart. 

But this screech? Was something new. It showed him that even Pepper wasn’t always so calm and preserved as she showed everyone. She cared. She cared way too much and losing Peter again? It would devastate her just as it would Tony. 

„FRI lost him, Pep,“ Tony told her and moved his eyes from the smiling boys to the map FRI had opened up. „He was working with this boy, and then he went and left, and now he is gone, and FRI can’t find him.“ The map showed Peter’s path as clear as anything else. He was walking around, leaving one floor, exploring another floor, and then he was… damnit! He was in the stairway again. Tony remembered clearly that he had forbidden him to go there! But the kid had gone there and then, suddenly, the kid was gone. One moment, the red dot on the map showed Peter, and then it was gone, vanished into thin air. 

Damnit!

„What do you mean, FRI can’t find him? Did he get out of the tower? How did he get out of the Tower, Tony?“ Pepper sounded breathless as if she would be running. 

„I don’t know!“ He didn’t know, and it drove him crazy! How could he see the little red dot and then nothing? How was that even possible? „FRI, do we have a camera there?“

„No, boss. It’s one dark spot.“ 

Tony knew that even with every technology in the world, he couldn’t observe a Tower as big as his Tower thoroughly. It just wasn’t possible, but after today? He would do everything to have every single centimeter under observation. Every millimeter. Nano-technology was there for a reason!

Damnit!

„Show me what you have!“

FRI opened the video feed. He saw Peter again, but this time the boy wasn’t smiling anymore. He was climbing the stairs as if he wanted to go back to the Penthouse, then he stopped. He turned his head a little, looking over his shoulder. There was nothing. Even when Tony changed the angle of the feed, Peter had been all alone on the staircase, and then Peter changed the direction. Instead of going up, he went down. Tony watched him stop on the 67th floor. Peter looked as if he was thinking of exploring that floor, but then he took the stairs down again—another dark spot. Then Tony saw Peter again, still going down, but he looked thoughtful.

Behind him, the door to his lab opened, and without looking over his shoulder, he knew Pepper had to be the one to enter his lab. She and Rhodey were the only ones who didn’t need him to be let in. 

„What happened?“ She came to a halt right beside him and looked at all the things he had opened to find the boy. Her hand was already on his back. A silent presence to calm him - or her?

„Like I already said,“ he breathed. „One moment he was here…“ Pointing at both boys in the room with boxes full of rumbas. „… then he was there…“ The little red dot on the staircase. „… and then he was gone.“ He couldn’t believe his eyes. He changed the viewpoint and even altered the time. Nothing. One moment, he could see the teenager, and the next, there was nothing. 

„But how?“ Pepper sounded as ever: calm and reserved, but he could hear the shaking in her voice. She was scared they would lose Peter again, just as he had. 

„I don’t know. I really don’t know.“ He would be so happy right now if what Peter had told him had been true. If he were too dumb to be the son of a genius, but vanishing right out of Tony Stark’s Tower? Being invisible to the best AI in the world? That wasn’t something a dumb person could do. This was something only a true genius could make happen, and Tony would love to know how the kid did it. 

And he would ask him. 

As soon as he found him. 

After he put him in lockdown for the next 20 years or so. 

„But he can’t just vanish!“ 

„But he did!“ Tony felt as frustrated as never before. „He did, Pep, he did! And only because I was talking with Rogers and his merry gentlemen! How could I do that, Pep? How…“ 

„Boss?“ FRIDAY’s voice saved him from drowning in self-pity and anger. „The motion sensors in the Parker residence were activated.“

One moment, everything froze in Tony. The world seemed to come to an abrupt stop, and even Pepper, usually warm and sweet at his side, was nowhere to be felt or seen. 

„Tony!“

And everything came back. 

„Peter,“ he said. „It has to be Peter!“

Pepper nodded, and after that, it took him only 20 minutes from calling his suit and flying straight to Queens to the little apartment of the Parkers. 

On his way over, every possible scenario went through his head, from the most obvious: Someone who knew the parkers went into their home to get something, to the most unbelievable one: Someone broke into their vacant home to steal something. Tony had been in that small apartment, and he knew nothing in it would be worth taking. 

The next possibility was the one he was hoping for: Peter. 

So he tried to be prepared for everything from a confused and scared stranger with lots of good intentions to a very dumb thief, and finally for  Peter, still angry, still annoyed, and still trying to escape Tony. 

What he wasn’t expecting was his boy on his knees, bleeding and crying over a broken pot. He didn’t even notice Tony invading the apartment or the newest suit standing outside on the fire entrance. 

Peter didn’t look up when Tony kneeled next to him. 

„Pete?“ Tony asked quietly. 

A sob. Lots of more tears and two hands burying fingers in the dark earth on the floor. 

Peter was hurt, but not only physically, and to Tony, it felt like he had been hurt too. Again, he blamed himself for not having seen what Peter had been afraid of the whole time. How could he not have seen that Peter needed to see the one person in the world who had been there for him over most of his life? How could he have been so thoughtless?

„Oh, Pete, I’m so sorry.“ He grabbed Peter and hugged him, and for a second, he was afraid that Peter wouldn’t want this. Wouldn’t want to be comforted by him. But the thought went away when Peter hugged him back and cried harder, cried and sobbed, and it felt as if he wouldn’t stop ever. 

The next second, he was quiet. 

Tony didn’t know what to do. 

He felt guilty for being such a bad father to the boy, but he was there now, and he would do everything for him. Everything! But he had no clue what the boy would need. Why wasn’t Pepper around in moments like this? She was the one who always told him how to act around emotional people, and Peter was very much emotional right now. But she wasn’t there and Tony wanted to help his kid so damn much. 

„Pete, I’m here, kiddo. I’m here.“ He whispered over and over again in case the boy would finally hear him, and maybe it would help him not to feel so alone. 

Peter was quiet. He just lay in Tony’s arms, and Tony could spot the blood on the floor. He saw the shards on the ground. They would need to go to the med bay after all. Hopefully, Peter would know if he had gotten all the vaccinations, and especially the ones against everything that could live in flower pots. 

A hiccup underneath his arms made Tony smile. Alessandro had hated hiccups. He had laughed when he saw Tony having one, but he was so annoyed when he had them. His small, childish face would be an angry mask, and he would stomp his little feet on the ground. 

For some reason, Tony was hoping Peter would feel the same as the little boy he had once been. 

Peter stayed quiet. Another hiccup. A groan. Nothing more. 

„Pete?“

At first, nothing. Peter stayed quiet, motionless. Then…

„I’m okay now.“ Peter’s voice sounded anything but okay. „You can stop hugging me.“ He didn’t move. Not a single bit, as if it would be easier for Tony to stop hugging Peter instead of Peter diverting himself from Tony. 

„I don’t want to,“ Tony said. „Not if you are hurting.“ Wasn’t that the truth?

„I’m okay.“ Peter still didn’t move away. 

„No, you are not, kiddo. You are not.“

Another hiccup. Tony would have loved to see angry Alessandro’s face right now, but instead, he got a silent teenager, swallowing every feeling inside him. 

„I’m so sorry, kiddo,“ Tony said and hugged the boy a little firmer. „I should have known that you would want to go here. I should have…“

„How did you find me?“ If that didn’t sound accusing, Tony didn’t know. Did the boy think Tony had put a tracker in his clothes?  Or in himself? Maybe great minds think the same, because Tony would do that as soon as he had the opportunity. 

„Motion sensors in the apartment“, Tony confessed. „I installed them a few nights ago so nobody could come and steal your things.“

„A few nights ago?“ This time, Peter wiggled himself out of Tony’s hug and slid a little bit backwards. His eyes, still watery and red-rimmed, looked hopeful. „Was she here?“

„She?“ Tony was confused. When he had entered the apartment, it had been empty, and it didn’t look as if someone had been in it for quite some time. He had been curious how Peter had been living with the Parkers, and so he had looked at everything. He was sad when he saw the small bedroom that clearly was Peter’s. So very small and with just so few things in it.  

Tony knew he had been fortunate to grow up with all the money, and he had seen it every time he had visited Rhodey and his family. They hadn’t had the same amount of money as the Starks, and they had more mouths to feed and no servants to look after everything, so their home was always a little bit chaotic. Rhodey’s sister had always had loud music playing, his little brother was playing everywhere, and toys were lying around in the kitchen, the living room, and, for some reason, even in the bathroom. The bathtub was always full of water, and at least two boats were always floating there. Tony still found it hilarious that the same guy didn’t even like to go on ships after growing up. 

So he knew his own home was nothing like a home for a living family, and he hoped and prayed for so long that Alessandro was living in a home like the one Rhodey had been living in when he was growing up. Tony had hoped his son would have had the space to play everywhere, and he wanted him to get scolded at for playing his music too loud, because for Tony, it meant that someone would have been there for Peter. Someone would have cared for his kid. 

This had been his thought when he entered the Parker residence, and though it looked nothing like his own home, not sterile and aesthetic, but somehow warm and welcoming, it hadn’t been like Tony would have wanted. It looked small and poor. The chairs at the round kitchen table didn’t match, and the other furniture looked like it had been in use for more years than Peter was even alive. There had been lots of rugs on the one couch and pictures on the wall. Pictures of Peter growing up and Tony had spent nearly an hour looking at every photo and imagining the scenes in it. His first thought was to take them down, collect every little picture of his son, and take them with him to the Tower. It was his son after all! 

Then he opted to collect pictures and save them on his servers. After he had gathered every picture, he went into Peter’s room. 

It was like every teenager’s room he could think of. At least something his son got to have!

