Work Text:
Peter was waiting outside his school, waiting for Happy to pick him up. He was on his phone when he heard people walk up to him.
“Yo, Parker. Waiting for the bus back to the orphanage?” Flash snickered.
Peter sighed. The whole school knew his Aunt had died in a car crash a few months ago, but they didn’t know who he lived with now. Nobody knew that Tony Stark had adopted him.
Flash had told everyone that he now lived in an orphanage because he was a loser and a freak, and his aunt had died on purpose to get away from him, like everyone else in his family.
“It would make sense you have to stay there. Who would want some freak like you? Like, look at your eyes. Who would want someone like you?”
Tears sprung to Peter’s eyes. Why did Flash always have to be a dick to him? And why was he being this mean? He’d never said anything like that before.
“What, gonna cry?” Flash taunted.
Before Peter could answer, Happy pulled up, and Peter got into the backseat of the car. He shut the door, put his seatbelt on, rested his head on the window, and closed his eyes.
Happy noticed he was silent, which was not normal for the boy.
“Pete, you okay?” the man asked.
Peter nodded but didn’t open his eyes. He was pretty sure if he did, he wouldn’t be able to keep the tears in. Happy eyed him suspiciously.
Happy then pulled out of the parking spot and started driving. The drive to the compound was silent. Happy kept glancing at Peter in the rearview mirror, seeing that the kid had tears in his eyes.
They got to the compound. He waved goodbye to Happy and got into the elevator that was in the garage. He went to his and Tony’s floor and entered his room.
He stood in the middle of his room. He could feel his claws extracting from his fingernails. He took a deep breath, trying not to lose control of himself, but his deep breaths did nothing. He grabbed the pillow from his bed and clawed it, the same with the blanket and his bedside desk.
He then climbed up into a corner in the roof and started spinning a web, which he curled up in and started to cry silently.
Tony was in the common room speaking with Rhodey and Steve, who were also down there sitting on the couch. He looked at his watch and frowned. Peter usually came to greet him straight after school, and yet he hadn’t seen him yet.
He told the two other heroes that he’d come down again later and that he was going to go find Peter to ask about his day at school. The two of them nodded because Peter always came to the common room after school now, and since he hadn’t come down yet, something must be wrong, or the boy just had homework or was tired.
Tony got out of the elevator and walked towards Peter’s room. He knocked on the door, and there was no answer.
“Pete?” he asked.
Again, there was no answer. He frowned.
He opened the door and walked into the room. He looked to the bed, and Peter wasn’t there.
“Pete?” he called out, looking around the room and seeing no kid.
He then walked a little more into the room and saw the mess. He saw the torn-up pillow, the blanket, and the desk.
Oh. Something had happened for Peter to react and destroy his room like this.
He then looked up and saw the boy in the corner, hiding in a web. He couldn’t see his face since his back was facing Tony, but he could see the boy shaking slightly, telling the man that he was crying or had been crying.
“Pete? Buddy, you okay?” Tony asked as he moved slowly toward the web. He knew Peter’s instincts might be taking over and didn’t want to stress him out anymore than he already was.
Peter turned his body around in a snap to look at his dad, eyes slightly narrowed.
Tony looked at his face and saw that his eyes were red and puffy, his cheeks wet from tears.
“What’s the matter, bug?” Tony asked softly as he took another step forward. Peter watched like a hawk the whole time he moved. Tony knew he had to be careful when Peter’s instincts were in control.
“D-do you think I’m a freak?” Peter asked, his voice slightly wobbly.
Tony was taken aback.
“No. I don’t think you’re a freak, Peter. Why would you think that I think that?” Tony asked.
“Because I am a freak,” Peter hissed.
“No, you’re not,” Tony said seriously.
“I am!” Peter shot back.
“No, you’re not,” Tony said, trying not to yell.
“I am! You just have to say that because you’re my dad!” Peter’s voice cracked as he spoke.
“Peter, you are not a freak. I mean it,” Tony said.
Peter moved on his web so he was perched on the side. He lifted his lip to flash his fangs. His claws extracted from his nails again, digging into the web.
Tony knew Peter wasn’t going to attack him. Well, he hoped not. If the boy got too worked up, it was a possibility. He had to choose his next choices very carefully.
“Peter, ca—” He got cut off by a very violent hiss from Peter.
Tony took a breath. Peter had never hissed at him like that. The worst Peter had done was only a little hiss. Never something that sharp and violent.
“Peter, can you—” Again, he got cut off, but this time it wasn’t a hiss. It was a web to the mouth. As he went to peel it off, another web shot out, sticking him to the wall. Peter then arranged his limbs in a way that did not look natural.
“Mmphh!” Tony muffled through the web over his mouth.
