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“Tony.”
It’s a quiet, strained, almost-sob, coming from Peter’s room.
Tony, who has been patiently waiting in the reading nook at the end of the hall, breathes a sigh of relief.
Tony had been expecting this. Today was a tough one. A mission involving the whole team, fighting a rapidly spreading fire in a condensed neighborhood. It was a success overall, only one injury- due to Peter’s mistake.
Tony had been guiding him out of an apartment complex, directing him through the safest route, while Pete carried a child, maybe 3 years old. Tony specifically told Peter to take the stairwell to his right, as it was structurally sound according to FRIDAY’s scan, but Peter saw a more direct route to the street below. Tony watched as Peter slung a web out of the closest window, unaware of the burning awning right below him.
Peter and the child crashed through the canopy, rolling to a stop a few meters away. Peter’s suit protected him from the flames of course, but the young boy wasn’t so lucky. His clothes went up in flames, and he screamed. Peter, working on panicked instinct, all but pushed the boy over into the grass, rolling him until the fire was put out. Firefighters and EMT swarmed the two kids, taking the screaming boy away to treat his burns.
Tony happens to know that the little boy is fine. Well, as fine as a child with 2nd degree burns can be. But he is expected to make a full recovery, with no loss of mobility or scarring. Peter knows this too.
But Tony knows Peter, and he knows that this will eat at him. Hence why, when they returned to the tower after debriefing, Tony set up camp in the nook outside of Peter’s room, waiting until he was called.
Because Tony knows Peter, and he knew the kid would try to get through this without help. He would be in that room, curled up on top of the comforter, trying and trying to be tough, to be mature, to handle this guilt on his own.
And yes, Tony has been longing to go in without Peter’s invitation, to just tell him that he’s there, that he doesn’t have to beat himself up about this. But Tony will not be able to convince Peter of this until he’s ready to hear it. Which is why Iron-Man’s heart is bursting with pride now, because his child has decided that he needs him.
Tony immediately walks to Peter’s door, and opens it gently. He is not surprised to see the boy’s curled up form (on top of the comforter), facing away from the door, shaking with silent sobs. He walks slowly and confidently to the far side of the bed and lays down right there next to his boy, face to face. Tony doesn’t say anything, just offers his presence, looking intently at Peter’s tear streaked face. The child’s brow is furled, his eyelashes wet, and he doesn’t open his eyes.
Peter takes a deep, wobbly inhale, and finally lets out a sob. Once he does, he can’t stop.
“I’m sorry! I’m s-sorry, sorry. I-I-I can’t- I’m sorry!” he gasps and heaves over and over. Peter brings his hands up to cover his face, and Tony can practically feel the shame rolling off of him in waves.
Moved with compassion, Tony gathers Peter in his arms, tucking the tightly wound child close to his chest. His arms reach securely around his son’s back, one hand cradling the back of his head.
Peter keens. He’s still gasping, still trying to repent over and over. But Tony has already forgotten what for.
“Forgiven,” Tony whispers into his hair, “forgiven.”
Peter must have heard him, because he stops trying to talk and just breathes. He hiccups and takes a large, stuttering breath in….then blows it out slowly into Tony’s chest. Tony follows his child’s lead, letting out a long exhale as well. They breathe together in the dark, Tony listening closely as Peter’s hiccups slow, as his muscles start to relax. The kid doesn’t pull away, and Tony doesn’t let go.
Tony suddenly feels overwhelming affection for this little hero in his arms. He doesn’t know how he can possibly explain to Peter the love he holds for him. Because the thing is, this is not the first time Peter has blatantly disobeyed Tony’s order. It’s not the first time someone was hurt because of it. And it won’t be the last time, either. Because Tony knows Peter, and he knows he will promise to do better, to be better, but he won’t- he can’t. He’s only human.
But even if Peter made the same mistake every day for the rest of his life, Tony would still love him. Because he knows Peter’s heart, and he knows this moment, the child lying here in his father’s embrace, will always come. Peter will always see his mistakes and want to make them right. He will always humble himself to the point of calling for help. And that humility is the reason Tony has a Peter shaped hole in his own heart.
Tony knows Peter is in that place between sleep and wakefulness, so he murmurs one last thing to him, hoping it will follow him into his dreams.
“Someday you will understand. You’ll have a little one of your own someday, and then you will understand how much I love you.”
Peter shifts and Tony lets him roll away onto his back, one arm tossed above his mop of curls. Peter’s face is finally at peace.
“Okay,” he whispers in his sleep, voice full of trust.