Marvel Moments: A Collection of One-Shot Adventures

Alone

Tony sighed. He just felt so... alone, but he was always surrounded by people. He got trapped within himself, like all of the oxygen in his body was trapped inside, like he was locked in a small room and had no way to get out. So, when everyone was annoyed at him and ignoring him, he always, always felt a hundred times worse.

He knows that most of the avengers just have him around because he funds them, makes them weapons and such, but he cannot think of anyone who genuinely wants him around. He's still surprised that Rhodey keeps him around, especially since he's annoying and just unwanted.

And so, to curb his thoughts, he keeps away from them, keeps himself hurled up in his laboratory until he's forced out. He's even stopped joking around, everyone just got annoyed at him for it, so why would he bother anymore? He just kept quiet during meetings, mealtimes and so much more and no one even noticed.

Until Peter came back that is. Tony had sent him and Aunt May on holiday, fully funded because the two of them deserved it. That kid deserves the world, in Tony's eyes, and he'd be damned if he didn't give him it whilst he could.

So, when Peter came in during breakfast the day after he got back and saw Tony pushing the food around on his plate and not speaking, he ended up being very worried about his mentor. Peter came up to Tony and hugged him gently, an action that stopped all conversation as everyone thought the man would yell at the kid. Tony hugged Peter back before pulling out the chair next to him and pushing a plate towards the kid, allowing him to grab what he wanted.

"Thanks for the trip, Mr. Stark, I've never seen Aunt May so relaxed and awake before. I had a lot of fun," Peter said as he helped himself to some waffles. He grabbed the fruit and put some bananas on his waffles before beginning to eat, looking at Tony who finally, for the first time in forever, smiled.

"Good, I'm glad you had fun. I've also promoted your Aunt, she now has a top paying job and less hours so she's earning five times more than before whilst still getting to relax and have time to herself. You don't need to worry about money anymore, kiddo," Tony spoke softly, so as not to disturb the others - more like whispering in Peter's ear - who all went back to their own conversations.

"Thanks Mr. Stark, she'll be so happy," Peter said softly and the conversation ended, the two just eating before washing their plates and cutlery and leaving towards the laboratory to get some work done.

After they left, the others began talking about them. "Did Stark just hug a kid? Peter at that?" Natasha asked in shock.

"I know right, why would anyone want to hug that man? He's just a bitter old rich man who does nothing but drink his life away," Steve spoke maliciously.

"Seriously, he does nothing good for the team, Director Fury only keeps him around due to his money. He has nothing to offer to the team, nothing good at all," Bruce spoke rolling his eyes. Even he was fed up with Tony.

No one knows but Tony was watching all of this on camera and listening to the words through FRIDAYs speakers. And he felt his metaphorical heart break. Peter had offered to take some people on a tour as the usual people were hauled up in the intern labs busy with a potentially dangerous project that couldn't be left alone. So, no one knew that he was watching and listening in to the avengers. No one was around to see him lift his sleeve and look at the slices on his wrists, and no one was there to stop him from adding more lines to his artwork.

Peter was having a lot of fun leading a tour, he might have to start doing other peoples jobs more often. Tony stopped self-harming after around twenty-seven minutes and cleaned up the blood from the counter just as Peter finished leading the tour group out. Tony made his way towards the training gym and began his workout with a run on the treadmill.