Archive of Our Own

Peter pushed the door open with his shoulder, holding an armful of textbooks close to his chest, smiling at the familiar guitar riff that immediately hit his ears from the radio inside. 

"Hey Mr.Stark!" He called as he walked over to his usual seat, moving the tray of dishes Tony always left on the table- ensuring that Peter would always get one of the only seats with a power outlet. 

"How was school today kiddie?" Tony replied, throwing a dish towel over his shoulder and stepping out from behind the counter with a baking tray in his hands. "You had that physics test today right?"

"Yep! Ned and I think we both missed question two, but other than that I did ok I think,"

"Feel up to a celebratory taste test?" Tony held out the tray, smiling as the teenager eagerly scooped two chocolate chip cookies off of it. 

"Oh my god- Mr.Stark these are so good!" Peter hummed happily, his voice slightly muffled as he chewed. 

"You say that about everything I make," Tony said, rolling his eyes fondly. "Even that first attempt at lemon blueberry bread that tasted like cardboard," 

"I didn't want to make you feel bad!" 

"You didn't have to almost eat the whole thing, Petey," 

"I still don't think it was that bad," Peter insisted, beaming as Tony lingered for a second- looking down at the tray and raising an eyebrow as a silent permission to take more. Peter slid three more off the tray, immediately starting to nibble on one as Tony walked back behind the counter. "Anyway, you don't have to worry about these- I could eat the whole tray," 

Tony popped one in his own mouth, looking up at the ceiling for a moment before shaking his head. "Nope. Still not it," he decided, unceremoniously dropping the tray on the counter. 

"What? But they're amazing!" 

"They're still not like my mother's.” Tony replied with a small sigh. “Why no one in my family writes their recipes down I'll never know," he reached up to grab Peter’s favorite blue mug off one of the shelves, holding it up over the espresso machine. “So- you want your usual?”

"Yes please!" 

Peter had found Friday Coffee Co. at the end of his sophomore year, and it had quickly become his favorite study spot- feeling at ease surrounded by the vintage furniture and the neon signs that adorned the walls, a classic rock album always echoing from the vinyl player in the corner. It only took about a week and a half of walking in and ordering the same small cappuccino with a slice of banana bread before Tony started making Peter's order as soon as he walked in- and only three more weeks after that before the teenager became Tony's favorite regular, with all of the free coffee and baked goods that title came with. 

May and Ben were always working the late shift- and sometimes even longer, so Peter quickly got in the habit of staying at Friday's until Tony closed up shop- grabbing a rag and helping wipe down the tables while Tony washed the final batch of dishes, and most nights they left the café together, still chatting as Tony headed for his car, and Peter going back towards the subway. 

"How're you feeling kiddie, all better?" Tony asked as he gently placed the mug and small dessert plate down on the only spot of the table that wasn't completely covered by Peter's school work. "That was some case of the flu you had there," 

Peter nearly winced, doing everything in his power to keep a straight face. 

He’s not exactly sure what he was expecting to happen after he'd found a spider biting into his forearm on the bus coming home from his class field trip, but it certainly didn't entail collapsing to the floor after taking a bite of the apple spice croissant Tony was thinking of adding to the bakery menu. 

"Jesus- hey- Petey, are you ok?" Tony asked, immediately kneeling next to where the teenager was lying limp against the floor. "Peter? C'mon kiddie- talk to me," 

All Peter could manage was a weak groan, a throbbing pain in his temples and his stomach churning. 

"Hey, hey, I got you- you're gonna be ok," Tony carefully lifted Peter's head into his lap, the teenager's eyes fluttering open, but his gaze was unfocused. "That’s it- just keep those eyes open, I'm gonna call 911 ok? They can help you more than I can kiddo," 

"No," Peter groaned weakly, trying to pull at Tony's sleeve and missing entirely, his hand swiping uselessly at the air. "Too expensive," 

Ben had spent the past two months fighting for every late shift he could get so that they could finally afford a new car- a hospital bill would take everything he'd earned and then some, and Peter couldn't do that to him. 

"Peter- I'll pay the bill alright? Just let me call-" 

"No- no, please Mr. Stark- don't," Peter cut him off, tears brimming in his eyes. "'m fine- 'm ok- I can't- you can't-"

"Ok- ok kiddie, I won't- but just let me call your Aunt and Uncle alright? You need to go home and rest," 

The teenager nodded weakly, closing his eyes as Tony gently took his phone from his hands, the dial tone echoing softly. "Mrs. Parker? My name's Tony Stark, I own Friday's Coffee Co. on 31st street- Listen, Peter’s not feeling well, is there any way you could come pick him up? I really don't think he'll be able to make it home on his own- he's uh- he's really out of it," Tony said, and Peter could just barely hear the sound of May's voice on the other line. "Ok...ok, I'll take care of him until you get here alright? Alright...see you soon Mrs. Parker," Tony slid Peter's phone into his backpack, resting a hand on the teenager's shoulder. "Do you want me to carry you over to the couch? Lying on the floor must not be making you feel any better," Tony asked softly, and Peter nodded- letting the man gently lift him up and walk over to the sofa, setting the teenager down like he was made of glass.  

Peter's head lolled back against the cushions, his whole body trembling with shivers. "Jesus- kiddie, you’re freezing," Tony murmured, unzipping his hoodie and taking it off before gently guiding Peter's arms through it, zipping it up all the way so the teenager could stay warm. Peter hummed softly in appreciation, curling into the material slightly, the shivers not so intense anymore. "There we go, that’s better," Tony said gently, reaching a hand up to brush back Peter's curls from where they sat flat against his forehead. "Do you want some water?" 

Peter shook his head, burying his face into the couch cushion, as Tony knelt down next to him. "So- the croissant was that bad huh?" He teased, and a tiny smile came across Peter's face. "Man, I better not start selling these unless I take out a new liability insurance," 

"No- it was good," Peter said softly, and Tony rolled his eyes in fond disbelief. 

"You literally just collapsed on my floor- you don't need to reassure me about my cooking Petey," he was met with silence and he looked down to see Peter's eyes closed, his mouth open slightly as he took in deep breaths- out light a light. 

Tony never moved an inch from his spot at Peter’s side- waving away any new customers that walked up to the counter until May and Ben Parker came rushing in through the door, hurrying over to where the pair was sitting on the couch. 

"I assume you're Mr. Stark?" Ben said, sticking out a hand as Tony stood up.

"Just Tony, please," he replied, shaking Ben's outstretched hand- keeping his voice soft so he didn't wake Peter. "Nice to meet you Mr. Parker, Mrs. Parker," 

"So what happened?" May asked, glancing down at her nephew worriedly. 

"Peter was standing by the counter and then all of a sudden he just dropped- and he was dead set against me calling an ambulance, so I didn't know what else to do," Tony explained, "I think it's probably just a bad case of the flu- he was shivering like crazy, but no other worrying symptoms that I can see," 

"Thank you so much for taking care of him Tony, we really appreciate it," Ben said with a warm smile.

Tony knelt back down next to Peter, putting a gentle hand on his knee. "Hey Petey- look who's here," 

The teenager's eyes opened slowly, lips curving up into a tired smile as he looked up at his Aunt and Uncle. "'m not feelin' so good Auntie May," he said, voice slightly hoarse. " 'was a mean spider," 

The three adults shared a confused look, with Tony shrugging his shoulders- 'I got nothing' written all over his face. 

"Alright sweetheart- Uncle Ben and I are gonna take you home now ok? Say goodbye to Mr. Stark," May said gently, leaning forward to press a gentle kiss to her nephew’s forehead before standing back up. 

Much to Tony's surprise- Peter practically fell into him, his entire body tensing as the teenager wrapped his arms around his shoulders. 

"Thanks Mr. Stark," Peter murmured softly, and Tony gave him a gentle pat on the back, one arm wrapped around him in a sort of half hug. 

"No problem kiddie- feel better alright? I'm gonna be lost without my personal taste tester," 

"Mm'kay," Peter mumbled as Ben gently lifted him off the couch- May stepping forward and shaking Tony's hand one last time, a smile on her face. 

"Sorry about that, Peter's a cuddle-bug when he's sick- always has been," she said fondly, reaching over to gently run a hand through her nephew's hair, and a content smile came over Peter's face as he nuzzled closer to Ben's shoulder. "See?" 

"Thanks again for watching out for him- May and I know how much he loves it here," Ben said, waiting as May pulled the door open. 

"Bye Mr. Stark," Peter called, his voice still sort of groggy, and with that they were out the door.

Of course what Peter didn't tell Tony was that he woke up the next morning with muscles that looked like he'd been hitting the gym every day for the last four years- which was awesome- and the ability to stick to basically any surface which- after spending twenty minutes trying to get untangled from his sheets, was decidedly less awesome.  

"Earth to Peter-" Tony's voice pulled him from his thoughts to find the man staring at him worriedly. "You sure you're feeling back to 100% kiddo?"   

"Oh yeah- I'm all better now, really," Peter said quickly, and Tony raised an eyebrow in response. 

" Alright then kiddo, just try to give me a heads up the next time you're going to faint on me- I have a weak heart you know," 

"Sorry about that Mr. Stark," Peter said around a mouthful of banana bread, looking down at the table in guilt. 