Clothes were lying around. Books and pens. One backpack that looked like it had been with Peter when he went to school, or at least when he tried to pretend he would be going to school. Two mangas and something that looked like the things the boys had been playing with on their first meeting in the Tower. Lego, Tony remembered. He took a few pictures of the things Peter had built, and nobody needed to know that he simultaneously bought the whole set when he discovered Peter had only a very, very small part of it. He was surprised to see that it was a big set belonging to a movie franchise. He hadn’t seen the movies, but he knew they were pretty famous when he was younger, so it was a little surprising to him that Peter liked them so much. Or maybe everything was just a happy accident, and those were the only Lego sets he could afford? Tony hoped Peter would still be glad to get the rest. 

„Mr. Stark? Was May here?“

Tony had lost a few minutes just thinking of his first and only visit in the small apartment, and now Peter was clearly worried about his so-called aunt, May Parker, and he had called him „Mr. Stark“ again.

Tony sighed inwardly and shook his head.

„There was an empty room. I thought you knew about it?“ It didn’t look as if it had been recently cleared off, which was odd because there hadn’t even been more than a few days between the attempted burglary in the Tower and the discovery of Peter’s identity, so how could someone have moved everything out of one room so quickly? For him, with all his money, it wouldn’t have been a problem, but for everyone else? So whatever had happened there couldn’t be something new, Tony had thought.

Peter sniffed again. His eyes flew to the small floor and the closed door with an empty room behind it. 

„She was still here when we left that night,“ he whispered. „She was sleeping, and Ben told me not to disturb her, so I didn’t go in.“ He pressed his mouth shut and gulped, clearly hurt by another thought. „That was the last time I would have seen her.“

„Oh, Pete, I’m sorry.“ Tony got the feeling that he couldn’t say anything else to his son. So many things to regret, so much lost time. He was getting angry at this stranger, Ben Parker, again. Had the man known something was up? Did he know that Peter wouldn’t see the woman again? „When did you see her before that?“

„In the morning.“ Peter smiled for the first time since Tony had found him in the apartment. „Ben had made breakfast, and I was already running late.“

Tony raised an eyebrow and looked inquiringly at the boy.

„Already running late?“

Peter shrugged. He didn’t meet Tony’s eyes and looked down at the carpet they were sitting on. No, he didn’t look at the rug, but instead he started to collect the shards of the pot. Oh, Tony noticed, surprised, they were still sitting on the floor, surrounded by dirt, earth, and shards. And Peter had to be still bleeding!

„You know, why? “ Peter looked as if he didn’t want to talk about it, and that didn’t sound right in Tony’s ears. Another secret the boy wanted to hide from him? Or just something he didn’t want to think of?

Tony had lost so many precious years in which he could have learned Alessandro’s tales and signs. He would have known why the boy didn’t want to talk about things, and when it was something he wanted for himself, but not now. Now, Tony knew nothing, and it drove him out of his mind. 

For a second, he couldn’t just look at Peter anymore. He turned his head, saw the strange-looking couch under a sloping roof, and nodded. In his earlier years, jumping up and going to the couch wouldn’t have been a problem, but now? With Peter still so very near him and the shards all around them? It wasn’t an easy task, but Tony could manage, and soon he had Peter sitting on the couch, crouching in front of him. 

„Can you roll up your trouser leg?“ Tony could only spot blood stains on one knee, and he hoped the other one would be alright. 

„It’s okay.“ Instead of rolling the trousers up, Peter put one hand on his knee as if he wanted to hide it, and shook his head. „It’s just a scratch. Nothing serious.“

„Yeah, no. I want to see, bud.“ Tony made a motion for Peter to do as he was told, and Peter made a face that told Tony that an Alessandro angry about a hiccup wouldn’t be his only problem right now. 

„It’s nothing.“ Peter looked closed off. „You haven’t told me why you were here.“ His hand was still on his kneecap as if he wanted to make sure Tony wouldn’t hurt him. 

Why did he even think something like this? What had happened to this boy?

„I want to see it, Pete. Really. There was a lot of dirt on the floor. Not to mention the shards, so this is serious and you have to understand that.“

Peter just looked at him. Tony could see that he wanted to say something. He opened his mouth, and his lips moved slightly, but in the end, he stayed quiet. Finally, he rolled his trousers up and presented a few angry red scratches, not even really bleeding anymore. 

„See? I told you!“ Peter showed the trousers back down and made an angry face. „Why were you here? What did you find? And where was May?“

„I was just curious,“ Tony answered, still not sure how he could see the bloodstains on Peter’s legs, but the skin didn’t look hurt. „I wanted to know how you grew up. I tried to…“ He didn’t finish telling the kid that he needed to see everything of the boys life because he missed so much and he wanted to be part of it and even seeing things like the little drawings on the fridge or the pictures of Peter’s first (and only) sport trophy had made him smile so bright. 

Tony swallowed. 

„Why were you already running late?“

Again, Peter turned his head and looked around as if he could find something that would prevent him from answering. When there was nothing there, he sighed. 

„You know, Ben still thought I was going to that stupid school,“ he started. Tony nodded. Right. Another thing they would discuss later on. „It was a school day and…“ Peter stopped. And another thing he didn’t want to share with Tony. Tony hated it. „… I overslept that morning, and Ben was angry at me because he always said school was important, and so I had to run, and Ben was asking me if I didn’t need my backpack for school, so I had to turn around and then I forget the lunch packet he made for me and… it was all so chaotic that morning! So I left, and I didn’t even have more than one minute with May, who wasn’t really awake then. But she smiled at me and scolded me for sleeping so late, and now…“ He stopped again, and this time it wasn’t to hide something. He swallowed fresh tears and closed his eyes for a second, and Tony wanted desperately to talk about something else. Something that would prevent the kid from fearing the worst. 

„Now she is gone.“ Peter’s voice sounded grave. One big tear escaped his eyes and rolled over his still reddish cheek. 

Gently, Tony wiped the tear away, and suddenly Peter’s eyes found his.

„She is gone and I’m all alone,“ he whispered as if he had forgotten that this wasn’t the truth. This wouldn’t ever be the truth. 

„You’re not alone, kiddo. You’ll never be alone. Not as long as I’m living.“

Peter just looked at him quietly, like he needed something more. 

Tony turned around, threw the tiny home the Parkers had made for themself a short glance. It wasn’t something spectacular. It wasn’t something he would have wanted for his son, but it had been something where a boy could feel safe and loved. 

Tony had to give the Parkers that. They had clearly cared for Peter. They had loved him and been there for him. It was more than Tony could have hoped for. 

When he looked back, he saw the glint in Peter’s eyes. The hurt and the hopelessness. Yes, he wouldn’t be alone as long as Tony was living, but it wasn’t the same. Peter still doesn’t know what happened to his aunt. Like Tony didn’t know what had happened that one night when he had found an empty bed instead of his sleeping son. 

„We’ll find her,“ Tony heard himself saying. „I promise you we’ll find out what happened here.“ 

Peter’s eyes still looked at him. Waiting. Scared. Hoping. 

Then he nodded. 

And hiccuped. 

Chapter Text

Going back to the Tower after his big escape was nothing Peter had planned when he had been lying in his bed at night, but naturally, it was the thing that happened after Mr. Stark had found him. 

Mr. Stark, Tony, his father - for heaven’s sake! - had taken him back to the tower, where Ms. Potts had been waiting for them. Peter didn’t know how Mr. Stark had told her what or where he had found Peter, but she seemed to know a lot. She gently pulled him into her arms and held him so tight that he could feel her shaking. 

„I was so scared, Peter,“ she whispered. „So scared. Please, promise me. Don’t do that again. Please?“  

He remembered then that Mr. Stark had told him that she had been there when he was little. She wasn’t his mom, but she sure felt like it, and now he had scared her again. Like he had scared Mr. Stark, who hadn’t said a word about it. He immediately felt guilty about it. 

Peter gulped. 

„Please, sweetie,“ Ms. Potts repeated. „Promise me?“

He couldn’t, and they all knew that. 

„Peter?“ Mr. Stark put one of his hands on Peter’s shoulders, and for some reason, it reminded him of Ben and how he had done something similar so often. It drove a fresh set of tears in Peter’s eyes, and now he couldn’t say anything even if he wanted to. 

For a little while, nobody said anything more.

Then Peter felt Ms. Potts nodding beside him. Her arms, still around him, grew lighter, and she lost her grip on him. 

„Ok, Peter,“ she started to say, and he heard the hurt in her voice. „We…“

„I can’t promise you that.“ Peter said suddenly. He didn’t want to, but he couldn’t hurt her either. 

Everything stopped for a second. Mr. Stark’s hand was still on Peter’s shoulder, Ms. Potts had her arms, though very lightly, still around him, and Peter felt like something heavy was weighing on him. 

„Why can’t you promise me that, sweetie?“ She asked. Her voice wobbled a little. Mr. Stark’s fingers pressed deeper like he wanted to prevent him from leaving. 

„I…“ he started, and then he stopped again. How could he tell them that he wasn’t just Peter? That he was more than just a boy without his family? That there was more on the line than they knew? „I’m…“

„This is your home, baby,“ she told him and brushed lightly over his head. „We are family.“

The thought scared him. They were family. Mr. Stark was his father, and Ms. Potts was nearly like a mother to him, but what about May? 

„I can’t just leave her,“ he managed to say while another set of tears was burning in his eyes. „May. She wasn’t at home, and I don’t know where she could be, but I can’t… I… I can’t…“ he couldn’t finish what he wanted to say. Suddenly, he was crying again, and this time it was Ms. Potts who held him and whispered something to him. 

