Proud
If it was even possible, Peter’s second day at school was much worse than his first. He had double AP Chemistry in the morning and then Lit before lunch. He was in the cafeteria when Flash made his move this time.
“Penis Parker!” He yelled across the room, causing literally everyone to turn and look at Peter.
“Oh god,” Ned muttered and Peter prepared himself for the verbal onslaught that was sure to come.
“What do you want, Flash?”
Flash looked him up and down and whistled lowly. “You got a new shirt, Parker. Your new foster parents got some money, huh? Well, y’know, silver linings and everything I suppose.”
Peter’s fists clenched on the table.
“You remember May, yeah? The women you used to live with? About yay high, really nice, tanned, Italian, smoking hot—”
“Shut up,” Peter warned. “Just shut up.”
“What? I’m just making sure you remember her. It seems like you’ve settled into this new life pretty damn quickly. I know that if I was in your position, I’d be—well, I’d be so distraught. My parents are the most important people in my life, I could never forget them or replace them.” Flash smiled at him menacingly and Peter shook his head.
He pushed himself out of his seat. “Oh, your parents? The ones that care about you so much that they send their assistant to come pick you up every day and they never come to your parent teacher conferences? Nobody actually knows what your parents look like, Flash.” Peter gained a little confidence and smirked as Flash’s smile slipped from his face.
“At least mine are still alive, Parker.” He muttered, walking away.
Peter collapsed back into his seat, his hands shaking now that Flash was nowhere to be seen. He mumbled some excuse to Ned and MJ and left the cafeteria, going to the boy’s bathroom. He ran the tap and splashed his face with cold water.
He tried to picture May in his mind, with her long brown hair and her glasses. He realised in horror that he couldn’t quite remember the shade of brown in her eyes. He couldn’t remember her features properly. He started to breathe quickly, pressing his back up against a locked stall door and slipping to the floor, not caring that someone was in the stall. He couldn’t remember her face properly. That’s where it all started. If he couldn’t remember her face, soon he wouldn’t be able to remember the sound of her voice and then it would be downhill from there, her entire being fading from his memory.
He grabbed the neck of his t-shirt, pulling down on it. It felt like it was tightening around him. Then suddenly the stall door clicked open and he fell backwards as the person in the stall walked out. His eyes were blown wide, his chest heaving up and down in panic. He couldn’t get control of himself, he couldn’t—it was like his brain wasn’t getting any oxygen, he was suffocating, he was—
“Peter? Are you alright?” It was Abe standing above him. He knew Abe. Abe was nice enough. He was on the Academic Decathlon team. H stepped over him and crouched down next to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. “A-Are you okay?”
The panic in Peter’s eyes told him everything he needed to know.
“D-Do you—shall I go get the nurse? I—”
“Ph-Phone,” Peter choked out, his head jerking to his jeans pocket. Abe nodded, fishing fishing it out.
“Who do you need me to call?”
“S-Speed dial o-one.” Peter grasped at his chest again in a futile attempt to try and breathe properly. Nothing was helping and his vision was blurring. He couldn’t remember May’s face. He couldn’t remember what she looked like.
He heard Abe having a conversation with someone on his phone but Peter couldn’t pay enough attention to tune into it at all, he just laid on the floor of the boy’s bathroom, shaking like a leaf.
“It’s gonna be okay, Peter,” Abe said, resting his hand back on Peter’s shoulder. “Help’s on the way.”
Peter couldn’t judge time anymore. It didn’t seem like it had been five minutes since Abe had made the phone call and then suddenly someone else was bursting through the bathroom door and there was a strong set of hands on him, lifting him up and turning him slightly so that he was leaning up against the wall.
And then someone was clicking their fingers in front of his face to get him to focus.
“Pete? Peter, focus up, come on buddy.” Tony’s warm voice filled his ears and he relaxed slightly.
Tony was here.
“T-T-Tony?”
“Hit the nail on the head, kiddo. You‘re not looking too hot, bud.”
“C-Can’t breathe,” Peter clawed at his neck and Tony took both of his hands in his.
