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Peter's stay at the Tower and recently the new lakeside cabin has been great. He's been spending time with Tony in the basement to continue tinkering with him even after the wedding. Still the same schedule just like before but in different locations. His days have been the same until the time when Pepper announces that she was pregnant.
Then, Morgan Stark was born. Peter understood that she needed their attention more than anything, so he sacrificed his tinkering time with Tony. Same thing happened when she had her own childhood. Now, she became 10 years old, as smart as Peter and can understand Tony's intelligence. That's when Peter stopped understanding.
Because apparently, Morgan stole what's left of Peter's time with Tony in the basement. They both started tinkering in the lab, watching movies, eating juice pops, just like his moments with Tony.
There are also times when Tony immediately tracks her location when she gets injured, just like what he does when Peter patrols. He even didn't notice that he turned off the Baby Monitor Protocol through coding because he was too focused on his daughter.
Tony doesn't even reply to Peter's messages. He either gets left on read or delivered, because he always replies to Morgan's messages.
Peter understands that he isn't Tony's son, but he feels like a stranger every time he visits the cabin so he just stopped visiting.
After Aunt May had died alongside Ben, Peter has been living all alone in the apartment. He barely lives in it because of his stay at the tower, and now he's planning to just use the money May and Ben left to fully pay and be a permanent resident here from now on.
He even learned how to cook, how to get groceries, and even got a job. He also made his own suit and left the Stark one in the apartment. He wanted to be independent, because he knew that he got replaced by Morgan.
Until one day, the doorbell rang. Peter rushes to open the door only to see Tony's smiling face.
"There's Petey-Pie!" Tony was about to pull Peter by the shoulders but the latter's flinching made him pull his arm back. "Oookay, no touching for now. That's fine." Tony hid the disappointment in his eyes.
"What are you doing here, Mr. Stark?" Peter asked warily.
"Why? I can't spend time with my favorite.. boy?" Tony casually drops the Hawaiian and Meat Lover's pizza on the coffee table. "So, what movies to you have?"
"N-No, Mr. Stark, I don't think you're supposed to be here right now." Peter said in a frustrated tone.
"What? Why not? I can't spend time with you?" Mr. Stark had a confused look on his face. Peter felt so bad because of the words he'd said.
"I don't need you here, just.. Just get out!" Peter screamed, he even gently pushed Tony out of the door and slammed it in his face.
God, Peter felt so bad. He couldn't help but start crying because of guilt and regret. He wanted to spend time with Tony so badly, but his pent up frustration made him react that way. He missed Tony, and when he had the chance, he squashed it like a bug.
Peter's phone dinged for the first time. Tony texted him for the first time.
Tony: I'll come when you need me.
That's it.
Peter leaves Tony on read and just turns off his phone. He lifts his legs up and wraps his arms around it. He sobs, he lets out his emotions for the first time ever. Throughout the whole night, he just cried.
...
Tony felt bad for leaving out Peter. Ever since Morgan was born, he started to cancel their lab times together just to take care of her. He knew that Peter understood that because a baby needs a parent's attention, but Tony forgot his limits.
When Morgan turned 10, she became as smart as the genius. Tony started to teach her the basics of his own creation, then it turned into tinkering and spending more time with his daughter.
It went too far, to the point when he stopped spending time with Peter. He loved the boy like a son and ignoring him, leaving him out, he felt guilt over it. Then, Peter stopped visiting, telling him excuses like a dictionary. Tony knew Peter was pulling out.
So, he decided to visit him. He visited the apartment, wanting to spend time with the boy. Then it happened. He was kicked out by an angry Peter that it even made him tear up a little.
He knew one thing's for sure. Peter hated him now because of what he did.
Little did the boy know, Tony would always talk about Peter to Morgan. He would always talk about how amazing he is. Morgan would look up to Peter the same way she looked up to her dad. He would always talk about his achievements both Spider Man and Peter Parker, he would tell her all about the moments they had. Peter just never knew.
So, Peter treating him badly was enough to make him feel guilty. It made him feel like he was too late to make it up to the boy. It made him feel like he became just like Howard favoring Rogers over him. It made him feel like the worst father, the worst mentor ever. All because of his stupid mistakes.
...
It's another lab day yet again. Tony knew Peter skipped it once more. Morgan waited alongside him.
"Daddy, is Petey coming?" Morgan looked up at her dad. Tony just shook his head.
"I don't think so, Morguna. Peter is busy again." Tony felt bad as soon as he saw the disappointed look on Morgan's face.
"Petey is always busy. I still haven't showed him the new formula I made for his webshooters." Morgan pouted.
