Moving Day
Tony found himself alone with his son again two days later.
He had wanted space and Tony tried really hard to give him that. So much so that even went home to visit Morgan and Pepper to help prepare Peter and May’s rooms and the guest house for the FitzSimmons family.
But he couldn’t stay away for long and everyone else apparently decided he needed his own space. May went to the lake house herself when Tony came back to help get their rooms together and Rhodey was busy again, while Fitz and Jemma were already moving in to the guest house with their daughter- who Morgan was thrilled to meet just as much as she was Peter.
Which left him.
He really hoped Peter wasn’t disappointed by that when he woke up.
The more he watched him sleep, the more it hit him that this was his son. Everyday he’d notice something new that would take the breath out of him make him wonder all over again how he didn’t know the second he met him. It was literally staring him right in the face. One of the smartest people on the planet, and he didn’t even recognize his own son.
“Did I ever tell you that I used to wear glasses? My eye sight was terrible.”
Peter’s voice put a sudden halt to his thoughts, and he immediately blinked up at him in surprise. He was still laying down, shifted to his side so that they were facing each other- but he had at least opened his eyes this time before speaking, and there was an odd expression on his face as he blinked quizzically at Tony and he looked like he may still be half asleep.
“No, but I have seen pictures,” he admitted. Peter narrowed his eyes at that, full of confusion before shaking his head a bit deciding it wasn’t worth questioning.
“My mom- my um- my birth mom... she wore glasses, didn’t she?”
Tony hadn’t been prepared for that, and he felt his breath hitch in the back of his throat as he nodded. He was never in love with Mia- not the way he was with Pepper. But he had grown to love her in some way. How could he not when she gave him his son. But after he lost them, he had reverted back to being a playboy and a drunk and did everything he could to not think about what he’d lost.
That was, until about 5 years ago when he discovered his son never actually died.
Peter didn’t seem phased by Tony’s silence and just nodded too, blinking tiredly at him, as if he was still deep in thought.
“I think I dream about her sometimes,” he admitted, rolling over so he was staring up at the ceiling instead of Tony. “I never realized it before, obviously. My memories of my parents...” Tony really wished that didn’t sting the way it did. “I don’t really have any clear memories of them. But I know neither of them wore glasses. I just thought it was my brain doing weird things, you know? Confusing her with May. Any clear memories I have as a child are with her and Ben.”
Tony was afraid to move. As if one wrong word or movement would stop this moment.
“I also have always had this reoccurring nightmare. For as long as I can remember... of being locked in this dark room clutching a pillow. Couldn’t tell you much about the room. It was just dark and wet and for whatever reason, it terrified me. It didn’t ever make sense. The pillow was the only thing that felt real. Because it was real. The pillow I dreamt of holding while I cried was a real pillow. I had that pillow for years. I was like... abnormally attached to it. I don’t know why, it was just an ordinary pillow, with a plain red pillowcase. But it brought me comfort. Both in the nightmare, and in real life.”
All of Tony’s determination to stay stoic and just listen through this conversation flew through the window. His chest was starting to burn painfully, his heart beating wildly and it wasn’t until Peter stopped talking and turned a sharp stare in his direction again that he realized he wasn’t breathing. Shakily, he tried to inhale but it just seemed to get lodged in his throat. Spots started to dance in front of his eyes and his hands shook violently in his lap.
“Mr. Stark?” Peter was sitting up, swinging his legs over the side of the bed, suddenly looking a lot more alert as he made his way over to him so swiftly, it made his head spin and Tony wanted to stop him but he couldn’t find his voice. “Tony? Hey, you know that breathing thing you’re always getting onto me about? Pretty sure that applies to you too.”
That seemed to do the trick.
A laugh bubbled up from his chest and he blinked up at Peter who was staring down at him in concern with his hand splayed out against his chest over his beating heart. Of course Peter would use his own words against him. Why was he not surprised. Immediately he felt the tension that had built up in his shoulders ease up and the pain in his chest start to float away.
“Was it something I said?” Peter asked, his face pinched with concern.
He barely managed to keep from laughing again at that because it had been pretty much everything he said. Picturing his little boy - his Tommy - locked in a fucking room- was paralyzing. But none of that was Peter’s fault and Tony didn’t want to stop him from talking to him about it. He wanted to know everything Peter might remember. He needed to know everything.
