It was after Aunt May passed away that Peter moved into the Tower, Tony taking over legal guardianship of him. Things were really rough at first, Peter barely left his room at all. Who could blame him though? The last member of his family was gone, buried six feet under.
Slowly, the kid came out of his shell once more. He started smiling again, which soon led to him laughing again, and that led to things getting back to normal, more or less. The two developed a routine. Tony would make sure Peter was up in the morning, he would make breakfast for them both, and then he would drive the kid to school. He was also now the one to pick the boy up after classes or Decathlon was over. He could have easily had Happy do it, but Peter was his full responsibility now, more than a responsibility, his kid. He wanted to be there for him and spend more time with him.
Although this situation came from tragedy, Tony was happier now than he had been in, longer than he can remember, maybe ever. But, as usual, when things are looking up, there is a drop right below your feet ready to send you plummeting into the darkness that awaits. A darkness that felt unfathomable to Tony, a world without Peter Parker.
Peter was kidnapped and Tony couldn’t find him anywhere. He called in the team, and he called in every favor he had, but the kid was gone without a trace. He stayed up night after night looking through CCTV footage, trying his best to keep it together, trying to stave off anxiety attacks. But the inevitable attack was coming and there was no way to stop it or predict when it would finally take over. To Tony, panic is like a stalker ready to reveal itself around any corner.
He always rolled his eyes when he heard parents call their children the light of their life. How cheesy is that? And yet, Tony now understands it. He no longer scoffs at the phrase, because it is completely unequivocally true. Peter is light, Peter is sunshine. Without Peter everything is dark, everything is meaningless. Tony has been swallowed by the storm clouds that have blocked out the light from his life. Hidden Peter from him. The light in his life is gone and the scariest part is he is not sure he will ever get that light back, get Peter back. He might be stuck in the neverending pitch black for the rest of his life.
It was two weeks when reality finally set its roots in. They had no lead, no clues, no ransom note, no videos, no nothing. Tony let panic consume him, Peter was nowhere to be found. His kid was nowhere to be found.
__________
It had been six months. One hundred and eighty-two days. Half a year without Peter Parker. Tony had never stopped looking, but at the same time, each month that passed made the search, made everything, more hopeless.
Tony was in his lab looking at CCTV footage, as he did every day, but he suddenly heard a ping sound. A chime that sparked hope in his heart. He had not heard that sound for the whole of six months, but this meant FRIDAY found something.
“FRIDAY, what do you have?” Tony asked, his voice horse as he had not spoken today. He had not spoken much since Peter was taken, only when he had to. Although he had to go back to work and meetings during Peter’s absence he hardly leaves his lab unless he is forced to. Unless Pepper or Fury force him to go to board meetings, galas, press conferences, missions, etc.
“I have picked up a possible sighting of Peter Parker.” Her mechanical voice filled the room.
Tony’s heart skipped a beat and his breath hitched. He didn’t want to hope just for the world, the lonely world he is living in now, to come crashing back down on his shoulders. “P-Pull it up!” He choked out.
One of the many video footage up on the holograph in front of him zooms in and takes up the entire screen. Tony watches intently as a kid, a skinny kid, a kid with curly brown hair appears on the screen. He seems disoriented, staggering a bit, then he turns his head. “Pause it!” He shouts. FRIDAY pauses the footage. “Zoom in and enhance.” The picture zooms in and the quality becomes clearer, pixels smoothing out to make a full portrait.
Tony’s eyes widened and his heart, which had felt like it had stopped short, was now hammering in his chest. Peter Parker was staring back at him. “Get my suit now!” He ordered, and not a moment later the nanobots were sliding across his clothes and skin melding into metal around him. “Inform the others that I found Peter. Have Helen set up in the Medbay.”
“Will do Boss,” FRIDAY replied.
And with that, as the suit finished forming, Tony took off on a mad dash to the launch pad and took off to the skies.
_____________
Tony arrived at the location in less than five minutes, but he couldn’t see Peter. “FRI, where is he?” His heart had stopped beating as he looked around. A million thoughts going through his head. He was taken again. It was a hallucination. This is a dream and I’m about to wake up in a world without Peter again. It wasn’t actually Peter. His thoughts are cut off by FRIDAY.
“In the alley to your left.” Tony sharply turned and ran into the alley beside him.