Peter’s eyes were now fully narrowed.
Tony started to wiggle. He managed to get one hand free after a few minutes. He then got the webbing off his face. He then thought of what he was going to say next very carefully.
“Okay. Can you tell me why you think you’re a freak?” Tony tried another way to get through to Peter.
“Because. Everyone thinks I am,” Peter muttered.
“And why do they think that?” Tony asked softly.
“Because they do. They say my eyes are weird. And my teeth. And my claws. And everyone just thinks mutants are freaks and are scared of them,” Peter admitted.
“Just because people tell you that doesn’t mean it’s true. People who think mutants are freaks or are scared of them don’t understand them.”
Peter didn’t say anything. He just looked down, his eyes filling with more tears.
“But I’m dangerous. I could hurt somebody, even if I don’t mean it,” Peter mumbled after some silence had passed.
“I know. But that doesn’t make you a freak, do you understand?”
“Yes. I’m sorry for doing that to you, and hissing.”
“It’s okay, Pete. I know you didn’t mean to do it,” Tony said with a small smile.
Peter returned the smile.
“Okay, now would you be able to get me out of this?” Tony asked.
Peter hopped down from the web and went over to Tony, freeing him from the web. Once Tony was free, he led Peter over to the bed, and they both sat down. Peter leaned into his dad’s side. His eyes started to water again, and he didn’t try and stop the tears.
“What are those tears for, bug?” His dad nudged him slightly.
“I’m sorry. I could’ve hurt you,” Peter said, his voice shaky.
Tony sighed and pulled Peter closer and kissed the top of his head.
“But you didn’t,” Tony reassured.
“But I could’ve, and then you would be hurt, and it would be my fault that you’re hurt, all because I couldn’t control myself!” Peter cried.
“Then we’ll work on that. Also, may I ask a question?” Tony tilted his head just a little.
Peter nodded.
“When you were living with May and Ben, had something like that happened before where you lost control?” Tony asked because he didn’t know if this had happened before or if it was Peter’s first time acting out like this.
“Yes. It happened a few days after Ben died. It was really bad. And it almost happened after May died,” Peter mumbled.
“Okay. So it happens when you’re high on emotions, then. Can you tell me what happened to make it happen today? Because it must have been bad enough for you to tear up your room.”
Peter sighed.
“Just someone at school said some really mean things,” Peter sniffed as he wiped his face.
“What did they say?” Tony asked gently, starting to card his fingers through Peter’s hair.
“He said that everyone in my family died to get away from me, and that I live in an orphanage and that nobody will want a freak like me.” More tears spilled out as Peter explained what had happened.
Tony sucked in a breath and then wiped Peter’s tears away. He then pulled Peter into his lap.
“Oh, Roo. I’m sorry he said those things to you. But you know your family loved you, right? Your mum, Dad, uncle, aunt. They all loved you, and they’ll be so proud of you,” Tony said truthfully, holding the boy close.
Peter rested his head on the man’s chest and wrapped his arms around him.
“I just miss them,” Peter said tearfully as Tony gripped him tighter.
“I know, bug,” Tony said as he started to rock them both slightly.
After a few minutes of silence, Peter looked up at his dad.
“I love you, Dad,” the boy said.
Tony looked at his boy and smiled when he could see the love in the kid’s face.
“I love you too, buddy,” Tony said before placing a kiss on Peter’s forehead.
A knock on the door got their attention. They turned to see Thor in the doorway, with a look of concern on the god’s face.
“Is everything alright?” he asked as he walked into the room, seeing that the boy was upset.
“No need to worry, Sparky,” Tony told him.
“Why is the little one upset?” Thor asked as he came to stand in front of the two.
“Just a rough day at school. Some kid was being a bully,” Tony told the god.
Tony could only say he saw what he thought was anger cross Thor’s face for a moment before he composed himself. Tony wasn’t surprised that everyone had a soft spot for Peter. The kid was just too precious for this world.
“Who was it? I shall make them suffer for making the little spider upset.”
“Alright, it’s okay. No need to smite anyone. I have it handled,” Tony assured the god.
Thor nodded once before crouching so he was eye level with Peter.
“No need to be sad, little one. Bullies only be bullies because they have no life,” Thor told the boy, who managed a very tiny smile at Thor’s words.
“Ah! He smiles!” Thor boomed.
That made Peter giggle.
Thor smiled as the boy was now looking less sad.
“Thor’s right, bud. Bullies are just people with no brains,” Tony said as he ruffled Peter’s hair, and Peter leaned into the touch.
Peter laughed at his dad’s choice of words while Thor chuckled as well. They ended up going down to the common room and ordering ice cream and pizza and spent the whole night watching movies with the rest of the team.