Ben Parker
Ben Parker.
Parker...
That name made his mouth dry, and his heart clenched up in his chest.
Why was Peter's uncle here?
As he collected himself, he realized FRIDAY was still waiting for a response. Tony swallowed dryly. "Send him up. To my office. I'll meet him there."
"Of course," FRIDAY responded.
His frazzled mind couldn't recall how he got to his office, but he was at least thankful that he didn't run into anyone while he rushed there. He wouldn't be able to explain it. He barely managed to make it to his office and his seat when Ben arrived.
And well, he could tell he was a Parker immediately. He was Richard's brother alright. That gentle smile, they relaxed walking, even the awkward flannel during some of the colder days of spring. His eyes even crinkled when he smiled, just like how Richard's would.
Again, his heart ached at the idea.
Tony gestured to the chair in front of him, and Ben took a seat. "Everyone says you're a busy guy," he informed. "Glad you could make time."
"Gladly."
"Pleasure to meet you Mr. Stark. I'm Ben Parker."
Tony smiled, "nice to meet you. And call me Tony. Most people do. So, what brings you?"
Ben's brows quirked up. "I thought you knew, seeing as you sent me up."
"I know your name."
"Then I guess it's true. You're Peter's father."
Tony wanted to play dumb, but it was hard to when the mere mention of his kids name made him soft. "What gave it away?"
"He Uh... looks a lot like you. Not my brother. I never thought Mary would cheat, but-"
Panic rose in his throat, so Tony interrupted. "-she didn't cheat! I dated both of them!" Silence followed those words. And Ben looked taken aback. Tony was too, but he wouldn't let anyone think badly of the couple. Still, he placed a hand over his mouth, shocked he dared to say it.
"You... What?"
Tony nervously laughed, scratching the back of his neck. "Dated both of them. Not just Mary."
"I never-" Ben sputtered out in fluster.
"I don't think they expected it to happen either," Tony admitted. "I didn't. But, I guess I couldn't help but find them both charming." His smile went weak, recalling memories of the couple that he had pushed back into the deepest recess of his mind. Both of them were disarmingly wonderful. And he never regretted a moment spent with them. "Peter was a gift. They knew he was mine when she got pregnant."
"How?"
"Richard couldn't have kids."
That apparently wasn't known, which made enough sense. "So he knew he was yours."
"He did. And when Peter was born, he held my pinky, and Richards. Laughed while in my arms. I miss them both."
A light sparked in Ben's head. "You payed for the funeral."
Tony nodded. "I knew I couldn't go. I wanted to. Meet everyone, see Peter again, but I'm plastered everywhere. I grew up with camera's following me. I didn't want that for Peter. And Mary and Richard always talked about how amazing you and your wife were... I knew Peter would be taken care of."
"I never knew... I thought you may have ran away when she got pregnant."
"I loved them," Tony admitted, clearing his throat as he felt burning prick his eyes. "And Peter. I only left because I was sick. I was drinking and and spiraling. I didn't want to turn into my own father. So I left. I got better. I always planned to go back. Then-"
"They died."
Tony swallowed dryly, nodding. "So no. I didn't run." Tony fished a key from his pocket, and moved to unlock the bottom drawer of his desk. He pulled it open, pulling out a few items. An album, a paper, and a mold of handprints. Richard's, Mary's, Peter's and his own. He put them on the desk, and pushed them over to Ben.
The man looked at the items, and he took them one by one. The mold was proof enough, he could recognize the rings imprinted from Richard's and Mary's hands. They must've made two, because a similar mold used to hang in their kitchen, and Ben recalled looking at it every time he went to visit. To think they made one with Tony...
He moved on to the paper. It was Peter's birth certificate. But instead of Richard's name, it was Tony's.
"Before I spiraled, we thought it would be best to have a second birth certificate. To prove I was Peter's father..." Tony thumbed at the edge of his desk, looking forlorn. He missed them. Anyone could see it.
And the album. When Ben flipped it open, the first page was Tony with the couple. It looked like they had set it on a timer, standing in the kitchen of Mary and Richard's kitchen. Tony was on the middle, as the two placed kisses on his cheeks.
The next page was different things. Tony making pasta, while he swatted at Richard's grabby hands. Mary and Richard smiling at the camera, snuggled up in their couch. Tony and Mary playing chess, both staring intently at the board. And a group photo of them working on a puzzle together.
As he flipped through, he got to a page with Peter on it. Of him swaddled in his little hospital blanket, fast asleep. And then, the pictures all had Peter in it. And the focus really felt as if Richard and Mary took every opportunity to have Tony and Peter in a picture.
Them napping on the couch, playing with building blocks. And plenty of photos of little baby Peter yanking at Tony's hair. They were all so lovingly domestic. And of course their were photos with Mary and Richard with Peter. And they were all one's Ben had seen before. It never occurred to him that Tony was taking those pictures. And when Peter was around three, the photos shifted Tony out, just as he said. Still, there was plenty of love for him in the photos. Like Peter drawing him with Mary and Richard.
And Ben's heart broke for Tony. He couldn't imagine how destroyed he felt, to not even be able to attend the funeral.
He knew he was destroyed when his brother died.
Tony probably felt just as awful.
"I wish I knew. We would've brought Peter around."
"It was for the best. Like I said, my life was always followed by a camera. It's why Richard and Mary agreed with me to keep our relationship secret."
Ben couldn't help but agree. Peter was still just a kid. Having him always followed by cameras... he couldn't have stomached watching his need growing up like that.
"I need your help."
Tony perked up. "Do you need money, I can send more if you need it."
"So you're sending that as well?"
He nodded awkwardly.
"No. No. The aloud you send has already been enough. We really don't need it anyway."
"Oh..." Tony trailed. "That what's wrong?"
"You know that hero? Spider-Man?"
"Yes. Swinging around in what's basically pajamas."
"May and I... we think that Spider-Man is Peter."
"What?"
Ben cleared his throat. "A few weeks ago, his class went on a field trip to Oscorp. And well, he got really sick afterwards. Then suddenly, there's this new hero flying around and Peter suddenly doesn't need glasses, he's always tired... and well, you're part of the avengers."
"You want me to train him."
"Yes. I know him, and he is going to continue to be a hero with or without help. I just want him safe."
And Tony could help. And if he helped, he could see Peter again. Have him close. "I'll do it. I just have one condition."
"Of course."
"As much as I want Peter to know I'm his father, we should wait to tell him. I don't know how he'll react."
Ben understood that. Peter could react pretty badly, especially if Tony always knew. "I'll keep it secret."
"Then I'll train Peter. I actually was working on a suit for Spider-Man already. I guessed he had to be young. I didn't think it was Peter."
"We didn't either, but then the signs were all there..."
"I'll be happy to train him. Any excuse to see Peter is a welcome one."
Ben chuckled at that. "You'll have to come over for dinner sometime. I'll fill May in and I'm sure she'll be delighted to have you. When do you want me to bring Peter by?"
"I just accepted a bunch of interns, so sometime this week would be good. We can use the excuse he's an intern. I go over their schedules with them when I hire."
"Great. I'll bring him by soon."
Tony grinned, joy fluttering in his chest. "Can't wait. Have a nice day Ben."
"You too. Im happy to know that Richard and Mary had someone like you in their life before they passed."
"I'm glad to have known them."