Chapter Text
Tony knew from the second his Spiderkid walked through the door of the lab that something was wrong. But the stubborn Spiderling wasn't responding to the usual tactics. Peter had dropped his backpack with more energy than necessary, and his eyebrows were knitted into a fierce scowl. He refused to meet Tony's eyes and gave only non-committal, one word answers to the inquiries the mechanic made. Tony sighed but left the kid to stew while they worked. He could hear tools being dropped with less care than normal, and the soft muttering of oaths under breaths as the kid worked on his web-shooters. Finally, he had enough.
"Alright, that's it, kid, c'mere," Tony said, an edge creeping into his voice. He just wanted to help, and the kid wasn't letting him. Peter let out a dramatic sigh and dropped the tools he was working with. He dragged himself over to the other side of the lab, eyes trained on the floor. "What is it, Spiderbaby?" Tony began, hoping the nickname might get enough rise out of the boy that he'd respond with more than one syllable this time. He wasn't disappointed.
"Mr. STARK! I'm NOT a baby!" Peters eyes finally met Tony's, and the mechanic was trying hard not to laugh at the reaction he'd gained from the kid. His kid.
"Oh, yeah?" Tony crossed his arms over his chest in mock annoyance as the kid's hands remained clenched into fists. "Could have fooled me. You're doing a pretty damn good impression of one."
Peter rolled his eyes with a sigh. "You don't get it, Mr. Stark," clenched fists were released in favor of the kid running his hands through his unkempt curls.
Tony leaned toward the kid, their foreheads almost touching. "Oh, yeah? Try me."
"It's just.... aughhh... I don't even know how to put it in words... But, like, everything is just so HARD and everything I do I SUCK at and no one understands. I'm doing my best but there's so much more I could be doing and I'm not and I still have these damn nightmares and I'm so TIRED and it just piles on and then Flash or somebody will do or say something and I--" the words spilled out of Peter like a river overflowing a dam. He didn't know how to say there was simultaneously nothing and everything wrong, all at once. That he didn't feel he was living up to his potential but he didn't know how. That he was just in survival mode.
"Oh, kid," Tony breathed. "Hey, can you open your eyes?" Peter didn't realize he'd squeezed his eyes shut during his rant until he heard Tony's request. He complied, and his tear-filled eyes met the mechanic's own. Tony unfolded his arms and his hands made their way to Peter's head, one cupping the kid's chin and the other gently tousling his curls. "Now, I want you to listen to me," the billionaire began, "You are an incredible person that I am privileged to have in my life. And I know it's hard living two lives. But you don't ever have to feel like you're not living up to your potential, okay?"
Tony's hands fell to his knees as the kid's chin dropped and he stared at the floor once more. Tony frowned briefly before continuing in a lighter tone, "I mean, unless you suddenly start not being able to beat Cap at pizza-eating or something. THEN we might have a problem." Tony was relieved to hear laughter coming from the Spiderkid as Peter raised his gaze to Tony's once more.
The kid swiped the back of his hand across his nose. "You mean it? I'm ok just being who I am?"
Tony set his hand on the kid's shoulder. "More than okay, kid. There's nothing you could do that would make me not want to be here for you. And I want to hear about what's going on in your life. Whether it's Flash or what happened on patrol or how MJ is giving you hell at decathlon practice," Tony pretended not to notice the fresh blush staining the kid's cheeks at the mention of Michelle, "I wanna hear about everything. Nightmares and all."
Peter felt a small smile begin to form on his face. "Really?" He asked his mentor softly in disbelief.
"Really, really," the mechanic replied. "Now, come here, you need a hug."
Peter swiped a hand across his wet cheeks and runny nose before practically launching himself into the billionaire's arms. Tony let out a small chuckle as he gathered the teen into his arms, carding his fingers through the boy's curls. The pair just sat there for a while, Peter curling into his mentor as the latter continued to soothe the teen. Tony pressed his lips to the top of Peter's curls before drawing back to better look at the teen.
"Now, I don't think we're going to get anything else done in here, what do you say to some hot cocoa and a movie? Say... One of the Star Wars films you love so much?"
Peter's head shot up from the mechanic's shoulder, almost clipping him in the chin as he did so, "Well with good reason! George Lucas is a GENIUS. Can we do a marathon? Ooh should we start from the chronological beginning or the cinematic one?" Peter continued his musings as he popped up onto his feet and began gesticulating wildly.
Tony tousled the kid's curls with a wry chuckle. "Let's start with one, bambino, and see where we get. But we can order in some food and make it a real party. Whatcha feeling? Pizza? Chinese? Shawarma?"
Peter stopped his pacing with a wicked grin. "Is it possible to have all three? I am a growing boy after all."
Tony laughed as the pair made their way to the elevator. He slung an arm around Peter's shoulders. "Whatever you want, kid, Lord knows I can afford to feed you." He pressed the button for the right floor with a grin, saying, "We might need to call in reinforcements to finish all that food, though."
Peter rolled his eyes with mock indignance. "I thought you had faith in me, Mr. Stark!"
"Oh, I do," the mechanic replied, "But if the rest of the team finds out we're having a marathon without them?" Tony shakes his head. "No, better to invite them and order extra food." The pair laugh at the thought, knowing Tony's right.
The elevator slows, reaching their destination.
"Thanks, Mr. Stark," says Peter softly. "For everything."
He isn't sure Tony heard him until he heard an equally soft, "Anytime, kid."