Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Step One: Pick Up Subtle Hints That They Are Getting Bullied

You need to be observant and pick up on things they try to hide. There are many ways to do this, but you should do this in away so they won't get suspicion

*

Tony tapped his fingers on the steering wheel as he waited for Peter to make his way to the car. He chose the least flashiest car in his garage as per Peter’s request. 

Tony looked out the passenger seat window trying to find his young mentee in the sea of students and acne. The students started to clear out in rapid speed, everyone wanting to go home as quickly as possible on the first day of the week. 

He saw Peter making his way to the car, the corners of his mouth twitched upwards as Peter got closer. Finally, Peter made his way to the car. He opened the door with a quiet click, and plopped himself onto the passenger seat. 

“Hey kid, how was school today?” Tony asked as he started the car, making his way to the Compound where they will spend the afternoon in the lab. 

“It was good,” Peter answered with a shrug, “I had a chem test today.”

Tony slightly faced him, raising an eyebrow, “Did you study?”

Peter blinked, “Uhh sure.”

Tony snorted. He listened as Peter rambled about his day. He kept glancing at Peter to show he was listening. At a red light, he eased the car to a stop and turned his head completely at Peter. 

“So then-” Peter chattered without stopping for a breath. Tony noticed a small blue-ish purple-ish bruise at the crook of his neck. Tony quickly made eye contact with the teenager again so it seemed he did not notice the minor injury. 

Where did he get it from? Tony wondered. He knew it couldn’t have come from patrolling as Spider-Man because Karen was designed to tell Tony immediately if Peter even got a papercut as Spider-Man.

Tony was broken from his deep thinking when a car behind them honked. He yelped and looked forward to see the light was green. As he drove he continued to think. 

What happened?

Chapter Text

Step Two: Confront Them About It

Do this in a way that makes both people comfortable. Say it causally and do not raise your voice. If they lie or deny what you say, move on to step three. 

After the long car ride, Tony and Peter finally made it to the Compound. They both rode the elevator while Tony continued to ponder why Peter had the minor injury. 

Maybe he got hit with a ball during gym….. or maybe he ran into a locker…

Tony's brilliant mind kept on trying to come up with an answer, but apparently it was not brilliant enough to come up with a reasonable answer. 

Finally the elevator opened to reveal Tony's personal lab. Tony smirked as Peter still eyed the room in awe. Tony sat on a chair that was in front of a table that laid disassembled parts he was tinkering with. 

“Come here Pete,” Tony called out for the teenager as he pulled out another chair for him to use.

Peter quickly sat down and they tinkered in comfortable silence. Tony kept on opening as closing his mouth, having second thoughts of asking the boy about the bruise. 

Did someone do that to him? I know Peter isn’t the most… popular… in his school, but did someone dare to hurt him?

Tony’s nostrils flared as he made a reasonable assumption. 

Is Peter getting bullied?

Questions and anger pounded against his skull, making his brain wanting to burst. 

Why didn’t Peter tell me?

Does May know?

Who dares touch Peter?!

I’m gonna make the bully regret ever even setting eyes on my son-...Peter I mean.

“Uhh Mr Stark.. You good?” Peter asked, breaking Tony from the battle going on inside his head. 

“What? Yeah, yeah I’m fine,” ask him now, “Can I ask you a question Pete?”

Peter cocked his head on one side in confusion, “Umm yeah?”

Tony pursed his lips and itched his nose. Stalling. He made a humming sound as he decided how to ask Peter.  

“I couldn’t help notice that you have a bruise,” Tony pointed his index finger and moved it in circles in the air around the bruise, “around here.”

Peter’s eyes widen before going back to the regular size.

“Uhh yeah, ran into a locker,” Peter answered way too casually and fast for it to be the truth.

“Sure.” Tony said, making sure Peter knew that Tony did not believe him.

He lied… I guess time to move on to step three.

Chapter Text

Step Three: Show your evidence

Every hint you have picked during the situation, present it to them. Stay calm, but say it in an interrogational tone.

“Yeah, Mr. Stark, I just ran into a locker,” Peter said, licking his lips. 

“Ok..” Tony scrunched his eyebrows in a mocking way, “Then how do you explain what happened last week?”

Peter looked taken back. He bit his lips as he tried to remember, “Last week?”

“Yeah,” Tony said like it was the most obvious thing in the world, “You don’t remember?”

Peter’s eyebrows knitted together, “No….”

“Oh” Tony’s lips pursed together, “Then let me remind you,”

Tony waited in the car, humming to an AC DC song. He squinted out the window, having trouble seeing through the raindrops that slowly washed down the surface. It was raining hard outside, and he prayed that Peter remembered his rain jacket.

The man sighed in relief as he saw Peter walk toward the car in his red rain jacket. Tony watched as Peter waved bye to his friend -Ted? Fred?- and continued his march towards the vehicle.

Tony's eyes widened in horror as some boy pushed Peter down to the ground. The boy laughed and pointed at Peter, the rest of the gang taunted him. The boy walked away just as fast as he had come. Before Tony could do anything, Peter was up and looked down at the front of his jacket. The boy frowned as the entire front side was splattered with dark brown mud. 