“You can, buddy, you can do this. Copy me, yeah?” Tony placed Peter’s hands on his chest and breathed exaggeratedly. “That’s it, take a deep breath for me.” Peter stuttered a little and managed to hold it in for a few second before breathing out. “Well done, kiddo. Again?”
Gradually, Tony helped Peter come down from his panic attack and he started to focus again. Eventually Peter fell forward onto Tony’s chest, letting out a sob. Tony placed his hand on Peter’s back, rubbing gentle circles into it and rocking him back and forth slightly. He was sitting on the grotty floor of the boy’s bathroom. He’d probably have to throw out the pants he was wearing, but he didn’t care. All that mattered was that he was with Peter, and that Peter was okay.
Peter’s arms tightened around Tony, his face pressing into his chest and no doubt getting his shirt covered in tears and snot. Nothing seemed to phase the man, and he was so gentle with Peter in his arms, so patient. He felt a kiss being pressed to his hair and Peter never remembered feeling so loved in that moment.
He calmed down after a little while and Tony pulled apart slightly, Peter lifting his head off his chest. “You doing okay, Underoos?” Peter’s lip wobbled and he shook his head slightly. “Alright, that’s fine. It’s okay not to be okay. But let’s get off this floor, yeah? Get you somewhere more comfortable?” He nodded, wincing at the headache that was forming at the back of his head from the crying.
Tony stood up slowly and brought Peter with him, holding him tight against his side. He knew his senses would probably be even more sensitive right now, and the fluorescent light of the boy’s bathroom wouldn’t be helping. Tony stuck his head out of the door and breathed in relief when he realised lunch was over and all the students had gone back to class.
“Your name’s Abe, right?” Abe nodded rapidly. “I really appreciate what you did today, Abe. I’ll remember it.”
“Y-Yes, sir. I—It was no problem. I hope Peter feels better soon.”
Tony shot him a quick smile before walking Peter out of the bathroom and out towards reception. He’d already called ahead on his way and told the woman at the desk that he was going to sign Peter out, so they had no problems leaving the building. Happy was waiting outside for them in the Audi. Tony had flown in the Iron Man suit, wanting to get to Peter as fast as possible, and told Happy to drive and meet him there. He loaded Peter into the backseat and slid in next to him.
Peter automatically collapsed against Tony as soon as the door slammed shut and Tony tugged him close, letting him rest his head on his chest as Happy drove them back to the tower.
“You wanna talk about it, bud?” Tony asked softly, remembering to be quiet.
“I don’t remember what she looks like.” Peter said, his voice wobbling. “I—I can’t picture her face properly.”
Tony hugged Peter closer and pressed a kiss to his hair. “Oh, kiddo.”
*a few weeks later*
Peter had gone back to school the following week and things were better. If he started to panic during the day, he called Tony and talked to him for a few minutes and then he was okay. He’d only had to leave early once. He eventually started back up with Academic Decathlon. They had a competition in a few weeks and Peter was a key part of their team. The Rogues had moved back into the tower and Peter occasionally saw them in passing. It was a little awkward, but Peter had gone to Steve once they’d moved in.
“Mr Rogers, Sir? Can we talk?” Peter had asked and Steve had smiled at him, nodding.
“You can just call me Steve, Peter.”
“O-Okay,” Steve had led him to the sofa on the Avengers floor and he’d sat down opposite him. “I, uh—I know that we didn’t get off on the best foot. A-And I’m still not sure that I forgive you for what you did, but—but you’re living here now and so are the others and I—I don’t want to—I’m really going to try, Sir. I want this to work out, I don’t want Mr Stark to worry about anything, so I’m going to try to—to trust you.” Peter had finished his little speech, his fingers fiddling with a loose threat on the couch cushion.
Steve had smiled widely at him, apparently he hadn’t been expecting it. He’d immediately gone to shake Peter’s hand and he’d held it firm and long.
“I appreciate that more than you’ll ever know, Peter, thank you. I’ll do my best to earn your trust.” They’d parted ways and ever since, the Avengers had slowly been re-integrating themselves into Tony’s life.
