Chapter 2
“What is happening?” Peter’s voice sounded like it was coming from a different person, on a different planet. He felt like he was not a part of his own body, floating in the infinite space that surrounded them. Tony grabbed a seat and dragged it next to Peter, sitting down. Their shoulders were almost touching, Peter noted.
Every synapse in his body was receiving electrical signals, like a buzz shaking Peter to his very core.
“What’s your mother’s name?” Peter side-eyed Tony so hard that Tony actually recoiled.
“I… I don’t want to…” Peter trailed off, trying to come up with an excuse, but Tony just cleared his throat.
“Of course, only tell me what you’re comfortable with.” Tony tried to understand, he really did, but he wanted to know who the mother of his son was badly. He had already tried to reverse search the DNA database, and then Stark’s own database, and nothing came up -- which was a bit odd. Stark had connections to the NYPD DNA database, and a couple of others, which should have given at least one hit. But he came up empty handed.
Peter had to get himself back together. He was spiraling, and soon he was gonna start hyperventilating and he was going to be past the point of a meltdown. He took a deep, shaky breath, and tried to calm his nerves. He had to talk about something. Anything.
“Biology is my favorite subject.” Peter spoke with a small voice, and Tony drew back for a moment, confused. Why was Peter talking about this? They could be talking about anything else, catching up on time they missed, learning about each other, but he wants to talk about biology?
Tony caught himself- this is getting to know Peter. He couldn’t jump into things. Steve and him had talked about this. Tony was so excited to have a son, and he was so regretful to have not been there for him. Seventeen years Peter had been on this Earth, walking, and talking, and growing, and Tony had missed every single one of them. He was not going to miss anymore, but Steve and him agreed, he couldn’t overwhelm the kid.
“Yeah? What do you like about biology?” Tony responded, trying to sound interested because he was, just not at the present time. He wanted to know where Peter lived, who he was, what he liked.
“I like being a part of what I study. I am a living, breathing thing, and I like knowing what’s going on in my cells.” Tony couldn’t help but smile at Peter, and Peter tried to give a shaky smile back. The poor kid still had not gained his color back, the paleness contrasting with dark bags under his eyes.
“You wanna be a doctor?” Tony asked, trying to keep the conversation going, desperately trying to learn about his own son. Peter laughed, and Tony realized it was the first time he ever saw him laugh. First time Tony ever saw him really smile.
“I don’t like people enough to be a doctor.” They shared their first laugh, first knowing glance between father and son, and Tony’s stomach was in knots.
“I like computers. And engineering. Not sure which one I like more.” Tony watched as Peter’s face relaxed, and he could not wait for him and Steve to meet. Steve would love this kid. Tony wanted to learn how to love him.
“Do you… have any other kids?” Peter asked, found a little more voice, wanting to know if there were more. If he had siblings, somebody out there for him.
“No.” Tony barked out a laugh uncomfortably. “None that I know of. You’re my first. And only.” No siblings. Peter could deal with that. Not that he… wanted any. Not that it would be nice to have a brother or a sister.
“My plan is to have a press conference next weekend, announce my fatherhood. You wouldn’t need to come, but I’m sure-” Peter’s ears felt like they were bleeding at the sound of Tony’s voice saying press conference. Tony continued to talk, but Peter could not hear him.
Fatherhood echoed in his head, over and over again, press conference- press conference-
“Peter? Are you okay?” Peter had lost all of his newly regained color, plus some. His shoulders tensed up, and he looked like he had seen a ghost.
“I-I-I-” Peter tried to stutter something out, anything that could convey the thoughts don’t and want but there was nothing that was coming to his mind. A sharp pang of pain permeated through his chest wall, something familiar to Peter as the beginning of a panic attack. A shaky breath did nothing to help the feeling, and he opened his mouth again.
“I… don’t want that…” Peter was trying to think of a nicer way to say it, but his brain had only continued to malfunction.
“I thought you’d want that. Want people to know that I was your father. You don’t want that? I can give you money, Peter, a place to stay, a place to live-” Dizziness overtook Peter as he swiftly stood up out of the chair. He couldn’t be there anymore. Tony quickly followed behind, worry settling into the pit of his stomach. What was he doing wrong? He would give Peter anything. Don’t pressure him, don’t come on too strong, Tony, I know you want to be a part of his life but you have to put yourself in his shoes. Could you imagine learning that your father was one of the richest people in the world, let alone a superhero? He needs time. Steve’s voice rang in Tony’s head.
“Wait, I’m sorry, I don’t know how to do this Peter-” Peter cut him off.
“I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t have even come. I don’t know what I’m doing here, don’t know why I did that DNA test.” Peter mumbled, going towards the elevator. The flash of hurt on Tony’s face made that pit in Peter’s stomach a little bit worse. Tony stepped in front of him.