Peter tried to wipe it off but ended up smearing it more. With a defeated sigh, the teenager walked towards the car. Tony quickly took out his phone and mindlessly scrolled through as Peter opened the door and plopped down onto the seat. 

“Hey Mr Stark,” Peter greeted, dripping with rain water. 

“Hey kiddo,” the man replied, trying to keep his tone even, “that's a lot of mud on you there buddy.”

Peter’s eyes widened “I’m so sorry, I hope I won’t get your car dirty. I-”

“It’s fine kiddo,” Tony laughed, interrupting the kid’s mindless rambling, “I just want to know how it happened.”

“Oh.” Peter inhaled, “I uh slipped while walking and fell.”

“Uh-huh,” Tony nodded, but knew he was lying.

Tony finished the story and gave Peter a questioning look. 

“Uhhh,” Peter racked his brain for an excuse, “the boy he just bumped into me.”

“Really?” Tony raised his eyebrows, “then why did you tell me that you fell?”

“Because him bumping into me caused me to fall.” Peter felt a bit proud with that excuse.

“I didn’t know that when someone bumps into someone else, they point and laugh,” Tony said smoothly, cocking his head on one side, as if deep in thought.

Peter sighed in defeat. 

“Peter,” Tony started in a serious tone, making eye contact with the squirming kid, “why did that kid push you?”

“It’s not a big deal,” Peter mumbled. 

“Peter-” 

“Mr Stark, why do you care!?” Peter snapped, “It doesn’t affect you!” 

“Peter I-” Tony didn’t get a chance to finish his sentence before Peter grabbed his backpack and stormed away. 

“How are you even going to get home?” Tony called after him.

“I’ll use the subway!” Peter called back, his voice muffled by the sound of him stomping. 

Well, that went well.  

Chapter Text

Step Four: Ignore Step One through Three

Sometimes, you need to take a step back. Try to go back to the regular schedules and pretend Step One, Two and Three never happened. 

Tony tried to keep his breaths even. He tapped the steering wheel to a beat of an AC/DC song. He waited for Peter to come, hoping he would. He wasn’t sure what Peter would do considering last night. This was their second real fight, first being the ferry accident. 

Of course they had many smaller fights, but that was more of a loving playful fighting than anything else. 

Tony smiled as he remembered what they fought about last week. 

“Seriously Mr Stark, no one listens to AC/DC anymore,” Peter stated, flopping onto a chair in the lab dramatically. 

“Yes people do!” Tony said.

“Only boomers!” Peter jabbed back.

Tony sighed in a “tired dad” way, “Then what do YOU listen to?”

Peter thought for a bit before replying, “One Direction.”

Tony scrunched up his eyebrows, “Isn’t that the band that broke up nearly a decade ago?”

Peter nodded, “They sadly did. But their music is AMAZING!”

Tony had to stop himself from smiling, “What is your favourite song from them?”

The boy looked at the ceiling as if it had the answer, “I think History.” Peter paused and looked at him, “You should listen to it.”

This time Tony did smile, “I think I will.”

Tony got his phone and got the song ready for when Peter would get in the car. 

He looked out the window to see Peter saying goodbye to - Nate? And.. the girl who looked ready to murder anyone who came to close to her without her permission- and then Peter noticed Tony’s car. Peter just stared at the car, deciding what to do. His face was blank before he sighed and walked towards the car. 

Tony pressed play and the first few notes filled the car. Peter opened the door and sat in the passenger seat. It took the boy a minute to realise that History was playing. 

He looked at Tony with a smile, “You're playing it.”

Tony shrugged and started to drive away from the school, “You told me I should listen to it, so I am.”

Soon after Tony asked him about his day and Peter went into a full story. Tony nodded along and chuckled as Peter sang along to the song. 

Tony couldn’t help but feel proud that he made such a good next step. 

Chapter Text

Step Five: Forget about it

Sometimes the simplest road is the best road. Forgetting about it will help you get less grey hairs AND will make the person who you are trying to help feel less like you are intruding. 

Tony and Peter worked side by side working on a function in Tony's suit. Peter talked about a new idea for Tony’s suit a week ago, but Tony shot him down. But the more the man thought about it the more he wanted it. 

“Mr Stark, how about you make a cooling system for your suit?”  

“Peter,” Tony sighed, “my suit isn’t a computer. It won't overheat.”

The teenager snorted, “No I mean like an AC. If you did a mission in a desert, you wouldn’t die of heat stroke cuz’ you would have the AC system in your suit! Then you would say,” Peter took a deep breath before imitating him, “ “Peter! You are so smart and-” ”

“Kid,” Tony interrupted him, “I’ll think about it.”

Peter huffed because when Tony says “I’ll think about it” it usually means NO.

Peter was beaming the entire time as they worked, spewing out coding after code. 

Tony suppressed a smile as he saw Peter on the shoulders of his Iron Man suit, working on the inside of the helmet. 