All the time, Mr. Stark was standing behind him, his hand still on Peter’s shoulders and so very silent. 

Peter didn’t know how much time had passed when he stopped crying, but he felt empty and drained. He couldn’t even stand on his own and had to lean on Ms. Potts, who looked as if she had been crying, too. Only Mr. Stark looked calm. 

They went into the kitchen to find something to eat. Something small and easy to make, and Peter was used to things like that from the time when May had been working and still trying to make something for them, so he was surprised to find out that Ms. Potts’ „small and easy to make“dishes could be straight out of a five-star restaurant. 

He told her so, and she smiled happily. 

After that, they talked about little things. His favorite meals, dishes he didn’t know, or veggies he wouldn’t eat even if he were starving. Ms. Potts laughed out loud when he told her about May’s version of Ratatouille, and Mr. Stark promised to take him to Paris someday so he could try the real one, which sounded insane! 

When they cleaned the table, Mr. Stark was suddenly silent again, and for some reason, Peter just knew that this would resolve in something he didn’t want to know. Or would he?

„We have to talk about something else, Pete.“ 

Peter saw that Ms. Potts took a step next to him as if she wanted to hug him. Or stop him from running away?

„We arranged the funeral.“

He didn’t tell Peter whose funeral it would be. He didn’t need to. 

Peter swallowed calmly and didn’t meet Mr. Stark’s eyes. 

„Am I…Am I allowed to be there?“ He remembered asking that question in the lift a few days earlier, and Mr. Stark had said so, but that had been before Peter had run away. 

Ms. Potts, who was still standing next to him, grabbed his hand, which was lying on the table. She pressed it gently. 

„Yes, sweetie, absolutely,“ she told him without even looking at Mr. Stark. „He was family to you, so it wouldn’t be a proper funeral if you weren’t there.“ 

Her hand was warm on his. He didn’t even notice how cold he felt just now, but she seemed to know such things. Quietly, he nodded. 

„Thank you,“ he mumbled. 

„Under a few conditions,“ Mr. Stark said, and Ms. Potts looked up, startled. 

„Tony!“

„The kid needs to understand a few things before we can go.“

„Tony, this is really not the time to…“

„It’s alright, Ms. Potts,“ Peter reassured her quickly. He should have known that nothing would be easy after today. His one success wouldn’t mean he would win every time. „What conditions?“ This time, he looked at Mr. Stark and held his breath. 

Mr. Stark’s face didn’t tell Peter anything. Not what he was thinking of, or if he was mad, nothing. On the other hand, Ms. Potts seemed to be annoyed, but Peter couldn’t decide if her anger was turned towards him or Mr. Stark. 

„We can’t be seen visiting the funeral of the man who got shot trying to break into my Tower,“ was the first thing that Mr. Stark said. Peter still couldn’t decide what to think of his posture. Mr. Stark did look calm, but also not, as if something was on his mind he didn’t want Peter to know. 

Ben had also been like this. He always had things on his mind he didn’t want to share with Peter because he thought Peter was still a child, and sorrows weren’t something he should have. 

Peter remembered the first conversation with Ben after the accident clearly. His uncle tried to reassure Peter that everything would be alright, and May wasn’t really hurt at all; the doctors were just being cautious because they all knew May. He was told to play with a friend, as if he were still a toddler who needed to go on a playdate when bad things happened! 

The first time he was allowed to visit, May was sleeping, supposedly, but Peter saw the monitor in the room and the IV in her arm. She was anything but sleeping. Still, Ben tried to downplay it. Just a precautionary measure from the doctors, nothing serious; they were just being cautious. It took Ben another five days to come clean and tell Peter the truth. 

Peter looked at Mr. Stark and just knew the man would be the same, maybe even more so than Ben had been, but it didn’t make sense when they were talking about Ben Parker’s funeral. 

„I don’t understand,“ Peter said.

„Your dad is well known everywhere.“ Another warm press of her hand on his. „If someone spots him there, the funeral would be taken over by the press.“

„They are like vultures, kid. Real life vultures straight out of nightmares.“ Mr. Stark looked as if this would be his fault. „They wouldn’t leave us alone, and they would take photos of everything. Then I would have to…“

„Tony!“ Ms. Potts made a stern face and shook her head. „It would be a disaster, Peter, believe me. I’ve seen what Tony can do if the press starts to be a little too much.“

„A little too much? Once, a guy tried to take a picture of you without your bathing suit. I think he deserved what he got!“

„He deserved a firm talk, and having to leave the resort, Tony.“

„He left the resort.“ 

„He should have left on his own feet, not carried by an Iron Man suit who dumped him on a deserted island for three days!“

Peter knew what they tried to do. They wanted to change the subject or lighten the room, because Mr. Stark couldn’t have done something like that, right? He wouldn’t fly some reporter somewhere remote and leave them there all alone. Or would he? 

Peter shook his head. This wasn’t the critical point. 

„So, what do you mean?“ He asked.

„We can’t be seen there, Peter.“

„So? You don’t have to be there. I can go alone. It’s not a big deal. You didn’t know him at all, and I…“

„You can’t go alone!“ They both said at once. Both surprised and repelled. 

Ms. Potts looked like she wanted to cry, and Mr. Stark? Was seriously considering the thing with the remote island for Peter right now. Peter could see it. 

„But I have to be there!“

„Yes, and you will be.“ Mr. Stark nodded. „But in disguise.“

„And not in the first row like you should.“ Ms. Potts seemed to think that this would be the one thing she regretted the most.

„And not alone. Never alone.“ This was something Mr. Stark had said back home, too, as if he would mean it. As if it would mean something to Peter. 

Peter didn’t know what to think of it. 

„So, I would have to be in disguise and the last row or something like that? I can live with that. As long as I can be there.“ 

Mr. Stark nodded and then stopped again. He looked at Peter thoughtfully, and Peter knew there was something more. Something he didn’t want to hear. 

„We’ll go to the funeral only if you promise us something, kid,“ Mr. Stark said.

„Everything.“ He didn’t even have to think about it. Then he remembered telling Mr. Stark something similar a little while ago, and who had disappointed and hurt Mr. Stark. 

This time he was smiling. It was a grim smile, but it was a smile.

„You have to promise me that you won’t try to run away again.“

Chapter Text

Peter didn’t promise not to run away again. 

He did promise not to run away again when they attended Uncle Ben’s funeral, but what about everything before that date or right after? Was off limits. 

Peter didn’t know what to think of everything. He had gotten away, and he had been in his old home, but May hadn’t been there, and after that, nothing made sense anymore. 

Mr. Stark had been friendly to him, even though he had managed to outsmart the genius. 

Peter felt proud of himself for doing something like that. He remembered better days, when he was in school and had friends with whom he could talk. They discussed everything from the latest movie to the latest Avengers action. They discussed the actions of the heroes and attempted to argue with each other about why their favorite Avenger was the best. Those weren’t essential discussions, but they were something Peter loved to think about when he felt alone at night. The memory of one of his old friends talking about Thor and his hammer always made him smile, and he had to confess that he was impressed by Thor, too, but his favorite Avenger had always been Iron Man. The things Mr. Stark did, as a genius inventor or superhero, were just out of this world, and he would never have thought that he would be better someday.

Leaving the Tower without a trace made Peter feel like he could hold his own. At least sometimes. 

Mr. Stark seemed to think the same because he wasn’t mad, like Ben would have been, and he wasn’t looking at Peter with disappointment in her eyes, like May would have done. No, Mr. Stark looked impressed, curious, and proud of Peter, but mostly curious. He wanted to know how he had done it and if he had any help, but when Peter didn’t say anything, Mr. Stark just nodded and asked again for Peter’s promise not to run away, at least not during the funeral. Peter gave it to him. 

After that, they spend the evening together. Like a real family, Ms. Potts had said, and her eyes had been wet, but her smile was so sweet that Peter knew she enjoyed it, even if they were watching a boys' movie. 

He silently grinned when he thought of that. She had called it that. 

They had finished the small meal she had prepared, and then they went to the oversized, comfortable couch. Mr. Stark had let Peter choose where he wanted to sit, and, like a few nights earlier, Peter picked the place in the middle of Mr. Stark and Ms. Potts; both adults were nodding happily. It took both of them nearly 20 minutes from sitting on the same couch to slide right next to him so he could feel the warmth of their bodies. He pretended he didn’t notice it, but he saw how happy Ms. Potts was, and Mr. Stark was so quiet that you could think he wasn’t there. The man wasn’t ever silent, but now. 

Ms. Potts pulled a blanket towards them and asked silently if Peter wanted to share, which he did because he always felt better with a warm blanket around himself. Mr. Stark went away for a second, and when he came back, he brought snacks and soda with him, and it was just perfect. So perfect that Peter didn’t even mind when Mr. Stark put his arm around him again (to massage Ms. Potts’ neck, he said). Peter snuggled a little bit closer because he found he liked the sound the arc reactor in Mr. Stark’s chest made. 

He was out like a light before the movie really started, and not even the snacks could keep him awake. 

He woke up some time later. Ms. Potts was still on this side, her head on his shoulder and one hand on the blanket to keep him warm and cozy. She was sleeping, too. 

Mr. Stark was sitting there, watching the nearly dark room around them, and ruffling Peter’s hair every now and then. Which he seemed to have done for quite a while now, Peter noticed. No wonder he had been so fast asleep!

„Everything okay, kiddo?“ Mr. Stark’s voice sounded hoarse as if he had talked too much. 

Peter nodded. He felt Mr. Stark’s hands on his head, the way his fingertips scraped through his hair and over his neck. He remembered that he had felt it a while now, but it hadn’t woken him up. Even his spider-sense had been quiet. 