Tony pats Morgan's head. "I know, Morguna. I'm disappointed too. We have no choice but to wait for him."
...
After Peter stopped visiting and ghosting Tony entirely, he got a job at Delmar's so he could buy groceries since the fortune his uncle and aunt left weren't enough after he paid for the full rent for the apartment.
He doesn't think that he should rely on Tony anymore after what happened. So, he started doing things his way. He became friends with Mr. Delmar and working on the counter.
Until, a certain customer entered and placed the instant noodles on the counter. Peter scans and looks up to see Happy's face. He paled up immediately.
"Happy?" Peter said, shaking.
"Oh, hey, kid. You work here?" Happy looks at the boy with a smile.
After Happy bought his groceries, Peter pulls him outside of the grocery and begged. "Please don't tell Mr. Stark about this. I don't want anything to do with him right now, please."
"Okay, kid. I understand. But don't you think that you should rely on Tony when it comes to finances? He would be more than willing to help and pay for weekly groceries if you asked. You don't have to get a job." Happy replied.
"Exactly. I've been relying in him too much, that's why I need to be independent." Peter looked at the ground.
Happy stayed silent before speaking. "Kid, Tony needs you."
"No, he doesn't." Peter retorts. "He has Morgan to keep him company, I.. He doesn't need me beside him anymore."
Happy could see the tears forming in the kid's eyes. "Look, kid. I can't believe I'm telling you this, but Tony always waits for you to come on lab days so he would be the first to greet you. That still happens as we speak. After whatever happened in your apartment, he continues to wait for you to talk to him and make up for whatever mistakes he did. He's still waiting, Peter. He never stops waiting for you."
Peter looks up immediately. "Why would e be waiting for me, I'm just.. an intern."
"You are HIS intern, Peter. You're just as—" Happy was interrupted when Mr. Delmar called out to Peter.
"Oh yeah! I still have work to do. I'm almost done with my shift anyway so wait for me, Happy!" Peter immediately gets inside.
...
As soon as Peter is done with his shift, he comes out and rushes to Happy. "What were you saying again?"
Happy sighs. "Kid, you're just as important as Morgan to Tony. I know you think that he's favoring Morgan over you, but he treats you the same way he treats Morgan, I promise you."
"Yeah, I know. He treats Morgan the same way he treated me. It's like I've been replaced, you know? I don't like it. I don't like the way Mr. Stark treats her like that. She stole what's left of my time with him, and for what? Doesn't he get deja vu for that? He was supposed to be doing those things with me, ME! Not, her.." Peter sniffled and wipes his tears. "I know she's his daughter, but.. This is getting unfair. I miss the old days with Mr. Stark and if I can't have it back, then I'll just go and not come back."
Happy stayed silent, before looking at his watch. "You recorded that, FRI?"
"Absolutely, Mr. Hogan." FRIDAY replied.
"What? Happy, what?!? You recorded this?!?" Peter blushed out of embarrassment.
"Sending voice recordings to Boss." FRIDAY announced.
"No, no! No! Shit shit! Mr. Stark can't know! Haaaappyyyy! Help me up here!" Peter whined to Happy who just smirked.
"No. You go talk to Tony, right now. He'll be in the suit when he arrives." Happy walks away, and Peter couldn't help but wait and stand there.
After waiting, Tony arrived in the suit and immediately opens it. He pulls Peter into a hug and stayed silent.
"I'm sorry, bambino. I'm sorry for treating you like that. I'll make it up to you, I promise. Just don't push me away this time." Tony apologized.
Peter started sobbing, tightly hugging his mentor. "I'm sorry, Mr. Stark. I'm so sorry."
"Shh. You did nothing wrong. I'm the one who's sorry." Tony kisses the boy's temple. "Come on, Morguna is waiting for you so she could show the web formula exclusively for you."
"What? She did?" Peter seemed surprised.
"Of course she did." Tony enters the suit and carries Peter to fly him to the cabin.
...
The door to the cabin opens.
"Morguna, I have a surprise for you!" Tony excitedly smiled as he pulls a sheepish Peter inside.
Morgan gasps and perks up. "Petey!" Morgan hugs Peter tightly, and the boy hugs back with tears in his eyes. "You're finally here! Just like daddy promised! Come on! I have a new web fluid I can show you!"
Morgan practically drags Peter to the basement, and Tony could only watch with a smile on his face.
"Woaah, that's so cool, Mo!" Peter exclaims in the basement.
Tony realizes what he's missing out on right now. He still needs to take a picture for the photo album! He takes his phone and skedaddles down the stairs. "Hey, wait! I still have to take a picture for memories!"
fin.