Back to the Future

1995-

“Mr Stark, I think we’re out of materials,” Peter said, searching for a particular piece he needed for their machine.

Tony looked over and searched through the box, suspecting that Peter just couldn’t find the thing. He definitely thought that they just got a new delivery in again.

“Ah, shit,” Tony mumbled, laughing when Peter glared at him. “Just don’t repeat what I say, kid. Future me would apparently loose it if you did.”

“We need it, Mr Stark,” Peter said, showing the blueprint to Tony, pointing at the point where it would end up.

“That we do, my sidekick. We’ll go shopping for it.” Tony said.

Peter squinted his eyes, staring at Tony for a second. His Tony always got all the parts delivered. He had spent a lot of time down in the lab and he had never once been shopping with him (for their lab work, anyway. He’d been to the mall multiple times with Tony). Maybe past Tony was just a lot more motivated than his.

“I’m not your sidekick,” Peter said, “I’m the batman.”

“Keep telling yourself that, kid,” Tony said, standing up. “Come on, lets go.”

Peter got up from his spot and walked beside the man, jumping into the passenger seat as Tony got into the drivers. Peter wore a jacket with a hood (he hoped it would cover him from the paparazzi) whilst Tony looked like was coming out of a high-fashion store.

This hardware store was massive. Peter ran in front of Tony, hoping to get to the trolley before he could. Tony managed to put his hand on the one Peter tried to get before the kid could. He looked over at Peter, laughing, when the kid looked annoyed. “Jump in it, I’ll push you around.”

“Really?!” Peter laughed.

Tony said it as a joke but, the kid jumped in anyway. As Tony pushed him around, they turned corners and ran down aisles, picking up materials as they did. Tony hadn’t had this much fun in a while. He knew that he didn’t want to let the kid go home at this point.

Peter laid in the trolley, surrounded by items. He looked at Tony as the man pushed him around, admiration in his eyes. Tony’s smile hadn’t been this large since Peter arrived. This past version of his mentor had been closed off and, finally, it looked like he was letting go.

They got the stuff they needed and paid for it, leaving a very confused cashier behind. They walked to the car and loaded everything in.

Hanging out with this version of Tony was like having an older brother, compared to his Tony who was more like his father. He loved both of them, at this point and knew that he’d miss him whenever he left.

They drove home, the sun coming out for the first time in a while (it was summer, after all). The drive wasn’t too long but, they both made sure to enjoy every moment.

Getting back to the tower, they started to get back to work. Silence fell over the lab, as it usually did.

Tony began to get oddly emotional. Looking over at the boy, his heart ached as he hummed to the music that he begged Tony to put on. Once again, the thought about Peter being his son came back to his head.

Taking a break from their work, the duo turned to a movie night. Tony actually picked it this time, putting his foot down. Peter didn’t seem too interested but, he pretended to like it anyway. That’s what the kid was like, Tony had learnt. He was way too pure for everything.

“Hey, kid?” Tony said, halfway through.

Peter turned his head. “Yeah?”

“What did you mean when you said ‘missions’ the other day?” He asked.

Peter took a deep breath. He knew this was going to happen eventually. Surely it was okay to tell him, right? They had their memory potions ready to go, he wouldn’t remember any of this.

“Peter?”

“Yeah,” Peter sighed, “Right, okay. Sure. You might not even believe me.”

“Kid, you’re a time traveller. I think I’d believe anything you’d say,” Tony said, taking the remote and turning the, now ignored, movie off.

“You’d be surprised, Mr Stark,” Peter sighed. “Right, okay. Sometime in 2009, you go to this weapons thing in Afghanistan and get kidnapped. You’re a genius so, somehow, you build this metal suit and escape. This suit becomes an obsession. You’ll shut the weapons unit down and become ‘Iron Man’, a superhero.”

“Oh,” Tony said, staring at the kid. “Yeah, that’s not really that believable.”