"Don't sweat it- I'm just glad you're ok now kiddie," Tony ruffled his hair before heading back behind the counter- the small bell over the door alerting him to a new customer. 

******

Peter barely made it two hours before his stomach was rumbling again, and he shyly walked up to the counter, holding out a 5 dollar bill. 

"Can you make me a Nutella crepe?" He asked softly, and Tony's brow furrowed. 

"What- did you skip lunch today kiddo? You polished off almost a half sheet of cookies and a slice of banana bread," he said, and Peter avoided his eyes- knowing Tony didn’t scrimp on his portions, especially when it came to him. 

"I don't know- I'm just hungry today for some reason," 

That was another less than awesome side effect of getting bitten- sure, he could stop a car with his bare hands, but he could barely last an hour and a half without his stomach growling like he hadn't eaten all day. 

Tony waved away the five dollar bill, the concerned crease still in his brow. "It's on the house kiddie-" he said, turning around to grab the ingredients from the shelves. 

"Mr. Stark- c'mon that's not fair to you-" 

"All the times you've helped me clean up at the end of the day? I owe you way more than five bucks," 

Peter simply locked eyes with him and slid the money into the tip jar, a defiant grin on his face. 

Tony groaned as he put the crepe onto the pan, glaring at Peter over his shoulder. "You're insufferable- you know that?" He deadpanned, but he was clearly fighting a smile. 

"May tells me all the time," 

******

Five minutes later Tony brought over the plate, setting down a bowl filled to the brim with fresh fruit beside it. "Bon Appetit kiddo," he said as Peter looked up at him and sighed. 

"Mr. Stark, you already gave me the cookies for free- I can't take the fruit too," 

"Hey- I'm not going to be responsible for sending you back home to your Aunt after filling you up on just junk food mister," Tony insisted, pushing the plate towards him. "Besides- I ordered extra this week by accident, you're not putting me out Petey," 

"You always order 'extra'," 

"Damn right- gotta take care of my regulars don't I? And I mean, you're clearly hitting a growth spurt or something- I might need to put in a special order," 

"I hate you," 

"I know," 

******

Peter didn't come back the next day. 

Tony tried not to think anything of it- the teenager was still acting a little off after his bout with the flu, maybe he hadn't quite beat it and was home resting. 

And then one day turned into two, then three, four…

When it hit six days Tony finally allowed himself to worry. Even if deep down he really knew he'd passed that threshold a long time ago. 

Every time the bell rang he craned his neck towards the door, hoping to see Peter bounding in as always. 

"Are you ok Tony?" Pepper asked softly, leaning against the bar counter on the other side of the espresso machine. 

Pepper was Tony's first regular- always stopping by on her way to work at the law firm on the next block. It hadn't taken them very long to become friends, and her visit in the morning was the highlight of Tony's day until Peter stopped by in the afternoon. 

"I feel great- why?" He replied, looking up at her in confusion. 

"Because you just poured my espresso shot into that woman's mango iced tea," 

"Shit," Tony hissed, dumping the ruined drink down the drain with a touch more force than strictly necessary. 

"Hey- you can talk to me ok? What's going on?" 

"I'm fine, it's just- there's this kid, and he comes in here every day after school you know? Well he basically collapsed right in front of the pastry case about two weeks ago- and he said it was just the flu and he was over it, but he hasn't been back in almost a week now," 

"And you're worried," Pepper finished, a fond smile on her face as Tony nodded in agreement. "I'm sure he's just busy or something- maybe his parents took him on vacation," 

"Are you kidding- that kid talks a mile a minute, if he was going on vacation he would've told me by now," 

"Alright, well maybe it was a surprise or something- we don't know," Pepper suggested, reaching over the counter to put a hand on his shoulder. "Just try not to think the worst alright? I'm sure he's perfectly fine,"

"Ok Pep," Tony agreed, pouring her espresso into the correct cup this time. "He's a good kid- I think you'd really like him," 

"Well, I guess I'll have to stop by some time after work and say hi then," Pepper replied, taking her drink from Tony's outstretched hand. "I'll call you on my break alright?" 

******

Peter wove his way through the pedestrians crowding the street, darting across the sidewalk and practically falling into the café door- tears welling in his eyes. 

"Hey buddy- can't you read the sign? We're-" Tony yelled as he came out from the kitchen, the words dying out as he saw Peter standing at the center of the room. 

"Mr. Stark," was all the teenager could choke out before the tears finally fell, his shoulders shaking with sobs. 

Tony threw down his dish towel, hurrying around the counter to get to Peter, holding onto the teenager's shoulders gently. " Oh kiddie - hey, hey it's alright- what happened- did somebody hurt you?" 

Peter shook his head, wiping at the tears that were streaming down his cheeks. "Ben-" was all he could choke out, and Tony's heart sank like a stone- already knowing how the sentence was going to end. "We- we were walking- and then somebody just- and now he's gone," 

Tony almost couldn't find the right words to say, instead pulling Peter close to his chest without hesitation- letting the teenager cry into his shirt as Tony rested a gentle hand on the back of his head. "God Peter- I'm so sorry ," he said softly, as Peter wrapped his arms around him. 

"She was trying to keep it from me, but I heard May talking on the phone- and she was arranging the - and I just- I had to get out of there and I didn't know where else I could go," Peter said into Tony's shoulder, his words slightly muffled. 

"That's ok Petey- you can always come here- always, you got me?" 

Tony stood there until Peter's tears had dried, gently guiding him over to the plush couch in the corner of the room once his sobs had died down to sniffles. "You want me to make some tea?" He asked, and Peter nodded weakly, rubbing at his eyes. "Ok kiddie, sit tight- I'll be right back," 

Tony stepped into the kitchen, putting the pot on to boil and pulling out his phone, scrolling down through his contacts until he got to May Parker- suddenly very grateful she had the foresight to call the shop's phone line and exchange numbers just in case of emergency. 

The phone barely rang twice before she picked up, and Tony could feel May's panic before she'd even opened her mouth. "Oh my god- Tony, is Peter with you?" She asked, her voice sounding choked. 

"Yeah May, he's here- he's alright," Tony assured, and she let out a relieved sigh. 

"I just- I heard the door slam, and then he was gone- and god, after what happened- I was so scared," 

"I know May, I know- he just- I think he needs a little space," Tony said gently, getting the tea bags down from the cupboard. "I remember what I was like after my parents passed, and I was almost six years older than he is," May was silent on the other line, and Tony bit his lip- debating on voicing his next words. "May- can I... can I ask what happened?" 

She let out a weak exhale, needing to pause for a moment before she could get the words out. "It was a rough day at school so Ben took Peter over to the corner store to get slushies- they couldn't have been more than fifty feet from the apartment when some man- he- he pulled a gun on them. Ben tried to shield Peter- and- I guess he moved too fast because the guy got scared and he-" May broke down into sobs, and Tony had to steady himself against the counter. 

"Jesus," he breathed, running a hand through his hair. "I- I'm so sorry May- if there's anything I can do just let me know alright?" 

"Just- we're having a memorial service next Saturday- I think it would mean a lot to Peter if you came," May said, her voice still wet with tears. "My side of the family is so small- and all of Ben's relatives are three states away- the two of us were really the only family he knows, and god knows the service is going to be tough enough on its own, I don't want him to be overwhelmed by all the people- especially if I can't be with him the whole time," 

"Don't worry May, I'll be there," Tony assured, pouring the tea into two mugs. "And I'll bring Peter back home after he’s feeling better- I don’t want him walking home like this," 

"Thank you so much Tony," May said genuinely, and after confirming the date of the service the line went silent. 

Grabbing a mug in each hand Tony pushed the door to the café open with his shoulder, frowning at the tiny sniffles he could hear coming from the couch. "Here you go kiddie," he said gently, pressing the mug into Peter's hands before sitting down next to him on the couch as Peter took a sip, curling into Tony’s side as soon as he sat down on the couch.  

They both sat in silence for a while, Tony keeping a gentle arm around Peter’s shoulders the whole time, simply letting the teenager ball up the fabric of his hoodie sleeve in his hand and cry. 

“It’s my fault,” Peter said quietly, the words nearly knocking the air out of Tony’s chest. “I saw that guy- and I didn’t- I should’ve done something Mr. Stark, I shouldn’t have just let him-”

“Peter- I know how this feels alright? And trust me- after my parents...the only thing I could think about was what I could’ve done differently- even just one little thing I should’ve changed and maybe they would’ve been ok. But if you start thinking like that... it’s going to eat you alive Peter. And god, I wish you didn’t have to go through what I did- but you need to promise me one thing ok? I need you to promise you won’t blame yourself- cause it wasn’t your fault kiddie- not in any way, shape, or form,” Tony said, running one hand up and down Peter’s shoulder. There was something in the teenager’s eyes that he couldn’t quite decipher, but his words seemed to calm Peter ever so slightly- the teenager curling up even closer to his side, his hand still clutching the fabric of Tony’s shirt sleeve tightly- and he knew this was enough for now. There would be plenty of time to sort out all the guilt and grief to come- right now he just needed to be there for his kid. 

******

It was two o'clock in the morning before Peter was calm enough to head back to the apartment- Tony sending him in with as many boxes of baked goods as he could physically carry. 

