Work Text:
"Cuttin it kinda close, arent we?"
Peter spared a glance at his HUD clock before yanking off his mask and throwing it on his bed.
11:59
"I'm not late." He grumbled, turning his back as he reached for the release for his suit.
Tony raised an eyebrow at the surly tone and sipped his mug of almost cold coffee.
"I didn't say you were. But you've been out since school finished up. That's a long day."
Peter didn't respond, instead pulling off his suit and grabbing a pair of sweatpants off the floor.
"How was patrol?" Tony asked, tone carefully constructed for interested nonchalance.
Peter shrugged. "Fine."
Tony watched the teen wade through discarded clothes and books and Gatorade bottles to pull a t-shirt off the back of his desk chair.
"Any action?"
"Stopped a couple muggings." Peter responded in the same dull, almost bored tone.
Tony gave him a careful once over, lingering on the boy's downcast face hoping, to find a clue as to the reason for his current mood. But Peter was playing his cards close to the chest and gave away nothing.
"Any injuries?"
Peter didn't roll his eyes like Tony thought he might, instead he held up his right hand. "Dislocated my thumb I think. Put it back already. Feels fine."
Tony nodded, pleased with the honesty. He set aside his empty mug on Peter's dresser and reached for his outstretched hand. After some careful prodding was met with more sullen neutrality Tony released him.
"Okay. Well, there's Thai leftovers in the fridge. Want me to heat that up for you?"
Peter shrugged.
Tony didn't return to the door.
"You okay Pete? Usually Thai will at least get me a smile." He said, cautiously teasing. Sometimes it was easy to pull Peter out of a bad mood. A little extra attention and affection and he was right as rain. Other times it was as if a dark cloud were following the kid around. Usually when there was more going on than just a mood swing.
"I'm fine. Just tired from patrolling, you know?" He made an effort to look at Tony's face as if to prove his point.
Tony nodded, putting a hand on his shoulder and pulling him in to give him a kiss on the forehead. Peter allowed it, although somewhat reluctantly.
"Okay kid. How about a movie with dinner. You pick?"
Peter shrugged again. "Got homework."
"It'll keep." Tony said, giving his shoulder a squeeze. Thor help him but he hated to see the kid so down. All Tony could think was how badly he wished he could make it so Peter never had to do anything but smile.
As it was the best he could do was offer him comfort food, quality time and a temporary reprieve from schoolwork.
"I'll go heat up your food. You come when you're ready."
"Yeah. Maybe."
After Peter's noncommittal answer, Tony went to put his Pad Thai in the microwave and sit on the couch. After some internal debate he had FRIDAY turn on The Princess Bride, a house favorite.
Wesley and Buttercup had just entered the fire swamp when Tony heard the soft footfalls of a teenage superhero enter the room. Without looking up he lifted his right arm. Seconds later Peter dropped down beside him, snuggling in tight to his side. Tony dropped his arm over Peter's shoulders and squeezed him close.
"You okay kid?" He asked lowly in the silence left by Wesley diving into the Sinking Sand.
Peter just nodded. Pulling his legs up to his chest and wrapping his arms around his knees. He relaxed and dropped his head to the crook of Tony's shoulder.
"You know you can talk to me. Right?" Tony murmured against the side of his head.
Another nod.
"Okay." Tony didn't push. He just dropped another kiss onto his kid's hair and hoped he would take him up on the offer.
By the time school let out the next day Peter was planning another long patrol.
He needed to get in the air. Get behind his mask. Get back out where things made sense and people weren't whispering and laughing about him behind his back.
"Dude, you okay?"
Peter glanced at Ned and made his best attempt at a smile.
"I'm fine."
Ned shook his head as if he didn't believe him and they pushed out the main doors.
"You know they'll get over it soon. I know it sucks right now but..."
"I know Ned. Its just..." Peter shook his head and took a deep breath. "Nevermind. I'm gonna go...do my thing."
Ned nodded and held out his hand for their secret handshake. Peter obliged.
"Be safe okay?" Ned reminded him as they bumped elbows.
