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“Mr. Stark do I really have to wear the tie..” Peter grumbled, fiddling with the fabric that seemed all too tight around his neck. It wasn’t, he’d checked about five times.
“Ah-“ Tony warned, swatting Peter’s hand away from the black tie and doing it back up again, also undoing the top button of the teens shirt. “Better?” Tony asked, leaning back again in his seat, eyes remaining fixed on Peter until he got his answer.
“A little.” Peter spoke, leaning his head against the door. “Where are we going anyway that a suit is needed. I thought you didn’t like fine dining?”
“Yeah well, I figured today could be an exception Bambino” Stark muttered, eyes now turned to the clear screen of his phone. He heard something like a “Tony stop working just for tonight” coming from Happy upfront to which Tony blew off with the flick of a wrist.
Ten minutes later and Peter’s window was met with a grand building. He heard the car engine shut off, two sets of doors opening, closing, then five seconds later saw Tony opening his own. Peter slowly stepped out the car, gaze turning to the mentor. “You can’t be serious?” The teen asked, watching Tony’s face for any sign that the man wasn’t. But when that didn’t came, he spoke up again. “You’re fully serious-“
“Dead serious, Kid. Come on. Before we miss our slot.” Tony spoke. Arm wrapping around the boys shoulder with a comforting but firm hand on the back of Peter’s neck leading him in. When Happy followed, Tony stopped, causing Peter to follow suit.
“Tony, I have a job to protect you.” Happy spoke. He sure was thorough. ‘Thorough is my middle name’ Peter vaguely remembered Happy joke one time.
“Happy, I have my suit. Anything happens the avengers and you are only a phone call away. Go home and rest-“
“But Tony-“
“Happy Hogan go home and sleep.” Tony cut off any attempt at arguing, turning back to Peter and resting his arm back where it once was. Continuing to guide the teen inside.
Peter looked around when they stopped at the check in desk. Fidgeting on the spot. He felt extremely out of place here. Greeted with grand chandeliers, art that scaled the walls, dark stained wood, lavish chairs and tables. And goddamn that food smelt good. Subconsciously, he fiddled with the cuffs of his sleeves, managing all the new sounds and sensory input.
“Kid?” Tony called. When he got no response he leant ever so slightly closer. “Kid? Roo you good?” Tony asked, noting how Peter gave a slight glance Tony’s way.
“Yeah. Yeah I’m good.” He spoke. Ignoring the way the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end under Tony’s hand. “I’m good.” He smiled ever so slightly, looking down to his wrists and fixing the cuffs. Smoothing them out.
Tony, though not entirely convinced, didn’t press any further. Not like he could anyway. Greeted by a woman smiling wide. “Mr. Stark. Table for two I presume?”
“Yep, that’s correct. Just me and bam-“ he felt a jab at his side from Peter. “-Peter here.” He spoke, giving a quick smirk Peter’s way. He followed the woman to their table, close to the bar to the right of the building. Watching as she set two menus down in front of the seats. Tony let Peter take his choosing of the two chairs before sitting in the free one. “So. How’s school?” Tony asked.
“Mr. Stark we are sat in one of the most-“
“The most”
“The most prestigious restaurant in New York and you’re asking ‘how is school’?” When he got no change in expression, only a one that Peter could best describe as ‘I asked a question’, he spoke up with a sigh. “It’s going good. Got an A in my science mock exam. Flash is still a bother but he doesn’t get to me as much. Ned won’t stop rambling about the LEGO Death Star- which I don’t mind” he quickly finished when he realised it sounded like he was complaining about his Guy-In-The-Chair. “It’s good. Things are good.” He smiled.
“How’s May?” Tony asked. Leaning back in his seat picking up the menu and doing a quick survey of the options. Quickly picking out what he’d like and setting it back down again.
“Tired.” Peter answered truthfully. “They’ve got her working nights again at the hospital. Which she hates. But then they overlap with the busiest time during the day when they do the handover of staff. So she finds herself staying on hours passed the time she’s meant to finish. Plus any extra shifts she grabs.”
