At first, he just left it at the door. He would announce that he had it, get no answer, and then just leave it, picking up the empty plate in the morning.
After a month, Peter would tell him to leave it at the door. “I got dinner!” He said happily, like he did everyday.
“Leave it at the door.” An emotionless voice would tell him through the wood and he would smile simply because the sound of Peter’s voice gave him hope.
“You got it.”
In another month, he would start getting ‘Thank You’s’ that made his eyes tear up.
The third month, Peter had opened the door and taken it silently. Tony sobbed on Steve’s chest for three hours that night.
-
Three and a half weeks later - no he wasn’t counting, how dare you - Peter started to thank him when he took his plate. Tony didn’t stop smiling for days.
After another month, Peter looked him in the eyes when he said thank you, and Tony tripped over himself when he walked away.
Two weeks later, Peter looked in his eyes, said thank you, and smiled. Tony sobbed into his pillow as Steve rubbed slow circles on his back.
Three weeks later, Tony knocked on Peter's door, just like everyday.
“Peter,” He sing-songed. “I come bearing gifts!”
He waited for longer than usual, the door not even cracking open. Tony didn’t say a word, waiting just like he had at the beginning, even though he could feel his heartbeat in his thighs .
Just as he felt his eyes fill up with tears and he bent down to set it on the floor, Peter said something.
“Come in and leave it on the table on your left.” He said. They were strict instructions and Tony’s jaw clenched. Okay, okay. He could do this. Hand… on the doorknob.
Turn the door knob.
There’s the table.
Peter’s room was completely dark, and Tony couldn’t see anything that wasn’t illuminated by the light coming in from the hall.
He couldn’t even see Peter, but he didn’t go looking.
He could have burst a blood vessel with how hard he was concentrating at setting the plate down softly, not too quick or slow.
He laid the plate down and closed the door wordlessly, and when it was safe, he pressed his hand to the arc reactor. Nothing was broken or falling out, so why did he feel like he was gonna drop dead right here?
He was shaking like a chihuahua when he finally made it to the couch.
-
After only five days , Peter’s disembodied voice thanked him from the darkness, and Tony definitely thought he wasn’t going to wake up again when he fell onto his bed.
Two weeks later, Peter turned on the light in his room, and simply told him, “It’s open.” Tony couldn’t help but beam.
A month later, Peter told him that the door was open, and when Tony opened it, Peter spoke.
“You can leave it here.” He said, trying to sound uninterested as he pointed to the empty space at his desk.
The desk. Where Peter was sitting, doing homework.
He wanted Tony. To walk in. And. Put. His. Plate. At. His. Side.
Tony’s arc reactor flickered, but he still pretended to take it in stride. He crossed the room at an impressively normal speed and laid the plate down normally.
What wasn’t normal was Peter lying his hand on Tony’s wrist to make the man freeze, looking up into his eyes and thanking him.
It took everything that Tony had to hold back his tears as he said “Of course.” before Peter lifted his hand and Tony strode out of the room normally, normally, he told himself, gritting his teeth.
When he finally closed the door behind him, he sprinted into the living room and nearly busted through the doors as he ran onto the balcony and screamed over the edge.
-
After three weeks of pure fucking joy, Tony laid Peter’s plate down at his side, and Peter stood up to hug him.
Tony almost had a half a mind to pull away and tell the boy to slow down, that it was okay if he still needed time, there was no need to rush, but the way that Peter’s fingers locked around his back and his cheek pressed into his arc reactor, Tony couldn’t even open his mouth.
“You can hug me back.” He heard a little voice say and he immediately, slowly, normally, wrapped his arms around Peter’s shoulders.
His hand instinctively went to snake up his neck and lace into his hair, but he caught himself, and settled into the hug. When Peter went to pull away, so did he.
When Peter sat back down in his chair with a quick ‘Thank you’ that Tony knew was for more than the food, he walked out.
-
Peter hugged him every other day for the next two months, and on one of those hug-days, Peter lifted his head, but didn’t pull away. “Tony?” He asked the man who was lovingly stroking his scalp - Peter had let him do that three weeks after the first hug.
“Yeah, buddy?” Tony asked softly, his eyes peering into Peters. Peter bit his lip for a second, then smothered himself back into Tony’s glowing chest.
“Nothing.” He said and Tony smiled softly.
“Okay.”
After that, Peter hugged him everyday for two weeks. Five out of those thirteen days, Peter had lifted his head, called his name, bit his lip, and then put his face back into his chest. On the fourteenth day, Peter had lifted his head up.
“Tony?” He called to the man who looked down at him lovingly, his eyes just as soft as they had been the first time he tried - and failed - to ask his question. Tony hummed softly. When Peter didn’t bite his lip in worry, Tony had to force back a smile.
“I think I’m ready.” He whispered and Tony felt his eyes fill up with tears.
“Ready for what, Pete?” He asked wetly, unable to hide how emotional he was. Peter reached his hand up to wipe away a tear that ran down Tony’s cheek.
“I want to be me again.” He said softly. “I want to have dinner with everyone, and… sit on the couch. Maybe I could even go to therapy in person.” He said and Tony laughed through his tears.
“How about dinner and lazy couch time, first?” He asked and Peter giggled - for the first time.
“Yeah,” He said. “Dinner and couch first.” Then Peter looked up at Tony with a devilish smile.
“I’m going to sleep in your bed tonight.” He said and Tony’s smile melted away.
“Right in between you and Steve, all snuggled up, making sure nothing devious happens.” Then Peter pulled away and ran down the hall, screaming for Steve. Tony growled and followed after him.
“You little devil!” He yelled, then smiled brightly. His kid was back.