[you] need someone
Peter found himself alone in a room finally freshly showered and in his own fresh clothes that Pepper had somehow brought over for him. Happy had explained everything on their walk, or as much as he could. That Peter and half the universe had been essentially dead for five years and how Mr. Stark invented time travel and brought everyone back. And how the world had essentially erupted into chaos for the second time but in a better way because now families could be reunited. (Although with difficulty if families had moved or were currently located across the world). Which meant he would have to wait longer until he could see Aunt May or any of his friends. Happy had also told him that they had all disappeared when Peter did but should all be back by now and he hated knowing that they had been painfully ripped away like he had been. Sometimes he could still feel the lingering pain of pieces of him breaking off.
He was grateful that Happy had provided him with a familiar face. Because though he knew the avengers (if you counted fighting them in an airport terminal as knowing.) and he knew Pepper and Rhodey, he knew Happy the most. It didn’t matter if it was from silent or one sided conversation car rides. Happy’s presence had eventually become calming for him whenever he would drive Peter to the tower or home or anywhere.
And although Peter had already met Morgan Stark, he was glad that Happy took the time to explain exactly who she was and told him all about her.
“You know, kid,” Happy had paused while explaining the existence of Morgan Stark. “Tony always said that while Morgan was his first born, you were always his first kid. You prepared him to be the Father to Morgan that he needed to be. He probably won’t say that. And you better not tell him I told you that either.”
Peter had been so touched that he hugged Happy again. And he knew a lot had changed in five years because Happy didn’t grumble in mock reluctance. Instead, the man wrapped his arms around Peter as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
They had gone back to the palace after that and Happy had shown him the room he would be staying in for the time being. After he had changed he wanted to go back down to see Mr. Stark again, to hear his heartbeat, but Happy told him they were going to perform another surgery on the man, skin grafting to see if they could save the damaged arm and Peter was ordered to get some real rest.
But Peter couldn’t rest. Because as soon as he found himself alone in that room it became far too silent. The only heartbeat he could hear was his own. And it wasn’t enough.
Clint’s heart almost stopped when came across Peter’s slumped over form outside the Shuri’s lab. But when Clint quickly approached he realized the boy hadn’t passed out in the literal, fainting sort of sense but rather in the having fallen asleep sort of sense. They had all been under the impression that the kid had been taken to his room by Happy for some proper rest. But that clearly didn’t happen. Clint glanced towards the doors that Peter sat across from.
Tony’s heartbeat. Though Clint himself couldn’t hear it, the kid clearly clung onto it as if it were his own life force and not Tony’s.
He was hit with the sudden realization that they had left the kid alone in a strange room and after everything that had gone down, a kid should not have been left alone at a time like this. Not even superhero spider kids. Gently he picked him up and carried him back to his room.
Peter woke up in a soft warm bed. Which was weird because he was pretty sure he had fallen asleep in a hallway. But he heard a heartbeat. It wasn't Mr. Stark’s and it was somewhat unfamiliar but it was calming enough.
The lights were off and it must have been nighttime because only city lights were coming in. For a moment he almost thought he was at Stark tower in the penthouse if he didn’t quickly remember that he was actually across the ocean in Wakanda.
“Hey, Tony’s kid,” The owner of the heartbeat spoke up.
Peter blinked blurrily and sat up. “Wha—“
“Easy does it, man,” Clint Barton said. “Found you asleep in the hallway figured this’d be comfier.”
Peter blushed and started to stammer.
“Relax, kid, I got kids of my own. Wouldn’t want them sleeping in the hallway, why would I let you do the same.” Clint said.
“I’m not— Mr. Stark isn’t my—“ Peter said. Clearly still focused on the first thing he had heard upon waking up.
“I know,” Clint said. “Listen, kid, are you ok? Like really? I found you passed out in the hallway.”
He watched as the boy looked down and scowled.
“I’m alright, really, Mr. Barton,” Peter bit out. “I’m not a kid, you don’t have to babysit me or whatever.”
It came out harsher than he meant to. But he didn't really care. Clint let out a sigh. This kid. Somehow still at least a little polite even if he wanted to have an attitude.
“You know, I lost my kids the first time around, they call it the decimation.” Clint said. “Actually you probably didn’t know I even had kids until now, but they, uh, they were gone. Like you. Disappeared right in front of me.”
Peter quieted and looked up at Clint through the top of his eyes. Clearly uncertain at why he was being told any of this. By Hawkeye of all people.
“They’re back now, thanks to Tony really,” he reassured Peter, even if he was sure the kid probably put that together already. “One of them is your age by the way, my oldest, his name is Cooper, he’s here, maybe I’ll introduce you before they go back home.
“Anyways, I didn’t think anyone would know what that’s like, none of the others had kids that I knew of. But do you know what I saw when I first came back to the compound 5 years ago? Everything happened so fast so I hadn’t been a part of that first fight.”
Peter shook his head. He sat up straighter and looked Hawkeye with wide curious eyes. Clint was surprised to find the look to be familiar. One that he saw in those photos in that room all those years ago. Full of eagerness and desire to learn or be something greater than he was. It struck just how out of time the kid must be. It had been five years and even if he didn’t know him then, he could tell that the kid must not have changed all that much.
“I found your room at the compound and a box of your things. I found photographs of you and Tony all over the place. Do you know how alike the two of you look?” Clint said and Peter’s eyes somehow widened even more. “Thought for sure you were his kid.”
“But I’m not,” Peter whispered.
Clint gave him the most unimpressed look. It was like he had gone back in time again to 2018 and was talking to an emotionally denying Tony Stark again.
“I’m not like you,” Tony had said bitterly. “If you’re trying to find some sort of comfort or whatever this is in solidarity. I’m not a dad.”
