Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Peter had found himself in some sort of warehouse. He had followed some criminals who had just robbed a bank. He tried his best not to think about the last time he was in a warehouse, he couldn’t afford to have a panic attack now as he was fighting five men at once.

He heard one of the masked men behind him and sensed the punch coming, he whirled around and caught the guy's fist before it could hit him. He twisted the guy's arm and heard a crack and let go like his hand had been burned. The man screamed. “Oh shit, sorry man.” Peter said as he watched the man cradle his broken arm. “I mean you had it coming, it’s not very nice to punch people when their back is turned or at all for that matter. But still sorry.”

The four other masked men were running towards him. “Seriously guys, five against one is really not fair.” He said as he dodged a punch and sidestepped a kick. “I’ll tell you what, how about I grab four of my friends and come back?” He flipped up as one grabbed a gun and fired it in his direction. “Really now we're bringing out guns?” he shot a web at the gun and pulled it back so it was out of the guys hand and fung it across the room. “Seriously this is unbelievably unfair,” He kept talking as he dodged all their advances, “you guys have guns and out number me.” They all started running at him at once including the man with the broken arm. At the last second Peter jumped in the air and they all crashed into each other. Peter couldn’t help but laugh.

All the criminals were in a heap on the floor trying to get up. Peter took this as his chance and started to web them up one by one. Just then one of them threw a small orb in his direction. It had a purple light on it like the weapons Toomes had sold, ‘guess we didn’t get all of them after all’ Peter thought. It started emitting some kind of gas. It was hard to see through it, but he saw the outline of the criminals helping each other and running out the door. Peter went to run after them but his knees buckled and breathing was beginning to be really hard. He started tugging at his mask trying to get it off so he could breathe better. Right before he did so he heard Karen's voice, “Peter it is not wise to remove your mask.” He didn’t care, he had to breathe.

He tore the mask off and breathed deep. Sadly the air he breathed in was full of whatever had come out of the orb. He found himself getting really light headed, He swayed a bit on his knees and then tipped over, he was unconscious before he hit the ground.

___

He woke up laying on the cold floor. The gas had cleared while he was out. Although his head was killing him he did not seem to have any physical injuries. He got up and went to grab his mask on the floor beside him, but couldn’t grasp it. Peter gasped as his hand went right through the material and he pulled his arm back. “Shit! What is happening!” He scrambled back and instead of hitting a container at the edge of the room, half his body went right through it. He found himself lying half inside the container and half out, he shot straight back up. He was now starting to hyperventilate. ‘What do I do? What do I do? What do I do?’ He kept thinking over and over again, freaking out.

Just then he heard the unmistakable sound of repulsors, ‘Mr. Stark, thank god, he will help figure this out.’ Tony flew in and landed in the center of the room. His faceplate lifted and Peter felt dread as he looked at his mentor’s face. He had never seen him look this worried. “FRI? Are you sure this is the right place? He’s not here!”

Peter was able to hear FRIDAY’s response because of his super hearing. “This is the last known location of Peter Parker.”

“I’m right here!” Peter yelled. Tony seemed not to hear him.

“What about Karen?” Tony asked

“This is also the last known location for Karen.” FRIDAY answered

Tony looks around and his eyes land on the floor across the room. Peter’s mask. “Shit!” he runs over and picks it up. “If his mask is here, where is Peter?!”

One again FRIDAY replies plainly “This is the last known location of Peter Parker.”

“I am right here! Why can’t you hear me!!!” Peter shouted, he started running over to Tony reaching his arms out, but he runs right through him. Peter turns around once he slowed to a stop, and goes right back to Tony standing right in front of him. Tony just stares at the mask in his hands with dread showing no indication that he sees Peter before him. Peter reaches his hand out to grab Tony’s, “Please, I’m right here. Right in front of you.” His hand goes right through Tony’s.

Tony’s gaze shifts in front of him. For a split hopeful second Peter thinks he actually sees him, but then Tony walks forward right through Peter. Peter just stands there hopelessly lost, unmoving, but turns as he hears Tony speak again, “FRI? Scan this.” He had picked up the orb that had done this to him.

“It appears to be some kind of alien tech, I do not have information on it in my database.”