It was never quiet!

Not even when he was around with Ben, it wasn’t like an alarm in his mind, when Ben tried to scare him, just as a joke. But his spider-sense always told Peter that something was going to happen, and it was tough to play a surprised face. When Mr. Stark had started to pet Peter, his senses had been quiet. 

That surprised Peter a lot, and it made him feel guilty. Why did his senses react that way, and why around Mr. Stark?

„What’s going on?“ Mr. Stark asked and pointed at Peter’s soda, which was standing on the table. „Do you want something else to drink?“

„No, I’m good. Thanks.“ Peter shook his head. His voice sounded even, but to him, it felt like he had been crying for hours. It felt wrong. 

„Hungry? I could go and bring you the leftovers from the sandwich Pep made especially for you.“ Mr. Stark didn’t move, and Peter knew he didn’t want to because he enjoyed being near Peter way too much. 

„I’m not hungry anymore. Thank you.“ And for the first time in maybe forever, his stomach decided to give Peter a rest and stayed silent. 

Mr. Stark looked at Peter questioningly. 

„You have something on your mind,“ he said. „I can see it.“ 

Peter tried shaking his head, telling the man another „No, I’m good, “ but he knew Mr. Stark wouldn’t have it. So he looked away, to the big screen, which displayed a frozen image of robots fighting each other. It bore a resemblance to the Chitauri attack a few years ago. He shot Mr. Stark another glance. Was he so quiet because it reminded him of that? Was this some other kind of panic attack, like he had witnessed in the lift?

„Mr. Stark?“ Peter tried slowly, and this time he saw the face Mr. Stark made. It was there, for a nanosecond, and then it was gone again. 

„Yes, kiddo?“ Mr. Stark smiled at him. 

Forgotten the aliens or the panic attack, Peter decided to ask the essential question. 

„What was on your mind right now?“ 

Mr. Stark squinted his eyes as if he didn’t know what Peter could mean. Then he looked at the screen, too. Thinking of telling a white lie and being done with it, but when he opened his mouth to speak and looked at Peter again, he stopped. 

He breathed in. And out. 

„I don’t like it when you call me ‚Mr. Stark,“ he said. 

„But that’s your name!“ Peter told without really thinking about it. But he knew what Mr. Stark meant, and he suddenly remembered all the other times since the test result that he had used the words to address the man beside him. He could picture the same hurt face of the man in his mind, and he saw how Ms. Potts had looked. 

Mr. Stark nodded slightly. 

„Yes, that’s one of my many names. One of them. The ones that strangers use, or people who want something from me. People whom I will see for a short time and never again.“ He shot Peter a questingly look. „You don’t think that you are someone like that, do you?“

Peter shook his head. He wouldn’t ever be someone like that. He could understand if you need someone to be extra polite, but to go away after you got what you want? That wasn’t in Peter. 

„So I don’t like it when you call me that.“ Mr. Stark stopped for a short second. „It reminds me of all the times I missed and I…“

„What would you like me to call you?“ Interrupted Peter as soon as he heard the hurt in Mr. Stark’s voice. He was afraid he knew what the man next to him wanted to be called, and he knew right away he couldn’t do it. It may be the truth, but he just couldn’t, and that’s though he didn’t even remember Richard Parker, the man whom he believed to be his father. There were fleeting glimpses of memories in his mind, little things like the one with the red car, but that could also be there because it was one of the few pictures Ben had of his brother. So no, it wasn’t because of Richard Parker. 

Mr. Stark looked thoughtful. Again, he turned his head, and his eyes found the fighting robots, but Peter knew he didn’t see them. Then his eyes roamed the room, found a few pictures on a sideboard that Peter hadn’t seen before, and took a deep breath. 

„I called my father dad,“ Mr. Stark began and shrugged. „But we had a complicated relationship. Sometimes I don’t think he liked me very much, and sometimes I know I didn’t like him at all.“ He sighed and shot Peter a short glance. „Difficult and complicated, you could say.“

Peter nodded. He could understand that. He had known a few boys or girls in his old school who would say the same about their relationship with their parents. At that time, Peter couldn’t imagine talking about Ben or May the way the other guys sometimes talked about their parents. It didn’t even sound disrespectful, but instead as if they didn’t love each other, and that was unimaginable. 

„So you can understand that I don’t want to pressure you to call me that?“ Mr. Stark asked. 

Again, Peter nodded. 

„But hearing you call me Mr. Stark…“  The man sighed again.

„… is also wrong,“ Peter finished the sentence. 

Mr. Stark made a face and nodded. 

After that, they were quiet for a few minutes. As if both of them were afraid of what would come next. Which was silly, right?

„How do you want me to call you?“ Peter pulled all his courage together to ask that question, but it was easy. Now that Mr. Stark had told him he didn’t want him to say Dad to him. 

„You could at least call me Tony?“ But even as he said it, Mr. Stark didn’t look happy about it. Neither did Peter. He tried not to show it, but Mr. Stark saw it and nodded. After that, he looked thoughtful again.

„What would you feel comfortable with?“

Damnit. 

Peter would be very comfortable with Mr. Stark for the rest of his life, but he could understand why that would be a problem. He tried to remember what the guys in school called their dads, the real and the newer ones. 

He pressed his mouth shut. He couldn’t imagine Mr. Stark would like to be called „Old man“ or „Pop“ very much. 

Mr. Stark watched him closely, and it felt like he could read Peter’s mind because he grinned suddenly. 

„I bet you think of many words right now.“ 

No, he didn’t, because there was just nothing that would fit. 

„I love to use nicknames for everyone,“ Mr. Stark said as if that would be helpful. „Pepper, for instance. Her real name is Virginia. Did you know that?“

Peter nodded. It was mentioned in most articles about her. 

„Can you see me calling her Virginia? I mean, for real?“ Mr. Stark shook himself as if something bad and ugly had crawled over him. „Or Rhodey. Rhodey’s name is James.“ He shook again. „How can someone so awesome be a James? That’s just not possible, right?“

Peter didn’t think it would be a good idea to mention Mr. Barnes right now. It wasn’t a question of whether Mr. Stark thought him awesome, too. 

„So, maybe you could find a nickname for me? Something you are comfortable with?“ 

Peter shrugged. That felt like an impossible task. For as long as he remembered hearing of Mr. Stark, it was always Mr. Stark, Dr. Stark, or Iron Man, and calling him something else would feel… Peter didn’t even know how he would feel because he couldn’t imagine it. 

„Rhodes calls me Tones sometimes,“ Mr. Stark tried to offer helpfully. „Maybe that would work for you, too?“

Peter shrugged again. He couldn’t use that to call Mr. Stark because that would feel way too personal. First to Mr. Stark, but second to Colonel Rhodes, too, because of using one of his nicknames? Sounded like he thought he would be equal or something like that. No way…

For a short while, neither of them said anything, and it was very quiet in the room. So peaceful that they could both hear a soft snoring sound. So smooth that you could have overheard it, but as they were all sitting next to each other, they just couldn’t. 

Mr. Stark snorted. 

„And she always tells me I’m the loud one!“ He shook his head, but his eyes were fondly on his woman. In the next moment, his eyes flew up and he met Peter’s surprised look. „That’s it. You could call me something like that!“ 

At first, Peter wasn’t sure what he meant. Then he got it. 

„You mean, I should call you, hey, you, on the oversized couch, can you come here? “ Peter asked. It sounded very, very disrespectful, and he could feel Aunt May’s disappointed glare on himself. „I can’t do that!“

„No? Why not? It would be our thing, you know? We could make it a challenge! You aren’t allowed to use the same description more than once. It would be fun!“

And Peter could see that Mr. Stark thought so. It would be like a nickname for himself, no, like a dozen nicknames for the man, and he clearly enjoyed the thought of it. 

Peter had to look away to hide his smile. All his classmates had called their parents some names, and it wasn’t even nice names, but when they did it, it always felt to Peter like there was something more. They knew each other and were essential to each other, and Peter would very much like to have someone like that right now. 

„So, I can call you man with the goatee only once per day?“

Chapter Text

They had been sitting only a few more minutes in the dark after Mr. Stark had forbidden Peter to call him anything that would describe his style of hair or beard. 

It had been a strange talk, after a long and odd day. A day mixed with hope and freedom, fun and angst, and again hope and grieving, and after everything, a quiet talk in the dark. 

None of them were watching the movie any longer, when Ms. Potts - Mr. Stark tried to convince Peter to call her „the snoring queen, “ but Peter wasn’t so dumb! - had woken up and decided it was time to get some sleep for everyone, so they left the living room and went to their beds. They even smiled and talked a little bit on their way. Mr. Stark told Ms. Potts that her snoring was so loud they couldn’t understand the movie anymore. When Ms. Potts threw a cushion at him, he didn’t even dodge; instead, he grinned. Peter grabbed himself the rest of the sandwich she had made for him, and Ms. Potts looked like she wanted to cry happy tears about it. 

It felt normal. Happy. Content. 

Then Peter was in his room. He closed the door, and FRIDAY dimmed the light like he told her a few days before. It was nearly as dark in the room as it had been in the living room, and Peter was standing there, breathing, thinking, absolutely clueless because of everything. 

He had been stolen as a little kid. That one was clear. 

Mr. Stark was his father. Also clear. 

But everything else? 

What had happened to him? Why did he get stolen in the first place? How did he end up as Peter Parker? Were his so-called parents involved in everything? Did his uncle know? Did Aunt May know? Where was Aunt May? Was she - Peter stopped when the question popped into his mind - where was she? What had happened in the apartment? 

