Our Dad's an Ir⎊n Dad || Marvel

[six]

"You'll make a great big brother."

Does Pepper really think he has what it takes...? Peter looks down at his hands while May sits next to him and talks to Pepper and Tony and Harley around the medbay. They're all eating leftover Chinese food, but he's still barely touched his plate.

If anyone notices, they try not to push him, and he's grateful for that, but he's also upset that they even have to work so hard for him. Harley isn't this hormonal. Isn't this angry. Peter doesn't remember why he's this angry. He thinks it's maybe the spider bite because he doesn't remember being this angry before either.

—ete? Peter?

"Hey, Underoos?"

"Huh?" Peter snaps his eyes up to see that everyone is watching him. When had that happened?

"Harley wants to know if you were fine with him coming with us to go back to school shopping," May says softly at his side. When he looks over at her, he can see the pain in her eyes and he makes the decision to be more present. He hates that look. It's the same look she had when he told her Ben had died and she realized she would have to do everything alone. That she would be alone. That they were both—

"Come back, bambino."

Peter lets out a harsh breath he hadn't even realized he was holding. Then blinks rapidly before finally scooping a forkful of food into his mouth to give himself a second to think and his hands something to do.

"That...yeah, that'd be cool, Harley."

"Awesome," Harley says, but he doesn't sound like it's awesome. He sounds like he wants to say more or do more, but he can't. Peter watches him clench his fist before sucking in a breath and releasing it and the tension in his hand. Peter could understand that at least: the need to punch all his problems away.

"Dad usually orders my book bags in bulk online, but May is really good at helping me pick out nerdy tees."

"So you admit they're nerdy?"

"You caught me," Peter says shrugging, but it feels nice to talk again. To feel somewhat normal again. "But they're good tees!"

"I think I'll be fine with a few plain colors and a couple of jackets."

"Save money on jackets, just steal Dad's."

"I love being stolen from," Tony says in a mockery of being put out, but the soft smile shows how much he really does like seeing his kids comfortable enough around him to wear his clothes. Peter is still wearing his old MIT sweatshirt with the hole in the wrist and he catches Tony smiling softly at it, at him, throughout the meal.

The conversation flows a little easier after that and before May leaves for work, he and Harley manage to make Tony laugh so hard that lemonade comes out his nose. He sets it as his Dad's new contact photo and the pressure on his chest doesn't feel as tight.

Later when Pepper and Rhodey have both gone off to do adult work things that Peter could hardly imagine if he tried, there's a knock on the MedBay door. Harley and Peter are quiet on the floor playing Uno, because Tony is asleep and he needs the rest. The two teens make eye contact before nodding at each other. They look back at the door when the person knocks again.

Peter stands up to answer it, Harley right beside him. He doesn't think he'll need the back-up but it's good to know he has it nonetheless. He pulls the door open and his hand twitches with the need to slam it shut again.

"You must be Peter," says Captain America. "Good to see you again, Harley."

Peter is frozen so his brother speaks.