The Truth Will Out

“Sir, Peter has left his bed.”

Tony glanced up from his coffee. “Is he coming out?”

FRIDAY paused for a moment. “No, I believe he wishes to take a shower.”

“Alrighty, FRI – mind calling Nat up here?”

“Of course, sir, but you should be aware that Colonel Rhodes is back and wants to know what’s going on.”

Shit. “Right, uhh… send him up here too, I guess.”

“Will that be all?”

“Did Rhodey ask you to stop calling him Platypus?”

“He did, sir.”

“From now on, I’d like for you to refer to him as Honey-Bear.” Pepper rolled her eyes from across the kitchen, but Tony only grinned.

“Noted – they are on their way.”

“Thank you, FRIDAY,” Pepper replied, reaching up to fetch a teapot out of one of the cupboards. By the time the elevator doors opened and their two visitors walked in, Pepper brought the teapot, now filled with freshly steeping green tea, to sit in the middle of the kitchen island.

“Honestly,” Rhodey sighed, pulling out a stool beside Tony. “I head to the compound for one day, and everything goes to shit. What the hell happened?” he asked calmly, accepting the mug of tea that Pepper offered him.

“Hold on, you don’t want coffee?” Tony asked, jerking his thumb back at the pot behind him.

Rhodey shook his head and took a deep sip. “Nat’s made a new trend, she’s got us all on this stuff.”

“You make it sound intentional,” the assassin objected, helping herself to her own mug.

“You’ll be next,” Pepper chimed in, staring at Tony’s nearly-drained cup with contempt. He pulled it closer to himself protectively; Tony would sacrifice a lot of things for that woman, but caffeine was not one of them.

Rhodey cleared his throat, effectively putting an end to that discussion. “You gonna tell me what’s wrong or am I gonna have to start begging?” he asked, eyes probing each of the people around him.

Tony huffed out a slow breath, not entirely sure where to begin. “You remember my intern, right?” Rhodey gave a slight nod, so Tony continued. “Well… he lives here now.”

“Right…” With the way his forehead creased, Rhodey could clearly tell there was more information coming.

“His apartment was burned down.”

Rhodey blinked. “Shit.”

“Yeah… and we’re pretty sure it was deliberate.”

“Any suspects?” Ever the operative.

“A couple. We figured you’d want to get involved when you found out who.” Tony’s gaze crossed over to Pepper, wordlessly asking her ‘would you like to do the honour?’

She took both hands off her mug and settled them under her chin, giving Rhodey a pointed look. “Justin Hammer.”

Rhodey barely flinched. “You think Hammer set fire to your intern’s building?” He sounded far from convinced.

“We suspect,” Tony corrected, “That he might have hired someone else to do it for him.”

Rhodey nodded slowly, face still overcome with doubt. “Well, he’s definitely done worse, but you still need a motive, Tones. I know you don’t like that he’s back, but you can’t just blame him for-“

“That’s not what this is!” Tony insisted, but Rhodey didn’t care.

“Really? Then give me a motive – why would Hammer want to burn down your intern’s building?”

“Because I’m Spider-Man.”

Four heads snapped in the direction of the hall, where a slightly timid Peter was hesitating. He had his sleeves pulled up over his hands, and apparently his hair had only been towel-dried, as moisture was making it cling to the skin of his neck and forehead in places. He seemed pale, tired, and slightly unsteady on his feet, but his gaze was unwavering and the set of his mouth was determined.

“Peter, you’re…” Tony began, but he wasn’t entirely sure where that sentence was going.

Fortunately, Pepper was always better at thinking on her feet. “Why don’t you come and sit down?” She patted the stool beside her, then headed for the cupboards. “Do you want some breakfast? I was thinking we could all-“

“No thanks, Miss- Pepper,” he corrected himself. “I’m not hungry.”

It was clear from his face that Peter believed that Peter wasn’t hungry, but Tony knew that Peter was still malnourished, meaning Peter needed breakfast.

“C’mon, kid, can’t have you passing out mid-debrief,” Tony joked, but the humour in his tone seemed to have the opposite affect than the one he’d wanted. Peter dropped his head, shaking it sightly.

“Maybe in a bit,” the kid mumbled as he dragged his feet over to the closest stool. Pepper moved beside him and started brushing her fingers through his hair (a gesture Tony has often found himself on the receiving end of, and can vouch for its efficacy in providing reassurance). The kid almost looked like he wanted to lean away, but he sat still, almost curled in on himself with how much he was slouching, and simply let her. It was as if he was too exhausted to object.

