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“Tony, what’s going on? Why are we sneaking through alleys and though buildings?” Stephen asks as they squeeze through a dented fence and into yet another alley that has the slight stench of piss.
“There’s this guy that keeps updating my phones on the street,” Tony says and steps over a dead cat and wipes something off of the shoulder of his coat.
“And we are tracking this person down because…? Are we planning to kill him? Maim him? Ooooh Can I send him to the mirror dimension?” Stephen asks and they turn to see a bunch of guys threatening a small kid in a dirty hoodie.
“Give us your money kid and you walk away,” one of the guys says and the boy presses himself back into the corner trembling softly as he reaches into his pocket. No doubt to hand over the money the men are demanding and Tony looks at Stephen who nods and allows his suit to cover his body and hide his face. Tony does the same but steps back into the shadows and lets Stephen handle the wannabe crooks.
Tony has always been the gentler of the two when deserved.
Tony watches Stephen slide silently through the alley and when he’s close red and twisted chains of magic shoot out of his hands and slowly drag the crooks into the mirror dimension and then Stephen likely spit them out in Istanbul or something.
When the crooks are gone Stephen steps out of the shadows and the kid looks like he's about to faint.
“Oh god it's the Sorcerer Supreme! Um... I don't have much money, all I have is a fifty but here you can have it!” The kid says holding out a wad of cash and he's practically shaking.
“Calm down kid. We aren't after your money,” Tony says stepping out of the shadows while his suit dissolves around him.
“Oh wow that was so cool... please before you kill me can I see it one more time?”
“Now why would we kill you?” Stephen asks also dropping his mask as well.
“I've seen your face and Iron Man is Tony Stark and I've been updating his phones on the street for a couple of bucks. Please just make it quick!” The kid rambles and covers his face with his hands and cowers back.
“What's your name kid?” Tony asks.
“P...Peter Parker,” Peter says peeking out from behind his hands.
“Like you said, I'm Tony Stark and this is my husband Stephen Strange. Now, why have you been illegally tampering with my stuff?” Tony asks.
“Needed the money,” Peter admits cheeks turning red.
“Oh? And how much do you make for an upgrade?”
“Ten dollars,” Peter says.
“That's it?”
“I take what I can get. You know? Beggars can't really be choosers,” Peter admits softly.
“Look kid. I'm not going to kill you or hurt you. No one will believe you if you tell them I'm Iron Man so I'm not worried. Now let's get you home,” Tony says reaching for the kid.
“That's not necessary. I can get home on my own,” Peter says eyes shooting to something on the ground and then looking away. Tony follows his eyes and finds what looks like a backpack and a blanket on the ground behind some wooden pallets.
“Kid, please tell me you don't sleep here,” Tony says and Stephen's eyes shoot to his widening a little.
“I... sometimes...sometimes I go to the shelter but if I do that, I don't make it to school on time because I have to wash up,” Peter says.
“Stephen can I talk to you a second?” Tony asks.
“Whatever you're about to ask the answer is yes Tony,” Stephen says and opens a portal to their home.
“Come on kid in you go,” Tony says pushing Peter through the portal and then turns to grab the kid's stuff before he and Stephen step through.
Under actual lighting they can see just how thin the kid is and how dirty his hoodie is. Peter's pale skin makes the rings around his eyes stand out even more. He’s sitting on the couch curled into himself and head down.
“You okay Peter?” Tony asks worried.
“I don’t know why you brought me here but please, don’t make it hurt,” Peter says eyes shut tight and Tony sits on one side and Stephen on the other. Close enough so he can feel their warmth but not so close that he feels trapped.
“Kid, can you look at me for a second?” Tony asks and Peter looks at him shyly and he seem to wait with bated breath for whatever he is going to say.
“Look, I don’t want anything from you. I promise you. Except maybe to have you work for me. I saw those upgrades that you made. They are good and I want to include them on my next phone. You have a bright mind, I can help it flourish,” Tony says.
“How old are you?”
“Old enough to know that two supervillains don’t take a homeless kid home because they are altruistic,” Peter says.
“No, but they can adopt a kid they feel can benefit from being part of their family,” Stephen says.
“Adopt?”
“In time, we want to get to know you first.”
“What’s the catch?”
“None.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“Give it time.”
“And if I say no?”
“Then you leave here with a job. I’m not joking about the position.”
“Stay the night and the day tomorrow and see that we aren’t trying to hurt you before you decide.”
“Fine, but I want to sleep on a different floor than you two.”
“Deal.”
Tony and Stephen let Peter sleep three floors down and watch the boy through the camera feed until he falls asleep.
They say they’re keeping an eye on an unknown.
Really they want to make sure he’s getting some rest.