He frantically looked around faceplate still down. That’s when he spotted a small figure curled up, knees to their chest, thin arms wrapped around them, and head down. Tony stopped short, he looked even smaller than the last time he saw him. That didn’t make sense though, because Peter was supposed to be older than he last saw him, half a year older. Tony knelt down, his metal knee thumped down onto the asphalt. The sound must have scared the boy as he flinched. The kid looked up with wide watery terrified eyes and immediately put his head back down and started to shake. But there was no question, it was Peter Parker. He was way too skinny, to the point his bones stuck out, but it was still Peter, his Peter. Tony immediately flipped his faceplate up and let the suit disengage. “Peter?” the kid flinched again, barely noticeable as he was still shaking like a leaf. “Pete, buddy, can you hear me?”
The kid said nothing and Tony inched forward, he could obviously hear this as he tried to back into the brick wall he was already pressed against to get away. Peter was trying to get away… from Tony. “It’s okay, I’m not going to hurt you.” He hated that he had to even specify this, but the kid was obviously not trusting him. He didn’t even know if Peter recognized him from the terrified glance he took not a minute earlier. Tony reached out to lay a hand on the kid’s shoulder to ground him, as this had helped the boy in the past with panic attacks, but that made things go from bad to worse. Peter lashed out, flailing his arms toward Tony, kicking out his legs,eyes almost feral. One kick hit Tony square in the stomach and sent him falling back into his butt, the wind knocked out of him. “Kid-”
“No, No No!” Peter screamed. Tony didn’t know what to do, but they were drawing attention to people walking right outside the alley. He had to get Peter back. He got up, ignoring the dull ache in his stomach. He stepped back into the suit that was standing sentry in the alley opening.
Once he was back in the suit he started to step back towards the out-of-control boy, his faceplate up so Peter could see his face. “Peter, I need to take you back to the tower.” Peter was still shaking and crying almost trying to climb the wall to get away, but was too weak to pull himself up. “Peter, I’m sorry, but I need to get you back where you are safe.” Tony reluctantly went to pick the kid up who started to scream and thrash again.
“FRIDAY, do not let go of him.” He ordered as he wasn’t sure he would be able to manually keep hold of Peter the entire flight with the way he was trying so desperately to get free. It broke his heart to watch the kid scream and plead No! over and over because of what he was doing. Peter had just escaped captivity just to be trapped and held unwillingly in his own metal arms. “I’m sorry Peter.” He whispered, but he couldn’t even hear himself over the boy screaming. He took off back to the tower, precious cargo held tight against his chest plate.
____________
Tony deposited Peter in the Medbay and then staggered just outside the door, breathing short and hard to get in and out. The other Avengers spotted him and jogged over. “Tony, what happened, is Peter okay?” Steve asked, looking at his friends with concern.
“H-He-” Tony couldn’t get the words out.
“Hey, breathe Tones.” That was Rhoney, his grounding voice anchoring Tony, who took some deep breaths.
“He struggled and fought when I brought him here. He just kept saying No over and over trying to get free. I don’t even know if he recognized me.” The last sentences broke off and hitched in the middle, hard to get out. Peter might not recognize him, how could this happen?
“I’m sure it’s just shock Tony,” Nat applied, in a calm voice.
“How did you find him? Did you get the people who took him?” Sam pipes up.
“He was just wandering the streets of Manhattan. There was no one with him.”
“How did he get there?” Clint questioned.
“I don’t know.” Tony replied, confused himself.
“Did he escape?” Nat asks.
“I don’t know.” Tony says again.
“How long-” Clint started but was cut off.
“I don’t know!” Tony snapped and everyone fell silent. He takes a breath, “I-I don’t know.” He says quieter, close to a sob. “All I know is that FRIDAY found him on CCTV footage, that he screamed and struggled in my arms the whole way here, and hasn’t stopped since. Helen kicked me out to see if that would calm him down, but she had a sedative on hand ready to use if he didn’t.”
“He’s going to be okay Tony,” Steve said, laying a hand on his shoulder.
“You don’t know that.” Tony bit out. He didn’t mean for it to sound mean, but he was losing patience. He had Peter back, this was supposed to be a joyous day full of hugs and relief, but somehow Peter seemed farther than ever. He thrashed in Tony’s arms, screaming “No!” His eyes seemed clouded like he wasn’t comprehending anything or anyone. Peter was in the next room and yet thousands of miles away. “All we can do it wait for Helen to explain what’s going on.”