The kid’s eyes drooped shut, and they didn’t open until Nat pushed a mug of green tea in front of it. “Drink it or I’ll think you don’t like me,” she stated, and this did bring a slight smile to the corner of the kid’s mouth. He stretched out one of his arms, somewhat gingerly, and pulled it close enough that he could wrap his bony fingers around the ceramic and let out a slight shiver as the warmth sank into his skin. Only then did Pepper leave his side, returning back to her spot beside Tony.

“Spider-Man’s enhanced.” It was Rhodey who broke the silence, and it wasn’t entirely certain whether he was providing an observation or asking a question.

Either way, Peter answered with a brisk “Yup.”

Rhodey’s eyes turned to Tony, horrified. “You didn’t…”

The kid let out a dry chuckle before Tony even had a chance to defend himself. “Of course he didn’t,” Peter said, shaking his head. “I’ve been like this my whole life.” Silence followed that statement, and Peter fixed his gaze on the table, his mind seemingly going elsewhere as he continued. “Y’know my parents always used to tell me 'everyone’s born different’. I was too young to question it – it was all I’d ever known, so why should I suspect I was anything that far out of the ordinary? By the time I knew the right questions, there was no one left to ask.” He took a breath, and lifted the mug (with shaking hands, Tony noted) to his lips. When he set it down again, his eyes refocused on the people in front of him. “So are we gonna talk now?”

“That’s right, Pete,” Tony said softly. Then, clearing his throat, he turned back to Rhodey. “You want to know why we think Hammer’s involved?” The Colonel nodded, and Tony directed his attention to the ceiling. “FRI, you mind getting all this down?”

“Certainly, sir,” came the reply.

“Perfect. Alrighty then, underoos – why don’t we go from the beginning?”

*

File 1.0 – DEBRIEF [2/11/17]

[A comprehensive summary of the points discussed on[November 2^nd, 2017]. Consists of [5] EVENTS OF INTEREST [EOI], along with corresponding PEOPLE OF INTEREST [POI] and LOCATIONS OF INTEREST [LOI]. To be used as a general indicator of understanding as of the date provided, not as a /QUOTE/ ‘Completely factual thing or whatever’/END QUOTE/]

-

PEOPLE PRESENT:

Anthony E. Stark (TS); Virginia ‘Pepper’ Potts (VP); James Rhodes (JR); Natasha Romanoff (BW); Peter Parker (SM)

-

EOI.1:

SM encountered a protest outside HAMMER TECH FACILITIES, QUEENS [LOI.1]. SM recognised a civilian (Jones, Michelle) in an altercation with a member of HT security. SM took civilian to safety, and upon enquiry over the protest, discovered concerns about the ethical integrity of practices within Hammer Tech Facilities.

OUTCOME: SM came to the conclusion that further investigation of the site was required.

-

EOI.2

SM engaged in a superficial reconnaissance of Hammer Tech Facilities, but was intercepted by ‘THE PROWLER’ [POI.1]. ‘The Prowler’ warned against investigation of Hammer Tech, citing incidents of “shady shit” occurring close to the location. When pressed further, ‘The Prowler’ reported “You ain’t seen what I seen.” In an apparent attempt to warn SM away from the location, ‘The Prowler’ voiced suspicions that Gargan, ‘Mac’ [POI.2] was involved, and described an Event of Interest – See EOI.2.5.

                EOI.2.5 – At some point, Gargan entered into the organised crime operation led by Lincoln, Alonzo Thompson ‘TOMBSTONE’ [POI.3], an operation said to have been stealing supplies from Hammer Tech. ‘The Prowler’ reported that Gargan was hired by Hammer Tech to infiltrate ‘Tombstone’’s operation and gain trust. Exact details unknown but the actions of Gargan resulted in a “massacre” of ‘Tombstone’’s associates, the base of operations being cleared of all Hammer Tech resources, and the complete dissolution of said base.

‘The Prowler’ stated that Gargan was somehow entered onto a “Protection scheme” when imprisoned at Rykers Island Jail Complex (implying Hammer Industries may have been involved in the procurement of said scheme). ‘The Prowler’ also stated that Gargan is no longer incarcerated and remains a highly dangerous individual, and that therefore it is possible they are still in connection with Hammer Tech and any illicit dealings therein. Advised SM to stay away.

