The Stark Internship

Part 18

TONY

MJ doesn't linger. I offer for her to stay for dinner but I think seeing Peter so upset got to her. She left a little after he retreated back to his room.
Pepper's not due back for another hour so I don't bother waiting for her before I start cooking. I make a small variety of things, wanting to get Peter to eat but not sure what he'll like.
'Peter!' I call out, 'I got food!' He doesn't come. I put all the food on a tray and carry it to his room, knocking lightly before entering. 'Hey Kid. I didn't know what you liked, so I made everything.'
He sits by the window, making no show of hearing me. He stays silent.
'I'll leave it here.' I say, leaving it at the base of his bed, 'please try eat something.'
I hover for a moment, but once I'm sure he won't speak I leave. But there's nothing for me to do. I sit outside his room, head resting against the wall.
I listen for any sounds of movement, but none come.
I'm only jolted out of my trance an hour later, when Pepper comes home.
'Tony, hey.' She says, walking up to me, 'everything okay? How's Peter?'
'Not eating.' I say as she gives me a hand to help lift me up.
'That's not uncommon.' She replies.
'Doesn't make it any better.' I say sharply. 'Sorry.' I say quickly after, 'it's been a stressful couple of days.'
'I know.' She replies, running her hand behind my ear and resting behind my neck. 'You're doing everything you can. He just needs time.'
'I know. I know.' I say.
'Have you found out any more about the bullets that Peter got shot with? The ones that nearly killed him?' She asks, directing my attention to something I can fix.
'Shuri and Bruce are in the lab now.' I reply, 'they said they'd get back to me.'
'Why don't you go down and help them?'she asks.
'I can't leave him.' I say, surprised she suggested it.
'Why not? I'm here if something happens. You're only five minutes away. Peter's not going to suddenly recover. Go for an hour, then come back. Just an hour.'
'Pepper, I-' she interrupts me.
'Every time you were stressed, ever since I've known you, the way you deal with things is to work. I always knew to find you down there - and I always knew something was wrong when you were down there when you weren't meant to be. Which was a lot.' She says.
'What's your point?' I ask.
'You can't help Peter right now. But you can fix another problem. That's what you do best.' She says, 'one problem at a time.'
I stay silent, tucking a piece of her hair behind her ear.
'Are you sure you're okay?' I ask, hesitant.
'I'll manage.' She says. I kiss her and she stays where she is as I call the Ironman suit to me.
'Any problems - call. No question.' I say.
'Have fun.' She says, smiling slightly. I smile back, overwhelmed by how lucky I am to have her in my life. I head out the door and fly off to where Shuri and Bruce work.