Melancholy Hope {Spiderson&Irondad}

Chapter 8

Tony's POV

My phone rings and I put down my tools to answer the call.

It's Peter's contact. He's not supposed to be calling me for another 18 hours.

"Kid? Are you okay? It's 2 in the morning?" I ask, focusing my whole attention on him.

There's a pause and I cringe when I hear him throwing up through the phone. It's crackly and static, far away as he pulls the phone away from his ear to heave.

"Pete? Kid? Did you have a nightmare?" I guess, desperate to hear his voice and make sure he's okay.

There's a short pause before he's begging through his tears. "Please don't make me go back to juvie. I'm sorry. Please."

"I won't, kid. I promise. You're safe," I say, keeping my voice as calm as I can so he can stop himself from the inevitable panic attack he'll fall into. I'm just so glad he called me in the first place.

There's a few moments of silence where his heavy breathing attempts to match mine, failing 4 times, cutting himself off with sobs, before he finally manages to match his breathing to mine and calm his tears.

"'M sorry. I didn't mean to- I didn't- I just-" he chokes out, breaking my heart.

"It's okay, kid. Whatever happened, it's okay," I say soothingly, slumping down on the couch in case this is a long conversation.

"I can't go back to juvie," he says, desperation tearing through his voice.

"And you won't, kiddo. I promise. You've got the best lawyers on your side. Always. You don't have to be with me for me to have your back, okay? Did something happen?"

"No. No, just a nightmare... Juvie sucks," Peter says, with a quiet, pathetic laugh.

"Well you're never going to have to go back, okay? Not while I'm behind you," I say, confident that if there's anything I can do, it's that. I've been somehow keeping myself out of trouble for years.

There's a soft sigh on the other end and I suddenly have the realization that it's way already nearing 3 in the morning.

"Thank you. I feel so bad for just leaving you like this and for you to continue to care... I'm so sorry for all the worry. I'm sorry," he murmurs, voice shaking a little with his guilt.

"It's okay, Pete. As I said, I might not understand, but if this is something you need, take your time. I don't mind waiting for you to be ready," I say, slouching down once I know he's done panicking.

"I'm so sorry. It's okay if you want to give me back at the 6-month mark. I get it. Honest. Just... just don't keep me around if you don't really want me around. Don't make me feel like this just to tear it up. Please," he begs, careful and easy like he's done it a thousand times before. He probably has.

"I'm not sending you anywhere, kid. If I've got anything to say about it, you're staying under my guardianship until you're headed off to Uni. Unless you say otherwise," I say, just as calm as before.

"I don't-" he chokes out a quiet whine of sadness. "I don't wanna go. Please. Don't make me go. I'm sorry."

(Lmao sorry)

"You don't have to. I'm not planning on letting you go. Just calm down, bud. It's all going to be just fine," I reassure softly, pulling up Peter's file in front of me through Jarvis. It's so long and so harrowing if you read between the lines of his past.

"I'm just... I'm just sorry... for everything."

"It's okay, Pete. I'm not mad. You take your time with Wade. I'm waiting. Just calm down and be happy."