OUTCOME: SM opted to ignore advice given by ‘The Prowler’ and planned an interrogation of ‘Tombstone’ at his HARLEM BASE.

-

EOI.3   [Alternative event name provided by TS – ‘Peter what the ever-loving fuck were you thinking?’]

SM entered the Harlem Base. Found that ‘Tombstone’ had become physically altered from an attempt at self-enhancement (Increased strength, size, and grey skin). ‘Tombstone’ revealed his aim was to challenge/enact revenge upon Hammer Tech, and attacked SM to prevent him from “getting in the way.” After a brief fight, SM set fire to the building and escaped, sustaining several injuries. Was later found by BW, who escorted SM back to Queens.

OUTCOME: SM was physically grounded, and made the decision to discontinue investigation. BW instructed SM to come forward about identity and activities to both TS and VP.

-

EOI.4

SM was intercepted by ‘The Prowler’ during a routine patrol. ‘The Prowler’ informed SM that ‘Tombstone’ was found dead, with evidence to suggest Gargan was responsible. As ‘Tombstone’ had a strong defence, his location was not “common street knowledge”, and considering he was murdered in Jackson Heights and not Harlem, ‘Tombstone’’s death implies that Hammer Tech was aware of his plan for revenge, and were using Gargan to monitor him and his movements. Working theory is that Gargan followed ‘Tombstone’ to Jackson Heights after SM’s actions forced him to flee, and Gargan killed him before he lost the chance. Also suggests that Gargan, and thus Hammer Tech, were aware of SM’s involvement as of EOI.3. ‘The Prowler’ concluded that SM had “Put a target on (his) back,” by getting involved.

OUTCOME: SM vigilante identity went in hiding, relayed as much to TS and BW on the roof of Stark Tower the night before the gala and of EOI.5

-

EOI.5

SM awoke to fire that had spread throughout the building without triggering any alarms. Intel later gathered by BW (with the assistance of Barnes, James Buchanan ‘Bucky’) revealed evidence of accelerants used at the scene, suggesting the fire was set deliberately. Given recent events, it is assumed the fire was set by Gargan, following SM’s involvement with ‘Tombstone’. EOI.5 is a strong indicator that ‘The Prowler’ was correct in his assessment that SM “Put a target on (his) back.”

It is not yet known if Hammer Industries itself instructed Gargan to set the fire or if Gargan acted independently, and there is no way of knowing if Hammer, Justin himself is implicated in, or even aware of, any of these events.

-

FINAL OUTCOME: SM to live at Stark Tower for the foreseeable future. ‘Web-slinging’ is “Absolute no-no, don’t even think about it.” Further investigation needed into Gargan – priority target.

NOTE: Hammer, Justin considered low-priority target, but investigation also warranted (JR states a need to “find out what he knows”; TS counters “That gimp doesn’t know his ass from his elbow,” but ultimately agreed with JR as far as next steps are concerned)

-FILE END-

*

“That’s everything I can think of,” Peter sighed, staring at the last drop of tea swilling around in his mug like it would provide him with all the answers he needed.

“Alright, sweetie,” Pepper said as she settled a hand on one of his wrists. “If you think of anything else, don’t be afraid to mention it.”

Afraid.

That word sat weirdly in Peter’s mind. He should’ve been more afraid, shouldn’t he? That night when Davis practically tackled him – that was perhaps the most intense Peter had ever seen the man. It made sense; he’d warned Peter, transparently, that getting involved was a bad idea.

“Stay out of it, Spidey - or those citizens you love so much? They'll be scrapping what’s left of your jumpsuit off the fuckin' pavement.”

And what had Peter done? He’d ignored it. He’d admitted it openly, the night he found out Tombstone was dead.

“You want me to just hide? I can’t do that, I have a responsibility.”

And that sense of ‘responsibility’ had created one hell of a mess. People he knew and cared about had lost their homes, the Starks were having to take the time out of their busy lives to help him, and… how did Davis word it?

“A major tech corporation with itchy trigger fingers, a shady history and a psychopathic genius for a lap-dog is probably wondering why some two-bit vigilante is poking around their business.”

Right. That.

Peter shook his head, physically trying to wipe his mind clean like an etch-a-sketch. His life was a mess, but then again, when wasn’t it? The least he could do was try and screw his head on straight and help fix what he’d broken.

