Actions

Work Header

Rating:
Archive Warning:
Fandoms:
Relationships:
Characters:
Additional Tags:
Language:
English
Collections:
Best Tony and Peter, carolina’s | fics that have been devouRED, Irondad Creators Awards 2021 - Nominations, Irondad Creators Awards 2021 - Winners, peter parker aka my favorite character of all time, My favourite, Aurelia’s heart did a squee, 𝔽𝕚𝕔𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕨𝕒𝕪 𝕥𝕠𝕠 𝕘𝕠𝕠𝕕, Sarmie's Completed Future Read Library, Irondad Creators Awards 2022, Best fluff and Angst, Everything so far
Stats:
Published:
2019-03-05
Completed:
2024-06-28
Words:
529,000
Chapters:
155/155
Comments:
3,727
Kudos:
8,652
Bookmarks:
1,853
Hits:
502,117

A Parent Apparent

Summary:

In which the author indulges herself in some shameless Irondad/Spiderson with fluff, angst and everything in between because she needs more of that in her life.

OR

Just another one of those, oh so overdone, fanfics where Tony and Peter's relationship grows into more of a father/son relationship after an accident involving Aunt May (who lives)

Notes:

It's purely and solely self-indulgent. I may also be writing it as something of a coping mechanism as I deal with my own crap. Clearly, I need therapy. xD

[1/29/2023] I began writing this fic on March 5th 2019 and completed it on October 23rd 2020. That was me spending over a year cultivating a completely and totally self-indulgent fanon world of my own. When I started it, it was a project to occupy my time. I didn’t think anyone would read it because I wasn’t really that good at writing. But as this story grew and evolved, so did I. My ability to describe people, emotions, and environments improved immensely. My writing mechanics, word usage, and sentence structure also improved. The process was slow and I’m not sure how noticeable it is for anyone reading it straight through. However, if you were to only read the first chapter and the last, you might think that it was written by two different people. This fic was my growth fic. And even though I don’t think it’s my best work by any stretch of the imagination, I am grateful for it. I learned a lot from writing it.

So thank you to everyone who is still finding it, reading and taking the time to comment, kudos, and bookmark it.

Chapter 1: Change is in the Wind

Chapter Text

Peter had been out as Spider-man when it happened. When he saw it happen.  He was perched on top of a building near their apartment eating a hotdog when he saw her car.  She must have gotten off early because it was only four in the afternoon and she wasn't supposed to get home until five.  In his excitement, he had popped the last of the hotdog in his mouth before preparing himself to swing towards home. Yet, just as he shot out a web towards the next building, the hairs on his neck and arms stood on end.  It was a split second later when he heard a deafening screech followed by the sound of heavy metal on metal.  Turning towards the commotion he immediately felt sick to his stomach.  That was Aunt May's car.  May's car had been hit by another driver. 

 

"Karen!  Call 911. Tell them to get here now.  It's, It's important.  They have to get here now!!", the vigilante shouted to his AI as he went swinging towards the wreckage.  He had to get to her, to see her, to help her, but he knew he had to be careful.  No one could make that connection.  If they did, they would know who he was.  He was frantic trying to figure out how he was supposed to do that but Spider-man wasn't allowed to be frantic.  He can only help.  He had to get it together.  Closing the distance he kept reminding himself that no one could know that he knows her name... "and favorite color...and what kind of music she likes... and how she loves to mix Reeses Pieces in with her popcorn at the movies...", he thought to himself as he was swinging through the air.  

 

Once his feet were on the ground he immediately ran to her, yanking the driver's side door right off of the car.  She's alive. He let out a small breath but he knew this wasn't enough to abate his nerves.  Anything could still happen.  Where the Hell was that ambulance?   People were starting to gather around.  It had to be a curious sight to see Spider-man simply holding the hand of a woman who was unconscious from a car wreck but that was how he stayed until EMS arrived and moved him out of the way so they could work.  Once he heard the words "She's stable enough to move" he swung himself home to change into his clothes before going full speed towards the hospital he knew she was being taken to, hoping no one would question his pace as he ran through the streets.  

 

He got to the hospital just in time to see his aunt for a brief moment before she was taken back for surgery to correct the breaks in her left leg and hip.  Tears were streaming down his face as he kissed her cheek and told her that he loved her.