“Fine, I’ll figure it out back at the tower.” With the orb and Peter’s mask in hand he flipped his faceplate back down and shot out of the building into the sky.

“Wait Mr. Stark, wait! Please don’t leave me!” Peter felt tears prick at his eyes. As he lost sight of the red and gold suit they began to fall.

Chapter Text

Tony got back to the tower and stumbled out of his suit. Bruce came running up to him. “Where is Peter? Didn’t you find him?”

“No, I got there and he was nowhere to be found!” He said frantically.

“Track his suit.” Bruce said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“You don’t think I tried?!” Tony held up Peter's mask for Bruce to see. “His mask was on the floor, but Peter was not there.” He said the last bit hopelessly.

Bruce looked on with a sad expression. He knows how much Peter means to Tony, “We’ll find him Tony.”

“How?”

Bruce then noticed the orb in his other hand, “What is that?”

Tony looked down like he had forgotten he was holding it, “It was left on the floor of the warehouse as well.”

“Well there we go, our first clue. Find out what it is and we are that much closer to finding Peter.” Bruce said optimistically.

Tony’s distressed expression turned to determination, “Yeah, you're right, let's get to work.”

____

With tears still in his eyes Peter started walking the streets of New York making his way to the tower. The streets were busy, as always, and people kept walking right through Peter. He just kept going although every person that walked through him made him that much more hopeless. He felt like he didn’t exist, he felt like a ghost. This became even more convincing when he noticed he could not see his reflection, beside rest of the new yorkers, in the buildings windows as he walked.

He finally made it to the Tower and out of instinct he reached for the door handle to pull it open, but instead stumbled right through the glass. He landed on the floor, ‘How come I am not falling through the floor?’ Peter thought, but just chalked it up to weird alien physics. He knew he wouldn't be able to press the button for the elevator so he headed towards the stairs. He walked right through the door and started trudging up.

Stark Tower was a 93 story building and Tony’s lab was on the 90th floor, he had no choice but to walk all the way up. When he finally made it he was beyond exhausted, he strumbed on the last few steps and basically fell through the door. He laid on the floor for a few moments, when a bit of energy resurfaced he pulled himself to his feet and walked towards the lab. When he arrived he saw both Tony and Bruce were huddling at a work table over something. Peter stepped closer and realized it was the orb from the warehouse.

“I’ve never seen anything like it. Although it looks like something sprayed out of it from this part right here.” Bruce says while he points.

“But what? And does it explain where Peter is?” Tony asked even though he knew Bruce would not have an answer.

“Right here.” Peter said flatly but he knew no one could hear.

“I don’t know, but if we can open it up I can take a sample, if there is anything left inside, and run some tests.”

“Alright sounds good, while you do that I’ll see if there is any way to track his suit down the rest of his suit.” Tony stated.

“It's right here, right behind you.” Peter gestured to his suit with a defeated look.

“Keep me posted.” Bruce said

“Same to you.” With that Tony left and Peter followed him.

Although Tony could not see or hear him the next best thing was to be near him.

Chapter Text

Peter followed Tony into the elevator. At first he thought they were going to Tony's room, but once they walk out he finds himself behind Tony in front of his own door. Peter was confused as he watched Tony reach for the handle hesitantly, like he’s not sure if he actually wants to go in. He eventually shakes his head, pulls back his hand, and turns to walk away. He once again walks through Peter. The hopeless feeling comes to the surface even more. Nonetheless he also turns and follows after Tony.

Tony this time stops when he reaches the kitchen. He puts on a pot of coffee even though it is almost 6:30pm. When it's ready he pours himself a cup and he sits on a stool at the kitchen island with his StarkPad. Peter sits on the floor since he still seems not to be falling through it. He just sits while Tony works, occasionally looking up when Tony makes a noise of frustration.

Around dinner time Steve walks into the kitchen, he has a pitying look on his face. “Anything new about Peter?”

“No.” He doesn’t look up.

“Anything I can do?”

“No,” Tony's answer is curt and he still is looking at his StarkPad

“You’ll find him.” He says with sympathy

Tony finally looks up desperation leaking through his voice. “How do you know?”

“He’s tough and I know you won’t give up.” Steve replies honestly.

