Chapter 16
After Peter told Tony about what happened to Sky, there was a shift in their relationship. Nothing huge or monumental, in fact, it didn’t seem like anyone other than Tony and Peter even noticed it, but it was there. It was there in the way that Peter would actually stop and answer Tony when he asked about his day. It was there when Sky came over to do homework and they sat with Harley at the kitchen island instead of hiding away in his room. It was there when Tony walked into the lab and saw that Peter was sitting at the desk he had given him, picking apart an old CD player. There were still fights and eye rolls and silence, but there was something else too. A spark of hope, a chance for something resembling an actual relationship in the future. Their shared moment of trust had cracked the door open to something more.
There was a chill in the air and Peter shoved his hands deeper into his pockets as he made his way back to the Tower after a long shift at the diner. A true crime podcast was blaring through his brand new headphones, tuning out the noise of the city. They were nice, nicer than anything he had ever owned, and when Pepper had given them to him the week before, he had balked. No one had ever given him something so expensive. He tried to refuse, but the hopeful expression on Pepper’s face had broken his resolve with alarming speed.
“Well, well, well, if it isn’t Peter freakin’ Parker!” The shout was just barely heard through the headphones, but when Peter turned, he knew exactly where it was coming from. He pulled the headphones down and let them hang around his neck.
“Cam, what’s up man?” Peter stopped and let the tall teenager behind him catch up.
“Dude, no one’s seen you in weeks! Where’ve you been?” Cam slaps Peter’s shoulder.
Peter shrugged. “Around. Brooks kicked me out.”
“Yeah, I heard you landed the foster to end all fosters. I mean, Tony Stark? That’s one hell of a change of luck, huh.”
“It’s, different that’s for sure. But he’s not exactly my foster parent.”
Cam grinned, “I heard something like that too. So what, you call the Starks mommy and daddy and they shower you with fancy headphones and shoes that cost more than I’ll ever see in my life. Where do I sign up?”
Peter looks down self consciously at his shoes. Tony had insisted he take them, said that there was no reason that Peter should be walking around New York in shoes that were more duct tape than shoe. He hadn’t realized they were so expensive. Cam seemed to notice his discomfort because he smiled and nudged Peter.
“Hey, no shame dude. You should fleece them for all they’ve got. If you gotta play the part of the obedient and grateful son, I say go for it. After the life you’ve had so far, you deserve it.”
“I don’t know about that.” Peter muttered.
There was an awkward pause, then Cam said, “I’ve been meaning to find you actually. Did you hear about Kendra?” Kendra was a girl that had been placed in the same foster home as Peter and Cam for a few months before Peter was sent to Skip’s.
“No, something happen?”
Cam’s face clouded over, “She moved in with Westcott a couple months back.” He took a deep breath, “She OD’d two weeks ago.”
Peter felt an icy hand grip his heart. Not because she OD’d, sometimes it felt like he had more friends in the ground than on it, but- Westcott. She had to endure two months with Skip. And it had gotten so bad that it broke her.
“Damn.”
“Yeah. They didn’t even do a funeral. A few of us were going to go check out her grave, bring flowers or something, but they won’t tell us where she’s buried.” Cam shook his head. “It’s like no even cares that she’s dead. Like her life was nothing.”
“Like we’re nothing.” Peter whispers.
Cam stares at him. “I know something went down between you and Westcott. And whatever it was, I’d bet my life that Kendra was dealing with the same thing. Let’s hope the next kid he gets is ready for what’s coming to him.”
Peter scowled at the pavement. “It’s not my fault that he keeps getting placements.”
Cam raised his hands it surrender. “I never said it was man. We’ve been powerless all our lives. But, you aren’t anymore. You’ve got Ironman in your corner now. Maybe it’s time to see just how far he’s willing to go for you.”
Peter thinks back to what Tony said to him after he had told him what had happened to Skyler. He had said if the man who hurt her ever got out, he’d make sure he’d end up back in prison. Did he mean that? Who he feel the same way if someone had hurt Peter?
“Just, give it some thought man.” Cam pulled Peter back to the world. “I know what I’m asking isn’t easy, or fair. But hey, when have those words ever been used to describe our lives?”
Peter snorted, “Never. I’ll think about it, but I’m not making any promises Cam.”
Cam nodded. “I get it dude, it’s heavy stuff.”
Peter smiled at Cam. He had always liked his ability to boil down their trials and tribulations to a couple simple words. It was refreshingly earnest. Peter thought about the last time he had seen Cam. It had been longer than Peter had realized. Cam used to be one of his closest friends, and Peter couldn’t for the life of him think of why he let this much time pass.
“You got plans tonight? I’m heading to Ricky’s later. We’re getting together in honor of Kendra. Wanna come party?” He asked with a smirk and a cocked eyebrow.
Ah, that’s why. Because Cam’s idea of honoring their friend who had just OD’d was to get high off of whatever they could get their hands on.
“Can’t.” Or, won’t, but Cam doesn’t need to know that.
“Boo. You used to be fun Parker. Or is it Stark now?”
“It’s Parker.” Peter snapped.
Cam tilted his head in thought. “You sure about that? Because wearing fancy shoes and owning expensive headphones seems way more like a Stark trait to me.”
“You said it yourself, why shouldn’t I take advantage of them.”
“So long as you’re not sacrificing yourself in return dude.” Cam gave Peter a final look that he couldn’t quite decipher, then shrugged and turned away, heading off in the opposite direction.
Even once he’s turn the corner and is out of sight, Peter can still hear Cam’s words echoing in his head, Or is it Stark now? Cam was right, the shoes and headphones and the general lack of interest in partying weren’t him. Or, weren’t the way he had been. But now? Peter shook his head. He was still him. So what if he had nice things now? Didn’t he deserve them for all the hell he had been through? And so what if he didn’t want to get drunk and high? He had never really liked it anyway. What right did Cam have to question him?
Or is it Stark now? Peter pushed the question away, buried it down with everything else that he had forced into the dark, shadowy corners of his mind. But the ghost of another question, one he didn’t dare address, lingered.
Was it ever actually Parker?