Aftermath (Peter x Tony)

-2-

Peter looked over at Mr. Stark, no, Tony, who sat in a wheeled chair poking at a holographic model in the air. Peter had his own model, yet another version of his suit he was working on, but he could barely focus.

Tony Stark was sitting right there. Peter was sitting in Tony Stark's garage, where he did all his creating. The place where Tony let so few people go and he let Peter not only come in, but clear a work table for himself.

"What are you staring at, kid?" Tony glanced up, green smoothie in one hand, his other covered in machinery.

"Oh! Nothing, Mr. Sta-Tony, just uhm, thinking about if I should uplink EDITH to my suit but Karen is already in my suit and I don't want them to not get along?"

Tony snickered, pointing at one of his robots. "DUM-E make the kid a smoothie," then to Peter, "he's been experimenting so I hope you like life on the edge."

Peter just fidgeted nervously.

Tony stalked over to Peter, putting one hand on the table behind Peter, looming over him as his eyes roamed his body. Was, was Tony Stark checking him out? God, no way. Peter was being ridiculous. Besides, even if he was, Tony Stark checked out anyone, Peter wasn't exactly special. "Hello? Earth to Underoos?"

"What? Huh!" Peter jumped, which made him bump into Tony.

"For a guy with a sixth sense, you're remarkably unaware."

"Sorry, I was just uh, still thinking about the suit."

Tony grabbed Peter's shoulders and leaned closer. Was he about to...? Then Peter felt himself whirling. Tony just spun his chair out of the way and stepped over Peter's work table. Peter quickly got to his feet and stood next to Tony who started fiddling with the suit. Tony mumbled to himself and flung bits of hologram left and right.
"See, kid, you want everything you could possibly need in your suit, but you don't want to overwhelm yourself and have it flashing in your face. EDITH will be in here but only accessible for emergencies and I will make sure you won't bug her with the," he trailed off, typing away, "the..." he looked over at Peter then back at the suit, "with the 'fuck I screwed the pooch protocol.'"

Peter rolled his eyes, "Like with the 'baby monitor protocol?'"

Tony chuckled and patted Peter's cheek. "Gotta keep an eye on you, baby."

Peter's eyes widen more than he knew was humanly possible. Tony burst out laughing, but his hand stayed on Peter's cheek for a few more seconds than necessary. "So easy to fluster you, underoos."

Tony leaned back and took a long sip of his green smoothie. "DUM-E! Get me a drink, something strong. And get Peter something too, not a smoothie."

Tony scratched his goatee and looked at Peter with curious eyes. "You had everything on your shoulders for five years. I mean, all the senior members of the Avengers were gone and you, you killed Thanos."

"Not personally, Captain Marvel did that-"

"Don't be modest kid. Everyone was looking to you."

"I was mostly just finishing high school... and college," Peter fiddled with the EDITH glasses hanging from his shirt.

Tony shook his head, "Why do you keep stopping me from trying to tell you, you did good? Don't block the blessing, Peter."

Peter was about to respond when Tony's robot came back with some clear liquid for Tony and a smoothie for Peter.

"DUM-E," Tony sighed, "I said no smoothies. Don't make me donate you to daycare for little demons, you know I won't hesitate."

Tony stood, chugging the entire drink in one big gulp. "Sir," FRIDAY's voice echoed through the room, "your date for the evening is here."

Tony furrowed his brow. "I don't remember scheduling that."

"You have a standing order to have a new partner every night, sir."

"Cancel that," Tony looked right at Peter before taking out his phone, "and have her or him or whoever sent home."

"Him?" Peter looked surprised.

"I forget you didn't know me before I was dating Pepper. Flings are flings, Petey-weety. I'm not picky."

"What about people who are more than flings?" Why did Peter suddenly care so much?

Tony started walking towards the stairs and Peter quickly followed after him, still waiting for Tony to answer. "I'm a hard man to love," was all he said, signaling the end of the conversation with a firmness in his voice that Peter didn't hear that often.

Tony sighed, rubbing his face as he stared at the blip on the holographic screen. It was closer than it was yesterday, which only made Tony reach for another drink.

The problem with the blip was it didn't signify anything. Tony went to the coordinates and found nothing interesting in the area, it was just blue ocean as far as the eye could see. Yet his computers were convinced it was a threat.

"FRIDAY, any updates on this bastard?" Tony said softly, glancing at Peter's sleeping form. The guy had had one martini and promptly passed out on Tony's couch.

"No, sir. I found nothing in the satellite scan."

"Damnit."