Everyone gave solemn nods and headed for the waiting room a few feet away. They all sat down, settling in for an undetermined amount of time.’
_______
It was a few hours later that Helen came through the double doors, Bruce right behind her. Tony didn’t even let them get a few steps toward them before he was up and out of his seat, “What happened? Is he okay? What’s wrong with him? Why did he freak out? What did they do to him?” Question after question left Tony’s mouth without a moment in between for anyone to answer.
“Tony,” Helen gave him a sad smile, “Let’s sit down shall we?”
Tony looked at her pleadingly for answers but then finally gave up and nodded. He sat back down, Helen and Bruce in the chairs across from him. “Alright,” She said, crossing her legs, and looked around at the others, “do you want the others to stay as I read my diagnosis.”
“Yes, of course,” Tony said without a beat. The others loved the kid as well. The whole team was wrapped around Peter’s finger and the kid didn’t even know it.
She nodded, “I have to ask for HIPPA reasons as you are his legal guardian.” Tony nodded, showing he understands, “Peter will make a full recovery.” She started and everyone took a collective breath of relief, “Physically that is.” Tony was afraid of what that suggested, but he didn’t interrupt. “He had some scrapes and bruises, as well as a broken hand that seems to have healed wrong, but we set it and cast it.” She paused to let them take in the information before continuing, “It looks like he escaped from wherever he was being held. We found some dried blood and skin under his nails that appear recent, meaning he fought his way out.” Everyone nodded, understanding that they would have to hunt down whoever did this as soon as they knew Peter was okay. “He is very malnourished and because of this his healing is slower.” Again she paused, “Other than that, physically, he seems okay.”
“W-Why did he freak out then?” Tony thought maybe he was hurt and the flight made things worse and that’s why he freaked out, but with what Helen just said that wouldn’t make sense.
Bruce began instead this time, “That’s where things get a bit more complicated,” Worry wrapped around Tony’s heart and started to squeeze as Bruce continued, “We had to sedate him because anytime anyone would touch him he struggled and fought, and tried to get away. Even looking at anyone caused Peter to act up and cower.” Tony felt his heart ping with pain at his words. Bruce took a breath, “He was also very pale when he came in and severely Vitamin D deficient. This leads us to believe he has not been outside in a long time. The aversion to people and touch also leads us to believe that he might have been isolated and that there is a good chance he has not had human interaction in quite some time.”
Everything Bruce said added up to two very horrifying words, Solitary Confinement. Tony whispers the two words without realizing it, “Solitary Confinement?”
“That’s our guess, yes,” Bruce said in a quiet sad tone.
“What does this mean?” Tony said looking up at Bruce with pleading eyes in a silent way of asking, how do we fix this?
“It means that Peter will need to take things slow. Only one visitor at a time. We can work on physical touch, but best to be cautious, especially in the beginning.” Helen explained, “We have to work for his trust.”
Tony nodded and looked back down to the floor. He finally has Peter back, and yet, does he?
__________
Everyone agreed that Tony would be the only visitor until Peter felt more comfortable, however long that would take. So, Tony settled into a chair by Peter’s bedside, leaving a few feet between the chair and the bed. Peter was still unconscious from the sedative. He was attached to wires that tracked his vitals and an IV drip. His curls were not as fluffy as Tony remembered and they were more grown out. His cheeks were sunken in leaving his bones prominent and almost sharp looking. He had dark bags around his eyes that rivaled the mechanics himself.
He keeps staring at the unmoving kid. He knows it’s Peter, but somehow it looks nothing like him. Peter always has an aura of sunshine around him, a smile on his face, and a laugh in his throat. Even in the weeks after May’s passing there was still a spark in his eyes that was lit with life. But all Tony saw in his eyes when he found him was fear and emptiness.
He sat there unable to relax for hours until Peter started to rouse. “Pete? You waking up?” As soon as the words came out of his mouth the heart monitor sped up. “Peter?” He asked worriedly and the kid snapped his eyes open. He looked around frantically and when his eyes landed on Tony in the chair there was nothing but terror. Peter scrambled back falling off the bed. Tony shot up in concern, but that made things worse. Peter crawled back pulling the IV out and backing into the far corner. He brought his knees to his chest, wrapped his arms around them, and his head on top. He rocked back and forth, back and forth. The sight broke Tony’s heart. Peter was afraid of him.
