Work Text:
Pairing: Senior!Tony x Sophomore!Peter
Word Count: (Including lyrics) 3436
Warnings: Underage, recreational drug use, underage drug use, bullying
//Here we go again, I kinda wanna be more than friends. So take it easy on me, I’m afraid you’re never satisfied//
Tony hadn’t been excited at the prospect of another body in their home. He knew that no matter who it was, there wasn’t anything or anyone that could warm the cold walls of their home. He knew that another person’s chatter wouldn’t be comforting or fill the empty halls, it would just make everything seem that much quieter, that much more lonely.
Maria had promised him that he had so much to look forward to. That despite the fact that this poor kid Peter’s aunt, who had apparently taken care of him for a majority of his life, had died, that he was still perky and happy. Maria had told him that he needed more friends like that around, and Tony huffed.
Sure.
So Tony was slightly stunned when the boy bounded into the house with his pale yellow suitcases in tow with an equally bright smile, right towards him. Peter released his bags and his arms locked around Tony’s neck with a heavy sigh.
“Long time no see, Tony!” The boy giggled into Tony’s neck as Tony stood there, blinking, his arms out to his sides to avoid returning the hug.
Who the hell was this kid?
Maria huffed and gave him that look that Tony knew he had to succumb to. So he conceded, and let his muscles relax slightly, giving the kid an awkward pat on the back with both of his hands.
Peter wasn’t blind to the older boy’s obvious discomfort and pulled away quickly after receiving a few pats on the back. Peter could feel the heat blooming in his cheeks and huffed, his eyes finding the chocolate hardwood beneath his feet, as he tucked a curl behind his ear.
“S-Sorry. You p-probably don’t remember m-me much. I’m P-Peter. Peter P-Parker.” His eyes, though still towards the ground, were now following the way he wiggled his toes in his sunflower covered converse. He heard a gruff hmm resound from Tony’s chest, and saw as the older boy’s scuffed leather boots turned as he exited the room. Peter’s head shot up and his hand reached out, as a silent squeak fell from his lips.
Peter thought maybe Tony would remember at least some of their childhood memories.
It would seem he had been horribly mistaken.
//Here we go again, we’re sick like animals, we play pretend. You’re just a cannibal and I’m afraid I wont get out alive. No, I won’t sleep tonight//
Peter was trying his absolute best to belong here. But it didn’t seem all that meant to be. He was attending Midtown High with Tony and was keeping up amazingly academically. Socially? He was totally falling short. That accompanied with the minor detail that he was sharing a house with Tony who apparently hated his guts? It made it hard to even pretend that he would make it here eventually let alone belong here in this moment. Peter knew that Maria was doing everything she could to make him feel at home, and be the accommodating mother and host that she could be, but Peter was incredibly alone.
It hadn’t been a particularly good day. One of Tony’s friends, by extension he claimed, Flash, was constantly on Peter’s ass. Constantly nagging at him, putting him down, beating him. Today, he had managed a firm right hook to Peter’s eye socket and he was feeling the repercussions of that vividly. His left eye was swollen shut and it throbbed, though not nearly as badly as his brain that had been so thoroughly rattled within his skull.
Peter, on his way home from school, had stopped at Delmar’s to grab a shitty pair of sunglasses in a poor attempt to hide the inflamed eye, then quickly made his way home.
When Peter came in the door, Tony stood there looking absolutely pissed.
How dandy.
“Where the hell were you? Huh? You fucking punk, making me fucking get in trouble with my mom ‘n shit.”
Peter’s eyes had found his yellow shoes again as he attempted to reconcile the situation, and kindle his relationship with Tony. Peter hadn’t even given a thought to the fact that Peter and Tony were supposed to arrive home together. He was too busy well…getting his skull bashed in?
“I-I’m really sorry Tony. I h-had to talk to M-Mr. Harrington a-about D-Decathlon s-stuff.” He shuffled his feet in a sorry attempt to shake his anxiety and continued on, “I p-promise I’ll tell Maria it was my f-fault.”
Though he wasn’t looking directly at him, he could see Tony take brisk steps towards him, and his rough, calloused fingers caught his jaw, tugging it upward in a painfully sharp motion, jolting his brain yet again. Peter winced and Tony rolled his eyes.
“That ain’t gonna fucking cut it this time, Kid. I’m tired of your stupid bullshit. Just fucking be on time tomorrow.”