“I don’t understand why she continues to work. I could support you two easily.” Tony muttered.
“May never liked hand outs. She feels like she has to replay it” he noticed Tony’s mouth open to retaliate which Peter shut down. “-Yes even to billionaires. Besides, he feels like she’s making a difference. She likes the job. She just wishes she wasn’t on nights.” Peter chuckled. Picking up his own menu after. He took a little longer to pick out his food. But soon decided and set the menu back down carefully.
“How’s Pepper and Morgan doing?” He asked, taking a sip of his water and rubbing the back of his neck. His senses just would not settle. Peter was sure it was just the sound around them. But it left him feeling uneasy.
“Peppers good. She’s calling for my retirement though. Permanently this time. ‘Tony you have more grey hairs then brown’” he quoted. “Morgan’s just as hyperactive as ever. Always playing. Had me in dress up last night. Way past her bedtime though so don’t tell Pepper.” He chuckled.
“I never pictured you as a girls dad. More of a boy dad.” Peter smiled. “But now she’s here I couldn’t picture anything else.”
”Yeah well I just hope I’m doing better then my old man..” Tony muttered, looking around the room. Did he feel something off too?
“You are.” Peter reassured with a gentle smile. “You should see the way she looks at you. Never seen a kid look at their parent with that much love.”
Tony smiled softly and let his head drop. Maybe he wasn’t doing too bad.. “Can I get you both something to drink?” The waiter spoke. ‘When did she get here?’ Regardless Tony looked up at the woman with a kind smile. “Champagne for me and..” he trailed off. Looking to Peter.
“Oh- uhm- just a water for me thank you.” Peter spoke softly, giving a quick glance up before fixing his eyes back to the closed menu. Yeah.. he was definitely out of place here.
When the woman left, Peter spoke up again. “Hey.. isn’t this place twenty one and over only? I’m shy of it like.. five years. And I know for a fact I don’t look a day over fourteen.” Peter chuckled.
The other smirked. “Day over twelve.” Tony teased. “I’m Tony Stark, Peter. No one denies me service regardless on who I’m with. Could bring Morgan here and I’d still be greeted with that same smile.”
Peter nodded softly. He felt like it was a little unfair but regardless, it wasn’t his call to make.
“Your drinks.” The waiter smiled. ‘When did she get here?’ Peter thought. Setting down a glass for Peter and champagne glass for Tony. A bucket with ice set down on the left side of the table with a champagne bottle placed perfectly inside. Peter watched as they picked up the bottle, the cork popping off which caused Peter to jump slightly - cursed enhanced hearing - setting his gaze back down again when he felt the presence of another server beside him pouring his water. God this was strange.
They didn’t even get through their starter when they heard a scream coming from a lady at the bar. The two standing seemingly on instinct. Peter paused, spotting a man with a knife being waved around. What the hell was he doing? A robbery? That was a shitty choice of weapon..
The two stepped forward, Peter feeling a cool touch to his chest looking down to see the metal hand of an iron man suit above his heart. “Stay behind me. You don’t have your suit.” He heard Tony speak. Nodding slowly and following behind the man.
As they stepped forward, it was clear what it was to Peter. It wasn’t a robbery. “Tony.. hallucinating. I think he’s schizophrenic.” Peter spoke. Which the offender heard from how close they were. Immediately, he turned his attention to Tony in the suit. His state worsening. “Take the suit off Tony. Before he loses it.” Peter warned. Had he called him Tony before? Other than when he thought the man was going to die after the fight against thanos?
Tony glanced to the kid, then to the man in front of them. Deciding to follow Peter’s call and let the iron man suit materialise away from his body. Letting his.. more standard suit hang freely on his body. “Alright.. alright see? Better. All gone.” Tony spoke. Taking a few tentative steps forward. Peter doing the same. “You’re alright. Just put the knife away. We can go somewhere quiet and we can talk.”