Peter knows no one can hear him so he speaks out loud, “Captain America thinks I’m tough? That’s so cool! I can’t wait to tell Ned!!”

His happiness is cut short by Tony's words, “He’s alone and probably scared.”

“I really wish you could see me.” Peter said sadly.

“He knows you're looking for him, he won’t give up as long as you don’t.” Steve grabs some leftover pasta from the fridge, heats it up and turns to leave. “If you need anything you know where to find me.”

“Thanks” Tony replies looking back down at his StarkPad.

___

After a few more hours Tony gets nowhere so he gets up stretches and heads back down to the lab. Peter follows. Bruce is still working away. “Anything?” Tony’s voice is sad, but there is hope laced into it.

Bruce gets startled for a second but recovers quickly, “Oh hey. Well, I got it open and there was definitely something in there before. I took a few swabs and I am running tests. I still don't quite understand what I am seeing, but most of the tests won't be done till morning. I will know more then. What about you? Anything on your end?”

“No. I keep trying to track the other part of the suit but I am finding nothing. I even tried to hack it. I tried to hack my own tech but still nothing. It’s like the suit, and subsequently Peter, just fell off the face of the earth.”

“Still on earth, still in New York, right in front of you.” Peter says no hint of humor, sadness tinting his voice.

“We’ll find him, but for now you need to get some rest. I’ll have FRIDAY alert you when there is something new.”

Tony is too exhausted emotionally to argue. “Fine, but I am holding you to that.” He turns to walk away, but looks over his shoulder, “The minute.”

“I promise.”

With that Tony and Peter are in the elevator. To Peter’s surprise they end up back in front of his room. This time Tony does open the door and just stands in the threshold for a moment, looking like he is not sure what to do. After a minute he walks in and sits on his bed. He looks on the verge of tears and Peter feels like he is intruding, even though they are in his room.

Peter does not expect Tony to speak since he is the only other person in the room, and he can’t be seen or heard, yet he starts to talk. “Where are you kid?” He almost whispers.

Once again Peter says, “Right here. Right in front of you.” Still no acknowledgement and this time it gets to Peter. The dam breaks and he starts to cry. “Please, please see me.” He pleads, “Please hear me. I am right in front of you.”

Tony sits silent for the longest time. Peter just cries and he could swear he sees a few tears from Tony as well. Finally after a while, neither are sure how long, Tony speaks again, “I miss you kid.”

“I miss you too.” Is all Peter says and then silence one more.

Chapter Text

Tony and Peter are startled awake by FRIDAY’s voice. Tony fell asleep on Peter's bed, Peter on the floor, “Dr. Banner is requesting your presence in the lab, Boss.”

Tony doesn’t even give himself time to fully wake up. He is up and out the door running to the elevator, Peter close behind. They both get to the lab out of breath, “What did you find?!”

“Whoa, calm down. Breathe.” Bruce says.

“I’ll breathe once I've got my kid back. Now what have you got?”

Peter smiles and his heart flutters at the words ‘my kid’

“It looks like whatever sprayed out of that orb bends electromagnetic waves. So if something is hit with the gas and it bends electromagnetic waves around it-”

“It turns invisible.” Tony finishes.

“Bingo, but not only that, if I’m not mistaken whatever is touching the object, or person, while they’re changing also turns invisible.”

“So you’re telling me Peter is invisible and so is his suit?”

“Yup!” Peter says at the same time as Bruce.

“But also…” Bruce adds, but hesitates.

“What? What aren't you telling me?” Tony looks at him skeptically with worry.

“You know about Quantum Tunneling?”

“Yes.” Tony replies.

“Well it looks like these aliens know a lot more about it than we do. From what I can see this substance does not just make something reappear on the other side of barriers like the quantum tunneling we know, but actually can move through them.”

“You’re saying Peter can walk through walls?”

“Anything solid from what I gather.”

“What the fuck?!”

“Language,” Peter says automatically.

“How long does it last?” Tony asks

“Not completely sure, this is all new to me. It could be a few days, maybe more. A week at the most.”

“A week, I can’t do this for a week!” Peter yells to no one.

“Can we reverse it sooner?” Tony asks hopefully

“Tony this is way above my pay grade. I still don't completely understand some of its capabilities.”