“Did you find much on Octavius?” The colonel was asking, pouring the last of the tea into his mug. Only then did Peter notice the fresh teapot that someone had set down beside the original. He pulled it closer to himself as casually as possible and refilled his own cup; the warmth was soothing, but it also kept him physically grounded, so he held it as closely as he could without looking weird.

“Not much,” Tony exhaled, before waving his hand dismissively. “But he’s a researcher – I doubt he’s involved.”

Only then did the name click in Peter’s memory. “Octavius? The guy at the gala?”

“Yeah, kid, that’s the one,” said Tony. “Rhodey had me do a little homework, said I should find out what I could about the guy and see if he wanted to be besties.”

Rhodey interjected, rolling his eyes. “I said you should try to make a good first impression, since you don’t need Hammer trying to pit him against you.”

“Eh, potato-potahto.”

“So what did you find?” Peter asked, sitting forward a little.

“Nothing particularly interesting,” Tony shrugged. “Used to work in sustainable energy before he lost his wife in an accident, and switched to advanced prosthesis development. He started working alongside a Dr Curt Connors? Connors was a biologist - they published a few papers together, but apparently Connors passed away in the middle of their research, and rumour has it that Octavius was so grief-stricken, he abandoned the project. If anyone wants more detail, you’ll have to speak to Banner, he’s the fanboy.”

“So what’s he doing with Hammer tech?” Peter asked, leaning forward slightly.

The colonel chimed in, “Octavius was appointed head of Bio-mechanical Engineering and Development in Hammer Tech’s new initiative.”

Peter blinked. “He’s the Bed-Head?”

Throwing up his hands, Tony let out an exasperated laugh. “How did I not come up with that?”

Peter couldn’t help but smile at his mentor, who reluctantly grinned back. Even Pepper was suppressing a smile, but Rhodey simply rolled his eyes and continued as if nothing had happened. “Going from advanced prosthesis with a genius biologist to bio-mechanical engineering makes a lot of sense – if I’m honest, the guy just seems like the golden-boy new hire, someone to bring in a little good PR against Hammer's shoddy reputation - I don’t think we have to worry about him.”

That assessment bristled Peter, although he wasn’t sure why. Nevertheless, he felt compelled enough to say, “Wait, wait – if Hammer Tech is doing something shady, surely he would be a part of it? I mean, he went from energy to prosthesis? And now bio-mech, so he’s clearly smart enough to work on something like enhancements if he can specialise in such completely different fields.”

“Kid, I do that,” Tony objected, but Peter just nodded.

“Exactly – you’ve pretty much mastered whichever science you fancied, and you invented your own element. If you wanted to figure out how to make super soldiers, I’m pretty sure you could, but you don’t. And why is that? Why does Stark Industries no longer make weapons?”

Tony seemed startled by the question – in fact, everyone at that table seemed a little taken aback by what Peter was saying, and it was almost enough for him to want to apologise and shut up, but then Tony answered. “Because the technology was being misused,” he answered grimly, staring down at his coffee as if caffeine was no longer strong enough. “Because I was negligent, and that meant that someone I trusted had a perfect window to work behind my back and make deals I didn’t approve of, meaning a lot of innocent lives were lost.” Tony raised his eyes back up. “And I realised that if so much damage could be caused by a piece of my technology simply ending up in the wrong hands, then maybe the technology shouldn’t exist at all.”

Peter nodded slowly, glad they were on the same page. “And do you think Hammer Tech can be trusted to make that same call?”

“Peter,” Pepper began softly, “There’s no guarantee- okay, I wouldn’t be surprised if Hammer Tech was doing something wrong, but it’s a little soon to say they’re making super-soldiers. I agree that what happened with that Tombstone is definitely… concerning, but it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re doing something like that.”

Peter paused for a moment. What she was saying made sense… but there was something in him, something inexplicable and insisting that he couldn’t shake off. “I know something bad is happening in that building,” he said, quiet enough that he could’ve just been trying to reassure himself of it.

“’Cause of your other sense?” Nat asked, just as quietly. She’d been sitting so still, observing so patiently, Peter had almost forgotten she was there.

Reluctantly, he nodded. “I know it sounds stupid… but it’s never been wrong. I’ve avoided enough disasters to know when it’s trying to tell me something important. Bet I must seem crazy to you guys, huh?” he added, growing increasingly self-conscious as the adults watched him.