In a way to make himself seem less threatening, Tony holds up both his hands, palms forward. Peter’s head is still down as he rocks himself so he doesn’t see the gesture. Still, Tony doesn’t move forward and keeps his hands in the air. A few seconds later Helen came through the door, no doubt she got a notification that Peter’s vitals had spiked, not to mention more of the wires and pads that had been attached to the kid’s body had been disconnected when he crawled away from the bed.
“Peter,” Helen said softly. bypassing Tony. Peter didn’t say anything and kept rocking. “Peter., my name is Helen Cho, I don’t know if you remember me.” No response, “You are at the tower, you are safe.” No response. “Can you hear me?” No response. “Peter, just listen to my voice, you are safe. No one is going to hurt you.” Peter was rocking harder now, his hands in his hair, pulling to the point it must have caused pain. Tony felt absolutely useless, he had no idea what to do. “Peter,” Helen said again, now only a foot or two away from him, crouching down. “Can you please get back on the bed?” The boy just continued to pull his hair and rock in the corner. “Peter please,” he wasn’t listening so she tentatively put a hand on his shoulder. This was definitely the wrong move, Peter’s head shot up and he started to thrash and claw at Helen. She fell back and quickly dug through her pocket. “I’m sorry Peter,” she said as she approached again, but before he could hit her she injected his upper arm with a sedative. The effects were instant, Peter’s movements became sluggish before he slowly slumped where he sat falling into the black abyss of unconsciousness.
Helen sighed, “Can you put him back on the bed please,” She asked getting up and turning to Tony.
Tony snapped out of his shock and wordlessly nodded and stepped forward to pick the kid up. Now that he wasn’t in his suit he could feel how light Peter was. Too light. He barely weighed anything and it scared Tony. He deposited the boy back on the bed and pulled the covers over him. He couldn’t help himself and ran a hand through the boy’s curls and dropped a kiss on his forehead before he stepped away. Helen was attaching the wires and putting in a brand-new IV as he sat down.
“What happened before I came in?” Helen asked as she looked for a vein in the kid’s arm.
“He started to wake up and I called out to him. I didn’t move.”
She nodded, “Any sensory input is going to set him off right now, not just touch. Next time he wakes up, let him adjust a bit before you speak, and when you do, whisper to be safe.” Tony nodded but she couldn’t see as she was taping the newly inserted IV down to Peter’s arm. When she was done she turned once again to Tony, “I know this is hard, but things will get better. Just give it time and patience.” The last was one of Tony’s mortal enemies, but for Peter, he would do anything. Even be patient.
__________
The next time Peter started to shift away from sleep Tony was silent, and unpurposefully holding his breath. Peter blinked his eyes open and stared at the ceiling for a minute before slowly sliding his eyes around the darkened room. When they found Tony the heart monitor like last time sped up. He pushed himself up and backed up on the bed until he was against the wall. Luckily this time he did not fall onto the floor. Peter stared at Tony with wide eyes. The man put his hands up in a placating gesture trying to prove without words that he was safe. Peter just kept staring, squinting at times, like he was trying to solve a complicated problem.
Finally, after five minutes had passed Tony reluctantly whispered, “Hey kiddo.” Even though the words were quiet Peter flinched just a bit. Tony continued as Peter did not move other than the involuntary wince, “You’re at the Tower and you are safe.” Peter said nothing, “Do you remember who I am?” Peter did not nod or shake his head. Tony sighed, “That’s okay Peter, we can come back to that. The important thing that you need to know is that you are safe and no one here will ever hurt you.” He paused looking for some sort of recognition in Peter’s eyes, he found nothing but terror and it hurt Tony physically. “Do you understand?” Peter said and did nothing. “You’re going to be okay.” The man said, but he was not sure whether he said it more for Peter’s sake or his own. Peter just kept staring at him and it made Tony squirm a bit in his seat, but not too much. He didn’t want to scare the boy. “Would it be okay if I stayed?” Tony asked. Peter said nothing, didn’t move or speak. Tony took it as a yes for now.
