Dear Mr. Stark (or whoever reads his mail),

Tony Stark, you have one (1) new email notification and two hundred, ninety-one (291) old unread emails! Click here to see them.

from: Peter Parker ([email protected])
to: Tony Stark ([email protected])
bcc: P. Parker ([email protected])
date: Wed, Jun 6, 2012 at 7:44 PM
subject: I’m sorry

Mr. Stark,

I’m really sorry it took so long for me to respond, I wasn’t feeling so good. And something really bad happened to me on Friday and I didn’t want to talk to anyone about it at all. I talked to Morgan, though. Because my friend told me to tell someone and I really didn’t want to bother you with my stupid problems didn’t want to bug you. I hope you’re not mad at me or anything. I’m telling my aunt and uncle and the police tomorrow, I think. I didn’t know who to talk to. I’m sorry.

Okay so, I really want to tell you but I can’t make my hands write it down and I just realized why I didn't want to tell anyone was because it made things real. Really real . Oh god okay I need to take a break i’ll be ba

Um, right. Sorry. Sk So when I was being babysat on Friday with my aunt and uncle gone oh my god they’re going to blame themselves for having fun and that’s not fair on them maybe i just shouldn’t tell them . the person who was babysitting me, Ski got us Italian food. WHY CAN’T I EVEN TYPE HIS NAME? I WASN’T HAVING ISSUES BEFORE OH MY GOD I JUST WANT And then he did some i need more break

So Skip showed me some awful things and then he t did some bad things to me and I don’t want to talk about them right now, and that’s okay. Please don’t ask me to write it down.

I really feel bad that I left you hanging for a whole week, I’m a terrible pen pal. Did you even notice I wasn’t replying? I can’t be the only kid that talks to you, though so you must have been pretty occupied. You’re like the best hero. I mean where did all the other Avengers go after the Invasion? I mean Dr. Banner is in your tower and stuff, which is good. And stuff. But what about everyone else? Not my business, sorry I bet that you’re always tripping over fanmail. Actually, that’s implying that Morgan just throws the mail around, which is totally false. I’m just trying to stall, is it working? I’m not sure I really don’t want to think about Skip.

I realize that this is a lot of gibberish, and I’m really sorry about that.

Okay, I told my aunt and uncle that I wanted to talk to them tomorrow, in the morning, because I might die if I had to wait all day at school. Morgan is gonna be there, too. Please allow the late to work? I’m sorry. Please don’t get Morgan in trouble, at all. This is my fault.

Okay this email is turning really long, sorry. This must be annoying. Mr. Stark, I can’t leave my house without being scared and I want you there to protect me which is weird because I’ve only talked to you in person once and you probably don’t remember it at all, I was at your Expo and I was just a little kid who thought he could take on monsters. It was like two years ago, so I wasn’t actually that little and i had just started hormone blockers and i wanted to prove how much like a man i could be like you but I’ve grown up since then, and i know that not everyone can be as cool or as heroic as you are. I don’t like walking home anymore, though. Uncle Ben had to come get me from school today, because I couldn’t walk home. I’m so lucky to have them.

I didn’t tell Morgan this because I didn’t think it was really important but I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately, and I think that it’s affecting me more than I thought but I don’t really want to talk to anyone else about this oh my god i cant make up my mind im always telling people parts of the story and i just don’t understand anymore why is this happening to me i just want the whole story out there why am i such A BABY but when Skip was the bad thing was happening to me, Skip said that it didn't count because I wasn’t a ‘real boy’ and what if he was right? I dunno.

Anyway, I’m gonna get some rest and I hope I don’t dream at all. I just want rest. and I’ll email you again tomorrow after I talk to Morgan, or something.

All the best,

Peter

Peter Parker, you have one (1) new email notification and eleven (11) old unread emails! Click here to see them.

from: Tony Stark ([email protected])
to: Peter Parker ([email protected])
date: Wed, Jun 6, 2012 at 9:17 PM
subject: Re: I’m Sorry

 

Peter,

Kid. I’m so relieved you emailed me. I knew I should have run a background check on that kid. I can’t believe I was that stupid I’m glad you talked to someone. I was worried about you. And I promise, I’d never be annoyed with you, I promise. Don’t be sorry. You’ve done nothing wrong , though I can’t say the same about that kid Skip, who’s getting what’s coming to him. I will actually tear him limb from limb. I’m glad you’re telling the proper authorities what happened, and I promise that your aunt and uncle won’t be mad at you. Skip, though, again, no promises.

I’m not going to force you to tell me anything, big guy. And you took the time you needed, nobody’s blaming you for that. I’m just glad you’re safe. Actually, you’re the only one I have regular correspondence with. You talk my language, science. And I actually care about you, not sure why? Other than you're a great kid, that is I’m glad you know that Morgan is competent. Your emails never annoy me, kid. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again.

Your Uncle Ben sounds like a great guy, I’m glad you’ve got someone like him to help you out. Things will get better, though! I promise.

I don’t care what that sick son of a BITCH motherfu piece of shit ass said to you, it’s not true. You’re a real dude, Peter. And it counts, and it was wrong, and I’m so sorry that it happened to you. Skip wasn’t right.

You rest up, relax tomorrow. Nothing bad is going to happen when you tell your family. Keep me updated, but only if you can. Don’t stress yourself out too much.

I really want to give you a hug,

Tony