Helpless

9: Conflicting Revelations

A/N: um? hi? i'm so sorry, it's been so long. a lot of stuff has gone down and i've been ill and school started up again and there was life problems with some of my friends but hey, i'm back, thank you to people who have kept me going with inquiries and comments and enthusiasm, you guys rock !! <3

It’s a strange thing, Tony thinks, to wake up perfectly at ease only to have the harsh truth dropped on your heavy heart within milliseconds.

He blinks a few times to wake himself up, biting his lip when Peter shifts, letting out a small whine before burrowing his head further into the crook of Tony’s neck as if to seek comfort there.

Tony kisses Peter’s curls and pulls him close, wincing when his handcuffs clash with the movement. He carefully shifts so his weight is evenly distributed and Peter is still comfortable before letting his head rest on the cold wall behind him, running through their limited options in his head.

If they hadn’t been separated again while they were asleep, something serious must have happened, something that means they’re not in any immediate danger of pain right now. That makes Tony’s top priority getting out of the handcuffs so he can get Peter to safety and away from all of this, whatever all of this is.

“Pete?” he whispers ever so softly, nudging his son as gently as he can.

Peter doesn’t stir so Tony pushes his hair away from his closed eyes and carefully pokes his side. “Pete, come on, open your eyes for me,” he murmurs.

With a frustrated groan, Peter blinks his eyes open, freezing immediately but then wrapping his arms around Tony, pulling them closer. The movement irritates the wound in Tony’s side but he says nothing, happy to be able to do this in the first place.

“Mmm… Mister Stark, is this a dream?” Peter asks quietly, clearly not thinking about what he’s saying.

It just about breaks Tony’s heart that Peter’s dreams could consist of something so mundane and basic when he deserves to be dreaming high, of being successful and loved and surrounded by those dear to him.

“No, kid, you’re definitely awake,” Tony replies eventually, kissing his mussed curls, “but we have to get up, okay? Can you stand up for me?”

With seemingly great reluctance, Peter nods, peeling himself away from Tony and standing upright, wobbling for a few seconds before rolling his shoulders and offering a hand to Tony to help him get up.

Before all of this - whatever all of this was - Tony would have made a joke about his age or something mundane like that but now, with his body screaming at him to stay down, he just takes Peter’s hand and pulls himself up, surprised at how much strength the teenager is able to use despite being severely malnourished.

“Where are we going?” Peter asks once they're up and stable.

“I need to find something to pick these cuffs,” Tony replies, ignoring the red lights. “Do you know the way back to the usual room?”

Peter immediately shrinks back, halting, a downright terrified look on his face. “Why do we need to go back?” he asks quietly.

Tony sighs painfully. “I just don't know where else to get the right tools for me to pick these handcuffs, kid, I'm sorry.”

There's a small mumble from Peter that Tony takes as something he wasn't meant to hear, so he pretends he hadn't caught any of it, ruffling his son’s hair instead.

“Can we hurry?” Peter blurts as if there's even the slightest possibility that they'd do anything else.

Rather than pointing that out, though, Tony just nods, offering Peter a smile, his heart warming up when Peter wraps his arm around Tony’s, clinging to him like a small monkey.