It started with movie nights. Apparently weekly movie nights were a big thing before the split. Peter could tell from by the entire screening room at the Compound that had gone untouched for god knows how long. So he suggested to Tony that movie nights be the first thing to come back. Tony had raised his eyebrows but gone along with it anyway, and for the past two weeks, they had had movie night.
That then developed to Saturday brunches, which was what was happening today.
“Oh my god, Mr Stark the food smells so good!” Peter closed his eyes and inhaled deeply as he walked into the kitchen on their floor.
“Pete, the food’s being cooked two floors below us.”
“Heightened senses, I can already smell the bacon. Oh my god, can we go down yet?” Tony chuckled, ruffling Peter’s hair as he walked past.
“Sure thing, kiddo.”
They rode the elevator down to the Avengers’ floor and Peter groaned again when the waft of food reached him.
“My god, from the noises you’re making you’d think I never fed you,” Tony gave Peter a little shove and he stepped out of the elevator.
“But Mr Stark—the bacon.”
“I know, I know, Cap’s a better cook than me. I’ve heard it all a thousand times before.” Peter rushed ahead and left Tony in the dust to walk by himself.
Tony had to admit he’d missed things like this with the team. Friday night movie nights and Saturday morning brunches were things he’d clung onto when they were all here, and once they’d gone, it had left him feeling empty. Pepper and Rhodey had noticed of course, and made an effort to try and cheer him up or distract him, but they’d given up eventually. Tony was glad that everyone was back, even if things were a little awkward sometimes. He was glad that Peter got to experience the Avengers like this, like they used to be.
The table was set out with enough food to feed the five thousand. Or, a bunch of superheroes with the odd couple that had an increased metabolism. Nobody knew about Peter being Spider-Man, so Tony just hoped nobody questioned the sheer amount of food the kid was no doubt about to eat. He was sure he could rival Steve.
“So Peter, your dad said you started back on your Academic Decathlon team at school?” Sam asked and Peter flushed bright red. Whether it was the dad comment or the team thing, Tony didn’t know.
“Uh, yeah—we’ve got a competition next week,” Peter looked over at Tony. “I actually have a permission slip for that you need to sign,” he tried to speak through a mouthful of pancake, succeeding in spraying it everywhere.
“Oh? Where’s the competition at?” Tony asked, wondering if he could get Pepper to give him the afternoon off if it wasn’t too far away.
“It’s in New Jersey. We’ll be there and back in a day, we’re setting off at 8am from school and our team will compete in the afternoon. Whoever wins this gets to go to Nationals!” Tony smiled at how happy Peter was. It was a great change from two nights ago when he’d woken up at 3am with another nightmare.
That was another thing that was getting a little better. Tony wasn’t having to get up every night for a nightmare. Peter only had them a few times a week now, which he saw as progress. They seemed a little less intense too, the kid managing to go right back to sleep usually after them.
“You want some supporters in the crowd?” Steve asked and Tony snapped back to the present.
“What?” Peter asked, his brows furrowing.
“What would you think about us coming to watch your competition? It’s a big one, after all.”
Peter looked to Tony, who shrugged his shoulders and nodded at him.
“You—you wanna come?” Peter looked around the table and everyone started nodding. “Really?
“We’d love to come, kid.” Nat said, smiling at him. “Are the other kids’ parents going?” Peter nodded. “Right then, we’ll come too. Don’t worry, we’ll all wear disguises and we won’t embarrass you. We just wanna be there.”
Peter was smiling so much his cheeks were aching. “T-That would be great, you guys. Thanks—for wanting to come.”
Tony reached over and ruffled Peter’s hair. “Of course they wanna come, kiddo. Everybody loves you.” If it was possible for Peter to flush even more red, he did.
Tony signed Peter’s permission slip for the Academic Decathlon trip and Peter handed it in to Mr Harrington on Monday morning, in plenty of time for the competition on Friday. His teacher took it and looked it over, thanking him and then immediately calling him back.
“Yes, Sir?” Peter asked as the rest of his class filed out of the room. “Is something wrong?”
“Peter, I can’t accept this permission slip.” The man handed it back to him and Peter scanned it quickly, wondering if Mr Stark had actually remembered to sign it, or maybe it was the wrong form.