And a week later Tony was right by his side as Peter’s entire family gathered around a dark grey headstone- Aunt May standing at the front of the crowd as she gave the eulogy, her voice wet with tears, but somehow still strong. She had asked Peter if he wanted to speak, but he knew he wouldn’t be able to find the right words- nothing could fully encapsulate the man who had been the only father he’d ever known.  

Tony’s arm never moved from his shoulders, even when Peter stepped forward to lay down the large bouquet of flowers- placing his own arrangement of white carnations down next to it before pulling Peter into his chest as silent tears ran down the teenager’s cheeks.  

The rest of the service went by in a blur, Peter feeling as if he was disconnected from his body- the only thing keeping him grounded at all was Tony’s presence beside him. 

“Oh sweetheart, I’m so sorry,” Peter flinched as a woman he vaguely recognized as one of Ben’s cousins put a hand on his shoulder, a line of people forming behind her. 

“Mr. Stark- I don’t- I- I can’t-” he stammered, leaning heavily into the man’s side, trying desperately to pull away from the crowd of people despite the guilt that was gnawing at his stomach. He knows that they’re only trying to be nice, and he knows that he should stand there and accept their condolences like the dutiful nephew he was supposed to be- but the bigger the crowd got, the tighter his chest became, only managing to take in gasping breaths. 

“Ok- it’s ok baby, I got you- you’re ok,” Tony said gently as he led Peter to the far side of the cemetery, sitting down on the grass in the shade of a tall tree, the teenager very nearly falling into him as sobs finally burst forth. “Shh- it’s ok Petey, I need you to breathe for me alright? I got you- I’m right here,” 

May hurried over a second later, her heels clicking on the pavement as she waved off the crowd of people gathered nearby, kneeling down at Peter’s other side and wrapping her arms around him- pressing gentle kisses to his curls. “Oh pumpkin,” she said sadly, reaching down and holding her nephew’s hand tightly “I’m so, so proud of you- you were so brave,”

“Don’ go,” Peter whimpered, and Tony frowned as he looked up at May- knowing the words had a heavier meaning behind them. 

“Tony and I aren’t going anywhere ok sweetie? We’re always gonna be right here, I promise,” she assured, pressing another kiss to the side of Peter’s head, one hand reaching up to rest a hand on Tony’s shoulder, the two of them sharing a meaningful look- a weight being lifted off May’s shoulders as she realized that she wouldn’t be doing this alone. 

****** 

Tony gently set Peter down on the passenger’s seat, fastening the seat belt slowly to ensure he didn’t wake him. Peter had cried himself into exhaustion, slumping into Tony’s shoulder while still kneeling on the grass, and neither adult wanted to pull him back to the real world just yet- taking comfort in the way the nearly ever present grief etched into his face finally melted away as he slept. With one last gentle touch to Peter’s shoulder Tony stood up, May immediately pulling him into a tight hug, shaking her head slightly as she struggled to find the right words. But Tony didn’t need anything to be said- pulling back and giving her a warm smile of understanding. 

“Just call me when you get home, I got a fridge full of premade meals for you two- all you’ll have to do is just stick it in the microwave and serve alright? Hopefully it should last about two weeks or so, but I can always cook extra,” he instructed, and more tears brimmed in May’s eyes. 

“God, Tony- you didn’t have to-”

“I know I didn’t- I just wish I could do more,”  

“You’ve always looked out for Peter- that’s more than enough in my book,” she said, giving him one last tight hug before walking around to the driver’s side door. 

The gravel crunched beneath the tires as May’s car pulled away, Tony waiting until her car had disappeared around the corner before approaching Ben’s grave one last time, laying a gentle hand on the stone.

I’ll make sure they’re ok- I promise  

******

"Hey kiddie- the usual?" Tony asked, already getting Peter's blue mug down from the shelf. 

"Actually- can I just get a uh, just a drip coffee and a- a granola bar?" The teenager asked shyly, bracing himself for the questions he knew were coming. 

"So- you don't like my banana bread anymore huh? You wound me," Tony teased, but there was a concerned glint in his eyes. "Seriously- what gives kiddo? You've ordered the same thing for almost six months- just decided you needed a change?" 

"I uh- you know with May being the only paycheck we have coming in now, I just think that I should cut down on how much I'm spending on food you know?" Peter replied, almost instantly regretting opening his mouth, as Tony froze, looking over at him with a disappointed frown. 

"Petey- that's not- cutting down on food is not the answer alright? I'm sure May would have a fit if she found out," 

"But I don't know what else to do- we already had to move because we can't afford our old apartment- I don't want her to overwork herself just to make ends meet," 

"And the solution is not to starve yourself-" 

"I'm not starving-" 

"With the way you eat kiddo? Come on- we both know that’s not healthy for you," Tony said firmly, and Peter's eyes fell to the floor in embarrassment. 

"I just don't know what to do," he said softly, and Tony walked around the counter, putting a gentle hand on the teenager's shoulder. 

"You can work here," he said simply, and Peter looked up at him in confusion. 

"Wait- are you serious?" 

"Dead serious Petey," Tony replied with a smile. "Pepper's been telling me to get an assistant for months now- and I can't think of anyone more qualified than you kiddo," Peter's face broke into a smile, as he surged forward to give Tony a hug. "And- effective immediately, employee perks include free food. So- one slice of banana bread coming up," 

"Did you seriously just hire me so I would eat your banana bread," 

"Yep,"

******

The next morning Peter pushed the café door open, breaking out into a smile as he heard Tony's voice echoing from the kitchen- the electric guitar screaming from the speakers nearly drowning him out, had it not been for Peter's super hearing. 

"You didn't tell me you could sing," he said as he pushed open the door to find Tony lifting a tray of muffins out of the oven. 

"Hey- gotta keep some things close to the chest, makes life interesting," the man replied as he put the pan down on the stovetop, a warm smile on his face. "Blueberry muffin?" Tony gestured to the tin already sitting on the countertop.  

"Mr. Stark- the café's not even open yet, I can't eat what you just made," 

Tony simply sighed, picking up one of the muffins out of the pan and peeling the paper off, taking a huge bite out of it out of sheer spite. 

Peter rolled his eyes, but he finally took one out of the tray, peeling the paper back and taking a bite of his own. "Holy shit-'  

"Peter," 

"But this is so good though," Peter said, taking another big bite. "How is everything you make just like- amazing ," 

"Lots and lots of practice cucciolo," Tony replied, gently ruffling Peter's curls before gesturing for the teenager to follow him out to the counter. "Ok- so, you'll just be on register for today alright? We can work out way up to making drinks," Tony tapped the touch screen on top of the register, the screen turning on in an instant. "All you have to do is select whatever they ordered from the drop down- tap this button if they want any add ons- and boom, all set. Then just hit cash, credit or debit and the machine will walk you through the rest," 

"Are you sure you really want to like- hire me hire me? I mean I can always just wash dishes and clear tables and all that," Peter asked shyly and Tony put a hand on his shoulder. 

"You're gonna be a natural kiddie, I can tell," he assured, and Peter gave a small shrug. "Hey, I mean it," Tony insisted, the comforting hand turning into a playful swat on the arm. "And if not- we'll figure it out ok? No harm done Petey,"

The teenager continued to click through all the register options while Tony set up the pastry case, handing the stray baked good over for Peter to nibble on if he ran out of room.   

"Uncle Ben knew how to cook," Peter said just as the needle lifted off the turntable, the café falling into silence. "He always said he was gonna teach me but…" 

Tony stood up from where he was kneeling at the back of the case, putting an arm around Peter's shoulders and pulling the teenager close to his chest. "I'm so sorry baby," he said softly as Peter snuggled close. 

"Mealtimes have been kinda weird lately you know? I mean- May tries her best but there's a reason why Ben barely let her near the kitchen," 

"Well- if you want, I can always teach you kiddie," Tony said, and Peter looked up at him, his brown eyes wide. 

"Really?" 

"Of course- you can come by early on the weekends and I'll show you the ropes, yeah?" 

"Thank you Mr. Stark," Peter said as the bell over the door chimed, signaling their first customer of the day.

******

"C'mon guys, geez- that shop just opened, and you already smashed their front window? That's just evil man," Peter said as he swung down from the building, landing a hard kick to the back of the head of one of the masked robbers, effectively slamming him against the wall- taking advantage of the second man's surprise to web them both together, tying their feet so nether could move a muscle. "Now, I'll take that- thank you very much," picking the gun up off the floor along with the small bag of money they had plucked from the cash register. 

By now a small crowd had gathered outside of the store, onlookers gawking at the smashed display window. Peter walked around the corner, finding the distraught owner leaning back against the wall, a few tears running down her face. 

"Uh ma'am- I think this is yours," he said, extending the bag out to her. 

"Oh my-" she breathed, her eyes widening as she pulled at the drawstring to find the wads of cash inside. "Oh my god- thank you- thank you so much," 

"The robbers are in the alley around the next block alright? Just send the police over there when they get here- and don't worry, those guys shouldn't be moving for quite some time," Peter instructed, backing away slowly. 

"Wait- please, let me give you something- I can’t just let you-" 

"You don't have to do that ma'am- it's what I'm here for," Peter waved her off and shot a web at the building across the street, launching himself into the air and down a few blocks. 

