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Spiderman groaned as War Machine flew him safely to the ground below. Things had completely fallen apart on the battlefield, and he was so frustrated.
“This is so unfair!” Spiderman exclaimed, knowing his father could hear him perfectly through his ear set.
Tony scoffed as he flew through the air in his suit, approaching the threat they were fighting.
“Kid, I am this close to showing you what ‘unfair’ really is if you don’t shut your mouth.” Tony threatened, his demeanor parental and stern, even during an active mission.
Rhodey tried his best to de-escalate things. “It’s alright, Tony. C’mon, kiddo, let’s just wait in the Quinjet.” He said, his patient tone contrasting with Tony’s sharp one.
Peter didn’t argue with him, knowing that his fate was inevitable now. He also didn’t want Tony and the others to hear him rant out all of his frustrations over the ear set. When they got to the Quinjet, though, that was a completely different story.
Peter threw his mask down onto the ground out of frustration, glaring daggers at the floor.
“Who does he think he is?! I’m sixteen now! He said he’d let me go on more missions now, yet he’s still treating me like some dumb little kid! It’s not fair, Uncle Rhodey!” Peter exclaimed after completely turning off his earpiece.
Rhodey gave him a sad smile, turning his earpiece on mute so the others couldn’t hear their conversation. “I hate to say it, but you did something really dangerous, lil’ man.” He said, taking a seat as Peter seethed.
Peter groaned, letting his hands fall dramatically. “It’s not dangerous, and I’ve told him that.”
“No, kid, you believe it’s not dangerous, that doesn’t mean it’s not.” Rhodey said.
“But I’ve shown him!“ Peter pleaded. “ I tested it, and I showed him it’s perfectly safe. It works exactly like my other web fluid, and I’ve been making that for ages, and now I’m gonna get my ass beaten for doing something I can do in my sleep, all because dad’s too overprotective to trust me.” Peter crossed his arms over his chest, being obviously very mature about the whole thing, and no, he was not sulking, thank you very much.
Rhodey ran a hand down his face, taking a deep breath. He wanted to empathize with his nephew; he did, but he had to side with Tony on this.
“Buddy, a clear web fluid can be very dangerous, especially when you're swinging as fast and high as you do. Your dad just wants to keep you safe.”
Peter huffed, crossing his arms. “You are just on his side because he’s your best friend.” He said.
“Besides, I heal fast! A little fall isn’t going to hurt.” He said, grasping at straws to defend his poor decision. Rhodey sighed.
“Peter, you could have seriously injured yourself from a fall that high, or worse.” He said, thinking back to the position he found Peter in before saving him.
Peter had been near the top of a high building when the incident had happened. Peter tried to shoot his web at the building's wall, but because it was invisible and the teenager wasn't used to it, he couldn’t tell whether the web had connected.
Unfortunately, it left Peter compromised. Had the others not been there keeping an eye on him, he would have been in a lot of trouble.
“It was going fine at first…I’m sure I would have gotten the hang of it eventually. I know I would have!” Peter exclaimed stubbornly.
Rhodey took a seat. This was going to be a long conversation, "I'm sure you would, but this was not the time nor place. I know that you know that your dad was planning on taking you to the compound to practice.” Rhodey gave him a stern look.
“And I’m on the side of keeping you safe and alive, so if that means I’m on his side today, then yes, I’m on his side.” He finished.
“You said you would always be on my side!” Peter reproached, anger surfacing.
Rhodey lifted an eyebrow. “If I were on your side when it came to needlessly endangering yourself, I’d be a pretty awful uncle, don’t you think?” He asked.
Rhodey was the ‘cool and fun’ uncle, but he was also not one to just let Peter get away with doing whatever the hell he wanted.
Peter pouted, though if you asked him if he did, he’d deny it. “Uncle Rhodey, you don’t understand. It took Dad months to even consider letting me out onto the field with you guys, and now he’s probably never going to even let me think about going on a mission again!” He complained.
“Also, my ass is in danger, and you’re taking his side...” Peter murmured under his breath.
“Well, Peter, if not following directions and endangering yourself is what you bring to the team, then maybe your dad should stop you from joining us.” Rhodey said.
Peter let out an audible gasp, looking at Rhodey with hurt-filled eyes. “W-what?” He asks, his tone softer as he snapped out of his stubborn anger.
Rhodey nodded, seeing that he finally had the boy’s attention. “Mmhm, that’s right. You were chosen to work with us because your father believed you were mature enough to handle it. That includes accepting the consequences of your actions and being honest.” Rhodey said.