“Please, please, don’t go. Don’t say that. I’m so sorry. I can’t tell you how sorry I am. I want to be with you, please. I won’t tell anyone unless you want me to. Do you want to see any of my labs? Are you hungry? I can show you my favorite JARVIS. Anything.” Tony pleaded with him, and Peter thought for a single second that maybe some lunch would be nice. He had no groceries at home and Wade and him were freshly out of any money.
“Lunch?” Peter asked without even really thinking, and Tony couldn’t help the smile that rose to his lips.
“I have sandwiches left over from a conference, the pastrami is the best. Would you want to go up to my floor and have one?” Peter could not say no to a pastrami sandwich, especially when he hadn’t had any breakfast.
“Okay. That sounds good.” Peter manually slowed his breathing down and tried to stop his heart from hammering out of his chest. Tony wasn’t going to tell anybody, his face wouldn’t be plastered all over the news, and everything was okay. They got into the elevator, and Peter stood there letting the awkward silence overtake him.
“Steve is up there, but I can call him and tell him to go somewhere else if you aren’t ready to meet him.” Peter shook his head at Tony’s voice.
“No, that’s okay. I’d like to meet him.” Peter gave him a small, reassuring smile, and Tony couldn’t help his excitement. He’d told Steve to wait up there and if Peter said yes, he would bring him up to meet him. Steve was almost as excited as Tony was.
The elevator slowed on the top floor, and Peter couldn’t help his nerves. What was Steve -- his step father? Ew. That sounded weird. The elevator door opened, showing Peter the fanciest apartment he had ever seen. Could he even call it an apartment? He’d never seen this part of the tower, only ever been on the lower floors in the conference rooms.
“Steve?” Tony called out, stepping off the elevator, and Peter trailed slowly behind. They were surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows, with a panoramic view of New York City. Peter was looking at some of the newest up-to-date tech, one of the JARVIS robots working at Tony’s desk.
“In the kitchen!” Steve called out, sounding far away and Peter couldn’t imagine the place getting any bigger. He followed Tony through some of the most expensive rooms Peter has ever seen, and when they finally reached the kitchen, they rounded the corner and suddenly Peter was face-to-face with Steve Rogers. Captain America.
“Hello! You must be Peter! It is so great to meet you!” Steve’s eyes were lit up like it was Christmas, and Peter couldn’t help but feel the warmth radiating from him. Peter timidly smiled as Steve walked towards him and set a hand on his shoulder, reaching out his other. Peter took it and they shook hands, and did Peter look stupid? Was he being stupid? Ugh. Why was this so awkward?!
“Nice to meet you too, Mr. Rogers.” Peter blushed as Steve smiled at him.
“For you, it’s Steve. Are you hungry? We have extra sandwiches and they’re to die for.” Peter nodded and Steve went over to grab a plate.
“Peter’s favorite subject is biology. But he also likes computers and engineering.” Tony almost sounded like he was bragging, and Peter tried not to let it go to his head.
“I can’t even imagine how smart you must be if you come from that guy. Much better manners, though.” Steve looked at Tony with a smile, and Tony rolled his eyes. Peter laughed a little bit as Steve gestured to the kitchen counter’s stool.
“Sit. I’ll make Tony a plate too. He hasn’t eaten since dinner last night. Are you thirsty, Peter? Do you want some water? Soda?” Peter was feeling a little overwhelmed by all the kindness, but it was almost okay when it was coming from Steve. Steve wasn’t Tony, not his father, just Steve.
“Water’s fine, thank you.” Steve grabbed a water bottle from the fridge after he set up two plates for father and son. He piled the plates high with chips and fruit and a sandwich and Peter probably hadn’t eaten a meal this big in a couple of weeks. He set their plates down in front of them as Tony came and sat next to them.
“Are you a junior?” Peter nodded idly, not even really listening. He was just taking in his situation. His surroundings. He was in a trillion dollar building that his father paid for. His father- something he had never quite had. He didn’t have clear memories of Richard, didn’t even really remember his own mother. And now, here he was, in one of New York City’s most expensive buildings, with one of the richest, most famous men on Earth, who happened to be Peter’s father.
Tony also happened to be Iron Man. There had been quite a few occasions where they’d interacted before, one that was not quite as pleasant as he would have hoped for. May had been involved, the only time she had ever seen Peter’s alter-ego, during an all out Avengers and Spiderman fight against the Green Goblin. Norman had been driving Peter bananas, and had finally gotten to May, and took her hostage. Tony was being a little on the harsher side after a particularly hard day, and when May got hurt, Peter attacked Tony.
They figured it out in the end, but if Peter had known he fully tackled his own father to the ground, he might have felt a little differently.
