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It would be one of those nights. Nights which, sadly, were too familiar to Peter.
The team had just returned from an infiltration mission overseas. They returned with their fair share of injuries, but nothing too major that required an overnight stay in the Tower's MedBay.
However, a night where Peter was a bit beat and bruised usually resulted in a sleep with terrors that haunted his dreams almost without fail.
He, along with most of the Avengers who returned, had went to their respective floors to get cleaned up a bit before getting a night's rest.
All except for one stubborn billionaire.
Tony Stark, notorious for his insomnia, or on some days . . . being purely stubborn, just returned to his lab, working out schematics for another suit to ensure optimal success for future missions as well as for protecting his friends and family.
He was mid-revision, toying with a few of the improved designs on his current model which the hologram projector at his work station provided, when FRIDAY's voice began to speak through the speakers.
"Boss. Peter just woke up. Given his current vitals compared to the ones prior to sleeping, seems to have experienced a nightmare." The AI reports with a calm, Irish accent travelling through the overhead speakers.
Tony sighs, slouching forward in his chair as he runs a hand through his graying hair.
He knows that the kid had dealt with a lot through his life. Even with enhanced arachnid abilities, which didn't seem to provide any justice for him on nights like this, there was only so much the kid could deal with mentally until it became overbearing for him.
"Thank you, Dear." Tony responds to the AI. "Closing up shop now, then I'll head upstairs." He flicks the model schematics of the suit-in-progress away, and heads toward the elevator, entering as the doors slid open.
"FRI, Save and shut down the monitors, please." The AI obeyed as the computers shut off along with the lights just as the elevator doors closed. Upon arrival, he walks over to Peter's room and calmly turns the knob to open his door.
He is greeted with the sight of his mentee in his sleepwear sitting against the headboard with his knees cradled to his chest, where his face rested. The comforter which provided him warmth and security when he slept was now scrunched up near the foot of his bed. Pete looks up with dried tears which trailed down his cheeks as his red and tired eyes meet those of the familiar face at the door.
"Oh, Kid." Tony says with a sympathetic tone. He takes in the sight before him before continuing. "Everything Ok, Pete?"
The tired teen takes a quick breath and tries to force a smile before responding. "N-never better." He replies, unconvincingly, before dropping his head back down to where it had originally rested.
Tony tilts his head slightly to the side, giving Peter a remorseful look. Although his instincts and nature weren't typically the type for comforting, he followed his heart, which lead him to the spot on the bed next to his mentee. His kid.
He wrapped an arm around Peter, who initially tensed up, but gradually sunk into the comfort of his mentor's embrace.
"Wanna talk about it?" Tony asked.
Peter looks up and stares straight ahead, avoiding Tony's gaze. "Just a bad dream." He softly replied.
Tony chuckles. "Yeah, Kid. I gathered that much." He gently pats Peter's left arm, as Pete was still curled up in Tony's side. "You know it helps to talk it out." He says as he leans closer to rest his cheek on Peter's head of brown curls which felt a bit damp from his shower, as Tony also picked up a hint of his shampoo.
Pete lets out a short breath accompanied by a sad chuckle. "Just the typical. Titan and the Final Battle. Dying and Losing you. Failing you and everyone in my life." He rasped, feeling a lump forming in his throat as he finished his thought.
Tony, lifting his head, frowns a little looking at Peter.
Failing me and everyone in his life? He reflects on that part of what Pete had just said, before turning his head to the right.
He looks to his right arm: A reminder of that last fight.
Yes, it did a number to him and his arm, but when the Wakandan scientists, assisted by Dr. Cho, developed a new arm which used vibranium integrated with calcium compounds for the bone with skin and muscle surrounding it, cultured from Tony's DNA, he was very fortunate to have a functioning arm again that looked almost like his original.
The only evident reminder was of scars from the stitching which ran between his shoulder and chest and continued to wrap around to the back near his shoulder blade.
"Kid . . . Look at me." He tells Peter. Pete looks back up to meet Tony's eyes with a sad look. He pats him on the arm. "You could never fail me. Hell, you've only left me in awe every time you're out there helping people. Not just as Spider-Man, but as Peter Parker, too."
Tony was proud. So proud of how Peter had grown since their initial interaction. Although Spider-Man was the one who mainly stood in the spotlight, Tony always focused on the face of the person behind that mask.
Pete looks up at his mentor, eyes still glossy, but with a small, newly-formed smile.
"And kid, you'll never lose me. I can't promise you that I'll be here forever, but no matter what, I'll be right here." He emphasized, placing a gentle finger over Peter's left chest. That seemed to comfort him a bit, as his legs had sunk from his chest and straightened back down on the bed.
"Thanks, Mr. Stark." Pete said to Tony.
"Anytime." He replied, gently brushing the side of Peter's head as it had now rested on Tony's chest. "You up for trying to go back to sleep?"
"Don't think I can." Pete sadly replied. Tony glanced down at him for a second, then looked back up and started to card his fingers through Pete's hair. A routine that grew to become very familiar to them.
There was a brief silence before Tony began speaking.
"Once upon a time . . ." He began. Peter looked up at him, confused.
"Mr. Stark? What are you do-" He interjects only to be cut off by Tony's hand which is now secured over his mouth.