With each step made, Peter was right on Tony’s heel. Peter slipped his left hand, that was hidden behind Tony’s back, into his suit pocket. Feeling the webshooter snap onto his wrist and slowly pulled it out to not raise alarm to the stranger in front of them, letting the sleeve fall over the device. He heard the shouting grow louder. More fearful. Although he wasn’t exactly focusing on what was being said. More focused on the blade and sticking close to the mechanic. “Tony..” Peter warned again.
But the man didn’t listen. Of course he didn’t listen. Three more steps was all it took for the knife wheeler to rush forward. And Peter’s world slowed. He didn’t think. Pushing Tony out the way of the blades path. Webbing the blade in the man’s hand but he didn’t have time to pull it out. Or away. Feeling it lodge into his abdomen with a grunt. Feeling it sink through tissue, muscle, body fat. Organs. Feeling the way his muscles were pulled apart by this foreign object.
He looked to Tony. Seeing the lines on the others face. The way his eyebrows were raised but knitted together at the same time. The way his eyes widened with realisation. The way Tony’s hand bled. It landing on a glass and shattering on impact. The way his world slowed further as Tony rushed forward. He felt the way his legs trembled. Stumbled. How he was about to fall before greeted by the shoulder of his mentor. He willed his hand to move. To grip onto the others suit jacket. His own no longer buttoned up. He felt how Tony tried to carefully set him down on the floor. Looking to his right and seeing the discarded buttons spinning before falling flat against the dark spruce. He saw as blood slowly trickled towards them. How it soaked Tony’s pants. Whose blood was that again?
And suddenly, his time caught up as more pain erupted from his side. Tony pressing cloths down around the knife which caused the knife to dig deeper into his body ever so slightly. Oh yeah that’s right.. it was his blood. Blood that wasn’t stopping. Why wasn’t it stopping?
Tony winced at the cry that left Peter’s body. “I know- I know I’m sorry- I’m so sorry but I need to put pressure-“ Tony tried to sooth him. One of his hands running through Peter’s hair. Leaving a mix of his own and Peter’s blood in its wake. “Shh- shh shh you’re gonna be okay. Going to be just fine. You’ve had worse come on kid-“ he looked to the stranger who was now pinned to the floor by staff. With no weapon he was easier to handle now. “Friday- Friday call Helen and Bruce. Peter’s been stabbed- oh god- there’s so much blood Fri-“ Tony whimpered the last bit to the AI.
He thought for a moment. Watching his hand applying pressure around the knife tremble. Swallowing thickly. He didn’t want to move Peter. But he could get to the tower in five minutes if he pushed the suit. It would take forty minutes at least if he was to wait for any other transport. He looked to the teen, letting the pressure ease as both hands cupped Peter's cheeks. He knelt over the child, shielding him from the sight of onlookers. “Kid- Peter look at me- come on kid I know it hurts. Bambino please look at me.”
Peter heard the distant begging. Eyes slowly opening to see a distraught Tony. “T’ny..” Peter whispered.
“Shh- shh don’t speak just listen okay?” He watched as the boy nodded. “I need to get you to the tower. But I can’t wait for anyone. I need to pick you up and fly you over. It’s going to hurt like a bitch kid, but I need you awake. You hear me? Awake.” He watched again as Peter nodded.
He materialised the suit in record time, wrapping Peter’s arms around his neck and scooping the teenager into his arms. The cries and screams that left Peter’s body cracking his heart each time.
Tony managed to get to the tower in three. Crashing through the window at med bay back first to protect Peter from the glass shards. Rushing over to a bed, he set the child down and immediately got rid of the iron man suit. Taking Peter’s hand in his own and brushing his thumb over the others fingers. “Just hold on kid..” he turned to Bruce and Helen. Both who shared the same look. Bruce calling Tony over away from the half conscious body. “I’ll be right back..” Tony spoke. Gently brushing the sweaty, bloody curls from Peter’s forehead.
“Bruce? Bruce what is it what’s wrong?” Well.. aside from Peter stabbed.
