Overprotective
Peter's mom had never been an especially hovering parent. He remembered that, even as memories of his mom faded a little. At first, after she had shown up a year after leaving him with his father, she would come by every few weeks, glaring at his dad and telling Peter that she missed him. That she loved him. Despite the glaring, his dad never seemed to mind the visits too much.
Then one day, those visits stopped, and they were replaced with calls every week or so, then every month or so. Those calls always made him anxious. On the days that his mom was supposed to call, he'd have trouble focusing at school and get notes sent home about how much he was talking in class or, once, how he'd refused to answer questions all day. And his dad would always sign them, sitting him down and asking him what was wrong.
It took nearly a year and a half to tell him the truth. It was just a few months before meeting the Avengers, on a day when he had a big test and couldn't focus on any of it. All he'd been able to think about was the call with his mom that had been scheduled for three months. She would call and tell him how much she missed him and how much she loved him. She would tell him how sad she was that she never saw him. And his dad would wait in the other room, giving him privacy. But Peter didn't want privacy. He wanted his mom or he didn't. He wanted her to love him all the time or none of the time.
At least then he wouldn't feel so sick on phone call days.
On that day, he'd gotten an F on his test and had been so furious and heartbroken that he'd curled up in the back seat of Happy's car, sobbing into his knees and jerking away when Happy had tried to touch him, screaming at the man to leave him alone.
His father had picked him up from inside the car when they'd reached the tower, carrying him inside and sitting on the sofa. "Okay. Okay, baby. It's okay." He'd muttered, rubbing his back for a long time. "Think you can tell me what happened?"
"I...I got...an F...on my...on my math test." Peter had sobbed, hiding his face in his dad's chest, forgetting that he hadn't wanted to talk to his dad about any of it.
"What happened? Did you not understand…"
"I don't want to call mom!" He'd cried, not daring to look up for how ashamed he was. He hadn't seen his mom in so long and she said she was sad and that she missed him and now he didn't even want to talk to her. His dad rubbed his back, not seeming upset. Just quiet. "She never comes anymore and she doesn't really want to see me and I don't want her to call."
His dad had given a soft sign, nodding his head and patting him on the back. "Are you sure, buddy?"
Peter had nodded. He was sure.
That night, after he'd been set up in the living room with his uncle Rhodey and a movie, the two of them covered in blankets with plenty of popcorn, he'd heard his father in the other room. "I'm not taking him away from you, Mary. You decided not to visit him anymore." He didn't hear his mom's reply, but when his father spoke again, he'd sounded angry. "You abandoned him, Mary! For a year."
"Hey, buddy." Rhodey had rubbed his arm, catching his attention again and wrapping him more securely in the blanket. Peter had scooted closer, rested his head on his uncle's shoulder. "You like the movie?"
Peter had nodded, wanting to forget about his mom for the moment...wanting to forget how much he still missed her and how much she didn't want him.
They hadn't had another phone call nor visit in the two months since. He hadn't really thought of it as his father projecting him, but looking back, that's what it had been. He'd been protecting him from his mother, who had wanted a son, but hadn't quite wanted Peter. Other than that instance, his dad didn't really hover. Never seemed to worry too much about him. He seemed to trust that Peter was fairly capable and could do things like make sandwiches and do his homework and go home with Ned after school without problems. Of course, his dad loved him. He loved Peter more than Peter had ever been loved by anyone, and he played with him and took him to fun places and let him work in the lab a little. But he didn't usually hover.
And then Peter had broken his arm.
Laying under the car in the dusty street, struggling to breathe and to stay awake, all Peter had wanted was his father. When the giant man had pulled him from the wreckage, trying to be careful but still hurting his arm so much that he'd struggled to fight back a sob. And then he'd gone to sleep or passed out, and when he woke up, his dad was right by his side, clutching his hand. On his other side was Pepper, her eyes red and swollen like she'd been crying.
"Peter?" She asked, leaning forward and nudging his dad who had been gazing out the window, eyes someone glazed. At the sound of Peter's name, though, his dad jolted awake.
"Dad? Mom?"
He'd never called Pepper that before, but under whatever drugs they had him on, the nine-year-old had let the name slip. The woman's eyes widened, and her jaw dropped, but his father just leaned in, letting go of Pepper's hand and brushing his knuckles along his cheek.
"Hi, baby." He sniffed a little, but tried to smile. His own face was covered in bruises, and his eye was black and swelling a little. There had been aliens, right? Had they hurt his dad?
"Dad? Are you okay?"
"Yeah, honey. I'm okay," he promised with a smile. "What about you? How are you feeling?"
"I didn't mean to run away." Peter remembered that much. There had been a monster in his room!
"I know. You aren't in trouble, buddy. Does anything hurt?"
"No...I'm sleepy…"
"Okay. You can sleep."
"Does Pepper mind if I call her that?" He asked, aware that the question might have been hard to ask any other time, but his mind felt so fuzzy. Pepper gave him a soft smile, leaning in to take his good hand. He'd kind of forgotten about her being in the room.
"No, baby. I don't mind. You can call me 'mom' if you want to."
He slept again, not waking until he was lifted and carried somewhere, but that only lasted for a minute, and then he was in a different bed. He dreamed about monsters and aliens, but in his dreams, his dad always saved him. His dad would always save him.
After a little while, he managed to wake up for real, staring down at the red cast on his left arm before looking at the ceiling. "Jarvis?"
"Yes, young sir?"
"Where's my dad?"
"Your father is in the living room. Would you like me to get him for you? He has been informed that you are awake."
