Unfortunate
Uncle Rhodey picked Peter up on Fridays. It had been their tradition ever since their house had gotten blown up and his dad had moved the both of them, along with Pepper, to New York almost a year ago. It was so weird to think that it had been a year. A full year since he'd seen his mom. A full year since he'd met his dad. A year was practically forever, and some days he found it difficult to remember exactly what she looked like. He didn't have any pictures of her, and when he'd gotten up the courage to ask his dad if he did, the man had pulled him into his lap and shaken his head.
"I don't. I'm sorry buddy. I can try and get one if you want." He'd offered, and Peter had looped an arm around his dad's neck, sticking his hand to the back of his shirt and resting his head on his shoulder.
"That's okay." His dad had only been back from his trip for a while, and although Peter didn't know what he'd been doing on his trip or why he and Uncle Rhodey had fought, he knew that they were okay now, and that he liked his school and his new best friend Ned. The tower wasn't the same as their house on the beach, but it was still really nice, and his dad had promised to take him back to the beach soon.
Deep in his heart, he hoped he never had to go with his mom again, and at the same time, he wished desperately that she'd come back for him. It had taken him almost a year to ask his dad the question he'd been secretly pondering ever since his mom had told him what was going to happen...that he was going to be sent to live with his father while she...did something. That part had never been clear.
Only about a month ago, after a really bad nightmare that had left him crawling into his dad's bed, Peter had finally asked.
His dad had woken up with a start, looking down at him and lifting the covers without hesitation. "Hey, buddy. What's the matter?"
Peter had only closed his eyes, trying to hide his face in his dad's chest as he'd sobbed. Rubbing his back, his dad had rocked him back and forth, shushing him gently and kissing the top of his head. "Shh...it's okay. It was just a nightmare. Just a dream. It's alright, Spiderling."
"Dad?"
"Yeah, baby?"
"Is it my fault?" He'd choked out.
"Is what your fault?"
"That she stopped loving me?"
His father had gone so quiet, nearly crushing Peter to his chest and kissing his hair once more. "No...no, baby. None of this was your fault. I promise. I don't think she stopped loving you. But no matter what, I love you. So much. Okay? I love you." He'd pulled away, touching the side of Peter's face. "I don't know why your mother left you here. But...I'm so, so glad I got to meet you."
Peter had dropped his head onto his dad's pillow, closing his eyes, and his dad had pulled the blankets up to his chin. "Get some sleep, kiddo."
And in the morning, his dad had made him pancakes and asked if he wanted him to try and find out more about his mom. Peter had shaken his head.
He'd tried to think of her less and less, and it had been working. Mostly. Every Friday Uncle Rhodey picked him up from school and drove him home, since his dad had meetings. This Friday was no exception as Peter spotted him in the car rider's line. He ran over to Uncle Rhodey's fancy red car, climbing in the back seat and throwing his backpack on the floor. "Hi Uncle Rhodey!"
"Hey, buddy. You have a good day?"
"Yeah!" Peter began to tell him all about it as they turned onto the street with Rhodey nodding and smiling along, sometimes asking questions. As always, they stopped at Peter's favorite burger place and ate burgers and milkshakes, taking a bag of food home to his dad. His uncle kept a close eye on him, almost always holding his hand or putting a hand on his shoulder. Rhodey knew about his powers, so sometimes when they were in big crowds, Peter would stick to his hand. He'd promised Peter that he could stick to him whenever he wanted, and that he would never tell anyone about Peter's abilities.
Once they'd gotten their dinner, Rhodey pulled into the parking garage and the two climbed out of the car, Peter racing to the elevator and Rhodey laughing and following behind. "I'll race you!" Peter cried, peering over his shoulder.
"I'm too old to race, buddy."
"No you're not!"
"I am. I'm even older than your dad."
Peter paused at the elevator, turning around, eyes widening in surprise. "Really?"
Rhodey laughed aloud, reaching down and swinging Peter up onto his shoulders. "Really."
Peter had to duck for both of them to fit in the elevator, and he gripped Rhodey's head as it took them up to his floor. He rested his chin on Uncle Rhodey's head, peering down at his uncle's phone just as the doors opened, the hopped down, bag in hand. Grinning and hoping to surprise his dad, he raced into the room, pausing when his uncle called for him. "Peter...wait…"
But it was too late.