“If you don’t think you can handle being transparent with Tony, then you may not be ready to be a superhero yet.” He said.
Peter felt a wave of emotion wash over him, feeling a lump forming in his throat. It felt like everybody was against him now. First his dad, now his favorite uncle?!
Frustrated, Peter let out a loud shout and kicked a seat. The seat went flying, taking with it a laptop and some communication device, breaking into pieces once it all hit the opposite wall. He didn’t mean to do it, but frustrations were building, and when that happened, he couldn’t always control his strength.
Peter could feel tears welling in his eyes, but he refused to let them fall. He was not going to cry and further prove that he’s a child.
Rhodey blinked, the atmosphere going silent. After a little while, he spoke up. “…Feel better?” He asked curiously, wanting to see where the boy’s mind was.
Peter clenched his fists. “No! I do not feel better!! None of this is fair!! I didn’t mean-I can’t just-he doesn’t even under-UGH!!!” He shouted, overwhelmed with so many different feelings. None of them were pleasant, though.
Rhodey walked over and gently placed a hand on Peter’s shoulder from behind him. “Peter, I think you should-“ His sentence was cut short as the teenager turned around and buried his face against his Uncle’s chest, letting out all of his frustration through tears as he wept.
Rhodey’s eyes softened. He wrapped his arms around the boy, gently petting his head and rubbing his back.
Clearly, the boy was going through a lot at that moment. So, he just held him patiently. “It’s alright, kiddo. Just breathe. Calm down, bud…” He whispered.
“I-I-I can’t!” Peter sobbed. “I don’t want to-to-I ca n’t-please take me with you! Tell my dad that I’ll be grounded at your place!“ He begged.
“You know I can’t do that, bud,” Rhodey said, rubbing his back and head. “But he listens to you,” Peter cried. “You always tell him you’re the voice of reason.“
“How they raise you is between him and your mom. I wouldn’t be a good friend if I got in the way.“ Rhodey said.
Peter sniffled. “Y-You’d be a great u-uncle, though…” He trailed off sadly. Rhodey chuckled, gently rubbing the nape of Peter’s neck. “Sorry, Pete.” He said with a sad smile.
Time went by, and soon, a very pissed-off Tony walked through the door, followed by Steve and Bucky. “Dad, I can explain-“ Peter’s explanation was cut short by a firm finger.
“Corner, now.” Tony said, pointing to the chair furthest to the wall. Peter’s eyes widened, blushing as he looked at the others.
Being sent to the corner?! As a superhero?! In front of the people, he wanted approval and respect from?!?! He opened his mouth to protest, but Rhodey sent him a pleading look, practically begging the boy just to obey and not make things worse for himself.
“C’mon, Peter.” Rhodey said, extending his hand to Peter. “I’ll sit with you.” He offered, trying to keep both Tony and Peter as calm as possible.
“No, you won’t, Rhodey-bear,” Tony stopped him. “He needs to think about what he’s done and what awaits him once we get back.”
“Tony.” Rhodey’s voice said it all. All the years of friendship let them read each other faster than even they themselves could sometimes.
Tony scoffed, turning back to the rest of the team. “Just don’t let him leave that chair until we get back.“ He ordered.
Peter took Rhodey’s hand and was led to the corner seat, a frown on his face as he looked down at the floor.
Although Steve and Bucky didn’t say anything about what had happened, Peter could feel their disapproval. Great, he disappointed all of his dad’s friends. Just perfect.
Cap probably wouldn’t ever trust him again, Tony was probably going to bury him alive, and Bucky…well, Bucky would probably forgive him soon.
However, that didn’t make Peter feel any better about what was to come as soon as they got home. He gave Rhodey a nervous look, anxiously playing with his fingers. Then, they took off.
The ride was tense and agonizing, with Peter having no choice but to just sit and wait for his impending doom. It was too long, yet too short at the same time.
Everyone was disembarking and starting towards the Avengers’ floor in the tower for the standard procedure of discussing the mission and letting the rest of the team know how it went and what can be improved.
Peter started walking with the group, not daring to move away from the protection his uncle and the rest of the team provided, when he felt a hand on his shoulder stop him.
“Not you, spiderboy.” Tony said. “You’ll go straight home and wait for me there.” He ordered.
“Oh, and if you dare to step even one toe out of the penthouse, I swear to God, Peter Benjamin, Spiderman won’t see the light of day until you’re out of college.” Tony promised.
