You're Okay With Us

Chapter 7

Tony

On the flight back home Peter was really quiet.

Steve and I also made sure to pick up some earplugs for him.

He just stared out the window blankly. "Peter you okay?" I asked rubbing his shoulder.

Peter flinched away and nodded without looking at me. "Hey Peter, let's go have a chat in the back baby." Pepper said nodding her head towards the back of the jet.

Peter nodded and followed her.

"He's acting really weird..." I scratched the back of my head.

"He's in his head Tony, something's probably bothering him." Steve sighed. Happy nodded in agreement.

A couple minutes later Pepper came back holding a sleeping Peter. She laid him down in his seat, he automatically curled up in a ball.

"Poor baby." She mumbled pushing his hair back, her fingers lingered against his forehead.

Peter's cheeks were rosy and tear stained.
"What happened? Did he say anything to you?" I asked frantically.

Pepper shot me a look. "He thinks he's a charity case! How the hell didn't you hear that reporter yell such a horrible thing?"

A charity case? I don't remember anyone calling him a charity case.

"Of course." I heard Steve say under his breath.

"I'm such a horrible father... I heard that man say that and I didn't do anything, I didn't want to cause a scene. I didn't think Peter would've heard him... God I'm so stupid!" Steve rambled.

I grabbed his arm. "Listen to me! This isn't your fault. We've just got to make it right."

———
Peter

When I woke up I realized that I wasn't on the plane anymore, I was at the tower.

I got up out of bed slowly. I rubbed my eyes as I looked around for Tony and Steve.

Tony and Steve were curled up on the couch together watching some movie on tv.

"Hey baby." Steve smiled at me. I waved at him shyly.

"You feeling better?" Tony asked. I nodded.

"Peter, I think we need to talk."

I've heard those words before and it never ever ends well...

"You're sending me back?" I whispered gripping the hem of my shirt.

"What?! Of course not! You're stuck here with us."

I looked up surprisedly. "Really?"

Tony nodded with a big smile on his face. "We love you Peter."

Steve stood up followed by Tony. "Can I?" Steve asked with his big arms wide open.

I smiled, biting my lip embarrassedly. I nodded and Steve engulfed me into a big hug. Tony joined in happily.

"Listen buddy, I can not say this enough to you, we love you." Steve said as he pulled away. And there goes the L word, the word that I would never say to anyone again.

I felt bad, because I feel something towards them. I don't know if it's love or not but I just couldn't bring myself to say it back to them. I think they understand though.

Just take a minute to think about all of the fate of the people that have ever loved me. I can't let that happen to them...

Tears filled my eyes and that smile I had five seconds ago was gone.

"We really do Peter." Tony ruffled my hair.

"Don't s-say t-that. P-please don't." I begged tears rolling down my cheeks. I backed away from them.

"What's wrong bubba?" Steve asked coming closer to me. "I-I d-don't w-wanna go b-back." I cried backing up into my back was flat against the wall.

"Back where?" Tony asked confusedly.

"O-Orphanage." I sobbed with my head down.

"You aren't ever going back there no matter what happens!" Tony said sternly.

"But y-you c-can't. I-I'm s-sorry-" I choked up. Steve shushed me. "It's okay. Calm down baby."

He wrapped his arms around me, holding me to his chest tightly. He whispered sweet nothings in my ear and played with my hair.

"You ready to talk buddy?" Tony asked grabbing my hand. I nodded staring at my lap.

"Everyone t-that loves m-me...dies, or t-they...l-leave me. I don't w-want that to h-happen to you g-guys!"

"Aw, Peter you don't have to worry about that. We're here as long as you want us to be." Tony rubbed my back. I winced slightly, one of my foster parents said the same thing.

She treated me like I was her real son and as if she loved me, and she probably did at least at first...

One day, she got a boyfriend and he was jealous of the relationship me and her had together. She called Ms. Owens and I was gone in a day.

She told me she loved me literally days before she sent me back, and I believed her...

Mind you I was with her for 5 months so she was sort of family to me.

After that I knew there wasn't any hope for me anymore.

I didn't even try to get to know my foster parents, they would send me back, I would be depressed for a little while, then go back to normal, it's just a huge cycle that I'm going to always go through until I age out.

We're here as long as you want us to be...

That simple sentence kept repeating itself in my head.

I hope so...