Peter's POV
I walk slowly out of the school building, almost literally dragging my feet against the ground.
I don’t want to go back to the tower yet but May is out of town so I can’t go to her apartment.
Mr. Stark has just been so…protective since the snap.
It’s exhausting, for both of us.
I slide my phone out of my pocket, making a decision as I walk past the busses.
"I’m taking the subway today, please tell Mr. Stark and make sure he doesn’t kill me." I text to Happy quickly as I walk towards the city.
"Sure kid." He replies.
Perfect.
"It’s not lying", I think to myself as I step up to the front door of the New York Sanctum, "I did say I was taking the subway."
I pound the knocker against the heavy wood.
"I just didn’t say where I was taking it to."
“Hey kid.” Doctor Strange says with a cautious smile as he opens the front door. “What’re you doing here?”
He steps to the side to let me in, and I shrug as I walk past him.
“Just not having the best day, and I don’t want to go back to the tower right now.” I answer.
He frowns.
“What’s wrong?” He asks, following me to the small sitting area inside.
I flop down into a chair, avoiding his gaze.
How do you tell an all-powerful wizard that you’re getting bullied in high school?
Or that your dad, who also happens to be the leader of the Avengers (and said wizard’s ex-boyfriend), is not adjusting well to life after Thanos?
So I don’t answer, I just shrug.
He smiles tightly.
“Do you want to stick around a little while and help me practice some spells maybe?” He asks.
I smile up at him, nodding.
He leads the way to his study, and I follow behind him, taking in the strange sights of the Sanctum as we walk.
He pulls an old book off his desk, handing it to me and flipping to a certain page as we sit on the floor.
I hold the book open, reading different incantations to him as he meditates and repeats after me.
It’s nice to be able to spend time with him, we haven’t really been alone much since we were stuck in the Quantum Realm together.
And he hasn’t been around the tower since the breakup at all.
“So uh,” He says, clearing his throat as he opens his eyes, “how’s your dad been?”
He holds a small flame between his hands still, keeping his eyes locked on it.
I swallow hard.
He’s gotten worse gradually.
Sleeping has seemingly gone out the window, and it seems like he drinks more alcohol than any other liquid.
And that’s saying a lot, because he also drinks enough coffee to sustain a small island each day.
He works all hours of the day, only leaving his lab to hover over me obsessively.
The panic attacks are the most concerning part though.
If I’m out of his immediate line of sight for longer than a couple hours, more times than not I find him completely lost in a world that only he can see.
It doesn’t take a wizard or a scientist to guess what he’s afraid of though when he starts to beg for Doctor Strange and I to come back from being snapped away.
“Peter?” Strange calls, waving his now empty hand in front my face.
I take a deep breath, snapping out of my daze as I look up at him.
“If I’m being honest, he’s a lot worse.” I answer quietly. “I’m really worried about him.”
Sadness fills the Doctor’s eyes.
“What’s been going on?” He asks in a low voice.
“He hasn’t been sleeping, and if he does he gets these crazy nightmares.” I answer, my voice even lower than his now. “He has panic attacks and repeats these random phrases over and over again before going back to work.”
Doctor Strange just nods, pulling his sling ring from his pocket and sliding it over his fingers.
“I’ll go take a look at him.” He says in a matter-of-fact way as he stands up. “Come on, he’s probably freaking out because you aren’t home yet.”
I smile slightly as I stand up, and we step through the glowing portal he makes before us together.