“We’re not saying that,” Pepper was quick to sooth, “…Just that we can’t act on a hunch, there has to be evidence.”

He shook his head at the word ‘hunch’. “I know, I’m saying we should get that evidence.”

“This really doesn’t sound like a conversation I should be hearing,” Rhodey pointed out, indicating to his uniform, but Peter ignored him and pushed further.

“Someone has to deal with it, and I’m pretty sure S.H.E.I.L.D. isn’t around anymore. Look, I’m not saying you should bust down the door and take names, just that it’s worth looking into.” He looked at Tony, pleading.

The man had remained quiet since Peter had asked him about Stark Industries’ history with weapons, and Peter was seriously starting to wonder if he’d crossed a line. Regardless, Tony cleared his throat and inched forward ever so slightly. When he spoke, his voice was unmistakably earnest. “Peter, we’re trying to make you safe. That’s all this is, that’s all we care about. Gargan is our focus, if he burned down that building then he’s the one we’re after.”

“Why do I get to be safe?” Peter protested. His concern for the safety of others was what made him get out of bed all those months alone, and he couldn’t just set that aside. “There’s a bigger issue here, one that’ll hurt a lot more people than just me.”

Rhodey dropped his head, evidently not pleased with himself as he said, “The kid might be right, Ton-“

“I’m not starting a fight,” Tony snapped at his friend. “We’ve gone against him before, and yes we won, but it sure as hell wasn’t easy. If we try it again, for whatever reason, it’ll be a mess.” Then, he pointed his finger at Peter. “And I’m not dragging you into the middle of that.”

“You’re not starting a fight.” Peter argued back. “This is a company that’s hiring a criminal to destroy homes, and they don’t even care.” He started scrambling for a new line of defence, needing his mentor to understand. “The supplies Tombstone was using – that wasn’t just for peddling heroin to kids, he’s been trying to enhance himself for years – you think it’s a coincidence that Hammer Tech had what he needed?”

“Oh, come on,” Tony laughed dryly, “You’re a science-y kid, you know as well as I do that it’s all just ingredients! Just ingredients and fucked up chefs- y’know, just 'cause Tombstone was cooking something weird doesn’t mean Hammer Tech was doing the same.”

“Oh really? Then what about the protesting?”

“People will protest anything,” Tony dismissed, but Peter carried on.

“This ‘new direction’? Biological research conducted by previous weapons company that has a reputation for shirking ethics? That doesn’t sound suspicious at all! And if they can hire someone like Gargan off books to do their dirty work, then who knows what else they’re hiding?”

Tony insisted, “This is about keeping you safe-“

“Well, I’m not safe!”

Peter hadn’t meant to yell. He definitely hadn’t meant to stand. Four pairs of shocked eyes stared at him, and he could swear he’d never felt so vulnerable, not even when they discovered his identity.

“Look at me,” Peter continued, hating how small his voice had become. “I don’t even know what I am. I’ll never be safe. Not as long as people insist on being fascinated by the enhanced. C’mon, Mr Stark,” Peter pleaded, forcing himself to sit back down on his stool. “You work with the Avengers – you, all of you, have gotta know how serious this is. If there is even a chance they’re trying to make super-soldiers, isn’t it worth looking into?” That was all he needed – just that tiny admittance that something could be done.

He watched the thoughts churning behind Tony’s eyes, could feel the resistance the man was clearly trying to stick to. Peter knew his mentor was obstinate by nature – perhaps that nature would’ve won out it Nat hadn’t spoken up.

“For what it’s worth, It’s just intel,” she stated, matter-of-fact. “We don’t have to actually bring this into the open until we have all the facts.”

Tony pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled. “…Fine. Fine. Add it to the bottom of the to-do list, it is not the priority…” he levelled a pointed look at Peter, who was trying not to seem too pleased, “…but we can do a low-key, cursory investigation.” It seemed like conceding was physically difficult for the man, so he moved past it as quickly as possible. “Like I said, Gargan is the priority – I’ll have FRIDAY dig up as much as she can find, see if we can find any potential leads.”

“That ‘Prowler’ character sounds like he knows more than he’s letting on,” Nat pointed out. “If we could get a hold of him, maybe he’d be willing to share.”

“Sounds reasonable,” Tony nodded. “Kid, you know how to get a hold of him? Does he have some kind of bat-signal or something?”

