Peter didn't do it. He swore on his life to mr. Stark, apologized, begged, but the man wouldn't budge. A thief. That's what mr. Stark had called him on that Wednesday Peter arrived at the tower. A traitor, gold digger, thief. Peter did nothing wrong, he didn't steal those pieces of technology, those formulas. Someone framed him. Who would do something like that?
Peter had been staying at the tower, due to his aunt going to Africa to volunteer at a hospital. He didn't want to call her, tell her what had happened and make her come back for him. Would she even believe him? Peter didn't know, the only thing he knew for sure, was that he did not steal. He wasn't a thief.
So, he told mr. Stark that May was already back, and he left, leaving his suit behind like mr. Stark had ordered. He felt Stark's piercing stare in his back as Peter walked away from the tower one last time. Nowhere to go and no money, just clothes and his phone. A tear escaped Peter's eye, his heart was aching so painfully he wanted to collapse right there.
He didn't do it.
He really, really didn't. Why did no one believe him? Even Clint thought he did it. His prank buddy. Even Bruce, his science bro. Even mr. Stark, his.. What even was mr. Stark? Awkward father figure? Mentor? Another thing Peter didn't know.
-
Peter wanders around the busy New York streets, not really knowing where he's going. His feet bring him to his apartment. This all would have been easy, if May hadn't rented the apartment to some students so she could still make some money while she was gone. Peter looks up at the familiar building before sighing and walking further to one of the abandoned warehouses he always rested as spiderman.
Spiderman. He lost him too. Not for the first time, mr. Stark had already taken his suit once and called it a 'tough love' moment after. What would mr. Stark call this after this is over? Or will this never be over? Will his idol forever believe Peter is a thief? Yet another thing Peter just doesn't know.
At the warehouse, Peter climbs up to the second floor and hops through the window. There's spiderwebs, dust and garbage all over the place, together with a single couch and a small cabinet. The two pieces of furniture are really random, but the couch is the main reason Peter chose this warehouse.
It's in the middle of July, summer break, and it's smoking hot in the warehouse, which obviously has no AC. Peter had thought about going to Ned or MJ, but MJ would say no or feel uncomfortable, and Ned was off to Canada with his parents. So, Peter lays down on the couch, silent tears mingling with sweat.
---
Tony didn't want to believe it. Peter, stealing? Peter? His- The kid? An anonymous person had given the tip, claiming Peter stole multiple pieces of technology and formula's. Tony didn't believe it, but when the anonymous person told him to just look into it, and Tony did, he didn't know what to think.
There were indeed things missing from the labs, sorry, lab, singular. Only Tony's lab. The only people who had access to his lab were Bruce, Happy, Pepper and.. Peter. Tony knew Bruce, Happy and Pepper would never do something like that, and FRIDAY confirmed that no one without access had entered his lab in the last 4 months.
Betrayed. That's how Tony felt. He had grown to care for the kid, genuinely cared about him. Still, showing nothing but anger, he send Peter away. He didn't show his sadness, even when Peter began to beg. Just.. Send him away.
-
Tony watches the boy's back as he walks away with just his duffel bag. Duffel bag without spiderman suit. He made the right choice, right?
---
The next day, Peter wakes up early. He doesn't know if he even slept or just laid the whole night with his eyes closed. He's determined to prove mr. Stark he isn't a thief. Peter has no idea how he's gonna do that. When Peter had asked mr. Stark why the man thought he stole those things, mr. Stark said something vague about an 'anonymous tip'.
So, Peter made a list of people who hate him. It would be a long list if this was about spiderman, but it's about Peter Parker. Only one man knows Peter's identity.
The vulture.
But what would his motive be? Why wouldn't he just attack Peter, but instead attack him like this, forcing him to leave the tower? What does he want with Pete-
This isn't about him. The vulture wants Peter gone from the tower so he can sneak in and steal things, and Peter would get in his way because he knows him. Peter needs to tell mr. Stark.
Snatching his phone, his heart sinks when the profile picture from 'fefe :)' is blank. Clicking on the contact, it says what Peter feared. "Number no longer available. More information? Click here"
Peter shakes the awful feeling off and lets the phone slide back into his pocket before he climbs down out of the window. He has to warn mr. Stark, if Tony hates him or not.
-
He doesn't even step foot in the tower before 2 men in security uniforms start walking towards him. "I'm afraid you can't enter, you have been permanently banned from the Stark tower and are requested to leave immediately." One of the men says.
"Wait, please, someone's gonna attack the tower, I swear-" The men ignore his pleads and force him back. Peter gives up, wipes his watery eyes and struts back. Back to where? He doesn't know.
---
Tony watches the 2 men talk to Peter. He begins begging and Tony scoffs at one thing Peter says. "someone's gonna attack the tower" As if.
---
1 month. That's how long Peter spent homeless, malnourished and dehydrated, but still trying to contact Stark in any way. When Peter walks on the streets he avoids to look at his reflection. He's thin, unnaturally thin. His collar and cheekbones almost pierce out of his skin. His hair is long and greasy, his eyes have dark bags under them and his face is full with dirt and scrapes. He hates how he looks, unhealthy, poor, gross. But what he hates even more, is how other people look at him, with pity, disgust, hatred.
It's Saturday night when it happens. Peter can see it from his warehouse. Explosions. At the Stark tower. The one he is permanently banned from. Peter watches with tears in his eyes.
I didn't try hard enough.
