Peter walked down the street, only a few minutes away from the tower now. His eyes were downcast and his music was blaring through his headphones. He hated school. Hated it.
He tripped slightly over an uneven brick in the sidewalk, reflexes keeping him from falling. He looked around, no one saw it- thank god. He could see the tower by now, he was dreading going inside. If he just kept his head down and walked quickly it would all be fine, no questions, he would be healed by the morning. perfect.
It wasn't unusual for Peter to come home with a black eye now and then, not that anyone knew that. It was just normally just because of patrol, the bruises would be healed within a few hours and no one needed to know about it. But after coming home from school with a fresh bruise around his eye, someone was bound to notice. Granted, he couldn't do that much to cover it up other then put his hood up and face the floor.
Peter had almost made it to the hallway leading to his bedroom when tony spoke behind him.
“Hey, pete. You not gonna say hi?” tony chuckled. Peter didn't turn around as he replied.
“Just tired from school, gonna have a nap,” he tried to take a few steps forward before Tony called out again.
“Pete. come here.” Peter slowly turned around, eyes still trained on the floor. He heard Tony gasped as he saw the darkening mark, footsteps rushing towards him and soft hands pulling his chin up.
“What the fuck kid? Who did this?” Peter did not speak, moving his eyes away from his mentor.
Tony put his hand on Peter's shoulder and directed him to the kitchen, peter slowly following, seeing no use in avoiding it.
Tony directed peter to sit on one of the bar stools as he grabbed an instant ice pack, gently resting it on peter’s eye and cursing to himself at the boy’s hiss of pain at the contact.
“Kid, what happened?” Tony's voice was nothing but caring, giving peter some reassurance.
“It’s nothing,” Peter's voice was small as he tried to assure his mentor, wincing and the ice pack was pressed more firmly onto the bruise.
“Of course it isnt nothing, if you came home with a fucking bruise it’s serious”
“Im fine, tony, really” tony stepped back and peter’s eyes widened at the rage on his face.
“Come on kid, was it those kids at school again?” Peter's silence seemed to answer the question, “jesus christ,” tony combed a hand through his hair, a tell-tale sign that he was stressed.
“How long?” Peter looked at the floor in shame.
“3 weeks” Peter answered, knowing if he didnt tell the man, nothing good would come from it.
“God- peter,” peter slowly raised his eyes to meet Tony's, “why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn't want you to worry, i can handle it,”
“Jesus kid, of course i'm going to worry” tony walked forward, standing in front of peter. He put his hand on the kid’s shoulder and slowly pulled him into his chest, wrapping his arms around the kid.
Tony could feel the coolness of the ice pack being pressed into his chest, along with Peter's hand wrapping around his band shirt, gripping onto it as if it would be pulled away at a moment’s notice. When tony speaks next it comes out as a whisper.
“Is it because you’re bi?”
Tony feels peter tense and knows the answer immediately, peter nods his head minutely and pulls himself into Tony's chest even more- if its possible. Peter had told Tony when he first spoke about the bullying, of course the man was accepting as ever, not hesitating to comfort the boy. Of course it broke his heart that other people didn't feel the same way. Tony rests one of his hands in the boy’s curls, slowly brushing through them and whispering reassurances, neither of them moving for a few minutes.
“It wasn't- it wasn't just that.” Tony stops his movements, looking down at peter.
“What is it?” Peter doesn't say a word, “come on kiddo you know you can tell me”
“Promise you wont be mad” it was almost childish the way peter said it, tony’s heart broke even more, if possible, he nodded slowly.
“Of course pete”
Tony could feel peter wait a few moments, taking a breath before answering.
“I think i’m asexual” tony took a moment to process the statement, peter didnt move in his hold. He ever so slightly tightened his arms around the kid.
“That’s okay- its okay kid, i'm not mad,” peter choked out a sob, head falling forward and eyes squeezing shut. Tony whispered reassurances as the boy cried in his arms.
After a few minutes he pulled away slowly, holding Peter's face in his hands, ice pack disregarded on the floor and bruise on full display. It was already healing but still a dark shade, Tony didn't want to look at it. When tony spoke, it was only in the smallest of whispers.
“Why did you think id be mad, kiddo?”
Peter opened his eyes slowly, hesitating before he answered.
“Some kids at school found out, they-” he took a breath, “they called me a freak, said im ‘not human’”
Tony had to hold back a gasp, how could kids be so cruel? Tony had noticed peter become more reserved recently but he brushed it off, adding it up to stress from school- which he now realises is partly true.
“Peter. Look at me kid,``Tony's voice was soft but concerned, peter slowly looked up at him, “you know I would never, ever think that about you kiddo, those kids are cruel to be saying that to you,``Peter leaned forward slightly, letting Tony take his weight and hold him in his arms, letting out all the sobs he’s been holding in, it even made tony shed a tear or two, he hated seeing Peter in this much pain.
Tony slowly rose so that both of them were in a standing position, slowly leading Peter to his bedroom, head still buried in his shoulder, sobs having stopped but tears not showing any signs of letting up. Tony sat peter down on the bed, plugging the kid’s phone in and then letting him lay down, pulling the comforter over him.
“I’ll always love you peter, it doesn't matter who you are, you’ll always be my kid,”
Peter let his eyes slip closed, relishing in the comfort he was receiving from his bed, allowing himself to slowly drift off.
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Peter woke up the next day to his phone buzzing beside his bed. He groaned, reaching over and blinking at the bright screen.
He had twenty seven new texts from ned, he scrolled to the newest one and read it, then read it again, he smiled, then clicked on the link.
‘Tony Stark- billionaire and LGBT Activist?’