“The knife is barbed.” Bruce spoke. “How the hell he managed to find a barbed knife I’ll never know but he has. Usually to deal with barbs, you cut through the remainder of the tissue and feed it through to the other side. Except we can’t do that with Peter. It’s partially went through his liver based off the amount of the blade is still out of his body. But we have no way of truly knowing. We can’t cut it out that way.”
Tony took a while to catch up. “So you have to pull it out the way it went in..” Oh god he felt like he was going to be sick.
Bruce placed a stabilising hand on Tony’s shoulder. The other grabbing Tony’s arm on the opposite side of his body. “Except we have no pain killers or anaesthetic for him. With his advancements it’s a dangerous mix. We’ve been working on it in the lab. But too little will either have no effect or wake him up half way through surgery. And too much and we could overdose him. We have to do it while he’s awake.”
Okay.. okay Tony was definitely going to be sick. He rushed over to Cho’s desk. Grabbing the, thankfully, empty trash can and throwing up what contents he’d eaten for the day. “Tony. If you’re not up to this we can get someone else-“
“No- no I need- I couldn’t keep him safe. He needs me there for him now.” Tony muttered, gagging one last time into the bin, spitting once or twice and grabbing a glass of water. Swallowing to get the taste out of his mouth. “What do I need to do.”
Tony moved to Peter’s bed. Sitting down with Peter’s head in his lap. Holding his arms away from the injured area. His skin felt so clammy.. his face looked as white as the bedsheet. Although that was rapidly becoming red..
“You know what’s going to happen right Peter?” Bruce asked as he grabbed the kids ankles. Watching the teen nod slowly once. “Alright.. when you’re ready.” Bruce muttered to Cho.
Peter cried out when cho began to pull at the blades handle. Body jerking up from the new surge of pain. Tony taking Peter’s wrists into one of his hands. The other pushing down on Peter’s chest. Bruce using his arm to hold Peter’s legs to the bed and doing the same as Tony. Although to Peter’s hip instead. “I know- I know I know-“ Tony tried to sooth him.
Peter managed to slip his hands out of Tony’s grasp fairly easily, gripping onto the back of Tony’s shirt under the suit jacket. The other gripping the hair on the back of Tony’s head but he didn’t care. Tony moved his hand to Peter’s cheek. The other still staying on Peter’s chest to fight the teen surging upwards.
“It hurts- it hurts- make it stop it hurts-“ Peter begged. No screamed. Pulling at Tony’s shirt enough to feel a small tear but again, Tony didn’t care. “Dad- make it stop- Tony please- Dad-“
Suddenly a surge of instinct rushed over him. Running his thumb against Peter’s cheek and leaning down, foreheads resting against eachother. “I know- I know it’s nearly over- i know baby I know-“ he turned to look to the blade. “Cho-“
“Nearly stark. Just keep him with us-“ she spoke through gritted teeth. “I’m sorry kid-“ she apologised. Continuing to tear out the blade. The tracks from the barbed teeth being left. Growing deeper with every pass.
“Make it stop- please stop please stop-“ Peter begged. Although it was slowly becoming more and more incoherent. Muddied with slurring and sobs.
“Dads here- you’re okay bambino just hold on- hold on baby dads here-“ Tony spoke gently. Placing kisses to Peter’s feverish forehead. The hand that was pressed to his chest slowly wrapping around it in an attempt to hold the boy comfortingly.
With one last harsh tug, Tony heard Cho declare a “got it!” Before she grabbed a wad of gauze. Holding it to the injury at first before stuffing the cavity with it to try and stem the new gush of blood. Which caused another weaker cry from Peter. “Bruce go get the suction.” She spoke before turning to Tony. “Hard bits over. Now all we need to do is stitch it.”
Peter was a lot more calm for the stitching. Although it still hurt like a bitch. He wasn’t screaming. The occasional cry of pain but he was mainly sobbing. Sobbing for his dad to stop the pain because god it hurt so much. He couldn’t stand it anymore. He wanted it over with. Eyes never leaving Tony’s face but his vision hazy.
