Chapter One
The sound of the rain and thunder was almost enough to drown out the voice of Ross, but it wasn't quite enough to match the man's tone that seemed to boom in Tony's eardrums. He was finding it hard to focus on whatever the man was ranting about, his gaze usually shifting over to the giant window to vacantly watch the rain move down the glass or to his still hands on the table. The genius genuinely tried to keep his attention on the words, but it was hard when his brain felt like it was full of cotton and he just wanted to go home already. Well, it wasn't necessarily home anymore. He bought the Avengers Tower back, but he had to change the name to Stark Tower again. It couldn't really be an Avengers base when only one Avenger lived there, could it? Rhodey nor Vision lived there anymore, with the former back on his feet and the latter constantly visiting Wanda.
He was knocked out of his bitter thoughts by a harsh crack of thunder that shook the meeting room, making near everyone straighten up. He couldn't really find the energy to, half slumped in his seat with his legs crossed limply over each other. Ross paused in his monologue, finally stopping his constant pacing that was making Tony feel dizzy and tired. Well, he already was exhausted, but the movement was just making it worse. The relief was short lived, however, as when he was sure the building wasn't going to fall, he continued again, standing straight in his suit while the vein on his forehead bulged out with his visible anger. Not even a minute later, Tony's eyes moved over to the window again, fingers absentmindedly tapping against the table. Subconsciously, he knew his rythme was slower than their usual rapid tempo that came from his figiting, but he paid that no mind.
He couldn't see the streets from how high they were, but he could see the opposite buildings, his own rising above them only a couple of miles away. Only half his name was across the top at this point and he wondered for the hundredth time why Pepper wouldn't let him put her name there instead. It certainly would have been more flattering - she was an awesome woman with a name that deserved to be remembered while his was associated with drinking, weapons, and stupidity despite him being a certified genius. It started with his father and while he had tried to break the cycle, Tony spent a huge part of his life on the wrong side and he would never be able to make up for that, no matter how many lives he saved or how many papers praised his good deeds when clad in the Ironman suit. There were always those who yelled 'boo!' when his name was said (if not out loud), there were always people who remembered the past and threw it up in his face every chance they got, there were always questions about if he truly was a hero or if he was just chasing glory for himself.
Trying to shake those thoughts off without physically shaking, Tony shifted around in his seat quietly, his back and legs beginning to get uncomfortable from the length of time they had spent just sitting. How long had he been listening to Ross? An hour? Two? He just knew this all started when the man sent out an email saying they needed to discuss the Accords further. At first, Tony had been ready and willing. He didn't like spending hours arguing on where a comma should go or what wording should be changed, but he wanted to get his team - his friends - back in the States. Even if they didn't like him anymore, he felt way better with them in the same country as he was and not an ocean away.
Yes, he knew exactly where they were, but it wasn't like he was going to tell Ross that, no matter how much he pried. There was a reason he didn't come to assist when Steve and Barnes broke the others out of the Raft - he wanted them out. The Raft wasn't in the Accords terms. He thought it was a scrapped project until he saw it from the helicopter, right before he saw his old teamates locked in cells. Wanda's collar and straight jacket would forever haunt his edict memory. Maybe if he's worked just a little harder to keep them all together-
He moved his arm wrong and had to bite down on his lower lip to keep from making a sound when a flash of pain traveled up from his forearm and through his torso. His chest wasn't completely healed from the damage Steve - Rogers- did to him in Siberia, and on top of it Tony had accidentally cut himself in the lab with a piece of metal a couple hours ago because he was too spaced out to realize he was holding a machine the wrong way and he had yet to stitch it up since it happened right before the meeting, only hastily banaging it and pulling a jacket on. He was too proud to admit it out loud, but the lack of sleep he'd been getting recently was effecting him negatively. Pepper was in Britain to do a conference and check up on their reusable energy tower there and had been gone for a week. She wouldn't be back for another two. Tony had wanted to go with her, but he needed to be here for the Accords.