„ Peter?“ FRIDAY asked when he didn’t move. „Is everything alright? Should I alert boss?“

Peter flinched violently. 

„Oh, no! Sorry. I… I think I was already asleep. Sorry.“ He laughed at himself a little and went quickly into the bathroom. After doing what needed to be done there, he went back into his room and slipped under the covers of his bed. FRIDAY turned the light out, and Peter was back in the dark. 

Suddenly, he wasn’t sleepy at all. His mind was racing, though he couldn’t focus on anything. A stolen toddler, moving from California to New York, living a good life with his aunt and uncle, going to school, friends, visiting the Stark Expo with his uncle, laughing with friends, going on field trips, bitten by a spider, being Spiderman, losing Ben, finding his true father, talking with Ned, losing May and then sitting on a couch with Mr. Stark looking for nicknames for the man.

Once his mind reached that image, it turned inward, and he remembered a quiet discussion with May when he was perhaps 7 or 8. She had walked him to his school, and on their way, they had seen how one older kid, maybe even Peter’s age right now, had talked with their dad. They had both been shouting, and it was clear they were angry at each other. In the end, the other boy said something, turned around, and ran into the school, leaving his speechless and furious dad behind. Peter was so confused about the whole thing. He couldn’t imagine ever being so angry at someone he loved. May had smiled at him sweetly, hugged him, and told him that he should always stay as he was. 

Peter remembered that scene clearly, and he could imagine what Aunt May would think if she heard him call Mr. Stark in such a way. She would disapprove of it. Or would she? 

But he couldn’t ask her, right? Because he had no clue of her whereabouts. 

Which drove him back to the most crucial question at the moment. 

Where was she?

Who took her?

And:

How could he find her?

He turned around, snuggled deeper under the warm and comfy cover, and sighed when he discovered that he couldn’t find out anything as long as he was confined to the tower. 

Mr. Stark promised to help him, he remembered, but would he? 

This was Aunt May, the woman, who could at least have known of Peter’s true heritage. Or maybe not. 

Or she knew more of the other Parkers. Perhaps she was aware of documents Ben still had from his brother, which would resolve everything. Or maybe not. 

So many questions. 

Peter could feel himself getting restless. Usually, this would be the moment where he left his bed, put on the few things he had made himself to wear as Spider-Man, and went on patrol. Swinging around in the dark, finding someone to help, getting cats from trees, or preventing a mugging always helped to ease his mind, and when he went back to his bed after a few hours of Spiderman, he was always sleepy and satisfied with himself. He had done the right thing. He had helped. He had used his powers for good. 

He couldn’t do that now. He couldn’t just throw on some clothes, put a mask on, and jump out of the window. He couldn’t be Spiderman. 

But only as Spiderman could he find out the truth behind May’s disappearance. 

So he had to leave. Again. He had to find a way. 

He remembered Ned and his little Roombas, and he formed a plan. 

The next day, Peter asked FRIDAY if Ned would be in the building, and when he heard the other boy was still working on the Smoombas, he went to help. 

„Oh, my gosh! You’re a lifesaver!“ Ned smiled happily when he saw Peter coming his way. 

Peter grinned back. Mr. Stark had told him to use his watch, which he had carelessly left behind just the day before when he left the Tower, to buy things in the Tower, so Peter had tried that in the small café. He purchased two sodas and two pieces of cake, and though he had been very nervous about presenting his watch to the woman behind the counter, she only nodded slightly and wished him a good day. 

„nuqneH, Ned.“ Peter greeted the boy in Klingon, as he had learned the other day, and placed the cakes and sodas on the table where Ned was sitting and working on the rumbas.

„You remembered!“ Ned nodded approvingly. „Good work, young padawan.“

„Don’t mix them. That’s bad luck.“ 

Ned made a face, but didn’t say anything to that. Instead, he looked at the cake and the soda. 

„What’s that for?“

„I thought we could use something when we are working so hard. Don’t you think?“ 

Ned’s eyes grew bigger.

„You want to help again? Really? I thought I would never see you again. Awesome!“ 

„And I brought snacks.“

„You are the best!“ 

The funny thing was, Peter had the feeling that Ned meant it as if they hadn’t just met but knew each other for weeks, months, or years. Talking with Ned felt easy and comfortable. They had many things in common, such as their love for science fiction movies, Lego, or simply sitting together and working on Roombas. 

They had lots of fun together, and the few hours Peter spent with Ned and working on the little robots didn’t feel long at all. They talked about everything, the next movie Ned wanted to see (and tried to persuade Peter to come with him), or the manga Ned had discovered and found hilarious. 

Peter loved the time he spent with the other boy. For the first time in weeks,  everything felt like it should. He had a friend, and they had a good time; nothing else was on his mind. 

But then, Ned told him about his school, which sounded awesome. The classes weren’t as large as they were in his last school, and the teacher seemed genuinely to care. They even had clubs for more things than just sports!

The only downside was that when Ned asked Peter about his school, Ned wouldn’t accept Peter’s vague „It’s around here“. Ned looked at Peter with a frown on his face, but then he shrugged it off and asked for Peter’s friends, which led to another set of „I’ve got a few“ and a shrug from Peter. 

Ned didn’t look convinced. 

For a while, they didn’t talk after that, both boys working on their robots. 

Ned’s mobile rang, and when he looked at the display, he made a face.

„My mom,“ he told Peter. „She worries I’m not eating enough.“ He made a picture of the empty plate with a few crumbs of cake still on it, and sent it to her.

Peter nodded. May had been the same. Even if her meals were barely edible, she would worry about Peter not getting enough. She mostly sneaked him little snacks into his bag when he went to school, and he felt awful about it - and loved it, too. 

„My Aunt is the same,“ Peter said and smiled a little. „She always gives me something extra so I won’t starve to death in the four hours till the next meal.“

Ned grinned. 

„Mine, too! And my Abuela is even worse. I remember, when I was a little kid, she would run after me with snacks even though I had just been eating.“

Another smoomba finished, Peter stood up and put it back in the „finished“ box, but before he could grab the next one, FRIDAY’s voice cut through the air. 

Ned’s eyes grew big. 

„Peter, the boss is asking if you will be up for a quick snack before dinner.“ Peter could hear that FRI was amused, and he remembered that she was always there, having listened to the topic of their conversation. It still felt awful to think that he was constantly under surveillance, but it felt even weirder when he turned around and saw how Ned looked like he’d seen a ghost. 

„No, I think I’ll stay a little longer. If that’s alright?“ Peter saw how Ned opened and closed his mouth, like a fish out of the water. 

„It’s alright. Boss wishes you boys to have fun.“ 

Again, Ned looked like he would faint any minute now. 

„That was FRIDAY,“ Ned whispered after a second. „Dude! FRIDAY talked to you!“

Peter nodded. He tried to play it cool, but he remembered how curious he had been when he first heard about Mr. Stark’s AI and how awesome it was. Having to live in the Tower and discovering that the inventor was his dad put the brakes on that excitement. 

„ FRIDAY talked to you!“ Ned repeated himself, and his voice sounded like he had run a few miles. „Why did FRIDAY speak to you?“ He squinted his eyes and looked curiously at Peter. 

Peter shrugged. 

Ned blinked. 

„You heard it. Just a question if I’m hungry.“ 

Ned nodded and blinked again. His mouth moved, but he didn’t say anything. Instead, he gulped. Then he took a deep breath. 

„ FRIDAY said Boss is asking,“ Ned gulped again. He looked at Peter without voicing the next question. 

Peter made a face. He really didn’t want to have that discussion at the moment. He didn’t even know if he was allowed to tell people everything. Maybe his being Mr. Stark’s long-lost son should stay a secret? Maybe Mr. Stark didn’t want him to tell anybody about their relationship?

For a brief moment, Peter considered his original suspicion that everything was a setup. Maybe Mr. Stark was in on the plan and didn’t want people to find out? Maybe telling someone everything would help Peter get free?

He looked at Ned, who was still watching him like he suspected Peter would grow a second head any minute now. 

Maybe telling someone everything would put this someone in danger?

Peter knew he couldn’t take that risk. 

„There is only one man in this Tower who gets to be called Boss.“ Ned’s eyes were glued on Peter. 

Peter didn’t say anything. The little robot in his hands felt wrong. He didn’t even know if this one was already finished or one he had just taken out of the box to open. 

„Why does Iron Man want to know if you are hungry, dude?“

One year ago, this question would have led Peter to a laughing fit. He and his friends would have laughed tears about something like that, but now? It didn’t sound funny at all. 

„It wasn’t Iron Man,“ he said, though he knew that wasn’t an answer. 

Ned blinked, then shook his head.

„Don’t even try. I’m not dumb!“ Ned squinted his eyes accusingly at Peter. „Who are you?“

Peter put the robot back in the box. It wasn’t important anymore if he had already fixed the problem or not. 

„I’m Peter,“ he said slowly, looking Ned straight in the eyes. „Peter Parker.“ 

Ned made a motion with his hands like he wanted Peter to say more, but Peter couldn’t.

„I told you already who I am.“ Peter said again. 

„Yes, but you didn’t tell me what you do here,“ Ned noticed suddenly. „When we met, I wasn’t an intern here because Stark Industries didn’t take kids our age as interns, but you were still here.“

Peter really should leave. If Mr. Stark was asking about a quick snack before dinner, it had to be late already. He knew he should have left long ago, but spending time with Ned had been fun, and for a short while, he had forgotten everything else. 

„Why are you in the Tower, dude?“

Peter tried to find a reason to be in the tower. Something like the internship Ned had going, but he didn’t know anything about it, and he wasn’t the best liar. 

