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“T’ny, did you know that turtles can breathe through their butts?” Peter slurs with a lopsided grin.
“That’s fascinating, Pete,” Tony says without looking up from his tablet, reading over the final prototype for the upcoming line of SI smart phones they’re planning on rolling out in mid-November.
It’s been a long night in the medbay after Peter miscalculated a jump on patrol that resulted in the kid taking a bad tumble, somehow managing to break his fibula in two places. Thankfully, it doesn’t need surgery, but he’s still laid out in bed with his leg encased in a bright blue cast, propped up on a mountain of pillows to keep it elevated. He’s doped up on his spider-kid pain meds (the ones that make him fuzzy and a bit out of it), contentedly slurping on a berry blast flavored ICEE drink Tony got for him.
A wet sniffle has Tony looking up, only to find Peter resembling a sad puppy with tear-filled eyes.
Tony drops the tablet on the end table next to the bed, prototypes forgotten for now. “Hey, what’s wrong? Are you in any pain? Do you want me to get Bruce?”
Peter sniffs again, blinking as a few tears slide down his cheeks. “W-Why can’t I breathe through my butt?” he mumbles like it’s the most heartbreaking realization in his life. “‘S not fair.”
Tony blinks, at a loss for words. He’s not quite sure if he wants to laugh or wrap the poor kid in a hug. “Well, you got bit by a mutated spider. Not a Mutant Ninja Turtle.”
“B-But I can’t even lay eggs like spiders can,” Peter whines, more tears flowing as he throws his arms out, sloshing the little remains of his slushie in the cup. “I’m so lame.”
Tony takes the cup from him before he spills all over himself and puts it on the end table. “No you’re not, Pete,” he says gently, reaching over to run a hand through the teen’s curls. “You’ve had a long, rough night and you need sleep. You’re on some pretty strong meds right now to help your spidey-healing to kick in, which is totally cool . There’s nothing lame about you, kiddo.”
“You’re jus’ saying that ‘cause you love me,” Peter says with a pout.
If it were a few years ago, before the blip, Tony would have probably gotten red in the face from a comment like that, or felt like he had a bad case of heartburn coming on because emotions have never been his thing. But now… the comment warms his heart, making him feel all gooey and mushy.
Tony smiles softly down at Peter, continuing to run his hand through the kid’s hair. “Yeah I do.”
Peter’s watery eyes meet his as a small smile finds its way to his face. “You do?” he whispers.
“Of course I do.”
“Even if I laid eggs?”
Tony rolls his eyes half-heartedly, despite the horrifying mental image. “Even if you laid eggs and breathed out of your butt.”
Peter weakly laughs at that as he drops his head back against the pillows, blinking sluggishly. The meds side effects seem to be kicking in now.
“How about you try to get some more sleep, bud?” Tony suggests.
“M’kay,” Peter agrees as he lets out a yawn, wiggling down into the mattress a bit. “Will you stay?”
“Of course. I’ll be here when you wake up,” Tony says with a fond smile as he reaches over. His hand resting once more on the kid’s head and rubbing soothing circles on his scalp, just the way he likes it. It’s Tony and May’s secret weapon to get him to fall asleep.
Peter hums contentedly as his eyes slip shut, a soft sigh escaping through his nose. It only takes a matter of seconds before the kid is out like a light. Tony smiles to himself as he grabs his tablet off the table and sits back, resuming his position.
And if he takes a few pictures of the kid, looking impossibly adorable as he drools on himself, no one will ever know.
(Except for May. And maybe the team if the cause for blackmail arises.)