It certainly didn't help that his stomach wanted to eat itself. Besides coffee (which was being mixed with Red Bull within the last few hours) and a few scattered granola bars, he had virtually consumed nothing in the past four days, and not because he was avoiding food, but because he honestly forgot eating was a thing humans had to do to stay alive and all that jazz. Eating was overrated, but it didn't stop his body from wanting him to. Tony didn't notice his stomach growling until he was almost here, his mind having been so preoccupied with the million projects and things he had to do in bre last few days, and when the rain was so heavy and the meeting was so close that he didn't even have time to grab a bag of chips from the vending machine. So now he sat in an uncomfortable chair, brain basically melting, hungry, and utterly exhausted. How much had he slept in the last ninety-six hours? Had he even slept at all?
"Dr. Stark!"
Ross's voice cut through the fog around his brain, pitching through it like an arrow to his skull. It felt like a small arrow, too, as it sent a pain through his temple. Why did he have to have a headache on today of all days? Couldn't it have been any other day, or any other time? Ross sounded upset and annoyed, like he had already called his name a few times and was catching onto the fact that Tony really wasn't paying attention - not for lack of trying. He turned back toward the man, realizing his brain had completely tuned out whatever the man was saying. He probably shouldn't have done that, no matter how accidental it may have been, but what's done was done and there was no changing it. He just had to play it off like he did with everything else he didn't have the answer to.
"Yes, dear?" He asked, allowing a slightly crooked smile form on his face, sunglasses moving down on his nose for the added effect of the words. He hoped to get the room to laugh like he had with the jury way back in 2009, but he only got a few scattered chuckles that were mostly produced from nerves. He really couldn't blame them, considering how Ross's blood vessel looked like it was about to explode from his head as his face screwed up in frustration, anger, and the usual annoyance that crossed some people's faces when it came to dealing with him and his snark. Nothing unusual. He could deal with this.
"Have you been listening to a word I've said?" He asked, obviously barely holding onto any semblance of calm.
Tony made a face like he was thinking, touching his chin in the famous thinking position. "Yep, I have, Rossy." Typically, he wouldn't be playing around like this with Ross. He wasn't a nosy reporter or someone who didn't know what they were talking about. They were on completely different sides of an intense debate since the others escaped and went to Wakanda, as the other man theorized Tony knew where they were and wasn't telling because they were his former team, his friends. He was right. Tony also opposed him because he now wanted to rebuild the Avengers, change the Accords just as he'd always wanted to do, get rid of the Raft, and get the 'fugitives' back in the States. One of their most prominent arguments was over Spider-man. Ross wanted to know his identity and have him sign the Accords, while Tony wanted him to continue as he was without the world knowing who he truly was, at least until he was eighteen.
"Then what do you think about-"
Ross was cut off by Tony's phone suddenly blaring out his ringtone, vibrating face down on the table. The other man glared at it and if looks could kill, his indestructible Starkphone would have been shattered to pieces. But the genius did not care, because there were only certain people he kept his ringtone on for during meetings. It was either Pepper, Rhodey, Peter, Harley, or- he grabbed his phone, turning it to him. May Parker. She rarely called him instead of just texting, so this could very well be important. "I gotta take this," he said, much to Ross's frustration. Tony stood, ignoring how unbalanced he was for a moment, and walked out the door. Ignoring Ross's annoyed calls from behind him, he headed into the hallway before accepting the call. "Hey, May, what's-"
"Tony," her voice was frantic and his battered heart immeadiately picked up the pace, his entire body tensing as he now shared her stress without even knowing what had happened yet. A million and one scenarios ran through his mind, each one more terrible than the last. Did Peter get suspended? Was she hurt? Was Peter hurt? Were either of them sick? Had there been an accident? A fight? What happened? "I don't know where Peter is," she said, her voice wavering and her breath hitched at the end.