“I don’t know if Tony would want me telling you this but you’re going to hear it from me anyway. When he got off that spaceship, he was, well, a wreck, never seen the man look worse. The first thing he said to anybody was, ‘I lost the kid’,” he said and watched the kid carefully as he shifted and fiddled uncomfortably with his sheets.
“It wasn’t your fault.” Clint paused to remind him. “And after he recovered a bit we were trying to see if we could bring you all back and Tony was, well as distracted as I was. He ended up blowing up at Steve, which was as expected I guess, because, and I remember this conversation very well, Cap had said that we had all lost someone and he mentioned Tony loosing you, Spider-Man, and do you know what Tony snapped back?”
Peter once again shook his head and it was clear that Clint had the kid’s rapt attention. It reminded him of telling Nate stories before bed and he had to hold back a soft smile. He wanted the kid to know how serious he was.
“‘You don’t get to talk about my kid’,” Clint said quietly. “He called you his kid, because that’s what you are. You’re Tony’s kid.”
The kid’s eyes got impossibly wider and he blinked away tears Clint pretended not to see.
“They say there is no pain like losing a child,” Clint continued. He stares out the large palace guest room window. “And I may be biased, but the parents of a Thanos snapped world had it the worst. No one expects to outlive their own kid.”
“But I wasn’t, I’m not,” the kid stammered.
“Peter,” Clint said seriously. “You sit outside of Tony’s door. Or find your way inside. Everytime we can’t find you, the first place I look and will always look is by Tony’s side. He was the first person you sought out on the battlefield. I know you listen to his heartbeat just to make sure he’s still there. And likewise You were the first person he sought out. The person Tony wanted back more than anyone in the universe. There wasn’t a day in the last five years that he didn’t miss you. He raised Morgan, his daughter, with stories about her brother, Peter Parker. When he found out Pepper was pregnant and was stressed and scared because who brings a kid into the world after half of it could be taken away by the snap of a finger, He went looking for a reminder of you at your old apartment. The way you go to his door to hear his heartbeat. Whatever you think of him, he may not be your dad on paper or in blood. But you are his kid. And I know to you, he is a very important adult in your life.”
“I just want him to be ok. I want Mr. Stark back.” Peter whispered. Finally the tears fell freely and Clint leaned over and put had on his shoulder and used his sleeve to wipe the boy’s eyes as he blushed.
“He will be, kid,” Clint said. “And in the meantime. I know I’m not him, and My Laura isn’t your Aunt and neither is Pepper. But you gotta know, there are people here who have your back. You are a kid. And what just happened was confusing even for adults and it’s scary. And that’s ok. I don’t care if you’re Spider-man and can look after yourself. I know you can. That’s not the point or the problem But even superheroes need to have someone looking after them.”
“Thank you, sir, I’m ok, really,” Peter said. And after Clint gave him a look that said he didn’t believe him Peter added, “it’s just been a lot.”
“I know, kid,” Clint said. “And I’m here more for Tony’s benefit than yours. I know you’re a strong kid. But as Father, if roles were reversed and I was on that bed. I’d want someone to be checking in on my kids, no matter how strong they are.”
“Thanks, Mr. Barton,” Peter smiled. After a moment of comfortable silence with Clint rubbing Peter’s back the way he did his own kids after a deep conversation, Peter spoke up again. “What about your kids, you said they were gone shouldn’t you be with them?”
Clint smiled. Tony was right, this kid was selfless to a fault.
“Nah, they’re ok. They aren’t super kids who were brought back to life to be thrown into a fight,” Clint said. “Besides they know where to find me and their mom’s here. I figured you need some company more than they do.”
“It’s fine you can go back to them, I’ll be ok,” Peter said hurriedly.
“Peter, there is a whole team of superheroes here. Some of us have kids, after everything that’s going on, we're all holding them pretty close to the chest. They all know they could go to anyone here if they need anything. You need to know that too. Superhero or not you're still what? 16? I’d even argue that because of that you need more support right now. Being a teenage superhero isn’t easy alone.” Clint said sternly. “You got that?”
“Yes, sir,” Peter said.
“Good, speaking of everyone supporting, everyone,, I also need a favor,” Clint said. “You don’t have to. Just so we’re this isn’t some sort of exchange—“
“I know it’s ok, I’d like to help,” Peter said.
He sat up straighter and swung his legs off with the most determined look on his face. It was quite remarkable to see the way he went from tired kid to superhero in a span of point two seconds and he wondered if Tony was ever as alarmed at this capability as he was. “If you can do the things I can and the bad things happen, they happen because of you.” He took that very seriously, clearly. They should probably work on that, he was much too young to carry the weight of the world on his world.
“I gotta go meet up with the others, figure things around the world out, you know a superhero's work is never done,” Clint said.
“Right.” Peter said getting out of bed.
“Not so fast,” Clint said. “This is an adults only thing.”
“What but come on!” Peter whined. Whined like the 15/16 year old teenager he was. “Mr. Stark made me an avenger! I can help! You just said you needed a favor.”
“Yeah I don’t doubt that and not that kind of favor,” Clint said. “This meeting is like real lame grown up stuff. Like press conferences, cleanup, paperwork, negotiating with world leaders, all that good stuff. Does that sound fun to you?”
Peter opened his mouth to speak but Clint didn’t even give him the chance before he continued.
“No. It sucks, I’d love to switch places with you but 1. Tony might possibly wake up from his magic coma just to kill me if I do, and 2. I actually have a very important job for you.”
He gave Peter a sly smirk that Peter must have taken as some kind of order because he stood up straighter and put on the most serious look on his adorably young face. Oh boy was the kid probably going to be disappointed.