Peter audibly gulped, tears refreshing in his eyes. “I’ll take him.” Rhodey offered. “Just give me the written debrief later.” He said, walking Peter towards the private elevator that took them straight to the penthouse.
A lump formed in Peter’s throat as he wiped his fist across his wet eyes. “This sucks.“ He said. Rhodey wrapped an arm around him, giving his nephew a light squeeze. “You’ll be alright. I promise.” He said.
Tony wasn’t one to go overboard with discipline, nor was he one to punish out of anger.
Sure, he was definitely pissed when he found out what Peter had done. Any father would have been after seeing their son needlessly risk his life. However, he loved Peter with all his heart, and he’d never take things too far.
Peter had a feeling he was going to be shelved from being with the Avengers for a long time. They wouldn’t even remember his name soon!
“I just wanted to prove that I could do it, Uncle Rhodey,” Peter said as they stepped off the elevator and made their way towards his room.
"There are other ways you can do that, buddy. Disobeying your team leader and your dad is definitely not one of them." Rhodey said.
‘Oh crap, Cap!’ Peter thought. Peter had been thinking about Tony and his consequences, for obvious and painful reasons, that he completely forgot that this was Cap's mission and so far he hadn't heard a word from him and he was pretty sure then, that a massive lecture was coming his way.
They waited mostly in silence. Peter took off his Spider-Man suit, sure that it was the last time he was going to be allowed to wear it in a very long time.
He took his phone out to mindlessly scroll and let his mind wander but a shake of the head from his uncle had him putting it away.
“…Do you think dad is still mad at me? You know, like…do you think he’s gonna yell at me when he comes in here?” Peter asked, deep down already knowing the answer.
"Well, knowing your dad, it wouldn't be him if he didn't yell. You know how he likes his drama. But that doesn't mean he loves you any less." Rhodey replied.
Peter sighed, plopping back to lay on his bed. “Just kill me now.” He muttered pitifully.
Tony spoke to Steve, running a stressed hand through his hair. “What the hell was he thinking? I mean, seriously? Testing out his new web fluid without me approving it? He knew we were going to spend a lot of time practicing another time, yet he decided that a mission was the best time to test it out?! He’s lucky he didn’t die out there!” Tony exclaimed, squeezing his glass of water.
“Oh, believe me, he’s not going to like the lecture I’m going to give him after all is said and done.” Steve said, understanding Tony’s frustration.
They all loved Peter, he had become a part of their family. So, they were all very protective of him; Tony and Steve especially because they had taken him under their wing.
"He's a kid, kids are known for not listening to their parents." Bucky said matter of factly. "That doesn't excuse him." Steve answered.
"He disobeyed your orders as a parent and that's for you to deal with, but he also disobeyed orders as a team member."
“I’m going to make sure he remembers our ‘conversation’ whenever he sits down tomorrow, that’s for damn sure.” Tony said, sipping his water. He needed to calm down before he went in there. He had half a mind to take his belt to the boy’s disobedient little ass…
“Don’t be too hard on him, Tony. I’m sure you were a brat at some point, too. Actually, I know you were because of how you act sometimes now.” Bucky half joked.
Tony rolled his eyes. “Ha ha.” He said dryly. It was true, he did have his stubborn moments as well. Perhaps that’s where Peter got it from…
And besides, for as long as someone was there to rein him back, he was doing fine. As soon as his parents were gone and all forms of discipline disappeared, everything went to hell.
He was doing fine now, but at what cost? How much better would he be doing if his parents hadn't died when they did, and he had grown up with someone letting him know when he stepped out of line? He needed to make sure that Peter didn't make the same mistakes he did at his age... or at any age, God forbid!
Once Tony had calmed down, he took in a deep breath and rolled his sleeves up. “Well, I’ve got some business to attend to.” He sighed, walking out of the room.
Meanwhile, Peter was thinking of all of the possible ways Tony was going to lambaste his entire will to live the second he got in the room.
Rhodey was trying his best to keep him calm with his company, but all poor Peter could do was sulk and stare at his ceiling with dreaded anticipation.
“What if I’m never allowed to be Spiderman again?” Peter asked. “What if my dad takes away the suit forever?“
“Well, I’m not sure if it’s forever, “ Tony’s voice interrupted, marching inside the room. “But you can be damn sure you won’t be seeing it for a very long time.“
Peter sat up on the bed, nerves running wild in his system. “Rhodey bear, will you be so kind as to leave us alone for a bit? I don’t think my naughty spider wants any witnesses for what’s coming next.”
