peter hadn’t been doing so well ever since aunt may died. she was like a mother to him. the two had grown so close, when he found out that she died, he was heartbroken. though it had been a week since she died, peter felt like it had just happened. the avengers felt remorse for the kid, especially a certain sorcerer and billionaire. the kid looked so depressed, and it definitely wasn’t a good look.
“he’s not doing well, stephen. i’m worried.” tony told stephen one night. the former neurosurgeon nodded, frowning.
“yes, i’ve noticed that. what do you think we can do? i don’t like seeing him like this.”
“same. i dunno.” tony joined stephen in the bed. he laid there for a bit, before jumping back up. “wait! i’ve got an idea!” stephen stared at him, raising an eyebrow. “i know how to make the kid happy. sure, it may not help him grieve his loss, but it could make him smile again.”
“what do you mean?”
peter sighed, taking off his mask. he walked into the avengers tower. he had been staying there since aunt may had passed away. his phone buzzed, causing him to take it out and smile when he saw a message from his boyfriend.
Ned: hey petey, i know this won’t help you get better about may but just know i love you :)
Peter: thanks, ned x
the sound of tony calling him interrupted peter from his conversation with ned.
“yes, mr stark?” he walked up to the billionaire, who sighed. “what’s up?”
“listen, kid... i didn’t want to do this but...” tony paused, looking to one side. peter couldn’t help but notice that the mechanic’s hands were behind his back. he turned his attention back to tony who was frowning. the older male took off his pink tinted glasses, before saying. “i will no longer be requiring your services as an intern.” peter paused, his eyes widening. was he seriously losing the stark internship? again? the teen couldn’t help the tears that pricked in his eyes.
“m-mr s-stark, i don’t... i don’t understa-“
“i know it’s hard to understand.” tony just had to keep a straight face, though he was finding it hard to when he saw the first few tears fall down peter’s soft cheeks.
“what did i do wrong? i’ve been a great spiderman.... haven’t i?”
“it’s not you, kid, it’s me. like i said, i didn’t want to do this.” peter clung onto tony, more tears falling.
“m-mr stark, please! this is all i have...” peter paused, sobbing slightly. “please don’t take it away from me.” tony softly pushed peter off him.
“keep it together, kid. calm down.” peter nodded, taking deep breathes. “i’m sorry, peter.”
“it’s fine...” peter muttered, smiling weakly.
“i just need you to sign this.” he revealed his hands behind his back and showed a contract. he handed it to peter. “you have to read it, though.” the teenager raised an eyebrow, but didn’t say anything about it. he was too heartbroken, it was like aunt may had died all over again. just as peter was about to accept his faith of being a normal teenager again and sign the contract, he couldn’t help but notice a few words on the paper.
‘by signing this, you’ll be allowing anthony edward stark and stephen vincent strange to adopt you.’
peter gasped. he looked at tony, who let out this biggest grin. peter couldn’t help but smile. but he was still confused.
“but, i thought you said i wouldn’t be your intern?”
“yeah, you won’t.” peter frowned, before tony continued. “i wanted you to work with me, not as an intern but... as my...”
“...son?” peter finished for him. tony nodded.
“but, only if you want to.” peter hugged tony and the engineer couldn’t help but melt into it, embracing the teen back. “does mr strange know?”
“yes, of course. but, you won’t be calling him mr strange anymore. and no more mr stark for me.” peter’s smile grew wider every second. “so, what do you say, kid? or should i say son?”
peter had never signed a contract so quickly in his life.
tony was right. the avengers had noticed that peter was back to his normal happy self. the team couldn’t help but take note about the fact peter had become extremely close with stephen. the arachnid hero was already close to tony, but peter was also hanging out a lot with the sorcerer and stephen didn’t seem to mind. though clint insisted they find out more, natasha knocked some sense into him by actually hitting him on the head before saying.
“isn’t it obvious? they’re just one happy family. leave ‘em alone.”
and that’s what they were. one happy family. sure, it didn’t help peter mourn over his aunt, the kid still thinks about her to this day, but it did bring him an eternal smile.