His Protective Dad (Starker FF) Completed ✓

Unraveling Threads

As the days passed, Peter struggled to maintain the façade of normalcy. He laughed with his friends, participated in class discussions, and even managed to get through a few training sessions with the Avengers. But beneath the surface, he felt like a ticking time bomb, and he could sense that something was amiss.

MJ watched Peter closely, her keen instincts picking up on the subtle changes in his behavior. He had always been a bit of an enigma, but now there was a tension in him that wasn’t typical. When they were together, he would smile and engage, but his laughter felt forced, and his eyes held a shadow of fear she couldn’t quite place.

“Do you think he’s okay?” MJ asked Morgan one afternoon as they sat in the Stark Tower common area, surrounded by the buzz of their friends. “He seems… different lately.”

Morgan nodded, her brow furrowed. “Yeah, I’ve noticed it too. He’s been more withdrawn. It’s like he’s putting up a wall.”

MJ leaned back against the couch, crossing her arms. “Do you think something happened after the attack? He didn’t tell us everything.”

Morgan sighed, glancing towards the hallway where Peter had disappeared moments earlier. “I don’t know. But we should probably talk to him. He might just need some space, but… I don’t like how this feels.”

Meanwhile, Tony and Steve were in the training room, wrapping up a session with the other Avengers when Tony noticed Peter lingering at the entrance, his expression distant. “Hey, kid! You joining us or what?” he called out, but Peter merely offered a half-hearted wave and slipped away.

Tony exchanged a worried glance with Steve, who frowned in response. “He’s been acting off lately, hasn’t he?” Tony asked, wiping the sweat from his brow.

“Yeah,” Steve replied, his voice low. “I’ve been worried about him since that incident. He’s keeping something from us.”

“We should talk to him,” Tony said, a hint of urgency in his tone. “He might not want to admit it, but he needs our help.”

“Let’s give him a little time,” Steve suggested. “He’ll open up when he’s ready.”

That evening, as they gathered for dinner, the atmosphere was tense. Peter sat at the table, picking at his food while the others chatted animatedly. MJ tried to engage him, throwing a few playful jabs in his direction, but Peter merely smiled weakly in response.

“Come on, Peter. You’re not going to let us have all the fun, are you?” MJ pressed, leaning closer. “You have to at least pretend you’re enjoying this.”

“I am,” he replied too quickly, his voice lacking its usual enthusiasm.

“Right,” Morgan chimed in, her tone teasing but with an undercurrent of concern. “You should show us that famous Parker charm!”

Peter’s heart raced at the scrutiny, and he forced himself to smile. “I’m just tired, that’s all. College’s been rough,” he lied, trying to deflect their attention.

Tony studied him carefully, his fatherly instincts flaring. “You sure it’s just college? You can talk to us, Peter. You know that, right?”

“Yeah, I know. I appreciate it, but really, I’m fine,” Peter insisted, his voice a touch too high. He could feel the weight of their gazes, the concern that dripped from every word they spoke.

“Okay, but if you need anything—” MJ began, but Peter cut her off.

“I don’t need anything! I’m just… busy, that’s all!” he snapped, immediately regretting his tone when he saw the hurt in MJ’s eyes. He softened his expression, lowering his voice. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to… I’m just stressed. I’ll be fine.”