Peter remembered when he was 8. He remembered the moment Tony Stark got kidnapped, he was terrified. The man was Peter’s childhood hero, he loved him! When Tony became Iron Man, it was the coolest thing in the whole world. Tony even saved his life back in 2009, although he didn’t know it. Peter would always defend the man. He was team Iron Man forever. When the man showed up at his door when they first met properly, he couldn’t believe it.

“Well, it’s the truth. You’ve saved the world, Mr Stark. You’re my hero.”

“Not yet, Pete,” Tony said, looking down at his hands.

Tony had created such destruction in his life. The press presented him as a mass-murderer, his creations killing thousands. To think that one day he’d be the opposite, made him feel weird but, good. He closed his eyes and imagined he would be the hero this kid looked up to (hopefully, soon).

“No, that’s not true. You’re still a hero now, Tony.”

“Tony, huh?” Tony smiled, “That’s a new one.”

“I only bring that name out when I am serious,” Peter said, crossing his arms. “Tony, you are always my hero. I look up to every single version of you. You’re so selfless. Like I’ve said before, you’re the smartest person in the world.”

“Kid-,”

“No, please. Let me speak,” Peter said. Tony’s mouth shut. “You’re so strong, Tony. I know that you’re trying your best right now to stay away from drinking and you’re doing such a good job. You’ve been through so much and always help other people before yourself. My Tony probably isn’t even sleeping right now trying to get back to me.”

“I-,” The man looked down at his feet, not used to the compliments. “Thanks, kid. That means a lot.” Before Peter could say more, Tony interrupted him. “Now, back to you. You also go on these missions? So, I’m Iron Man and you are? What? Iron Kid?”

“Once again, Mr Stark, I am not your sidekick,” Peter laughed. “I’m Spiderman.”

“Spiderman, huh? What powers do you have?”

Peter thought in that moment actions were better than words. He jumped up from the sofa and climbed up the wall. He sat up on the ceiling and chuckled down at the man who had wide eyes. “These!”

“Holy shit, that’s terrifying!” Tony laughed, “Jesus, I knew there was something about you. You always caught everything when I threw it at you, I started to think you were magic.”

“No, that’s Dr Strange,” Peter said, jumping down.

“Dr Strange? You talking about people in their made up names now?” Tony asked.

“That’s what I said!” Peter exclaimed, giggling. “No, that’s his actual name. His last name’s strange and he is this really smart doctor. Happens to be magical too.”

“Magic exists? Come on, that can’t be true,” Tony mumbled.

“You draw the line at magic? I’m a time travelling mutant who just sat on your ceiling,”

Tony looked at him, shrugged, and started to laugh. Staring at the kid, he wanted to trash their machine and keep him here. He could be like the other Tony, couldn’t he? He could be like a father to him. What could future Tony do that he couldn’t?

When Tony’s thoughts stopped, he looked over at the kid who was staring down at his phone. He was scrolling through his photos and frowning at them, a look of heartbreak on his face. In that moment, Tony knew he had to let go. He needed his Tony back, the man he obviously looked up to as a dad. He had to be the hero that Peter loved.

2018-

Tony’s machine was done. In front of him was the first time travel machine in history (well, he thought so). Created just for Peter Parker, the kid really didn’t know how special he was. Tony didn’t know if it would work. For all he knew, he could end up in 1600 without no way home. He would risk it all, however, if it meant he got back to his kid.

Tony suited up, ready for the trip. He said goodbye to the team, just in case, and refused for anyone else to come with him. This was his trip and he didn’t want to pull anyone else down with him.

“Be careful,” Pepper whispered, putting a hand on his arm. “Please, Tony. I can’t lose you.”

“I’ll be back before you know it, Pep,” Tony replied, giving her a quick kiss on the lips. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Tony looked at his team, who had only just returned from the mission that Tony deserted. With a salute, Tony stepped back into the machine and let himself fall back in town.

1995-

Moments later, Tony from the future was stood in a familiar lab. So familiar that he wondered if his trip had even worked at all. He looked around and, suddenly, he realised that it definitely had. Where his Iron Man suits usually stood, there was nothing. A wide grin grew onto his face. He was going to hug his kid, tighter than he ever had before, as soon as could find him.

