Work Text:
“Kid,
I know we talked about this, but I’m going on this business trip and I may have limited cell phone service. DO NOT DO ANYTHING I WOUDLN’T DO—-NOTHING I WOULD DO EITHER. Focus on that gray area we’ve talked about.
A couple of things:
- Water my plants since you insisted on them.
- Leave the mail on the counter. I’ll go through it all.
- You can open any packages—I know the curiosity would kill you and I ordered you some stuff in case you have bad days while I’m gone and I’m too far to help cheer you up.
- Open one envelope for every day I’m gone. I’ve labeled them by day.
- Text/Call Rhodey for anything.
Alright, Pepper keeps telling me that I’m being a helicopter parent. I know you’ll be fine. You and May survived without me for a long time. Just know I love you.
-Tony”
~
Peter read the note and watered the plants before leaving for school. May had agreed to stay at the tower with him while Tony was gone for a month. Peter was trying hard not to think about the fact that he wouldn’t see his mentor/father figure for a whole thirty days. He remembered when Tony came to tell him about this trip.
~
Two weeks ago:
“Hey Bub. Can we talk?” Tony leaned against the doorway to his bedroom in his apartment.
“Sure. I didn’t mix up my days again, right? OMG. It’s Friday, isn’t it? OH NO! Happy hates when I make him wait for no reason! I’ll apologize! Don’t worry! I’ll buy him a—-Umm—A FRUITCAKE!” Peter snapped his finger as the word came to him.
“I don’t even know where to start.” Tony sat down on the chair next to Peter’s desk, “It’s not Friday. Oh and no one likes fruitcake.”
“Well then. Someone is having big feelings today.” Peter raised a brow as he continued to put laundry away in his dresser drawers because May had threatened to give all of his clothes away if he didn’t.
“About that—I have to tell you something.” Tony motioned the kid to sit down.
“Whose hurt?” Peter sat down on the bed.
“No one is hurt.”
“Who died?” Peter crossed his arms over his chest and bit down on his lip starting to tear the skin off.
“No one died. Stop being dramatic.”
“What is going on then?” Peter said in a tone that was a bit more snippy than normal.
“I’m going away on a business trip.” Tony explained.
“Oh. That’s no big deal. Why the theatrics?” Peter rolled his eyes and went back to his laundry.
“For a month.” Tony finished softly.
Peter clutched the shirt he was holding a bit tighter, “A month?”
“Thirty days.” Tony confirmed, “And hardly any cell phone service.”
“Oh. Umm. Okay. When do you leave?” Peter went back to sit on the bed still clutching the shirt to his chest.
Tony moved to sit next to him, “Two weeks.”
“Okay.” Peter laid his head against Tony’s shoulder and Tony wrapped an arm around the kid.
“It’ll go quick.” Tony lied.
“Yeah. Sure. I believe you.” Peter faked a smile.
~
Now a month seemed even longer and Peter wasn’t sure this was going to be fine. He no longer believed him. Peter got through the first week mostly okay. He missed Tony. He had texted him a few times with no response. He had read his letters every morning but it wasn’t the same as having him there.
It was day eight when everything started to crumble. He was outside of the school waiting for Happy when Flash started to tease him and tell him that Tony Stark had left to get away from him and would probably never come back again. Peter saw Happy pull up and didn’t even grace Flash with a response just walked to the car and slid inside.
“Peter?” Happy asked concerned.
“Just drive.” Peter laid his head against the window closing his eyes. He hoped Happy would just let him sleep. Peter wanted to sleep for the remainder of the time Tony was gone.
~
Peter pushed through school and patrol the second week. He wanted to tell Tony about the patrol from day nine. A woman had jumped from a bridge no matter how badly Peter tried to talk her out of it. He had saved her of course, but the fact that she had jumped got to him. Why hadn’t he been able to talk her out of it?
Peter was laying in bed in bed on day 14. It was dark and he was ignoring his phone because it was too much. Everything was just too much. Peter groaned and decided to break the rules. He went to the kitchen and grabbed letter number fifteen even though it was too early to read it.
“Bubba,
Call Rhodey.
Love,
Dad.”
Peter gave a watery laugh. How did Tony know? He wrote these letters before he left yet every day he seemed to know what to say. Peter went back for his phone and his finger hovered over Rhodey’s contact number. It was kind of late. Would Rhodey be upset? Peter sighed. Tony had told him to. He would throw him under the bus if he needed to.
“Pete?” Rhodey answered sleepily.
“Flash keeps telling me that Tony left to get away from me. I’ve had some tough patrols. I’m avoiding my phone because I keep waiting to see a text or a call from Tony and nothing comes. May’s been working a lot. Oh, and Flash has taken his bullying to the internet now so—I’m fine, but umm it’s a little bit heavy. I also don’t want to be alone with all that’s on my mind. Can you stay with me tonight? There is so much wrong going on outside..” Peter finally paused to breathe.
“I’ll be there soon.” Rhodey promised.