He raced around the corner, sure that he'd find his father sitting on the sofa working on paperwork, but it wasn't his father sitting there. It was his mother. Peter skidded to a stop, nearly dropping the bag of food, and then Rhodey was right behind him, hands holding his shoulders. His mom leaned forward, giving him a soft, sad smile, and he realized she looked a little different than he remembered. She looked...older. Tired. But still his mom
"Look at you," She murmured, looking him up and down. "Peter...you're so big!"
Peter felt frozen, his uncle's hands on his shoulders the only thing keeping him grounded. "Mom?" He asked, eyes shooting around the room, looking for his dad. The question came out weak, almost afraid, and Rhodey squeezed his upper arms, rubbing gentle like he was trying to warm him up.
"Come here, Peter," she urged, arms open, and he took a hesitant step forward, then another, and before he knew it, he was placing the bag of food on the coffee table and stepping into his mom's arms just like he had a million times before. As soon as she wrapped her arms around him and he smelled her perfume, he started crying, face buried in her shoulder, hands sticking to her back. His mom was back. She'd missed him! She still loved him!
She only held him for a moment before straightening, though, her hand patting him briskly on the back. He couldn't remove his hands, he realized with a growing sense of horror. Couldn't stop himself from sticking to her. And he recognized her tone when she spoke again. "Peter. Let go."
She was scared of him. She didn't want him hugging her. The thought only made it worse and his fingers refused to let go. He was making her angry! He had to let go!
"Peter," she said again, voice hardening, and that's when his father stepped into the room with a glass of water.
"Pete?" He asked, sounding surprised to see them.
"I'm sorry...I didn't check my messages until we were already here…" Rhodey murmured.
"Hey...hey, buddy." His dad approached and knelt beside him, putting a hand on his back.
"Peter, you need to let go so we can talk," his mom told him, her voice strained.
He flinched at the reprimand and tried, eyes filling with hot tears. He was ruining everything! Again! But the hand on his back rubbed gentle circles. "Hey, Pete, look at me for a second." Peter did, sniffing, and his dad gave him a weak smile. "It's okay, buddy. Come here." He offered, and Peter found his hands suddenly letting go as he threw himself into his dad's arms, hands sticking fast to the back of his shirt. "There you go, Peter. It's okay." He murmured, kissing his hair. His dad had promised that he could stick to him...that he loved him, including his powers. That he thought they were cool. Just remembered slowed his racing heart a little. "You have a good day at school?
Peter nodded. "We brought you dinner." His voice came out as a whimper, but his dad didn't seem to mind.
"Thanks, buddy. Why don't you go put the bag in the fridge, and then we can all talk?"
Peter's fingers released with no issues, and he grabbed the bag from the table, glancing back at his mom before doing as he'd been asked. Then he joined the adults in the living room, Peter sitting on the loveseat beside his dad across from his mom, Rhodey on his other side. His mom was smiling at him again, but she still looked so sad. He didn't want her to be sad. He didn't want her to take him. He wanted her to love him like she had before.
"So...what can we do for you?" His dad asked, keeping a hand on Peter's shoulder. He wanted to stick to his dad...to hide behind him. He wanted to be in his mom's arms again and hold her and have her hold him. He wanted to go to his room and hide until it was all over.
"I wanted to thank you for watching after him. I know I've been gone a while...and I know I didn't give you a lot of warning…"
His dad pursed his lips, and Peter knew that he wanted to say something but was stopping himself.
His mom seemed oblivious, though. "If you want to watch him again…"
This time his dad did speak, holding up a hand, back going stiff like it did when he was mad. "What? What do you mean, watch him?"
"I know that this whole situation was...unfortunate. And I know it lasted longer than I intended. But my mission is finished and it's time for Peter to come home."
Peter felt his own back stiffen, and his fingers clutched the sofa so tightly that it ripped. Uncle Rhodey put a firm hand on his shoulder, grounding him once more, his thumb rubbing over his shoulder.
"Come home." His father's voice was flat when he repeated her words, almost angry sounding, and Peter had to fight the urge to flinch away.
"Of course. We can work out a custody arrangement if you want, especially with you living in New York now. If you can get me his school records then…"
"Let me stop you right there." His dad's voice had turned cold, angry, and Peter wished he could sink into the sofa. He hated it when his dad was angry. "You're not taking Peter. No way. Over my dead fucking body."
Peter flinched at the word, lowering his eyes, and his uncle put a hand on his shoulder. "Peter? Why don't you go to your room, huh buddy?" Rhodeh murmured, squeezing him in a quick half-hug and trying to smile. "Let the grown-ups talk."
