Growing Up

7 Years Old

"Mr. Stark?"

Tony looked up from his desk to see one of his (or at least he hoped they were) employees standing in the doorway.

"There's a kid downstairs claiming you're his father...?"

Tony frowned. What was Peter doing at the front desk of the Tower?

"I tried sending him away," the man said, "But he insisted if I brought you down or at least talked to you, you would say the same."

Tony sighed and put down his pen. At the very least, Happy should have been with Peter, having picked him up from school. 

"You didn't just ask Happy?" Tony asked. The man in the doorway frowned and shook his head. 

"Mr. Hogan didn't arrive with him," he answered, "The kid showed up on his own."

At that, Tony stood abruptly and all but shoved the man out of his office. He raced into the lift, tapping his foot impatiently as he rode it down to the ground floor.

Happy should have picked up Peter. Why was Peter here alone and why was he earlier than if Happy had gone to get him? As Tony pulled out his phone to ask Happy himself, Happy's caller ID lit up his phone. Without even a 'hello', Tony demanded to know what was going on.

"I don't know," Happy replied, "I arrived at the school to pick him up but his teachers said he had left early."

Tony groaned, told Happy to get back to the tower in five minutes, then hung up. Pocketing his phone as the lift doors opened, Tony hurried through the lobby and over to the reception desk. Just like the man had told him upstairs, Peter was sitting in the reception area on one of the couches. His backpack was in his lap and his head was buried into it. When Tony saw his shoulders shake slightly, he knew Peter was crying. 

"Peter?" Tony asked, kneeling down in front of him.

Peter's head snapped up and Tony was met with a tear-streaked face. As soon as Peter wiped his nose, he threw his arms around his dad and began crying harder. Worried, Tony carefully picked up his son and walked over to the receptionist. With wide eyes, she nodded numbly as Tony told her to send Peter up to his office if he ever arrived again.

Once he was certain the girl would spread the word to her colleagues, Tony walked back to the lift. He rode it to the very top where the penthouse was then carried Peter into the living room. As they arrived in the living room, Peter had calmed down some, but Tony could tell he was still upset.

"Alright, what happened, buddy?" Tony asked, setting his backpack on the floor then sitting on the couch with Peter in his lap.

Peter sniffled then quietly explained what had happened. 

"Some of the big kids were being mean to me," he answered, "They said I was stupid and annoying then they laughed at me when I started to cry and I just wanted to go home, but Happy wasn't there yet so I took the subway after a nice lady paid for me and helped me."

Although shocked and terrified to learn Peter had come all the way home alone, Tony couldn't seem to form the right words. What was the most shocking was that Peter had never ridden a subway since Tony had had him, so how he had found it, Tony had no idea. 

"Peter—"

Peter cut him off with another sniffle. 

"I know it was bad but I missed you and they were being really mean," Peter cried. With a quiet voice, Peter added, "I don't want to go back."

Tony felt his heart shatter as Peter began to cry again and he pulled Peter closer to his chest. With one hand, he ran his fingers through Peter's hair and with his other hand, he hugged Peter tightly.

"I'm sorry, kiddo," Tony whispered, slowly calming Peter down. When his tears subsided, Tony continued, "I know school sucks and people can be really mean, but you can't just leave like that. You gave me and Happy a heart attack. Next time, just tell the teacher and she'll deal with it."

Peter sniffled again and Tony rubbed his back. 

"My teacher's a boy," Peter said, voice muffled against Tony's shirt. Tony chuckled and Peter giggled too, causing Tony's smile to grow. 

"Of course he is," Tony replied, "The statement still stands: don't leave the school alone."