Tony didn’t move for hours. He was getting stiff, but it was worth it if Peter wasn’t scared of him, well, more scared of him. Slowly Peter started to relax, no longer scrunched up against the wall. He laid back down but did not take his eyes off Tony, it was like he expected the man to jump up and attack at any moment. Still, the boy was exhausted and after hours of staring, he fell asleep. It was only then that Tony got up, as quietly as he could, and went to use the bathroom and grab a coffee. He was back in his chair when the kid woke up again.
He asked questions and assured the kid that he was safe, but the boy still did not say a word. The next few days were the exact same, with no words and no reaction other than terror. Every time Helen came in he freaked out, but she did not touch him, only pressed some buttons of the machines next to him. His strong reaction to her decreased every time she came in. Every time she checked the monitors or left a tray of food for the boy. He had still not answered one question or given any indication of complete comprehension, but it was something. It was a baby step.
It was day five and Helen and Tony had devised a plan. Well, the start of a plan that would change depending on Peter’s reaction. When Peter fell asleep the fifth night, Tony silently moved the chair one foot closer to the bed, still leaving a few feet in between. Peter the first few days had not let Tony out of his sight, but in the fourth and fifth he let his eyes wander more around the room and took in his surroundings. His eyes fixated on the view of the city through the window for a while before turning back to Tony. On the sixth day after Tony had moved his chair it was obvious the boy had noticed. He did not take his eyes off Tony the entire day, tracking any minuscule movement, unless he fell asleep. Still, he did not scramble away like the first day, so Tony took it as a win.
_______
They kept this up, every two days Tony would move his chair one foot closer to the bed. Helen had decided to keep him in the med bay for the foreseeable future until she knew the boy could care for himself. He ate what he was given, but not much of it, not enough to satisfy his metabolism, so the IV was needed. She had talked to Tony while Peter was asleep about a feeding tube, but decided against it as Peter would surely not like it and would probably rip it out. It took a few bathroom accidents for Peter to finally venture to the bathroom himself, walking backward and clinging to the IV pole so he still had Tony in his sight until the door finally shut. It broke Tony’s heart, but he stayed put and smiled at the kid as he backed away every time. When Peter came out each time he poked his head out first to make sure he could see Tony, once his eyes were locked on the man he would walk forward slowly, with the IV pole rolling next to him. Even as he climbed into the bed he kept his eyes fixed on the man.
It was day eleven that Tony was only a foot away from Peter’s bed. He had given all his company duties to Pepper for now and told Fury he would not be on missions for a while so he could focus on Peter, focus on his kid. Peter was not as tense as he used to be, but he was still somehow always on edge. The color had returned more to the boy’s face and his cheeks were filling out a bit, not as much as they had hoped, but you could still see the difference.
________
On day thirteen His chair was almost right up to Peter’s bed. The kid laid on his side, facing Tony, and stared at the man, his eyes roaming over the man’s features again and again, like he was memorizing each line, each wrinkle. Peter had yet to say a word since the “Nos” he had screamed the first day. Tony missed the kid’s voice. Missed his rambles about Star Wars, Science, and anything else that piqued the boy’s interest. He missed Peter’s laugh more than anything.
Tony was talking more to Peter, and although he did not respond he also didn’t flinch at the noise anymore. He didn’t cower or seem more afraid than he always was. So Tony talked, filled the silence a lot with stories, stories about Rhodey and him at colleges, stories about the team, and stories about Peter himself. He could swear he saw the kid’s eyes light up just a bit in something akin to recognition during one or two of them. But as quickly as it showed up, it vanished.
__________
It was a few days after his chair was actually next to Peter’s bed that Tony tried something daring. He lifted his hand very slowly, Peter’s eyes immediately locking onto it and watching it with apprehension. Tony carefully brought his hand down and laid it on the bed next to Peter, not touching him. Peter stared at the hand for a long time, switching his focus from Tony’s hand to his face over and over again, but he did nothing about it. Tony still left it there, as a way to show that he was safe and not going to hurt him and as an invitation of sorts.
___________
It was day seventeen when Tony was scrolling on his Stark phone when he felt something brush his hand. He looked up and saw Peter’s hand hovering over Tony’s which was flat on the bed. He didn’t move and neither did Peter, his hand brushing against the older man’s skin once or twice but never lowering it enough to make full contact. He just stared at his hand above the older man’s seeming to contemplate, and yet still doing nothing. After a while, the kid got tired, especially after holding his hand up like that and brought it back to his lap. Tony still didn’t move his hand.