When Peter passed out half way through the stitching, Tony, in a panicked state, turned to Bruce. “He’s okay- He’s alright.” Tony felt a hand on the side of his neck belonging to the other. “He’s passed out from the pain. Probably for the best.” Bruce spoke gently. “He’s going to be alright..” Bruce’s gaze was soft, as was his face. His touch softer still. He’d become a master at comforting a distraught Tony. Over anything. But mainly his injured spiderling.
Tony didn’t leave Peter’s side, holding his hand the entire time. But when he saw Pepper for the first time since he’d left that evening with Peter something inside him snapped. Rushing to the woman who had her arms open for him. And Tony didn’t hesitate. Sobbing into her shoulder as she wrapped her arms around his body. One hand running to his hair. Not caring about the dried blood coating it. “He wasn’t wearing his suit- I was- and I took it off- I stupidly took it off- I couldn’t keep him safe and still- still called me dad and I-“ he was cut off by more tears as his body sunk. Pepper following him to the floor and holding him close.
“You love him dear.. but this isn’t your fault. He shoved you and I’m sorry but he can hold his own against caps strength. There was nothing you could do. You did everything you could and you done everything right.” She pulled his face away from her shoulder. Forcing him to look at her. Cupping his cheeks. “Baby he loves you. That’ll never change. He’s your kid. He’s our kid. He loves you so much so he took a knife for you. He loves so so much..”
“So much that it hurt him..”
“Tony he’s going to get hurt. You can’t always protect him from that..” she whispered. Kissing his forehead and fixing his hair.
“Da..” Tony heard a strained voice from the opposite corner of the room. Eyes wide and looking to Pepper. He felt her gently wipe the tears from his face and place a soft kiss to his lips.
“Go see our kid, baby..”
Tony shakily stood from the floor with Peppers support. Before with hesitant steps headed towards the bed. But when Peter’s cry for Tony became more desperate, coated in fear, that hesitancy left his body. Rushing to Peter and taking his hand. “I’m here.. I’m here dads here..” he whispered. Placing a kiss to Peter’s fingers and combing his hands through Peter’s fringe. “Dads here..”
Peter looked over to the fuzzy figure beside him. “Dad..” he whispered. Earning a gentle squeeze on his hand. As his vision focused and Tony came into view he smiled softly. “You get hurt?” Peter whispered. Watching Tony chuckle softly and shake his head. “Peter you got stabbed with a barbed knife. Worry about yourself for a little bit..” but when that worried look didn’t leave, he sighed softly. “No I didn’t get hurt. Just some shards of glass in my hand that were flushed out. I’m okay.”
Peter nodded slowly. The worry leaving his body slowly with every breath. “You look tired..” he whispered.
“I’m fine ki- hey-“ he watched as Peter moved along. Pain etched on his face. “Peter hey don’t-“ he sighed. Looking at the free space on the bed and smiled softly. Slipping into it beside him and under the covers. Letting the teen snuggle up. “You don’t ever do that again you hear?” He whispered. Kissing the top of his head gently. “It was like watching you die on Titan all over again..”
“Cant get rid of me that easily..” Peter rasped. Nuzzling into Tony’s shoulder. Letting out a content sigh. “M’ sorry.. love you dad..”
“Love you too Bambino. Get some sleep. Lord knows you need it.”
He felt the boy nod against his shoulder before they fell into a comfortable silence. Which didn’t last long.. “Peter!” He heard the call of a certain little Stark. Next he knew Morgan had jumped on the bed on top of Peter. Watching as Peter suppressed a wince as he pulled her into a hug. Smiling softly. Turning to Pepper with a raised eyebrow. Walking over to the woman.
“I’m sorry. She heard Peter was awake and no one could stop her. Even managed to evade cap.” She chuckled. Tony pressed a kiss to the woman’s temple. Turning to look to the bed. Seeing a Morgan cuddled into Peter, the two sound asleep. They were a dysfunctional family. But they’d make it work.