"What?" He asked, physically having to lean his back against the wall to keep himself upright. It felt like the air had been knocked out of his lungs, his vision spinning for a few seconds, except this time it wasn't from exhaustion or lack of food. It was shock, worry, stress, and panic all at once. But he had to push those emotions to the side. He needed to find Peter. He needed to find his kid- that thought process shocked him, but he didn't back away from it. He saw a lot of himself in the kid and he wanted to mentor him, make him better than Tony ever was, and he would be. He was also kind, intelligent, heroic, and with a guilt complex that was almost as big as his and way bigger than a teenager should have to deal with. He wanted to protect him, and he couldn't help the fatherly instinct that took over whenever Peter was involved. If he would tell the teen how he felt was a whole different story. He planned to keep his thoughts locked up in a box inside his head, hidden away for only him and his closest friends and family to know. Keeping his distance hadn't worked with him, but that didn't mean he was the kid's father. He would be one horrible dad, anyway.
Tony shook his head slightly to try and clear the thoughts away. He needed to focus on Peter right now, even if focusing was much harder than usual. Pressing his fingers to the bridge of his nose, he closed his eyes, trying to will his heart to slow down so he could think over the pounding noise in his skull. "Did he say he was going somewhere? Is he not picking up his phone?" The kid always had his phone on him. He was responsible like that.
"He said he was going out to patrol," she replied, sounding like she was calming down a little. May wasn't often scared - he was scared of her sometimes. She was a force to be reckoned with, quite a bit like Pepper - and this fear in her voice was unfamiliar. It reflected his own growing pit in his stomach. She didn't know where Peter was and there was a horrible storm outside that had basically washed out New York City. The city that never sleeps was basically shut down due to its ferocity, shops closed and no one om the streets. Peter was out ther somewhere and that thought made his heart skip beats. "I think he forgot his phone, because it's still on his bed. I have absolutely no clue where he is, Tony." She sounded close to tears again and he was the same, but he had to remain calm and strong.
"I'll find him, May, I promise. I'm in New York City right now. I had a meeting. I'll have Friday track him and I'll come straight back to your place. He'll be fine, I promise." Look at him, making promises, except these were ones he was determined to keep. He didn't know what he would do if he didn't. The man was about to hang up when she said, "you be careful, too, Tony." He smiled slightly, already moving back toward the meeting room as he responded, "I'll be fine. I am Ironman, afterall. See you in a few, May." He hung up and opened the door to the room, basically sprinting in just as a crack of thunder sounded around them. Perfect timing, honestly. All heads snapped to look at him as he grabbed his jacket off the back of his chair, tugging it on. It was designer, but it had been modified by him to give off heat itself, not just trap his within the fabric.Β
"Dr. Stark, where are you going?" Ross said, starting to round the table as the bein in his head bulged outward impossibly further. Tony ignored him for a moment, zipping up his jacket. The man looked ready to yell at him and that's when he finally spoke. "I have a mission. Ironman level." He run a hand through his gelled hair. "I think everyone needs to go home for the day. Why in the world are we having a meeting in this terrible storm anyway? The building might blow over if this wind keeps up. Everyone be careful and safe. I have to go." He turned, fixing the cuffs of his jacket more comfortable over his wrist. The jacket was tailored to fit him, but it was still a little uncomfortable over his buisness suit. It didn't matter though. He needed to get out of here and find his kid. Ross was coming closer, looking ready to grab him by the neck, and Tony decided to play his last card.
He shot hin a smile, gave a lazy salute, and disappeared out the door just as Ross got within punching range. The superhero called over his shoulder, "We can reschedule for Monday. Sound good? Great!" He didn't wait for a reply before he ran down the hall, opting for the stairway instead of the elevator, taking the steps two at a time. His balance wasn't the best right now and he ended up body slamming each wall just to propel himself down the next stairway. The pain that flourished from his arm and chest was quickly numbed by his determination to find his kid and he sprinted through the reception area, finally slipping out the sliding glass doors.
