irondad & spiderson oneshots

xcii. so this is how it ends?

THIS ONESHOT IS ABOUT A SCHOOL SHOOTING, DO NOT READ IF IT WILL TRIGGER YOU.

The day starts out bad, and it only gets worse.

Peter wakes up to his dad shaking him awake, a tired mumble on his lips the second he's aware. "C'mon, buddy, time to get up. You slept through your alarm."

"I'm up," he groans, batting weakly at the hand on his shoulder as he pulls his blanket up tighter around himself, his eyes staying firmly closed.

"Yeah, and I'm Captain America. Up, Peter," Tony demands, annoyance tingeing his voice. The fact that he's annoyed further serves to tug the teen's brows downward, eyes finally cracking open. He scowls up at his dad, who has one brow raised pointedly and his hands splayed on his hips like a soccer mom.

"Why can't I just stay home one day? I have all A's," he complains, not moving at all from his self-constructed blanket burrito.

"You've missed enough school as is, cucciolo. Come on, it's Friday and then you can sleep all weekend-"

"I'm not a puppy," Peter snaps, glare hardening. "And I'm sick. Can I please stay home?"

"Nice try," Tony deadpans, gesturing with his head toward the doorway. "I don't know what's up with your attitude today, but you need to get up and get ready before I fly you to school myself in your pajamas."

"Jesus Christ, fine!" The boy exclaims, throwing his blanket off of himself and nearly throwing himself into a sitting position. Tony takes a step backwards with a frown on his face, and makes like he's going to say something else but Peter makes a face, throwing his hands out. "Well? Get out, I need to change."

He continues to stand there for a moment, his frown fading, but still there, just barely. "Pete, is- is everything okay? Lately you've been acting-"

He scoffs, cutting his dad off. "Like you're ever even here to notice," he mumbles, perhaps a bit too loud, because the older man sucks in a sharp breath, and his frown falls off his face completely.

"Peter," he whispers, running a hand down his face, "I-"

"No I get it," Peter interrupts again, shaking his head. "The Avengers are gone, the world needs Iron Man. I get it. Just kinda thought maybe being a dad was important to you, too."

And Tony gasps.

His eyes are wide, face now barren of color as he gawps at his son. "Peter-" he says again.

"I get it," Peter interrupts again.

They stare at each other until finally, Tony turns and he leaves the room.

Peter drops his gaze to his blanket clad lap, with tears shining in his eyes, and he curls his fists so tightly around the cloth that his fingers turn white.

He wanted him to stay.

Minutes later, he storms out of his room with his bag slung over his shoulder, and doesn't spare a glance at his dad at all, red eyes blurring as the elevator doors close behind him.

•

"Peter? Hello-o-o, Peter? Are you listening?" Ned whispers, snapping his hand directly in front of the young Stark's face. Drawn from his intense stare at the blank paper in front of him, Peter slowly drags his gaze over to his best friend.

Ned sits in the chair directly beside him, his own notebook filled with notes he'd been jotting down the past half hour. Peter looks up at the board, where the teacher has been droning on with a presentation for the entirety of the class period.