Peter’s heart rate picked up, his eyes widened. “I-I think he should stay!” He exclaimed, his hands immediately going to grasp onto Rhodey’s arm as the man stood up.
Rhodey stroked Peter’s hair, giving him a calming look. “Peter, it’s alright. Your dad knows what he’s doing.” Rhodey said.
“Just listen and be good, okay?” He said. Peter shook his head frantically. “B-But Uncle Rhodey!” He exclaimed, practically hiding behind the man as Tony narrowed his eyes at him.
“J-just wait, please, just… dad, listen, I-“ Peter was cut off.
“-I’m not gonna listen, spiderkid, there’s nothing you can say that would make this even remotely acceptable. What you can do is accept the consequences of your decisions, because this was no accident, you decided to do this.” Tony stated firmly.
Rhodey took his leave, giving Peter a look to remind him to be on his best behavior. Then, he closed the door behind him and went to join the others.
Peter got to his feet and hid on the other side of the bed, putting distance between them.
“Dad, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to cause any trouble! I-I just wanted to prove that my invention worked!” He tried.
“You know that’s not gonna cut it. Don’t think that I don’t understand, I do but that still doesn’t excuse what you did. You’re not getting away from this, Peter”
Peter’s eyes flashed to the door, momentarily contemplating escaping. Physically, he was faster and more agile than Tony.
However, knowing his father, he knew that Tony wouldn’t even run after him. He’d simply use one of his fancy gadgets to trap him in some kind of way, shape, or form, and then he’d get extra punishment for trying to make a break for it.
Tony caught this, too. “Don’t even think about it, kid. You’re in enough trouble as it is, and I’m not opposed to giving you another one at bedtime.” He said, crossing his arms and giving the boy a pointed look.
Peter blushed. “B-bedtime?! I’m 16!” He exclaimed. Tony scoffed. “Ah, right. My mistake. Would you rather me call it ‘curfew’? How about ‘lights out’? Your pick.” He said dryly.
Peter felt a lump form in his throat, his bottom lip quivering. Tears began rolling down his cheeks as he threw his hands back to cover his bottom.
“Dad, please don’t sp-do that! I’m really, really sorry! I swear I’ll never try to test one of my inventions out on a mission again!” He pleaded helplessly, taking a few steps back.
Tony’s heart was breaking; he hadn’t even touched the kid yet, and he was already in tears. He knew that Peter was sorry, but he also knew that Peter needed consequences.
He wasn’t the kind of kid who would just listen; he often needed physical reminders to really make him stop a second and think things through.
“Oh, I know you never will.” He emphasized. “You won’t be testing anything, any invention, without my explicit permission and supervision. I’m going to make sure that you leave this room knowing that. Maybe next time you plan on disobeying me, you can think of how much your butt’s going to hurt and make a better choice.” Tony stated sharply, taking a seat on the teenager’s bed.
Peter took a couple more steps back, shaking his head. More tears fell as he nervously danced in place. It was just nervous energy leaving his body, but it certainly made him look a couple of years younger. “Peter, come here. Now!” Tony ordered sternly.
“If you aren’t over here by the count of three, I’m going to come get you, but I’m also going to get my belt.” Tony threatened, hoping with everything he had that the kid would just listen.
He really didn’t want to use it, even if Peter truthfully did deserve it after what he had pulled today.
Peter whimpered, shaking his head as tears rolled down his cheeks. “Dad, please!” He begged.
“One.” Tony counted.
A soft cry left Peter’s throat, but he remained where he was.
“Two.” Tony counted yet again, really hoping that the boy would just walk over.
He was already planning on using an implement, but he was originally going to use the hairbrush instead.
However, if this was how Peter was responding, perhaps he needed to use his belt regardless. He gave him one more shot.
“Daddy!” Peter sobbed, no longer caring about seeming childish. He was scared shitless!
“Three.” Tony finished, deafening his ears to the boy’s heartbreaking pleas and giving Peter a moment to make the right decision. Unfortunately, Peter didn’t budge.
Tony sighed, his hands going down to his belt and undoing it. “I tried, kid.” He said. “I really did.” Tony swiftly walked over, doubling the belt in his hand.
Peter cried out, turning to run. However, he didn’t get far, as Tony soon grabbed him by the nape of his neck and dragged him right back over to the bed.