The water was like a brick wall slamming into him, the wind almost sending him careening backward. The rain was practically horizontal, pressing against him. He yanked his hood over his head, having to hold down the edge of it to keep the water out of his eyes, pulling his sunglasses off and tucking them in his pocket. They only served to catch water between the shades and his eyes half the time and he already could barely see as it was - he didn't need shades adhering his vision, no matter how cool his hot rod red sunglasses were. He tapped his earpiece, saying, "Friday, track Peter." He could barely hear his own voice over the rushing rain and howling of the wind, but his AI did as she dinged in his ear. "Boss, Peter is on 62 Avenue, by the old cinema."
"Call him," Tony said as he forced his legs forward against the wind, fighting the elements as best he could. This was the worst day to not bring his nanite casing, no matter how experimental it was. His other suits were either dismantled, in the process of downloading upgrades, or not fit enough to make it through this wind. Even if he had a suit, he didn't think he would call it forward. There was so much lightening he was afraid he'd be struck down. Even his upgraded suits might not be able to take the blasts this storm could throw down if all the cards lined up against his favor. His heart dropped when Friday said that she couldn't connect to Peter's phone. "What do you mean?" He asked, almost barked before he could calm himself down with a deep breath that was half water. He was stressed and upset, but he couldn't take it out on his AIs or anyone else.
"The storm is messing with the connection, Boss, and I think the suit may be damaged in some crucial areas," Friday reported. Tony had to resist faceplaming. How long had the kid's suit been broken and he hadn't told him? He'd have to lecture him about it later. First, he needed to find him "Alright, thanks Fri," he said with a small sigh before placing all his focus on getting through this terrible storm. Was he sure Thor wasn't around? His sensors hadn't picked up on the other Avenger, but there was always that minuscule chance they missed him or Thor developed some new powers that went under his tech radar, but he doubted it. This storm was basically defying gravity and physics at this point, which he was slightly salty about because that was his job.
Wow. He must be really tired if he was mad at a stupid storm. Maybe he did need to get a nap tonight before he started messing with blow torches and gauntlets. Or maybe more coffee and Red Bull. Yeah, that was a better plan. He wished Starbucks was open - how many shots of espresso could he legally get? Wait- Tony, focus. He shook his head to try and rid himself of both his distracting thoughts and the water building up on his skin. His jacket was working overtime to keep him warm with the freezing wind and rain hitting him. How could it be so cold in late April? That only made him more worried about Peter. Was the heater still working in his suit? How bad was the suit damaged? He needed to find his kid like yesterday and he was ready to call what was left of SHIELD to swarm the area if he didn't find him in the next ten minutes.
He eventually managed to get enough strength together to sprint as fast as he could toward the avenue, having to get directions from Friday because the rain was so heavy it blurred out the street signs and his sense of direction was all out of wack, even if it wasn't too good to behin with. When he turned the last corner, he finally managed to make out the sign on the theater through blurred eyes. It was some twenty feet away, but the blurry figure under the overhanging roof had him sprinting those last few yards the fastest he had ever ran. "Peter!" He yelled over a thunder clap, arms pumping at his sides and his hood falling backward off his head. He was temporarily blinded by the rain, but not before he saw the kid turn toward him, eyes wide with both fear and relief.
He ducked under the roof, coughing at the water that had managed to get in his lungs with the yell, hitting his chest rather hard and almost crying from the relief currently flooding his veins. Peter stood less than five feet away from him, wearing his slightly torn spider suit with his mask in his hand, looking shocked and relieved, his fear being chased away by a shy embarrassment and sheepish smile, opening his mouth to say something. Most likely to defend himself on why he was out here in the cold rain, but right now Tony didn't care because he was ππππ£π. His own words flashed back to him: "If you died, I feel like that would be on me." While this situation hadn't exactly been life or death, it had still scared him. Peter started to ramble, but it was all static in his ears as he quickly crossed the distance between them before enveloping his kid in a tight hug that even surprised himself, but he was just so happy he was okay.