"No thanks." Without thinking much about it, Peter swung his legs over the bed and stood, wiping his good hand over his eyes. This wasn't his bedroom. His bedroom had a hole in the wall where an alien had come in...it had tried to get him! And then he'd fallen! The thought made him shudder as he stepped away from the windows. He wanted his dad. His dad would keep him safe.
He was wearing a pair of old, comfortable pajamas, and he experimentally let his arm hang at his side, the weight of the cast throwing him off a little. Still, it didn't really hurt. Just ached a little. Ignoring that, Peter headed for the living room, slipping out of his bedroom, then nearly running into his father in the hallway.
"Hey, buddy. What are you doing out of bed?" He asked, ruffling Peter's hair, but he didn't really look happy to see him. More...worried.
"Wanted you."
"Yeah?" He put an arm around Peter, kissing his hair and tugging him close for a hug that felt too quick. "You want to go back to bed?"
Peter narrowed his eyes a little, shaking his head. "What's wrong?"
"What do you mean, buddy?"
"Why do you want me to go back to bed?"
"I just…"
"Peter!" The familiar voice startled him, and he looked up at his father, then past him to find his mother at the end of the hallway, a blond man standing right behind her looking concerned. His uncle Rhodey stepped forward too, pushing past both his mom and the man to stand between his mom and his dad.
"Mary, I told you, now's not a good time."
"My son was hurt! How is this not a good time?"
"I told you, he's okay. He needs to get some rest."
"I want to see…"
Uncle Rhodey cut in then, his voice hard. "He just woke up and Tony has a lot of paperwork…"
"And I want to make sure my son is okay! I still have that right!" She was yelling, and Peter couldn't help but remember the times she'd yelled at him...the times he'd stuck to her without meaning to and when he'd accidentally broken a glass when he'd squeezed it too hard. "It took me almost an hour to get here! Half of New York City was destroyed!"
What? Peter looked up at his dad who seemed torn, one hand on Peter's shoulder, the other pinching the bridge of his nose. "Daddy?" It was a title he only used when he was scared, and his father immediately dropped both hands onto his shoulders.
"I've...I've got a lot to deal with right now, buddy. I'm sorry. Are you okay?"
"My arm hurts." It felt stupid and childish to say it but he was scared and he wanted his dad to stay with him.
"Why don't you come in here with us and lay down, Peter?" Rhodey suggested, as if understanding he didn't want to be alone. That he was scared. And the sight of his mom made him want to cry but that blond man was watching him and he didn't want to look like a baby. Instead of answering aloud, he just nodded, gripping his dad's shirt in his hand.
"Okay. Yeah...okay, buddy. Mary, I can't do this right now. I'm sorry. I know you want to talk this over but…"
"He can come and stay with me. While you're getting this sorted out." She said it as if it was already decided, and Peter gripped his dad's shirt so tightly that he felt part of it tear. If his dad noticed, he didn't seem to care.
"No. Peter stays with me. We can talk later."
"Peter...baby, don't you want to come with me for a little while?"
"Mary." He'd never heard his uncle sound like that, but Uncle Rhodey stepped toward her, lowering his voice. "Do not put him in the middle of this. We have a lot to deal with here, so you need to go."
His dad reached down then, scooping him up into his arms and holding him on his hip. Peter was too big to be carried like that, but he didn't mind, just rested his head on his dad's neck. "Rhodey, can you grab the pain medicine Helen got him?" He asked as they stepped into the living room. Peter closed his eyes, not wanting to see his mom leave, and when he opened them, they were on the couch, surrounded by people he didn't know, all of whom were staring at him.
The only one he recognized was Natasha, and he gave her a shy smile that she returned. "Hi, Peter. How are you feeling?"
"M okay," he muttered. His uncle handed him a pill that he swallowed with a glass of soda, then took a seat on his other side. In the middle of the room was the coffee table, covered in papers.
"Everyone, this is Peter. Peter, this is the team."
"Team?"
"Yeah. Superhero team." That, at least, had made Peter perk up and forget about his mom for a moment. His dad smiled, putting a light hand on his shoulder. "This is Steve." His dad pointed to the blond man who gave him a quick wave and a 'nice to meet you' before his dad went on. "Clint is Natasha's friend." The short haired man smiled at him from Natasha's side. "Thor is from another planet."
"What?"
His dad chuckled. "Cool huh?" The big man with long hair gave him a kind smile from his spot on the other sofa, and Peter tried to fight the sudden drowsiness to return it. "And that is Bruce."
"Hi," Peter murmured, eyes drooping.
"It's nice to meet you, Peter." Bruce reached out a hand, leaning forward with a smile, and Peter made sure not to squeeze too hard when he shook it.
"I think Peter's going to get some sleep while we work. What do you think, kiddo?"
"Okay…". His eyes were closing, and his father guided him down to lay his head on his lap, his feet pressed against Rhodey's legs, blanket covering him.
"We'll all have dinner when you wake up, okay?"
"Mkay Dad….Dad?"
"Yeah, Pete?"
"Where's Mom?"
His father hesitated for a moment. "She...she left, buddy. Just now. Do you want to call her later?" He asked carefully.
"No...Mom. Pepper."
His dad rested a hand on his shoulder, ruffling his hair, and there was a smile in his voice when he answered. "She's on the phone right now, but I'll have her come down when she's done. Okay?"
"Okay. Love you."
"I love you too, baby."
It was only a few minutes later that he fell asleep to the soft voices of the Avengers discussing paperwork he didn't bother trying to understand.
Thank you for reading!