“Where do you live, Peter?” Steve shook Peter out of his thoughts as he turned his head. He thought for a second, what should he say? The truth? Some ratty apartment in Queens that is so rodent infested that Peter actually learned to like the rats? Or should he say with Aunt May?
“You don’t have to tell us if you don’t want to.” Steve quickly added, sensing the momentary hesitation and discomfort. Peter could not be more thankful.
“Thank you. Sorry.” Peter stammered out, but Steve shook his head.
“No need to be sorry. I can’t imagine how difficult this is for you. I want you to know that if you ever need someone to talk to about it-”
“He can talk to me about it!” Tony interjected. Steve glared.
“Someone besides the man in question, I’ll leave my cell phone number with you. You can text me or call me at any time. You can also text or call Tony. We would both be delighted to hear from you. What would be the ideal way to develop this relationship for you, Peter?” Steve continued on, and that question struck Peter.
Develop a relationship. With his father, Tony Stark. That was a damn good question Peter didn’t have the answer to.
“We could have dinner? Once a week?” Tony suggested, and Peter scrunched his nose at that.
“Twice a month?” Tony asked hopefully, trying his hardest not to let his voice give away that he wanted Peter at dinner every night.
Peter nodded. He could do that. Every two weeks, get wined and dined and get to know the man that literally created him. Who just happened to be Tony Stark.
“Try your sandwich.” Tony pointed at Peter’s plate and Peter had practically forgotten there was food in front of him at all. After the first bite, however, there was no more forgetting because the sandwich was so good Peter couldn’t put it down.
“Oh my god.” Peter muttered, wondering what type of drug had been put in these sandwiches. Steve and Tony laughed as they continued some small talk as Peter ate and listened. He couldn’t believe this is where he was. He couldn’t believe Tony was his father. Was this a good thing? A bad thing? Maybe it was just a thing, not good or bad?
“Do you have any siblings?” Tony asked, and Peter shook his head as he finished the sandwich and started on the chips. Tony was fishing for information, Peter could feel it, but he could avoid it. Peter didn’t have any siblings for Tony to look up, he had no idea who his mom was, and he really had no clue who May was. He was pretty much in the clear -- Tony didn’t even know his last name.
Peter’s phone buzzed in his pocket and he was suddenly reminded that it was a Saturday, and that he had a meeting with the X-men about some stupid mutant doing god knows what. He pulled his phone out and saw that he had already been there for -- two hours?. It felt like just seconds ago Peter found out that Tony was his dad. The Xavier school was a long way away and to get Wade there with no fuss would require a plan that Peter did not have.
“Have somewhere to be?” Steve asked, almost expectantly, and Peter nervously laughed.
“Yeah. Totally forgot until now.” Peter stood from the stool and looked around again. Tony’s face was gentle, watching the way Peter studied the penthouse.
“Thank you for the sandwich. It was really the best sandwich I’ve ever had.” Steve’s smile radiated at him and Peter couldn’t help the brief flutter in his stomach from the thought of them being a family. He immediately took that flutter and shoved it right back down where it came from.
“Will you come over for dinner next weekend? Saturday?” Tony wished dearly for Peter to say yes, and his wishes seemed to be granted as he noticed Peter’s nodding head.
“Yeah. I can do Saturday.” Peter thought carefully. How often should he see Tony? How much was too dangerous? He couldn’t have Tony ever knowing he was Spiderman. And Peter had learned the hard way, the more time he spends with someone, the more chance they’re gonna find out he’s Spiderman.
“Let me walk you out.” Tony spoke, and Peter waved to Steve as they got in the elevator.
“Nice meeting you.” Peter said his goodbye, and Steve gave him a wave back.
“Bye Peter. Hope to see you soon.” Steve spoke as Tony and Peter got into the elevator, and Peter took one last look around the place. He really had never seen a place this expensive.
The doors shut, leaving Tony and Peter alone. Peter felt the unsaid words in the air as Tony glanced over at him, and that silence stifled them.
“It was so nice to meet you, Peter. I…” Tony trailed off, reaching his hand up to his neck. He had no idea what to say. What can you possibly say to a kid who you’ve abandoned practically his whole life?
“I would love to be part of your life. At your pace, of course.” Tony added quickly, trying not to add any more discomfort to the situation. “Please. Keep that in mind. I can’t imagine how hard it must be for you, but please know that this is not how I would have chosen for our situation to go.”
Peter couldn’t really do anything but nod. He was, for what seemed like the hundredth time today, left speechless with no words or thoughts in his mind. The elevator crawled to the first floor, filled with that gut-wrenching silence, and it finally came to a halt.
“I’ll see you next week. Thank you for having me.” Peter spoke the only words he trusted himself to say, and Tony walked him to the front door. All of the security guards stiffened up at the sight of Tony, even the one giving Peter a hard time when he first got there. Peter turned to look at Tony a last time before he left, and Tony reached his hand out with a card in it.
