spideychelle | irondad ~ oneshots

thirteen - irondad

rewrite, so short i'm sorry

Everyone had noticed. You simply couldn't not notice. Tony was irritated. Irrevocably so. It was as if everything that anyone did angered him. 

Steve had suffered Tony's wrath first hand when the sound of his chewing ended with a shattered bowl on the kitchen floor. Similarly, Bucky had been walking much too loudly, and a boot was promptly launched his way.

Tony refused to talk to anyone, he barely ate, and he sulked in the lab all day long. Pepper was quickly running out of ideas of how to cheer up her stupidly cranky husband.

"I'm heading off to get the kid from school." Happy announced, swinging his keys around his finger casually. 

Pepper nodded at him briefly, watching the lift close behind him. She slammed her laptop shut and stood from her desk. She knew exactly how to get Tony out of his mood.

A short time later, an excited Peter Parker skipped out of the elevator. He was practically vibrating with excitement. Pepper quickly pulled him aside, instinctively taking the backpack from his shoulders as she did so.

"Where's Mr Stark?" He asked curiously, glancing behind Pepper.

"In the lab." She answered. The boy turned to go in that direction, before Pepper's hand gripped his shoulder gently. "Wait, can I speak to you for a moment?"

He nodded slowly. "Is something wrong?"

"No, no." She waved her hand out. "Tony's been feeling a bit down lately, I think. I was wondering if you might be able to do something for me. For him, really."

"Me? Why me?" 

"You'll see, c'mon." She gestured him forward. 

The two hurried to the lab, where a moping Tony Stark sat slumped over his desk. 

"Work your magic." Pepper whispered to him, before pushing him in the doorway, and promptly disappearing again.

Peter, although confused and slightly concerned, walked into the room. 

He took a slightly shaky breath. "Mr Stark?"

The man's head rose from the desk quickly, staring at the teenage boy softly.

"What are you doing?" Peter continued.

"What am I doing?" Tony repeated, eyes glossed over and shiny.

Peter swallowed loudly. "How about a movie?" 

Tony only shook his head, a scowl on his face. "Not in the mood, kid."

Peter frowned. It was rare for the man to refuse Peter anything. He walked towards him. "Please, Mr Stark?"

Wiping his forearm against his head, the man sighed, before eventually caving to the sad look on the Peter's face. "Fine, go put one on. I'll be out soon."

Peter lit up with an innocent smile, his eyes shining at the older man's agreement. He quickly scurried off to the living room, letting the heavy door slam behind him.

Tony sighed once again, standing up straight as his knees and back cracked loudly. He'd been sitting in the same spot for much too long. He followed the teenager's steps, finding him sitting on the couch, Netflix loading on the TV.

When his footsteps began to echo through the room, Peter spun around to face him, a soft smile on his lips. 

Tony pointed silently towards the kitchen as he detoured towards the microwave. "Uh. Popcorn, kid."

After glancing behind him to see Peter still scrolling, Tony leant against the kitchen counter. He closed his eyes, pushing the palms of his hands against them. He was exhausted. It had been days since he'd had a proper sleep, but there was simply too much rattling around his head for him to rest.