Chapter Text
He should be crying. Should be sobbing into the arms of a parent, wrapped up in the warmth of the blanket that the nice police lady had handed across.
Instead, Peter felt numb. He watched the flashing lights, listened to the chatter on the radios as tapes were drawn around the entrance to his school.
Peter had been in Decathlon practice when the first shot sounded. And, unlike his classmates, his first instinct hadn't been to panic. It was strange, considering his sixth sense, but Peter was suffering from sleep deprivation and wasn’t on top form. Then, once he understood what was happening, he’d snapped out of his daze.
With MJ’s help, they’d blocked the door and pressed against the far wall, hiding beneath the tables. More gunshots had driven Peter back to the door, to hold it in place despite the fact that the others were hiding.
MJ had joined him, trusting that his secret would keep them all safe.
Everyone was being comforted, while the media gathered around the Decathlon team. The school had been mostly empty, save for a janitor and a couple of final year students. Three people had been shot, the janitor and two students who tried to flee. No fatalities. The media were calling MJ and him ‘saviours’, trying to push past the officers to reach them, but Peter had his blanket.
His blanket, and nobody else. Parents had flocked to the school, had wrapped up their children and were smothering them in affection. Peter, who didn’t have a parent to hug him. He watched Mrs Leeds stroke through Ned’s hair, watched as Michelle’s parents shielded her from the media’s eyes.
Peter sat quietly by himself, the ache of knowing that May was busy with her job, and that he didn’t have a parent to come and comfort him.
**
‘Sorry for the intrusion, Boss, but there’s something I need to draw your attention to.’ Tony halted in his snappy comments to the Rogue Avengers, glancing up to the ceiling and away from his girlfriend’s knowing looks.
‘Friday?’
‘A report is coming in from Midtown high, a suspected active shooter was apprehended.’
‘Shooter?!’ Pepper screeched, to her feet quicker than Tony could comprehend the sentence. But, when he did…
Someone was speaking. Lips moving, blurring as he realised that he wasn’t taking in any oxygen, that his heart was clenched and he couldn’t breathe and everything was going dark and…
A hand slapped his cheek, Tony rocking back and focusing on Natasha, who was studying him curiously.
‘Midtown High?’ She questioned, the spy waiting for him to try and get himself out of her scrutiny.
Pepper was on the phone, calling Happy to come and pick them up.
So they could get to Peter.
‘Friday, find me the channel.’ He bit out, turning the screen as FRIDAY did as she was told.
Three injured. None dead. Two heroes.
Tony was unsurprised when Peter’s curly mop of brown hair flashed on the screen, a school photo that he’d be teasing the young boy about, had it not been a different situation. Next to his intern’s picture was a girl that Tony presumed was MJ.
The reports turned back to live footage, to the crowds of children wrapped in obnoxiously coloured blankets, with parents flocking around like lost sheep.
His eyes knew where to look, to the edge of the camera screen, to a boy by himself.
‘Pepper…’
‘I know. We’re going.’
**
Peter wasn’t sure if numbness was the correct emotion to have in this situation. He should feel something, right? He should be watching the ambulances leaving and thanking anyone who would listen that it wasn’t him.
Instead, he sat quietly, picking at the hem of the blanket.
Voices buzzed through his ears, sirens and chatter that didn’t bother him until that particular sound came, the screeching of tires and of cameras clicking.
Peter looked up, to see the STARK numberplate on the vehicle, to see Tony Stark himself scanning the crowds and shoving past the nearest officer, only being saved by Pepper quickly apologising.
Numbness faded as quickly as it had settled in, taken over by fear. He’d been so close to death so many times, but this? Something so mundane?
‘Mister Stark.’ Peter choked out, raising on wobbly feet and then stumbling blindly into his mentor’s arms.
Safe.
Tony gripped him just as tightly, one hand on the back of his head, the other around his torso like he’d never let go. Just the two of them, breathing in the scent of engine oil and the cologne that Tony wore to cover it.
‘Underoos.’ Tony’s breathless response was enough to calm him, to have him snuggling closer.
‘You came for me?’
‘To get you into something better than this.’ Tony’s nose screwed up as he poked the blanket around Peter’s shoulders, the boy laughing before being swept away from his mentor by the scent of lavender.
Pepper’s hair tickled his nose, towering over him in her heels, and Peter looped his arms around her waist happily.
Unlike Tony, Pepper didn’t wait until near death experiences to hug him. He was used to her embraces, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t happy to receive them.
Another car had pulled up, one that was clearly also from Stark Industries, and Peter was surprised when his Uncle Rhodey stepped out. More shockingly, he caught a glimpse of red hair in the back, of a female face that could only mean…
‘The Rogues are here?’ Peter hissed, suddenly realising he was standing in front of his school with most of the people around them watching. Tony didn’t seem to be worried that the cameras were focused on them, that they were openly coddling Peter as he enjoyed the attention from them.
‘Don’t worry about them, sweetie. We’re here for you.’ Pepper soothed, kissing his forehead and smoothing back his curls.
‘We’re taking you back to the Tower.’ Tony was already guiding him to the car, to where Rhodey was waiting for them, before Principal Morita called out to him.
‘Mr Parker, Mr… Mr Stark, I’m so sorry to say this, but all students must leave with a parent or guardian…’
Peter sucked in air, knowing that the eyes of every camera and person were on them when Tony turned to face the Principal.
‘Good thing I’m Pete’s guardian then.’
Peter ducked his head to avoid the shocked looks, let Rhodey open the door for him as Peter slipped into the back of the limousine.
He breathed out in relief, then quickly regretted the move when he realised who was seated in the back.
Eight faces looked back at him, those of the Rogue Avengers that Peter had completely forgotten about as they walked to the car.
‘Uh, Hi?’
It was better than the numbness, Peter decided.