 

It was nearing midnight when the doctor came to him.  He had questioned Peter's age and the fact that he was there alone, wanting to speak to an adult.  It took some time for Peter angrily explain to the man that they were all each other had before he would pass on any information.  He finally let him know that surgery had been successful but that they wanted to keep her under for while longer.  Her body was under a lot of stress, she would be in pain for a while.  They wanted to ease her out of the sedation and onto pain medication slowly.  

 

The conversation with the doctor must have been what started it.  As he was sitting in his aunt's room watching her every breath, listening to her every heartbeat, he was interrupted by a nurse handing him a sandwich and a bottle of water.  He informed the woman that he wasn't hungry but she insisted on leaving it with him and made a point of telling him that he needed to get some rest too.  That wasn't so bad.  It was the next person who entered the room who set his anxiety into overdrive.  

 

A woman had entered the room and introduced herself as Ms. Olivett, a hospital social worker.  It had been brought to her attention that he was an unattended minor and that she had come to make sure that he had someone to come and get him.  

 

"I'm fine here", he told her trying to be polite but it came out stiff and slightly defensive. 

 

"No, dear, you don't understand.  You can't be here unattended.  You need an adult with you.  Besides, you have been here for hours on end, you need to go home and rest.  You aren't doing your aunt any favors by sitting here like this.  She would want you taken care of.  Do you have someone to call?"

 

"She's, she's the only family I have", he all but whispered. 

 

The woman offered him a kind smile.  "What about a family friend, dear?  I'm afraid that if there is no one, then I will have to call child services.  I can't allow you to remain without care and supervision.  They can offer that until your aunt is in a position to set something up or care for you herself."

 

Foster care?  They could do that?  They could send him to a foster home with a living guardian right there?  These were just a few of the questions currently swirling through Peter's tired and anxiety-riddled brain.  Who could he call?  Ned was in Peru with his family.  Michelle was already at some camp in Iowa where she was going to be a Junior counselor all summer, besides, he didn't even know her parents.  That only left one other person.  Mr. Stark. 

 

The thought made his chest go tight.  He wasn't sure the man would even answer.  He had never actually called him.  May had called him a few times to arrange 'Spider-man training' and a couple of times to update the man on any new rules she wanted to see put in place... or just to yell at him in general...  Karen had called him exactly twice on his behalf.  Once to inform the man that he was two hours past curfew and once to report that he had been stabbed and required medical attention.  He had never called the man himself.  

 

His finger hovered over the call button for no less than two minutes while the social worker watched him, keeping her face neutral.  Finally, Peter just handed the phone over to her.  "You, you can call him.  He might be able to come.  I, I don't know."  

 

The woman looked at the contact name, 'Mr. Stark', with mild amusement before brushing it off.  After all, just because the person's name was 'Stark' didn't make him Tony Stark.  She hit the call button and waited as it rang one, two, three times before the person who sounded an awful lot like the Tony Stark answered.

 

Tony was actually in bed when the phone rang and FRIDAY was insisting that he should answer it.  He picked up the phone with annoyance and glanced at the name.  Peter Parker.  Why in the Hell was the kid calling him at one-o-fucking-clock in the morning?  He almost didn't answer but then all of a sudden he got an image in his head of Spider-man bleeding out in some alleyway.  The fact that the AI and not Peter himself would be calling him if that where the case, didn't even cross his mind.  He just rolled over and growled under his breath as he answered the phone.  

 

"Kid, it's one am and I was actually asleep for once.  It's past your curfew and I swear to God, you better not be in some --"

 

The shocked social worker cut him off mid-rant.  "-- Is this Mr. Stark?"

 

"Sure is now who the Hell are you and why do you have the kid's phone?"

 

The social worker was somewhat at a loss for words at this point.  "Well, um, I'm Sandy Olivett from Queens Memorial Hospital and I have Peter Parker here wi--"

 

Tony's heart jumped up into his throat.  The kid was in the hospital and May was going to kill him.  "--What's wrong with him?", the man nearly shouted.

