Irondad and Spiderson One-Shots (Requests Open!)

Count On Me

Peter cared for Tony that much was clear, but why did he have to walk on eggshells around the person he called dad?

They weren't always like this. When Peter was little he used to hug and kiss his dad all the time. There wasn't a moment when Peter wasn't around Tony. But now... Peter just existed around him. They acted more like friends than family. But why?

Maybe when Peter started to distance himself when Tony bushed off his depression or maybe when Tony made him uncomfortable in a public setting knowing that he had social anxiety. Maybe when Peter had started to self-harm and Tony saw the cuts on his arm and did nothing to comfort him. That one hurt the most. Peter secretly wanted Tony to see. He wanted help. But his 'father' had brushed it off as him being clumsy, even though his powers made it impossible to be clumsy.

He often wondered if this was normal. Maybe other parents get mad at their children for something they didn't say, maybe other parents have their children cook almost every day because they don't do it, maybe other parents let their children do everyone's laundry, clean the house, and take care of everyone because they don't do it. But Peter didn't know because he had no one to ask. But the other Avengers told him this wasn't normal. They often asked him if he needed help, but Peter felt as though this was his responsibility so he always said no with a big smile on his face.

No matter how exhausted he was, he always got things done. It didn't matter if it was 12 am and the laundry still needed to be folded. He would do the laundry at 12 am and then go to sleep to wake up at 5 for school. He made sure his grades never slipped, he made sure the house was always clean, he made sure there was food on the table, and he made sure everyone was taken care of. Not to mention going out every night as Spider-Man.

But that was what he was supposed to do. Because if he didn't do it then who would?