~
Rhodey could have smacked himself. He should have checked in more. Tony had stressed that Peter wouldn’t know when to ask for help. He had meant to check in, but then he had gotten really busy and had assumed since the kid hadn’t called that he was fine. he was obviously quite wrong about that. Tony was going to kill him when he found out.
By the time he got to the tower he found Peter in the living room pacing, “Can’t sleep?”
“She jumped. I tried to help. She still jumped.” Peter wiped at the tears on his cheeks.
“Let’s go for a walk.” Rhodey suggested and Peter easily agreed. He preferred to be outside when he was panicking. Walls like to close in on someone having a panic attack but the outside doesn’t have walls.
They had been walking for a few minutes when Peter asked, “Is he really trying to get away from me?”
Rhodey frowned but kept walking as he thought about it, “What do you think?”
“He left me letters. He told me he loves me. But Flash said—“
“What Flash said doesn’t matter. What do you know?” Rhodey paused him by pulling gently on his hand to get him to stop.
“Tony loves me. He signed the last card ‘dad.’” Peter shrugged like it didn’t matter but Rhodey saw it in his eyes—It mattered.
“Okay. What’s next?” Rhodey continued walking as they talked about the woman who had jumped. He could handle that type of talk. It came with the job. He wasn’t ready for the next topic.
“Umm. So I think Tony would be mad at me.” Peter handed over his phone and Rhodey glanced at it. Peter’s instagram had blown up with hate messages surely spurred on by Flash.
“I don’t see why Tony would hate you for this, Bud.” Rhodey answered softly passing the phone back.
Peter shook his head though and refused to take it, “I don’t want it. Every time I get a notification it hurts. Why do people hate me?”
“Oh, Bud. They don’t. Kids are mean. You didn’t clarify though and I’m not letting you off the hook. Why would Tony hate you?” Rhodey raised a brow pocketing the kids phone in his back pocket.
“I forgot to ask for help. He’s a tech genius. He could easily have this removed.” Peter mumbled.
“But he’s not reachable. I do have some understanding about blocking people though so let’s see what we can do when we get back to the tower, huh?” Rhodey asked.
“You think we can do this again tomorrow?” Peter asked, “I just can’t be alone with my thoughts.”
“Every day until Tony’s back—Even after that if you want. I’ve got you, Bud. I’m sorry I didn’t check in sooner.” Rhodey pulled the kid in for a quick hug because Tony always hugged Peter when the kid was stressed.
The kid melted against his uncle and he finally felt tired, “Walk me home. I think I can sleep now.”
The city was never quiet even though it was the dead of night. Peter listened to all of the noises of his city while they walked home.
~
Rhodey kept his word. They walked every night after patrol. Rhodey knew Tony would be mad that Peter was in a bit late for a school night, but this is what the kid needed to feel safe in that moment. Rhodey also understood anytime Peter handed him his phone and he would delete and block as needed. He knew Tony would have a better solution but this was working for them in the moment. He couldn’t wait for his friend to get back though.
~
Peter couldn’t sit still in class. He knew Tony’s plane should be landing any minute. He wished May had let him stay home from school. She had insisted that Tony would be exhausted and need some time to rest anyway. Peter didn’t really care. He raised his hand, “Um. I’m not feeling well. Can I go to the nurse?”
Once permission was granted his plan was in motion.
~
Rhodey drove him back to the tower, “May’s going to be upset you lied.”
“No. She’s going to be upset that you went with it.” Peter laughed.
“You said you missed your dad. How was I supposed to say no to that?” Rhodey gave him a glance at a red light.
“Is he home?” Peter was practically wiggling in his seat as the tower came into view.
“He’s home. He confirmed with me a couple of minutes ago. He thinks you’re still in class and I told him a good parent would wait and let a child finish their school day. Routine is important you know?” Rhodey winked.
“So we’re surprising him?” Peter grinned.
“Unless Friday tattles on us at least.” Rhodey agreed.
~
Peter got to the penthouse and found Tony in the kitchen talking to Pepper. They both looked exhausted and hadn’t even noticed him yet. He sat on the chair behind Tony at the island and Pepper noticed him and gave a smile smile.
“Are you listening anymore?” Tony asked his wife.
“Look behind you.” Pepper gestured.
Tony turned around and his smile grew to twice it’s usual size, “Peter!”
“Dad!” Peter went into the kitchen and hugged his dad tight.
“School?” Tony asked after a couple of minutes.
“It’s been rough.”
“Sorry bubba, but I mean why aren’t you at school?”
“Rhodey busted me out.” Peter shrugged.
“So much for us being a team, Pete!” Rhodey yelled.
Peter’s phone pinged and he glanced at it and handed it to Rhodey right away. Tony frowned and Rhodey looked at him, “Pete needs your help with something.”
Rhodey passed him the phone. Tony looked at it and the message, “I’ll take care of it.”
“Thanks.” Peter hadn’t moved out of Tony’s embrace.
“Can I hug my best friend or you’re just going to stand there all day?” Rhodey teased.
“I choose the second option.”