 

"N-nothing...sir.  He's just, well, his aunt is here, receiving care leaving Peter as an unattended minor.  He needs an adult here with him, preferably one who can take him home and care for him until his aunt can make some sort of arrangments.  Peter asked me to call you but--"

 

"--Why would he have you call me?", the man asked completely dumbfounded.  He had, had the kid come to the compound a handful of times to train and work in the lab with him, he had also sat with his aunt a few times to discuss guidelines but he wouldn't expect that to put him into any kind of 'caregiver' status.  Sure, he liked the kid, a lot actually but 'caregiver' was not a word you ever associated with the name Stark.  He was certain of that.

 

The woman had no idea where to go from here. Sighing she tried again, "Sir if you aren't available to do this then I can have him try to call someone else or call child Services for assistance.  Would you like to talk to him first?"

 

Tony relented.  If the kid was calling him he must be out of options already and child services sounded like a shit idea.  "No, no, it's fine.  I'll be there in thirty."

 

At this point, Peter was ushered back into the waiting room against his will, tossing the sandwich in the trash as he walked past it.  The woman sat a few seats down from him typing on her computer and ignoring the periodic glares that Peter sent in her direction.

 

When Tony arrived he first laid eyes on the kid who looked surprised to see him despite the fact that he was sure Peter knew he was coming.  Then he turned his attention to the woman who was now approaching him.  "Do I need to do anything or do I just take him home and tuck him in or whatever it is you do with kids at...", he glanced at his watch, "one-forty-five AM"

 

The woman smiled, "I just need you to sign a few papers saying that you are taking temporary custody until which time his aunt is in a position to make a formal decision about his care."

 

As he quickly filled in his information and scrolled his signature onto the two sheets of paper set before him, the woman went on to explain May's condition which made him cringe a little.  It didn't sound great.  In fact, it sounded like this was going to become a little more than a simple sleepover.  He hoped he was up for this. Thank God Rhodey was in town.  If anyone could talk him through this is was Rhodey.  Then the woman interrupted him from his thoughts to inform him that Peter hadn't slept and had refused to eat anything since he had been there.  This also made the man cringe because Peter needed to be eating more with his crazy metabolism, not skipping meals.    

 

"Alright kid, let's get going.  It's a two-hour drive back to the compound as it is."

 

Peter quirked an eyebrow at this.  "How did you get here in forty minutes?" Tony smirked before offering a quick "Classified", and that was the only answer he got before the man threw an arm over his shoulders and purposefully guided him towards the bright orange Audi sitting right outside, stopping only for a second at the vending machine to grab the kid a juice and a granola bar, figuring that something was better than nothing.

 

Once in the car, Peter immediately turned himself towards the window, ignoring the juice and snack and the man who had offered it.

 

"Kid, you need to eat that.  At least drink the juice." 

 

Peter thought he caught a hint of concern in the man's voice but he didn't care.  "I don't want it.", he answered flatly.  It had been a stressful day.  He was hurt, confused, worried... he was just a big ball of anxiety and wanted nothing more than to be left alone in his thoughts.   

 

Of course Tony couldn't just let it go.  "Kid.  Just drink the damn juice."  This time there was irritation lacing his voice.  He was tired and out of his element.  

 

Peter glared at the man before snapping at him.  "I said I don't want it.  Just leave me alone!"  

 

Tony glared back but didn't say anything. The car fell into silence.

 

Peter continued to look out the window.  Watching the lights and trees pass by was causing him to realize just how tired he really was.  How hungry and thirsty he really was but he wasn't about to tell his mentor that.  He had already made it very clear that he wasn't going to take the offered items and he wasn't about to go back on that now.  Then, he realized all at once that he had been neglecting himself in general for a large portion of the day. Despite the fact that the last thing he wanted to do was ask the man any more favors, he had already woken him up and made him feel like he had to come and get him, but this was something he couldn't just ignore, not for over an hour anyway.  So, he broke the silence.  "I need to go to the bathroom", he grumbled quietly towards the window.  

 

Tony not quite hearing what the kid had said sighed before glancing in his direction.  "Come again?", he asked in obvious annoyance.

 

Peter let out a quiet growl before repeating himself, more loudly and irritated this time.  God, he was in a bad mood.  "I said, I need to go to the bathroom."

