One shot collection

Mute

Silence used to bother Tony.

The quiet darkness of his room only invited bad thoughts and sleepless nights. The ringing stillness of the penthouse was both suffocating and dismal, a perpetual reminder of his loneliness and self-destructive mind. The hush that fell over his lab only seemed to hinder his concentration.

So he drank to forget the dismal thoughts that always seemed to permeate his mind. Or blasted AC/DC in the lab to fill the empty space. Work, filled with chaotic noise, proved to be an excellent distraction. Allowing him to ignore his troubles and forget about his past.

That all changed when he adopted Peter.

It wasn't a split-second decision, despite what others might say. The billionaire, despite his wealth and knowledge, didn't feel he had a purpose. He couldn't find a reason to keep going. The only reason he'd survived to the age of forty was because of his friend Rhodey's diligence and Happy's watchful eye.

Peter was his reason, to not just survive, but to actually live.

Such a sweet, extraordinary child who had been through more than Tony or anyone Tony knew for that matter. After his parents died in a plane crash, he was orphaned at five-years-old. Then again, at six, when his aunt and uncle were murdered in front of him. He stopped talking after that.

He traveled from foster home to foster home, each one more violent than the next. The kid's skinny body was covered in scars. All from people he should've been able to trust.

Tony was just grateful that he'd never been sexually abused. Not that physical and verbal abuse were any better. But they were both something he had grown up with and could - he hoped - help Peter with.

Despite the horrible conditions the boy had grown up with, the department of social services had him enrolled at Midtown school of science and technology. A costly STEM school that allowed only the best of the best to attend. They immediately noticed how intelligent Peter was and registered him for a scholarship. He passed the admittance test with a perfect score, earning himself a scholarship that allowed him to attend for free.

That's how Tony found the kid.

Flipping through his Stark pad, Tony noticed a news article about a freshman in high school who won the science fair by creating an AI. A fourteen-year-old child invented, designed, and created a functioning AI that was equal to JARVIS' intelligence and abilities.

He didn't believe it. Neither did Rhodey, Bruce, or any of the other Avengers. So he drove down to the school to see for himself.

Happy grumbled quietly as he and his boss entered the building, unsure why he needed to accompany Tony to visit some high school. The little genius, Peter, was waiting in the office per Tony's request. Needless to say, the sickly thin figure with deathly pale skin and tattered clothing was not what he'd been expecting. Happy even did a double-take.

But what drew the billionaire's interest was the adorable honey brown curls and the skinny teen's eyes. The deep brown irises held a wisdom that seemed far beyond their years. They were somber, tired, and worn. But when those hazel orbs met Tony's, they held nothing but admiration and love.

The AI's name was KAREN.

Those same hazel eyes filled with tears of joy when the billionaire came to adopt him. It didn't take long for Tony to come to a decision. There was no way he would let such a sweet innocent kid stay in the system where he was abused and would never be able to reach his full potential. He knew it wouldn't be easy. Raising a child rarely ever was. But Tony Stark never backed away from a challenge.

After being moved to Avengers, Tower Bruce had insisted on giving Peter a thorough check-up to treat his wounds and make sure there were no hidden injuries. His last foster parents were indescribably cruel. Starving, threatening, and beating the teen until he was unconscious. Tony had to hide his tears when he found out that Peter had been with them for over three years.

Three of his ribs were cracked, and his left wrist was sprained. Lash marks - bright red and angry - were etched into his back. There were dozens of similar scars creating crisscross patterns across his entire back and narrow shoulders. Peter's chest and stomach were a tapestry of black, blue, purple, and green. His arms and legs were also painted with marks. Ranging from burn marks - like someone dug a hot cigarette into his skin - all the way to slash marks - as if someone drew on his body with a knife.

Peter also had extreme hyper-metabolism. Something that wasn't very helpful when you're already being starved. He was very underweight and was suffering from exhaustion. But no medicine could slow his metabolism, and pumping the kid full of meds just to make him sleep was not a long term solution. They had to prove to Peter that he was safe and that he could trust them for him to start healing.

One of the many things Tony and Peter had in common was insomnia. It was brought on by PTSD and nightmares. JARVIS would alert Tony whenever Peter was in distress. And each time, Tony would stay with him, holding him tightly while reassuring him that he was safe and loved. The kid never screamed or cried out. Just cried silently. Tony held him even after he fell asleep.

The labs seemed to be Peter's favorite place. It's where his intellect was put to the test, and he could invent whatever came to mind. But it was really Tony's presence that soothed his nerves. He was like a second shadow to the billionaire, following him around throughout the tower, even accompanying Tony to some business meetings. On good days, he'd sit so close to the man it looked as if they were fused together.

But on bad days, the days when Tony had to leave for a mission or a long-distance trip involving Stark industries where Peter had to stay behind; he would hole up in his room, not eating or sleeping, remaining hidden until the man returned.

If Tony was gone for more than a few days, his team would try to coax Peter out of his solitary confinement. It was slow going and hard work, but seeing Peter eat and smile was well worth it.

Getting Peter to eat proved to be another big issue. It wasn't that he was picky or anything; he was just so used to going without meals or being punished for eating that he never acknowledged his hunger. Peter barely ate even after Tony assured him that he could sit with the team - his family - and eat as much as he wanted whenever he wanted. The kid was scarily thin, and with his hyper-metabolism, making sure he maintained a somewhat healthy weight would always be challenging. But they were making progress nonetheless.

It took many months, but Peter eventually grew accustomed to the other Avengers. Their odd behaviors and unique personalities didn't bother him. Occasionally, he spoke to them in sign or sat near them in the living room. Those simple gestures were always the highlight of everyone's day. Physical contact was something they still needed to work on, but they'd get there.

The best day of Tony's life, hands down, was when Peter spoke to him.

Peter had had a nightmare and clung to Tony so tightly that the mechanic's shirt started to rip. After twenty minutes, Peter's breathing slowed back down to a normal rate. His grip on Tony's shirt loosened but wasn't entirely relinquished.

He looked up at Tony - doe eyes glistening with unshed tears - and spoke, in nothing above a whisper, "Dad, I love you."

Now, it was Tony's turn to cry. Tears ran down his cheeks as he pulled his son closer, placing a gentle kiss on his forehead.

"I love you so much, bambino. You're my one and only and the best thing to ever happen to me."

The two fell asleep, wrapped in each other's arms.