“Like the fact it took away my ability to communicate with you guys” Peter adds flatly as Bruce takes a breath.

“I can try to figure it out and make an antidote, but one, it could take a while, and two, you would have to find Peter.”

“I. Am. Right. Here!” Peter Screams as he kicks a stool beside him out of anger. But his foot just goes through it and makes him lose his balance falling to the floor.

“Maybe I can find him by picking up his heat signature.” Tony offers.

“It’s worth a try, but where would you start looking, he could be anywhere in the city.”

This time Peter does not say anything, he just sighs defeatedly from where he is still on the floor.

“I guess I would just have to start back at the warehouse and go from there?”

“I doubt he would still be there.” Bruce counters.

“Well do you have any better ideas!!” Tony loses it.

Bruce is patient with Tony’s outburst. “No, but we know it’s not permanent, you might just have to wait it out.” He knows that is not the answer Tony wanted.

“So your suggestion is to just sit on my ass while my kid is out there scared probably freaking out?”

“I don’t know what other option there is.”

Tony sighs and basically drops on to the stool beside him, the same one Peter tried to kick. “Where is he? What is he thinking? Is he even safe?” Tony said brokenly.

“Right here, wish you guys could see me, and yes.” Peter replies.

“He’s a smart kid, he’ll be okay.” Bruce tries to comfort.

“I know you're right, I just wish he was here so I could see for myself”

“I am.” Peter says simply

Chapter Text

The rest of the day goes by with Tony pacing and unsuccessfully trying to track down the rest of Peter's suit. Peter just watches as his mentor is restless beyond belief and not being able to help in any way. Peter’s stomach grumbles, he hasn't eaten in over a day and his super metabolism is begging for nutrience. What can Peter do though? His hand goes through anything he tries to grab. He decides to sit on the ground so he doesn’t waste any more energy than he has to. He only gets up if Tony leaves the room.

Although there is not much Bruce can do, since he really doesn’t understand too much about the technology, other than what he already told Tony, Tony still begs him to try to make an antidote. No matter how many times Tony checks back in, Bruce has made very little progress. Tony spends equal parts of the day pacing in the kitchen with a cup of coffee and his StarkPad in hand, checking on Bruce, and sitting in Peter’s room.

Night falls and once again Peter finds himself sleeping on the floor of his room, Tony on his bed. Peter awakes to Tony’s footsteps as they leave his room. He shoots up to follow him, but gets light headed by the movement and lack of food and falls back to the ground. This time he gets up carefully and makes his way out of the room. He moves very slowly as he can’t hold on to the wall for support. He gets to the kitchen just as Tony is pouring himself a cup of coffee. Peter doesn’t like coffee but just the smell of it makes his stomach grumble at how hungry he is.

Tony then heads to the elevator. Peter tries to make it before the doors close, but is just short and has to stop himself from falling through the closed doors. He knows if he did he would just plummet down the elevator shaft. Once he gets his balance he heads to the stairs taking it a few stories down to the lab. When he gets close he hears shouting. As he turns the corner he sees Bruce and Tony fighting. He walks in but is getting super lightheaded so he sits on the ground and brings his knees up to his chest and wraps his arms around them so he has something to hold on to.

“What do you mean you're nowhere close!!” Tony screams

“Stop screaming at me Tony. I don’t understand any of this. You think you can do better, give it a try!” Green is tinting his skin.

“I am better at mechanics, this is more your area!” Tony shouts back.

Peter hates that he is the cause of this. He can’t do anything to stop it. He is so sick of not being seen. He’s sick of being walked through. He’s sick of not being heard. He’s sick of everything. He can’t handle it, he just wants to exist again. He starts to cry as he puts his head on his knees. “Please see me.” he sobs “Please hear me. Please acknowledge me.”

“I know, but this is alien, I don't understand their science and technology and neither do you!”

“I need to find him!”

“I know! I am trying, but yelling at me is not helping Tony!”

“I know! I know alright! I’m just losing it! I just need to know where he is! I need to-” Both men hear something from the corner of the room and immediately go silent.