„I’m living here at the moment?“ It sounded like a question, and it felt like one. 

Ned grew quiet again. He looked at Peter with wide-open eyes, and his mouth hung open. Then he shook his head. 

„You are living here?“

Peter nodded. 

„Nobody lives here.“

„A few people do.“ At least, Peter thought so. 

„But…“ Ned gulped again. „You mean, you live in an apartment in the tower?“

„Yes!“ That didn’t even sound like a lie. One problem solved. 

„With your aunt?“

And the problem was back again. 

Peter made a face. 

„No, not really.“

Ned just looked, and when it was clear that Peter didn’t want to answer any unspoken questions, he asked: „With whom do you live here? And don’t tell me there is no one!“

Peter sighed. 

„It’s complicated.“

„Why is that complicated? What can be complicated? You’re a kid like me, and you have to live with someone. So, who is it if not your aunt?“

„I’m…“ Usually, questions like this would remind Peter of Ben. Every time Peter left in the morning to go to school, like Ben still thought, his uncle told him to have fun and learn something useful. When Peter came home at the end of the day, his uncle asked him if everything was alright, if he had enough to eat, how the last test result was, and what his friends were doing. 

All the questions May would have asked before, and Peter was so used to them that he dodged them without problem. Yes, some of his friends had brought leftovers from a birthday, so he was still full from that. The last test was in physics, and he aced it. His friend wanted to hang out later, if that’s alright? He wouldn’t be out past 10 pm, and he knew that it had been a school night, but they had worked so hard over the last weeks. He had looked pleadingly at Ben, and Ben had allowed it. 

At that time, Peter hadn’t had any friends anymore, but there was Spiderman, and it felt good not to sneak out in the middle of the night for once. 

So dodging complicated questions or questions he didn’t want to answer shouldn’t be a problem for Peter, but Ned, with his curious eyes, was a problem. Ned had offered Peter his friendship without asking too many questions. It was fun hanging out with him, and Peter discovered that he didn’t want to use this, though it had been his plan, and he would stick to it. He needed to stick to it, otherwise he wouldn’t get out of the Tower, and he couldn’t find May if he were sitting on Mr. Stark’s comfy couch, watching movies and eating snacks.

„I’m living with Mr. Stark,“ he said quietly. 

Ned was silent for a moment. 

Peter didn’t even try to look at him because he just knew everything had to change after this. Til now, they were just two boys, meeting in some weird circumstances, considering their age, but still two boys having fun with robots and talking about movies. 

Suddenly, there was a strange noise, something like a squeak or a snot or both of them. 

Peter looked up and found Ned’s eyes even bigger, his mouth wide open, and he made a few bizarre movements with his hands, pointing at Peter, at the ceiling, at something out of the room, and then at the smoomba in his hands and then back again. All the time, he didn’t say a word and looked like he wanted Peter to say something more. 

„What?“

Again, some strange movement to the ceiling. Did he ask if they were under surveillance? 

The movement to the door. Did he want to leave?

The smoomba. What the heck should that mean?

Finally, Ned and Peter, and Peter didn’t understand anything.

„What, Ned?“

Ned gulped. Squeaked. Took a long breath. He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, he looked ecstatic. 

„Are you Alessandro Stark?“

Now it was Peter’s time to gulp and squeak and avoid eye contact again. 

„No, I’m…“ but he found himself unable to deny it. He turned around, walked a little to the wall, and looked in one of the boxes with already finished robots, trying to find something to say. Lying had always been hard for him but after he became Spiderman and after the accident of May he was becoming accustomed to it. However, in this moment with Ned? It did not feel right. He didn’t know why, but it didn’t feel right. 

Peter gulped.

„Maybe?“ He turned around and shot the other boy in the room a curious look.

Ned was sitting there, very quietly, with big, wide eyes and an open mouth. He looked at Peter, but he didn’t wait for the second head to grow. He looked like the second head wouldn’t even be the most unrealistic thing right now, which made sense, Peter thought. 

„Why do you even know about him?“ Peter asked when Ned remained silent. 

„Dude!“ Ned made a stern face. „Everyone knows that story!“

Yes, Peter did know that. He had seen the documentary, too, but that had been long ago. He wouldn’t have thought another teenage boy would remember that story, but Ned wasn’t just another teenage boy. He was the one who wanted to build the Lego Death Star without the set. He talked about Star Wars like it was the best movie series ever made (which just showed how smart the boy was, because that was so true in Peter’s opinion), and Ned was working as the youngest intern for SI, and he was very, very excited about it. So maybe it was to be expected that Ned knew of that story. 

Peter shrugged uncomfortably when he still felt Ned’s eyes on him. 

„What happened? Do you wanna tell me or… should we just skip it till you wanna tell me?“ For some reason, that was exactly the right thing for Ned to say.

Peter looked up and met the eyes of the other boy. He looked curious, a little bit impressed and starstruck, but mainly he looked like a friend who wanted to understand and help. 

„It’s really complicated,“ Peter started. „As you know, Alessandro was stolen when he was very little, and nobody ever found out why. Two weeks ago, my blood was taken and analyzed, and it seems I’m a match to his, so now I’m…“

„Iron Man’s son,“ Ned breathlessly exclaimed. „Dude!“

„Not Iron Man, just…“ Peter shrugged. There was no real difference between Iron Man and Mr. Stark, right? They were still the same person, but it didn’t feel as if Iron Man was sitting with him at the breakfast table and asking him about his favorite jam. It didn’t even feel like Mr. Stark, genius and inventor, anymore. It was just a dad asking his son, whom he hadn’t seen in quite a while. 

Peter didn’t know how to think about his newest realization. 

Ned nodded.

„Right. Tony Stark’s son. Dude, that’s so awesome!“

Peter didn’t answer that. He didn’t think it was awesome. He would have been thrilled if his blood hadn’t been a match for the missing kid. Or wouldn’t he? If nothing of this had happened, then he would still be in jail, Ben would still be dead, and May? She would still be missing, and nobody would look for her. He wouldn’t even know that she was missing. He would be all alone and scared, because if Peter was honest with himself, being in prison had scared him. He didn’t know what they would do with him when they found out he was enhanced, and he was sure that would come out at some point. 

So maybe it wasn’t such a bad thing after all, discovering that he was Alessandro Stark. 

„What happened?“ Ned asked right in that moment. „You were stolen, and now you are back? And nobody knows about it?“

Peter shrugged again. 

„ Or weren’t you stolen at all? Was everything just a ruse so you could grow up in secret? And live an everyday life? Was this all some kind of plan of your dad?“ Ned was impressed with this and happy. He smiled so brightly that Peter nearly felt bad for destroying this image.

But should he destroy that image?

Before he could say something, Peter stopped. He looked Ned straight in the eyes and saw the other boy smiling, happily, excited, and a little naive. In another life, Peter thought to himself, Ned could have been a true friend, a good friend, one he could rely on with everything. He had once had a friend, but they had lost contact over the last few years. 

Peter doubted that it would be so easy to get rid of Ned any time soon if Ned were his friend. 

At the moment, they weren’t the best of friends yet. They were just two boys having fun, but it still felt like more. It felt like they were standing on the brink of something incredible. 

Something that Peter couldn’t have right now. 

He had lost Ben. He didn’t know where May was. The whole thing with breaking into the Tower still felt like a setup, not to mention how Alessandro Stark grew up as Peter Parker, and don’t even start with the whole Spiderman problem.

No, Peter desperately needed a friend, but he couldn’t risk having one at this point in his life. It wouldn’t be fair to Ned, and there was still his other plan. 

„It’s all top secret, you know?“ Peter said that once he made a decision. „Only a few people know about me, and it has to stay that way.“ He looked sternly at Ned, whose mouth was hanging open again, but he didn’t say anything. He looked impressed, so, so impressed. 

Peter felt guilty about it, but he had to. 

„ FRIDAY?“ He asked and hoped the AI would answer him.

„Yes, Peter?“

„We need another NDA here.“ He hoped that would be the right thing to ask after. He wanted to give the impression that he was accustomed to acting this way, and it wouldn’t look good if the AI exposed the truth.

Ned’s phone gave a little chime. 

Without looking, both boys knew that this would be the NDA.

Peter had to say that it felt awesome to have an AI work for him. 

Ned blinked. 

„You are really Alessandro Stark? I can’t believe it!“ He said suddenly. „I thought you were just Peter.“

Now Peter didn’t feel awesome at all anymore. 

Chapter Text

After their talk about Peter’s past, both boys worked a little longer on the robots, but it didn’t look as if they would ever finish their work. For every robot they changed, there was another one waiting in one of the boxes. So many robots, so much to do - and Peter loved it. 

It was only when Ned’s supervisor came to check on Ned’s progress that Peter remembered that there was something else he wanted to do. Something more pressing than fixing robots. He smiled at the man who was clearly confused about who Peter was, but not as confused as someone would be if he didn’t know something about Peter before meeting him. 

Maybe Mr. Stark had informed all his supervisors about Peter? So they wouldn’t question his whereabouts in the Tower and call the security? It could be.

The man nodded at Peter with lots of questions in his eyes, but didn’t ask one. Instead, he turned to Ned and started to talk with him. It was the perfect excuse for Peter to go.

He winked at Ned, who was already showing all of his progress, and left the room. Thinking of FRIDAY, who would monitor his every move, he looked for the bathroom he had used earlier and went in. When he had been there before, there had been a small window right next to the sink.  He had seen the skyline while washing his hands, and it felt strangely disorienting to view it from an objective perspective out of a window, rather than as a picture someone had put on the wall. The best thing was that it was a real window, big enough for him to fit through, and he hoped that FRIDAY wouldn’t monitor this room. 