But since he was opening up, Tony figured it was only fair if he did too.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to - I’m supposed to be taking care of you, not the other way around. It’s just..The last day I saw you...” He cleared his throat, and instinctively placed his hand over Peter’s holding it in place. “Before the accident. Before I lost you. You took my pillow with you. You always took something with you when you went to stay with your mom. It was routine and usuallu it was whatever the new toy of the week was. But that week... you switched things up and wanted my pillow.” He paused and shifted to meet his son’s gaze. “It had a red pillowcase.”
Peter’s mouth fell open, forming a silent “Oh” and his eyes widened as realization hit.
Tony was latching onto that specific part of Peter’s story. His attachment to a pillow that had belonged to his father and he didn’t even know it. That made his heart clench in the best way possible instead of the horrifying images that came with his kid’s nightmare. Images that were sure to fuel future nightmares for him too and remind him just how much he’d failed his son.
The silence was starting to grow awkward, Tony could see it on Peter’s face. Like he wasn’t sure how to process that new piece of information. So he dropped his hand back into his lap, and Peter surprised him by sitting in the chair next to him instead of retreating back to his bed to put distance between them.
“It’s moving day,” Tony reminded him, a small smile pulling at the corner of his lips.One he hoped didn’t look too forced. “Might even be able to check out a couple of the prosthetics Fitz and I have been working on. If you’re up to it, of course. Everyone keeps reminding me to move at your pace there.”
Peter - to Tony’s delight - seemed to perk up at the change of the subject. His eyes refocused and he actually smiled over at him. That’s something Stark could count on one hand the number of times he’d seen since they’d taken residence in Wakanda.
“I can’t wait. I’d love to one day maybe actually see Wakanda but I cannot wait to —“ Peter stopped suddenly, his eyes flashing over to the back door of the room that Shuri entered through usually. “I mean, I totally love it here. I’m super grateful for Princess Shuri’s help especially.” He said again, a little louder, just as the door opened and the Princess appeared.
“You heard me coming. But I’ll take the compliment anyway.” Shuri beamed, crossing the room to start scanning Peter with a small hand held device she walked in with. “Your lungs are nearly 80 percent healed. At this rate I suspect they’ll be at 100 percent in about a week. Your body is really starting to kick back into gear it seems. With that said-“ she held up a finger and shot Peter a warning gaze. “It’s still dealing with all of the trauma it’s experienced and you are not ready to just go back to normal. You need to still take it easy. I want you resting the majority of the day. No running or swinging for at least another month and even that is pushing it. Do I make myself clear?”
Peter and Tony nodded simultaneously.
“I’ll give a full report of care needed with Doctor Simmons. Don’t over do it, Peter. I mean it.” And her expression softened significantly and she rested her eyes with the same admiring sort of gaze Tony had seen on her a few times. It was the same way most people had been looking at Peter.
“I’ll do my best,” the kid grumbled, clearly embarrassed under the new intensity of Shuri’s gaze before a lightbulb very clearly seemed to go off in his head. “Hang on, how are we getting home? Are we taking a Quinn Jet or something?”
“C’mon, kid,” Tony laughed, shaking his head. “Did you forget we have our own personal taxi service at our disposal now?”
He watched as confusion slowly shifted into realization. Just before Strange himself came waltzing in, looking annoyed as ever- at least until he saw Peter sitting in the chair. His eyebrow quirked with a nod of approval and... something that almost looked like pride. Tony almost snorted on Peter’s behalf, knowing he was probably growing uncomfortable with the way he seemed to be the constant center of attention.
“The taxi service in question.” Tony smirked, waving his hand in the wizard’s direction.
“Not a taxi service.” He shot back. “Is it time? You ready, kid?” He added anyway, and even smiled gently at Peter.
“I was born ready. I knew it was moving day, but is it really time now?” Tony hadn’t realized it was going to be so soon either, but he really hoped it was- if for no other reason to keep the optimistic hopefulness on his kid’s place. He wouldn’t be able to be held responsible for himself if someone took that away from him.
“I don’t see why not. Your aunt has already taken the rest to your belongings this morning with her and I will be joining to make sure everything is in order with you’re medication.” Shuri shrugged, nodding at Strange who immediately started waving his hands, sparking a now very familiar fiery ring.
Tony beamed as soon as saw his daughter and Pepper on the other side and leaned over to whisper to his son. “Just a warning, Morgan is very excited. We have told her to keep her distance at first so she doesn’t overwhelm you... but she is 4 and has a mind of her own.” He waited, watching the kid’s face for any sign that he wasn’t okay with this but there didn’t seem to be any so he held out a hand for Peter to grab if he wanted. “You ready for this?”
His eyes shining, Peter accepted Tony’s hand with a nod and stood up, ready to follow Shuri into the portal and into the Stark Lake House.