“I can’t take this anymore! I can’t take being a ghost! I can’t take everyone walking through me!” Peter is sobbing, unaware that Tony and Bruce are staring at him, actually staring and hearing.

“Holy shit.” Tony says, all other words escape him. Bruce just stares with equal surprise.

Peter knows they can’t be talking to him since they can’t hear or see him so he just continues to sob. This time his words are softer as his energy is depleting fast. “I just want to be seen. I just want to be heard. Please, just please see me.”

Tony’s heart shatters, “I see you Peter.” His voice cracks.

Peter’s sob gets caught in his throat, he doesn’t think he heard right. He very slowly and apprehensively lifts his head from his knees and pears up. Both Bruce and Tony are staring right at him. Another sob. “You can see me?” His voice is raspy and quiet, nott really believing this is real.

The raw emotion in Peter’s voice makes Tony’s heart clench, “Oh Pete, yes I can see you.”

Tony crosses the room and basically falls to his knees in front of Peter. He reaches his hands to hold Peter's tear stained face. Peter thinks for a second that they will go right through, but they don't; he feels the calloused hands of his mentor cradle his face. He starts to sob again and Tony then wraps his arms around Peter. “Oh god, Peter, kiddo have you been here the whole time.”

“Yes.” Peter says through his sobs.

“I’m so sorry Peter. God, I’m so sorry.” Tony is also crying at this point holding Peter for dear life.

Bruce stands there awkwardly feeling like he is intruding, but also knowing he needs to ask important questions that Tony probably is not thinking about right now. He clears his throat, “Peter?” Both Tony and Peter turn to face him, still embraced. “Since this happened have you been able to eat or drink anything?” He’s pretty sure he knows the answer, but needs to bring attention to it.

Peter shakes his head. Tony pulls back wide eyed since he knows Peter needs to eat more than most with his metabolism. “Shit, Pete.”

“Did you get injured during your fight at the warehouse other than the gas?” Bruce asks next. Peter shakes his head again, “We should still get you to the MedBay to get checked out to make sure everything is ok.”

Peter and Tony both nod, “Can you walk?” Tony asks turning back to Peter

Peter nods and stands just to tip over, luckily Tony catches him, “Guess not.” Peter says with a small laugh.

Tony’s laugh comes out more as a concerned huff, “Yeah, guess not.” He wraps an arm around Peter’s waist and takes almost all of his weight as they head to the elevator.

____

In the MedBay Bruce hooks Peter up to an IV, even though Peter tries to refuse. Bruce also takes blood to see if there is any of the substance left in his bloodstream. Tony orders Peter’s favorite food, Thai. Once Bruce comes back and says that Peter’s blood tests came back clean he leaves to give the two some privacy.

“How are you feeling kiddo?” Tony says between bites of fried rice.

“Better now.” Peter says with a heavy smile.

“Have you really been in the tower this whole time?”

Peter looks down at his hands, “Yeah. As soon as you left the warehouse I went to the Tower.”

Tony freezes, “Oh, God. I left you there?”

Peter sees the distress on his face and quickly reassures, “It’s okay! You didn’t know.”

“Still I’m so sorry.”

“It’s okay. You should be apologizing for walking through me quite a few times.” Peter says it in a humorous way to lighten the mood, but realizes it did the opposite, “Sorry that was meant to be funny, don’t know why.” Peter shrugs with an awkward smile.

“I’m so sorry.” Tony says again, there is nothing else he can think to say.

“It’s ok Mr. Stark, really. It was not your fault.”

“Yeah, I know, still.”

There is a pause, “I guess it was kind of cool being able to walk through walls.” Peter adds with a smile.

“Yeah I bet, but never again.”

Peter laughs, “You know I was thinking of going as a ghost for halloween this year, I don't want to anymore.”

This time Tony laughs, “Aww you could have been Casper the friendly neighborhood ghost.”

“Wow, that was bad, even for you.” They both laugh.

After a while Peter talks, quieter than before, “I’m really glad you can see me again.”

“Me too” Tony said sincerely, “and now I am not letting you out of my site ever again.” Peter knew it was a joke, but his heart swelled at how much Tony cared. “I missed you kiddo.”

This time when Peter says it back, unlike in his bedroom, Tony can actually hear him, “I missed you too.”