---
Tony has watched all the security footage of Peter trying to get back into the tower. He doesn't really listen to the kid anymore, he only looks. At Peter's hollow face, which keeps getting hollower in every video. His long, dirty hair, which keeps getting worse every video. Tears fill Tony's eyes every time he thinks about it, but the droplets never actually fall. Pushing his emotions back, is what Pepper calls it.
The unhealthy state the kid is in, makes Tony begin to doubt his decision. What the hell is going on? Why isn't May taking care of him? Why do I care? He stole from me.
Did he?
-
It's saturday night when it happens. Tony can see it from the empire state building. (Where he was having a business meeting.) Explosions. At his tower. The one he permanentely banned the only light in his life from. Tony watches in shock and regret.
I didn't listen.
---
Peter runs. Runs as fast as he can, past all the people looking at the Stark tower. Peter could already see the vulture, flying out of the tower. Peter followed the figure, he was way behind but he watches as the vulture lands at a warehouse not far from the one from homecoming.
-
It was a mistake. He is gonna die. He made the same mistake he made last time. He was trapped under the building. The vulture is standing over him. "No one is going to come get you, Pedro. Aunt gone, friends gone, Stark.. gone." Peter pants under the weight of the warehouse and winces at the words. He is struggling, trying to lift the rubble off to stop the man before he can leave.
But he's already gone, Peter hears the wings start to power up and before he can stop him, he's gone. Getting away with everything. The proof. The technology. The formula's. The blue prints. Everything.
Peter shouts for help, but it hits him no one can hear him, just like last time. Even though that's depressing, Peter realizes something else. If he could get out of here last time, he can do it now. So he begins to lift the rubble off him, and eventually he succeeds and stumbles around. Black little snowflakes are starting to fall into Peter's vision, growing bigger, and bigger, and-
Peter falls to the floor, limp. While blood is pooling around the teen's body, Ironman is having a little chat with the vulture.
---
Tony pin the winged man down with force. "What did you do!?" He yells aggressively and for some reason the man smirks. "You got me, I admit that. But too late. Why didn't you listen to sweet, little Peter?" Tony's eyes widen in horror. "What. did. you. do!?" He growls and the vulture laughs again, coughing up some blood.
"I ripped you two apart. He would stand in my way, but I didn't want to kill him, so I send you an anonymous tip," He coughs before continuing, "But I guess it doesn't matter, because I killed him anyway." The vulture chuckles while Tony backs up in shock and horror.
"FRIDAY, hold him down." Restraints immediately held the still laughing man down. "Where is Peter?"
"Warehouse 23 at the river, but by this time he should be dead already, especially seen his state. You seen those hollow cheeks? Ha." Tony keeps himself from beating the man to death and flies towards the warehouse.
-
A limp body lays sprawled on the floor, next to the rubble of a collapsed warehouse. Tony could guess what happened. Kneeling next to the body, Tony could see even better the awful state Peter was in. "Pete? You gotta wake up bud. Kiddo? Please, I'm- I'm so sorry kid. Please-"
Peter's eyes fluttered open and widened at the sight of Tony. "Kid? Oh god, oh- jesus, kid-" Peter frowns in confusion. His body hurt.
"m'sser s'ark? wha' are you doin' here?" Peter slurred in confusion and he tries to bend his neck to look around, but he winces and moans in pain. "M'sser s'ark, It 'urts." Peter whines and Tony combs his fingers through Peter's long hair. "It's okay, you're gonna be okay, Peter? Don't fall asleep, kid. You gotta stay with me, kid? Kid? Pete? Bud. Peter?" Peter's eyes close and don't open again. "Fuck."
Tony winces at how light the kid is. He could feel Peter's ribs through the boy's dirty shirt as Tony flies him to the medbay, which was, by the way, not affected by the explosion. The explosion was at the east side of the building, at the storage room.
Tony watches in worry as multiple nurses and doctors take Peter into the surgery room.
What have I done?
---
Guilt. The guilt Tony is feeling is unbearable. Homeless. That's what Peter had been for the past month or so. May wasn't back, May doesn't even know about anything. When Peter wakes up, Tony has a hard time going to see him. Tony doesn't deserve him.
"Hey kid." Tony stands in the doorway of Peter's private room. "Hey mr. Stark." Peter says weakly and with a small smile. Tony almost gags when he sees Peter in better lightning. Not out of disgust, just because... Tony doesn't know why, this is just not the Peter he knew, so unhealthy, beaten up..
"Look kid, I- I made a mistake. A big one. You- YoumeanalottomeandI'msorryIdidn'ttrustyou." Tony says it all in one breath, having a hard time expressing his feelings. "I didn't understand any of that, but I'm so sorry mr. Stark." Tony frowns. "What- Why? Why are you saying sorry?" He sits on the edge of Peter's bed carefully.
"I didn't stop him." Peter looks down in shame as tears threaten to fall. "Kid. Please, stop doing this to yourself. This was all my fault. I'm sorry I didn't trust you. I'm sorry I ignored your warnings. I'm sorry I didn't notice in how bad of a state you are. I'm sorry I let you be homeless for so long. I am sorry for everything kid, and I'm so proud of you." Tony wipes a tear quickly. "Woops, there you have it. Feelings, right?" He laughs without humor and holds Peter's hand.
"I-It's okay mr. Stark, I know trusting people is hard for you." Peter looks up with an unsure smile and Tony returns it with a confident one. "I guess you're right, kiddo. Oh yeah, the team is also sorry." Peter smiles and Tony's heart aches at Peter's forgiveness.
"Let's get some food in ya."
---