Tony sat back down, pulling Peter over and draping him over his left leg. He pinned the kid’s flailing legs down with his other leg and wrapped his arm around his waist to hold him still. His kid wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
Peter wailed. “Dad! I’m sorry! I-I ammm!” He cried, tears falling onto his bedsheets. “I know you will be.” Tony said, simply before tugging Peter’s pants and underwear down.
He tapped the belt against Peter’s bottom, warning him that he was about to begin. Then, he landed it with a swift smack!
Peter, as expected, let out a loud yelp. Tony hardened his heart, knowing that this was going to be a tough lesson for both of them. He landed yet another sharp swat, earning him another shout.
“OWW! Daaaad!~” Peter sobbed, his bottom lip quivering. Poor Peter was in for a very painful time, and it was even worse than he expected.
“When I tell you to do something, little boy, you do it.” He stated, landing two more swats with the belt.
“OWW! AAAH! O-Okayyy! I’m s-sorryyyy!” He bawled, seriously regretting not coming over to his dad sooner.
Tony knew that it hurt like hell, but that was the point. Peter needed to learn to listen to him. That included waiting to test new inventions when he told him to. “You could have been killed today, Peter.” SMACK!
“I would never forgive myself if you got seriously hurt after I allowed you to come out on a mission with us. It’s my biggest fear as it is, son.” Tony said, landing another two smacks to his upper thighs.
“OWWW, OUCHH!!” Peter howled through his sobs.
“It h-hurtssss!” Peter cried, throwing a hand back to cover his sore behind.
Tony immediately caught it, pinning it to the small of his back to keep it out of the way. “It’s meant to.” He said, not missing a beat as he continued the spanking.
Peter’s bottom was quickly reddening, now a bright pink hue. “You mean the world to me, Peter. I would do anything to keep you safe, even if that means benching you until I believe you are mature enough to handle going on patrols again.” Tony said, landing another smack.
Peter wept, now going limp. He no longer had any fight left in him. At this point, all he could do was lie there and take it.
Tony deafened his ears to Peter’s cries, knowing that it was time to wrap things up. So, he lifted his knee and began focusing the final swats with the belt to his sensitive under curve.
Peter’s cries got more audible and intense, but he didn’t try to struggle out of his father’s hold.
“Are you ever going to test out your inventions on missions without me approving them beforehand again?” Tony asked.
Peter shook his head tearfully. “N-no, sirrr!~” He sobbed. Tony landed the last few swats to his glowing crimson backside before tossing the belt aside. He rubbed circles on Peter’s quivering back before he scooped him up to sit on his lap.
Peter immediately buried his face against the man’s chest, bawling and letting it all out. He clung to him, never wanting to let go.
“M’sorry, d-daddy! M’s-so hiccup s-sorry!” Peter cried. Tony gently shushed him, stroking his soft brown hair and holding him close.
“You’re okay, son. It’s okay now. You’re forgiven. Breathe…shhh…” He cooed in a patient, fatherly tone.
As he held the boy in his arms, he realized how lucky he was to still have him there.
He’d do anything to keep the boy safe, even if that meant giving him a sore ass he’d be suffering with for a few days.
Peter listened to his father’s heartbeat, trying to match his breathing. Eventually, his breathing did even out, and his sobs turned to sniffles.
After his tears had subsided, Tony grabbed a clean tissue from the boy’s bedside dresser and gently wiped his face free of tears and moisture.
“I can’t believe you used your belt…” Peter said, voice still broken from the tears.
Tony held in a chuckle. “Well, I did try to warn you, little spider.” He said, gently running his fingers through his hair.
“You won’t be testing any inventions without my approval again, right?” Tony asked, tilting the boy’s chin up to look him in the eye.
“Never, I promise. But…do you promise me that you will get rid of your belt?” Peter tried.
Tony chuckled, shaking his head. This kid was going to be the death of him, and as much as he wanted to give into the puppy dog eyes, he still wasn’t done.
“You know I can’t promise that underoos. As much as it pains me, you do something like this ever again and you’ll find yourself in the exact same position, right over my knee. Also, we’re not done.” Tony said.
“What?! No, please no, dad! I can’t take any more!” Peter panicked.
“I meant that we still need to discuss your grounding at home AND with the team.” Tony said.
Peter sighed, helplessly resting his head against Tony’s shoulder. “Do we really have to go, dad?” He asked pleadingly.
