Little Peter-man

Dad isn't my only family

Peter misses his dad. Luckily the Avengers show him that while they can't replace the man they care about him in the way his father never could. 

Sometimes he just wished he could ask his dad questions. Normal everyday life questions, Like:
How do I ask out the girl I like?
What's for dinner?
How do I do this equation? (even though he probably already know how to do it)
And sometimes, he wanted his dad to ask him questions.
How's school?
Is there a girl you like?
What's her name? Is she nice? When can I meet her. Followed by- make sure you use protection-
What do you want for dinner?
The dinner part was massive to Peter. He had had dinner with his Aunt and his uncle and trust him, they were great. But there was a missing hole in his chest that longed for his father. He had only vaguely remembered him. Brown hair and big glasses that made his honey-dew eyes shine.
He would come in and kiss Peter every night after he came home and if he was home in time he would read him a book. Normally on spiders or a bibliography which his father found interesting.
And, when his dad never failed to come home in time to eat with him on a Friday it was like heaven spoke to him. And, he missed it.
So when he got a call from Tony on a Tuesday night saying that he was 'invited to dine with him and the rest of the gang'- the gang meaning the Avengers- his heart had dropped a little.
Not because he wasn't happy about being invited, no the opposite, he was ecstatic but because Friday's when he was feeling like this he would go to his fathers grave with Aunt May and they would grab a pizza and sit there. Not saying anything and wallowing under the bright lights of the never sleeping city.
So yeah. Sometimes he wished that his father was here so he could answer the simple questions. Like this one.
Should I go and miss out on talking to you, eating pizza and sitting with Aunt May? Or, should I stay and miss out on meeting up with my boss and friend and the rest of my workmates/friends also?
He had asked May what she thought and her answer straight away was "go be with your friends, your father will wait for you" but despite her reassuring words that should of prompted him into going he stayed sitting on his bed, texting Ned.
Ned's reply had almost been the same.
'You go and see him a lot Peter. A lot more than you use to. But he'll be there when you get back. You should go eat with the Avengers. And get Thor's autograph for me!'
He had sighed and thought about what he would say to Tony on Friday. A gloom hung over him the rest of the week and before he knew it, it was Friday.
He still sat on his bed when he was supposed to be getting ready to go. He had decided that he would go, but see his dad afterwards. He needed it. He wanted to be grounded, to ask a few questions and cry a little before coming back home and feeling better again.

Ned asked him why he didn't go visit him on another day and enjoy the dinner on Friday. He responded with 'Friday is the day they died' and ignored the rest of Ned's frantic apologies afterwards.
Slowly, very, very slowly he made his way down the bright busy street to the Avengers tower and stopped right outside the open door. Turned and walked away. Turned and walked back again where again he stopped and sat just to the side of the door. In his red loose hoodie and black jeans he looked like a homeless man begging for money.
He put his head in between his legs and sighed deeply.
Clenching and unclenching his fists he let the few tears that came unexpectedly fall onto the ground and moved his arms up and over his head to cover himself from the world.
He bathed in the darkness and his thoughts for a while letting his overwhelming emotions explode on the sidewalk next to the tower.
A few people passed, their feet shuffling past him as their gazed turned to pity but it wasn't till Tony's voice broke through his mindless wall of nothingness that he looked up and wiped his tears with his sleeve.
"You okay kid?" When Peter didn't reply he continued "Friday said you were outside but not coming in." Tony rubbed the back of his head, knowing that he was the worst out of all the Avengers to deal with emotions. He shoved his so deep down that they were buried in the floor.
"We were watching from the tower. You walked back and forth for a bit then just sat here."
A cold shiver ran through Peter
"You've been out here a long time Pete. And it's pretty cold. You wanna come in and get a blanket on? Some hot Coco and a movie?"
Peter had to smile at Tony's flimsy attempts to cheer him up. And, it was working somewhat.
He just didn't want to get up. So he shook his head and curled in on himself tighter wishing for his Fathers warm arms around his shoulders telling him he was being silly and that he should enjoy himself. 'Plenty of time for crying after' is what he would say.
It made Peter feel worse.
"Pete. I wanna help. But freezing our asses off on the street isn't going to help anything, come on kid. Let's go inside then we can chat" he only not realised that Tony was wearing three layers of clothing with another jacket over the last long sleeve but that he, Peter, was shivering. With nothing but two and a bit layers and nodded slowly and started to de tangle himself from his long arms and closed his arms around his stomach when the air blew kisses in his face. Tony wrapped his arm around Peter's freezing shoulders and led him inside.
When he was seated in the main room with a heavy blanket over him, his shoes off and a steaming cup on the table in front of him he finally realised what was going on. It was like he fell asleep while standing up. He looked around the tower, the dinner table was still set with knives and forks and glass cups. Peter has expected boxes of Pizza and Soda to litter the table not a red roast lined with green herbs, potatoes and vegetables on the side. He swallowed and looked around again, the Avengers were on a couch off to the side of the table. All were leaning against the sides and the backs of the couches mellowing out.