Peter also seemed surprised, not hugging him for a full second before finally wrapping his arms around him. He could tell the kid had been at least a little scared over the whole ordeal - his body was wound up tense until he hugged him and now he could feel him trembling under his hold, but that may have been from the cold windΒ and rain that currently surrounded them. The kid was cold under his hands and he pulled put of the hug after a few more seconds of assuring himself that the kid was solid and safe, letting his hand still stay on his shoulder to keep both of them grounded. "Gosh, kid, you scared me half to death. Me and your aunt," he ran a damp hand over his face, then pushed his soaked hair back.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Stark. I..." the sheepish embarrassment returned, along with nervousness that was accompanied by figiting hands. He bit his lip, shuffling on his feet. "I thought the damage wasn't so bad. It got messed up in my last patrol and I was going to take it to you on our next internship day. I just... I didn't want to bother you cause if the Accords and all that stuff, but now I can't call anyone." His voice wavered slightly toward the end, as he was remembering something horrible. Tony wondered how many times he had tried to call before coming here. "The rain has messed with my senses and I couldn't figure out the way back home," he finished, glancing away like it was something to be ashamed about.
"Ah, kiddo," Tony said, squeezing his shoulder gently so the teen would look at him. "Look, I'm not mad or upset. I know you and I know you didn't mean to get lost or anything, but I need to you to know that you won't be a bother to me, no matter if it's school crap or if you just need a tear fixed on your suit, though it sounds a lot more like a wiring or connection problem. I'll fix it, kid, but first let's get out of this storm." He looked over the kid again, who was shivering harder than he was before. "Does the heater not work in your suit or something?"
Peter's eyes widened. "I... I actually forgot about that." He asked Karen to turn it on while Tony internally facepalmed. She did, steam immeadiately coming off the material and he almost seemed to melt in relief. Even then, that wasn't enough for Tony. The suit wasn't built to run an intense stream of heat, only a slight one with short bursts of steam like this one. He unzipped his jacket, which was dry from the warmth it produced and it's rain jacket like material on the outside, tucking it over Peter and pulling his arms into it without a second thought. The teen protested, but Tony managed to zip the jacket up, aware that this was leaving him in only his business suit which was definitely not waterproof - his pants and shoes were already soaked through - and the bandages on his arm definitely weren't going to react well with the rain, but he would cross that bridge when he got to it. Or never. Maybe if he ignored the problem, it would go away. (Yes, he was very aware of how bad that mentality and problem solving skill was - but he was tired so get off his back already.)
"Mr. Stark, I don't need your jacket," Peter protested, going to unzip it but Tony gave him a look, daring him to, and he dropped his hands as the elder man tucked the hood over his head securely. He ignored how bad his usually calm hands were trembling, from the biting cold or bone deep exhaustion he couldn't quite tell, and focused on just getting his kid home safe. "Why are you even outside right now?"
Tony raised an eyebrow at him. "I could say the same to you, but I was in a stupid meeting, then your aunt called me and I came looking for you," he explained. Turning away for a brief second, he looked out at the wall of rain that poured down from the roof. It didn't look like it was stopping any time soon, or even lessening. Was he sure Thor wasn't around? This storm hadn't even been predicted, yet here it was, raging around them like a screaming whirlwind of rain and water.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Stark," the kid said again, heavy guilt lacing his voice ad he looked down. Before tony could ask what in the world he was apologizing for this time (the kid apologized way too much), he elaborated. "It was an Accords meeting, wasn't it? With Ross? He's going to be so mad that you left for me." Tony blinked. He hadn't know Peter picked up on his phone conversations with the guy when he stepped out of the lab. Stupid super hearing. The kid shouldn't have to know about all that - those 'discussions' could get quite heated. "I know he yells at you, Mr. Stark, and this is just going to make it worse. This is all my fault." He sighed, crossing his arms.
"No, kiddo, it's not," he quickly tried to assure him, throwing his unhurt arm around his shoulders. "Ross shouldn't have even held the meeting today after the storm got bad and I needed an excuse to get us out of there anyway. Ross and I... yeah, we argue, but we'll come to am agreement soon. I'm sure of it." He tried to ignore how his voice sounded much more confident than he felt. Paper after paper, signature after signature, argument after argument and it felt like they were getting nowhere with the Accords. Tony was willing to compromise - fairly unlike him, he knew - but Ross wasn't willing to give an inch and they were both stubborn in their beliefs and policies. "But none of our arguments are your fault. No matter if they're over your identity. It all would have came to the surface eventually and I'm glad we're dealing with it now rather than it come up down the road."