“Cat-signal,” Peter couldn’t help but say, earning him a half-cringe/half-smile from his mentor, “And no, he doesn’t… but I do know who he is. Promise me you won’t hand him over to the police, first? ‘Cause he’s not a contract-thief anymore and he’s more than made up for it-”

“We aren’t gonna narc on the guy,” Tony promised, holding up his hand in a mock-scout’s salute, "Just tell us who he is.”

Peter looked over at Nat apologetically. “Actually… you’ve already met him. You remember Aaron Davis?” Recognition flickered behind Nat’s eyes. “Yeah… that’s why I helped with his robot-stuff, I’ve been keeping tabs on him,” Peter admitted sheepishly.

After a moment’s pause (in which Nat’s expression remained completely and infuriatingly unreadable) she nodded. “Looks like we’ve got ourselves a lead.”

“Well then, is that all settled?” Pepper asked, sounding like she very much wanted the answer to be 'yes'.

Tony shrugged. “FRIDAY’s looking into Gargan, Melissa’s gonna pay Davis a visit… sounds like a good start. Unless anyone has something important to add?”

“For legal reasons, I heard none of this,” Rhodey replied, earning him a cheeky smile from Tony.

“Great!” Pepper hopped down off her stool, then tugged on Tony’s arm. “Come help me make omelettes.”

-

By late-afternoon, Peter was already exhausted, but the rest of his day had been surprisingly pleasant. After breakfast (in which Peter was presented with a ridiculously large plate of omelette), Nat and Rhodey left, and Pepper had sat Peter down on the couch. There she'd made him promise that, until they knew it was safe, he wouldn’t go out as Spider-Man. He’d been quick to agree – he’d made that mistake once, and as it stood, he didn’t want to do or say anything against the people who had taken him in… well, more than he already had that morning.

Seemingly satisfied, she then handed him a StarkPhone, and explained that FRIDAY had automatically backed up whatever was on his old one to a spare, and that this was standard given that “Tony Stark has no respect for his own products,” and the man apparently goes through them a lot. He still felt a little guilty about losing it in the fire, but Pepper wouldn’t hear it. She then explained that he was allowed to leave the tower, but he had to be with someone, either she or Tony would have to know who that someone was, and he had to keep in regular contact. She also added with vehemence that if his “sense-y thing” acted up at all, he was to listen to it, and to contact them. It all sounded reasonable enough, so Peter had readily agreed, and Pepper had seemed fairly pleased with herself.

At this point, Tony had stepped in, claiming that they’d “All spent more than enough time being sensible for one morning,” and had taken him down to the lab. They’d worked for a while in their usual companionable silence, only breaking it to ask for the odd tool or make the occasional joke. It was a couple of hours in, however, that Peter started to feel unsteady on his feet. He’s tried to muscle through it at first, but clearly he hadn’t been doing a very good job of hiding it, as Tony soon kicked over a swivel chair in his direction.

Sitting helped, for a while. His healing must’ve been taking up a lot of his energy, however, as now, even with a half-completed R&D project file projected above his workbench, Peter found his eyes were drooping.

“If you fall asleep, I’m leaving you down here,” came Tony’s voice from the other side of the lab.

Peter grinned sleepily. “Eh, that’s fine – I could do this in my sleep.”

“Show-off,” the man muttered in the distance. Peter must have been more out of it than he realised, however, as he didn’t notice Tony moving closer until the man was stood right next to him. “Y’know, if anyone found out my intern was being worked to the point of passing out, I’d be on the receiving end of one hell of a lawsuit.”

Peter shook his head, too tired to think of a comeback. “I’m always tired when I’m healing.”

“Ah yes, the freaky spider-biology is at it again.”

“Uh, I think you mean my super-cool hero genes?”

“Peter, I’m pretty sure those were sweatpants.”

“…You’re old and no one finds you funny.”

“Well now you’re just being mean,” Tony grumbled, pulling Peter’s swivel chair away from the desk.

Reluctantly, Peter complied, closing the hologram and pulling his aching body back onto his feet. He wobbled slightly, and Tony held out a hand ready to help him, put he was able to catch himself. “I’m good,” he mumbled, and started dragging himself across the lab to the door.

