As A Child

Chapter 2

"Why would you tell him that?" Steve whisper-shouted, trying to not wake the kid, but still getting his point across, "I was running out of time Steve, the kid wasn't budging and-"

"So you tell him his dead aunt is still alive?" Steve said, his voice rising with every syllable. Tony had never seen the Captain so mad, but he really fucked up this time, "I get it," Tony groaned, he wasn't in the mood to be lectured by Cap, he was already guilty for what he did to the kid. Tony sat in the seat across from Peter, watching the boy's sleeping face. Even when unconscious, the kid looked petrified. Tony knew the feeling too well, not being able to escape even in your dreams.

He watched as Steve and Clint walked to their seats, overhearing their conversation. "I've never shot a kid Steve, I..." Tony picked at the arm of his chair. He had not only ruined the trust between him and the person he saved, but he also put his teammate through having to shoot a child. Tony leaned his head against the headrest. This was going to be a long trip.

***

Clint ended up carrying the boy, saying that it was the least he could do. The man carried Peter to the medbay while the rest of the team attended Fury's debriefing.

"So you retrieved him, unharmed?"

"Mostly," Natasha mumbled, glaring at Tony. Fury brushed off the comment, continuing, "Find out why Osborn took him. You'll need to be careful from now on. It won't be long before Osborn finds out what happened. You know that man is above the law," Nick Fury's hologram flickered before dissipating completely.

Natasha left the room, leaving Steve and Tony. Of course, Tony should've seen this coming. Tony prepared himself for the endless lecture he was about to receive.

"You should apologize to the boy, Tony," That was unexpected....Tony figured that he was in for it, but Steve just stood there, refusing to meet Tony's eyes. It was somehow worse than a lecture. "I will," Tony said quietly.

"Good," Steve nodded, before walking out of the room. Tony rolled his neck, I guess it's the least I could do. He followed Steve out of the room.

Bruce was checking over Peter when Tony arrived, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion, "Just what happened to this kid? He has injuries from mistreated wounds. Hell, his shoulder was dislocated!" Bruce took a warm washcloth, wiping it over one of the scrapes on Peter's elbows, "And these wounds are healing fast. Look," Bruce held the boy's arm out to Tony, which had an open wound hours earlier. It was now scabbed over and healing.

"Take a blood sample," Tony said, laying the boy's arm out. Bruce tied off the boy's forearm, tapping on the veins in his inner elbow, before pressing the needle into the vein. The reaction was instantaneous. In seconds, Peter had woken up, pushed Tony to the other side of the room, before doing the same to Bruce.

"Please! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to! Don't, please. Please," the boy begged hysterically, ripping the needle out of his arm. Tony looked at Bruce, who stayed still against the wall. This kid was strong, freakishly strong, for someone who'd been starved in captivity.

Soon, Steve burst into the room, startling the kid even more. "Stop!" Tony yelled, holding his arm out in front of Steve. He looked over to the kid, who was still too stuck in his mind to understand what was happening. He was pleading and begging as he clenched at the bedsheets in front of him, to the point of ripping them.

"Kid, calm down," But the boy kept crying, "Peter! Look at me! I'm not whoever you think I am!" Tony slowly approached Peter, shuffling across the tiled floor.

"N-no, he'll find out. He'll punish me again. I can't go back, please, I can't!" Tony swallowed. Was he talking about Osborn? "Who?" He asked, but he already knew the answer.

"M-Mr. Osborn. He owns me- He'll find me. I can't go back, I can't." Peter wrapped his arms around his knees, pulling them to his chest. Tony didn't think the kid could look any smaller, but alas. Soon enough, he was beside the kid's bed, holding his hands up to Peter.

"I'm not going to hurt you, Peter. Can I touch you? When you pulled out the needle, your arm started to bleed. I want to make sure you're alright." Peter peeked out from underneath his arms, staring at Tony as if he was analyzing him. After a moment, Peter nodded, holding his arm to Tony. Tony grabbed a small cotton ball and pressed it to the puncture before wrapping it with gauze.

Peter watched in amazement, as if he'd never seen a wound cared for. The very thought made Tony want to kill Norman Osborn. Tony held his hands up once again after he finished wrapping Peter's arm. The boy looked exhausted, so Tony wasn't as surprised when the boy leaned his head onto Tony's chest. The boy's eyes stared at the glow of Tony's arc reactor, which was peaking through his tee. Soon enough, the boy's eyes fluttered shut as Tony laid him back down.

Bruce walked over to Tony, seeing the vial and needle that Peter ripped out, "Lucky us, there's enough to test," Bruce said, holding the vial, which had a bit of Peter's blood in it, "You coming?" Bruce asked, to which Tony shook his head, "I'll join you later. I'm gonna sit with him for a bit." Bruce just nodded, leaving the room silently.

Tony grabbed a chair before sitting it at Peter's bedside. He covered the boy with the blanket, seeing as he had goosebumps along his arms. The kid looked peaceful in his sleep this time, his face calm and breathing steadily. He heard Steve's heavy footsteps approach him. "Since when were you good with kids?" Steve joked, his tone playful, contrasting his earlier disappointment. "I'm just as surprised as you, Cap." Tony said, his eyes not leaving Peter.