He had just come to a stop at the top of a department store roof when his Spider sense flared, his muscles tensing in fear. "I got eyes on the Spider kid," a voice sounded behind him, and Peter spun around- shooting out two webs that the man immediately dodged, holding his hands up in surrender. "Hey- woah- easy there kid, I'm not here to hurt you," 

"Woah- oh my god - you're the Falcon!" Peter breathed as soon as the adrenaline dropped and he was able to fully process who was standing opposite him. 

"We got a proposal for you kid, feel like taking a trip to the Avengers compound?"   

******

"So how'd they come out?" Tony leaned around the kitchen door frame to see Peter kneeling next to the oven and pouting. 

"They look all slanted," he said sadly, sliding an oven mitt on and lifting the tin onto the stovetop. 

"Hey- looks is only part of the equation alright? It'll come with time I promise," Tony assured, fanning the tin for a moment before picking up one of the muffins and taking the paper off, passing it between his hands for a moment to cool it off before taking a bite out of the slightly caved in top. 

Tony barely chewed twice before freezing, eyes widening slightly- his mouth not moving at all. 

"Oh god- they're awful aren't they," Peter sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly.

Tony swallowed, the action looking like it physically pained him- trying to hide the grimace on his face but failing miserably. "It wasn't that bad," he said quickly, and Peter rolled his eyes, taking a bite of his own.

" Oh- ew- holy shit ," The teenager gagged around the muffin, and Tony tore off a piece of paper towel, handing it over for Peter to spit into. "How did I even manage to make it taste like that?" He groaned, turning to grab the tin and dump the contents in the trash when he saw a tiny bowl sitting on the countertop. 

Tony followed his gaze, an amused smile coming across his face. "Is that the baking soda?"

"Yep," 

"Well that'll do it," 

Peter tilted his head back in frustration, resisting the urge to scream. 

"Hey, it's alright cucciolo- it happens to the best of us," Tony said gently, putting an arm around Peter's shoulders. "My mom's secret ingredient was a bit of sour cream in her chocolate chip muffins- well, one time when I was younger I got a little overzealous with it, and god those tasted awful," 

"But I really wanted those to be good- you make so much stuff for me," Peter said sadly, and Tony pulled the teenager into a hug, warmth blooming in his chest. 

"You'll have plenty more tries baby- besides, just having you around is more than enough, alright?" 

******

Peter had just barely made it through the door of the compound before Steve was waving him into a side room- where a briefcase was sitting at the center of the conference table. "I gave Shield a list of your abilities and they did their best- it's not perfect but it'll certainly protect you better than what you got on now," he explained, flipping a switch so the case popped open, revealing the suit folded up inside.  

"Woah-" Peter murmured in awe, picking up the material and holding it up to examine it. 

"We tried to mimic the lenses in your original suit to help with your senses- the folks at the lab just beefed them up a little," Steve explained, holding up the mask for Peter to see. "And, built in voice modulation so you don't have to carry that little contraption around anymore," he gestured to the small box that sat at Peter's hip- the plastic harboring the computer chip connected to the microphone inside the mask, ensuring his voice was unrecognizable. "Sorry we had to shortchange you on the color scheme a little- we need you to act as a stealth operative and the monochrome wardrobe is Natasha's rule. I promise we'll get you back to your blue and red as soon as this mission’s over," 

"Wow- sir- oh my god don't worry about the- thank you so much," Peter gushed, looking over the sleek black material, barely containing his glee. 

"Now- I know this might be a little sudden, but Sam got some intel about a high tech weapons deal that's going to be made in the next few weeks, and we need all hands on deck for recon- so suit up, the Quinjet leaves in twenty minutes," 

Steve left the room, closing the door behind him and Peter nearly fell over with how fast he tore off his old suit, slipping into the stealth suit and stumbling out the door- mask half over his face and still clipping on his web shooters as he ran down the hall and towards the hanger. 

******

Peter was absentmindedly humming as he finished washing the last few dishes in the sink when the bell over the door echoed through the space. He was just about to turn around when Tony almost burst through the kitchen doors, a stricken look on his face as he stared over Peter’s shoulder. 

"Hey- wanna go get the mop out of the store room for me?" He said softly, as the teenager craned his head around to see two men standing in the center of the room. 

"But I already washed the floor," Peter’s brow creased with worry as he turned back around, and Tony rolled his eyes exasperatedly before landing a firm backhand on the sugar container- sending the tiny granules spilling off the counter and onto the floor. 

"Whoops- well will you look at that, I think we're gonna need that mop after all huh kiddo?" Tony said, practically spinning the teenager around and ushering him into the storage room. 

"Wait- Mr. Stark what's-" the door was practically slammed in his face, and Peter sighed, throwing his arms up in aggravation before getting the bucket and mop out, mixing all the cleaning chemicals together in the basin. 

He had just about finished when the door swung open, Tony leaning heavily against the door frame. 

"Ok- what was that?" Peter pressed, and Tony waved his hand in circles- clearly trying to find the right words and not coming up with any. 

"Just- nothing you need to be worried about alright kiddie? Just some old uh- coworkers," 

"Then why did you shove me into the supply closet?"

"Because- because those guys shouldn't be talking to you that's why," 

"What? Mr. Stark that doesn't make any sense- I thought you said they were just-"  

"Look Peter- just drop it alright? Just forget about them, they're not coming back here anymore," 

Peter recoiled slightly- Tony had never spoken to him that harshly before, ever. 

And Tony winced immediately, reaching out to pull the teenager into a gentle hug, running one hand up and down Peter's back. "I'm sorry kiddie- I didn't- I didn't mean to snap at you, it's just been a hard week, that's all," he said softly, and Peter leaned back, looking up at him with big eyes. 

"Would some tea make you feel better?" 

"Tea makes everything better," 

******

"Alright Spider-Man, you're our element of surprise- they can't prepare for a threat they don't know is coming. We need that edge. Just stay out of sight for now, your lenses are hooked up so we can see exactly what you do- get to a safe point and just watch for now, got it?" Steve's voice came through the coms, and Peter gave a short nod, jumping upwards and sticking to the brick walls of the building.

"Got it," he echoed as he climbed, eyes locking onto the broken panel of glass in one of the upper windows. "Hey- I think I see an opening, do you want me to go inside?" 

"Just be careful- we have no idea what these weapons can do," Steve said cautiously, and Peter slipped inside, immediately ducking behind a stack of crates. 

"Ok- I think the coast is clear," Peter whispered as he tentatively moved across the room, gaze darting over his shoulder every few seconds. 

"You know Cap just said that we can see everything that's in front of you right?" Sam deadpanned and Peter flushed slightly. 

"...my bad," 

He paused for a moment, closing his eyes and putting all his focus into his senses- the sound of voices echoing from three floors down. 

Moving so softly his footsteps barely made a sound, Peter crept down the stairs- pressing his back against the wall parallel to the bottom landing, and peeking around the door frame at the people inside. One figure immediately drew his eye- the white metal suit seemingly glowing on its own, even without the circular pale blue light that sat at the center and bled out to the rest of the suit. 

"Woah- who is that guy? He wasn't here on the last mission," Peter whispered, ducking back behind the wall as he spoke. 

"Get out of there now!" Steve ordered, his voice so loud it sent stabs of pain through Peter's ears. 

"Wait wait- what? Why?" 

"Get out of there- if he sees you you're-" 

Peter screamed as the drywall he was leaning on exploded outwards, sending him tumbling forward- just barely able to steady himself a split second before he crashed head first into the cement floor. He spun around, his eyes widening as they landed on the glowing eyes of the suit that was stepping through the hole in the wall- the metal shifting so that it appeared like smoke tendrils were hovering around it. 

"Spider-Man! Go!" Steve's voice rang out once more, and Peter jumped into action, nearly leaping down the staircase before something tightened around his waist- yanking him backwards and tossing him into the concrete walls of the building like he was a rag doll. 

Peter let out a scream of pain as his body collided with the hard stone, falling to a heap on the ground as the suit hovered over him menacingly. 

"You're new," the voice that emitted from the metal was distorted and robotic- almost reminiscent of his own voice modifier. 

Alright. So that means that there's actually somebody inside that suit.

Peter tried to duck under him, crying out in pain as one of the tendrils tightened around his arm, effectively crushing his web shooter as it lifted him into the air. He let out a frightened cry as he saw the suit's arm pull back, throwing his free arm up and trying to brace himself for the hit he knew was about to come. 

The punch to the side of his head made him see stars, his body falling limp against the cold concrete as the tendril let go, unable to do anything besides lay there while the room spun around him. 

"Tell your little friends out there to stay out of our business. I'm not asking twice," 

The suit was gone by the time Peter felt steady enough to stand, a throbbing pain still in his temples as he slipped back through the broken window and back towards the rendezvous point. 

******

"Ah ah ah," Tony said as Peter tried to slink past him, the hood of his jacket pulled up over his face. "I wasn't born yesterday cucciolo- what are you hiding?" 

The teenager froze, letting out a defeated sigh and clenched his teeth, pulling the hood down and turning around slowly. 

"If this is somehow about another stray puppy I swear to god-" Tony nearly snapped the lever off the espresso machine as he took in the dark blue bruise that sat on Peter's cheekbone, the mark bleeding upwards, making the skin around his eye a sickly yellow. " Fuck," he breathed, reaching a hand out to gently cup Peter's cheek. " Cuore mio - what happened to you?" 