___________
It was the next day that Peter’s hand fell fully on top of Tony’s. Tony held his breath and didn’t move. Peter just stared at him and left his hand on top, not grabbing or anything, but letting it rest on top of Tony’s fingers. After a while, he pulled his hand back, but it was definitely a step in the right direction.
This motion went on for a few days; Peter resting his hand on Tony’s. Each time lasted longer than the previous.
____________
It was day twenty-one when Peter not only rested his hand on Tony’s just as he had the last three days but curled his fingers under Tony’s. Peter just stared at Tony with his wide eyes searching for a reaction from the man. Tony just softly smiled and went back to his phone, not wanting to overwhelm the boy with both the contact and his staring.
__________
On Day twenty-three, when Peter curled his fingers under Tony’s, Tony slowly curled his own on top. Peter flinched a little at the movement and Tony stopped. Peter stared up at him gauging his intent, but then, after a while, relaxed a little and turned his gaze back to their hands. Tony slowly finished curling his fingers so they now held the kid’s hand in his own. Peter looked back up at his face once his hand stilled, he smiled at the boy and he could have sworn, for the briefest of a second Peter’s lip turned up on the right side in something close to a ghost of a smile. But it was gone too fast to see truly. Tony was also pretty sure he felt Peter use his spider powers to stick to Tony’s hand but didn’t test his theory by pulling on them for fear of scaring the boy.
__________
On day twenty-four Peter got the cast off his hand. Peter freaked out at the tools and Helen trying to touch him and had to be sedated again. The next few days after that Tony’s hand went untouched by the kid. It seemed Peter felt betrayed, but they didn’t know for sure as he had yet to speak.
__________
Day twenty-seven is when Peter started to hold Tony’s hand again. First only for an hour and then for almost the entire day. It was nowadays that Tony had to gently pry the kid’s hand off his when Peter fell asleep so he could use the bathroom or go and change and shower. It was now proven that Peter was in fact using his stickiness to attach to the older man.
Peter did not stare at him as often anymore, mostly when he shifted or got up. He would even turn his back to Tony sometimes. This might seem bad, or counterintuitive, but it was actually good. It meant he trusted Tony enough to not have to watch him every second.
________
On day twenty-eight something magical and heartbreaking happens. Tony was telling one of his many stories about him and Rhodey from college. This one was about Lucky Charms and a frat party. Tony was holding the kid’s hand, as usual, just talking mindlessly about why you should never mix beer with Lucky Charms when an unexpected laugh bubbled out of Peter’s mouth. It was absolute music to Tony’s ears, it made his heart swell. Peter just laughed! But his merriment was cut short when he looked up at the boy, his smile slowly turning into a concerned frown. Peter’s eyes were once again wide with the almost ever-present terror that filled those huge brown orbs and both the kid’s hands were covering his mouth. It was only then that Tony registered that he did not have the smaller hand on his own. Peter had cut his own laugh off and looked absolutely horrified.
Happiness and sorrow battle for Tony’s attention as he stares at the kid. He is happy, overjoyed, that the kid laughed. It is the most beautiful sound he has ever heard, especially as he started to worry he would never hear it again. But at the same time, he feels sorrow as he looks at the boy who was clearly afraid of his own laugh. It’s so foreign to him that he got scared, afraid of something that is only supposed to bring joy. The scene breaks the older man’s heart while the sound itself seals some of the deeply rooted cracks within it.
_________
On Day thirty, something, another thing, unanticipated happens. It had officially been a month since Peter returned. Three weeks since the other Avengers had retraced Peter’s steps through CCTV footage and found where he was kept. Two weeks since they had found the actual kidnappers who had fled from the abandoned prison they had used to keep Peter captive.
Tony was just getting settled in bed, well the pullout couch to the right of Peter by the window. He drifted off as Peter stared at him, it was so common it no longer fazed the man. Even if the kid was literally watching him sleep. He was under the covers, head on a pillow, and right arm laying straight out from underneath him, parallel to the end of the bed. He fell asleep pretty easily as he didn’t have many distractions like his lab.
He woke up to rustling and blinked his eyes open slowly. He was shocked to see Peter crawling toward him on his bed. The IV pole next to the couch and close enough so it couldn’t pull out of Peter’s arm. Tony stayed absolutely still. Peter did not crawl under the covers, but laid on top of them, curling up in fetal position, knees almost touching his chest, and rested his head on Tony’s outstretched arm, facing away from him. Tony couldn't believe it, Peter was so close to him. Tony laid awake the rest of the night making sure he didn’t accidentally move in sleep and frighten the kid.