Back in the penthouse, Tony sat Peter down with a bowl of soup and some bread, then took a seat beside him. As Peter ate, the man rambled on about ideas he was having for updating the retro-reflexive panels on the quinjet, with Peter nodding along, contented just to sit and listen. Pepper walked in from the elevator just as Peter finished his soup. She brushed her fingers through his hair as she passed (something, he was beginning to note, she did a lot) and the comfort of it reminded him just how tired he’d become. With that, he washed his dishes, bid them goodnight at little past 6:30pm, and headed to his room.

…Where something was not quite right.

Not in the spider-sense way. There was no danger, there was just… difference. The bedsheets were as he’d left them, pyjamas too… nothing looked out of place. Some little instinct inside him carried him over to to the wardrobes, and when he opened them, he found his answer – they were almost empty.

For as long as he’d stayed in that room, he’d grown accustomed to the random assortment of clothes, seemingly catering to any size, age or gender. Now, all that was left were the items he actually wore – the rest had been removed.

This inexplicable change was strange enough to compel Peter to wander back to the main living area, a quizzical look plastered on his brow.

Pepper and Tony were sat at the isle, right where they’d been that morning, only the mugs of green tea were now replaced by two glasses of red wine. Once they clocked him, both startled slightly, before growing worried.

“Everything okay, buddy?” Tony asked, sounding almost casual.

“Yeah, yeah, everything’s fine, just… the wardrobes are…?”

Pepper’s face dawned with understanding. “Oh, I forgot to mention – see, Nat asked me earlier about this jacket she had here a while back, and then I realised it was still in your room, and that there was still a lot of spare clothes in there, so I took out the stuff I haven’t seen you wear and moved it to one of the other rooms,” she said with a shrug. “Oh- was there something you were looking for? ‘Cause if you want we can go through the rest of it-“

“No, no, that’s okay. I just…” Peter couldn’t find the words. Peter didn’t know if there were any words to describe how he was feeling.

“Oh, and before I forget, I was thinking about ordering you some more? Only, once I’d cleared the rest out, there really wasn’t much left. Which I guess was fine when you were just here weekends, but now that you’re staying here, you could probably do with having some more shirts at least, but I didn’t want to just go ahead and do it before you had a say in what you might like. And, since it’s getting colder-“

“You okay, Peter?” Tony cut in.

Peter didn’t know.

“I, uh…”

Out the corner of his eye, he registered Pepper covering her mouth with her hands, perhaps in guilt, but Tony stayed still.

“I really…”

Peter tried his best to school himself. He could do this, if only he could find the words.

“I really appreciate… you… taking the time to do that.” There was more that he needed to say, and this felt like as good a time as any. “And… for this morning. For taking me in, for helping me, for putting up with… You don’t have to do all this.” That seemed like too much, so Peter tried his best to reel it back in. “Uh, the clothes. It’s okay, I’m good with what’s there.”

“Peter,” Pepper began slowly. He felt awful at how cautious she was being as she moved towards him, like one wrong move would send him running. Then again, he did have a habit of doing that. Once she was stood in front of him, she placed her hands on each of his shoulders. “You’re no trouble. I chose to move that stuff out because I didn’t want you to get the impression that you’re just another visitor. You can have a place here for as long as you want it.”

“But you didn’t hurt me?” That seemed to shock her for a moment, so he quickly clarified, “With your car! I mean, it hurt, but… I was fine all along, you know that now, right? I get a lot worse on a regular basis, so please don’t feel like you need to make it up to me anymore.”

If Peter didn’t know better, he would’ve thought there were tears welling in Peppers eyes. But he did know better, and that couldn’t have been the case. Nor could her voice have possibly cracked when she spoke. “I’m not trying to make it up to you,” she said slowly. “I like- we like having you here. And we want you to feel welcome. And safe, and happy.”

It felt too familiar. It burned in a way that only memories burned. If Pepper said anything else, Peter wasn’t sure he’d be able to hold back anymore.

“Please don’t think we’re doing this out of obligation, or necessity, because we aren’t-“

In a flash, Peter had his arms wrapped around Pepper's middle, his face pressed tightly against her shoulder. Only a beat passed before she returned the embrace, one of her hands coming up to twine with the curls at the base of his head as the other clutched his back. It was as if the pressure alone was plugging some gap Peter had been walking around with for months, making him feel oddly whole in a way that was completely unfamiliar to him. It was as strange as it was miraculous, and Peter soaked up every second of it.

Over Pepper’s shoulder, through his increasingly blurry vision, Peter watched as Tony raised his glass at him in a sarcastic toast. “What she said,” the man shrugged, before downing the rest of his wine.