"Still too much stress on you," Tony thought he heard him mutter, but before he could retaliate, Peter's eyebrows came together in a mix of confusion and worry. "What's wrong with your chest, Mr. Stark?" He asked, tilting his head to the side. Stupid super hearing. He had to focus to keep his heart from speeding up under the interrogation, aware the tern could hear every beat of his heart right now, even with the sound of the rain. The rain. That was it.
"Nothing, kiddo," he said, doing his darn best to sound confused and he thought he pulled it off. "The storm might be tricking you into hearing something you don't. It's pouring out here." He had to suppress a shiver, pulling Peter a little closer to him as they both stepped toward the edge of their little shelter, a wall of water dividing them from the world outside. "Which we should probably get out of, by the way. Your aunt is worried sick and I don't want you catching a cold."
"I can't get sick, Mr. Stark," Peter said, sounding a little like a petulant child as he scowled up at him. "The spider bite made sure of it."
"Oh?" Tony raised an eyebrow for the second time. "Then why do I recall when you got the flu and usual medicines weren't working on you, so May and I had to take you to Doctor Cho where you were hospitalized for three says because you kept it a secret from us for so long?" Peter shrunk a bit, mumbling something that the elder genius couldn't quite catch. He smiled smugly, temporarily forgetting that they were in the middle of such a terrible storm and he was feeling more like crep by the minute. It was fun to mess with his kid sometimes. Then Peter continued with, "maybe you should get out of the rain. You sound a little sick, Mr. Stark," his voice was joking, but there was an undercut of concern that told Tony to change the subject before he was figured out.
"All in your head, kiddo. I can't get sick. I am Ironman - and I know you watched that ancient press conference, so you obviously know." He rolled his eyes exageratedly. "Now, how about we quit yammering and get put of thid weather before you get blown away like a kite?" Peter hesitated, glancing between him and the rain before nodding. Tony himself paused for a moment before giving Peter a brief side hug, saying, "don't you ever scare me like that again, kid. I swear, you're going to give me grey hair before I'm forty."
"I'll try not to do it again, Mr. Stark, but I make no promises," the teen said with a slightly cheeky grin that made Tony snort (which was rather painful) and ruffle his hair. Peter let out a small exclamation of surprise, batting his hands away and smoothing down his brown curls, before he tilted his head. His eyes looked up at Tony's hair, then moved back toward his face. "Wait, you're already past-"
"Shut it, kid."
Peter laughed, but quickly became more serious as they finally reached the wave of water. Tony instructed him to stay by his side and do not leave under any circumstances. The man put his sunglasses on, hoping they would possibly allow him to see if the water drained out quick enough, then asked if the young vigilante hero was ready. There was a brief moment of nothing, just staring into the blurry city street, before he nodded. A few seconds later, they slipped out from under the cover of the roof, immeadiately being pounded down on by the sheer force of the rain water. They trudged along through it, matching each other's steps and staying together, just as Tony told him to. At least he listens this time.
The billionaire basically had his son squished to his side as close as possible, keeping one eye on him and one eye on the sidewalk ahead to steer them away from obstacles in their path. The rain soaked through his dry articles of clothing in what felt like a millisecond, drenching him down to his very bones. He couldn't help but shiver against the frigid wind that had just seemed to grow stronger with time, pushing against them from all sides. It was an insufferable three blocks to the old Queen's apartment complex that the Parkers resided in, but they eventually ducked into the lobby as the lights flickered out. Both of them were choking on water, but he had succeeded in keeping Peter mostly dry with the use of his jacket and the suit.