Tony released him and Peter let out a frustrated huff, before he burst out, “Y-You don’t get to t-treat me this way! I d-deal with all this stupid shit a-at school and t-then I c-come h-here and t-this place is supposed to be my h-home too! I’m s-supposed to f-feel safe here a-and you t-treat me just like y-your s-stupid friends do. I h-haven’t done anything to you. So w-why do you keep h-hurting me?”
Tony’s eyes found Peter as the younger boy tore off the cheap sunglasses and sighed, attempting to wipe the tears away from his swollen eye, before stalking off to his room.
Tony was stupidly oblivious to other’s feelings, of that he was painfully aware, but up until this point, he hadn’t cared.
After Tony had collected his thoughts and believed he had given Peter a reasonably amount of time to calm down, he brought the kid an ice pack.
//Oh, oh I want some more. Oh, oh what are you waitin’ for? Take a bite of my heart tonight. Oh, oh I want some more. Oh, oh what are you waitin’ for? What are you waitin’ for? Say goodbye to my heart tonight//
Peter could see that Tony was making a conscious effort. He was sending him small smiles, walking him to some of his classes to ensure he wouldn’t be bothered, and when they were in the house he’d occasionally come and check on him. It made Peter beam. It seemed that things were looking upwards for both him, and his relationship with Tony.
In return, Peter made sure to cover for Tony if he decided to sneak out and do “senior things,” whatever the hell that had meant, Peter wasn’t entirely sure. He had guessed it had to do with things of an illicit nature, but was never confident enough to ask. He was perfectly content with the silent agreement the two of them had, having each others backs without having to explicitly state it.
Tonight wasn’t at all what Peter had been expecting. Tony had snuck out, as he usually had on the weekends, but tonight he arrived home much earlier than usual. He stumbled in the front door, as Peter sat on the couch, working diligently on his homework. When Peter heard the front door his eyes shot upward, and saw a stumbling Tony. Peter, being Peter, was extremely concerned and ran to his side.
“T-Tony? Are you hurt? D-Do you need medical attention?” Peter’s eyes raked Tony’s body for any sign of bodily fluids, bruises, or broken bones, but couldn’t find any. At Peter’s concern, Tony chuckled, with a lazy side smirk.
“Don’t be so concerned, kid. I’m just cross-faded as fuck right now.” He laughed at himself, and Peter gave him a look that screamed I have no clue what the hell that means. With a gentle roll of his eyes, Tony took the kid’s arm and dragged him up the stairs towards the older boy’s bedroom.
When Peter stood at the threshold, his eyes were wide, in utter awe that he was finally allowed in here, with Tony’s permission. The older kid rolled his eyes and waved him in as he collapsed upon his bed, patting the space beside him.
Peter took hesitant steps towards the bed, and awkwardly seated himself on the bed’s edge.
“D-Do you need anything, Tony? W-Water or something?” Tony just stared at the boys face: his flushed cheeks and button nose. But he couldn’t tear his eyes away from the way the light hit the kid’s whiskey colored eyes, or the golden flecks within them.
“Nah kid, ’m alright.” Tony smiled gently before he scoffed, “dude, stop sitting there all awkward and just lay on the damn bed.”
Peter was slightly shocked by the words, but nodded and shimmied his way onto the bed, as Tony watched and laughed softly. After the two were laid side by side, the room was filled with silence, and Peter took a glance at Tony. The older boy looked positively delicious, in his dark, fitted Black Sabbath shirt, glancing off at the ceiling as if contemplating the meaning of his existence, before his eyes found Peter’s. Peter’s thoughts ceased as Tony’s eyes found his and he stared into their abysmal brown hue. Peter hadn’t noticed the way he hesitantly gravitated towards Tony, until the older boy spoke and broke him from his thoughts.
“Pete…do you…do you like it here?”
Peter was genuinely taken aback by his question, and quirked his eyebrow as he gave the question some thought.
“A-At first…not really. Maria tried to make it nice. I tried hard to convince myself it was nice. After M-May…after May p-passed and I came here, nothing seemed to fit me quite right. I didn’t belong at school, I didn’t belong here, y-you,” His voice trembled, and he forced himself to close his eyes, take a deep breath and proceed, “y-you hadn’t remembered me at all, and we were so c-close, and y-you…you h-hated my guts and I didn’t know why.”
Peter’s eyes found Tony’s again, as the older boy let out a soft sigh, before those calloused fingers delicately took Peter’s soft buttery hands between them.