Peter went into one stall, closed the door for a short time, and waited. Someone came into the bathroom, used the facilities, washed his hands, and left. Peter then opened the door again. He flushed the toilet and went to the window to manipulate and open it wide enough so he could fit through. As expected, he heard FRIDAY’s voice immediately. 

„It is against safety protocols to open the whole window, Peter,“ her voice sounded calm. „Please close the window immediately.“

„I know!“ Peter made his voice sound apologetic. „It’s just… I… I just need to have some air in here. Only for a second.“

„I can start working on the air ventilation  on a quicker level, Peter, but you have to close the window now.“ Her calm voice shifted slightly to a stern tone, like a teacher giving a lecture. 

„I’ll do it. I swear. As soon as I finish washing my hands.“ He took his watch from his arm, put it on the sink, and started letting the water run, but didn’t put his hands under. Instead, he pulled his webshooter out, new and improved, thanks to the small pieces of the Smoomba Ned had given him. He even used one of the tools Ned had in his rooms to work on them, and Ned, still talking about something a boy in his school had done that earned him a detention, hadn’t even seen it. 

„Peter, I have to inform boss if you do not close the window in the next five seconds.“

Peter smiled to himself. Five seconds? That was more than enough time for him. 

He stopped the water, crumpled a paper tissue, and threw it in the trash; then he turned to the window. 

„I’m closing it now, FRI. No need to tell Mr. Stark about.“  When he had been in the room earlier, he had looked at the mechanics of the window. He had found a way to open or close it from the outside, and because he already knew and used that knowledge, that FRIDAY had no video in the bathroom and only operated on heat signatures, escaping again would be easy. 

He jumped on the windowsill and waited a second. Nothing. 

He shot his web on the window handle, pushed himself out of the room, and stuck to the window next to the open one, then he closed the window. With his web, he turned the lock, and then he waited again. 

„Thank you for closing the window, Peter.“ He heard FRIDAYs voice from the inside of the room. She wouldn’t talk to him if she didn’t think he was still in the room. 

As before, he had managed to outsmart everyone, even the AI. 

He started to smile, then he looked over his shoulder. The skyline of Manhattan was still impressive, but this time it didn’t even look like a picture on a wall anymore. This time, it was one of his favorite views ever. 

From way up high, on a building, with winds in his hair and the sun on his face. 

He smiled. He was free again - then he jumped, and for a few seconds, he felt nothing, as the air, the cold, and the sooshing sound it made when you fell. Then he shot his web and was on his way.

+++

„Boss?“

Tony was finishing the last few touches on his mom’s lasagna recipe. After that, the big casserole dish of edible memories would go straight into the oven and stay there for at least 45 minutes. Time enough to make a salad, and after that, he could go to his lab again and tinker a little bit with things for SI. He didn’t often cook, but on special occasions, he loved to, and having Peter back home and safe felt like just the occasion. Not to mention that he had spied earlier on the boys working together on a desk roomba, and again Peter had looked happy, but something more had caught Tony’s eye. Peter looked like he knew how to use the tools and wasn’t that something Tony loved seeing? He would ask him about it when they were sitting together and enjoying the lasagna Tony had made, and maybe after that, they could - finally! - go to Tony’s lab and play around with all the shiny toys they have there. 

It would be awesome. 

„Yes, FRI? Don’t tell me, Pepper’s meeting is running late! The lasagna is nearly finished.“

„No, boss, I’m afraid…“

And Tony knew exactly what FRI would say. 

„I’m afraid Peter is missing.“ The AI sounded frustrated, but not as frustrated as Tony felt. 

„You’ve got to be kidding me!“ 

+++

The way back to his old home was quicker this time. He didn’t stop to chat with Mr. Dellmar or play with a murder of crows. He just swung around, quietly, with his goal in mind, and he only stopped when he was on the rooftop of the building on the opposite side of his home. 

It wasn’t as dark as he was used to, so he kneeled behind a venting system and just looked at their old apartment windows. 

He could see the windows of their living room from his vantage point: the small kitchen window and the even smaller bathroom window. The window in his room would be on the other side, the same as May’s window. 

For a moment, he just stayed where he was and looked around. 

Last time he had spotted Sandra, he remembered. He had thought she had maybe visited May, but it couldn’t be, as the room had already been cleaned out. So why had she been in the neighborhood? Coincidence? He didn’t believe that. Hopefully, she would be at Uncle Ben’s funeral so that he could ask her about it. 

He saw Mrs. Martens walking her dog and throwing angry glances at everyone who dared to smile at the little dog. She was a peculiar person, but Peter knew she was just alone and lonely, and the dog meant the world to her. 

A few more neighbors were around, some Peter knew by name, some he just recognized. It looked like someone moved out because four people, three women and a younger man, carried lots of boxes out of the house next to Peter’s house. The woman looked spent already, and that was though the man tried to lift the heavy things all by himself. Everything in Peter screamed at him to go and help, but he couldn’t. Not as long as he wasn’t sure he wouldn’t be spotted, and soon enough, he saw a shiny new car driving down the street to his home, stopping right in front of it, and then nothing happened. Whoever was driving the expensive car didn’t leave and was sitting there, waiting. For whom? For Peter?

„I don’t think so,“ Peter mumbled and was very happy that he took the time to be safe. Then he turned around, started to run, jump, and shoot his web to the next building. He swung around for maybe 30 minutes, not to work as Spiderman, but to be safe. And when he came back to his spot on the roof, the car was gone, the four movers were sitting on the boxes, and Mrs. Martens and her dog were back home. 

He took another look around. Nothing seemed strange or new to him, but he couldn’t be too cautious, so he swung back over, climbed over the rooftop, and when he was on the backside of the house, he waited again. 

From his new point of view, he saw only the ugly house, along with older homes, some of which were sprayed with graffiti, while others were overgrown with dead flowers. May would have cried if she had seen all the dead flowers, but thankfully, she wasn’t able to. 

Peter stuck to the wall and got a little closer to his window. 

Mr. Stark had told him that he had motion sensors installed by the front door. A brilliant move on his part, but had he been smart enough to install motion sensors on the windows? 

Peter didn’t think so, and he knew how to open his window, even if it looked from the inside. 

So he smiled, climbed a little bit deeper, and started to work on his window. A few seconds later, he could jump inside, land quietly on his feet, and wait. He didn’t know what he should wait for. His spider-sense would have alerted him immediately if he wasn’t alone in the apartment, but he still waited a short while and listened for any small sounds coming from devices or things like that. When he couldn’t hear anything and nothing happened, he grabbed his backpack, which had been lying on his bed, and went to the little nook over his bed where he always hid his suit. He changed from his usual Peter jeans and shirt to the sweatpants and shirt he had reserved for Spiderman. He breathed a relieved sigh when he put his mask on. His other clothes went into the backpack, along with a few items he didn’t want to leave behind. After that, he left his room and took a closer look at the apartment. 

When he had been here the last day, he had been there as Peter: scared, confused, without hope. A deeply hurt Peter Parker. Peter Parker, who didn’t know where to look for hints or clues. Peter Parker, who wouldn’t even know how to look for suspicious signals or something like that. 

Spiderman, on the other hand, knew exactly what to look for, and so he went through the apartment, looking at everything and everywhere. He found Mr. Stark’s motion sensors right next to the door. They weren’t even really hidden, but on the plain side if you were already in the apartment. 

He looked around. It was like he thought. The sensors were only next to the door, not to the windows. 

He smiled, satisfied at that. Nobody in their right mind would see the windows to the apartment as a way in or out, but for him, it was. 

Then he turned and walked to May’s room. 

Though he knew what he would see, it was still awful. He opened the door and just stood there for another few seconds. Seeing the empty room was the strangest thing he’d ever seen, and he was crawling around as Spiderman in the dark!

It was just so wrong. So wrong on so many levels. So so…

He heard himself breathing loudly as if he wanted to cry or would be in another minute, and he shook himself. Not now, Peter! He told himself sternly. Then he went to work. 

The room was still empty, but it had a window, a spot underneath the heater, a built-in closet, and a little nook that didn’t make sense, but May had smiled when she saw it. 

Peter went everywhere; he crawled on his knees to look on the ground, and he even opened the window, nearly going outside. He looked everywhere, but there was nothing left for him to find. 

He wouldn’t say the room was clean because it wasn’t; dust was everywhere, but that was all, and that was the first hint for him. Someone had cleaned the room, and he had taken everything with him, including May.

Peter stopped searching and stood up again. 

Whoever had cleaned this room had taken everything May loved and cherished with them, and why should they do that, if not to please May? So she had to be somewhere. She had to be alive somewhere. 

The thought suddenly occurred to Peter, and he could feel the rush of happiness that bubbled up within him. He smiled, though he was still standing in the empty room with no hint of where to find May. He smiled so bright, it hurt, but it felt amazing. 

She had to be alive, and that meant he would find her. 

He left the room behind and went to search the apartment for clues. At first, it didn’t look as if something was missing. The broken flower pot was still on the floor. Mr. Stark had quietly used a broom to sweep it together, but when he tried to throw it away, Peter started to cry again, so he stopped. Now the shards lay on the ground in front of the trash can, and one green shard seemed to mock Peter. He remembered the pot. He had painted it for May when he was maybe 6 or 7 years old? It was just an old pot he had found near a dumpster, and because he had broken one of May’s a few days earlier while playing carelessly, he had begged Uncle Ben to take it with him. At home, he had taken his pens and started to draw on them, and his uncle had later finished and sealed the whole thing so that it would preserve his masterpiece forever. 

