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Peter sat on the edge of the roof, waiting for his dad to do what he couldn’t - save people. He was so close to holding the boat together but it just fell apart.
Tony appeared behind him, hovering above the ground. “Previously on Peter Screws the Pooch: I tell you to stay away from this. Instead, you hacked a multimillion-dollar suit so you could sneak around behind my back doing the one thing I told you not to do.”
Peter took a deep breath. “Is everyone okay?
“No thanks to you.”
“No thanks to me?” Peter spins round and jumps off the edge towards Tony in anger. “Those weapons were out there, and I tried to tell you about it. But you didn’t listen. None of this would’ve happened if you had just listened to me. If you even cared, you’d actually be here.
Tony dropped to the ground and stepped out his suit. It hurt that his kid would ever think he didn’t care. He stepped towards Peter, who now backed away
“I did listen, Pete. Who do you think called the FBI, huh? This isn’t something you need to be getting involved in. Steve thought I was crazy giving you that suit, but I believed in you. You’re fourteen for god’s sake, what was I thinking?”
“I’m fifteen.” He snapped back.
“No, this is where you zip it, all right? The adult is talking.” Tony took a breath. “What if somebody had died tonight? Different story, right? ‘Cause that’s on you. And if you died, that’s on me because you’re my son. My responsibility. I don’t need that on my conscience.”
Peter suddenly felt really guilty. “Yes, sir.”
Tong nodded, slightly satisfied. “Yes.”
“I, I’m sorry.”
Holding up a finger, he took another step towards his son. “Sorry doesn’t cut it.”
”I understand. I just wanted to be like you.”
Now that was like a punch in the gut for Tony. No one wants to be like him. Narcissistic, self centred, not great role model qualities. But Peter wanted to be like him. That made Tony want to be better.
“And I wanted you to be better.” Tony made the decision that Steve would. “Okay, it’s not working out. I’m gonna need the suit back.”
“For how long?”
“Forever.”
Peter shook his head. This wasn’t fair, he was only trying to help and do what he thought was best.
“Yeah. Yeah, that’s how it works.”
“No, no, no... Please, please, please...”
Tony sighed. God, parenting is hard. “Let’s have it.”
“You don’t understand. Please. This is all I have. I’m nothing without this suit.”
“Pete, that’s not true. It’s most certainly not all you have. And besides, if you’re nothing without this suit, then you shouldn’t have it. Okay? God, I sound like my dad.”
Tony rubbed his forehead and held his hand out.
“I don’t have any other clothes.” Peter replied in a small voice.
“Okay, we’ll sort that out. Let’s get home first.”
He put his hand on Peter’s shoulder and guided him to the stairs of the building.
”Can’t I swing home?”
Tony chuckled. “Most definitely not.”
They reached the bottom and saw Steve leaning against the car door with his arms crossed.
”Uh Oh.”
”Uh Oh indeed.” Steve answered.
”Did you bring clothes?” Tony asked and Steve nodded, handing them to Peter.
”Right now?” Peter asked looking around nervously.
His parents nodded and climbed into the car to change with more privacy.
Steve turned to Tony.
”I think I did a good job.” Tony grinned. “You know I’m terrible at being the strict parent.”
Steve gave Tony a quick kiss. “We both are, sweetheart, but by the looks of it you did pretty good.”
”You know, it was only kind of falling apart just when I got there, he was very close. Don’t tell him that yet.”
Steve laughed. “He just need a bit of practice.”