"That was one heck of a walk," Tony said with a small, almost hysterical laugh as he pressed his hands to his knees. His throat had a hoarseness to it that hadn't been there before, but he figured a little water (from a bottle) would fix it right up. He straightened himself up on his feet, patting his kid on the back as he stopped coughing. The teen looked up at Tony, adding, "but we made it."
"Yep," Tony agreed, giving him one more pat on the shoulder. "You obviously know where your apartment is, so I'll be on my way back to the tower. See ya, kid," he started to ward the exit, already mentally preparing himself for the long trek back to his empty home, but he was suddenly grabbed by the arm. His left forearm. Where his gash was. Fire traced his skin at the contact and he had to keep himself from hissing at the pain as Peter was suddenly in front of him, a wide eyed expression on his face. It took a second too long for the kid's voice to register in his ears, but he didn't know what to say when it did anyway.
"You can't go back out there, Mr. Stark! If I can get sick, then you can, too!" He argued. "Stay with us! We have room. You can stay for the night. We can play cards, and watch TV if the electricity doesn't go out-" it was at that moment that all the lights decided to flicker twice, then go completely out. "... uh, we still have cards! And board games! And I have Legos and some engineering stuff we can use. It came out of a dumpster - the equipment, not the Legos - but it still works!"
Tony was more than ready to say no. He would have, if not for the kid's excited expression. After thinking about it for a few moments, those giant brown bambi eyes staring at him so convincingly, he sighed. A smile grew on Peter's face and he almost sighed again. Of course his kid knew when his resolve was crumbling. "Fine, but only if your Aunt says it's alright." Peter grinned brightly and it squeezed Tony's heart with the amount of endearment he felt for the boy he considered his son.
"Awesome!" He pumped his fist in the air. "I'm sure she'll say yes, Mr. Stark, you don't have to worry about that." He squeezed his arm, a sign of his excitement, but Tony wished he had grabbed the other one. The dots that went across his vision made his knees weaken for a brief second and he couldn't help the small hiss of pain he let out, his face transforming into a grimace. Peter let go like he had touched something hot, stepping back as Tony moved his suddenly numb fingers before curling his hand into a loose fist, letting his arm drop to his side limply. He could feel blood coming from the wound, the bandage most likely having deteriorated from the rain and the barely healed cut now opening up due to Peter's hold. It wasn't the kid's fault at all - he didn't even want him to know about it - so he quickly put on a convincing smile.
"It's alright, kiddo," he said to Peter, who looked about ready to die from guilt and worry. "I just bruised it in the lab. Dum-E wasn't watching what be was doing and hit me with the fire extinguisher by accident. It's all good." The explanation seemed to assure Peter, who's tense shoulders dropped as he responded with, "I think we have some bruise ointment stuff in the apartment. Come on!" He said, then jogged toward the stairs, tapping the spider on his suit. The outfit quickly disappeared into the symbol - a brand new creation of his that he recently installed on said suit. It worked like a charm, leaving Peter in his t-shirt and jeans, though he was barefoot.
Tony couldn't help but smile when thinking back on the kid's excitement about having him over until the storm passes, calling for him to wait up as he followed him toward the stairway. But that happiness quickly turned to dread for many reasons. He obviously knew that the wound on his arm wasn't just a bruise, and that would soon become apparent to both Peter and May, something he hadn't planned on either of them knowing. He could take care of it himself - it was just a little thing that must needed a few stitches. That was all. And now that they were out of the rain and his adrenaline was fading, he could feel how tired he was, the weight of his exhaustion pressing down on his broken body. But he pushed himself to start uo the stairs, taking then two at a time to keep up with the overly energetic teen as the young man made old man jokes at his expense. They were honestly funny, things Tony would have laughed at and had many comebacks to, but the most he could do was offer a chuckle and a smile, somethings not even the former.
Tony may have just gotten out of one storm, but it felt like he had just walked into another. It was a strange feeling to have, but it stirred an anxiousness in his stomach that he tried to ignore as he focused on Peter's bad jokes and moving his legs. Just keep moving. That's all he had to do.
This wouldn't be so bad, would it?