It's a Spider Thing. {Peter Parker and Natasha Romanoff}

{36} iron lad prototype suit

TONY HADN'T BEEN ABLE TO SLEEP SINCE PETER WAS TAKEN.

Every time that he closed his eyes, allowed his mind free reign, to wonder even for a moment- Peter's limp form would jolt him back into the present. A relentless guilt would gnaw away at his insides whenever he thought back to that night and his heart would sink at the terrifying thought of never being able to apologise for not running after him.

For no taking down the helicopter and rescuing his kid. For not fighting harder.

Usually, in what was becoming a routine, at some absurd time in the evening Tony would find himself trailing up and down the tower. Drifting from one room to the other as his instinct took over.

On one of his first midnight ventures he had found himself hovering outside of Harley's room only to find it empty; the covers pushed back on the bed. His heart rate had spiked instantly, almost sending the billionaire spiralling into a sudden panic attack- he couldn't lose another one, no, no, no- Jarvis had had to gently guide him to Peter's room down the hall until Tony felt the air being suddenly breathed back into his lungs once he saw Harley curled up in the middle of the bed. He slumped against the door, content with just watching the rise and fall of the teenager's chest; he was clutching a pillow tightly to his chest with his face buried into the fabric, the blankets pooled at his waist.

Eventually, after checking Harley was safe and sound, Tony would settle in his lab.

He was comforted by the familiar surroundings and the suits of the Iron Man armour that lined the walls in neat rows- ready to be activated and deployed on a moment's notice if he needed them. Then the billionaire would throw himself into his projects, mind working overtime because he had to be better. There was no other option.

He had to improve. He had to save the ones he loved. He couldn't fail next time.

Sometimes, Tony would become so obsessed with his work he wouldn't notice Harley shuffle his way inside the lab in an oversized sweater that clearly belonged to Peter, (the ridiculous science pun giving its owner away), with his hands hidden in the sleeves and sit down wordlessly at the workbench with a bleary expression and dark bags to rival even Tony's beneath his eyes.

The sight of him never failed to make the billionaire's chest feel tighter and his mind run even faster- no one was going to touch either of his kid's again; he'd ensure it. It was a silent promise to himself as he poured over blueprints and suit designs until his vision blurred together.

Nothing would stop him.

"How's the other guy look?"

Startled from his equation, Tony looked up to see Harley staring at the lab doors, his head tilted in a calculating manner that he'd been picking up on ever since he had been introduced to Peter.

"Worse. He isn't getting back up anytime soon." Natasha stated coolly, walking towards the duo with a slight limp in her step that did nothing to deter her determined walk. She only paused for a beat in front of the workbench to set down a small handgun before she stretched out her fingers distractedly.

With the closer angle, Tony could see the light coat of dirt across her face, the graze on her chin and the bleeding cut on her cheekbone; he also didn't fail to notice that she was wearing her Shield uniform, it was dirty and scratched.

As the genius studied the assassin, her eyes flitted to Peter's still untouched workbench briefly before she focussed back on the other two people in the room.

"Find anything out?" Tony asked, tentatively.

For a moment, Natasha stilled. Her lips parted as she drew in a slow breath and cast a lingering look between the two men in front of her. "Not anything good." Tony quickly looked away, fiddling with something on his desk as Harley's eyes stayed glued to the woman in front of him.

"They didn't know a location, but I learnt what Hydra could want with Peter."

"And?" Tony prodded, refusing to meet her eyes but he needed to know more.

"Experiments. Combining more than one mutated gene inside a body." Natasha explained simply, forcing an indifferent expression to shape her features. Tony bit down on his lip, hard enough to draw blood before forcing out a strangled,

"That could-"

"- kill him." Harley announced bluntly.

He leaned his entire body against the workbench, unexpectedly having to catch his breath as if all the air had just been punched from his lungs. Instinctively, Tony moved to reach for the teenager, but Harley had already pushed himself away and stumbled out of the lab as tears burned the backs of his eyes. He disappeared around the corner before Tony could form any words.

No one said anything for a few seconds until the billionaire cleared his throat uncertainly. "I, I don't know what to do." He confessed, referencing more than just his inability to comfort Harley.

Tony was also lost on what to do to help Peter too; he could only stay hidden in his lab with his toys for so long before even he started to lose it. Before he felt like he wasn't doing enough- he should be out searching like Shield. Even if it meant flying over the city every night with Jarvis running scans.

Natasha turned back to him; her eyes having followed Harley out of the room.

"You're already doing something Stark." She stated, unperturbed by the teen's sudden departure as her finger tapped rhythmically on the blueprint's name that he had been covering with an oil rag.

'Iron Lad Prototype Suit.'

"Do you know everything Romanoff?" He teased, though it lacked much enthusiasm and its usual light-hearted tone as Natasha shrugged tiredly, allowing Tony to finally see how exhausted the agent truly was if only for a moment before she straightened up again.

"I also know you built an emergency suit in case Peter is hurt too bad to be moved." Tony barely reacted to the statement as he pulled up a hologram as a distraction, swallowing thickly at the reminder of the suit. It was a worst-case scenario solution- he never wanted to have to use it.

"And I know you miss him just as much as I do." Nat mumbled, mostly to herself.

And if in the briefest moment, both their gazes happened to shift to Peter's undisturbed desk? No one else had to know but them as they settled into a consoling silence. 

A/N

Harley's reaction was devastating but I loved it. Also Tony and Natasha being supports and comforts for the each other warms my heart. :)

Anywho! Let me know of any spelling mistakes! xoxo.