"Mr. Stark- really- it's nothing, I-"  

" Peter," Tony said seriously, and the teenager's head drooped downwards, his shoulders slumping slightly. 

"There's this- guy at school, uh- I don't even really know what did it, it was just one day we were fine and the next he's uh- pushing me down the stairs and knocking me down during gym class," Even though it wasn’t technically untrue, each word that left Peter’s mouth had his stomach twisting with guilt- a feeling that only intensified as he saw the spark of anger in Tony's eyes. 

"That's it- I'm calling the school," he decided, digging through the pockets of his apron for his phone. 

"No- Mr. Stark, wait-" 

"I mean, I'm one of your emergency contacts- that must give me some authority," Tony mused, and Peter practically ripped the phone out of his hand- the teenager holding it back far out of his reach. 

"Mr. Stark please- really, I'm fine I-" 

"Peter- you can't just let this kid get away with this shit- did you even look at the bruise on your face?" 

"It'll heal- just let it go-" 

"I'm not letting you get hurt!" Tony yelled, his voice loud enough to cause the patrons in the seating area to fall silent. "Look," he continued, his voice shifting to a gentler tone. "What I'm trying to say is- what's going on now, this could escalate ok? Whoever this piece of shit is, he could get too cocky if this goes on for too long- and you might not get just a bruise when that happens. That's what I'm worried about," 

"Better me than anybody else," Peter said resolutely, and an unreadable expression passed over Tony's face. 

"Well here's the thing- I don't want it to be you alright? Cause I swear to god Peter, if I get a call from May that you're-" 

"I'm not gonna let it get that far Mr. Stark," 

"You don't know that," 

"Yes I do- I promise I'll come to you if it gets too much, I just- I don't want to risk things getting worse," 

Tony still didn't look convinced, but he let out a weary sigh, taking his phone back from Peter’s outstretched hand and sliding it back into his pocket. “Just...please- you can always come to me if you need anything alright? Cause I know you, and I know you don’t want to cause May any more worry- but you need to take care of yourself too kiddie. Just promise me you’ll keep yourself safe,”

Peter let Tony pull him into a hug, glad he could turn his face into the man’s shoulder and hide the wince that he knew was on his face- the Spider suit balled up in his backpack boring a hole in his mind. “I promise Mr. Stark,”

*****

"Alright kiddie, I'll see you on Monday alright?" Tony said as Peter gave him one last quick hug before darting off towards the subway station, turning around in the middle of the street to give Tony one last wave. " Jesus Christ- eyes on the road Peter!" 

The teenager just rolled his eyes and continued forward, bounding down the set of stairs and out of sight. "That kid- I swear to god," Tony muttered as he pulled his car keys out of his pocket. 

"Stark," the voice halted him in his tracks, not even having to look around to see who it was. 

"Hogan," Tony replied stiffly, glancing at the man over his shoulder. 

"So- I got some Intel on a guy who needs- extra enforcement for this weapons deal- you interested?" 

"And here I thought I made myself clear- what part of this place being off limits got lost in translation huh?”  

"Never thought I'd see the day you went soft Stark," Hogan commented, raising an amused eyebrow. "So who is he? A long lost consequence of your-" 

"Leave the kid out of this,"  

Hogan simply shrugged, looking down nervously at the gauntlet that Tony had formed around his hand. "So- you interested or not?" 

"Fine," Tony spat, wrenching open the car door and getting in- rolling the window down a second later. "But I'm not gonna ask again, you stay the fuck away from Friday's, got it? I pay you to find me work- not spy on me,"

******

Tony had just placed a tray of dirty dishes by the sink when Peter walked in, the teenager's eyes barely open, his jacket askew, and his backpack just barely hanging on his shoulder. 

"Lordy, I take it you had a rough day?" He asked, as Peter dropped his bag behind the counter, reaching out for a hug, and practically falling into Tony's arms. "Woah there- kiddie, what happened?" 

"I woke up late, I almost missed my chemistry test, but I might as well have not even shown up  cause I think I bombed it anyway, and Flash made fun of me for almost the entire hour and a half of decathlon practice, and- and today was the day Ben and I were supposed to go see that traveling A.I. exhibit, and I just- I'm really tired," Peter said into his shoulder, and Tony ran a comforting hand through his hair. 

"I'm sorry baby," he said softly, as Peter held onto him tighter. 

"And to top it all off I can't even relax because I have so many projects due at the end of the week- I don't even want to think about how late I'm gonna have to stay up and-" 

"Woah woah woah- well, I think we can solve one of those problems Petey- as of right now today is paid leave- so go get a jump on those projects ok?" Tony said, holding up a finger before the teenager could even start to argue. "You know May's rule- school comes first kiddie," 

"But you pay me to work here- I can't just leave you on your own," 

"I've been doing this for almost eight years now cucciolo, I think I can manage on my own for just one day," Tony assured, pulling back to look Peter in the eye. "Now go start on your homework ok?" 

And when Tony looked over to Peter's usual table a half hour later he found the teenager with his forehead resting on top of his arms, out like a light on top of the physics worksheets laid out across the table. A fond smile came across Tony's face as he grabbed his jacket off the cost rack, draping it over Peter's shoulders before pressing a gentle kiss to the top of his head. 

******

The Quinjet ramp had barely hit the grass as Peter darted forward, jumping in front of Steve as the man tried to take a step downwards, effectively blocking his path. "Please sir- I can handle this- I can do it, I promise ," he begged, but Steve's jaw remained set as the rest of the team moved around them, readying their weapons as they walked down the alleyway. 

"You were brought in a stealth consultant only- the only reason you're even on this jet at all is in case of emergency backup," Steve said stiffly, and Peter's entire countenance deflated. 

"But I can do more- please sir ," 

"And what would you have done if Iron Man hadn't let you go that day huh? What was your plan?" Steve shot back, crossing his arms over his chest as Peter remained silent. "Look son- you've got a lot of potential, and you're gonna make a great hero someday. But today you just need to stand back and let us handle this one alright? You're not ready to take on this level of a threat," Peter stepped back as Steve picked up his shield, the high tech magnet snapping it into place on his wrist. "Just sit tight- if we need civilian evac I'll call you through coms," 

Peter leaned against the wall of the Quinjet as he watched Steve join the rest of the Avengers at the center of the alleyway, immediately barking out orders- the group all splitting off in separate directions. A frustrated sigh left Peter's lips as he paced up and down the hanger, muscles tense- practically holding his breath as he waited for Steve's voice to sound in his earpiece. 

But the longer he waited the more antsier he got, and the further he started to creep down the ramp- inching closer and closer to the alleyway. 

His Spider-Sense flared as an explosion shook the ground beneath his feet, and Peter was running before he had a chance to think twice- shooting a web up at the surrounding buildings and launching himself into the sky so he could get a better look. 

Almost the entire left side of the main warehouse had been blown away, rubble raining down on the streets below. Peter came to a stop on an adjacent rooftop, just about able to make out Steve, locked in combat with the Vulture, who was hovering over the opposite roof. 

"Spider-Man, stand down!" Natasha yelled over the coms, her voice strained as she landed a hard punch on one of Kingpin's lackeys below. 

Peter hesitated for a moment- his eyes locking on Steve once more, just as the vulture clamped a talon into the man’s uniform, lifting him into the air before driving him into the concrete. Taking a steadying breath, he shot out a web, jumping off the roof and swinging in an arc towards the parallel building- ignoring Natasha’s voice echoing loudly in his earpiece. Peter’s feet were just about to hit the concrete when something wrapped around his waist, flinging him backwards- a startled cry leaving his lips as he frantically shot out a web, using it to swing into the gaping hole in the side of the building. With too much momentum to stop, he went skidding to the floor, limbs flailing as he tumbled across the stone floor, only stopping once his side collided with one of the stone pillars at the edge of the room. Peter let out a weak groan as he pulled himself to his feet, eyes widening as the Iron Man suit hovered at the edge of the building. 

"You know, it's almost kind of rude- I gave you a chance kid," the mechanical voice echoed as one of the tendrils shot towards Peter, hitting his midriff so hard he felt something snap- the pain so intense all he could manage was a choked noise as he dodged the following repulsor blast, nearly collapsing as he dove to the side. Peter scrambled backwards, sprinting towards the back of the room and down the stairs, hoping the building would be able to provide some cover. 

Just as he was about to jump down the stairwell a repulsor blast hit his shoulder, knocking him forward and sending him careening downwards- all of the air knocked out of his lungs as his ribs collided with the railing below, letting out a broken wail as he used all his strength to hang onto the metal, clawing his way up and back on solid ground. Tears welled in Peter’s eyes at the throbbing pain in his side, stars dancing across his vision as he practically collapsed on the steps, his body almost refusing to take another step. 

"And you just had to throw it away- didn’t you," Peter let out a frightened yelp as the robotic voice echoed through the space, practically diving down the staircase as one of the tendrils made a crater in the wall that he'd been leaning against a moment earlier. Staggering forward he sprinted through the doorway just as an explosion rocked the building, the blast sending chunks on concrete raining down from the ceiling. Peter felt his shoulder pop as the stone collided into his shoulder, a few of the tears finally starting to fall as he collapsed to the ground, struggling to even stand. 