“W-Why?” He asked when he found nothing wrong with it.
“Peter, I know that you’re a smart kid. You’re on our Academic Decathlon team, you’re one of the best we’ve got. And I know that one day a job or internship at Stark Industries isn’t outside of the realm of possibility for you, but forging Tony Stark’s signature on a form supposed to be signed by a legal guardian is not the way to convince people that you have an internship at his company.” Mr Harrington looked at him sternly and Peter felt as though he’d been hit.
His favourite teacher didn’t even believe him. How was the rest of his class supposed to believe that he actually did (well, used to have a fake one) have an internship at Stark Industries if his teacher didn’t? There was even official paperwork given to the office, right?
“Mr Harrington, this isn’t—this is for real, I didn’t forge this, Sir.”
The teacher sighed, looking to the computer on his desk. “I’m going to print you out another form, Peter. I expect this one to be returned tomorrow with your guardian’s signature on the dotted line. Even if this is Tony Stark’s signature, he is not your legal guardian, therefore it would still be unacceptable.”
Peter’s lists clenched at his sides and he stood straighter. “Actually, Tony Stark is my legal guardian, Sir. My Aunt died recently and he took guardianship of me. If you’d like further proof you can simply look on the system and check my emergency contacts. If that’s not enough, you can follow me outside and he can tell you himself. He’s picking me up today.” Peter’s voice was stern and unwavering, and he was proud of himself for it.
Still, Harrington didn’t seem to believe him and he logged into the system to check Peter’s information. And of course, clear as day next to Peter’s school photo, was his current address and three emergency contacts. If the address being Stark Tower wasn’t enough, his three emergency contacts being Tony Stark, Pepper Potts and Happy Hogan were.
“I—” Harrington turned back to Peter. “I—I do apologise, Peter. I thought—I must’ve missed—”
“Must’ve missed the announcement that my Aunt had been killed, Sir? Yeah, I thought so. So the slip does work?”
“Y-Yes, it appears so.”
“Great. I’ll see you Friday.” With that, Peter stormed out of the classroom to meet Tony outside.
“Hey, kiddo, how was school?”
“Great, I’d be even better if my teachers believed a single thing I said about my life,” Peter muttered.
“Wow, okay, what the hell happened?” Tony asked, pulling out of the car park.
“Harrington didn’t accept my permission slip for the Academic Decathlon competition. He didn’t believe me last year when I said I had the Stark Internship, and he didn’t believe me when I said you were my legal guardian after May died. He had to look it up on the system.” Peter folded his arms in front of him and huffed.
“Do I need to have a word with him?”
Peter shook his head. “No, it’s alright. I put him straight.”
Tony smiled to himself. “That’s my boy.”
Peter was bouncing his leg up and down nervously as they waited for their turn to go up on stage. They’d been here for a few hours and had watched a few teams compete already. There was one more team and then they were up. MJ was going to take them to a practice room soon to do another round of prep questions just before they went on.
He briefly wondered if Tony and the Avengers were here, which then sent another wave of nerves his way. They were going to be there, watching him. He actually had someone to watch him this time. May could never make it, she had always had to work, so Ned’s parents and cheered for Peter too if he’d answered a question right. But this time Peter had his own cheerleaders, and they were the freaking Avengers. Peter hoped that if they did come, they didn’t expose themselves. He really didn’t need that on top of everything else right now. He knew they’d just come in baseball caps and sunglasses, but he really hoped someone had the initiative to cover Bucky’s metal arm and someone else had the foresight to tell Vision to look human and to not… hover everywhere.
Peter answered every damn question right. He walked onto the stage with his teammates, smiling to himself when he saw the Avengers in the back row, Tony standing at the end with a proud look on his face. And Peter answered every damn question right. He even got the deciding question! They were declared the winners and the team had jumped up in the air, hugging each other. The reserves ran on stage along with Mr Harrington and everyone celebrated. Peter spared a glance to the crowd, his eyes searching for Tony’s. He found them, and Mr Stark winked at him. The man tapped his ear and Peter tuned everyone else out as he focused his super hearing on Tony.
