Chapter Text
Peter sat on the couch, staring angrily at the coffee table before him. His dad was ranting behind him, something about how Tony and Peter were so incredibly irresponsible, allowing a fourteen-year-old to be Spider Man. Ranting about how incredibly stupid it was of Peter.
And he could only sit there and listen, chewing the inside of his lip whilst his fists clenched painfully. He shouldn’t have to sit there and take it. He shouldn’t be on the receiving end of the tirade. When had his dad ever had the right to tell him off? Not being a present figure did not earn him the right to call him out on something he was damn proud of.
“Enough.”
The silence that echoed through the room from Peter’s voice almost gave him a feeling of smug satisfaction before the rage returned. Stephen turned his full height on his son, but Peter wasn’t having any of it.
“You can’t stand there and yell at me for this. You can’t stand there and yell at me! You have no right to tell me off, no right to stand there and accuse me of being stupid, no right to be disappointed in me. I’m done, dad. I’m done with this. You stand there and judge me, you always have. You know who doesn’t judge me? Aunt May, who you pawned me off to because you didn’t care. So no, you can’t stand here and say you care, can’t stand there, and tell me I can’t be Spider Man because I am, so deal with it.”
More silence followed. Peter caught his breath, the anger dwindling from his chest and he looked away, fists still clenched. He was about four steps away from punching his dad.
“I am still your dad-”
“Then why don’t you ever act like it? Hell, Mr Stark acts like he cares more then you and I’ve barely known him a year!” He took a deep breath, then scowled as something crossed his mind. Something that made him want to punch his dad all over again.
“And I know you blew me off for him.”
Tony looked as though he’d been punched, as though the revelation startled him too. Peter had told Tony when he’d meant to be with his dad, and Tony had also mentioned when he was having a date. The coincidence was too large, and now it was obvious – they were together.
“Kid-”
Peter shot Tony a look, one that shot the apology down where it started, “it’s not your fault, Mr Stark.”
Tony turned a cool gaze on the sorcerer, “you better damn fix this, Strange.”
Stephen winced, moving to take a step forward but Peter’s glare stopped him in motion, “Peter, I am sorry, I know that’s not what you want to hear right now, but I am. Sorry that I never prioritised you. Sorry that you felt you have something to prove.”
“Sorry isn’t good enough dad.”
“I know.”
“I don’t think you do,” Tony’s voice startled them all, wide eyes turning to face the man who’d been through it all. He’d been at Peter’s side, and he’d experienced a similar thing with his own parents. He knew what Peter was going through better then most.
“You can’t stand there and apologise, thinking he’ll forgive you again. He might, because it’s Peter and he’s ridiculously kind-hearted and – and I can’t believe you take that for granted. I watched him on nights you would cancel. I saw what it did to him. No number of apologies is going to fix that, Strange. You don’t deserve this kid right now, not the other way around.”
Peter was surprised when Tony moved over to him, wrapping an arm comfortably over his shoulder. He stared up at the man, the gesture worth more then he could comprehend.
The kid took a deep breath and met his father’s eyes. The man did look guilty. He did look apologetic. He looked hurt, but he looked like he knew that was his own fault. So, he sighed, “you can fix it, dad. I want you to want to fix this, because, regardless of everything, I love you. You’re my dad, that hasn’t changed. I just – I just can’t keep on like this.”
Stephen nodded once, “you’re my son, Peter. I’m going to prove that to you. Someday, perhaps I’ll even be worthy.”
“Why don’t we start with some dinner, I’m sure the spider baby is hungry.”
Peter rolled his eyes, hesitant as he was to remind Stephen of his alter ego but amused by Tony’s timing. He was hungry, that was true. He was also scared. It was all just words. Words meant little when the only action Peter had known was the complete opposite. He had to give him the benefit of the doubt. He had to.
At the end of the day, he still had May and Tony in his corner. That was enough. If his dad shaped up as he said he would, he would be happy too. He couldn’t imagine it though. He couldn’t see it yet. It went against the entirety of his previous notions.
“Food sounds good,” he said softly, following Tony to the kitchen area.
(It took a long while before Peter could trust his dad. A long while. There were more fights, more tears, more arguments, and more pain. Stephen had to cancel on Peter, but he did understand the urgency of being Sorcerer Supreme. Peter cancelled for Spider Man events.
Throughout everything, Peter grew closer with Tony, moving into the tower so he would be closer with his parents, even if Stephen wasn’t constantly there. He had two dads now. The hurt never faded, it remained, and it was something Stephen could never strip. It was something that would stay with the boy, for that was what he was – a boy who’d been hurt by his father.
He didn’t care about being worthy of Stephen’s love anymore. He didn’t need the validation. He was worthy and he knew that now, knew it wasn’t his fault. It never was.
Everything changed again when Thanos snapped. Tony stopped at nothing to get his son back.
Peter only had one dad left. Stephen never broke his promise again.)