Melancholy Hope {Spiderson&Irondad}

Chapter 7

Wade's POV

I get home from school that afternoon, to find Peter curled up on the couch, some sappy movie playing on the tv. There's tears caught in the corners of his eyes and an empty bowl of popcorn on the coffee table. He's tucked in one of my hoodies, and a pair of my grey sweatpants looking like a little kid.

"Hey, Petey. Do you wanna go out for a little bit? You've been here for 4 days and you haven't left my apartment yet..." I murmur, wandering over to the couch and leaning over the back as he twists to look up at me.

"Okay," he whispers, pushing himself up. "Where are we going?"

"Grocery shopping. I'm pretty much out of bread and we can get some soup and noodles and easy stuff to make. Fruits as well because my parents got pissed when they came by last week and saw what sorts of foods I was eating," I explain, leading him off to his bedroom. "We can buy you some more jeans too if you want."

"No, it's okay. I have more at Mister Stark's. I'm fine with this as long as you're okay with me stealing your clothes," he says, blushing shyly as he pulls his clothes from his clothes.

"Not to like pressure you or anything... but do you know when you're planning on going back? You know you can't stay here forever," I sigh, hating the sadness that weighs me down at that thought. As much as I tell myself and him and Tony that he has to go home, there's still hope in my chest that maybe he won't have to leave.

He frowns a little bit, sitting at his desk, "I don't know. Honestly, I have no idea. It's not that I don't want to, you know? It's not like I'm actively trying to avoid Mister Stark, I'm just scared. I'm absolutely fucking terrified."

"He's not going to hurt you, Peter. You know that. You've done some pretty stupid shit while living there from what I know and he's never even raised his voice at you. He's safe," I reply, hating the disappointment of him wanting to go back. Wanting to leave me. It's not fair.

"I know. I know that. I just... I like this, you know? This is easy. This is normal. Having an adult actually care? That's weird, it's scary. It's like, I'm 15 and no adult has ever actually cared. Like it's hard to believe that Mister Stark's actually different," Peter mumbles, eyes soft and vulnerable when he turns to look at me and I'm suddenly aware at how close to tears he sounds.

"I'll go wait in the kitchen while you change and then we'll go out. You know you're always welcome here, though. As long as you need," I say, patting his knee with an easy smile before heading out of the room.

I know it's stupid, but it's lonely living by yourself when you're in high school. I don't have any friends at school or at my work. I'm not even close to my coworkers or classmates. It just doesn't happen. People judge me and look at me funny.

Except for Peter.

He showed up. Black eye, split lip, old jeans, surprisingly bright smiles, sadness behind soft brown eyes, and so kind when he sat beside me in our English class.

I had asked him why he bothered and he grinned, though it seemed sad behind everything. He had asked why anyone bothered with anything when nothing lasts forever.

I was intrigued so I joined him at lunch.

We sort of just became friends from there. It was nice.

"Hey. You ready to go?" Peter murmurs, walking into the room.

"Sure am, Baby Boy. Let's get this show on the road."

We decide to walk to the grocery store despite it being a half hour walk, Peter probably wants the sunlight so I don't object.

Peter smiles at me, brown eyes sparkly and happy. "How have you been? Got your own apartment and a job?"