With a promise to do so, Peter turned to head off to his favorite alley near the school to change. He'd barely gone ten feet when his phone buzzed with his dad's vibration sequence.
Irondad: Happy is picking you up today.
Peter glanced up and, sure enough, a black Audi with tinted windows was sitting in Happy's usual spot by the curb.
Peter: Why?
Peter: I was going to go patrolling.
Irondad: you were just out yesterday.
Peter: so?
Irondad: just come home please. I'll explain when you get here.
Peter rolled his eyes and didn't respond, instead heading over to the car. He kept his head down, hands shoved in the pocket of his hoodie, doing his best not draw attention.
He should have known it would never work.
Flash was standing with a group of kids between him and Happy. Peter, in a fit of self destructive curiosity, glanced over the faces of the people with him. His eyes snapped back to the ground when he saw the handful of girls he recognized. Faces he's been trying to avoid all week.
In spite of himself he could feel his face heating up and pulled his bottom lip between his teeth.
The air was filled with snickering and whispers Peter fought not to listen to as he walked by, eyes glued to the ground.
"Hey Penis, have you gotten a date to Homecoming yet?" Flash had barely finished his sentence when the group with him let go of their control and burst into raucous laughter.
Peter gave up the pretense and broke into a jog to get to the Audi faster. He opened the door, threw himself in, and slammed it shut behind him.
"Easy on the ride there, killer."
Peter didn't respond. He shoved his backpack to the floor and stared at it with his arms crossed over his chest.
Happy didn't move, probably expecting a response to his comment.
This was the car Tony had upgraded especially for Peter, but despite the extra tinted windows and soundproofing Peter was sure he could still hear his classmates pointing and laughing at him.
"Can we just go please?" Peter snapped after several seconds of silence. Happy raised an eyebrow but did as he was asked.
Peter doggedly ignored Happy's attempts to draw him into conversation on the way back to the tower, stewing over the humiliation he'd been enduring at school all week instead. All the comments. All the whispers they didn't know he could hear. The tweets and snaps he'd been tagged in by people he didn't even know. The pitying looks from MJ and Ned.
By the time they pulled into the tower's garage Peter was overwhelmed with anger and anxiety. His chest hurt, his head ached, his entire being practically vibrated with the need to get out, to do something, because all week hadn't hadn't been able to do anything.
His fingers tapped the bottom of his backpack where he had his suit.
Maybe he could just go to the bathroom outside the lab, change, and head out before Tony saw him. He didn't even have a chance to contemplate whether that would be worth the lecture he'd return to when Happy was opening his door and guiding him to the elevator with a hand at his back.
Peter's annoyance at the body guard's hovering only added fuel to the fire in his gut.
On the 54th floor Peter burst into Tony's lab with a scowl and a chip on his shoulder.
"Hey kid, how was school?"
"Why couldn't I go patrolling?"
Tony slowly lifted his head from his worktop and turned toward Peter. The teen was glaring at him, face flushed and arms crossed tightly over his chest.
He flicked his eyes over his shoulder to Happy, who shrugged, raised his hands as if in surrender, and silently backed out of the room.
Tony looked back at his kid and narrowed his eyes.
"Hi dad, school was great, thanks for asking. How was your day?" He said with fake cheeriness and a bright smile.
Peter rolled his eyes.
"Hi. School sucked actually. Why couldn't I go patrolling?"
Tony stood, crossing the room toward the prickly teen.
"What happened at school?"
Peter huffed, uncrossing his arms.
"Nothing. Can I go now?"
Tony raised his eyebrows. If looks could kill Tony would be a corpse.
"No. What's going on?"
Peter shook his head, feeling the pressure of frustration like an overinflated balloon in his chest. "But why not? I am allowed to go patrolling after school, that's what you said."
Tony huffed, feeling his patience wearing thin.
"I have an update I need to do on your suit, it will only take a few hours so-"
"A few hours?" Peter squawked, throwing his hands out to his sides. "Why can't this wait until tonight when I get back?"
"Because Peter its-"
"This is so unfair! You know today is a patrol day."