“I know a business card is informal, but I wrote down Steve and my cell phone number on it. Call me if you need anything. I'll call you next Saturday morning to talk about dinner.” Tony murmured, and Peter grabbed the card. Tony looked at him a little harder, trying to memorize his face, trying to imagine what he looked like as a little boy.
“Bye, Peter.” Tony waved and watched as Peter walked at the doors, leaving him with his thoughts.
On the other side, as soon as Peter turned the corner of the block, he broke out into a full sprint. He had to get as far away from this building as he could.
He ran for blocks and blocks, dodging past people, avoiding cars, getting yelled at by random old women for accidentally knocking into them, and by the time Peter was almost out of breath, he could feel tears pricking the back of his eyes.
He pushed himself to run faster, to get farther, to protect himself, until he made it all the way to the opposite end of Manhattan. His chest heaved up and down with the rhythmic movement of his lungs. His throat burned with either the tears or the absolute dread that coursed his own veins.
Peter found his way to central park, to a tree, and immediately sat himself under. His skin was buzzing, ears ringing, and he was gasping for breaths. Goosebumps covered his arms and legs, and Peter was almost at the tipping point for tears.
What just happened? Did Peter have a father? Was Peter’s father Tony Stark?! It had to be a joke. Some cosmic joke that left Peter terrified and anxious and unable to exist-
Peter’s phone buzzed in his pocket, immediately garnering his attention. It was a call, and he reached out to grab it. Wade’s dumb picture showed up on Peter’s phone and Peter couldn’t help the little smile that rose to his lips. He slid the phone to answer, and put it up to his ears.
“Weeeeeeebbbbbbbsssss,” Deadpool spoke into the phone with a sing-song voice, and Peter sighed into the phone. “Where’d you go? Your Life360 says you’re in Central Park. Can I come find you?” Peter had made Wade download Life360 when he went silent for longer than 72 hours and Peter was worried sick. Of course Wade had been killed brutally in some horrific way, but at least Peter would know where his phone was the next time it happened. Wade always made sure to log in to his account when he got a new phone.
“Yeah.” Peter sniffled, suppressing the laugh that threatened to come out of his mouth.
“I love a good game of hide and seek. Don’t move!” The line went quiet after Wade hung up, and a brief wave of thankfulness overtook Peter for having Wade in his life. The one constant thing, no matter how erratic he was, loved him and it was clear. He knew how to treat Peter.
It took Wade no longer than fifteen minutes to get to Peter, and when he did, he dropped down next to him in the park.
“What’s going on, buttercup?” Wade asked, putting an arm around Peter's shoulder. Peter hadn’t seen him act like this in awhile, and Peter could only assume it was because of the state of his wellbeing. Despite the colorlessness of Peter’s face, he had red, blotchy cheeks that made the tears evident.
“Tony Stark is my father.” Peter grumbled as he hid his face in the sleeve of his hoodie, and Wad scooted closer.
“What’d you say, Spideyface? Can’t hear you when you mumble.” Wade articulated each word, nudging Peter away from his sleeve. Peter picked his face up and gave Wade a pathetic look.
“Tony. Stark. Is. My. Father.” Peter repeated, this time a little snappier than before. Wade tensed in his costume, before letting out the loudest, most obnoxious laugh Peter had ever heard from him.
Peter watched as Wade roared with laughter, clutching his stomach, wiping away fake tears, and overall just being a ginormous piece of shit. As Wade started to calm down, he noticed Peter wasn’t laughing with him.
“I didn’t think you were in a jokey mood, but that was a good one.” Wade snickered at the seemingly harmless joke, but Peter was still not even smiling. Wade’s demeanor slowly changed.
“Are…” Wade trailed off, doing some mental math. Tony Stark was alive and fucking a lot of women seventeen years ago, and odds are he didn’t leave his number for any of them. The math suddenly started making a lot more sense.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Wade couldn’t help but let out a giggle. An uncomfortable, I laugh when I can’t process my own emotions, uncomfortable that Peter didn’t understand.
“I’m not fucking kidding you. Seventeen years ago, I burst forth from Tony Stark’s fertile loins.” Wade couldn’t help the shriek of laughter that left his mouth at that.
“There is no fucking way Tony’s your dad!” Peter couldn’t stop the grin that smacked his face when he heard Wade’s laugh.
“I’m glad you think this is funny, Wade!” Peter jokingly hit him in the shoulder, and Wade snorted at the remark.
“It is so funny I could literally die, Peter. I can’t believe you are Tony’s son. Babyboy, you are certainly a cosmic joke for the ages.” Wade thought for a second. “See! I told you he was rich, Peter! Let’s take all his money!”