Tony nodded. “Yep, we do.” He said. He felt sympathetic, so he gave him a soft squeeze to let him know that he was aware of how Peter was feeling.
“The hardest part is over.” Tony reassured, running his fingers through Peter’s hair. Peter turned to hide his face in his dad’s neck. “Does the team know?” He asked.
“Know what?” Tony asked. “That you sp-you know, did THAT to me?” Peter clarified, his face heating up. He didn’t even want to say the word ‘spanking’.
Tony sighed, running his hand through his kid’s messy brown curls. “I didn't explicitly tell them, but I'm pretty sure they know. I mean, it’s not the first time it’s happened, underoos.” He said.
Peter groaned, tightening his hold on Tony as if he wanted to disappear. “Im gonna die of embarrassment! I can’t ever face them again.” Peter lamented.
Tony did his best not to laugh, biting the side of his mouth. Peter may not be his by blood, but he was clearly his son. The drama ran through his veins… or his upbringing, whatever.
“Well, I’m sorry to tell you, but you’re going to have to see them soon. They’re waiting for us.” Tony said.
“Huh? What for?” Peter asked, confused. “For the debriefing. Cap thinks that because you were on the mission, you need to be there for this. Also, he’s not happy that you disregarded orders, so there’s that.” Tony added.
“But-But I was already punished!” Peter whined. “Yeah well, that was for sneaking and lying to me. That was a family matter. This is for the team and your place in it.” Tony said.
“But…what is Cap gonna do?” Peter asked, lifting his head from his hiding spot to look Tony in the eye.
“I don’t know buddy, but whatever it is, I’ll back him up.” Tony said sternly. “Also, we still need to talk about your grounding at home.” He saw Peter’s eyes welling up with tears again.
Tony couldn’t help but to think that his own mom was a saint if his kicked puppy look was at least half as cute and heartbreaking as Peter’s. “We’ll do that when we get back, after I speak to your mom.”
Peter whimpered softly. “Do we really have to tell mom?” He asked sheepishly.
Pepper obviously took his safety very seriously as well, and he didn’t want to get chewed out even more. “Can’t this just be our little secret?” Peter pleaded.
Tony chuckled. “Afraid not, buddy.” He said, placing a soft kiss on top of Peter’s head. Peter sighed, but nodded. “Fine.” He said, accepting defeat.
Realizing that he still didn’t have his pants on, Peter stood to his feet and gingerly tugged his pants and boxers up over his sore behind with a grimace.
“Do I have to sit during the debriefing?” He asked. Tony smirked. “You’ll do whatever Cap tells you to. If he says we’re all going to sit for a team meeting, that's what we’ll do.” He said with a nod.
Captain America was the leader of the team, after all. What he says, goes…except for that one ugly redesign idea he had for one of Tony’s suits. It was hideous, and Tony mysteriously ‘lost’ the blueprint for it. Whoops!
When they rejoined the others, Peter was grimacing as he walked. As soon as he saw his Uncle Rhodey, the man opened his arms.
Without hesitation, Peter immediately ran into his arms, soaking up every bit of comfort he could get. Rhodey wrapped his arms around the boy and rubbed the back of his neck soothingly.
“You okay, Pete?” Rhodey asked, patting him on the back. Peter shrugged. “I survived, I guess.” He said with a sheepish smile. Rhodey chuckled fondly. “Glad to hear it.” He said, watching Tony walk by.
“I may not survive this lecture, though…” Peter trailed off, watching as Steve’s stern eyes fell upon him from across the room. “Let’s begin and get this over with, then.” Steve said, placing his hands on his hips like a tired but determined father.
Rhodey and Peter walked over, taking a seat next to each other. Peter winced and let out a soft breath, sitting on his hands and squirming in his seat.
Suddenly, Tony took Peter by the hand. Standing the boy to his feet and taking a seat in the same chair Peter was just sitting in, Tony sat the boy on his lap.
“There ya go.” Tony said, wrapping his arms around him as Peter’s eyes widened. At first he was going to protest, but he did like the affection and closeness with his dad.
Besides, the sight wasn’t anything the others hadn’t seen before. Rhodey took a seat beside them, smiling at the sweet sight.
So, Peter was benched from patrolling with the team until it was deemed that he had ‘learned his lesson’, Pepper gave Peter a piece of her mind for endangering himself (along with a nice, long, worried hug), Rhodey remained Peter’s favorite uncle, and Peter…well, Peter slept on his stomach that night.