-1995 (an hour earlier)

Tony, from the past, was still having a deep conversation with the kid. Peter was telling him all about Spiderman and how he met his future self.

“What am I like back in your day, kid?” Tony asked, as they both laid on separate sofas. “Am I as cool as I am now?”

“I’ve already told you, Mr Stark. You’re like my favourite person ever,” Peter said. “What would you like to know?”

“My relationship with Pepper. What’s it like?” Tony asked, “Don’t worry. Memory potion and all, I won’t remember what you say.”

“You and Pepper? Well, you’re like the biggest power couple. Ever! I mean, Pepper’s a bit like my mother. Kind of. I’m not as close to her than you but, we’re definitely close. She’s the best listener, I’d say. Whenever I don’t feel like talking to you, she’s always there to talk to,” Peter explained, smiling at how Tony’s face grew; he had a red blush on his face (he clearly already had a crush on the woman).

“What about me and you? When you say we’re close... Well, I know you said we’re like father and son but, how far does that go?” Tony asked, sitting up and smiling at the boy.

“Oh, wow. Tony’s my biggest protecter. He’s incredibly protective of what I do but, in a good way. He comes to every school event I have, in disguise, and (with Aunt May) is also my biggest supporter. He’s caring, loving and funny. He’s just- he’s the best. Well, you. You’re the best. You’re everything I said earlier.” Peter explained. “I could go on and on about our friendship. He’s my father... in every way apart from biological.”

“Sounds like you love him,” Tony said, with a soft smile. He got up and walked over to the other sofa where Peter was sat, sitting next to him. “You really miss him, don’t you?”

“More than anything,” Peter whispered, tears welling up in his eyes before he could even think about it.

“Ah, kid,” Tony mumbled, putting an awkward hand on his shoulder. “It’ll be okay. Before you know it, you’ll be back to the future.”

“Oh my god,” Peter said, wiping his tears away from his face. Excitement replaced his sadness immediately, surprising Tony all over again (he couldn’t believe how easy it was for the boy to be happy). “Mr Stark! I’m literally Marty McFly! Ned’s going to lose it when I tell him about this.”

Tony chuckled, patting him gently. He took his hand away. “Sure you are, bud. Wouldn’t Ted be as excited about time travelling without relating it to Back to the Future?”

“It’s Ned, Mr Stark. Wow, you really are like yourself. My Tony does that too...It’s really not that hard!” Peter laughed. “No, he wouldn’t! He loves films just like I do..,” Peter went silent for a second, thinking about it. “Never mind, he would still be excited.”

“Told you so.”

Peter grinned, looking at Tony. “Hey? Any chance you have the Delorean hanging about in your garage?”

The kid’s love for his future self just reinstated how much he had to try and be the hero this kid knew he was. He’d be back with the kid when he eventually got to that age, anyway. It would be selfish to keep him here.

-1995 (hour later)

Tony, from the future, rushed up the tower’s stairs and hoped that the kid was there. He didn’t even care to take a look about what was different. All he needed was Peter. Thar’s all he could think about.

When Tony got up the stairs, he froze. There, just in front of him, was his kid. Peter was laid on the sofa, asleep. Across from him was himself, asleep on the other side.

He wasn’t sure who to look at. Well, he was only torn for a second. He stared down at Peter. He was wearing clothes that Tony would’ve worn in this time period (in fact, the man was wearing almost the same outfit on the other sofa, if Tony looked hard enough), whilst looking a little skinnier than he had when he left. Perhaps the kid didn’t tell this Tony of his enhanced metabolism, he never wanted to be annoying. Tony always had to tell him that it wasn’t but, Peter was always reluctant to agree.

Tony put a hand on his heart, not believing the sight. This kid had been missing for such a long time, longer than he ever thought was possible. Tony never thought, since the day they finally bonded, that they’d ever be apart this long. At times, he didn’t think that he’d ever see his little face again.

“Peter?”