It Was Only Supposed to be an Online Class...

A Ridiculous Notion... Right?

If Tony had had water in his mouth, he would've done a spit take. Instead, he was left with his mouth open, gaping at Bruce. Like an idiot. He snapped it shut.

"I suppose it could be a possibility," he said, doubtfully. Needing something to do other than talk, he picked up Morgan up out of her playpen. where she had fallen asleep. He walked out of the lab, heading to the room they had designed for her on this floor, on nights when both he and Pepper had to work late. Bruce followed close behind, relentless. "His last name is Parker, right? And both of them just happened to break a bone bad enough to get surgery on the exact same day."

Tony scoffed. "Bruce, do you know how many people fracture or break a bone per day in the U.S. alone? About 45,000. Not to mention the fact that Parker is one of the most common names out there, and you don't know whether it's his first or his last."

"Well, I do, actually. The university only uses last names in online courses. And besides, what about the fact he said he fell off a building?"

"Painkillers make you loopy." Tony laid Morgan gently in her crib and placed a blanket over her, then turned to walk back to the lab. Bruce was directly behind him, and he stopped in surprise, then sighed in exasperation as he moved around him, his pace faster than before. "And didn't his mom say he fell off his roof?"

He slowed and looked back at Bruce. "His mom, Banner."

"Alright, but she could've been lying," Bruce countered as Tony began walking again. "It's easier to say mom then have to explain how she takes care of him even though she's his aunt, right? And answer this, Tony: how many fifteen-year-olds that are smart enough to take a college class, and who have the last name Parker just happened to break a bone hard enough to need surgery on the same day?"

He sped up his pace again as they drew closer to the lab. "Well, number one, Bruce, how do you know he's fifteen? He could've turned sixteen. Number two, you don't even know if he even lives in New York, much less anywhere near us." The door was so close now, just a few feet away. He was rambling now, filling the time needed to get to the door, not allowing Bruce to say anything else. "The likelihood of it being m- our Peter is low, practically impossible. I don't even know why you brought it up without thinking it through; you should've realized it was a stupid thing to say." The door. Tony walked in and immediately turned. Bruce looked surprised and... somewhat hurt. He closed the door.

Hard.

That was something he hadn't done to any of them in a good year—closing a door in their face so they couldn't say anything else. A habit he had finally broken. It felt wrong to do it now, but he shook it off, reminding himself that it was just because Bruce was relentless in proving his theories, and it was a ridiculous notion, as a whole, anyway.

He shouldn't have used the word stupid. Bruce was far from it. He'd apologize tomorrow, or something. Leave him a fruit basket.

Why was he trying so hard to convince himself it wasn't Peter?

Because it was a ridiculous notion, that was why.

It was an absurd assumption made from unreliable facts.

Untrustworthy information used to prove a ridiculous theory.

That was all it was.

Right?

A ridiculous notion.

He didn't even know why he didn't want it to be Peter.

He did. It was because if it really was him, Tony had an advantage where Peter wouldn't restrict himself from saying certain things because of the people in that group. It meant that, if it really was him, Tony would be able to see a side of his life that Peter didn't let him see. Unfiltered. Unrestrained. Was that unfair? To both of them? He didn't want to take advantage of Peter. But it might not be Peter. But if it was Peter...

Leave it, Stark, he told himself. You don't know. You might never know. and it's a ridiculous notion, anyway.

(He shouldn't have used the word stupid.)

Yeah so...
Really short chapter today
ALSO
Apparently I have people from Oman and India reading my story?
If you could tell me who you are that would be awesome
I'm really interested

~Morgan

A/N 2: If certain comments don't make sense, it's because the way this was originally written had the same basic concept, but was very different from how it looks now (e.g., I am a much better writer, fear me)