“Fuck I’m-,” another exasperated sigh leaves Tony’s plump lips, “I’m so sorry, Pete. I promise that you belong here, and that I’ll treat you better, treat you like you deserve–no, better than you deserve. You deserve better than this, but you belong here, with m-well w-with us.”
A small smile graced Tony’s features and Peter thought he could melt into those hands like putty if he smiled at him like that again. By now Peter’s cheeks were aflame and he wished he could hide his face within the sheets, but he couldn’t tear his eyes away from Tony’s. There was too much residing within them, so much passion and drive, and so Peter just stared.
“But I t-think I belong here with you, now.”
//Here we are again, I feel the chemicals kickin’ in. It’s gettin’ heavier, I wanna run and hide. I wanna run and hide. I do it every time, you’re killin’ me now. And I won’t be denied by you, the animal inside of you.//
Tony had made good on his promise. Though he didn’t remember making it, Tony treated Peter better than before. He walked him to his classes and even waited around after school if the younger boy had a club meeting. Occasionally Tony would sling his arm over Peter’s shoulder and Peter would turn his head away as his cheeks lit on fire. Peter didn’t mind belonging with Tony.
It made him feel whole, and appreciated and loved.
Not that Tony had any clue, because he was always oblivious, or so Peter thought.
After Tony had taught Peter what in the hell cross-faded had exactly meant, Peter thought that he could give drugs and alcohol a go. If Tony was there with him. He was unsure about being in that sort of state of mind by himself or at a party, the task seemed a little daunting.
So the two sat upon Tony’s bed, as Tony pressed the small bits of marijuana in the small bowl. Tony was a little worried about the younger kid trying a bowl, but he was out of rolling paper so this would have to do.
The stench wasn’t exactly pleasant, and it made Peter’s stomach turn alongside the concept of getting possibly caught by Maria or Howard.
“Tony a-are you sure they won’t be back tonight?”
“Aye, Pete, I told you a hundred times, they’re out of the state and won’t be back for a couple days. Calm down. You’re gonna be alright. I’ll be right here the whole time, kid.”
“O-Okay.” Tony looked up from his handiwork to give Peter a reassuring smile, and in return the kid smiled and awkwardly chuckled.
“Y-You’re friends p-probably weren’t this jumpy were they?”
“Eh,” Tony shrugged, flicking the lighter a few times before a flame actually appeared, “everyone is a little nervous their first time Pete. You’re no different than them.” Tony waived the flame gently over the bits packed into the bowl, before placing his finger over the hole, inhaling gently as the smoke filled up the glass, before releasing his finger, and inhaling deeply. He let the smoke sit in his lungs, permeate the organs, before exhaling.
Peter watched the scene in awe, and bit his lip to contain himself as a result of how hot the action was. How Tony seemed confident in his motions, how the smoke blew from his lips, and the look of transcendence and dare he say bliss on Tony’s face?
“You catch any of that, kid?” Tony asked before he turned to look at Peter who was staring back at him in awe. Tony chuckled gently before lighting the bowl again, and holding it up to Peter’s lips. They had a good system going. Peter just inhaling and exhaling and Tony working the mechanics of the bowl that Peter was clearly clueless on.
Peter felt the back of his throat go numb, and coughed repeatedly. For a second, Tony was worried the kid would either puke or choke, but after tossing the kid a water bottle he settled down.
“H-Hey, Tony?”
“Yeah, kid?” Tony was working on taking his own drag before he glanced over and saw the kid’s eyes were a little bloodshot already.
“Is….is any of this real? Am…am I here right now?” Peter’s eyes were wide as he slowly looked around the room, as if trying to gauge just how real this situation was. Tony chuckled and nodded his head, smoke dispersing from his lips and seeping out his nose.
“Yeah, kid this is all real. You and I are just chilling out in here.” Peter smiled at that and Tony let out a breathy laugh. Tony didn’t expect him to be this out of it, this early in the game, but he didn’t mind. Peter’s face scrunched up before he laid his head in Tony’s lap as Tony scoffed. He was a cuddly one. But Tony wouldn’t deny him that, so he gently carded his fingers through the younger boy’s soft hair as he spoke.
“Tony…” The boy hesitated, as he reached his hands upwards, taking the hand that Tony had within the boy’s locks between his soft fingers, fiddling with the calloused ones.
“W-Will you take c-care of me? N-Now that May is g-gone?” At this point Tony couldn’t tell if the boy’s eyes were bloodshot and glassy as a result of the paraphernalia or if he was on the verge of tears. Tony closed his eyes and let out a tight sigh, rubbing his thumbs over the back of Peter’s hands.
