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“Just step around him.” Tony rolled his eyes as Rhodey frowned at the teenager laying on the floor in the kitchen with his headphones on.
“I don’t understand what’s happening.” Rhodey stepped over Peter to get to the fridge to grab a drink.
“He’s in his feelings.” Tony led the way back to the living room.
“What’s he listening to?”
Just then Peter’s voice belted out, “RED LIGHTS, STOP SIGNS, I STILL SEE YOUR FACE—!”
“Is this normal?” Rhodey asked his best friend.
“He’s not finished.” Tony laughed.
“—IN THE WHITE CARS, FRONT YARDS, CAN’T DRIVE PAST THE PLACES WE USED TO GO TO….CAUSE I STILL FUCKING LOVE YOU!”
“Are we letting him get away with that bad language word?” Rhodey asked.
“I mean what do you want me to do? MJ told him they are done last week. He’s heart broken. He says the song understands his pain.”
“Maybe we should like tell him to shower or something…?”
“Fine.” Tony stood up and got off the couch, “You go first.”
“I’m scared. He seems really into that song.” Rhodey admitted.
“I’ll do it. I’m not scared…” Tony walked over pulling Peter’s headphones off his ears just so he could hear him, “Bubba, I think it’s time to get off the kitchen floor and take a shower. Rhodey thinks you smell bad.”
“She said forever now I drive alone past her street.” Peter told Tony.
“You don’t even drive.” Tony rolled his eyes.
“How can she be so okay now that I’m gone?” Peter felt a tear leak down his cheeks.
“Never mind.” Tony released the headphone and Peter went back to belting out the lyrics to the song, “See this is why I’m leaving him be.”
~
Tony woke up to Friday one night about a week later to his phone ringing. He picked it up, “May, it’s 2am.”
“I’m going to kill him. I mean straight up dead. If I hear, RED LIGHTS, STOP SIGNS….ONE MORE TIME.” May told Tony.
“Let’s take a deep breath.” Tony rubbed the sleep from his eyes.
“No, I hate Olivia Rodrigo. She ruined my life when she created this song.”
“I’m coming. Let the kid live please.”
“Hurry. I’m making no promises.” May said before ending the call.
~
“Peter, how about we just change the song for a bit?” Tony reached for the kids phone slowly.
“NO! SHE UNDERSTANDS MY PAIN!” Peter tugged the phone back.
“I’m sure we can find someone else who does too! Taylor Swift maybe? I hear that she is never ever getting back together with someone…”
“No.” Peter pressed play again on the song.
Tony looked over at May, “I had a backup plan.”
“Better be good.”
Tony held up the bottle of wine he had brought and tossed her a box with noise canceling headphones, “He’s going to process this break up however feels best to him and we have to let him.”
“Let’s go to the balcony and drink wine and catch up while he does.” May led the way after grabbing two wine glasses.
Tony followed her out taking a seat, “This is a fire escape.”
“We call it a balcony.” May passed him one of the glasses.
“I don’t understand you Parkers.” Tony poured one and passed it to May before pouring himself a smaller glass.
“SIDEWALKS WE CROSSED. I STILL HEAR YOUR VOICE IN THE TRAFFIC!” Peter’s voice carried outside.
“Your neighbors are going to hate you.” Tony sighed.
“I’ll just tell them he’s heart broken.” May took a sip, “Plus I don’t even like them.”
“You know something? It’s still crazy to me that I’m here. I remember the day I figured out who Peter was. I recruited him without any intention of how involved in his life I was about to become. I never expected to—“
“—Be helping a fifteen year old through a break up to a song called Drivers License?” May teased.
“Seriously though—With my past—I am grateful you gave me a chance to get to know him. He’s a good kid.” Tony didn’t look up from his feet.
“You’re a good man, Tony.” May said softly, “Pasts are over and done with. No one should be reminded of theirs on a regular basis.”
“Can you tell the media?” Tony finally glanced up.
“Any day, any time.” May agreed, “They don’t even know you.”
“WE USED TO GO TO—“ Peter was singing
Tony interrupted by yelling out, “—CAUSE I STILL FUCKING LOVE YOU!”
“SHUT UP!” The neighbors yelled from their fire escape.
“SHE SAID FOREVER AND NOW HE DRIVES ALONE PAST HER STREET!” May yelled back.
~
Peter walked into Tony’s a week later for a lab day. He set his bag down and just took a deep breath and grabbed his tablet, “Friday—Do me a favor?”
“Anything, Peter…” Friday quickly agreed.
“Play Drivers License.” Peter heard the beat start as he got to work.
Tony came into the lab and heard the now familiar song, “Ahh, my favorite.”
“You like this song?” Peter looked shocked.
“No, you are my favorite.” Tony walked over and ruffled his kid’s hair, “She doesn’t deserve you, Kid.”
“I still fucking love her though.” Peter sighed.
“I know.”
“When does this stop hurting?” Peter asked his father figure.
“I don’t know. I guess it hurts for a while and then one day you wake up and the pain isn’t as bad anymore.” Tony told him.
Peter wrapped his arms around Tony’s waist, “Sorry I’ve been driving you crazy with this song for weeks.”
“Nah, Kid. I don’t mind. I just, ummm, love it.” Tony lied.
“I know you hate it.” Peter laughed.
“I’m sorry but you’ve been yelling the words for weeks. How could anyone love it anymore? Nat runs from the penthouse when she knows you’re coming. Rhodey cringes when he hears it in a store or on the radio. Steve wants a clean version at least.”
“Maybe we can add in some Taylor Swift.” Peter conceded.
“Really?” Tony would listen to anything else at this point.
“Maybe not just yet though…If that’s okay?” Peter hadn’t released his hug.
“You heard the man, Fri. Put it on repeat.”