His body tensed as he could hear the whirring of the suit getting closer, his knees almost buckling as he stood up- the room swimming around him. Peter didn't even have a hope to dodge the next repulsor blast that was shot at his side, a searing pain exploding from his skin, making all his nerve endings feel like they were on fire. Peter's hand immediately gravitated to the wound to find blood immediately dripping between his fingers, a choked sob leaving his lips as one of the tendrils shot forth, landing an uppercut to his jaw that nearly ripped his mask off- the left side of his face now completely exposed as the fabric tore.

Peter went down hard, his shoulder sending stabs of pain up his arm as he tried to catch himself before he fell face first into the concrete, his vision whiting out with pain. 

******

Tony hovered off the ground, simply watching as the Spider desperately tried to crawl away, his body too weak to even stand. He extended his arm, ready to land the final blast as a choked sob echoed through the room, and Tony's blood ran cold. 

No. It couldn't-

" Please- please stop-" The voice modulation had faded away, and Tony immediately dropped out of the air like his strings had been cut, staggering slightly as he landed because-

That was his Peter. 

His Peter, desperately crawling away from him, blood smearing across the concrete as he dragged himself across the ground- terrified sobs leaving his lips as his entire body trembled. 

"No- no- please- please don't-" Peter begged- letting out a broken wail as his arms finally gave out, falling limp to the pavement. 

Tony collapsed to his knees beside him, gently turning the teenager onto his back, his heart aching as Peter used all the energy he had left to squirm out of his grip, his arms weakly pushing against Tony as sobs shook his frame- a look of pure terror on his face. 

"Hey, hey baby shh- it's ok, you're ok," Tony said softly as the faceplate retracted, reaching out to cup Peter's face gently. 

"Mr. Stark?" The teenager's words were slightly garbled and Tony took a sharp intake of breath as a small droplet of blood fell from the corner of Peter's mouth. 

"Vitals, J- read vitals, now," he ordered, bile rising in his throat as he pressed a hand against Peter's side, desperate to stop the bleeding. 

"Left lung punctured, five broken ribs, dislocated shoulder, and severe blood loss- immediate medical attention required," Each word from Jarvis felt like a stake to the heart as tears welled in his eyes. 

"Oh god, Peter- baby- I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," he murmured, gently cradling the teenager in his arms as a tendril split off from his suit, wrapping around Peter's midsection to keep the pressure on the wound. "J- can I move him?" 

"There is a non-zero possibility that he would not survive the flight," Jarvis said, a hint of sadness seeping into his voice, and Tony took a shaky inhale as he gently pulled Peter's mask off, running a gentle hand through the teenager's curls. 

"It's ok baby- you're gonna be alright, I'm gonna get you help- so just keep those eyes open for me ok Petey?" Tony said gently, a tear slipping down his cheek as Peter looked up at him, a dazed smile on his face. 

"Hi Mr. Stark-" he said, almost as if he was just now realizing the other man was there.  

"It appears Mr. Parker is going into shock," Jarvis said quietly, "Medical attention is needed in less than twenty minutes in order for survival," 

"Hey kiddie," Tony said gently, trying to pretend that he wasn't on the cusp of tears. "Just sit tight- I'm gonna get you out of here baby, I promise,"  

"Y'r eyes glow," Peter murmured, the little sliver of awe in his voice despite everything almost drawing a smile out of Tony. 

"Yeah Petey, they do that sometimes," he replied, lifting an arm and firing a repulsor shot at the window, sending the glass exploding outwards- making a big enough hole to fly out of without jostling Peter. "Alright J, how do we do this-" 

"'m I dyin'?" Peter said softly, his eyes slightly unfocused as he looked up. 

And those three words were what finally did it- Tony finally losing the battle, a small sob breaking from his throat. " No- no kiddie- I'm not letting that happen alright? You'll be ok Petey- I promise ," 

"Sir- the Avengers Quinjet is still outside, estimated time of arrival at the Avengers compound would be well within the window for recovery," Jarvis said, his words pulling Tony back from the edge of a panic attack. 

"I'm just gonna put a new mask on you ok baby? It might be a little tough for you to see, but I'm not going anywhere," he said gently, Peter giving him another weak smile as another tendril separated from his suit and formed the Iron Man mask over the teenager's head, shielding him from the onlookers that would no doubt be swarming outside. 

"M'kay," Peter said softly, resting his head against Tony's chest as the man stood up, careful not to jostle the teenager as he flew out the window. 

And if Tony's very consciousness wasn't directly linked to the suit, he never would've heard Peter's next words- the blood rushing in his ears obscuring almost all other noise. "'Love you Mr. Stark," the teenager said weakly, putting all his energy into making sure his words were clear- that they didn’t get muddled due to the fuzziness of his mind. "Didn' get t' tell Ben b'fore-" 

"No- no baby, you're not-” Tony’s voice wavered, a tear sliding down his cheek as he touched down on the grass, the suit being the only thing that kept him upright. “Don’t say that Petey, you're gonna be alright," He assured softly, not exactly sure who he was really trying to convince- Peter, or himself. 

The Quinjet ramp hit the ground with a loud clang, revealing Steve standing at the edge of the hanger, Bucky and Natasha behind him- guns drawn. "Wait!" Tony yelled, the suit morphing to form a protective shield in front of Peter. "You can do whatever you want to me, but he's hurt- you have to help him, please," 

"Oh my god," Steve murmured, his eyes falling on Peter as the suit slowly retracted the barrier, immediately waving Bucky and Natasha's gun's down. "How much time have we got?" 

" Not much," Tony choked out, wincing as if the words caused him physical pain.

"We'll get him to med bay- I promise you," Steve said firmly, trying to take the teenager from Tony's arms, and the man stepped back, holding Peter close to his chest. 

" No - I'm not letting you-" 

"How do I know this isn't a trap?" Steve countered, and Tony's eyes flashed with anger. 

"Because he's my kid," he said, barely able to bite back his fury " He's my kid, and he's dying, and you can kill me before I leave him alone," 

Steve gave him a long stare before nodding curtly, moving backwards as a silent invitation. "Get out of the suit," was all he said as Tony stepped inside, laying Peter down gently on one of the cots at the edge of the hanger. 

The metallic substance peeled off of him a second later, the hollow suit morphing into sentry mode behind him, shielding the pair protectively. 

"Hey kiddie, you with me?" Tony said gently as the mask over Peter's face retracted, revealing the teenager's slack features. "No- no no no, Petey- baby can you hear me? " Tony's voice wavered as he pressed two fingers to his kid's neck, almost feeling dizzy with relief as he felt a pulse. "Ok- ok baby, that's it, just keep hanging on for me yeah? Cause I don't know what Friday's is gonna do without you- if I have to go back to full time barista we're gonna have a drop in revenue- I don’t know if we’ll survive it. The customers always liked you more than me, huh Petey?" He said softly, pressing a gentle kiss to Peter's forehead before resting his forehead against the teenager's chest, the only thing keeping him from breaking down was the heartbeat that sounded in his ear- a little slow maybe, but still there. "You should see the cake I have planned for your birthday- three tiers of chocolate cake with that hazelnut filling you liked so much when I made cupcakes for Pepper's staff party, remember? I even got decorations hiding at the back of the store room closet- it's a miracle you haven't found them already honestly," A weak chuckle left Tony's lips as he ran his thumb gently back and forth across the back of Peter's hand. "May's taking the day off from work, and we're gonna set up while you're in school- we even got Mrs. Leeds to agree to take Ned out of class early so he can be there when we all yell surprise, so you can't miss it, ok kiddie?" A broken sob left Tony's lips as tears started streaming down his face once again, the guilt and the fear finally overpowering his composure. "I love you too Petey- I love you so so much- please don't leave me, please- I'm so sorry baby, this is all my fault,"  

Tony almost felt like he was in a daze, his entire being focusing on Peter's heartbeat- not even registering that the Quinjet had landed until he felt a hand on his shoulder- his muscles tensing in surprise as he looked up to see Natasha looking down at him. 

"The medical team's already outside- all you need to do is just wheel him out," she instructed, and Tony immediately scrambled to his feet, disconnecting the cot from the wall and gently pushing it down the ramp, fighting the urge to pull Peter closer as the medical team hovered around him. 

"I'm Dr. Helen Cho- we're going to take good care of your son alright? I promise we'll do everything we can," she said gently, and Tony grit his teeth, finally letting go of the stretcher, a hand coming up over his mouth as he watched them lead Peter inside- the suit moving to follow behind before he could even fully formulate the thought in his mind. 

"Stark," Steve's voice knocked him from his stupor, turning to see a pair of handcuffs in the soldier's hands. 

"That won't be necessary," Tony said, holding his hands up in surrender. "Just lead the way," 

******

The first thing Peter noticed as he opened his eyes was the overwhelming heaviness of his body, the ache in his limbs nearly causing him to close his eyes once more before he noticed the bright white Iron Man suit hovering in the doorway. 

And Peter hated himself for it, but his body flinched reflexively- phantom pains of repulsor blasts pricking at his skin. 

The suit almost seemed to deflate a little- if that was even possible- and Peter extended a weak hand, beckoning it to come over. 

"You don't have to keep the mask on Mr. Stark," Peter said, his voice dry and cracked. At his words the faceplate retracted, revealing the empty space inside. "Woah- so you can just move by yourself? Or is Mr. Stark controlling you?" Peter breathed looking up at the suit in awe. 