"Hey!" Tony snapped. The response was immediate, Peter's mouth clicked shut and he folded his arms again, scowling. Tony took a deep breath.
"If you would let me finish." He said, modulating his voice to be calm. Reasonable. Someone had to be. It might as well be the adult in the room. "Its a safety update. I reviewed the data from yesterday. Your suit glitched. That's why you misjudged that landing and dislocated your thumb."
Peter scoffed, rolling his eyes again. Tony felt his temper flare and took a deep breath along with a step back, hoping a little extra distance would give them both room to breathe easier.
"Peter, its only a couple hours, go make yourself a snack, you're probably hungry."
"I'm fine. I just want to go patrolling. Now."
"A few hours Peter."
"But-"
"Or should it be tomorrow?" Tony raised an eyebrow, hands moving to his hips.
Peter's jaw dropped. "Are you serious?"
"We can make it next week?"
Peter's mouth closed again, his face flushed red from angerfrustrationresentment and the effort of keeping them at bay. Tony stood firm, mouth in a thin line. For a moment he thought he saw hurt in his kid's eyes before it was walled off again and replaced with fury.
With a snarl Peter tore off his backpack and threw it at Tony's feet.
"This is bullshit!"
He turned on his heal and stomped out of the lab.
"Peter!"
But he was already gone.
Tony waited 25 minutes, long enough for Peter to (hopefully) calm down and long enough for him to remind himself that Peter was a good, usually happy kid.
Something was wrong and yelling was probably not what he needed.
He made his way up to the penthouse and knocked on Peter's door.
"Go away."
Tony sighed and reached for the doorknob, letting himself in.
"Are you deaf I said 'go away'." Peter was sprawled across his comforter, staring at the ceiling. Tony stuffed his hands in his pockets.
"I heard you."
Peter lifted his head to glare at him.
"Yet here you are."
"Yup." Tony nodded. He leaned back against Peter's dresser and crossed his arms and ankles. "I thought we should probably talk about what just happened." He paused. "Then you can go patrolling."
"When, next week?" Peter grumbled.
"No. Tonight. If you talk to me."
Peter sighed, contemplated the ceiling for another moment, then sat up and folded his legs.
"I'm sorry." he mumbled to his lap. "For, you know. Swearing at you and stuff."
Tony's face softened. Accepting the extended olive branch, he approached to sit on the end of the bed.
"So what's up, Pete?"
Peter shrugged. "I just wanted to go swinging, you know. I...I needed to. To be Spiderman. Today."
The odd cadence of halting sentences was not lost on Tony. As if Peter didn't want to say what was bothering him but did want Tony to ask.
"I got that much. Why?"
"You know why."
"No, I know why usually. I get the feeling there's something else on your mind right now."
Peter didn't respond right away so Tony let the silence hang. He rested his elbows on his knees and his eyes wandered over the piles of schoolbooks on Peter's desk and the half assembled lego model on the coffee table in front of his couch in the corner.
"I just need to be Spiderman." Peter said finally.
"You are Spiderman."
"I know I just. Right now. When I...I just want to be Spiderman right now." He cut off and Tony bit his lip to keep himself silent, sure his patience would be rewarded. He was right, a second later Peter took a deep breath and the words came tumbling out of him.
"Spiderman is a hero, you know? He helps people and he's strong. He's an Avenger. People love him. People want their picture taken with him. He's not a loser. No one...no one laughs at him. Or makes fun of him. Or anything like that. He's just...he's better. Than me."
Tony frowned, heart twisting at the bitter sadness in his kid's voice.
"Have people been making fun of you?"
Peter shrugged, picking at his thumbnail.
"Was it Flash again?" Tony asked, trying not to growl and wondering what charges would be levied against him if he paid a little visit to Flash's house tonight.
"Flash I can handle."
Tony disagreed but didn't say so.
"Its Homecoming soon." Peter blurted out, picking at a loose thread on the hem of his jeans.
Tony nodded, responding with forced nonchalance. "You planning to go?"
Peter shrugged again. Tony caught his chin starting to tremble before he bit his lip to stop it.
