the time has come hasn't it?
I look up from my arm that I was so tenderly nursing. I see Keller and Peter standing in the doorway. Peter first, seemed pissed like the angsty teen he has never really gotten to be. The second he saw that I was wounded, his mood completely changed. He rushed to me with the worried disposition he wears so well.
“Calm down, Underoos, I’m fine.,” I pull him into a hug and kiss the top of his head.
“Mr. Stark, I am so sorry, I think he needs to know now.. We just came from the training room where we spared.. Miss Romanoff, dragged me into it.”
I place my forehead in my hands and sigh.
“Damn it,” I whisper to myself.
“Well, Pete, the day has come hasn’t it?” I say forcing a weak smile..
“I guess it has,” he said, with him arms defensively crossed.
I pat the seat across the desk from where I am now sitting. I sigh and pull some papers out of my desk and place them on the desk.
The file says “Peter’s Protection; Zoran” in big bold letters.
Peter looked sad and defeated. It broke me in more ways than words in our language can explain.
“Peter, after Titan, I never wanted to see you hurt or in danger ever again.” I felt hot sticky tears rise to my eyes. I willed them away. I look into his big puppy dog eyes. I see Keller fidgeting out of the corner of my eye. I continue.
“As you have probably found out by now, Keller is not who he seems. He is Zoran. A god. The god of speed to be specific. He has been a representative for Asgard here on Earth for many millennia, at this point.”
Peter looks at him in disbelief, shaking his head. “You’re fucking with me.”
“Peter Benjamin Parker, watch your fucking language,” I say feigning anger. He looks at me shocked and kind of scared, until I start laughing. Soon the tension was dissolved by Peter, Zoran, and I’s laughter.
I continue. “Zoran was one of the first people that came to me to see you after Titan. He vowed to protect you no matter the cost, even his own life, if need be. He has been with you on every watch and mission since then. He was scared for you to find out who he really was, so we continued to keep his identity a secret, under the guise of K.B. a teen boy with a troubled past who went to school with you and Miss Vincent.”
“I continued to be your friend. That part was never a lie,” Zoran said with a sweet smile.
Peter sat with his head cradled in his hands. He laughed slightly.
“So Keller, or Zoran, or whoever the hell. You’ve seen all the stupid shit I’ve done while on patrols?”
“Yeah.”
Peter dissolves into laughter, Keller joins him.
“You saw the web writing fail then?”
“Yes. It was a sweet attempt kid.”
I watch them bond over things they never expected to. I grin sadly yet with pride for both the boy and Zoran.
Peter stands up after a bit of explaining what happened. I stand with him and before I know it, he is hugging me tightly. I hug him back. I feel his warm breath soak through my shirt and I feel large wet tears. I hug him tighter fighting back tears of my own. I close my eyes and hear the door close. I open them and see Zoran is gone. I close my eyes again and keep hold of the kid in my arms. The tears I tried fighting slip out and I adjust my grip on Peter.
“I love you so much, kid. I am never going to ever let you go ever again. I fucked up. I am so fucking sorry,” my voice betrays me and cracks, exposing my tears. “I’m sorry.”
I continue the sorry pantomime long past the tears exit the scene. Peter is clinging to me for dear life. I feel every one of his hitched breaths and hiccups. I pull him out of the hug.
I take one look at his face and I nearly lose it again. I repeat myself, stumbling, “I’m sorry kid, I never meant for you to get hurt. I love you. I never want to see you hurt. Please don’t do anything dumb,” I pull him back into the hug, kissing the top of his head many times.
The kid and I stayed in that position for a long time. After what seems like ages, I plant a kiss on the top of his head, and ruffle his hair.
“Now don’t you go telling your friends that you made big boss man Tony Stark cry,” I say laughing as I wipe my face.
“I would never,” Peter says, laughing.
The kid and I laugh for a bit. We discuss whether or not Zoran should stick with him and decide only on the harder nights. He won't be watched every second now while he is watching out for us.
Peter leaves and I sit and think.
Peter Benjamin Parker is a brave kid. I don't know how the hell he does it. I know he isn't always strong. But hell. He's a tough kid. He breaks, but then again, we all do. Even fucking Iron Man. I don't know what I'd do without this kid or hell, what'd he do without me. I'm not leaving this kid alone again.