"It's a little bit of both, Mr. Parker-" A voice rang out- and if Peter's muscles had any strength left he might've hit the ceiling. "My apologies for scaring you young sir- I am Jarvis, Mr. Stark's A.I.," 

"H-hi, I'm Peter," the teenager mumbled, pink dusting his cheeks as he tried to slow his heart rate. 

"You see- while Mr. Stark is able to control the Iron Man suit through a neurological link, it is also derived from a symbiotic model, meaning it has free will of its own- to a certain extent,"

"Holy- that's awesome," The residual fear from the warehouse faded into the background as Peter gently reached out- the suit letting him tug its arm towards him, his fingers bushing over the metal, eyes wide in wonder. 

"I see you've already met our new resident robot," Peter's head lifted up to see Bruce standing in the doorway, an amused smile on his face. "This guy hasn't moved an inch since you left the operating table- and believe me, Steve's tried," the man tilted his head out towards the hallway, Peter's jaw falling open as he took in the craters and scorch marks that littered the hallway outside. 

" Holy- oh god, I'm so sorry," he said softly, and Bruce simply shrugged, eyes flickering between the monitors near Peter's bed and his tablet. 

"I said it was a bad idea to take Stark's suit before you had woken up- but hey, who wants to listen to the guy with seven PHDs," he muttered, getting a tiny giggle out of Peter. "I thought Helen was going to strangle Steve with her bare hands when the explosions started going off," The pair fell into silence, Bruce typing furiously at his tablet while Peter worried the blanket between his fingers- almost opening his mouth, but the words getting caught in his throat. “Hey, is something wrong bud?” the man said gently, his eyes shining with concern as he noticed the teenager’s nervous fidgeting.

"Just- just- uh- where’s Mr. Stark?" A heavy silence falling over the room as Peter finally voiced the question that has been gnawing at him since he'd opened his eyes. 

"He's... downstairs ... for the moment," Bruce replied slowly, clearly choosing his words carefully. 

"What’s downstairs?" Peter asked, his voice uncharacteristically harsh, staring up at Bruce with clear betrayal in his eyes. 

"Peter, I know you think you know him but- Stark...he’s with the bad guys kid, we couldn't just let him waltz in here and not take him into custody," 

"That- that's not- he isn't one of them," Peter insisted firmly, almost incapable of believing that the same man who would always send Peter home with extra leftovers from the café when he knew May's paychecks were being spread thin- the same man who let Peter sob on his shoulder as he had to say goodbye to his Uncle Ben was a villain, even if he had the repulsor scars to prove it. 

"Peter, you had to be put in a medically induced coma- your lung had collapsed, you lost almost two liters of blood- if you didn't have advanced healing there's a good chance you'd be dead right now-" Bruce cowered slightly as the suit spun around menacingly, taking a protective step closer to Peter. 

"But Mr. Stark didn't know- he'd never have hurt me if he'd known- never ," the teenager said, his voice firm and resolute, and Bruce sighed, knowing that this argument was over before it had even begun. 

"Fine- you win kid, but it still doesn't change anything- Steve's processing the paperwork as we speak, there's nothing we can do,"

Peter threw down the covers, almost swinging his legs over the side of the bed- and he's not sure who moved first, Bruce or the suit itself, blocking him in on both sides. 

"But what you're gonna do is stay and bed and build your strength back up- you've been out for almost three days, you need rest Peter," Bruce said, his voice gentle, but leaving no room for argument. 

"But- I just- I’m not letting anything happen to Mr. Stark," Peter said softly, blinking back the frustrated tears that had formed in his eyes. 

"Alright, how about this- you go back to bed, and I'll see what I can do about bringing you downstairs to see him. Nothing’s gonna happen until you’re well enough to sit in on those meetings. That fair?" Bruce replied, and Peter nodded, allowing the suit to pull the blankets back up over his shoulders. "Just try to sleep- alright bud?" 

Once Peter actually allowed himself to relax, the heavy feeling seeped back into his body- and once he closed his eyes, he was out within seconds. 

*****

When Peter awoke again the room was dark- only illuminated at all by the soft blue glow of the reactors in the Iron Man suit that was still standing against the wall. 

"How're you feeling Mr. Parker?" Jarvis asked softly, and Peter shrugged, bringing a hand up to his mouth as he yawned. "Would you like me to alert Doctor Banner that you are awake?" 

"No- no I just…" Peter trailed off, eyes focusing on the almost deserted corridor outside. 

"No," Jarvis said quickly, his tone somehow almost sounding like Tony. "I know what you're thinking-" 

"Look- I've got super healing remember? I'm just taking a walk downstairs, I'll survive," 

"And I believe Mr. Stark would prefer it if we didn't test the limits of said super healing,"  

"Ok- so how do I take this I.V. out?" Peter said, acting as if he hadn't heard anything that was just said. 

"I don't-" 

"Jarvis I'm gonna yank this out in like two seconds, so tell me how do to it or I'm just pulling," 

"Take the tape off first," Jarvis said reluctantly, exasperation clear in his voice as the suit strode across the room. "Put this over the needle and press down," Peter took the bag of cotton balls that was extended towards him, placing one down on the crook of his elbow. "Now gently pull the tube out, while still applying pressure," With a small wince, Peter did as he was told- his stomach only swooping slightly as the tube was pulled out of his skin. As soon as it was fully removed the suit leaned down, securing a band-aid over the cotton ball Peter had placed against his arm. 

"Thanks," the teenager said brightly, and he was pretty sure that if the A.I. had eyes he'd be getting a pretty impressive glare right about now. "Now- which way to Mr. Stark?" 

******

"Jarvis, what part of ' keep Peter in the hospital' wasn't exactly clear huh?" Tony's voice cut through the space as Peter ducked in the door, freezing at the sight of Tony sitting on the cot at the back of the glass enclosed cell, clad in a blue prison outfit. 

"He was quite determined," Jarvis replied, as Peter remained stock still, tears brimming in his eyes. "And if I remember correctly, you don't have a great track record of completing hospitalization treatment yourself sir," 

"Why couldn't you pick up any of my good habits huh Petey?" Tony said, his face softening as the first tear rolled down the teenager's cheek. "Oh cuore mio," he said sadly as Peter took a shaky step forward shaking his head like he was in shock. 

"No- that's not- you don't- you shouldn't be in there," 

"Kiddie-" 

"No- That's not you, it's not," Peter said, still looking slightly dazed.  

"The hell isn't isn't me-" Tony muttered, running an angry hand through his hair. "Peter- god- I hurt you, if we had gotten to Cho even five minutes later-" 

"You didn't know!" 

"And you think that matters?" Tony bit back, his voice echoing loudly. "Peter-" his voice wavered, running a shaky hand through his hair as he took a steadying breath. "You died on the table," Tony said finally, tears shining in his eyes. "Twice," 

"How did you-" Peter's voice trailed off, realization passing over his face as Tony gestured to the suit standing off to the teenager's left.  

"All I could do was listen as your heart monitor flatlined- and I-" Tony's voice broke, standing up and facing away from Peter. "I promised that I'd keep you safe and I was the one who almost-"  

"Mr. Stark-" 

"I don't want to hear it Peter- now go back upstairs- you shouldn't be down here, it's not safe for you to- 

"Oh come on- " 

"Goddamn it Peter- I said go!" Tony yelled, making the teenager flinch- an action that didn't go unnoticed, as a haunted look came across Tony's face. "Just- I wrote up some papers- all it takes is one signature and Friday's is yours. Sell it- use the money for whatever you and May need ok? I-" 

"Stop!" Peter's broken yell cut him off, the teenager's tears returning in full force. "I'm not leaving, and you're not going anywhere- and I-I just- I don't want you to leave," Peter leaned heavily against the glass, sobs shaking his shoulders. "You're my hero Mr. Stark- you- you always come to my decathlon meets so I won’t be the only one with no family there cause May has to work- and when I have a bad day at school you let me play that Abba record that you say you hate but you always end up dancing while we do the dishes anyway, and- and you were there for every breakdown I had after Ben- even if I called you at two o'clock in the morning, and you never yelled at me when I cut class to come to Friday's because it was all just too much and-" Peter's voice dissolved into sobs and Tony finally stepped close to the other side of the glass- wishing with everything he had that he could reach through and pull Peter into his arms- even though he knew deep down that even if he could, he’s not sure he would trust himself enough to do it. 

"Petey…" Tony said softly, tears brimming in his own eyes as he brought one hand up against the glass. 

"You're not who they say you are,"  the teenager looked up at him with determination in his eyes even through the tears. "You may have made some bad choices, but you're not a bad person. Iron Man is not the real you," Peter wiped at his eyes, kneeling down and leaning up against the glass. "So I don't care what you say- I'm not going anywhere- I trust you Mr. Stark, always- no matter what," 

Tony sighed, wiping at the tears rolling down his own cheeks, kneeling down right next to where Peter was sitting. "When did you get so stubborn huh?" He asked, a small smile pulling at his lips. 

"Learned it from the best," 

Tony let out a wet laugh- the sentence so unbelievably Peter, even in the face of everything. "God- kiddie, I'm so sorry," he said softly, the guilt still sitting heavily on his chest even with Peter right in front of him. 