Peter stayed the entire night and got up in the morning and went back to his own bed. Tony made sure to sleep in that same exact position from then on.
_________
Peter did the same thing the next few nights as well. On day thirty-three Tony was about to head to bed when he turned to Peter and asked, “Do you want to come?” He said gesturing to the pullout couch. Peter actually shook his head. He actually responded. Tony smiled at him and said, “That’s okay.” He was so proud. He never knew being turned down by a simple shake of a head could make him so proud but it did.
Even though Peter said no he awoke, as he did the last three nights, to Peter crawling in bed and resting his head on Tony’s arm. Tony realized he only did this after the man had fallen asleep, so for the time being, he vowed not to put off going to bed.
__________
The night after that was the same thing, but this time Peter crawled under the covers.
Tony’s arm started to go numb, just as it did the last few nights, Peter's head slightly cutting off the circulation. The uncomfortable feeling of pins and needles filled his limb. To others this feeling was horrible, this feeling was almost painful. To Tony though, this feeling was hope. Tony longed to feel it, letting the small invisible pinpricks and numbness, and sometimes even burning, take over his entire arm. This feeling meant that his kid was with him. He will forever love that Irritating, unpleasant, painful, amazing feeling.
___________
It was day thirty-five. Peter had spent most of the day holding his hand, and as predicted Tony awoke that night to him crawling into bed. Although this time was different. Peter crawled under the covers and rested his head on Tony’s bicep, but this time he was facing the older man. Tony stared down at Peter in surprise as he stared back at him. Tony closed his eyes so Peter wouldn’t feel uncomfortable. It was after Peter’s breaths evened out that Tony opened his eyes again and took in the kid’s face. His cheeks were almost back to the way they were before he was taken and he looked peaceful. Actually, peaceful, something he has not seen on the kid’s face in, far too long.
___________
It was days of the same routine. Peter holding his hand. Peter responded with nods and shakes of his head. Peter crawling into bed and resting his head on Tony’s outstretched arm.
It was day forty when Peter switched things up just a bit again. He crawled into bed as usual waking Tony, something Tony looked forward to. At no point in his life did he think he would be happy to be awoken every night from peaceful slumber, but he was, it was now the highlight of his days. Peter this time snuggled in closer to the man’s side. Tony could feel the warmth radiating from Peter and reveled in having his kid so close.
_________
Each night, for the next few nights, Peter cuddled a little closer. He had his head on Tony’s bicep, as usual, but his forehead was pressed against Tony’s chest. Tony wanted more than anything to hold Peter but was too afraid it would set them back. So he stayed still and let the kid nuzzle into him.
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On day forty-five Tony tries something he had been debating. Something risky. It might just ruin everything and scare the kid off. It might put them back exactly where they started, but he has to try.
Peter climbs into the bed, even though he knows Tony is not asleep. It’s been a few days since Peter almost immediately goes to Tony when he lays down, no longer waiting for him to fall asleep. Another sign he’s trusting the older man more. Peter snuggles into him, his head on the older man’s bicep, and pressing against his chest. Instead of staying still, as Tony usually does, the man slowly bends his elbow to pull the kid in a little closer. He stops short as Peter stiffens. They stay still for a couple of minutes, but then Peter slowly relaxes. It feels like Tony is holding his breath until most of the tension has left Peter’s body. Tony then keeps slowly wrapping his forearm around the boy’s back until his hand is resting lightly on the kid’s left shoulder. Peter hasn’t moved or made a noise. Tony takes his lack of reaction as a good sign and uses the arm and hand currently resting on his own hip to bring up and wrap around the kid’s back. Peter again gets a bit rigid, but quickly melts into the embrace. Once his arm is wrapped around Peter’s back he waits, worried he overstepped. But then Peter cuddles a little closer and whispers the first thing he has said in weeks, “I missed you.”
Tony feels tears come to his eyes quicker than ever, streaming down and landing on the kid’s overgrown curls. This is the first time he has let himself cry since he got Peter back. He tightens his hold on the boy slightly and drops a kiss onto the kid’s head and whispers, “I missed you too Peter.”