 

Tony wanted to chide the kid but quickly relented. They had just left not even half an hour ago for what the kid knew was going to be a long ride.  "For the love of Christ Pete! Are you serious right now?", he yelled loudly.  "We just fucking lef--you know what, never mind. Fine.", the man scowled.  "Gimme a minute, I'll stop at the next gas station."  It's not like he had given the child the opportunity.  He had basically dragged him out of the building and to the car, no questions asked.  He really just wanted to get back to the compound.  Not that he was going to be going back to sleep or anything.  He was just aggravated in general and being in the car with a cranky teenager had not been on his to-do list for the night, morning, whatever.

 

After the quick pit stop, the arguing fell to a minimum and Peter found his eyes starting to drift closed, his head resting against the window.  He managed to sleep the rest of the way to the compound, Mr. Stark shaking him awake once they got there.  "Up and at 'em Kiddo.  We're here.", Tony said with no actual enthusiasm, getting out and walking around the car to open Peter's door for him before leading him inside.

 

Peter was still half asleep as they entered the building.  Having been there on a few occasions he wasn't at all surprised when they were greeted by FRIDAY. What did surprise him was that he was lead into the common room kitchen instead of to a bedroom.  "Mr., Mr Stark...  What? I just want to go to sleep.", he almost whined.

 

"Yeah, well, I want you to not pass out from low blood sugar in your sleep so, eat something.  At least drink some juice or something and then I'll take you to your room."   

 

Tony sounded serious and Peter was hungry so he just grabbed an apple off of the counter, rolling his eyes in the process.   Then he ate it as fast as he could before tossing the core in the nearby trashcan.  "There.  Happy?  Can I just go to bed now?", he asked still glaring in the man's direction.  He really wasn't sure what had come over him.  He would usually never speak to any adult in such a tone, let alone his mentor but he couldn't seem to find it in himself to care too much at the moment.

 

Peter watched Tony with slight trepidation as he waited for a reaction but the man didn't say anything, he just took him by the arm and led him down the hall.  They paused in front of a door for a moment before Tony was turning on his heels and heading to the elevator instead.  

 

Tony had originally thought he would just put the kid in the room that he had originally set up for him when he'd invited him to become an Avenger.  However, as the social worker and Peter's current attitude had so helpfully pointed out, this kid was an actual kid.  One who needed someone to actually look after him and make sure he did things like eat and sleep.  Not that Tony was much of a role model there but he could damn well try.  Sort of a 'do as I say not as I do' kind of thing.  No, having him a guest room in the penthouse would be a much better idea so that is where he headed.  

 

Before he knew it Peter found himself inside of Tony's private living space.  It was less extravagant that he would have imagined it to be.  There was a moderately sized living room that opened up into a Kitchen, only separated by a breakfast bar.  There were large floor to ceiling windows lining one entire wall and a wide hallway with multiple closed doors.  All of it was adorned with hardwood flooring accented by a few expensive looking rugs.  It seemed so intimate and personal to be inside his mentor's home.  It felt strange, like he wasn't meant to be there.  

 

A few long strides down the hallway and Peter found himself deposited into a very generic, albeit, lavish-looking guest room. "You can stay here, Kid.  I'll go get you something to sleep in, there's a bathroom over there if you need it.  It's fully stocked with towels and whatnot if you want a shower or anything.", The man told him pointing to a door in the corner before walking out of the room.  He returned moments later with a pair of draw-string sweat pants and a worn-out t-shirt for a band that Peter had never heard of.   "If you need anything else just ask FRIDAY.", he said before walking out again, this time closing the door behind him.

 

Peter stood in the middle of the room for several seconds just holding the clothing he had been handed, trying to process what exactly was going on.  One minute his mentor seemed to be concerned about him like, maybe he cared.  The next the man was snapping at him and sighing in annoyance.  As Peter thought about the night's events he realized that he had not exactly been polite.  He was snapping just as much if not more than Tony.  Peter sighed to himself and made a mental note to apologize when he saw the man next before walking into the bathroom, more out of habit than necessity, to change clothes.  

 

Ready for bed, Peter crawled up into the queen-sized bed.  It was the most comfortable bed he had ever laid upon.  Despite that, he fell into an uneasy sleep.