“I’m so proud of you, kiddo. Well done, I love you.” There was a slight waver to the man’s voice and if Peter was a genius, which he was, he’d say that Tony was filling up a little.
Peter’s smile grew impossibly wider. “I love you, too,” he said, despite knowing that there was no way Tony could’ve heard him.
The Avengers were up out of their seats too, clapping and cheering. He heard Bucky wolf whistle and Peter laughed out loud, clutching his stomach as he celebrated with his teammates. They were going to Nationals!
The bus back to Queens was loud as the celebrations continued, even Flash was manageable. Mr Harrington promised them all a field trip as a reward for getting to Nationals and Peter was so excited that it was the first thing he blurted to Tony when he saw him in the car park.
“Oh yeah? Where to?” Tony asked, walking him to the car.
“He hasn’t arranged anything yet, but he said that Morita already signed off on a field trip for us!” Peter was practically vibrating with energy and Tony smiled.
He pulled Peter into a hug once they were out of view of everyone else. Peter’s arms wrapped around him and he held him tight. “I’m so proud of you.”
“You said that already, Mr Stark.”
“Yeah but that was over a hundred people, this is just you and me. I’m so proud of you and the way you’ve coped with everything. My god, I wish I could be as strong as you—”
“You’re literally Iron Man. Or did you forget?”
Tony chuckled. “I know I am, but you’re stronger than me, kiddo. And I’m not just talking about the super strength. You’ve had so much shit thrown at you recently and you’ve come out the other side and I—I couldn’t be prouder of my boy.” Tony’s eyes glistened with tears and Peter’s heart stuttered when he heard Tony call him his boy. His boy.
Peter got to pick the movie for them all to watch that night, and he didn’t stop smiling the entire time. There were no nightmares.
The next day, Tony and Peter had to go and have another meeting with Peter’s social worker to see how he was getting on. Happy drove them to the building and they walked the hallways, finding the office of Arthur, the man in charge of Peter’s case.
He asked the usual questions with Mr Stark there like how was his school work doing and Tony couldn’t help but boast about Peter’s team going to Nationals. Peter rolled his eyes and Arthur smiled, saying he was really happy that Peter was thriving at school again. And then it was time for Tony to leave the room so he could ask all the other weird questions. He answered them like he always did. Yes, he liked living with Mr Stark. Yes, he felt safe. Yes, he got plenty of attention from Tony and wasn’t just left to himself.
And then things started to get a little more serious.
“Do you—do you think this is a permanent situation for me?” Peter asked, picking at a thread on his hoodie.
Arthur frowned at him. “What do you mean, Peter?”
Peter sighed. “I mean is there—is there any way that, y’know, things could change and I would be taken away? Or is this—me living with Mr Stark—is this permanent now?”
Arthur scooted his chair forward a little and gave Peter a serious look. “Do you want it to be permanent? Or would you prefer to be removed from Mr Stark’s care?”
Peter’s eyes blew wide and he started to shake his head. “No! No, that’s not what I meant.” He rolled his eyes at himself. “I didn’t word that well. I—I don’t want to leave Mr Stark, I don’t want to be removed or anything, I’m just nervous that I’m gonna wake up one day and there’s gonna be someone there to take me away.”
“You’ve lost a lot in your life,” Arthur said, nodding in understanding. “You want a little reassurance that this is for real and that you aren’t going to have to start again any time soon.”
The kid nodded.
“Peter, as long as you’re happy and as long as Mr Stark is taking care of you, I have no reason to be worried about the permanence of your guardianship. If all continues like this, then yes, this is a permanent situation, and I will not be looking to remove you from Tony’s care. You seem happier and you’re being taken care of, and Tony’s giving you the attention that you need. I’m not worried about having to move you, and neither should you be.”
Peter let out a long sigh in relief, nodding slightly. He rubbed his palms on his jeans, trying to get rid of the sweat. “Thank god, okay. Th-Thank you, I was a little worried and confused about the whole thing.” He let out a little awkward laugh and Arthur smiled at him.
“No reason to be worried, Peter. I’m very happy with your progress. Now I’m sure you’ve got a lot to do so I’ll let you be on your way, and I’ll see you soon.”