“Yeah, Pete. I’ll take care of you. You’ll be okay here with us.” He smiled gently down at the younger boy, and the boy gently returned it. Peter sat himself upwards, his hands still gripping Tony’s tightly, as if that was the only thing grounding him in this wonky state of mind.
“You h-have really nice hands.” Peter takes his lips between his teeth as he stares down at Tony’s thick, rough fingers, caressing the pads of them gently. At this Tony laughs, a deep resounding laughter that fills Peter up with something akin to warmth and happiness.
“Thanks, Pete. Yours are nice too. Really soft. You use moisturizer?” Peter’s giggles are soft and airy, and Tony thinks that he wouldn’t mind hearing that forever. On a loop.
“No! I don’t use moisturizer!” Another bout of giggles from Peter that reverberate warmly within Tony’s chest. After his laughter has died down, Peter finds himself gravitating a little too close to Tony, but it’s too late, because in his hazy state of mind he’s crawled into Tony’s lap and his head is tucked into the older boy’s neck.
Tony doesn’t breath, doesn’t allow himself to touch the younger boy, and it’s obvious to the kid.
“Y-You used to hold me like this as a kid. U-Used to take c-care of me.” The boy sniffed and Tony’s immediate reaction was to cuddle him close.
“Hey, kid, I told you that I’ve got you. I’m gonna take care of you, and you’re gonna be okay. No need to get upset.” His right hand was cupping Peter’s head, gently running his fingers through his hair, and the other resided upon the boy’s back, running his palm comfortingly over the expanse of his t-shirt.
Peter let himself be cradled for a few moments, enjoy the warmth radiating from Tony’s body, and the feeling of being wrapped in security before he pulled back, and Tony looked at him with a curious face.
Peter let his eyes wander, from Tony’s messy locks, to his quirked eye brow, to his intense gaze, his long pretty lashes, to the cute slope of his nose, the sharp cupid’s bow and plump lower lip, to the stubble on the older boy’s chin as Peter bit his lip.
“C-Can I uhh….can I kiss you?” The question took Tony aback, but he laughed gently before responding.
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea, Pete-” his words were stifled by the pressure of baby soft plush lips pressed against his, and the complete loss of any thoughts flowing within his head.
The kid was by no means experienced but it hadn’t mattered. Though sloppy, it was endearing the amount of passion and excitement Tony could feel through the gentle way their lips molded together. One kiss turned to two, turned to four, 'til the pair weren’t going to pull away despite needing air. Peter’s finger were tangled in Tony’s hair, and the hand Tony previously had within the boy’s hair had now found his chin and was delicately cupping it. Peter was the one that conceded, only gently releasing the other boy’s lips before gulping for air and releasing a content sigh.
“That hair,” the kid huffs again as a bright smile lights up his face, “it drives me absolutely crazy.”
//Oh, oh I want some more. Oh, oh what are you waitin’ for? Take a bite of my heart tonight. Oh, oh I want some more. Oh, oh what are you waitin’ for? What are you waitin’ for? Say goodbye to my heart tonight//
With Tony’s consent, Peter clung onto him. Constantly at his side, providing him with company and intriguing conversations. The two were practically inseparable. Tony had introduced Peter to his friends and though they were hesitant, eventually they took to liking Peter. Tony met Peter’s friends Ned and MJ, and though Peter was nervous that Tony wouldn’t appreciate how quirky and dorky the two were, Tony melded along with them just fine.
At the moment the two were wrapped in each other’s arms, tangled within Tony’s sheets just basking in each other’s presence before the younger boy spoke.
“Umm…T-Tony? I was w-wondering if maybe you’d f-feel comfortable doing m-more than j-just kissing?” Peter’s face was tucked into Tony’s side, though despite being muffled, Tony heard him loud and clear, and chuckled gently.
“Oh yeah? And do what? Make out?” The older boy teased, and received a slap on the arm, Peter’s face growing hotter by the second.
“N-No you jerk. You know exactly what I m-mean.” Tony’s fingers found Peter’s chin and tugged his face up, so the boy was forced to look him in the eye.
“No, I don’t believe I do. I’ll do whatever you’d like, you just have to say the word, baby boy.” Peter’s eyes widened and the heat in his cheeks intensified at the pet name.
“W-Well umm…c-could we make love?” Peter’s lip was tucked between his teeth, and thought it was one of Tony’s favorite sights, he was far too enthralled with the endearing manner with which Peter had asked him that question.
“For you baby? Of course.”