"No, I think Peter should stay right here. I know you've been having a good time with your dad, Peter, but don't you want to come home?" His mom asked, as if trying to entice him. All Peter wanted was to go to his room and hide under his bed...or on the ceiling.
"Mary, you abandoned him. On my doorstep. You didn't even wait with him! Some man dropped him off and he was left out there for almost an hour."
"Peter knows that my job is important, don't you?" She asked, turning to Peter. On instinct, he nodded. "See? And you know that I had to go away for a little while. For work. But I'm back now, and I'm going to take you home."
Peter's lips trembled, fingers tearing into the sofa without anyone seeming to notice.
"Mary, there's no court in this country that would side with you if you tried to take him now. You abandoned him. For a year." His dad rested a hand on Peter's back but he barely felt it. He didn't want to go. He didn't want to go!
"I work for Shield, Tony." She told his dad in a tone that was almost amused, and Peter didn't know what that meant but it sounded like she was saying she was going to take him and tears were spilling out of his eyes. It was just like before, when she'd told him to pack a bag...that her driver was going to take him to his father's in California. That she was going away for work for a while and that she'd be back soon. And then, with a kiss to his hair, refusing to get close enough for him to wrap his arms around her, she had been gone.
"You're not taking him. No way. I have primary custody. Hell, I have sole custody. My lawyers are ready to fight. I've got three on speed dial."
She jumped to her feet then, eyes narrowed, and she pointed a finger at his dad. "You're not taking my son."
"You abandoned our son!" His father snapped, jumping to his feet as well, and Rhodey was the third to stand, hands up.
"Okay, why don't we…"
Peter slipped behind Rhodey, arms pumping as he raced from the room. None of them seemed to notice, their loud voices fading as he bypassed the elevator and headed for his room, then climbed the wall. There was a vent at the top of his wall, and although he'd never been inside of it, he figured it had to lead somewhere he could hide.
He crawled for ages, one shaking hand in front of the other until he found a little corner to curl up in, head in his knees. He was above his dad's office, a place he rarely went. But he was allowed. Once or twice, his dad had brought him inside with him, setting him up to color or build LEGOs while he did paperwork, but his father usually ended up giving up on his paperwork and joining Peter instead. Then Pepper would come home and try to act upset, but she'd be smiling, and sometimes she would join them too.
He didn't know how long he was up there, trying to keep his sobs quiet, but it was his dad's soft voice that brought him out of his tears. "Hey, buddy. I know you're up there. JARVIS told me."
Peter sniffed, wiping a hand over his eyes and crawling toward the vent. "Do...do I have to go with Mom?" His lip trembled and he tried to stop crying but he couldn't. "I don't want to go. Please...Dad, I don't want to go!" He begged, peering through the vent at his father.
"You don't have to go anywhere, Pete. You're staying right here with me. Come down, buddy, and we can talk."
Peter hesitated for a moment, then pushed the vent cover until it popped off the wall, landing on the floor with a clang. His dad stood under the vent, arms outstretched, and he climbed partially down the wall before dropping into them, face pressed against his dad's neck.
"I'm sorry. She left. It's okay. I'm sorry, baby...you don't have to go. You're staying right here."
"She left?" He didn't know what he'd expected. Had he expected her to wait? To say goodbye? To risk hugging him again when he couldn't even make himself let her go.
His dad lowered the both of them onto the sofa in his office, kissing Peter's hair. "Yeah, little spider. She's gone. I'm sorry."
"I couldn't...couldn't let go...I'm sorry…she got mad…"
" It's not your fault, Pete. I promise. None of this was your fault."
"But if I...if I could control it and...and let go…"
His dad didn't answer, just held him a little tighter and rubbed his back as Peter fought to make the tears stop. They wouldn't.
"I love you, Peter. I love you so much. More than anything."
It didn't make everything better, Peter thought, but at least it made his chest hurt a little less to hear those words. Curling up in his father's lap, Peter closed his eyes. "I didn't want to leave you."
"You don't have to. Not ever if you don't want to. You'll always have a home with me."
The next words were harder, and he had to whisper them. "I didn't want her to leave either."
"I know. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry she left you."
It wasn't everything he wanted. But, Peter realized, he would never have everything he wanted. His mom would never love him like she had before. It was a thought that made more tears fall as he hid in his father's arms. But he had his dad now, and his dad loved him. His dad didn't care that he could climb walls and that sometimes he couldn't control his powers. His dad read him a bedtime story every night and played with him and let Peter sleep in his bed when he had nightmares.
His dad had hired lawyers to make sure no one could take him away.
And that would be enough.
Thank you for reading!