Jar Of Dirt [Tony Stark x Peter Parker]

8: Bottle Of Vodka

Kink/Sexual Warnings: None - Nonsexual Chapter
Other Warnings: Peter gets very drunk and assaulted (kissing only), angsty feelings, emotions.

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Peter isn't entirely sure he's back in this world after the mindblowing and extraordinary high he experienced this morning. His body feels so heavy, his mind extremely slow. He's in the kitchen, waiting for Tony to follow him out of the shower so they can eat lunch together. He's slowly tapping his fingers on the countertop - and frowns. Huh? He lifts his hands up, turning them around and staring at his fingers. They feel almost numb. Not tingling like they usually do. It's almost as if they're turned off? He takes a deep, shaky breath, flexing his fingers a few times.

Now that he's starting to pay attention, he notices how eerily quiet it is around him. Where he would hear the wind hit the high rise, there's nothing now. However, when Peter looks through the windows he sees the swift-moving clouds. He blinks a few times, looking over the New York City skyline. The colors are flat, all contrast dulled to grey shades. He feels empty, no longer feeling his heart pumping his blood through his veins. He's cold. He's never cold. The record player doesn't scratch his ears. There's no low hum he has to actively cancel out. It's weird. It's... Ordinary. He hasn't felt this way since...

"Hey kid, watcha up to?"
"AH!" Peter jolts and turns to find Tony right behind him. Startled, he scrambles and trips over his own feet, landing on his butt with a loud groan. He pants heavily.
"Whoa, there!" Tony looks at Peter worried and moves to help him up. Peter takes his hand and feels the tears sting in his eyes when he doesn't feel Tony's heartbeat either.
"Are you okay?"
"I didn't-"
"Didn't?"
"Sense you. I didn't sense you," Peter chokes out. "I didn't know you were behind me." Tony frowns at Peter. This boy has an unreal accuracy when it comes to knowing where other people are around him. He should've sensed him walking up to him. He always does. He explained how he feels the air shift, hears Tony's clothes ruffle as he walks. This doesn't sound good.

"Mr. Stark-" Peter's voice is shaky. Tears well up in his eyes as he keeps looking at Tony's hands holding onto his. "-I... I think there's something wrong with me?" The boy seems genuinely scared and Tony swallows. He bridges the gap between them to hold him close.
"Pete, tell me what's wrong. What's going on?"
"My senses... T-They're gone? My fingers are numb, everything is silent and dull and... and..."
"Alright, baby. It's going to be alright, okay? Let's go to the lab, so I can run some tests." Tony says gently, scooping the boy up and carrying him to the elevator so they can go down. He doesn't trust Peter to walk by himself right now.
"O-okay..."

-

Tony sighs as he takes another sip of his wine. The penthouse feels empty without Peter around, but he's glad he managed to encourage Peter to go to Ned's first frat party. The boy hadn't wanted to go at first, scared of his now ordinary senses, but at the same time, he didn't want to bail on Ned. It was scary to see him like this, but F.R.I.D.A.Y. had assured Tony that there was nothing off with the boy, aside from a massive hormonal disbalance. Which, actually, wasn't a disruption at all. It was the opposite. Peter's hormones are now completely balanced out, like a normal human being. From what Tony has seen in the boy after a bad fight, his hormones have always healed naturally within a few days. Apparently, the sexual overstimulation caused his Spider senses to shut down completely as a defense mechanism, but he should stabilize within two days tops.

He's listening to one of the records Peter got him this morning, enjoying the last few hours of his birthday. He took out the Adam Ant one; he hadn't listened to that for years. It's good to hear it again. God, this is the singer that definitely helped him realize he was gay. He chuckles. He's come a long way since being the 14-year old kid he'd been back then. Oh, the memories. He figures he should spend his time a bit more productively and picks up on the NASA article he'd started on reading earlier today, his eyes gliding over the words. Soon enough, he's interrupted by Peter's playful ringtone. He catches himself smiling instantly and picks up.
"Heya, Pete!"
"Mr. Stark?"