"I...I kinda wanted to. But..."
"But what?"
He sighed, stilling his hands and hunching even further into his Midtown hoodie.
"I asked a girl. Liz. From school."
Tony nodded, clenching his hands into fists to keep from dragging the kid into a hug. He waited.
"What did she say?"
Peter shook his head, pursing his lips when his chin started to give him away again, eyes going blurry.
"She said...at first she said she'd think about it. She said no one had asked her yet. I just...I thought." He frowned, forcing a shaky deep breath and attacking the loose thread with renewed vigor. Tony reached over to cover Peter's hands with his own, stilling them.
"After I walked away I heard her and her friends whispering. They said I was a loser and they couldn't believe I'd had the nerve to ask her." He shook his head, sniffing as he lost the battle with tears. "They laughed at me. And they told everyone and now the whole school knows and I just...it's so stupid. I can't believe I was so stupid."
Unable to hold back any longer Tony took hold of Peter's hands and yanked the teen to his chest. With him wrapped up in his arms the boy's sobs were muffled in his shirt.
"Oh Bambino." Tony murmured, smoothing one hand into Peter's hair. "I'm so sorry, kiddo."
Peter pressed his face into his shirt. "I can't believe I was so pathetic."
Tony shushed him, pressing a kiss into his hair.
"You're not stupid, or pathetic or any of the other awful things those little asshats have said. You're an incredible, smart, kind, funny, generous person. You. Not Spiderman. And if that girl can't see that then she doesn't deserve you."
Peter clung to him, hands fisted in the back of his shirt and his shoulders trembling. His sobs didn't last, before long he was leaning back, wiping his hoodie sleeve over his face and trying to take a deep breath. Tony kept one hand anchored at the back of Peter's neck, tilting his head down to try and catch his gaze.
"Pete?"
Peter's red rimmed eyes met his.
"You know you can't hide from life in the suit."
Peter's eyes skipped down to the bedsheet. He nodded.
"And you know you can come to me with anything. You don't have to keep it all bottled up until it explodes."
Peter swallowed hard and then nodded again.
"I know." He rasped. "I just...in the grand scheme of things, aliens and killer robots and people dying in the street...a bunch of jerks and getting turned down by a girl didn't seem like it should be that big of a deal."
Tony put a little pressure on his neck and Peter obediently leaned forward so Tony could kiss his forehead.
"Nothing. Nothing that bothers you is stupid. If you are hurt, whether its your feelings or your body or your mind, I want to know about it. Even if I can't necessarily do anything to fix it. Although I'm a genius so I can probably think of something." He quipped, delighted when the corner of Peter's mouth twitched up slightly. "I want you to know I've got your back, Peter. Always."
Peter nodded again, forcing himself to meet Tony's eyes.
"I do know that." He shrugged one shoulder. "Yesterday helped kinda."
Tony beamed. "Sounds like Ice cream for dinner then."
Pete rolled his eyes, but didn't even try to stifle his grin. "Can we have waffles with it?"
Tony laughed, dropping one last kiss on Peter's head before standing, dragging the teen along with him.
"Anything for my spider baby."
Peter ducked under Tony's arm and let the man squish him into his side as they made their way out into the living room.
"Thanks Dad."
Tony squeezed his shoulders and rubbed his arm in response.
"Alright, pick out a movie, I'll get the grub."
Peter nodded and dropped onto the couch. A moment later he opened his eyes when a cold bowl was pushed into his hands. He didn't even remember closing them.
"Thanks." He smiled at Tony as he sat beside him with his own bowl of ice cream, patting his knee as he did so. "Waffles are in the toaster."
They were halfway through the opening credits before Tony spoke again.
"I meant what I said, kid," He said, scraping the sides of his bowl to collect the melty ice cream liquid. "If she can't see how great you are, she doesn't deserve you."
Tony glanced over to see Peter looking at him with glassy brown eyes.
"Anyway," he continued, too casual, "you should invite that scary MJ girl. You'd make a cute couple."
Tony could have dodged the pillow that flew at his head.
He decided the kid could use a win.