"Hush. I'm telling a bedtime story." Peter rolls his eyes, then closes his mouth, Tony's hand returning back to gently massaging his kid's head.
"Where was I?" He asked before snapping his fingers with his other hand. "Oh yes! Once upon a time, there was a little spider."
Peter just stared at him, unamused, but then closes his eye as the fingers on his head gently scratched his crown and carded through his hair.
Tony continued. "The spider didn't have much, but made the most of everything as best he could."
Aunt May and Uncle Ben. Peter imagined life before Spider-Man. The simple gatherings they had together in their small apartment. The small, but memorable holidays together. It wasn't much, but it was the world to Peter. It warmed his heart as he breathed in and out with each thought.
"One day, the little spider was granted great powers. Ones that allowed him to do so much more. Help so many. However he would be reminded that with that great power came great responsibility."
Uncle Ben's death. Peter reflected on how even with the powers he only acquired a few months prior, he wasn't able to prevent that tragic night from occurring.
"However, he did not allow that to hinder the greatness within him."
The people he helped and protected. The "Little Guys." Even with loss and struggle, he endured and ensured that he would do everything in his power to serve as guardian to his neighborhood. His home.
"One day, little spider met a friendly robot."
Mr. Stark. Iron Man. He smiled at the memory of meeting his idol, mentor, role model, friend, and father figure.
"The robot was handsome and charming and all the ladies, and even some of the fellas loved him." Tony continued, smiling as he stared ahead. Pete looked up at him.
"Mr. Stark . . . Really?" Pete interrupted, staring at Tony with squinted eyes. His mentor returned the glance, confused.
"What, Kid? It's setting up the character imagery for the listener." He replied.
"I know what you look like." Pete deadpanned. Tony waved his hand lazily at him.
"Yeah. But I'm describing the friendly and handsome robot. Not me. Now hush and let the handsome robot continue. Do you talk out loud when you watch a movie at the theater?" He asked.
"No, but you do." He responded, bluntly. "Remember when you took Morgan and me to watch 'Dolittle?' You wouldn't stop chatting about the guy who played Dolittle." Pete argued.
"Yeah, 'cause they casted the perfect actor to play him. Has a familiar face, but can't put my finger on it." He says as he places a finger to his chin in thought. "Now let me finish the story. Jeez, Pete." Peter just sat there, and stayed quiet, letting his mentor continue with the ridiculous story.
"As I was saying . . . " Tony emphasized, hoping he wouldn't be cut off again, "The handsome robot needed the spider to help him convince a few of his stubborn, hard-headed friends to come back home. Eventually their crazy asses did." Peter huffed out a small chuckle.
Germany. Fighting the Avengers but also alongside the Avengers! Wait. That's too confusing. Pete didn't think too much further.
"He'd eventually continue to do even greater things, like save the world, the universe rather, even if it meant he'd get lost for a while."
Thanos. Titan. The Snap. Fighting for his life before fading away in Mr. Starks arms. It was still a painful memory to reflect on as it was one of the main culprits of his night terrors.
Pete continued to listen.
"This broke the robot's heart. Even though the robot had his family, a beautiful Habañero of a wife and their daughter, who was part-robot and part-Habañero, because you know . . . Science . . . or whatever." Pete quietly laughs before he let Tony continue. "He was still missing his dear Spiderling."
Peter thought of Pepper and Morgan. The family Tony had when he had vanished. The opportunity he did not have when he was gone for five years. And . . . Wait. Did he just refer to Pepper as a Habañero?
Pete shook his head, letting the second, hilarious thought go.
"But hope was not lost, even if he was lost for the moment. The robot would come to save him, even if the spider didn't know it himself."
Tony wanted to undo the wrong Thanos unjustly caused. He wanted to save those who were lost. But most importantly, Tony wanted Peter back. New tears formed in the corner of Pete's eyes.
"The robot tried day and night, and after all his hard work and efforts, he found his Spiderling." He said, smiling at Peter as he finished.
He looked back at Tony, returning a smile. Then he wiped away at his tears. Feeling better than he had earlier, he also felt his eyelids grow heavier, especially with Tony's fingers still brushing through his hair. Peter let out a long, satisfying yawn, before closing his eyes.
Tony grinned. "Ahh. The story did its job." He proudly declared in a whisper, holding Peter just a little bit closer. His kid, now resting his cheek over his chest, simply smiled. Tony had felt it along with Pete's breathing, which had leveled out since the story began.
"Yeah . . . I guess it did." Pete softly replied, feeling himself drift to sleep with each breath he took.
Tony smiled. He found himself feeling ready to sleep as well, but before he could, Peter spoke.
"Mr. Stark?" Tony looked back down.
"Yeah, Pete? What's up?" He asked.
"Thank you so much for your story. It really helped me out." Pete responded.
He was thankful to have Tony in his life, and Tony felt all the same and more.
"Of course, Underoos." He says as Pete finally drifted off to sleep, free of any more nightmares.
Tony gently placed his hand on the side of Peter's head and leaned in to whisper. "Good night. Happy Trails, Kid." Before dozing off, himself.
The rest of that night only hosted happy dreams. Dreams of fond memories. Dreams of togetherness.