Becoming Spider-Man // Son of Stark 1

Chapter 3

Nine hours later, Steve walked down into the lab, only to find Tony frantically running around the messy room. He looked at his husband with concern. The billionaire looked a state: his hair was sticking up all over the place, there were dark bags underneath his eyes. He appeared to have been down there all day, researching or experimenting or doing whatever Tony Stark does. "Tones, you need to get some sleep," the soldier stated, hoping to get through to him.

Tony blanked him and continued to run tests on a red liquid, which appeared to be blood. Whose blood: Steve didn't know, but it seemed to be important to Tony. What if it was Tony's blood? What if he was seriously ill? "Tones," Steve repeated, "What are you doing?"

"Wha-at?" Tony mumbled, finally noticing Steve was there, "Oh hi, Stevie."

"Hey... What exactly are you doing?"

"Analysing this blood sample."

"Right. Who's blood is it exactly?" asked Steve, no more reassured than he was when he saw his husband for the first time that evening.

"Pete's."

Steve paused for a moment, "Alright, but can I know why you're running tests on his blood?"

"No, Steve, you cannot."

"He's our son, for gosh sake, why can't I know?" Steve asked, trying his upmost best not to clench his fists.

"Because you wouldn't like my answer."

"I still want an answer. Whether I do or do not like it," Steve insisted, taking a step towards the shorter man.

"I can't tell you."

"Tony..." Steve glared at him, his usually ocean-blue eyes turning into a turquoise colour.

"I just said, I can't!"

Steve shook his head, laughing, "I thought we trusted each other. That when we married we would never keep secrets from each other. That's why I came down here to tell you that we found Bucky. However, if you can't trust me with something involving our son, Tony, I think I'm gonna go stay the night at The Hub... with him."

He walked out of the lab, leaving Tony alone. He hated being this angry. He hated being this mad. But, why didn't Tony trust him enough with something as important as Peter's health? They had raised the kid since he was ten, since his only left relatives had passed. They were as much a family as any could be. Why did Tony have to go and ruin that?

Tony took another look at the results on his monitor, and gasped in surprise. "Oh, shit." A gap formed in his chest as he realised no one was going to yell language at him. No one was going to correct his profanity - not today, and if things didn't go well with Steve, not ever again.

Maybe he could teach Peter to do it...

No, that wouldn't work. No one could ever replace Steve Rogers. Ever.

Tony took one more hard stare at the computer screen; it displayed a diagram of a double helix structured DNA, however it had mutations all over it: making it theoretically stronger... before going upstairs to Peter's bedroom.

* * *

Slowly opening the door, Tony crept into Peter's room. What did he talk about first: the DNA results, or Steve? Both had turned into a swarm of butterflies, fluttering around his stomach. He felt nervous. Uneasy. Scared.

What if Peter only loved him when Steve was there? What if he only pretended to love him, what if it was all an act?

No, that couldn't be true. He's my baby

Tony reassured himself, however his forehead was still wet from his sweat. He still didn't know what to say, and as the word started to form on the top of his tongue,

"Hey, Dad, is that you?"

Tony sat down on Peter's bed, being careful not to sit on his son. "Yeah, it's me. I... I've got some news."

Peter sat upright, rubbing his eyes - blinking rapidly, "Good news or bad news?"

Tony sighed. "Bad news and however you decide to take it news. What would you like first?"

"The bad news, I guess."

"Peter..." Tony started, leaving the teen as pale as a ghost. Tony almost never called him by his actual name: it was always nicknames and pet names, mainly to annoy him. "Your Pops and I had a bit of an argument downstairs. He's gonna stay with that friend of his, Bucky, the one everyone was looking for, until we sort things out." If we sort things out, Tony thought.

"Will I still be able to see him... if things don't work out between you two?" Peter asked, in a more mature manner than Tony expected from him.

"Of course, Petey. I'll never stop you from seeing him."

"Good," the teen whispered. However, his gaze was yet to fall from his duvet - and he hadn't once let Tony's eyes meet his own. "The... other news?"

"Well," said Tony, "It's about the spider bite. I did the tests, and all, and found out somethings happened to your DNA."

"What?" muttered Peter, quietly. "Is it something bad? Is it deteriorating? Is it changing? Is it evolving?"

"From a certain point of view..."

"Don't start using Obi Wan against me, Dad. Just tell me the answer!"

"It's mutating."

There was silence. The two usually loudest people in the Tower had fallen quiet, the only sounds in the room being their heavy and hasty breathing.

"The spider bite contained DNA," Tony continued, "And it's bonded with your own."

"Okay..." Peter replied, hesitantly.

"You've got some powers... which we need to test out. But they're there. Science never lies."

"At least I'm now like you and Pops," Peter exclaimed. Then after seeing the smile on his Dad's face fade, he added: "Sorry."

"No, it's okay. You can talk about him, Pete. I don't mind. But, what exactly do you mean you're now like me and your Pops?"

"I mean I obviously inherited the brains from you," stated Peter.

Tony coughed - interrupting his son, "And the looks."

"And now I've got genetically enhanced powers... just like Pops," he finished, slightly less enthusiastically.

"Kid, it's half seven," Tony said, an idea forming in his mind. "Do you want me to order in pizza, then we go work down in the labs?"

"Sure, but why?"

Tony grinned. "You'll see why when we get there."