"It's ok Mr. Stark, I forgive you," Peter replied, his voice never faltering for a moment, and Tony shook his head- silently promising that he’d spend the rest of his life working to become the person that Peter saw in him, someone who deserved the unabashed trust that shone in the teenager’s eyes.  

They sat in silence for a while, with Peter leaning up against the glass right against Tony's shoulder, just as he would do at the end of a long day- when they would just sit and talk for hours after close. 

"Something tells me Bruce would have something to say about you sleeping on the floor while you're still recovering," Tony said gently, chuckling slightly at the sleepy groan he got in response. 

"Let Jarvis break the glass and I won't have to," Peter muttered, and Tony rolled his eyes. 

"For the last time, I'm not busting the cell down just because you're like a little koala when you get sleepy," 

"May says 's only when 'm sick," Peter muttered and Tony scoffed, almost reaching out to ruffle the teenager's hair before he realized he couldn't. 

"Oh yeah- sure, " he teased, smiling as Peter huffed at him playfully. "It's ok baby, you know May and I wouldn't have it any other way," Tony was met with silence, and he looked down to see Peter's eyes closed, relaxation clear on his face- looking about as comfortable as someone could be while huddled up on the floor. "I love you so much Petey," Tony said softly, leaning up against the glass and shutting his own eyes. 

"L'v you too Mr. Stark," Peter mumbled, barely awake, and Tony fell asleep with a warm smile on his face. 

******

"Peter? What the hell are you- does Bruce know you're down here?" Steve's voice jolted Peter awake, the teenager groaning in pain at the ache in his neck from how he'd been sleeping. 

"How do you think I feel- I got 30 years on you," Tony teased, and Peter almost smiled before he noticed the rest of the team standing behind Steve- a heavily reinforced pair of handcuffs in Clint's hands. 

"You were never going to tell me, were you?" Peter spat, as he stood up, squaring his shoulders and staring coldly at Steve. "Dr. Banner promised me that nothing would happen without you talking to me first-" 

"Look- I don't know what Bruce told you but we do not operate under the orders of a 15 year old-" Steve spat, and Tony took a step forward raising an eyebrow as a silent dare to finish that sentence. "I'm not asking Peter- get out of the way. You had your goodbye, now Stark needs to go into custody- somewhere that's equipped to handle his kind of threat,"  

"He's not a threat!" Peter lurched forward, blocking Sam and Clint as they tried to approach the heavily fortified door of the cell. 

"I'm not asking- stand down. If those people outside hear a fight in here, you're gonna end up out on the raft with him," 

"The raft? Are you- Mr. Stark doesn't belong on the raft!" Peter yelled, still unmoving even as Steve loomed over him. 

"Clint, you take the kid- I'll take Stark," the man ordered, the words barely out of his mouth before Peter threw all his weight into pushing at Steve's chest- knocking him backwards and away from the cell door. 

" Stay away from him," Peter seethed, the whole room falling silent. 

"Hey- he's got a point, I mean doesn't it seem a little excessive-" Natasha tried, but Steve was on his feet before she could finish- twisting Peter's arms behind his back and forcing the teenager down to his knees, a pained cry leaving Peter's mouth as he hit the floor. 

"Hey!" Tony roared, pounding against the glass- and Steve looked up as he felt something hovering behind him, the Iron Man suit looming over him with the repulsor charged and ready to fire. " Get your hands off my kid- now," Tony ordered, his voice quiet but no less threatening. 

Steve let go, and Peter slumped forward slightly, leaning heavily against his knees and willing the tears not to fall. 

"Alright guys, let's just take a breather-" Sam tried, but Peter looked up at Steve, anger still burning in his eyes, even through the tears.

"You fought so hard to keep Sargent Barnes out of the raft- how could you-" 

"That was different-"  

"He's my family!" Peter yelled, his voice echoing in the room. " Please- please don't do this," 

" Steve," Natasha said, her voice low and serious. "If we bring Stark on the team, have him use his intel for our benefit- we take Kingpin down, and I think we could have a pretty decent case for a pardon," 

Steve’s face twisted with disbelief, crossing his arms over his chest as he stared at Natasha with a disappointed frown. "You gotta be-" 

"I'm in," Clint spoke up, putting the handcuffs down on the far table and holding his hands up. "A lot of us in this room wouldn't be here if someone hadn't gave us a second chance," 

"There'll be restrictions," Natasha added, already heading off Steve's argument. "But I don't think the raft is really necessary," 

“Are you-” Steve was almost at a loss for words before the fire reignited in his eyes. "That suit is one of the most advanced weapons on Earth- Fury's database says that thing could take over the world-" 

"Yeah. And he uses it to play bodyguard," Natasha said, crossing her arms over her chest. "What do you think that tells us about his heart?"  

"What do you say Stark?" Sam called, cutting off the argument before it could get any further. 

"Done deal," Tony said immediately, hands up in surrender- his eyes flickering down towards Peter, worry clear on his face. 

"Well, I think that about settles it," Natasha said easily, breezing right past Steve and waltzing over to the cell door- her fingers dancing over the keys before the door swung open with a loud groan.

Tony stepped forward, barely clearing the door before Peter launched himself into his arms- barreling straight into his embrace before he could get caught up in his mind as to whether or not he even trusted himself to be around the teenager at all. Tony’s hands hovered stiffly in the air for a few moments before he felt silent tears soaking into his shirt- and almost instantly he was pulling Peter close, his anxiety fading to a dull hum as Peter’s quiet sobs reached his ears. "Cuore mio- it's alright baby, I'm not going anywhere- I promised, remember?" He assured, his eyes falling on Clint and Natasha as they hovered in the doorway. ‘Thank you’ he mouthed over Peter’s shoulder, pressing another gentle kiss to Peter’s curls, doing his best to soothe his kid, who was holding onto him like he would be ripped away at any moment. “I love you so much kiddie,” 

“I love you too Mr. Stark,” Peter choked out, one hand still clinging tightly to the back of Tony’s shirt with no intention of letting go any time soon.      

******

Two weeks later Tony had been cleared to return to Friday’s, the team almost unanimously deciding that there wasn’t really any need for any of them to be on supervision duty outside of the compound- knowing that having Peter around was more than enough insurance that he would stay on the straight and narrow. And though Tony would never admit it, life at the Avengers compound wasn’t so bad. At the very least, they had a decent kitchen that was criminally underused- and the team still had yet to adjust from the whiplash of going from mostly microwave meals and takeout to Tony’s home cooked dinners, a four course meal waiting for them every time they came back from a mission. 

And while he’d mostly agreed to let bygones be bygones- he couldn’t say the same for Peter, who still couldn’t help himself from glaring at Steve every time the man stepped into the room, no matter how hard Tony tried to coax him out of it. So the team mostly left the café alone- only Natasha stopping by for an Americano every now and again- recognizing that the teenager needed a safe space, and for that Tony was grateful. 

 "So- why Friday's?" Peter asked as he arranged the peanut butter cookies in the pastry case, still feeling a warmth of pride in his chest at the fact that more and more of his own pastries were starting to be sold in the case alongside Tony's. 

"I think I've wanted to walk away from- that business for a while now, but I just- I couldn't stop . Hogan would come to me with another job and I just couldn't make myself turn him down. So I think I started Friday's thinking that it would be easier if I knew I had something to fall back on, but I ended up just doing both," Tony answered as he leaned against the counter, smiling at the display Peter was making. "My mom always wanted to open her own coffee shop- so I think that's part of it too," he added, his voice going softer. “Besides, now I think I got a pretty good reason to step away for good,”

“What’s that?” Peter asked, tilting his head in confusion, and Tony smiled at him fondly shaking his head slightly.  

"Nothing kiddie,” He replied, pausing a moment before leaning forward and craning his neck to look behind the counter- noticing how intently the teenager was staring at something near the espresso machine. “What are you up to back there?”

"Hey- don’t look ," Peter whined, shooing him away. "It's a surprise!" 

" Oh joy ," Tony sighed warily, and Peter shot him a dirty look. 

"It's not a bad surprise this time I promise!" 

A few seconds later Peter emerged from behind the counter, holding out Tony's favorite red mug- a smiley face drawn in the foam on top of his latte, and two small cookies resting at the edge of the saucer. 

"Now don't laugh- I know this probably looks really dumb compared to some of the stuff you do but I'm gonna get better at it, I promise! And these are two of the first batch of cookies May and I did together- I ended up doing most of the work so don't worry, they're actually edible-" Peter babbled, only stopping when Tony stood up and pressed a kiss to his forehead before pulling him into a tight hug. 

"If you made it, I'm sure I'll love it," he said, pulling back so he could take the mug out of Peter's hands as the bell over the door chimed, signaling their first customer of the day. 

"Good morning! Welcome to Friday's- what can I get for you?" Peter chirped happily as he bounded back towards the counter, Tony smiling down at his coffee before taking a sip- warmth blooming in his chest as Peter made a silly face at him over the espresso machine as he waited for it to turn on. 

They still hadn’t even had a proper discussion about Spider-Man, outside of Peter mentioning offhandedly- ‘Hey, remember that time I basically passed out in front of the pastry case? Yeah- that was the day I got my powers’- and nearly giving Tony a heart attack in the process. 

But as he looked over to see Peter humming softly, bobbing his head back and forth to the record echoing through the speakers- Tony smiled, pushing all of his worries to the back of his mind. Peter was happy, and that was all he cared about.