Peter went to the trash and grabbed the shard. It was a familiar motive he had often drawn when he was a little kid. He didn’t know why or where he had seen it, but it was a small rectangle with a deep green color, and just drawing it made him always feel safe and calm. No other color or motive affected him, and May had always smiled about it. 

For a second, he just looked at the shard, the green rectangle, and tried to remember anything more. A few moments with May, some laughter, and warm smiles. Then he drew himself together. He would find her, he promised himself. He would find her. 

Determinedly, he turned around and searched the apartment for hints again, and it took him nearly another 30 minutes, but finally, he found something. 

Like the vases that weren’t in the kitchen before, there was something else strange. One of Uncle Ben’s old sweatshirts from his time as a member of the police sports team was neatly folded with his other clothes in the wardrobe, next to his other shirts and sweaters. 

Nobody would ever think that strange or weird because it was Ben’s old shirt. It even had his name on the back. But Ben hadn’t worn it for years, as he hadn’t been in the police sports team of the police anymore. He had stopped wearing it when May had caught a cold one winter, and she couldn’t get warm. He lent it to her at that time, and he didn’t get it back. It would be washed regularly, but every time Ben tried to put it away with his other belongings, it vanished from his wardrobe. He pretended not to know why or played grumpy about it, but Peter knew his uncle had loved when May put his shirt on. 

Someone had been in the apartment, and he had tried to leave it without leaving a clue, but May had obviously wanted to give hints of her whereabouts. 

So what’s next? Peter asked himself, eyeing the shirt with a glare. He turned around again. Now, as he knew that the hints wouldn’t settle, he found other things. 

A game of cards was lying on the side of the table in front of the couch. May had loved playing cards, but Ben had hated them. Peter knew they had a game, but it was always in May’s room, and only Peter would play with her. 

A picture of some stranger, hanging on the wall right next to the TV. May had found the frame in a thrift shop, and she was always on the lookout for the perfect picture to put in it. Until then? The picture stood on the shelf behind the couch, a reminder to be filled and, at the same time, a beautiful frame. She wouldn’t have hung it up because the people in the picture were strangers to them. 

Three things, Peter counted silently. Three things that didn’t belong where he found them, and just then he knew whom he should ask. 

He slid the shard into his backpack and went to his room again. With his backpack on his back, he climbed through the window, closed it from the outside, and shot his web. After that, he left his home behind, his goal clear in mind. 

It would take him an hour to swing through Queens and Brooklyn until he was finally at the upper bay, but that was okay for him. He could use the time swinging around to quiet his mind and think of the right questions. 

That was until he heard someone call him. 

„Hey, Spiderman, got a minute?“

When he turned mid-swing around, he found Hawkeye on a rooftop nearby, just standing there and watching Peter. 

He froze and gulped. 

Without looking around, he knew the other Avengers would be there, too. Somewhere. 

His spider-sense started to tingle.

Chapter Text

The kid was gone. 

Again. 

Tony couldn’t believe that it had happened again, so soon after the last time, too. 

It was just as if the universe wanted to mock him with everything. Take his son without any trace, let him suffer for years, and just when he could nearly live with the endless pain of losing Alessandro, getting him back, easy peasy, just like that, and then? He was gone again, just when Tony had started to think that everything would be alright from now on. They had their problems, right, but what kind of teenager didn’t have any issues with his parents? It was normal. Like Pepper had said, just a few hours earlier, when they had been lying side by side in their bed, enjoying the warmth of each other. She had said that they should get a book about teenagers because when Alessandro had been just a baby, both of them had read any book on toddlers they could get their hands on. Tony had been obsessed with them. 

So what should be different with a teenager? Why should raising a teenager be easier than raising a toddler? Just because they could suddenly talk? As far as he knew, teenage boys didn’t tend to speak very much, and if they did, it wasn’t something their parents wanted to hear.

She said she would look into it and bring a few books for them to read. Tony had found it hilarious, but he couldn’t wait to start reading them. 

Now said teenager was gone again, and Tony felt scared., Scared he wouldn’t ever see him again. Scared he wouldn’t find him for the next ten years. Scared he would miss more steps in Peter’s life. So damn scared. 

And angry. 

How could he do that? How could someone let him do that? How was that fair?

He was gone, and Tony, who had run straight from the kitchen to his lab to activate every tracker he owned, had no clue where the kid had gone. Nothing.  One moment he was with the other boy, then he went to the bathroom, and after that? Gone with the Wind. Only the watch with the tracker inside was still on the sink. As if he boy had known there would be a tracker in it. Had he known it? Had he left the watch behind so he couldn’t be tracked? 

Oh, such a smart one, he was!

Tony grumbled and rechecked the feed. 

He saw Peter going into the bathroom, and since there was no life feed from that area, he could only look at the heat signature of his son. He seemed to be sauntering to one stall and stayed there for a while. Another heat signature went into the bathroom. FRIDAY immediately delivered the facts about the other man. She knew Tony would want everything from him, but there wasn’t much. He was just another man working on that floor. Tony checked. He was still working when Tony had already started looking for Peter, and he had left the room after a very short time, while Peter was still in his stall. 

When he finally left it, he opened one window and washed his hands. He had put the watch, which Tony had made for him, on the side as if to prevent it from getting wet, though Tony had told him that he could go swimming and deep diving with it. 

FRIDAY had scolded Peter for opening the window, and Tony immediately decided to investigate the lock of the window. It shouldn’t have opened the window as wide as Peter had done, so the window lock had to be broken. Perhaps he should also install some security measures on the windows and doors. Wasn’t that something you did if you had small kids? He didn’t know that was something you had to do if you have teenagers, too, but obviously it would be a smart move. 

He watched as the small red dot called Peter moved to the side. FRIDAY told him that Peter had wiped his wet hands dry, and then he had closed the window. 

The dot was gone. 

Tony’s first thought was that Peter had fallen out of the window. It was unbelievable to think that, but it seemed the only reasonable way for Peter to vanish like that. 

When the window was open, the Peter-dot had been there, and when it was closed, the dot was gone. There was no other explanation. Hadn’t he thought a few days earlier that Peter could be suicidal after everything? Maybe that wasn’t just a misguided thought, but the truth? And he hadn’t seen it? He hadn’t done anything to prevent something?

He was too scared to ask FRIDAY to check, but his baby girl was always one step ahead of him. She had looked and told him that nothing suspicious had happened on the outside of the Tower. The only thing she had found was one of Spiderman’s web strings that seemed to be everywhere in the city—nothing to worry about. 

Peter was still gone. 

There had to be a glitch in FRIDAY’s system, somewhere. 

Tony hated that thought, but it made sense, so he checked. After that, he let FRIDAY check her systems, and then he rechecked everything. Nothing. FRIDAY was working as well as ever. 

Peter was still gone. 

He would go to the Parker’s apartment, Tony thought and opened the motion sensors. Nothing. He had installed a camera on the front door so he could see who would want to visit the small apartment, and when he opened it, it showed him an empty floor. He watched the entire feed of the last few hours up to the present time, and nothing had happened. One woman came, seemed to knock on the door, and when nobody opened, she shook her head and went away. Other than that, nothing. 

Peter was still gone. 

He opened the street cameras on the street that led to their home. He could spot him somewhere. Peter had to be somewhere around, right? The apartment had been his destination the last time he had left the Tower, so that it would be this time, too. 

Nothing. 

A dark car caught his attention. It didn’t look like it belonged in the neighborhood, but it was parked right in front of the building in which Peter had lived. 

Just when Tony got curious about it, FRIDAY found another thing to be curious about. 

Spiderman was sitting on a rooftop nearby, watching the car on the street. 

So Tony had been right. The car was suspicious, and the vigilante was already on the case. Good for him. Good for Queens. 

But where the hell was Peter?

He tried to remember other places Peter could have mentioned before. Things he had talked about, People he cared for, and found nothing. Peter had been with them for days, and Tony knew nothing of his kid. Nothing important, at least. He remembered a few stories of extraordinary people, but no names, no addresses, and they didn’t even seem as important to Peter. 

In the CPS folder, Tony found Peter’s old school, but why should he go there? He had told them that he wasn’t going there anymore, hadn’t been for quite some time, and after Tony had looked at their records and extracurriculars, he could understand that. They would talk about school, though. Later. When he had found Peter and put the goddamn tracker in the kid. 

He searched through the folder, looking for other things that might hint at places Peter would run to, or friends, or people he considered family. Nothing. The whole folder looked like a bad joke to Tony. It wasn’t even 5 pages long. Surely there was more to Peter’s life than just 5 pages! 

But there was nothing, and Peter was still gone. 

Finally, Tony broke. 

He found himself looking at everything again and again. He checked FRIDAY because there had to be something he just hadn’t seen yet, some hint. Then he watched the camera at the apartment door again. The floor was getting darker. He saw one lamp flickering. That was something the landlord should probably change soon, but he wouldn’t do that. Tony had looked at the man as soon as he had found Peter, and he knew the guy would only be after getting money, not spending it on the house. Tony would change the bulb. It was nothing for him, and while he was there, he could take a look at the wiring because the last time he hadn’t thought of it. It wouldn’t even take him long and… 

Peter was still missing, and Tony wouldn’t change a bulb or look at the wiring as long as he didn’t know where his kid had gone.

He couldn’t just stand there and watch video feed after video feed. He saw the car moving again, leaving his parking spot and driving away, and he knew Spiderman would follow him. As he knew, Steve and his little gang were out there looking for the vigilante. Maybe he should give them a hint?