Who could ever want to hurt Peter?

Tony shook his head, as if to banish the thought. 

He is going to forget it happened. Maybe that kid was just jealous of Peter or something.

Peter is NOT getting bullied. 

Tony repeated that phrase over and over in his head until it felt like it was burned into his skull. 

Just forget about it, Tony reminded himself, what's the worst that could happen?   

Chapter Text

Step Six: Ignore Step Five

Whatever you do, DON’T do Step Five. You should take some actions and make those jerks pay!

Tony shifted uncomfortably in his car seat. It was so hot, it felt like his skin was melting off. He checked the weather earlier, it said it would be hot, but it didn’t say it would be SCORCHING.

Tony got into his car, ready to pick up Peter from school. As he sat in his car seat, he hissed as he sat on the hot leather of the seats. He ordered Friday to turn up the AC when he buckled his seatbelt. 

“What's the temp, Fri?” Tony asked as he drove down the highway. 

“The temperature is currently 89.6 degrees Fahrenheit,” Friday answered as Tony groaned at the reply. 

“Fri? Be a sweetheart and roll down the windows,” 

A soft hum came from all four windows of the car as they slowly rolled down. A gust of wind came, making the man’s hair flow with it.

 With the windows open, he could hear noises that seemed to flow into the car with the wind. He could hear cars honking, pedestrians talking, drunk people shouting and drivers cursing. 

Tony sighed in anticipation, once he gets to the school he couldn't wait to hear so many lovely teenager’s conversations. 

Finally the school bell rang and a herd of teenagers trampled out. Tony looked out the window, looking for Peter as teenager conversations flowed through the car. 

“-Did you hear about-”

“-I can’t believe she-”

“-How dare Dave not text me back-”

“-What did you get on the test-”

“-Do you think she likes me-”

“What are you gonna do? Call daddy? News flash Penis, he is dead! Everyone who you love dies!”

Tony froze in his seat. Most of the students had cleared out and he saw the kid who said the comment. The kid was saying this to Peter- wait what Peter?!

  THAT'S IT! NO ONE MESSES WITH MY SON!

Tony exited the car and walked towards the teenager. All the other students were on the phones so they didn’t spare him a second glance. 

The jerk opened his mouth to spew something else rude and uncalled for, but when he saw Tony his eyes widened so much that the man thought they would fall out.  

“You- you- are,” The teenager stuttered, “YOU’RE TONY STARK!”

That got the kids attention, they all gasped and started to hesitantly step forward to get a better view. 

Peter turned around and saw Tony. He gave a small wave, his cheeks blushed scarlet. 

“Peter,” Tony gave his son intern a warm smile, “could you please wait in the car,”

Tony knew Peter was extremely embarrassed, and he knew Peter would want to leave, so he was sort of giving permission for him to leave. 

Peter gave a jerky nod and started to walk towards the car. He passed Tony as he walk ran to the car and the kid whispered, “Don’t be too hard on him,”

Before Tony could respond Peter was already sitting in the passenger seat, with all the windows rolled up. 

Tony turned his attention to the gawking teenager.

“You know Penis Parker? No way,” the boy chuckled to himself.

“I don’t know anyone by that name,” Tony said evenly, “but I do know a PETER Parker.”

The boy audibly gulped, “Did I say Penis? I ment-”

“Save it,” Tony interrupted him, “I heard what you said about Peter being an orphan. You do realise I’m an orphan too. So by insulting him you are also insulting me.” 

The teen’s eyes grew wider seriously when are they going to fall out? and sputtered out some excuses, which Tony happily ignored. 

“If I ever catch you,” Tony interrupted the teen’s mindless rambling, “even looking at Peter the wrong way, next time you see me I’ll be in my Iron Man suit,” which he would totally do, “and if you ever think about hurting him again, I’ll call in the Avengers,” Which, ok, maybe he won’t do considering that they broke up, but still, an empty threat is still a threat. 

Tony walked away, leaving all the students in awe, and one jerk in shock.   

He entered the car and drove away, with Peter hunched in the passenger seat. 

Tony sighed, “Look Peter I’m-”

“Mr Stark, wow, that was like lowkey so badass!” Peter exclaimed. Tony expected a negative reaction, not this. 

“Lowkey?” Tony asked, “Your generation and their slang, I swear,”

“Lowkey means like….” Peter thought for a second, “I mean for a boomer like you it's kinda hard to explain but it means… honestly.”

Tony let the boomer joke slide, just this once. 

“Peter, you do realise that I fought a god and aliens before? This is noting compared to that,” Peter just shrugged, “And if you ever need me to do that again, just say the word,”

Peter giggled and Tony smiled. 

Tony finally asked the question that was in his head, “Pete, do you think I handled the bully problem pretty well?”

Peter laughed, “Wonderfully, you should write a book.”

Tony grinned at his son - screw it SON!- “Yeah and it’ll be called “What To Do When Your Spider-Baby Gets Bullied (And Tries to Hide it),” ” Tony smirked at Peter’s betrayed expression. 

“Hey!”